What do you wish to leave behind?

 

The greatest purpose of a man’s life is to find happiness. We all want to ensure the exciting experiences, thrilling adventures and prosperous endeavours forever remain with us especially through the new year. We also desire to leave behind the painful moments and hope to start the new year with surplus to make our dreams come true. This usually is our highest priority. Even though we have zero control over our lives we still anticipate that the new year will be a good one. Do you think you are in control over your future? Not true! This inclination comes because we make a good living and have considerable surplus as savings, hoping that this will help us control our crisis and challenging situations in our life.

But what about our selfish intentions, the covetousness and the many other evils that breeds in our heart? Do you desire to leave those behind which are the main source of regrets and confusion. As our goal is to be happy, we selfishly end up defining the means. 

We engage in unfruitful activities leaving us desperate and to live with regrets. The Bible points out a valid reason for so many confusions. "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.". Human selfishness is the source of many regrets and yet we want to live that way because it is all about us at the end of the day.

If we delve into the human heart, you will find nothing more than the selfishness. We understand we are mere mortals yet behave like we are going to will live to see many generations. The engine is the main and central part of a vehicle without which however fancy the body looks it is of no use. Similarly, the heart is the core of an individual. Jesus calls human heart as springs of life. Many springs are polluted for long and are decaying. You can get that repaired, formatted, and may be even replaced with a new soft heart if you are willing to leave behind your selfish desires which the Bible calls as sin. Sin is a serious issue that escapes diagnosis. You can confess to Jesus all your wrong doings and deliberate willful actions. He is the only one who claimed to forgive trespasses of any kind and make us a brand-new being. New year cannot change us, but Christ can. The fact He is God who has resurrected from dead and promised hope in this life to prepare us for eternity with Him. Would you like to make a simple prayer and receive Him in your heart?

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A Fabulous story of all time in history!

 

One story that rules History even today is the birth of Jesus celebrated around the world on 25^th December. However, only few are aware of the facts that surround it. Let’s see some of  the crucial ones:

1.Prophetic Birth:

Jesus’ birth was the fulfilment of the prophecy foretold 700 to 1000 years ago. He is the only human who found His identity even before His birth in Matthew 1:23 in the Bible, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you will call him Immanuel.” (Immanuel is a descriptive name for Jesus. It means “God with us.”).

2. Virgin Birth:

In the same passage mentioned above, it is recorded that this God of the universe will be born through the virgin. This miraculous virgin birth event is only related to Jesus in human history.

3. The Three Wise Men:

Otherwise known as the Magi followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. They offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. By the Middle Ages, most believed that three Magi visited the Christ child and that they were kings who symbolized the three ages of man. Later commentators proposed that they represented the three known continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

4. The angels appearing to Shepherds:

The book of Luke chapter 2 in the Bible tells us that an angel appeared to some shepherds after Jesus' birth and told them that the saviour had arrived. This unique incident brought together all categories of people and that God is for all regardless of caste, class, race, and economic status.

How is it that Jesus, a Jewish rabbi who lived over 2,000 years ago, continues to captivate people worldwide and is still the most fascinating figure of all time? Jim Warner Wallace, a former cold-case detective uses his investigative skills to explore the historical and scientific evidence for the existence and divinity of Jesus. He gives some brilliant evidence as follows:

1. The Credibility of the Canonical Gospels.

The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) provide primary sources for understanding Jesus ‘life and teachings. The texts were written by eyewitnesses or people who had access to eyewitness accounts, offering detailed depictions of Jesus ‘life, including His crucifixion and resurrection. Centuries of scrutiny by scholars support the historical accuracy of the gospels, making them a valuable historical foundation for the Christian faith and providing compelling evidence of Jesus ‘existence.

2. Extra-Biblical Sources.

Numerous extra-biblical sources from various ancient historians provide additional validation for Jesus ‘existence. Tacitus, a Roman historian writing in the early part of the second century A.D., mentions Christ in his work “Annals,” affirming His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. Furthermore, Jewish historian Flavius Josephus refers to Jesus in his writings “Antiquities” and “The Jewish War,” confirming His impact on society and the rise of Christianity.

3. Non-Judeo-Christian Sources

The Roman historian Suetonius mentions disturbances within Rome due to Chrestus (Christ), highlighting early Christian presence during Emperor Claudius’s reign.

4. Archaeological Discoveries

Archaeologists have discovered artifacts corresponding to events described in the gospels, lending credibility to their historical accuracy. Notable findings, such as the Pontius Pilate inscription at Caesarea Maritima and the Caiaphas Ossuary, offer physical evidence of significant figures present during Jesus ‘crucifixion.

The joy of Christmas is no ordinary joy, but the “mega joy” of redemptive history. In an act of immeasurable grace, as a gift to His people, a culmination of all the Old Testament promises, God sends forth His Son. That is why our eyes should open wide in awe when opening the New Testament in the Bible to wise men from the east rejoicing “with great joy” at a star and angels announcing “good news of great joy” to shepherds. You too can experience this joy by receiving this saviour in your heart. No need for rites, rituals, or pilgrimage travel. Just say a prayer believing and accepting Him, and you are in your new journey not to a foreign religion but to abundant life and hopeful eternity.

 

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Reference:

“Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible,” Mr. Jim Wallace

2023 Exit Summary!

 

Some of the major challenges that existed in the year 2023 and continues to loom with ever threatening consequences are as few mentioned below:

Battling with pandemic

Global recession.

Unemployment

Global warming

Ongoing war: close to 32 ongoing conflicts in the world right now, ranging from drug wars, terrorist insurgencies, ethnic conflicts, and civil wars.

And then the crime rate which is at the rise. The crimes have various forms including corruption, drug trafficking, fraud, embezzlement, robbery, kidnapping, crimes against women and children, and assassinations. In almost all the cases, we humans seem to be the cause.

I was contemplating, if 2023 should give its exit summary what it would be? People have so much to complain about the year or even brand it as a bad year because many things did not work for them in the way they desired. Numbers, days, dates, and years plays a major role in religion. Some dates and days are counted auspicious than others due to which humans’ wilful errors and failures escape conviction. They are responsible for the severity of the consequences because of their actions, yet they refuse to accept it. People are unapologetic. We hope to scrap through to the new year and continue in our selfish pleasures in newer forms.

Just to give you an example; it is said that the global Adult Entertainment Market is set for remarkable expansion in the upcoming years, with increasing demand for various types (2D, 3D, VR, Books, Magazines and Periodicals, Live Performances, Others) and applications (Female, Male). The global Adult Entertainment market size was valued at USD 51,827.1 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.69% during the forecast period, reaching USD 76,443.41 million by 2028. As a result, people engage in all types of activities which includes human trafficking to flesh trade.  Porn industry is over a $100 billion dollar business today. So, who is responsible here? Is it the year or human heart which is constantly generating wickedness? The Bible narrates the condition of the human heart in this way, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Stop asking one another to "listen to their hearts" because the heart can mislead if it is not set right. And that requires a divine intervention, not the so-called spiritual activities. We all can agree that most of the crimes are done in the name of gods. People think they appease gods anger by inflicting pain and afflicting one another including sexual crimes.

The year has given us enough reasons to blame each other. We are responsible for those deplorable acts. However, we can change the reality if we are willing to do something about the state of our heart. We try to cover up our guilt with good acts here and there and live in false peace. This could take you only so far and then you will find yourself hurtling down the hill guilt with pain and regrets. Your only hope can be found in Christ who is celebrated for the pure incarnation, the virgin birth, holy life, and miraculous resurrection. He has the power to forgive our sins, save us from all our unrighteous deeds and from living a wretched life. Commit to Him by saying a small prayer and ask Christ to be seated on the throne of your life. I guarantee there would be perfect harmony in living out God's purpose in your life.

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“Truth” Matters!

 

Things are not the same as it was few decades ago. There is no safety for life and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to trust people. We are living in the edge of national and global catastrophe, mostly manmade than natural. There are the big and powerful people on earth who have an agenda to wipe out generations. Everyone seems to have their own version of truth. People are influenced by religious fanaticism contradicting human sanity. Yet, people strive to establish their agenda in the name of god and deny the absolute truth.

There are people who exterminate lives in the name of religion because they are promised virgins as a reward in heaven. Rationalism and truth are no more matters of importance in religion, which is leading men to behave worse than animals. Is the truth lost, or man is just trying to believe in his/her version of truth? People want to be less accountable and more in control. When the belief system is contaminated, the behaviour is seriously affected. Research done by George Barna and Josh McDowell reports how one’s beliefs affect one’s behaviour. Barna and McDowell discovered that if a person doesn’t believe in absolute truth, he or she will be:

200% more likely to steal,

200% more likely to watch a pornographic film,

300% more likely to use illegal drugs,

600% more likely to attempt suicide,

When people deny absolute truth, the foundations of their personal convictions give away and alters their behaviour drastically. It’s critical that we know truth by trusting Jesus and building a strong foundation. Unfortunately, most people in our culture do not believe in the importance of being grounded with a strong foundation of knowledge. Some people just want to have “blind faith” in Christ that only involves the heart and feelings while excluding the mind and reason. This is contrary to what Jesus Himself commanded. He wants us to offer Him our heart and our mind. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God, with all of your heart and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind”.

Repentance from sin is the core in Jesus’ message. He promised to dwell in human hearts resulting in life transformation. You lead a balanced life by believing a true God. By this I mean that neither you lead a morally depraved life or become a godman to gain popularity. Rather you become like Jesus who was the epitome of holiness and truth. Have you ever felt wretched, defeated, and helpless irrespective of all your faithful rituals? It is time to find the truth and I guarantee the truth recorded in the Bible just doesn’t satisfy your psychic mind but gives you a purpose and direction to an abundant life as promised by Jesus Christ.

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Thanklessness to Thankfulness!

 

Finally, here we are in the last month of the year 2023. What are those nostalgic moments you want to celebrate or carry forward? Is your heart filled with gratitude or regrets? Are you bereaving the loss of your loved one? Each of us are fighting a unique battle to survive yet have found grace to survive and exist.

Have you found a reason to be thankful and grateful? If not for anything, we need to be thankful for the gift of life. The Bible says, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!". Your existence is the greatest miracle and a gift from God. We are all usually excited over our material possessions. We live in a time where people are less thankful and feel more entitled for rights and privileges. Harvard business review found that higher-power people express less gratitude because they feel more entitled for favours and benefits from others based on their elevated standing in the hierarchy. Lower-power people, however, express more gratitude to cultivate stronger relationships with powerful people. Even here we find categorisation based on the above study. It looks like the poor and the needy are expected to be more grateful.

Being thankful and expressing your gratitude displays the state of your heart. It is crucial that we express our gratitude to one another we live with and most importantly to God. Your life is a gift from God, what you do with it changes your destiny. There are many benefits to being grateful. Gratitude is good for your psychological well-being, your relationships, possibly even your physical health and most importantly your spiritual well-being. However, the truth is that some people have more grateful dispositions than others. For some of us, gratitude just doesn’t come that easy.

Usually, we can easily find more reason to complain and grumble, but it takes careful thoughtfulness to appreciate and express our gratitude. In the Bible it is recorded of Jesus' parable about the prayer of a tax collector and a Pharisee. The Pharisee expressed his thankfulness by doing this Prayer, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’. The tax collectors in Jesus’ period are counted as corrupt and morally degraded people. This tax collector beat his chest and asked, “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’. This parable tells us that we are all sinners struggling with regrets, guilts and consequences. Some are spiritually arrogant like the Pharisee, but few willingly seek to be transformed. There is hope in Christ because we can find forgiveness from our sins when we confess our wrongdoings and receive Him in our hearts. The first thing that fills our heart is love and gratitude and we live our lives intentionally thanking God and one another.

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