Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Temporary groaning and Forever Glory

Future Glory

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because [6] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [7] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God's Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be [8] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [9] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Source: http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Romans+8

Posted by Raj at 07:59:00 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Preaching of Gospel initiates freedom

"Jesus disciples were willing to fearlessly proclaim freedom to the oppressed, because Jesus' resurrection convinced his disciples of the validity of the claim he had made... that "I am the resurrection and the life. He who belives in me will live even though he dies..." Dr. Mangalwadi (India: the grand experiment)

This is absolutely true. There was a time when the disciples were afraid, and were timid to share their faith. And not only that but were not even ready to identify with Jesus on the cross but when the Holy Spirit enabled them, they were filled with such a power they could not resist to witness to the Name, not only to their fellows in Israel but even to Romans, under whose dominion Jesus was crucified and beyond that to the Greeks, who thought they were the wisest people in the world.

When disciples rightly understood the missions, they indeed forshook their professions and families and went on spreading the Gospel, for they were convinced of the Truth and the power of God was with them as they shared what they had seen with their own eyes.

Jesus was the revolutionary Messiah, He himself took the initiative to fight the evil of the heart and of society. He broke the barriers and defended the poor, widows, outcaste, lepers, prostitutes and sinners of that time. He before going to heaven gave that misison to the disciples to keep it on. And they did it.

We Christians are not behind and have not forgotten that unfinished task of the Christ. We still carry it in India and other contries even to the most difficult areas of the world, we don't preach Christ to make Christianity largest religion in the world (it is already there) the number does not big difference in the kingdom, it is the quality of life which matters. It is for this quality of life, we are trying to reform and change through the preaching of the Gospel.

The believers in our nation are trying to carry that same command of Christ to continue to love the poor, and oppressed inspite of the problems and injustices. Let's NOT loose heart for Gospel sets oppressed free. Wherever this truth will be preached, the human heart, the society and the institutions will experience the truth and freedom. May we continue to engage in that noble task of setting people free following the example of the Great Messiah, Jesus Christ and His Apostles.
Posted by Raj at 13:26:39 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Jesus came to seek

 I was comforted by this verse last night as I was thinking about it. The Bible says, "Jesus came to seek what was lost." This is a profound truth of the word of God. The Word of God gives us hope in different situations.

Actually, the truth can be diffrenticiated easily. And it can be compared with a simple test of life situations. What I mean to say is, our old religion always taught us to 'seek God' and 'search for Him' in the remote places, far from society, go to find Him in the mountains, where everyone can not reach easily, take baths in the cold winter nights, or go to the destination by making your body suffer (scrolling down). Finally, if you are a normal person of the society, when you are old, leave your family and be a sanyasi or ascetic in the jungles to find the peace and God there.

When I read of this Bible verse that 'God came to seek us" it comforted me and made me to believe it. Actually, where a mere human (full of limitations) being can we find God. The Bible tells us that We did not choose HIM but rather He chose us to be His followers.

The Bible teaches us that It is He, who came to find us. It is God, who sought Adam, and asked him to come and meet Him in the garden of Eden. It is God Himself who takes initiative to find the humanity in our first parents, even when they had sinned against HIM (for God knew man in his search perhaps would never find HIM but thanks be to God that He chose to reveal Himself to his people, specially to the people whom the world considerd foolish and degrading.

We find that God Himself made a covenant with His people that He Himself will give a sign, that is Jesus Christ will come in the form of God-man to the earth. Here we find that God did not hide Himself in the mountains or difficult places but He came to the people, whom He has created to live with and to reveal Himself to them.

WE should praise God that He found us, He chose us, He called us, He predestined us, He took the initiative for our salvation, He became man, He took the decision in eternity to save us. He made covenant and He did not forget that.


Lord thankyou for seeking us, Lord thankyou for organizing things to save us. Lord thankyou for taking the initiative in all the matters related to our physical and spirituality. Lord thankyou for preparing the world before bringing our first parents in the beautiful world.

Thankyou Lord that we dont need to wander in search of you now. Lord thankyou that we dont need to make our bodies suffer to please you and to make us holy before you. We fully acknowledge that holiness come from you and not from our hard works, and rituals.

Lord give wisdom to those who are still searching you. Reveal yourself on the people, who are still praying to come to Light and Life. Thankyou for being so kind, compassionate and gracious for seeking us and finding us in Jesus Christ our Lord! 

Glory and honor be to your Name alone now and forever more....

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Saturday, November 10, 2007

Is there still hope for the Dalits?

With the coming of breath of God the dry bones had come to life and become a mighty army (Ez 37:1-14).


The dry bones represented the weak and dead Israel (v.11) Dry bones were pictures of failures and defeat. They had been lying out side of the society in a valley. People did not come to them, for they smell.
 Ezekiel was asked by God if there was any hope for them. He simply replied, Lord I don’t know. YOU ALONE KNOW.
Prophet Ezekiel was a man, and from his perspective LIFE for the dead was not possible. There was none to give them life. There was none to care for them. They had been defeated and were crushed to death. They had died there with the expectation of victory but sadly they were overpowered and there was none to fight for them and to be an encouragement for them. There was no hope for them.
But they had hope one time…Now it was gone. Now no more sign of a bright future (V.11).

While there seems to be no way…..God makes the WAY. While there seems to be no hope, God brings the hope. While there seems to be all sad and gloomy, God brings the Good News. While there seems to be oppression and captivity….God brings the trumpet of joy and the message of Deliverance. While we were Yet sinners God sent His Son for us…

The Lord said to Ezekiel, O man, there is still hope for these people, who have been defeated and lying here. They can still stand up and they will come to life and fight for their causes (V.6)
How that was possible?
God said to Prophet Ezekiel GO AND PREACH TO THE DRY BONES.
EZEKIEL WITHOUT DOUBTING: OBEYED GOD AND PREACHED (v.7).
(Ezekiel did not ask, Lord they have no ear to hear).
Lord why should I waste my time with these life less bones?
Lord What if I get sick by walking in the valley full of the bones? etc
 BUT Because of the SIMPLE OBEDIENCE AND THE POWER OF WORD and the WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…
A MIGHTY MIRACLE TOOK PLACE: THE BONES BEGAN TO MOVE, THE LIFE LESS BONES STOOD UP ON THEIR FEET AND BECAME A MIGHTY ARMY (V.10).
This is how the hope of dry bones came alive. When the Word of God was ministered to the STINKING, hopeless, defeated and dead people, the Holy Spirit worked in them thru the Preaching of   Word.
Dalits have been in the same state as the dry bones of the valley. They have been mistreated, victimized by injustices, their dignity have been put to death. They have been a defeated people by the upper castes. They have been crushed physically, socially and spiritually.
 And there was and there is none to care for them. All people turned their faces from them. No body came to see them in their miseries and oppressed ways. People hated them very much. They made them live outside of their village. They feared their shadow would make them polluted. People feared of serving them anything good for they feared of excommunication from the society and loosing of many benefits.
 The gods, Dalits worshipped declared no hope for them. They added to their miseries by causing their adherents to treat them more and more cruelly. They said, they deserved sufferings and oppressions for they have “bad karmas’ in their previous births. They said, they only deserved to be mistreatments and injustices for being born in ‘lower castes’ and finally the curses of the gods.
THEY DID NOT CONSIDR THESE PEOPLE EVEN HUMANS BUT LIKE AND EVEN LOWER THAN ANIMALS. THE ANIMALS HAD FREEDOM, THEY CAN WALK FREELY IN THE SOCIETY AND JUNGLE BUT DALITS NO, THEY COULD NOT.  THEY MADE AND DECLARED THEM “NO PEOPLE”.
While all this was going on….The Bible says, “While we were yet sinners, God sent his Son for us.”
Yes, Jesus has come to give us hope. Jesus has come to preach and teach us. Jesus has come to seek us. Jesus has come to give us rest. Jesus has come to love us. Jesus has come to call us his own. Jesus has come to give us life. Jesus has come to be our living bread. Jesus has come to quench our thirst. Jesus has come make us his blessed people. Jesus has come to declare us; you are more valued than a sparrow. Jesus has come to give us life.
Jesus has come to make us an army (triumphant people). Jesus has come to set the captives’ free. Jesus has come to show God love in action. Jesus has come to make the walls of disunity to be broken. Jesus has come to deliver us. Jesus has come to be our leader. Jesus has come to identify with us. Jesus has come to be our Good Shepherd. Jesus has come to call us his people. Jesus has come to show us the Way. Jesus has come to make us walk. Jesus has come to heal our diseases. Jesus has come to make us see. Jesus has come to experience us social and spiritual freedom. Jesus has come to give the dignity as part of his beautiful creation. 
 The same Jesus of Nazareth, the humble man, who was born to set His people Free, calls us today to set us freeeeee… from the bondage of death and the bondage of social and spiritual oppression.
 He is still alive. He is still at work. He is still calling people COME TO ME, I WILL GIVE YOU REST. He wants us to be our Messiah.  He wants to make the Dalits move. He wants Dalits to be in the Shepherd Fold. He wants Dalits to hear His voice and be alive. He wants us to experience LIFE. He does not delight in our dark state. He wants us to be the part of his Life which shines in the dark World.
How can Dalits become His living sons and daughters? How can they have hope? How can their filthiness and bad smells be removed? How can they have the life of dignity and honor? How can they experience the joy eternal? How can they rejoice in HIM always? How can their eyes be opened? How can they hear again?
 Well the answer is IF THEY CAN HEAR THE MESSAGE OF HOPPE.
If can hear the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.
HOW CAN THEY HEAR? UNLESS SOME ONE SHARES IT WITH THEM LIKE PROHHET EZKILE DID IT WITH THE BONES.
WELL MUCH DEPENDS ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD NOW.
 GOD WANTS IT…………
DALITS, THE OPPRESSED, VICTIM OF INJUSTICES, THE WOMAN, THE CHILDREN, “NO PEOPLE” WANT IT…………
BUT DO YOU MY CHRISTIAN Friends DO YOU also WANTS IT?
DO YOU WANT TO SEE MIRACLES HAPPENING? DO YOU WANNA SEE DEAD, STINKING, PEOPLE WALKING AND REJOICEING?
Is there any hope for the Dalits today in this world?
Yes…. Yes…. yes
 Make the people hear it. Make the people believe it. Give the people option. Give the people hope. You yourself have to have a hope.
 LIKE THE PROPHET EZKIEL OUR MESSAGE SHOULD BE FULL OF HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT, FULL OF CHALLENGE, FULL OF COMPASSION AND FULL OF LOVE.
 IF THE CHIRSITIAN BELIVERS ARE WILLING TO OBEY, GOD WILL DO HIS PART. LET’S DO IT. NOW WE DON’T NEED ANY MORE REVELATIONS OF GOD TO GO AND PREACH.
 JESUS ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR, GO…….AND MAKE DISCIPLES ALL NATIONS.
 YES, THE BLIND WILL SEE, THE LAME WILL WALK, THE DUMB WILL SPEAK, THE OPPRESSED WILL BECOME STRONG, THE CAPTIVES WILL EXPERINCE FREEDOM, AND THE DEAD WILL COME TO LIFE.
WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE…..amen

 

Posted by Raj at 09:29:15 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |