“New wine in old wineskins"

 

“New wine in old wineskins" is a phrase from the Bible that refers to the idea of trying to fit new things into old structures. It can also refer to the idea that new and old are incompatible. During the time of Jesus, the Pharisees (Jewish religious leaders) were the people of the Law who did a lot of good things outwardly, but many were prideful with hardened hearts. They were the religious people who attacked Jesus often and tried to find fault with Him. The Pharisees were threatened by the popularity of Jesus and His teachings which they assumed was against the law, but it wasn’t. Jesus while teaching His disciples said, "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”  

It is hard to see true, genuine change in people. They deceptively change based on circumstances to gain popularity. They follow ritualistic habits of visiting religious places, practicing strict spiritual discipline with no genuine change of heart. Their hurtful thoughts, behavior and action towards people remain unchanged. Jesus in His time on earth revealed that the Savior of the world is right in their midst and all religious rituals are of no use. He was hated for stating the same. Jesus provides insight by asking us to prioritize having a relationship with Him rather than depending on ritualistic habits which don’t change us. We have everything in Him, and our works will flow out of our love for Him.

It is only relationship with Jesus Christ that will transform our character, impact our behavior, and urge us to forsake our wicked thought processes. Jesus constantly emphasized on repentance. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in actions. It's a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. John in the gospel states this, when it comes to repentance. “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance…”. True repentance has an impact on our thought process and action and is a total change of direction that comes from the heart and is genuine.

When there is no change, our evil self keeps ruining our desire to become a new creation like adding new wine to old wineskin which alters the fine taste of wine and affects the wineskin. Let go of the scars, shame, dirty habits, harmful relationships and ask Jesus to transform you. When Christ transforms a person then the changes are not temporary. They are permanent and impacts every area of our life. You experience true contentment and don’t find the need to deceptively change for people’s approval. You try to please God always. 

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When longing for Love increases!

Love, the supreme of all emotions is ascribed to God. When it relates to humans it takes different forms and connotations based on our desires. We try to find love everyday through different means. Love fills our hearts and when the heart is deprived of love, it starts looking for in both good and bad places. Momentary love pursuits leave a greater vacuum in the heart.

Author Bruce Marshall once said, “A man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously looking for God.”. This statement has always reminded me of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, in which He used her love to introduce her to living water. The Gospel writer in the Bible records this fabulous incident of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman near the well. Jesus rests near the well after a long trip and wanted a drink from the Samaritan lady who had come to draw water from the well. During the conversation with her, Jesus claims that the water He gives will not make her thirsty again. This is the quote of what Jesus said. “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again.”  Surprised by what Jesus said, she wanted to claim the offer from Jesus hoping that she need not come and draw the water from the well anymore. But Jesus was referring to the longing of her heart. And now comes the interesting part of the story. He asks her to call her husband to which she said that she doesn’t have a husband. Jesus immediately narrates the fact of her life by saying “You have correctly said, I don’t have a husband, for you had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.”. The lady was stunned at His awareness of the facts of her life and encounters Jesus, the embodiment of love. The conversation she had with Him was satisfying and promising. It is further recorded that she runs to the village to introduce Christ to them and brought the whole village to Him.

People yearn and pursue love in different places only to get stuck in the pit of loneliness. The law of pleasure states, that every time one goes to find pleasure in wrong places, the yearning becomes more but less satisfying. When your heart is empty of love, you don’t find the purpose of living a meaningful life. Man’s purpose is designed by God who is full of love. The Bible tells us that “This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts…”. The destination for love is Jesus. His sacrifice through which we find forgiveness from our sins and hope to live are worth experiencing.  

Sinful pleasures are always inviting. We give into them and are later filled with a trail of regrets. Garett puts it so beautifully, ‘Before sin, Satan is the tempter who whispers, “You should do this!” After sin, Satan is the accuser who whispers, “How could you have done this!” Satan kills through temptation and buries with guilt.’. He pushes us into a greater vacuum of desperation and longing. We fail to realize it is God who can bring about a calm in our stormy soul. George MacDonald states, ‘The cry of the deepest in man has always been to see God’ and when this is unfilled the longing for true love increases. Jesus Christ came into this world to assure us of this fact that only He can fill the vacuum and has the power to save us from this toxic cycle of sin. He died on the cross to break the cycle and fill our hearts with love. When you commit to know Him and follow Him your soul is satisfied and rests.

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Doorless windows and boltless doors!

 

Now that we have ushered in the New Year, we feel a little relieved that it has finally come and take a break from all the hype it created for the past few days. Some of us may have done our retrospections, made some commitments and taken some crucial decisions. However, one thing that needs to stay strong and consistent are our heart and mind. Now why do I say that? It’s the fullness of the heart that overflows to our mind. 

 

If we look at the world around us, we all agree that its growing darker and wicked by the day. The heinous crimes are only increasing. Some are senseless murders, beautiful lives cut short because someone took it in their hands to finish a person’s life, gruesome rapes as one decided to strip the dignity of a person to satisfy their own carnal desires. If we have a microscopic view of these sins, it boils down to the decision of an individual. Even crimes committed by mobs are a collective decision of individuals. The Bible says, “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart..”. All evil work starts with the heart, gets its form in the mind and results in evil actions. 

 

When we give into our carnal or wicked thoughts, we are like the homeowner of the house which is well built with doorless windows and boltless doors. The house seems safe but without proper doors for windows, we are open to the strong winds, dust, and pests. Without a bolt for our doors, we expose ourselves to thieves invading our home. We are careful enough to secure our earthly homes, but we fail miserably to follow the same principle when it comes to our heart, mind and soul which are bound for eternal life. The Bible says, “But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.”. We hardly stay alert and careful of what we see with our eyes, what we feed our minds and allow our hearts to desire. Like a house with doorless windows and boltless doors, anything and everything that our eyes see, our mind thinks and fulfills our heart’s desires becomes our necessities.

 

We fail to understand that we need a point of reference for morality and purity of heart. We need a God who is pure, faultless and faithful. We can find this in Jesus Christ who though lived a life of a human yet overcame temptations and lived sin free. It was not because He was God in human form, but He was in close relationship with the heavenly father all through His earthly life. He filled His mind with the teachings and word of God that filled His heart and refreshed His soul. He understood our weakness to sin and came to earth to save us from it. He went through an excruciating death and rose again so that you and I can live this sin free life. Apostle Paul in one of his letters says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” It is only through knowing Him and having a relationship with Him can we be set free from our sinful thoughts and be filled with peace. Let your desire this new year be to know Him personally and receive new life, as the Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”.

 

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What are you pursuing in 2025?

 

Failure is always considered temporary and a passing phase. What we don’t realize is so does success. Henry Kissinger an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States Secretary of State said this, “Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.”. This statement captures the essence that all achievements and accomplishments are temporal and reaches it expiry date.

Everything needs an upgrade including your success. Instead of chasing success, pursue the pathway of doing things truthfully with authenticity before God and all things will fall in place. New year brings with it the excitement of commitments, relationships which are new but lose their sheen overtime and familiarity. Priorities are dictated by context, situational pressure, environment, work culture and so many other factors.

It’s a good time to ask ourselves the question, ‘What am I going to pursue in the year 2025?’. Our definition of success is confined to lucrative career, more wealth, luxurious possessions unrestricted power and influential connections. Yet are these the only factors that define our existence? These dictates of the world have a satisfaction limit and become a heady intoxication overtime, asking for more. However, staying humane with sanity, respecting without prejudice, loving one another have all become just slogans on T-shirts but hard to find in the character of people. 

The greatest purpose in life is to know God, worshipping Him and having fellowship with Him. We can argue that the purpose of life is to be happy. However, happiness is not an end in itself but being happy in God is the greatest form of happiness. He wants to pour out the deepest form of joy in us through our close relationship with Him. True joy in God makes us want to obey God and makes us long to share our joy with others. God’s purpose for us is to love Him – and each other. In the Bible books of Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ was asked what the most important things a person should do. He replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength…(and) love your neighbour as yourself’. 

In the book of John, Jesus Christ said, ‘I have come that they may have life and have it to the full’. Following Jesus Christ makes life immeasurably better creating a unique perspective that one’s time on Earth is a small part of his/her eternal existence. He/she enjoys a greater sense of security, purpose and self-worth. Having a close relationship with God enables hem/her to face challenges in life such as loss or bereavement. They move on from the things they have done wrong because they have the assurance they are forgiven. If you want to know Jesus Christ, please read the book of John in the Bible to experience the true joy giver, who can give you that contentment you are looking for.

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Moving from 2024 to 2025!

 

Every passing year leaves its memory of great happening that brought a huge opportunity in the living condition for its people. And along with it, is also the global crisis which includes natural and man-made disasters. The crisis and challenges humans face linger long as memory in human mind. If you assume things are getting better, well actually it is not.  There is constant disaster, catastrophe of all kinds, war, national and civil war  happening in some part of the world. 

Let me highlight some of the major disasters occurred around the world, including: 

 

Flooding

• Europe: Storm Boris caused flooding in several European countries, including Spain, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Poland. 
• United States: Heavy rainfall caused flooding in Roswell, New Mexico, and the Northeast. The Mendenhall Glacier dam burst in Juneau, Alaska, causing flooding that inundated over 100 homes and hundreds of vehicles. 
• Thailand: Heat waves caused 30 people to die from heat stroke. 
• India and Pakistan: Deadly floods occurred in these countries. 
• Southern China: Deadly floods devastated the region. 

 

Earthquakes

• Japan: Two powerful earthquakes caused Japan to fear a megaquake. 
• Cuba: Two earthquakes, magnitudes 5.9 M and 6.8 M, occurred over the sea, 8 km from the south-eastern coast of Cuba. 

 

Wildfires

• Canada: Wildfires occurred in Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, and British Columbia. 
• California: The Park Fire was California's seventh-largest wildfire. 
• Other disasters
• Papua New Guinea: A landslide buried more than 2,000 people alive. 
• Mali and Sudan: Floods turned the Sahara into an ocean. 
• Brazil: Deadly floods occurred in Brazil. 
• Kenya: Deadly floods occurred in Kenya. 

 

And then, in the world economic forum. I found this information which was interesting. The voting is done to find the top 5 risks which has the potential to increase the material crisis on global scale. And here are the results. ( note: it may vary with ongoing people’s voting)

 

• 66% Extreme weather
• 53% AI generated misinformation and disinformation
• 46% Societal and political polarization
• 43% Costs of living crisis
• 39% Cyberattacks

 

And I think these results speak so much about the reality today.  The inflation and cost of living is directly affecting the living condition. The cyberattacks are beyond human restriction. The safety wallets are in any form is no more a safety at all. Well, if all these prove that things were not actually getting better, then the chances are things would get worse even in future. We may hope things get better but the reality of corruption, hatred, selfishness will outgrow all the virtues. 

 

Around 2000 years ago the man Jesus who claimed and proved to be God, the way and the truth have already foretold what is to happen. And it is exactly happening the way Jesus predicted and saw it will happen. (The below statement is the quote from the Bible)

 

• In the world you will have tribulation.
• You will hear of wars and rumors of wars
• For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.
• Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death
• The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother.
• The love of many will grow cold.
• People will talk about peace but there will be no peace

 

But note, these are just beginning of all sorrows. The purpose of Christ coming to this earth is to seek and save the lost. And the Bible says, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. He is the provision for man’s sin and wretchedness. He is the only one in human history who was resurrected from the grave and called the risen savior. This is the gospel the Bible refers too. And Jesus concluded by saying, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”. 

God wanted man to get an opportunity to know Him and make a decision to accept him as the savior and Lord of his life. The state of the world may not change to better but your condition for sure changes forever. You find hope in Him the purpose to live in this life victoriously and with a hope to live with Christ Jesus forever. Whoever forsakes Him will be perished forever. You have an opportunity to know Him and make a decision in your life.  

Reference :

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/01/global-risks-report-2024/

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Knowing the True Christmas!

Christmas is a yearly celebration with gifts, cakes and vacationing with family and friends. It’s a time of relaxation from the busy life we endure the entire year. It helps us enter the new year rejuvenated and replenished, ready to take on new commitments. This celebration is of global significance uniting people from all religion, race and language. Unfortunately, the key figure Jesus Christ is totally missed out in all this festivity and forget why we celebrate it in the first place. Jesus’ birth was the greatest miracle of all time. His birth was the fulfilment of prophecies written 700 years ago on the birth of Messiah, virgin birth, place of birth, etc. His birth alone in history records all the prophecy about His birth, His lifestyle, His nature of death and resurrection. King David who lived 1000 years prior to Jesus states, “My faithful God will come to meet me…” in the psalms recorded in the Bible. 

Human race has invented it own gods, idolized people, things, natures, and stars to worship. Jesus Christ is the only God who took the form of human, the one He created, and lived among us. The creation story describes that God created the entire world, the heavens and the earth, and all the that is existing by His word.  After 4,000 years, John one of Jesus’ disciples witnessing the miraculous birth of Jesus writes in His book, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” and continues to say, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”.  

The Bible is the only book with no contradictions and maintains cohesiveness from the first book of Genesis to the last book of Revelation. It talks about the truth, the truth which is claimed by Jesus when He said, “I am the way truth, and the life.”. Allow me to showcase some of the prophecies foretold 700 years ago:

About His birth:

 Isaiah 9:6:“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

Isaiah 7:14:"Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel".   

Matthew 1:22-23:"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us"  

Matthew 1:24: "Joseph kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son"  

About the His birthplace - That Jesus will be born in Bethlehem 

Micah 5:2: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days". 

About the His name

Matthew 1:22-23: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 

Jesus is not the God of the Christians alone. He is the Savior who came to forgive the sins of the world and save us from our guilt, wretchedness and failures and connect to God for abundant life and eternity with Him. 

Would you take time to read the Gospel of John this December to know the truth?

  

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Decisions – The Game Changer of your Destiny

What would retrospection of your actions in the year 2024 look like? Were they based on convenience or morality? In the choice between ethical dilemma and survival, our leaning is always towards survival. John Maxwell in his book “Ethics 10” states, “An ethical dilemma can be defined as an undesirable or unpleasant choice relating to a moral principle or practice.”. As humans we tend to do wrong than right. We cheat, cut corners, use treachery believing we will not be found out.

 

The common cause in our wrong doings is pressures of life. In our urgency to mitigate the crisis we take quick unethical decisions, which we regret in leisure. The good news is there is a way out of all this guilt and shame we go through for the messed-up decisions we make. This is the Christmas story of God born as a man, crucified on the cross, died and rose again, so that you and I can have forgiveness of sins because of wrong decisions. Jesus modelled His life where He showed how to take ethically sound decisions in deep crisis and vulnerability. In the Bible it states that Jesus, before starting His miracles and healing He fasted 40 days with no water and food. The devil chose this opportune moment to derail His mission by tempting Him when He was at His weakest.

 

According to Dostoyevsky’s view, devil offered three easy means of inciting belief. Miracle, mystery and authority and Christ refused all three. Listed below are the three temptations Jesus had to face: 

1. Instant gratification: The devil appears to Jesus’ physical appetite and offers instant gratification to use His miraculous power, whether to use it for selfish reasons or to help others. Jesus denied Himself the opportunity to satisfy His hunger, even though He had been fasting for forty days and nights.

 

2. Attention seeking: Devil puts a challenge to Jesus to throw Himself off the highest point of the temple. This is a temptation to do something dramatic (though not productive) to attract attention. Again, the challenge to Jesus was to misuse His power.

 

3. Selfish ambition: The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. He said to him, “I will give you authority and splendor… if you worship me. It will be yours.”. This temptation tested Jesus’ devotion to God and desire for political power. However, Jesus showed that His idea of a Messiah was not one who had political power but one who put God’s kingdom first.

 

Jesus was an all-powerful God who raised people from the dead. He could have always defeated his enemies like the myths and stories we read in few religions. However, He was humble enough to go through the humiliation and pain of the cross to save you and me from eternal damnation. Even during the temptation, Jesus did not waver from His destiny because there was a larger purpose for His incarnation as God. I urge you to change the course of your life by deciding to follow Jesus who is both holy and perfect. May God bless you and all your decision to be right and do right in this coming new year 2025!

 

 

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