SO CLOSE; SO WHAT?

JOHN 19 : 19  &  MARK 15 : 26

A signboard was fastened to the cross above JESUS head;
As ordered by Pilate; announcing the charge against JESUS.

Content? ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF JEWS’

Pilate ordered it, ok, but who fastened it?
Naturally a soldier, may be more than one!

But, was that not a chance given to those soldiers to
go a little closer to JESUS?
Was that not an unique assignment?
Taking the signboard and taking it near and above the
head of The SUFFERING SERVANT and fastening it!

Many soldiers were there, but this group had a chance
to see the blood, the suffering, the thorn on the head,
the irregular last minute breathing, he blood covered,
blinded eyes and the agony of death on the cross in a
more clear way by going so close to HIM!

How they handled that? one more assignment; one
more signboard and one more death? Like a machine?
No impact or emotional disturbance?

Or some thing happened in their heart?
Whether that close encounter embedded the seed of
faith for their future transformation?

We don’t know, but

At least in this Holy week. are you not getting a chance
to go a little closer to The SUFFERING SERVANT?
Is it not an unique opportunity?

Hearing the verses and meditations about JESUS and
his sufferings, the last seven words of JESUS, little
extra time in the church, the cross and the blood!

How do you handle it?
One more year; one more passion week;
One more devotion? Like a machine?
Just a tradition but no personal transformation?
No impact or conviction?

So close to the cross and the Savior, but
no personal revival?

So close; so what?

Have you allowed that soul cleansing blood to
wash you and transform you?
Have you acknowledged HIM as your KING by
surrendering your life to the authority of HIS WORD?
Whether this close encounter brought you actually
closer to your SAVIOR and MASTER?

Who knows? Only you and Your LORD!

So close; So what?

YOU HAVE COME TO JESUS, THE ONE WHO
MEDIATES THE NEW COVENANT BETWEEN
GOD AND PEOPLE, AND TO THE SPRINKLED
BLOOD, WHICH GRACIOUSLY FORGIVES
INSTEAD OF CRYING OUT FOR VENGEANCE
AS THE BLOOD OF ABEL DID (HEBREWS 12 : 24)

EXCUSE ME, PLEASE

SONG OF SONGS 5 : 2 – 4.

A wonderful relationship between the Lover and the beloved:
What kind of trust He has in the beloved!
Even if it is night, even if she is sleeping, He approaches with
confidence; gently knocking at the door;
Oh, what a wonderful girl!
Just by listening the knocking sound, no words used,
able to discern that the knock is made by Him;
See how He appreciates her!
My Darling!; My Treasure!; My Love!; My Dove!
What more a beloved needs? 
Accepted; Admired: Appreciated by The Lover!

The Lover gently shares His burden;
My head is soaked with dew, my hair with the wetness;
Can you please open the door, I need your help?
Oh, what an opportunity!
A chance to serve Him; touch His head; comfort Him;
He also wants to share His burden, His needs;
He is searching for a reliable person to share that!

Who will miss this golden opportunity?, 
Run, open the door and grab the opportunity!
Wait, wait, the door is not opened; she is telling something!
‘Excuse me, Please!’;
What? Why? 
Excuse 1:
‘ I have taken off my robe, should I get dressed again?’
If the person knocking at the door is the Groom,
do you think any bride will give this as a reason?
She enjoys everything without grasping His greatness?

Excuse 2:
‘ I have washed my feet, should I get them soiled?’
The Master is sharing about a problem of the head and
this dear lady is worrying about soiling her feet!
What kind of lady is she? How He selected her?
Does she deserve His affection and appreciation?
Is it possible to give these kind of insulting excuses?

Excuse me, Please, Don’t judge her!
It is not her story, but your story!

How many times your Master, The King, The Lover
tried to share His burden to you, but received a cold
response, meaningless excuses, irrational stories
from you?
Do you really know His attributes, His worth?
Do you know the value of serving Him?
Do you really love Him?
Or just enjoying His blessings and asking more and more?

He called you His friend, Co-heir, Beloved, Royal Priest,
Saint, His bride, Holy and Perfect, etc, etc..;

Did you really understand His High Calling?

WHAT ARE MORTALS THAT
YOU SHOULD THINK OF US,
MERE HUMANS THAT YOU
SHOULD CARE FOR US?

GRACE CATERER

LUKE 15 : 16 & 23

When the younger son came back to his father, the father commanded his servants to kill a fattened calf and arrange a special feast. 
Feast is to be enjoyed not just by the son and his father, but also by the servants.

Good, but have you noticed a peculiar thing?

Yesterday, the lonely, ignored and hungry younger son was taking care of swine and was longing for the pods that swine ate;
Today, he is at rest and because of him a big crowd was enjoying a fattened calf merry feast!.

Oh, the power of true repentance and the depth of His Grace!.
The younger son became a GRACE CATERER! 

You know, our Father is so rich and is having billions of 
fattened calves;
He is willing to make you a grace caterer, if you come back from your swine following, your secret life!

You can become a blessing to His servants;
But, you should have a genuine repentance!

Running behind the swines and longing for their pod?
Away from THE FATHER ? How long?
Please repent and come back to HIS house!
Be a part of the great team of GRACE CATERERS!
HE is waiting; HIS servants are waiting;
Why still behind the swine?
HIS grace shall make you a blessing!
Come back!

THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FEED MANY,
BUT FOOLS DIE FOR LACK OF WISDOM(PROVERBS 10: 21)

SUFFOCATING SUBMISSIONS

GENESIS 16: 9.

Hagar: A slave from Egypt; a maidservant of Sarah;
No great expectations; No pride and prejudice; But
Because of the momentary decision taken by the frustrated Sarah,
Hagar’s life and Sarah’s frustrations gained momentum!.
You know, decisions taken at frustrated moments will surely beget more frustrations; Enter His rest before making decisions!

Sarah suffered, felt inferior; not willing to accept even her own expectations about her family’s future;
Late revelations: Abraham’s baby is not my baby!;
Sarah went to the next extreme; dealt harshly with Hagar and she fled;
Abraham? So silent; father of faith had a black spot of doubt?
Silently accepted Sarah’s suggestion; Silently enjoyed Hagar’s embrace;
Silently supported Sarah’s madness; Silently watched Hagar’s escape!

But Poor Hagar,
What was her mistake?! Why she had to suffer for their foolishness?
She was used, misused and abused; treated like a wooden toy;
No respect for her personality, her feelings and emotions;
Better to quit; resign; escape; Her decision to run away justified!
But God? Is He watching? Why He allowed this?
GOD, who was silent up to that moment, sent an angel;
To acknowledge her decision? To console her?; No!
To send her back to her mistress; to submit herself under her hand!

Is it not cruel? Is this visitation and the message from GOD’s angel?
Is it logical? Will they accept? Even if they accept, how will they treat?
Will they punish, the punishment for a runaway slave?

See Hagar, no questions asked; no ifs and buts; simply obeyed!
The secret: The assurance she got ‘ YOU ARE THE GOD WHO SEES’.
Submitting to Sarah may become suffocating, but it does not matter!
If we have the assurance ‘ EL ROI’, no submission will be suffocating!

Hagar didn’t think about the wisdom in that command, like most of us.
But see the consequences and the rewards!.( Genesis 16 & 17 ).
1. Abraham’s house, even if Sarah was fuming, was the safest place for the delivery.
2. Her son was acknowledged as Abraham’s son; in the wilderness,
nobody would have accepted that as a legitimate child!
3. Abraham named the child Ishmael, meaning GOD hears; even the name
selected by GOD.
4. Because of the intervention of GOD, through the angelic visitation,
her status got changed; from just a slave to mother of ‘GOD hears’.
5. Her son Ishmael got circumcised as a mark of a covenant with GOD.
6. At least thirteen more years of peaceful dwelling in the land; no more
torture mentioned in the Word.
7. Specific blessings to Ishmael were uttered to Abraham by the angel.
8. Silent Abraham becoming struggling Abraham, struggling to send her away when Sarah revolted the second time. A bond created. Oh! the assurance of being loved( Genesis 21 : 11).
A name, a bond, a place, a status, a covenant, a blessing, a prophecy,
an assurance and much more; just because of single act of blind obedience; ignoring the temporal suffering by reckoning the great truth;
‘ EL ROI- GOD SEES and ISHMAEL – GOD HEARS’.
Praise the Lord, Hagar obeyed!

Tell me friends; Which costs more, obedience or disobedience?
No one to understand your sufferings?, no one to wipe away your tears?,
Feeling just used and thrown away? frustrated by passive Abraham?
Tortured by selfish Sarah? Bewildered by GOD’s silence?
GOD is silent, but not blind and deaf;
HE SEES, not just you, even your future!
HE HEARS, not just your voice, even your afflictions!
HE KNOWS, and HE wants to protect and bless you!
Don’t doubt GOD’s wisdom and instructions!. Just obey!.
You may not understand The INFINITE’s plan with your finite mind;
But, one day you will surely testify: EL ROI!;
Man’s manipulations and Satan’s subtleties won’t touch you,
If you dwell in the secret place of the MOST HIGH!
You know, the surrendered life is always a successful life!
Be prosperous!

FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE ON THE RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ARE OPEN TO THEIR PRAYERS…(I PETER 3 : 12)

SO CALLED SOCIETY

MATTHEW 9 : 9 – 13.

Matthew, also called Levi, a tax collector;
An official post in the Roman empire, but a hated position in
the Jewish land. Tax collectors were labelled as worst sinners;
His faithful attempts to please the Government in his job always
increased the number of his enemies in his land; Nature of Job!;
But, like most of us, he had his own circle, a peer group;
A group of fellow tax collectors!
One day, the Word called him when he was in his office;
No hesitation, he just left everything and followed JESUS;

So happy, so enthusiastic, Matthew celebrated this with a dinner;
A dinner to honor his new Master, The Word, Jesus;
As usual, he invited his group, fellow tax collectors!

Lifting his head high, Matthew looked around expecting appreciation
from Jews for his stand;
The way he quit the hated job of tax collection and accepting JESUS
as his new Master deserves some impact on the Jewish society?
Watch carefully.
The accusing arrows of the society attacks JESUS participation in the
dinner. Reason?
Matthew and his friends were unacceptable to them.
Matthew left his old way of life and JESUS accepted him,
But the society?
So called society!
How many sincere people were labeled and rejected by it!
How many enthusiastic people were haunted by the comments,
about their past, of it!
How many beginners became backsliders because of it!
How many forgiven souls were tortured by false guilt injected by it!
Poor Matthew,
His very first attempt to honor JESUS backfired because of his past!
The enemy, the accuser, subtly manipulating the so called society to
hurt, sideline and silence the soldiers of GOD’s army!

Dear friend, are you in the company of Matthew?
Enthusiastically entered but emotionally crippled by the society?
Wish to excel, but somehow your guilt traps you just to exist?
Your vision, burden and concern are humiliated by the society?
Don’t worry! Just stand still!
Watch, Matthew did not justify any thing; but his Master spoke;
Beautiful explanation about JESUS’ mission!
Silencing the society! But that is not the end;
After few days JESUS honors Matthew by naming him as an apostle!
Imagine the shock waves felt in the society;
Beauty of GOD’s grace;

That is also not the end, you see!
The assignment of writing the Kingdom Gospel given to Matthew;
You Know the uniqueness of this gospel? It is targeting Jews;
Yes, the same so called Jewish society; That is why Matthew Gospel,
Unlike other gospels, quotes extensively from the old testament,
the tool that society used to attack JESUS and his followers;
Oh, the beauty of grace!
His first attempt to honor JESUS was questioned; but his proofs using the
prophesies of old testament, nobody can question!

Dear friend, never allow the accuser to remind you your past;
Failed?, Confess them; Sincerely confessed sins GOD never remembers!
If your past limits your potential and your future,
Just remember Matthew! His Gospel is the living proof that
‘ our qualification cometh from HIM’.

YOU PREPARE A FEAST FOR ME IN THE
PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES ( PSALM 23 : 5 )

THE ETERNAL IMPACT

LUKE 1 : 1 – 4

The Gospel according to Luke; One more Gospel?
Check the first four verses carefully?

1. Luke’s target: Most honorable Theophilus, some official.
But, is it necessary to write a detailed account of 24 chapters just 
to convince only one person? Remember no word processing tools.
WILL YOU DO THAT? JUST FOR ONE PERSON?

2. ‘Many people have written accounts …’. Wait please!
When so many other versions are already available, why torture
yourself? Is it necessary? Why you have to write? Just for Theophilus?
Cut, paste, send. Why so much labor and pain?
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF YOU ARE AN ONE MORE PERSON?

3. ‘ What I received from the eyewitnesses …’ .
Not an Apostle, not even an eyewitness?. Stop writing.
Who will believe you, if you are not an eyewitness?
Why wasting time, money and energy?. Please stop!
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE ELITE LIST?

4. ‘ I decided to write it down ‘. What, You decided?
No instruction from the Church at Jerusalem?
No office order from Theophanyilus? No Angelic visitation?
You decided?. Better stop that and relax. Do something else!.
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF THE WORLD IS NOT EXPECTING IT?

5. ‘ What you have been taught already…’. Theophilus knew it?
Already known Theophilus should take the initiative to grow!
Why you bother? What extra you are going to do?
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF THEOPHILUS KNEW IT ALREADY?

6. ‘ I carefully investigated the facts…’. Research?
Theophilus knew it, you got it from the eyewitnesses, enough!
Your writing itself is meaningless; why careful investigation?
Research, analysis and personal interviews? Brain storming?
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF IT CAN BE MANAGED SOMEHOW?.

7. ‘ Our dear friend Luke, the physician..( Colossians 4 : 14).
You are a physician, not a writer, by profession? Then why?
Just excel in your work for the Glory of God!. We have more people!
You accompany Paul in his mission trips? Is that not enough?
GOD will send some one else, You may even sponsor him!
Why waste your training, talents, treasures and time?
WILL YOU DO THAT? EVEN IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL?

Yes, it is not one more Gospel. Even after 2000 years, it is still
speaking, still convicting and converting, still in circulation!
The eternal impact!

Do you know some interesting facts?
Luke’s Gospel only gives us the more detailed account of JESUS
Birth than any other gospel! 
At least 18 parables of JESUS, including that of Prodigal son,
are only in Luke!
At least 13 women who followed JESUS, you see only in Luke.
Chapters 1 & 2 and then 10 to 19, so unique contents, only in Luke!
Historical records, Kings names, places and census you can find only 
in Luke.
But, his name is not at all coming, not even once, in his writings!

Targeting only one person, but against all the odds, Luke wrote it.

The reward?
1.Many wrote Gospels; but only four were accepted as Divinely inspired. Luke’s writing is one among the four. Luke is not even a Jew. A Greek. The Reward! His writings are in the Bible.
You know, he didn’t even think in that direction. 
2. Many wrote Gospels; but to write the Acts of Apostles, the mantle is
only on Luke!. You know, he was not even an Apostle!

Dear friends, what kind of excuse you can give for your lifestyle?
Busy? Not qualified, Not needed?, People are there? Not my calling?
I give money? Some how I will complete? Only few people?

Remember Luke, Identify your Theophilus!
No quantity does not mean no quality!
Your work will have an eternal impact!

I HAVE PUT BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR 
THAT NO ONE CAN SHUT ……( REVELATION 3 : 8 )

THE SECOND CHAPTER

ACTS 15 : 36 – 40.

Mark helplessly, painfully witnessing a division;
Opinions; Arguments; Shouting; Division; Separation;
So common everywhere, but nobody expected that in between 
Paul, a man with a mission and Barnabas, a man with compassion;

Witnessing a division itself is so painful, but, if in addition, the direct or
Indirect cause for that is that witnessing person, think about the pain;
Paul checking the track records; Barnabas picking the grace regards;

Mark, whose house was a house of prayer in Jerusalem(Acts12:12) 
Mark, who committed his life to serve the Living God(Acts 12:25)
Mark, who left Jerusalem to help Paul and Barnabas(Acts 13: 5) 
Mark, who accompanied Paul and Barnabas in their first mission work,
Now agonizing over his one failure!
Some how, he changed his mind and went back home!(Acts 13:13)
For the next mission trip, he is ready, available, but
Paul puts him in the rejected list; Not just Mark, Paul’s mentor
Barnabas also enters that list because of his recommendation!
Do you think overcoming this guilt so easy?

ACTS forgets Barnabas and Mark after this event;
It revolves around Paul and his mission.
A committed youth silenced by a sincere senior?
But , Praise the Lord, our God is having a different plan!

See, the same Paul, after so many years writing to Timothy,
‘Bring Mark with you when you come, ( II Timothy 4 : 11).
Why? ‘ For he will be useful to me’. Yes, the second chapter!
How it happened?. By another second chapter person, Peter!
Peter, who fell from his stand just before Jesus’ death,
Got a second chapter after the Lord’s resurrection!

See, Peter in his epistle writes from Rome church
‘Mark, My son in Christ’ ( I Peter 5 : 13 ).
Peter’s influence and mentoring in Mark’s life resulted in 
” The Gospel according to Mark”.
Again, in Paul’s epistle to Philemon, we see Paul mentions
‘ Mark, my co worker’ ( verse 24).

Failed?, tortured by guilt?, rejected?, left out and ignored?
Just open the book of Mark! You need not even read it;
Just open it; It is a witness to the great truth that
Our God gives us all the second chance, the second chapter;

Your first chapter may have loose ends; open questions;
Doubts; fears and frustrations; loses and broken lines;
Fear not, that is not the end, Never give up, stand still;
God will give you a second chance;
Start writing the second chapter; Come on, You can!

Mark, poor track record, rejected by Paul,
Cause of a conflict: The First Chapter;
Mark, the Gospel writer, Peter’s son in Christ,
Paul’s co-worker: The Second Chapter!

God providing lamb at Moriah: 
The Second Chapter starts for Abraham and Isaac!
God giving the dreams to Pharaoh: 
The Second Chapter starts for Joseph!
God speaks from the burning bush:
The Second Chapter starts for Moses!
God disturbing king’s sleep: 
The Second Chapter starts for Mordecai!
God sending an angel to shut the lion’s mouth:
The Second Chapter starts for Daniel!
God giving John the Baptist:
The Second Chapter starts for Zechariah!
God sending His Son to the cross:
The Second Chapter starts for the mankind!
Search the Bible, you can find many more.

Reached the end?. Yes that is an end but not the end!
End of the first chapter, but you also have the second chapter;
Remember Mark, get up, fight back, finish well!

IN YOUR STRENGTH I CAN CRUSH AN ARMY;
WITH MY GOD I CAN SCALE ANY WALL.( PSALM 18: 29)

FIRST THINGS FIRST

GENESIS 1 : 1 – 4.

Whenever we think of the first day, we always remember only one thing.

The creation of light; “Let there be light”. But that did not end that day.

Then GOD separated light from darkness, then only the end came.

Creation of light and Separation of it from darkness; the first day.

Do we give importance to separation from the deeds of darkness?.

Is it the reason for our complacency in our lives? 

The LIGHT entered, but we still cling on to the darkness!

First things first; Give importance to separation;

How?, When?, From what?, Is it possible?

Don’t ask questions, but check your life; Are you willing?

If you are spiritually tired, then check the discipline of separation.

Your fruitfulness is not depending on your knowledge and experience,

but on your alertness to separation. GOD BLESS. 

DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD,
BY WHOM YOU WERE SEALED FOR THE DAY
OF REDEMPTION.( EPHESIANS 4 : 30 )

DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS. 
FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HAS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH LAWLESSNESS?
AND WHAT COMMUNION HAS LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 
( 2 CORINTHIANS 6 : 14 )

SMART BONES

GENESIS 50 : 25, EXODUS 13 : 19 & HEBREWS 11 :22. 

Joseph took an oath before his death from the Children of Israel. 
“Carry up my bones from Egypt to Israel when GOD visits you”.

Think about the Egyptian culture; Royal Death means Royal Mummy!

A man who reversed the fortunes of Egypt deserved a Royal Mummy;
The Prime Minister, The CEO of Egyptian Food Distribution Services;
Number two in the Kingdom, The great administrator, tax reformer;
Son in law of the priest of On, the leader of the Goshen community;
He need not speak anything about his burial; The mummy reserved;
Even if not, he deserved it.

Reserved or Deserved, but he served the Living GOD;
Joseph knew his root and route!
Nearly 90 years in Egypt, knew everything about Egypt and its culture
but that culture did not touch his mind and heart; 
His oath devalued the Egyptian culture; He was put in a coffin.
Even now people are fascinated about the mummies, but Joseph?

But, why Joseph didn’t wish to be buried, in Canaan, like his father?
The Word says, In Hebrews 11:22, by faith he commanded that!
What is the connection between his faith and his bones?
His bones reminded the Israelite, the promise of God,
The promise given to and through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
The promise about the Promised Land;

In times of prosperity, when tempted to build empires, the bones 
reminds the Israelite ‘This is not our place, God will surely visit us’.
In times of adversity, when tempted to give up, quit, the bones
refines them to endure ‘ Some more time, God will surely visit us’.

For more than three hundred years, the bones were in Egypt,
Silently warning and encouraging the children of God;
Comparing with the mummies, these bones were so small, 
But they were smart, The smart bones!

When Moses led the Israelite out of Egypt, people carried the jewels 
of their neighbors, but Moses, their leader took the bones with him!
Prosperity, authority, adversity, slavery, murder of the male children,
hatred, work pressure, confrontation with the king and the pass over,
The Israelite never ignored the oath or the bones!
The Israelite preserved the oath and the oath preserved them!

But be warned, the bones were just reminders and not an idol!

I am remembering another death; another command;
Yes, The Lord’s table, commanded just before JESUS death!
His flesh and blood; a tradition, an idol or the remembrance?
Adversity or prosperity, The Lord’s table silently reminding us,
The Lord’s promise ” Surely I am coming quickly”.

Planning to build mummies or depressed to quit and give up?
Remember, this is not our place, move towards the promised land!

MARANATHA!, Amen, even so come LORD JESUS!

FOR AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND 
DRINK THIS CUP,YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD’S 
DEATH TILL HE COMES.(I CORINTHIANS 11:26)

DEMAND AND REPLY

DEMAND:(JOB 7:21). Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
REPLY:(HEBREWS 9:14). the blood of CHRIST, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to GOD, purge
your conscience from dead works to serve the
Living GOD.

DEMAND:(JOB 9 :33). Nor is there any mediator between us, 
Who may lay His hand on us both? 
REPLY:(HEBREWS 8:6). HE is also a mediator of a better covenant.

DEMAND:(JOB 13:3). But I would speak to the Almighty, and 
I desire to reason with GOD.
REPLY:(HEBREWS 1:2). for he who comes to GOD must believe that
HE IS, and HE is a rewarder of those who 
diligently seek HIM.

DEMAND:(JOB 14:14). If a man dies, shall he live again?.
REPLY:(HEBREWS 10:38). Now the just shall live by faith.

DEMAND:(JOB 16:21). Oh, that one might plead for a man with GOD,
as a man pleads for his neighbor.
REPLY:(HEBREWS 7:25). HE ever lives to make intercession for them.

DEMAND: (JOB 17:15). Where then is my hope? As for my hope,
who can see it?
REPLY:(HEBREWS 6:19). This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which enters 
the Presence behind the veil.

DEMAND: (JOB 23 :3). Oh, that I knew where I might find HIM,
that I might come to His seat!
REPLY:(HEBREWS 4:16) Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of
Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace in time of need. 

GOD…. … has in these last days spoken
to us by HIS Son….. (HEBREWS 1: 1 – 4 )

P.S : The above list is just a sample, not complete. Search the Scriptures.
The Books of Job and Hebrews authors unknown, but
The AUTHOR of The BOOK, known or unknown to you?