SCIENCE...INTELECT...GOD - Series 1

Science is not an obsolute and pervasive truth. It is just a tool that helps us to try a reverse engineering of everything we know; we do not know; we know we donot know and the unknown (we dont know that we dont know).

Someone said.. God is not an engineer, He is a Hacker. So it is impossible to trace back and get to the point of orgin with our intellect.

If evolution was true and the human race has evolved or is evolving, then our babies have to be born with bullet-proof skins given the hostile environment that they have to survive.

Issac Newton , once remarked “ If the bible is true, the time is coming when men shall travel at fifty miles an hour.” We all know that Newton believed in Bible and in God. But Voltaire the french skeptic commented “ Poor issac he was in his dotage when he made this prophecy. It only shows what Bible study will do to an otherwise scientific mind”.The skeptic mind always turns a blind eye, even if the truth is right in front of it.

You know today we have trains that travel half the speed of sound. Only a couple of months back the French have tested their tgv high speed train with a world record of 574.8 kmph. It takes 5 minutes and 30 km for the train to run down and come to a hault.

Voltaire also remarked "In 100 years this book (The BIBLE) will be forgotten and eliminated...", And here we are 300 years after that and this living book of the living God will be the same through out our existence.

Jesus when he walked the earth said “ Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away -Mark 13:31. What a blessing we have to hold the book of life and get our directions from it.

GOD QUALIFIES THE CALLED

God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called (1 Corinthians 7:17 ; Romans 8:28 ). The truth in the statement extends back to Moses, Abraham, Joseph, David, the apostles... just about everyone used by God for big things who, on physical examination, didn't have the degrees, stature, or qualification for the jobs that needed to be done.

You've never spoken in public, acted in a skit, or led a Bible study? You may be right where the Lord wants you, so get ready for Him to bestow His qualification upon you. It also works in reverse -- you think you're qualified for one thing, God has a different purpose.

All you need is a humble heart filled with His Love; Passion and intent to follow His Call and His purposes for your life.

WHAT IS TRUE FAITH?

Not even giants of faith get exactly what they want. (Heb11:39)

What is faith? And how can you be sure you’ve got it? Some Christians think of faith as an almost magical force; If you muster up enough of it, you will get rich, stay healthy and live a contended life, they say. Yet how does one “muster up” faith? What are signs of true faith?

Not what you’d expect. But the picture of faith emerging from these chapters contains some surprise. The author uses words and phrases like “persevere, endure, don’t lose heart.” In many instances, the heroes cited did not receive the promise they hoped for; some ended up flogged and destitute, hiding out in goatskins (11:36-38). Many died – horrible deaths.

Faith, concludes the author, most resembles a difficult race. The runner has his eyes on winner’s prize, and despite nagging temptations to slacken the pace, he refuses to let up until he crosses the finish line. “Throw off everything that hinders,” Hebrews coaches (12:1). “Strengthen your feeble arms and week knees” (12:12).

Is it worth the struggle? Why do people punish their bodies to run a grueling marathon race? Most runners name two reasons; the sense of personal reward they get and the physical benefits of the exercise. The same 2 rewards apply in the spiritual realm. Great prizes await those who persevere and the very process of living by faith builds strong character. In this race, no one loses, If you finish, you get the reward.

Here, as elsewhere, Hebrews holds up jesus, who endured great suffering for our sakes (12:2-3) as the ultimate example . The faith described in Hebrews is not sugar coated; God does not guarantee a life of luxury and ease. It is tough faith; a constant commitment to hang on and believe God against all odds, no matter What.

THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS

I am sure, We must have had this moral lesson in School…

There was a man who was a tailor by profession. He had a wife and three children. He was never happy. He felt that wife constantly nagged him and his children created a noise and turmoil in the house. He consulted a wise sage for a solution for his problem. The sage suggested that he sends his wife and kids away for a few days. The man took the suggestion, but life was very dull for him and he goes back to the sage for help. The Sage then tells him the secret of Happiness, “Be content with what you have and you will always be happy”.

It is so true that we need to be content with what we have. It is when we compare ourselves with others that our needs seem to escalate. In the struggle to be happy, we sometimes forget the essence of happiness. The world is running after money, fame, pleasure……… thinking that these will bring happiness. But the end of all this, sometimes is pain and sorrow. In our pursuit to find real happiness there is every possibility of pleasure meeting us in the garb of happiness and enticing us towards it. We need to be watchful, lest we are caught in a maze!!

All said, humanly we may not be able to know the secret of happiness, until we know the source of happiness. Like the deer which runs to the streams to quench its longing thirst, we must run to the Living God who is the source of all joy. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life and life in all its fullness.

Why not try Jesus and get the happiness that will last forever!!!

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE !

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player, was dying of Cancer. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?"

To this Arthur Ashe replied "The world over -- 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach national, 50 reach the grand slam Wimbledon, 4 to the semifinals, 2 to the finals.

When I was holding a cup, I never asked GOD "Why me?" And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"

Happiness keeps u sweet....Trials keep u strong....Sorrow keeps u human....Failure keeps u humble....Success keeps u glowing....But
only God keeps u going!!!!

WE ARE VALUABLE…OUR VALUE IS INBORN

A doctor caught in a kidney scan….the son of a DGP of police convicted of rape and absconding….the student molested by her professor aged that of her father….a mother murders her daughter inorder to keep her illicit affair under cover….These are just a few examples…. Every news paper , Every news channel, carries the same story all day long.....everyday...

Why do we humans do what we do? Why do we take blatantly black and white , paint it gray and accomidate that in our living? Why are priceless mores thrashed, while senseless standards are obeyed? What makes us to elevate our body and degrade the soul? What motivates us to pamper the skin, while we pollute the heart?

The Answer….Our values are messed up. Thrills are going for high cost and the value of human beings are at an all time low. Can you guess where it all began…..It all began when someone convinced us that humans are headed nowhere. That man has no destiny. That we are in a cycle and there is no reason or rhyme to this absurd existence. Somewhere we got the idea that we are meaninglessly trapped on this spinning mud heap. Universe is purposeless… creation is incidental and humanity has no destination.

This is the reason behind all the trouble….If man has no destiny or duty…and if we have No absolutes…No principles…No ethics…. No standards… Life is reduced to weekends, paycheck and quick thrills. The bottom line of all this is disaster….you can witness that all around you….. The next logical step for man to have no destiny or duty is to have no value. If man has no future he is not worth…more than these trees or rocks…

Our system has gone haywire….we feel useless and worthless…we try to freak out and try playing games…we create false value system….You are valuable if you are pretty….You are valuable if you are rich….you are valuable if you can perform….You are valuable if you have degrees behind your name….your valuable if you draw a 6 digit salary and drive an imported car…

Value is measured by appearance and performance….Now where does that leave the retarded , or the ugly, or the uneducated. Where does that place the aged and handicapped? What hope does that offer an unborn child. Not much isn’t it.

Fortunately, Man’s value system are not God’s. His plans are bigger, brighter and beautiful. In Gods book man is heading somewhere. He has an amazing destiny. We are being prepared to walk down the church aisle and become the bride of Jesus. We are going to live with Jesus in the heavens, share the throne with him and reign with him. We are valuable…each one of us….valuable in his sight…And what’s more our value is inbuilt ….our value is inborn…

ON THIS DAY – IN HISTORY April 15, 1912.

The Titanic - “God Himself could not sink this ship!!!”
On April 15, 1912, the British luxury liner Titanic sank in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland, less than three hours after striking an iceberg. About 1,500 people died.

Sometimes God allows events to happen that puncture human pride and bring us to a greater sense of our vulnerability and mortality.

The God of the Bible, who is often derided as irrelevant or even nonexistent by today’s generation, has a great deal to say about human pride and notions of invulnerability. We are told that “God resists the proud” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) and that “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

In the same way that a ship or indeed any other expression of human pride and accomplishment can fail, so too can the entire society that humanity has constructed.

Almost a century later, do we not tend to think of our own age as indestructible? We take such great pride in our human accomplishments, scientific advancements and technological progress. Yet so often God is left out of the picture. All too often we are ignorant of the spiritual laws and parameters that govern life.

And if, collectively, we live our lives outside the spiritual parameters that speak to such traits as pride and arrogance, is it possible that one day we might face an unprecedented disaster on a scale far greater than that which overtook the Titanic?

Certainly that is the message of the Bible—an instruction book filled with spiritual values and the godly wisdom that will guide us through perilous times.

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE - JESUS

BORN TO DIE

The Old Testament tells us that God appeared as a human being on several occasions. If Jesus wanted only to heal and teach, he could have simply appeared. But he did more: he became a human. Why? So he could die. To understand Jesus, we need to understand his death. His death is a crucial part of the gospel and something all Christians should know.

Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He came to give his life, to die, and his death would purchase salvation for others. This was the primary reason he came to earth. His blood was poured out for others (Matthew 26:28).

Jesus had an amazingly productive ministry, teaching and healing thousands. He attracted large crowds and had potential for much more. He could have healed thousands more by traveling to the Jews and gentiles who lived in other areas.

But Jesus allowed this work to come to a sudden end. He could have avoided arrest, but he chose to die instead of expanding his ministry. Although his teachings were important, he had come not just to teach, but also to die — and he accomplished more in his death than in his life.

Death was Jesus’ most important ministry. This is the way we remember him, through the cross as a symbol of Christianity or through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Our Savior is a God who loved us so much that he gave his life for us.

GOOD FRIDAY

JESUS & THE CROSS II

God loves people—but he hates sin, because sin hurts people. Therefore, there will be a “day of God’s wrath” when he judges the world (Romans 1:18; 2:5). People who reject the truth will be punished (verse 8). If they reject the truth of God’s grace, they will experience another side of God, his anger. God wants everyone to repent (2 Peter 3:9), but those who don’t will suffer the result of their sin.

In the death of Jesus, our sins are forgiven, and through his death, we escape the wrath of God, the punishment of sin. But this does not mean that a loving Jesus appeased or “paid off” an angry God. The Father is just as merciful as Jesus is, and Jesus is just as angry about sin as the Father is. He is angry at sin because sin hurts the people he loves. Jesus is the Judge who condemns (Matthew 25:31-46), as well as the Judge who loves sinners so much that he pays the penalty for them.

When God forgives us, he does not simply wipe away sin and pretend it never existed. He teaches us throughout the New Testament that sins are taken care of through the death of Jesus. Sins have serious consequences—consequences we can see in the cross of Christ. It cost Jesus pain and shame and death. He bore the punishment we deserved.

The gospel reveals that God acts righteously in forgiving us (Romans 1:17). He does not ignore our sins, but takes care of them in Jesus Christ. God presented Jesus as a sacrifice for our forgiveness. “He did this to demonstrate his justice” (Romans 3:25). The cross reveals that God is just; it shows that sin is too serious to be ignored. It is appropriate for sin to be punished, and Jesus volunteered to suffer the punishment on our behalf. The cross demonstrates God’s love as well as his justice (Romans 5:8).

As Isaiah says, we have peace with God because Christ was punished. We were once enemies of God, but through Christ we have been brought near (Ephesians 2:13). In other words, we have been reconciled to God through the cross (verse 16). It is a basic Christian belief that our relationship with God depends on the death of Jesus Christ.

IS THERE A MEANING TO LIFE

At an average, 150,000 people die everyday and pass out from this world. Medical Science is doing all it can to make man immortal and it will utterly fail. The hyperbaric chamber, the Plastic surgeon, liposuction and all the face lift can not prevent aging or death.

If Life is so precious that nobody wants to die what is the meaning of life then?"
How can I find purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction in life? Will I have the potential to accomplish something of lasting significance?

So many people have never stopped to consider what the meaning of life is. They look back years later and wonder why their relationships have fallen apart and why they feel so empty even though they may have achieved what they set out to accomplish. One baseball player who made it to the baseball hall of fame was asked what he wished someone would have told him when he first started playing baseball. He replied, "I wish that someone would have told me that when you reach the top, there's nothing there." Many goals reveal their emptiness only after years have been wasted in their pursuit.

In our humanistic society, people pursue many purposes, thinking that in them they will find meaning. Some of these pursuits include: business success, wealth, good relationships, sex, entertainment, doing good to others, etc. People have testified that while they achieved their goals of wealth, relationships, and pleasure, there was still a deep void inside -- a feeling of emptiness that nothing seemed to fill.

The author of Ecclesiastes states this feeling when he said, "Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." This author had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, women in the hundreds, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and had every form of entertainment available. And he said at one point, that anything that his heart wanted, he pursued. And yet he summed up "life under the sun" (life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses) is meaningless! Why is there such a void? Because God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men..." In our hearts we are aware that this "here-and-now" is not all that there is.

The bible states that death came into action because of Sin. It declares that the wages of Sin are death. By Adam’s sin death came upon all and we all have to taste death. Do we have a chance to be immortal….yes, we still have. There is a way out. The Bible says without Shedding of Blood (Sinless Blood....all the Animal or Human blood sacrificies are invalid) there is no remission of Sin. Therefore man can do nothing to redeem himself from death. But the Good news is Jesus, who was sinless was sacrificed for you and for me. By His Sinless Blood poured out on the cross, our Sins are washed away and we are redeemed to have Life…Life Eternal…

Try Jesus today...your life will never be meaningless...

JESUS & THE CROSS

How did Jesus die? Do you think he died because of physical injury during crucifiction? If that is your answer, I want you to rethink again…Jesus did not die of the physical injury or the mental & emotional trauma that he went through. He died because he chose to give his life for you and for me, so that we can be saved and experience new life and eternal salvation. He lived to do the father’s will and execute it to the last word. He operated on a different timetable all together when he was alive…when Mary wanted him to do a miracle at the marriage of cannan, he refused and said that his time had not come….when he got the message that Lazarus was sick…he stayed back 2 more days in the same place…we can find throughout the Gospel that Jesus operated on a Heavenly timetable…

The Old Testament tells us that God appeared as a human being on several occasions. If Jesus wanted only to heal and teach, he could have simply appeared. But he did more: he became a human. Why? So he could die. To understand Jesus, we need to understand his death. His death is a crucial part of the gospel and something all Christians should know.
Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He came to give his life, to die, and his death would purchase salvation for others. This was the primary reason he came to earth. His blood was poured out for others (Matthew 26:28).

At the ninth hour (the time at which a sacrificial lamb was killed everyday in the Jewish temple), Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated,” My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and soon died, after saying “It is finished.” At about this moment is probably the time when the temple’s priestly ram’s horn would have been blown that day, announcing that the priests had completed the sacrifice of the lamb for the sins of Israel. Also at that moment, the great, thick curtain that closed the Holy of Holies room from view, ripped open from top to bottom. - -Mark 15:34 and Matthew 27:46

Jesus said there is no greater love than someone giving his life for his friend. YES we have a great friend in Jesus, who gave his life for us. Have you not experienced it yet!

THE HOLY BIBLE - Series 1

Issac Newton , once remarked “ If the bible is true, the time is coming when men shall travel at fifty miles an hour.” We all know that Newton believed in Bible and in God. But Voltaire the french skeptic sarcastically commented not acknowledging the fulfillment of Netwon’s words, commented “ Poor issac he was in his dotage when he made this prophecy. It only shows what Bible study will do to an otherwise scientific mind”.

You know today we have trains that travel half the speed of sound thereby fulfilling the foresight of Newton. Only months back the French have tested their tgv high speed train with a world record of 574.8 kmph. It takes 5 minutes and 30 km for the train to run down and come to a hault. Voltaire also remarked “In 100 years this book will be forgotten and eliminated…”, and here we are 300 years after that and this living book of the living God remains the same and will be same through out our existence.

Jesus when he walked the earth said “Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away - Mark 13:31. What a blessing we have this Word of God, The book of life! that is forever the truth!

Salvation is God's Gift to Mankind

I was particularly praying for a change in perspective, in the way the Gospel is preached and I got the answer from the word of God.

There is a strong opinion in this world that sin, Morality, Heaven & Hell are imposed on humanity by the Christians and it is not necessary for everyone to believe it. Most of the time our preachers have aggregated unbelivers by going that extra mile in projecting that God is going to punish you, if you don’t accept him. But what we need to propogate is that; God is love and in his immense care for the pinnacle of his creation, God knowing that Man can do nothing to gain his reedemtion from his sin, came down to this earth that He created, walked as one among us, was crucified for our Sins on the cross of calvary, was resurrected from the dead on the third day and is now seated on the right hand of the father, showing us a way and being the first fruit of this great salvation.

All we need is to present the people of this world with this perspective. No matter how good or bad we are, no matter how we try to clease and purify ourself, no matter how we try to justify ourself with human self righteousness, we are all destined for Hell. And the merciful God out of love and grace has sent his son to be sacrificed for us on the cross, whereby we can escape this eternal destruction and be with Him in Heaven.

Salvation cannot and doesn’t need anything extra be done than to believe in the provision of redemption done through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. When i say this, it is inclusive of the fact that we obey God and his commandments to run our course on this earth not because of the fear of hell but because of the Love towards Him.