THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF HAYNESVILLE PASTOR T. R. KELLEY
SERIES: FORGIVENESS – A STUDY IN PHILEMON
LESSON 01: THE PARTS OF FORGIVENESS (Introduction to a study of Philemon)
READ: PROVERBS 19:11
Proverbs 19:11 (KJV) – The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Proverbs 19:11 (AMP) – Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.
Proverbs 19:11 (The Message) – Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.
You may be familiar with the 1995 movie titled “Dead Man Walking.”
- The movie is based upon the book of the same title by a Catholic Nun by the name of Helen PreJean.
- In the movie, which I have not seen but I have heard about, the figure of Matthew Poncelet is on death row for the brutal murders a teenage couple.
- The character is based upon the life Robert Lee Willie.
Debbie Morris was one of the surviving victims of Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Vaccaro.
- She and her boyfriend were abducted and after being beaten they left Mark, Debbie's boyfriend in the woods to die.
- Thirty hours they kept Debbie, raping and abusing her.
At one point Debbie begged them to kill her and end her misery.
- They ended up releasing her.
- Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Vaccaro were captured, tried and convicted.
- Robert Lee was put to death by lethal injection, while Joseph Vaccaro continues to serves a life sentence in a prison in Colorado.
Debbie Miller has written a book titled, “Forgiving the Dead Man Walking” that tells of the process of forgiving Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Vaccaro for her brutal abduction and repeated raping at the age of 16.
On the radio program, Focus on the Family, James Dobson asked Debbie Morris, “Have you completely forgiven Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Vaccaro?”
- To that, Debbie Morris replied,
• “I have. I have completely forgiven Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Vaccaro for what they did to me.
• “And as my daughters grow up I am sure I will have to forgive them in areas I am not aware of at the moment.
• “But Jesus Christ makes the difference and I have and will be able to forgive.”
• (This is not a direct quote … but several statements combined).
When one hears of Debbie Miller forgiving these men, no doubt one’s first thought is: “I can't begin to understand what it would take to forgive in that capacity.”
- But then we realize that outside of God we cannot understand forgiveness period.
IMPORTANT: Whether the offense is big or small, forgiveness is a process that only God can accomplish in us. Forgiveness is beyond us – it is the work of God in us.
It has been said that people pay attention to sermons on forgiveness more so than any other subject preached upon.
- Why is that?
• Perhaps because we recognize our need of forgiveness, as well our need to forgive.
Solomon in his God-given wisdom speaks to the realm of forgiveness as he declares the beauty and honor of being able to forgive.
Proverbs 19:11 (DARBY) – The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
Overlooking a transgression is to look beyond the transgression.
As we forgive we bring glory to God, for we are never more like God than when we forgive.
Tonight I wanted to introduce the subject of forgiveness in the New Testament book of Philemon.
- From this study we will look into the character, action and motivation of forgiveness.
- But before we jump into the study of this small book I want us to look at the “Parts of Forgiveness”...
• The Principle, the Parable and the Personal parts of forgiveness.
I. THE PRINCIPLE PART OF FORGIVENESS
Throughout the Scriptures we are taught three basic principles of forgiveness.
A. PRINCIPLE 1: FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US
READ: MATTHEW 6:12; 18:21
Matthew 6:12 (NLT) – And forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
Matthew 18:21 – Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
To forgive completely requires one of the most difficult of all adjustments, but Jesus describes it so simply. Just as we need forgiveness, so we must forgive others.
- You were abused and abandoned. Can you forgive the abuser?
- You were the victim of political oppression or military terror. Can you forgive those who inflicted the pain?
- You thought it was love, but the object of your love has found another. Can you ever forgive that person?
Jesus knows our hurts and wounds.
- Through the tears, God's love begins to heal.
- That's why forgiveness is complicated but simple.
- And it's always the direction God wants your heart to turn, never toward revenge or hate.
Forgiving others bears witness to the power of God over the worst that life can deal.
B. PRINCIPLE 2: FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN
READ: MATTHEW 6:14; LUKE 6:37
Matthew 6:14 – For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Luke 6:37 – Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
“We need not climb up into heaven to see whether our sins are forgiven. Let us look into our hearts and see if we can forgive others.”
- Thomas Watson
Jesus gave a startling warning about forgiveness: If we refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive us.
- This does not refer to salvation because salvation is not dependent on anything people can do.
- The foundation of God's forgiveness builds upon his own character.
- In love he regards the death of Christ as sufficient to pay our penalty.
Forgiving others is not a meritorious work for earning salvation.
- However, living in relationship with God requires constant repentance of the sins that plague us.
- Because believers must come to God constantly for confession and forgiveness, refusing to forgive others reveals a lack of appreciation for the mercy received from God.
IMPORTANT: All people are on common ground as sinners in need of God's forgiveness. If we don't forgive others, we are in fact denying and rejecting God's forgiveness of us (see Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).
Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Colossians 3:13 (TEV) – Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.
C. PRINCIPLE 3: DON'T FORGIVE AND YOU WON'T BE FORGIVEN
READ: MATTHEW 6:15; MARK 11:25
Matthew 6:15 – But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25 – But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.
The sin of an unforgiving heart and a bitter spirit (Hebrews 12:15) forfeits blessing and invites judgment.
- Even the Talmud taught that he who is indulgent toward others’ faults will be mercifully dealt with by the Supreme Judge (Shabbath 151 b).
Every believer must seek to manifest the forgiving spirit of Joseph (Genesis 50:19-21) and of Stephen (Acts 7:60) as often as needed (Luke 17:3-4).
- To receive pardon from the perfectly holy God and then to refuse to pardon others when we are sinful men is the epitome of abuse of mercy.
- And “judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).
There are petitions for the believer to ask from God, but there are also conditions for the answers to be received.
- Even more, our prayers are to be primarily concerned with the exaltation of the name, kingdom, and will of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Prayer is primarily worship which inspires thanks and personal purity.
In Mark 11:25, Jesus gave another condition for answered prayer, this one referring to believers’ relationships with others.
- He told the disciples that when they stood praying, if one of them held a grudge against someone, he ought to first forgive that person before praying.
- Standing was the common position for the Jews in prayer.
PASTORAL NOTE: If a person becomes bitter and angry over a wrong done, prayer is impossible. God wants us to deal with our “horizontal” relationships in order to have a clear “vertical” relationship (see also Matthew 5:23-24).
Why would this matter? Because all people are sinners before God.
- Those who have access to him have it only because of his mercy in forgiving their sins.
- Believers should not come to God asking for forgiveness or making requests, all the while refusing to forgive others.
- To do so would be to reveal that they have no appreciation for the mercy they have received.
• God will not listen to a person with such an attitude.
• God wants those who are forgiven to forgive others.
Forgiving others is tough work – so much so that many people would rather do something totally distasteful, like run a mile uphill, shovel gravel all day, wash greasy pots, or clean diapers…
- Anything but forgive that rotten, no-good scoundrel!
IMPORTANT: For a person to pray while bearing a grudge is like a tree sprouting leaves and bearing no fruit (Mark 11:13). True faith changes the heart. Real prayer dismantles pride and vengeance, filling the holes with love. Real faith seeks peace. For our churches to have prayer power, there must be harmony and forgiveness evident in the body of believers. Let go of hurts, abandon grudges, and forgive others.
As principle-centered people, we are called upon again and again to forgive. The principles of forgiveness are given priority throughout the scriptures to be placed into practice.
II. THE PARABLE PART OF FORGIVENESS
Jesus reminds us of the practice of forgiveness through parables. In two parables Jesus points us to forgive like God and not like man. Someone has said, “We are never more like God than when we can forgive others.”
A. FORGIVING LIKE GOD – THE PRODIGAL SON
READ: LUKE 15:18-20
Luke 15:18-20
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Jesus shows us the heart of the one who is willing to forgive – eager, not reluctant – he doesn't even wait for the sinner to get home.
Jesus shows us the heart of the Father who forgives – eagerly, totally forgive (not just tolerate), and forgive lavishly.
B. UNFORGIVING LIKE MAN – THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT
READ: MATTHEW 18:26-30
Matthew 18:26-30
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Man nurses grudges, and God eagerly forgives and restores.
Man keeps score, God totally and lavishly forgives and forgets.
Which parable reminds us of ourselves?
- Jesus puts our feet to the fire in these parables to force us to not just think about the principles of forgiveness – but to forgive.
III. THE PERSONAL PART OF FORGIVENESS
Taking the principles and parables we come to the personal part of forgiveness. It is not enough to have some good rules and a nice story or two – forgiveness is personal.
To help us personalize forgiveness we turn to the book of Philemon.
- Here forgiveness is brought and fleshed out in the human realm.
• But then that is the purpose of the principles and parables – to be enacted in our personal life.
A. PHILEMON IN PANORAMA (BRIEF)
1. Philemon was saved through the ministry of Paul.
2. Philemon was a slave owner, a common practice in Paul's day.
3. Onesimus was a slave of Philemon’s and he stole from Philemon, running away to Rome (verse 17).
4. Onesimus encounters Paul and is led to salvation (verse. 10)
5. Onesimus is sent back to Philemon with letter in hand. (verse 12).
B. PHILEMON IN PURPOSE
Forgiveness seems to be the over arching purpose for personal application in the book of Philemon, though other purposes can be viewed.
1. Purpose of the Nature of Christian Love – forgiveness is fleshed out by love.
2. Purpose of the Providential Care of God – forgiveness is one of the great acts of God’s care.
3. Purpose of the Principles for Christian Relations – forgiveness reconciles and restores relations.
C. PHILEMON IN PERSONAL
In the next three lessons, forgiveness is going to be personalized in the way of …
1. Character of forgiveness – what is the character of one who forgives.
2. Action of forgiveness – what action is needed to forgive.
3. Motivation of forgiveness – what motivates a person to forgive.
As you can tell, forgiveness is going to be brought to the forefront of our lives with the hopes that we will become more like God and forgive.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
യൊസെഫ് ഫലപ്രമായ ഒരു വ്രുക്ഷം
൨൨.യൊസെഫ് ഫലപ്രമായ ഒരു വ്രുക്ഷം തന്നെ; അതിന്റെ കൊമ്പുകള് മതിലിന്മേല് പടരുന്നു.
൨൩.വില്ലാളികള് അവനെ വിഷമിപ്പിച്ചു; അവര് എയ്തു അവനോടു പൊരുതി.
൨൪. അവന്റെ വില്ല് ഉറപ്പോടെ നിന്നു, അവന്റെ ഭുജം യാക്കോബിന്റെ കയ്യാല് ബലപ്പെട്ടു. യിസ്രായേലിന്റെ പാറയായ ഇടയന്റെ നാമത്തില് തന്നെ.
These verses tell us about this man Joseph the elder son of Jacob and Rachel. He was the most favored of all his father’s children, and he was a man of great character. He was hated of his brethren for his dreams from God concerning his future advancements in this world, so they sold him into slavery in Egypt. While in slavery he was imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit. After many years in prison, he was remembered of the butler for whom he had interpreted a dream while in prison. The butler brought him before Pharaoh where he interpreted two dreams for Pharaoh, which predicted a seven-year bumper crop followed by a seven-year famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preserving corn and food for Egypt during the good years and rationing it during the famine. At the time of famine Jacob’s sons came to Egypt twice looking for corn. Joseph revealed himself to them and sent for his father to come to Egypt. There both Jacob and Joseph died, but Joseph gave the people of God hope when he promised their Exodus from Egypt. They suffered for 400 years as slaves in Egypt, but when God sent Moses to lead them out, they took the bones of Joseph and buried them with Abraham and Sarah in Canaan. This life of Joseph is a type and shadow of the life of Jesus again and again. Joseph is called a fruitful bough in Genesis 49:22, and Jesus is called a tender plant, a root out of dry ground in Isaiah 53:2. The fruitful bough shows us the tender plant. We want to emulate our Lord, and if we emulate the life of Joseph, it will emulate the Lord. He was in a God-less society, but he bountifully brought forth fruit in a desert land.
Notice:
1. Joseph’s Birth: Genesis 30:22, God opened the barren womb of Rachel and she bore Joseph unto Jacob. God worked a miracle in a barren womb. Take notice of this:
1. In A Practical Way: God can still work a miracle!
2. In A Spiritual Way: Joseph came from a dead womb, and God can give life to a dead sinner.
3. In A Prayerful Way: Joseph was an answer to Rachel’s prayer. God still answers prayer.
4. In A Typical Way: Joseph is a type of Christ. Jesus was born miraculously from a virgin just as Joseph was born miraculously from a barren womb.
2. Joseph’s Trying Blows: He had a hard time. God gave him a vision, and God made the vision come true. However, he had to go through many trials and tribulations first. Yet he was a fruitful bough in the midst of a drought.
1. Experience of Growth: In a desert land like Egypt Joseph grew in knowledge and wisdom. You too can in a desert world grow in wisdom. Be a fruitful bough.
2. Experience of God: Gen. 49:24, His bow was made strong of the Lord to relieve his tension. Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with God and was beaten but blessed. No doubt Jacob had told Joseph of that experience on many occasions. Joseph faced adversity with arrows shot at him, but through every trying blow God strengthened his bow. Joseph used this bow not to shoot at his enemies but at the will of God, the shepherd.
3. Joseph’s Triumphant Blessings: It had been years since Joseph had been home, but God saw to it that He was blessed with his family.
1. Family was reunited
2. Fruitfulness was realized: He finally saw the fruits of his labor as he saw his family’s needs met through his provision.
3. Faithfulness was rewarded: God does not look at the results, but faithfulness. God promoted him and fulfilled all his dreams as his brothers bowed their heads. If we too will be found faithful, God will use and promote us according to his will.
Joseph is a fruitful bough, Gen 49.22.
When Jacob spoke these words of blessing, he spoke into the future. Jacob was aware of the failings of all his sons; some did not receive blessings, others got mixed blessings, and only two [Judah and Joseph] receive full blessing. While Judah received the sceptre, Joseph received something special – fruitfulness. The difference between Judah and Joseph was that the latter paid the ‘price’ for his blessing. Are we prepared to pay a price? The price is nothing but absolute surrender to the will of God, and that price only a few would dare to pay.
Joseph was a fruitful bough whose branches ran over a wall. Though he had but two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, their descendants grew into a numerous and powerful people. We remember that Joshua was an Ephraimite, while Gideon was from Manasseh. Manasseh received two portions of territory, on either side of the river Jordan. However, the historical explanation does not suffice. There is a spiritual explanation for fruitfulness. God is looking for fruit in us, but it is not in mere numbers. While ‘in the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout and will fill the whole world with fruit’ [Isa 27.6], it is the remnant of the house of Judah which shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.’ [Isa 37.31]
What is this fruit? How do we become a ‘fruitful bough’? Careful study of the Scriptures would show that there are seven ways to arrive at fruitfulness, and while this is explained to some extent in the Parable of the Sower and his Seed, I believe that the Bible explains this fruit to us in clear spiritual terms. We need the fruit of repentance [Matt 3.8], followed by the fruit that comes from the implanted word [Matt 13.23]. Then comes the fruit that we receive while walking in the light as children of light [Eph 5.9], and the more abundant fruit that comes from having the ‘fear of the Lord’. Perusal of Psalm 128.1-4 would show that by fearing the Lord and walking in His ways, the blessings flow into the family; the wife becomes a fruitful vine, the children olive plants around the table. And then there are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which we read in Galatians 5.22,23, when we learn to walk by the Spirit or under the lordship of the Spirit. And then follow the fruit of righteousness [Heb 12.11], which comes from the discipline of the Lord and results in ‘good works’ [Col 1.10, Tit 3.14], whereby men may glorify the Lord. But deeper still is the fruit of travail.
We read in Isaiah 53 of the ‘offspring’ of the travail of the Cross, and how the Lord is satisfied with such fruit. Only a remnant will come to this level. Zion travailed and gave birth to her ’sons’, Isa 66.8. We remember the barrenness of Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel. They could produce no fruit of the womb until God visited them, and this He did in His own time, after much waiting. That waiting is a tremendous exercise, which brings with it a deep burden in the heart and a longing for the divine answer. The fruit produced by the travail of the soul is enduring fruit which will not perish, which will bring glory to the Lord and blessing to the world. Joseph was a blessing not only to his brothers, but to all Egypt, and in fact to the whole famine-stricked world as they came to him to receive bread from his hands.
Friday, May 14, 2010
ദി ഹെവിനെസ്സ് ഓഫ് ദി ക്രോസ്സ്
കുരിശിന്െറ ഭാരം എത്രത്തോളം?
(From Malayala Manorama)
പറവകള്ക്കു ചിറകു ലഭിച്ചതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് ഒരു കഥയുണ്ട്.ആദ്യ കാലത്തു പക്ഷികള്ക്കു സുന്ദരമായ രൂപവും മധുരമായ സ്വരവും മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളു. പറക്കാന് കഴിയുമായിരുന്നില്ലത്രെ. അങ്ങനെയിരിക്കെ ഒരു ദിവസം ദൈവം പക്ഷികള്ക്കുള്ള ചിറകുകള് ഉണ്ടാക്കി അവയുടെ മുന്പില് വച്ചിട്ട് അവയോട് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു:'വരിക. വന്ന് ഈ ഭാരങ്ങള് എടുക്കുകയും അവ ചുമലില് വഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ടു ജീവിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക.
ചിറകുകള് എന്താണെന്ന് പക്ഷികള്ക്കു മനസ്സിലായില്ല. എങ്കിലും അതൊരു ഭാരമാണെന്നു ദൈവം തന്നെ പറഞ്ഞ സ്ഥിതിക്ക് പക്ഷികള്ക്കു സ്വാഭാവികമായി അത് ഏറ്റെടുക്കാന് പ്രയാസം തോന്നി. അതുകൊണ്ട ് ആദ്യം ഒന്നു മടിച്ചു.എങ്കിലും ദൈവ കല്പനയായതിനാല് അനുസരിക്കാന് തന്നെ തയാറായി.
പക്ഷികള് നിരനിരയായി വന്ന് ചിറകുകള് ചുണ്ടുകൊണ്ടു കൊത്തിയെടുത്ത് അവയുടെ തോളോടു ചേര്ത്തു വച്ചു. തോളിലെ ഭാരം ആദ്യം ദുസ്സഹമായി തോന്നി. എന്നാല് പക്ഷികള് അവ വഹിക്കാന് തന്നെ മനസ്സു വച്ച് ചിറകുകളെ ഹൃദയത്തോടു ചേര്ത്ത് ഒതുക്കിപ്പിടിച്ചു. അത്ഭുതം! ചിറകുകള് മടങ്ങി ശരീരത്തിന്െറ ഭാ•മായി തീര്ന്നു. ക്രമേണ ഭാരവും കുറഞ്ഞു. പിന്നേയും ചില ദിവസങ്ങള് കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോള് ഈ ചിറകുകളുടെ ഉപയോ•ം കിളികള് കണ്ടെത്തി. അവ പറക്കുവാന് തുടങ്ങി. ഭാരമെന്നു കരുതിയതു ഭാ•്യമായി മാറി. ദൈവത്തിന്െറ ദിവ്യ കരുതലും അവയ്ക്കു മനസ്സിലായി.
ജീവിതത്തില് അവിചാരിതമായസാഹചര്യങ്ങള്, പ്രതിബന്ധങ്ങള്, പ്രതിസന്ധികള് എന്നിവ വരുമ്പോള് 'എന്തൊരു നിര്ഭ്യാം! എന്നാവും പലരും നിരാശപ്പെടുക. എന്നാല് അവ പ്രയോജനമായിരുന്നു എന്നു പിന്നീടേ ചിലപ്പോള് മനസ്സിലാകൂ. വലിയ ദൂഃഖത്തിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോയശേഷം ആശ്വാസവും പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരവും നേടിയ കൊരിന്തിലെ വിശ്വാസികളോട് ഈ വിധത്തില് അവര്ക്കു ലഭ്യമായ 'മറഞ്ഞിരുന്ന അനു•ഹത്തെക്കുറിച്ചു സെന്റ് പോള് ഓര്മ്മിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിങ്ങനെയാണ്:' നിങ്ങള് വലിയ കഷ്ടത്തിലായിരുന്നു.എന്നാല് അതില് നിന്നു മോചനം നേടിയിരിക്കുന്നു.ഇപ്പോള് നിങ്ങള്ക്കു സമാനമായ കഷ്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോകുന്നവരെ സ്വന്ത അനുഭവത്തിന്െറ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തില് നിന്നുകൊണ്ട് ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കാന് കഴിയുമല്ലോ!നോക്കുക: ദുഃഖത്തിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോയത് പിന്നീട് മറ്റുള്ളവരെ സഹായിക്കുന്ന ഒരു മഹത്തായ ശുശ്രൂഷയിലേക്ക് അവരെ നയിച്ചു.
'കുരിശില്ലെങ്കില് കിരീടമില്ല എന്നു പറയാറുണ്ട ്.ശരിയാണ്. എന്നാല് പലപ്പോഴും കുരിശുകള് നമുക്കിഷ്ടമല്ല. കുരിശുകള് ഒഴിവാക്കാന് എളുപ്പ വഴി തേടുന്നവരുണ്ട് എന്നാല് നമുക്കോരോരുത്തര്ക്കും വഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നവ മാത്രമേ ദൈവം നമുക്കനുവദിക്കൂ എന്നു സെന്റ് പോള് കൊരിന്തിലുള്ള വിശ്വാസികളെ ഉദ്ബോധിപ്പിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്:'നിങ്ങള്ക്കു സഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നതില് കൂടുതല് പരീക്ഷ അവിടുന്ന് അനുവദിക്കുകയില്ല
തന്െറ കുരിശിനെക്കുറിച്ച് എപ്പോഴും പരാതിപ്പെട്ടിരുന്ന വനിതയെക്കുറിച്ച് ഒരു കഥ കേട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്. മറ്റു പലര്ക്കും ഭാരം കുറഞ്ഞ കുരിശു ലഭിച്ചപ്പോള് തന്െറ കുരിശിനു വലിയ ഭാരമാണെന്നായിരുന്നു അവളുടെ പരാതി. ഒരു രാത്രി അവള് ഒരു സ്വപ്നം കണ്ടു. സ്വപ്നത്തില് മാലാഖ അവളെ ഒട്ടേറെ കുരിശുകള് കൂട്ടി വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന സ്ഥലത്തേക്കു കൊണ്ടു പോയി ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു:'നോക്കുക. നിന്െറ നിരന്തരമായ ആവശ്യം പരി•ണിച്ചാണ് ദൈവം എന്നെ അയച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. നിന്െറ കുരിശ് നിനക്ക് ഇഷ്ടമല്ലല്ലോ. അതുകൊണ്ട് അത് ഇവിടെ വച്ചിട്ട് ഈ കൂട്ടത്തില് നിന്നു നിനക്ക് ഇഷ്ടമുള്ള കുരിശു തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കാം
അവള്ക്കു സന്തോഷമായി.അവള് സ്വന്തം കുരിശ് ആ കൂട്ടത്തില് വച്ചശേഷം കുരിശുകളുടെ നിര സൂക്ഷിച്ചു നോക്കി. സ്വര്ണ നിറമുള്ള ഒരു കൊച്ചു കുരിശ് അവള്ക്കിഷ്ടമായി.പക്ഷേ എടുത്തപ്പോഴല്ലേ അറിയുന്നത്. സ്വര്ണം കനമുള്ള ലോഹം ആയതുകൊണ്ട് ആ സ്വര്ണക്കുരിശിനും ഭാരം കൂടുതലായിരുന്നു.അവള് അതവിടെ തന്നെ വച്ച ശേഷം മറ്റൊന്നെടുത്തു. റോസാ പുഷ്പങ്ങള് കൊണ്ട് അലങ്കരിച്ചതായിരുന്നു ആ കുരിശ്. എന്നാല് റോസാ പുഷ്പങ്ങള്ക്കിടയിലെ മുള്ളുകള് അവളുടെ തോളില് കൊണ്ടു കയറിയപ്പോള് അതും കൈയൊഴിയുകയല്ലാതെ മാര്ഗ്ഗമി ല്ലെന്നായി. തുടര്ന്നവള് കുരിശുകള് ഒരോന്നായി മാറി മാറി പരീക്ഷിച്ചു. ഒരോന്നിനും ഒാരോ കുറവുകള്. ഒടുവില് ഒരെണ്ണം അവള്ക്കു തൃപ്തികരമായി തോന്നി. അതെടുത്തു നടന്നപ്പോള് ഭാരക്കൂടുതതലില്ല ,അത് എല്ലാംകൊണ്ടും തനിക്കു പാകം. സന്തോഷത്തോടെ അതില് അവള് വീണ്ടും നോക്കി.അപ്പോഴാണ് അവള് ഞെട്ടലോടെ ആ സത്യം മനസ്സിലാക്കിയത്- താന് മാറ്റിവച്ച തന്െറ പഴയ കുരിശു തന്നെയായിരുന്നു അത്!
ഉവ്വ്, നമുക്കെന്താണു വേണ്ടതെന്നും എത്ര ഭാരം സഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുമെന്നും നമ്മുടെ സ്വര്ീയ പിതാവിനറിയാം.കാരണം, ഒരു എബ്രായ കവി പാടിയതു പോലെ ' അവന് നമ്മുടെ പ്രകൃതി അറിയുന്നു.
(From Malayala Manorama)
പറവകള്ക്കു ചിറകു ലഭിച്ചതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് ഒരു കഥയുണ്ട്.ആദ്യ കാലത്തു പക്ഷികള്ക്കു സുന്ദരമായ രൂപവും മധുരമായ സ്വരവും മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളു. പറക്കാന് കഴിയുമായിരുന്നില്ലത്രെ. അങ്ങനെയിരിക്കെ ഒരു ദിവസം ദൈവം പക്ഷികള്ക്കുള്ള ചിറകുകള് ഉണ്ടാക്കി അവയുടെ മുന്പില് വച്ചിട്ട് അവയോട് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു:'വരിക. വന്ന് ഈ ഭാരങ്ങള് എടുക്കുകയും അവ ചുമലില് വഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ടു ജീവിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക.
ചിറകുകള് എന്താണെന്ന് പക്ഷികള്ക്കു മനസ്സിലായില്ല. എങ്കിലും അതൊരു ഭാരമാണെന്നു ദൈവം തന്നെ പറഞ്ഞ സ്ഥിതിക്ക് പക്ഷികള്ക്കു സ്വാഭാവികമായി അത് ഏറ്റെടുക്കാന് പ്രയാസം തോന്നി. അതുകൊണ്ട ് ആദ്യം ഒന്നു മടിച്ചു.എങ്കിലും ദൈവ കല്പനയായതിനാല് അനുസരിക്കാന് തന്നെ തയാറായി.
പക്ഷികള് നിരനിരയായി വന്ന് ചിറകുകള് ചുണ്ടുകൊണ്ടു കൊത്തിയെടുത്ത് അവയുടെ തോളോടു ചേര്ത്തു വച്ചു. തോളിലെ ഭാരം ആദ്യം ദുസ്സഹമായി തോന്നി. എന്നാല് പക്ഷികള് അവ വഹിക്കാന് തന്നെ മനസ്സു വച്ച് ചിറകുകളെ ഹൃദയത്തോടു ചേര്ത്ത് ഒതുക്കിപ്പിടിച്ചു. അത്ഭുതം! ചിറകുകള് മടങ്ങി ശരീരത്തിന്െറ ഭാ•മായി തീര്ന്നു. ക്രമേണ ഭാരവും കുറഞ്ഞു. പിന്നേയും ചില ദിവസങ്ങള് കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോള് ഈ ചിറകുകളുടെ ഉപയോ•ം കിളികള് കണ്ടെത്തി. അവ പറക്കുവാന് തുടങ്ങി. ഭാരമെന്നു കരുതിയതു ഭാ•്യമായി മാറി. ദൈവത്തിന്െറ ദിവ്യ കരുതലും അവയ്ക്കു മനസ്സിലായി.
ജീവിതത്തില് അവിചാരിതമായസാഹചര്യങ്ങള്, പ്രതിബന്ധങ്ങള്, പ്രതിസന്ധികള് എന്നിവ വരുമ്പോള് 'എന്തൊരു നിര്ഭ്യാം! എന്നാവും പലരും നിരാശപ്പെടുക. എന്നാല് അവ പ്രയോജനമായിരുന്നു എന്നു പിന്നീടേ ചിലപ്പോള് മനസ്സിലാകൂ. വലിയ ദൂഃഖത്തിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോയശേഷം ആശ്വാസവും പ്രശ്ന പരിഹാരവും നേടിയ കൊരിന്തിലെ വിശ്വാസികളോട് ഈ വിധത്തില് അവര്ക്കു ലഭ്യമായ 'മറഞ്ഞിരുന്ന അനു•ഹത്തെക്കുറിച്ചു സെന്റ് പോള് ഓര്മ്മിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിങ്ങനെയാണ്:' നിങ്ങള് വലിയ കഷ്ടത്തിലായിരുന്നു.എന്നാല് അതില് നിന്നു മോചനം നേടിയിരിക്കുന്നു.ഇപ്പോള് നിങ്ങള്ക്കു സമാനമായ കഷ്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോകുന്നവരെ സ്വന്ത അനുഭവത്തിന്െറ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തില് നിന്നുകൊണ്ട് ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കാന് കഴിയുമല്ലോ!നോക്കുക: ദുഃഖത്തിലൂടെ കടന്നു പോയത് പിന്നീട് മറ്റുള്ളവരെ സഹായിക്കുന്ന ഒരു മഹത്തായ ശുശ്രൂഷയിലേക്ക് അവരെ നയിച്ചു.
'കുരിശില്ലെങ്കില് കിരീടമില്ല എന്നു പറയാറുണ്ട ്.ശരിയാണ്. എന്നാല് പലപ്പോഴും കുരിശുകള് നമുക്കിഷ്ടമല്ല. കുരിശുകള് ഒഴിവാക്കാന് എളുപ്പ വഴി തേടുന്നവരുണ്ട് എന്നാല് നമുക്കോരോരുത്തര്ക്കും വഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നവ മാത്രമേ ദൈവം നമുക്കനുവദിക്കൂ എന്നു സെന്റ് പോള് കൊരിന്തിലുള്ള വിശ്വാസികളെ ഉദ്ബോധിപ്പിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്:'നിങ്ങള്ക്കു സഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുന്നതില് കൂടുതല് പരീക്ഷ അവിടുന്ന് അനുവദിക്കുകയില്ല
തന്െറ കുരിശിനെക്കുറിച്ച് എപ്പോഴും പരാതിപ്പെട്ടിരുന്ന വനിതയെക്കുറിച്ച് ഒരു കഥ കേട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്. മറ്റു പലര്ക്കും ഭാരം കുറഞ്ഞ കുരിശു ലഭിച്ചപ്പോള് തന്െറ കുരിശിനു വലിയ ഭാരമാണെന്നായിരുന്നു അവളുടെ പരാതി. ഒരു രാത്രി അവള് ഒരു സ്വപ്നം കണ്ടു. സ്വപ്നത്തില് മാലാഖ അവളെ ഒട്ടേറെ കുരിശുകള് കൂട്ടി വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന സ്ഥലത്തേക്കു കൊണ്ടു പോയി ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു:'നോക്കുക. നിന്െറ നിരന്തരമായ ആവശ്യം പരി•ണിച്ചാണ് ദൈവം എന്നെ അയച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. നിന്െറ കുരിശ് നിനക്ക് ഇഷ്ടമല്ലല്ലോ. അതുകൊണ്ട് അത് ഇവിടെ വച്ചിട്ട് ഈ കൂട്ടത്തില് നിന്നു നിനക്ക് ഇഷ്ടമുള്ള കുരിശു തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കാം
അവള്ക്കു സന്തോഷമായി.അവള് സ്വന്തം കുരിശ് ആ കൂട്ടത്തില് വച്ചശേഷം കുരിശുകളുടെ നിര സൂക്ഷിച്ചു നോക്കി. സ്വര്ണ നിറമുള്ള ഒരു കൊച്ചു കുരിശ് അവള്ക്കിഷ്ടമായി.പക്ഷേ എടുത്തപ്പോഴല്ലേ അറിയുന്നത്. സ്വര്ണം കനമുള്ള ലോഹം ആയതുകൊണ്ട് ആ സ്വര്ണക്കുരിശിനും ഭാരം കൂടുതലായിരുന്നു.അവള് അതവിടെ തന്നെ വച്ച ശേഷം മറ്റൊന്നെടുത്തു. റോസാ പുഷ്പങ്ങള് കൊണ്ട് അലങ്കരിച്ചതായിരുന്നു ആ കുരിശ്. എന്നാല് റോസാ പുഷ്പങ്ങള്ക്കിടയിലെ മുള്ളുകള് അവളുടെ തോളില് കൊണ്ടു കയറിയപ്പോള് അതും കൈയൊഴിയുകയല്ലാതെ മാര്ഗ്ഗമി ല്ലെന്നായി. തുടര്ന്നവള് കുരിശുകള് ഒരോന്നായി മാറി മാറി പരീക്ഷിച്ചു. ഒരോന്നിനും ഒാരോ കുറവുകള്. ഒടുവില് ഒരെണ്ണം അവള്ക്കു തൃപ്തികരമായി തോന്നി. അതെടുത്തു നടന്നപ്പോള് ഭാരക്കൂടുതതലില്ല ,അത് എല്ലാംകൊണ്ടും തനിക്കു പാകം. സന്തോഷത്തോടെ അതില് അവള് വീണ്ടും നോക്കി.അപ്പോഴാണ് അവള് ഞെട്ടലോടെ ആ സത്യം മനസ്സിലാക്കിയത്- താന് മാറ്റിവച്ച തന്െറ പഴയ കുരിശു തന്നെയായിരുന്നു അത്!
ഉവ്വ്, നമുക്കെന്താണു വേണ്ടതെന്നും എത്ര ഭാരം സഹിക്കാന് കഴിയുമെന്നും നമ്മുടെ സ്വര്ീയ പിതാവിനറിയാം.കാരണം, ഒരു എബ്രായ കവി പാടിയതു പോലെ ' അവന് നമ്മുടെ പ്രകൃതി അറിയുന്നു.
the power of effective prayer
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
- Psalm 139:13-14
Today's passage is from the New International Version of the Bible
Today’s devotional: the power of effective prayer
May 13th, 2010
What does effective prayer look like in practice? There’s no “magic formula” that will cause a prayer to be answered in the exact way you want, but the Bible does illustrate that the attitude with which we approach prayer is important. In this devotional from Back to the Bible, Woodrow Kroll looks at one of the most remarkable examples of an effective prayer: King Hezekiah’s plea for help in the face of almost impossibly grim circumstances.
What was so effective about Hezekiah’s prayer? Kroll identifies seven key elements of the prayer. Here are the first three:
1. His prayer was instinctively spontaneous (verse 14). When Hezekiah received the threatening letter, he immediately spread it before the Lord. There was no thought of calling a committee or seeking the advice of others; Hezekiah knew what to do, as did Elisha (2 Kings 4:33) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:4) in similar situations.
2. His prayer was praisefully reverent (verse 15). He addressed Jehovah as, “O LORD God of Israel which dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone.” The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9) indicates the same kind of reverence.
3. His prayer was intimately personal (verse 16). After he addressed God in a reverent fashion, Hezekiah said, “LORD, bow down Thine ear and hear.” He had recognized God as sovereign; now he addresses Him as friend.
Read the rest of the devotional for all seven characteristics of Hezekiah’s prayer.
Think about the last time you prayed about something. If you were to examine the words and attitude behind that prayer, would it resemble Hezekiah’s in humility and sincerity? When have you felt that your prayers were truly effective?
Today’s Devotional: Lay People Unite!
May 12th, 2010
Part of being a member of the Body of Christ is recognizing that each person has valuable gifts and abilities to offer, and even though we might try, we can’t just rely on one or two people to carry the church.
It can be easy for lay people to assume that the pastoral staff has it all under control—after all, they’re “professionals!” However, as we read in this devotional from Our Daily Bread, it’s impossible for church leaders to carry the burden of the church by themselves:
The “professionals,” the pastor and others who are trained to lead the church, face a task they can’t do alone. It’s often a struggle to get the work of the church done until laypeople join in and work alongside the leadership.
This was the situation in Acts 6. Some people in the church were being neglected, and the “professionals,” the apostles who were leading the church, realized they couldn’t do everything by themselves. Only when seven laypeople pitched in to help the leaders could the church proceed.
How can you come alongside your pastor and other leaders to help keep your church moving ahead?
Read the rest at odb.org.
- Psalm 139:13-14
Today's passage is from the New International Version of the Bible
Today’s devotional: the power of effective prayer
May 13th, 2010
What does effective prayer look like in practice? There’s no “magic formula” that will cause a prayer to be answered in the exact way you want, but the Bible does illustrate that the attitude with which we approach prayer is important. In this devotional from Back to the Bible, Woodrow Kroll looks at one of the most remarkable examples of an effective prayer: King Hezekiah’s plea for help in the face of almost impossibly grim circumstances.
What was so effective about Hezekiah’s prayer? Kroll identifies seven key elements of the prayer. Here are the first three:
1. His prayer was instinctively spontaneous (verse 14). When Hezekiah received the threatening letter, he immediately spread it before the Lord. There was no thought of calling a committee or seeking the advice of others; Hezekiah knew what to do, as did Elisha (2 Kings 4:33) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:4) in similar situations.
2. His prayer was praisefully reverent (verse 15). He addressed Jehovah as, “O LORD God of Israel which dwellest between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone.” The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9) indicates the same kind of reverence.
3. His prayer was intimately personal (verse 16). After he addressed God in a reverent fashion, Hezekiah said, “LORD, bow down Thine ear and hear.” He had recognized God as sovereign; now he addresses Him as friend.
Read the rest of the devotional for all seven characteristics of Hezekiah’s prayer.
Think about the last time you prayed about something. If you were to examine the words and attitude behind that prayer, would it resemble Hezekiah’s in humility and sincerity? When have you felt that your prayers were truly effective?
Today’s Devotional: Lay People Unite!
May 12th, 2010
Part of being a member of the Body of Christ is recognizing that each person has valuable gifts and abilities to offer, and even though we might try, we can’t just rely on one or two people to carry the church.
It can be easy for lay people to assume that the pastoral staff has it all under control—after all, they’re “professionals!” However, as we read in this devotional from Our Daily Bread, it’s impossible for church leaders to carry the burden of the church by themselves:
The “professionals,” the pastor and others who are trained to lead the church, face a task they can’t do alone. It’s often a struggle to get the work of the church done until laypeople join in and work alongside the leadership.
This was the situation in Acts 6. Some people in the church were being neglected, and the “professionals,” the apostles who were leading the church, realized they couldn’t do everything by themselves. Only when seven laypeople pitched in to help the leaders could the church proceed.
How can you come alongside your pastor and other leaders to help keep your church moving ahead?
Read the rest at odb.org.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ദൈവവും സെന്സ് ഓഫ് ഹ്യുമാരും
God and the Sense of Humor.
We have heard this week from the reading of the psalms, Psalms 2, “He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.” This lead me to think does God has a real sense of humor.
As we live in this land, we are aware that the Americans do not favor a candidate running for key office such as the president, if he/she lacks humor. I have seen and heard from many preachers, using one-liners to open their speech with ‘icebreakers’. I do not know if Jesus when he was on the earth giving out those famous sermons resorted to such methods. When you search on the word “laugh” you can only see onetime, or one thing that God laughs, which is at the devil or in the destruction of the wicked. I am imagining when God laughs; it might be a terrifying sound for devil and for the wicked that has rejected The Christ, that God send for them as savior.
The following is a kaleidoscope of verses about laughter.
Now I was looking at certain people in the Bible who has laughed or might have laughed at certain situations. I have looked at the people who are supported by the Holy Spirit in Chapter 11 of Hebrews. In 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Did Noah laugh? He has never seen nor heard about a thing called “rain”. Yet, when God said, “go and build an ark”, he started the work. Did Noah laugh? (Remember the famous Bill Cosby stand-ups on Noah.) He probably could have laughed, don’t you think?
Another one is Abraham. It is in Genesis, 8th, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Remember Abraham was a friend of God, he could have said, “yeah right God; you did not give me anything, even a high-level master plan, and you want me to go to an unknown land with belongings?” Instead of that thinking, he obeyed completely. ”By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” I did not see anything in the Bible saying that he questioned God nor he said “Lord, what a trial”, (poraattam), or prayed about the situation, to make it smoother. He knew exactly who has called him, and he knew, if He has called me, he has a plan, and set out to the unknown.
Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
Let’s compare this situation in the new testament in Hebrews 11: “By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.” In Genesis 18 we read thus: And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.” See, there is even an argument. Even though Sarah’s famous smile was not audible, God saw what she did inside. Be aware, he made your frame, he can see through you.
2 Kings 19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
2 Chronicles 30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Nehemiah 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
Job 5:22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. 9:23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. 12:4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 29:24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. 41:29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. (Leviathan)
Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 37:13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 80:6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. 126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Proverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (wisdom) 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. 29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Isaiah 37:22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Ezekiel 23:32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Luke 6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
James 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. (The wicked fill their hearts with mirth and merriment, fattening themselves up for the day of slaughter. We Christians know what's coming, we need to be sober.)
Let’s look at some other verse, including our core :
Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
Psalms 37:13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
Psalms 59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
Proverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (wisdom speaketh here)
Ezekiel 23:32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
So, when people say, “ Our pastor has a good sense of humor, is it really necessary. We Mallus have a natural tendency to bore other people. Sometimes a dash of humor can be justified to breakout of boredom.
Ephesians 5:3-4 ...let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
To me joking is jesting. There was even a “holy group” resorted to using “holy laughter” in their worship services. Is it according to the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Ecclesiastes 7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
What does James say about laughter?
James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
A comedian on stage, on someone else’s expense makes some foolish jokes. It glorifies him. If we resort to same stuff in the church, would that glorify God? Do not the scriptures say that we should be sober and grave? We live in perilous times. The night cometh when no man can work. We've got to work while it is day. People don't come to Jesus to be entertained. They can get better entertainment on TV than at a church service. They've come to Him for more abundant life.
Sadness and sobriety in spirit does indeed make the countenance better. When we walk through the deep waters, God makes it our best times with the Lord. The troubled times becomes our best times-not when we’re flapping our lips too much. One of the benefits of fasting is that it sobers us. We put our bodies under subjection and turn our attention to our God meditating on His precepts and commandments. We are looking for Him, seeking Him out. THAT is unspeakable joy. Joy is not the foolishness of meaningless banter or laughter or jester, which has a tendency to spread like wildfire infecting everything in its path. (I applaud and support our Pastor, for taking the time out this week for fasting and prayer.)
The Lord Jesus told us something about laughter:
Luke 6:21, 25 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. They that mourn now shall laugh and rejoice in the kingdom to come. This is not what we call "a sense of humor.". Like James 4:9, Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. We will be so overwhelmed with happiness at seeing the Lord that we will laugh!!!
Amen.
Thank You,
Thomas Abraham
We have heard this week from the reading of the psalms, Psalms 2, “He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision.” This lead me to think does God has a real sense of humor.
As we live in this land, we are aware that the Americans do not favor a candidate running for key office such as the president, if he/she lacks humor. I have seen and heard from many preachers, using one-liners to open their speech with ‘icebreakers’. I do not know if Jesus when he was on the earth giving out those famous sermons resorted to such methods. When you search on the word “laugh” you can only see onetime, or one thing that God laughs, which is at the devil or in the destruction of the wicked. I am imagining when God laughs; it might be a terrifying sound for devil and for the wicked that has rejected The Christ, that God send for them as savior.
The following is a kaleidoscope of verses about laughter.
Now I was looking at certain people in the Bible who has laughed or might have laughed at certain situations. I have looked at the people who are supported by the Holy Spirit in Chapter 11 of Hebrews. In 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Did Noah laugh? He has never seen nor heard about a thing called “rain”. Yet, when God said, “go and build an ark”, he started the work. Did Noah laugh? (Remember the famous Bill Cosby stand-ups on Noah.) He probably could have laughed, don’t you think?
Another one is Abraham. It is in Genesis, 8th, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Remember Abraham was a friend of God, he could have said, “yeah right God; you did not give me anything, even a high-level master plan, and you want me to go to an unknown land with belongings?” Instead of that thinking, he obeyed completely. ”By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” I did not see anything in the Bible saying that he questioned God nor he said “Lord, what a trial”, (poraattam), or prayed about the situation, to make it smoother. He knew exactly who has called him, and he knew, if He has called me, he has a plan, and set out to the unknown.
Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
Let’s compare this situation in the new testament in Hebrews 11: “By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.” In Genesis 18 we read thus: And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.” See, there is even an argument. Even though Sarah’s famous smile was not audible, God saw what she did inside. Be aware, he made your frame, he can see through you.
2 Kings 19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
2 Chronicles 30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Nehemiah 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
Job 5:22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. 9:23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. 12:4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 29:24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down. 41:29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. (Leviathan)
Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 37:13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 80:6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. 126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Proverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (wisdom) 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. 29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Isaiah 37:22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Ezekiel 23:32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Luke 6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
James 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. (The wicked fill their hearts with mirth and merriment, fattening themselves up for the day of slaughter. We Christians know what's coming, we need to be sober.)
Let’s look at some other verse, including our core :
Psalms 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
Psalms 37:13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
Psalms 59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
Proverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (wisdom speaketh here)
Ezekiel 23:32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
So, when people say, “ Our pastor has a good sense of humor, is it really necessary. We Mallus have a natural tendency to bore other people. Sometimes a dash of humor can be justified to breakout of boredom.
Ephesians 5:3-4 ...let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
To me joking is jesting. There was even a “holy group” resorted to using “holy laughter” in their worship services. Is it according to the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Ecclesiastes 7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
What does James say about laughter?
James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
A comedian on stage, on someone else’s expense makes some foolish jokes. It glorifies him. If we resort to same stuff in the church, would that glorify God? Do not the scriptures say that we should be sober and grave? We live in perilous times. The night cometh when no man can work. We've got to work while it is day. People don't come to Jesus to be entertained. They can get better entertainment on TV than at a church service. They've come to Him for more abundant life.
Sadness and sobriety in spirit does indeed make the countenance better. When we walk through the deep waters, God makes it our best times with the Lord. The troubled times becomes our best times-not when we’re flapping our lips too much. One of the benefits of fasting is that it sobers us. We put our bodies under subjection and turn our attention to our God meditating on His precepts and commandments. We are looking for Him, seeking Him out. THAT is unspeakable joy. Joy is not the foolishness of meaningless banter or laughter or jester, which has a tendency to spread like wildfire infecting everything in its path. (I applaud and support our Pastor, for taking the time out this week for fasting and prayer.)
The Lord Jesus told us something about laughter:
Luke 6:21, 25 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. They that mourn now shall laugh and rejoice in the kingdom to come. This is not what we call "a sense of humor.". Like James 4:9, Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. We will be so overwhelmed with happiness at seeing the Lord that we will laugh!!!
Amen.
Thank You,
Thomas Abraham
ക്രിസ്തുവില് വിശ്രമം.
The ICC Newsletter Publisher-TA Volume Number 2 Issue Number2 Date: 2/14/2010 The Importance of Resting in Christ
For the last couple of weeks we have been listening to the preaching on the importance of rest. Many a believers now-a-days, think that a victorious life is a Herculean and not a formidable task to accomplish, and they do not believe that it is even possible. Now, there is another minority in the spiritual world who that think it is possible and they have tried hard by themselves and has miserably failed. Why did they fail? They have failed because they do not know the secret to a victorious Christian life. The secret is not in working hard, it is rather in having rest. “To forsake the worldly pleasures, To withstand the forces of darkness I will rest in In his Name-Jesus”-an old Malayalam song goes like that. The old testament believers became weak weary and heavy-laiden, because of the rigidness and toughness of the law. They were crushed miserably under the weight of the law. Because of all the work they have to perform under the law, they became tired and weary. They have to carry all that load by themselves. There is an alarming verse in Romans 7:24 ”What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But, Jesus came to this world and He said, in Matthew 11:28,29, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Karl Marx who in “Das Capital” wrote a lot about work, workers and weariness. What Jesus said about weariness greatly differs from what Marx has wrote about. (By the way, Marx was a Jew by birth.) When Jesus spoke about weariness, He was talking about the law, which was like an unbearable load for the people of the time. In Acts 15:10- we read: “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?” But then Jesus declared: in Galatians 5:1-“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Jesus added” Hear from me, then you will find rest, then you will fine d rest for your soul.” We ought to know how Jesus lived, and that we should learn from his life. Son can do everything the father can do. In John 5:19, Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. We are His sons and daughters, we need to observe what Jesus has done, and can perform even more than the Son has done. Jesus said in John 6:57, “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.” John 15: 4, Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will 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.” So, if we are not victorious means we are not living in him. For a branch to bear fruit, it has to have constant supply of nutrients and water from the vine itself. Likewise, Jesus said, if you abide in me, you will be fruitful . The Importance of Resting in Him I do not have anything in me to be victorious, I have everything in Him for me to my bearing fruit and to and to be victorious. I live, because He lives. Amen. In Colossians 2:6,7 and 8 we read: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” This tells us that we need to be deep-rooted in Him in order for us to increase in faith. Just as when you plant a seed in the soil, the plant need to absorb everything from the soil for its growth and to bear fruit. A believer is likewise also. Jesus has imparted into us the knowledge, sanctification, justification, resurrection, victory, and a glorious hope to lead victorious life. For us to live, every minute of our life, we need to acquire this by faith. According to Colossians 2:9, For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. You are also complete in Jesus, according to Colossians 2:10. “and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” So, lets look up to Jesus, getaway from self and pity and be victorious. Do not attempt to accomplish anything by your might, Rest in Him. This is the key to a victorious Christian life. Thank You, -Thomas Abraham.
For the last couple of weeks we have been listening to the preaching on the importance of rest. Many a believers now-a-days, think that a victorious life is a Herculean and not a formidable task to accomplish, and they do not believe that it is even possible. Now, there is another minority in the spiritual world who that think it is possible and they have tried hard by themselves and has miserably failed. Why did they fail? They have failed because they do not know the secret to a victorious Christian life. The secret is not in working hard, it is rather in having rest. “To forsake the worldly pleasures, To withstand the forces of darkness I will rest in In his Name-Jesus”-an old Malayalam song goes like that. The old testament believers became weak weary and heavy-laiden, because of the rigidness and toughness of the law. They were crushed miserably under the weight of the law. Because of all the work they have to perform under the law, they became tired and weary. They have to carry all that load by themselves. There is an alarming verse in Romans 7:24 ”What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But, Jesus came to this world and He said, in Matthew 11:28,29, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Karl Marx who in “Das Capital” wrote a lot about work, workers and weariness. What Jesus said about weariness greatly differs from what Marx has wrote about. (By the way, Marx was a Jew by birth.) When Jesus spoke about weariness, He was talking about the law, which was like an unbearable load for the people of the time. In Acts 15:10- we read: “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?” But then Jesus declared: in Galatians 5:1-“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Jesus added” Hear from me, then you will find rest, then you will fine d rest for your soul.” We ought to know how Jesus lived, and that we should learn from his life. Son can do everything the father can do. In John 5:19, Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. We are His sons and daughters, we need to observe what Jesus has done, and can perform even more than the Son has done. Jesus said in John 6:57, “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.” John 15: 4, Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will 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.” So, if we are not victorious means we are not living in him. For a branch to bear fruit, it has to have constant supply of nutrients and water from the vine itself. Likewise, Jesus said, if you abide in me, you will be fruitful . The Importance of Resting in Him I do not have anything in me to be victorious, I have everything in Him for me to my bearing fruit and to and to be victorious. I live, because He lives. Amen. In Colossians 2:6,7 and 8 we read: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” This tells us that we need to be deep-rooted in Him in order for us to increase in faith. Just as when you plant a seed in the soil, the plant need to absorb everything from the soil for its growth and to bear fruit. A believer is likewise also. Jesus has imparted into us the knowledge, sanctification, justification, resurrection, victory, and a glorious hope to lead victorious life. For us to live, every minute of our life, we need to acquire this by faith. According to Colossians 2:9, For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. You are also complete in Jesus, according to Colossians 2:10. “and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” So, lets look up to Jesus, getaway from self and pity and be victorious. Do not attempt to accomplish anything by your might, Rest in Him. This is the key to a victorious Christian life. Thank You, -Thomas Abraham.
Monday, March 8, 2010
ടിപ്സ് ഫോര് ഡെയിലി ലിവിംഗ്
The ICC Newsletter
Publisher-TA Volume Number 2 Issue Number 4 Date: 3/2/2010
How To Lead a Victorious Christian Life.
(വിയകരമായ ക്രിസ്തീയ ജീവിതത്തിനു ചില നിര്ദേശങ്ങള്)
(Adapted from a message by Pr. Thomas Philip, President, New India Bible Church.)
1. Begin your day with prayer. Dedicate time for meditation, and worship.
2. Give your Lord God the prime importance in life. Love Him dearly, intimately.
3. Read the Word of God carefully, meditate upon the word.
4. Lead a honest, truthful life, speak nothing but truth.
5. Make Lord Jesus your example and hero. Mould your life around Him.
6. Avoid worthless babblings, jargons and jesters, do not listen to gossip.
7. Make it practical, the mind that is Christ Jesus, let him be the example for everything.
8. Do not look for what we can “get” from God by serving him. “Give”, do only the job that is entrusted in you.
9. Always have positive attitude. The promises of god are always “Yes.”
10. Adopt a leadership style that was in Jesus- “servant leadership”. Attend worship meetings without fail.
11. Do not get involved with everything, nor answer to all you hear.
12. Try to defeat personal weaknesses. When traveling, if God does not lead you to go, don’t go. Be submissive to His complete will.
13. In your lifetime be truthful, honest and trustworthy and be on His side.
14. In your family, church and in society, be an example. You should keep your word in everything.
15. Ladies should keep their house and surroundings well-kept, and have connections with the neighbors. (Note: written for Kerala audience, you see. I think men should take an active role in this regard.)
16. Husbands should be mindful of their wives, and wives should be likewise also. They should raise their children according to the statuettes laid in accordance with the word.
17. The wife should be careful to “take-care” of husband’s parents, if they become incapable. (Again, this is intended for Mallus, not a pre-requisite.-TA)
18. Wife should be clear-minded of what husband intends to do, especially in charity. She should not stop him from doing the goodwill.
19. Give 1/10th of everything, including time. Be cautious to tithe.
20. Ladies (and gentlemen) should abound in hospitality. Sarah’s life should be an example for all.
21. In transactions of any kind, be honest and truthful to the max.
22. Try to control your tongue; do not act like pouring oil into burning coal.
23. Be deep-rooted in the word of God, work toward maturity, dedicate your life to the His work.
24. Encourage one-another for doing good, do not be jealous of each-other.
25. A good wife will possess qualities such as doing good to others, humble and have humility.
26. Wives of servant of God must encourage their husbands in their daily work, do not discourage them with objectionable language.
27. Keep aloof from that which will keep you away from God’s Grace.
28. Gods Children ought to have burning desire for evangelization, and should keep a clear conscience.
29. The servants of the Lord should preach only that the Lord has given in their tongue.
Publisher-TA Volume Number 2 Issue Number 4 Date: 3/2/2010
How To Lead a Victorious Christian Life.
(വിയകരമായ ക്രിസ്തീയ ജീവിതത്തിനു ചില നിര്ദേശങ്ങള്)
(Adapted from a message by Pr. Thomas Philip, President, New India Bible Church.)
1. Begin your day with prayer. Dedicate time for meditation, and worship.
2. Give your Lord God the prime importance in life. Love Him dearly, intimately.
3. Read the Word of God carefully, meditate upon the word.
4. Lead a honest, truthful life, speak nothing but truth.
5. Make Lord Jesus your example and hero. Mould your life around Him.
6. Avoid worthless babblings, jargons and jesters, do not listen to gossip.
7. Make it practical, the mind that is Christ Jesus, let him be the example for everything.
8. Do not look for what we can “get” from God by serving him. “Give”, do only the job that is entrusted in you.
9. Always have positive attitude. The promises of god are always “Yes.”
10. Adopt a leadership style that was in Jesus- “servant leadership”. Attend worship meetings without fail.
11. Do not get involved with everything, nor answer to all you hear.
12. Try to defeat personal weaknesses. When traveling, if God does not lead you to go, don’t go. Be submissive to His complete will.
13. In your lifetime be truthful, honest and trustworthy and be on His side.
14. In your family, church and in society, be an example. You should keep your word in everything.
15. Ladies should keep their house and surroundings well-kept, and have connections with the neighbors. (Note: written for Kerala audience, you see. I think men should take an active role in this regard.)
16. Husbands should be mindful of their wives, and wives should be likewise also. They should raise their children according to the statuettes laid in accordance with the word.
17. The wife should be careful to “take-care” of husband’s parents, if they become incapable. (Again, this is intended for Mallus, not a pre-requisite.-TA)
18. Wife should be clear-minded of what husband intends to do, especially in charity. She should not stop him from doing the goodwill.
19. Give 1/10th of everything, including time. Be cautious to tithe.
20. Ladies (and gentlemen) should abound in hospitality. Sarah’s life should be an example for all.
21. In transactions of any kind, be honest and truthful to the max.
22. Try to control your tongue; do not act like pouring oil into burning coal.
23. Be deep-rooted in the word of God, work toward maturity, dedicate your life to the His work.
24. Encourage one-another for doing good, do not be jealous of each-other.
25. A good wife will possess qualities such as doing good to others, humble and have humility.
26. Wives of servant of God must encourage their husbands in their daily work, do not discourage them with objectionable language.
27. Keep aloof from that which will keep you away from God’s Grace.
28. Gods Children ought to have burning desire for evangelization, and should keep a clear conscience.
29. The servants of the Lord should preach only that the Lord has given in their tongue.
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