THE WORDS OF GOD ARE OF THE SPIRIT, DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BY NATURAL MAN

The Words of God are of the Spirit and are difficult to understand by natural man. We need the help of God through the Holy Spirit to understand.

Read the following with prayer :-

JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE :

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the BREAD OF LIFE. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.  All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the BREAD that came down from heaven.” 

…………“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God. ’Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the BREAD OF LIFE. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the BREAD that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the LIVING BREAD  that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This BREAD is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his  FLESH  to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the FLESH of the Son of Man and drink his BLOOD, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my FLESH and drinks my BLOOD has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my FLESH is real food and my BLOOD is real drink. Whoever eats my FLESH and drinks my BLOOD remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the BREAD that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this BREAD will live forever.” 

MANY DISCIPLES DESERT JESUS

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The WORDS I have spoken to you—THEY ARE FULL OF THE SPIRIT AND LIFE. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” 

For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 

He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

 (John 6: 25-70)

FRIENDS, let the answer of Pater be ours, too. For that let’s  repeat saying what Peter said  - “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD

Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.   So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

Jesus said to his disciples, “Lazarus is dead. But let us go to him.”

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 

When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 

Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 

When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 

 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

 Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.

 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone.

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. (John 11:1-45)

Friends, Jesus is alive even today and forever. He still raised the dead and heals sicks and will do forever.

Call on Him now, He will answer you.

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION IS MARK WITH SACRIFICE

‘Impossible’ is man’s word, ‘Everything Possible’ is God’s word.

God can do everything, impossible for man is possible for God.

God saves all who obey Him from death and punishment. God cause everything happen in His will.

Woman can bear child only when contacted with man. But Mary was exceptional. She was found pregnant without husband. According to the Law of the Jews, she was adulterer – must be put (stoned) to death.

Mary’s life was in danger– must be put (stoned) to death.

To man - she must have had committed adultery that she bored a child without husband – must be put (stoned) to death.

However, Jesus, the Saviour of the world, could not have been born and we could not have received the forgiveness of God, if Mary had not risk her life.

Mary obeyed the Lord and risks her life to bear the child Jesus without human husband. She bored the child from the Holy Spirit, not seen by man. Very unnatural and exceptional, indeed. Not comprehensible for human being.

Who would believed if Mary defended herself that God caused her pregnant, from the Holy Spirit. No one, not any Jew’s priest would believe her words without eye witness, which is impossible as none can see the Holy Spirit with naked eye. So, Mary must be put (stoned) to death.

God knows everything. He knew the Jew’s Law, too. He knew that Mary belongs to Jew and was under Jew’s Law. God knew that Mary must be put to death if she was found with a child without human husband. So, God commanded Joseph to marry her. Joseph obeyed the Lord and married Mary. Thus, God saved Mary from capital punishment, through Joseph.

Jesus, the Saviour and the Messiah (Christ) was born and Joseph named Him ‘Jesus’ as God had commanded.

SERMONIZE:

Girls, will you dare to risk your life like as Mary did?

Boys, will you be kind enough and sympathetic to safe a girl from such risk if it ever happens in your life?

Suppose, our Missionary Pastor request you girls, ‘there is one new believer, recently baptized, is a poor man living single without proper income as his family had sent out of house. He need wife. Please marry him that he may life a happy family life with you and do the Lord’s work with him in mission field. Will you dare? It is 90 per cent less of the risk bored by Mary. Will you dare to leave your home town and live with him in a remote village, for the sake of God’s mission?

Boys, if our Missionary Pastor brings a poor girl from Mission field and say, “this poor girl is uneducated, recently baptized. Her villagers sent her out from their village after gang-raped as she become Christian. Now, she is pregnant because of that gang rape. She must be married or lead a miserable life. Please, marry her for God’s shake.

Boys, will you marry her for the shake of Gospel?

Mary risks her life by obeying God. Joseph saved Mary from capital punishment by obeying God.

Therefore, Mary becomes the most loved, known, honoured woman, became the coveted mother of the Saviour of the world and her name will never be forgotten. Joseph became counted as the human father of the Saviour of the world and his name will always be remembered.

Jesus became the Saviour of the world (every man). But not every man is saved. Only those who believe in God, the Creator and who send Jesus to the world as well as believe in Jesus – accepting Him as personal Lord and Saviour are saved from the wrath of God and eternal condemnation, but have everlasting life to live forever with God.

But, every man of the world can become saved, if and when they believe. The Salvation work has been done and completed by Jesus Christ, once for all. Jesus Has sacrificed His life, died on the cross to save all from eternal death and rose again to make room for us in Heaven, to give the right to call “the children of God to all who believe in God and in His name” (John 1:12).

There are many people, in many religion, who are still practicing ‘animal sacrifice’, ‘blood sacrifices’ to please gods and goddesses; to save themselves from the wrath of and to receive help as well as blessings from their gods and goddesses. These people are still far from the Salvation through Jesus Christ.

These people still do not know or accepted that Jesus Christ has sacrificed His life, body and blood for us once for all; no more need to ‘sacrifice blood and life’ to the only true God, the Creator of all created things. Only, one has to do this –

-       “Believe that the only true God had sent His Son Jesus Christ to this world to save all the people of the world;

-      That Jesus has sacrificed His life, body and blood and died on the Cross on behalf of all, completed the necessity of sacrificing ‘flesh and blood’, once for all (no longer necessary for those who believe);

-      That God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and given Him to grant the right (power) to call ‘the children of God’ all who believe in Him. The Children of God are saved from the power of evil power (Sin/Satan) and its control but are saved from the evil power and control; these people are given the Holy Spirit by God in Jesus name – to help, guide, protect and lead a godly life here on earth and guaranteed to live with God forever with God in Heaven after physical dead.

-      - To acknowledge, confess that he/she is sinner ( live away from God, and under the influence of sin/satan); repent (turn away from the sinful life) and turn toward God; ask the forgiveness of God; call Jesus to save him/her from the power of sin and to clean him/her from sin; declare that he/she accepted Jesus Christ and personal Lord and Saviour; thank that He (Jesus) died for him and make him God’s child; ask to give him/her the holy Spirit – to help, comfort and help him live a worthy life as the Child of God; say all this in prayer in Jesus name.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Jesus showed that the most important thing we could do is ‘Love’. 

Some church leaders came and have conversation about God’s word. One Deacon asked, “what is the fruit you are always talking?”

I responded, repeating my speech on the last Saturday in our church, saying, “ Yes, what you, leaders say is correct. Money is necessary to run the church functioning. Without church set up, a single individual can not do much work to spread the Gospel. Good work is necessary and is the mirror of every person. Attending church is necessary to grow in faith and share faith in God and is the will of God that we live and grow together.

However, the fruit, every true Christian must have are –

¹⁾       ‘Love’ for God and others;

²⁾       ‘JOY’ for having eternal life and all the blessings he receives from God

³⁾       ‘Peace of mind’ in any situation, knowing God do everything for good and sure of his salvation in Jesus Christ;

⁴⁾       Has ‘Patience’ in every situation;

⁵⁾       Has ‘kindness’ to all;

⁶⁾       He is ‘good’ for all and in every work;

⁷⁾       He is ‘faithful’ in every dealing;

⁸⁾       His ‘gentleness’ is known to all, and

⁹⁾       Has ‘self control’.

The Bible says, “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Many Christian try and leaders also teach to be good with good and moral character, live a good life and do good works. Leaders rebuke, insult and expose when the members of the church. Leaders teach – ‘Do this, Don’t Do this’ and show them rules and laws to follow strictly to be good, ‘to do this’, ‘not to do that’. Selecting suitable verses from the Bible are read out, rebuke the members in a suitable situation.

All try their best to bear ‘fruits of the spirit’ in own strength and all fail. We must fail, God will never help us so long as we take steps in our own strength. He will help only when we know our weakness, surrender to Him, pray for His forgiveness of our sin and fault of not relying on Him and ask earnestly for His help.

How can we bear the holy fruit, ‘the fruits of the spirit’, so long as ‘the blood of Adam’s and Eve’s sin are still in us and so long we live with sin?

If we ever can, Jesus, the Son of God, need not have come to this world from the Father God in Heaven and died on the cross for us.

We will never bear ‘fruits of the spirit’ ! It is Jesus Himself who will bear these fruits in us, when He lives in us, in the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, Jesus says, in John 15 :1-8 - “I am the true vine, …… Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

So long you are not in Jesus, the tree, you are not the branch of Jesus. Jesus is now, after He died of earthly dead, He is in Spirit. We must have Jesus as our spirit, have the forgiveness of God and have Salvation in Jesus Christ. Only then, Jesus will live in us as the Spirit (the Holy Spirit).

When the Holy Spirit lives in us, He (the Holy Spirit) bears the fruits of the spirit in us. He will makes the fruits appear before the people and others will enjoy these fruits.

When, the fruit of the spirit – ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control’, is bear by the Holy Spirit, giving tithes, offering, donation, good works, good behaviour, good life, etc. are automatically come out from where the fruit of the spirit come, from the Holy Spirit in us.

Our only duty is ‘to remain in Jesus’ and we are in Jesus, when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour; and the Holy Spirit live in us.

BIBLE STUDY IN A JOURNALIST’S STYLE : INTRODUCTION : LOVE LETTER OF GOD FOR US

INTRODUCTION :

God love us so much that He sends a ‘Love Letters’ to us and request us to be His beloved partner for eternity. But the different men who had written down in human languages recorded these ‘Love Letters’ as ‘Gospel’, ‘Testament’, ‘Letters’, etc. and some translated as ‘Laws’, ‘Commandments’, ‘Covenant’, ‘Good News’, ‘Good Words’, etc. The compilers bounded together all these ‘Love Letters of God for Us’ in a big volume book and called it ‘The Bible’.

Earlier, I had considered it a burden to read the Bible that it would expose my guilt and should comings; it would order me to do difficult works, follow hard and fast rules.

But, after Jesus changed me, I find all these ( books of the Bible) are nothing but ‘Love Letters of God to us’ as the purpose of all these Letters are the same and one in all – ‘To be in Love with God so that we may have the blessings of God and have a good, joyous, comfort, successful, blessed life here on earth with the help of God in the name of  His Son Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit and live with God for ever after we die a physical dead’. Since then, I study the Bible daily with enjoyment and find helpful guide every time I read.

Consider what the Bible says, “ He gives the right to become the children of God” (John 1:12), “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16), “I will be with you” (Matthew 28:20), “God is Love”(1 John 4:8) and all through the pages the love of God is written in the Bible.

If you ever consider the Bible as a binding commandment or order or Law, you will never enjoy to read but will read only as a compulsion even if you read. Instead, study the Bible to find out how much God loves you and how to get the Love of God and receive the blessing of God. This is the fact that God inspired the writers to write down how we can become God’s children that we may receive the unending blessing of God when we become His dear children – not only here on earth or after dead as some think. Rather, by becoming God’s child, you will receive the blessings of God as soon as you become His child and continue to receive while living here on earth and to the fullest in Heaven after dead.

.Paradise is the place where Jesus reign

Paradise is the place where Jesus reign, where we will fully enjoy all the blessings of God with happy, joyous, and unlimited enjoyment of the blessings of God after life on earth. But  we start enjoying this life even here on earth when Jesus reigns in our life – being King of kings, controlling and directing our life; God blesses us with the all the blessings in the name of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.

Know this secret:

On the day, when we accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour, Lord Jesus says to us,

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)

Then, God gives us the Holy Spirit and start blessing us with all the good things through the Holy Spirit which help us live a joyous, blessed and successful life.

A BLESSED LIFE IN JESUS : 1. BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Friends, God bless you with ‘A BLESSED LIFE IN JESUS’. You know, since, I first met Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, in April 2010, I started seeking prayers help from many Christians to pray for me that I may live “ a Spirit filled life”. Since, then God is blessing me with ‘A Blessed Life in Jesus’.

Friends, I have really know from experience that we need the help of Jesus through the Holy Spirit to live a Christian live. We must to be filled with the Holy Spirit, as Apostle Paul instructs us “Be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18). Unless, we will not be able to lead a worthy live by our own strength. Our Saviour knows this very well. So, when He rose from the dead and left this earth, Jesus said God would send the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believed in Him.

          Jesus said to His disciples when he rose from the dead and just to leave this earth, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)