Thoughts Provoke

The Choice

2014-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

For millions of years, the world had been uninhabited. Until, nearly 6000 years ago.

The earth had been created. A garden was planted, filled with every tree and plant that beautiful and produced delicious food. Every flower, plant and fruit!

In the middle of the garden, there stood the Tree of Life, and also the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Out of this garden, four branches of rivers flowed, which were the Pishon, Gishon, Tigris and Euphrates. These rivers divided the lands which were covered with gold, precious stones and every valuable thing that the world had ever known.

This was, the Garden of Eden, created by God, as the home for mankind.

Out there in a corner, God carried the man and placed him on the ground. “Oh, my God! Where on earth am I?” the man asked as he looked around in amazement. "Is this... hhhhmmmmm… Heaven?”
(If we were to say “Oh, my God! today” there is not going to be response from the sky!)

But it was different for that man. God was the only friend, this man had! And God answered him.

“Adam – this the Garden of Eden……where you will live, to work and tend this place.” God replied.

“Oh, cool!” replied Adam, walking around stark naked, never even knowing the meaning of CLOTHES!

Although he was naked, there was not even a tinge of embarrassment.

But remember this – God said, interrupting his excitement: “You can freely eat the fruit of any tree in the garden – except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If you eat it, you will surely die.”

"Remember – this is your FORBIDDEN FRUIT."

“That’s wayyyyyy toooo easy..….I already have all kinds of fruits to eat. Why would I even want to try that fruit?” Do you think I’ll go hungry…of course not!...Do I really need that rule? I won’t even think of eating that fruit!" Adam kept going on and on, like a teenager nagging over his curfew.

Just at that moment, Adam started feel sleepy and dozed off. It was as if God had injected tranquilizers into him.

“It is not good for man to be alone. I’ll give him a helper.” God laughed as he took a rib out of the sedated Adam.

Out of Adam’s ribs, a woman was made.

When Adam woke up, it was the most exciting day of his life! Finally, another human being! He had a wife!

Eve was her name.

Days, weeks and months passed. Adam and Eve had the most blissful life, you and I could never imagine. They tended the garden and named every animal and creature on the land. Things were just too beautiful and perfect, to be true.

But the snake was just about to mess things up.

The snake was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said: You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN CREATION, where the man and woman had to make serious CHOICE in their life.

It was that moment in time, that could change the entire history of mankind. It was a CHOICE that had GREAT CONSEQUENCES to pay; to try or to die.

Seconds ticked, as the woman looked at the fruit. It was beautiful to see and behold. “How would it taste like, I wonder?”

“See, Adam…..it’s just a fruit…Can’t be so bad just to take a bite…and we won’t die……we will become all knowing, just like God!” Eve told her husband.

“But God said…..we will die….and we already have every other fruit to eat…” Adam tried to protest.

“Come on….don’t be such a spoilsport…..we’ve been good all this while….It won’t hurt to be a little naughty…just today…just to try one bite….just this once….never again….”

Eve took a bite into the fruit, and handed it to Adam. Unable to control his curiosity, Adam took a bite too.

THEY HAD MADE THEIR CHOICE, to break God’s rule…to try the FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

At that moment, both their eyes were opened. The serpent was right! They knew they were naked, and they were ashamed! They ran and hid themselves.

They knew that things would never be the same. Their CHOICE came with a great PRICE.

From that day, Adam and Eve were banned from that beautiful garden which was filled with everything they had ever needed.

God cursed him to work hard to live, and Eve to suffer terrible labour in giving birth – FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, and everybody’s lives!

One simple CHOICE, to leave every good thing behind and take just one bite from the forbidden fruit – just to try!

They DIED to their innocence, and the great life that was given freely to them….the after effect was passed down to their children, and children’s children.

THEY HAD EVERYTHING, but lost it all, just because of ONE CHOICE.

In life, all of us are faced with that CHOICE to make.

All of us will encounter chance to see that FORBIDDEN in front of us - just like Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden.

That beautiful and attractive thing which makes us curious to try….just once, never again…..just for a little fun….just to KNOW.

For a child, that fruit may be the feeling to be free and go out alone – which can get him kidnapped.

For a teenager, that fruit may come in the form of drugs, alcohol and sex – which can ruin his life forever.

For a married man, it may be a beautiful woman who is not his wife, who will break his family.

For a single woman, it may be sweet words from a married man – which could steal her innocence and break her heart.

For an employee, it may be temptation to take an offered bribe, which could send him to jail.

There will always be that feeling “just try, just feel, just know, just once…..”

We are all given that CHOICE at one point or another……..that FREEDOM to have all the fruits, except the THAT one.

Do you really need to know? Do you really need to try? Do you really want to break the rule, and try THAT FRUIT?

What will be your CHOICE?

The '5 Idiots'

2012-02-12T02:20:00.000-08:00

Some years back, there was a famous Bollywood movie called the ‘3 Idiots’. It was a very meaningful & inspiring movie.

But today, I want to write about ‘5 Idiots’ from the Bible.

1. NOAH
(Read Genesis 5-10)

In a dry and sunny land, God instructed Noah to build a huge boat. Everyone who passed by thought Noah was a complete idiot! Why would a man build an ark when there’s no sign of rain or even a flood?

He worked so hard to build the ark, while everyone who passed by called him a mad man!
Not only that, he also brought in all the species of animals, 2 by 2, to save them in the ark. He even warned people about the flood, and asked them to believe!

Nobody believed him!

If your neighbour started building an ark during a draught, you would think he’s an idiot or lunatic too, wouldn’t you?

But guess what? In the end, the Flood really came. Everyone else died. Only Noah & his family were saved!

Who are the idiots now?

2. JOSHUA
(Read Joshua 1-6 in the Bible)

Can you imagine an army going for war? Instead of using weapons, they go around blowing horns around the walls in the city of Jericho!

That’s exactly what God asked Joshua to do.

So, Joshua instructed his army to do according to what the LORD said. They did it for 6 days; their enemies & those watching, must have thought, “Their leader, Joshua is a complete idiot!”

But on the 7th day, the walls of Jericho collapsed by the effect of the loud sounds! Joshua & his army easily marched right in!

Who are the idiots now?

3. SHADRACH, MESHACH and ABEDNEGO
(Read Daniel 3 in the Bible)

These 3 men worked for the King in Babylon. They believed the Lord and followed God’s commandments. One day, the King created a golden statue & made it a rule for everyone to bow down & worship the statue as God. If they refused, they will be punished and thrown into the fire!

At that time, these 3 men refused to bow down to worship the statue as God. They said, they will worship the Lord only! They were willing to be thrown into the fire to die!

Everyone around them would have said, “What idiots! Why do they want to die just because of this? Can’t they pretend & bow down for courtesy sake?”

The King threw them into the fire! But these 3 men did not die!

Instead, the soldiers who threw them in died! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were protected by God, even inside the burning fire!

They came out alive! – until the King himself made a new rule to punish anyone who said anything bad about these 3 men’s God!

Who are the idiots now?

MORAL OF THE STORY:

When you follow God’s instructions, you might look like an idiot to the world.

People might make fun of you, or think you are stupid – but GOD will NEVER PUT YOU TO SHAME.

It’s ok to be an IDIOT for GOD, because GOD ALWAYS WINS, IN THE END.

YOU WILL BE SAVED.

BE BRAVE to be the only one standing out. BE PROUD to be the minority.

In the end, you can look at the whole world and say, “Who are the idiots now?”

Romans 10:11 (The Bible)
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him (the LORD) will not be put to shame.”

A Poem: You Can Tame a Tiger

2012-01-16T22:52:00.000-08:00

Once I had a dream,
I was walking by a field,
Everybody screamed and scrambled,
When a tiger toddled in,
Some ran to grab their weapons,
Some got ready to shoot and kill,
But I remained where I was standing,
Amazed by the beautiful predator,
Approaching still.

“Would you let me touch you?”
“I mean you no harm,”
“You won’t hurt me, would you?”
“You will listen to your Master's command.”

My eyes sent him the message,
I meant what I said,
He lifted his paw as if to greet me,
As I gently stroked his head,
He lowered his body to reach me,
Rubbed his face as if to kiss me,
And I climbed onto his back,
We rode across the people,
Staring at us wide-eyed,
How a girl could tame a tiger,
Become his friend instead.

I woke up with an unexplainable feeling,
What the beautiful scene!
Could there be a deeper message,
What does it really mean?

If you can overcome fear and face the predator,
You surely are as brave as a warrior.
If you can withhold your fist & avoid a fight,
It means you know how to handle power.

If you can admit mistakes and say sorry,
Your humility will definately bring you glory.
If you can forgive even before they apologize,
It means your heart is way bigger than your size.

If you can be quiet when your soul’s ablaze,
You certainly have admirable grace.
If you can speak with kindness against feelings of hate,
You’re a man who can use both your heart & head.

If you can love your enemy,
And the ones who could hurt you,
Can become closer than a brother,
Even if you can't capture an entire city,
But you can control your temper,
Then, my friend,
You can tame a tiger.

-JJ-

Proverbs 16:32 (The Bible)
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

A Poem : Can You Really Trust People?

2012-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Good moments in life are plenty,

That’s when the smiles are many,

People joke, chat and laugh,

But can you really trust any?

Do you know what they’re thinking?

Are they really happy for you within?

When they shake your hands and wish you all the best,

Is the look in their eyes real?

Can you really trust people?

Times of trouble are no less,

You get worried when you see the mess,

People come and offer you help,

But are they genuine?

Do they have a motive secretly kept?

When they pat your back and tell you all is at rest,

Is this the solution that will make you stable?

Can you really trust people?

When you need a favour,

When you look for men in high places,

You see their position, money or power,

You think this is your answer,

But will they always assist?

What if there’s something that you miss?

Is there something they’ll want in return?

To pay the price, are you even able?

Can you really trust people?

What if they promise to deliver,

And then they back out in the final hour,

If their health deteriorates,

Or if they even die,

Can you hold their breath?

The future is already set,

Even if at the moment,

They seem fit and able,

One day they might let go,

Who will help you then?

Must you hold on to their hand?

Can you really trust people?

The Kings & men in the Book of old,

In the Bible they already told,

The lessons they learned,

The pains foretold,

In strategic wars,

Family and friendship,

You cannot even trust the closest kinship,

When everything is gone,

You can see it’s very simple.

The truth is plain and clear,

You cannot really trust people.

People may promise and walk away,

Brothers may cheat and prevail,

Friends may be there one day,

Then you realize it’s just a game people play,

But the Lord is different,

He's not like humans,

He will hold your hand,

God will never fail.

At the right moment, time and place,

When you feel you’ve lost your face,

When things appear impossible,

When all hope for the future totally disappears,

The Lord will send acquaintances or strangers,

Men and women from the least expected places,

They’ll help you with a heart that’s sincere,

To show you unprecedented favour,

Even if things take an unfortunate turn,

In an instant He can change the whole situation,

When you realize,

And keep the faith,

That you cannot really trust people,

But you can always trust Jesus.

-JJ-

Psalm 118: 8-9

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

A Poem : Just Tell Them the Truth

2012-01-15T16:45:00.001-08:00

If someone sent you a message,
If someone gave you a call,
If someone asked you a question,
Whether it was urgent or not,
Would you just read without replying?
Would you just listen without talking?
Would you be asked without answering?
Would you pretend it was nothing?
As if the other person was just a wall.
If your answer is “Yes”,
Say it clearly,
Then people can be sure that you’re ready,
If you want to say “No,”
Make sure you let them know,
At least they can find other alternatives,
Instead of living on a sedative,
If you can’t give an immediate answer,
If you need time to think better,
Just tell them the truth,
It’s the respectable thing to do,
Don’t make promises you know you can’t keep,
Don’t just give offers to achieve your selfish means,
If you’ve given your word with good intentions,
But later on realized you can’t fulfil the requirements,
Just tell them the truth,
It’s the responsible thing to do,
Never just be quiet,
And keep others waiting,
Never just be silent,
And leave them hanging,
Never just ignore it,
Hoping they’ll somehow get it,
How would you feel,
If they did that to you?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:37:
Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

A Poem: You’re Not the Devil, Just a Man

2012-01-15T01:46:00.000-08:00

Do you realize you’re not the Devil?
Do you know you’re just a man?
Can’t you see you’ve been enslaved,
To carry out the Devil’s plan.

The world may like your charm & money,
Sex & drinks may be like ice-cream with honey,
Women may fall for the offers you throw,
But your heart longs for more than this show.

You take great pride in being somebody,
It’s nice that your acquaintances are many,
Important people sit & chat with you,
But you know that true friends who love you are few.

People look at your performance,
And the game that you cleverly play,
But God looks into your heart,
At the man you really are.

Do you see your sins are many?
They’re innumerable as sand,
But they’ll never be too many,
To be washed away by the Man.

Do you know that Jesus loves you?
Do you know that He died for you?
Do you know that His blood already bought you,
From the Devil, you thought, was you!

You belong to the Kingdom of Heaven,
Where God truly loves you,
The Devil is trying to trap you,
But that’s exactly why I feel I need to tell you.

Would you like to be forgiven?
Would you like to start anew?
Be a free man, my dear friend,
This is God’s offer to you.

Just ask Jesus to forgive you,
And you’ll become brand new!
You’re not the Devil – you’re just a man,
Sincere words from a humble friend.

-JJ-

John 3:16
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus Christ), so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

“Away from me, Satan!”

2012-01-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

As long as we live on this planet, we will face challenges and temptations. Some challenges make us angry. Others make us upset. Some bring us really down, while others offer a 'screen-saver' dream beyond our imagination.

It's important for us to know, which is the test from the Devil, and which is the opportunity from God. Sometimes, it's very difficult to differentiate. The Devil will always intercept, at any moment, using things which appear very good and noble. That's why we need to pray & continually ask God for direction.

One point to remember : God is NOT the one testing you. It’s the Devil who does all the tempting!

Even Jesus himself was tempted!

The greater your FAITH, the greater your challenge and tests!

When situations or people in your life, bring temptations and troubles – don’t be angry with the people! It’s NOT them! It’s the DEVIL!

A spiritual war is going on. The Devil (powers of darkness) are using people & situations to tempt you.

Those people who tempt you are just weak puppets who are being used by the Devil, to carry out the mastermind plan.

Let’s look at how temptations come, and how the Man Himself handled it, with the real spiritual Devil.

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil.

2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

How the Devil tempts? – The Devil looks for something you need, & then offers it with an evil motive. He makes you think it's your right to fulfill that need. The Devil knows your weakness and will use it. He will make you think it's your right to take the solution. But his purpose is evil. The Devil knew Jesus was hungry, because he was fasting. So, He tempted Jesus to turn the stone into bread.

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

How Jesus overcame? – Using the Word (God). Jesus tells the Devil, he doesn’t just survive on physical food, so he doesn’t need the food, even when He has the power to turn stones into bread. Jesus is telling the Devil, he has God’s power. Jesus is telling the Devil that God can take care of him! He doesn’t need the solution offered by the Devil.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”

How the Devil tempts? – The Devil offers you unwarranted risks with potential gain, hoping you will fall. The Devil knows your mission for God, and wants you to fail. The Devil will ask you to do things you know how to do. He won't ask you to do something you can't do! The Devil knew that Jesus’ mission was to die on the cross for the world’s sins – to save the world from hell. Fasting was to prepare Jesus to bear the suffering that was going come on the cross. The Devil knew Jesus had the power jump off a building, and instruct angels to catch him (but perhaps the Devil was not sure if the angels will really catch Jesus). The Devil probably wanted Jesus to ‘test power’ (hoping he would commit suicide), and fail his mission.

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

How Jesus overcame? – Using the Word (God). Jesus saw through his tricks and told him it’s wrong to test God.

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

How the Devil tempts? – The Devil offers you money, power & pleasure in EXCHANGE for your soul. The Devil wants your soul to suffer with him in Hell, once you die. When you are a Christian, you pursue high standards of holiness. The world may offer you money, power and pleasure – but it may mean, you have to lower your standards of holiness. Maybe you won’t have time for God and church anymore. Maybe, in your job, you’ll have to drink & party, and follow the ways of SIN (Devil). When you love SIN, it automatically means, you are worshipping the Devil. This means you’ll have to go against your values and stop following God.

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’

How Jesus overcame? – Using the Word (God). Jesus tells the Devil, in life, we must worship only God. We must pursue holiness in every way of life (personal or job). We must love God more than anything else in this world. Jesus chases the Devil away, and the devil gets lost!

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

******************************************************************
PRAY for yourself, and those around you. PRAY, even for the people whom the Devil uses to tempt you. Pray that they will wake up and stop being used by the Devil.

If something is from God, it will be clear, with nothing to hide. It will not take you away from God, or your values. There will be no hidden agenda.

DEAL WITH the REAL SOURCE OF TEMPTATION, in the SPIRITUAL WORLD. Deal with the spiritual devil itself!

Don’t hate the person, but be very careful with them.

Say to the Devil, “Away from me, Satan!” and he will get lost! Don't say it direct to people's faces. Talk to people with wisdom, but say it strongly in your PRAYER.

The Devil will come back again, with new challenges, using the same or new people & situations, after you pass each test. But his TECHNIQUE IS ALWAYS THE SAME, as what the mastermind used on Jesus.

See, Jesus already showed us.BE STRONG IN THE LORD & follow Jesus’ example. It's not easy, but don’t give in to the Devil.

Instead, chase the Devil away with GOD'S WORD, continue to live holy - then, you can win – EVERY TIME.

The One Thing That Doesn't Change

2012-01-11T20:59:00.001-08:00

Every day of our life, is different. Nothing remains the same.

Some days, everything is rosy and beautiful. Work is going great, and everything makes you happy. You feel on top of the world, and so loved by the people around you. You are also very nice & loving to those around you.

There are also times, where everything is a mess! You might feel you mean nothing to the ones closest to you, and they are willing to leave you in difficult moments. You also make them feel worse.

There will be moments, where you realize, there is no one in this world who will be with you forever. No one in this world can just accept and make you feel better, even after you admit your mistakes. No one will just understand, instead of getting angry, when you express your feelings. No one has PERFECT LOVE. You, yourself don't have it, either.

The world is ever fleeting. Humans are selfish. People change.

Today, you might be working with a reputable organization with a great income. A few years later, you might have a different job. That can change.

Today, you might be engaged to someone. Tomorrow, you might marry someone else. Even that can change.

Today, you might be someone's husband / wife. Tomorrow, who can tell?

Today, you might have brothers. Tomorrow, you might disown them.

Today, your parents & family may be around, but no one lives forever. Situations change.

You change. People change.

As I get older, I realize that JESUS is the only thing that’s CONSTANT. He NEVER changes. When you confess mistakes, He forgives. When you’re down, He picks you up. Even if you stubbornly walk away from him, He is still waiting for you with arms open wide. He will never let you walk alone, even if you’ve made terrible mistakes. He is LOVE, and He doesn't change.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today & forever.

Everything & everyone changes, even you change... But YOU ARE a child of God. You'll always belong to Him, if you believe - Only that remains.

A very touching song on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms_klH3jjNw

KU MAHU CINTA YESUS SELAMANYA

Ku mahu cinta Yesus selamanya (I want to love Jesus for eternity )
Ku mahu cinta Yesu selamanya ( I want to love Jesus for eternity )
Meskipun badai silih berganti dalam hidupku (Though many storms may come and go in my life)
Ku tetap cinta Yesus selamanya ( I will still love Jesus for eternity)

Chorus:

Ya Allah, Bapa, (My Lord, Father )
Ini aku anakMu, (Here I come, as your child)
Layakkannlah seluruh hidupku (Cleanse my life - make me worthy & true )
Ya Abba, Bapa ( My Abba Father)
Ini aku anakMu, (Here I come, as your child)
Pakailah sesuai dengan rencanaMu (Use my life according to Your plans)

The Story of 2 Brothers

2012-01-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

In today’s worlds, it’s all too common to hear about siblings squabbling for parents’ money, and brothers fighting for property.Some might feel that the world has become evil, and people have changed. The truth is, human nature has always been like this, since the beginning in the Bible. Let’s look at the true story of 2 brothers in Genesis 27-33.

How a mother can lead a son to cheat his own brother? How does the brother feel when he is cheated? What happens to the cheater? How does God deal with it? What can we learn?

Let’s take it from the dramatic account of Isaac’s 2 twins; Jacob & Esau.

*****Jacob Cheats His Brother*****

Esau was the older brother to Jacob. In those times, the father would always bless the oldest with child with the best, before he died, and these blessing would come true (the power of words by faith!). Jacob was always jealous of his older brother, but he happened to be his mother’s favourite.One day, when Isaac was old and his eyes could not see, he told his first son Esau, “I am old and don’t know when I will die. Go out and hunt. Prepare my favourite food and give me to eat. I want to give you my blessings before I die.”

His wife overheard this conversation, and quickly informed her favourite younger son, Jacob.

She told him, “Your father is going to bless Esau. He asked Esau to prepare his favourite food. Listen to me, go and bring me 2 best goats. I will cook for your father. You give it to him, and take the blessings.”

But Jacob said, “My brother is a hairy man. My skin is smooth. What if father touches me and finds out I’m not Esau? I’ll get cursed!”

But his mother was a great mastermind. She covered Jacob’s hand’s and neck with goatskin, so it would feel hairy. She made Jacob wear his brother’s best clothes, so the father will smell his first son.So, Jacob did as his mother taught him. His father was almost blind, and fell for his trick.

Jacob received his father’s best blessings!

His father said (Genesis 27: 27-29): “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field, that the LORD has blessed. May God give you of heaven’s dew and of the earth’s riches – an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and may those who bless you, be blessed.”

And when Jacob received all the blessings, he quickly left.

Now, Esau, the older brother has just finished cooking his best for his father. He came in excitedly to serve his father the food. His father got a shock!

He asked him, “Who are you?” Who came earlier with the food? I already blessed him, and everything I said will happen!”

Esau burst out with a loud, bitter cry! He couldn’t accept it – how his brother cheated his of his blessings!

Esau begged his father, “Don’t you even have just one blessing for me? Bless me too, father!”His father said (Genesis 27: 38-40), “I already blessed your brother to be master over you. What can I give you?”

Then his father blessed Esau, saying, “ You will live away from all the earthly richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.”

Esau hated his brother, and was planning to kill him after their father passed away.

When his mother heard it, she quickly told Jacob, “Your brother is planning to kill you. Quickly go to my brother’s house and stay there, until your brother is not angry with you anymore.”

This was the deceptive plans of his mother, and Jacob followed it. (*Note: She never saw her favourite son again after this. This is what she got for her deception.)

So, Jacob quickly escaped to his uncle’s house in another land.

#####Note:#####

How would we feel if we were in Esau’s place? How would we feel if our own brother cheated us? Is God letting injustice happen freely? Does the story end here?No! Far from it. Let’s look at Jacob’s life, when he goes to stay with his uncle, Laban.

##############

*****What Goes Around, Comes Around*****

When Jacob goes to meet his uncle, he sees that his uncle has 2 daughter’s; Leah & Rachel. Leah was not very attractive, but Rachel was extremely beautiful. Immediately, Jacob fell in love with Rachel. (Genesis 29 -30).

His uncle told him, “Just because you are my relative, you cannot work for free. Tell me how I should pay you?Jacob replied, “I will work for you for 7 years, to marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”

So, Laban agreed, and Jacob worked very hard for 7 years, and it felt just like a few days because he loved Rachel very deeply.

He learnt how to be honest and perform his best, and the LORD’s blessing were with him, just as his father blessed him.

Now, 7 years had passed and it was time to marry Rachel.

But what happened?

Laban prepared a great feast and arranged the wedding. But he switched the bride. He prepared Leah instead!So, Jacob slept with Leah, and did not realize until the morning. When he woke up, he got a shock when he saw she was not Rachel. It was her sister, Leah!

Jacob went to his uncle Laban, and said, “What have you done to me? I served you for 7 years, to get Rachel. Why have you cheated me?”

Laban coolly replied, “It’s not our custom to let the younger daughter marry, before the older one. Work another 7 years, and you can marry Rachel.”

Here, Jacob was cheated by his uncle, just as he cheated his own brother. He was paying a very high price for it. God was teaching Jacob a hard lesson, to change him. And Jacob paid the price.

He worked another 7 years, to marry Rachel! He learnt to LOVE, and do something for LOVE.

Jacob had served Laban for 14 years, before he could get his dream wife! Does the story end here?

No. Laban cheats Jacob again!

Jacob’s 2 wives gave birth to a couple of children, and Jacob wanted to leave Laban to start his own life & business.

But Laban said, “ The LORD has blessed me because of you. Ever since you worked for my, my livestock has increased. Continue to work for me. Tell me what you want and I will give you.”So Jacob agreed.

He told Laban, “Don’t pay me anything. I will continue to tend your sheep. I will remove every spotted and dark coloured sheep. That will be my pay. My honesty will speak for me. If you find I have any lamb which is not spotted, or dark coloured, then it’s considered stolen."

Laban agreed. But as time passed, he noticed that Jacob was doing very well. Jacob’s flock was becoming bigger than his!

Laban again cheated Jacob and changed the terms of agreement a few times. But every time, the LORD blessed Jacob. Jacob always prospered, just as his father blessed him. Laban’s own sons were not satisfied because their wealth was going to Jacob.

Jacob became very afraid, and the LORD told him, “Go back to your father’s land. I will be with you.”

#####Note:#####

From this, we can see that God’s ways are different from ours.

We always want people to pay for their mistakes, but the LORD has a greater plan.He wants them to CHANGE.

He blesses, and teaches at the same time. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. God keeps his promise.

He blessed Jacob, to keep his father’s word. Yet, he taught Jacob a lesson for cheating his brother.

God taught Jacob honesty and made him work very hard, by allowing Laban to cheat him many times.By now, Jacob had changed and become a better man. God loved him and took care of him, through it all.

A lot has been happening with Jacob for years, but what about his brother Esau? Does God have a plan?

Yes, the LORD makes them meet again

#####Note:#####

*****Jacob Prepares to Meet His Brother******

By now, Jacob had realized his mistake. God has changed his heart. Jacob wanted to make right with his brother. Jacob travelled to his father’s land, and sent messengers to meet his brother Esau. (in those day, they didn’t have hand phones or internet! They had to pass a message through a person).

He told them to say this to his brother (Genesis 32:4-5) : “Your servant Jacob say “I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, and servants as gifts to you. I hope you will be friendly with me."

But the messengers returned to Jacob with bad news! They said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is bringing 400 men with him, to meet you!”

Jacob was terrified. He divided his servants into groups and sent them in different directions. He picked the best goats to give as gifts to his brother and sent them. He told each herd to go ahead of him.

He said, “When you meet my brother, tell him, “All this belong to your servant Jacob. This is his gift you. He is coming behind us.”

Jacob prayed to God. Jacob was so afraid his brother will attack him, his family and his servants. Jacob was not selfish anymore. He cared for the people with him. He asked God to help him. He humbled himself, and realized that he was not worthy of God’s kindness to his life, all this while. (Genesis 32: 9-21)

*****Jacob Wrestles with God*****

Jacob spent that night alone in the camp, and suddenly a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When it was daybreak, the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”So, the man touched Jacob’s hips. The man told Jacob, “Your name will not be Jacob anymore. You will be called Israel, because you struggled with God and men, and you have overcome.”

When the sun rose above, Jacob was limping because of his hips.

#####Note:#####

Jacob asked God for blessing, and God touched his hips. He became injured instead and started limping! Sometimes in life, we don’t understand God’s ways, and see unfortunate things as disasters, but God always has a plan! Read on!

##############

*****Jacob Meets Esau*****

Jacob saw his brother coming with 400 men! (Genesis 33)Jacob arranged his wives, children and servants to stand. He went in front of them, and bowed down to the ground 7 times to Esau, as he got nearer to his brother.

Jacob was so scared whether his brother will accept him.

But guess what?

The Lord has melted Esau’s heart, just as He had changed Jacob.

Esau was filled with compassion as he saw his brother limping. He ran to meet Jacob. He hugged him and kissed him. Esau had forgiven his brother for cheating him. He still loved and accepted his brother.Both the brothers cried.

Imagine, they were meeting each other after more than 15 years!

Esau did not want to accept the gifts, because God had also prospered him with plenty. He was happy to have his brother back.

And that was the day, the 2 brothers were reconciled. Their relationship was restored. LOVE WON! (as the Bible says in I Corinthians 13; LOVE always WINS in the end.)

###################

LESSONS for us to learn:

1) Don’t cheat others. What you do to others, will happen to you in other ways, in life. Remember, what happened to Jacob, for cheating his brother. Follow God’s rules for living, and you won’t go wrong. When you realize your mistake, quickly make right.

2) If you’ve been cheated, learn to FORGIVE & LOVE. God has his own way of dealing with the cheater. God will teach them a lesson & make them change. That’s God’s role. It’s not your job to teach people a lesson. So BE PROFESSIONAL, & leave the rest to God. Remember, how God handled Jacob.Don’t revenge. Revenge belong only to God. See how Esau never purposely went after his brother. See how he loved and forgave his brother.

3) God’s way is always LOVE. Even the lesson he teaches, is because He loves us and wants us to change. While we are going through the lesson, he still loves and protects us, just like he treated Jacob. Follow God’s example. You WIN when your ENEMY CHANGES & REALIZES HIS MISTAKE, NOT when he suffers and you fight for your right. You WIN when LOVE WINS.

4) When people realize their mistake, change and come back to you, accept them with LOVE. Just like Esau accepted his brother.

5) When we ask God for help or blessing, sometimes it might look that things turn into a disaster instead. But don’t worry! God has a plan. We might not understand, but God knows what he’s doing! Just like he made Jacob limp, to melt his brother’s heart.

6) Remember, the LORD is the GOD of JUSTICE & FAIRNESS. At the same time, GOD is LOVE. His ways and time frame is different from ours.God kept his word to the father's blessings. It took Jacob & Esau more than 15 years to meet! He made justice for Esau, by allowing Jacob to be cheated time and again. He taught Esau to LOVE & FORGIVE, by allowing him to be hurt. God blessed them both. And it turned out so touching & beautiful! God is always in CONTROL. Just BELIEVE IT.

7) Read your Bible & pray everyday. You can get timeless wisdom from God. Everything we experience in life already happened in the Bible. Learn the right way to handle it. Learn to understand & trust God.

####################

-JJ-

Do Not Be Right in Your Own Eyes

2012-01-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

We tend to look at people or situations and form strong judgements about them. We look at their behaviour and predict what’s wrong, or why they are behaving in a certain way. We think we understand.

We look at a problem and think that we know everything. Then, when the situations look impossible or things are not working out our way, we start to feel angry and upset. Our heart & mind becomes very troubled, and we begin to worry.

As human, we often focus on our own limitations & how big the problem is. We think within the box! We forget that our Father in Heaven is the King. He owns the whole world, and He is GREAT!”

That’s exactly why Jesus teaches us to change our minds. He wants us to think out of the box!

Proverbs 3:7 tells us:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

What does this mean?

1) Do not be wise in your own eyes

-Stop thinking that you know everything.
-Admit that you have your limitations & ask Jesus for help
-Believe that your Father (the Lord) knows more than you
-Trust that your Father will take care of you. You're His child. He loves you!

Why do we need to do this?

Because if we are wise in our own eyes, we will think inside the box. We will think, “My problem is so big! This is the only way to settle it! I know how to handle it.”

Then, when things don’t work out, we will begin to get frustrated with life, and feel that everything is hopeless. We will lose our peace, and it will affect our day. It will affect our relationship with our loved ones. We won’t be able to love with our best. We can’t eat & sleep well. Our heart affects our whole life. Even if God sends the solutions, we might miss it because our mind is so troubled!

But when our heart is settled with peace & love, we can think clearly. We will be able to see the solution to our problem when God shows us. That’s why Jesus keeps telling us to trust Him, and not our own wisdom.

2) Fear the Lord

The verse goes on to say, “Fear the Lord…” Meaning:
-Fear God only! Don’t be scared of your enemies, people who are trying to harm you, or your problem.
-Respect the fact that God is in control! (even if the problem seems out of control).
-Don’t get upset with God. God is good all the time. The Devil throws problems at us, to break us from believing God. But when we still TRUST Jesus, the Devil becomes the loser, and we become the winner!

3) Turn away from evil

-Don’t follow the ways of the evil ways of the world in handling problems, with revenge, hatred & selfishness. This makes us the loser.
-Keep your heart right at all times – filled with love, forgiveness & acceptance. Then, you will win!
-Don’t worry! Worry is a sin!
-Don’t let your heart be troubled. Have peace.
-When you don’t believe in the Lord’s greatness, this is the greatest evil & sin in your life! (if you don’t believe in Jesus’ power, this is an insult to Him because it means you think you’re smarter than God.)

Remember this, when things happen in your life:

· When God wants to teach you PATIENCE, He will allow delays so you learn how to WAIT.

· When God wants to teach you COURAGE, He will allow scary things to happen, so you learn to be BRAVE.

· When God wants to teach you PEACE & JOY, He will allow mind troubling problems so you learn how to BE HAPPY & LET YOUR HEART NOT TO BE TROUBLED.

· When God wants to teach you LOVE, He will allow people to hurt you so you learn how to FORGIVE.

· When God wants to teach you FAITH, He will allow things to happen which are beyond your capability, so you learn how to BELIEVE IN HIM.

Jesus does not think like us. He thinks & acts out of the box! The bigger our problem, the bigger our chance to experience God’s greatness!

We will truly experience God’s power & the solution to our problems, when we learn the meaning of “Do not be right in your own eyes.”

A Poem for the New Year: YOU ARE

2012-01-02T21:48:00.001-08:00

YOU ARE

You are a wonder,
You are a star,
You are destined to shine,
To be admired from near and afar,
Because you're a child
Of the Almighty God,
You belong to Christ.

You are a warrior,
You are a knight,
You were born to face challenges,
And win the fight against darkness,
Because you're a child,
Of the Almighty God,
You belong to Christ.

You are the salt,
You are the light,
You are the flavour and the guide,
To a world that's tasteless and lost for sight,
Because you're a child,
Of the Almighty God,
You belong to Christ.

When problems trouble your mind,
When you think of mistakes and failures,
When fears arise about the future,
When you feel unloved,

Just close your eyes and remember,

You are a child,
Of the Almigthy God,
You belong to Christ.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2012!

-JJ-

MATTHEW 5:13-16

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Different Types of People

2012-01-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

In my life, I don’t have a very large social circle. But with the encounters allowed on my path, I have made a few conclusions.

My personal opinion is that people generally fall into these 3 categories, in different situations of life.

1) “The Stone Cold Heart”

Symptoms:

a) “I am PERFECT. YOU are WRONG”

These kinds of people love themselves more than anything else in the world. They are selfish & focus a lot on themselves. These kinds of people tell you only the good things about their lives. They hide their past and their mistakes, because they are cowards. They’re scared their standard will drop if they tell you their faults.

Then, they try to tell you your mistakes, and highlight themselves as the perfect example in every situation. If they see your mistake, they tend to say, “Why are you so like this? You don’t know how to do all this. Look at me. If I am in your situation, I’ll do this, this & this…See how I do this…See how I handle it.”

They want to appear perfect and be the best in everything. But in reality, they are insecure, because they are not satisfied with so many things in their own life.

b) “I have the right to tell you off – YOU need to change”

They are open and honest about their opinions. They don’t pretend to agree with you when they think you are wrong. When they think they are right, they will be very happy to tell you off. They tend to use harsh words with raised voice. At that moment, they have no patience to think how the other person might take it. This is their way of handling their emotions.

They think like this: “I have the right to say this. If you can’t take it, that’s your problem. You need to change.” Then, they easily walk off, without feeling bad about hurting someone’s feelings, because they SERIOUSLY think it’s their right!

c) “Don’t expect me to say SORRY”

It’s very difficult to show them their mistakes, because in their own eyes, they are always right. If you highlight their fault, they’ll become very angry & defensive. They are impatient, and find it very hard to just listen to people’s feelings.

They find it very difficult to say ‘sorry’ because they just can’t see their mistake. They always feel it’s the other person’s fault, so there’s no need to apologize. Even when they hurt someone, it’s very difficult to them to take the initiative to say SORRY, because they think they didn’t do anything wrong. They avoid apologizing because they feel it hurts their ego.

They don’t do all this purposely. It’s just because their heart is hard as stone. They think with purely with their head. They don’t listen with their heart.

How to deal with them:

· First, forget about yourself & try to understand them.

· Put yourself in their shoes & think like them. Explain to them that you understand their point of view. Tell them that they are RIGHT from their point of view (that’s what they really want to hear, because it boosts they’re EGO!).

· If you say they are wrong, they will become defensive, angry and upset. They won’t listen to you if they are angry. Instead, they’ll tell you off! Never, ever directly say they are wrong.

· So, the only way to get them to LISTEN is to pamper their ego first. After that, explain to them DIRECT TO THE ISSUE. Don’t use complicated examples and indirect stories. It will make them more angry, because they lack patience. Make your message short and clear. Deal with the issue immediately, not one month later!

Don’t say: “Last time you did this & this. Then you did this. Now, you are doing this. You don’t care about my feelings.”

When you say things like this, the ‘stone cold heart’ can’t understand your point, because it’s an EMOTIONAL message. The hard heart thinks with the head, not with the heart. Remove the ‘emotion’ and replace it with direct and precise words.

When you use emotions, they'll think, “What the hell is going on! What a big scandal! I have the right to say all that. It’s not my fault. If they can’t handle it, that’s their problem.” So, they never get your point.

The right way: Pamper their ego first, because their ego means the world to them. Say, “You have the RIGHT to say all this to me. You are very experienced. I know you have good intentions. You care about me and want me to change for the better. I learn a lot from you.”

Once you say this, you manage to catch his attention to make him listen.

Only after this, get to your point. Say, “What you say is right, but I can’t take the WAY you say it. Understand my point of view. Please don’t use harsh words. Don’t raise your voice. Listen to me, and talk gently. Then, I can accept it.”

Of course, you will be expecting an apology for hurting your feelings. You really want them to say sorry. But try to understand the other person. They have a hard heart. If you can get them to listen, and talk more gently and softly, that’s already a HUGE success!

In their mind, they're still right, but they're beginning to understand other’s feelings. That’s a good start.

Getting an apology is on a higher level. It will take time for stone to melt. Don’t expect immediate change. Appreciate small steps of progress.

In time, only God can melt a heart of stone with PERFECT LOVE. Leave the rest to Jesus.

If you are a “Stone Cold Heart” person:

· LEARN TO LISTEN. Your first reaction is always to get angry, fight & tell of. Forget about your rights & feelings for one moment. Give your feelings to God. Just tell Jesus, “I am feeling SO ANGRY. Change my heart to be like you.” Just be quiet, imagine you are the other person, and just LISTEN. Try to understand the other person’s feelings. Feel what they feel, hear what they hear.

· SPEAK WITHOUT ANGER. Only open your mouth, when you are sure your heart has no anger. If your heart still has anger, just listen quietly. When you calm down, then start to talk. Express your feelings. Don’t keep it in your heart.

· USE KIND WORDS & SOFT TONE OF VOICE. When you talk, don’t say, “I’m tired of you. I don’t understand. You are weak etc…”. Instead, SINCERELY SAY: “I understand your feelings. I know why you are hurt. My intentions was….., but maybe the way I said it was too harsh.”

· APOLOGIZE. Say ‘SORRY.’ When you say sorry, it doesn’t mean that you had bad intentions. SORRY means, “I said it with the right motive, but somehow something I said /did hurt you badly. I don’t want you to be hurt. I want to see you happy. I love you.”

2) “The Soft Heart”

Symptoms:

a) “Understand me”

These kinds of people are open book. They tell you everything about themselves. They don’t hide their mistakes or their shame. They just share it, hoping others will understand them better, and see them as they really are. They are honest and original. They don’t put up a show or pretend to be someone else. They are open enough to show their true emotions and cry. But sometimes, they are too honest, until people think that they are weak, and start to overpower them.

They want to be nice all the time. When they expect something from others, they don’t ask directly. They beat about the bush and tell a long story. They send a long message, because they expect other people to understand the message, on their own. When people don’t get the message, they feel hurt and upset. They tend to cry or become very quite, because that’s their way of dealing with their feelings.

Sometimes, the feel too much with their heart, they forget to think with their head. They forget to think from other people’s point of view.

b) “It’s not over yet!–YOU need to need to know what’s wrong”

When there’s a problem, they quickly settle things because the want to avoid a fight. They tend to give in, and take the blame, even if they really feel that it’s the other person’s fault. They tend to cry and become very upset. Yet, they find it very difficult to be direct to the point, because it might cause a fight. They are afraid to face a fight, because they’re too used to playing the ‘nice’ role.

But, in their heart, it’s not over yet. They really want the other person to understand. Even if you think the issue is settled, in their mind, they’re thinking of different ways to make you understand what really happened. They want you to understand what’s wrong, and why they felt hurt. They just want you to feel what they feel, instead of scolding them. When you understand them, they will be satisfied.

Only when they are sure you understand, then it’s settled for them!

c) “Tell me SORRY – it means, you LOVE me.”

This kinds of people are generous with nice words. They say “Please” and “Sorry” very easily to others. So, in the same way, they expect others to happily apologize when they’ve hurt them. When they don’t get this desired reaction from others, they become very disappointed.

For them, it’s not a matter rights. It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong. If you’ve accidentally hurt someone, you need to say ‘SORRY,’ even if you had all the right intentions. Not just that, you need to say it LOVINGLY, express it GENTLY, and do it HAPPILY. For them, this is a demonstration of LOVE.

They don’t do all this purposely. It’s just because their heart is fragile and soft. They FEEL with their heart. They don’t purely think with their head.

How to deal with them:

· First, forget about yourself & try to understand them.

· If you say they are wrong and weak, they will become very hurt. They will listen to you patiently, but their heart will be terribly broken. They will keep it in their heart, and think of many ways to make you understand.

· So, the only way to settle the problem is to LISTEN & UNDERSTAND THEM FIRST. After that, explain to them WITH GENTLE WORDS & SOFT VOICE. Be patient. Add emotions to your words, even if you are so used to thinking purely with your head. Make your message short and clear. Deal with the issue immediately, but BE LOVING.

Don’t say: “I don’t understand you. You are very weak. You are a baby..Look at me, see how I handle things so well.”

When you say things like this, the ‘fragile soft heart’ can’t understand your point. They will think, “He is comparing me and putting me down. He is looking down on me!” Then, they might cry even more because you’ve just shattered their fragile heart into bits!" They want you to understand them.

The ‘soft heart’ feels with the heart, not just thinks with the head.

The right way: Show them that you REALLY UNDERSTAND THEM, because this means the world to them. Say, “I understand you. I know why you feel like this. I know you love me so much and want me to change for the better. I learn a lot from you.”

Remove the harsh words and raised voice. Replace it with understanding words and soft tone.

Once you say this, you manage to catch their attention to make them listen.

Only after this, get to your point. Say, “What you say is right, but I can’t take the WAY you say it. Understand my point of view. Please don’t send me long messages. Don’t send me strong e-mails. Understand me, and tell me straight to the point. Then, I can accept it.”

Of course, you will be expecting them to be strong and stop crying. But understand the soft heart. If you can get them to be happy and be cheerful, that’s already a success.

In their mind, thay are still right, but they're beginning to understand your opinion. That’s a good start.

Getting them to be firm and stop crying is a higher level. It will take time for a fragile heart to be firmed up. Don’t expect immediate change. Appreciate small steps of progress.

In time, only God can comfort and heal and strengthen a fragile heart with PERFECT LOVE. Leave the rest to Jesus.

If you are a “Fragile Soft Heart” person:

· LEARN TO LISTEN. Your first reaction is always to get hurt, upset & cry. Forget about your feelings for one moment. Give your feelings to God. Just tell Jesus, “I am feeling SO HURT. Change my heart to be like you.” Just be quiet, imagine you are the other person, and just LISTEN. Try to understand the other person’s feelings. Feel what they feel, hear what they hear.

· SPEAK WITHOUT HURT & GRUDGE. Only open your mouth, when you are sure your heart can handle the hurt. If your heart still feels upset, just listen quietly. When you calm down, then start to talk. Express your feelings. Don’t keep it in your heart.

· USE DIRECT WORDS & SOFT but FIRM TONE OF VOICE. When you talk, don’t say, “You don’t understand me, you don’t know your mistakes, you enjoy hurting me…”. Instead, SINCERELY SAY: “I know you have the right to tell me. I know why you are angry and upset. My intentions was….., but maybe the way I said it was too harsh / indirect.”

· APOLOGIZE. Say ‘SORRY.’ When you say sorry, it doesn’t mean that you had bad intentions. SORRY means, “I said it with the right motive, but somehow something I said made you really angry. I don’t want you to be angry. I want to see you happy. I care for you.”

3) “THE HEART OF FLESH”

This heart is not too hard, not too soft. It’s just RIGHT. It's strong and loving. It thinks with the HEAD, & listens with the HEART. It firmly guides and advices. It gently shows faults. It patiently accepts corrections. It admits mistakes & happily changes self to serve others. It sincerely understands, beyond rights and mistakes. It truly LOVES with its whole life!

This is the kind of heart God gives us, when we BELIEVE & ask JESUS to CHANGE us. We develop this HEART OF FLESH when we BELIEVE JESUS, READ THE BIBLE & PRACTICE IT DAILY.

GOD says in Ezekiel 36:26 :

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will
remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Remember:

HEAD – HEART = STONE COLD HEART (heartless)
HEART – HEAD = SOFT HEART (weakness)
HEART + HEAD = HEART OF FLESH (strong & loving)

Let’s have a Heart of Flesh in 2012! Happy New Year!

The First Christmas

2011-12-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Christmas we celebrate today is mostly about the Christmas tree, Santa Clause & gifts. It’s very different from the 1st Christmas, about 2000 years ago - but there are a few things we have preserved as tradition. Let’s take a walk back into history, and try to imagine how it was! :)

The Birth of Jesus

You might be familiar with this story.

Mary was engaged to Joseph, and they never had sex. Suddenly, she found that she was pregnant, through the Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man. He didn’t want to disgrace Mary publicly, but he planned to divorce her quietly.

But when he was sleeping, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream & said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

So, when Joseph woke up, he decided to take Mary as his wife. But he did not have sex with her, until she gave birth. (Matthew 1:19-25)

During that time, Ceaser Augustus made it compulsory that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So, everyone had to go back to their own hometown to register. Joseph belonged to the line of David, so he had to go to Bethlehem (the town of David). Joseph took Mary (who was expecting) to Bethlehem, to register themselves.

When they reached Bethelehem, the place was full. There were no rooms available in any of the motels or inns. But it was time for Mary to give birth!

She gave birth to a son, wrapped him in cloths & placed him in a manger ( a container to keep food & water for cows & horses to eat). Joseph named the baby, "Jesus," just as the Lord told him in his dream.

The First Carol

During Christmas, Christians like to sing carols (songs about Jesus’ birth).You might have seen a team of choir, singing from house to house, in the malls or in public places. (Carolling is one of my favourite things about Christmas! I love going from house to house, singing carols like “Silent Night,” “Gloria,” “O Holy Night” etc.)

Do you know where this idea of singing from house to house came from? Let’s have a look. (Luke 2:1-14)

When Mary gave birth to Jesus, there were shepherds living in the fields nearby. They were awake – watching their sheep at night.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, & the glory of the Lord shone brightly around them. They were so afraid, but the angel said to them, “"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

This is the first Christmas carol / choir team that happened! Carols are to announce the birth of Christ, with great singing & joy!

The First Visit

When the angels left & went back to heaven, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem & check out what the Lord told them.

Just as the angels said, they found Mary, Joseph & the baby, lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2: 15-20)

The First Gifts

During Christmas, we have gift exchanges & everyone loves presents! The first presents given during Christmas, were not to each other, but to baby Jesus! It was gold, myrrh & frankincense.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!

They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense (a type of incense), and myrrh (sweet smelling perfume).

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.(Matthew 2:1-12 )

So there you have it - the story of our very FIRST CHRISTMAS…when the Child was born :)

Isaiah 9:6

6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.div>

The Gift

2011-12-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

What is your first thought when someone makes a mistake? Do you think of all the bad things about them? Do you judge them according to all your past experiences, and people’s characters you have seen in your life?

Or are you able to see the person as a unique individual, with different needs? Are you able to identify that need, and do the right thing to help the person?

Most of the problems we face in daily life, stems from one reason – SELFISHNESS. We can become very selfish at times. When we feel down, we tend to think of how people hurt ME in the past. Then, we’ll think, “How can they treat ME like this? All this time, they are looking down on me."

We will EXPECT them to treat US the RIGTH WAY.

The problem is, the other people also operate on a very SELFISH level. They will think, ‘’What did I do now? I think this person is finding fault with me."

One of the biggest problem with us as humans – we always think of the WORST, as our first reaction!

Why can’t we think, “I forgive him, for the way he hurt me in the past. I won’t hold it in my heart.”
Why can’t we think, “I may have made a mistake in the past. No harm for me to apologize now. I don’t think she has bad intentions. I don’t need to get upset.”

Why won’t we think, “It’s not about me. I want to make him /her happy.”

Well, you know what? This proves one thing – we are natural sinners. Our FIRST reaction is not LOVE. It’s SELF. That’s why we need Jesus in our life!

And it only shows one thing – there is only one JESUS in the whole world. He’s the ONLY one who can LOVE PERFECTLY. He’s the only one who will IMMEDIATELY say,“Come into my arms. I forgive you. I still love you” – when you make your biggest mistakes! There will NEVER be another person like Jesus, in the whole world!

When we are down at our lowest point, He will NEVER think the worst things. Even if we mess up, He will say, “You belong to me. I know you are better than this. Come to me, I’ll wipe away your tears. I’ll be gentle with you…try again, you can do it! I'm with you...”
Jesus thinks the BEST about US. He doesn’t judge us according to the world standards & humans.

Sometimes, we go about our daily life, expecting people to LOVE us like JESUS! But hey, wake up! That’s probably never going to happen! There’s only ONE Jesus!

You cannot expect people to LOVE you like JESUS. But you can learn to LOVE like Him!

As Christmas approaches, I am filled with gratitude towards God, who gave us the GREATEST GIFT of LOVE. He gave us JESUS CHRIST – the icon of PERFECT LOVE.

The greatest happiness we can have in our life is knowing we are LOVED by Him.

This is His Christmas gift to us.

-JJ-

The Birthday

2011-12-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Imagine your birthday is coming up. Your friends are all preparing a blast for your big day. The day is approaching & everyone is really busy.

But busy with what? Busy with THEMSELVES. They are busy buying new clothes for themselves. They order a cake according to their own taste, which is something you don’t like. They buy presents for themselves & each other (for gift exchange), but not a single gift for you. No one cares one bit about you!

Finally, the day arrives. It seems that they even forgot to invite you for the function! But the banner on the entrance says it’s your birthday. So, you just walk in anyway. The people seem to be a little embarrassed about you being there. Someone notices you, and ushers you in, for courtesy sake. Those who pass by wish you a very ‘Happy Birthday!’ for formality.

You sit & wait as the party goes on. Everyone is dressed to kill. You appear dressed down for the occasion. They’re drinking & dancing to their heart’s fill. Even the cake doesn’t have your name on it.

You’ve done so much for these people. That guy Bob over there - you saved him from drowing in the river last year! That girl Sally on your left - you gave her your car when she lost her job! That boy Johnny in front - you adopted him as your child when he was begging on the streets. That girl Janet over there - you saved her from the prostitution ring & gave her a new life. That man, Kenny - you forgave him even after he backstabbed you. Those colleagues in front - you've been nothing but nice to them! And to think that you even sponsored the food & money for the whole celebration!

Yet, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is about you. Nobody appreciates you. You get up & silently leave. No one even notices that you’ve left. Yet, the party goes on the whole night – celebrating YOUR birthday!

How would you feel if people did that to you, for your birthday?

Hurt? Angry? Upset? Insulted? Would you cry? Would you feel like burning the whole place down & just walking off?

Well, you know what? We do that to one person, every single year, yet he is so patient with us.

Every year, the whole world is excited about Christmas, whether or not we call ourselves Christians. We decorate the tree. The kids wait to see Santa Clause. We buy presents for each other. We shop for new clothes. We organize big dinners & parties. People get drunk & dance like there’s no tomorrow on Christmas eve. Many even continue to have a ‘one-night stand’ after losing control with partners who are not their husband / wife.

And what’s the occasion? CHRISTMAS!

For goodness sake, do we even know what is Christmas to Christians?

Christmas is the day we symbolically celebrate God’s gift to mankind. It’s the day we thank God for sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be born in this earth. Jesus came to live a holy life, & die to pay for OUR sins.

We are supposed to be celebrating Jesus’ birthday!

But does it look like we do? Does our celebration have anything to do with Christ? Do we teach the kids that Christmas is about Christ? (not Santa Claus).

Do we obey His rules of holiness as we live, & when we celebrate. Or are we sinning instead?

Do we take Christmas as a day to think back just how much the Lord loves us? Do we appreciate God's gift to us?

At the end of the day, we have made Christmas, a celebration for our OWN SELF. It’s a commercialized event where the stores are only interested in selling us things. We are only interested about buying ourselves things. We want to eat, drink & party! We love Santa Clause.

It has nothing to do with Jesus Christ or God anymore. We are having a celebration, where we don’t even want to invite the Birthday Boy for the occasion!

How have we treated God? Do we thank God for Christ? What is our gift to Him?

Are you willing to give Him your life, by obeying His Word?

This is something for us to seriously think about, this Christmas...

The Only Way Out of Karma

2011-12-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Many of us believe in the concept of retribution or karma; If you do bad (sin), bad things will happen to you. If you do good (righteousness), good will return to you.

How good can you really be? Can you count your sins?

Here’s a story of a man who believed in karma.(I’m NOT implying women are any better. Just change ‘innocent little boy” to ‘innocent little girl” and you get the same story!)

He’s an innocent little boy growing up in a small town. When he is 5, he learns how to lie. He is naughty, but lies that he didn’t do something when he actually did it. When he is 7, he steals his classmate’s eraser. At the age of 9, he discovers pornography. He spends all his free time during childhood, teenage years and adulthood watching the scenes of thousands of naked women (how many people’s daughters & sisters!). He think this is OK, because everyone else is doing it. But actually this is sin. Can u even count how many scenes he watched in his lifetime? Can you count the number of times he had sex in his mind, with people who were not his wife. The number of his sins - uncountable!

Then when he is 16, he puts into practice what he has learnt from all the blue videos. He steals a girl’s virginity, while he willingly throws his away. Here, another sin. Not just sexual sin, but also STEALING (stealing the first night experience of marriage and body from each other’s true husband / wife.) This teenager doesn’t stop there. He grows up and has a few other girlfriends – and he has sex with each one of them. How many people’s daughter, sister, future wife of someone! How many future husbands and fathers & sons did he steal from? How many times they had sex?Uncountable!

Sex becomes the ‘god’ in his life! He loves having sex, with no regards to the ways of the Lord.

He becomes a young adult and starts working. He is still not married. He continues his fling of affairs. He sits together with a group of friends, and they sexually lust after every sexy woman who passes by. He admires their bodies, and imagines himself undressing someone’s sister / wife / daughter’s clothes. He thinks this is ok, and does it to fit in with the group, and make the guys happy. Again, uncountable sins!

One day, he decides to get engaged. He stays in a relationship for a couple of years, and then easily calls it off. If he were an innocent man who did not sleep with her, then it wouldn’t be too much of a sin. But he’s been living with her like he was her husband. Yet, in one moment, he loses his feelings for her and ends it all. Can you count his sins?

Then he gets married to a different girl. He doesn’t confess anything about his past to her, because he assumes the whole world is like him, anyway. Here, already a sin – a lie! When he makes love to her, he makes his wife get a taste of all the women he has slept with in his life. He doesn’t even have the basic repentance to ask her to forgive him for giving away his body away, so many times, to so many girls on his way! Here, only adding to his already uncountable sins!

Soon enough, he tries to have a child. He tries so hard for many years, but his seeds just don’t seem to hit the target. When his wife finally gets pregnant, she is faced with a miscarriage. Then he thinks God is unfair. “I’ve never done any ‘major sin’ like rape or murder. I don’t even smoke! I’ve been nice and honest in many ways. I don’t hurt anyone. My good karma should bless me! How can this happen to me?” But he doesn’t realize, he has been splashing his life producing sperms very cheaply, for SIN – for uncountable times in his life! He’s been STEALING in so many ways!

Eventually, he has a child. His wife is busy caring for the baby. Business keeps him busy and he has to hang out late. He lies every time he is late, even for innocent things because LYING has become his second nature. Again, adding to his sins. Worse still, he starts to have affairs with other women as he is influenced by his friends, and learns different lying techniques from the men who share at the table. Can you count his sins?

Later in life, some guy sleeps with his daughter at a very young age. She gets pregnant and aborts the child without his knowing. After some years, she gets engaged and the guy calls it off, after having a great deal of sex with her, which causes her great hurt. She gets married to a different man, but he has affairs and divorces her. His son, on the other hand, gets married but his wife swindles away all his money, leaving him with almost a nervous breakdown. His wife is so heartbroken by all that has happened. This man feels the pain of being a father.

This man blames God again, saying God is unfair. “My daughter is such a sweet girl. How could you let this happen to her? My son really loved his wife – how could You let his wife do that to him? My wife is a good woman, why do you let her suffer?I pray every morning to your statue! I don’t believe in God anymore!”

It’s really funny to think that this is a man who believes in karma! Yet, he never realizes the sins he has done to someone’s daughter, wife, sister, child, husband, father, son etc. – in his whole life! According to his own beliefs, he is being paid back for everything he has done – in different ways. Only thing, he has also made his wife and children pay for it. Obviously, it won’t end there.

The vicious cycle continues, from one generation to the other. This is karma, isn’t it? It’s true – what goes around, comes around. It’s a law in the 10 Commandments, where the sins of a man (or woman) is carried into the future generations. This happens because we FAIL TO FOLLOW God's Commandments!

In fact, many things that are happening in our lives (or have already happened) are the result of the sins of our ancestors (parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents etc) – their unconfessed and unforgiven sins.

What we do in our own lives will affect our children and the generations that comes after.

It's true, each of us make individual choices and decisions, which bring its own consequences. But like it or not, there is an unexplainable force which repays whatever we do; influencing the time, place, people we meet and what we do.

Can this ever be stopped?

This man can only stop his ‘karma’ from continuing to the next generation if he gets rid of ALL his sins. Can he do that by himself? Can he wash away any one of his bad deeds? NO! Not at all! He can’t even remember or count all of the bad things he did in his life!

Is there a way to end this vicious cycle?

The Bible says, there is only ONE WAY to get out of the trap. Through the MEDIATOR who cancels our sins so we can walk away as a FREE MAN!

That is to BELIEVE IN JESUS – to believe that He died to pay for our sins and ask Him to forgive us. It’s the ONLY WAY to remove ALL our wrongdoings from our records.

The moment this man says this prayer with his mouth, and believes in His heart, his sins are TOTALLY FORGIVEN! :

Father,

I now believe that Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son, that He came down to our earth in the flesh and died on the cross to take away all of my sins and the sins of this world. I believe that Jesus Christ then rose from the dead on the third day to give all of us eternal life.

Lord Jesus,

I now confess to You all of the wrong and sinful things I have ever done in my life. I ask that You please forgive Me and wash away all of my sins by the blood that You have personally shed for me on the cross. I am now ready to accept You as my personal Lord and Savior. I now ask that You come into my life and live with Me for all of eternity.

Father, Jesus – I now believe that I am truly saved and born again.

Thank you Jesus.”

In one moment, every single bad thing he has done in his life is REMOVED from the record.

He becomes BRAND NEW! Yesterday a sinner, today a saint!

This is the day he breaks the evil cycle of ‘karma’ in his life. He starts a NEW LIFE, following God’s rules, which will bring the blessing of the Lord upon his family & future generations!

This is the moment, he gives his whole life to Jesus. This is when, he is proud to say, “I am a Christian,” because he finally realizes, Jesus is the only way out.

The Lord said in Exodus 20: 3-6 (10 Commandments):

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I Timothy 2: 5

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Jesus said in John 5:24

24 “I tell you the truth, those who LISTEN to my message and BELIEVE in God who sent ME have eternal life. They will NEVER be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

-JJ-

The Religion of the Early Indians

2011-12-26T20:17:00.000-08:00

As I continue reading the book “Christianity in Hinduism,” I am gaining more understanding about the origin of my race. Let me share.

The book says, history proves that Dravidians (also known as Tamilians) were the first people of the Indian soil. The famous people of India who wrote great books were Dravidians. Kalidasa, the famous poet, was a Dravidian. Veda Vyasa, who compiled the nomadic songs as the 4 Vedas, compiled the Upanisads and wrote the Mahabharata which contains the Bhagavad Gita - was a Dravidian. These books were written in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit language was created by the Dravidians, to pass these teachings to commoners. Purana’s were further written by Dravidians to explain the concept of God.

In the beginning, there was no term for religions. The terms “Hinduism” & “Christianity” were given by Europeans when they came into power centuries later. Since the Europeans called themselves Christians, once they came into power, they classified those along the Sindhu river as Hindus. The terms Muslim, Buddhism, Sikhism etc. also came about in a similar manner, according to geographical area and the people there. The Europeans did this for political & administrative purposes. But in fact, these people were already believing in the same Supreme God. If the European Christians considered the “Supreme God” as part of European Christianity, this meant that the Dravidians practiced Early Indian Christianity, which they already believed before the Europeans came in. Yet, the Europeans called it "Hinduism" based on the geographical area, because they could not understand it, when it was dressed in a different language & culture.

Only difference, European “Christians” called this Supreme God as ‘The Lord” or “Yahweh” – based on the Old Testament of the Jews. And the early Indians called Him Siva/Brahma, as compiled in the Sanskrit language.

“European Christians” acknowledged that Jesus Christ was the Lord (the Supreme God) who came into the world in human flesh – after Jesus was born in a place that was politically controlled by Rome (a European country). That’s why people think that “Christianity” is an European religion. But the truth is, Christianity didn’t come from Europe . The gospel of Jesus Christ came from the Jews.

The concept of God in the Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutra, other early India writings & the Bible is very similar. The Lord refers to Himself as “I AM” in the Bible, and in Dravidian books, as “Aham Brahmasmi.”

According to this book, these were the original thoughts of the Dravidians. The Dravidians explained this concept in many of their writings.

The Dravidians believed in the concept of Sin (that sin came through a fruit & we shouldn’t eat of it). They explained the concept of Avatar, where God comes down to earth as one of us to save us from sins. They believed in a God without form, a God with form, & a God with semi-form. They believed that these three gods were ONE. (That’s why there are statues of one god with three heads – representing this Triune concept of 3 gods as one).In other words, they believed in the concept of Trinity. They believed that god will lose all his glory, come to earth as a human and sacrifice himself to wash away human’s sins. They believed in Eternal Life (life after death, achieved through the suffering & sacrifice of the One)

This is the exact concept of the Bible. Sin came into the world when Adam & Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The concept of Trinity ; God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), & God the Holy Spirit – 3 but ONE. God came down to earth as a sacrifice, to wash away human sins. Eternal life achieved by believing in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said He is "I AM."This same God is the Lord, who came to the world in human flesh, as Jesus Christ.

This concept is explained in the Bhagavad Gita & Brahma Sutra as well. The early Dravidian writings show Brahma as the Supreme God, who is explained in the Bible as “I AM” (the Lord). But all these early Dravidian concepts of God were twisted and manipulated by the foreigners who invaded the land.

Many foreigners conquered the Dravidians for more than 157 years, and made them slaves. The Aryans were the only ones without religion or faith in God, who conquered the Dravidians. The Aryans made the Dravidians become slaves, and controlled them. The Aryans came up with the Varnashrama Dharma concept (caste system) under the disguise of religion. ’ Varna ’ means colour, and the caste system was originally based on skin-colour. The Aryans had a white complexion, while the non-Aryans had darker skin colour. The Aryans used the term “Hinduism” to camouflage the original Dravidian concept of worship & religion, to practice Varnashrama Dharma. The Aryans used the caste system to make the Dravidians become slaves.

Adisankara, the famous Aryan, misinterpreted the verse “Aham Brahmasmi” into “I am God.” He said that Brahmins alone can claim they are gods. This is totally against the teachings of the original Dravidian religious literature. The Bhagavad Gita & Brahma Sutra say that the Supreme God is incomparable & no one can claim he is god. By introducing this misinterpreted concept, the Aryan Brahmins degraded the Dravidians to become slaves. Dravidians who went against the Aryan teachings were reduced to the level of ‘untouchables.’

This is what the Aryans did, according to the book. There was a conspiracy going on. They degraded the Dravidian religious philosophy by giving it a coating of sex. The Puranas which were originally written to explain the concept of God, were twisted to give readers sexual feelings. The sculptures & figures were kept around worshipping places, but the Aryans purposely gave it a sexual look to corrupt the people’s minds. This didn’t just happen in sculptures & art. The women who dedicated their lives for holy purpose as ‘servants of God’ (Thevaaradiyaal) were lured and forced into prostitution. Music & dances were meant for noble purposes but it was used to introduce sexual immorality. The temple was meant to be a place of holiness, but prostitutes were made to stay around the temple, and worshippers were influenced to indulge in sexual activities.

According to the book, the Aryans also systematically degraded the original Dravidians through other ways. In the media & stories, the characters of evil doers or bad people were represented by Dravidians, and those of noble roles were played by the Brahmins. This same thing was represented in the arts and sculptures. The Dravidians were also suppressed through politics. Eventually, people were made to think that the Brahmins were of a noble & superior level. Psychologically, the Dravidians were made to believe that their own race & skin colour was inferior by birth, and that the Brahmins were superior by birth.

The Dravidians were originally very loving people, living together as one big family; but the caste concept created conflicts among the Dravidian race itself, as some considered themselves superior to the other.

Based on this book, the original religion practiced by the Dravidians was named “Hinduism” along those times. But the term "Hinduism" doesn't exist in any original religious text of the Dravidians. When the Aryans came into power in India , they used the term “Hinduism” for political purposes by manipulating the teachings of the Dravidians. So, the original religious literature of the Dravidians, which was also called “Hinduism,” lost its true meanings. People were not given the chance to learn the writtings of the Dravidians. Instead, the Aryans, wrote great volumes about the caste concept, and taught it as religion.

The way I see it, in the beginning, humans had no term to call ‘religion’. They worshipped the Supreme God, They worshipped the God who created them. The Jews worshipped Him as Jehovah, the Muslims worshipped Him as Allah. The Hindus worshipped Him as Brahma / Siva. The Christians called Him, “The Lord” or “Yahweh.”

Then, the Europeans came in and gave different parts of the world, different labels for religions & beliefs. Along the way, foreign influences came in from different countries and corrupted teachings of “God” to gain political power.

But, Abraham from the place called “ Ur ” seems to play a very huge rule in the religions that worship a Creator. That’s why Abraham is called the ‘common father’ to these faiths.

In these faiths, some are still waiting for a Messiah to come one day. Some say we need to continue performing sacrifices to be saved. ‘Christians’ say, He already came.

“Christians” as we call ourselves today, believe Jesus is the Promised One, the Messiah, the Supreme God, the Lord – who already came to earth as a human to die for our sins – the One who will return again as King from heaven to judge the earth.

It’s important to note; when Jesus came to earth, He didn’t come to create religion. He didn’t come to create the “Christian” religion. The term “Christianity’’ was given by those in power, years later. Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy revealed centuries ago, in the Word. He confirmed the teachings that were already written. He came to redeem mankind from darkness. He came to wash our sins away because humans are sinners. He came to earth to become the Ultimate Sacrifice, once and for all – God in human flesh. All He asked us to do is to BELIEVE.

During the time of Abraham & the Dravidians (Tamilians), we must remember that the Bible had not been compiled yet. The inspired Word of God was passed down through word of mouth. Jesus was only born centuries later.

I feel so grateful that I can see the whole picture – now that a complete, compiled Bible is available in my hand. Added with findings of history, I believe I have come to know HIS STORY from my ancestors, being an Indian myself.

-JJ-

The Men in the Bible Spoke Tamil?

2011-12-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

Recentely, I had been thinking about, “How come I am a Christian, being an Indian? How did my parents, grandparents & forefathers become Christians? How did Christianity reach Indians, in the first place?”

I came back to my hometown. While I was placing my watch on the bookshelf, as if planned by Providence, my eyes caught sight of an old book arranged together with my collection. I haven’t seen it before and I asked my mom where it came from. She couldn’t remember, but she must have placed it there while rearranging things in the house.

I immediately picked it up. The title was “Christianity in Hinduism” by Prof. D. M. Deivanayagam M.A., PhD & Dr. D. Devaka M.A., PhD.

The authors have made some remarkable historical discoveries about the Bible, in Hinduism & India - saying Abraham actually spoke Tamil! Allow me to share.

Abraham (Ibrahim) is the common father of Islam, Christianity, Judaism & the Israelite religion. Abraham is the father of the 2 sons – Isaac (Ishak) & Ishamael (Ismail) whose descendants are still at war with each other in the Middle East today.

The Bible says that Abraham was from a place called ‘Ur,’ the capital of the Sumerian kings. (Genesis 11:31). In Tamil, ‘Ur’ is a word for village.

The Bible says that when the Great Flood happened, 8 people from the family of Noah (Abraham’s forefather) survived because they were in the Ark. They multiplied and spread their language towards other areas after the Ark landed on Mount Ararat.

In the Old Testament, Genesis 11:1 in the Bible says that the whole world had one language and one speech during that time. The people travelled from the East to other places & lived there.

This book explored – What is the language of the East?

Historically, in the East, there was a civilization known as the Indus Valley civilization, belonging to the Dravidians, also known as Tamilians. It has been found that the Dravidian language was actually a very primitive form of Tamil! Even the old day ethnic Iranians in the villages spoke this language.

Research also proves that Sumerians moved into Babylon from the East, and there is evidence that Tamilians lived in Babylon.

Teakwood found in a place called ‘Ur’ shows that trade relationship existed between South India & Sumeria before 4000 B.C.

Hinduism is the term given to the religion that existed along the Indus, so a lot of its history dates back to the Dravidian / Tamilian way of life – and influences that have entered into the area.

There is a lot of historical evidence showing the correlation between worship in the Indus valley & the Bible.

Ashoka’s inscriptions in Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus) tell us about the Greek, Romans, Jews & Syrians who traded with India. The Tamil Sankam literature (about 3rd c. B.C – 3rd. C.A.D) reveals that these foreigners settled in Pondichery. (Ashoka is the great Indian Emperor who ruled almost all of India during his reign, who also helped Buddhism become a world religion)

It’s very interesting to note that before 2nd c. A.D, the languages that are seen in the inscriptions in India during Ashoka’s period are Tamil, Greek, Aramaic and a few others, but not Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the language used to write the Hindu Vedas, and it’s only seen after this period.

In the Bible, Abraham is a man who worshipped the Lord and spoke the language of the East. These historical findings point to him speaking the earliest form of Tamil. This also means that Christianity existed in India, even BEFORE the Europeans brought Christianity to Indian soil!

In the New Testament, Matthew 2:1 in the Bible says, “Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem” to visit Jesus Christ when He was born. The birth & location of Christ was predicted hundreds of years before he was born, in the Old Testament. This means that people in the East had knowledge of the Old Testament & were anticipating this birth of the Savior; so they travelled to Jerusalem to visit the child. So, it is highly possible, that either of the wise men, or all of them who visited Christ, were from India!

This explains how Christianity spread from Judea to India.(The term Christianity came about after the birth of Christ. Before Christ was born in human flesh, He was worshiped as the Lord, of Abraham), Judea was controlled by the Romans & Greek during that time. That’s why the Christian Jews wrote their Books in Greek, instead of their own language. Evidence reveals that trade relationship existed between Judea & India, and this is how Christianity further spread to India. This makes it really probably that Abraham in the Bible spoke the earliest form of Tamil.

Being an Indian, these new findings that I’ve read intrigue me to delve further into the history of India, Hinduism & its link with the Bible. The Bible mentions many countries that exist today – India, Rome, Egypt, Babylon etc., even the lost city of Atlantis. Research show that Sumerians moved into Babylon from the East & there is evidence that Tamilians have also lived in Babylon.

There seems to be a HUGE link between all these countries, Babylon, India & the Bible. (The Bible indicates that religions originate from Babylon & modern researchers agree with it). And we know that Tamil is among the oldest languages in the world.

The world is a big jigsaw puzzle with a lot of missing pieces. That makes it difficult for us to understand the whole story.

But HISTORY is HIS STORY. Finding our origin will explain where we came from, save us from lies & lead us to the source of TRUTH – the Author & Finisher of the Story.

A famous man once said, “There are only 2 types of people in the world: 1) Those who search for the truth, & 2) those who justify their own behavior.”

I choose to search for the TRUTH, which is revealing itself to me, the more I seek. Jesus has never disappointed me. He is only making things clearer to me.

Till all the missing pieces are pieced together, I am still amazed to think of the possibility that the people in the Bible actually spoke Tamil!

-JJ-

The Blood

2011-12-26T20:12:00.001-08:00

Have you ever seriously thought about the importance of blood in your life?

I continue to be amazed at how a full blood test can reveal what’s in a person’s body – from arthritis, rheumatism, cholesterol level, kidney functions, cancer to AIDS. Our blood can reveal whether we are in the pink of health, or if we are counting our days. Truly, modern science proves that the Bible (which was written more than 2000 years ago) contains high scientific standard.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” the Bible says in Leveticus 17:11

Throughout the centuries, extensive research has been conducted about blood since the discovery of the blood circulation system in the human body. We are alive and breathing today because of blood circulation. The blood is pumped by the heart, and it’s interesting to note, that’s it’s possible for a machine to perform the heart’s job. Yet, if the blood cannot reach the different organs of our bodies, we die. Even we start to lose blood for a prolonged time (especially women, when having period), we feel extremely tired. If we lose large amounts of blood, we die. If the blood is infected by incurable viruses that destroy our life-essential organs, we cannot live. Each cell in our blood has its own function and correct amount to protect and preserve our lives. So, it is true when the Bible says our LIFE is in the blood.

In order for us to continue living, our blood needs to be cleansed. When a dying person needs to be saved, modern science allows the blood of a healthy person (of the same blood group) to be transfused to the dying person. Contaminated blood cannot be saved by itself. It needs cleansing.

Remember, in the process of blood transfusion, the BLOOD must be transfused, or GIVEN to the sickly person. Then, the blood must be ACCEPTED by dying person, in order for him or her to be SAVED.

A lot of people ask, “Why did Jesus have to die in the first place? Why did he have to shed his blood? Why do we need to ACCEPT that his blood paid for our sins? If he really already shed his blood for all of us, why does it matter whether we BELIEVE and ACCEPT JESUS, or if we do what we like (as long as we try to be good)?”

The profound spiritual answer to these questions can be illustrated by modern science in blood transfusion.

Jesus said in Matthew 26:28,

For this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people.

It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

God gave us Jesus to die for our sins because He is the ONLY 100% CLEAN & PURE blood in this world. He is the ONLY SINLESS PERSON, because He is GOD! It is also because of this; Jesus says His blood heals our diseases. Human blood is contaminated with sin, spiritually, and with diseases physically. Diseases are a direct result of sin, since the creation of humankind in the Garden of Eden. It’s the power of His blood that heals us.

ALL of us need a ‘blood transfusion’. It’s the ONLY WAY for our sins to be forgiven, to avoid the punishment in Hell.

God has already GIVEN us the BLOOD of Jesus.We just need to ACCEPT it. We ACCEPT by BELIEVING.

The Bible says in Romans 3:23,

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.

There is NO EXCEPTION for anyone to say he or she does good things, and doesn’t need the blood of Christ.

The way I see it, JESUS is NOT religion. He is the DIFFERENCE between of LIFE & DEATH, here on earth and in eternity.

He is THE BLOOD.

Have you BELIEVED & ACCEPTED His BLOOD?

-JJ-

The Blood is Alive!

2011-12-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

I was very curious about the research into the lost Ark of Covenant, after writing my post about “The Golden Calf & the 10 Commandments,” so started to search more about it on Google.

Many articles showed that the Ark of Covenant has actually already been found in 1982, by Ron Wyatt, the Biblical archeologist. Amazingly, he claims to have found it hidden in a cave, right under the Cross where Jesus Christ was crucified!

What find most remarkable is that Ron Wyatt’s said he found a sample of dried human BLOOD, on the Ark of Covenant!

Ron took it back for a test, and it turned out to be the blood of a male. BUT, there were only 24 chromosome in the white blood cells! (we normal humans have 46 chromosomes : 24 from our mother, and 24 from our father) Jesus only had 24 chromosomes from his mother! And He had a Y chromosome, which had to come from another source which was NOT HUMAN!

Of course, we Bible believers have no doubt at all that it came from God, the Father! The Bible already said that Jesus was born through virgin birth, NOT through a sexual relationship between a male & female.

If Ron’s discovery is true, that means every thing the Bible says is TRUE!

The Lord said that His blood will be shed to pay for human sins. His blood would fall on the Mercy Seat.The Ark of Covenant represents the Mercy Seat (the 10 Commandments are in it!) It is the same commandments that we humans have failed to obey since the beginning. Blood dripping onto the Ark is really His blood paying the price for our sins!

The Bible says that the Roman soldiers pierced the side of Jesus' body when He was on the Cross, and His blood flowed down. After Jesus died, the was a terrible earthquake and the rocks split. They had no idea that the rock beneath would crack and His blood would flow down - directly to the Ark of Covenant, and fulfill what was WRITTEN thousands of years ago!

As I watched the video clip of Ron Wyatt, I literally had goosebumps as I heard him speak! (you can watch it at: http://anchorstone.com/content/view/135/55/ )

Ron said, the man who was testing the blood sample asked him, “Whose blood is this? This blood is alive!”

I believe it is THE BLOOD of the only SINLESS MAN in the world – Jesus Christ, the Lord & Saviour.

His BLOOD is still ALIVE today – cleansing us from all sins!

-JJ-

For more info, read:

http://www.biblediscoveries.com/content/view/27/41/

The Golden Calf & the 10 Commandments

2011-12-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

If you want to know about human impatience, ungratefulness & stubbornness, just read about our ancestors, the people of Israel, in Exodus 32 & Deuteronomy 9 & 10.

We all know about the 10 Commandments that God gave to the prophet Moses. God literally wrote the 10 Commandments with His finger on the tablets of stone, thousands of years ago (the handwriting on those stones are similar to the advanced laser technology of today, as discovered by archeologist).

Yet, many of us don’t know what happened, when the 10 Commandments were given to Moses.

Let’s take a walk back into history.

Imagine you are one of people of Israel, in the desert. Imagine, your leader, the prophet Moses, tells you he’s going up the mountain to fast and pray.

What would you be doing while waiting for your leader to return?

Take note, just some time before that, the people of Israel suffered as slaves in Egypt! They prayed and asked to Lord to save them, out of Egypt. Then, the Lord sent Moses to come and lead them. They had received miracles after miracles from the Lord. They saw a stick turn into a snake. They saw water turn into blood. They saw the Lord part the sea before their very eyes and they managed to escape from Pharoah in Egypt, with Moses as their leader. When they didn’t have food to eat, the Lord sent food from heaven.

The people of Israel experienced the Lord’s great power, literally! They knew that the Lord always answered their prayers and that He spoke to Moses. Yet, they couldn’t wait for their leader to come down from the mountain.

Here’s what the Israelites did, while Moses was away.

They said, “We don’t know what happened to that fellow Moses. Wives, daughters and sons – take off all your gold earrings! We’ll make a god for ourselves!”

They melted all the gold they had to make a statue of a young cow! They made a Golden Calf to worship it as God!

When the golden statue was complete, they said, “This is the Lord who brought us safely out of Egypt!”

Can you even believe this was happening?

And Moses’ assistant, Aaron, announced the next day as a festival to God! Everyone woke up early and sacrificed burnt offerings; they ate and drank well while enjoying great celebrations.

During that moment, the Lord was giving Moses the 10 Commandments, up on the mountain, after he fasted and prayed for 40 days.

Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down from here at once, because the people you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt!”

Can you imagine your leader, who had not eaten for 40 days and 40 nights, coming down from the mountain, carrying 2 stone tablets (with the handwriting of God)?

What does Moses see?

He sees his dear assistant, Aaron, leading the pact into worshipping a Golden Cow as God!

Moses became terribly angry with the people because they were so impatient and stubborn – they had sinned against the Lord! They were worshipping a golden cow, as God! They had reduced the greatness of the Almighty God into a statue, formed and shaped with human hands! What an insult to the Lord!

Immediately, Moses threw the 2 stone tablets (containing the 10 Commandments) out of his hands, breaking them into pieces in front of their eyes! (some parts of these broken stones have been discovered by archeologists, and science reveals the modern laser technology on the stones dated thousands of years back!)

The Lord burned with anger towards the people of Israel! The Lord had LOVED THEM, and had done SO MUCH for them. Yet, they were so stubborn, impatient and disobedient.

The Lord told Moses,”Let Me destroy Aaron & all these people!”

But Moses begged the Lord not to kill Aaron and the people of Israel. Again, Moses fasted and prayed for 40 days, asking the Lord to forgive all their sins.

The Lord listened to Moses’ prayer, and spared their lives. The Lord was gracious enough to tell Moses to prepare 2 more stone tablets. Once again, the Lord wrote the same 10 Commandments (which was broken when Moses threw them in front of the Golden Calf) on the 2 new stone tablets. The Lord gave them a SECOND CHANCE!

The Lord also asked Moses to make a wooden chest to keep the 10 Commandments. This box was called the Ark of Covenant. ’Covenant‘ means contract or agreement. And the stone tablets are in that Ark till today (many archeologists are still searching for it).

There was a special way to carry the Ark of Covenant so that it won’t be touched, and only a selected tribe was allowed to carry it. Even if people accidentally touched the Ark of Covenant, they died! So great and holy was the handwriting of the Lord! (perhaps that’s why it’s so hard to discover the Ark and the 10 Commandments stone tablets till today).

The people had to carry the Ark wherever they went, and it brought blessings to the land. Then the Lord asked Moses to tell the people to follow all the Commandments, so that they will be blessed. The Lord warned them not to create any statue to worship as God, or worship anything else besides the Lord.

What do you think of the 10 Commandments?

Can you see how serious it is? To the extent that the Lord wrote it twice! So important that it had to be placed in a special chest, carried in a special way, by selected people – to bring blessings.

What do you think of the Golden Calf?

If you were one of the Israelites, would YOU have been melting your gold jewellery to create the golden statue of a cow, or would you have TRUSTED & OBEYED the Lord who brought you that far?

-JJ-

A Father’s Love

2011-12-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Jesus told this story in Luke 15: 11-31:

“Dad, give me my share of your wealth. I can’t wait till you die. I want it now!” the young boy demanded from his rich father.

The father was very disappointed, but he still loved his son. He divided his estate and gave the younger son his share of the wealth. The older son, on the other hand, was a sensible boy who continued to stay faithfully with his father.

The younger son took all the money and travelled to a far away country to enjoy himself. He lavished himself with prostitutes and wine, together with his friends. He literally wasted the fortune that his father spent years to build.

After wasting all his money, he realized that his friends didn’t want to help him when he had nothing. Famine struck the land. He didn’t have anything at all! Finally, he had to work and take care of pigs!

One day, while he was feeding the pigs, he realized that he didn’t even have the pigs' food to eat! He thought to himself, “Even the servants in my father’s house had enough food to eat!”

That’s when the younger son came to his senses. He went back to his father’s house with shame. With a repentant heart, he went to see his father.

He said wholeheartedly, “Father, I have sinned against God and you. I am not fit to be called your son. Please, I beg you, just take me as one of your lowest servants…”

Yet, before he could finish the speech he memorized in his heart, his father told the servant to bring the best clothes and a ring – to wash him clean and dress him up. He asked the servants to prepare a feast. The father hugged him and was so happy his son came home!

When the older son saw this, he became very upset.

He said, “Dad, all this while I have been a very good son to you. I never disobeyed anything you said. I never wasted any of your money.Yet, this boy comes back after wasting all your money on prostitutes, but you are preparing a celebration for him. You never did anything like this for me, in my whole life!”

But the father replied to the older son, “My dear son, your brother was lost, but now he is found. He was dead, but now he is alive. We should celebrate! All this while you were with me. EVERYTHING that I have, IS ALREADY YOURS!”

This is a father’s love towards his children – both the good ones, and the ones who have messed up.

God is our heavenly Father. Even if we purposely go away from him, He still loves us. He is NOT waiting to punish us. Instead, He still loves us and blesses us. That’s why you see a lot of good things happening to very bad people. Even if we have sinned like the bad son, God is waiting for us to come home. God is so happy when our heart is really changed and we truly regret our mistakes! When we return, He doesn’t treat us like servants. Instead, He accepts us with a CELEBRATION!

That’s why we can go to Heaven in one moment, when we confess our sins to God, change our ways and follow Jesus! Heaven is our Home with God, our Father!

If you are like the good son, you should have the Father’s heart. Everything that God has promised already belongs to you. You have enjoyed the pleasure of being together with our Father. There is nothing to regret or feel jealous towards the bad son.

If you have sinned a lot in your whole life, and in the end, you come back to God after wasting your life with money, sex & wine – God accepts and loves you. IT PROVES HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU.

If you have been faithfully obeying God’s commandments and trying to avoid sin, your whole life – remember God already LOVES you so much and is very pleased with you. IT PROVES HOW MUCH YOU LOVE GOD.

JESUS IS OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. HE LOVES US ALL.

Do you LOVE Him?

-JJ-

Can Love be Selfish?

2011-12-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

When Amma, the guru from India , hugged the thousands who lined up, many said they experienced a kind of peace they could not explain. This is the way Amma showed love to them, and people were willing to queue up for hours for that one moment of experience. When people asked her, how she was able to hug everyone, she took the credit saying love flowed from herself – it was her inborn nature.

If you believe in the powers of meditation & ‘shaktipat’ (power transferred from guru to another person), you might see it as a spiritual act. If you look at it from a pure humanitarian perspective, you will see a simple woman from a poor background, showing love.

Either way, people seem to find it really impressive.

It made me think about the way we love people. Do we give every stranger we see, a ‘feel good’ moment?

The more I thought about it, I realize, we already do! Think about your day, the moment you wake up. If you’re single, you’ll find that you will be greeting your colleagues and clients with nice words. You will be hugging strangers. You will say a lot of nice things to people on your way. It’s part of your job. You make others feel good, and you get the benefit. People will say good things about you to your boss, or enjoy doing business with you. Words about your goodness will spread around. There’s something in it for you, that’s why you do it.

In life, we show love to others, but 90% of the time, it is to benefit our own SELF.

Think back – why do you do something? Is it really for LOVE, or is it because you want it to benefit your SELF?

For example, some people do many good things, because they want to cancel off the bad things they have done in their life. They are hoping to improve their own ‘karma’. They think that performing good works will take them a step closer to achieving their goal. What is the motive? SELF.

Some are terrified of being born again into this world as a mosquito or a worm. They believe, they need to do more good things to have a good life as a better animal or a human being in their next life. What is the motive? SELF.

Others are afraid to go to hell, so they think they need to do a lot of good works to earn themselves a better place in the life after death. They become very religious & sacrifice their whole life, doing charity to others. But again, what is the motive? SELF.

Some people give a lot of donations & do plenty of social work - they don’t like to keep it secret. They like the name they get – the label & attention as a ‘good person.’ When people give them compliments, they are more than happy to take all the credit for themselves. The motive is clear – SELF.

Some people achieve great success in life. They are great leaders and do a lot of good for mankind. At the end of the day, they think “I did it my way!” – Again, the motive is SELF.

People adopt a pet to take care of it. Yes, it’s a good thing. But the real reason they do it is because the pet makes them feel warm & loved. They like the benefit of having a pet; an eager puppy licking their face when they come back from a long day at work. See – even the reason for loving their pet is SELF.

Husbands & wives say they love each other. But really, many people love because the other person benefits them in some way or another (gives them happiness, company, sex, children, maybe money etc.) You see, the reason for love is again, SELF.

When your motive is SELF, it is easy to do a lot of good things in the name of Love to others. You want to get something in return (whether you realize it, or not). If it doesn’t benefit you, or you find it irritating, you will stop loving.

Doesn’t it show that we humans are very SELFISH by nature? Even when we love, it’s SELFISH.

The REAL TEST of LOVE comes in the scenarios below:

1) Imagine someone stabbed you behind your back. The person talked a lot of lies and bad things about you, to people you know. Your friend ruined your image and caused you a lot of hurt. There’s nothing you can do about it, and your heart holds a strong revenge.

2) Imagine you are a girl (or boy), who was molested or raped as a child. You suffered in silence for many years. That incident created a scar in your life, and destroyed your self-esteem & trust towards others.

3) Imagine you help someone to have a better life because of mistakes they have made. You help silently & no one knows. You are paying for someone else’s mistakes & you have to sacrifice many things so that the other person can have a better life.

Which would be easier for you?

1) To hug 1000 strangers?

2) Or to look at the ONE PERSON (your enemy / the one who hurt you/ the one who’s mistakes you are paying for) in the eye, give a warm hug & say with a sincere heart, “What you did was wrong, but I truly LOVE & FORGIVE you!”

If your focus is YOUR SELF, you will find it easier to hug 1000 strangers than to LOVE 1 enemy sincerely. “Why should I love my enemy. He hurt ME – he doesn’t deserve love,” is what a SELFISH heart would say.

The kind of LOVE I find TRULY IMPRESSIVE can be found in Jesus Christ.

1) He left his throne in heaven to come to earth as human – to pay the price & die a very painful death for humans’ sins. He didn’t have to do it, but he chose to - because it was the only way to save us. He had nothing to gain, & everything to lose. The motive was to LOVE US, NOT himself.

2) When He was being tortured & killed on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.” He wanted his enemies to be forgiven! Again, the motive was LOVE, NOT self.

3) When questioned about his miracles, he always pointed back to the Father in Heaven. He never went around ‘performing,’ to get credit. His purpose was LOVE, NOT self.

4) Even when he performed miracles (healed the lepers, made the blind see etc.), he told them to be silent about it. His reason was LOVE, NOT self.

5) His encounter with people changed their lives. He didn’t make everyone just feel good for one moment. He met a woman who had an affair with more than 5 men, & told her about her sin, because He wanted her to change. In that moment, she experienced something she never felt before. It changed her life. Telling people about their sins won’t bring popularity, yet Jesus did it. His motive was LOVE, NOT self.

I find it very difficult to understand, how come people are not equally impressed by the SELFLESS LOVE shown by this man.

Perhaps, people just want a ‘feel good’ moment & an ‘out of this world’ experience. Maybe, they don’t like to be reminded of their sins. They don’t like to be told about ‘right & wrong,’ because then, they would feel like a sinner & need to ask God’s forgiveness. They are enjoying life their own way, & don’t like change. They just want someone or something, to give a blast of ‘happiness’ into the lifestyle of their own choice. They always want something just for SELF. Even when they love, it is for SELF.

But Jesus OFFENDED the world, because of LOVE. He knew that our sins will take us to Hell. He knew that Hell is a place of terrible torture & suffering. Jesus knew that even if we did 1,000,000 good things in the world, even if we sacrificed our life to save 100 people, even if we quit our jobs to go and join a mission to help the slums; it will never be enough to save us from our sins. Our own good actions cannot save us & grant us a place in heaven. In the end, we will die as a sinner, if our sins are not forgiven & we don’t change from our evil ways.

Did you know – that focusing on SELF instead of GOD, is already a SIN (violation of the 1st Commandment in Exodus 20:3). Even if we have done 1,000,000 good things in the world, but our motive is SELF – then EVERY THING we have done in our life, is SIN!

Jesus came to tell us He is the only one who can forgive our sins & let us go to Heaven. He came to tell us that He really loves us – to the extent of dying for us. He came to die for a world that did not bother about sin, heaven or hell. Even after He died for us, the world does not believe Him. Yet, He loves us much…even though we killed him. Truly, we don’t deserve His love.

We tend to live purely for our SELF…even when we love, we love SELFISHLY…But, Jesus is not selfish…He really LOVES you & me…We truly need His forgiveness... we need to turn away from our sinful ways…

-JJ-

To Him Who Has More

2011-12-26T19:55:00.000-08:00

Do you admire great men & women you see on the television? Singers like Micheal Jackson, or famous actors from Hollywood or Bollywood? Maybe even great world leaders like John F. Kennedy, from history?

There are many famous figures I admire, for the changes they have made to the world & lives, and the contributions they have made society.

Sometimes, I think, “Wow! What a great destiny this man had in his life! The whole world knows & admires him! How many people can achieve this greatness in their lifetime?”

But then again, it’s I realize, it’s a VERY HUGE RESPONSIBILITY to hold that position of ‘greatness’ – and many men & women have failed in the end.

When God allows you to climb higher & play greater roles, He gives you more CHOICES.

If you are an average 9-5 office employee, you will find that live an average life; a simple family life where one wife & a few children is already a financial challenge. You are contented with a simple life, being faithful to your wife.

But look at the lives of rich businessman or influential leaders. God has blessed them with more privileges. They have more money. They attract women everywhere you go. They can financially afford affairs; to spend lavish gifts on many women, who repay them with their bodies.

You see, God gives people more CHOICES, the HIGHER WE REACH. But WHAT DO WE DO with the MORE THAT WE HAVE?

Do men remain as faithful husbands to their wife? Do they see their position as God’s blessing? Do they make time for God? Do they do things the ‘clean’ way’? Do they discuss their plans with God in prayer? Do they think they achieved it all by themselves, or are they thankful to God & follow the Laws of the Bible?

Many great leaders had the CHOICE to live a life obeying God’s Laws. They had the CHOICE to be GREAT EXAMPLES for God, and influence a lot of people through their righteous lifestyle. But they chose SIN instead.

Most of the great leaders we admire achieved greatness in the eyes of the world. We think that they are so great & surely deserve a place in heaven! But they FAILED terribly in the eyes of God.

Even famous celebrities & stars. They have reached a level where the world totally adores them. Crowds scream & cry just to see their favourite singer pass by! God has allowed them to be in a position to influence the minds of thousands of fans!

But what do they do with this INFLUENCING POWER?

They sing songs which promote sexual immorality, and even twist Jesus’ words from the Bible. They dress in ways that corrupt young minds. They take drugs & consume alcohol, which is copied by their fans. They sell their soul to the Devil in exchange for fame & lasting popularity. They take all the glory to their SELF, and never channel it back to God. They let the youngsters treat them as if they are ‘god’!

They have the ‘power’ to influence youngsters to follow the right path, but they FAIL to do it.

The world admires them for their looks, voices, skills, popularity & fortune. But is God impressed by all this? I don’t think so.

Today, you and I may be average people. The whole world doesn’t know us, and in a way, that’s a good thing. Maybe we long for greater things, & want to go higher - which is right in itself.

But the question is : Can we FULFILL God’s standards, with the MORE THAT HE GIVES US? Can we HANDLE THE CHOICES , when we have MORE?

Take a look at your own life, currently. Count all your knowledge, skills & talents. Determine the amount of influence you have (how popular are you, how many people know you, how many people listen when you talk, how many people follow you).

Whether you realize it or not, you have the POWER to INFLUENCE people & change lives. Do you INFLUENCE people towards the RIGHT PATH, by the way you live?

If you are a global leader, you can influence the whole world. If you are a political leader, you can influence the whole country. If you are a celebrity, you can influence tens of thousands of youngsters.

If you are a leader in your organization, you can influence your colleagues & staff. If you have a family, you have the power to influence your family. If you have friends, you knowingly or unknowingly influence them.

This influencing POWER you possess, reveals itself in the WAY YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE. It can be seen in the CHOICES YOU MAKE. It is heard in the WORDS YOU SPEAK. It is seen in the ACTIONS YOU DO. It comes from the THINGS YOU SEE & READ. It originates from the THOUGHTS YOU THINK in your heart.

You have the CHOICE to LIVE HOW YOU WANT.

How do you CHOOSE to live? Does the way you live, make God happy?

In the world’s standards today, good works, financial achievement & popularity is classified as SUCCESS – even if SIN is the way of life!

But according to God’s standards, He looks into our HEARTS & judges according to His Laws.

God is NOT going to ask us: HOW WELL DID YOU ENJOY YOUR LIFE?

I believe Jesus IS going to ask: WHAT DID YOU DO WITH EVERYTHING I GAVE YOU? Did you obey My Laws? Did you use all you power, talents, skills etc, to show the world that I AM God? Were you THANKFUL TO ME? Did you prefer SIN or did you LOVE ME?

One day when we die or meet God face to face, He will judge us according to WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

If we have MORE, the REQUIREMENT to fulfill is MORE! Remember that.

Luke 12:48 says:

But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

The Most Valuable Thing in Your Life

2011-12-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

I attended a discussion group recently, and feel that what I learnt is worth sharing.

The group leader (a young pastor) began by posing this question: What is the most valuable thing in your life, at this moment?

A man answered, “My iPad.” Others said, “Health.” Some said, “Money.” The sweetest answer came from a lady who said, “My husband.” Then her husband (a pastor as well) sweetly pushed his chair closer to his wife and lay his head on her shoulder, while she lovingly stroked his face.

The leader asked, “How do you treat the most precious thing in your life?”

People answered, “Take care of it, protect it, love it, cherish it, spend time with it, maintain it” and a whole list more.

Then we turned to Matthew 13:44-46 –The Story of the Hidden Treasure & The Pearl .

This is a story told by Jesus to his disciples.

Matthew 13:44-46

44 “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had & bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.

46 When he found one of great value, he went away & sold everything he had & bought it.

In this story, the man who found the treasure found the most important thing in his life – to the extent, he went & sold everything he had, just to buy & own that treasure!

One of the group members said, “Why did the man hide the treasure? This is not good! Why didn’t he just take it & go?”

A lady shared her thoughts using a modern day example. She said: “Imagine you are walking in an abandoned piece of land. Suddenly, you accidentally find some gold in that field. You are alone there. You continue digging the ground. The more you dig, the more treasures you find! Now, you know that land is worth a fortune because it has hidden treasures!

But the problem is, you don’t own the land. If you take the treasure, you are considered trespassing or stealing. If you inform the owner, he will keep all the treasure. If you continue digging & people know about it, some others will go and buy the land.

Now, YOU found that treasure. You know it’s not just that little bit. There is a whole lot more hidden, & you want it ALL! You know its worth much more than anything you own. So, what do you do?

You hide it back, because you want it so badly. And you want to legally own it ALL, not steal just a little bit of it. You call up the owner & enquire about the price. It’s expensive & you need to sell all the property you have, to afford it. So, you go back & sell EVERYTHING, and then you look for that land’s owner again.

The owner then thinks, “After all, this land has been lying here for many years, without attracting buyers. It’s not even a strategic location. Finally this fellow is giving me the price I want, for that worthless piece of land!”

So, the owner happily sells it to you, because he doesn’t know its hidden value. He thinks he got a good deal, but you know you got a GREATER DEAL! Now, the treasure is ALL YOURS!”

It’s the same with the expert merchant who travels around the world, looking for fine pearls. While searching in the shops, he spots a really valuable pearl. He knows it’s more valuable than the expensive price it’s selling for, because he’s an expert in this field. When he finds it, he quickly sells his other belongings and buys this one pearl! The shop owner doesn’t realize its value, but the merchant does. That’s why he’s willing to sell everything he has, to buy that ONE pearl!

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like that, Jesus said

But, what exactly is the Kingdom of Heaven ?

Is it a place high up in the skies, or can we find it on earth? Well, it is the home of the Lord, but we can also find it here today.

A Kingdom means a state having a King as its head. A Kingdom consists of a King & people. For Christians, Jesus Christ is the King. Right now, He is the King of Heaven. Soon, He will return as King of both Heaven & Earth.

If Jesus is the King, then we Christians are the people or citizens of this Kingdom. Where do we find this Kingdom? The answer is simple – CHURCH.

Those of us who truly believe Jesus are like the man who found the treasure hidden in the field, and the merchant who found the fine pearl.

We have found the true treasure, the most valuable thing in life: JESUS CHRIST.

That’s why we love the Kingdom of Heaven . We give up other ‘pleasures’ to make Jesus our priority. When the world thinks Church & the Bible is boring, or that we are stupid – we don’t care! We still love to come to church & study the Bible!

Even if we are so busy with daily life & work, we make God our priority. We make sure we cancel all our other plans to attend Church & study the Bible. We would rather spend time with God, than drink & dance in pubs & clubs, or talk rubbish with friends.

The Church is one place where we unite as a Kingdom, & worship Christ, our King.

The Church is NOT a building with statues, or where people dress with fine robes.

Each one of us IS already the church. The Bible says our body is the Temple & Christ lives inside of us. When we come together in a house, open air by the beach, in a village, inside the jungle or in a building, to worship the Lord & study the Bible - we are uniting as the Kingdom of Heaven . We just enjoy worshipping our King & studying His Word.

Why? Because we have found the treasure!

Those who don’t know Christ are like the original owners of the field & fine pearl. They didn’t know its true value! That’s why they willingly sold it for money. If only they knew its true worth, they would have never let it go.

But we know its true value. That’s why we are willing to give up EVERYTHING to get that ONE treasure!

Eric Liddell, the Olympics gold medalist of his time, willingly gave up his career as a world-class sportsman to become a pastor (a missionary to China )! The world will think he lost his valuable career – but Eric knew he found his true treasure!

The earthly mindset tells you that your career, money & sex are the most important things in life. You must enjoy whatever you can, because life ends once you die. You must achieve greatness for yourself.

Health, money, our iPad, our family, our career etc. are very important in our daily life. It’s true – we cannot survive without these in the world today. We need these. But at the end of the day, we know that we have found the Kingdom of Heaven – our most valuable treasure!