“Nevertheless do not rejoice only in this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice even more that your names are engraved in heaven.”
“तो भी इससे आनन्दित मत हो, कि आत्मा तुम्हारे वश में हैं, परन्तु इससे आनन्दित हो कि तुम्हारे नाम स्वर्ग पर लिखे हैं।”
- Luke 10:20
Jesus promised His disciples to give authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing will in any way harm them. Serpents and scorpions are symbols of spiritual enemies and demonic power over which Jesus has given His followers power. But all this power is channeled through “the name of Jesus” which signifies His authority. Ministry done in subjection to our Lord Jesus Christ and in His name with an intent of glorifying His name alone will result in the ultimate defeat of Satan (Luke 10:17). Jesus saw these victories as part of a war that dethroned and defeated Satan. Every disciple of God must remember that in the midst of their great joy to be careful to give God the glory (“in thy name”).
But as they were celebrating their victory of our enemy, our Lord Jesus cautioned them not to “go on rejoicing” over their victories but to rejoice because their names had been written in heaven. Even though we Christians may rejoice in charismatic operations realized through the name of Jesus, a greater occasion and reason for rejoicing should always be the registration of their names in heaven. If authority over demons is the reason for joy, then the certainty of our eternal destiny in a heavenly home must be our greater reason to rejoice for sure. Further, our highest joy is not found in service or even in our salvation but is being submitted to the sovereign will of the heavenly Father, for this is the foundation for both genuine service to God and our eternal salvation. Our Messiah is at work, and what a great privilege it is to be part of His work today. What brings greater joy to us today, our ministry in Lord or obeying Him? What do we consider as our greatest achievement, the outcomes of our ministry efforts or our assurance that our names are written in Heaven?
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”
- C. S. Lewis
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house To a land that I will show you.”
“यहोवा ने अब्राम से कहा, अपने देश, और अपनी जन्मभूमि, और अपने पिता के घर को छोड़कर उस देश में चला जा जो मैं तुझे दिखाऊंगा।”
- Genesis 12:1
Time and again we Christians are faced with the challenges of making decisions that have the capacity to impact our lives big time. While for those who don’t know God or listen to His counsel in prayer and through His word daily such decisions are a matter of emotion and human wisdom but for God’s Children every life decision must pass through the lens of God’s Word and listening to His spirit else God may have to allow unnecessary wanderings and definite failures just like Israelites when they decided to overrule what God said and followed their own adamant and foolish hearts (Numbers 14:39-45). The tragedy was not so much in what happened, but in what was lost in their lives. We must stop depending on human voices to guide our paths but instead should only listen to God’s true counsel strictly through His word and His Spirit (that slight nudge you get when you sincerely Pray). Prophetical voices that may prompt us to make decisions based on worldly blessings tend to mislead us for sure. Bible is very apt in pointing out that “A man’s mind plans his way as he journeys through life, But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them” (Proverbs 16:9). We can choose to overrule what God says and still go ahead with our worldly ambitions or aspirations (jobs, money, fame etc.) as a pointer to make such decisions but remember just like when Israelites murmured even God has to second their decision and have to leave them to their own stubborn hearts. But it may be too late by the time we understand our folly.
God called Abraham out of idolatry (Joshua 24:2) when he was in Ur of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:28, 31; 15:7; Nehemiah 9:7). Abraham did not know the true God and had done nothing to deserve knowing Him, but God graciously called him and told him to go to a land God is going to show him. His grace is still there to show you the way just like God did to Abraham. Remember Faith-based decisions are not based on feeling, though emotions are certainly involved but instead our life decisions must be rooted deeply in our Faith in God, the counsel of His God and guidance of His Spirit. Are you on the brink of making some life decision? Are you trusting the human voice or God’s voice in such a life-changing decision making? Did you prayed and asked God to show you the right way or are you inclined to just follow your emotions alone and human counsel? God is still speaking, the question is Are you really listening?
“As we trust God to give us wisdom for today’s decisions, He will lead us a step at a time into what He wants us to be doing in the future.” - Theodore Epp
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Have I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”
“तो क्या तुम से सच बोलने के कारण मैं तुम्हारा बैरी हो गया हूं।”
- Galatians 4:16
Paul’s question to Galatians was not without reason because in some very bold and direct words he has been speaking to the legalists in the church called Judaizers who taught that certain Old Testament laws are still binding upon Christians and while they did not deny that faith on Jesus was necessary but insisted that it was inadequate. This doctrine was in direct contradiction to Paul’s insistence that salvation was by grace through faith for which he was even called a compromiser and a second-hand apostle inferior to Peter and James. No wonder those who dare to speak truth from God’s word are at times considered enemies, as they go against our choice of decisions or questions our way of personal and spiritual life.
One of the marks of a false teacher is that he tries to attract other men’s converts to himself, and not simply to the truth of the Word or to the person of Jesus Christ. Paul told them the truth, but the Judaizers told them lies. Paul sought to glorify Christ, but the Judaizers glorified themselves and their converts. A true servant of God does not “use people” to build up himself or his work; he ministers in love to help people know Christ better and glorify Him. A true servant does not create separation but instead, a true leader brings people together in that Truth and Grace of the Lord. In truth, spiritual leaders just like Apostle Paul will work hard to make sure people love and follow Christ and not to promote himself or his ministry. Galatians were not accepting the wounds of Truth brought by a loving servant but instead, they were more inclined to enjoy the “kisses” (Proverbs 27:6) of the Judaizers not realizing that these kisses were leading them into bondage and sorrow. Do you get offended when you hear the Truth that the Word of God declares? Does the enemy invoke a feeling of anger in you towards those who dare to share the Word of God with you? Be careful of those who spoil you with lies because after a while you may get rotten. Pray for those who dare to speak truth to you that they continue to sanctify you in truth which is God’s word (John 17:17).
“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” - Blaise Pascal
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“Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace.”
“खरे मनुष्य पर दृष्टि कर और धर्मी को देख, क्योंकि मेल से रहने वाले पुरूष का अन्तफल अच्छा है।”
- Psalm 37:37
What we are, largely determines what we do, say and what principles drive our lives. Being blameless means having Integrity and it is deeply rooted in our walk with God. David in Psalm 37 talks about the heritage of the righteous and the calamity of the wicked in some very thought-provoking ways. Some of the character traits of a blameless person are that he trusts in the Lord (Psalm 37:3), delights in Lord (Psalms 37:4), commits his ways to God consistently (Psalm 37:5), rests in the Lord, knows how to wait patiently (Psalm 37:7) and such a blameless person will generally cease from unnecessary anger (Psalm 37:8).
“Blameless” doesn’t necessarily mean “sinless” for nobody on earth is sinless. Blameless has to do with the soundness of character, integrity, complete loyalty to Almighty God and unconditional obedience to God. God not only judges the wicked, but He also rescues the righteous from their clutches (Psalm 37:37–40). But here comes the eternity defining question, isn’t what people look like or what they possess, but what is their final end? We must ask ourselves where is our current lifestyle and values leading us? Are we headed towards eternal damnation or eternal joyful life with our God? David says Mark the blameless man who is spiritually complete and behold the upright who walks in moral integrity; there is a good future for the man of peace because a life of honour blesses one’s descendants. Just like Noah who was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time (Genesis 6:9), Do we Pray daily and try to live a blameless life with moral integrity in these end days? Do we listen to God and His word and like Abraham walk before God and live blamelessly (Genesis 17:1)? Which areas of your life do you still struggle and compromise morally today? Did you surrendered those areas to the Lord and asked for His grace to overcome those?
“If we walk in righteousness, He will carry us through.” - A.B. Simpson
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
“यदि तू भला करे, तो क्या तेरी भेंट ग्रहण न की जाएगी? और यदि तू भला न करे, तो पाप द्वार पर छिपा रहता है, और उसकी लालसा तेरी और होगी, और तू उस पर प्रभुता करेगा।”
- Genesis 4:7
If doing well and getting accepted is the criterion of the world then it is not much different for our God too, but the only difference is the benchmark and measure God uses for us to be accepted before Him. One of the subtle and generally ignored things sin brings in our lives is unnecessary anger and wrath towards those who are righteous just because we realize deep inside that we have failed God’s standards and they have not perhaps. Cain was apparently angry with God for no reason and even though The Lord warned Cain that temptation was like a fierce beast crouching at the door of his life, and he had better not open the door. Tragically this is what happened the very moment when Cain completely ignoring the loving counsel of God, failed to take care of his attitude and in that fury of anger he killed his own innocent brother, Abel. Grudges and harbour bitter feelings in our hearts can be used by Satan to lead us into temptation and sin.
Apostle Paul puts it wisely “Leave no room or foothold for the devil or give no opportunity to him.” (Ephesians 4:27). How many times we have learned this hard way that if we aren’t careful, then we can tempt ourselves and bring about our own ruin. It’s nobody’s fault but ours alone. Cain’s episode should also teach us that the costliest sacrifices apart from the submission of the heart can never make the worshiper right before God (Psalms 51:16–17). “The way of Cain” (Jude 11) is the way of self-will and unbelief. Let us be like innocent Abel who brought the best that he had and truly sought to please God (Hebrews 11), but Cain didn’t have that attitude of faith. Apostle James says “So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin”. (James 4:17). The dilemma is either we will rule, or we will be ruled! Cain was ruled by his sin and murdered his brother Abel. What rules us today? Are we ready to do what is well and accepted in the eyes of God? Let us do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, so that it may be well with us and that we may receive the promises of God instead of His wrath (Deuteronomy 6:18)
“Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open.”
-Arnold Glasow
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”
“तब शमूएल ने यिशै से कहा, क्या सब लड़के आ गए? वह बोला, नहीं, लहुरा तो रह गया, और वह भेड़-बकरियों को चरा रहा है। शमूएल ने यिशै से कहा, उसे बुलवा भेज; क्योंकि जब तक वह यहां न आए तब तक हम खाने को न बैठेंगे।”
- 1 Samuel 16:11
While Jesse was parading all his sons who are strong and mighty before Samuel the prophet, we can see that he deliberately kept aside one called David his youngest son. So insignificant was David in the family that Jesse didn’t even call him from the flock to the feast. But the Lord has already told Samuel not to look on the outer appearance or on the height of the person’s stature whom God has chosen. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Here we see a person in David, who is the future King of Israel but who was utterly neglected and woefully ignored by his own. But remember, God sometimes uses our struggle as a tool to nurture or develop the King (leader) inside us. God’s purpose in those times of our rejection oftentimes is not to hurt us, but to help us grow. No doubt that many of the great people in the pages of scripture learned more about the Lord in the furnace of affliction than they ever could have otherwise.
God chose David who was exactly the kind of leader Israel needed to repair all the damage that Saul had done to the nation. God needs people who are hardworking and sincere, not people who are looking for ways to avoid any responsibilities, For example, look at Moses (Exodus 3), Gideon (Judges 6), Elisha (1 Kings 19:19–21), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1) and Amos (Amos 7:14–15) etc. You may be today looked down upon as insignificant, unimportant, and ignored by those who are around you but remember one thing just like David who was a shepherd and was faithful as a servant over a few things and God promoted him to be a ruler over many things - from a flock to a whole nation! (Matthew 25:21). Do you feel lonely and rejected today by your own? Do you realize that there may be a leader in making inside you? Can you give your life in the hands of your heavenly Good Shepherd and allow Him to lead you to the place where He wants you to be.
“As our Father makes many a flower to bloom unseen in the lonely desert, [let us] do all that we can do, as under God’s eye, though no other eye ever takes note of it.”
- Hudson Taylor
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”
“परन्तु जो जो बातें मेरे लाभ की थीं, उन्हीं को मैं ने मसीह के कारण हानि समझ लिया है।”
- Philippians 3:7
Paul in this discourse to believers at Philippians church (Philippians 3:1-11), first issues a very harsh warning against the Judaizers, Jewish Christians who taught that observance of the Law was necessary for salvation and who were constantly trying to sabotage his gospel of free Grace. Then in Philippians 3:3, Paul presents a true sign of a right relation to God which is not the observation of external rite but a manifestation of three characteristics which are represented by those who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Thereafter Paul gives a solid personal testimony as an example (Philippians 3:4-16) that one must put no confidence in his own achievements but must rely entirely on Christ.
One of the highlights of his testimony was that he lost whatever was gained to him personally apart from God. His reputation as a scholar (Acts 26:24), a religious leader, his pride in his Jewish heritage and all his religious achievements which were once very valuable to him, are now nothing but “Refuse” compared to what he has in Christ. He realized that his own “treasures” brought glory to him personally, but they did not bring any glory to God. Becoming a Christian did not make him less of a Jew. In fact, it made him a complete Jew, a true child of Abraham both spiritually and physically (Galatians 3:6–9). He accepted the higher standard of living - conformity to Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1–2). When a person becomes a Christian, God takes away the bad, but He also sometimes takes the good and replace it or transform it into Better. What things do you consider as gain to you today? Are you worldly friends, status, social media presence, Wealth, Traditions, beauty, eloquence etc. bringing any glory to God today, if not are you ready to consider those as rubbish just like Paul? Paul lost some things, but he gained much more than he lost! When we leave a few things for Christ then rest assured you are going to gain much more than you have lost.
“I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.” - John Wesley
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”
“यीशु ने उन की ओर फिरकर कहा; हे यरूशलेम की पुत्रियों, मेरे लिये मत रोओ; परन्तु अपने और अपने बालकों के लिये रोओ।”
- Luke 23:28
Luke 23 records the sequence of events as they unfolded during the last moments of Jesus’s crucifixion. After Jesus was handed over to Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:1-5), later sent to Herod for his jurisdiction (Luke 23:6-12), and thereafter we see how the crowd desired the notorious murderer Barabbas to be released instead of innocent Jesus (Luke 23:13-25). Finally, we see how our Lord was chastised, brutally beaten, and finally handed over to soldiers to be crucified. We see in Luke’s account that a large crowd of people followed Him, including some women who kept mourning and wailing for Him. Here comes a statement by our Saviour that should make us pause and reflect upon our state of the spiritual condition and discern the times even more diligently. Jesus turned around (even while carrying the heavy cross on His shoulders) and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not be weeping for Me. But weep for yourselves and for your children.”
It’s not that Jesus renounced their sympathy, but He told them that their forthcoming sufferings will be more worthy of their tears. While they were weeping over the injustice of one man’s death, He was looking ahead and grieving over the terrible destruction of the entire nation, a judgment that was wholly justified (Luke 19:41–4). Alas, it would be the women and children who would suffer the most, a fact supported by history. Jeremiah wails in a similar fashion and says “Pour out your heart like water before the Lord’s presence. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger at the head of every street.” (Lamentations 2:19). There are some valuable lessons for Christian parents in the pages of the Bible and it’s that If we cry for our Children today then as Lord Promised Jeremiah “All that you have done for your children will not go unrewarded; they will return from the enemy’s land.” (Jeremiah 31:16-26). Our God will rescue them from the hands of the enemy and help them to come out and stand with the Lord again. Do we have time to cry for our children today? Are we ready to cry for our coming generations? If we cry with burden today for our kids then tomorrow, we will have tears of Joy too in our eyes watching them flourish in the vineyard of our Lord.
“Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the moulding of character in her children.” - Billy Graham
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
“सत्य के द्वारा उन्हें पवित्र कर: तेरा वचन सत्य है।”
- John 17:17
It will not be an overstatement if we say that John 17 is the prayer chapter. We can see that Jesus first prays for Himself (John 17:1-5), then He prays for His disciples (John 17:6-19) and then finally He prays for all the believers. In my early Christian days, I often use to get confused between Disciples and Believers but to put things in quick perspective for the reader’s understanding, “Every disciple is a believer, but not every believer is necessarily a disciple”. Loving God more than anyone or anything else is the very foundation of being a disciple and believe it or not anything short of discipleship, however, is settling for less than what God really desires for us. No wonder when Jesus prayed for His disciples, He prayed to God “sanctify them in the truth and set them apart for Your purposes (make them holy), Your word is truth”.
The Word gives us joy, love, and the power to live a holy life. It also gives us what we need to serve Him as witnesses in this world (John 17:18–19). Sanctification is not for the purpose of selfish enjoyment or boasting; it is so that we might represent Christ in this world and win others to Him. Jesus set Himself apart for us, and now He has set us apart for Him. It is not enough merely to study the Bible and learn a great deal of doctrinal truth. We must also love Jesus Christ, (The Truth) more as we learn all that He is and all He has done for us. Learning and Loving should lead to Living for Him. Do we allow God’s word to Sanctify us, or do we still override the voice of the Holy Spirit with something we have learned in the past? Do we stand in rebellion against God’s word when it comes to obeying it unconditionally? Are we inclined to obey the word of God more or follow the world more in our lives?
“The gospel is not speculation but fact. It is Truth, because it is the record of a Person who is the Truth.” - Alexander MacLaren
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“For what does it profit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? What can a person give in exchange for his life?”
“यदि मनुष्य सारे जगत को प्राप्त करे, और अपने प्राण की हानि उठाए, तो उसे क्या लाभ होगा? या मनुष्य अपने प्राण के बदले में क्या देगा?”
- Matthew 16:26
In Matthew 16:24-27, Jesus explains some seemingly impossible but perfectly possible paradoxes of discipleship in spiritual realms. To lose one’s life is to find it and to die is to live. Seriously how many worldly people will concur with it. Further, Jesus says, to deny oneself is not to assume some false, external asceticism (the doctrine that through renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state), but to put the interests of the kingdom of God first and foremost in one’s life. To “take up the cross” does not mean to endure some irritating burden but to renounce self-centered ambitions that stand against our divine calling. Jesus said all such sacrifices result in eternal life and the fullest experience of the kingdom of God now.
The physical life we would live now is a bowl of lentils compared with eternal life. It is nothing more than a vapour, a breath, a shadow. What Jesus implies in His question is actually a bold statement which states that “It is worthless to ·have the whole world if they ·lose their souls. They could never pay enough to buy back their souls.”. If our only interest is the immediate gratification that the world has to offer, then we are indeed saying, “What profit is the Kingdom of God to me now?”. Like Esau, we will despise our inheritance and go our way apart from God. Words of Apostle John can add weight to this “The world is passing away, and with it, its lusts, its shameful pursuits and its ungodly longings are passing away too; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes will live for forever.” (1 John 2:17). Do we realize that we are like flowers that fade away and we will flee like a shadow from the face of the earth (Job 14:1,2)? Let us remember that the redemption of an immortal soul requires a greater price than gold and silver or any corruptible thing; nothing short of the Blood and Life of Christ is a proper exchange or ransom price for it. Jesus has already paid the price for your redemption, are you ready to come aboard in this journey to your heavenly home?
“There’s not a single thing on offer in this all-too-temporary world for which you should ever sell your soul.” - Alan Keyes
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
“उसे देखकर पतरस ने यीशु से कहा, हे प्रभु, इस का क्या हाल होगा?”
- John 21:21
We know that after his threefold denial of Jesus, Peter needed special attention. In his reply to Jesus’ threefold question “Do you love Me?” Peter uses the less emphatic words, not daring to claim a complete devotion. Ultimately, we see Peter can only appeal to the Lord’s divine knowledge as proof of his sincerity. Among other valuable lessons, the discourse between Jesus and Peter tells us how humbly we must submit ourselves to our Master because sometimes even our devotion can be superficial too. But our Lord Jesus graciously called Peter to follow his Master three-fold commission for him to be a shepherd to the sheep. Soon after this incident, we see a strange and rather unexpected question from Peter about John “Lord, and what about this man (what is in his future)?”. We see that even if Peter received a very great divine call to Shepherd God’s people, he still rather in a humanly way entered into a slippery ground of making a comparison. Is it not common when we get some special gift or calling, sometimes we tend to start comparing ourselves with others?.
It is foolish to play the comparison game because only God is qualified to make proper comparisons. To the question of Peter, our lord Jesus responds sternly by telling Peter what happens with John is none of his business, “If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you? (What concern is it of yours?) You follow Me!” (John 21:22). Believe it or not, sometimes we all have that little unseen pride that makes us vulnerable and risks our own calling in the Lord. Pride makes us less considerate of others’ feelings. Too often we find people around us to whom when we share our sorrow, and their quick response is “Oh what is so hard about that you are doing or going through”, sometimes we get belittled by them so easily on the pretext that what they do is rather great or harder and our complain or sorrow is meaningless compared to what they do. Do you see comparison leading to pride and pride leading us to show less empathy to others? No wonder such people get disappointed too very easily. Let us try next time when we hear someone sharing about their workload, life struggles and pains, let us empathize (understand) and not merely sympathize with them. Beware when you get your eyes off the Lord and start to look at other Christians! “Looking unto Jesus” should be the aim and practice of every believer (Hebrews 12:1–2). Do you compare yourself with others? Do you grade your ministry, your calling and your hard work based on what others are doing or how God sees it?
“It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Have a Blessed day with God !!
