Spend Money Wisely

Scripture:“You have planted much but harvest little…You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes.” Haggai 1:6

Are you constantly spending more than you earn? 

YOU ARE JESUS’ BROTHER OR SISTER

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12 : 46-50)

WHAT DOES FORGIVENESS FEEL LIKE?

What emotions accompany forgiveness?

 “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2

Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others.

FORGIVE OTHERS AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU

Scripture: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Luke 7:41-42 (NLT)

Once Jesus shared a meal with a very judgmental person. He used this story to show that a person who understands their debt and receives forgiveness will have great love for the one who forgives. Being judgmental and unforgiving shows that you have little regard for God’s forgiveness.

WHAT DOES FORGIVENESS FEEL LIKE?

What emotions accompany forgiveness?

 “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2

Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others.

God’s Forgiveness

Freedom from sin is freedom from its guilt; this freedom is brought to us by God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. God“...is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). You can be confident God’s grace is working in your life: “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). When you are forgiven, you might experience joy and the feeling a great “burden” (Matthew 11:28) has been lifted.

PRAY BELIEVING YOU RECEIVE

...Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ~Mark 11:24 (NIV)

“Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian.” - Andrew Murray

Mark 11:24 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible. It puts no limits on God. It puts no limits on what you can ask for. It simply says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” It does not say it might be yours. It does not say it could be yours. It says it WILL be yours. So what are you praying about?

Here are some ideas to add to your prayer list:

PRAY WITHOUT DOUBT

I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ~Mark 11:23 (NIV)

“Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” - The Kneeling Christian

In the beginning of time as God created the universe, Satan watched with envy. Not long before, Satan had been thrown out of heaven for trying to usurp God’s authority. He nursed his wounded ego as God made light, the world, the sun, the moon, stars, plants, fish, and animals. Then he saw God create Adam and Eve. He jealously watched as God began to fellowship with the first man and woman.

Pray With Faith

...Have faith in God… ~Mark 11:22 (NIV)

“There are no bonds faith cannot break, no fetters it cannot sever, no dungeon it cannot open, no disease it cannot heal, no victory it cannot win.” - Oral Roberts

One of the most important elements of prayer is faith. In Mark chapter 11, Jesus told His disciples to pray in faith. The writer of Hebrews told us it’s impossible to please God without faith. In writing to the Romans, Paul instructed that the just shall live by faith. So why is faith so important?

Here is a brief overview of what faith is and why it is essential to our lives:

* Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of heaven.

RECEIVE THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do." Acts 13: 38-39

God is the Creator. He is all in all, all powerful. He is faithful and just. He is love.

BE THANKFUL

...Let us be thankful... ~Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)

“Unless the heart is right the prayer must be wrong.” - The Kneeling Christian

An attitude of gratitude is the foundation to a fulfilling prayer life. In our fast-paced society, we often rush through the activities of life without ever stopping to say “Thank you.” But if we want aflourishing prayer life, we must first learn the art of thanksgiving.

As you go through your day today, take time to reflect upon the things for which you are grateful. And every time you think of a blessing in life, take a moment to tell the Lord thanks. At the end of the day, you’ll be surprised how many opportunities you had to express thanksgiving to your Heavenly Father.

BORN AGAIN

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3).

Again, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (John 3:6).

 When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you both died and came alive, all at once. You were born again. Paul says, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

BORN AGAIN GIVES ONE NEW NATURE :

Take Special Time and Place to Talk with God

As a love wants to talk with his/her beloved in solitude, a person deeply in love with Jesus also wants to talk in prayer in solitude  so that he may pray without any disturbances. 

 Setting aside special time and place to study the Bible and pray in solitude with deep meditation  regularly lead to a growing relationship with Christ and receiving spiritual gift.

Even, Jesus was doing the same while walking on this earth more than two thousand years ago. Jesus was and is God. He is God the Son. Even then, He Jesus frequently sought solitude to talk with Heavenly Father in prayer. Read :

Pray With Fervency

...The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ~James 5:16 (NKJV)

“Prayer must be aflame. Its ardor must consume. Prayer without fervor is as a sun without light or heat, or as a flower without beauty or fragrance. A soul devoted to God is a fervent soul, and prayer is the creature of that flame. He only can truly pray who is all aglow for holiness, for God, and for heaven.” - E. M. Bounds

The other day I was in a conversation with a person whose mind must have been somewhere else. He kept checking his watch, his eyes roamed the room, and he answered my questions with short syllables. Obviously, he was not fully engaged in our conversation.

PRAY WITH LOVE

I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.(Romans 15:30 NIV)

“God only requires of His adult children, that their hearts be truly purified, and that they offer Him continually the wishes and vows that naturally spring from perfect love. For these desires, being the genuine fruits of love, are the most perfect prayers that can spring from it.” - John Wesley

When a mother prays for her child’s boo-boo to be healed, what motivates her? Love. When a grandmother cries out for her grandson to be saved, what drives her? Love. When Jesus walked up into the hills to pray all night, what motivated Him? His love for His Father. When a man prays for his wife to be healed of cancer, what is his motivation? Love. When Jesus stands in front of the throne room of heaven, petitioning the Father on your behalf, why does He do it? Because He loves you. When a pastor prays for the members of his congregation, what is his reason for praying? His love for people. When Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified Him, what compelled Him? His love.

HOW TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Apostle Peter has given us a good instruction how one can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit -

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:38-41)

From the above instruction, we know that to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit–

14 BENEFITS OF PRAYER

Saving Yourself Headache and Heartache

We talk about saving time as if we can pack it into a box for a rainy day. But no matter what we do, the minutes and hours tick by, unaltered by our efforts to change their pace. So, instead, we try to change ourselves. We batch tasks, schedule every moment, and caffeinate ourselves in an attempt to get to work a bit earlier and keep working a few minutes later. Still, time slips through our fingers, and only God knows the day and the hour when the race against time will end for us.

The Blessing of Work

Some are of the mistaken impression that work is God’s punishment, and some manual works certainly seemed like it. After all, Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (NIV). But that view forgets that before the fall, Adam and Eve’s job was to care for and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15)—not as punishment, but as the work God had given them. As much as we might sometimes complain about our jobs, it’s important to remember that work is a blessing.

God is the ultimate worker. Creating and sustaining are part of His nature:

The Blessing of Work

Some are of the mistaken impression that work is God’s punishment, and some manual works certainly seemed like it. After all, Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (NIV). But that view forgets that before the fall, Adam and Eve’s job was to care for and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15)—not as punishment, but as the work God had given them. As much as we might sometimes complain about our jobs, it’s important to remember that work is a blessing.

God is the ultimate worker. Creating and sustaining are part of His nature:

The Blessing of Work

Some are of the mistaken impression that work is God’s punishment, and some manual works certainly seemed like it. After all, Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (NIV). But that view forgets that before the fall, Adam and Eve’s job was to care for and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15)—not as punishment, but as the work God had given them. As much as we might sometimes complain about our jobs, it’s important to remember that work is a blessing.

God is the ultimate worker. Creating and sustaining are part of His nature:

The Blessing of Work

Some are of the mistaken impression that work is God’s punishment, and some manual works certainly seemed like it. After all, Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food” (NIV). But that view forgets that before the fall, Adam and Eve’s job was to care for and tend the garden (Genesis 2:15)—not as punishment, but as the work God had given them. As much as we might sometimes complain about our jobs, it’s important to remember that work is a blessing.

God is the ultimate worker. Creating and sustaining are part of His nature:

Pray With Confidence

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God...Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ~Hebrews 4:14,16 (NIV)

Prayer should not be regarded “as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.” - E.M. Bounds

Imagine you are standing outside the biggest doors you have ever seen. Suddenly ten thousand trumpets blow. The golden doors slowly and majestically begin to swing open. Inside on the left and on the right are legions of angels standing at attention. Your ears hear a swelling symphony of worship. You lift your eyes and glance down the aisle. Far away, you see a gleaming dais made of a million jewels. On top sits the biggest chair you have ever seen. You are entering the throne room of God Almighty.

GOD BLESS HIS WORTHY PEOPLE

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.- Psalm 29:11
God created man and woman. He blesses and helps men and women for reproducing children. So, all are the creation of God. But,all men and women are not what the Bible called 'the people of God' .According to the bible,'The people God' are those who believe in Him, Obey Him and received Jesus Christ for personal Lord and saviour.
Hope you are one of 'the people of God whom the Lord gives strength and blesses with peace'.
For which, receive Jesus Christ and obey Him. Read the Bible daily, atleast few verses ( at least 30 minutes in the shortest within 24x60 =1440 minutes.
Pray all the time, i.e. always pray. Live a prayerful life even when you do not say prayer. Then, God will bless you spiritually and physically as per your requirement to live a worthy life to be called God's  child.

GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO LOVE OTHERS

God loves and cares for you. He wants you to understand and respond His love for you. He wants you to enjoy His love and blessings.

 "This is real love — not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10). 

God loves even the sinner and wants them to turn away from their sinful life and turn toward Him. He will forgive their sin if they turn to Him and accept His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He will help them to become good persons and healthy, wealthy persons physically as well as spiritually if they obey Him.

 "God loved the world (people)so much that He gave His one and only Son(Jesus Christ), so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

BLESSING OF GOD: What does Jesus say about being blessed?

Scripture: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God…..” Matthew 5:3-12

To be blessed by God means having God’s favor and goodness. We often think of blessings as riches, high position, health, and happiness. However, Jesus’ famous words about blessings show us that God has a different definition of being blessed.

Who is Blessed?

WE CAN SHARE THE GOSPEL EVEN WITHOUT SAYING A WORD

Jesus command all believers to tell about the Good News of Salvation in Christ (Matthew 28:18-20) But it is not as easy as telling romantic tales.

You may have the chance to talk about the love of God for us. But they may not want to listen. In such case, you have to find option. And there is one good option.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”( John 8:12)

The Bible tells us that we can share the Gospel without saying a word, but in action and behaviour :

“live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God” (1 Peter 2:12).

To be able to live a true Christian life, study the Bible daily and always pray. Ask God in prayer to help you through the Holy Spirit  so that you may live a live worthy to be called His child, in action and behaviour.

WAY TO RECEIVE THE TRUE BLESSINGS OF GOD

God loves you and wants to bless you. But you cannot receive His blessings properly due to the following facts:
1.God Created the Universe and Man
In the beginning, God created the universe and everything in it. Lastly, He created man to look after and rule over His creation in His behalf. So, God created man and woman in His image and blessed them. God wants them to have good relation with Him and glorify Him as their Creator, God and Father.

HAVE FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD

God desires us to have full faith and confidence in Him that we can be able to say with the Psalmist :

 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my saviour; My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” (Psalm 18:2)

To have such faith and confidence in Him, we need the help of the Holy Spirit, which our Saviour Jesus Christ promised to be given by God. Therefore, always ask God in prayer to give us the Holy Spirit and read the Bible daily.

FACTS ABOUT HOW ONE BECOME CHRISTIAN

Some think Christian missionaries and preachers are converting non-Christians to Christianity. This is not true. No one can convert you, it is only you and God that can make you a Christian.

God did not created man to be like Robot or machine, which need controller to move or do anything.

God created man (you and me and all) and give us freedom to choose. He gives us choice between ‘to choose good or bad’,  ‘Godliness or ungodliness’, ‘eternal life or eternal condemnation’.

When you make a choice, God is to make final declaration and keep you in your chosen position.

If you chose Him, He will help you be liked Him and bless you. On the other hand, if you chose not to be with Him, He will condemn you and banish you from His eternal presence.

Yes, God use man to tell others about His message. Missionaries and preachers are instruments of God to tell you and others about God’s message of God’s love for you and all men and women of the world. But it is you who will make a choice.

FIND PEACE WITH GOD

1. God’s Plan—Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to experience His peace and life.
The BIBLE says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
2. Our Problem—Separation
Being at peace with God is not automatic, because by nature you are separated from God.
The BIBLE says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
3. God’s Remedy—The Cross
God’s love bridges the gap of separation between God and you. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, He paid the penalty for your sins.
The BIBLE says: “He personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24, tl b).

NATURAL MAN CANNOT UNDERSTAND BUT YOU WILL:

 "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
 "The Bible is a difficult Book because it came from the infinite to the finite - from the unlimited, all-powerful God, to limited man. Therefore you cannot understand the Bible as you would understand the writings of Plato or Socrates. You can study the great philosophers with the natural mind, and by diligent application, grasp their profound meanings. If the Bible could be understood by natural man, it would be a natural book, and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before you can receive its teachings, you must be born of the Spirit (John 3:6) and filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Always approach the Bible praying that the Spirit will be your teacher and will guide you to a better understanding of His Holy Word, or it will remain a difficult, closed book (John 16:12-16)."
 When you came to believe in Jesus, confessed your sins to Him, asked Him to forgive you, and to become your Saviour and Lord, among many other blessings, you became born again of the Spirit, and received the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and guide. Why not take a moment now to thank and praise Father God for all His many blessings, to thank and praise Jesus for making it possible for you to become a child of God, and to thank and praise the Holy Spirit for working in your life.

GOD LOVES YOU:

God loves you, and He loves you with a love that you don’t even know anything about, because there is no human love comparable to divine love.

God loves you. He wants to forgive you. He wants to have fellowship with you.

It doesn’t make any difference how far you tried to run from God. He loves you. His eye is on you. He sees you.

God created us in his image, and you as a person are important to God.

“God created mankind in His image.” − Genesis 1:27

The Bible says that God has the hairs of your head numbered. Every moment of your life is watched by God.

“Indeed, the very hairs of head are all numbered.” − Luke 12:7

God is listening, and God loves you. He’s your friend. He’ll put His arm around you, and He understands, and He answers, and He’s sympathetic to your problem.

God loves you, and the Bible says that God sent His Son from heaven to this earth for you. Jesus Christ came to this earth to take your sins upon a cross.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” − John: 3:16

He would’ve died had you been the only person in the whole world. He loves you. Don’t ever forget He loves, loves, loves, loves you.

“God is love.” − 1 John 4:16

Love your neighbour as yourself

“My brothers and sisters, you were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:

 “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.(Galatians 5:13-15)

Walk by the Spirit

FAITH AND REPENTANCE ARE TWO WINGS OF BELIEVER TO HEAVEN

The two great graces essential to a believer in this life are faith and repentance. These are the two wings by which he flies to heaven. Faith and repentance preserve the spiritual life as heat and radical moisture do the natural.

Repentance is never out of season. Repentance is purgative; fear not the working of this pill. Smite your soul, said Chrysostom, smite it; it will escape death by that stroke. How happy it would be if we were more deeply affected with sin, and our eyes did swim in their orb. We may clearly see the Spirit of God moving in the waters of repentance, which though troubled, are yet pure. Moist tears dry up sin and quench the wrath of God.

 Repentance is the cherisher of piety, the procurer of mercy. The more regret and trouble of spirit we have first at our conversion, the less we shall feel afterwards.

Christians, do you have a sad resentment of other things and not of sin?

NOTHING IS TO BE ADDED TO THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST:

The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; so this second part of the holy Bible is entitled: The new covenant; so it might as well be rendered; the word signifies both. But, when it is (as here) spoken of as Christ's act and deed, it is most properly rendered a testament, for he is the testator, and it becomes of force by his death (Heb. ix. 16, 17); nor is there, as in covenants, a previous treaty between the parties, but what is granted, though an estate upon condition, is owing to the will, the free-will, the good-will, of the Testator. All the grace contained in this book is owing to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour; and, unless we consent to him as our Lord, we cannot expect any benefit by him as our Saviour. This is called a new testament, to distinguish it from that which was given by Moses, and was not antiquated; and to signify that it should be always new, and should never wax old, and grow out of date.

DO NOT THINK YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO COMMITTED SIN

Don’t think it is only you who do wrong. All do wrong. But still God loves us and want to bless us.

The Bible says, “God love the world” (John 3:16). This means God love every person of the world.

You God is so loving. Apostle John rightly called “God is Love” (1 John 4:16). 

You may think you are the sole guilty person. You may see many good persons. But, to God, all are equally ‘sinner’. God love you so much that He says the Bible  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”(Romans 3:23)

God knows all of us are sinner. But He loves us and want to save us,  that He gave us His only begotten Son to save us from eternal condemnation but that we may receive His blessing. That whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ( John: 3:16)

You might have committed many wrong. You might have been condemned, excommunicated and even convicted. But God still love you and want to bless you if you obey Him.

So, believe in Him and receive His blessing. 

If God forgive you, who can condemn you? Instead, God will let everybody forgive you. If He gives you New Life in Christ, all will love and regard you. You will start a new life in Christ and with all the people.

So, believe and receive Jesus Christ for your Lord and Saviour and receive the blessings of God. 

DO NOT LET YOUR WEAKNESS HINDER YOU TO WALK CHRIST

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrew 12:1-2a)

Do not let your weakness hinder you to walk with Christ. God knows your sin, guilty, weakness, and everything about you. But His love is greater than your shortcoming.

There may be ‘witnesses’ of, people talking about, your fault and inadequacy. God wants you to forget(throw off) your weaknesses  only to disturb you, but take steps to grow in your faith and live Godly life by looking at your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Jesus loves you and died on behalf of you and give you ‘Salvation’, makes you God’s child. Always remember this ‘Love of God’.
To grow spiritually, read the Bible daily and always pray. Pray any time,anywhere, whatever you eat and do.

God So Loved The World

Does God love me?
God loves you, and He loves you with a love that you don’t even know anything about, because there is no human love comparable to divine love.
God loves you. He wants to forgive you. He wants to have fellowship with you.
It doesn’t make any difference how far you tried to run from God. He loves you. His eye is on you. He sees you.
God created us in his image, and you as a person are important to God.
“God created mankind in His image.” − Genesis 1:27
The Bible says that God has the hairs of your head numbered. Every moment of your life is watched by God.

BE READY TO RECEIVE JESUS

What does ‘repent’ mean, and why is John the Baptist’s message in the book of Mark so important?

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,

 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”—

 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 In the very first verse, Mark announced that he would write about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is surprising, therefore, that he did not start out by telling about Jesus Himself; instead, he described the work of John the Baptist. This was because John was to prepare the way for Jesus. John fulfilled this mission by preaching to get people ready for the coming of the Lord.

 John's message focused on two themes that will help us get ready to receive Christ.

 First, he preached about repentance. To repent means to decide to change. John was telling his hearers that they had to reverse their life's direction to get ready for Christ; those unwilling to change could not come to Him.

Second, John declared the greatness of Jesus. He said Jesus was so great that he himself was not even worthy to stoop down and untie His shoes. This was an amazing declaration because one does not have to have much worth to untie somebody's shoes. In fact, in John's day, untying shoes was considered to be a slave's lowest duty -‐ John wasn't worthy to be Jesus' humblest slave!

 So, for us to be ready to receive Jesus, we must repent (change our lives) and recognize His awesome greatness. Keep thinking about it

• John the Baptist was a fulfillment of prophecy made years earlier by Isaiah. What does the fulfillment of prophecy show you about God?

 • John was preaching about repentance to the people. If John talked to you today, what might he ask you to repent of?

THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

"... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

""The fruit of the Spirit is love." Only as we live in love can we fulfill the will of God in our lives. The believer must become love-inspired, love-mastered, and love-driven (2 Corinthians 5:14). Without the fruit of the Spirit (love), we are just a religious noise (1 Corinthians 13:1).

"The fruit of the spirit is love," and it is manifested in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control:

1) Joy is love's strength.
2) Peace is love's security.
3) Patience is love's endurance.
4) Kindness is love's conduct.
5) Goodness is love's character.
6) Faithfulness is love's confidence.
7) Gentleness is love's humility.
8) Self-control is love's victory.

"Against such things there is no law." A Holy Spirit-controlled person needs no law to live a righteous life. The secret of a Spirit-controlled life is found in dedication to God (Romans 12:1, 2). Put your all on the altar, and the Holy Spirit will fill your heart with the love of God. (Romans 5:5).

Who can have this fruit of the Holy Spirit?

You and me and all can have. God give and enable us have this fruit of the Holy Spirit to all who receive Jesus for Lord and Saviour and always devote in His words day and night and obey Him faithfully.

Therefore, let us always devote (read and study) the Bible and meditate in His words day and night and always pray faithfully.

CHILDREN OF GOD

Hope you are true Christian by having –

1.    heard the word of God - Salvation through Jesus Christ,

2.    Admitted that you are a sinner and live far away from God,

3.    repented your sin, turned away from your sinful way of life and turned to God

4.    confessed your sin and asked the forgiveness of God.

5.    thank God for sending Jesus to save you from the power of sin.

6.    received Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of your life.

7.    surrendered your life and everything to Jesus.

8.    entrusted Jesus Christ to control and direct your life, thought and actions.

If you have already followed the above steps, in the strength of God’s word in the Bible, you are now God’s child, ‘spiritually born again’! But, how will you confirm whether you become God’s child?  The Bible says,

“If you declare (confess) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ” –(Romans 10:9)

“ Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God 

— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12,13)

“ Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old has passed away;behold, all things are become new! ” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

 One of the strongest desires human beings have is to be loved, to be accepted, and to feel that they belong.  We want a sense of connection and belonging to something or someone.  We want to feel valuable.  We cannot be guaranteed of always getting that in our dealings with people, but we can get it from God.  Even though God knows everything about us – and I do mean everything – He still chooses us on purpose.  According to Ephesians 1:4, He actually picked us out on purpose to be His very own and to belong to Him.  I encourage you to say aloud, right now, “I belong to God.”

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM

You can’t be neutral when it comes to Jesus. He doesn’t give you that luxury. If you really listen to what he says, you either need to believe that he is the Pre-eminent Son of God and worship him, or you need to get as far away from him as you can. He demands a hot or cold response and spews anything lukewarm: 

“ I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16).
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:21-22)

THE SHOCKING CLAIMS OF JESUS

A SIMPLE WAY TO SHARE THE GOSPEL

Once, one of our community leader, respectable and educated, was given a speech in the Church, he said that he met a very desperate person in train, who wanted to kill himself considering himself the most unlucky person. The leader thought the best way to comfort that person was to share the love of God as reveal in the Gospel. But he did not know how to tell him and blamed our Pastors never teaching him and other Church members how to share the love of God in Christ.

Since then, I have published small booklets and distributed among our Church members from my short messages in social media, though I am not Pastor. I have presented such papers many times when I preached in our Church. Here, I post again, a very simple but effective way of sharing the Gospel from the teachings of  many good evangelists:

Know God

GOD :
The study of God proper is called Theology. It is the loftiest meditation Man is capable of and, as far as we know, we are the only creatures on earth capable of it.  Questions regarding the existence of God is primal in every culture, and tenets concerning God’s nature and plans are foundational to almost every religion. A proper understanding of God is essential in order to live a life in harmony with one another, with nature and most importantly, with nature’s God. Some believe that the many representations of God in the various religions describe the same supernatural Being. However, a study of these ‘representations’ and the teachings that accompany them reveal major differences, and even contradictions, that belie this belief. With all due respect to the many adherents and their religions, our study will concern the ‘one true God’ as revealed in His Word. We begin with the basic question:
Is there a God?

God is with us—for our good and His glory

Scripture: “The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered...When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes…” Genesis 39:2-4
If your life includes some trouble and suffering, you are not alone. Think of Joseph’s story. (Genesis 37, 39-50) He was the favorite of his father's twelve sons. He became second-in-command to the Pharaoh of Egypt. He even saved the ancient world from famine. Surely this was a man in God's favor!
Did you notice what was left out of that story? Stay in only certain parts of Joseph's story and it is easy to see his favor with God. But who could forget his brothers’ betrayal? How he was sold into slavery. How his purity was tested in his master's house? How he was thrown into prison for something he did not do. There's no denying it. Joseph suffered. And his great suffering was a key part of God's plan.
Notice that:
God's plan was bigger than Joseph. How could he have predicted the way God saved Egypt and Israel?
Joseph's suffering was not the end of the story. Thirteen years of hardship is terrible. But Joseph himself said he forgot all about the trouble (Gen. 41:51) during the next 80 great years.
Joseph’s hard experiences brought him great peace and insight about God's nature. (Gen. 45:7-8, Gen. 50:20)
Readers of his story are reminded, "the Lord was with him." (Genesis 39:3, 23)
When I am going through hardship, I can’t read my own story and see the note, "the Lord was with him." In fact, it often feels like he is not. Was it different for Joseph? Did he feel out of God's favor when his brothers sold him into slavery? When he went to prison for something he didn't do? Whether or not he felt that way, he came to understand that his trouble did not reflect God’s displeasure with him. He said it himself - what others intended for his harm, God intended for good, to accomplish the saving of many lives. (Gen. 50:20) And not only saving those ancient lives.
His story reminds us that hard times don’t necessarily mean God is displeased with us. He has bigger plans for us to embrace! He’s still writing the story. Some comfort can only come through hardship - and for the sake of the larger story, we have to go through it and pass it on. Remember Joseph. And just think how much poorer we would be if we only knew the easy, comfortable parts of his story!
Do hard times mean God does not favor you? Talk with a caring Christian about it.

RECEIVE THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD

Christianity is a relationship with Christ—based on faith alone! Your faith is to be based on the facts in the Bible…not feelings! (See 2 Timothy 3:16.) Faith in Christ may result in feelings…and often does. But, emotions are changeable, and you can’t depend upon them. You can only depend on what God says in his Word!

The most important decision you will ever make in life is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Coming to Jesus is not about “giving up” anything in your life. Rather, it is about accepting God’s forgiveness by faith.

In order to receive God’s forgiveness for your sins, you must personally invite Jesus Christ into your life (John 1:12). God knows your thoughts and motives. He desires you to come to Him in faith and humbleness, thanking Him for his death for you on the cross. You receive Jesus Christ into your life by personally asking Him to come into your life and forgive your sins.

TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE WE MUST JOIN THE CHURCH SERVICE:

No Christian can grow in faith without fellowship with other believers. The Bible also  tells us to live and worship the Lord together.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:25

Therefore, go and attend the Church service regularly. Never miss Sunday School and worship services at least on Sunday so that we may grow together in Christ Jesus.

THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD IS FOR ALL WHO RECEIVED JESUS

“If we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 )

 When we received Jesus for our Lord and Saviour, all of our sins including past, present and future are forgiven by God.  Do not think that only those sins you confessed will be forgiven and try to confess every sins you committed. Neither assumes that though all of our sins in the past are forgiven, but not those in the future. Nor consider that we will become perfect and unable to ever sin again in future.

All believers, all the saints in the past and present, too face temptation and problem with sin. A problem face by every Christians is Sin. However, the Holy Spirit is God’s Solution to help Christians overcome sin in their lives!

Let’s always pray and study the words of God in the Bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit fill us and help us overcome sins.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the building which is His church.

 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,” (Ephesians 2:20)

He cements together Jew and Gentile, male and female—all saints from all ages and places into one structure built on faith in Him which is shared by all.

The ‘Church’ means ‘saved people through Jesus Christ” (Romans 16:5)

‘Believers’ are compare to a building as the Holy Spirit lives in ‘true believers’. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as ‘Lord and Saviour’, the Holy Spirit lives in you and you are like a building for the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit lives in you, all your old nature will be cleaned and you will have a new nature, which is ‘good’, loving, caring, fruitful, hopeful, happy, lively, and all good characters. No power of sin can overcome the power of God.

Without a ‘cornerstone’ a good building can not be constructed. Without Jesus Christ, you can not be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

Hope you are included in the Church and Jesus Christ is ‘the cornerstone’ in you. For this, study the Bible daily and pray all the time in Jesus name.

LIVE A GOOD LIFE WORTHY TO BE CALLED THE CHILD OF GOD

We are not saved because we are good person and do good things. We are born and brought up and are sinners. But “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” ( John 3:16, 17).

 Jesus died and saved all who believed in Him  from their sin and its consequences, which is eternal life in hell.  Apostle Paul says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” -Ephesians 2:8-9

Hope you believe and have already received Jesus Christ for your lord and savour. If so, thank God everyday and help others to receive Jesus Christ.

Always pray and study the Bible daily to grow in faith and live a a good life worthy to be called God’s child.