What is Prayer To a Believer of Christ?

For a believer who walks with God, Prayer is more than just a practice, it is talking to a living, unseen omniscient God. Prayer is a profound experience in God’s presence characterized by Spiritual communion where not only we speak to Him, He speaks to our hearts, hence, Prayer becomes a natural response to EVERYTHING in life (good times, hard times and anytime) that is not defined by the hour of the day, or the day of the year.

I have learnt, for a believer, it is a naturalized communication, no, a naturalized communion, no matter what the circumstances. Though it can become difficult to pray at times due to distress in life, but because it becomes naturalized, we become comforted by the hope in HIM through God’s provisions, to speak with Him. God's love and kindness shows His mercy on us, as written in the book of Titus. Although He is invisible now, yet, He is as real and powerful by HIS presence as He was to the Israelites in the wilderness, by being a visible spiritual pillar of fire by night and a visible cloud by day, in every situation in life (and of course for the certain beyond).

Titus 3:4-7 reads thus,

4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

-JD

Burning Plane and the Lake of Fire

Japan faced one tragedy after the other on the very first day of 2024! First, it was the Earthquake without a notice - it was of a natural cause that killed many people and the Second one was of grave human error - where 5 people of a Japanese Coast Guard Plane, who were taking relief supplies to survivors of the earthquake, were tragically killed when a Japan airliner carrying 379 people on board crashed on the Coast Guard plane, while landing. 

Life is not only fragile but it is also shockingly snuffed out without notice. While remembering the loss of human life and thinking of the earthquake affected people who lost their homes, belongings and everything they had till moments earlier, now stand alone - and then the entire crew and passengers of Japan airlines, which crashed on to the Coast Guard plane, survived in 18 minutes after the aircraft caught fire while landing is a reminder to all of us, that indeed, life is more valuable than things - anything! All the passengers and crew were able to exit the burning plane alive and unharmed, unable to take with them any "thing" with them except the clothes they had on. 

As intensely terrifying these events are, we can be left hopeless if we value "things" more than life. For the survivors, leaving every "thing" they carried with them on the plane, meant nothing, when their life which is more precious was spared in a matter of minutes. So, if this life which is here today and gone tomorrow is so precious, we certainly have to pause and think, of what it takes to save our souls which never dies. It is eternal. There are just two places our soul (which is the true "us") is destined for life. It is either Heaven or the Lake of Fire.

If we can get out of a burning plane in under 18 minutes just to save our lives, how much time should we need to take to save our souls from the Lake of Fire in which it has to live eternally. Needs no better lesson. This is something we all can act on (Romans 10:9). 

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. -Romans 10:9

JD

Abide With Me

Abide with Me

What should we not miss about such a touching song. The Biblical link is found in Luke 24:29 when the disciples asked Jesus to abide with them when it was late in the evening. It was Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite song and was played every Republic Day in India during Beating the Retreat ceremony till the right wing Hindu extremist Government in India removed it in Jan 2022. Just another sign of the shift of power and power of evil in end times.

The powerful words of prayer in the hymn were penned by Vicar Henry Francis Lyte, in context with his emotional state at the time when he needed God’s strength while he was visiting his dying friend William Augustus Le Hunte in the early 19th century, that he repeated the phrase “abide with me”. Lyte wrote the hymn in 1820, that has since been played in Churches particularly during weddings and funerals, and especially during tough times and national remembrances of history in the background of a struggle such as in India.

May we never forget to pray to our Lord and King reigning in Majesty, "Abide With Me".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNXYGAEwQaY

JD

Rapid erosion of Biblical Principles

Two Beasts in Revelation 13 represent non-religious worship of God's people 

Do you witness christians and some of the "so-called" leaders and elite of today's Churches, act with impunity diffused in cognitive dissonance of the Biblical Scripture, by considering it "okay", and at times even promoting (for devious reasons) various sorts of "non-religious" and "non-Christian worship" in Churches and in Church communities, that is deceitful, which leads to taking God's people away from true and sincere worship (which has to be in Spirit and in Truth, John 4:24) - these false leaders are like the false prophets prophesied symbolically in the Holy Bible, in both the OT (Daniel 7) and NT (Revelation 13). 

"End is lingering" (Habakkuk 2:3) because God is still being patient with us (2 Peter 3:9), the time of Grace will end either because of rapture or because of our last breath. Grace will come to an end as prophesied and as all prophesies have been true this will be too. God's Word never falters, fails or fades (Luke 1:37, Psalm 37).

Examples of deceitful activities in our modern churches:

Grand receptions for new Bishops or powerful office-bearers or even popular preachers (akin to Leaders of a nation, pompous and well-attended, why? false worship)

Choir fests (akin to American Idol giving more importance to appearance and outfits, choreography, competitions, crowd cheering and awards than praising and worshipping in Spirit and in Truth)

Harvest festivals (race to show money power when bidding), a poor individual can't be part of the bidding process thus excluding and discriminating by economic criteria and creating an exclusive community of economically well-heeled people.

Picnics used to be about fellowships but are less about fellowship because these have become another joy trip of the wealthy, it is not for the weak in Spirit, how can that person have a picnic...or a walk in the park.

Cultural festivals (example Onam) have no place inside a Church sanctuary, it is the kind of non-Christian worship in churches that has creeped way closer to the altar of our Churches. Psalm 1. 

JD

 

One Day Closer

One Day Closer

An Original Poem by Jason David

Memories can fade

as days go by

Memories can surface 

when special days come by

On other days they stay just beneath

To remind us as a day goes by

We are One Day Closer, To seeing and hugging 

Our loved ones we had to let go.

My wife had to let her mummy go

Seventeen years ago,

We had to let a friend go

One year ago,

For this day, just makes it seem we are

One Day Closer to seeing them again.

Three non-negotiable free-choice requirements for a Disciple of Christ

In the gospel written by Apostle Luke, Jesus states to his disciples some very powerful requirements if they want to remain as His disciples (Luke 9:23). Remember, Jesus does not say, that "You should", Jesus says "Whoever wants to be my disciple". Sort of a choice, Jesus gives this choice to all of us everyday, as we go about our every day life as "nominal Christians", but not as His "real disciples" that He wants us to be. Yes, a choice, nevertheless a requirement too, if you want to be Jesus's Disciple!

In Luke's gospel, Jesus tells His Chosen Twelve who have already been with Him, as His disciples, for a considerable amount of time - may be more than a year by then, that if you want to continue to be my disciple (after I am gone from you), you need to satisfy these three non-negotiable requirements: 

1) Deny yourself 

2) Take up your cross, DAILY   

3) Follow me 

These requirements are meant for every disciple of Jesus Christ. First requirement needs no explanation.You just have to put God first in everything. Second requirement was interpreted by Dallas Theological Seminary Chancellor, Dr. Charles Swindoll as: "saying no to your will and doing His will"). And, the third requirement is a continuous tense which means "just keep following Him, keep following Him, keeeeeeep on following Him constantly". 

We can expand "following Him" in many ways but I like to bring your attention to Paul's letter to Colossians chapter 1 starting in v.10. "...that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light".

Most of us who have a "day job", attend churches, Bible Study and prayer meetings and other fellowships and consider that we have done quite enough for the week or month for our Jesus. Was there a cost in such discipleship activities? If you really examine you will realize you did not have to endure any pain or patience or sacrifice in those Bible-based activities. Because most of these activities are carried out in the comfort of a temperature-controlled room/space, well appointed chairs/sofas, with sumptuous snack/meal/drink to go along with those activities. What was the cost of discipleship that was paid in these activities??? Let that soak in a bit.

I seem to have a new appreciation to these two scripture references from Luke and Colossians and have begun to internalize the relvelation of its deeper meaning and purpose in my life. The Holy Spirit is working pretty constantly in me as he is shedding new light as He enlarges God's will and purpose as to what God is wanting of me.

Reference:

Luke 9:23-26

"...Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? ²⁶ Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

JD

Unplanned

Yesterday, I saw the movie "Unplanned". Maybe it wasn't the right choice of film for my tired soul which wanted to relax. I went to my bedroom and cried my lungs and heart out. I hugged and kissed my child, not letting him move for at least half an hour. I wonder if he thought what made his mom cry and hug-arrest him frantically.

I sense that many of my dear friends are going to disagree with entirely or even unfriend me for what I am trying to share in the next few sentences. Every child was, is and will be born in God's heart first (Jeremiah 1:5) and a blessing (Psalm 127:3). He/she is a child and a human being from the day of conception. Please do not consider brutal manslaughter by means of abortion, of a helpless little baby in the mother's womb.

For those who are pro-freedom, pro-choice, yes, you have the freedom and choice, but please have the wisdom to choose virtue over evil.  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, flee from sin, choose to lead a holy life so that you will not face the temptation of abortion.   Dear parents, teach your sons and daughters to lead a respectful sexual life which incorporates God's design of family and parenthood.

Again, this is my plea to all doctors and those who work in the medical profession. Please do not use your position to manipulate facts or exert influence on anyone to select this kind of killing. If a fetus is diagnosed with a disability, kindly encourage and strengthen the parents to raise the child, instead of getting rid of such an 'imperfect' creature. In this perfection-obsessed world, use your designation, knowledge and talents to add some room for imperfections too, and lend your hand to help, nourish and above all, love children with special needs.  Their souls are perfect in God's eyes.

To those who went through abortion, the grace of God is not short not to forgive you. Jesus paid the ultimate penalty for ALL of your sins. All you have to do is to repent and turn back to God who is waiting for you with open arms. God bless!

SJ