Christmas Greetings

 Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

The Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary was a resident of Nazareth, which is in Galilee. In those days, Nazareth had a bad reputation, as it was close to the territory of Gentiles, and in fact, it was as bad as Gentile’s land.

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathaniel asked.

Surprisingly, God brought glory to Nazareth. He chose Mary from the land to fulfill the scriptures, and Jesus was known as Jesus of Nazareth.

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel - Is. 7:14.

The virgins of Palestine knew the scripture pretty well, yet they didn’t know how it would be fulfilled. Thinking that no matter how it would be fulfilled, every virgin dreamed of becoming the virgin to give birth to Jesus Christ. However, they didn’t get the chance. God gave it to Mary, who was a poor virgin.

God doesn’t see the out form of humans. He sees the inner things: humbleness, God fearing, simplicity. The Devine characters impress God. Not our ability, stature, status, and controlling power. Mary had had the Devine characters.

Gabriel said to Mary, ‘You have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son’.

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” Lk. 1:34.

Though Mary knew the scripture {Is. 7:14} she wasn’t enough confident that it was possible to God. Her words made it clear.

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy one to be born will be called the Son of God - Lk. 1:35.

Gabriel said another news to Mary in order to let her know nothing is impossible with God.

Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth  month. For nothing is impossible with God - Lk. 1:36.

Then Mary was wholeheartedly prepared to give birth to Jesus Christ. Thus, she was used an instrument of God. She put her trust in God, who gave her strength to overcome humiliations and hurdles.  

PARADISE IS NOT HEAVEN

   
“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” - Lk. 23:43.

Lots of believers are thinking that Paradise and Heaven are same words. Nevertheless, they are different words. Heaven is not the synonym of Paradise.

Paradise is a Parisian word. It means a beautiful Garden. Paradise is a temporary place where the spirits of the righteous dwell until the judgement day.

Abraham’s sprit is in Paradise, so are the spirits of the righteous {including believers} who have died so far.

The unrighteous spirits dwell faraway from Paradise. The place is called Shoel

You will not abandon me to the grave, {Hebrew: Sheol} nor will you let your Holy One see decay - Ps. 16:10.

In the old testament Shoel is used for the place. In the new testament, Hades, a Greek word, is written. Hades is equal to the word to Shoel. The old testament was written in Hebrew language. The new testament was written in Greek language. Hence the two words sound different, but they both stand for one place.

I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades - Re. 1:18.

In paradise, the spirits of the righteous are being at peace, where as in Hades, the spirits of the unrighteous are being tormented with fire.

There is a huge gap between the two parts.

In hell, [Greek: Hades] where he{the rich man} was in torment, he looked  up and saw Abraham far away*, with Lazarus by his side - Lk. 16:23.

* between us and you a great chasm has  been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us - Lk. 16:26.

The great chasm is called Tartarus. God has confined wicked Angles  there. 

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, [Greek: Tartarus] putting them into gloomy  dungeons to be held for judgment- 2Pe. 2:4.

God won’t send the wicked angles and the spirits of the unrighteous to hell unless they are judged. Until the judgement day,  the wicked angels remain in Tartarus, and spirits of the unrighteous in Hades.

Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person  was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death - Re. 20:13-14.

After the judgement day, they will be thrown into hell. It is the second death.

While Jesus was about to die on the cross, he said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Jesus committed his spirit to God, who sent it to Paradise until resurrection. This happened for the sake of fulfillment of scriptures.

You will not abandon me to the grave, {Hebrew: Sheol} nor will you let your Holy One see decay - Ps. 16:10.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, he ascended into Heaven and has sat on the right hand of the father, almighty.

Ever Green Songs

 

http://www.mediafire.com/file/v2a5u0ll08lazv5/Christian%20Ever%20Green%20Songs.rar

God doesn't cause illness and problems because of our sins

When a believer learned that he had tuberculosis, he broke down and said, “Why God punished me like this? What have I done deserving this?”

While believers are falling ill or facing lots of problems, they are feeling that God is punishing them for their past sins. They are strongly thinking God is responsible for their problems and illness. So they lament, “Why me? There are many people out there who have committed more sins than I did. Why God punished me, and let them off?”

These are versions of believers who fall ill and face adversities. Now let us see, are personal adversities really a punishment from God?

The answer is NO. NOT AT ALL.

In fact, God isn’t responsible for our problems and illness. Faithful believers have experienced Adversity.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil - Mt. 4:1.

See, God didn’t tempt Jesus, but Satan.

The Bible reports about a man named Job. Without warning, he suddenly lost his wealth. Next, all ten of his children were killed in a windstorm. Soon thereafter, he was struck with a debilitating, loathsome disease. (Job 1:13-19; 2:7, 8) Such adversities led Job to cry out: “The hand of God has struck me down.” (Job 19:21, Today’s English Version) Evidently, like many today, Job felt that God was punishing him.

However, the Bible reveals that before Job’s trials began, God himself had described Job as “a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad.” (Job 1:8) In view of this expression of divine approval, it is clear that Job’s adversities were not a punishment from God.

The fact is the Bible is filled with accounts of upright individuals who faced personal adversities. Although he was a loyal servant of God, Joseph endured years of unjust imprisonment. (Genesis 39:10-20; 40:15) The faithful Christian Timothy suffered from “frequent cases of sickness.” (1 Timothy 5:23) Even Jesus Christ, who never did wrong, was cruelly mistreated before suffering an agonizing death. (1 Peter 2:21-24) Hence, it is a mistake to conclude that adversity must be an expression of God’s displeasure.

Satan the Devil was the cause of the chief source of our problems today when it states: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12)

As “the ruler of this world,” Satan has influenced many to engage in evil acts that have resulted in untold misery and heartache.—John 12:31; Psalm 37:12, 14.*

Does this mean, then, that we will always be plagued with adversity?

NO.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted {by Satan} beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it - 1Co. 10:13.

Because he{Jesus} himself suffered when he was tempted{by Satan}, he is able
to help those who are being tempted - He. 2:18.

All Adversity Soon to End

God will bring an end to all adversity very soon. (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 1:3; 21:3, 4) In the meantime, he shows that he really cares for us by providing “instruction” and “comfort from the Scriptures” so that we can cope with trials now as we look forward to that wonderful future just ahead. (Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 5:7) At that time, those who are upright in God’s eyes will enjoy unending life in a new world, free from every form of adversity.—Psalm 37:29, 37.

Well, there are a few believers who think in a different way:

They say, “Maybe my parents committed sin against God. So God punished me.”

This is not right. We’re not in the Old Testament times; we’re in New Testament times. God doesn’t punish children because of parents’ sins, nor does he punish us for our sins. So erase the thought in your mind.

ONE MORE THING: We should not, however, be quick to blame the Devil for every adversity we experience. As a result of inherited sin and imperfection, we are prone to make unwise decisions that can cause us problems - Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12. 

For example, imagine a man who by choice neither eats properly nor gets sufficient rest. If this eventually leads to serious health problems, should he blame the Devil? No, the man has merely reaped the bitter consequences of his own poor judgment. (Galatians 6:7) In such an instance, it is just as a Bible proverb puts it: “A man’s own folly wrecks his life.”—Proverbs 19:3.

God set us free. We shouldn’t use the freedom to wreck our life with bad habits.

Typological interpretations

Actually, this subject is thoroughly taught to the Bible training students, because this typological interpretation of scriptures is highly essential. There are many typological interpretations, but the most important typology is regarding covenants. The details of the typology are posted here to enhance your spiritual wisdom. 

The High priest

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so that they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honour - Ex. 28:1-2.

In new covenant Jesus Christ is our high priest. For this reason we ask God everything through Jesus Christ.

The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man- He. 8:1-2.

He{Jesus Christ} became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: `You are a priest forever.’“ [Psalm 110:4] Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them- He. 7:21- 25.


The Tabernacle and The ark of the covenant of the LORD

A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.- He. 9:2-5(For more details about the ark of Lord read - Ex. 25:10- 20.)

       

New covenant proceedings

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
Then I said, `Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.’ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin  offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He  sets aside the first to establish the second- He. 10:5- 9.

Jesus took bread, gave thanks and  broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of new covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them- Mk. 14:22-24.

The Table Of Shewbread

Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times- Ex. 25:30.

New covenant

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty- Jn. 6:35.

The Lamp stand

Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.  One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair — six branches in all - Ex. 25:31-35.

New covenant 

Through him{Jesus Christ} all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men- Jn. 1:3-4.

I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth - Ac. 13:47.

The Certain

Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place- Ex. 26:33.

New covenant

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water - He. 10:19-22.

The Bronze Basin or Laver

They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting - Ex. 38:8.

New covenant

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all  sin - 1Jn. 1:7.

The Altar of incense

 “Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so that incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come” - Ex. 30:7-8.

New covenant

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself - He. 7:27.

The curtain for the entrance

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen — the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver - Ex. 38:18-19.

New covenant 

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved - Jn. 10:9.

Offerings:

The Burnt offering

If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD - Le. 1:3.

New covenant

Through him {Jesus Christ} everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses - Ac. 13:39.

He said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them. ” Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second - He. 10:8-9.

The Grain offering

If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of fine flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of fine flour and oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the LORD; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons - Le. 2:5-10.

New covenant

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world - Jn. 6:51

The Fellowship offering

“‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering,  and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect. He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides - Le. 3:1-2.

New covenant

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful - 1Co. 1:9

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God - Ro. 5:1-2.

The guilt offering and the burnt offering

“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him, or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do — when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering. And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty.” - Le. 6:3-7.

New covenant

Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood . Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name- He. 13:15.



Feasts:

The Passover


“These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:  The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month - Le. 23:4.

New covenant

For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed 1Co. 5:7. 

Feast of  Unleavened Bread

On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Feast of  Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the LORD by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work - Le. 23:6-8.

New covenant

Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth - 1Co. 5:8.

First grain of harvest

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.  He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt  offering to the LORD a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil — an offering made to the LORD by fire, a pleasing aroma — and its drink offering  of a quarter of a hin  of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until  the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever  you live -Le. 23:10-14.

New covenant  

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the  dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him - 1Co. 15:20-23.


Feast of trumpets

“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire - Le. 23:24-25.

New covenant

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air - 1Th. 4:16-17.

Day of Atonement

“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves,  and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.  Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people - Le. 23:26-29.

New covenant

They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings — external regulations applying until the time of the new order. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation - He. 9:10-11.


Feast of tabernacles

“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present offerings made to the LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work - Le. 23:34-36.

God made Israelites do this in remembrance of redemption.

New covenant . 

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes- 1Co. 11:25-26.

Why doesn't God show himself to us

The answer is - he doesn’t like to kill us. In the old testament Moses wanted to see God.

Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” - Ex. 33:18

But,” he{God} said, “you cannot see my face, for no-one may see me and live.” Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you  may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” - Ex. 33:20-23. 

God doesn’t like to kill Moses and mankind by showing himself. We can’t even see the glory of the sun closely. How come can we see God, who created the sun? Isn’t he trillions upon trillions times brighter and powerful than the Sun? Aren’t his  power and glory so powerful that could consume humans?


The LORD your God is a consuming fire - De. 4:24.

In revelation God’s glory is incorporated.

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne - Re. 4:2-3.

From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder - Re. 4:5.

This is the glory of God. Man can’t see him face to face.

It was written that Moses talked to God face to face. The phrase "face to face" in the Hebrew mindset means "personally," "directly," or "intimately." Moses had this kind of unmediated relationship with God. But he, like all other mortals, never saw an actual "face" of God.

Being "face to face" with God simply refers to being in God's direct presence in an intimate way.

In Genesis 32:30 Jacob said, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

Jacob thought it was God, but it was an angel of God.

Manoah enquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word  comes true?” He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding - Ju. 13:17- 18.

The angel of God said the same answer to Jacob.

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he{angel} replied, “Why do you ask my name?” - Ge. 32:29.

Therefore, it’s a key text to refute that Jacob saw God ‘face to face.’

I hope now you understand why God doesn’t show himself to mankind.

God consoles bereaved families

 He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted - Is. 61:1.

The Death of our family members, friends, relatives, and neighbors, is the worst heart shatter event. It is like a wakening nightmare. The pain engulfs our strength and creates terrible grief in us. We can’t help crying. Some time, believers, who posses a little faith, set aside the little faith and curse God. This event is being widely seen and heard.  

While a father was about to bury his dead daughter in a cemetery, he looked up at the skies and yelled, “where are you, God, when my child was dead?! Where are you?!”

At once, the pastor, who was standing before the bereaved father, said to him, “God is there when his son was also dead, and he’s still there when your child was also dead.”

The bereaved father squinted at the pastor, speechless. The pastor continued, “God has plan s for all of us. Who are you and me find faults with them? Just hope that your daughter accomplished God’s will and gone.”

The bereaved father realized his mistake and asked God to forgive him. This is the true story of a bereaved father of a little faith.

Now see what the bereaved fathers of full faith did in the same situation. 

While David’s child was sick, he fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground, but as he learnt the child was dead, he got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the
house of the LORD and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request his servants served him food, and he ate. His servants were puzzled at this. On finding that:

He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, `Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” - 2Sa. 12:22-23.

When Job was informed that his sons and daughters died, he didn’t ask God why he took away his offspring. He said:

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised - Job 1:21.

His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”- Job 2:9-10.

Job accepted trouble but didn’t curse God. He knew God has plans for everyone, so he didn’t find a fault with God’s plan.

Some sensitive believers of a few faith are unaware of this, so they are cursing God in the grief.

May God forgive them, for they don’t know what they are speaking in the frustration and the grief. I pray that may God make them known that everything is going on according to his plans.

God doesn’t forsake bereaved families. He consoles them, strengthen them, and revives them.

I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak - Ez. 34:16.

So keep in mind that though we go to bottom of the grief, we shouldn’t curse God. Our departed beloved ones are highly loved by God. He loves them more than we could.

May our departed beloved ones souls rest in peace.

Treasure In Heaven

We throw parties and invite friends and relatives. Then they will throw parties and invite us. In this way, we repay another and enjoy. But most of us don’t like to throw at least one party to the poor, because there is no room in our heart for them. We are looking down on them because of their status and driving them away in case they get close to our party surroundings.

It is not good in the sight of God. If we really want to be in heaven and have treasure there, it is mandatory to do favors to the poor.  

Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”- Lk. 14:12 -14. 

They can’t repay us because they are poor, however, God will pay us on their behalf. He gives us more than we expect in heaven.

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done- Pr. 19:17.

A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor- Pr. 22:9.

Every day, before we eat we pray like this:

Father, we thank you for your
generosity in providing us with
this meal. Bless this food to our
use and us to thy service, and keep
us ever mindful of the needs of
others. Amen.

But we are not mindful of the needs of other, yet we pray like this. God doesn’t like hypocrites. We must reform our ways and be merciful toward the poor. 

“Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ - Mt. 25:34-40.

See the prophecy. Therefore, we shouldn’t fail to give food to the hungry. And shouldn’t fail to give clothes to the naked. Shouldn’t fail to do the good things told in the scripture.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward - Mt. 10:42.

We were bought with price

In the old testament times, to purge a man from his sins the blood of animals was used.  The life in the blood saved the man from his sins.

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life- Le. 17:11.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices- He. 10:11.

However, God wasn’t pleased with them.
           
“Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” - He. 10:8.

He sets aside the first {covenant} to establish the second - He. 10-9.

Then God was determined to purge Gentiles as well as Jews, so he sent his son like a lamb into the world.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! - Jn. 1:29.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life- Jn. 3:16.

Jesus came into the world on a mission to save both Gentiles and Jews, who were under the yoke of sin, so that they will be set free.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace- Ep. 1:7.

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many- Mt. 20:28.

At first Jews didn’t believe in Jesus Christ. They claimed that they are not slaves of anyone.

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants  and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed- Jn. 8:33-36.

Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge - Ro. 3:4.

Jews crucified Jesus on the charge of blasphemy.  As a result, the prophecies fulfilled.

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us  all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth- Is. 53:5-7.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life- Jn. 3:14-15.

Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit- Jn. 19:30.

Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed- 1Co. 5:7.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross- Col. 2:13-14.

With his sacrifice our status has changed.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price - 1Co. 6:20.

So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir- Ga. 4:7.

This is the greatest power of Jesus’ blood. In addition to purging us, the blood has made us heirs to God.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! - Ro. 5:9.

Be content with what we have

While a latest model car moving on a road, and some people, who can’t afford to buy it, happen to see it, they say in themselves, “I wish I had the car.”

After that, they feel upset about their financial position and grieve their hearts with their desires, which they can’t quench.

The same thing happens to the people when see their desired buildings, home appliances, and jobs.

This upset leads them toward frustration, which generate grave dangers to them.

No man thinks about the things he can’t buy. Instead, he’d better be satisfied with what has been given to him by God. This gives him peace and happiness.

People are ruing peace and happiness with their deeds:
               
A middle class man strives to become a rich man.

A millionaire strives to become a billionaire. 

A billionaire takes pains to be a trillionair.

A company keeps on trying to take over its rival.

How on earth could they live in peace and happiness with these deeds? They have no satisfaction with what they have; they still want more. Though get the more they desired they want some more.

They are not content with what they have. We’re also more or less like them. We shouldn’t be in the state anymore. Let’s be satisfied with what we have. St. Paul wrote nice things about being content.

Be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want- Ph. 4:11-12.

The secret of being content is to be satisfied with what we have.

You have a small home, so praise God; some don’t have at least one.

Be satisfied with your car and praise God; some can’t afford to buy your car even if you want to get rid of it with little profit.

You get to work by bus or train? Then, thank our heavenly father, who has given you money to buy tickets; some use cycles as they can’t afford to buy the tickets.

The cyclists must thank God, who has given them strength to peddle the cycle; some people have no strength to walk or stand though they are stinking rich.

You eat enough food, leaving crumbs on your table, whereas in some countries people are dying of starvation.

Be content with your salary, don’t desire for more; some don’t have jobs at all.

God said:

My grace is sufficient for you- 2Co. 12:9. His grace is enough for us to lead our life and be content.

The life of an unsatisfied man will be awful. 

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control- Pr. 25:28.

Satisfaction is like a wall to our life. If you we don’t posses the wall of satisfaction, we will never enjoy peace and joy. Our desires let us down.

Therefore learn to be satisfied at all time and be thankful to God. 

There are some people who think in a different way. They say, “If only I were born like the rich. God made me a common man.”

My dear brothers, come to your sense.

Who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, `Why did you make me like this?”  Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same    lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?- Ro. 9:20-21.

You know a truth? WE ARE ONE in CHRIST.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other-. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it - 1Co. 12:21-27.

My brothers, God assigned a specific work to everyone in the world, and we must do it without grumbling. It doesn’t matter whether we’re poor or the rich. We’re here to do the work God assigned us. We must accomplish it. The poor shouldn’t feel sorry, as they are not born like the rich. The rich were allotted for another works.

If the rich fail to do the works, they must pay for it. Likewise if the poor fail to do their work, they must pay for it.  

It’s every one’s duty to do the work given by God. The poor shouldn’t say to the rich, ‘You’re exploiting us and using us. How long shall we toil for you?’

Does our hand say to our head, ‘I don’t work for you. You are using me.’

It never says so, because it is combined with the body. In the same way, the rich and the poor combined in Christ. Therefore the poor shouldn’t be jealous of the rich and feel sorry not being born like the rich.

Forsake the thought and do your work, brother. You know how to do the work?

Obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.  Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men- Ep. 6:5-7.

The rich shall not say to the poor, “You were born to work for us. Do it.” Because the poor are doing the work assigned by God.

Masters, treat your slaves in the same way {Ep.6:5-7}. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him- Ep. 6:9.

God created different things in everything

God created different men: Americans, Africans, Japanese, Indians, Arabians.

From one man he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live - Ac. 17:26.

God formed different men out of one man. All these people are created by God. No one is less from than the other. Everyone is equal. Though we are different from one another, we’re one in Christ. So nobody looks down on his brothers because of color and glamour.

Let us see how God created with us much difference.

No man face matches with somebody else.

No man finger prints match with the others.

A man’s odor is different from other. We don’t know that. But dogs find it.

What a genius our God is! Praise be to him! He created different men in mankind.



God created different species in animals.

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God
saw that it was good- Ge. 1:24-25.

God created different species in livestock and wild animals. For instance, there are many types in money: Ape, chimp, gorilla. Like wise there are many different species in a particular species.

God didn’t crate these animals to eat himself. He gave them to us.

Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything- Ge. 9:3.

One of my friends always buys ten kilograms of meat or chicken or pork or beef on sundays. There are only four members in his family: two children and his wife. I couldn’t take in why he buys 10 kg of meat until I asked him. He said that his children eat much meat pieces like they eat candies.

Our heavenly father knew our appetite, so created all these animals for us.


God created different planets and stars.

The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor - 1Co. 15:41.

The nine plants in our solar system are different from another. The stars in this universe are different from one another.  Star and comets. 

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name- Ps. 147:4.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands- Ps. 19:1.

God’s understanding has no limit. Praise be to our heavenly father.

Don't let your children fall into hell

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Ps. 127:3-4.

We have got a precious reward from God. But how many of us taking care of the reward? Though we take good care about fish in our fish tank, some die and float. This would cause a little pain in our heart.
                       
Our children are more precious than fish. How would we feel if we realized that our children died spiritually and were heading to hell? Nobody can express the pain in words. 

If we didn’t teach our Children about God and his commands, they would go astray. Schools and teacher don’t teach about God.

It’s parents’ responsibility to train their children in a good way. Instead of teaching them rhymes and bed time stories, it is better to tell them biblical stories and things about God. Hence Children will know about God from their childhood and adhere to the commands.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it- Pr. 22:6.

Some Parents worry about their children when they realized their children are weak in some subjects. To make them perfect in the particular subjects, a few educated parents teach their children about the subjects with special care. Some times they beat their children to make them perfect in the subjects. But they don’t ask whether their children know God or not. They don’t care! They just make sure their children go to Sunday school or not. This is not good.

Parents have to make sure their children are not weak in God and his commands. They ought to tell them about God and his commands, and also the things, which pleases God.

Parents don’t let their children fall into hell with their negligent attitude, assuming that God will save them. It’s not right.

Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord- Ep. 6:4.

First, parents should do their responsibility toward their children, then God will take care of the rest. In case any parents don’t do this, their children don’t honor them nor follow the rest commands. As a result, the children will go to hell.

So parents must be active to teach about God and his commands to their children.

Be on your guard against astrologists and zodiac signs

If a sculptor made a beautiful lady statue and a man buys it and marries it, how would the sculptor think of the man? Wouldn’t the sculptor take him for s a crazy man?

Millions of people, including Christians, are doing the same thing of this kind. God created these stars and planets. Some useless people, who wanted to make easy money imagined some figures in the stars and depicted them as signs.

Astrology and astrologists have been deviating many people since B.C. If we’re hoping that a good thing will take place, and in case, it didn’t happen, we’ll get disappointed. At this point, astrologists take advantage of our condition. They delude that it will occur when some proceedings are done according to our zodiac sign and astrology. By this way, they cheat naive people.

Israelites also fell in the trap and turned to astrology. God didn’t like it. He spoke to Isaiah about to take them out of the trap.

Let your astrologers come forward,those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by.  That is all they can do for you — these you have laboured with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you. 47:13- 15.

From the scripture we can take in that the astrologers can’t save us and save themselves. None of the zodiac signs saves a man and change his future. It’s only possible with God. 

So don’t believe astrology and the warnings of astrologists. Astrology is rubbish and astrologists are hypocrites, who have been saying the world is going to end by 2012. It’s big a joke. It won’t happen under any circumstances, because many incidents have to take place on the earth to fulfill the scriptures. End won’t come so fast.

Be on your guard against astrologists. They cause you to sin and turn you toward false things.

Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God — I say this to your shame- 1Co. 15:32-34.

Forsake astrology and come to God. Never talk about the signs. Suppose anyone says to you, “what is your zodiac sign,” you’d better say, “I don’t care and don’t believe it.” That’s enough.

God bless you.

Satan has taken permission from God to sift believers.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Lk. 22:31.

Let’s reason this scripture. Whom Satan has asked to sift Simon as wheat?  If we go through the first chapter of Job, we find Satan has to take permission from God for doing anything against man. So, it is obvious that Satan took from God to sift Simon.

As Jesus knew Satan Got permission to sift Simon,  he prayed for Simon that Simon’s faith wouldn’t fail.  Satan had almost tried to fail Simon's faith :

Simon cut off high priest’s ear as if he weren’t a Jesus disciple.
He disowned Jesus and lied.
He fled while Jesus was crucified.

Satan had almost got positive results, but when Simon realized his mistake, he ventured and spread the gospel. Then set up the first ministry with 3000 people.

Satan’s anger has become doubled at his, and since then it has been working harder to stumble believers.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour- 1Pe. 5:8.

It has got permission to sift believers. It is easy for Satan to find them.

So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe  as you hold out  the word of life - Ph. 2:15.

It does strike them with terrible force, prompting them to leave their faith. To keep our faith, we must combat with it, praying to God, who gives us strength and spiritual power to triumph over Satan.

In the turbulent days, we shouldn’t do a foolish thing like committing suicide, which leads us straight to hell.

Judas Iscariot committed suicide. But Simon didn’t do that. When he turned back, he lived for God.  

At least, don’t become weak in faith during temptation. You have to pay for that with your spirit.

The grave {Hell} below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you — all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones — all those who were kings over the nations. They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” Is. 14:9-10

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Sprit is a son of God. But he’s not Jesus Christ nor his spirit. He is another son of God. 
In the beginning God {father} created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was  formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters- Ge. 1:1. This is the Holy spirit.

God said,‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness- Ge. 1:26.

In our Image? Is somebody with him? If God is alone, he would say, “let us make man in my image, in my likeness”. But he said, “in our image and our likeness”. This means somebody is with him. Who is the somebody? Is it one or two?

The answer is - two persons are with him. One is Jesus Christ and the other one is Holy Ghost. God is telling his two sons to make a man.

God’s first son is Jesus.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers- Ro. 8:29.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God {father}, and the Word was God. He {Jesus} was with God {father} in the beginning. Through him {Jesus} all things were made; without him {Jesus} nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. Jn -1:1-4.

God’s Second son is the Holy spirit.

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son {It is not Jesus’ SPIRIT} into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,” - Ga. 4:6.

Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,  Father.”- Ro. 8:15.         
                      
God’s third son is Adam.

The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being- Ge. 2:7.

Neither Jesus nor the Holy spirit took part in man’s formation. The father did everything. So Adam became brother to Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit.

Things to be done to please God

“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased- Lk. 3:22.
                           
In the previous post we learnt why God said Jesus is my son. In the same scripture God said ‘with you I’m well pleased.’ Let’s see why God said this.

We know Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins. In order to save us, he should sacrifice his life like a lamb as a ransom for ours sins. That’s why when John saw Jesus coming to him, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

In the old testament, we read, sacrifices were pleasing aromas to God. Here, in the new testament, Jesus’ sacrifice was a pleasing thing to God.

God couldn’t say the word ‘I’m pleased with you’ afer Jesus died on the cross. Know why? Wouldn’t he suffer from the grief caused by his Son’s death? Though he liked the sacrifice, which would deliver people from their sins, he wouldn’t say the word at that time.

Hence because of imminent sacrifice, God said these words earlier: with you I’m well pleased. After that he remained silent  for the sake of fulfillment of the scriptures.

To fulfill the scriptures, Jesus sacrificed his life to save us and please God. He died for our sins and made us righteous to make us Children of God. Now we became the children of God.

If we see the struggles Jesus faced to please God, they were unbearable, especially on the cross. As the children of God, we also have to please God, but we needn’t do like Jesus did.

There are not many things to be done to please God. In the new testament, many times it was written: please God.

Find out what pleases the Lord- Ep. 5:10.

We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts- 1Th. 2:4.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased- He. 13:16.

Some foolish people who don’t know how to please God do foolish things, thinking God will be pleased in them. On good Friday and Easter we see their foolish things on a few tv channels, like Discovery and National geographic. 

The people get crucified. I wonder why they are doing this. Jesus died on the for our sins. Why are these people doing this again? To save whom? It is understood that they really don’t know why God died.

If Jesus had n’t died for our sins, everyone deserved to be crucified. Not knowing this, they are doing these foolish things. I’ve been watching their foolish things for many years, and I’ve never seen at least one man die on the cross.

They get removed from the cross when they are going to peak stage of the pain caused by crucifixion. They don’t do what God commanded us, but they do these things only to humiliate God. Undoubtedly, God won’t be pleased in this. It grieves his heart.

I’m praying to God remove their spiritual blindness, so that they will be able know why God died.

Dear brothern, as the children of God, we always do good things, which please God, who will give us reward for them in heaven. It will be our treasure in heaven.

Explanations to complicated Scriptures

Why would Jesus not let the demons "speak because they knew who he was" (Mark 1:34)?
                           
In Mark 1:34 we read that Jesus "drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was." The parallel account in Luke's Gospel tells us that Jesus "rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ" (Luke 4:41).

Jesus' purpose not to have His identity established by the testimony of demon spirits, but rather by the messianic signs (miracles) that He performed (see Matthew 11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). These miraculous signs were predicted of the Messiah in the Old Testament (see Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-6).


Why did Jesus say He came "to bring fire on the earth" (Luke 12:49)?

In Luke 12:49 Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" Scholars have interpreted Jesus' words differently, and all agree that it is hard to know precisely what He had in mind here.

Some scholars point out that in Old Testament times fire often symbolized judgment. This has led some to conclude that when Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth," He was saying He would bring judgment to the earth. This would fit with John 9:39 where Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world."

Other scholars relate the fire to Jesus' work on the cross. The cross was the central focus of all His activities, and all that He did during His three-year ministry pointed toward this momentous event. When Jesus said, "how I wish it were already kindled," perhaps He was expressing His yearning to bring this task to fulfillment.


Why did Jesus say let the dead bury their own dead(Mt. 8:22)?

This phrase refereed to the People, who stick to the out form of the religion. Though they are living, they are spiritually dead inside. So Jesus said to the son of the dead man, ‘follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead.’

It means the spiritually dead people would bury the dead body even if you weren’t there, because they do these out form of religious proceedings without fail. So you needn’t worry about your dead father. They will take care of the corpse and bury it.


Why did Jesus tell his disciples to buy swords(Lk.22:36)?

There was a time when Jesus sent out his disciples among the people (see Matthew 10) and the people looked favorably on them. They needed no moneybag or supply sack.  The people helped and supported them.  Then verse 36 show that times were different. Jesus knew: the people could no longer help his disciples and give them shelter lest they should be punished for helping them. 

So the disciples had no safety heaven except wilderness. Therefore, a sword might have been used back then to protect oneself from a wild animal while walking in the wilderness places. The disciples misunderstood it and cut off a high priest’s ear, when they tired to arrest Jesus. Then Jesus corrected them, saying who draw sword against man will die by it. It states that Jesus warned them not to use sword against man.  


Why did Jesus curse the fig tree and miraculously cause it to wither (Matthew 21:19)?

In Matthew 21 we find that Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree by the side of the road. As He came close to it, He saw that it had no figs on it, so He cursed it and it withered (Matthew 21:19). It may appear that Jesus is just responding in anger to the tree, cursing it in tantrum-like behavior. But this is not the case at all. One must keep in mind the broader backdrop of Jesus' teaching methodology, which often involved parables and word pictures. Scholars agree that Jesus in the present case is performing a living parable -- an acted-out parable -- to teach His disciples an important truth. His cursing of the fig tree was a dramatic "visual aid."

Jesus was illustrating the principle of faith to the disciples. If the disciples had such faith, they too could do such things as withering fig trees and moving mountains (Matthew 17:20). They would need such faith in the hard days to come.


How could Jesus be made sin when He Himself was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Yet other verses tell us that Jesus was "without sin" (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18). How do we reconcile such verses?

To begin, let me emphasize that Christ as God is immutable (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6), and cannot change in His divine nature. In Hebrews 1:12 the Father says of Jesus, "You remain the same, and your years will never end."

Regarding Jesus being "made to be sin," Jesus was always without sin ACTUALLY, but He was made to be sin for us JUDICIALLY. That is, by His death on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and thereby canceled the debt of sin against us. So, while Jesus never committed a sin PERSONALLY, He was made to be sin for us SUBSTITUTIONALLY.

One must also keep in mind the Old Testament backdrop of the concept of substitution. The sacrificial victim had to be "without defect" (Leviticus 4:3, 23, 32).

A hand would be laid on the unblemished sacrificial animal as a way of symbolizing a transfer of guilt (4:4, 24, 33). Note that the sacrificial animal did not thereby actually BECOME sinful by nature; rather, sin was IMPUTED to the animal and the animal acted as a sacrificial substitute.

In like manner, Christ the Lamb of God was utterly unblemished (1 Peter 1:19), but our sin was imputed to Him and He was our sacrificial substitute on the cross of Calvary. Simply because our sin was imputed to Him does not mean He changed in nature. Christ was not sinful personally; He was made to be sin substitutionally.


Why did Jesus respond to John the Baptist's inquiry about His identity by pointing to His miraculous acts (Luke 7:22)?

In Luke 7:20 we read that John the Baptist, now in prison, sent some messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied to them: "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (verse 22).

As a backdrop to understanding this passage, it was the common viewpoint among the Jews of that time that when the Messiah came, He would deliver Israel from Roman domination and set up His glorious kingdom. In fact, there were very high messianic expectations in the first century, and even John himself may have expected the soon emergence of the kingdom that he had been preaching about.

But now something unexpected happened -- John was imprisoned. Instead of the kingdom, which (it was thought) would be characterized by such things as liberty and freedom, John now found himself locked up in jail and was in danger of execution. So -- what was John to make of this development? John may have expected that Jesus would use more coercive powers as the Messiah/deliverer of Israel. John thus decided to send messengers to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Luke 7:20).

Jesus' response is extremely significant. Instead of merely giving verbal assurance that He was the Messiah, He replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:22). Why did Jesus say this? Because these were the precise miracles that were prophesied to be performed by the Messiah when He came (see Isaiah 29:18-21; 35:5-6; 61:1-2). The miraculous deeds alone were more than enough proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The miracles were Jesus' divine credentials -- His divine "ID Card," so to speak.

There is another point that bears mentioning. When Jesus told the messengers to go to John and report His miracles, this would indeed cause John to recognize that Jesus was the fulfillment of these messianic promises. We might also observe, though, that Jesus' choice to avoid coming right out and saying "You can rest assured that I am the Messiah" may be because of the popular misconceptions of the Messiah among the masses -- and perhaps even John himself. Perhaps Jesus' intention in sending the messengers to report about the miracles was to indicate to John, "Yes, I am the Messiah -- the true Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament who will deliver people from bondage to sin -- but not the Messiah of popular misconception, the coercive political deliverer that so many are expecting today."


 Why do Christians worship on Sunday when the Old Testament commandment sets apart Saturday as the day of worship?

The commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 states that the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is the day which the Lord selected as the day of rest and worship. However, in the New Testament the Christian church began to worship and rest on the first day of the week, Sunday. Are Christians violating the Sabbath commandment by worshipping on the first day of the week rather than the seventh day? I do not think so.

First, the basis for the command to observe the Sabbath, as stated in Exodus 20:11, is that God rested on the seventh day after six days of work, and that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. The Sabbath day was instituted as a day of rest and worship. The people of God were to follow God's example in His pattern of work and rest. However, as Jesus said in correcting the distorted view of the Pharisees, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). The point Jesus made is that the Sabbath was not instituted to enslave people, but to benefit them. The spirit of Sabbath observance is continued in the New Testament observance of rest and worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2).

Second, it must be remembered that, according to Colossians 2:17, the Sabbath was "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." The Sabbath observance was associated with redemption in Deuteronomy 5:15 where Moses stated, "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day." The Sabbath was a shadow of the redemption that would be provided in Christ. It symbolized the rest from our works and an entrance into the rest of God provided by His finished work.

Finally, although the moral principles expressed in the commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament, the command to set Saturday apart as a day of rest and worship is the only commandment not repeated. There are very good reasons for this. New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Rom. 6:14; Gal. 3:2425; 2 Cor. 3:7, 11, 13; Heb. 7:12). By His resurrection on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1), His continued appearances on succeeding Sundays (John 20:26), and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Acts 2:1), the early church was given the pattern of Sunday worship. This they did regularly (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). Sunday worship was further hallowed by our Lord who appeared to John in that last great vision on "the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). It is for these reasons that Christians worship on Sunday, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath.

Mary and Joseph’s Negligence

The LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you- De. 31:6.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands- Is. 49:15-16.

Mother forget us? You may think that’s impossible. But it is possible. Out biological father also forget us.

While Joseph and Mary were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

Joseph and Mary had no oblivion. And they knew Jesus wasn’t not an ordinary boy; he is the son of most High. Yet they forgot him. They didn’t look around at least once to make sure Jesus coming with them. See their negligence. They left Jesus alone.

Our parents are not greater than they are. Wouldn’t they forget us? They do forget us. But God is not like our parents. He takes care of us every second day and night. Under his protection, we’re living. We do remember this every time.

Even if our parents disown us, God won’t disowns us.

The speculations about Jesus tuned out to be false

Some non Christian people, who planed to save their religion existence from Christianity, created some speculation regarding Jesus Christ. They claim:

1) When Jesus was 13 years old, he went to India and studied the Hindu Vedas, then he returned to Palestine and cited them.
2) Jesus married a woman named Mary Magdalene.
3) Jesus didn’t rise from the death at all.

All these allegations turned out to be false.


                                  JESUS DIDN’T GO TO INDIA AT ALL

There is virtually NO evidence that Jesus studied in India, and there is no proof that Jesus cited the Hindu Vedas.

Jesus from age 12 remained in Palestine:

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man- Luke 2:52. This is a convincing truth that Jesus remained in Palestine. His growth was seen by the people around him.

Luke 4:16-22 is a key text to refute the idea that Jesus went to India.

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

Luke 4:16: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.

Lk. 4:17: The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Those in the synagogue recognized Jesus as a local resident.
           

                                   Jesus never cited the Hindu Vedas

It is also noteworthy that Jesus read from the Old Testament Scriptures. The Old Testament, for which Jesus often displayed reverence (see Matthew 5:18), warns about staying away from false gods and religious systems such as Hinduism (Exodus 20:2- 3; 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:14; 13:10; 2 Kings 17:35). The Old Testament clearly distinguishes the creation from the Creator, unlike Eastern (Hindu) pantheism, and teaches the need for redemption, not enlightenment.



           JESUS IS A CELIBATE. HE DIDN’T MARRY MARY MAGDALENE

Jesus Christ was definitely not married. There are popular myths today that speak of Christ being married to Mary Magdalene. This myth is absolutely false and has no basis theologically, historically, or biblically. 
At the crucifixion the gospel of Matthew tells us many women were present, looking from a distance.  These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee (Matthew 27:55), “among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 27:56).  

In verse 56 it would have been very easy to identify Mary Magdalene as “the wife of Jesus” if that had been the case.  The other women were identified through their motherhood.  Mary Magdalene is one of many women, a faithful follower of Jesus, but nothing else. If Jesus and Mary had been married, then we should expect that he would have entrusted her into the care of the Beloved Disciple at the cross, just as he did with his mother (19:27).

Luke 24:9-11 also relates that, “and (the women) returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.  And these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.”

The Bible tells us Peter was married.  If Jesus had been married to Mary Magdalene we would have been told.  It wasn’t embarrassing in any way to disclose it.  Note above that in Luke 8:3 Joanna is identified as the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward.   Acts 18:2 tells us that Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla in Corinth, fellow tentmakers, and stayed with them.

                                    What about Da Vinci code?

The key part of the text is broken at 63:33-36 and reads (Ellipses represent the broken locations in the manuscript and may signify missing words or phrases),
“And the companion of the…Mary Magdalene…her more than…the disciples…kiss her…on her…”.
The kiss is common in eastern lands in salutation, etc., on the cheek, the forehead, the beard, the hands, the feet, but not (in Pal) the lips.  Brown adds his own words to this manuscript to support point. Brown uses this manuscript and his imagination to say that Jesus was married to and had sex with Mary Magdalene.

Lk. 7:38 then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

Lk. 7:45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Lk. 22: 47-48.

In the countries kissing is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, perform a greeting, to confer congratulations, to comfort someone, or to show respect. It does not necessarily indicate sexual or romantic interest. The same ritual or social gesture came into Christianity.

Greet one another{men and women}with a holy kiss- Ro. 16:16, 1Co. 16:20, 1Th. 5:26, 1Pe. 5:14.  

                        JESUS HAS RISEN: THE HISTORICAL TRUTH

1. The large stone was moved, in spite of the Roman guards and seal Jesus' tomb was secured in three ways:

(a) A large stone was rolled against it. It was customary to roll big stones against tombs; the stones were generally too big to be moved by just a few men, so levers were used to move them. Some have estimated that the stone that sealed Jesus' tomb weighed 1-1/2 to 2 two tons (1,361-1,814 Kilograms), which is the approximate weight of a midsize car.

(b) A Roman guard unit--which usually consisted of four soldiers--was stationed at the tomb. Roman guards were strictly disciplined fighting men held to the highest standards. Failure often required death by torturous and humiliating methods.

(c) The Roman seal was affixed to the stone that secured the tomb. The seal stood for the power and authority of the Roman Empire. Breaking the seal meant automatic execution by crucifixion upside down. Anyone trying to move the stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and thus incurred the wrath of Roman law. 

On resurrection Sunday morning, the first thing that impressed the people who approached the tomb was that the large stone was moved. Certainly the entire guard unit would not have fallen asleep with torture and death as the consequences. But even if the guards did fall asleep, how could thieves have sneaked by the guards and moved the massive stone without waking them up?

2. The tomb was empty

Jesus' tomb was near Jerusalem (John 19:42). Had the tomb not been empty, claims of the resurrection, which were first made in Jerusalem, could not have been maintained for even one hour-- people in Jerusalem could have gone to the tomb to check for themselves. Both Jewish and Roman sources and admit an empty tomb. Those resources range from Josephus to a compilation of fifth-century Jewish writings called the "Toledoth jeshu."

3. There were many witnesses to Jesus' appearances

In studying an event in history, it is important to know how many participants or eyewitnesses were still alive when reports about the event were published. If the number was substantial, the event can be regarded as fairly well established, because the eyewitnesses could have refuted an inaccurate report. For instance, if several people witness a murder, and the police report about it contains numerous lies, the eyewitnesses can refute it.

The apostle Paul wrote that Christ had been seen by more than 500 people at one time. What's more, most of the 500 were still alive when Paul was proclaiming the resurrection, so skeptics could simply question the eyewitnesses:

1 Cor 15:3-6 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.

4. New Testament accounts were circulated among people who were alive at the time of the resurrection
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that New Testament accounts of the resurrection were written within the lifetimes of people who were alive at the time of the resurrection. Those people could certainly have denied the accuracy of the Gospel writers' accounts.

5. The followers of Christ were persecuted and killed for proclaiming the resurrection
Jesus' disciples fled when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified. They were apparently afraid that they would be imprisoned or killed for of their association with Jesus. Peter even denied that he knew Jesus.After Jesus was crucified and buried, they remained in hiding, afraid and depressed, until Mary and others came to tell them that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice, risk their lives in going from city to city proclaiming the resurrection, if they did not truly believe that Jesus had risen from the dead? They certainly gained nothing for doing so. The disciples did not receive wealth or prestige for preaching the resurrection; there were no material benefits whatsoever. In fact, they were beaten, stoned to death, thrown to lions, tortured, and crucified for their preaching.                   

                           Weakness of theories given to deny the resurrection

1. Maybe the women who reported the missing body had mistakenly gone to the wrong tomb

This would mean that the disciples also went to wrong tomb.
Also, the Jewish authorities and the Roman guards were not mistaken about the location of the tomb. If the women and the disciples had gone to the wrong tomb, the Jewish and Roman authorities would have immediately produced the body of Jesus from the proper tomb in order to stop the rumor of the resurrection.3

2. Maybe those who claimed to have seen the risen Jesus were hallucinating

It's difficult to imagine that more than 500 people had the same illusion or hallucination. Here again, the Jewish and Roman authorities could have produced the body to squelch the rumor.

3. Maybe Jesus swooned

The swoon theory is that Jesus didn't die, but merely fainted from exhaustion and loss of blood. Everyone thought he was dead. When He later resuscitated, the disciples thought that he had risen from the dead.3
It contradicts medical science to believe that Jesus could have survived the crucifixion, let alone survived another two days in the tomb, removed the large stone, overpowered the Roman guards, and then convinced His followers that He had conquered death and the grave.3

4. Maybe Jesus' body was stolen

Who would have stolen the body?

As mentioned above, Jesus' disciples fled in fear when Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial prior to being crucified, and then they stayed in hiding until hearing of the resurrection. Why would these men, who had displayed such cowardice and depression, risk their lives trying to overpower the Roman guards and steel Jesus' body? And why would they have wanted to? There was nothing for them to gain by steeling the body. They were persecuted, tortured, and eventually killed for preaching the resurrection, so there was no motive for them to fabricate a lie.

What's more, even if the disciples would have wanted to maintain a conspiracy, they would not have been able.Every conceivable method was used by Roman and Jewish officials to stop them from talking. Self-preservation would have eventually won over the disciples' commitment to a conspiracy. If the resurrection were a concocted hoax, the disciples would have testified against one another before succumbing to beatings or the death penalty.

Think about America's Watergate: The Nixon administration, the most powerful group of men in the world at the time, could not maintain a conspiracy for even a few weeks. They buckled under pressure and chose self-preservation over maintaining a lie to save their leader.

Consider also that the Romans must not have believed that the disciples stole Jesus' body--had the officials believed it, they would have killed them for breaking the Roman seal.
Theft of Jesus' body by Jewish or Roman authorities doesn't make sense either. If the authorities had the body in their possession or knew where it was, they could have produced the body of Jesus and put an end to Christianity. But they didn't.