Thanksgiving

"Keep yourselves from idols" (1 Jn 5:21) We can understand how much God abhors idolatry from the fact that the very first two of the Ten Commandments condemn it (Ex 20:2-5). The last dated book of the New Testament is John's Epistle and it ends with a warning against idolatry (1 Jn 5:21). We should worship only God the Creator and not anything created. When it is God who has made us, how can we make Him? He would never tolerate man worshipping statues made of metal, wood or stone. Man burns a portion of the wood, and with the rest of it he makes an idol. He prostrates himself before it and worships it (Isa 44:9-20). Can this be acceptable? Memorial symbols like the Cross (2 Ki 18:14) and objects of idolatry such as sun, moon and stars (Dt 4:19), animals, birds and creeping things (Rom 1:23) also should never be exalted to a position of worship. Satan, who suggested to Jesus to fall down and worship him, desires people also to do the same (Mt 4:9,10). We hear th

"Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit" (Lk 23:46) The sayings of Jesus on the Cross were not yet over when He uttered the victorious words, "It is finished." The only begotten Son of God left His home in glory and came into this world to offer His own precious life as a ransom for man's salvation. After fulfilling the perfect will of His Father, remembering Psalm 31:5, Jesus commended His spirit into the hands of His Heavenly Father. No one was able to take the life of Jesus. It was His own freewill offering. We don't need to fear about tomorrow because Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the one who was, who is and who is to come. He is the "A" and the "Z." Jesus said, "I give My sheep eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand"

"It is finished!" (Jn 19:30) All the demands of a holy and righteous God were perfectly satisfied when Christ offered His body without any blemish, and shed His blood without any spot. His was the perfect offering. There is nothing we can add to it because it is just not necessary. Man thought that Jesus was finished, but He shouted victoriously that the work was finished! Salvation comes to us as a free gift because of the finished work on the Cross. A gift cannot be earned, it must only be received. On God's side salvation is all of grace, and on our side it is all of faith. We are not saved "by" good works but "for" good works. Boasting is totally out (Eph 2:8-10). The gospel is a Good News for those who have done their best but failed! The problem of the natural man with human reasoning is in understanding how the greatest of all gifts can be received by simple faith. In his pride and prestige he wants to "do" something and earn

"Assuredly, I say to you,  Today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Lk 23:43) Jesus spoke these words of certainty and assurance to one of the thieves, to the one on the right or the left we don't know. The thief was there under punishment but in a moment he had his entry to Paradise assured — "Assuredly!" "Will be!" There are skeptics who say we cannot know for sure today that we are saved. And several folks are puzzled with the question, "Can I be sure of my salvation?" Yes, thousand times, yes, because the Bible says so. "The Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). Here's the definition of the Church: No unsaved member inside and no saved outside! One of the reasons why people dispute over the possibility of present assurance of salvation is that they fail to understand salvation in three tenses. Salvation past is deliverance from the "penalty" of sin; salvation present i

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Lk 23:34) The seven statements Jesus Christ made on the Cross, while He was going through inexplainable suffering on our behalf, have incorporated all the important aspects of the Gospel message. Each saying emphasises any one particular aspect of the Gospel. We will meditate it today and during the next six days. First of all, the Gospel is the message of God's forgiveness. That's what Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach: "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations" (Lk 24:47). God's forgiveness is superlative. He primarily forgives the "sinner," and his "sins" are automatically taken care of. We are not sinners because  we sin; we are sinners  so  we sin! God deals with the root and the cause, not with the effect. Before the younger son completed his sin confession the father forgave him and accepted him! We are totall

"Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of  mind let each esteem others better than himself" (Phil 2:3) Obedience need not always be one way traffic, as juniors obeying the seniors. After admonishing the "younger people" to submit themselves to their elders, Apostle Peter continues, "Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility" (1 Pet 5:5). It takes more maturity to obey a younger person than an elder. More often than we realise, youngsters and juniors are capable of judging and deciding on things more objectively than their seniors. They have the flexibility, creativity and openness of youthfulness to their advantage as against the rigidity and conservatism of the old age. This is illustrated amply both in Church history and world history. On God's holy mountain, a "little child" can be the leader (Isa 11:6). David testified that he had more understanding than the ancients and a

"How much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has insulted the Spirit of Grace?" (Heb 10:29) "All sins will be forgiven the sons of men and whatever blasphemies they may utter, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is subject to eternal condemnation" (Mk 3:2829; Mt 12:31,32; Lk 12:10). Pentecostals use these words of Jesus against non-pentecostals when the latter question the genuineness of certain pentecostal manifestations. But what did Jesus actually mean by such strong words? Blasphemy against God was punishable by death. It could not be atoned for under the Old Testament law (Lev 24:10-16). But what about the provision under the New Covenant that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from "all" sin? Why did Jesus say that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was more serious than that against Himself? The Holy Spirit is the only force that can convict us of our sin and lead us to

"Is not My word like fire, asks the Lord,  and like hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces?" (Jer 23:29) New revelations, visions, dreams — these are the fad in Christendom today. Though superficially these appear good, these are nothing but "wood, hay and straw." These cannot stand the test of the fire of God's Word "The fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is" (1 Cor 3:12,13). People are excited when preachers talk about dreams and visions. Huge crowds rush to such meetings. But dreams and visions are simply "chaff" before the "wheat" of God's Word. Perhaps no other mortal man had had such an abundance of visions and revelations like Paul. He even had a trip to Paradise. But he did not go place to place talking about these experiences. Our preachers go crowing about even a visit to Paris! Jesus was reasonably thorough with the Scriptures even from the age of twelve (Lk 2:42,46,47). But He prepared Hims

"He who spares his cane hates his son;  but he who loves him disciplines him promptly" (Prov 13:24) God generally warns His people through His Word and Spirit. When they do not give heed to His warnings He will be forced to use the rod of correction. Even a small child understands a cane! The cane is the most powerful attention-getter! It works instant miracles as every parent knows! The writer of Hebrews warns, "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks" (Heb 12:25). The Heavenly Father has no spoilt children. He loves them too much to allow that (v6). God punishes us most when He punishes us not! Traffic accidents are becoming common. True we have the promise that God's angels shall keep us in all our ways (Psa 91:11,12). The Lord is our Protector and He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psa 121:4). But in a surge of anger, He may hide His face from us for a moment (Isa 54:7,8). Which father will be silently watching his son going the wrong way? The donke

"See, I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it" (Rev 3:8) This promise of Christ to the Philadelphian Church is repeated to every Christian and congregation who has a heart for God and the souls for whom His Son died. The doors are open  now.  Therefore we are to sow the seed both in the morning and the evening, preach in season and out of season! (Eccl 11:6; 2 Tim 4:2). We are to redeem the time (Eph 5:16). What can be done today must not be postponed to tomorrow. Postponement hinders progress. The doors are open to  every  believer. That's why God equips each of His children with talents and the gifts of the Spirit. No one needs to stand idle, jobless (Mt 25:14,15; 1 Cor 12:7-11; Mt 20:1-7). Open doors do not mean absence of problems and oppositions. In fact they often go together! For example, read what Paul writes to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 16:9, "A great and effective door has been opened to me  and  there are many opp

"O God, You are my strength; I wait for You" (Psa 59:9) It is only natural to run for shelter and refuge on the face of threat and danger. It's reflex action that's common to humankind. But in this era of swift and lethal weaponry, no place is absolutely safe unless God protects us. Because our times are in His hands and we are in His palms, we must learn to relax in any situation. The profitability of waiting on God when we are threatened and hounded is best explained in Isaiah 30:15,16, "The Sovereign Lord says: Only in returning to Me and waiting for Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength." God's silence and slowness in acting on our behalf when we are under the severe attack of our enemies may be due to two reasons. Either God wants to strengthen us by delaying deliverance or He wants to sanctify us. Taking time to sit before God in self-examination is the only way to experience victory. There may come times

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health,  just as your soul prospers" (3 Jn 2) In the New Testament Church one of the conditions to be fulfilled to receive physical healing is to reconcile with the wronged. Medical Science recognizes that emotions such as envy, resentment and hatred are responsible for the majority of sicknesses. Solomon the wise wrote, "A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones" (Prov 14:30). Pluck out all roots of bitterness from your heart. Take the initiative yourself to set matters right with anyone with whom you are not in good terms (Mt 5:23,24). Holding grudge against someone is to our disadvantage only. Let's forgive everyone freely. The Corinthian Christians were participating in the Lord's supper with all their fights and factions. They did not discern or realise that the bread represented the Lord's Body of which each of them was a member. Therefore the Lor

"We are not boasting of things beyond measure,  that is, in other men's labours" (2 Cor 10:15) We painfully watch many faith evangelists in Christian TV literally begging people to help pay their large pending bills or the huge bank loans. This does not bring glory to God. One of the Christian broad- casting agencies in India tells of some evangelists who don't even reply its repeated reminders to pay their long dues of airtime cost. One should not do everything and get into trouble. "No one should think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly as God has given to each one a measure of faith" (Rom 12:3). It is good to plan big projects but the Bible cautions us to "sit down first and count the cost" whether we have enough to finish it (Lk 14:28). Expansion in Christian ministries is God's blessing. But don't overtake God. In the parable of talents, all were not given equal number of talents. One was give

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from Above  and comes down from the Father of Lights" (Js 1:17) The lists of spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible are not exhaustive but only suggestive. There are undoubtedly several other gifts not mentioned explicitly in these lists. Here are some examples— God has gifted many of His saints to compose and sing songs so sweetly and play extolling music. King David was one such unusually gifted person. He was called the "anointed sweet Psalmist of Israel" (2 Sam 23:1). In today's mission world, Mr. Emil Jebasingh stands out as a gifted composer of many missionary challenge songs. A severe fever made Fanny Crosby (1823-1915) blind when she was six weeks old. She died at 92. The Lord unusually gifted her and she composed thousands of hymns which never grow old.  "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine"  is one of them. Both in celebration and the proclamation of His praise, God has used arts widely.

"The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious" (Eccl 10:12) According to Apostle Paul, the first manifestation of love is patience. He says, "Love is patient" (1 Cor 13:4). The very next thing he says is, "Love is kind!" (1 Cor 13:4). Also in the list of the marks of God's servants, he mentions "kindness" immediately after "patience" (2 Cor 6:6). So also in the list of the fruits of the Spirit, kindness follows patience (Gal 5:22). Kindness is a language that the dumb can speak and the deaf can hear and understand. Kindness is such an important virtue that John the Baptist equated the "fruits of repentance" to acts of kindness. He told the people, "Be kind to the have-nots!" To the tax-collectors he said, "Don't overload the tax-payers!" He admonished the soldiers, "Don't chargesheet anyone falsely!" (Lk 3:8-14). The greatest thing a man can do for his Heavenly Father is

"We (the apostles) are ready to punish all disobedience  when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Cor 10:6) John the Baptist must have learnt obedience from his parents who were "walking in all the commandments of the Lord, blameless" (Lk 1:6). His ministry in turn was "to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just" (v17). He accepted to baptise Jesus only when the appeal was made on the basis of fulfilling God's righteous commandments. Jesus began His ministry only at thirty years of age. Until then He was practising a walk of obedience before the Father. Approving His spirit of submission and obedience, the Father testified at the commencement of His ministry, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Mt 3:17). Evangelism means calling people to "obedience to the faith" (Rom 16:25,26). Disobedient men and women are disqualified to proclaim the evangel. They will only bring dishonour to the Name of God a

"I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock  shall be scattered" (Mt 26:31; Zech 13:7) Though all Christians will have to pass through trials and tribulations, those in Christian ministry and leadership will be the primary target of the devil. We don't remove a tree by plucking off leaves or cutting off branches. The axe will be laid at the "root" of the tree! Having been in Christian leadership for over three decades, I would say that those in leadership positions must not be envied but pitied. Godly leaders never came up to their positions by their choice or grabbing of seats. More often than we think, God puts them there more or less by compulsion. He would not accept their excuses to assume such responsibilities (Ex 4:10-13; Jer 1:4-8). Constant weight of responsibilities, sleepless nights due to pressures and problems, frequent travels, hectic schedule, pressures due to unrealistic expectations of people, non-cooperation and strife amo