"AVATAR"!

THE AVATAR OF CHRIST!

The Unique & Nishkalanka Avatar of Jesus Christ was predicted in the book of Genesis.
Genesis was derived from the Greek verb called “gennao’’ which means (birth or Origin).

In the fifth chapter of genesis there is genealogy. Many times when we read the genealogies we think we couldn’t learn anything from them but God has written everything with a meaningful mystery.

We see in 2 Tim 3:14-17 “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”.

• In Gen 5:1-2 we see the Nomenclature “ADAM” which means (Mankind). we see the first man ADAM was lost and with him the Mankind was lost in the sin. The first sin of the mankind was an act of disobedience to the will of God. Adam fall and his subsequent spiritual death/Physical death was passed genetically to the mankind through his cell structure known as “Adam’s original sin”.
  

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

• In Gen 5:3 we see the name “SETH” which means (An appointed substitute) since Adam and his mankind was lost in sin. God has appointed a substitute to fulfill his plan and also to be a substitute for the covering of sin and salvation for mankind. Jesus was said to be the second Adam. He was substituted for our sins as a second Adam.

“For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous(Rom 5:19).

• In Gen 5:6 we see the name “ENOSH” which means (Death Doomed).Since all the mankind was destined to spiritual death and physical death in Adam, through the substitutionary spiritual death of Jesus Christ mankind’s lost glory is doomed. As one man of God said that when person believes in Christ he will become “Light” and when he walks with God he will become “BRIGHT” and when He dies or resurrected he will become “Sprite”.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Go is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Rom 6:23).

• In Genesis 5:9 we see the name “CAINAN” which means (To acquire or Acquisition).Since fall of Adam mankind has a great desire of acquiring immortality (Moksha).Mankind was unable to acquire God by their own attempts & self righteousness. Mankind appointed way to reach God is known as Religion,which had failed to acquire God through their futile attempts. The first attempt was the formation of the Tower of Babel. God destroyed the Babel and scattered the mankind around the world.”Religion is the opium of the masses” (Karl Marx).Any self effort of mankind to be forgiven of his original sin is useless. Man cannot take out his problem. To acquire salvation God made a plan and man has to adhere to the plan of God.

“No one has ever seen God. The One and only Son-the One who is at the father’s side-he has revealed Him”(John 3:18).

• In Genesis 5:12 we see the name “MAHALEEL” which means (The God of Splendor/The God of Glory).Man has the desire to acquire God and his salvation but God is with full of glory and splendor. We see that

a. God is Righteousness

b. God is Eternal Life

c. God is Love

d. God is Omniscient

e. God is Omnipresent

f. God is Omnipotent

g. God is veracity

h. God is Immutability

“…………….We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only son from the Father, full of grace and truth”(John 1:14).

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:1-3).

To reach the standards of God Man standards are fallen short and all his human deeds and Human righteousness are filthy rags.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isaiah 64:6).

• In Genesis 5:15 we see the name “JARED” which means (Descending).God understood the desire of Mankind and he decided to descend for the salvation of Mankind.

“No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven-the Son of Man” (John 3:13).

“who existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead he emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in his external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even to death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8;John).

So my dear friends this is Christmas. Christmas is God Descending for the mankind as a God-Man. May you accept the descended God-Man Christ as your Savior and Lord and attain the splendor of God. May this Christmas enlighten you to understand the plan of god and receive his glory.

CHRISTMAS GIFT!

Some of my earliest memories from childhood are of sneaking under the Christmas tree to see what gifts had my name on them. I can remember lifting, shaking, and even peeling back some wrapping paper in order to see what toys my parents & most probably my dearest friends had gotten me. One Christmas before I could read I even opened every single gift under the tree. The December this year, however, I was in for a shock. I looked under the tree and found not a single present with my name on the tag. There were gifts there for everyone else but nothing with a "To Jeshurun" on it. I was heartbroken. It wasn’t so much that I was getting no toys & gifts. It was the fact that they had forgotten about me. Never in my young life had I felt unloved until that moment. With tears in my eyes I went and got some old toys of mine and some leftover wrapping paper. I had started to wrap them so that I could have something under the tree when my Darling Friend Santa Claus is planning to gift me. Taking me in his arms He lovingly explained that I hadn’t been forgotten.Santa Claus had gotten me presents 2 months back but had decided to hide them from my prying eyes and fingers until nearing Christmas Day. Looking back now I remember what I got this year, but I will always remember that reassuring moment of a gift of love. The gift of love He gave me then remains in my heart with gratitude. It is the gifts of love that are the greatest gifts of all. Jesus’ entire life was a gift of love. As we celebrate His birthday this year then let us all seek to give the gifts of love as well. The gentle hugs, the caring looks, the joyful smiles, and the warm words of love we give will mean more than anything we buy in a store. The time we share, laughter we spread, encouraging and ascribing credit to little children and kindness we shower on others will live on in their hearts forever.

Leo Buscaglia :once said that, "Life is God’s gift to you and how you live it is your gift to God." May your gift be a loving one at Christmas time and always.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

THE” BOURNE IDENTITY” OF TRUE CHRISTMAS!

“ You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich”(2 Cor 8:9).

As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” ( II Cor 9:9;Psalm 112:9).

THE “BOURNE LEGACY” OF SECRET SANTA CLAUS!

Once upon a time a man called Nicholas lived in Patara, a town in the East; It is now in the country of turkey. Because he was very fond of children and was kind and generous to them, they came to think of him as their dear friend and their beloved saint. So it was that after a time the wonderful things he did were woven into a beautiful legend. You know that Santa means Saint and Claus stands for Nicholas, and that is how he came to be known as Santa Claus. In Santa Claus's own town, Patara, lived a great lord who had three daughters. He was very poor, so poor that one day he was on the point of sending his daughters out to beg for food from his neighbors. But it happened that Saint Nicholas not long before had come into a fortune, and as he loved giving to those in need, he no sooner heard of the trouble the poor lord was in than he made up his mind to help him secretly. So he went to the nobleman's house at night, and as the moon shone out from behind a cloud, he saw an open window into which he threw a bag of gold, and with this timely gift the father was able to provide for his eldest daughter so that she could be married. On another night Santa Claus set off with another bag of gold, and threw it in at the window, so the second daughter was provided for. But by this time, the father had grown eager to discover who the mysterious visitor could be, and next night he kept on the lookout. Then for the third time Santa Claus came with a bag of gold upon his back and itched it in at the window. The old lord at once recognized his fellow townsman, and falling on his knees, cried out "Oh! Nicholas, servant of God, why seek to hide yourself?" Is it not wonderful to think that this was so long ago, sixteen hundred years, yet we still look for the secret coming of Santa Claus with his Christmas gifts? At first he was said to come on his own birthday, which is early in December, but after awhile, as was very natural with Christmas so near, the night of his coming was moved on in the calendar.

The night of his coming was moved on in the calendar, and now we hang up our stockings to receive his gifts on Christmas Eve. In some countries children still put their shoes by the fireside on his birthday. In others they say it is the Christ-Kindle in or Christ Child who brings the gifts at Christmastime. But it is always a surprise visit, and though it has happened so many hundreds of years, the hanging up of the Christmas stocking is still as great a delight as ever. But one thing we can learn from this true story and we can implement in this coming Christmas, offer help to anyone who needs it.

CONCLUSION:

“And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God” ( Heb 13:16).

Selected Bibliography:
1. Saint Nicholas :Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus
By: www.stnicholascenter.org

CHRYSALIS!

A BUTTERFLY COMBAT!

"Where a Caterpillar is transformed into a Butterfly"!

INTRODUCTION:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,But the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

“In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12).

“For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake”! (Phil 1:29).

A Story of the Butterfly Combat:

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

CONCLUSION:

“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."( Acts 14:22).

“…………….If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20).

As one prayer was answered by GOD in this manner!

I asked for Strength!........................And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong!.

I asked for Wisdom!........................ And God gave me Problems to solve!.

I asked for Prosperity!....................And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work!.

I asked for Courage!........................And God gave me Danger to overcome!.

I asked for Love!.............................And God gave me troubled people to help!.

I asked for Favors!......................... And God gave me Opportunities!.

I asked for Blessings!......................And in all God gave me Abundant Blessings!

“we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.(2 Cor 4:9-10).

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place" (II Cor 2:14).

ADVERSITY DESTINED DIVINE PROSPERITY!

Is Human adversity aids Divine prosperity!?

Is Human Suffering is a part and parcel of Divine prosperity?

Does God have any Blueprint for the Human suffering?

Is Suffering can be a Blessing according to the BIble?

Is Christ suffered for evil or Blessing?

Defining Divine Prosperity through Human Adversity (Suffering)!

We see a rampant propaganda of prosperity preachers confusing the Christendom in this 21st century.People generally are being victimized by the prosperity gospel!

We see Attributing human adversity as evil and blaming Devil for all the problems of the mankind!.

We see Christ himself mentioned that Christianity is a narrow way ( A pre-planned way of suffering designed for mankind by God in eternity past).

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” ( Matt 7:13)

Many people have a notion that human suffering is evil and why does the good God allow us suffering?Some times God allows suffering for Discpline and also for Divine prosperity.Once in A matrimony the groom asked the bride saying I want to gift you a great ring are you ready to accept? then the bride thought it as a valuable wedding ring made for her and said ok! Then he presented the bride a golden ring embozen with the words as suffering!Then the bride is shocked ! “why are you giving me this “suffering”! The groom said God has bestowed us with a greatest thing in our life as a ring known as suffering for blessing!

Before having a question why do Christians suffer? We need to ask ourselves why people suffer!
Sufferings are not limited to Christians alone but for all kinds of people. All people in the world are suffering. Those people who generally say that they don't have any kind of suffering in their life are good actors are phoney hypocrites.

How we are suffering as Christians? How the human race is suffering?

Human race and Christians are generally suffering with 6 kinds of suffering. They are as follows:

1. Health: (physical pain, loss of health, organic health etc).

2. People: we suffer because of other people. It may be our family members, office members, members of the society or any members of the human race in general. Eg: accidents, murder, thefts, bribery, rape, terrorism etc.

3. Privation: (lack of something, lack of food and nutrition for the prolonged period of time, lack of shelter, lack of money, bankruptcy, lack of friends etc).

4. Weather: (too hot, cold, breezy, stormy, Hurricanes, humidity,earthquake etc).

5. Mental suffering: (common fears or phobias of life, mental anguish, anxiety, anticipations, depressions, intensively and extensively worrying about the horrors of future life. E.g.: Anxiety in the life of a retired person.

6. Justice: (.Traffic rules violation fine, driving license, not wearing of helmet, capital punishment. Any kind of justice operation would result in our suffering).

These kind of sufferings generally happen to homosapien whether believer or unbelieverChristian or non-Christian.

These 6 kinds of suffering have different correlation with Christian suffering.
All suffering in the Christian life is designed for our blessing..

All suffering is confined to time or eternity.

A. Suffering for unbeliever in time: All suffering for the unbeliever is given to awaken the existence of god, eternity, positive volition, to lead him to person of Jesus Christ. All suffering for unbelievers is designed by God to bring him towards Christ.

B. Suffering for unbeliever in eternity: Eternal Lake of fire because of the rejection of Jesus Christ, God's plan and Gospel.

"Whoever believes in him(Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son”( John 3:18).

“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire”. (Rev 20:14-15).

Suffering for believer in time: 12 reasons why believer suffer. Exception 1 divine discipline. Exception removed by rebound.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives”. (I John 1:8-10).

D.No suffering for believer in eternity: because of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (.John 3:16).

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21:4).

Unique suffering of Lord Jesus Christ:

Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him.Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in youeven at my mother's breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is nearand there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their preyopen their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among themand cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You, who fear the LORD, praise him!All you descendants of Jacob honor him!Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24For he has not despised or disdainedthe suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from himbut has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him—may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earthwill remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nationswill bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORDand he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31They will proclaim his righteousnessto a people yet unborn—for he has done it”.

ISAAH Chapter 53
1 Who has believed our messageand to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.Like one from whom men hide their faceshe was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmitiesand carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on himthe iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.And who can speak of his descendants?For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

PHLIPIANS 2:5-9 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himselfand became obedient to death–even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest placeand gave him the name that is above every name”.

HEBREWS 2:9-14: “9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.”And again he says, “Here are I, and the children God has given me.”Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil”.

There is no unique suffering for mankind after Christ bored our sins on the cross
If we see the sufferings of a Christian. There are 12 reasons why a Christian suffers. One exception is divine discipline “Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Heb 12:6).All suffering falls into 2 categories cursing or blessing. Divine Discipline is for cursing but by “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9) it will turn to a blessing by God. Every bit of suffering in the life of a believer fetch him blessings.

Divine Discipline: This is under cursing. If some one is going under DD we should not come in between. If we come we will be hurt. We need to apply the doctrine of divine essence. God is just and he judges everything fairly “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him”! (lsa30: 18). Even in Divine Discipline we are not receiving actually what we are deserved in His Grace. He is cutting our misery “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon”. (Isa55:7). The suffering God brings in the Divine Discipline is very rough. He knows what punishment is fitting for the crime. He doesn't need our help. He does everything in his faithfulness. A servant of God is having a responsibility to exhort but no right to discipline anyone. God judges 100% accurately if anyone is going wrong Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”. (Rom 12: 19-21).

But the problem is some people always try to be back of others (Maligining,Gossipping,judging,slandering,lying,humiliating,Always Caomplaining,scoffing,Mocking). 99 % out 100 sufferings of a believer is none of our business, 1% is doubtful!.

Suffering for Eternal blessing! - (Luke 16: 19-31).

Suffering of Lazarus the Duffer-Ek Niranjan!

Luke 16: 19-31 we have 2 bible characters. The rich man and Lazarus. These stories have their origin from Egyptian and Jewish traditions. The bible doesn't mention the rich man name because he is unregenerate. But the recent Manuscript says his name is Neues.

Luke 16: 19-21: we find Jesus gave a frightening warning to the rich Jewish leaders. And this warning is for all who ignore their neighbors in their problems and distress. It is a warning to those who mock at poor people “He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished” (Prov 17:5).

“He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.”(Prov 14:21)

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Prov14:.31). It is also a warning for the people whether rich or poor who makes money, power, and people as their criterion in their life.

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strengthand whose heart turns away from the LORD.He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes.He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.”(Jer 17:5-7).

“It is better to take refuge in the LORDthan to trust in man.It is better to take refuge in the LORDthan to trust in princes.”(Psalm 118:8-9).

The comparison of both their life styles shows one is a rich Jew and other is a begging Jew. One lived in happiness and other lived in misery. One was praised by men other was despised by men. Only the dogs cared for the poor man Lazarus the beggar.Lazarus didn't have a strong family to boast as we have. He was a lonely person he didn't have enough finance, he didn't have ministry & missions as we have, he didn't have revival in his life as we have prayer fellowship & revival in our life. But had a strong faith in the lord.

In any way we cannot compare at least 1 % with his life. He lost his health, shelter, food, clothing etc. we have good health, shelter whether rented or owned houses, we have enough food to eat, we have enough clothing to wear. We have to praise god for all the blessings in our life so far.

Even the prophet Habbakuk undergoing similar suffering expresses his faith in God says:

“I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled.Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamityto come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not budand there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop failsand the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights”(Hab 3: 16-19).

Eventhough we are not faithful in many aspects of our life but he is faithful to us.

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Tim2: 11-13).

He is faithful in providing our all the necessities of life. That's what we have to give thanks in all the things of our life. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thes5:16). In all things means it also includes suffering. All things are not good but all things work for good “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him"- Some manuscripts. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God”(Rom 8:28).

Here the question comes why Lazarus suffered as a believer?

He is not the cause of his suffering!

This doesn't happen to him because of sin!

The suffering came to him to bless him!

Suffering came to illuminate the doctrine through his life.!

The suffering came to teach the believer and unbeliever about the shortness of the time on earth and lengthiness of time in eternity. (Life on earth is a drop of bucket compared to eternity).So my dear friend if you are undergoing anykind of suffering in your life remember that it is meant for blessing.God never intended any kind suffering to be forever in our life.May God bless us in our suffering.Once again let us remember we are suffering for Blessing!.Amen!!!

"We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity, for in prosperity we forget God"-(D L Moody).

"To this you were called,because Christ suffered for you,leaving you an example,that you should follow in his steps"(IPet 2:21).

Bibliography: 1) Christian Suffering (Audio Message) by Late.Colonel. R B Thieme Jr.2) Bible verses (NIV) 3)photos 'The passion of christ' movie by Mel Gibson.