Christmas Greetings

 

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Barricades on minds

In some of our Christians have barricades on their minds. They  are status and prestige barricades:
 

Some educated Christians don’t mingle with the uneducated.
 

Some rich Christians don’t like to mingle with poor Christians.
 

These Christians want to mingle with their same cadre persons.  They only hang out with them, play with them, and wish their same  status friends in Church go away, but they never wish the
Christians who are poor in financial status.

Any Christian, who has poor financial status or uneducated, sits  by them, they feel ashamed and glare at him until he vacates the seat.
 

These Christians can’t enter heaven if they have the barricades on their minds. It is possible to them only when they change their minds and break the barriers. Yes, it’s true.
 

Jesus always loves the poor, the oppressed, and sinners. While he was preaching the good news(gospel), he mingled with  them, dinned with them, and blessed them. When Jesus associated with sinners and tax collectors, Pharisees said ‘Jesus is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
 

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, `Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners”.’ - Lk. 7:34.
 

Though Pharisees said so, Jesus never stopped associating with the people.
 

I remind you another example. When Jesus was sitting by the Jacob’s well, a Samaritan woman came to draw water.
 

Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him,“You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for
a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) [Or do notuse dishes Samaritans have used]
 

Jesus wants to associate with every human being. It doesn’t matter whoever and whatever he or she is. He loves everybody. In his sight, everyone is equal. That is his love. Without having such love, nobody can enter heaven. Jesus said it. Not me.
 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children, you will never  enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven - Mt.
18:1-4.
 

Look at children. They associate with everybody. They come to us or play around us, because they have no barricades on their  minds. They like everybody around them. Jesus loves everybody
more than Children do.

If anybody looks down on others, Jesus doesn’t like them. That’s why the said the above words (Mt. 18:1-4.) If you have the barricades on your brain, break them and love every as Jesus does. Then Jesus will be pleased in you.

We shouldn’t judge a man by his death

When people have died in ghastly accidents, such as flight crash, car accident, and vehicles run over on people, folks believe that the dead people committed terrible sins and died in that way. This is utterly wrong.

We shouldn’t judge a man by his death. It’s a foolish thing.

St. Paul was beheaded

St. Peter was crucified upside down.

Some of Jesus’ disciples were toppled from synagogues; others skinned alive and succumbed to death.

Except John, the rest disciples were killed brutally. Their deaths were extremely horrific. It means they were sinners?

No!

The Jews and Romans branded them as sinners and killed them in such a way. Actually, those who killed them deserve such death sentences for killing the Holy people, who were preaching the word of God.

So far, thousands of thousands preachers have been killed for preaching the word of God all over the world. They are also not sinners.

Jews believed who died in a gruesome death in a sinful man.

Jesus corrected their view.

Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on  them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” - Lk. 13:4-5. 

Death comes to all. It doesn’t matter whether we die in our sleep or die in an accident. A Good death doesn’t send a person to Heaven. Likewise a bad death doesn’t send a person to hell.

We believed In Jesus, got baptized, took part in Holy communion, by doing all this we became Holy people and sons of God. Hence however we die, we inherit the Kingdom of God. No doubt about it.

Birth and Sleep, not death

Whenever I go to Cemeteries, I feel very sorry for the headstones, which indicates that there are many immature Christians. 

Lack of proper knowledge of the word of God, they are doing imperfect activities.

It is written in the Bible:

`I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?  He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” - Mt. 22:32.

In God’s sight every man is alive though he is passed away.

Immature Christians have not digested this. They don’t trust this. They are writing on the headstones of their beloved ones as:

Birth:

Death:

I hate the latter.

The words, sleep or rested were used instead of death in the Bible. Immature Christians, however, love the word death. They read the scriptures regarding the sleep, but they don’t care nor do they think.

I tell you why I the word “sleep or rested” were used. 

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing - Jn. 6:63.

The spirit is immortal. We received it from God. God breathed into Adam’s  nostrils the breath of life: the spirit.  It never dies.

I tell you a surprising truth concerning the spirit.

We were given names.

Are the names to our bodies or spirits?

To our Spirits, not to our bodies.

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit

the kingdom of God - 1Co. 15:50.

The names of our spirits were written in the book of life.

If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he(his spirit) was thrown into the lake of fire - Re. 20:15.

That’s why in God’s sight no man is dead. Every human being’s spirit is alive forever.

Our spirits dwell in heaven with spiritual bodies, which will be given by God.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body - 1Co. 15:44.

Our spirits will remain in the spiritual bodies ever.

Natural bodies are just temporary media to our spirits. If our  spirits have left these bodies, It means we are not dead. Our spirits never die.

Therefore, don’t write the word death on headstones. Show your perfection on it. Tell this to your fellow brothers and sisters.

When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears - 1Co. 13:10.

Believers have Heaven Citizenship

Christians go to Churches and hear the word of  God, but when are asked the question, “Will you go to heaven?” they fumble and sigh only to say, “No, we won’t. We are sinners.”

                                               

I pity such believers. Though they  have already deserved to go to heaven, they think they can’t enter it.

There is a strong reason why they believe so. They found it difficult to lead a good life after baptism, because they are doing the same things that they did in the past, so think they won’t go to heaven.

I daresay they are in error. They go to Heaven! 

A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified - Ga. 2:16.

Those who believe in Jesus are righteous men.

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” - Ro. 4:3.

In the same way,

The man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness - Ro. 4:5.

A believer’s faith saves him though he commits sin.

Yes. It’s true.

Let’s see how it is possible.

What is sin? Breaking the law is Sin. In short cut, breaking the Ten Commandments is sin.

God gave the law, but when he saw the people were unable to observe it, he amended it.

Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his (God’s) sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin - Ro. 3:20.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe- Ro. 3:22.

Now the law is only to let us know what is sin, so that we repent and believe in Jesus, which credited to us as righteousness.

If I wanted to change my life and decided to lead a good life, should I need God?

No.

However, leading a good life is impossible for me, not only to me, to every human being, because, our spices came from Adam and Eve, who committed sin.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear

good fruit - Mt. 7:18.

We were born of sinners. Then how will we a lead good life and do good?

Impossible. We can’t help but sin.

This is a sinful world, and sins are coming toward us like flood waters every day. In this conditions, we can’t swim against the flow.

Thanks and praise to our God, who sees our faith as righteousness. 

Every new believer, who was baptized, wants to lead a good life and abstain from sin. His wish won’t last longer. In just a few days or months, he does what he did in the past.

He/she gets disappointed and hate himself/herself. I’ve heard many believers said to their close friends, “I wish I’d believe in Jesus when I’m in 60 or 70's. Now I can’t help sin. I tried hard not to do that, but I can’t.”

Many believers are lamenting like this; Some committing suicides. 

They don’t know how powerful Jesus’ sacrifice is!

His sacrifice is one hundred capable enough to save us from our sins that you committed in the past, present, and the future.

He paid ransoms for our past, present, and future sins. He knows we commit sin until we die.  

Paul upholds it in his letter:

                                                 

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do

not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. [Or my flesh] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing - Ro. 7:15-19.

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit,  and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want -Ga. 5:17.

Our body and spirit are at war with each other.

Our weaknesses make us commit sin. For instance, a believer boozes. He knows it’s a sin, but he can’t stop boozing, because of his weakness.

Know what? Paul got a weakness. He described it as a thorn. Some preachers and pastors interpret the thorn as disease. It’s wrong.

(I read the chapter in detail in my Bible course.)           

There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me - 2Co. 12:7-9.

I’m telling you this just for an example, not to expose Paul’s weakness. Paul had one thorn, but I posses more than one.

In fact, everybody has a thorn, however nobody can overcome it and couldn’t help sin. Yet, we are not sinners.

Read the following scriptures to know why.

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes - Ro. 10:4.

For sin shall not be your (our) master, because you(we)are not under law, but under grace - Ro. 6:14.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation(judgement) for those who are in Christ Jesus - Ro. 8:1.

Hence, we shouldn’t think ourselves sinners.

When people are in dangerous situations, they pray, “God I’m a sinner. Forgive me sins. And save me from this danger.”

God doesn’t listen to Sinner’s prayers.

Every baptized believer is a righteous man, so he/she shouldn’t treat himself/herself as a sinner. In case, a believer commits a sin unintentionally  or  intentionally  by weakness, he/she must confess to his/her sin.

He/she must pray as:

Heavenly Father, forgive me. I’ve committed this sin. Please forgive me. I’m asking this in the name of my savior Jesus Christ.

That’s enough.

Some believers don’t believe in God’s righteousness. They seek self established righteousness. Millions of Christians and Jews have been doing that.

Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness - Ro. 10:3.

They pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling-stone” - Ro. 9:32.

They are donating money to charities and giving food to the hungry. They are thinking that such good acts may write off their sins.

They will never, not even 1% percent.

There is only way to write off our sins: To believe in Jesus and accept him as our savior.

There is no other way, except this.

Their good acts are admirable if they are doing for the sake of treasure in heaven. No man gets remission of his sins by doing good acts. Not one percent of his sins will be written off with the acts.

Their self established righteous never saves them.

My Bible course concluded with this wonderful lesson. I realized how great God is! And what an abundant love he showed on us!

I’m not a sinner.

I have earned the citizenship of Heaven, so have you!

I’ll go to Heaven, and so will you!

Heaven Awaits us!  
 

 

You have the Holy spirit.

We can’t obtain the Holy spirit through human endeavors or fasting prayers. It is a gift and promise of God.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth - Ac. 1:8.

Jesus Christ didn’t grant the Holy spirit to the Apostles, but God(Heavenly father) did.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues  as the Spirit enabled them - Ac. 2:1-4.

They were not praying then, they were just sitting there. From this we can say, it is impossible to receive the Holy spirit through prayers and human endeavors.

You may wonder then how to receive it.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” - Ac. 2:37-38.

The day we baptized, we received the Holy spirit. As soon we got baptized(remission of sins), we obtained the Holy spirit, since then it’s been dwelling in us.

Charismatic Christians are not aware of this. They are in search of receiving the Holy spirit. Before I knew the scripture, I went to many Churches and preachers to receive the Holy spirit.

Once I went to a Church, wanting to receive the Holy spirit. The pastor, in that Church, is famous for giving the Holy spirit through laying on of hands.

The pastor in the church said that he who couldn’t speak in tongues is a sinner, then called the new comers to him, so that he could grant them the Holy spirit through laying on of hands.

I and another three new comers went to him. He laid his hands on us chanted some scriptures and prayed loudly. After the prayer, the three new comers began speaking in such strange languages that I ever heard.

I was unable to speak in tongues. The pastor said, “sinner can’t receive the Holy spirit and can’t speak in tongues.” I felt embarrassed among the believers. It was the worst humiliation of my life. Everybody was looking at me, and I was feeling guilty.  

I ventured to say something on my own to escape the congregation view. Thinning for a while I said, “Kus-ki- sika- mehiyan - Men tek.”

I didn’t know what It meant. But I was shocked in the next moment. The new comer, next to me, said, “I’ll interpret this,” then he was saying something as if he were interpreting my words.

I babbled to escape the congregation view. This new comer deluded the congregation that he got the interpretation power through the Holy spirit.

I said to the new comer, “I babbled. Stop your false interpretation.” Then I came out of that Church.

I met a preacher, who has claimed that he gives the Holy spirit through laying on off hands.

Actually, my friend took me to him.  The preacher laid hand on my head and prayed. After the prayer, he said, “speak. Speak.” I didn’t know what to speak. He saw the dilemma on my face and began shouting, “Speak in tongues. Glorify God. Say something.”

I didn’t like to lie, so I said to the preacher, “I’m sorry, I can’t. I guess, I’ve not received the Holy spirit yet.”

The preacher said, “Everything is possible for those who believe. With little faith, you can’t receive it. Go and grow in faith, then come.”

It was another disappointment for me, and with it, I had almost given my hope of receiving the Holy spirit.

One Sunday evening, the bitter incidents came into my mind and made me break down, and I couldn’t help crying. I considered myself a sinner.

Before I went to my bed at that night, I opened the Bible randomly to read some scriptures. At that time, I saw the following scripture.

Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus - 2Ti. 4:20.

“Why Paul did so? Why did he leave the sick man there?” I thought. I knew Paul cured many sick men, but I couldn’t take in why he left Erastus in Corinth. Even the clothes that touched him cured people’s illness. (Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them -Ac. 19:11-12.)

I jotted down the verse and opened the Bible randomly once again. I saw another this scripture:

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses - 1Ti. 5:23.

This verse plunged me in doubt. Why Paul recommend wine to Timothy’s illness? Why didn’t he send a cloth to Timothy by touching it, so that Timothy illness would be cured?

It took me more than a month to get answers. What I found was the Holy spirit powers were gone in him.

Yes, the power was gone.

After Jesus ascension, God granted the Apostles the Holy spirit with gifts, so that people would believe in Jesus Christ.

Gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues - 1Co. 12:9-10.

The Apostles got the gifts at first. They transferred the Holy spirit with the gifts to others by laying on of hands, but the believers who received it didn’t have the power to transfer it to somebody else.

But gradually, God withdrew the Gifts of the Holy spirit (superficial powers), from the Apostles and the believers who received it. However, God hasn’t taken back the Holy spirit.

Well, we have the Holy spirit, but it doesn’t do miracles, such as healing the sick and speaking in tongues.

“What is the use to have such a spirit?” I thought.

I found the answers after a month by God’s grace. 

The Spirit(the Holy spirit) himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children- Ro. 8:16.

And

The Spirit(the Holy spirit) helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express - Ro. 8:26.

The Holy spirit does these tasks.

Though the Holy spirit can’t cure our illness and solve our problems, by prayers our illness gets cured and we overcome our problems. 

Therefore, I request you not to the fathers and preachers, who say they grant the Holy spirit by laying on of hands.

We already have it.

Ever heard of God is working in mysterious ways?

I give you the example.

William Carey knew almost sixteen above languages, and he translated the Bible in sixteen languages. He learnt the languages by God’s grace. God enabled him to do so, because William Carey got the thrust to preach the Gospel.

God made him a linguist by his grace, not by the gifts of the Holy spirit.

I reiterate that every baptized believer has the Holy spirit, but no believer has the Gifts of the Holy spirit.

Don’t be carried away by false teachings and rumors.

God bless you.

The righteous will live by faith

The righteous will live by faith - Ro. 1:17.

It took me much time understand this wonderful scripture. At first I didn’t know how to live by faith.

When a man’s efforts have gone in vain, he comes to God and depend on God. He says, “God, I’m worn out. I did everything that I can, but no use, I failed. Now you are my only hope. Help me.”

Though he prays like that, he doesn’t believe in his heart that God helps him. He just cast his worries on God and leave it to him, whether he helps him or not.

In the mean time he says to his close friends, “I’m just living as I don’t like to die.”

This is condition of little faith believer. It’s not the right way a believer live. From the beginning, every believer must depend on God for everything.

For instance, I need money, I pray to God like this:

God, I need money. I believe you bestow me. I do believe you can help me in my need.

This is the way to live by faith. Whatever we need, even a tooth paste, you must take it to the lord and believe he helps us.

The woman, who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ And she got the result she had believed.

Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. - Mk. 5:28.

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”  “Yes, Lord,” they replied.   Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. - Mt. 9:27- 30.

We need such a faith to get things done. We must believe God helps in everything.

Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” - Mk. 9:23.

Therefore, live by faith by depending on God for your every need.