Kingdom Of Heaven

Praise the Lord .

Grace and peace to all of you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords . 

He is worthy of the adoration and glory. We are so blessed to have been redeemed and to be saved by our Lord Jesus. Its is by grace we are saved through faith. God's greatest gift for us is redemption . Thank you Lord for saving us and pulling us out of the miry clay . 

Today I want to write about a known parable from the bible .These parables have deep meaning in them . They were not just stories .Every parable reveals God's heart for mankind. Jesus wants us to understand his burden. Why did Jesus always talk in parables ? Jesus clearly answers that question in the below verse in Matthew chapter 13:13.

13 This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while [having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp [spiritual things].

Even though the people heard and saw the manifestation of the word of God right in front  of their eyes ans ears from Jesus himself their spiritual eyes were blind and they were spiritually deaf. What a pity . He spoke in parables as the people were still hard in their hearts and not receptive to the truth.

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 

32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Let us talk about the parable of the mustard seed .Mustard seed is a small seed which teaches us great lessons . It has a capacity of fast germination within 3-10 days .It is a fast growing and quick spreading seed.When a mustard seed grows into a bigger plant it has various benefits . The leaves are used for salads. Mustard oil has high medicinal values. It is prepared and used as condiment for sandwiches . 

From a small seed emerges a tree with huge branches to serve has a home for birds. 

When the kingdom of heaven is within a man, His life becomes a blessing . His ordinary life becomes fruitful and he starts to build God's kingdom by every possible ways . That's how our lives should be . We need to do something for the Lord. 

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.

In the same way a small amount of yeast is very powerful . When a pinch of it is put into the flour it has a long way to go. A small amount of yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.There is a point behind Jesus's thought behind this parable . It is that the leaven starts out small but the end result is huge . In the same way when one person starts doing things for the Lord .The thirst and burden in him spreads to the next person . It is a chain reaction . That is revival .It is the act of the Holy Spirit. This leavening doesn't stop until there is no more flour left . 

Jesus is coming soon. We need to work diligently and cheerfully to build god's kingdom.We cannot go empty handed to meet our King and creator Jesus Christ. Start praying about sharing the Gospel with your friend today . God will open doors and means for you when you take that first step of faith. Let God equip you with His strength and give you the needed words 

Shalom Blessings 

Servant for the Lord

 Hello Folks ! 

Grace and Peace to you in the precious name of Jesus Christ . 

Hope everyone is doing great . I pray that the lock down situation gets better and the whole world is healed and restored from the unseen enemy in Jesus name . Amen.

Today I want to share my thoughts  from a passage in Mathew chapter 20. There is a caring mother of Zebedee's sons. She asks Jesus for a favor . What was that favor? 

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 

21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

She asks Jesus if each of her sons will be granted to sit in the right and left hand of the Lord in the Heavenly kingdom . That is a huge thing to ask right ! That was Mrs. Zebedee's throne request for James and John. The point here is that their minds were thinking about a literal kingdom where Jesus would be the boss and that the other disciples would be the big shots. In addition to all this , the other 10 disciples were aggravated and annoyed because of these two brothers. Wow! So this shows that they were becoming jealous and afraid of these two if they will take up the prime spots in heaven. Just being with the Lord wasn't enough for them . They wanted designations and positions .

In the same way this world everyone wants to run the show . They want to take up the center stage .Everyone is applying for the best positions to take up . They want to be the bossy boots and want their names on the top of the list. We want to be appreciated , praised and talked about . Think about it .Is this what Jesus expects of us .? 

What was Jesus reply for this request of Mrs.Zebedee. Did he do her the favor ?

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 

27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

I am sure that must have sounded hard to her ears . She must not have expected that from Jesus.

Dear beloved friends in Christ our Lord Jesus wants us to serve. He himself stepped down from glory to die on the cross bearing our sin and shame . He left his heavenly abode where he was the darling of His Father .He came to serve mankind . He did not come to this earth as a lofty king but a humble child born in a manger . If God humbles himself for us how much more gratitude should we have for him. We need to be a serve others rather than waiting to be served . Our ultimate aim must be to build god's kingdom . We are all laborers in His kingdom . We serve the Lord . 

How do you serve the Lord being on this earth ? Serve the people . If there is a job which is neglected and rejected by everyone in the church , take up that particular work and do it . Don't wait for people to reward your work and talk about it . The heavenly father who see your work will reward you in glory . One more thing never be envious about your friend in Christ about their raise . Don't complain about how well you would have done your friend's job if it was given to you. Don't grumble .Always feel happy about other's blessings . Thank God for His blessings upon you . God knows your name .He is not a partial God. Each of us are special and unique. Our works for Christ will never go away unrewarded and forgotten .

So today surrender ans ask God to forgive you if at any time you were having pride or felt envious about your neighbor. Ask God for that pure selfless humble heart . Lets have a heart of humility and work for the Lord with a cheerful heart . Jesus wants us to serve like He served. 

Shalom Blessings 

The Rose Bush

I have a special interest in gardening. Although I am not that very dynamic about gardening, I do love the colors these flowers bring about in people's yards during each seasons .To be more precise ,I have this penchant to admire roses .

Who would not love a sweet smelling satiny appealing captivating roses?

I could add more attributes to this particular flower. Roses are so special and alluring and that is why I wanted to have my own rose bush in my front yard .I thought planting a rose bush would amplify the look of the house.So I got these bare root rose bushes from the store and planted them.Every day I would wake up in the morning and rush outside to see if there was some growth . I kept watering the plant and waiting upon it for days and weeks.The first plant seemed to have some life in it but eventually it started drying out and finally was out of life. I so much wanted a rose bloomed yard that I planted another one again next year . My efforts were futile . I serial killed three roses in a year .

I came to a conclusion that my yard wasn't the right fit for these beauties.I almost gave up on them.

This year ,I had these strong urge in myself to buy those roses again  and I ended up giving in and buying a rose bush again.

Sounds kind of crazy huh.. Yes I did buy those roses again.

To change things a bit , I researched and found out what roses like and what kind of soil should I use and all that. I planted the rose but with huge prayers. 

"Lord , I pray that this rose plant will bloom well and fill up my yard with colors. I believe you are going to protect it and sustain it in my yard.In Jesus name, Amen." 

After planting it I kept checking on it for weeks and months .It appeared as though I would lose this one too. I was very positive and trusted God that he is still doing something in the background and He was . Little leaves buds popped up and now we have a beautiful rose bud ready to blossom into a radiant sheen rose flower. 

You might be wondering why I am talking about each detail behind a simple incident. There is a message behind this rose bush which the Lord taught me this afternoon.

We humans have this notion that we are know it all and do it all super beings . We try to handle everything ourselves .We reason out on issues . We think logically and scientifically to bring out answers to our various questions .We think this problem is not big enough for God to handle it .I thought my yard wasn't  good enough for my yard but God proved me wrong.This rose was the right fit for my yard. Our identity and worth doesn't come from our deeds but our true colors are from Jesus.He overturns our present situations to create great moments of heavenly bliss.

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
 Jeremiah 32:27

God taught me not to lose my sleep  and panic about little troubles . He is all capable and ready to come in to our rescue any time we call Him in our need . Only thing is that we don't really let Him take full control. Even if we let Jesus behind the wheel we try to give directions instead of sitting in the back seat and enjoying the ride.

Let us not fret over our struggles , health issues , situations etc but give it all to Jesus. Cast all our cares on Him for He cares for us. He is our peace .He is our healer .He is the author and finisher of our faith.The God who Raised the dead, Parted the Red sea, Walked on water is alive even today . Trust Him .He is our hope for tomorrow. Be amazed on how God will lead you when you hand over your everything into His hands. 

The Lord will fight for you ,You need only to be still "

Exodus 14:14

Our Ray Of Hope

Its been so long since I wrote my last post.I have been wanting to write but it was hard to save some time to sit down and pen down my thoughts.In this busy world we are all having some crisis in our daily lives. Debt,Sickness,Poor Finances,Lack of love, Guilt,..... I could go on and write down everything but that's not my point.Amidst all the weary situations we go through in our lives I want to encourage you saying that there is a ray of hope which is our Lord and savior Jesus Christ himself.

Jesus Christ is our ever constant Hope in this world.Our only rational expectation is from Him and Him alone.For Christ in us is our hope of glory.Without Christ in us we have no good or well grounded hope of glory.Christ in the Gospel, Christ on the cross, Christ risen, Christ in Heaven, all is hope, of an external type, to the believer; but Christ in us, Christ actually present, living, and reigning in us, as really as He lives and reigns in glory, is the only bedrock and only well-grounded Hope a real Christian has.

In Jesus Christ there is always hope for tomorrow and day after tomorrows and days to come.He is our peace, strength, trust,hope and future forever.

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.
 He only is my rock and my salvation;  He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God.Trust in Him at all times, you people;  pour out your heart before Him;
 God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:5-8

The scriptures in the bible tells us that we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.He has not given us a life of failure but solid victory in every aspects of our life.It means we can conquer sin, sorrow,sickness, hopelessness, negativity etc through Christ living within us. Thats the life a christian should live.If your life is so devastated right now , never mind, hold on to Jesus. He will turn your mourning into dancing and lift your head up before your enemies. Thats the hope we have in Christ .

..in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

Romans 8:37-39

We have everlasting eternity and sufficiency in Jesus Christ.He is more than able to fulfill everything what concerns us today.I want to give you that little hope amidst your terrible, horrible whatever condition  that its doesnt matter. Jesus is our shelter in the time of storm.His promises and ways are higher than your thoughts.I pray that God will hold your hand and walk with you through the deepest waters and carry you safely to the harbor you belong to.Never fear, We serve a bigger greater mightier God who will never let us astray. 

"... as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,  nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:9

Nothing But The Blood

Lets start with a small story.This story will provide a blue print about my writing today.

Lets say I want to sell a car which I think is worth is 7000$ and offers are made ranging 2000$ to 9000$

*How much is the car worth?

*The 7000$ that I think its worth ?

*The "Low Ball " offer of 2000$ ?

*No..Not at All..

The car is worth what the highest bidder is willing to pay in the open market.Same way People are traded in the eternal and spiritual market.We are not worth what we happen to think or any "Low Ball" Offer.We are worth what the highest bidder will pay.

The highest bidder is GOD Himself.The Price Tag is the CROSS

God looked out across the eternal ages and said "I will take that one even though its worthless and cheap "Our worth is established once and for all and can never change or diminish.God has made the ultimate offer and paid the highest price through the royal priceless blood which was shed on the cross.

1 Peter1:18-21 NKJV

18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 

20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 

21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God

1 John 1:7 NKJV

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

The blood is the core of our gospel message.Without the blood we have no salvation and no power over the devil. For we must realize that we have been ransomed from the futile way of living passed on to us by your traditions, but not by any money payment of this passing world. No, the price was, in fact, the life blood of Christ, the unblemished and unstained lamb of sacrifice.

Man's blood was corrupted, polluted. Life is in the blood. Sinless blood had to be shed for guilty blood. Jesus shed every drop of His blood to make our filthy lives pure.

What is the secret of the blood of Jesus? Why does it have so much power? Medical science tells us that the baby gets its blood from the father. If there's any question about the paternity of a child a blood test can be given and it be proved that one man is the father. The proof is in the blood.

Who is the father of Jesus? If Joseph was the father ,Jesus's blood wouldn't have had the power to cleanse anyone of their sin.Joseph wasn't the father ,Jesus had a heavenly father. How can it be ?

Mary was in flesh ,Father was in spirit.Simple.God and man became one in the womb of a virgin.The blood of Jesus was special.This was the secret with the blood of Jesus. Man's blood was hopelessly polluted so innocent blood had to be shed for guilty blood.

An atheist said the blood of Jesus must not have power because the blood is 2000 years old and the world is worse now than it was then. 

A Christian replied what about soap? There is soap in the world and it has the power to make the body clean but many are still dirty. 

Let me explain to you how soap works. I can hold the soap in my hand and I will not be automatically clean. You can stand beside the soap, study it, even get a job in a soap factory but until you reach out and take the soap and bathe yourself in it you will still be dirty. So it is with the blood of Jesus.

It's not enough to know and sing and hear about it. You must reach out and take it and be washed in it. The blood must be applied by faith. If you do, you will join with hundreds of millions in singing there is power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb.

We blood of Jesus sanctifies and cleanses us from all our iniquities.We have been ransomed by the  blood of Jesus.Just as the blood had to be sprinkled on the doorposts during the Passover,We need to apply the blood of Jesus.The blood of Jesus is already shed for us all we need to do is to properly claim our blessings through applying it in various areas of our lives.

We are applying the blood of Jesus when we say :the blood of Jesus was shed on the cross for me".

We need to apply the blood on our bodies to receive healing as we are healed by the blood of the Lamb.Our families are protected when we are covered under the blood of Christ.Satan has no authority over anything marked and sealed under the blood of Jesus Christ.We need to claim back the lost blessings in our life through His promises and through the blood of Christ.

Only through Jesus Christ's shed blood on the cross we can live a guilt free, shameless,fearless,flawless, delivered,uplifted,strong ,victorious life in Christ.

It only by the precious blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.

You are Beautiful,Strong and Blessed In Christ. 

Water Walker Or Boat Sinker ?

I happened to hear a sermon some time back about how Peter walked on water. So I started pondering on it.Certain revelations hit hard on my fist sized brains

Let me brief the story a little bit.

The disciples were sent away in a boat in the sea of Galilee. Jesus went to the mountain to pray in solitude after feeding the multitude. By the fourth watch at night (2 am to 4 am) Jesus comes walking to the boat on the waters.

The disciples are terrified thinking that its a ghost. Jesus pacifies them saying that its him. Peter asks Jesus to command him to walk on waters if he is really Jesus.

Look at him, he knows he is Jesus ,still tests him...

Jesus said" COME"

Peter walked on the waters of the sea. When the wind was boisterous ,our Peter lost faith and looked at the waves and cried to Jesus to save him.Jesus lent his hand and pulled him and said "Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt??"

Pretty long narration uh.. 

Here comes the core thought behind all this story telling

The winds were really strong and the boat was sinking. I would say Peter wasn't dumb to ask the Lord to command him to walk on waters. This man was strategic. While the other fellow mates were fearful of sinking, our Peter wanted to step out of the boat to be saved.He did not want to sink with the ship.

1.Stop sinking in the present situation and step out in faith

The disciples were afraid that it was a ghost when they saw Jesus as it was believed in those days that fisher men fished at night . say from 2am to 5am. The fish usually come to the surface only at night. The fishermen believed that at night dead spirits of other Fishermen appeared to them to say that they will also be dead soon.

It was a bad omen.The disciples being fishermen by major it I believed in these things.

Jesus was thought to be a ghost

Peter got only the word "come" from Jesus. Nothing else.

2. God has given his word for you already .

You have a word in your heart. Hold on to it. Keep progressing .

You might have got many promises in your spirit from God long ago. This is a reminder to let u know that you still have the word. God is not a man to lie.The word is alive in you.

3. Never look at the circumstances and situations

The waves above the water made Peter to doubt on the word. Keep walking on the waters to what God has called you to be .You may fall  but you will never fail.You may sink,but you are not sunk

4.Even if you fall, God has his arm reaching to you

Jesus stood above the waters to save Peter sinking in the waves.

Remember your lifeguard stands on the water.

Your current situations may be a sick,your job may suck, your finances may be empty, you life may not be smooth. 

Remember and hold on to the promises that God gave you long back .

You still have the word.

You are not forgotten 
Remain Blessed Folks