.....Ancient Paths

Thanks be to God who was so gracious to us in bringing us to the eleventh month of this year.When we hear the news of Bomb blasts,communal violence and conflict between nations,caste and creed,we need to lift up our heads in anticipation for the coming of the Lord.His coming is so near.The Spirit of the Lord took my attention to

Jer 6:16
Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for ancient paths ask where the good way is,and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls

If we look at the characters in the Bible,we see that those who were really committed in walking in the "ancient paths" were blessed of the Lord.
Let me tell you in these "modern times" God looks for people who walk in those "ancient paths".Let me take you to some examples from the scriptures.

1)Jer 35:14
'Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather's command

The Lord commends the recabites for their determination in obeying their forefather's command.So we read in the last verse of this chapter that

Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Jonadab son of Recab will never fail to have a man to serve me.' "

What a testimony were these recabites to the so called "children of God"

2)II Chronicles 7
17 "As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,
The Lord was asking solomon to follow the ways of his father and if he did that his kingdom would have been established.We know how solomon destroyed the inheritence of His father.He tried adopting "modern principles".He followed the policy of "confirming to the world" like many churches follow these days.
CHildren of God do you remember the ways of your Godly parents.Their path of faith and holiness.

3)Heb 13:7
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith

Old or new testament the word of God admonishes us to look walk in the ancient paths of holiness ,faith and prayer.
Let not our worship be dictated by the loudness of the music,but by the brokeness of heart.Let our prayers invlove more of fasting than feasting.May our lives be sacrificial that being stuffed up.Lets be givers rather than receivers.

Lets not walk in "modern pathways" and destroy the rich blessings we gained through out Godly parents and leaders.
This month may we stand at those cross roads and take a decision.Let us pray "Lord in changing times may I not be confirmed to the pattern of the world,let me be transformed and be made useful for thy use"


Lets pray
Heavenly Father we thank you and praise you for this new month you have given to us.Father please shower thy grace thy power thy wisdom to live in these dangerous times,Lord God help us to live lives of faith and not filth.Help us to pray more.love more and serve thee.Help us to distinguish between good and bad.Lord we pray for India,please grant us peace.We pray that you will be supreme over everything and thy name be glorified.Help us to walk in those noble footsteps of our Godly leaders.

This we pray in the name of Jesus our Lord

Welcome to the World of God(4)

Welcome to the world of God(4)

 

During the past lessons we talked about the world of God and how when we are born again enter a new world ie the Kingdom of God where we have a loving father and elder brother in the Lord jesus.We also saw about the diet in the world of God,the Milk and food.

Lets see this time from the Epistle of Paul to Ephesians. Once we have understood the earlier expositions,the passages that we come across in this epistle will bless our lives immensely

There are 5 fold blessings mentioned here once we are in the world of God.Look at the passage below.Kindly see the highlighted

 

Ephesians 1

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he^[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he^[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

 11In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

 

Once a person is born anew ,what matters is the SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS He possess.The Spiritual blessings dictates the person’s outlook.No more a person longs for the material wants,His mind is set on things above.His yearning is for the Spiritual.Its sad that these days we covet a lot of the world inside us.Our prayers are filled with material blessings required.The Lord Jesus proclaimed’See ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you”.We do not make use or even are aware of the Spiritual blessings and inheritence we possess>

 

Blessing  1

Election.

Now when a person is born again,its not the choice of that person.Its the power of God.Its He who chose us,we are chosen by God to be Holy and blameless.How blessed is to be chosen by God to come out from the unholiness of the world and its filth

 

Blessing 2

Adoption

We should understand that we are ADOPTED into the family of God. Adoption doesn’t strip one off the inheritance you have as a son. We do not deserve to be the sons of God,but He adopted us in His mercy.Adoption brings in a new dimension to our lives.We become co-heirs with Christ.In other words,whatever privilege Jesus enjoyed,we enjoy that.Its a big topic.Please spend some time in meditating on this

Blessing 3

Redemption

Redemption  is the purchase made by the Lord.He shed His own precious blood and redeemed us and changed our lives.The forgiveness of all our sins,wow,whatever we did in our worldly nature that was sin to our inner being,that prevented our lives from experiencing God was washed by the precious blood of the Lamb.We are redeemed.Confess it loud.I AM REDEEMED BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LAMB

 

Blessing 4

Salvation

Salvation is the fourth blessing. When we accepted whole heartedly the gospel of truth,we were included in Christ.Salvation is getting included in the Lord Jesus Christ.We need to work out our salvation with Fear and trembling.

Blessing 5

Possession

Having believed,opened our heart to the Lord,a big heavenly transaction occurred.We were marked with a seal.The seal is the promised HOLY SPIRIT.The world of God as said earlier is life in the Spirit.From the time we believed the Gospel,the Lord has sealed us with His Spirit.When we feel the Spirit,when we obey His guidance,when we have fellowship with Him,we understand that we are the LORD’s POSSESSION.Being possessed by the Lord,what a truth these verses add!!.

Many a time we don’t live that.We live like being possessed by the evil one,walking according to the flesh,living in sin and grieving the precious Spirit.If you have not had a close encounter with the Lord,accept the Gospel,goodnews now,believe that the Lord Jesus came for you to the earth and died for your sins.You will feel the blessed fellowship of the Spirit inside your heart,guiding you.Ask the Lord to fill you with more of the Spirit.I rely on the Spirit this sacred moment to instill an new level of fellowship with you.Being Possessed by God you is the greatest blessing.You have a heavenly possession.

 

Lets live in the WORLD OF GOD!!

Maranatha

Ash

 

October 2008-DO mot Miss out on Grace!!

 

 

Heb 12:15See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

 

Grace is something we should not miss. Grace is what that takes you to the throne room of God and makes all your wants and wishes known. Grace is that important that it covers your sins and enables you to seek His face.

 

The world that was distancing away from God and His Holy word, when the Law brought by Moses couldn’t make anyone righteous with God.The Son of God brought Grace into our lives.

John 1:

17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 

Grace is not the license for us to sin,it’s a that brings us closer to God because from Jesus grace flowed.

 

Be careful of the Bitter roots.

 

Roots are in our hearts.Roots in our hearts determine the fruits we bear.Bitter roots give rise to bitter fruits and we need to guard our heart with all diligence for out of it flows issues of life and when God sees a bitter root ,we will not be able to experience His grace.One bitter root in your life can defile many.So lets be careful of what we cultivate in our heart.If there is any wicked way.Any wrong thought.Any emotional hurts,any unbiblical relationship,lets uproot it.Lets take some time this month in accordance to what God wants us to do.TO keep our hearts cleared of any bitter roots.

 

Be careful of the Choices you make.

 

Many a time like esau we end up making wrong choices that disturb the relationship which we have with God and the Grace we possess gets affected.Esau was having his inheritance.he did not ask it.Grace is the position we enjoy in God’s family which we got without us asking for it.Grace is unmerited favor of God.

Like Esau we most of the time do not realize the great position we are in. We forget the glorious riches of His inheritance in us and SELL off the inheritance for MONEY ,for FAME,for a meal. We lose sight of who we are and choices dismantle the grace from our lives. Children of God living in grace period, don’t forget if DEVIL wanted to strip the son of God from the grace and power He possessed in the desert, the enemy will offer us many “good-looking” “mouth-watering” choices. Lets be careful of the choices we make

 

Be careful of the LIVES we live

The writer to Hebrews warns us” See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau “Godless lives will lead to graceless lives. Sexual immorality and the so called “cool” culture has invaded our culture. Sexual immorality and Godlessness are so prevalent that the Grace factor in our lives is in danger.

Lets live our lives in the fear of God.

 

Yes the message is clear, if we are careful of the roots we have, the choices we make and the lives we live, we will receive His grace poured out.Its all that we need.

May God bless us as we appropriate His grace in our lives

 

Father we ask you for grace more and more in our lives. See our hearts o Holy God and test whether there is any wicked way in us and lead us in the path everlasting. We just want you. We need you so much. Help us to guard our heart with all diligence so that we will live a life appropriating thy grace.We pray that thy grace will abound and work in our lives. Grant us thy grace this month.We remember our brothers and sisters in Orissa in persecution.Thy Gopsel is thy power.Show thy power o God and bring about a great change in the lands.We pray for our parents,siblings,churches,pastors.Grant mercy unto all.May Healing and power flow.May closed doors open and wounds be healed.

This we pray knowing that our prayers are answered when we pray it in Jesus mighty name

Amen

 

Have a beautiful October

 

Maranatha

Ash

 

 

Thanks and With Best Regards

Ashley Benjamin

Infosys Technologies,

Bangalore

Mob:9900427670