Friday, June 27, 2014

What if AC or Cooler or Fan is not invented..?



I can hear some of you saying “What!!?” “Ooooo My GOD” “No Way” “I can’t imagine my world” “Impossible to live”…so on because we are so used to these electrical utilities especially in places where temperatures soar high. Every one of us struggle to have a better life. When it is summer, people in the hot countries have to bear the scorching heat of the summer. Those who can afford would buy an AC, but those who cannot afford have to bear the scorching heat all the day while working, while at home. Even the nights wouldn’t dare to cool off…after a hot hot day.

The heat wave is so intense in some places that many people die of sun stroke. Such is the heat which is unbearable. Peoples in these places struggle and work hard to earn enough to have an AC or Cooler or at least Fan installed in their homes for some relief.

All around the world, entertainment clubs, parks, malls, pubs, theatres, discotheques, coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, gambling dens, gaming portals, video game parlours, resorts, pleasure parks, themes, … (etc) are all air-conditioned. People would like to relax, or enjoy, or play in a cool and comfortable climate. Some go to cooler destinations to spend time and relax there. 

Just imagine if AC is not invented. No AC, no Cooler, no Fan! We will all scream “No….!.” But why?
We know how difficult life would be without these, because we are so accustomed to some comfort zone. No entertainment or no pleasure is complete without cool and pleasant climate.

When our body craves for comfort at every level on this earth, then what about the comfort after life …? Life on earth is not permanent. We are all travelers on earth for a very short time, in fact almost negligible time. After this short stay we will have to live eternally either in heaven or hell. If it is heaven, there is unlimited joy and happiness with not even a trace or reminder of what pain or discomfort could be.

If it is hell….forget about AC/ Cooler/ Fan, there wouldn’t be even a drop of water anywhere, but only eternal fire and torment where one’s body gets roasted and roasted again and again, but never dies. How much ever one tries to die there wouldn’t be death anymore, and death would laugh them to scorn.
When we are struggling in this world to gain small small comforts like AC/ Cooler/ Fan/ Refrigerator…etc; isn’t it sensible to think and prepare for this most important eternal event in our life? The one which decides eternal joy and happiness (or) eternal torment.

No need to do any good works or struggle to be righteous, because these are not going to save us. How much ever one struggles, it wouldn’t qualify that person to enter into eternal kingdom of GOD. Man’s righteousness is exceedingly inferior to GOD’s righteousness and HIS standard. We need GOD’s righteousness inside us, because ‘Kingdom of GOD’ is full of holiness, very pure, blemish less, sinless, full of righteousness, happiness and joy. 

Only the blood of JESUS can deliver a person and his soul from damnation and eternal hell fire. Man cannot forgive and deliberately forget offenses like GOD, man cannot be sinless and holy like GOD, man cannot think like GOD, man cannot give good things like GOD, man cannot tolerate like GOD, man cannot be patient and long suffering like GOD (HE makes sun to shine and clouds to rain on the good and the bad alike), man cannot be un-selfish like GOD, man cannot be sacrificial like GOD, …the list is unending.

HE doesn't force anyone to be good, HE allows man to choose life or death, to think and understand truth or reject the truth, to seek the living GOD or go after vain things, to will or not to will. From HIS side, HE prepared that one essential thing that man lacked - the gift of (GOD'S) righteousness to man through the blood of JESUS CHRIST whom HE chose to be the sacrificial lamb to save the world, to save man from destruction and eternal fire. By the sacrifice of JESUS, HE reconciled man to HIMSELF when man was still an enemy to GOD because of sin. This is the eternal gift GOD gave to man but it is for you to 'Choose'. The salvation to man by the sacrifice of JESUS on the cross might seem foolish to some and to those who are perishing, but to the saved it is the power of GOD.


It is written in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 21, 25 - For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Think and ask GOD your Creator sincerely to lead you to the truth, which shall set you free. Empty your mind, empty your thoughts, let no one or thing cross your thoughts, then ask the Creator, saying, “My Creator, reveal yourself, reveal the truth to me, give me understanding and earnest desire to seek the truth and nothing but only the truth”. I sincerely pray that GOD should show you the way and lead you in the right path so that you prepare to meet your Creator in eternity, in joy, Amen.
                                                                                                                                    

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Why did the Jews (Israelites) crucify JESUS who was also a Jew and did many good works among them?


…JESUS was also a Jewish Israelite, born of their own nation, the people of Israel  saw so many good things and miracles done by HIM, their sick healed, crippled walked, blind saw, deaf heard, lepers healed, paralytics rose up and walked, demons fled at the presence of JESUS, devil possessed became normal,  and the dead lived. Yet they crucified JESUS…why?

JESUS taught and revealed many good things. HE taught about the Kingdom of GOD because the kingdom as per the standard of GOD is not seen on earth. HE taught the true meaning of righteousness as per GOD’s standard (which was actually brought down to the standard of man through man’s own thinking and judgment, self made customs, rituals, traditions after the manner of man and not from GOD). JESUS taught the true worship of GOD which should be in Spirit and in truth and not by works or rituals or man’s standard of righteousness and good works. Man is already born in sin and man’s heart is always filled with sinful thoughts like pride, envy, anger, lust, selfishness, cursing, miserliness, intolerance, impatience, un-forgivingness, jealousy, etc – and these finally bring out wrong actions in man. A person may not commit adultery in his lifetime, but in the sight of GOD, he has already committed adultery in his heart if he had wild imaginations about someone (within himself), which is sin. Same way, a person has already murdered ‘someone’ if he talks hateful words to that ‘someone’ or cursed that ‘someone’ in his heart.

Some have religious pride within them for their religious life or for the good works that they did – this is also sin. We come across many holy people who had this pride in them for their religious life or for the good relation they have with their God, or for the gifts and powers they get from long meditations, for the gifts of discernment, gift of knowledge they got by strict and long hours of communion with God – this is also pride which can bring disaster and danger to self or others in the long run – which is sin – but the victim is even unaware of this. Pride is very dangerous sin – some have the pride because of their beauty, some because of their riches, some because of their knowledge, some because of their race, some because of their creed, some because of their religion, some because of their caste, etc – which is pride. The learned people and the disciplined people have pride for their knowledge or for their discipline in life, because of which anger comes out easily and such people always have a finger pointed towards others always. HOW MUCH EVER MAN TRIES TO LIVE PURE AND HOLY LIFE, HE IS STILL IN DEBT TO PAY THE PRICE FOR HIS SIN – HE HIMSELF HAS TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR HIS SIN – WHICH WOULD BE DEATH (Punishment). This can be averted only if a man who is sinless and holy can take the penalty of sin on himself and die, paying the penalty.  JESUS taught and revealed many mysteries. Because no man on earth could be able to accomplish this mission without being sinful, JESUS was sent to earth by HIS FATHER as HIS SON, to appear in flesh and bone and fulfill the need as a human being. That is why HE was born to a virgin.

All human beings are equal in the sight of GOD but pride divided each one on the basis of many things….how sad!

Finally the Jews couldn’t find any unrighteousness or sin or lawlessness in HIM to condemn HIM or make HIM guilty….yet they crucified JESUS. 

The religious leaders and priests always thought that they were supreme in their knowledge about GOD, HIS law that was given to them through Moses, and other scriptural manuscripts handed over by different prophets which contained the future events. They were reading these scriptures every day but failed to recognize the ‘Messiah’ who is supposed to be born of a virgin and who would be crucified for the sake of this world. They were waiting for the ‘Messiah’ because the scriptures clearly spoke about HIM, but when JESUS finally came, they couldn’t recognize HIM as the CHRIST. They read about a ‘SON’ being given to the world in the scriptures, but when JESUS said that HE came from HIS FATHER to do the FATHER’S will, they did not accept that. They thought that man cannot be equal with GOD and JESUS was making HIMSELF equal with GOD which is blasphemy.

Thus the Bible records...
John 8: 23
23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am HE, you will indeed die in your sins.”
John 8: 34-37
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.
John 8: 42, 43
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
John 8: 45
45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”   

The Jews must have criticized Mary, mother of JESUS, of adultery instead of believing on her word that JESUS is born by the power of the MOST HIGH when the HOLY SPIRIT has come upon her. Joseph, her betrothed husband also first didn’t believe her and so wanted to put her off secretly so as not to make the issue public. But when the same angel which appeared to Mary, appeared to him and confirmed about the great event, about JESUS, then Joseph believed and accepted her.

The Jews couldn’t find any fault in JESUS and on the contrary, JESUS was always rebuking their hypocrisy openly. The law was given to them by GOD through Moses – which clearly stated what is right and what is wrong – so that it can be a handbook to mankind when an issue arises and comes for judgment before elders. But the elders and the priests changed many of the laws to suit their hypocrisy, they used the law to blame and accuse others when they themselves never followed the standards of GOD, but used to display good works and prayed long prayers to get good name in public. They were deceived by the devil which they were not ready to accept.  JESUS used to call out publicly to them to repent for their works. This made them hate JESUS even more. They waited for a chance to condemn JESUS but when they couldn’t get one, they charged HIM of blasphemy. Even the Roman Governor who conducted the trial of JESUS tried to save HIM as he did not find any fault in HIM. Finally he gives in to their cries because they shouted of treason against Roman Empire if Pilate lets JESUS away. The Jewish elders were scared that HE might become King as all people accepted HIM. Finally they stirred up the crowds also to throw a challenge to JESUS and test HIM - to save HIMSELF if HE was GOD, thus proving HIS identity. 

They failed to understand that JESUS came to die, and that they were fulfilling what is written in the scriptures. Their eyes were blinded because of pride. They couldn’t accept the truth when JESUS arose on the third day, which again JESUS always confirmed that HE will be crucified and will rise again on the third day. This was all in the scriptures but they couldn’t see. 



Mathew 20: 17-19

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
  
Note: A Gentile is a Non-Jewish person.

The crucifixion was very important because JESUS came on a mission – to save mankind from eternal death – so that they can enter eternal life. 

Eternal death simply means – not living in the presence of GOD but living in torment and continuous death in hell along with satan, which accused mankind all the time, of sin.

GOD so loved the world that HE couldn’t see HIS special being ‘Man’ perish because of sin. So HE HIMSELF sought a way and sent JESUS to bear the sins of the world and die so that Man cal live eternally with GOD again.

But for that, one has to do these things:

(1)   Recognize that JESUS is the only way to salvation
(2)   Believe that HE died for his/ her sins, bore them on the cross and have blotted them out forever. Believing is obeying and by obeying we activate the eternal covenant relationship of FATHER who is in heaven, HIS SON JESUS who came to save us and HOLY SPIRIT who starts living inside us as soon as we believe.
(3)   Start depending on JESUS to conquer every weakness we have which we wish to overcome, maintain a continuous communion with GOD through prayer and worship, and daily meditation of HIS word.
(4)   Using the name of JESUS and commanding every sickness, evil spirit and problem to leave “In JESUS name”, claiming HIS blood that was shed for us, which strengthens and empowers us at all times. If we do not use HIS name, we cannot conquer sickness, evil spirits and problems in this world. In eternal life, there won’t be any need because there will be only peace and happiness in the kingdom of GOD – no sickness, no problems, no trace of any evil thought within us. We will have only pure joy in the presence of GOD.

Open Challenge: I encourage anyone who has read this for the first time….the Bible states that the name of JESUS is placed above everything, so that every knee and all the creation should bow down to HIM. That’s why devils flee and sicknesses leave at the presence of JESUS. Every sickness and every problem is caused by satan (also called devil) to torment mankind and when someone turns to JESUS, the devil is full of envy and hatred because the person is going to be saved. satan was condemned eternally to eternal torment because of its pride and disobedience towards GOD. satan was once a beautiful angel (powerful and beautiful which had a great voice to sing melodiously) and it erred in its heart because of this beauty and pride.

If you have any sickness, just believe on JESUS and command that sickness to leave in JESUS name. You will be amazed to see the sickness leave. I pray that you see a miracle in your life, in JESUS name, Amen.