Affirm Truth

AffirmTruth.org is a Christian, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational ministry, based out of Chennai, India.

Author: Karishma George

Network engineer by profession, Started off career in Chennai and now working at Cochin which is also my hometown. Passionate about teaching, serving and have a deep desire for missions. #grateful #saved #loved

Health and Healing

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I was encouraged by my friend to write about health and healing, especially during these times of the pandemic. We have been seeing our dear and near ones falling sick and going through seasons of despair and discouragement. It’s time we remind ourselves that there is hope amidst any chaos if we trust in God. No matter how hopeless the situation might be, there is always enough hope to be saved for those who trust in the Almighty God (El-Shaddai).

Romans 10:11  As Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

There can be many questions that may have build up in your mind over this season. Maybe you were a victim of the pandemic and overcame it. Maybe you’ve seen others go through it or lost someone to it. It has affected all of us in someway, whether big or small. Being a responsible citizen and adhering to the present protocols is our duty, but being a panic-stricken citizen and giving up on all hope is not for a believer. There is always more to the story than what we see with our eyes if we believe in a God who works in ways beyond what we can see.

Let’s start with the most obvious question of all—can God heal? And the answer is YES! We can get scriptures to prove that God has and does heal people who put their faith in Him or for the sake of the faith of the one who prays over the sick (Matthew 8:1, Matthew 12:13, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 14:36, Luke 5:25).

Today, we too can pray in the name of Jesus and receive this healing over our lives if we pray in faith that God is able to heal us. Jesus died for the salvation of all mankind. For the one who believes in Jesus as his Lord and Savior, His blood cleanses him of all sins and through His stripes we receive healing. For me it is easier to believe this since I am a beneficiary of His healing in my life. Not once but many times including a recent episode of the pandemic, I have seen how God miraculously healed me in my body. Christian life is not just studying about God but experiencing the reality of God in our lives. Just like theory without practical knowledge is incompetent, so is studying about God, without experiencing God’s truth and reality in life.

Isaiah 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

The point I want to emphasize here is that God’s healing is not just limited to the physical body. God heals both the body of sickness and the soul of sin. God’s healing is wholesome and complete. He is Jehovah Rapha—The Lord who heals.

How can one be well, when he suffers morally? —Leo Tolstoy

So, our next question might be, then why is not everyone who believes in God healed? I know that it is true and there are no two ways about it that God can heal. This is not a question up for debate. He heals the sick who have faith in Him or because of the faith of the one who prays over the sick. But why is it that some were healed one way and another person had to go through something and then be healed or why one who seems to have faith in God is not yet healed is not for us to break our heads over. What I can do is affirm that God is in control. Hold on to God and He will change trials into testimonies for His glory. Even if we go through a sickness God will give us the strength to overcome it and become stronger not only in our body but also in our faith in Him.

Mark 8:36-37 “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

However, God is not just interested in healing the body but even more in healing our inner man—our heart, mind and soul. If it takes a bodily sickness to heal the heart of the deadly disease of pride, boastfulness, jealousy, hatred, stubbornness, well then that is God’s way of healing that person from the inside. Or maybe God wanted to show them that they can’t control their lives which is just a matter of a breath. I can never list down the reasons why someone went through something, but I can always assure that God is in control of the one who trusts in Him, even during the sickness God is still in control and He is not blind to your circumstances.

Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.”

Psalm 119:71 “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.”

“I seek a not a long life, but a full one, like You Lord Jesus.” Like Jim Elliot who said these words, may we also desire a full life that fulfills God’s plans and purposes for us rather than a long but empty one.

God is almighty and He does all things for His own purposes which will not make sense to us simply because we don’t and can’t think like God who knows the end before the beginning. But the scriptures say that the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the plans of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-16). Nobody can limit God’s ways but we know that a father disciplines the son he loves. If a father doesn’t give a second look at what his son does with his life, that’s not called love.

Hebrews 12:5-7 “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

I am not healthy and well because I am by any means better off than a person who is down with the flu. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s standards. But I am well because of my faith in God and His forgiveness that is mine now because I believe that Jesus died for all my sins and weaknesses. So in Him and through Him alone, I am saved.

Romans 3:23-24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Don’t lose heart if you are going through a season of sickness in your body or mind. Don’t let your mind tell you that God has forsaken you. We see many examples of people in the Bible and in today’s world, who trusted God sincerely and yet did not receive a bodily healing.

The existence of illness or suffering in a believer’s life does not necessarily constitute a sinful life or a life that lacks faith. Apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord on three separate occasions for the Lord to remove the “thorn in his flesh,” yet God’s grace was enough for the apostle and His power was made perfect in Paul’s weaknesses. Elisha the prophet raised the son of the Shunamite women yet he died of a sickness (2 Kings 4:18-37, 2 Kings 13:14, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9) and so on.

We cannot ever answer why and what God has in mind for each person. But the truth remains the same, that if we surrender our lives to Jesus, then even if our bodies go through sickness, we still have a future hope that is eternal. With God on our side, we can only get stronger with everything that comes our way. But without God, anything has the potential to break you down. If we trust in Him, even in our weakness His strength is displayed in us for His own glory.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When God helps us to understand that the greatest blessing we can have is God Himself, then the joy of God becomes our strength (Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”). We rejoice because He has already given us everything we need in Jesus. Christian life is joyful because we have Jesus. We are not self-dependent people but God-dependent. And that is our never ending source of strength. He will not leave us nor forsake us. If your body is healed you might live up to 70-80 years, given all goes well. But when you receive Jesus in your life, you live with Him eternally beyond this life. (John 11:25-26)

That’s why we can also say, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

ONE is enough for me

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As consumers we all expect variety. We don’t completely depend on a single store for all commodities because it may not have the best of all categories. For example, we have a favorite store for clothes, shoes, another for groceries and so on.

But is it really wise to find different sources for our spiritual needs as well? Today we have a variety of choices there too. Some are attractive at least from the outset and some are unfortunately bizarre. Some sources stand on the foundation of certain principles, cultures, locations or heritages while others on public figures of so called spiritual gurus.

But fortunately for me, there is this ONE person I can turn to – the One true God! There is no need for a second option because there is no better choice. He is The best I could and will sought after. And we will try to find out just why.

God by definition is The Supreme being, Creator and Ruler of the Universe.

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God (Elohim – the Triune God) created the heavens and the earth.

So, if our needs are within the heavens and the Earth (emotional, physical, material, spiritual) then we can know for sure who to go to – its Creator – God!

God cannot be specific only to a particular area or domain. If we believe that there is a God then He is an infinite being who created all other finite beings that are under His sovereign control. He is not a part of this creation but beyond it. If I say god is everything around me and everything in the universe is god then isn’t that contradicting the very meaning of God? How can there be more than one infinite being? So, if God is this one Supreme being then:

Why would I turn to many gods? When I can have a relationship with the One true God Himself, I don’t need to go to one god for provision, another for protection, yet another for healing and so on. God should be able to suffice all my needs.

Why would I turn to saints to intercede for me?

To start with who is a saint? According to the Bible every believer is a saint or in other words every person who is sanctified by Jesus’ finished work on the cross and set apart for God is a saint.(Romans 1:7,1Corinthains 1:2) In some denominations we see particular disciples and others given undue attention and they become objects of prayer and devotion. This is not biblical since giving a person such attention that he/she be made a mediator between the Father and us is an act of idolatry because Jesus is our only mediator as clearly given in the scriptures. In fact, the reason Jesus died was so  that we may have direct access to the throne of God the Father. When I turn to any other human being, I disregard the sacrifice that Christ took on for me. There is only One mediator between God the Father and all of mankind – Jesus Christ. When I bow down to any other I am consciously or subconsciously an idolater because prayer is directed only to God.

Or is my Father in heaven like a strict earthly father beyond approach that someone should recommend for me?

We also find this kind of intercessory prayers made through Mary, the mother of Jesus. They say it is just like how we would ask our mother for something instead of asking the father directly. This is yet another heresy that is prevalent. Our God is perfect and cannot be compared to the flawed characteristics of an earthly father. I need no introduction or recommendation to the One who created me and knew me even before I was born(Psalm 139:15-16). His love for me exceeds any other. Mary was blessed to have been able to give birth to Jesus but she is by no means a deity. She had other sons and daughters after Jesus was born just like a normal woman. ( Mathew 13:55-56) She calls God her savior just like He is our savior.(Luke 1:47)

When we have Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father and interceding for each one of us, we don’t need anyone else to do this task. (Romans 8:34)

We should respect people who have lived out a life of faith and learn good lessons from their lives (both failures and successes). But none is perfect that we may pray to them or worship them. Christ alone can save us and not any human being. Our example to follow is and will always remain Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:5 – 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

Acts 4:12 – Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Right! So, I just pray to this God and I get everything I want?

No, it’s not like God keeps giving you everything you want. But rather when you have a true relationship with this Almighty God, you lack nothing. You find your purpose in life and everything you need is taken care of within this wholesome relationship. 

In the old testament we see many names given to God in worship and adoration by different people at different instances. These names, unlike today, had great significance and described a particular attribute of God as revealed to these people.

We too can pray claiming these attributes of God over our life situations.

Although God is more than any name could ever contain, these names help us understand and experience certain aspects of God’s character in our lives.

Below are few of the names of God and instances where it has been used in the Bible:

  1. El Shaddai – Lord God Almighty

God specializes in impossibilities. When He says “Yes” there is nothing that can change it. Faith in God’s faithfulness is what you need to see the fulfilment of God’s promises.

Genesis 17:1 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.

  1. El Roi– The God who sees me

Ever felt like you were invisible to the world around you? He is the God who sees you no matter where you try to hide yourself. Call on Him because His eyes are watching over you and

Genesis 16:16 – She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen[a] the One who sees me.”

  1. Jehovah Raah  – The Lord My Shepherd

When you follow the good shepherd, you will lack nothing. Even if you wander away, He will come in search of you. The good shepherd lays His life down for the sheep. Jesus is our good shepherd and in Him we have everything we need – protection, provision and guidance.

Psalm 23:1 -The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

  1. Jehovah Rapha – The Lord That Heals

God who can heal both our body from sickness and our soul from sin. I have experienced His healing in my body in a second. The same God who healed me can heal you too if you have faith in Him.

Exodus 15:26 – 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

  1. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord Our Righteousness

Our righteousness comes from God and not by any of our own deeds. The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all our sins and makes us righteous before the Father. So, don’t condemn yourself but repent before God and exchange your shame for His righteousness.

Jeremiah 23:6 – In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
 

  1. Qanna – jealous, zealous, or envy

The fundamental meaning relates to a marriage relationship. God is depicted as Israel’s husband. He is a jealous God, wanting all our praise for Himself and no one else. When we distribute the worship that only God deserves among other man-made gods and saints we are committing idolatry.

Exodus 20:5 – 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

  1. Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Will Provide

When we have exhausted our resources and strength, He provides for those who call on Him. He makes sure they have enough in times of need. In His perfect time, He will provide beautifully. We need to trust and wait on Him to see the miracle.

Genesis 22:14 – 4 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

  1. Jehovah Shalom – Prince of Peace

He is the God who calms the storm with a word. He can give you peace amidst the chaos. In His presence we find peace that is beyond our understanding. Our peace rests on the fact that God is in control.

Judges 6:24 – 24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

  1. Jehovah Sabaoth – The Lord of Hosts

The Lord of angel armies who goes before and behind us is our Protector from the evil one. Even when we are alone, He is with us. Where no man can reach out to us, God is still with us. No wall is too thick for God to come through if you call on Him earnestly.

Isaiah 47:4 – 4 As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

And so, One God is enough for me. I don’t have to run between different gods for my different needs. And this privilege is freely available to you if you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Lord and savior. He is enough!

Tattoo taboo

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Always a topic that make heads turn in the Christian circle. So, what is all the talk about Christians not being allowed to get a tattoo? And what does the Bible say about it?


Leviticus 19:28 – “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

This was one among the many rules that God gave the Israelites so that they would be set apart for God from among other pagan religions and cultures of that time.

Though all of these are not applicable to us today, there are some outright Nos that we need to follow as children of God. We should not get a tattoo of any kind of pagan gods/symbols, anything related to sorcery, witchcraft, Black Magic and so on because that would be an idol. These are clearly against what God wants His children to do. 

Also, in Revelation we see something called the mark or number of the beast(666). This is said to differentiate the followers of Christ and the followers of antichrist in the days to come. If you do not believe in Jesus and follow the antichrist then you will have this mark on you(which is not an impossible idea anymore with the development of technology in our times) and only if you have this mark will you be allowed to buy or sell anything.

So it looks like the mark of the antichrist is outwardly and visible whereas, the mark of God is the Holy Spirit inside of us and is invisible.

Revelation 13:16‭-‬18 – It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.  This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.


So, what about Christian tattoos? 


What about a “John 3:16”, a cross, “Jesus loves you” or something along the same lines which is purely giving out a gospel message?

  • The Bible says that your body is the temple of the living God. Inflicting pain on it should be a serious thought.
  • Always better to get Him tattooed on your heart than on your skin. Internal transformation over external expressions.
  • What is tattooed on your heart will speak louder than what is on your skin. God can use your life as a bigger testimony than a tattoo.


1 Corinthians 6:19-20 –  19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Am I obeying the golden rule that Jesus told me? 

Golden rule:

Mathew 22:36-39
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ 

You can get a tattoo and exercise the freedom you have in Christ but is it beneficial?

1 Corinthians 10:23 – “I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive.

If I know I can get a tattoo that spreads the gospel message and can be a window for starting a conversation with others about what God did in my life but still my culture is not open towards the idea, I should still rethink about exercising my freedom by getting a tattoo done.

Why?

  • Because God died not only for me but for each of them and they are all valued before His eyes.
  • So, to be able to share the gospel to them I need to be approachable first.

Does this mean that culture is greater than God’s commandments? Never. But, when it is not against God’s commandments I should, for the sake of others try to keep up with it. This shows my love for them just the way God wants me to win them.

What about those who already have a tattoo?
There is absolutely no problem if you already have a tattoo, and it is not a sin that will keep you away from God. You can always run to your Father. A tattoo dosent make you any less or any more of a child of God. May God help you to glorify Him with everything that you have.

I encourage you to know that our identity comes from God alone. We don’t need a tattoo to remind us who we were, who we are or who we want to be. We will always be a daughter/son of the Most High God. Nothing, nothing at all can take that away if we believe in what Jesus did for us on the cross. He died for the forgiveness of all our sins and reconciled us back to the Father.


Romans 8:15 – “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'”


Live by the explicitly clear commands that Jesus has laid down for us in the Bible. Once that is taken care of all these fringe issues (like tattooing, drinking, partying, movies) will also fall in place when we are guided by the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit. Don’t try to fix the fringe issues first and forget all about the core!

What is the core?

Jesus died for me and by His death He took away all my sins and I am forgiven. I have been made a child of God who is loved and cared for and I will live for His glory by reflecting His love to others around me. So, tattoo or no tattoo on my skin does not matter but I need to tattoo God in my heart because God sees my heart.

1Samuel 16:7 – The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

I hope this topic doesn’t excite us anymore and that we will be mature in Christ to look at things that really matter beyond ink and skin.

Love – so common yet so rare!

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“I love you” – we often hear this from friends and family. But what does it really mean to love someone? Do we have a standard we can look up to? We need to get our definition of love right.


Why?
Because everything revolves around love.
Why?
Because God is love. – 1 John 4:7


How do we possibly share about God to others when we do not even know the actual essence of His love?


1 Corinthians -13 gives us an amazing definition of love.


4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails.

Keeping this as our checklist we need to find what’s lacking in the way we love. No one else has/can/will ever love you this way but God. We however need to keep trying and get better and better with this standard in mind.

God did not tap on your shoulders and tell you that He loves you, but He screamed it out to each one of us from the top of a hill called Calvary. Not with words, but with His life.
The kind of love that tells He loves you even without using words.


So, when God has shown us such an extent of His unconditional love, can we thank Him with words alone?
It is not enough to only wake up in the morning and say, “I love you Lord” and then go ahead with daily chores completely forgetting Him.


Romans 12 says that worship is not just words of praise but also shown in deeds.
So, if you love God what should you do? Jesus said in John 14:15 that –
“If you love me, keep my commands.”


When Jesus ascended to heaven, He left us with a great commission to carry out.
Mathew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

So, love is much more than just words. It doesn’t mean that we stop using words but it means that it goes beyond. It goes on into actions. If you love, it needs to overflow into actions.


Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


God did not love us at our best but at our worst, and still does. May we not be so blinded as to not see His love towards us. We need to love people knowing that they are God’s creation and are valued in His sight. When we look down on someone, we are looking down on the creation of God! We love because He loved us despite our shortcomings.


So the next time when you say an “I love you”, remember that it means a lot. May we not say it less, but may we live it more. Love is about giving, not getting. The more you give, the more you will be filled with God’s love and will never run dry.

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”
― Amy Carmichael


Anyone can give when he has enough, but may we love enough to always give. Love the right way! – let’s keep the standards sky high – Love the way God loves. 




	






		
	
	

		
Grace over karma – what’s the deal?
		

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Karma sounds like a fair deal every time we hear about it.It is easy for our minds to comprehend and agree with the law of karma. If a person does bad, he is held responsible for what he did and reaps bad in the next birth out of the bad he sowed in the previous birth. This cycle of rebirths continue until one has come out clean – moksha.





But we see that the Bible clearly states that we will all die once and after that stand in front of God’s throne for judgment. This shows that the law of karma where by people take rebirth into something based on their previous life is not true. We all have one life to live and we will be judged on that – whether we lived wisely or foolishly.





Hebrews 9:27





27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.





2Corinthians 5:10





10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.





Does the above verse mean that we will be saved by doing good? – by no means.





But the judgment mentioned in the above verse is for already saved believers to give an account of what he did with his life here on Earth. Whether he used this life to do good works or spent it foolishly and he will be rewarded accordingly but this does not decide his eternal destiny.





If we were to be saved based on all our thoughts and deeds then, I would say – God save us!





And most fortunately, that is what He does – God saves us from all our sins!





Matthew 1:21





She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”





 The Bible puts forward a truth that is contradictory to the law of karma. Here, we see Jesus paying the price for the sins of all mankind with His own life once and for all. Love so great seems incomprehensible to our minds and rightly so.





Because why would God care to take away the sins of wretched men?





Moreover, why would God pay it with Heaven’s best, His only Son – Jesus?





The answer is found in John 3:16





John 3:16





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.





God                                                          





 – The Almighty Authority





So loved the world                                





– the mightiest motive





That He gave His only begotten Son       





 – the Greatest gift





That whoever                                           





– the widest welcome





Believes in Him                                        





– the easiest escape





Should not perish                                 





 – the divine deliverance





But have everlasting life                     





 – the priceless possession





This is the unmerited grace of God.





Ephesians 2:8-9





 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.





We have been saved by the incomparable riches of His grace.  All we must do is humbly accept this gift of God that was offered to each one of us at the cross of Calvary.





There Jesus bled and died to make atonement for the sins of all mankind. He was stripped, spat on, flogged, whipped,  mocked,  struck, a crown of thorns was set on His head and when He could hardly stand, they placed a heavy cross on His back to be carried from Jerusalem to Golgotha, where He was to be crucified. 





Finally, they nailed Him to that cross and crucified Him. The all-powerful God took upon Himself the most pitiful death for you and me.  But with this sacrifice He nailed to the cross the power of sin and death. He knew it was impossible for us to save ourselves, so He took our place on the cross. Forgiveness from sins and adoption as God’s children is offered to us for free because of the price Jesus already paid.





To ignore this greatest gift of grace – salvation, would be to ignore the real essence of life.





Accept His grace over your life and live life knowing that you are forgiven and accepted by God. There is no sin He has not paid for. Repent of your sins and humbly accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers for those who believe in His finished work on the cross.





Don’t worry if people condemn your life and actions as beyond forgivable, because there is a God who paid it all just for you. He can transform every broken relationship that is beyond cure. He can change situations for you because God sees what man cannot see – He sees your heart.





1Samuel 16:7





The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”





This new year accept Jesus as your personal savior and Lord.





Romans10:9





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





“Grace” is only another word and can never be explained completely in words unless experienced in life.





Live this life knowing that you are forgiven, accepted and dearly loved by God – this is the real deal!

	






		
	
	

		
Is the God of the Bible gender biased?
		

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Ever wondered if there was a worldview that gives men and women equal worth?
Well then, the Christian faith and the God of the Bible is possibly the answer you are looking for.






God created man (male and female) in His image. (Genesis 1:27) This gives equal worth to man and woman. One is no greater or lesser a creation of God than the other. Being created in the image or likeness of God does not mean that God is in human form, but rather, that humans are in the image of God in their moral, spiritual, and intellectual nature. Humans differ from all other creatures because of their rational structure. These character traits are deposited in men and women – the compassion of a father, the love of a mother, the care of an elder sister/brother, the possessiveness of a partner and so on.






But despite being made in the image of God, women often have this question bothering them- why does God let them go through pain and suffering?






Some kinds of pain are inevitable in every woman’s life. The pain of menstrual cycle, pain of childbirth, in the Indian culture the fact that women are expected to give a lumpsum amount as dowry to get married, lesser education when compared to a male in the family, paternal mindset of limiting opportunities for a girl child and the list goes on. So, as a woman it is reasonable to think of God as someone who does not understand the physical and emotional pain of a woman. However, the Bible shows a God who has a different standpoint on all these.






“God understands suffering because Jesus Himself suffered on the cross the most gruesome death for us. (Isaiah 53:4-7) And so He can empathize with those who suffer. He is not a God who does not understand the sufferings of mankind nor is He ignorant of it. (Hebrews 4:15) God does not necessarily end the suffering but gives more strength and grace to endure it so that one can come through it as a better version of oneself and in doing so reflect the image of God in their lives. Romans 5:3-4 tells us that through suffering and perseverance, character and hope is built. When a woman goes through the pain of childbirth, she develops a special bond of love despite the sufferings she endured. Even though pain was involved in the process the result is blissful and develops in the mother a sacrificial love for the child she bore. This is a glimpse of the love of God that He showed when He let His Son die for the sins of mankind. Even though we falter and fail time and again, God forgives us and continues to love us because of the pain and suffering that was involved in restoring us back to Him as His sons and daughters by the sacrifice of Jesus.”





Two instances from the bible where Jesus love and compassion towards the pain and suffering of a woman- 





  • We see that at the cross Jesus told His disciple, John, to take care of His mother- Mary. (John 19:27) Even on the cross Jesus was mindful of the mother who bore Him. He made sure that she was taken care of in her old age. This shows the filial love of Jesus – how He cared for His aged mother, who was mostly a widow by then.
  • We also see how Jesus heals a woman who was suffering from bleeding for 12 years (Mathew 9:20-22). They were considered unclean in that society and any one whom they touch was also considered unclean. But Jesus honors her faith and heals her completely. No person/physical condition is unclean for Him. We see in some religions that women are not allowed to enter places of worship during their period. But Jesus does not condemn anyone as unclean. He accepts us in whatever condition we might be in. He is waiting for us to come to Him just as we are. ( Matthew 11:28-29)





There is no pain that is beyond the knowledge of God. He made us and He knows our weaknesses.
So, if you think you are weak then God’s grace is sufficient. Where you lack, there His provision will be abundant. For His power is made perfect in your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, James 4:6)





Below is a poem written by Annie Flint, who as a young girl lost her mother during the birth of her baby sister. Later they were adopted into the Flint’s family. Annie grew strong in faith and started to write poems and hymns. After school she became a teacher and during the second year of teaching, she was contracted with arthritis and it grew steadily worse until it became difficult for her to walk at all. Soon after this her adoptive parents also passed away and now left her and her frail younger sister twice orphaned. During these times she penned some of the best pieces of her work through poems and hymns that reached out to many and strengthened them. The marvelous thing is that Annie’s faith never faltered, and that she was always able to say, “Thy will be done.” . This is an example of how God can use your weakness to make you stronger and encourage many others who might go through the same phase in life as you trust in God completely.





He Giveth More Grace – Annie J. Flint


















He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.









John 3:16 says that God loved the world – which includes man and woman, that He gave His Son Jesus to die for our sins so that we may be saved. God sees men and women as co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17)





The Bible shows us many examples where women played important roles along with men.





  1. Deborah – was a judge over all Israel. The three basic functions were administration, the settlement of disputes, and military leadership. The distinctive of Deborah’s work as a judge stands firmly in battle. As a woman she would not be expected to be on the battlefield. However, she did not allow cultural norms to hinder her leadership and thereby enabled others to bring victory to God’s people. The directives and results did not originate from the sharp mind of a military or civil leader. They stemmed from the Lord Himself speaking through the mouth of the prophetess. God spoke through a woman to win a battle!
  2. Mary Magdalene – the first person to have been entrusted with the very words of Jesus after He rose again and carried this gospel message to the other disciples (John20:11-17) This is worth highlighting in a culture where women were regarded as inferior to men. Jesus chose to reveal Himself to a woman and through Her spread the message of His resurrection, which was by far the most essential message of Christianity. (1 Corinthians 1:27) If Jesus had not risen, then Christians would be the most pitied of all. (1 Corinthians 15:19) And Mary did her job well!
  3. Phoebe – a deaconess who helped Paul and many others in their ministry. She was trusted by Paul to deliver his letter to the Romans. Phoebe was a woman of means, who, among other things, contributed financial support to Paul’s apostolate, and probably hosted the house church of in her home, as well as, providing shelter and hospitality to Paul when in the town.
  4. Lydia – an entrepreneur who hosted Paul and his companions. She was the first convert to Christianity in Macedonia. The rabbis of that day where known to say, “It is better that the words of the Law be burned that be delivered to a woman.” The fact that Paul was willing to speak to the women of this place indicates he was not affirming to this view. Even though there was no great revival initially in Macedonia and only one woman got saved – Lydia, God used her greatly to aid Paul. She was instrumental in establishing the church at Philippi.
  5. Priscilla – a missionary along with her husband Aquila are an example of how a couple can work together for God’s Kingdom and that it is not only men who are called for missions. God makes your availability for Him your ability to serve Him. 





And so on … 





Having said the above, God’s design for the roles that man and woman need to play are unique, but this does not make one inferior to the other. “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.” (Ephesians 5:23) This verse is self-explanatory if read in full. If he is the head of the wife, the Bile says that he must love and care for the wife as Christ does for the church which means he should be ready to even lay down his life for her.( Ephesians 5:23-25) “All through the Bible we see men climbing mountains to commune with God, but He always came down to meet with the women wherever they were.”– (God comes to the women – Heather Farrell). Differences between man and woman are meant to complement and complete each other so that they can together fulfil the purpose for which God has created them.






God loves you and you are the daughter of the Most High, don’t let anyone belittle your identity!
Romans 8:15






	






		
	
	

		
Miracles – for real or just for the reel?
		

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Not long ago we had a movie released here which portrayed miracles and healings as completely scripted and fake, everything was just showbiz and a means to make a fortune for some.It’s a sad reality that such tricksters and frauds do exist and try to deceive many people with their counterfeit miracles.

It is hence, also true that some people take the name of the Lord in vain for their own benefit.But, this is not something new that it should surprise us.Throughout the Bible, we see such people and Jesus warns us ahead of time against them.





Mathew 24:24 – For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.





Acts 8:20 – Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!





1 John 4:1 – Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.





2 Thessalonians 2:9 – The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.

we see that such false teachers, sorcerers, wizards, witches and magicians were there even during that time, trying to mislead the people.God alone is Omnipotent – almighty and able to do all things beyond what any “gods” of this world can duplicate.





We need to be aware of the means by which the miracle happens and not blinded by the result. The end result does not justify the means, but the means should justify itself.

Let us be wise and discern such people and not fall into any such deception. 1John 4:1-3, James 1:5






So, having said the above, we come to some basic questions:





  1. Are miracles for real or just hyped up stories that are hollow inside?
  2. Are they the most important factor of the Christian faith and all that it comes down to?
  3. Can we conclude about a local church solely based on the healings and miracles that happen there?






The answer would have to be – not really!
There is much more to the church of God than just miracles. Miracles are God’s witness to His word. They do not replace the word nor do they subsume the word. Signs and wonders are not the power of God unto salvation, but they testify to salvation.
The word of God is what brings salvation as stated clearly by Paul.





 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Romans 1:16





So, if a church is all about miracles without proper teaching from the word, then something is wrong there and needs to be checked.
Kathryn Kuhlman was an American evangelist known for hosting healing services. She said that the biggest miracle that she had witnessed was this – “the salvation of a soul”. When a sinner realizes the need for a savior and accepts Jesus into his life and believes that God has forgiven his sins, a miracle takes place on the inside of that person which is beyond the miracles we can witness with our naked eyes.






“What is more important? – that you see miracles and get what you want in this life or you learn the word of God and understand that there is more to life than this world and all its needs ?“





If everything you need is in this world and nothing beyond it, then what do you really gain? Mark 8:36- What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?






So, what is it that can save you? 





 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James 1:21






Can it be that there is proper teaching of the word and still no miracles happening in a church? There definitely will be miracles in a church where the word is being taught and preached in the correct way because the word of God is powerful to bring about change. We do not have to enhance it in anyway. There is nothing anyone can do to make it less or more powerful. It is what is it – the word of God! Not the skill or ability of the preacher but simply that the Word is powerful in itself!






1 Thessalonians 2:13 – “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”
Isaiah 55:11- so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Psalm 107:20 – He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.





We see Jesus was always eager to teach His disciples when He was with them. He did miracles out of compassion and love for the people, which was part and parcel of their lifestyle, but He was more focused on teaching them about the Kingdom of God and what they need to be doing to build it. Miracles were an outcome of what they were learning and practicing. It was not the focus of their ministry. The focus is to learn and have a relationship with God. Miracles can be a tool by which the nonbeliever comes to believe in God.






 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
John 14:11






Not to get awed and run behind miracles but rather to run behind God and miracles will follow because it is a way in which God bears witness to His word among us.






Professor Wayne Grudem defines Miracle as:
“A less common way of God’s working in which He arouses awe and wonder in people and bears witness to Himself.”






As much as I can quote a bunch of miracles from the Bible (the 4 gospel accounts gives us around 37 miracles of Jesus that have been recorded and mentions that others have not been recorded because there were just too many -John 20:30, Luke 7:21), wouldn’t it be interestingif we can look at sources outside the Bible as well?






Like the Bible, the Quran mentions Jesus healing the blind and the lepers in al-Imran (3) 49. Muslim scholar and judge al-Baydawi (d. 1286) wrote how it was recorded that many thousands of people came to Jesus to be healed, and that Jesus healed these diseases through prayer only.






Roman historian, soldier and senator – Marcus Velleius Paterculus describes a scene that he allegedly witnessed, in which a prophet and teacher that he names Iēsous de Nazarenus, resuscitated a stillborn boy and handed him back to his mother.






1st-century Jewish Historian Josephus who identified with the Pharisees states the below about Jesus:
“At this time, there appeared Jesus, a wise man. He was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. When Pilate, because of an accusation by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after Him, has not died out.”





The miracles of Jesus are the supernatural deeds attributed to Jesus in Christian, Islamic and historical texts. The majority are faith healing, exorcisms, resurrection, control over nature and forgiveness of sins.






Why did Jesus do all the miracles he did?





Fame?





Time and again we see Jesus telling the people He healed not to spread the news. Jesus did not want them to spread the news about healings because crowds of people came to Him just to get healed and their focus was only on the immediate benefits.
John 6:26 – Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
But Jesus came to teach and preach about the gospel and the Kingdom of God. Many a times Jesus and His disciples had to withdraw from the crowds so that He could teach them.
Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
Mark 7:36 -Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.





Money?





One characteristic shared among all miracles of Jesus in the Gospel accounts is that he delivered benefits freely and never requested or accepted any form of returns for his healing miracles.
Mathew 10:8 – Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 
Jesus was moved by compassion, by the faith of the people, when He did a miracle.
He never did a miracle for His own benefit but for the need of the people.






so what does all this have to do with me?






Jesus does miracles and rightly so because He is God!
well, let’s try and break this down a little.
If you believe in Jesus – that He died for your sins and that God the Father raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved! (Romans 10:9)






saved from? – sin – a condition where you are a slave to your flesh and its desires and not able to live life to its fullest meaning by having a relationship with the Creator(Ephesians 2:1-3)






saved by ? – grace through faith in Jesus ! – no, not by your good deeds!No good deed is or will ever be good enough to reconcile you back to God the Father, which is exactly why Jesus died for you and me.(Ephesians 2:7-9)






so, when you are saved you become a son/ daughter of God. Now this makes you a co-heir with Jesus. (Romans 8:14-15)
Now if you are co-heirs then you can operate in the same Spirit and authority with which Jesus operated.
Romans 8:11, NLT: “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
John 14:12-14-2 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.






“This means that all the miracles that Jesus did can be done through us because of the same Spirit that can work through us – The Holy Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 6:17 says , But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit
The word tells us that we are one in spirit with Him. Therefore, the authority that we see in the life of Jesus is the authority that we have been given. only if we believe that God can use us – in all our brokenness and weakness, for the display of His glory. (1 Corinthians 1:27)





Miracles are not for the glorification of a person or organization, rather it is God displaying His power to us who believe in Him. 
Ephesians 1:19-20





“If you believe in God, then miracles will be something you witness in your life too. It is not because of any power that you have but rather God’s power on display for you.When we experience miracles in our own lives, we must be careful. Sometimes telling others will encourage them to find out the truth about Jesus for themselves. But sometimes it will lead to bitterness when God does not give them exactly what they want. We need to have the wisdom from above to know the difference and sent out the right message – It is not the miracle we are to sought but God who does the miracle.”






Over the years, I have experienced and witnessed miracles in my life which I can share about. But what’s better than experiencing them for yourselves! Trust God to see a miracle in your life as you follow Him – The Miracle Worker!