Tuesday, December 31, 2013

New Path, Road, Doors! Happy New Year 2014!


Who would not want to be the first occupant of a newly built house?
Who would not want to ride a new car home?
Who would not want to be the first to take the newly laid road?
Who would not want to be called the First?

Well, then why do we hesitate when the LORD opens the new door, shows a new place, direct a new path?

We rely on the builders of rich experience that we entrust in their hands, our abode for the rest of our life to have a roof on our head and walls to shield us from all seasons.

We rely on the renown Japanese or German Automobile manufactures to take us to places.

We rely on the highly skilled labors for that smooth and great looking gravel road.

Then, Why not the LORD, GOD Almighty? Jehovah - whose track record is filled with mighty miracles - Who kept his promise to Abraham, Who blessed Jacob, Who opened a new position for Joseph, Who killed a giant with a sling & stone, Who tied the mouths of lions, Who provided food for Elijah thru Ravens, Who came down to earth as vulnerable babe & Who died for our sins!

Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.


Let us remember the promise and get into this New Year 2014 with much faith and confidence that we have been called to use this new path in wilderness and called to be the first to drink from the rivers in desert.

Praise the LORD! A very happy New Year! 
Revelations 3:8 I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

DETOUR!



Matthew2:1 
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

These three wise men said to have come from the land of Persia, which was hundreds of miles away from Bethlehem.  Non Jewish, but being the believers of the prophecy of  Daniel prophecy these well-read men take this holy mission of meeting the Messiah risking their life. For the undeniable astronomical evidences quoted in Book of Numbers clearly point the time and location of birth of the King of Israel. After making that tiring, risky journey thru mountainous terrain and desert crossing many borders of different lands occupied by Roman they were indeed blessed with the opportunity of meeting, adoring and paying respect to the King of kings.  Then there was a change of plan.


12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Sometimes the LORD would intervene, offering a change of plan in our spiritual journey, suggesting a new way, a Detour. Those wisemen are truly wise to heed to the LORD’s warning and submit to the Detour. The Bible says they reached their own country without any issues.

Today or in this coming New Year we might be presented with a Detour by the LORD, Let us put our reasoning ability aside and trust HIS faithfulness in our journey to home. For HIS plans and path are best to stick to!

Praise the LORD!




Saturday, December 28, 2013

Promises for USA & Interceding Prayer Partners!


Christmas Message 2013 - By Pastor.John Prabaharan


In a recent book by Colin Humphreys, The Star of Bethlehem discusses the evidence of Star of Bethlehem as a comet which was visible in 5 BC, and described in ancient Chinese astronomical records. A comet uniquely fits the description in Matthew of a star which newly appeared, which traveled slowly through the sky against the star background and which 'stood over' Bethlehem. 

Following are the direct quotes from the book:
“ The Chinese kept careful astronomical records of visible comets, novae etc, and used different terms to describe them.19 A tailed comet was called a sui-hsing, meaning a broom star, the 'broom' referring to the tail of the comet (traditionally the Chinese character read as sui has been read as hui, but sui is probably more correct, M. Loewe, private communication). A comet without a tail is called a po-hsing, and a nova is called a k'o-hsing, meaning guest-star. A clear distinction is not always made between novae and comets without a tail. Ho Peng-Yoke20 lists and translates ancient Chinese records of comets and novae. Those appearing within the period 20 BC to AD 10 are all described as comets. These objects are the only recorded astronomical phenomena appearing near the birth of Christ which satisfy the description in Matthew's gospel of a star that moved through the sky and that 'stood over' a place.”
“The description of this in the Chinese Han shu, the official history of the former Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 9), on which Ho Peng-Yoke depends, is as follows:
    'Second year of the Chien-p'ing reign period, second month (5 BC, March 9-April 6), a suibsing appeared at Ch'ien-niu 
    for over 70 days.'

The passage in the Han shu also includes what is termed a traditional comment relating to this 5 BC comet which indicates that this comet was regarded as being of particular significance”
As the passage from book says the Significance of this star is pretty unique
1. It moves at the speeds of 30 miles/hr in the sky which is similar to the speed of the camel on the desert
2. It will move during the night and would stop moving in the day time. Again, would start moving from the exact place it stopped.
3. Last but not the least, it was moving east to west which is against the natural phenomena. All the stars move from west to east.

What the LORD let us infer from this appearance of star and by his birth as vulnerable child in Manger is
1. He comes to our likeness. 
2. He comes in our form.
3. He comes as a son of simple carpenter
4. He comes in our speed. He is not moving at his speed, but our speed to keep up with us.
Because He knows our troubles, our afflictions, our limitations, our struggles and our problems!

What a wonderful and loving GOD we serve! Come let us pray and rejoice the birth of our LORD, Christ Jesus!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

HOW can he die for us?

Have you ever wondered how Jesus Christ, the messiah died 2000 yrs ago for the sin you have committed now or the sins to be committed by some of your brothers/sisters in future?

Well, I have. As I couldn’t comprehend I decided to focus on the parts of GOD’s word, that I can understand and I can assimilate.

I guess, I did the right thing. As I stayed on course, it dawned on me like a spring morning!
JESUS CHRIST, the Messiah is THE SON of GOD himself. And he died for our sins. 

And who is GOD? The GOD exalted by David in Psalms, the GOD exclaimed by Prophets, the GOD who explained himself as “I am Who I am” to Moses? Who is HE? & What is GOD?

GOD is Omnipresent.
GOD is Omniscient.
GOD is Omnipotent.
GOD who existed, existing and will be existing.
GOD who knows everything.
GOD who is Al mighty.
GOD is timeless. HE is infinite. HE is everything.

 It all makes sense. It’s simple to put it all together now.  So it is evident that only the son of such great GOD with that attributes can be made as a sacrifice for the sins of the human race. No man or Animal can do that. Such sacrifices can be timeboxed and will be limited.

It is logical that Son of GOD has to be sacrificed. And that exactly happened as the darling of heaven walked on the rubbles to climb a tree and to die for every one of us. (John 3:16)

HE died for us even when were sinners.(Romans 5:8)

At this season of giving, let us remember the gift from heaven, the manna from GOD, Jesus and rejoice in him. Let HIS sacrifice be made worthy. Let HIS sacrifice serve the purpose in our life. Let us be thankful for HIS priceless blood. Let us give praise for HIS forgiveness.

Our GOD is the most loving and merciful father, didnt he send his precious son for us!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Parable of the “actual” Lost son


Luke  15:22-32
 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.


“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

We have read, studied and quoted the parable of the lost son in many different angles. I am sure just like many, you would have applied your situations of the lost son, marveled at mercy and grace of the loving father. May be, you also read about the love of the waiting father. His faith and prayers just like one of the post by Sis.Yamini.

Here is another angle of this parable to ponder. This angle would also name the parable as “Parable of the Lost Son” except the lost son is the not the one who returned but about the son who lived with the father in the same house.

Though the focus of the parable is on the youngest son, the ending note of the parable leaves the reader of the Bible or the listener with questions on the older son.

Let us see the character of Older son:
1.    He was obedient unlike the youngest son

2.    He did not squander the wealth in evil ways

3.    He did not ask his share of wealth when his brother got his portions from the father.

4.    He worked hard in the father’s fields from dawn to dusk.

5.    He kept the father’s respect of the house

However, Luke 15:25 reflects something more about
1.    He was not paying attention or not sensitive to the Father’s grief over his youngest son.

2.    Or Even if he had noticed, he did not partake in his Father’s grief or try to console/comfort his father in grief.

We knew this because; he was stunned by the feast given by his Father to his youngest. This speaks his heart.
·       His heart is unforgiving. He lists the sins of the younger son.

·       He expects his father should not do things without his consent.

·       His heart is filled with anger for his Father. So he inquires about the celebration to a servant and not to his father.

·       He decides not to attend the festivity which is humiliating of his father in front of the guests.

·       He could have expressed his anger in private, but he stands outside to register his contempt known to the people around and also to his brother.

·       When his father talks to him he does not address him “Father”. He goes into the discussion directly, which shows his disrespectful.

·       He questions his father’s judgment.

Yet, what do you see as the response of the father
1.    He comes out of the feast to convince the older son. Leaving the feast would have got the gathered guest’s attention. Yet, the father does that for he wants his older son to be part of the celebration

2.    He doesn’t talk or argue or justify. He PLEADS

3.    He affectionately calls him “Son”. 

4.    He explains the privilege and rights that the Older son already possess. The father reminds of the older son’s inheritance.

5.    The passage clearly tells that the Father is deeply hurt by the older son’s action.

Just like that there are so many lost sheeps reaching pen. There are so many lost souls getting saved and brought back to the LORD’s fort. But his Israel, the holy nation, the body of Christ had not inherited the heart of the father in tending and rearing the “found” sheeps. We are like Pharisees or the people of the Old Testament with hearts hardened by the laws and our own righteousness. We are in the mansion, yet we rebuke the master of the house by the actions and thoughts. We are close yet so far. We do the father’s work but without understanding the insight of the end result.

In this parable, you will realize that being the younger son is much better than the older son. 

Matthew 20:14 -16
Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’  So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

It is a warning parable to us to always gauge ourselves as we grow in the faith. It is not just the Al Mighty’s grace and power we inherit. We should constantly challenge ourselves to imitate the heart of the father to extend the same grace and mercy to others. That is the true inheritance!

Monday, December 16, 2013

HE will do that for me!


When the darkness drape in
When my eyes are misty
When my heart beats heavy
When my breath is not easy
I think of my savior
The King of Kings
Who died for me on the cross….
If HE can do that for me
He is sure to let me out of this mess!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

I am Mary, How do I know?


I am Mary,
How  do I know?
How can you know?
That I am Mary

Yes, Surely I know
I am Mary
Just as the servant girl
Housed the divinity
The light of the world
The Immanuel
The Messiah
The Christ,
I house HIM in my broken heart

HE is the babe in my barn
Wrapped in my rags
HE shines HIS light
Wading my darkness away
Smiling & Cooing
HE let me cradle him
In my arms and lets me say songs

Oh! How sweet HIS love
Vulnerable Babe took my vulnerabilities away
Yes, I am Mary
I house the divinity

HE lives in me
Leading me
Teaching me
Taking me
To that blessed place of HIS grace
To that best place of HIS abundance
To dine in HIS presence

Yes, I am Mary
Sure, I do know
Now you know too
And, You can be a Mary
If you too try!
Come let us Magnify
His name we glorify!
For you and I are Mary
We house HIS divinity!