Stumbling Block in Fulfilling God’s Purposes

(Message by Bro. Sam Cherian. Happy reading!)

We have been studying about God’s purposes and plan for each one of us. His master-plan is that we be conformed to the image of His Son-our Lord Jesus Christ, the fore-runner and the Chief cornerstone, and in whose steps we follow.

Just as the car manufacturer showcases a prototype of the proposed design of a car in a motor-show, whose specifications are fixed and technical characteristics evaluated and finalised, Father God has showed to the world His only begotten Son. Further cars in the production line will follow exhibiting the same look, and characteristics of the original proto-type showcased. In the same manner, we too have been pre-destined to conform to the image of God’s Son, Jesus. It is vital for us to understand this master-plan, align our lives always keeping this purpose in focus, notwithstanding the 101 things that we may do differently from others in the body of Christ. This is the common purpose-become like Jesus; a common meeting ground where we all see eye-to-eye and have a glimpse at the proto-type. This is the general theme we see throughout the Bible.

And the stumbling block is really only one (and not some 10 points that you may hear in a seminar); the one thing that really stops us is our own will. It is not the devil and the evil spirits, not the evil days that we live in, not the evil generation around us, not the evil circumstances and situations… because God has taken care of each one of these. (for example see Romans 8:28). Because all circumstances are just tools God uses, to bring about something new within us. Our self-life is like an onion, someone has said; Just when we think that we have seen it all, and learnt enough, and we peel one layer and find another new layer inside-all new and unknown again. Paul had to go through life with a thorn in the flesh; but he understood God’s grace anew (see 2 Cor. 12:7). Similarly, the people of Israel, after coming out of Egypt, had to wander in the wilderness some 40 years before arriving at the Promised Land; a journey that would 'normally' have taken them maybe less than a month. And God reminds them that He did that to test and know the intentions of their heart (Deut. 8:2; also Exo. 16:4, Exo. 20:20). So the one thing that really stops us is our own will.

Much like the onion philosophy lived the Pharisees in Jesus’ time; they had an answer ready for every question and thought they had it all figured out. They were outwardly religious; a self-life lived with earthly wisdom and human strength, independent of God. They had no idea of newness, revelation and God’s will; the Pharisees were really dead inside and white-washed outside.

And what about us? Yes, we have accepted Jesus as our Savior… and cleansed from all unrighteousness by His blood. But have we, really, accepted Jesus as Lord of our lives? Now Lord means master of everything that we are, and everything we have; having full authority to work in and through us. (I do not know about you, but) This is the major issue I face here on earth. If Jesus is to be on the throne of our heart, our self has to be dethroned.

The general call of Lord Jesus rings out to all: Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest. The Saviour of the world has proclaimed salvation in His name and by faith in His death and resurrection. But for those longing for His Lordship, salvation is not just a one-step process, but a lesson in endurance till the end. Even the calling and response to those who have come, accepting His first invitation, are quite different, as they come close the Master, asking Him what should I do now.

Jesus’ responses to those who wanted to follow Him were quite unconventional, sometimes insensitive and often bordering on rudeness-humanly speaking! Matt. 8: 19, 20 talks about a religious person wanting to walk with Jesus.

1. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

2. And again in Matt. 8:21, 22: Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

What are you really seeking as you come to Jesus? Now by any standards, Jesus was not poor when He spoke these words to the scribe. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords; He kept on working miracles starting from the time of that wedding feast where He turned water to wine. What Jesus is telling the scribe is that his intentions were good; but, he should know the cost before paying the price. And similarly to that disciple, that he should set his priorities right before coming to follow Him.

3. Matt. 19:16, 21: Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” …

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Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

This is the young man who said he kept all the law, yet stumbled in that one thing-the love of money. His love of money was more than his love for God.

4. There were some Greeks seeking Jesus. Not only were they intellectuals who sought the truth; they were also influential and had their contacts through Philip and Andrew. (John 12: 20-26). Jesus answered them saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Following Jesus is completely different from intellectual pursuit, understanding and answers about this life as the world sees it. The Greeks left without belief; they just did not GET it.

5. And finally think about the thief on the cross. Probably, he had nothing going right for him. Possibly, he was one person who lived for his own self. But then he had a glimpse of Jesus and a revelation dawned on him. This thief suddenly knew that Jesus was on that cross for no wrong of His; and he also knew Jesus had something to give to him. Turning towards Jesus, the thief begs “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

And the wonder is, Jesus reply was again unconventional; but was also direct and to the point: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus knows what is in your heart, as you come to Him. Your intentions, maybe the half-price you are willing to pay, maybe the short-cuts you would like to take in His kingdom…

From the time of God’s calling, to the time of your readiness to fulfil His purpose may take a long time-even many years. Abram was called when he was 75 years; and he walked in obedience. And God met him nearly 10 times during his entire life… but it was special when LORD appeared to Abram when he was 99 years old saying: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”

From 75y to 99y, Abraham also did his own thing and had Ishmael. But at 99 years, Abram no longer depended on himself, and his name was changed to Abraham. He became a champion of faith and a friend of God. And he was prepared to fulfil God’s purposes through his life. When something within him died, that is the change within; and to signify this change, his name was changed (and this has happened 8 times in the Old Testament). In these intermediate years, as God was preparing Abraham, He was also patiently waiting for self-will to be dethroned; that He may bless him.

God continues to work His work even today by His Holy Spirit. And He is waiting for our self-will to be dethroned. Call it realisation or revelation but a better phrase would be dying to self… Jesus is Saviour when we believed; Jesus is Lord only when we die to our own self. This is the challenge placed before us-and placed before me these past years… the renewed mind yielding to the purchase of the soul.

Self will not suppressed by hearing some 10 points from a seminar. Self is not going to be liberated in the misty mountains of Himalayas, alone and aloof. Self will not be stifled down through meditation and yoga. It is just a matter of will-your will. It does not matter much, how you started… but it is of great importance how you finish. Have this always before you: “When we see Him, we shall be like Him.” Yes, our conformance to the image of Jesus is His master-plan for each one of us. Therefore start your new life with the finish in mind.

Think of the price Jesus paid. Count the cost and pay the price to follow Him. Let self have its slow death sooner than later, as you lay hold of the truth: Jesus died for ME… this has to enter our blood-stream and infuse the newness of life within us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Types of Faith

(Message by Pastor S. Joseph, Founder-NLMI at NLC,Vashi on Sunday 30th October 2011)

Hallelujah! How wonderful it is to worship the Lord. Here on earth we can trust God & His promises.
Do you know that the Bible says that “all things belong to you” (1 Cor 3:22) ? All things belong to God & He has given it to Christ & it is ours in Christ. In this hall we are enjoying the breeze & the lighting, but if the main switch is off, we are unable to enjoy the electrical facilities. Similarly in the Christian life, we need to put on the main switch of faith & obedience to receive & enjoy the benefits which are ours in Christ Jesus. Some people go through the practice of praying, singing few songs , give tithe and offering and even attend church regularly, but yet if the main switch is off, they will not experience what God has in store for them. My prayer for you in this church is that after I have preached and left this place, many of you will put the switch on.

Jesus said that “all these things will be added to you”(Matt 6:33), if we seek first His kingdom & righteousness. All our basic necessities will be met & it is a by-product of seeking His kingdom. We know that all the things that we see were made from the invisible (Heb 11:3). Now when we talk about faith, the real definition of faith is found in the book of Habbakuk …running with the vision (Hab. 2:2)…Faith means man’s dependence on the promises of God. The righteous will live by his faith. (Hab. 2:4). This verse is quoted three times in the New Testament i.e. Romans, Galatians & Hebrews. We need to have a revelation of this. In the 16th Century, when Martin Luther got a revelation of this scripture, it led to the Reformation in many countries of the world.

Lets look at the biblical definition of faith. “Now faith is the assurance (substance) of {things} hoped for, the conviction (title-deed) of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1). Here this scripture begins with ‘Now’. Faith is the present, not the past, nor the future. Hope relates to the future, but faith is of the present. Faith is something tangible i.e. a substance. When we get the title-deed of any property, we rejoice though we may not have seen the property. Similarly faith is seeing the invisible! Faith leads to action.

In Hebrews 11 we find that through faith, Abel worshipped God, Enoch walked with God, Noah worked for God & Abraham went to an unknown destination. Faith propels us forward! It is written about Moses in Heb 11 that because he saw invisible,he was willing to forsake all the glories of the land of Egypt which he could see. Faith is seeing the invisible, feeling the intangible and achieving the impossible. We can understand more about faith through its various categories…Testing of faith, Trials of faith, Triumph of faith and Trophies of faith, which I may share with you the next time.

Today I would like to share with you on the different types of faith.

1. Grace faith : “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8,9). We all begin with this grace faith, when we receive Christ. We know that our salvation is not due to any good deeds but because of His grace in simple faith in what Christ has done for us.


2. Fruit faith : “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22,23). If we study the fruit of the Spirit, the first three relate to what we get when we have communion with the Father, the next three are the character of Jesus which is seen in us, and the last three are the outworking of the Holy Spirit in us.

3. Gift faith : In 1 Cor 12 & 14 chapters we find the gifts of the Spirit mentioned. Inspirational (i.e. distinguishing of spirits, {various} kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues), Impartational (i.e. prophecy, word of wisdom , word of knowledge) & Implementation gifts (i.e. faith , gifts of healing ,effecting of miracles). We need the gifts of the Spirit to serve God effectively.

4. Spirit of faith : But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak (2 Cor 4:13). This is the highest level where we believe God to do the impossible! We believe therefore we speak! Joshua spoke to the sun to stand still & experienced an extended daylight! Moses lifted up his hand over the Red sea & it parted! Moses spoke to the rock & water flowed out!

May the Lord bless us and enable us to exercise faith in our lives that we may “put on” the main switch and experience all that He wants us to receive.

Peace of God

Before Jesus was born, the prophet wrote about Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 : For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

If you are troubled by anything that has happened or is happening in your life, then this message is for you: Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Peace and rest is found in Jesus alone; and He is the Answer to the storms that you are facing in your life. 

If you have not yet experienced His salvation, you can come to Him, believing Jesus is the Son of God. And He will wash all your sins away, grant you a new Life here on earth that will last forever.

For those who have believed in Jesus, I say, know that we have a High Priest in Jesus Christ, not in the Levitical order of priesthood, but of a higher order- according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6). Melchizedek means King of righteousness; and he was the king of Salem- meaning peace. And Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek-He is the Prince of Peace. Now in this light, see that we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses… Jesus wants us to have His peace in all our circumstances and situations. Bless Your children LORD with Your peace!

Jesus spoke to His disciples: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. [John 14:27].

If your heart is troubled today, let this verse speak peace to you; it is what Jesus is giving to you. He is able for he is the Prince of Peace; He is willing to give to you that peace that only He can! If you have never experienced His peace, it is time first to experience peace with God.

Once we were far away from God… we had our own plans, own will and own agenda. But through faith in the precious blood of Jesus, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification, we have been brought near to God. Now, through our belief, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

We have been justified not by our ‘good works’. People of this world have problems in accepting the imputed righteousness that comes by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. They think that one has to strive and undergo penance and pilgrimage, along with good works, to somehow earn salvation. But the good news is that: Jesus died for our sins, He rose again to justify us; we have been declared righteous because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. If you believe that you have peace with God.

Now do not stay in the place of peace with God; but go on to experience peace of God.

Jesus specifically spoke of troubles that His disciples would face. But added: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

His peace is for us-a peace even in the midst of tribulations of this world; a peace that passes all human understanding; a peace that is found IN Jesus alone. This is the peace of God that is given to us. It is wonderful to be saved and experiencing peace with God; but let me explain to you 5 practical steps that you may take to appropriate this peace of God in your lives.

1. Pray

Phil. 4: 6, 7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Let your requests, (general and specific,) be made to God (through prayer and supplication, respectively). I love this verse in Philippians, because the whole imagery that crops up in your mind, as you read this verse by Paul, is that of security- a security that comes because of the peace of God. He writes that the peace of God will GUARD our hearts and minds… a peace that surpasses all understanding. You may have seen the bigwigs, political and otherwise, surrounded by armed guards for their security. We have something better as believers, that will guard our hearts- yes, it is the peace of God.

Abandon your worries, and let anxieties cease- as you cast your burdens on the Lord in prayer and supplication. He cares for you-this is the reason why you should cast your burdens on to Him (1 Peter 5:7); do not go about your life thinking that nobody cares! Let thanksgiving abound as you experience the peace of God; gain the insight that He holds the future and He will surely make a way.

2. Believe in God

Jesus said: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1)

Have faith in God. We may not see with natural eyes what God is working in our lives. And we cannot see what will happen tomorrow. But today, experience the peace of God in believing. And let not your heart be troubled.

His word is truth; His promises sure. His thoughts are higher and His works marvellous in our eyes. While you wait for the answer, believe and experience the peace of God. Begin thanksgiving even today-even before you see the answer to your prayer.

3. Walk in God’s ways

You cannot go about doing your ‘routine’ if it is not pleasing in God’s eyes. If God is looking for changes in your doings, here is the rule to measure it- the peace of God. At times, when we are at the wrong place, or in the company of wrong-doers, or when you are looking for a life-partner, look for the peace of God in your hearts. For if it is not of God’s will, He withdraws His peace from within us; and we can know that we are in the danger zone. Col. 3:15 says: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

So, in those times, when you experience a lack of peace in your hearts, heed the warning signal of God; look for what is wrong in your life- and avoid that place, or peers or a wrong relationship, against which God is warning you. Do not go on and fall into a ditch. Be thankful for the peace of God and let it rule your heart always.

4. Ask for the heavenly wisdom

James 3:17 goes like this: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

If you read the previous verses of this chapter, the Bible also talks about earthly, sensual and demonic wisdom. This kind of earthly wisdom is self-seeking, envious and bitter. In your workplace, you will find that people play politics; they gossip for a devious cause and try to make you stumble-and the world thinks that this kind of people who do that are street-smart! Hypocrisy, to them, is not bad at all!

But for us as believers, God’s wisdom is also God’s peace. Short term gains can never compensate what God has planned for those who trust Him. Be gentle and merciful, without hypocrisy in your God-given wisdom. Let peace continue…

5. Seek peace with fellow-men

1 Peter 3:11 encourages us: …turn away from evil and do good; … seek peace and pursue it.

Peter is talking about peace in our relationships. Start with people you are close to-your spouse. Do you seek peace in your relationship? Do not just seek peace, but also pursue peace! What about your relationship with your family members-maybe your children, or your father or mother, or brothers and sisters? The rule is the same: Seek peace and pursue it. Do good!

Also look at Romans 12:18 that says: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Seek peace with your neighbours; peace in your workplace. Jesus said to His disciples during that Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

If you read further in Matt. 5, we can know who the ‘peace-makers’ are-they are those that love their enemies, and pray for those who persecute them. Show love to all unconditionally; for we are sons of our Father in heaven and sons of peace.

Let me close with the benediction found in 2 Thess. 3:16: Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. Amen.

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph)

Under God’s Mighty Hand

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Hoping I haven't missed much. Happy reading!)

Please turn with me to 1 Peter 5: 6-11: Let me read three verses now beginning from verse 6. And at the end of the message, I would like to finish off with the last three verses i.e., verses 9-11.

1 Peter 5:6-8

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Though we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we are not out of potential danger as long as we walk on the face of this earth. A real adversary is out there, prowling and seeking whom he may devour. Our adversary- the devil, is quite the schemer from times past; we must be aware of his schemes; we must be alert; and we must avoid the pit-falls he has laid out for us.

Sin entered this universe long before Adam sinned. Yes, the morning star-Lucifer was cast down from heaven, along with his cronies, when he rebelled against God. He was in the very presence of God, involved in adoration and worship of the Creator. Yet, he schemed there too! Pride became his ornament and his rebellion led to his downfall- and not his alone, we read in Rev. 12:4 that he swept away a third of the stars of heaven with his tail. And as the Devil went about seeking someone to devour, he found Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He schemed and tempted them, and they too fell! Adam and Eve too, were found to rebel against God’s commands. And sin entered the human race.

As we hear the news around us of civil protests against government authorities, labor union protests against the management in manufacturing companies, and political party protests one against the other, we may tend to think that rebellion is not such a BIG issue. Yes, it happens even in homes- children against parents, spouses against each other; in offices, in industries, in villages and towns. But, the Holy Bible clearly warns us that rebellion-against God-appointed authority, is a serious issue.

As Adam fell to the cunning schemes of the Devil, a poison of rebellion has been injected into the blood-stream of the human race. Rebellion has found its way into the hearts of men. And it is a warning for all of us that we do not take it lightly-the sin of rebellion! I know, none of us will dabble in the occult or practice divination; nor will anyone bow before idols. But if you look at 1 Sam. 15:23, the Bible says: For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Beloved, the truth is that the sin of rebellion is equated to witchcraft; and stubbornness (or insubordination) is equated to idolatry! Therefore, we must understand the gravity of what Peter is talking about- being under God’s mighty hand, in submission and in humility. For if we walk away from God’s protection, there is a scheming one, full of rage and set to devour.

Now it is our choice to humble ourselves; (we CANNOT ask or pray to God, to make us humble!). And it is also our choice to rebel. Therefore our safe and secure position is conditional-humbling ourselves under God's mighty hand.

Humble Under God

1 Peter 4:19 says: Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

There are times we go through sufferings. Peter is writing to the disciples of Jesus who were going through persecution. Maybe they would have been looking for some words from Peter that would propel them to DO something; but on the contrary, what Peter writes is: Submit and Suffer. Does that sound strange to you? But Peter understood God’s will in those situations.

Circumstances and people may be against us. It is for you to look up and see whether you are under God’s mighty hand. And in such situations, humble yourselves. God speaks to us; His word speaks comfort to our hearts. And He who knows the future, is already working HIS will on your behalf. Forgive those who have hurt you during those sufferings; and forgive people who owe you money. God’s mighty hand, His word for us and His will in our sufferings, are all things we must understand.

Humble Under Authority

1 Peter 2:13 says: Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors…

Now what do you say to those disciples suffering persecution under such an emperor as Nero? Peter’s instruction is clear: Submit yourselves… for the Lord’s sake. The whole realm of our lives should portray a walk of humility. It is easy, maybe, to submit to good governors and sensible authority. But imagine a cruel emperor as Nero… and the disciples being asked to submit to him! Are we not in a better position than they who suffered? The only time we will not submit to the governor or leader is, when God’s word clearly indicates the opposite!

The attitude of submission must be visible in our homes, in our churches and in our workplaces. For the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:18, that employees must be subject to their own employers, and not just the good ones. 1 Peter 3:1 calls for wives to submit to their own husbands; even to those who do not obey the word, because they can be won over by the conduct of the wives. Eph. 6:1 instructs children to be obedient to their parents. It is by this that we honor our father and mother; Jesus Himself being our example. And in the church, the young men ought to be subject to elders (1 Peter 5:5). In all these, if only we would look up, we can see God’s mighty hand over us, and we know we are secure. Therefore we must submit to all authority for the Lord's sake.

I have been through enough to know that many times it is easy to submit, and things go well for a long time. But then there comes a time, when there is a temptation to resist and rebel. It is in those times that we must remember the words of Peter: Humble ourselves – His mighty hand, His comforting rod and staff, even through pain and suffering, is real; as real or more than the enemy outside, waiting to devour.

Let me close with the verses from 1 Peter 5:9-11.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.

To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, this time on earth is a probationary period-much like those you are familiar with as you join a new job. Our permanent place of calling is something much, much better- His eternal glory by Christ Jesus. And during this probationary period, we are asked to resist the devil, be steadfast in faith, and suffer for a while. God is working to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us; To Him belongs all glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.