Growing towards fruitfulness

I prepared this insightful and very important topic for a retreat on how to grow towards fruitfulness in spiritual life. I cannot say that I am perfect but all I can say is that I have given my life to Christ so that He can help me and His Holy Spirit can work on me to make me perfect and fruitful. I hope and I sincerely believe that this discussion will help you grow.
Coming from life-sciences background is kind of a good thing because it helps me look at different aspects in the Bible with a new insight and a different angle and I have found it extremely helpful in understanding the mysteries of His Kingdom and at the same time in helping others understand the same. As we begin this discussion, let me first start with a simple question.
What are the clear distinct life-stages of living things and non-living things?
Anyone can just observe the things around them and say that for a living being the life-stages would be: Birth, Maturity and Death and as far as non-living beings are concerned they remain static. The process that leads from birth to maturity is what we call ‘growth’ and from maturity to death we observe the phenomenon called ‘degeneration’.
Let us now turn to Spiritual life. Do you think that spiritual life is very similar or is it very different? Well, my answer is ‘both’. In spiritual life also, like biological life, we have these three stages but unlike biological life, spiritual life appears to have a different sequence of the three life-stages. If we read Ephesians 2:1, the Bible says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” and further the Bible says in Ephesians 2:4-5, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive...” In a similar fashion, Jesus says in John 3:3-7, “...I tell you the truth; no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’”. Going still further, we see in 1 Peter 2:2, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” and furthermore, Ephesians 4:14-15, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
So, through all this we see that initially we are in the stage of spiritual death. By accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and by accepting and acknowledging the forgiveness and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our deadened spirit regenerates and we become born again. This born again spiritual being is like a newborn baby and it grows to maturity. However, being born again is being born to eternal life, so there is no further spiritual death. Therefore, the spiritual life-stages are: Dead stage, Born again and Maturity. As we saw, being born again we have to grow. Growth is necessary and the only way forward.
This brings me to an illustration. Take a handful of gram seeds and soak it in water. What do you observe? Initially, you will observe two kinds of seeds: one that would have sprouted and the other that wouldn’t have sprouted. Just leave the seeds that way for a day more. Now what do you observe? You will notice three kinds of seeds now: first, one that had sprouted and that is growing; second, one that had sprouted but is not growing and the third is the one that had not sprouted in the first place. In the case of the seeds, the first category will grow, mature and bear more fruit, whereas, the second and the third category will eventually rot. Thank God that He loves us so much and we are much more than seeds. Amongst human beings too, we can find three categories of people as the seeds: one, those who have accepted Christ and are growing; two, those who have accepted Christ but are not growing and three, those who have not yet accepted Christ. Yet, God does not leave the second and third category of people to rot but He is still pursuing you with His unending love and incomparable mercy to forgive you and give you eternal life. Dear friend, if you have not yet received Christ in your life, take a decision today. The Word of God says in Hebrews 3:7-8, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts...” Christianity is not a religion as many may believe; it is a lifestyle and a relation with a living God who hears when we call, who has given us the right to call him ‘Abba father’ and who loves us like a father. Isn’t it amazing!

I love you and I need you in my life

This is another amazing love story and of course with a moral.

Once there was a married couple who found themselves quarrelling so much and being so unable to adjust with one another that they found themselves in the verge of a divorce. However, the judge who was to hear their case was a very kind and good hearted fellow and he counselled them a lot before the day of the final hearing.

The night before the divorce, the husband and the wife could not sleep at all. They had a number of things going on in their minds. The husband ruminated over the incidents during the counselling and looked back to the day they were in love and newly married. The wife pondered how to get the divorce finalized because the judge looked bent on persuading them to forget their differences and stay together.

The next day that is the D’day, they reached the Judge’s office. He said, “Before I give my decision, I want you to do one last thing.” He handed both of them some sheets of paper and continued, “Both of you should know the grievances you have for each other. Maybe, you will realize that you should have given your relation a second chance.” They were given an hour to write down their complaints against the other. Both of them started writing. It was like a competition where each was writing as many flaws of the other as they could. They took additional sheets and extra time.

Finally, when they kept gave their sheets to the Judge, he did not even look at it. He handed the wife’s sheet to the husband and vice versa and asked them to read. After a couple of minutes, the wife got up and hugged her husband. There were tears in her eyes and they did not get divorced.

Do you what was on the sheets of paper? The wife had taken utmost care to mention each of her grievances in a chronological order with the dates. There were complaints like: He forgot our anniversary; he came late and did not take me to the movie; he doesn’t keep his shoes in the proper place; he messes up the whole place and I have to do all the cleaning.... But in the husband’s sheet, he had just repeated one sentence: I love you and I need you in my life.

In the Bible, God is referred to as the husband and the people are referred to as the Bride. This is what happens many times in our lives, with God and with people around us. When we are blessed we don’t acknowledge His blessings but when we go through bad times we start cursing God and go astray. We lose faith in Him and want to throw Him out of our lives. But despite all this, His answer is always the same, just like the husband’s in the story: I LOVE YOU AND I NEED YOU IN HEAVEN.

Relationships don’t strengthen when we keep counting the mistakes that the other person makes and keep blaming each other. Relationships strengthen when we forget all the bad things that would have happened between us and just know one thing that we love the other person and need them in our lives. This message goes to say: Let’s acknowledge the love and friendship of all those around us.

You are all precious to me.

God bless you.

Sarita, have you given me all the chocolates...

Today I am going to tell you the story of Sarita and Saral. The two of them were the best of friends. However, there was something standing between their friendship. It was Saral’s craze for marbles. He had lots of marbles that he had collected meticulously. (I am sure some of you would also have collected marbles when you were kids.) Those marbles were like trophies to him. And his favourite was a bright, big, blue marble that he could touch and identify even in the dark.

Now one day, Sarita got lots of foreign-made chocolates from her grandma. When Saral saw the chocolates, his mouth started watering. He asked Sarita for some chocolates which she gave happily. After all they were friends and Sarita had forgiven him when he refused to even let her touch his blue marble. However, some chocolates were not enough for Saral. Mind you, they were no ordinary chocolates. They were expensive foreign-made chocolates that would melt in your tongue and they were rare. Now when Saral asked Sarita for the chocolates again, she was quiet. When Sarita did not respond for a long time, Saral said, “Ok Sarita, I know, how will you give me all the chocolates if I keep asking you like this. Let’s exchange. I will give you all my marbles and you give me all the chocolates. Is that fine?”

Sarita was amazed that for once, Saral had offered to exchange his marbles for anything. She recalled all the moments when Saral had just ignored her because he got so busy playing with his marbles. Though she too wanted some chocolates for herself, she thought that this was a golden opportunity to throw away the marbles that stood between them. So she agreed and they exchanged their possessions. Sarita gave all her chocolates to Saral. However, Saral kept back his favourite blue marble.

Taking the marbles with her, Sarita turned to go home. But hardly had she taken a couple of steps when Saral called, “Sarita, have you given me all your chocolates?”

Sarita: Yes, I gave you all and I have none.

As she turned to walk again, he called once more, “Sarita, are you sure, you have given me all the chocolates?” She again replied, “Yes, you saw right.”

Again as she started walking, he asked for the third time, “Sarita, are you very sure that you have not kept even one chocolate with you?”

Dear friends, this is not just the story of Sarita and Saral but mine and yours and our relationship with God. When I heard this story for the first time I pondered and found it so very true in my life. Someone asked me why I was writing about forgiveness and my answer is Forgiveness is the best medicine to all your sufferings. You don’t just have to forgive your enemies and those who have hurt you in some way or the other but you need to forgive yourself and forgive God too. It’s only then that you can start trusting Him. Did you find out why Saral could not believe that Sarita had given all her chocolates to him? The answer is very simple. Because he had not given all his marbles to her. We too can’t forgive others completely because we doubt whether they have forgiven us or not. However, it’s other way round. And at the same time, we don’t forgive ourselves and God and deep within we think that we are not forgiven. Do you know why we are so reluctant to start conversation when we quarrel with our closest of friends? Not because of our ego but because of our weaknesses and ignorance about the power of forgiveness.

I don’t know whether forgiveness does any good to the forgiven or not but I sure do know that it takes away a huge burden from the forgiver and releases him from the bondage of hatred. It teaches us to love more selflessly.

Let this Lenten season be a season of forgiveness. Forgive yourself and forgive God for all the bad times you may have had. At the same time, let go off the entire grudge you may have harboured in your heart since ages. Let forgiveness flow...

God bless you.

I thought I could never love...

There was a loud thump at the door and I was too scared to even open my eyes. Then the noise started. I was so scared that I started crying. The awful noise outside made me sick. My dad was drunk again and I knew that he was beating up my mom. I wanted to protect my mom but I was too scared to even go out. I knew that my room was the only safe place and I was not ready to abandon it. But the noise became louder and louder and then I could hear my mom no more.
For a while, my I could hear nothing but the mad beating of my heart. And then I could not stop myself. I threw open my door and ran downstairs. I saw my mom lying in a heap and my dad beating her up with a thick stick. I ran and pushed my dad aside. For a while, I thought my mom was dead. But the next moment, a heavy blow landed on my head and I started feeling dizzy. I gathered all the strength I could and hit my dad with a metal flower vase. he fell down but I did not care. I dragged myself and my mom out of the house and kept walking till I dropped. And then I cried. I hated my dad with all the hatred I could muster and thought I could never love any man again. I hated all the liquor sellers and makers and all fathers and husbands. I spent the whole night with my mom (who eventually lost all her senses and was paralyzed for the rest of her life).

I didn't know what to do. The next morning, a missionary van saw me on the roadside and they took us with them. I started working in the mission house and met many kids like me who were victims of family violence. And then, the miracle happened. One girl told me that deep down I loved my father and I wanted him to be saved, so I should pray for him. I shouted at that girl and walked off. But she kept telling me about Christ's love and how it flows untamed; how life is in forgiving and looking forward to a heaven where you would love to have your family with you, and how prayer can work miracles.And she told me that she would pray for me.
I was moved that someone had time for me, that someone cared to pray for me and I started praying for my dad.
A couple of days before my mom died, I went to see my dad. I moment he saw me, he came running and hugged me. There were tears in his eyes and he kept asking for forgiveness. I found that he had quit drinking. I told him about mom's condition and he came with me to see mom. Now I am staying with my dad again. I have realized that prayer, love and forgiveness can make anything possible.
This is a testimony of a girl who had a bitter experience in her life. I read about this when I was in my 10th grade and I thought it was impossible to be so good, it was impossible to love when someone has hurt you so deeply. But with time, I realized that with man it is impossible but with God nothing is impossible. The love of Christ compels you to share His love and forgiveness. Forgiveness heals the forgiver more than the forgiven.
This lent, let Christ's love and forgiveness flow from you.
God bless you.

Lent is the time to "Overcome evil by good"

As we stepped into the lenten season, it is time for each one of us to realise that it is not about feeling guilty for what we have done in the past but to be thankful for the salvation that we receive by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and is the saviour, redeemer and Lord of all and over all. This time, I am going to share with you all the Salvation Way.
Jesus Christ came into this world to save mankind from sin. The important thing to note here is that He came to save us, from the PENALTY, POWER and PRESENCE of SIN and not just only one of them.
When I started reading the Bible and especially the Old Testament, I used to be scared at the punishment inflicted on the people who sinned. The most common and popular story of Adam and Eve and how they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden for disobedience is a classic example of the magnitude of God's anger and hatred towards sin. It was then that I was told that SIN is the most devastating thing one could ever imagine. Sin is self replicating. All of us are sinners, even a child. Nobody teaches a child to lie, still it lies. How? It is because of this evil Sin that flows in us. But the good news is that God is good all the time and He has made provisions for all of us to lead a life free from sin.

When Jesus died on the cross, He bore the sins of the whole world and through that sacrifice, He promises freedom from the Penalty of sin to all those who Believe in Him.
The most important gift that God has blessed us with is the gift of CHOICE. When you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your personal Saviour, He makes you realize the power of this gift of Choice. Titus 2: 11-14, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to all ungodliness and worldly passions...".
When I first read this verse, I thought it was impossible but with time I realized that I have the power and authority over myself. I am not a pawn but the chess player and it is my life is the sum total of all the decisions that I have made till today. Thus, the grace of God frees us from the Power of sin.
And finally, it gives hope that if you are living a spiritual life today, it is not a waste but the only sensible thing to do. It promises us that there is freedom from the Presence of Sin.
Lent is not just about fasting, avoiding meat or prayer. It is about learning to live Christ's sacrifice in and through our lives and Overcoming evil by good.
God bless you.

Matthew 4:12-25 Part III - Jesus heals the sick

The third part is the part where most people who think of coming to Jesus look at, Jesus as a healer, healing the sick. It gives me great pain to see how we are so centred to the physical word. Any sickness, any pain has the potential to break us down. The Bible says that the root of all sickness and death is sin. Jesus came to cut that root – sin. However, most of us look upto Him only as a Healer of the body and not the soul. I have a testimony to present before you and praise God that I am here to share this with you.

I was born in a Christian family and I am really blessed with godly parents who not only took care of passing on the Bible stories but also Christianity as a lifestyle. They used to tell us that Christianity is not a heredity passed on from generation to generation. Rather it is your personal relationship with the creator. I was religious but that did not mean that I let God decide things for me or depend on Him until I gave my life to Christ on the 2^nd of February 2004 when I was completely broken down by the problems in family and questions in my own life. It was during an incident shortly after this that God promised me that He has taken away all my sicknesses. And praise God because I have never fallen sick since then.

When you let God take complete control of your life and you put your trust in Him, He will never fail you. Of course, He can heal the sick but why not be healed from all sicknesses forever when He is ready to give you beyond measures.

The choice is always yours. Our God is a loving Father; he will never force Himself on you. You ought to say YES to Him.

Let’s pray:

Loving Jesus, your love is so great that it is impossible to fathom its depth. I believe and I know that you are interested in me and my life. Till today I have struggled to get a good life. Today I come before you with a repentant heart. I am sorry for all the times I have sinned against you. I know that you are the source of all good things. I offer my life to you. Lord, take my life and fill it with happiness, peace, contentment, holiness and all good things. Lord, take away all my sins and weaknesses and fill me with your strength that I can live for you. In your precious and mighty name I pray, AMEN.

Matthew 4:12-25 Part II - Calling of the first disciples

The second part has been the most heartening part for me. It is the calling of the first disciples. The heartening part is that God doesn’t look at qualifications and worldly success. He chooses people who seem to be rejected by this world. Right from Old Testament times (which we will try to understand later) God has called people of little merit and lifted them up. Here in this passage, Jesus calls fishermen as His first disciples. In the Jewish custom, “Rabbi” is the most high and respected position. And most Jewish boys aspire to become “rabbi” and the “followers of rabbi”.

A bit of Jewish history helps here. To become a rabbi, a person should pass the following three stages. The first stage is known as the “Bits of Saffire”. During this stage, a child is expected to memorise the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible written by Moses). Those who qualify the first stage proceed to the second stage “Bits of Talmud”. This stage requires more vigorous study, after qualifying which a person enters the third stage known as the “Bits of Midrash”. During this stage the rabbi calls the most fit students to follow him. Others who have been rejected at any stage go back to the common way of life choosing their family occupations or something else.

As we see in the passage, though Jesus had never followed any Rabbi, because of His enlightenment, He was addressed a Rabbi and He called fishermen to follow Him. Believe me, if today you feel broken and small, it’s Jesus who is ever ready to lift you up. God does not look at how qualified you are, He just looks at your willingness.

Matthew 4:12-25 Part I - Jesus Preaches

These verses are divided into three prominent parts in the Bible. The first part is about Jesus beginning to preach. It might be a bit amusing because Jesus would have had to preach to the masses to believe in Him to be saved. It sounds kind of normal when you and I would preach “Believe in Jesus and be saved”. However, strange though it may appear, our God Almighty is a loving God. Remember, the 12^th verse says “When Jesus heard that John (the Baptist) had been put in prison...” I have read the gospel of Matthew a number of times but this is the first time I felt something different. John’s purpose was to prepare the way for the arrival of Jesus. John had to preach repentance and the nearness of the kingdom of God. And what was Jesus’ purpose? All I knew was that Jesus came on this earth as the second Adam to be sacrificed as a sin offering to take away the penalty of our sins forever. Whether preaching was the central theme of Christ’s purpose is still a question for me. If it was, why was He waiting for John to be captured before He could start preaching? Jesus appears to me as a great example of taking up charge and taking up responsibility to fulfil the main goal. Jesus was well aware that everyone should get a chance to repent, everyone should be saved. This is the love of God that He does not want a single soul to perish. When the message of repentance was yet to reach all the people, Jesus takes up charge. Through, this He is calling up you and me to share the gospel of salvation with all people, He is calling us to take charge and help in ushering in the Kingdom of God.