If Forgiven, Show Change

A woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. Jesus said, “… Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)He did not ask her to justify her action but to change her ways. He demanded repentance.Repentance is turning back from  sin and walking in the right path. For this to happen, you should admit your sin and ask for forgiveness.So if someone gives you reasons why they sinned, tell them they are wrong and they need to change.‭‭Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬)When you repent of your sin God is willing to forgive. However, forgiveness is not cheap. You need to pay the penalty. Earning forgiveness will cost life because the penalty for sin is death. So, no one can earn and enjoy forgiveness in this life. Someone who is sinless has to pay the penalty on your behalf and make forgiveness available to you. Only a sinless person can be your Savior. That is why Jesus had to come and die in your place. Your forgiveness cost the life of the Savior. If you take it for granted, it will cost you your life. Acknowledge Him as the only Savior. Invite Him to be your own Savior and Master. Yield to His authority and submit your whole life to Him.Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. ‭‭(1Cor. ‭6:9‭-‬10‬ ‭NLT‬‬)When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.‭‭(Gal.‬ ‭5:19‭-‬21‬ ‭NLT‬‬)You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.(‭‭Eph.‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭NLT)‬‬“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”(‭‭Rev.‬ ‭21:8‬ ‭NLT)If you have experienced God’s forgiveness then live a life of gratitude. Obey His command and ‘sin no more’. Let the Holy Spirit transform your life as you consciously and constantly yield to His Lordship. We should not be conformed to the pattern of the world as it says in Romans 12:1-2. Thus you will grow into the fullness of Christ and bring glory to His name.

Jesus Alone!

In the event of His transfiguration recorded in Mark 9:2-8, Jesus was giving the inner circle disciples a revelation of His glory. Son of the carpenter who didn’t have a place of his own to stay turned out to be the glorious Son of God right in front of their eyes.

Distorted Perception

Peter as usual gets excited about what he saw. He wanted the experience to be permanent or at the least a long lasting one. So he proposed to build three memorial tents one for each. The traditional religious mindset of Peter saw Jesus as comparable to Moses and Elijah. He did not realize Jesus was the very same God, the great I AM, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and the LORD who carried Elijah up in the chariot of fire. His concept of the Messiah was perhaps that of a brave man who would revolt against Roman rule with God’s help and re-establish the Jewish Kingdom. 

Who is Jesus to you? Do you tie Him up with your traditional religious understanding of church fathers and saints? Do you place Him on the same pedestal? Like Peter you make memorials or shrines for Him also along with others?

The One and Only

Suddenly the prophets vanish in the clouds and Jesus remains. God the Father confirms Jesus’s identity saying Jesus is God’s beloved Son, not just another prophet. He is the one and only Son who was with Him in creation. All prophets were sent to announce His coming and to prepare the stage for Him. They are all mere created humans but He is their God as well. So the Father from heaven gives the warning asking everyone to listen to Jesus His beloved Son.  

The power of the voice from heaven throws the disciples to the ground. They were terrified by the proclamation from heaven. Jesus comes to encourage them. When they look up they see only Jesus.

Jesus is the very God who created everything. He is the one and only Saviour who died in your place for your sins and rose again. All authority in heaven and earth belong to Him. He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Some day very soon, everyone will bow before Him and acknowledge that He is God. 

Have you surrendered yourself to Jesus and asked Him to be your Savior? He alone can save you from eternal hell.

Following Jesus no cake walk

The conditions Jesus placed before anyone who wanted to follow Him were very straightforward and rigid. No comparisons nor compromise with the standards of this world as He has no equals. His way is unique as He is unique. But, many who call themselves  followers of Jesus are not very serious about this fact. They take Jesus as one among the many and end up comparing Him and His teachings with others. We need to understand the seriousness of following Jesus.

What the Bible has to say

The Bible guarantees that life is not going to be easy just because you decided to follow Jesus. According to the Bible, to follow Jesus is to place your life at His feet in absolute surrender saying, “no more of my desires but yours be fulfilled in my life”. (Mt.19:21; Gal.2:20; Php.1:21) To follow Jesus is to willingly carry the cross He places on our shoulders and walk in obedience. (Lk.9:23; 14:26-27) To follow Jesus is to give up our privileges, pride and prestige to lift up the name of the Savior. (Php.3:8) To follow Jesus is to remain under His yoke carrying the load He places over us. (Mat.11:28-30) To follow Jesus is to be willing to take humiliation and suffering as part of the call. (Php.1:29)

Jesus’ example

Jesus set the example of a servant before His disciples. (Mk.10:45) He demonstrated life’s purpose for all those who would follow Him. (Lk.19:10) He taught that there is no crown without the cross. 

Jesus was willing to go through humiliation and suffering. His incarnation itself was condescending.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:5‭-‬11 NLT)

I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.

(John 13:16; 15:20 NLT)

A Call and a Choice

God calls people unto Him. Jesus called His disciples. He asked some to follow Him but they chose not to because of their misplaced priorities. But to some others who said they will follow Him, Jesus pointed out their indecisive attitude. They should be willing to make that choice by themselves. (Lk.9:57-62)

Are you someone who has decided to follow Jesus? Were you under the assumption that life would be comfortable and safe because of your decision?  Re-evaluate your decision based on the words of Jesus Christ.

Can You See Clearly ?

When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

Mark 8:22‭-‬26 NLT

Only in three healing miracles Jesus used His spittle in the process. The other two are in John chapter 9 and Mark chapter 7. In John 9 Jesus made clay by spitting in the mud and applied it on the blind man’s eyes and asked him to go and wash. In Mark 7 He spat on His own fingers and touched the man’s tongue and commanded his ears to be opened. But here in Bethsaida Jesus went a step further and spat on the blind man’s eyes. People who brought this man to Jesus certainly believed that He could give sight to the blind. But why spit in his eyes?

Need for a personal faith

Though the people who brought the blind pleaded with Jesus to touch him, Jesus didn’t heal him in the middle of the crowd. He took him by hand and led him out of the village. Perhaps His disciples followed and witnessed what happened or maybe the healed man narrated the whole event. Whatever happened, Jesus had a serious message to His followers. 

Spitting at someone is an insult and spitting at their face is the most humiliating and disgusting form of insult. Though he couldn’t see Jesus spitting, his other senses would have helped him understand what he experienced. But Jesus did that and waited for the man’s response. He could have taken it as ‘insult to injury’ but he accepted it as part of his healing process. He was willing to trust the power of Jesus to heal. He knew insult is better than blindness if he could gain sight by that. He saw the difference as he placed his faith in Jesus. Then Jesus placed His hands on the blind eyes and restored his sight. He was instructed not to go back into the village where people may react in different ways and confuse him. 

Healer of the soul

Jesus was pointing at His suffering and death as He wanted to correct the understanding of His followers regarding their Messiah. They expected Jesus to establish the kingdom God promised. They expected to share power and positions in His kingdom as a reward for following Him. They were blind about the plan of God for their Messiah even though it was announced through prophets of old and explained by Jesus Himself. 

Jesus, the light of the world, gave sight to the blind. He opened people’s eyes to see Him as their Savior. He was humiliated, tortured and spat upon. He suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins. He rose again to give us eternal life. Have you received this new life? If not, go to Jesus and ask Him to be your Savior and Master. He will open the eyes of your understanding.

Following myths and legends

As we are moving towards one world government, one economy, one religion, in preparation for the rule of the Antichrist, people become more and more accommodative and tolerant towards festivities and celebrations. Our God hates syncretism and compromise. He has strictly commanded His people not to equate Him with anyone else or worship any other object as their God. (Deu.6:4) The God of the Bible is a jealous God who will not tolerate anyone equating Him with anyone or anything He created. (Deu.4:24; 6:15) He will not share His glory with anything or anyone else. We should never take this command for granted.

Doing it in the name of religious harmony or culture or tradition or whatever is abominable to our God. These are the subtle ways of the enemy. Never fall into that trap. We don’t have to oppose those who do it, but wisely stay away from it. Love and respect people but don’t contribute to the wrongs. 

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

(James 4:4 NLT)

Keeping a cross on it or near it will not make an idol acceptable to the Lord. We should be serious about idol worship of any kind, whether it is a statue, picture, icon or living individuals. Whether we venerate them or honor them or remember them or pray to them or seek their mediation, it doesn’t make any difference. Nobody is worthy of glory and worship like the Lord Jesus the Almighty God. He has no equals, neither beginning nor end. There was nothing before Him. He created time and space, the universe and everything in it. He is on the throne and is worshiped in heaven by millions of His angels. Don’t equate the Lord God with anything or anyone else. Remember, the consequences are as bad as hell fire itself.

If you read 1 Samuel 5:1-4 you will see what happened to Dagon’s statue. When the Ark of God was placed alongside, it fell down. The worst thing is that even after recognizing the power of the true and living God, people don’t care to turn to Him and worship Him.

A Christian needs to be a transformed person. We are commanded not to imitate the customs and practices of the world. (Rom.12:2) There are festivals and celebrations commemorating different deities. Externally it looks like cultural or community celebrations. Things  like Valentine’s day and Halloween are a few examples.  We should seriously consider whether we can identify with these or not. We should not be guilty of identifying with wrong things, especially things that are done in the name of other deities.

There is only one God, the Creator of all; only one Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Bow down to Him willingly, worship and honor Him alone. Or else, there will come a time when every knee will have to bend before Him at the judgment. 

Becoming Wise

There is a saying, “tell me who your friends are, I can tell you who you are”. It is so true that our associations can make us or break us. God’s Word instructs us to spend time with wise people so we gain wisdom. Moving with Godly people, watching and listening to them, we get the practical lessons of Godliness.

Walk with God

God is all wise and the source of all wisdom. Walking with Him is the best way to become Godly. When we start obeying Him and imitating Him we will develop His character traits. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, we read in Proverbs 1:7. In James 1:5 we are told to ask God when we need wisdom for our daily lives.

Walk with Godly people

Its true, in our life time we cannot avoid relationships with people of this world. But the quality of the relationship and the time we allot for it is what matters. When we spent more time with wise people, who don’t fool around with meaningless things, we will be influenced to follow their examples. Where as, when we spend a lot of time with people who are pleasure loving, immature, rude, impolite, hot tempered, abusive, addicted,aimless and negative, their nature will rub into us without our knowledge. So choosing to keep company with Godly people will help us in our character development. Remember, it’s always our choice, with whom we should spend time.

Keep our associations with ungodly people to the bare minimum, to only what necessity demands. Same time, think if we are worthy or not to give company to someone who is looking for a wise person.

Life of a Christian in these last days

To live as a true Christian has not been easy and it will never be, in our own strength. Those who lived victoriously did it in the power of the Holy Spirit. How can we think it will be different today. As we draw closer to the return of our Savior it will become even more tough.

Suffering is gifted to us

The devil attacks only God’s children. Paul told the believers that along with all the blessings granted to us as children of God, suffering is also included.

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.
Philippians 1:29 NLT

It is God’s Holy Spirit that enables us to live the victorious Christian life, in all situations and circumstances. God the Holy Spirit came to be our guide, helper, comforter and companion.

We are enlisted in the army

If someone told you that when you commit your life to Christ you will have all prosperity, material wealth, good health and the best of everything, they were wrong. God didn’t promise that for a Christian. He is being recruited into an army to fight against the forces of darkness. Apostle Paul made it clear in Eph.6:12 and instructed us on how to be battle ready.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:11‭-‬12 NLT

This world is not in favour of righteous people. We are hated by the world because we don’t belong to it. We are in this world but not part of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven and that is where we belong.

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
Philippians 1:27 NLT

Until we are transported home we will face the challenges this world throws at us. But thank God, He has not left us as orphans but given us His Holy Spirit as companion. Let us lean on Him and complete our journey for the glory of our God.

GOD is on the Throne

God is on the throne from eternity to eternity. He created time and space and the visible universe and rules over it ever since.

Right from beginning it has been an unholy desire of the created beings that has rebelled against the authority of the Almighty and caused the fall of the human race. It was pride and the desire for authority and equality with the Almighty that made both the angelic being as well as first humans, to disobey their Creator. (Isa.14:12-15; Eze.28:12-19) 

The fallen angel since has been aiming to grab the position of authority and equality with God, which belongs only to the Son of God. (Mt.28:18; Phil.2:6-11) So he tries to deceive people by twisting the truth and spreading falsehood, and thus gain more followers. He instigates humans to rebel against God in disobedience. He is rightly called the father of lies (Jn.8:44) and the son of destruction (2Thes.2:3-4) which is directly opposite of what Jesus is. (Jn.14:6) Jesus referred to Satan as a thief and the enemy. He said that the enemy comes only to rob, kill and destroy (Jn.10:10).

Satan started right in the garden of Eden. He manipulated the snake, twisted God’s Word and spewed the venom of doubt into the woman’s mind. She acted according to her desire and not in obedience to God. He was cast down by the Almighty and he knows his end. But in his unending rebellion he is trying in vain to thwart God’s plan of salvation for mankind. We can see it right from Adam and Eve, to Cain to Nimrod to Ishmael to Pharaoh to Herod and all the way to Jesus. Satan  tried to persuade Jesus away from the divine plan, to challenge God’s Word, and to surrender His divine glory and authority for personal satisfaction. (Mt.4:1-11) Using Peter Satan attemped to make Jesus deviate from God’s plan and will. (Mt 16:23; Lk.22:31-32) 

The world is running at Satan’s directives. He is influencing the culture, the entertainments, the standards of morality, ethics, and religion. Even Bible believing Christians are swayed by the world. God’s Word warns us about this. (Rom.12:2 NLT)

The Church today is seemingly part of the world that it cannot be distinguished. (Jn.15:19) As we draw closer to Christ’s return the world will go from worse to the worst. Jesus has warned us about it. (Mt.24:36-51; Jude 1:18; 2Tim.3:1-5;) Things may seem to go out of control but it has to happen as foretold in the scriptures. First the rapture as Christ comes for His bride the Church. He has given us the choice, whether to accept Him as our Bridegroom or not. Then seven years of terrible suffering under the imposter who claims to come in the avatar of the Messiah. He is mimicking the Son of God, the Messiah and will be decieving people.

Then our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords will appear on earth to establish His Kingdom. He will have His throne in Jerusalem and will reign for a thousand years. He has been the King and will be King for ever. He is still on the throne, no matter what happens!

Have you acknowledged Him as your King and surrendered your life to Him? It’s still your personal choice, but not for long! Once He raptures His bride away it will be too difficult to make that choice. And when Christ returns to the earth as King it will be the norm. Every knee will bend before Him and every tongue will declare He is the Lord. (Phil.2:10-11) He is going to judge everyone for the choices they had made. 

He is on the throne! Hallelujah!

Developing Spiritual Immunity

Parents take so much care that their children eat well and have a balanced diet that they will develop immunity. Small children when they start going to school they contract a common cold, cough and so on. If their immunity levels are low then it happens more frequently. If not taken care then it can develop into infections and more complex physical conditions.

Similarly, in spiritual life, we need to have a balanced diet of God’s Word in order to develop spiritual immunity. God’s Word nourishes us and prepares us to resist the attacks of the enemy of our soul. (1Pet.2:2; Eph.6:10-17)

Sin is the worst virus that can infect us with disastrous effects, to our body, mind and spirit. It blocks the supply of spiritual energy that enables us to lead a victorious life. The Word of God reminds us of our condition, and when we obey His prescription we experience healing. God’s Word is not only our food, but it is also our medicine. We need it so much that we can not survive without it. So let us feed on it and be healed and strengthened by its power. Let it provide us the spiritual immunity to resist the deadly viruses around us.

Once we start developing immunity, alongside we need to strengthen our muscles and prepare ourselves for the tasks God has assigned for us. Here we need to build a discipline of
Prayer, Fellowship and Witnessing. We are called to grow as a family or a body, the body of Christ. The assembly of believers or the Church is this body in which we are members. Salvation through the blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ is what binds us together. We are to help and edify each other in the growth of the body.

Personal as well as group prayers help us grow strong. (Mat.7:7; Eph.6:18; Phi.2:12-14; 4:6; 6:18; 1Tim.2:1; 1Thes.5:17; Jam.5:16)

Fellowship with other believers encourages us and motivates us to move on as we face challenges. (Heb.10:24-25; Act.2:42; Mat.18:20; Phi.2:4; Col.3:13-14; Rom.15:5; 1Thes.5:11)

Witnessing through our life and words in the society will bring glory to God and others into God’s family. (Mat.28:18-20; Rom.1:16; Mat.5:16; Act.1:8; 2Cor.5:20; 2Tim.1:8; Lk.9:26)

As Children of God, we grow to maturity in this way and our lives will become fruitful for our Master and Savior. (Psa.1; Jn.15:8; 2Pet.1:8-11; Mat.12:33)

This is our life’s purpose as Christ followers. This world and all its pleasures will pass away and those who do the will of God will live forever with Him in glory.

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
(1Jn. 2:17; 1Cor.7:31; 2Pet.3:10; Job 36:12; Ecc.6:12)

Christ is Alive to Save Anyone

The Resurrection of Jesus three days after He was dead and buried, is a foretaste of our resurrection.

The dead will all rise again

First, all those who lived and died in Christ will rise to receive glorified bodies and to live with Christ eternally. All the others who lived as they wanted and died without Christ will rise to face judgment and be in the place of torment forever.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
(1Cor. 15:20‭-‬23 NLT)

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
(Rom. 8:18‭-‬23 NLT)

However, it is our personal choice and decision, whether to listen to God or to people, to obey God’s Word or follow tradition.

We ourselves are responsible for our destiny. We must decide it NOW, before we are gone!

We can live,
because Jesus lives!