Tag: jesus

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Inspiration Message

Ask it in Jesus Name

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:14)

Dearly beloved,

God will fulfill the desires of your heart for His glory. God said to Abraham, “…Do not be afraid Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1). God had given such a wonderful promise to Abraham. It is so easy to receive God’s promises. But when we go through trials and tribulations, it is very difficult to cling on to them.

The Bible relates, “And Abraham said, ‘You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.’ Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir…Look up at the heavens and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:3-6).

Our God is such a loving God. As promised, He blessed Abraham with Isaac when he was hundred years old. There is nothing impossible for God (Luke 1:37). He calls those things which do not exist as if they do exist (Romans 4:17). He fulfilled His promise in the life of Abraham. Probably, you are living in tears without a child. But the Lord is able to bless you also in the same manner. Cry out to God saying, “Lord, please grant me Your blessings.” It is God’s desire that you should lead a prosperous life in this world.

I present below the testimony of Sis. Swetha Manuri of Kolkata who received such a blessing from God: “I have had abortions twice. Hence, I was going through much agony. I participated in the Jesus Calls Prayer Festival held in Kolkata in 1991.

“During the prayer time Sis. Evangeline Paul Dhinakaran sincerely prayed, ‘Lord, grant the gift of a child to those who do not have children. Remove all problems from their uterus. Let all cysts disappear. Place a child in their womb right now.’ The Lord heard her prayer and blessed me with two lovely children. I have enrolled both of them in the Jesus Calls Children Blessing Ministry. I give all glory to God.”

Our God is such a loving God. He will bless us in an abundant measure. Sis. Swetha had problems in her uterus. She might have thought that she would never get a child. But God proved that there is nothing impossible for Him. Whatever we ask in His name, He will give it to us (John 14:13,14). The Bible says, “What the righteous desire will be granted” (Proverbs 10:24).

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

I praise your wonderful name. You are glorious and worthy to be praised. I bring my requests before You. I ask You to shower your blessings upon me. I believe in You and cling on to your promises. Accept my prayer and bless me according to your promises. Fulfill the desires of my heart. Let the miracles bring glory to your name.

In Jesus name I pray.

Amen.

In Jesus Name by Sis.Evangeline Paul Dhinakaran (Jesus Calls Ministry)

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Devotion Inspiration Meditation

Grace and Salvation Misconception

In today’s Christianity, Grace is one of the most talked about subject. Pastors and preachers from around the world explain of the richness and importance it brings to our daily lives. I am sure many of the people who have been raised up in a Christian family have heard this term ‘grace’ being used in almost everything from getting up each day alive & well to achieving successful outcomes in various tasks.

This wonderful term ‘grace’ as one brother has put it is “God’s riches at Christ’s expense”. It has been given to us as a free gift just as our Salvation. It was not because we deserved it or because of our works in this world (Ephesians 2:8-10). It was purely God’s unmerited favor to mankind. In our quest to understand this term ‘grace’, it is important to realize that God’s grace is available to all men just as it says in Titus 2:11. Despite this, not all men have been saved. You see God gave people a choice to make for themselves.

He is not a God who forces people to do what his will is. Although, he knows very well that being submissive to Him will leads you to a life full of Joy and Peace. He took so much effort into making each one of us unique so much so that not one single finger print is same as another person who lived thousands of years ago. He did this to not make us robots controlled by what he likes and dislikes but that we would have a choice to come as we are and accept him to be our Lord and Saviour.

Grace on its own doesn’t redeem us of our sin, it is Jesus Christ who redeems us of our sin. It’s not there to forgive our sins since its Jesus Christ who forgives our sins and makes us new creatures in Him. The biggest misconception comes when ‘new-age’ preachers tell their congregation that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. That sinning against God is ok as long as you ask for forgiveness.

Forgiveness comes only after true repentance from your sinful life. “True repentance is not only sorrow for sins and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light. Not only so, but to make restitution so far as is possible for all the wrongs that we have done, to pay our debts and restore to God and man their rights, that which is due them from us. This is true repentance and the exercise of the will and all the powers of body and mind is demanded to complete this glorious work of repentance” – President Joseph F. Smith.

Doesn’t sound like what your pastor has told you or your counselor? It may not be but it’s what God has said in the Bible according to Titus 2:11-12. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”.

How does Salvation fit into all this? Salvation is given to man as a gift from God by His grace. People are here to share the good news of Salvation and new life in Him but has no part in God’s salvation to people. You see that in Philippians 2:12 where Paul says, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. He did not say to work out God’s salvation but your own. No man or No minister can forgive your sins or give you salvation. It is Jesus Christ alone who can give you salvation. He is the only one who died on the cross and rose again to forgive our sins. Salvation is received not achieved.

Another biggest misconception is when preachers tell you that once you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, ask him to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins, and pray a simple prayer, you are saved. Not so, as this forgiveness of your sins depend on the topic we just explored. The topic of True repentance.”True repentance is not only sorrow for sins and humble penitence and contrition before God, but it involves the necessity of turning away from them, a discontinuance of all evil practices and deeds, a thorough reformation of life, a vital change from evil to good, from vice to virtue, from darkness to light. Not only so, but to make restitution so far as is possible for all the wrongs that we have done, to pay our debts and restore to God and man their rights, that which is due them from us…”

Are you ready to truly repent of your sins and ask God to come into your life. Do you want to be submissive to His will and plan for your life? Do you want to be assured that when you die, you will go to heaven? Do you want to have peace and rest in the midst of trouble and restless world? Do you want to have freedom and liberty from the bondages of this world? Do you want to live a life pleasing God’s sight and live to be all that God wants you to be? Do you want to have joy and peace that surpasses all understanding in your life?

If your answer is YES to all those questions above, pray this simple prayer and believe in God. You will surely experience a life of abundance, joy, peace and tranquility.

“Lord Jesus Christ,

I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask your forgiveness and now turn from everything which I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever.

Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, please let us know so we can rejoice with you. Click here to view the contact page!

Reference:

God’s Saving Grace

Have eternal life

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Testimony

Faith that does the impossible…

This week we started with a tremendous burden and challenge to our faith in a particular situation of our dear Uncle Albert, father of Albert Arun Rachpudi. Uncle was unwell for a while and suddenly he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital in Hyderabad. Brother Arun got news of his father’s condition that he is serious and the doctors gave him no hope of survival. As the time passed, we kept hearing the negative reports from the doctors. Finally, the doctors decided to put ventilators (life supporting unit) as his kidneys, lungs and heart were not functioning. It was a grave situation as the doctors informed Arun’s family that they want to remove the ventilators as the pulse rate almost nil. They advised the family to call the near and dear before they remove the ventilators. The doctors have declared him clinically dead.

We received this message from his relatives and made necessary travel arrangements for both Arun and his wife Verita. In the meantime we called some of brothers and sisters who were available at that time with the family’s consent and spent time asking our Father for his mercy and healing. The Servant of God declared the faithful works of our Lord Jesus, he assured Brother Arun to claim his father’s life in prayer. Everyone with great burden cried out to our God to release the power, healing and life on our dear Uncle.

Both Arun and Verita travelled to India on Tuesday and reached on Wednesday morning. As soon as they reached Bangalore( as they travelled via Bangalore to Hyderabad) they received a call from Dr Sony (sister of Verita) who informed them that uncle Albert is recovering amazingly and doctors at the Oxygen Hospital marvelled as they don’t have any clue of why these things were happening with him. They simply said that it is impossible and witnessed that they haven’t seen any one rising from dead. They tested his lungs, heart and kidneys and declared that all are functioning perfectly well. Today they have removed the ventilators and Uncle Albert rejoicing with his son and daughter in law.

The latest information is that uncle is drinking milk and requested his family that he wants to walk around the hospital. I fall short of words to explain our Lords works, except remembering once again the loud shout of our Lord Jesus saying “ Lazarus come out” .This situation has rekindled our failth and I say with boldness that the righteous prayer availeth much. Our Lord is Healer and all things are possible for those who believe him. We will rejoice with the family and declare that our God is prayer answering God. Brother Arun and Verita sent greetings from India and thanked the Nazarene prayer Fellowship for their burden and compassionate heart in uplifting Uncle in their prayers. With humility and humbleness I thank everyone who supported this ministry and sent encouragement letters (please see letters on our website). May God Bless you and you Bless God.

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Inspiration Message

The way to A Happy New Year

In John’s gospel, Jesus used the symbol of water to describe three levels of spiritual development possible through the Holy Spirit:

• Level 1: In John 3:5, He spoke of being “born of water and the Spirit”. This is “the cup of salvation” (Psa.116:13), with which we begin our Christian lives. With this cup of water, we are cleansed and brought into God’s kingdom as His children.

• Level 2: In John 4:14, Jesus went further and spoke of that cup becoming “a well (spring) of water”. This is a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit, where all our inner longings are met by Him, so that we live in perpetual victory and joy, lacking nothing. A man who has a well in his own compound is not dependent on the city corporation’s water supply. No outsider can turn off his water supply, for he has the source of water within his own compound. This is how it is with the Christian who has found the secret of perpetual abundance in Christ. No-one outside of him can cut off his supply of joy or peace or victory (Jn.16:22).

• Level 3: In John 7:38, Jesus went still further and said that the well would now become a river, and many rivers, flowing out of the believer. This is a picture of overflowing abundance. Such a believer is able to quench the thirst of many needy people around him. Whereas a well satisfies only our own longings, rivers of living water make us a blessing to many people, wherever we go.

The blessing with which God blessed Abraham was, “I will bless you….and in you ALL THE FAMILIES of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen.12:2-3). This is the blessing that can now be ours through the Holy Spirit (Gal.3:14). When God blesses us to the point of rivers flowing out of us, many families in many parts of the country and even in the whole world can be blessed through us.

The good news of the gospel is that we can be saved from such a miserable existence. We can now have rivers of living water flowing out through us constantly, and be a blessing to every family that we meet. We can be merciful to others just as God has been merciful to us. We can release others just as God has released us. We can bless others just as God has blessed us. We can give freely to others just as God has freely given to us. We can be large-hearted to others just as God has been to us.

A.W. Tozer in his article Five Decisions For Spiritual Power says:
“If you are really serious about your spiritual development – the gaining of new joy, new power and new life – then you should make certain decisions in your heart concerning your life, and proceed to keep them.

“One decision is: Never pass on anything about anybody else that will hurt him.

“`Love covers a multitude of sins’ (1 Pet.4:8). The talebearer has no place in God’s favour. If you know something that would hinder or hurt the reputation of one of God’s children, bury it forever. Let God take care of it. `With what judgment you judge, you will be judged’ (Matt.7:2).”

If you want God to be good to you, you must be good to His children. The rules of our Father’s table demand that you don’t tell stories about others who are sitting around that same table with you, no matter what their denomination, their nationality or their background.” (From the book THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS).

It will be a good thing if all of us make that decision today – never to pass on anything about another that will hurt him or his reputation – and keep that decision, not just for the rest of this year but for the rest of our lives. Those who have lived by that decision in past years have found that when they discarded the worthless from their daily conversation, and spoke only what was edifying and profitable, God in turn, fulfilled His promise, and made them His spokesmen – His mouth (Jer.15:19).

This year – and every year – can be a happy year for all of us if we release everyone who owes us anything, or who has hurt or harmed us in any way. Bury those grudges permanently and be merciful to all men and thus make a new beginning with the Lord today.

Wish you a Happy New Year

– Zac Poonen

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Meditation

Meditation on Matthew 1

Today morning, I was meditating upon the first chapter of Matthew. I found some interesting facts that I have never realised all these years while reading through them. I have a tendancy to skip over the long genealogies and frequently read passages to get to one or two verses that touch my heart for that day. But this time, I have made an effort to read the genealogy of Jesus. I have discovered that there were forty two generations in total from Abraham to Jesus (Matthew 1:17).

There are three significant truths that can be observed from Matthew 1:18-24.

Firstly, I believe “Righteous acts in your life save you from disgrace” – Matthew 1:19. Joseph was said to be a “righteous man”. It does not mention if he was righteous man of God or righteous man of this world. Either way, because of the righteousness in him, he did not expose Mary to public disgrace. It says in God’s word, that he had in his mind to divorce her quietly. Later on, we know that Joseph realised that the baby Mary had in her womb was of the Holy Spirit. His righteous acts saved him from his own disgrace in the public. If he had put Mary to disgrace in the first place and later took her as his wife, he would have been in continual regret for the public’s view on him and his wife. Or, he would have been disgraced by public for his lack of recognition that the baby was conceived of the Holy Spirit. The whole scenario could have been a whole lot different to what we read today.

Secondly, “It is good to seek the Lord before he seeks you” – Matthew 1:20. He seeks after you to comfort you in times of trouble, to help you, to save you from trouble, to give you rest; all because of his unconditional love. The bible says, Joseph “considered” to divorce her quietly. It does not say that Joseph sought the Lord when he realised Mary was carrying a child (Matthew 1:18-20). The Lord sought after Joseph to tell him about the child (Matthew 1:20-21). Do you think the story would have been different if Joseph sought the Lord first? I certainly think so!

Thirdly, “Obedience to God is one of the main keys to living a righteous life” – Matthew 1:24. Joseph didn’t doubt, question or rethink about what God spoke to him in the dream. The word says, “Joseph woke up…did what the angels of the Lord commanded him…” (Matthew 1:24). He took Mary as his wife, had no union with her till she gave birth and gave the new born child,  the name “Jesus”. He did ‘just’ as the angels of God commanded him. Are you doing ‘just’ what the Lord is asking you to do? Joseph was declared as a “righteous” man and I believe his key towards living that life was ‘obedience’. Are you obeying to God’s word in your life?

It good to ponder upon these things and correct our lives that we may one day become just like him, his children. Is God speaking to you today? Are you ready to be used as God’s chosen vessels like ‘Mary’ and ‘Joseph’?

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Message

It is Dangerous to Follow the Majority

In Numbers 13 we find that the Israelites came to Kadesh Barnea at the border of Canaan – the land that God had promised them. It was now two years since they left Egypt (Deut.2:14), and God told them to go in and posses the land. The Israelites sent twelve spies to survey the land. All twelve of them came back saying that the land was indeed a wonderful land. Ten of them, however, said, “But there are huge giants there and we cannot conquer them.” But two of them – Caleb and Joshua – replied saying, “The Lord will help us to conquer those big giants.” But the 600,000 Israelites listened to the majority.

What do we learn from this? First of all, that it is dangerous to follow the majority – because the majority is invariably wrong. “The way to life is narrow and very few find it,” Jesus said. The majority still go on the broad way to destruction. So if you follow the majority you will certainly be along with them on the broad way to destruction. Don’t ever imagine that a large church is a spiritual church. Jesus’ church had only 11 members in it.

When ten leaders say one thing and two say the exact opposite, whose side will you take? God was on the side of the two here – Joshua and Caleb. Unbelief and Satan were on the side of the other ten. But the Israelites foolishly followed the majority – and that was why they had to wander in the wilderness for the next 38 years. They did not have the discernment to see whose side God was on! God and one person are always a majority – and that is where I want to stand always. We see in Exodus 32 that God was on the side of just one man, Moses, when all the Israelites were worshipping the golden calf. But of all the twelve tribes, only the tribe of Levi could see that then. And now when God was with Joshua and Caleb, even the tribe of Levi could not recognise it!

All of this has lessons for us today. Christendom in general is full of compromise and worldliness. Here and there, God raises up a few who stand for the truth of God’s word without any compromise. If you have discernment you will recognise that God is with those few, and you will stand with them against the majority. You will enter the promised land with them.

How do you identify the man with whom God is standing? He speaks the language of faith. Joshua and Caleb spoke the language of faith : “We can overcome.” We can overcome the giants of anger, sexual lust, jealousy, murmuring etc., We can overcome Satan. God will crush him under our feet. That is the language of the man with whom God stands. The man who is not with God says: “We must not take the Bible so literally. After all, we are only human. We will be defeated until the end of our lives. You have to understand human psychology.” I tell you, I couldn’t care less for all this human psychology. I believe God’s Word.

Many Christians go astray exactly like those Israelites – through human reasoning. God has hidden these things from the clever and the intelligent and revealed them to babes. If you use your human reasoning and your cleverness and your intelligence to study the Bible, I can guarantee that you will go astray. You need the revelation of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Jesus picked fishermen to be His disciples, and not professors like Gamaliel and his students. He did pick one of the students later – Paul. But the Lord had to take him into the desert for three years to bring all his pride to nothing before Paul could get revelation.

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Message

Testimonies

And they overcame him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11).

Our testimony is about what we have experienced – what we have seen and heard. A real Christian can talk about their experiences with God through Jesus Christ. We as Christians are called to a relationship of real communication with the Son of God. God comes to live inside of us. Things change. God deals with every person in a different way. The more Christians that come forward and talk about how God has intervened in their life, the more people will begin to realize that God is for real, miracles do happen, and prayer works.

This will inspire others to seek God and turn from their sins so that they too can know the peace and satisfaction that comes to a person who truly gives their life over to God. Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” To be a witness to Jesus is to speak and communicate the things that you have seen and heard in your life that happened because of Jesus. It’s the Holy Spirit who makes Jesus real to us, and makes Jesus real through us.

God’s plan is for people to hear the good news that Jesus Christ paid for their sins, and conquered death for us through rising from the dead. After believing, people should go on to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and then testify to others what God has done for them.

Our testimony does not have to be super dramatic or unusual to be effective. Not everyone can relate personally to a sensational testimony. If on the other hand your testimony is weak because you can’t point to a change in your life, could it be that you have not really consecrated your life to God properly?Are you trying to living with one foot in God’s Kingdom, and the other in Satan’s?

Is your heart still in love with this present age, this world system? If so, it would be a great time to decide to live for God and to get serious about it, because none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Perhaps your testimony is weak because you have not given attention to the wonderful truths concerning the Holy Spirit and overcoming Satan that can be found in God’s Word. God wants our testimony to be strong, so we can live unashamed before God and men, and give honor and glory to God. He wants our life to show forth His power – what He can do. And God has done absolutely amazing things for people in all kinds of trouble, who were messed up and without natural hope. Some testimonies of how God helped such people heard last Friday. It was amazing to know the marvelous works of God reveled in our dear ones lives.Sister Shoba Charles, Bro Peter Ravela, Bro Sudeep, Bro Sudeer, Bro Ravi, Bro Prabhakar and Jonah’s son testified the greatness of our God in their lives, it was heart touching and surely challenged everyone to trust in God in all situations.

If God has worked powerfully in your life, please share it so others can benefit. It will remind you of how God has worked and it will encourage others to believe in God. It may be the means by which another precious person comes to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. So do it. Begin to write down your story and share it on every last Friday of the month at the fellowship.

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All Music

Draw Me Close to You

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that I’m Your friend

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All Message

Jesus Really does Love You

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts.

This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring rain.

The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, ‘OK, dad, I’m ready.’ His Pastor dad asked, ‘Ready for what?’

‘Dad, it’s time we gather our tracts together and go out.’

Dad responds, ‘Son, it’s very cold outside and it’s pouring rain.’

The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, ‘But Dad, aren’t people still going to Hell, even though it’s raining?’ Dad answers, ‘Son, I am not going out in this weather.’ Despondently, the boy asks, ‘Dad, can I go? Please?’

His father hesitated for a moment then said, ‘Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son.’ ‘Thanks Dad!’

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All Music

Love Them Like Jesus – Lyrics & Video

The love of her life is drifting away
They’re losing the fight for another day
The life that she’s known is falling apart
A fatherless home, a child’s broken heart

You’re holding her hand, you’re straining for words
You trying to make – sense of it all
She’s desperate for hope, darkness clouding her view
She’s looking to you

Continue reading “Love Them Like Jesus – Lyrics & Video”