MY BLOG IS BACK TO BLOGGER!

 Blessings, Dear Reader! 

This blog has come back to the Blogger platform! Wordpress was a bit expensive to maintain and also required me to devote more time on its upkeep. This was not possible given that I do a fulltime job. On the spur of the moment right now - and hopefully by the leading of the Holy Spirit - I have decided to resume posting on this blog.

If I can, I will try uploading the posts that I had written on my WordPress blog after my last post here. I may eventually change the name of this blog from Jesus is Lord to The Jesus Blog. Until then, please be encouraged by this Bible verse:

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." 
                                                                        - Romans 10:13 (KJV)

This Blog Has Now Migrated to WordPress

Hello Subscribers and Readers,

After a lot of waiting and dilly-dallying, I have migrated this blog Jesus is Lord, to the WordPress platform. Continue your loyalty and readership now at JesusBlog.in.

At the time of writing this, the new blog is still a work in progress. You will, however, be able to read at the new blog, all the blog posts and even the About page you read here. Meanwhile, I thank you all for visiting this (now) old blog, reading and subscribing to it. At least as of now, I do not plan to delete it. Do drop-in a word to me in the comments below when you subscribe to the new blog.

Happy reading and God bless you and use you all the more as a blessing!

Santa Claus - Convenient Replacement for Jesus Christ

Here's my Christmas post that comes to you 5 days late - or 360 days early - depends how you look at it. Before the next Christmas, let's settle a few things...

1. Where is Santa Claus the rest of the year? 
2. Who IS Santa?
3. Is Santa correctly spelled as S-a-t-a-n?

These questions beg being answered. So let me give my two cents here!

1. Where is Santa Claus the rest of the year?
   
   He is hidden from view except during the Christmas season. He is a spirit, a movement. A counterfeit for Jesus Christ. While it may or may not be a sin to accept goodies from him (ask Jesus about it), keep in mind that he is not the Provider. All he can do is get a human to don his attire and spring sweets and toys from his bag and give a few light moments to his audience. He cannot save a dying man or restore marriages or finances. He certainly cannot give you a glimpse of what to expect the other side of life - more life...or agony...or cessation of existence (also called Nirvana). So if you do not see him the rest of the year, do not be surprised. He did not say in the Bible, that "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Jesus did. So expect only Jesus to be with you 24 x 7 x 52.
   
   
2. Who IS Santa?
   
   Legend has it that he was a European saint called Nicolas. Saint Nicolas became Santa Claus over time. He loved kids and would give gifts to children. I just hope he taught those kids about the giver of every good gift and every perfect gift - the Father of lights, God Himself. But it's amazing how this concept was preserved for so many centuries. I think there is a malevolent spiritual force behind the Santa Claus movement. If the saint is in Heaven, he must be feeling sorry he ever gave gifts to kid (thank God there is no sorry feeling in Heaven - but only clear knowledge of one's works)!
   
   
3. Is Santa correctly spelled as S-a-t-a-n?
   
   Not the original one. But Satan has definitely hijacked Christmas and taken focus away from Jesus Christ to someone who looks like a poor caricature of Jesus. Jesus does not dance and roar with laughter - at least not on Earth. But Santa Claus makes all the right marketing moves. Santa is for the Happy Holidays culture. Jesus is for the Merry Christmas culture. 

So what should you do?

Get the real deal. What's more important - getting a big bar of chocolate or a close friend in who will stand by you in life'a thick and thin? You decide. You decide if you want to follow the one who put on a red robe - or the one who created a red robe for himself, shedding blood and being covered with it until every sin of yours was paid for in full. If you feel Jesus deserves your attention more than Santa, head over to this post and do yourself a favour.

Getting People Saved Through Altar Calls

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 

- Romans 10:13,14 (ESV)

• Does your church believe in giving altar calls? 
• Does your pastor ask unsaved people to repeat the sinner's prayer after him?
• What background does he give before asking them to pray the sinner's prayer?
• Does he talk about heaven and hell or does he just say something that gives a peaceful feeling that "Thank God, God loves me"?

Well, not everyone who prays the sinner's prayer might be saved. God knows if they really meant it, or whether they know the basis of such a prayer. The Bible says, "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." It does not say that all those who pray the sinner's prayer shall be saved. It says that you must do at least 4 main things to get saved from hell:

1. Repent of your sins
2. Believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son and he incarnated as a human being
3. He died (to bear the penalty of your sins and pay the price for your forgiveness)
4. He rose back to life (to give you eternal life in heaven)

The Bible expresses and/or implies these points. But besides these, there are some finer nuances as well, like believing that you cannot save yourself, accepting him as your exclusive Saviour, etc.

I read an amazing article this morning on How to Botch an Altar Call. It is up on the Way of the Master site - a website of Living Waters ministry by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. If you are a Christian, you must read that article without fail. It not just has satire in it, but it also educates you on what all must go into an altar call for it to be effective. 

And as for leading people to Christ through prayer, the Sinner's Prayer on this blog should be adequate. If not, please let me know in the comments below how I can improve it. But first, head over to learn how to botch an altar call!

Magnetic Power of a god called Television

Since the last few days, we do not have cable TV at home, because the service provider has stopped broadcasting to our building. They used our electricity for free for 20 years. Now when we are asking them to pay up, they cut off our cable TV connection. What peace rules our home these days!

Generally speaking, I only look at TV - others watch it :) But have you observed that the moment you turn on the television, all of a sudden, everyone's attention shifts to that magnetic box? People are glued to their seats and watch with rapt attention as if swami-ji (colloquial for a religious guru) is delivering an important spiritual discourse! I have even caught people (and myself too, I must confess) staring at the TV even when there is a blackout - an interruption in the broadcast - or when the channels are not loading and the screen is blue. Such is the magnetic power of television - if you give it power.

When that happens, it might just be that the TV has become your idol - your god that is not a god. TV is just one example. Some other things that could have become your god, are mobile phones, tabs, computers, cars, bikes, food, work (Oh yes), tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, the ideal body figure or target weight... Here are some indicators to help you decide if something is on its way to becoming your idol/god:

• Do you look at it (e.g. a mobile screen) more than you look at your spouse, or baby's frolicking face?
• If a Bible were lying next to it, what would you pick up - that thing or the Bible?
• Do you feel compelled to use that thing more, even though you know you used it enough and any more is just a waste of time?
• Do you constantly think about it when not at work?
• Do you feel lukewarm towards the things of God?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, it is likely that you are giving the TV or whatever it is, the status of a god or idol. Television, food, gadgets...these are just tools. They are just a means to achieving an end, not an end in themselves. And they can benefit you only if consumed in line with the Word of God, not instead of the Word of God. Maybe I am preaching this to myself too as I write. Let us all recognize that the world as such has nothing to offer to us. Like an uncle of mine once said, "The world is bankrupt." Better to realize now and give it only so much attention as it deserves, and not a bit more. Let us give God the place He deserves in our lives and show tools the place they have in our lives.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." 

- Matthew 6:24 (NASB)

Why Your Mind Deserves to Be Renewed

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2

When we are born again, our spirit receives an overhaul just like a car does. It’s the same body, but the engine is cleansed thoroughly by the blood of Jesus Christ and we are created anew. And all things of the spirit are from God. When it comes to the body, every cell in the body (except brain cells and some other cells), is replaced by a new cell at least once in 7 years. So, every 7 years, even unsaved people have new bodies. Then what is it that does not change upon salvation? It’s our soul – or mind. That is why the Bible asks us to proactively renew our mind. And what will we renew it to? To the Word of God – the Bible. That is the equivalent of regular maintenance of your car – servicing, refuelling, keeping it running to prevent it from getting rusty or cold.

So let us give our car the maintenance it needs and deserves. Our mind needs and deserves good maintenance because the one who lives in us is perfect. If a guest visited your home, you would treat him like a king. But what if a king made your home his abode? Will you treat him like you treat your family members (!!)? Or will you treat him like who he is and also begin treating your family members like they are kings too? Truly I say to you – if you are born again, then your family is a partaker of the promises of Acts 16:31 and the subsequent verses, and also other verses with promises. So you and they are kings.

Let's treat our minds with the tonic of God’s Word – the Bible. I know it's easy to teach or preach but challenging to live it out. God will help us. As we live out the command of God, we will have truly honoured the one who lives in us – Jesus the Christ – King of kings and Lord of lords. Say Amen to that!

Evangelism: Only 10 Percent of World Born Again?

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" - 1 Corinthians 3:16

How many temples of false gods does the world have - can you hazard a guess? Less than 700 million I'm sure. And how many temples of the Living God does the world have? More than 700 million people in the world are born again - actually, close to a billion of us are born again. So who should call the shots? Of course, born again Christians.

Then why has this not happened till the time of writing this? Because of ignorance, theological differences, lethargy, lukewarm hearts, fleshly nature (not dying to self), unwillingness to unite and coordinate, etc. Basically, because of not using the mind of Christ that God has given to us at our new birth.

Our Saviour (and Lord) Jesus Christ has given us the following command in Mark 16:15...
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

If every year, each born again person leads only 1 person to Christ, in 3.5 years, everyone will have been saved. On average, each Christian has to lead only 3.5 people to Christ. That's it! Maybe you need to preach the good news to many more.  You can sow the seed and someone else may reap the harvest. Your loved one might not believe your preaching but may receive the words of an unknown believer. Never mind - you got your loved one into God's Kingdom, right? That's what matters.

So let's go and evangelize - whether face to face, on Facebook or by sharing your personal testimony. Lead people to Christ by using this sample sinner's prayer.

God Saved Their Family, So God Will Save Yours

First read these verses:

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 (emphasis added)

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." - Acts 10:34,35 (emphasis added)

"For there is no respect of persons with God." - Romans 2:11

This is our third post in a series of posts on God's promises in the Bible to save your entire family. It may not be the last.

If you read those verses carefully, then I don't even need to write this blog post. But still I will - because I love to write!! But seriously, be comforted by this, that if God was merciful and kind enough to save those wretched, shameless sinners (like we were once!), He will surely save your family members. Because He does not discriminate between two unsaved human beings. He is the ultimate grace-giver. Grace means extra time to catch up - to get right with God. Even though man keeps sinning against God daily, God does not kill him - He lets man live some more so he can repent of his sins and accept God's plan of salvation. That is God's grace.

So if God gave grace to someone else's spouse or parents or siblings or children, He will do that for yours too - you have His Word on that!

What, then, is the breaker?

One of the things that make a difference is speaking the change. A preacher's daughter was sort of in love with an unsaved man. So she began to pray the usual prayers for his salvation: "God, please send someone into his path who will share the Gospel with him..." Then God spoke to her: "Speak the change." So she began speaking positive confessions about him being saved. Within a month or maybe a few months, he got born again. Now if speaking the change can work for her, it can work for you. If she could marry that guy because of her confessing the Word, so can you have Godly relationships with your people by doing the same thing - declaring, proclaiming the victory that Christ has given us. After all, did he not die to get us all saved!

As you begin your journey of speaking the change, I pray in Jesus' name, that may God's Word become flesh in the lives of you and your loved ones. Do keep me updated on your progress. God bless you and use you as a blessing!

Here is a sample Salvation Prayer to lead your loved ones when they want to accept Christ.

Easter Sunday: Wake Up! The Son Has Risen

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;" 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18

When we wake up in the morning, we get to welcome a new day. It's the sun that makes this possible. The sun set the previous evening and rose this morning. And so we could welcome today with open arms. Well, the Son (of God) died on Good Friday, was buried and came back to life on the third day. So by the same token, it's the Son who makes it possible for us to put to death our old, sinful and wretched life, and put on the New Life that God has envisioned for us.

Some people say Easter was apparently a pagan festival celebrated by people in some regions of the world. They worshipped a fertility goddess. So the Easter egg may have been a symbol of fertility. Some other people believe that the Easter egg is a symbol of the empty tomb of Jesus. What's the truth about Easter, then? Well, I think it does not matter. What matters is that you believe that Jesus Christ is God's answer to save mankind from sin and its effects, 

Image courtesy: http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/2mQla2hAQLCQIpnx8hhu_sunrise.jpg

which is eternal death in hell.
Read this blog post to find out how you can be a beneficiary of God's plan of salvation for mankind.

Born Again Christians - God's Bridge to a Hurting People

Born again Christians are the bridge between the healing promises of God in the Bible, and their fulfillment in the lives of the sick or injured people. If that bridge is strong, the healing words pass through and are made flesh in the life of the patient. If that bridge is weak, this does not happen. At worst, the bridge itself might collapse, and at best, the bridge itself can be strengthened, but not enough to convey the benefits to the other side – the patient’s body and mind.

The best resource I have found to renew your mind in the area of Biblical healing - other than the Bible itself of course - is the Divine Healing Technician Training (DHTT) teaching by John G Lake Ministries. There is nothing technical about it. It's just a name given to the training by the person who first trained DHT practitioners - Dr. John G. Lake (1870-1935). Here is a link to the audio and video of that training:

http://www.divinerevelations.info/documents/healing/jgl/jgl_ministries.htm

I suggest you scroll to the middle of the page and download the MP3 ZIP folder (only 170 mb). It holds nearly 15 hours of excellent teaching, that will open your eyes to what the Bible really says about healing. If you have felt that your life as a follower of Christ lacks power, then you must listen to this teaching. Listen even otherwise. You can also Google for the DHT PDF manual and use it to study the concept and scriptures for yourself.

The Bible says that as you sow, you shall reap (in Galatians 6:7-9). This means if you pray for others to be healed, you too will be healed. If you pray for someone's loved ones to be healed, your loved ones too will be healed. It's just like the law of gravity - whatever goes up must come down!

So why not let your life be fruitful for God and be the bridge that conveys healing to a hurting populace! First preach the Gospel if you can, then heal. The healing will then be a sign to unbelievers. Of course, if it's an emergency or an otherwise delicate situation, it's better to first heal and then preach. It may take some time to see results when you pray for people or lay hands on them (do not lay hands on private parts of anyone other than your spouse or small child; do not lay hands on the opposite sex, other than holding their hands or touching their head). But the Bible promises that as a Christ-ian, you shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. So they shall recover. No two ways about that.