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Are you ready with your sword?

Nehemiah 4:18 - For the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his
side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

In the book of Nehemiah the Israelite men were building the wall of
Jerusalem and while they were doing the building each one of them had a
sword girded by his side. We also read Nehemiah kept the man with the
trumpet besides him so that at the right time he would call for blowing the
trumpet to warn all and then they would draw their swords and be ready to
fight.

As I grew in the Lord I was told scriptures are like a sword and we need to
speak them to our situation to overcome them. I know many people who keep
repeating scriptures continually in time of problems and they do this over
long periods of time. When I came to understand faith I saw that this and
faith do not go together. Then my question came, are scriptures a sword?

The first mention of a sword is in the book of Genesis when God drives man
out of the Garden of Eden and places a flaming sword to keep man out of the
garden. What is interesting to note is that God placed the sword only to
the east of the garden, what about the west, north and south, God not
bothered to protect it from those directions. God is not that bad a
strategist that He would ignore or make such a blunder.

God knew what ever could enter Eden would come only from the east and form
nowhere else for He put not only a flaming sword but also Cherubs and when
we know what a Cherub is, and then we would understand what God was keeping
out of the Garden and the Garden is. [Note there are 2 gardens in Genesis 1
and 2 not 1 as people perceive, and Adam had access to both].

Thus the flaming sword was not a real sword or what people show in
illustration but symbolic. It was His Word that would destroy anyone who
would go against it. We know scriptures are the Word of God but we should
understand God could have used the term spear or arrow instead of a sword
for they too kill but He chose to use s sword to symbolize His Word.

Unlike a spear or arrow a sword needs to be held by hand always. One does
not throw swords but holds them during a battle. One need to be in control
of it and treat it like it is an extension of one's hand.

When I saw people speaking scriptures to their problem they were throwing
swords at the enemy and the chances of the sword hitting the enemy or doing
much harm is very less hence the results are not good.

The Lord is telling is unless we do not have hold or understanding of His
Word it will not become an effect weapon for battle against our situations
or enemy. We need to speak scriptures not to the enemy but to ourselves so
that we understand them and get hold of them and once we get hold of the
sword the victory is already won for the enemy very rarely dares to
confront in such situations.

People lack understanding of scriptures therefore fail in the result, like
in the case Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains
yet we see people struggle to move small rocks even though they have great
faith. That is because they do not understand what Jesus spoke. Jesus chose
a mustard seed as an example not because it was the smallest seed but
because of its unique property. Unlike other seeds the mustard seed has no
air pocket in it. Jesus wanted to say even if our faith is small but if is
pure (without doubt) we will be able to achieve greatest of things.

The Lord is telling us today not to use His Word like a spear or arrow but
as a sword. Even if our sword is not big but small, yet we will be able to
bring down great giants with it. So let us concentrate on understanding His
Word getting deeper into it. He is also saying the trumpet is with Him and
when He blows it we need to be ready with our swords and a time for this
may be at hand.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, Your Kingdom is not about quantity but of quality that is why the
gate to your Kingdom is narrow and only a few enter. Lord, help us be more
effect Christians and not to be popular Christians. Help us pursue flame
and not fame, a flame that cleanses, that purifies. Lord, as we speak your
Word unto ourselves help us get hold of it and be armed with it...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Genesis 1:7-8

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in [of] Eden; and there he
put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 3:23-24

23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till
the ground from whence he was taken.

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of
Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way
of the tree of life.

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Put to death for an ox!

Exodus 21:29 - But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past,
and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but
that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner
also shall be put to death.

We point to the Sharia Law of the Muslims for being barbaric, but we need
to understand the Arabs during the time of Mohammad were of that nature; in
fact Mohammad reined them by bringing some improvement to their lives. The
world of Mohammad being the Arabic region and its lifestyle, the law is suo
motu inapplicable to any other region or era. Prima facie every Islamic
country tampers with the Sharia law and still claims to be implementing the
Sharia.

Coming to the Bible what do we have to say about the Mosaic laws? Like in
today's scripture a man who is warned about the behaviour of his ox and
does not take precaution should be put to death alone with the ox if the ox
has killed someone. I do not think this law is applicable even with the
Jews today. So is the Mosaic Law also like the Sharia applicable only to
those people at that time and era? Most Christians and theologians believe
that it is, therefore ignore these scriptures today.

Understand the Law was given to Moses by the Lord and the Law of God never
changes. That also does not mean a person should be put to death if his
animal kills someone.

Jesus and the Disciples always pointed out that the Jews never worshipped
God or understood what Moses spoke. It was only during my fourth stage of
Bible study I realized Jesus did not change anything what the Lord gave
through Moses but only added grace to it. But you would say there a sky and
earth difference between what Moses spoke and what Jesus did. That is what
we see when we go by the letter but when we really understand it we realize
Jesus only brought out the true understanding of what the Lord spoke
through Moses.

This same condition was a given by Jesus but in a different way (Matthew
18:6) - 'But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in
me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea'.

One would say what is the relation between the two? It is only in Bible
Word study and Image study that one would understand the relationship
between this two. That is why John wrote (John 1:17) 'for the law was given
by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ'.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus gives us the true
understanding of the Law of God given through Moses. What Jesus added was
only grace to the consequence of the Law, to all those who believe in Him.

The Lord is telling us today there are many reasons for which we would have
been put to dire punishment, thing we do not take as serious but because we
believe in the grace that comes through Jesus Christ, we are saved from the
consequence of them. But the time we reject His Word we are indirectly
rejecting Christ and hence would be liable to the consequence.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord Jesus, You alone were Christ and in whole the Spirit of God dwelled in
whole. When you left earth You gave all us a token of the Spirit of Truth
so that we start to understand your Word as You did and by becoming your
disciple we grow in your Spirit and thus in understanding. Holy Spirit, we
pray You open the minds of your people and remove the blindfolds the
teachings of world have put on their eyes...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scripture]

Luke 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that
openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto
you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which
were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms,
concerning me.

John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the
law? Why go ye about to kill me?

John 7:21-24

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all
marvel.

22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of
Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses
should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every
whit whole on the sabbath day?

24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

John 8:5-7

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what
sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But
Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he
heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto
them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Matthew 5:17, 21-22

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not
come to destroy, but to fulfil.

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a
cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his
brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say,
Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

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Bring the dead bones to life

Ezekiel 37:10 - So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came
into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great
army.

In one of our last messages was about wisdom and knowledge. It is only
through God given wisdom we can have the true understanding of scriptures.
I was trying many a times to join a Bible college but for silly reasons I
was kept away, but later I thanked God for doing that. It is sad the way
people programed in these colleges to accept teachings without
understanding them to its depth. They give more importance to what some
Tom, Dick and Harry said than what God says through scriptures. They have
made the Word of God to words of God. I thank God for keeping me away.

I have shared before about the four stages of Bible study which are:-

1) Commentaries - going into the theological and historical study of a
biblical event or set of scriptures

2) Cross reference - understanding scriptures by their internal relationship

3) Word study - studying every word according to the original (Hebrew,
Aramaic or Greek) text and its grammar and relationship with the same word
in other scriptures using a Concordance and Lexicon

4) Image study, Bible Codes, Bible Numerics and other studies - this stage
includes various scriptural ways in understanding scriptures, they have
their roots in the scriptures for God uses these ways. There are many
examples for them in the Bible itself.

The first 3 stages of Bible study are very common and considered standard,
but as the Lord took me to the fourth stage and started to reveal it to me
I was a little unsteady in the start thinking what if this is not Biblical?
We need to discern spirits and the only way is through scriptures and it
was only when I confirmed them in scriptures that I started getting deeper
into these studies. I am sure of Image Study, Bible codes and Bible
Numerics but if any other they need to be discerned and confirmed through
scriptures. People should not jump stages but need go from the basic to
stage up else one can be destroyed for all understanding should have a firm
foundation.

These 4 stages are given in Isaiah, for the Lord says He will teach us
knowledge and to understand doctrines by these 4 stages.

Isaiah 28:9-11

9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand
doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
[those who have accepted the Gospel]

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept [Commentaries] ;
line upon line, line upon line [Cross Reference]; here a little, and there
a little[Word Study]:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue [Image Study, Bible Codes,
Bible Numerics and various other] will he speak to this people.

Stammering lips or lisping manner is used by parents to communicate with
infants. The words by themselves or what a parent speaks are not understood
but by the visual actions of the parent the infant understands what the
parent wants to communicate.

In Genesis we read God created all of creation in images of 'His kind' or
'their kind'. God did all things with wisdom like an artist who conveys a
message through His art work. God allows us to understand the spirit world
through His creation.

When God explained the hidden to Daniel He communicated to them through
dreams and gave him the ability to understand the symbols (images) in the
dreams. The same was the case with Joseph (son of Jacob) and John (of
Revelation).

I have taken this matter up for today's message speaks of bones and it is
only through Bible Image Study we can understand it.

Paul puts the Word is a double edged sword that separates the bone joint
from the marrow.

Our bones give shape to our natural body like our nature or inner-man gives
shape to our spiritual body. Jeremiah says he could not stop from
prophesying for God put a fire in his bones. God made man and woman in
Genesis 1 in the image of God, but when He created woman in the flesh He
created her from the bone of man therefore came the institute of marriage
and the Church when they became one.

When God created man he became a living being when his spirit was put in
the body. Bible also says life is in the blood and we know blood is formed
in the marrow therefore the marrow symbolizes the spirit. It was by this
understanding I had written many years back that science would use the
marrow to heal man and this we see happening today. We read of organs being
created and almost all diseases being healed with the help of stem cells
drawn from bone marrow. To find the accurate age of a person one needs to
test the bone.

Today's message the Lord instructed Ezekiel to speak to the dead bones and
they came alive and formed a great army. The Lord is today telling us too,
the same that is to prophesy to the bones (inner-man) of the congregation
and they that are dead with come alive in Christ and form a great Army of
God.

When Jesus gave us authority He gave us authority to chase evil spirits,
heal sickness and heal weakness not only of the body but also of the
inner-man. So if we believe in Jesus and are baptized in Him, we have the
authority to speak to our bones our inner-man and that of the congregation
to bring them to become an Army of God. If we want to see God glory in the
Church let us this year daily spend time speaking to the bones of the
congregation and command them to come alive in the Name of Jesus.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord the time of great harvesting is at hand and we see the things You are
doing to open opportunity for us to preach the message of life to your lost
sheep. But Lord the workers in the vineyard are few and most of suffering
from weakness of their inner-man, they are struggling over small things.
Lord we speak to the bones of the congregation and command them to come to
life in You. We command the coming into existence of your Army...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Ezekiel 37:1-12

Luke 9:1 - Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them
power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Luke 10:1-17

Jeremiah 20:9 - Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any
more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up
in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Lamentations 1:13 - From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it
prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned
me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

Genesis 1:26-27

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them [him in plural].

Genesis 2:7, 21-23

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.


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Fair damsel to please man

1 Kings 1:3 - So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of
Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

The world took note of what happened in Delhi to the 23year girl who is
named 'Braveheart&# 39; and 'Damini&# 39; (based on a store) by the media. What
caused all to take attention of the evil against women was not it being a
rape so much, but the brutality exercised. India has always been like an
ostrich hiding its head in the sand of culture, denying such things happen
in our country. After this incident most of the newspapers are reporting
almost half of their pages covering nothing but rapes, molestations, abuses
and injustice done on women.

What amused me was yesterday' s news article which stated the Delhi court
ruling that 'Quran allows polygamy, doesn't encourage it'. The person who
did such a ruling must have not read the Quran and the Hadiths, for it
states Muhammad had 11 to 13 wives (which the Islamic scholars are in
dispute) of these 2 died in his lifetime. What is amusing about him is that
it states every night Mohammad had sexual relationship with all his nine
wives, moving from one wife's bedroom to another' s. As a Muslim one is
called to follow Muhammad their prophet and I do not know if this does not
encourage polygamy then what does? This is apart from the 100plus women
Mohammad had relationship with in their 'holy books'.

Across religions even though women are seen to be given honour and value
yet when we study them they turn out to be opposite to what they picture.
People do point out to scriptures in the Bible which show women in poor
light, but when we study them in depth we find God was pro-women. People
confuse between the spiritual messages with the natural instructions.

In today's message we read about David being aged and not well, so his
ministers suggest that they get a beautiful young girl to keep him warm
since David would feel cold. They find such a girl named Abishag originally
from a place called Shunem, but we see the Bible says David refrained from
having sexual relationship with her. She did serve David as a nurse and
took care of him dedicatedly. People even theologians mistake her as
David's wife but without relationship a marriage is not commenced according
to the Bible and Jewish tradition. They confuse this because Solomon kills
Adonijah (another son of David) for asking for Abishag to be his wife. The
reason shown in the Bible is Solomon killed Adonijad for treason towards
the state (going against the throne of Solomon). It so happens when David
gave his word for Solomon to be King, Abishag was witness to it and if
Adonijah could manipulate Abishag then the throne of Solomon would have
been in danger. They forget also that it was Solomon' s mother who brought
the proposal of Adonijad wedding Abishag to Solomon. Solomon being king
after David had inherited all of David including his servants.

David as a young man had weakness to women but over age and experience
though which the Lord took him, he overcame his weakness such that even in
his old age when men are sometimes said to behave like immature kids in
this matter, we see David behaved maturely and refrained from having
relationship with a very beautiful young woman like Abishag.

God made man and woman with purpose and even their bodies are designed also
with purpose. In animals and birds we see the male being the more
attractive of the two but in humans God made woman to be more attractive
than the man.

Man and woman coming together is called marriage, but animals coming
together is not called marriage. There are some animals who are more loyal
to their mate than most humans are yet we talk of human relationships.

Marriage is less earthly or natural and more Heavenly and spiritual. It
raises people's eyebrows when I make the statement 'real marriage happens
only among Believers and non-believers have just conceptual agreements&# 39;.

Let us realize the reason and purpose God created us differently in this
world although in spirit there is no difference in us. Let this
understanding set us free from the lust of the flesh and overcome our
carnal minds.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You made all things according to an image and it is written as 'their
kind' and 'your [His] kind'. Lord, You know since corruption would come in
us we would be far from the spirit world, not knowing the ABCD of the
spirit world, so You designed everything for us to understand the good and
bad of the spirit world. Lord, we pray we be led by your Spirit, walk in
the spirit and overcome the temporary world of the flesh...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

1 King 1:1-4

1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with
clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord
the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her
cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get
heat.

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel,
and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to
him: but the king knew her not.

1 King 2:17-25

17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will
not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for
Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and
sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother;
and she sat on his right hand.

20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me
not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say
thee nay.

21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy
brother to wife.

22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou
ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for
he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and
for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more
also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set
me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he
promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and
he fell upon him that he died.

Genesis 1:26-28

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them [same word as 'him' in plural is used
here].

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:7, 1-25

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and
every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call
them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name
thereof.

20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to
every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for
him.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

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Wisdom and Honour

Proverbs 15: 33 - The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and
before honour [glory] is humility [meekness].

Today's message talks of 2 things wisdom and honour / glory.

People confuse wisdom to knowledge or understanding. Wisdom although
related to both is still neither of them. Wisdom is simple words is the
ability to work on knowledge to derive the right understanding. There are 2
ways to grow in wisdom one which is by gaining knowledge and letting
experience to conclude the right understanding. This is the trial and fail
method, one cannot be sure of the right result, but the results improve
over time and efforts. This is the reason the Bible says to respect or give
hear to the words of the elders for they have the experience.

True wisdom come only from God for this does not use the trial and fail
method but the perfect result and today's message says fear of God is the
start / basic steps of wisdom. Fear of God does means to be afraid of God
but means to know who God is and that includes being afraid of going
against His Will. God is centric to all things and thus knowing God allows
us to know the things He has created. But then since God is infinite so
also the wisdom that comes from Him is also infinite.

Coming to the second part of today's message about glory, we are told
before glory, comes humility. Humility is mistaken to surrendering one's
self to the wishes of the other that is not the case. Being humble does not
mean being a door mate, being humble means to be a step of the ladder,
being instrument in lifting others. It does not require us to draw back or
lower ourselves but concentrates on pushing others in front, in this
process we too grow. A perfect example is a teacher who labours hard to
teach his students to be better than himself. In this process he too grows
and thus every batch of student is better than the batch before.

The Bible tells us to receive, first we need to give. Thus to know God we
need to share Him unto others. To receive glory we need to glorify Him, for
it is in Him and by Him that we too will experience glory.

Today's message in simple words tells us to have wisdom and honour we need
to share the Lord and glorify Him.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You blessed Solomon with all the wisdom of the world which no man
would ever have but yet he landed being the greatest fool for he wanted to
glorify himself with all his riches. Lord, we pray we understand to be full
we need to break ourselves and share ourselves like Christ did and has
asked us to do in His remembrance. Unless You are not in us there is
nothing valuable in us, and when we share You in us we too grow and are
always satisfied. Lord, teach us to share You to others...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Psalms 111:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good
understanding have all they that do [his commandments] : his praise endureth
for ever.

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the
knowledge of the holy is understanding.

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Christ?

John 17:5 - And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was.

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May the Lord strengthen us

Palms 57:1 - Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul
trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until
these calamities have passed by.

The year 2012 passed and everyone is wishing each other a happy and
prosperous New Year, I wish I could do that. Yesterday at the eve service I
came to know I was not the only person who had received this message, the
preacher and many others he was connected to also received the same
message. I would not like to scare people and cause panic but caution and
get people prepared for it.

God has been merciful to me to let know of major calamities before they
happen. The calamity set this year was first warned about 3 years before.
At that time I knew it was bad but did not realize how bad it was, it was
only a few months back I got a feeling of its seriousness.

I was warned about something happening and had a feeling it would have to
do with America, all these people the preacher spoke to, also had the same
message.

Some people were waiting for dooms day on 21st Dec.; this event is not a
dooms day but would not be less for the people of that area. The reason I
got the warning from the Lord, was even though the event happens far away
it will be so strong that the city I live in Mumbai will also get affected
by it.

People who have been receiving my messages since long would recollect in
April 2010 (24/04/10) I wrote about a warning, today I am referring to the
same for it is due this year. I also have an approximate time of this event
which is around October / November. The reason I am taking it serious, for
that vision had other things which have already come to pass in an
incredible way so this should not be taken likely.

I would only pray for my brothers and sisters that today's message keep
them though this disaster. Even you are awake or asleep what is important
that you be in Christ. I would request that they be always prepared to
sleep in the Lord unto His coming.

The Lord also explained the season that this is happening. It is not about
the sinners there or the evil happening there, for there are other places
worst but as He puts it, it is all to do with His church in America. The
Lord is saying this church is worshipping God in high places. It is doings
things beyond the Word of God by adding unto it things that God hates.

I only pray that those people realize, repent and turn to the Lord before
it is too late. That they do not overcome the Spirit of the Lord for then
there is no hope.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You love your people dearly and therefore time and again send warning
to them through your messengers. Lord, we pray for our brothers and sisters
to whom this warning is that they do not harden their hearts but turn to
You and be saved...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.

I take this occasion to pray that the Lord strengthens you and your family
members through this year and may His grace be always on your lives. God
bless

Ref. mail - http://www.savedbyfaith.info/messages/240410.html


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Prophecies

Habakkuk 2: 1,2,3 - I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower,
and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer
when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision,
and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not
lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not
tarry.

It is just 2 more days for this year to end and the New Year to begin.
Everyone would be anxious about what the year 2013 would have in store for
them. Many would be making great plans to execute in the next year and the
usual making resolutions for the year.

I would not like to dampen people's hopes but as for what knowledge I have
the next year is going to shake up people's lives a lot. Before 2010 came
the Lord had given a message of a change of era, a warning of the things
that would come. 2013 will take this to the next step. That does not mean
all will experience turmoil, the message I received was clear that the
wicked will see great disasters, their bows and arrows will be broken.

Today's message talks of prophecies of things foretold. With regards to
prophecies we need to know they are effective in 2 ways. One which we can
bring to pass or make them happen, the power to fulfil these prophecies is
with us, by the power of our faith or believing in them, like the salvation
or the blessings of Abraham, these prophesies will come alive in us only if
we believe in them. But then there are the other prophecies which we have
no control over which the Lord says will happen in its appointed time.

When God gave His Word all things were put into motion and God being
Omnipresent (in space and time), having knowledge of all things gave His
Word. For Him what He spoke is already done or completed, since He has
already been there but we unlike Him have not reached that place yet, thus
for us it is yet to happen.

People may think they can pray their way and cancel these events. We need
to understand what God has spoken even though He being omnipotent cannot
take back His Word for what He has spoken for Him has already being done.
Yes, there are incidents where in very specific events have been delayed on
request and supplication but it did come to pass. But that does not tell us
to lose hope for even though these events happen the Lord says He would
take us through them without letting us being consumed.

So let us believe and bring to pass the prophecies that the Lord spoke unto
us and regarding those which the Lord said would happen at an appointed
time, let us await them at their set time.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, what You have said You surely bring to pass, in fact what You have
already been accomplished. When we walk in faith it is not with a hope of
victory but knowing the victory has already been accomplished we just do
the needful. Lord, we know when we are in your hands even though storms
will come, the boat will rock, but the boat will not overturn for You too
are in our boat. Lord, we pray your people are strengthen in spirit...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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A Little Truth is Better Than your Abundant False

Psalms 37:16, 17 - A little that a righteous man hath is better than the
riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the
LORD upholdeth the righteous.

Yesterday my family with a sister in Christ and her son went to a mall to
spend some family time. We enjoyed a lot there; the mall was in a festive
for all were celebrating Christmas. There were decorations everywhere and
we also saw children singing carols, special entertainments for the people
at the mall, people wearing Santa caps and clicking pictures near Christmas
trees, cribs and shops that were grandly decorated. Even in the building I
stay has been decorated extraordinarily. I saw a Hindu society committee
member personally decorating the Christmas tree.

One may see all this and feel glad, but what is the truth behind all this.
Let me take for instance the person decorating the tree he is a Hindu but
what was ironic was that he is a staunch worshipper of a blood thirsty
female demon goddess. I also doubt all those unbelievers enjoying Christmas
at the mall knew Jesus more than He is a God of the Christians and a
historical person who existed long before. They also may have known of His
suffering and resurrection but that would be for them 'what the Christians
believe'.

In today's message the Lord is telling us however much ever the things we
do on the foundation of lies, however pleasing or good they may seem to be,
yet all these will not see any fruit. The Lord is saying He will personally
destroy all these falsehood we are doing in His Name.

The Lord is telling us instead the little that we do based on the Truth is
better than the abundant 'pleasing' and 'feel good' that we do in His Name
which are based on falsehood. That little we do based on Truth will bear
more fruit than all that is done by all the people collectively based on
lies.

My sister and me are aware of the Truth behind the festive 'Christmas' and
when we saw all this happening, both of us felt in our hearts of the
happiness we could have had, being part of this celebration. The happiness
we could give our children, our families and the people connected to our
lives. Both of us were known to be extra expressive before during this
festive. Giving sweets and gifts all the children around, getting the all
unbelievers we could connect to, to be part of the celebration in
innovative ways. But yet we chose to distance ourselves from this
celebration. We preferred doing little that was Truth than all that looked
good but was based on lies. We did not need a date to witness our Christ,
we did not need an occasion to meet people, we did not need an opportunity
to give the Gospel, we did not need a day to do good. We know our God opens
doors for us when we ask of Him. He creates opportunities, He is the Lord
of the Harvest, He is in control not only of our lives, but all things
living are subjected to Him.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You are Light and unchangeable since ancient. You are Truth and will
not compromise even if man thinks it is good for him. All that You do is
not based on what man thinks or feels but based on what is true for You
know the Truth alone will survive and all else will perish. Your love may
seem foolishness for mankind but You know it is this 'foolishness' that
will save your people. Lord, we pray for more courage among your people
that they will not flow with the river, going the easy way of falsehood but
dare to take the hard way but the way of Truth. Let them know that You are
behind them and when You are behind them nothing can shake them...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


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The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalms 144:1,2 - Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands
to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high
tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth
[moderates] my people under me.

Let me share something I rarely shared with people. Very long time back,
about 25 years back when I was yet a Catholic, a namesake Christian,
believing in a religion like the worldly people and was far from knowing
God. I had gone to place like a retreat center called Tabor in Mumbai. My
father had taken me along with my other family members mainly because my
brother in law and sister were facing a great tribulation in their lives.
At this place although I was not close to God yet the Lord gave me a vision
for the first time (even the preacher on stage mentioned about it). The
things I saw in that vision I only understood many years later, almost 18
years later when I was baptized in Spirit in the Lord.

In the vision the Lord showed me my great harvest and how the Lord would
use me to bring them unto His Holy Mountain. The harvest was so great that
at that time I would just not believe it would be possible in any means,
but today I know the Lord is working in me and through me so greatly that I
can see the coming of my harvest. People may not know me but yet the Lord
has used me to impact their lives.

Today is a special day for me and the Lord has never failed to do something
extraordinary for me on this day every year. Today I had yet not prayed and
asked for the Lord for this coming year for myself and as I picked the
message for the day for all I was moved, for the Lord was tell speaking to
me directly. This message could also be for those who have prayed to the
Lord asking Him to speak to you today.

What touched me most in today's message are the last words 'He moderates
the people He has given unto me'. We like foolish people worry about those
whom we go to preach and minister to. We go with the Lord but then we do
the craziest things like telling the Lord to stand back while we try to
handle the situation, or advising the Lord on how the situation needs to be
handled.

In my minister years I have experienced the craziest of situations, I have
done things (as instructed by the Lord) which are just unimaginable. I have
seen His Hand so strong with me, so much that I really feel at times the
Lord is making a mistake with choosing an unworthy person like me. Last
Sunday the Lord spoke to me about this during the Sunday service and told
me about Moses. How He allowed Moses to be taken as an infant unto the
Egyptians. He grew up doing all the pagan things of the Egyptians yet the
eyes of the Lord were on him. Moses did not choose his destination but yet
the Lord had a purpose of taking him through it. Moses knew more of life of
Egyptian than most Egyptian at that time did. But the moment Moses' heart
moved to the real Lord, the Lord moved into his life and worked in him, and
through him the Lord did the greatest of wonders the Bible records.

The Lord is speaking to those whose hearts are truly seeking Him, today can
be your day, when the Lord starts changing your life and fulfilling the
purpose He made you. For this He will draw you away from the world and take
you through a desert, transform you and bring you back with power and
authority. If you are ready, tell the Lord 'take my hand and lead me, I
will go wherever You take me, I may not understand but my trust is in you
for I know when You are with me I will have victory walk before me'.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, what is man that You take note of him. We are no more than an insect
or a worm before You but yet You love us so much and call us Sons. You have
kept things unimaginable by any human mind, and You are teaching us how to
value it. Lord, we thank You for everything, from the smallest to the
greatest thing You have done in our lives. As we move ahead we know You are
with us, and as Moses said if You do not lead us we do not want to go.
Lord, we do not want to live even a moment of life if You are not with us...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Hebrews 2:4 - God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, and
with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own
will?


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The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalms 144:1,2 - Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands
to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high
tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth
[moderates] my people under me.

Let me share something I rarely shared with people. Very long time back,
about 25 years back when I was yet a Catholic, a namesake Christian,
believing in a religion like the worldly people and was far from knowing
God. I had gone to place like a retreat center called Tabor in Mumbai. My
father had taken me along with my other family members mainly because my
brother in law and sister were facing a great tribulation in their lives.
At this place although I was not close to God yet the Lord gave me a vision
for the first time (even the preacher on stage mentioned about it). The
things I saw in that vision I only understood many years later, almost 18
years later when I was baptized in Spirit in the Lord.

In the vision the Lord showed me my great harvest and how the Lord would
use me to bring them unto His Holy Mountain. The harvest was so great that
at that time I would just not believe it would be possible in any means,
but today I know the Lord is working in me and through me so greatly that I
can see the coming of my harvest. People may not know me but yet the Lord
has used me to impact their lives.

Today is a special day for me and the Lord has never failed to do something
extraordinary for me on this day every year. Today I had yet not prayed and
asked for the Lord for this coming year for myself and as I picked the
message for the day for all I was moved, for the Lord was tell speaking to
me directly. This message could also be for those who have prayed to the
Lord asking Him to speak to you today.

What touched me most in today's message are the last words 'He moderates
the people He has given unto me'. We like foolish people worry about those
whom we go to preach and minister to. We go with the Lord but then we do
the craziest things like telling the Lord to stand back while we try to
handle the situation, or advising the Lord on how the situation needs to be
handled.

In my minister years I have experienced the craziest of situations, I have
done things (as instructed by the Lord) which are just unimaginable. I have
seen His Hand so strong with me, so much that I really feel at times the
Lord is making a mistake with choosing an unworthy person like me. Last
Sunday the Lord spoke to me about this during the Sunday service and told
me about Moses. How He allowed Moses to be taken as an infant unto the
Egyptians. He grew up doing all the pagan things of the Egyptians yet the
eyes of the Lord were on him. Moses did not choose his destination but yet
the Lord had a purpose of taking him through it. Moses knew more of life of
Egyptian than most Egyptian at that time did. But the moment Moses' heart
moved to the real Lord, the Lord moved into his life and worked in him, and
through him the Lord did the greatest of wonders the Bible records.

The Lord is speaking to those whose hearts are truly seeking Him, today can
be your day, when the Lord starts changing your life and fulfilling the
purpose He made you. For this He will draw you away from the world and take
you through a desert, transform you and bring you back with power and
authority. If you are ready, tell the Lord 'take my hand and lead me, I
will go wherever You take me, I may not understand but my trust is in you
for I know when You are with me I will have victory walk before me'.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, what is man that You take note of him. We are no more than an insect
or a worm before You but yet You love us so much and call us Sons. You have
kept things unimaginable by any human mind, and You are teaching us how to
value it. Lord, we thank You for everything, from the smallest to the
greatest thing You have done in our lives. As we move ahead we know You are
with us, and as Moses said if You do not lead us we do not want to go.
Lord, we do not want to live even a moment of life if You are not with us...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Hebrews 2:4 - God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, and
with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own
will?


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http://www.ToMountZion.com

Are we Christians like Asa?

2 Chronicles 15:17 - But the high places were not taken away out of Israel:
nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

In the Bible - Old Testament we read the many pagan gods that the
Israelites worshiped yet we find Stephen in his wisdom accused them of only
2 - Moloch and Remphan. I went through great depth studying scriptures and
right from the start to the end of the Bible, although there are many pagan
gods or false deities yet we see there are 2 who are very prominent. They
come in different forms through different cultures and eras. Even though
their names may be different yet though study of them we find them fitting
the same template.

Even today scan through other religions and it is the same story. Let it be
Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism or even African Voodoo they all have one or
both of these characters.

Revelation states them as the dragon and the beast, Moses puts them as the
serpent and the young lion (Psalms 91) but in his symbolic journey across
the desert it is King Sihon and King Og whom they overcame before crossing
the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land.

Like the word Elohim in the plural yet shows ones similarly the word devil
in the Bible is plural showing their oneness in their quest to vanity.

King Asa removed his mother from her authority as Queen for she made a
groove (word used for an altar, tree or grotto where an idol was placed).
But since he did discern all things he made a mistake of ignoring the evil
that was happening of people worshiping God in unholy ways. Yet we see the
Lord says 'nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days'.

Today Christians will be worshiping the Lord in high places the same way as
the Jews were worshiping Jehovah in an unholy manner in the high places.
Yet the Lord is looking at the hearts and understands. But then this would
not continue forever.

It took me nearly 3 years to get this deceit understood and now I have no
excuse to say I did not know so I cannot be like Asa ignorant. So till the
time I was ignorant I was excused but now I am not. But then ignorance is
not bliss we need to grow in our understanding and discernment.

The Lord says to love Him with all our hearts, with all our soul, all our
strength and all our understanding (mind).

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You are a merciful God. Even though man got corrupted with lies and
vanity, yet You desire to save him. As You are working on cleansing man
from this corruption You are patient with man. It is only by our knowledge
of You and who we are in You that will save us. Lord, we thank You for your
mercy and patience...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

2 Chronicles 15:16-19

16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her
from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down
her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the
heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had
dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign
of Asa.

Acts 7:40-43

40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses,
which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the
idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it
is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye
offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in
the wilderness?

43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god
Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away
beyond Babylon.

Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with
all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

John 8:31-32

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in
my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.


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Look not upon wine when it is red or when it sparkles

Proverbs 23:30-32 - They that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek
out mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it
sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly: At the last it biteth
like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.

People may think this scripture is about wine.

Like all other Bible scriptures this too is multidimensional and attends to
the simple minded as well has those who are blessed with wisdom, the dose
is little as well as great for the respective.

Let me attend to the first and then the second.

The Bible talks a lot about wine. There are many Christians especially the
Catholic community which states the first miracle Jesus did was turn water
to wine that is why they honour Him by drinking wine (including alcohol).

At parties when I tell people I do not have alcohol not even wine they ask
me if I am really a Christian (confusing me to a Catholic).

The Bible is very clear that God's people are forbidden from consuming
alcohol including wine. The confusion comes between alcohol (spirits),
strong wine, mild wine and fresh grape juice for all are translated as
wine. It is only when we check their Greek or Hebrew words we see there are
different words used in Greek and in Hebrew which describe what kind of
wine mentioned in the respective scripture. Greek language (NT) has 2
different words defining wines, while the Hebrew language has 5 different
words specifying 5 levels of wines.

In Greek there are totally 3 words used for wine:-
Oinos - *oy-nos* - (Strong *3631*) - wine in general whose fermentation
levels may vary to from mild to medium - *John 2:10, 1 Tim 3:8, 1 Tim 5:23 *
Gleukos - *glyoo-kos* - (Strong *1098*) - high fermented wine - *Act
2:13* (only
scripture)

Parvinos - *Par-oy-nos* - (Strong *3943*) - given to wine or getting drunk
with wine - *1 Tim 3:3*

In Hebrew there are totally 7 words used for wine:-
Tiyrowsh - *Tee-roshe* - (Strong 8492) - fresh grape juice - *Gen 27:25*
Aciyc - *Aw-sees* - (Strong 6071) - fresh wine not fermented - *Joel 1:5*
Yayin - *Yay-in* - (Strong 3196) - fermented wine - *Gen 27:28, Joel 1:5,
Proverb 23:30 *
Mamcak - *mam-sawk* - (Strong 4469) - spiced wine - *Proverb 23:30*
Shekar - *Shay-kawr* - (Strong 7491) - Alcohol or strong drink or spirit - *Num
28:7* (only scripture)

Cobe - *so-beh* - (Strong 5435) - getting drunk with strong wine - *Isaiah
1:22*
Enab - *Ay-awb* - (Strong 6025) - to bear fruit or grape as a fruit or wine
- *Hosea 3:1*

There is only one scripture in Aramaic referring to wine:-
Chamar - *Kham-ar* - (Strong 2562) - an Aramaic word for wine - *Ezra 6:9*

* *

By checking the respective scripture to the kind of wine mentioned we see
that strong wine is forbidden and what wine Jesus turned the water to, was
fresh grape juice. It was so very fresh that it caused the host to comment;
a day old or half a day old would cause mild fermentation. Fermentation is
a process where the sugar is broken into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

In today's message the Lord says do not consume the wine when it is strong
or when it sparkles. It is found sparkling wine (like Champagne) runs into
our blood stream faster than normal wine therefore can cause a person to be
intoxicated faster.

Coming to the second dimension of this scripture, here wine symbolizes
carnal desires like lust, temptation or just desires for worldly things.

The Lord is giving us a very simple and easy way to overcome the carnal
person and that is not to fight it but just delay or postpone acting on it.
Paul also put it as flee from temptation; he does not say fight temptation.

The only thing that overcomes the carnal person is Truth. That means to
overcome temptations, lust or worldly desires one need to have the Truth in
him or her. Truth does not mean knowledge of the Bible but the
understanding of the Bible. It is only when we act on the knowledge we get
from the Bible do we get its understanding. Therefore until we come to a
stage where we realize the vanity of acting on temptation, or lust, or
desires of the world, we should refrain from acting when we are tempted or
have a desire which is worldly.

That does not mean we just keep running, to stop the running we need to
fill ourselves with understanding of the Kingdom of God.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You came as ordinary man but yet You did not become like us. You
overcame the world. You were tempted like us that too when You were weaken
in the desert yet You overcame temptation by the Truth. Lord, as your
Spirit works in us and reveals more and more of your Kingdom to us, help us
not to act on our desires which are worldly or fall when temptation comes...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

John 2:9-10

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and
knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the
governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good
wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast
kept the good wine until now.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without
the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Corinthians 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Timothy 6:10-11

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith,
charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

John 8:31-32

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in
my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

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Can man depart from evil and do good?

Psalms 37:27 - Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

Today's message is very clear by itself. If any person wants to live
forever, then all that person needs to do is depart from evil and do good.
It is as simple as that.

A person who can do this does not need any religion, or help of any other
person or being, including Jesus Christ. Yes, a person does not need even
Jesus Christ to be saved if that person can keep away from evil and do
good; this is what the Lord has said, and what He has said stands.

First thing we should remember man has limited knowledge and understanding.
His wisdom grows with knowledge and experience. That is why people today
have more wisdom then people ages back. But all that wisdom which man has
today is nothing compared to what he needs to know of the Kingdom of God.

Let me take an example - the Kingdom of God is not a physical world but a
spiritual world. The word spirit given in the Bible is the Hebrew word
'ruwach' which means 'breath' or 'wind'.

Breath or air is not a living thing yet spirit is a living thing.

Spirit does not have a visible form or shape yet the Bible states a spirit
having a spiritual form and shape not visible to earthly man. It uses
adjectives to describe a spirit.

Spirit is not energy yet has energy, power.

Spirit is not restricted by natural time and place, or by natural laws.

Man in all his wisdom cannot picture an elementary thing like spirit then
what position is man that he can know things of the Kingdom of God? If man
in all his wisdom cannot know of the Kingdom of God then in what capacity
is man to know good from bad. If he cannot know good from bad then how is
he to refrain from bad and do good.

History shows what man did as a hero years bad is now considered as an act
of terrorism. Many of the rituals man followed in the name of God years
back has been banned today and any person following them can be arrested
and even face life sentence.

God knew after man ate of the fruit of doubt in the Garden of Eden, man
lost his sense of discernment and does not have the wisdom to know good
from bad.

Jesus Christ came as man, paid the price for our sins, took away the wrath
of God so that we can receive the Spirit of Truth and by receiving His
Spirit we receive the ability to know of the Kingdom of God, grow in
discerning good from bad and thus walk in righteousness.

God did not stop there He also gives us His other Spirits (Holy Spirit
constitutes of 7 Spirits) so that we receive all the help we need to walk
in goodness and thus overcome evil. Man by himself cannot walk in
righteousness but only by the help of the Holy Spirit can he start taking
the baby steps of righteousness and grow into a mature Son of God.

We need Jesus in our lives because it is only by Him that we can receive
His Spirit and be saved. The walk of salvation starts with believing in the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ and finishes with the working of the Holy Spirit
in us.

Many people stop at believing in Jesus and think they are saved. These
people will be totally disappointed on the Judgment Day when the Word will
judge us.

God created the world and rested in His Spirit; Jesus did His work and
rested in His Spirit. We all need to know the importance of the Spirit of
God in our walk towards our salvation.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, man was given access to eternal life when he had access to the Tree
of Life, but when he ate of the fruit of doubt to know good and evil. Man
was innocent of evil for the all that You created, You declared it as good
and the only evil that existed then was Satan. Lord, You paid the price so
that by your Spirit we will again receive the Truth in us and thus overcome
evil. Holy Spirit, reveal more and more of the Kingdom of God to us. At the
same time strengthen us by your work on our spirit that we may not stumble
but walk the path of righteousness to receive the righteousness of Christ...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Proverbs 3:13-18

13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding.

14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and
the gain thereof than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire
are not to be compared unto her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and
honour.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is
every one that retaineth her.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I
should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he
have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have
shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour
which I took under the sun.

21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in
equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for
his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart,
wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart
taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink,
and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw,
that it was from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and
knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to
heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is
vanity and vexation of spirit.

Isaiah 11:2 - And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

John 14:17 - Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 16:13 - Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide
you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

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Causing God to appear

2 Chronicle 1:5 - Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri,
the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and
Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

We read 2 Chronicles 1:3-7 we see Solomon did 3 things which caused the
Lord to appear to him. In today's message the Lord is telling us about
these 3 things, which if we too do will cause the presence of the Lord to
be manifested or the glory of God to be experienced in our lives.

The 3 things that Solomon did were:-

1) He placed the Ark of God in the Tent of Congregation

2) He placed the brasen altar before the Tent of Congregation

3) He made a great sacrifice on the brazen altar

You may say brother we do not have the Ark of Covenant / God or the brazen
altar today. Nor are we to offer a sacrifice of blood for Christ is our
eternal sacrifice, so how are we to do this.

We need to understand everything thing that the Lord asked Moses to do was
a shadow of the things in Christ. Without going deep into explaining things
I would briefly put what they represent.

1) The Ark of Covenant symbolizes The Cross or the Cause of Christ.

People think the wooden crucifix on which Jesus was crucified is the
Cross which Jesus asked us to carry (they symbolize it suffering). This
started with Catholic Church; they put a symbol in our hands and took away
its true understanding. This understanding of Cross symbolizing suffering
goes against all scriptures. The Lord said we will have problem coming in
our lives but when He is in our lives He will carry us over them and as
Psalms 91 puts it, He will not let even our feet stumble even against a
stone. Paul puts the Cross symbolizing victory and that which has power.

When we are really in the Lord, the problems which we go through in our
lives are those which the Lord allows to mould us, build us and make us
better. In short it is the pruning which He does in us.

Suffering us not what a Christian is supposes to carry, but every Christian
is called to sacrifice the desires of the flesh as part of process of
becoming an overcomer. So the suffering is of our carnal self. Jesus tells
us to take His burden but also says that His burden is light for His Spirit
helps us carry it.

Note Paul and the others used the word 'tree' for the wooden crucifix on
which Jesus was crucified in many places and purposely avoided to mention
the shape. Bible also says our bodies are tents (temporary houses).

2) The brasen altar symbolizes repentance.

This altar was made of Shittim wood and the corners were laid with brass
(instead of gold used in making of the Ark, the Hebrew word 'nachosheth'
used for brass comes from the root 'nachash' meaning 'to learn by
experience') .

On this altar was made a daily sacrifice. Most of the sacrifices
concerning sin were made on this altar, also made on it was the sacrifice
of guilt wherein a person has sinned out of ignorance.

3) Doing a great sacrifice does not mean we need to give God anything. God
is the giver of all things and to Him there is nothing that is our which we
can give. What He desires of us is to come closer to Him and to come closer
to Him we need to be more like Him and to be more like Him we need to lose
all that in us which keeps us far from Him.

Our greatest sacrifice is to lose a part of our worldly self and gain in
our goodly self.

In short putting all 3 together we need to bring the purpose of Christ into
our lives making it the most important purpose of our lives. At the
entrance of our new lives in Christ, is the altar of repentance. At this
table we are to daily sacrifice a part of our worldly self.

Jesus said unless we do not eat His flesh and drink of His blood we will
not have life in us. Flesh symbolizes desires. Jesus was not carnal, for He
overcame the world. His desires were the desires of the Father and He
fulfilled them. Blood symbolizes righteousness. When we eat the desires of
Jesus making it a part of us and live a life like Christ, we experience
more of Christ in us and see the glory of God in our lives. That is the
reason Paul warns not to receive the unleavened bread (symbolizing Body /
Flesh of Christ) and the cup of wine (unfermented grape juice) in an
unworthy manner (without repentance).

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You have made ways for man to come to You but all of them is only
through Christ. Unless we do not be more and more like Christ, becoming a
part of Christ the Vine we will not have life or salvation. Lord, we pray
we realize the importance to live a life surrendered unto You and a life
that pleases You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen

[Reference Scripture]

2 Chronicle 1:3-7

3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place
that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of
God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.

4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place
which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at
Jerusalem.

5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur,
had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and Solomon and the
congregation sought unto it.

6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which
was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt
offerings upon it.

7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I
shall give thee.

Exodus 38:1-7

1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was
the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare;
and three cubits the height thereof.

2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns
thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.

3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and
the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof
made he of brass.

4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass
thereof beneath unto the midst of it.

5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be
places for the staves.

6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.

7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear
it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

Exodus 29:9-18

9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the
bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual
statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of
the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the
head of the bullock.

11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation.

12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the
horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the
bottom of the altar.

13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul
that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon
them, and burn them upon the altar.

14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou
burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their
hands upon the head of the ram.

16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and
sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and
his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt
offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto
the LORD.

Leviticus 4 (the kind of sacrifices made on the brasen altar)

Acts 5:30 - The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging
him on a tree.

Acts 10:39 - And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the
country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on
a tree.

Acts 13:29 - And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of
him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.

Galatians 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth
on a tree:

1 Peter 2:24 - who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree,
that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose
stripes ye were healed.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the word of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.

John 6:53 - Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not
life in yourselves.

Galatians 6:14 - But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and
I unto the world.

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Slept with his fathers

2 Kings 15:7 - So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with
his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

The second book of Kings chapter 15 give a brief description of Azariah. It
speaks of him become king at the age of sixteen. It speaks of him doing
right in the sight of the Lord and all according to his father Amaziah
(including the mistakes). It also points to the mistake of allowing wrong
worship of the Lord (burning incense in high places). Later it speaks of
the Lord striking him with leprosy until his death. The reason was taken on
our precious message dated 05/12/12-'Beware of leprosy in the Church'. What
we see is even though Azariah did wrong and was punished yet the Bible says
he slept with his fathers after his death.

As I was studying the Bible I noticed this sentence and started tracking
all those who slept with their fathers after they died and also compared
their lives. The first person to be recorded as slept with their fathers
was David. The other interesting statement which goes on the same line for
people who found favour with God was those written as gathered to his
people on their death and in it starts with Abraham on his death for it is
written about him being gathered unto his people.

All those who found favour with God for reasons like walking in the ways of
the Lord or having respect to Him and His holy things were in these 2
categories of slept with their fathers or gathered unto his people.

These terms actually do not start with Abraham but with Noah for the first
Covenant with the Lord and man was started with him. Later we find Abraham
was written as the first to join. The promise of God not destroying all
mankind started with Noah.

Having knowledge of the spirit world, when we really study the covenant God
made with Noah we will understand God set the timeline for all mankind and
what spoke to Noah was concerning all mankind right unto the end days.

When Adam sinned God had cursed man not to perish only in the flesh but
also his spirit would perish, so man after death was send to this prison
called Hell which was actually not made for man. In this prison man lives
his full spirit life term suffering the sins within him which are described
as ever burning coal, or Hell fire, or worms that do not die.

Like all those in the Ark survived, similarly those with the Ark of the
Covenant could enter the Promised Land and we see Jesus also said only
those who take up the Cross are the ones who will enter the Kingdom of God.

In the New Testament also we see people who died believing in Christ are
recorded as slept like in the case of Stephen. Paul and the book of
Revelation too states we sleep and rise on the Judgment Day when Christ
(Son of Man) comes again to judge all mankind.

Christians are lied to, that after death they go to Heaven because of one
scripture 2 Corinthians 5:8 but they do not read the scriptures above 2
Corinthians 5:6 which shows clearly that 2 Corinthians 5:8 does not talk of
death but of spiritual state of the inner-man according to its priority, of
being carnal or spiritual. When we believe in Christ and walk according to
the Spirit, the Lord is with us even though we are in the body, only when
we are carnal-minded we are far from God.

The Gospel of John and so also the book of Acts talks of no man has
ascended to Heaven other than Jesus Christ. All who die in favour of the
Lord do not go to Hell but sleep unto Judgment Day. It is not that they are
sinless but the sins inside them do not torment them like those in Hell,
which is why the word sleep is used.

When we read the incident of the spirit of Samuel with King Saul we see
even though the spirit of Samuel was asleep yet he was aware of what was
happening in the world.

God forbid (corrupt) man from communicating with those who are sleep and
uses the term 'empty bottles' to describe those asleep. The place they
sleep is also referred as Grave. People who are unaware of Grave in their
efforts to communicate with those asleep, lands up communicating with evil
spirits or fallen angels who come disguised as dead people. Praying to or
asking dead people to intercede (leaving Jesus Christ who has resurrected
therefore He and His Spirit alone can intercede) lands people communicating
with evil spirits. Evil spirits also have powers and these are mistaken
works of the Lord. God says in the books of Moses, He allows this to happen
to test if His people have His Word in them.

Let us not be deceived because of our lack of understanding of the Word.
Let us be rooted in the Word and not into tales of man. Let us not disturb
those asleep unless we can transfigure like Jesus Christ who overcame
corruption.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, your Word says man perishes due to lack of knowledge. Lord we pray
your people stop believing in tales of man and believe in your Word. Let
them know You alone are the Way and there is no other way to Heaven...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Genesis 7:1-4

1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark;
for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty
days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I
destroy from off the face of the earth.

Genesis 9:8-9

8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you;

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home
in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord.

John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down
from heaven, even the Son of man which is [the tense used here is
"historical presents," and such occurrences dramatize the event described
as if the reader were there watching the event occur] in heaven.

John 20:17 - Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended
to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Ephesians 4:10 - He that descended is the same also that ascended up far
above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which
are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord.

Romans 14:10 - But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

John 5:25-30

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall
live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to
have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is
the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are
in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection
of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment
is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which
hath sent me.

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Do not be deceived by mortal man

Psalms 146:3,4 - Put not your trust in princes[rulers] , nor in the son of
man, in whom there is no help[salvation] . His breath[spirit] goeth forth,
he returneth to his earth[land]; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Yesterday we were spoken about the difference between Christ and other
spiritual leaders; in today's message the Lord continues this message to
its roots.

In today's message the Lord speaks about not putting our trust in rulers of
the world or in any man who does not have salvation in him. These rulers or
leaders may be political, religious, spiritual, medical geniuses or even
people who have become celebratory icons like pop stars or actors. These
people due to their fame or skills should not be allowed to mislead us from
the Truth by making us to worship other gods or themselves.

The Lords brings our attention to the most important aspect that exposes
these people and that is their death. The Word says when these people die
they are buried and so are all their thoughts.

When these great people including those famous for doing great work for
society die I start to think the irony of what is happening in the physical
and what is happening in the spiritual. However great work the person does,
even if they have given every drop of their blood for the good of mankind
yet they themselves have no hope of salvation and their spirits are
condemned to suffering and death.

None of us will be saved because we are good. We are only saved if we have
the Truth in us and when we have the Truth in us we will automatically be
good. We do not try to be good but since we have the Spirit of God working
in us by our acceptance of Christ (Truth that became flesh), we are moulded
into good beings; good not according to the world but good according to God.

We need to get this message into us and not run after good people, but run
after people who have the Truth in them, and the Truth is Christ and His
Word. Christ and His Word cannot be separated. There are people who sell
you a ‘Christ' without His Word; do not be deceived to believe that is
Christ. The only way to know Christ is not by photos or by the assurance of
man. We can know Christ only by His Word.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, the world is misled to run after people who seem to serve society.
They are declared as saints and semi-gods. They are worshipped and their
statues or photos are venerated and served. But man is not mindful of what
happens to their spirits because they did not believe in your Truth. Lord,
bless your people with discernment that they may not be deceived by the
thoughts and emotions which are worldly but let them walk only in the Light
of the Truth...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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What is worldly man?

Job 13:12 - Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of
clay.

A few days back in Mumbai a local politician died and the whole state of
Maharashtra was totally shut down. At the funeral more than 2million gave
attendance or stood alone the way of the procession. This man was known for
his fight for the 'son of the soil', the marashtians (the original local
community).

Some days later, was the anniversary of another person who also was well
known for his great social work among the lower caste people. He did a
great job of uplifting these people who were looked down by society at that
time. This man was highly educated and well known professionally. He was
instrument in drafting the Indian constitution.

The second man is now considered like a god by the people who belong to
those castes which he uplifted. The first man is on his way to become
another god for the people he helped.

Both these may not be compared on the same platform but both are highly
respected by the communities they served.

Today's message states the remembrance of man is like ashes and bodies like
vessels made of clay. If we scan through history there were many who did
great social service for mankind and all of them were remembered for a
period of time, some for short periods and others for longer periods. But
all soon or later got forgotten.

Ask a British about Elizabeth Gurney Fry (1780- 1845) and there is very
little chances they will remember her or ask an American about Jane Addams
(1860–1935) or about William Penn (1700s).

As the wind blows over the ash it blows away the ash depending on the speed
of the wind, over a period of time one will find no ash left. So is the
same with vessels made of clay, all the old clay vessels found today are in
damaged or totally broken conditions. The best preserved vessels are those
made of metal and not of clay.

If we look at these people and all other people who do great social work or
work towards a specific community, even all the good they do is temporary.
They may be a good example but yet they fail to be a complete example.
Their philosophy can be followed for a specific period or for a specific
purpose but no man can cover all areas of life and all periods of time.

Jesus Christ as man is considered the only human whose teaching and
examples are valid throughout ages. People may state Him as a spiritual
guide and may compare people like Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, Socrates,
Mahavira etc. to Him. But there is no comparison between Him and them.

All the teachings of the others are pertaining to the people of a certain
community or era and that is why we find they strongly promoted their local
traditions or thinking; from dressing, to eating, to living, working etc.
according to the culture existing during their time or their local society.

On the other hand we see Jesus was against traditions. He was born Jews but
the Jews hated Him for not keeping their traditions. He is the only one who
did not only speak but backed what He spoke with action. He did what no one
else could, He defeated death. After His death and resurrection He
commanded His disciples to go the ends of the world and preaching His
message of salvation. His message was not for the Jews alone but for all
people across all generations.

Every teachings Jesus gave have been confirmed historically,
geographically, scientifically, astronomically and prophetically accurate.
They were not relevant to people only of His era but even today we learn
from His teachings and so also those in the future will. The secret of His
teachings He openly shared with all so that all can be teach like Him, He
said He spoke the Words of the Father.

The Bible is not only the most printed book, it is also the book which has
the most numbers of books written on it to study and understand. Even in
today's scientific era the Bible still stands as the most accurate and
perfect book.

We have the Word of God with us and when we speak the Word of God into the
lives of people (prophesy) we become little Jesus Christs ourselves
(Christians) . Since we imitate Christ it is not we who live but Christ who
lives in us.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, man has since ages wanted to make a name for himself. Man desires to
be remembered forever. But what is man who is not in You. Your Word says he
is like grass which is cut and burned at the end of its duration. But those
who are in You are like trees which bear fruit. They are preserved and
nurtured by You. Father God we pray we imitate Christ for He alone saw You
and knows You. It was He alone kept your Word as it is to be kept. May we
shine the light of Christ unto others...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Isaiah 40:18-25

18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto
him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over
with gold, and casteth silver chains.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree
that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a
graven image, that shall not be moved.

21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from
the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants
thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain,
and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth
as vanity.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their
stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them,
and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

Psalms 37:1-7

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against
the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green
herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and
verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of
thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it
to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because
of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass.


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Unclean by the carcass of man

Isaiah 66:24 - And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the
men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die,
neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto
all flesh.

These few days I was in debate with a few Catholics who were giving honour
to the preserved body of their so called saints. The Catholics think since
these people truly loved God and pleased Him therefore the Lord preserved
their bodies as a sign, as a gift to honour them. One thought this was the
eternal life which God spoke of in the Bible.

Dead have been honoured from the start of human history. Especially among
the more popular religions the dead have a very special place. Their
graves, their bodies, parts of their bodies, their clothing, their earthly
possession etc. were and are yet literately worshipped.

Even the Israelites, although were called God's people were far from Him
and the Truth. They too like the heathens also worshipped the dead. The
bodies / graves of Men of God were like places of pilgrimage. They thought
they were pleasing God by honouring the bodies of His loved ones. On the
contrary they did not know their actions angered God more than please Him.

Among the greatest men for a Jew was Moses and God knew if they had the
body of Moses they would mummify it or his bones they would preserve it or
even his empty grave they would build monuments around it, that is why the
Lord hid the body of Moses.

The tomb of David is among the pilgrim holy sites for the Jews. In between
when they did not have access to the site they would climb roof tops
nearest to the site and facing the site they would recite their prayers.
David is second for the Jews in the list of people they worship. I know a
Jew will deny they worship people but that is what the Bible says they did;
like when they attacked Stephen, in their accusation they put Moses before
God. The Jews also used the word blasphemy for speaking against Moses, a
term used only against God.

Even after the coming of Christianity, Satan did not leave his old tricks,
he innovated them into new ways. He tricked the Catholics to worship the
dead on various excuses in the name of religion that is why they too like
the heathen have tombs, monuments, statutes, rituals for the dead, festive
where the dead are honoured, their bodies or objects are taken on
procession.

Jesus said 'let the dead bury their dead' but those who are not dead to
follow Him, that is to abide with the Word of God. According to the Lord
the dead were buried outside the camp because we are not to disturb them
nor disrespect them, Abraham puts it as 'out of sight'. We should realize
the body is like a clothing and the spirit and soul is the real us. Since
none of us is perfect (without sin) our bodies decay, it was only Jesus who
was without sin, not only in spirit but also in body therefore the promise
of being resurrected in body (the flesh) was given and fulfilled in Him
alone.

People do not realize no person actually dies even when they die in the
body. Let him be a Believer or a non-Believer. It is only that if they
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ they do not go to Hell, while those who do
not go to Hell. Those who go to the prison Hell they suffer for the
remainder of their spirit life there and perish or die their spiritual
death. But those who believe sleep in hope of the return of the Son of Man
who would take them to Heaven so as to receive the promise of eternal life.

It is only in Heaven that we can live eternally since we need access to the
Tree of Life to live eternally.

Note Adam and later Eve had access to the Tree of Life for a period of time
yet they did not eat of it, but after they sinned the Lord took away their
access to the Tree because the corrupt man should not have access to
eternal life.

Life to live eternally is only in God and this ability is given to the Son
since He came from the Father. Spirit man when created has a limited period
of life and that has not changed what is changed is the life of the body he
or she lives in on earth. It is not by eating once from the Tree of Life we
will live eternally for by eating of it we get a renewal of life and thus
to live eternally we need eternal access to the Tree of Life which means we
need to always dwell in Heaven or have access to Heaven.

The Lord is saying who worship the dead are spiritual dead and He is not a
God of them. He is saying they will go to Hell or be punished and the sins
in them will be like worms that will eat into them as long as they live and
they will be a testimony for all mankind.

Worshipping means offering prays, offering flowers, candles, incense etc...
Communicating with the dead or even asking the dead to intercede is
forbidden unless we can transfigure like Jesus.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are a Living God, God of those who have life and your Word is
life. Lord, we pray for those who are deceived to worship or pray for the
dead. We ask for deliverance from this darkness. May they see your Light
and walk in your Light...

This prayer we make in Jesus's Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
Matthew 8:22 - But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury
their dead.

Acts 6:8-11
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue
of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia
and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he
spoke.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous
words against Moses, and against God.

Deuteronomy 34:5-6
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab,
according to the word of the LORD.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Bethpeor: but no man knows of his sepulcher to this day.

Genesis 23:3-4
3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of
Heth, saying,
4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a
burial plot with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

Acts 13:33-37
33 God has fulfilled the same to us their children, in that he has raised
up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are my Son,
this day have I begotten you.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to
return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure
mercies of David.
35 Why he said also in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One
to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God,
fell on sleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Leviticus 22:4 - What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or has a
running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And
whoever touches any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed
goes from him;

Numbers 5:2 - Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp
every leper, and every one that has an issue, and whoever is defiled by the
dead:

Numbers 6:2-8
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When either man or
woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate
themselves to the LORD:
3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no
vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any
liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the
vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come on
his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separates himself to
the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head
grow.
6 All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall come at no
dead body.
7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for
his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of
his God is on his head.
8 All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

Numbers 16:47-48
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the middle of the
congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he
put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed.

Matthew 22:24-33
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his
brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brothers: and the first, when he had
married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife to his
brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, to the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?
for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said to them, You do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage,
but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that
which was spoken to you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his
doctrine.

Read 2 Kings 23


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Being in the womb of God

Psalms 69:16 - Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto
me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Today’s message comes from a Psalm of David. David is known to be a person
who had great relationship with the Lord. He knew the feelings of God for
man.

There is something very interesting I learnt today from today’s message.

When one looks at today’s message it seems normal, nothing new or great,
for all know the loving kindness of God and the mercy of God. But when we
get into the Hebrew words we come to know the depth of God’s
loving-kindness and His mercy.

The Psalmist speaks about the act of showing kindness or goodness of God
being good but later he asks God for the abundance of His tender mercies.
Here the word used a tender mercies is the same word which is also
translated as womb or bosom.

To understand the relationship of God with us we need to understand the
relationship of a mother with its baby that is yet in its womb. As a man I
may not do justice to this, but as a father I am able to shed some light to
it.

The day a woman knows she is pregnant with a child she stops living for
herself and starts to live for the child. All that she likes or dislike are
secondary but what is good for the child becomes primary. She changes her
every routine of the day. Her getting up, to going to sleep is centred on
the child. What she eats or drinks depends on the child. Her walking, her
getting up, sitting down is all slowed down for the reason of the child.
She gets morning sickness, pain in her back and her legs but she bears it
with a smile for the sake of the child. Ever small move of the child brings
a smile to her face. She knows she has to suffer pain at the end of 9
months but that does not cause her to give up because she waits the day she
will see the face of the child. The joy that comes from her holding her
just born child in her arms is much greater than all the pain and suffering
and sacrifices that she has to take through the 9 months.

We the children of God are like a foetus in the womb of God. Like a mother
He bears all for our sake. His sacrifice is great but the joy He will have
the day we transform into Sons of God is like the joy of a mother when she
sees her just born child. Every small thing we do pleases Him. Like a
mother forgets all the suffering and pain and just holds the infant in her
arms and gives a kiss to its forehead, so also He will and the day we enter
Heaven we will receive something unimaginable.

When we understand the relationship of a pregnant mother with the child
within her womb we will understand God’s relationship with us.

An unborn child does not need to open her mouth to communicate with its
mother so also even our thoughts are known to God and He says He will give
us the desires of our hearts. A mother knows what is good for her child and
everything that is good she provides, so also does God who is our Father
(the Greek word also means Provider and Creator).

[Prayer Starter]

Father God, no man will be able to understand all that You have done for
us. What we see or know is just a fraction of all that is hidden from us.
You never desired man to know how much You suffered for us, You just wanted
us to know that You have done what was due to us. Lord, we do not realize
your love and concern for us, yet most times we think You do not care for
us. Lord, help us to remember that You carry us and without You we would
not exist for a second. Help us to surrender to You and your abundance
grace...

This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Isaiah 49:15 - Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not
have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget, yet will I
not forget you.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 - As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how
the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know
not the works of God who makes all.

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Beware of leprosy in the Church

2 Kings 14:3,4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Amaziah had done; Save that the high
places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on
the high places.

The testimony of King Azariah (Uzziah) the king of Judah is well known. He
was just sixteen when he became king. The first part of his reign saw great
prosperity for the Bible says he did right according to God but then it
also says he followed the footstep of his father Amaziah who also was a
good man, one who loved God and feared God. Even though they feared God and
did what was right according to God yet both made great mistakes. Scripture
say they both ignored the false, corrupt practices that happened as worship
in the name of the Lord (burnt incense on high places).

The Bible records that his father Amaziah was defeated by the king of
Israel due to his overconfidence of the favour of God on him. He went ahead
and challenged the king of Israel and was terribly defeated.

Similarly later in the life of Azariah he too does something which no king
did. As a king he went to the temple of the Lord and burnt incense to the
Lord, something which only a priest was allowed to do. Even though he was
warned he did not refrain because he was under the influence of anger. He
saw the worldly blessings of the Lord on him and thus was confident he
could do also things which only anointed ones or people commissioned for it
could do. The very moment he went into the temple to offer incense he was
struck with white leprosy and this continued unto his death. The Bible also
records a great earthquake during his time.

Leprosy was not the most fearful disease that existed then or exists today
but the Bible gives great importance to it. There are whole chapters
written of how to identify it, what precaution needs to be taken against a
person suffering of it and when the person is healed of it. A healed man
just did not join back but had a long process before he or she would be
part of the regular people. Bible mentions leprosy not only of people but
also of houses. It describes it as just a disease of the skin.

Science has found that there are different types of leprosy and not all are
infectious (very rare ones are). Also more than the disease it is the
infections caused otherwise that danger the life of the person. It is a
myth that parts of the body fall out due to leprosy because people see the
hands and feet of a leper. In leprosy the fingers and toes do get shorten
but the main areas of damage are to the skin, nerves, eyes, other than the
limbs. Leprosy starts with the peripheral nerves and the upper respiratory
track; the skin lessening is the first visible signs.

In the Bible, leprosy is given importance not because of the disease itself
but because of what it symbolizes.

Every part of our body as well as creation itself is made according to
design and through the design we can understand spiritual things of the
Kingdom of God. Without going too deep into scriptures leprosy is a disease
that symbolizes disease of righteousness. Among all the spiritual sickness
the worst and most difficult to correct is self-righteousness and that is
why a leper was considered unclean and was cut out from among the people
until the time he was healed of the disease.

In today's message we see King Azariah (Uzziah) and his father loved God,
they walked according to what was right in the eyes of God but they both
ignored something which was precious in the eyes of God. They both became
over confident with the blessings of the Lord in their lives and we see
they both paid a price. The father was defeated and the son who had not
learned from him but continued in his ways was struck with leprosy until
his death.

Today's message goes to the preachers who get overconfident with the things
that the Lord is doing in their lives. We see many preachers / pastors as
they become more famous they start showing a lot of change in their worship
of the Lord, when they are among people and when they are on the stage.
When in the crowd their hands rarely go up but on the stage it is the
opposite, same with their mouths.

The Lord is telling them not to ignore the same things. They may find them
not so important but to the Lord they are. Their ignoring it will cause
them to lose judgment of their doings and one day they with be hit with the
spirit of self-righteousness. They will start to justify their wrong
actions not only with worldly wisdom but they will also misuse or twist
scriptures to justify themselves.

The Lord is telling us to look around in our churches and we will find many
suffering from leprosy. These do not fear to twist and misquote scriptures
for their benefit. They think the Lord is with them because of the
blessings on them, the healings they do, their skills (talents), and the
large number of people who attend their service.

The Lord tells us we should avoid spiritually the preachers who are leprous
(like not receiving teachings from them) until the time they have overcome
their spiritual disease. The Bible gives great details on how to identify
them and how to know when they have overcome.

[Prayer starter]
Lord your Body is suffering because the people You have set to build it are
selfish and have become self-righteous. They close their eyes to things
that are against your Kingdom that are happening in the Church. They have
harden their hearts to your Spirit and are blinded by blessings. Lord we
pray You open the eyes of the congregation and heal those who are infected
with leprosy...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
2 Kings 14:21 - And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen
years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

2 Kings 15:3 - And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

2 Chronicles 26:1 - Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was
sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

2 Chronicles 26:19 - Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to
burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even
rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from
beside the incense altar.

2 Chronicles 26:23 - So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him
with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings;
for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

Isaiah 6:1 - In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Hosea 1:1 - The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in
the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the
days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

Amos 1:1 - The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he
saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days
of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the
earthquake.

Zechariah 14:5 - And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the
valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as
ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and
the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

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How to build the Church stronger

Obadiah 1:14 - Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut
off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up
those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

In the Church there are some people who do all the studying and research of
scripture and become the tree under which all the others dwell and take
shade. This scene looks very good only if those who sit in the shade do not
go out to witness Christ.

Just a day before I was debating with someone on the net and even though I
do a lot of study of the Bible and had a firm foundation yet my foundation
was shaken for a moment, but it was my relationship with God and my trust
in Him that He saved me and revealed the most amazing things that helped me
put down the head that was raised against the Truth.

In the whole Bible or even in the history of man there is no man who is a
better teacher than Jesus Christ, and we see even this perfect man knew His
limits as man and did not take on the task of being the final teacher for
His own disciples. God (the Son) who is as omnipotent as the Father knew
His limits as a human. Yet we see most preachers consider themselves the
eternal teachers for those whom they nurture. They do not guide their
students on how to connect with the Holy Spirit, to communicate with Him,
learn from Him and be moulded by Him.

In yesterday's message what the Lord asked of us regarding building the
Church, does not happen because we do not let the Lord build us.

Understand building of the Church starts with building of each of us
individuals. Unless the Rock of our foundation is not the Spirit of Truth,
we will not be a strong Church. Jesus never stated Himself to be the Rock
but always stated Himself to be the cornerstone - the example for all of
us. Pau; calls Christ the Rock for Christ includes the Holy Spirit and not
just Jesus. Jesus showed us in the Bible how He depended on the Holy Spirit
and how through the power of the Holy Spirit He was kept without blemish.

We Christians think of us to be smarter and greater than Jesus when we
ignore the importance of the Holy Spirit. We do not realize the seriousness
consequences of our lack of knowledge of the Kingdom of God through His
Word. We do not realize we build or destroy people by our words and our way
of life.

By today's message the Lord is telling us not to be people standing on
crossroads for we can destroy others. If we have a doubt we should
immediately pursue the understanding of it. If we do not get people to
answer us we should ask the Lord to open our mind to its understanding.
Many think ourselves to be too small for the Lord to teach us like He did
to Daniel or others in the Bible and that is our greatest mistake.

In the Bible every man including Jesus as man is loved the same by God. The
favour of God and gifting are more or less to each depending on the mission
that person has in his or her life but the love still remained the same.
There was no human, is and will be who can say God loves him more than any
other.

A Man of God is not a person loved more by God but is a man with a mission
in whom God takes pleasure. When each one of us takes on the mission which
Jesus Christ has given us as His followers, each one of us become Men and
Women of God - the anointed ones of the Lord.

Let us build the Wall stronger by building ourselves in the Lord. Let us be
one with Him and in Him (the Holy Spirit). Let all things we do be through
Him.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are the Temple and we are the bricks of the Heavenly Temple. But
on earth You have made is each a temple yet part of the greater Temple
which is your Bride and which will be part of You in Heaven. Lord, help us
undo all the corruption which this world and its lies have sown into us.
Help us root out the bad seed and help the good seed blossom and bear
fruit...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

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Beware the enemy within

Nehemiah 6: 17, 18 - Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many
letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. For there were
many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the
son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the
son of Berechiah.

In a computer network most people look at security concerns from outside
coming into their networks. They secure the network by installing a
firewall or UTM at the gateway. It has been of late organizations have
realized the risk to their network from within. The cost, complexity and
logistics to secure this threat are far greater than to secure from
outside.

Today's scriptures talks of the time when Nehemiah co-ordinated the
completion of the wall of Jerusalem. It states Nehemiah and his team took
52days to complete the wall. If one has seen the wall one may wonder how
Nehemiah could have possibly accomplished such a great feat with the team
he had and the problems he faced while do this work.

The historian Josephus states the wall took a total of 2years 4months to
complete and during the time of Nehemiah the wall already existed all
around but in rundown condition. Ezra had previously done most of the work,
Nehemiah and his team only repaired and re-enforced the wall.

During the time of Nehemiah the people who opposed the Jews did not want
the wall to be completed; but when they heard of this news they were very
disappointed, for the wall was an icon of protection and pride for
Jerusalem. One may think this fact must have put them to shame, regret,
repentance and reconciliation with the Jews, but that was not the case.

Today's message says Tobiah who was the principle advisory of the Jews
continued his opposition through correspondence with people within the
walls. It is written people who were holding high status in the Jewish
society wrote letters to Tobiah and Tobiah also wrote back to them. Even
though this high secure wall existed the letters continued moving freely
because there were people within who facilitated this.

I wrote in one of my previous messages of how the wall symbolized the
Church. The Church is a spiritual fortified city wherein souls dwell, are
protected and provided.

In today's message the Lord opens our eyes to the danger within our Church.
He points out that there are people within our Church who do correspondence
with the enemy of Truth and Light.

Most people will look at the newcomers and those who are growing in the
Lord as the danger areas. But the Lord is telling us it is not these we
should be concern of but those who are in the high places in the Church and
are yet doing the work of the evil one of obstructing the Truth and Light.

There are preachers who give false hope and comfort to Believers by their
preaching and lead souls to be destroyed.

Just last Sunday I walked out between a preaching for the preacher was
preaching on the lines of 'once saved always saved'. It is like believe in
Jesus Christ and you get a free ticket to sin, but yet you will go to
Heaven.

There are scriptures like 1 John 3:9 which are misunderstood. It says
'whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him:
and he cannot sin, because he is born of God'. The scripture is
misunderstood by many people as those who are born of God will never sin
for God is within them. The scripture actually means those who are born
again or baptized in the Holy Spirit are a changed people. They dislike sin
and make their best efforts not to continue a life of sin because the
nature of Christ is in them since they are part of the vine Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah states the letters caused fear to come in him, similarly if we
start to take note of the teachings of most preachers very carefully, we
can go ahead and use the word 'panic' instead of 'fear'.

It is time people right from childhood are taught how to understand
scriptures the way the Lord states in the Bible and not the way people
assume. It is time we stop looking at people but give due attention to
their words and discern them according to scriptures.

Among all the letters of Paul recorded in the Bible, his letters to the
Thessalonians has more of solid food and less of milk than his other
letters to the other churches. But in Acts 17 it states the people of Berea
were nobler than the people of Thessalonica. It was not that they were more
educated or intelligent but it states these people did not take Paul for
his words but confirmed the words of Paul with scriptures. It is this
reason Paul did not need to write letters to the church of Berea as
follow-up.

The Lord is telling us irrespective of who preaches, and however famous he
or she may be, we should not take that person for his or her word but
should conform them through scriptures.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, there are many who preach to please. Their aim is not to save and
strengthen people but more to fill chairs and an increase in 'tithes and
offerings'. Churches play the numbers game between them. Lord, we need
people who do not fear man nor look at man as their provider. We need
people who fearlessly speak the Truth as You have stated in your Word and
who look up to You alone as their provider. Save us Lord from the nobles of
darkness with our churches...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
Nehemiah 6:15-19
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul,
in fifty and two days.
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all
the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down
in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,
and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son in
law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the
daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to
him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

1 John 3:9 - Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed
remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Acts 17:10-12
10 And the brothers immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to
Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were
Greeks, and of men, not a few.

1 Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are
without? do not you judge them that are within?

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Why many fail to be Christians
Psalms 37:16 - A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

One of the greatest falsehood people have about being Christians is that a Christian is a person who is a godly person, perfect in character,
extremely generous, extremely loving, gifted with great wisdom, always in peace, always patient, problems do not effect that person for the faith of that person is unshakable.

I do not blame people for having this image of a Christian because they
look at Christ and draw this conclusion. But this conclusion is what causes
many to fail to be Christians. They tend to move at great speed in their
spiritual lives and then suddenly when a problem comes that shakes them, they tend to backslide drastically even though they many appear not to.

One needs to understand, one goes to school to learn so do not expect the student to answer all questions on the first day of school or even half way in school. Similarly a person goes to a doctor when he or she is sick; the doctor prescribes a course of medicine. The person does expect to be fully well with popping in of the first tablet.

One need to register in one's head being a Christian is a process and
starts not with believing in Jesus. Believing in Jesus only qualifies a
person to be a Christian but the process of becoming Christian starts with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. No person can become a Christian without being baptized in the Holy Spirit, for it is the Spirit of God Who starts the course, class, process of making a person like Christ. No one should expect the very next day of baptism that one will be exactly like Christ.

Surely one will be able to identify the difference between a Christian and a worldly person but this difference starts to show when the person is baptized and this difference starts to increase gradually as the person goes through the transformation process.

Let me tell you in Acts the process of Saul becoming Paul took nearly 8
years, even after these 8 years the Paul who is most highly respected yet made mistakes and struggled in his spiritual life. If that man Paul who had a very high calling in his life, was having abundant grace on him yet struggled a very long time, can we expect to be perfect the next day?

Right from Noah to the times before the man Jesus the Spirit of God was given to a select few and from the time of the select 12 disciples to the end times the Spirit of God is given to the whole congregation, we see in both these ears a process on man gradually overcoming. As man grows in the knowledge of God and relationship with God through his testimony in Christ we will see the chain becoming stronger and stronger till just 2 among us (just before the coming of Christ) will succeed to completely overcome like Christ did (since 2 caused all mankind to come under sin). The Bible says God is satisfied with even 2 from among billions and says 'it is sufficient, come up'. This is the CROSS we carry of perfecting each other through the working of the Holy Spirit, sharing our testimonies and supporting each other.

Understand being Christian is all about the little changes in our lives and these little changes go on continuously. There were extremely few recorded in the Bible (not even a handful - less than 5) from the time of Enoch (when man started worshipping God) to the times of Paul and Peter (a period of over 4000years) who did something exceptional great suddenly (written as surprised God), even none of the 12 disciple did, then why is every Christian expected to? Every Man of God's weakness and draw backs has been exposed in the Bible yet we expect ourselves to without one. That does not mean we continue in our filth, it means we need to give time for the process of transformation to happen in our lives.

In today's message the Lord is telling us He wants to the little changes in our lives. The Lord uses the words 'little righteousness' and righteousness comes not from our works but by the working of the Holy Spirit in us and through us. It is His righteousness that starts to shine in us which the Lord wants to see. He wants to see this light shine brighter and brighter gradually. The most important catch is about letting the Spirit of God to work in us. Being Christian is not about being perfect but is all about letting the Spirit of God make us perfect, this 'us' in the individually but the Body (congregation) as a whole. This congregation is not the Church we attend on Sundays but all those who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and surrendered to His Spirit since beginning of time.

Let us get out of the falsehood and let us surrender a part of us daily to
the Lord to work in. If we fall let us not lose hope for God knew of our
every fall even before He called us by our names. Also let us also not stay fallen down and delay the working of the Spirit of God in us. Let us
remember always Christ took the wrath of God on Himself on the cross, this pleased the Father and today we all who take refuge in Christ's sacrifice are not under the wrath of God but under His grace and His love. That is why He calls us family.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord when You created man You put a process of gradual growth in man because You knew how weak man in the natural flesh would be. Father, time is not a factor for You for You are omnipresent not only by space but also by time. You are already there in our future and therefore You call us Sons even through most of us are still babies, toddlers and preteens. Lord,
since You have said we know the works of the Spirit will be completed in us. Help us Lord to daily surrender a part of us unto You, help us be more and more like Christ...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
Isaiah 53:10 - Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to
grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

2 Peter 1:17 - For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Hebrews 11:5 - By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Revelation 11:3-12
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a
thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and
devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this
manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their
prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that
ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which
spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make
merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets
tormented them that dwelled on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered
into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell on them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

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Desolation after the seventy years captivity
Daniel 9:2 - In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books
the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the
prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of
Jerusalem.

In the book of Daniel, the dreams which Daniel had and which the Lord
explains to him came when he was meditating on the Word given through
Jeremiah and the other Prophets.

In today’s message the Lord brings our attention to the seventy years of
captivity of Israel in Babylon.

Before I get to the message we need to get some thing clear, that the
things of the Old Testament are the shadow of the greater things in Christ.

Like the Passover in Exodus was the shadow of the real Passover - the death
and resurrection of Christ. Pentecost (Feast of Harvest) was the shadow of
the new Pentecost - the Birthday of the Church - the day the Holy Spirit
was given to the congregation - Church.

Also in the Old Testament the Lord says He will be the shepherd of Israel
His people and this was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus
Christ is called the Good Shepherd who leads the real Israel - the
Christians who follow His Word.

In the book of Daniel when Daniel read the words of Jeremiah and realized
about the 70years of exile into Babylon, he went into prayer, fasting and
repentance for the sake of Israel and after 70 years of exile Cyrus gave
orders for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Like other cases also this Babylon of the Old Testament is the shadow of
the greater Babylon which is noted in the book of Revelations as the Mother
of all Harlots and Abominations - the Great Mystery Babylon.

One of the greatest deceits which we Christians are under is assuming
Catholics are Christians. I came out from the Catholic Church when I
realized as a Catholic I was not a Christian. Like Islam believes in
another Christ so also the Catholics believe in another Gospel. Their
Christ is not our Christ, for their Bible is not our Bible, their Jesus is
shown as an incomplete sacrifice, a helpless infant, a man void of
authority. These people have added and subtracted to the Word of God and
mutilated the Word of God such that salvation to a devote Catholic is near
impossible even more than to a Pharisee.

It is only when we get this registered in our heads we will realize the
amount of work we have on hand, we will get the real picture of how few
among all mankind are Christians and how narrow the gate to Heaven really
is.

The Lord had prophesied in the Bible how the real Church would be driven to
wilderness for 1260years and that was exactly what happened. This was
fulfilled in the shadow as well as the real. Israel return to the Jerusalem
exactly after 1260 years of destruction of Israel (688AD from Dome of the
Rock to 1948AD when Israel was recognized a nation).

With the greater Israel also that prophesy was fulfilled. The Christian
Church took exactly 1260 years after the formation of the Catholic Church
to again come to existence by the Word of God which came back to the Church
after 1260years.

The Catholic Church was officially declared in about 300AD and the
Protestant reformation happened in 16th century (300 - 1560 approximate
dates, although Martin Luther protested in 1517AD but the real movement
took form only around 1560AD with people like John Calvin, Theodore
Beza and others).

What shaken me was the role of this church in the end days. It is time
Christians wake up to the real Babylon and like Daniel take action
spiritually and actively so that souls do not get destroyed by deceit in
exile.

[Prayer Starter]

Lord, You warned throughout scriptures of the great deceit yet your people
are blind to it. They are ignorant of the days ahead because of the void of
understanding of scriptures. Satan has kept them looking at the shadow
while the real evil has been growing strong. Lord, we pray by your Word
this darkness is also brought to light and souls saved...

This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]

Jeremiah 25:11-14

11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and
these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I
will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their
iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual
desolations.

13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced
against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath
prophesied against all the nations.

14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also:
and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the
works of their own hands.

Jeremiah 29:10 - For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be
accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward
you, in causing you to return to this place.

Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a
place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two
hundred and three score days.

Daniel 8:14 And he said to me, To two thousand and three hundred days;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days

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The mystery man

John 18:15 - And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple:
that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into
the palace of the high priest.

When it comes to the event of Simon Peter's denial of Jesus three times all
talk of Simon Peter following Jesus and then denying Him. They give a
picture of a lone man slowing and slyly trailing the convoy which took
Jesus. I have never heard anyone talk of the other man who accompanied
Simon Peter. This man is recorded as just 'another disciple'.

Many commentaries presume this another disciple to be John just because
this person is mentioned in the third person.

I have proved in my previous messages that the person 'whom Jesus loved'
was not always John for many others in the Gospels were also referred as
one 'whom Jesus loved'. Even in this place the mystery man was not John
because we see the young girl recognises Simon Peter from the troupe that
always followed Jesus but does not mention about this mystery man. This man
was known to Caiaphas as well as the girl who was at the gate. Thus this
mystery man was not the regular companion of Jesus or may have been one of
the new who joined the troupe that followed Jesus, or just a new believer
in Jesus Christ.

The questions arises if this person is not identified then why is this
person written?

First thing we need to note when Jesus was arrested there was something
like a curfew in the town. The Romans and Jewish authorities feared there
would be an armed uprising from the disciples of Jesus. The Jewish High
Priest had planned Jesus' arrest during the feast of Passover when usually
criminals were punished the day before the feast day, making this arrest as
something ordinary and thus taking out the awe factor from this arrest.

Had it not been for this mystery man Simon Peter would not have been able
to enter the gates of Caiaphas' residence and thus the prophecy of denying
Jesus three times would not have been fulfilled.

In today's message the Lord is telling us He has and will put people in our
lives. These people are like the mystery man who followed Jesus alone with
Peter. It is by the influence or ability of these people the Lord will
fulfil His plans in our lives.

[Prayer Starter]
Father God, we thank You for the people You have put into our lives. You do
all things with purpose. Lord, we thank You for opening the windows of
blessings in our lives through these people. These people have a purpose in
our lives and are just instruments through whom You work, ultimately all
good things come from You and You alone. And for this we thank You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
John 18:15-17
15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that
disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the
palace of the high priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple,
which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the
door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also
one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

Matthew 23:9 - And call no man your father [provider] upon the earth: for
one is your Father [provider], which is in heaven.

Matthew 6:27-34
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field,
how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is,
and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O
ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we
drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take
thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.

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He communicates, do you listen?

Job 33:18 - He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from
perishing by the sword.

Job is the oldest book of the Bible. Job is recorded to be many years
before Moses. He is recorded to be the son of Issachar; some theologians do
contest this Job not being the same Job.

Job was blessed with immense wisdom; he did not have a word of mouth from
the Lord but knew of the Kingdom of God through his understanding of
creation which is made in the image of things of the Kingdom of God.

Even the friends of Job were blessed with wisdom and they did give a
fitting reply to Job when he thought himself to be righteous before God and
started justifying himself (we as people of God as called righteous when we
walk in the ways of the Lord, yet we cannot claim to be so on our own
accord). Job's youngest friend Elihu discloses a great understanding in his
reply to Job and his other friends, which is part of our message for today.

Elihu states the Lord speaks to us but we do not perceive it. He speaks to
us in dreams and visions (the difference is in the details; vision is like
an outline sketch and dream is like a photograph, therefore scriptures
state those who are spiritually young will see visions and the mature will
see dreams). Elihu also states the Lord at times stops man from doing his
wishes like making a great name for himself and exposes his thinking as
futile.

People may think all visions and dreams come from the Lord and that is not
so for Bible also states dreams/visions also come from worry, being over
burden (stated as over eating) and tiredness.

One may ask how to know if a dream is from the Lord, Elihu states a clue to
identify if it is possibly from the Lord. He states the Lord speaks not
once but twice.

I was blessed with the ability to understand dreams and visions (it's a
gradual process) from the Lord. One will find it easy if one understands
the Lord speaks in the same language which is using symbols. If one studies
the 3 books of Job, Daniel and Revelation, one would be able to interpret
dreams and visions easily.

I have experienced it in my life ever since I started hearing the voice of
God, that He speaks to us in many ways and one of them is through dreams
and visions. I can give numerous testimonies of how the Lord has warned,
prepared and exposed things hidden through dreams and visions (previously) .
In the start my teaching by the Lord was solely through dreams like that of
Daniel, but once the foundation was set they started reducing. Now the Word
(what I have understood) reveals itself to me.

The Lord has already spoken to us through His Word and is also speaking to
us in our lives. We can confirm it is His voice by comparing it with His
Word. He wants to guide us and mould us so as to save us from Hell and
punishment of judgment by His Word, for it is the Word which will judge us
when Jesus comes again. We can only be saved if we start to hear His voice
and to do this we need to be still in our lives, we need to be sober in our
desires of this world. The more we get attached to the things of this world
the more difficult it will be to hear His voice and be guided by Him.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are a Living God Who is always calling out to your children,
guiding them. But Lord we are lost in this world, the desires of our heart
for the things of this world drown your voice and we are unable to hear You
or be moulded by You. Lord, we pray that we lead sober lives, a life of
needs and not a carnal life of desires. That we not be like the animals,
but be beings that have a purpose which extent further than life in this
natural world...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
Job 33:14-18
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men,
in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose [deed], and hide pride
[lifting up] from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by
the sword.

Genesis 46:13 - And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and
Shimron.

Joel 2:28 - And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:


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Which blessing do you crave for?

Psalm 132:15 - I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her
poor [wants] with bread [food grains].

Today's scripture reveals very beautifully how we should preview our lives
in Christ. Psalm 132 verse 13 onwards talks of the Lord blessing Zion which
symbolizes those who have taken refuge in the Lord (His Word).

Most people think being blessed in worldly things shows the favour of God
on that person. Let us see what scriptures say.

Today's message puts that picture clearly. It talks of the Lord blessing
abundantly with provision but then the same scripture of the Lord blessing
her wants with bread. These 2 facts seem to contradict each other. One part
talks of abundance and the other part talks of the basics. It is only when
we realize where they point to, then alone the truth comes clear.

The Bible talks of us being blessed with riches according to His glory but
sadly to the worldly people our God is not a worldly God. He is spirit and
His riches are truly riches which do not perish by age or use but on the
contrary grows by time and use, for these are spiritual riches and not
worldly natural riches.

Coming to the natural, our God knows we dwell in a body and our body has
needs and for that God says He will provide what is necessary. The Bible
nowhere says God promises His people abundance of the riches of the world.
As Christians our primary goal is to overcome this world. We are spirit
being who have to overcome the corruption which got imputed into us by the
fruit of good and bad eaten by Adam and which has grown in us over
generations.

Jesus clearly says the Gospels those who are rich will have the most
difficult time to enter Heaven. He puts it as almost impossible and only
God can save them.

Those are blessed with riches are tested the most and that is why Jesus
says in the Beatitudes 'blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of
God'. It does not only mean poor is spirit it also means those who are not
rich in worldly things. It is not that riches are evil but it is that
riches are catalyst to the carnal desires of man. A rich man no longer
sober to communicate with the Spirit of God, the things of the world and
his like for good things start to hinder his communication with God.

Today's message speaks to those who take refuge in the Word of God, the
Lord is telling them He will bless them with real riches, about their
worldly needs the Lord is telling them they will not lack.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, in your Word You ask to over the desires of the flesh and be led by
the Spirit. Lord, this world is a temporary dwelling place for us; our real
home is with You in Heaven. A place made with the most precious things of
Heaven that is beyond the imagination of man. Lord, help us to overcome our
desires for the things of this world. Help us to know their true purpose
and help us to long for the real precious things of your Kingdom which
lasts forever...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.

[Reference Scriptures]
Psalm 132:13-18
13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with
bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall
shout aloud for joy.
17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for
mine anointed.
18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown
flourish.

Matthew 19:21-26
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for
he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich
man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who
then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible;
but with God all things are possible.

Luke 6:24 - But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your
consolation.

Luke 12:16-23
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have
no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build
greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required
of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward
God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no
thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye
shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

2 Corinthians 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making
many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell
that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in
heaven: and come and follow me.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

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Trust the Word, He is our shield.

Proverbs 30:5 - Every word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that
take refuge in him.

I was on a vacation with my family. I travelled to Bangalore by train and
then on to Mysore and Ooty by road. A few months back when I went to book
my tickets for a comfortable A/C coach I did not get it and had to adjust
with the non A/C both ways. At that time I was a little disappointed since
I had my small daughter with us and we wanted her to be as comfortable as
possible. But after returning from the trip I would say the Lord did the
best thing through the whole trip.

While going we had Hindus and while coming we had Muslim families round
about us in the train. They had come on RAC (without confirmation) and had
problems when it came to sleeping. Since we could spare a sleeper between
my wife, my daughter and me, we offered that to the families. This later
allowed us to get into comfortable conversation with them and that allowed
me to speak about God and the Bible unto them.

While talking to the Hindus’ I was sharing about who God is and how all
other gods did not exist. I also shared about creation and how through
creation we can know the Creator. Also how God is a living God who works
wonders in our lives when we acknowledge Him. Then lastly I led them to the
Bible through which we can know Him.

With the Muslim families I started by talking about their religious books
(Quran and Hadiths) and that opened the door to let me show them that their
religious books were unreliable, false and that their Allah is not God the
Creator. This time too I concluded with them on how the Bible is the Word
of God and no other book gives the Truth.

Even the drivers of the vehicles we engaged through and fro from Bangalore
to Ooty via Mysore, I (along with a believer family who joined us) managed
to share the Truth of the Word and expose the false they believed in; one
driver was a Muslim and the other a Catholic.

We did not fear people, place or crowd, we were so bold because we were
confident with the Word of God, for we knew every word in the Bible stands
tried and tested since years. Even though none of us have the whole
knowledge of the Word yet we had confident of the Word since it has never
failed us.

Also long before we started our trip the Lord had warned on a certain area
which I took caution of; otherwise we had no fear of anything. Our God is
not an imagination or concept but a living God and His Word comes alive
when we trust and take refuge in Him.

Today the Lord is telling us in the world there will be resistance and
problems but when we trust in His Word and take refuge in it by abiding by
it, the Lord will protect us and be our shield.

[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are true to your Word and every word You speak comes to pass and
blesses those who take refuge in your Word. Let us be bold in the world and
witness the Word not fearing anyone or anything. Lord, your Word does not
say there will be no problems but says You will protects us and be our
shield even when problems surround us. Help us Lord to witness You and the
Truth to the world...

This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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