We can never enjoy deliverance from our self-life before we see something of its total corruption. Let us look at the elder son (in the parable in Luke 15), for he illustrates, perhaps better than anyone else in the Bible, the utter rottenness of the self-life.  The younger son in the parable is usually considered the worse of the two boys. But as we look a little more carefully at the elder brother, we will discover that in God’s eyes, he was just as bad, if not worse. True, he did not commit the same sins as his younger brother. But his heart was crooked and self-centered.

The human heart is basically the same in every individual. When the Bible describes the human heart as deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9), it refers to every child of Adam. The refinements of civilization, lack of opportunity to commit sin and a sheltered upbringing may perhaps have kept us from falling into the grosser sins that some others have fallen into. But we cannot, on that count, consider ourselves better than they. For if we had had the same pressures they faced, we would have undoubtedly ended up committing the same sins. This may be a humiliating fact for us to acknowledge, but it is true. The sooner we recognize this fact, the sooner we shall experiencedeliverance. Paul recognized that no good thing dwelt in his flesh (Rom. 7:18). That was his first step to freedom (Rom.8:2).

Men look on the outward appearance and call some good and others bad. But God Who looks at the heart sees all men in the same condition. The Bible teaches the total depravity of all men. Consider Romans 3:10-12, for example: “There is none righteous, (and just in case we think that is an overstatement, it continues to say), no, not one. There is none that understands, there is no-one who seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable. There is no-one who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-20 is a summing-up of the guilt of all humanity – of the irreligious as well as the religious. In Romans 1:18-32 we have a description of “the younger son”-the externally immoral and godless man. In Romans 2, we have a portrayal of “the elder son” – the religious man who is just as bad a sinner. After having described these two categories of people, the Holy Spirit sums up the case by saying that both groups are alike guilty. There is no difference between one and the other.  Man is indeed totally depraved; and if God does not reach down and do something for him, there is certainly no hope for him.

The elder son (Luke 15:25-32) can be taken to symbolize a Christian worker. If the father in the story is a type of God, it would be legitimate to consider the son as a type of an active Christian – for we see him in the parable coming home after a day’s work in his father’s fields. Here was no lazy young man, sitting at home and enjoying his father’s wealth. Here was one who worked hard for his father, one who apparently loved his father more than his younger brother did – for after all, he did not leave home and waste his father’s wealth, like the latter. He was apparently more devoted, but actually, as we shall see, just as selfish as his younger brother. It is the picture of a believer active in the Lord’s work and apparently full of devotion to his Lord but still centered in himself.

God created this world with certain laws built into it.  If those laws are violated, there will be some form of loss or injury. Consider one law for example: God has ordained that the earth should revolve around the sun. If the earth had a will of its own and decided one day that it would no longer be centered in the sun, but would only revolve around itself, there would be no change of seasons and soon all life on earth would perish. Death would enter in.  In the same way, Adam was created to be centered in God. The day he refused God as his Center and chose to be centered in himself – this is what was implied in his choosing to eat of the tree that God had forbidden – he died, as God had said he would.

There is a lesson here for us: In the measure in which our Christian life and service are centered in ourselves, in that measure we shall experience spiritual death – in spite of our being born again and in spite of our fundamentalism. And all unconsciously, we shall be ministering spiritual death to others too. We may have a reputation as keen and zealous workers for the Father (as the elder son perhaps had),  but we may still merit the rebuke of the Lord, “I know your reputation as a live and active (Christian), but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1-LB). This is a tragic but dangerous possibility in Christian work. Many a Christian worker lives on the reputation he has built up for himself. Looked up to by others, he is often unconscious of the fact, that God sees him in an altogether different light. Never having been delivered from self-centeredness himself, he is unable to deliver others – even if he preaches beautifully!  And so, a warning is given for all of us in the story of the elder son.

God often allows times of pressure to come into our lives to bring up from within us our corrupt self-life, so that we begin to see ourselves as we really are. It is fairly easy for us to consider ourselves spiritual when our circumstances are easy. When we have no problems to tackle, when nobody is irritating us, when things are going smoothly and our co-workers are congenial, we can deceive ourselves concerning the real state of our hearts. But wait till we get a co-worker who irritates us, or a neighbor who annoys us all the time, and the veneer of spirituality disappears. Our self-life will then manifest itself in all its ugliness.

This was what happened to the elder son. When his younger brother was honored, he got upset. No one would ever have thought that this elder son could have behaved so peevishly. He had appeared such a nice person all along. But he hadn’t faced pressure like this before. Now, his real nature was manifested. It was not the provocation at that moment that made him evil. No. The provocation merely brought up to the surface what was within all the time.

Amy Carmichael has said, “A cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted”. If bitter water comes out of our lives and our lips, it is because it has always been there. It is not the provocation or the irritation that make us bitter or unspiritual. They only bring out of us what is already within. And so it should make us deeply thankful to God that He allows such times to come upon our lives when we see the corruption of our own natures. If it were not for such occasions, we might never realize that there is a fountain of corruption within us, and that not one good thing dwells in our flesh.

This also teaches us that suppression is not victory. One person may explode in anger in a trying situation, while another, (with a little more self-control), in a similar situation, may only boil inwardly, without any steam escaping through his lips! In men’s eyes, the second person may have a reputation for meekness. But God Who sees the hearts knows that both men boiled within and considers them
both equally bad. The difference in their external conduct was merely a result of different temperaments, which matter nothing to God.  If suppression were victory, then I think salesmen are among the most Christ-like people that I have ever met! No matter how much their customers tax their patience, they still retain a gracious attitude towards them, for the sake of their business – even though they may be boiling within! No. Suppression is not victory. God does not want us merely to appear delivered and spiritual – but to be actually delivered. Paul said, “It is no longer I, but Christ Who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). This is the point to which God wants to bring us.
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For more information write to: wftw@cfcindia.com
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Related posts:

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3. The Secret of Living A Godly Life

Strike it Rich

Proverbs 2:4-5 “and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

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A Christian is a human being in the hands of an Extraordinary God. It is an awesome truth that Jesus himself has given all authority in heaven and on earth to every child of God.  Most of us know this truth, but we just don’t exercise this authority that God has bestowed upon us. We are very happy to be a spectator and are satisfied with the crumbs that fall off the table. 

My dear friends you need to have the hunger for more and more manifestation of God’s power through you in the lives of other people. Just as how your intimacy with God comes with more time spent with Him (prayer life), your boldness in exercising God’s authority or engaging in a spiritual battle comes with fasting. Fasting is one way of repositioning yourself for God’s divine power and strength to flow through you. When you fast and wait upon the Lord this is the promise that you can hold on to. 

Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Isaiah 52:1

Free yourself from the chains on your neck   Isaiah 52:2 

Once you are saved, Jesus the Son of God indwells in you by the Holy Spirit. You are a new creation on the inside, but on the outside you continue to live among the same people, same environment. It becomes a difficult task for you to yield to the Holy Spirit’s instruction and to your good old friends’ advice as well. You cannot have two masters, so you must choose who your master is. Is it Jesus whom you have accepted as your Savior or is it your friends who don’t know Jesus or who don’t obey his words. Look at Jesus for a model. He didn’t go to the religious leaders of that time the Sadducees or the Pharisees but he went to John the Baptist, the man who followed God’s call and exercised his leadership to prepare the way for the Messiah. Watch out with whom you are hanging around. Take a closer look at your friends, your traditions, and your fellowship; are they in line with the Word of God? Reposition yourself with godly friends, in a fellowship that helps you to grow strongly in His Word. You cannot expect to see changes unless you begin it in you or with you. 

You must then move on to the next level. You need to grow from the natural into the supernatural. What you see yourself, as of now should not be your focus. What you want to see yourself as in the future should be your focus. Your vision is very important. Hebrews11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. When you have faith you will not sit idle. Doing nothing to achieve your vision is by itself a failure. So what is that you need to do? Remember being in the natural you are called to function in the supernatural. You need to be spiritually empowered. Fasting is the effective way of repositioning yourself to be empowered in the Spirit. Fasting is the price that you need to pay to be trained, equipped and be victorious in both the spiritual & physical.  Luke 4:2 says “Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days”. After the forty days of fasting and testing was over Luke 4:14 say “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit”. Yes my friend fasting is the heavy price you need to pay to increase in the power of the Spirit. 

Today many take up fasting, but actually they end up starving or dieting. Initially when I started to fast I was also doing the same mistake. Only in 2001 I learnt the way to fast from a great prophet from Africa. I started with 7 day fast, then increased it to 10 days, and then to 40 days. The results were awesome and mind blowing, There are three method of fasting. 

1. Absolute Fast: This is the kind of fast that is taken up for one day or a maximum of three days, without food & water. In Esther4:16 we see that Esther and all her people took up the Absolute Fast for three days. In Joshua7: 6 we see Joshua take up a one day Absolute Fast before the Lord. In Judges 20: 26 the Israelites took up the Absolute Fast for one whole day.  

2. Breakthrough Fast: This is the kind of fast that is taken up for seven days or ten days or a maximum up to forty days, consuming only water or fruit juice to keep your system on. Jesus fasted for forty days but he never ate anything during those 40 days, as it says in Luke4: 2 “He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry”.   

3. Casual or Normal Fast: This is the kind of fast that is ideal for the elderly or sisters who are in the family way, where you just skip a meal just once and seek God’s face.

You can begin with a half a day fast or a one day fast, but the condition is you must fast. Make it a point to fast 1 day a week. It shouldn’t be legalistic or religious tic. It should be out of a true desire to seek the Master’s face. It is a special time of privacy with the lover of your soul, willfully indulging in praising & worshipping Him, reading & meditating His Word, joyfully staying away from food, snacks, phone calls, or anything that would draw your attention from Him. Friends those who are working don’t think that it is impossible for you. Choose at least a half day of the day you are at home, switch off every device that would disturb you, and connect yourself with your Creator. If you choose to fast for several days, you may have water, limejuice, tender coconut water, butter milk or milk. Read His Word more, meditate His Word more, sing more songs of praises, worship Him more and more, you will find yourself being drenched with the anointing from above.  King David says in Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you”. That should be your cry and thirst for the living God.   

What happens when you fast!! What are the benefits of fasting?

a) Repentance and Sanctification: Joel 2: 12 “return to me with all your heart, with fasting & weeping & mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.”  Fasting causes you to repent from your secret sins & justifies you by the covering of His blood against the wrath of God.  Fasting allows the indwelling Holy Spirit to sanctify your mind, renew your spirit and release you from the chains of sin & bondages of wickedness.

b) Empowerment & Deliverance: Luke 4:14 says, “Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit”. Fasting humbles us before God the Creator, causes us to adore & worship Him. Worship brings down the presence of God and makes us swim in the depth of His anointing. We become so empowered in the Spirit that our fragile human frame itself can’t bear. No doubt that all the yokes, bondages, generational curses, diseases, evil habits or addictions to alcohol, smoking, adultery, pornography, cheating, sorcery, witch craft or any demonic attacks will ever prevail before you when you are under such an anointing.     

c) Wisdom & Revelations: Fasting imparts the wisdom of God. Esther5:1-8;   7: 1-10 tells how Esther carefully planned the most appropriate approach for making her request. To make a request of that magnitude needed precise timing and that required divine leading called wisdom. Fasting also unlocks the hidden details and enables you reveal mysteries. In Daniel1:12 we read of Daniel abstaining from certain food for 10 days and Daniel 9:3 says, “So I turned to the Lord and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting”. No wonder King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and appreciated him for revealing the mysteries.

Many Christians never fast as they do not know the importance of fasting and even do not know how to fast. Our ancestors never knew the importance and the method of fasting and so they neither taught nor trained their descendants. Even today most Christians take up a religious tic fast during the lent season by abstaining from non-vegetarian food & alcohol, but never live a true Christian life by increasing their time in prayer or meditating His Word. No wonder they continue to live in bondage, fail to have breakthrough. Hosea 4: 6 says, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. Today your limited knowledge about fasting has been expanded through this message of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Fast regularly and train your generations to be children of God who fast and pray. Just as how the apostles grew in strength, power and boldness when they fasted, your fasting will also cause you to soar in God’s divine anointing of power. Isaiah60: 1 says, “Arise & shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you”.

Yes my friend your fasting is going to bring God’s divine light and glory right into your life, into your family, into your workplace and into the nations where you live. Every wall will shatter, every hurdle will be burnt and every opposition will melt under the bright light that is in you. Revelation 22:16 calls Jesus as the Bright and Morning Star. Star shines brightly at night, but the Bible talks about the Star that shines brightly in the morning (day). Yes your fasting will clothe you with such a powerful anointing that will make you shine like the star (sun) unmatchable & life giving.  Therefore my dear brothers and sisters, reposition yourself through your fasting, and arise to loose the chains of injustice, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and to break every yoke. Come on, it’s high time you start the fast now and be blessed.

May God Bless You

Brother Brite Sundar

More Articles:

Felicitation for the donkey that Carried Jesus

The Secret of Living A Godly Life

April Test

It will not be night Always…

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The Lord is My Strength

I can do everything through him who gives me strength – Philippians 4:13

Our Master’s Voice thank www.joyfultoons.com for the cartoons.

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By John Milton:

Life of Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ has been a great challenge to me personally. I would like to bring to your attention about one particular incident that is recorded in the 21st chapter of the book of John, which influenced me a lot when I went through difficult times.

Facing crisis situation

It was after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ… Peter and few other disciples were together at the sea of Tiberius. I do not really know what went through their mind and how they felt that day but definitely they were going through crisis situation. Their master is no more with them, they are now without their leader who taught and led them for over 3 ½ years continuously.  It was a horrifying experience for them to have seen Jesus tortured and crucified on the cross few days back…a life shattering and agonizing experience. They are now faced with uncertainty of their future. They felt as if their life had come to an end.

May be we are also in a similar situation…going through crisis…may be our hearts are griped with the fear of uncertainty over our future. The things happening around us are not looking so good or positive. Global economy has plunged to the lowest.

Emptiness as a result of Self will

In crisis, Peter took a decision to go fishing trying his old way life and other disciples followed him. He took this decision under pressure…under emotional overload.  In John 21:3 bible says, “…and that night they caught nothing”. Peter who was a fisherman by profession thought he knew how to handle it…how to do it…but the result was emptiness. He toiled the whole night and caught nothing …he came empty…Same with the other disciples who followed Peter and looked to human leadership. It must have been one of their worst nights with no success.

Many times we think that we know how to handle the situation and do things out of our self will…in human way of thinking…but emptiness will be the result.

Darkness will fade away when the sun rises

Surely it was one of those darkest nights for Peter and the disciples…with no direction…no hope. But Jesus appeared to them amidst their brokenness and anxieties.

In John 21:4, bible says, “…When the morning had now come Jesus stood on the sea shore”. It will not be night always; the darkness had to leave when the light comes. It is impossible for the darkness to stay when the Son of light walks in. Jesus is the bright and morning star.

Jesus appeared and called them “My Children”, it explains how God is willing and desiring to have relationship and fellowship in spite of their failures. He did not get mad at Peter and rebuke him for his failure and weakness. He did not give up on Peter and other disciples.

In the same way the creator God is not mad at us for our weaknesses and failures…he has not given up on us. He is still working around us to reveal to us his love. He will not leave us when the going gets tough…when the night is dark.

Fruitfulness as result of following His direction

In John 21:6, it says, “…So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it because of the multitude of fish”. They cast their net as directed by Jesus and got the results. This explains the fruitfulness when things are done at Christ’s direction. They did exactly what Jesus told them to do and they got all that they wanted and more.

One preacher said that extraordinary challenges come to extraordinary people…the same Peter became of the greatest apostles.

The same Jesus who stood on the shore is alive today. He will take care of every situation that we are going through these days and because He lives we have a hope for tomorrow. And when He shows up every crooked path will be made straight…rough places will be made plains.

Related posts:

1. Fear Not!!!
2. It is Ok to come back to God
3. Same Devil, Same Deception, But still…

I would also like to greet you with words of encouragement by saying “Fear Not!!!“

When we look around us, we feel a sense of uncertainty and insecurity at so many things. It could be our finance, job, health, family…nations are going through economic crisis…Job cuts everywhere…We do not know what tomorrow will bring to us. We do not know if we will be able to manage and cope up with the challenges that are going to come our way. There is more reason to fear.

What an awesome and comforting thing it is to know that the Creator God is telling us “Fear Not”. As the children of the Most High God, we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and we have every reason to get rid of this fear. Though we do not know as to what tomorrow will bring to us, we know for sure that we are safe in the hands of The One who controls tomorrow. One of my favorite songs goes like this …”Because He lives; we can face tomorrow…Because He lives…all fear is gone…”

The first greeting of “Fear Not” is found in the book of Genesis 15:1. The word of the Lord came to Abraham, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; and your exceeding great reward”. As we put our trust in God, He will be our protector this year in all the things. He will be our shelter and shield. With him as our shield, nothing will strike us. “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you” – Psalms 91:7

So we will enter this New Year with confidence and great expectation, because Jesus is our leader and the captain who says that He is in total control. Though the enemy may try his very best to pretend that he is in control, he is NOT, definitely NOT. Jesus says that He is the First and the Last; He is alpha and Omega, He holds the keys of hell and death which explains that He is in absolute control. He himself will be our reward this year.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. Romans 8 – 28

FEAR NOT!!!

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Love, Love, Love…

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,  it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” – I Corinthians 13: 4- 7

Overview:
On this series “Power of Relationship with God’s Love”, we are going to see the special character of Love “Love is not proud”. This character is the source of all the evil in this whole world, which led to the rebellion of the devil. The Bible says that pride was the source for Devil’s downfall and spoiled his relationship with God (Ezekiel 28:17). This is one of the important relationship spoilers. By guarding our heart from this will help you grow in more love and strong relationship.

“Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.” – Psalm 138:6

“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” – Proverbs 18:12

Love is not proud

Definition:
Oxford – “having or showing a high opinion of oneself”
Cambridge – “feeling that you are better and more important than other people”
Other Synonyms: Arrogant, self-important, swollen with pride, self- righteous

* When Blessings increase we should guard our heart else proudness can come (Deuteronomy 8:13-15)
Example: Peninnah was proud when she was blessed with children.
* If we do not respond to the kindness shown by God and others our heart will fall towards proud ness (II Chronicles 32:25,26 & II Kings
20:12-19)
* Great skills can bring proud ness to our heart. “By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud” (Ezekiel 28:5)
* More success tempts our heart to be proud. When we have more success in our life we tend to believe that we are important and privileged and it tempts us to be proud and look towards others lowly.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” – James 4:6

Our Lord wants us to walk in humbleness in our relationships. I am still learning this humility from our Savior’s life on the earth 2000 before giving us a footprint to follow not just by commanding us to do from above, as it is said “Our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name” – Philippians 2:5-9

When we protect our heart from pride, and build our relationship with humility based on love. We can grow and our relationships will be a blessing to us and to many others. There is always another big danger, when our blessings multiply Human’s have a heart to forget God and even question God existence.

Prayer:
Lord help me to grow in your Love and be humbly, please forgive my sins of proud ness in my heart. Bless my relationship and give me light to walk in your path. In the mighty name of Jesus I Pray – Amen

God Bless You!

Our Master’s Voice

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As the world is going through tough economic times, we see and hear people who thought they are secure, losing their security in a moment’s time. Today I read that a father of five kids and with a wonderful wife shot all his family members and finally killed himself after he lost his Job. Over the past few months we heard that many wonderful lives were taken away by this deep depression which is holding many nations in to a shadow of darkness. If you are not careful this fear will grip even you.  As our hearts goes to these precious lives, I want to let you know with love this Good news. There are Lots and Lots of Hope for you and me if we see above to the creator of heaven and earth rather than seeing down always to this world and trusting mortal man.

Jesus the eternal Son of God, when he walked in this world used a wonderful parable to emphasize “it is OK to come back to God” in Luke 15:11-21. He said he came to this world to seek and save the Lost, No matter how lost or far away you are from God you can come back to him.

Jesus has promised “whoever comes to me I will never drive away” John 6:37

How we go away from God:

•  There were two sons for this loving father, the younger son said to his father, I don’t need you any more just give me your blessing I will go away from you and live in my own way. Have you ever said this to God? I don’t need you. I will live my life away from you. Please don’t forget he gave you this life to you.
•  The young son went away from the father as far he can go and lived a sinful life and spent away all his possessions with friends who ran away from him when he did not have money. Do you feel that you are living life very far away from God? Have you spoiled your soul and life? Do you see people going away from your life because you lost your Job?

Famine came in the Land:

There was a famine in that land and this son was without food and starving for his basic needs. This famine made him to realize that he has a father who is rich and loving. Are you starving for survival my dear friend, Is this famine hitting you hard? Are you concerned about your family’s survival? Do you fear whether your marriage will survive?

Coming back to God:

• This young son came to his senses and realized how good it was when he was with his father. Understood that the father is the source for all his blessings.
• He confessed to the father that he has sinned and came back to his father. When his father saw him in the distant he ran towards him and gave a big hug and kissed him and restored him.

Luke 15:20 – So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

My dear friends this is the only place in the whole Bible it is written that “God Ran”, Jesus expressed how deep he loves his people. Please do not stay back and take wrong choices. The Devil wants to kill and destroy your life. Take one small step to walk towards God; you will be received by God with a great Hug and Kiss.

Do you have questions about coming back to God?

* I am an atheist will God accept me, Yes he will
* When I had everything I rebelled against God, will he accept me. Yes He will
* I am worst sinner will he accept me. Yes He will
* I have mocked and scoffed God always will he accept me. Yes He Will
* I am crook will God accept me. Yes He Will
* I went away from Jesus, will he accept me and help. Yes He Will

My dear beloved he will accept you as you are, just turn back and ask his help, He is your father.

It is OK; it is OK to come back to God! He will restore and rebuild your life.

Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

Prayer:
My heavenly father, I humbly come to you as I am and I confess I have sinned against you. Please forgive me and accept me as your child. I thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for my sins. Help me to live a Holy life. Please come in to my life and help me in these tough situations.

Amen
Note: Please contact me if you have any questions or doubts or take help from your local pastor.

More Articles:

Following Jesus Does not mean you will not face the Storm!

Jesus Asked: Who do people say I AM?

It will not be night Always…

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2. Same Devil, Same Deception, But still…
3. It will not be night Always…

The Bible records an wonderful event in our Master’s Life, One day Jesus asked his Disciples to follow him, they all boarded along with him in their boat obeying the word of Jesus by following him. With out any warning a  great storm struck their boat. And the disciples cried to Jesus “Lord Save us we are going to drown”.  Many times we think following Jesus is bed of roses and we are on high way to heaven with out any problems. Not so my beloved let us see what happens in this portion of the scripture Matthew 8:23-27.

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  – Matthew 8:23-25

Following Jesus…

These disciples Just followed Jesus like us following him, because they trusted him and obeyed his word. All of these disciples left their old way of life, some left their fishing Jobs to follow Jesus, some left their Tax collecting Job to follow Jesus, Some left their boats to follow Jesus, Some left their parents to follow Jesus. What have you left behind to follow Jesus, I have left my old way of sinful life to follow Jesus, some of us have left their age old traditions to follow Jesus, In some countries people are even risking their very life to follow Jesus. Like the disciples when we choose to follow Jesus we choose to take his new Life which he has offered even if we have to pay a cost by saying good bye’s to some of our old way of Life. These disciples were filled with great Joy because they were following Jesus.

With out warning a Storm Struck:

Storms in life does not come with warning, Yes here also a great storm hit their boat, Are you today facing storms in your Life which came unexpected in to your safe journey with Jesus?, But my dear friends you need not worry, Just check whether you have the Master in your Boat. The disciples had the savior in their Boat. If you are reading this, who does not have Jesus in your Heart, Please ask him to come in to your Life, He want to board your Life’s Journey to carry you to the other end. He has prepared a glorious place for us in Heaven. But if you have Jesus in your Life, Fear not my brothers and sisters Just call unto him.

Are you drowning call him now

Prayer is the way to call him and let him know that you need help from him to stop this storm in your Life. Is the Economy storm threatening your life boat, Is the storm in your Marriage threatening your family, Is the doubt and fear storm threatening you, Is the fear of losing Job threatening you, Call the Master now.  Call his name Jesus, his name literally means savior. He will deliver you.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. – Psalm 91: 14-15

So like every one in this world we will also face storms in our Life, But we need not fear as long as he is in our boat. When the disciples cried to Jesus for help he stood up and rebuked the storm. And the sea was calm. He will also stop the storms in your Life that is threatening your very existence. Fear not my beloved. He has all authorities is given to him.

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:26-27

Then What does it mean to Follow Jesus?: It Means

* He is with you in the Storm (He will never leave you nor forsake you)

* His Grace is sufficient for you

* He has the Power and Authority to protect you and carry you.

Like the disciples if you ask Who is this who can stop storms in my Life, He is the Son of God Jesus, The author of Life. who came to this world to save us.

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Today there is one thing common among people all around the world; it is the pursuit of knowledge. Unlike any generation the world is filled with information literally all around us, you need not need to travel or strain yourself to get knowledge. Sitting at your home computer googling you can find about anything in this world from any corner of the world. From the beginning we always want to look for things which we do not have or know. With just 350 grams of brain humans want to understand everything in the whole world. It is very helpful as long as the knowledge we gained keeps us from sinning against the loving and holy God but more often it puffs up.

“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10

God’s not interested in our Appearance or how much we know:

Yes God examines our heart and mind and will reward us according to what is in it. More knowledge may gain you more respect in the world but ultimately God will judge us according to our hearts not how much we know. There was a time in Israel God said to the prophet of Samuel to go to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem and anoint one of his sons as the King over Israel, but did not tell which son. When the prophet Samuel came he saw his first son Eliab and immediately thought this is the right person to be the King over Israel but God said to him.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7

God sees our Heart:

Nobody knows what is in the other’s heart, so we can easily deceive others, but nobody can cheat or hide anything from the eternal God, He is not interested in our appearance either. God gave a Certificate to a person in Bible which no one ever had received; he called David as “Man after my own heart”

‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ Acts 13:22

Why he gave this Certificate to David?, David himself wrote in

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”. Psalm 119:11

God’s word is only preservative available today which will preserve your heart to be presented before God Holy and unblemished. Having God’s word in your mind (as knowledge) will not help you in any way, take it to your heart and allow his word to change you, David wrote “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” – Psalm 119:11

Do not be deceived:

With love I urge you not to be deceived, all around us the media and celebrities preach that we should only focus on our outward appearance, and new age teachers teaching that knowledge is the answer for everything. Even Christians are fooled to focus more on information to their mind and strategies than on change of heart. Everyone wants to ignore or forget that there is a heart and soul that longs to have fellowship with the creator. 

Can God see your Heart and say it is right before me?

Good News:

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

But the Good News is you can always cry to God and ask him for a new pure heart, because for this he sent his only Son Jesus Christ in to the world, who died for our sins on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Through him we have freedom from sins and fellowship with God.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Prayer:

Our heavenly father, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Thanks for sending your son Jesus to the cross to save me and offered him as a sacrifice for my sins, please forgive my sins and accept me as your child and help me to live a life pleasing to your eyes.

Amen

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Note: Please contact us for any doubts; we are here to help you in any way we could to help you grow in the knowledge of God.

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