Once Upon a time in Heaven...

Once upon a time, in a place called Heaven, a curious scene unfolded.

The old king sat at the head of the round table, with His head bowed and deep in thought. Around Him sat His closest advisers, Sir Michael, Sir Gabriel and others and His Son stood next to Him.

“You know why we are here,” said the king. The earth is in shambles, people are rebellious, and no one wants to live in peace with each other, let alone listen to me. In fact, some of them openly hate me “

“I made the earth and created humans to have a relationship with me. This relationship characterized by love, worship, and communion. I wanted Humans to live in harmony with me and each other.”

“I wanted them to take care of the planet and all its inhabitants, love me and love each other.

But most of all I wanted them to do all of this of their own accord – so I gave them free will. And what did they do with that great power of free will and choice?? They rebelled against me!

I gave them laws but they broke them. I gave them a way to atone for their wrong doings – they did that and kept on sinning and kept on atoning. That became a vicious circle- A catch 22. Where was the time for me? Where was our communion?

I told some of them, you are my people. I made agreements with them. But alas, nothing changed. They sinned – sacrificed for forgiveness and then sinned again. They marvel at my creation, yet they treat their own lives, with disdain.  And on top of all of this, that fellow Lucifer – he keeps reigniting their wickedness by either scaring the life out of them or simply enticing them".

"I tried to destroy them but felt pity. How can I completely destroy what I have created? I regretted my creation, but I did save a handful to start over again. They did and started over on their wickedness as well".

So, I see no way out. I cannot have such dreadful creatures be a part of this place and expect them to glorify me or even praise me and worship me. I find it distasteful and dreadful. If any of you have any ideas, please let me know”.

The Kings speech was followed by pin drop silence. Everyone there knew the problem. No one had the solution.

Archangel Sir Michael spoke up after deep thought – “My Lord, with Lucifer playing such an active role, we need a more permanent solution. The people are weak; its not that they don’t want to follow the law but they are not able to for various reasons of greed and temptation by Lucifer. They love their life on earth too much to bother about any plans for heaven.”

“I know,” said the king. So, what is to be done? Should we release all the fury of Heaven on them? They would deserve it! But here is the problem: I created them. I love them. How can I annihilate them?”

Then Sir Michael spoke again – “Lord, why not just finish the source? Let us wage war on Lucifer and his cohort. You know we can finish them and once and for all solve this mess.”

“Well Sir Michael, we can do that, but I gave Humans a very potent power: THE Power of Free choice. If we finish Lucifer, Humans will follow me by default – whereas I want them to want to follow me and love me by choice. The problem is Lucifers war is with me, but he uses the humans as a tool to fight me.”

“Father”, said the Son, “maybe I have a solution.”

“Speak my son: show me how we can save these creatures from Lucifers hand? And if I give them a blanket forgiveness every time, Lucifer will accuse me of not following my own rules for a sacrifice, even though that sacrifice has become more of a convenience for them”.

“Well Father, you remember how you asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? He proved His allegiance to you and of course you didn’t make him do it, but think about it. Why not make a one-time sacrifice for all times? Why not give them love commandments instead of law commandments?

“Explain this to me my Son. What you say is interesting”.

“Well, we know for sure that humans have a rebellious and sinful nature. And that is the chasm between you and them, because you cannot bear to see sin. While a blanket forgiveness can be given, Lucifer will mock you for ignoring your own rules and in any case they sin again. So why don't we make a one-time sacrifice?”

“I have two questions my son. First who or what is so Holy that it’s sacrifice will cover the entire humanity – current and future? Second, you said yourself they will sin again, so how will such a sacrifice help? It will never be one time.”

“Well, I will leave that to you. I do not know”.

The King slowly lifted His head, “I know”. “It has to be me or a part of me.”

“What???” The entire gathering stood up in shock and dismay.

“My Lord and my King,” said Sir Michael, “if you are sacrificed the entire heavens will be destroyed by Lucifer. You cannot vacate your power!”

“Sir Michael, the issue is not one of power but of a moral right to govern. Lucifer knows that. But you are right. Lucifer can misrepresent that. After all, he is a master story teller and deceiver. He can see it as a sign of weakness and fear.”

“There is a solution though: we are a Trinity. As the trinity I exist in three persons: As God the father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. So, a sacrifice of any of these will be good enough. But humans have to see it, which means that the sacrifice has to be in human form, so that all can see the suffering and torture that the sacrifice will go through, for them. Therefore, it has to be someone who can take on a human form – which can only be my Son”.

“He is my Kings only son” said Sir Michael “our entire army will protect Him. How can you or He be sacrificed? My Lord, how can we accept that? Or even think about it?”

“The King looked crestfallen, “Sir Michael, it pains me no end. Which father can send His only child to a death of horror and torture of Sin? Yet, it needs to be done. My Son, will you do it?”

“Yes Father, but what will happen in the long term? Humans will sin again and again. Will my sacrifice be worth it?”

“You are right. Yet we can address that issue through the Holy Spirit – my Spirit. The Holy Spirit's primary role is to indwell, guide, and empower believers. The Holy Spirit can work within individuals to transform and sanctify them, helping them grow in their faith and live according to my will, as long people choose to believe in your sacrifice and in you. And that will happen only if they see that sacrifice happening right in front of them.”

“It will be the ultimate demonstration of my love for humanity. It will show that I was willing to give my only Son to save people from their sins, which will otherwise convict them forever to Lucifers cohort”.

“This sacrifice also satisfies the demands of my divine justice, addressing the consequences of sin while offering forgiveness and redemption to humanity.”

“The trinity is key to all of this: The Holy Spirit's role is different but equally vital, focusing on guiding, empowering, and transforming believers. They have been given a conscience, but it is for the Holy Spirit to reside in them and guide that conscience. Together, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will work in harmony to accomplish my plan for salvation.”

“My Son, are you ready for such a sacrifice?”

“My Father, you tested Abraham with willingness for the ultimate sacrifice. He passed. Today you ask me for the same. Of course, I am willing and ready. The point is, are you?”

“I don’t know my son”. “I know I will suffer the worst kind of heart break anyone could feel. But I will have to suffer that for these people. Of course, the Holy Spirit will need to bring you back to me and I will wait in heartbreak for that. Yes, my Son, I will have to do it.”

A sober mood fell upon the entire gathering. Contemplating the future they asked – “And how is this to be accomplished?”

“Send out prophecies of this plan through our prophets. Prepare the people. Prepare the ecosystem. This means a lot of work and time and effort, but it needs to be done. Choose people whom we can work through, good and evil. Identify the times when all of this will happen. Get it documented for future generations.”

And that is how we, the people in the story, in a land called Earth, were given hope and redemption. Our power of free choice created the problem in the first place, so today it is to be used wisely, based on wisdom given by our God in the Bible, because God paid a very heavy price indeed for our freedom.

The Bard of Bengal

"But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today". - Deuteronomy 8:18

The Bard of Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore, once said that we can attain anything if we create the capacity to receive it. 

This profound thought challenges us to reflect on our own readiness to receive blessings from our God. Are we really ready? Our God has promised us endless blessings, but do we truly have the capacity to receive them? What does this entail?

Pastor and Bible commentator David Guzik writes, "Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us why God has blessed us. His plan is that it would ultimately further His eternal purpose. Therefore, we have no right to use our material blessings for selfish purposes; instead, we should use our resources to advance His kingdom."

Our process of preparation begins with God Himself readying us. Our trials make space for His consolation. When God enters our hearts and finds them full, He begins to break our comforts and make room for grace.

Step 1: Emptying Material Baggage Firstly, we need to be emptied of our material burdens.

Step 2: Embracing Humility 1 Peter 5:6 highlights God as the source of all provision. This verse emphasizes that God is the ultimate source of all good things, including wealth and prosperity. Realizing and acknowledging that our achievements are actually God's blessings prepares us to receive more.

Step 3: Avoiding Pride and Self-Sufficiency By reminding us to remember God, this verse warns against attributing success solely to personal abilities and becoming prideful.

Step 4: Stewardship of Blessings When we receive blessings from God, we should use them wisely and responsibly, aligning our actions with His will.

Living The Word

 

Recently we have seen a spate in discussions around the subject of Christians actively trying to convince others to follow Christ. This is said to be as per His command in Matthew 16:15.

Francis Taylor has a very relevant view on this and has this to say -

"If we ever needed a reminder of how important it is to practice what we preach, this is it. Not only are we encouraged to help others, but we are also warned about giving bad example or leading others, particularly children, away from the Lord."

"I have spoken to many people who say that they became a Christian because of the example of people in their family, friends or strangers whose joy is so great they want a part of it. I also know people who have turned away from the faith they once had because they consider those who proclaim themselves to be Christian are hypocrites. Most people don't start out wanting to be Christians because of doctrine. They are influenced one way or another by people. Are you someone whose life exhibits the joy of knowing Jesus and his saving power? Am I? Do your actions give testimony to your beliefs? A person can go to church each week, Bible classes during the week and give every impression of being a devout follower of Christ and yet be involved in gossip and slander at work and in the neighborhood, loudly protest any law that promotes justice, and actively discriminates against others. Are these the acts of one who follows Christ?"

What is very clear is this: if you want to spread the Word, first live the Word. 

Let others want to follow your Christ rather than we telling them to. Let our actions convince them rather than our tongue.

Worthy of Christ

First let's be clear that humans cannot earn worthiness of Christ on our own. essentially, our worthiness comes from Jesus' sacrifice, not our own merit.

However, once we have accepted Him, we then need to try and live a life according to Him and worthy to Him.

It begins with making Jesus first in our life. It is seen in our love for God and our love for others. Ask the Holy Spirit for spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding. Choose to live according to God's word every day.

Most of all practice the presence of Jesus in our life. How can we do that?

To practice the presence of Jesus in our life, we can: start our day with intentional prayer and reflection on scripture, incorporate short moments of prayer throughout our day, actively seek to see Jesus in everyday situations, express gratitude for His presence, and live according to His teachings by showing love and compassion to others; essentially, consciously acknowledge Jesus in all aspects of our life and actively engage with Him through prayer and reflection.

So in a nutshell -

1. Start the day with Jesus - morning devotion

2. Throughout the day use arrow prayers

3. Mindful awareness:

Pay attention to the world around you, looking for ways Jesus might be present in our daily experiences, like nature, interactions with others, or challenges we face.

4. Gratitude practice.

5. Admit mistakes & backsliding - ask His help to overcome

6. Seek to serve others without judging.

7. Be intentional and authentic.

The Game Changer

Have you ever pondered who you would be or what your life would be like if Jesus had not come into the world? For starters, we would still be under the law, not under grace and forgiveness. God would be perceived as an entity to be feared and respected out of that fear. We would be terrified of the Almighty.

But the game changed with the advent of Jesus. He did not abolish the law; rather, He simplified it and inscribed it on our hearts. The sacrifice needed for our forgiveness every time we sinned was made permanently by Himself. This changed everything. It transformed our relationship with God from one of fear to one of love. Respect and reverence became part of our love for God, and grace and forgiveness became part of His love for us.

Jesus' message of hope, redemption, and transformation continues to change lives today. Countless individuals have experienced personal transformation and found purpose, meaning, and hope through faith in Jesus.

His profound influence on humanity has been a true game changer. Today, His teachings and actions continue to resonate and inspire people around the world and continue to offer His peace and salvation to each one. 

Each One Reach One: The Christian Way to Tackle Loneliness

During his 27 years coaching the 10-time national champion UCLA teams, 107-year-old Coach John Wooden often reminded his players, “It takes 10 hands to score a basket.” The underlying message was that teamwork is the key to success. As humans, we were never meant to be loners. Even from the beginning, God said, “It is not good for man (or woman) to be alone.”

Yet, loneliness has become a significant issue in today's world, affecting people of all ages, whether young, middle-aged, or elderly. Loneliness can be as deadly as any physical ailment. According to a global survey, approximately 33% of adults worldwide have experienced feelings of loneliness. Brazil had the highest percentage, with 50% of respondents reporting that they often, always, or sometimes felt lonely.

Solomon, in his wisdom, wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV):

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Throughout history, the Bible has consistently advised a "we" rather than "me" mindset. Vision Christian Media suggests that to succeed in life, we should commit to: 

A. Resisting the go-it-alone spirit that often characterizes our culture. 

B. Cultivating meaningful relationships and treasuring friendships. 

C. Reaching out to the lonely and those who have fallen. 

D. Going out of our way to demonstrate true friendship.

In light of this, there are simple yet powerful actions we can take to combat this "killer" phenomenon. 

For example, picking up the phone to talk to someone we haven’t spoken to in a while; visiting elder singles or couples, or reaching out to someone we know is feeling down or sick, for any reason, can make a significant difference.

Reach Out! And make someone's day!

The Suicidal Birds

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage".

There is a very strange phenomenon that occurs in a place called Jatinga in Assam, India, wherein migratory birds commit mass suicide. 

During the specified months, when the air is foggy, misty, or cloudy, various species of birds see light through windows and in an effort to reach the light they ram into the windows and get killed. The question arises: why do these birds, like a ritual, arrive at the same time every year only to meet their demise? Can they not change their route?

This reminds me of us humans. Even though our spirit has been made free in Christ, yet we tend to get entangled in the yoke and bondage of sin frequently. Like those birds we have a tendency to 'commit suicide' by frequently sliding back into sin, sometimes deliberately, sometimes without realizing it. but unlike them, we have a way out in Jesus Christ whose light shines not through a window but shines brightly and freely. He not only will pull us out of the pit but also helps us to avoid it. His word is a spotlight which shows us pitfalls and points us to the safe path - so that we can re- route ourselves.

As the quoted verse says - Jesus is not only the hope but also the safe way for each one of us.

Unlike the birds of Jatinga we do have a way out. 

A Spirit of Enquiry

Every time I read the Bible or a verse from, it creates an imagery which conjures up questions. For example, I have read the story of David and Goliath dozens of times. But when I did the last time, it suddenly struck me that how did David become an expert slings man? On researching it, turns out that most shepherds of that time were excellent with the sling shot, kept practicing all the time, basically to be able to drive wild animals to protect the herd. Most armies of the day had a contingent of slings men as well. 

The sling shot was an ancient version of today's guns, and the stone or ball was as deadly as the modern-day bullet. In the hands of an expert (like a herdsman) the shot could pierce the Armour or helmet of the opponent. Flying close to about 200 kilometers per hour, making them comparable in power to a modern .44 Magnum handgun in the right hands. As a herdsman, David had plenty of time for target practice, to polish this survival skill. This fact made me realize that David was being prepared for the day he would face Goliath, as a start point to the process of attaining kingship. That miracle did not happen by magic but by being worked out by God.

The point is, when one reads a verse or a chapter, it would be pertinent to ask yourself four questions - where, why, what and how. What happened, where did it happen, why it happened and finally the how it happened. I have found that the answers create a deeper understanding of what is read and a deeper knowledge of God, the author.

This method constitutes the spirit of enquiry or a spirit of curiosity - a thirst to know more and understand the truth. It makes faith and trust stronger than what it would have been on simple reading and shallow believing. A deeper understanding creates a deeper relationship which in turn creates faith and trust.

An interesting way to start this habit may be to ask yourself - when did Jesus come to know that He was the son of God? Did He volunteer to become the sacrifice or was He commanded? The answer will not only surprise you but also point to the depth of obedience Jesus demonstrated to God, our Father and the depth of His sacrifice.

Testing Jesus

Have you ever tested Jesus? No? Well, think again because at some point in time, we all have.

Here are some thoughts shared by Rev Francis Taylor in her devotional. 

"The Pharisees came to ask Jesus for a sign even though they had witnessed the many miracles of healing he had performed. They had heard him preach and knew the authority with which he did it. Why didn't they believe, what more were they looking for! We declare our belief in Jesus yet we often do the same. In our darkest moments don't we wonder where Jesus is? I know I have said, "Please just let me know you're there?" What about you? We see people pick up pennies from the sidewalk and if the date on it is the same as the birth or death year of someone we love, we think this is a sign that they are in heaven. How different is this from the Pharisees?

Our faith is tested every day. Sometimes it is tested in small ways, sometimes in a big way. It is tested when someone we love is seriously ill or dies. We ask, "Why God? He was a good person, prayed, went to church. Why him?" Or we lose our job just as our children are ready for college. Why me? Wildfires rage and hundreds lose their homes. Storms rage and lives are lost. Haven't you ever wondered how a good God could let things like this happen? We are not that different from the Pharisees. Some people allow the doubts to turn into denial that God exists. The rest of us hang on knowing that God doesn't cause bad things, he helps us get through them".

Exam Time!

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart". Psalms 26:2 KJV

I remember as a child in school, when we had to take the class test it was scary. there was fear, excitement and hope - hope that somehow I would pass that test and be rewarded by my father and mother with a chocolate. Years later, as a young man in graduation, taking an exam was again filled with trepidation and hope. Hope that I would clear it and move onto to a great future.

When God puts us to the test, it can be scary, exciting, confusing, and, sometimes, altogether painful.

There is warfare when God exposes something we are not aware of. The enemy comes to deceive us when we try to ignore or refuse to listen to the still small voice of God within us.

But, as in childhood tests and exams, there is a hope which can motivate us. That hope is a life where we are mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually free - a life which God provides.

Let us therefore, not argue or think to reason with Him when things don’t make sense. His exposition is not meant to condemn us, shame us, or make us feel guilty but rather to redirect our path, save us from what’s coming, and align us back into His perfect will!