Love of Holy Spirit

As the Lent Season begins…

February 26th, 2007

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” -John 3:16.

This one verse summarizes the entire message of Bible and the very essense that we may want to grasp during this lent season. God is Love!! and He wanted to share it with the humankind so that we may be Happy in fellowship with Him.

The time of lent is a season to focus on Love- the agape love. By focussing on God’s Love, we would soon realize that Christian life is a fulfillment of Christs love in us. It is a Love Connection from the Father to Christ to the Holy Spirit to you to me. Oh what love, would it drive the Lord to humble Himself to be mistreated and misjudged, to be one among us and get to know what it takes to be a Human being.

God’s Undeserved Gift to the World: Christian Sufferers

October 28th, 2006

Hebrews 11:37-39

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith . . .

Jesus made it plain that all his followers must take up their cross and follow him (Mark 8:34). He made it plain that if people called Jesus “Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household” (Matthew 10:25). “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

For those who devote their lives to spreading the gospel, the Bible promises even more suffering. For example, Jesus told Ananias to tell Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). This suffering is strategic. It has a gracious design. It is meant to reveal the love of Christ to the world.

Paul explains that design like this: “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24). We know from Philippians 2:30 that “filling up what is lacking” does not mean add to what is there, but carry what is there to those for whom it is meant.

So for the Philippians, that meant Epaphroditus would carry their love to Paul in the form of gifts. Here in Colossians 1:24, it means that Paul will carry “Christ’s afflictions” to the world in his own “sufferings.” The design of Paul’s suffering is to embody and display Christ’s suffering. When the world sees a missionary suffer in the act of bringing them Christ, they are seeing the love Christ had for them on the cross.

The world does not deserve the gift of Christian suffering. But God gives it anyway. Hebrews 11:27-38 describes some of this Christian suffering and how the world does not deserve it. “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy.” These last words mean that the world does not deserve the gift of these suffering Christians. But God keeps on giving them.

How are these suffering saints a gift to the world? The answer lies in their faith. These all were “commended through their faith” (v. 39). That is, they were approved by God. Their suffering was not owing to lack of faith. Rather, the worth of their suffering lay precisely in their faith. How so?

Notice in Hebrews 11 that sometimes God works miracles of rescue through suffering (Hebrews 11:27-35a). And sometimes he gives the faith to endure misery and death (Hebrews 11:35b-39). The common denominator in the faith that escapes and the faith that endures is that in both God is treasured above liberty and life. The one who escapes says, “Jesus is better than what I gain.” The one who dies says, “Jesus is better than what I lose.” That is the essence of faith: Jesus trusted and valued above all.

That is why these suffering Christians—especially suffering missionaries—are a gift to the world. Their Jesus-sustained suffering embodies the gospel-truth that Jesus is more valuable than all that life can give and all that death can take. What a vivid proclamation of the cross! This truth is the most precious gift that a Christian can give to the world.

The world does not deserve it. “Of whom the world was not worthy.” But we give it anyway. I pray that you will have an all-satisfying faith in Jesus when the time comes to give the gift of suffering to the world. Prepare for this by knowing Jesus deeply.

Preparing with you to give,

Pastor John

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
This article and other articles of Pastor John Piper could be found at www.desiringGod.org.

Titles of Holy Spirit

September 3rd, 2006

The Spirit of the living God always brings glory to the Father and His son, Jesus Christ. He is gentle and most friendly. He longs to have fellowship with each of us personally. He is gentle man who never comes with out invitation.

Here are a few references and titles attributed to the Spirit God.
1. Breath of the Almighty Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

2. Comforter John 14:16,26
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

3. Eternal Spirit Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

4. Free Spirit Psalms 51:12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

5. God Acts 5:3,4
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?

6. Good Spirit Nehemiah 9:20; Psalms 143:10
You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst.

Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

7. Holy Spirit Psalms 51:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise

8. Lord 2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

9. Power of the Highest Luke 1:35
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

10. Spirit, The Matthew 4:1; John 3:6; 1 Timothy 4:1
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

11. Spirit of the Lord God Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

12. Spirit of the Lord Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:9
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

13. Spirit of God Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4
The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

14. Spirit of the Father Matthew 10:20
For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

15. Spirit of Christ Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

16. Spirit of the Son Galatians 4:6
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

17. Spirit of life Romans 8:2; Revelation 11:11
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.

18. Spirit of grace Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:29
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

19. Spirit of prophecy Revelation 19:10
Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

20. Spirit of adoption Romans 8:15
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

21. Spirit of wisdom Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

22. Spirit of counsel Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

23. Spirit of might Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

24. Spirit of understanding Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

25. Spirit of knowledge Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

26. Spirit of the fear of the Lord Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

27. Spirit of truth John 14:17; 15:26
that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,

28. Spirit of holiness Romans 1:4
who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

29. Spirit of revelation Ephesians 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

30. Spirit of judgment Isaiah 4:4; 28:6
When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning,

A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.

31. Spirit of burning Isaiah 4:4
When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning,

32. Spirit of glory 1 Peter 4:14
If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

33. Seven Spirits of God Revelation 1:4
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

Time Alone…..With God

July 3rd, 2006

I moved a couple of months ago from Minneapolis, MN to Hartford, CT. In Minneapolis I was very busy and always on the run. There were days that I hardly had time to sit down and enjoy reading the Bible, or I would pray on the run. I know many have been there and are still there. I would feel frustrated because I wanted to spend more time alone with God, but I let the rush of the world get to me.

The Lord opened the doors for me to move to Hartford, CT to be near Raj (my finance). When I moved to Hartford I did not know anyone but Raj. I thought this would be very hard for me because I am a people person and get my energy from being around people. And it was and has been hard to be at home day in and day out. Even though I am with Raj in the evenings, the majority of my day is spent alone. At first I let this get to me and would cry because of not making any friends. But I soon realized I could use this precious time that I so longed for in Minneapolis to spend with the Lord.

I got out my dusty journal, Bible, and a deviational I have been wanting to read and sat down in the only chair in my apartment and started to have a special time with the Lord. I am so thankful these have continued daily for the last couple of months. Through these I realized the importance of no matter how busy to take time out first for the Lord. It seems there is enough time in my day to do all I need to also. Even though I don’t have a job I keep busy still. Though these times with the Lord He has brought me to a new level with Him. A level I would not have gotten at if I was keeping the pace I had in Minneapolis.

So I write this small article to encourage those busy bodies out there to take time out of your day to stop running around and enjoy time alone with the Lord. The Lord will give you the time back and also a deeper relationship with Him. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you during this time. The Holy Spirit will speak through the Word of God and open up the Bible in new exciting ways. Enjoy your time with the Lord.

God Bless! Sarah

Festival of Nations

June 9th, 2006

The Festival of Nations is a place of fun and excitement. Held at the RiverCentre in Minneapolis, many different countries and cultures are represented. You can watch ethnic dancers (many of which are children’s groups), look at cultural booths, or eat your way around the world! Click here to learn more about it in Kids Corner from Courtney.

Ayers mission trip to Mississippi

April 5th, 2006

The Ayers family from Eagan, Minnesota have been on a family mission trip to Pearlington, Mississippi where they helped the Hurricane victims. Their eldest daughter Courtney Ayers(age: 14) shares her exciting trip in the kids corner. Click here to check it out.

A Fable for Our Time

March 26th, 2006

Philemon and Linda are missionaries working in Cameroon, Africa. Philemon is the president of the only Semaniary in Camaroon. They had sent us this wonderful story which they witnessed. Please do pray for their mission as you enjoy reading this.

A young woman in whom God had put a special sweet spirit of cheerfulness and submission once asked God, “How can I best fit in your Kingdom?” In the course of time she was privileged to use her gifts to serve her brother as he lay dying of AIDS. Shortly afterwards her call to CBTS was confirmed, and after discussion with the man she hoped to marry, she completed her physical exam form, and packed her bags for Ndu. What an obedient, blessed, and perfect life! Hold on. Did we forget to mention that her physical showed that she was HIV+? Apparently she contracted the illness from her dying brother. Did we say that she and her sister grieved deeply, and that she severed her friendship with the man she admired? That she was not able to confide in her mother, due to her heart condition? And did we forget to mention that her cheerfulness, her submission, and her obedience were unchanged? “Hello, Ndu! Hello, all that God has for me to learn!” And she learned: about prayer, about Providence, about the application of every lesson from the classroom to one’s own life. Faith was sweeter, fellowship was deeper, and prayer was vital - because she was HIV+. It became important to use every moment of a life which would be snatched prematurely (from a limited human viewpoint.) Hold on one more time, and this exciting tale will be done - at least for today…every day is an adventure! One more confirmation test at a different hospital revealed that this humble student was HIV NEGATIVE all along. Was it for nothing? Or was the sweeter faith, the deeper fellowship, and the vital prayer worth it? You decide; she already has decided that the answer is “Yes!” And the moral of this fable will be written by YOU, every day of your life, as each one of you encounters Providence in your own life. Rejoice with us and with this friend! We are glad to be here, and to know these students. They help us to know God better. - Philemon and Linda

Divine Retreat Center

March 23rd, 2006

A retreat center in the south india has been God’s instrument in bringing thousands of people to live in a personal relationship with Christ. Located at Muringoor, Kerala, this center hosts around 6000 people attending retreat sessions every week. The retreats are conducted in English and 6 Indian languages (Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Konkani) simultaneously on a weekly schedule. Every sunday people across the globe assemble at 1PM local time to start the 6 day retreat. The retreat ends on Friday night with the Holy mass.

The Divine retreat center is one of the world’s largest of its kind. The retreat teams also travel across the globe to spread the Lord’s word. Its mission is part of the renewal Movement of the Vincentian Congregation in India, based on the spiritual traditions bequeathed by St. Vincent de Paul. Their mission aims at,

1.Preaching the Good News to the Poor.
2.Caring for the Welfare of the Poor and Afflicted.

Apart from spreading the word through their retreats the center also has homes of love -

1. St. Vincent’s Home
2.Divine Care Centre
3. Divine De-Addiction Centre
4. Divine Mercy Home for Aged
5. Maria Santhi Bhavan Home for the Aged
6. St. Mary’s Home

The bi-annual Youth retreat conducted at May and December is a key event in this center. Youth from all over the world come and get encouraged in their christian life during this time.

I personally have been to the weekly retreats twice. It overhauled my faith and life. I believe it is something a christian needs more often to stay away from the world for a week and to be refreshed by the Holyspirit.

Location : Muringoor, Kerala, India
website: www.drcm.org

Way Of the Cross

March 3rd, 2006

WAY OF THE CROSS

It was a usual Passover feast in Jerusalem, a usual day in God’s beloved world where the God of justice was replied with false-judgement. He was framed by the powerful jewish leaders. The world is used to hypocrisy and the harrassment of the weak by the powerful.

Perhaps, some of the jews believed that they are serving God by framing Jesus to death. Perhaps, they thought that they are protecting their religion from being corrupted like Saul before he became Paul. Perhaps, some of them who false-testified for money believed in getting an extra meal than saving a forsaken saviour. Perhaps, many chose to ignore the incident than to voice out. May be they did not even realize that they are commiting a sin by doing this. Each one had a truth and faith of his own in doing this.
In today’s world, there are hate, racism, casteism, culturalism and many find their truth in these and practise them. So where does these leave us? What is the real TRUTH? The ignorance of this is the cause of all the world’s problems.
Jesus says, I am the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE. Jesus is the only truth in this world. The spirit of the Lord brings the Truth to us today. The failure to see, hear and taste the truth is the reality of the world. Some of us call themselved who believe in truth but also believe in religion, culture and tradition that hinders us from seeing the truth clearly.
If only we believe in the TRUTH, we would not ignore the inJustice but voice out for it, we would no longer support the majority but support where truth is. The message of the cross is TRUTH and Love. If we receive it then, we can live heavenly life ever.
May the Holy Spirit of God lead us to the TRUTH in Christ.