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“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” (Psalms 20:7-8)

William Shakespeare said, “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” Joyce Brothers, an American Psychologist, and television personality said, “The best proof of love is trust.” These quotes are amazingly thought-provoking. Strangely, it appears modern society does not like the word ‘trust’ anymore, because we don’t want to get hurt. We live in such a weird time.
Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian author, said, “None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith.” The truth is we all trust in something, though we don’t always admit, don’t you agree?

Today’s Bible insight says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Some trust in chariots and horses, some may trust and have faith in their wealth, career, health and fame and the list goes on. However, don’t we know none of these – wealth, fame, health, career-can be truly trusted? Wealth may disappear in a matter of time, and health can be lost in short notice and career would be gone in a matter hour. One of my friends was a senior credit officer and VP who worked in a world-famous financial organization for 20+ years went to work on last Friday at 10 AM. He was sent home around noon – laid off.
Another person whom I know for many years was not a regular drinker but an occasional drinker. He said he has faith in alcohol and does not have faith in anything else. I could not figure out his statement. However, I imagine those who are addicted to addictions can cultivate trust in those items as well.

Beloved, at the final outset, we have two options – we can trust the creator God who knows all about us and has a beautiful plan and purpose for our lives or we can place our trust in the created things. God who created the heavens, earth, and humanity is the creator of all we see around us, and He is the one who sustains everything. He gives free air, sunlight, rains, hope for the future, and all good benefits and gifts to all of us. He spoke through His prophets in the Bible in olden times and through His Son, Jesus Christ in these last days. Bible truthfully tells us all we should know about us and the future. We can trust God and His word because He is our creator and sustainer. Besides, the Bible and God in heaven never say lie or make an untrue statement. Hundred of prophecies in the Bible fulfilled with pinpoint accuracies, and even today many of the Bible prophecies are being fulfilled right in front of our eyes. When all else fall, God and His Word stand firm forever. Finally, we can trust God because He loves us and because of His love He sent His Son to carry our sins and die for the punishment of our sins. He invites us to come to His Son, Jesus Christ so that we can know Him personally and have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You see, we can trust God fully and completely.

Our insight today says those who trusted in their chariots and horses were brought to their knees and fell, but those who put their trust in the living God in heaven stand firm. This verse brings to remembrance the incident of Pharaoh and his army which pursued the Children of Israel after God delivered them from the slavery of Egypt. Moses said to the people, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD… the LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14. The God of heaven with His mighty power and outstretched arm divided the sea, and the children of Israel walked to the other side safely through the dry ground in the middle of the sea. However, mighty chariots and horses and the army of Pharaoh were drowned in the middle of the sea right in front of their eyes. Those who trusted in chariots and horses (mighty weapons of those days) were all fell and drowned in the sea while Moses, the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel who trusted and placed their hope in the LORD, escaped the danger of the sea and stood firm in the wilderness and continued their journey to the promised land.

Beloved, Where is your trust? What are you leaning on? I know you must be leaning on something. If we don’t put our faith and trust in God, we will replace our trust in something else. It could be a relationship, wealth, health, job or something else. All you trust will eventually be going to fall. However, if you trust God, you will come out successfully no matter what happens. You will be safe and secure here and all through eternity. You can face even death with a smile because the LORD will carry you safely to the shores of eternity into His beautiful heaven. God wrapped all these blessings in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who have Christ will stand firm when others fall. They will have God’s blessings, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Will you accept Christ Jesus as your savior? I can lead you to God in a small prayer now.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I want to place my trust and faith in the living God in heaven. Help me not to trust in the created things but help me to trust you. I believe your son, Jesus Christ, died and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. Please save me and guide me every day. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.”

“But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9. “The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:13 (b).

A rational mind attempt to find a solution to the surfaced issues by learning and understanding the origin. The relationship, health, finance, and all problems have a beginning point. Without getting a pretty good grasp on the beginning, we would never be successful to reach a solution.
Bible describes what happened right in the dawn of human history in its first book called the book of Genesis. Bible says in Genesis how all we see came into existence by the powerful Word of God. It tells the beginning of the earth and heaven. It tells the beginning of the solar system, animals, plants, and ocean. It gives an account of how first man and woman came into being. It says how sin and crime entered into this world.
Darwin’s unproven evolution theory does not give us the true account of how all came into being, but the Bible truly describes all about it. The true record of the origin of man is not falsely based on evolution theory. The man did not come out of monkey or any other species. God created all and He created man in his own image-man and woman he created in the beginning and that is how the first family began. A man and woman together gave birth to children. Their names were Adam and Eve. God created a family with a husband and wife- man and woman. God created animals also males and females. In the animal world, males and females still come together and give birth until now. They keep God’s order with no shadow of a doubt or confusion.
Our first parents lived in a perfect environment in the Garden of Eden, in perfect relationship with God the creator. God blessed and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” The garden in Eden had all beautiful and delicious trees that bore fruits for them. They could eat from all the trees except one.
But our passage says the serpent, who is the devil, deceived Eve to disobey God. There was only one prohibition and that was they should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A small prohibition only but they had the freedom to eat from all other trees and enjoy their life. But devil deceived her to eat from it and she gave to her husband, Adam. 1 Timothy 2:14 also says, the woman was deceived. In fact, it is true to say both ate and disobeyed an important commandment of God.

People usually disobey God because they think God is hiding something from them. Adam and Eve also felt the same way. But it was not true. God knew the painful consequences, and that is why he says to obey his commandments. You see Bible says, “God will not withhold any good thing from those who walk rightly.” (Psalm 84:11). The purpose is not to withheld good things from us. But he wants to withhold bad stuff from our life. The warning signs and commandments are there for a reason. Speed limits are there for a good reason. Warning signs on medicines are for a good reason. God knew and he specifically said to them if they eat from that tree, they would certainly die (Genesis 2:17).
Dearly beloved, the devil still deceives people. He makes us believe that God’s word is not essential and it is ok to disregard God’s word. He ignites our sinful desires, and they would seem pleasurable, enjoyable and attractive to our eyes and flesh. Then usually he substitutes God’s word with his lie. It is ok, and nothing would happen if you disobey God. He also would say, if God loves you won’t restrict you from enjoying the pleasures that are offered by temporary sins. But he never tells you that these pleasures that sin provides us are only for a minimal season, and it bites back like a poisonous snake, or the painful consequences would follow for the rest of our life. What a deception?

But ever after his disobedience, God came to the garden of Eden and called Adam by his name. He asked, Adam, where are you? Not because God did not know where Adam and Eve were. All-knowing God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were and what they did. But God wanted to give him an opportunity to think about the mistake they made by disobeying his commandment. God did not want to leave them in their hopeless and fearful condition. You see, God called Cain when he murdered his brother Abel and asked him, “Why are you angry? Why your face is downcast? He told Cain you still have time to make it all right. God said, “if you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it’s desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” But Cain hardened his heart and ended up living a cursed life. He did not have to. God came calling him and offered him the chance to make it all right. But he missed the visitation of God in his life.

Are you living without God? Or are you living in disobedience to God? God comes calling your name. Where are you? Why are you angry? Bible repeatedly says repentance will do marvelous and beautiful works in our life. If we admit our sins and ask God’s forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and shed his blood for all our sins, God will wash away and blot out our sins forever and ever. He will never remember it again. It will be removed far away from you so that it won’t blame or condemn you anymore.

God wants to establish friendship and fellowship with you. Not only that, he invites you to His heaven to live with Him all through eternity. No matter how horrible your past was. Repentance and turning to God for forgiveness will turn around your life 180 degrees. Do not harden your heart. You do not need to live there in the sin country. God will grant you his love, grace, forgiveness and everlasting life in heaven if you pray to him now.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I know I am far away from you. I believe in the name of Jesus Christ, I can come back to you. I accept Christ died and rose again for my sins. I invite Christ to come and make me clean. Thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” 1 John 4:16

Many people around the world are afraid of God. I witnessed people trying to appease the wrath of God. They think God is primarily angry and wrathful. I talked to a few good eastern religion friends in my college days, who were always worried about the wrath and anger of God. Many of them could not believe God is love.
Bible, the Word of God, describes several attributes or just the nature of God. God is Holy; God is all-powerful, God is all knowledgeable, God is all present, and God is Love. Bible says God is love two times in 1 John 4. (verses 8 and 16).

If you and I love someone when we visit them, we give gifts to them as a token of our love toward them. God continually expresses His love toward us. Bible says in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” God, because of his love, gives us good and perfect gifts every day. You see, God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45). It does not matter if a person is good or wicked. Both get light and heat from the sun every day. Both get rain in its season. Due to the sun comes up every day and rain in its season, we have plants, vegetables, and other food items to sustain our lives and give us energy. It is God’s gift that we open our eyes, wake up and get out of that bed every day and to go to schools, colleges, and works. It is God’s gift that we breathe every second. The moment we stop breathing we die and return to the ground. You and l lived thus far, had clothes to wear and food to eat and decent health all because of God’s good gift only. Beloved, we should be thankful to God every day for His love, shouldn’t we?

If someone hurts or insults, usually people hurt and insult them back. Or at least we would make sure we do not deal with them anymore. If God had treated us like we do, then we would have already perished a long time ago, don’t we? But you see, God is different. His love for us is perfect. There is no lacking in His love. Jesus said “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:46). You see, the heavenly Father is perfect, and He loves us perfectly. God says in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Isaiah 54:10 God says, ”For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” You see, God says to you that His steadfast love shall not depart from you no matter what.
Beloved, we know how to love others only because God first loved us and revealed His love toward us. Apart from God’s love, we will never really know how to love one another. (1 John 4:19). Instead, we will be hating and killing each other.
But do you know my dearly beloved one, the most amazing, incredible and incomparable awe of God’s love? We can see this on the cross of Calvary, where God the Father allowed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die cruelly and painfully by shedding His sinless blood for the remission of our sins. By sending His son as our sacrificial lamb for all of our sins, God revealed His love to all of us yet more in the most profound way.
It is so amazing that God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us. Romans 5:8. When we were enemies to God, when we all walked in our disobedience to the creator and loving father in heaven, when we were without hope and heading toward eternal punishment for our sins and rebelliousness, God placed all our sins, iniquities and rebelliousness on His sinless Son Jesus and He became a true sacrificial lamb for all of us.
Dear, Christ is the savior of the whole world. He is not the savior of just one group of people called Christians. Yes, He is the savior of the whole wide world. Salvation and everlasting life available in Christ Jesus are free for us if we come to Christ and accept Him as your savior and Lord. But as you now figured out, it costed a huge price for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Bible says, “how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?” Hebrews 2:3.
Beloved, I sure did not want to ignore such a great and costly salvation. Do you? God is bidding you come to His Son Jesus Christ now. If you say with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. (Romans 10:9). No doubt- YOU SHALL BE SAVED, PERIOD! Bible says “whoever will call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved.” Romans 10:13.
Beloved, never doubt the love of God for you. God says in Isaiah 49:15-16, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
Got a moment for today’s prayer? Father in heaven, I believe the word spoken to me today. I believe you love me in providing for my needs thus far in my life. I also believe your Son, Christ Jesus, died and rose again for my sins. I accept your love and your Son, Christ Jesus,  in my life now. Please save me with your perfect love. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:17-19

In today’s insight, Peter says to fellow Israelites, I know you and your leaders acted in Ignorance. You see, their ignorance led to their sin of betraying, falsely accusing, beating and crucifying the Savior of the World – Jesus Christ. But the truth of the matter is God used their ignorance and opposition to fulfill His eternal plan and purpose for humanity’s salvation. Through their ignorance and opposition, Christ suffered for the sins of humanity as a sacrificial lamb for our sins, and paid for our sins on the cross of calvary, exactly as pre-planned by the triune God in the eternity past.
Bible says in Psalm 118:22-23, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” The builders, the nation of Israel, rejected their own Messiah, who prophesied in the Old Testament. In short, through their rejection of Christ, God fulfilled His promise He made to Abraham and others in the Old Testament regarding the worldwide blessings coming on Jews and Gentiles in and through the promised seed of Abraham- the Messiah. (Genesis 12:3)
Dearly beloved, our insight today says ignorance can undoubtedly lead us into sins. In their ignorance, Israel and their leaders opposed Christ and crucified Him. You see, when God fulfills His plans and purposes, a heightened measure of opposition could happen. Don’t you know, there is always a fight between light and darkness? Secondly, no opposition will thwart God’s purposes. He will achieve His purposes and plans even in the midst of all opponents. Thirdly, He can also use the ignorance and opposition to contribute to the fulfillment of His plans. Amazing and mind-boggling thought!
Bible says in Isaiah 55:6-9, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Fourthly, dearly beloved, it is essential to repent our ignorance and sins and turn to God for two things – wiping out or washing away our sins and for refreshing times to come into our lives. An absence of repentance and turning to God can add more sins and over time cause much weariness, exhaustion and hard times. Did you notice today’s insight directly links repentance and turning to God to wiping off our sins and times of refreshments? Repentance and turning to God = wiping out sins and times of refreshments. So the opposite will also be true. An unrepentant mindset and not turning to God by admitting our ignorance and sins will cause just the opposite- the added burden of sins and heaviness, weary times in our lives. The repentance should happen on an ongoing basis in a Christian’s life.

However, beloved, if you are still not a child of God yet, You need Christ as your savior for wiping out your sins and receiving times of refreshments. Do you know, repentance and turning to God does more than just the times of refreshments here on this earth. Bible says, when you repent and turn to God and trust Jesus as your savior, you will have eternal life with God in heaven all throughout the eternity. Bible assures this in many passages. Among the many passages, the one I love is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” By believing in Jesus who died and rose again for your sins, you shall not perish but have eternal life. What a deal from a loving God!
Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I know you like to wipe away my sins and grant me times of refreshments. I agree with my ignorance and sins to you. Lord make me a new person by applying the blood of Jesus Christ in my life. I believe Jesus Christ died and rose again for my sins. Please save and bless me and guide me in your will every day. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

The above promise is given to Judah by the Lord God when Babylonians completely defeated them and lived in exile away from their land as captives. Their sins and rebelliousness were the reasons for their defeat and captivity. It is heartbreaking and an added agony when we understand our punishment and condition was due to our sins and disobedience to a holy God. Psalms 137 describes their sadness and despair in a foreign land. It says they sat by the rivers of Babylon and wept. Read below.

“By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land?”

In such a painful and saddened condition that is caused by only their continued sins against God, God is sending this message through prophet Jeremiah. God declares to them “I know the plans I have for you.” They thought God forgot and abandoned them. But it is not true, the Lord says. He says I did not forget you. I have not done with you. You are in my mind. He has good thoughts about them. He declares His plans to prosper them and not to harm them. He is thinking to prosper them though they are weeping and sad. The Lord does not have any plan to harm them. Oh! What a relief? The Lord thinks about His wayward children, and He still plans to prosper them, and he would not harm them. Secondly, God plans to give them a hope and future.

All of us, in our sadness and pain, want to hear this from the loving Lord, don’t we? But how can this promise God made specifically to Israel when they lived in exile apply to us? Beloved, on the night before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for all of our sins, he took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. And then after the supper, “he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” This is what we remember in our worship services by taking part in the Lord’s table, isn’t it? The Lord Jesus purchased us with His blood and made us partakers of all the blessings of God that He gave in the Old Testament to Israel. Christ included us in the new covenant by purchasing us by paying with His own blood. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him, the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” All the promises God made are applicable for us as believers in Christ. No matter how many promises He made, they all are “Yes” in Christ for us. Therefore, if you are in Christ, in other words, if you trusted Jesus as your savior and Lord, all the promises God made to His covenant people are fully and entirely belong to you as well.

The Lord promises you today. It does not matter what happened in the past. The loving Lord think about you. He did not forget you or done with you. He plans to prosper and will not harm you. He plans to give you a hope and a future.

Beloved, are you in Jesus Christ? If you are, then do not be afraid because the LORD will not abandon you no matter what. He thinks and plans to prosper, give you a hope and a future. If you are not in Christ yet, you can invite Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, and all God’s promises will be ‘Yes’ to you in a small prayer now.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? Pray after me. “Father in heaven, I believe you think about me and have a plan for me. Plan to prosper me and not to harm me. Plan to give me a hope and future. I believe Jesus Christ died, buried and rose again for my sins. Please save me from my sins. I grab hold of all the promises you made in the Bible. Give me hope and a wonderful future for me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:15

Jacob was running away for his life because he was not safe in Beersheba, in his father’s house. His older brother Esau hated him because his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart that he would kill his brother Jacob after his father’s death which was at hand. Therefore, their mother Rebekah said to Jacob to flee to her brother Laban’s house and stay there until Esau’s anger goes away. Isaac his father called Jacob and blessed him asked him to go to Padan Aram to the house of Laban, his mother’s brother.

Now Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. On the way it became night and he had to stay in one open place all night. He placed his head on a stone and slept there. He had a dream that night. There was a ladder placed on the earth. But it’s top reached to heaven and angels were ascending and descending on it. The LORD stood above it and promised His divine presence with him and reiterated the unconditional promise He made to his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac about a future land, people and worldwide blessings in and through the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Then the LORD said to him our verse of the day. “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

What a promise from heaven to an estranged, afraid, ran away young man! Jacob lost the security of his house, love of his parents, the luxury of food and all that he had back in his father’s home. Uncertainty, worries, and hopelessness were filled in his heart. Here when he was out there in an open place carrying all these in a heavy heart and surrounded with dangers in the thick night hours, God’s divine unexpected presence and guidance were right there where he was. The ladder shows heaven’s and God’s connection with the man. My dear, God is not far away from you and beloved, do you know, He can set His divine presence right where you are.

Are you facing problems and dangers? God of Jacob will be your ever-present help and refuge. You see, all religions of this world suggest people connecting to God by their good works and best efforts. Bible says just the opposite. God connects with you where you are right in the midst of your issues, frustrations, troubles, hopelessness, problems, and dangers, not based on your works but based on His grace and compassion. He sends His ladder from heaven to give you His word of promise. Not only He promises, But He also delivers you from your problems as well. God delivered Jacob from all his problems and after many years, as promised, God brought him back to his father’s house.

Do you know there is Jacob’s ladder movie, Jacob’s ladder plant, Jacob’s ladder workout, Jacob’s ladder RVC, Jacob’s ladder string, Jacob’s ladder piercing, machines and many more? Why ‘Jacob’s ladder’ left a deep impression in people’s hearts over the centuries? It reminds the unconditional, unchanging promise from God, doesn’t it?

God gave the very best ladder from heaven to all of us in our messed up and confused condition, didn’t He? What was it? Jesus Christ the savior of the whole world. Listen, when Thomas asked “how can we know the way”, Jesus answered and said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:5-6. Truly, Jesus Christ is the ladder that promises unconditional and unchanging promise of forgiveness of all of your sins and eternal life in heaven.

Do you want to connect to God in heaven? You may say now you are messed up too much. No mess up is hard for Him to clean. The more your mess and turn to Jesus with a repentant heart, the greater is His glory on your life. Come to the savior as you are.

God says, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

Got a moment for today’s prayer? Pray after me: “Father in heaven, I come to you and present me to you Lord with all my issues and problems. I want to get your divine presence all throughout my life. I believe in Jesus Christ who died, buried and rose again for my sins. Please save me and me a brand new person now. Thank you for saving and delivering me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15.)

The true friend who reveals secrets saves fully and protect mightly.

Our today’s insight comes from a section often called the ‘Upper Room Disclosure’ which is John 13-17. During these last hours, Jesus spent time with His intimate and beloved friends, called disciples. Many things happened during these last hours. He ate with them, observed the Passover, instituted the new covenant based on His blood, He promised to send the helper, the Holy Spirit, in His absence, encouraged them and gave them valuable instructions about what they should do and what they should look for in future. After this upper room disclosure, He willingly and boldly went out to fulfill the purpose for which He came on to this earth- betrayal, arrest, rejection, and death on the cross as a once for all sacrifice for people’s sin, to pay the ransom for our sins.

In these heart to heart conversation with His friends, He said he would not call them servants. Why? The reason is a servant does not know master’s business. Jesus said they are His friends. Because He had made known or revealed to them all the plans and purposes of God. He revealed to them everything He knew from His Father. He made known to them everything they should know. A servant would not know the secrets of His master. However, a close friend would.

Are you a friend of Jesus Christ? When Jesus becomes a friend, beloved, he or she becomes the most perfectly blessed person. He will reveal all that God has in store for you and this world.

However, do you know He is more than a friend? He is the creator and eternal God who will meet all your needs and remove all your troubles and worries. He will walk with you in the troubled path and never leave you nor forsake you when you face trials and sufferings. Finally, He will take you to heaven to live with Him forever at the moment of your death or when He comes back at the time of the rapture, whichever happens first. When He comes into your life, it changes all. You become a brand new creation and person. The old is gone; a brand new life will begin. (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is called ‘born again’. Jesus said, “you must be born again.” You are first born in the line of Adam, now you ought to be born again in the line of Jesus Christ. First, you are born into the home of your father, now you have to born again into heavenly father’s home. First, you are born earthbound, now you are to born again heaven bound.

Jesus begins His friendship when He calls a person and asks him or her to open the heart and life for Him. Jesus called all of His first twelve disciples by their names. All throughout history, He called millions of people to become His friends.

Beloved, Jesus calls you to become His friend. He says, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (Revelation 3:20). He knocks at the door of your life. Would you open the door? He will come into your life and become your friend. When He becomes your friend, he will make known all that you want to know. You would be filled with the knowledge of your Father in heaven and His perfect plans. You would know how much He loves and cares about you. He would reveal His eternal truths and guide you into all the truth by giving you His Holy Spirit. He would show what is in store for the future and He would protect and guard you like a close and intimate friend would do.

Moreover, He washes away all your sins, imperfection and mistakes and makes a brand new creation fully justified and sanctified with God. You are reconciled to God and enjoy all He has in and through your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? Pray after me.

Father in heaven, I want to know your love, help, and care in my life. I want to become a friend of Jesus. I accept your invitation to become your friend. I want to experience all your goodness and blessings in my life and I want to live with you in heaven all through eternity. I believe Jesus Christ, died, buried and rose again for my sins. Please forgive my sins. Please help and save me. Amen.”

 

“The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes.” Proverbs 10:28.

Few pilots crashed planes in a murder-suicide? Last year the news confirmed that the Malaysia Airlines’ captain deliberately crashed plane in a murder-suicide. This is the final conclusion of the four-year study by investigators. The incident that shook the whole world happened on March 8, 2014. Now the aviation experts said the captain was attempting suicide. Lar Vance, an investigator, said, “He was killing himself; unfortunately, he was killing everybody else on the board, and he did it deliberately.” An EgyptAir flight #804 crashed off the coast of Massachusetts in October 1999. The audio captured heard co-pilot Gameel Al-Batouti said in Arabic 11 times, “I rely on God.” NTSB determined that Al-Batouti purposely crashed the flight when the first pilot was out of the cockpit.

Another plane Germanwings # 9525, crashed into the French Alps in 2015 was also determined another suicide by the pilot. The Pilot Andreas Lubitz descended and crashed the plane into the mountains with a pre-determined plan.

When we live long enough, we automatically figure out the truth – life is faced with many complicated problems, frustrations, and issues. The issues include financial, relational, health, and so forth. Our today’s Bible verse says the hope of a person, who believes and trust in the true, living and loving creator God, eventually results in joy and gladness, though issues and problems also surround him. Such a person’s hope and peace will never perish. Romans 5:1 says, “since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Listen, the hope and peace with God are through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27).My dear, if you are looking for solutions to problems or at a point of hopelessness, the loving Lord says to you today that He has plans to prosper and bless you. He does not have any plan to harm you. He plans to give you hope, peace, and a good future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Seek the Lord in prayer today and call upon Him. Are you burdened with your sins? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to this earth to rescue you from all your sins, was filled with compassion when he looked at people’s problems and pains and said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” In Jesus Christ, you will find solutions to all your problems. Be not discouraged. Bible says, in Him, there is an abundance of forgiveness and deliverance. Would you come home to Him, just as you are,  with all your issues and problems, today? It is ok to come with all your baggage. He will never leave or abandon you, but give a brand new blessed future filled with hope and peace.

Got a moment for prayer now? Pray after me.” Father in heaven, I bring all my sorrows, problems, and pains to you. I believe there are abundant forgiveness and deliverance. I believe Jesus Christ died, buried, and risen again for my sins and problems. I want the peace and rest that Jesus offers. Please save me and grant me your peace in my life. Amen.”

 

 

“With one sacrifice He made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:17.

Is perfection possible? Humanly impossible. However, God declares you perfect in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Now that is a piece of wonderful news!

Please mark the four words/phrases in today’s insight. (1) One sacrifice, (2) perfect, (3) forever and (4) being made holy.

Let us divide today’s Bible verse into two parts. The first part says, “With one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, He made us perfect forever.” In the old testament period, thousands of animals were sacrificed every day in the morning and in the evening to obtain forgiveness for people’s sins. On top of that every year annual sacrifices were also made for the nation Israel as a whole for the purification of the sins of the nation as a whole. This is called the day of atonement or Yom Kippur. Jews still observe this every year. The day falls in September-October of every year. All these sacrifices were repeated again and again because when people sin again, they had to bring a new sacrifice again. All these daily and annual sacrifices of countless animals were a shadow of the perfect one sacrifice that Jesus Christ was going to bring in the fulfillment of time. The animal sacrifices were the types or shadows and Christ’s one time sacrifice was the antitype or fulfillment of these shadows or types. In other words, Christ was the fulfillment of all these sacrifices. He became the one perfect sacrifice for all of our sins.

We all broke God’s moral laws in many ways and death was God’s punishment on sin. However, In contrast, Christ did not break any one of God’s law, and therefore Christ should not have died. However, why they crucified Him on the cross? There was not even one sin He had done, but He was crucified. He was counted among criminals though He did not do any crime. You see an exchange happened when Christ died. Our sins were placed on Him who should not have died. He shed His divine and sinless blood when we should have died. In return, God granted His righteousness and declared us justified. Justified means God declared us not guilty of our sins because Jesus shed His blood in our place for our sins. Christ’s blood covers our sins. We were made perfect by His one sacrifice.

Now let us discuss the second word – perfect. Webster defines ‘perfect’ in these ways, “being entirely without fault or defect, satisfying all requirements.” Considering this definition, none of us are perfect. No human being ever lived was perfect except Jesus Christ. The exchange of our sins on the perfect body of Jesus resulted in a ‘perfect’ status of us in front of the holy God ‘forever.’ Mark the word ‘forever.’ Not for a few days or a couple of years. But mark ‘forever’. God does not just ‘improve’ you. You see He makes you ‘perfect forever’ when you accept Jesus Christ as your savior for your sins.

However, even after accepting Christ as our Lord and savior the believers in Christ know this -although they are declared “perfect” by the heavenly court, not by the merit of their own but by the merit of Christ’s one time sacrifice, they are not “perfect” in practical terms as long as they live in this sinful world.

Now let us discuss the second part of today verse. “those who are being made holy.” This means believers in Christ are being sanctified or being made holy as the days and years go by. The believers in Christ are transformed into Christ’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18) as new days are unfolded and finally will be glorified. Those who accept Jesus as Lord and savior is declared not guilty by the heavenly court at the moment of their belief in Christ. This is called Justification (declared not guilty) by the one sacrifice of Christ.

However, a believer knows well that he is not entirely holy yet although declared not guilty or justified. Bible teaches Justification results in sanctification (made more and more holy by transforming to the image of Christ) as you live on this earth and the final glorification (glorified, heavenly, eternal bodies) in heaven with God at the time of the believer’s death or Christ’s second coming. Justification is a one-time event and declaration upon your faith in Jesus. Sanctification is a continual and life long process by which the Holy Spirit inside you makes you more and more holy like Christ Jesus.

Beloved, got a moment for today’s prayer? Let us pray.”Father in heaven, I believe in the one perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus for my sins. I believe God placed my sins in Christ Jesus and in exchange declared me not guilty of my sins. I repent of my sins and accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord. Please save me. Amen.”

 

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7).

Cain’s face became sad and angry because the LORD accepted the offering of Abel but did not accept his offering. Now God gave a second chance to him because of His mercy and grace. The LORD God said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Dear one, the Lord did not need to give him another chance. However, God provided an opportunity again to him to correct his error. He said to Cain- look, I am not favoring Abel over you. If you do the right thing, you will also be accepted. You see God wanted Cain to do the right thing so that He can accept his offering as well. God also said, if you do not do good, then the result will be a sin.

Sin is like a lion waiting at the doorpost of Cain to conquer him if he does not accept God’s way. However, Cain, you should rule over the sinful propensity. Instead of listening and submitting to God’s way, Cain got angry and asked his brother Abel to come to the field. When they both were in the field, Cain attacked him and killed him. Hardening of our hearts when God mercifully gives another chance will lead people to be controlled more by the power of sin. We should never harden our hearts to the good and loving counsel of God.

Even after he killed Abel, God again talked to Cain and asked him “where is your brother?” God asked not because He did not know what happened. God knows all things, and He knew what happened. God wanted Cain to accept and repent his sin. However, Cain hardened his heart again and said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?.” You see how many times, Cain ignored the loving call of the Lord God. Cain severely paid for his sin and was cursed, God drove him out of there,  and he became a wanderer and feared someone would kill him one day.

Let us approach God in His way, not by our way. When God speaks, let us listen honorably. The way to God has always been by the blood, by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. There is no other way to come to a holy God and receive forgiveness for our sins. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

God, again and again, gives us chances to come to Him in His way. However, many in this world are not willing to accept God’s way, and they want to do their own way to please God. Their way is the highway. However, their highway leads to more sins and eventual destruction.

Beloved, Got a  moment for today’s prayer? Pray after me.” Father in heaven, I believe Jesus Christ is my savior and Lord. I believe Jesus Christ died, buried and rose again for my sins. I know there is only one way to come to the holy God and that is the way of the blood of Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for dying in my place for my sins. Please save me. Amen.”