Jesus, the Only Way

Most of us think and assume that after the New Testament (Commission) was given all the Old Testament has been stricken away. However, there are some verses which support this. But, I believe that to pave the road for Jesus Christ, the New Teaching is an amendment to the Old Teaching. I tried to explain my say with a drawing. This is a longitudinal section of a Roman Pavement. This is been laid with a series of layers which were labeled below. I tried to explain each of the layer with an important change that took place in the chronology.
1. Days of Conscience (Normal Earth): Under this comes the days of first worship (Genesis.4:26), Enoch, Mathuselah, Noah, etc. These people lived with Law of Conscience. Apostle Paul speaks of this in Romans.2:12.
2. Patriarchal Covenant (Crushed Rock): This Covenant is a preform of Old Testament Law which is made between the Lord and Abraham (Genesis.15:7-21).
3. Old Testament Law (Gravel in Cement Mortar): As promised to Abraham in Genesis.15:13,14, under the leadership of Moses, the people of Israel walked out of Egypt from slavery and were given the Law. This Law is a preform of Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ has been every Offering of the Law on the Cross of Calvary for our and for the whole world' sake (1John.2:2).
4. Baptism of John the Baptist (Sand, Gravel and Cement): Though Jesus Christ being the complete meaning and essence of the Old Testament Law, the Scribes and the Pharisees have made a mishmash of the Scriptures and making them as a tradition (Matthew.23:13, Luke.11:52). This mishmash which is been created by Scribes and Pharisees is been rectified by John the Baptist proclaiming, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me", (John.1:29,30). The purpose of John the Baptist was necessary to make the people recognize their sin and its remission and to introduce the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ to the public.
5. Jesus Christ (Large Stone Blocks): Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him", (John.14:6,7). "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil", (Matthew.5:17). This is the declaration of the Lord.
To conclude, in Matthew.5:21-48, Jesus speaks on anger, marriage, divorce, making promise, revenge and on enemies, all of these were been compared with the Old Testament Law and giving a New Teaching of Jesus which is an amendment to the past. As the pavement cannot be permanent if any one of the layers is been taken off, so also with the five which were discussed above. For instance, Take off John the Baptist, there is no one to give a pointer to the sin and its remission and at the same time he is the only one who can point out to the meaning and essence of the Old Testament Law (i.e) Jesus Christ. Ok, let's try with taking out the Old Testament Law, then we don't have Jesus at all. If we take off Patriarchal Covenant then there is no pavement (basic foundation) of the Law. If there is no Days of Conscience then whole generation will be under the dominion of satan. So, my dear friends, as every layer is important for a better road system, the way: Jesus is the only Way and there is no other way to God Almighty. Hope I have done my best. God bless you.
Note: I mentioned the width of the road as 24 feet. The number 24 in the Holy Bible is always used in anti or for bad sense, which I am relating it to satan. And people who put their faith in Jesus tread over it as a sign of Victory over sin which was accomplished on the Cross of Calvary.

We are the Vessels of God

Hurrah, we have come into a new year. We were been successful and even honoured for, in the past year. Well some might already had prepared a todo list for this year. It is fairly good that we have a plan for our future. But are we really planning our life? Does our plans really secure us? Might so? But there is one thing that we should really think of even before everything: The life that God has given us. When God made us, he had an elite plan for us not just restrained to this world but to the spiritual world too. A name enough of being called the children of God (John.1:12). But we lost that honour, by failing in our faith for Christ. Even though we were been introduced to this world as Christians, we seldom lived a life of a Christian. To make it straight, we never lived because of the corporate pressure. God has created us as a vessel which cannot be denied: "Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it", "Hath not the potter power over the clay.." (Isaiah.45:9 and Romans.9:21). We were made in such a way to carry the precious thing with in us "the Word Himself", "wherein was the golden pot that had manna" (Hebrews.9:4). Although, the word "vessel", which we were been referred to is in metaphorical form (అలంకారాముగ లేక ఉపమానముగ చెప్పబడిన) in the Holy Bible: speaking of Apostle Paul, God said to Ananias that "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts.9:15). And David in his Psalm referring to himself, "thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over" (Psalm.23:15). David, Paul and we ourselves were been referred to as vessels: earthen vessels. Apostle Paul writing about the honour of having and exercising the glory of God to Corinthians, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2Corinthians.4:7). We are as containers to contain God in us, but that was not fulfilled by us. In Psalm 23:5, the word "cup" was used as a vessel to contain something within that overflows. But, there is also an another meaning referring to the same word: "unclean" and "forbidden" (in Hebrew kôs). Speaking to the Israelites, God speaks through Moses some commandments to follow, of which one is about the sacrificial and unsacrificial or forbidden animals and birds as sacrifices. God saw them as of no use like dirt. We, instead of containing the God within us, we fill our vessel with dirt which is of no use as like an unsacrificial animal. We filled the space of our vessel, ourselves with dirt and malicious malignant desires, with which we can never be a "sweet smelling sacrifice to God" (Philippines.4:18). To make us clean and acceptable to God, Jesus Christ gave Himself on the Cross so that we can be acceptable to God. He made us anew and reconciled us with God through Jesus, 2Corinthians.5:15,17-21. As we already read, we were made as useful vessels to be in the Temple of God. But we were been taken off by satan, as Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Holy Temple and taken away the vessels from the Temple of God and we, the vessels of God were been used to filthy things as like the vessels in the hands of Belshazzar, drinking and partying from the vessels that were brought by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God with his princes, wives and concubines (2Chronicles.36:7,10. Daniel.5:1-4). But Gods' intention wasn't that, that we be as dirty vessels in the hands of Belshazzar. Our God who is abounded with grace (Romans.5:20b) has reconciled us with the Lord. It is like king Cyrus of Persia decreed that the vessels that were brought from the Temple of God in Jerusalem be brought back and kept in its place that is the Temple of God (Ezra.1:7, 5:15, 6:5). Our gracious God who is awesome in providing the manna everyday for more than six lakh people until they reached the Promised Land (Exodus.12:37,16:35), like filling the oil until there is no vessel left to borrow by the widowed woman (2Kings.4:6), like feeding more than five thousand by Jesus leaving twelve more baskets full (Matthew.14:21, Mark.6:44, Luke.9:14, John.6:10) is ready to fill us, use us and overflow us with his blessings. The more we takeoff the dirt creating the space within us, the more we be filled with God and his blessings. Now, God is ready to fill us and overflow us with is anointing Oil, which are our blessings. Let's create space in our vessels by faith in the Lord and taking off the dirt within us. God bless.

David: Worrier or Murderer

Why God thought of David to be the king after Saul, inspite of having his elder brothers in the army of King Saul ? God saw how much he cared for his sheep, he didn't leave one of his sheep as a prey to either lion or bear, but he fought/kill the animal until it let it's prey/sheep (1Samuel.17:34,35). This is exactly the attitude that made God to select David as King. If someone who fought with a wild animal for the sake of an animal, how much more does he care for the people. This exactly what God saw in David. These are the words once I listened on the Television by an Evangelist (Rajkumar Patta). Isn't that true, God doesn't look to our outward appearance but He searches for our attitude towards Him. It is the same attitude that God showed towards us when we were all been scoop away by sin, Jesus not leaving us to our fate, gave us freedom from bondage of sin, taking up the fight with satan. Amazing isn't it. Faith without attitude is void.

Above is my Facebook post on David. There are certain comments that are very educative which are given below as Q-for comment/question asked and A-is the answer which I have given.

Q - Did God also see the murderer in him and his lust for other men's wives?

A - Dear ...., First of all I am a very big admirer of you. Wish that all the hard work and your theories come out true and support Bible literally. Coming to the post, God has seen the attitude for the purpose to be served, to the question of lust and murder it is his carnal appetite. God wants everybody to be fit for His purpose, but we are fallen by our own appetites. This is all what I can help you with. I am overwhelmed with joy speaking to you on Facebook. Thank you Sir.

Q - Can you see where I have a problem? I see Saul forgive the Amalekite (in the way of teachings of Christ) and for that he is cursed by Samuel who hacks the man to death. And I see David ordering the murder of Uriah because he lusts after the Hittite's wife. David got to write the history of the time because he was the victor and victors always write history in their own light.

A - Yes, the victors will always write their own history. That dosen't mean that David lived a pure life and Saul obeyed God. David sinned against God by having Bathsheba and Saul disobeyed God by sparing the life of Amalekite king and the animals. Nobody is a victor over here. It is the purpose of God that he should come down from the clan of Judah because he should be a King and the only sacrifice where only a Levite can offer; a prophecy to be a fufilled. The victor is God himself and He is writing his own story to the mankind. Hope I stood by your statement. Thank you.

Q - I think it was Christ who said 'forgive your enemies'. So I don't think Saul disobeyed God ... unless God said 'do not forgive your enemies' ... in which case God and the Son of God seem to be at odds.

A - I believe God has his own plans and strategies which a man cannot  understand. God and Son of God are not different but One and the same which I cannot explain in words. How can One and Only God be at odd?

Q - It's either called schizophrenia or the fact that the teachings of Jesus are different to the laws of Moses. Do you not see the contradiction between Saul's forgiveness of his enemy being punished by God and Jesus' teaching about loving and forgiving your enemies? So you are right ... as a man (a mere mortal) I certainly do not understand.

A - Yes Sir, we are mere mortals who cannot understand Him, but He is just in everything he does. With all due respect speaking to a great man of God like you make sense in my life. Pray that you should be used by God to his best.

Q - David killed a lion and a bear after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet. David was an ordinary man without the anointing. After he was anointed he killed the bear the lion Goliath n many more. But God didn’t choose him seeing his attitude in fact morally he was lower than Saul the king. God chose him for his purpose. That doesn't mean everyone chosen by God would turnout to be what God intended. It is Grace.

A - Biblically you are right. But that doesn't necessarily mean that David killed the lion and the bear after he was annointed by Prophet Samuel, 1Samuel.16:1, says that David was already been chosen by God himself. It is not Samuel who chose but it is God who chose, so the question of killing the animals after anointing dosen't arise. Before going to fight with Goliath, David is reassuring the emminent win by reminding Saul his past experiences and victories, which may or may not be taken place before or after anointing. There are 73 Psalms out of 150 which are written by David. Does all the 73 Psalms were written after the anointing? Definitely there could have been Psalms sung by David even before his anointing. This shows that he has a heart for God. And God chooses by seeing who is obedient to Him in his heart (1Samuel.15:22). And being obedient is an attitude. This attitude made God in choosing David. Every chosen one who has a heart for God turnsout to be a great leader, whether he may be used before a great multitude or within his family members.

Q - Bible is written by the HolySpirit meaning that the people who were used by God to write were anointed, whatever people may think, the Bible says, Not by might nor bt power but by my Spirit sayaith the Lord. Lion is not just a cat to kill, neither a bear a small thing to deal with, humanly certain things are impossible unless God does. Its not a simple thing to kill a lion. And when God does, its through his anointing. If it was just killing of animals, it wouldnt have been written in bible. It was quite remarkable from God's side that he felt the killing of lion and bear was important and so that topic was included. Saul was also anointed but didnt have enough faith to use the anointing,  hence a carnal man. If David was so careful about his  flock that God chose him to be a king then why did God continue him as a king when he took URIAH's wife cunningly and also murdered him?..Uriah was one of the sheep in David's flock. David who cared for an animal didnt care for the life of a man who was made in God's image. God knew that David would sin still he chose him...that is Grace. I love that grace. I love .... (you) also.

A - Agreed that all the Scripture is by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy.3:16). To the question of killing the wild animals, I believe that every flock keeper will care about his flock and their experiences can be adventurous at times. Every flock keeper has his own adventurous stories; with all the respect towards the Scriptures and David not counting them as least. It is an act of courage and will to withstand the situations which in case of David resulted him in making all the tribes and even reaching far in making his kingdom as one (Israel and Judah). Killing the wild animals to me is not a big issue and which cannot be measured as strength after the anointing. It is not new to us listening to this that, God uses our skills for His purpose. No doubt that after the anointing David was more involved in army of Saul and its administration and playing harp for Saul than as a flock keeper. In my last reply I haven't denied killing the wild animals, but the event might have taken place either before or after the anointing which David is memorising of his act before Saul in a conversation before the fight with Goliath. To the question of anointing, David wasn't chosen by Samuel but by God himself (1Samuel.16:1). Anointing to me is a bench-mark by the Chroniclers of these books. 1Samuel.16:1, says that God has chosen David and its not the anointing that changed something in David. David was and is of the same attitude(love) towards God. That is why he wrote so many Psalms. That is why he could again reconcile with God after the sin he committed with Uriah' wife (Psalm 51). David was led by the Spirit of God as a flock keeper and as a King too. David wrote Psalms before anointing with the help of the Holy Spirit. What anointing brought into the life of David is, the Spirit of God took control of David and stayed with him. That is why David confesses his sin and reconciled with God again which Saul could not do. I want to give you a much more clearer example from the NT on the leading (work) of the Holy Spirit (anointing). We know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One and the same. In Matthew.16:13-17, Jesus when enquired about himself, Peter comes out with an answer "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God", Jesus endorses that saying "for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven". How could Peter came to know that truth; only with the help of the Spirit of God. It is in the book of Acts, 2:4, where all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. This dosen't mean that the Spirit of God didn't empower them in the past. Infact there are examples where the disciples baptised people and not just the disciples, but there are others who also baptised people after John the baptist. Dosen't these incidents profess the works of the Holy Spirit God. Yes, the Spirit of God worked even before the day of Pentecost. But the day of Pentecost was a bench-mark when the Spirit of God controlled and stayed upon the disciples. This is how the Spirit of God works and anointing is just one of the channels through which God works. To the question of the continuity of the kingship after the murder of Uriah, the answer is Psalm 51. Saul recognised that he sinned against God but instead of making a confession for his sins before God, asks Samuel to come with me so that I may worship the Lord (1Samuel.15:25). But David after acknowledging his sin against God, he didn't request Nathan to come with him so that he can confess his sins before God, but goes himself to God in confession of his sins. In his Psalm 51:3,4,6,7,9,10,11,12,14,17 all these verses show the attitude of David, the way he confesses and reconciles with God again. This attitude is what God saw in David. And coming to the question of grace, Grace is an act of Love from God. Matthew.5:45, " .... for he maketh his sun raise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust". God' grace has no formalities. It was by grace David was chosen, it was by grace he was been forgiven. But David recognised that grace of God which made him confess his sins. It is this attitude that made David a man after God' own heart. Even today this grace is upon each and everybody on earth, how many are confessing their sins, it is only those who confess are who are persuaded by the Spirit of God. But unless he be enlightened, which I call it as attitude, he won't accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. Even on an unbeliever the Spirit of God works, because He is God of Love. God loves even me and you too.

Boaz: Simple Meditation

Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. Ruth.2:20.
The man in this verse is Boaz, the forefather of King David, who was the forefather of Joseph the husband of Mary who is the mother of Jesus our Lord. Boaz, very wealthy man, who is not crude, who helps, and seems from 3:12 a good keeper of the law of that time. Wasn't that all God wanted from a man to be blessed. The days we live in gives us far better experiences of the kind of people who we are with. The people who seemed so good at nature, now show their actual nature, once that home looses the key person. What worth is it of being a Godly man, if not having the nature of God ? Our Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, ... 1Chronicles.28:9, And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, ... Acts.15:8. Blessed is the man who keeps the law of the Lord. Let us not be like people of this world, we are the heritage of the Kingdom above, Let us live to that extent. Be blessed.

In Deuteronomy.25:5-10, We can see the duty of a redeemer of that family. In case of Ruth, both her husband and her brother-in-law were dead. There was no person to act as a redeemer either for the posterity or for their land. So, Boaz a close relative Ruth.2:20, but according to law was not eligible to redeem. He steps in to redeem her by consultation and counselling with the elders Ruth.4:1, and then redeeming her through marriage. Adam, sinned against God and lost the fellowship with Him. As a sinner we have nothing to do with the Holy God. Everyone was going to be punished because of Adam' sin, Romans.5:18. Like Boaz who is not ment to redeem Ruth by law; Christ steps in, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Being then made free from sin..., Romans.8:3, 6:18. Like Boaz who redeemed Ruth, so also Christ redeemed   us from the bondage of sin. Let's thank God for what he has done on the Cross of Calvary for our sake. Be Blessed.

Three Important Things

For these are the days of Christ' return. There are certain things that are to be followed by every believer.

CONSISTENT FAITH - The Word of God says that everybody is fallen short because of sin, Romans.3:9,23. But we were been provided by grace, the Son of God Jesus Christ who for our sake has been our Salvation and Redemption. But it is our duty that we should call upon His name by faith. Romans.10:13, For whosoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is an act of faith. Jesus after his resurrection, after showing himself to his disciples, speaking to Thomas, Jesus speaks concerning the doubt of Thomas in John.20:29, Jesus saith unto him, Thomas because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed; this is faith. This faith is to be kept strong until the time of the Lord' return.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE SCRIPTURES - This is no new thing in this world. People who call themselves Priests, Evangelists, Teachers of the Word of God, Theologians, Christian Organisations, Seminaries etc.,  what not, everyone has his own interpretation of the Word of God. The world around a Christian Believer is in chaos. Jesus in Matthew.24:4,5, Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. This is why Apostle Paul urges Thessalonians to believe in Jesus using Scriptures available for reason, Acts.17:2. The people of Berea with all the readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so, Acts.17:11. Let no one device you, always check with the Scriptures with readiness as people of Berea.

LOVE EVERYONE - 1John.4:8, for God is love. For it is out of this love, God gave his only begotten Son to be the propitiation for the remission of our sins, John.3:16 and Romans.3:25. The Epistle of 1st John, Chapter 3 and 4 is completely speaking on Love. 4:10, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jesus after speaking about his suffering, says in John.13:34, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Yes, inspite of we be handed over to the suffering (Matthew.24:9-13, Luke.21:12,13), we should love. When we love we are expressing that, Ye are of God ... because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world, 1John.4:4. We should love and this love expresses, .... God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so we are in this world, 1John.4:16,17.

These are the three important things that every Christian has to follow and all the other will follow these.

Ye are gods!

This is how my Lord Jesus had made his way into this world for me.

Jesus speaks in John.10:34,35, "Ye are gods". The word 'gods' refer here to all those past judges and rulers of Israel in other words those who are of specific responsibilities or in a sense people of authority. In Psalm.82:6, A'saph, man of high rank or dignity, one of Davids' chief musicians, writes in his psalm "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High".

Yes, we are gods we are here with a specific responsibilities within our family and within our professions too. Though Jesus reminds of 'gods' to them (Jews) quoting from the Scriptures of OT, we are here as same as in the past. Though, Jesus wants to make his point of claiming himself as "Son of God"; he making his way saying "I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I myself, but he sent me" (John.8:42); (Romans.8:3) "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man, to be a sin offering" cleansing us from all the sin and it's consequences on the Cross and making us into his likeness and glorifying us (Romans.8:29,30). Making us like gods, gods (responsible citizens in building the Kingdom of God).

Lord, help us to be like gods, gods after your own line, in building your Kingdom on earth. Thank you Lord, for all that you have done for us.

Ephphatha!

This Christmas season is celebrated with joy, happiness, shopping, sweets, cakes, parties, charities etc., through out the world. Yes, Christmas brings all this into every family. Including these, there is something very important message that this season brings in. 

I want to start with a miracle that Jesus Christ had done in Mark.7:31-35. Jesus heals a man who is deaf and had difficulty in speaking. What He does is, he takes him away from the crowd and smearing his tongue and stuck his fingers in his ears looking unto heavens he groans "Ephphatha". This is an aramaic word means "To Open". 

What really was Jesus opening? At an appointed time (Acts.3:25) Jesus, making his way out opening the womb of Mother Mary into this world. On his way out, he is not just opening the womb, with that he is also opening which was impossible till that span of time.

Through his blood he is making us acceptable to God. He is opening the understanding of the Scriptures in explaining and expounding them. He is opening our hearts and mind to accept, willing to understand and receive the truth. With his 29 parables, he is opening to us what it would be like the Kingdom of God is. With his 33 miracles recorded in gospels, he is opening to us what his authority is. He has opened up everything that was closed/hidden before the appointed time so that he can be understood and be acceptable to keep faith (Acts.3:25,26). 

It is the intention of Jesus that no man should suffer, either physically or Spiritually. He groans out of uneasiness for the generation of this world. He is speaking unto us "Ephphatha", are we ready to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior who gave Redemption and Salvation from all the sin and guilt. 

This Christmas, Jesus' first cry at his birth (Vagitus) at his 'Parturition' (the act of giving birth) is for you and for me, and is out of groan "Ephphatha". Are we ready to accept Him?