The Choice of Life and Death

I was reading my daily scripture portion from Deuteronomy 30, and verses 11 - 20 hit me bang, real hard. The section heading was " The Choice of Life and Death". In verse 11 God , Elohim, Yaveh is telling Moses, look what I have given to be followed is not hard, nor it is far off, and it is not in heaven or beyond the sea, that you say who will bring it to me?  But where is it? Now comes the clincher. V 14 - "But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it".

Honestly in all my life I did not hear this being preached or heard this portion of scripture. God is telling us the word is in my heart and in my mouth, so that I can do it. We tend to love the word, but what do we do with it. God is saying I gave you my word, placed it in your heart and in your mouth, to do what ? to do it. And in the next verses, a clear choice is given, the choice between life and death. Of course if I dont care about life or death , there is no need to do anything, but what if this is true. So the choice is clear and up to you. For those who have made the choice, one thing is clear. God called you to do his work, and He has put His word in your heart. That is all that I and you need.

Compliance Vs Commitment / Communication & Relationship

Mature Organisations constantly work on assessing the degree of Compliance and Commitment in their workforce. Leadership strives to implement policies that result in committed employees rather than just compliant employees. Studies have shown that if you succeed in having a committed workforce, productivity, innovation and the environment all together is positive. What is Compliance and Commitment? Webster's thesaurus defines Compliance as "a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others" and Commitment as "something one must do because of prior agreement". A CEO would like to have his workforce be committed, rather than compliant. OK, let's ask ourself the question what am I - Compliant or Committed ?

Let me put it this way from the perspective of the Bible - Compliance is like following the Law, but Commitment is when you love your God with all your heart, soul and strength and follow Him, because of your agreement with God when you fell on your face, repented and accepted Jesus as your savior. When you are commited, because you love your God, you fulfill the law because you love Him. What does the Bible convey - Compliance or Commitment ? Those who think it is compliance, fail in being faithful, but those who view it as commitment - rise up even against all odds. I find that the core of Management theory is lot like what the Bible teaches.

Communication is critical in any organization. The type, frequency and channel used to deliver communication is critical in getting the message from the top to everyone. I place interaction and collaboration, equally important. When communication, collaboration go together, the result is a relationship. This is also recognized in the spiritual growth of a believer. Communication equals studying the Word. The Bible is the recording of God's communication to you. When you read the Word, it means that God is talking to you. That's one part of the communication. How do you respond ? It is through prayer. So without the reading of the Word and prayer, communication is not complete between you and God. You are also interacting in this dual activity of   reading the Word and being prayer, and this results in a growing relationship. All through the Bible, there is one single theme. God's relation with man. Do you have a relationship with God ? do you think that you have a relationship with God ?

My mother has run her race to receive her crown.

My dear mother passed away on April 12, 9:00 pm, at the age of 77 years in India. When I heard the sad news, around 10 am est, while I was at work, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Pulling together, I focussed on getting on a plane to India. My wife Anne, comforted me and took on the task of getting a ticket, packing my bags. A few hours later I was on a BA flight to Hyderabad via London. The flight is a long one, about 8 hours to London from Boston, 10+ hours from London to Hyderabad. As memories rushed through my mind, I wept silently. I loved my mother, who loved me the most.

She was a prayer warrior, who got things from God through prayer. She was a model of Lam 2:19 - "Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children".
She lost her husband, my dad at the age of 39 years and had 5 children to take care of. By her unceasing prayers, she brought us all up in life gave us good education, and blessed us always. I and my sisters are living testimonies for the power of prayer and God's grace and promises. Psalm 23 and Roman 14:8 were the promises given to us when my dad passed away back then when I was a very young child.

She was a fearless, strong , structured and loving person. All these qualities came from being a prayerful person. She believed that all things should be put in prayer, from even trivial things to major ones. She was blessed with the gift of healing, and through prayer healed even cancer. She was a giver, she gave her life to the Lord and to us.

Mom, you have run the race, and have reached your goal, to be with our Lord. We will miss you sorely, love you mom.

Good Friday Note

On Good Friday , the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ will be observed with much somberness, self examination by many Christians across the world. The physical pain, torture and agony described and shown in the movie " Passion of th Christ" captures this well. Many know that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind, around 2000 years ago. 


While reading Leviticus 16, it occurred to me that the sequence of events starting from Pilate's action of asking the gathered crowd, who should be released - Jesus or Barabbas ? was something like the a practice instituted amongst the Israelites by God Himsel? Turn to Leviticus 16: 8

8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat. [a]
Aaron the Chief Priest was to take 2 goats, cast lots to choose one for the Lord and the other as a scapegoat. The goat chosen for the Lord was sacrificed as a sin offering to the Lord, for the sins of the people. The goat chosen as the scapegoat or for Azazel, was led to the wilderness, after laying all the sins of the nation.


The scriptures record as well as the witness of the apostles provide us clear understanding of the crucifixion of Jesus, as a sacrifice - a sin offering - for the sins of all mankind. There is also a striking similarity or maybe was the intention of God's way being fulfilled, that the blood of the sacrificed goat be sprinkled seven times on the altar - Jesus spoke seven words on the cross as his blood poured out from his wounds.


Why am I saying all this ? Sometimes we become so familiar with the the gospel presentation of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, it helps in realizing and trying to understand the laws of God. Yes the sacrificial system instituted by God in the old testament seems to be so bloody and out of place with our present day thinking and culture, that we miss the bigger picture. I am trying to understand the bigger picture, so that I realize my part in the crucifixion of Jesus.


Coming to the scapegoat of Leviticus 16, who is this. Initially I thought this may be Barabbas, and then I read about the way that this scapegoat that was led into the wilderness was actually thrown from the top of a precipice so that it never returns back into Israel. Judas came into my mind, was he the scapegoat ? How does this tie back ?


What do you think? Let me know, you can post your comments...........


I need to say that this is what I believe - I believe in the risen Jesus, who sacrificed himself for my sins, and has provided me the only way for me to get back to the Creator. Through Jesus I have everything, eternal life, His strength to stand up and have victory in life. It is good to recall His sacrifice, to reflect on our self, but Jesus is not on the cross any more, He is risen, victorious and is coming anytime. Are you ready to receive Him?

Valuation

Just like the people in the time of Jesus, so are we, missing the big picture, misunderstanding what the Kingdom of God is all about, confused between Spiritual and material blessings. This leads to frustration, defeat as we are confused. Even the apostles were not exempt from this confusion, despite their closeness to Jesus untill they received the Holy Spirit, and understood what the Kingdom of God is all about. The question "Who do you say Jesus is" becomes extremely important in order to get a clear perspective. Our greatest victory(s) for Christ will only come when we are clear on the difference between heavenly and earthly matters. Mat 6:33 (KJV) "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Unless I know or realise the value of an article that I am after, how would I prepare myself to attain it ? The parables of the hidden treasure in the field and the pearl of great value tell us what the value of the Kingdom of heaven is all about. You are the best person to get answers to any confusion you may have.

How much does one need?

How much does one need ? This has been a question asked since the beginning of mankind. We can categorize our possessions within the 3 T's - "Time, Treasure, Talent". Using our talent to work within our time, we gather treasure. We use our treasure to acquire goods, that we need to satisfy our hunger, shelter and clothing. So after a certain amount of time if we have surplus treasure, depending on our financial skills, it can be used to generate more. This is good. We need to be prudent in our financial plans. Some of us may not acknowledge that money is a major factor in our well being, relationships, quality of life. But it is indeed a force. So much so that Jesus during His ministry on earth talked about money quite a deal. Either we use money or allow it to abuse us!

For instance how is your cash flow? It would be a positive cash flow if you are using it in a right manner, if not it is negative. Having a good positive cash flow for companies is a sign of strength, and it is true for our personal budgets. So let me come to my point, if you want to be free from the clutches of money, you need to be on top of everything involving money.

For example you may have been touched by the Haiti earthquake, and would like to donate some money. How much would you like to and how much can you actually donate? This depends on your cash flow situation. If you are someone who is organized with a spreadsheet that tells you how much you earn, and how much you spend, it is possible to see it right away. Or else you don't have a clue.

Going back to the 3 T's, you can donate your time, talent or treasure to the Haiti Relief effort, or some charity that you are passionate about. If you are the average person in US, your biggest investment may be your home. You can open up your home to have, say a Bible study or host a meeting to come up with ideas to help with the relief effort. In the Bible, God asks you and me to give to the needy, His temple. If we take the view that everything that we have comes from God, and that we are only managers of the possessions, we can do a better job in managing our resources to the maximum effect. The "effect" depends on your stand on charity or ambition. But the stewardship view provides you peace of mind and joy, try it.

Lion Chasers Manifesto

Love this manifesto from Mark Batterson's book “In a Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day”

Lion Chasers Manifesto:

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Criticize by creating. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

Avatar the movie

We went to see the movie Avatar in IMAX 3D last saturday. I heard a lot of buzz around this movie. I was particularly interested in the breakthrough in VFX technologies and innovative product design of the cameras, the project implementation both from a software and financial perspective. I was also alerted to note the Pantheism message in the movie.

Anyways, the movie was wonderful, and a surreal experience that needs to be seen in IMAX 3D to fully appreciate it. I wondered at the knowledge and the commitment that went into translating ideas into a powerful visual presentation.

As far as the Pantheism message I think for folks who are grounded in a solid foundation it would not matter just as Jesus said in Mat 7:24-27

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like aa foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

First and second Advent

Happy Christmas all, hope you had a good time with God, family and friends.

I am sort of new to a blog, and am in no way an expert in any way. These are my thoughts and I would be very encouraged if you can leave your comments on on my blog.

Advent 1 and 2

Advent 1: Let’s go to the scriptures and identify the main players in the story of Jesus’ birth.


Mary:

Luke 2:

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
35And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God." 38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Joseph:

Matthew 2:

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with a child from the Holy Spirit. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The Magi:

Matthew 2:

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."
7Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." 9After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The Shepherds:

Luke 2:

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.



Others:

Herod and the Jewish people were in general aware of the messianic prophecies from the scriptures.

Question: Who were looking and how were they looking for the birth of Christ?

Only 2 people were told before hand about the birth of Jesus - Mary and Joseph. Both the magi and shepherds were given a sign that they followed. Herod followed up on the birth of Christ as he saw a threat to his throne. The Jewish people were just expecting a savior to save them from the foreign domination and oppression, but were just passive about it.

From the scriptures we can find that the Magi and the Jewish people were looking for the birth of Christ. What was the reason for the magi to look for the arrival of the King of Jews? Mat 2: 2 tells us that they saw his star when it arose. This verse tells us that the magi were studying the skies regularly. On noticing the star or the astronomical phenomenon they associated it with the prophetical knowledge they possessed. They were so sure about their deduction that the King of Jews was born, that they decided to travel to Jerusalem. These wise men wanted to worship the King of Jews. Mat 2: 1 provides also a reference point. The magi arrived in Jerusalem, (Mat 2:1) after the birth of Christ. So much for the traditional nativity scenes depicting the 3 magi !!

The magi were diligent in their pursuit for the birth of Christ. The due diligence on the part of the magi included: study of the scriptures (Daniel and Isaiah prophecies ?), applying their knowledge and wisdom in correlating the astronomical events to the prophecies, preparing for a long journey, and undertaking the journey. On arriving in Jerusalem, they inquired for the King of the Jews. These inquiries must have reached Herod, and he arranged to meet them in secret. This may have been to keep the news of the arrival of King of the Jews from the public in general and the Romans in particular, to avoid uproar and a threat to his rule.

A common traditional notion passed on through movies, art and stories, is that the magi followed the star all the way from the east to the place where Christ was born. We do not find that supported in the scriptures. Mat 2:9 “And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” tells us the star was seen again by the wise men after they left Herod. From this it can be seen that the wise men lost the star some where between the point of the discovery and their meeting Herod, and when they saw the star again they rejoiced greatly, and the star led them to where the child was. Note that the word “child” is mentioned and not baby. The wise men did not arrive at the time of Jesus' birth!!


Jesus said that He is coming again. Mat 19:27-28 “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? (28) And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Like the wise men, those who study the scriptures are given the knowledge and are to be alert waiting for the signs that Jesus has disclosed in the Olivet discourse.

Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, or the Son, but the Father only." (Matt. 24:36), and like wise I believe that no one will come to know about the time of Jesus' second advent. So there would be no one like Mary and Joseph who were the only ones who knew when Jesus was to arrive into this world.

Who would be the shepherds at the second advent ? Recall that from Luke 2: 11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” the angels announced to the shepherds after the birth of Christ. The Rapture precedes the second advent of Christ. Now once the rapture happens, those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and tell the world about it may be the shepherds. But this invites intense tribulation and pressure on them unlike the first advent when those that heard the shepherds wondered at their saying.

Thoughts on Christmas

Christmas is a season associated with fun, joy. The scriptures from Luke and Matthew tell us about the story of Jesus birth. The angels told the shepherds to rejoice.
Behind the happy story lies lives that underwent pain, troubles.

Mary, an unwed virgin had to undergo the ignominy of being pregnant. Joseph had to also undergo the severe societal scrutiny and ill-fame of caring for a fiancée who is pregnant. Then they had to travel all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, some 100 miles. More pain, but in the belief on the Almighty God's word and plain hope and faith.

The magi also had to traverse inhospitable terrain to reach Bethlehem. Amidst all the pain and sacrifices I see a common thread. Hope and faith that is not noticed in general amongst all the razzle dazzle of the Christmas season.

I ask myself, what is the pain and sacrifice in this Christmas season, that I am undergoing to rejoice in the hope and faith in things to come ? I thank and praise God for the hope and faith that is given to me. You too can have the same, let us ask ourselves what are the pains and sacrifice that we can undergo for the promised joy and peace.

Happy Christmas

Advent and Relationship

Advent - We are in the season of advent now. Recently at church the message was on John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus. I say, are we not all like John the Baptist, called to proclaim the Message about the Lord's salvation and His Second Coming ?

Relationship and fellowship

If you are saved, this means that you have a relationship with God. Question for those who are saved - How is your fellowship with your God ? Check by reading from 1 John

Idolatry

I realized the meaning of idolatry and why it is such an abhorrence against God. When I try to understand God and visualize Him, it is not possible to me to comprehend Him, as my mind cannot come to grips with God, and all I can visualize Him is only through the attributes revealed in the scriptures. Because of this I can only worship Him in spirit and truth, but not with my mind as I cannot comprehend.

Now coming to the various idols that man makes and worships it, the idols are a result of what his mind understands God to be, and represented that in a form. This is why God commanded that "You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them."

Jesus said "He who has seen Me, has seen the Father" (John 14:9) - Do we see Jesus? Is He in us?

Is your salvation eternal ?

I was reading Charles Stanley's devotional dated 10/29/09, where he explains about grace, faith and justification. I am not sure about this part where he says :

"Grace also gives us peace with the Lord. Before salvation, a person is His enemy, under a sentence of eternal death. But after trusting in Christ, that individual is adopted into God's family and has His favor forever."

You see, I am not clear on the forever part. OK , through Grace the Holy Spirit works in you, and this leads to conviction and repentance. At that point, you receive justification, as God in His grace and through grace, gives you a new heart, a heart of flesh. I do know that once this happens you are saved and have received salvation. What I am not clear is post repentance, you may have undergone repentance and received salvation at say age 32, and go on to live say 78 years. During this period between 32 and 78, is God's favor conditional depending on your works? I am convinced completely of the doctrine that if I love my God with all my heart, soul and body, I would not commit sin consciously that jeopardizes my salvation. However knowing God's character of being a Just God, what about the sins that I commit unconsciously?

I am aware of the imputed righteousness that I receive through Jesus' blood shed on the cross of calvary, but am still disturbed by the thought that even with all the grace that God is providing me, I fail Him. Is this unnecessary guilt ? Yes I know that Paul said that our nature is sinful till our resurrection in Christ. How can I measure my growth in Christ, I think I need to know this else how can I ask God for help in the areas that I need help?

I feel that if I dont ask these questions, I am being just a passive being without actively seeking my destiny in God. Do you think this is normal ?

The next day these are the thoughts that came to me on my drive to work while listening to John MacArthur, on the questions mentioned above.

Once you are saved by God's grace, you have eternal life, guaranteed. Now the saved person will sin after receiving salvation. But God in His grace and through His Word ( in the scriptures) still gives the person eternal life. Romans 8:38

Now coming to the troubling question, of continuing in sin after receiving salvation, this is where the part of "the kingdom of heaven is here now at hand" comes to life. God redeems the sinner by purchasing him through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ by His grace. The sinner repents and has a new heart and the Holy Spirit is in him. Although now the person is a bond servant, he still is given free will. The sacrifices of a person offered to God out of his free will is the sweet smelling aroma rising up to His Holy throne.

When the redeemed person starts to love God with all his heart, body and soul, he is actually living the Kingdom of heaven now on earth, a life full of joy, praise, and victory in Jesus Christ. With His power, the redeemed person now has the opportunity to spread the Kingdom of heaven now , here on earth through his love for his creator and by loving fellow humans. You are transformed and you have the power to transform. What is this source of transformation, the source of power? It is God.

Everyone knows that in order to be powered , there are 3 things involved. One, the power source, two the power connection, and three the power receptor. I have already mentioned that the power source is God, and you are the power receptor. What constitutes the power connection? It is the relationship. The relationship is established, nurtured and strengthened through tangible ways, namely prayer, and study of the scripture, justice, and acts out of the fruits of spirit. Again you all know that in order to receive power the power receptor must be built and maintained as per established specifications. At the time of your salvation, God Himself has built/transformed you into the power receptor. Now it is in the hands of the individual to get familiar with the specifications and maintain. You may think, oh boy am I now totally responsible to maintain the power receptor all alone? Now God did not abandon you after transforming you through your salvation. He provides you with a wonderful Helper for you to work with. This is the Holy Spirit