Road of Disappointment or??
It was a journey of seven miles. But it seemed like 70 miles for the two. That was because they were disappointed and their hope was lost.
Haven’t you felt the same when you walked back to home after a failure? The road seems long. The path seems tough. You don’t run. You don’t even walk but you crawl. Yes the road of disappointment is long. When your only hope is crushed your walk seems tough.
That is what exactly happened to Cleopas and his friend as they walked along the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem.
Look at their face. They were sad and downcast.
Hear their words as they say “But we were hoping that it was He Who would redeem and set Israel free”
“They were hoping”. So now their hope is gone. So they started walking back to their old place from Jerusalem.
These two disciples were hoping that Jesus would save Israel, but when Jesus died, their Hope was gone. So from the protected, holy city of God, they walked down the path of disappointment to their old lives.
We all walk such road, isn’t it? One disappointment and we show our back to God. When our Hope is lost we start walking back the road of disappointment and we tend to go back to our old lives.
But this evening as I read this passage I saw what I didn’t see all these days.
As these disciples were walking back with shattered hope, they were not alone. Because the 15th verse tells us “Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them”.
Did you see that word? No? Ok one more chance…
Now read the sentence slowly
Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. (That word is highlighted!!)
Yes the Word is “Already”
Oh how wonderful is our Lord. He was already walking down the road of disappointment with them even before they saw him.
May be today the road that you are walking is tough, but remember He is “Already” walking with you. Not only He walked with them, but he changed their direction of journey. He changed their disappointing journey into a journey of Hope. Look at this verse “And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem”.
A few hours back they were walking away from Jerusalem, but after Jesus walked with them and talked with them they were walking towards Jerusalem.
A few hours back they were disappointed, but now they were filled with Hope.
Whatever may be the road you are traveling and whatever may be the distance you are away from the city of Hope, the One who walked still walks and the One who talked still talks. See Him and Hear Him. Your life won’t be the same again. Theirs weren’t.
Luke 24:15 And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. (Amplified Bible)
Luke 24:33 And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem… (Amplified Bible)
Saving and Investing
The Bible say’s in 1 Timothy 5:8“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever” 1 Timothy 5:8
What a strong statement????? The Bible equates one who does not provide for one’s own family to the status that is below an unbeliever. In another instance in Proverbs 13:22 the Bible say’s “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”
The people like to glorify what is easy to glorify & avoid what is tough to obey.
Remember the classic Bible quote from the Gospel of Matthew “Look at the lilies of the field……”; we all know that quote by heart & miss-quote it out of context at the very first opportunity. Jesus does speak of the love of money as the root cause of all evil, but he also speaks on the qualities you need to have to create wealth in this world and the next. Want proof????
24 of the 39 parables that Jesus spoke were about money. Don’t believe me, “check out what I am claiming”. Jesus always wanted his people (Us believers) to be clear on the concepts of money. Jesus always directed his question at ‘Where is your heart?”; “On the money?” or “On Me?”
When we look at the concept of Saving & Investing from this angle the answer is clear. I am always looking at ways to make my family secure as the Bible says we need to make our family secure. You do your best for your family & leave the rest to God. This will be a stronger example rather than saying “God will take care of my family” & you absolving yourself of the responsibility to take care of your family.
The Bible say’s in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”. Aha!!!, How much more clarity is needed? First “Jerusalem” (Your Home), then “Judea” (Your Neighborhood) & last “to the end of the earth”
If you have been neglecting your family for your secular work “or” God’s work, then this is a wake up call for you. First, Save & Invest in your family (Both Spirit & Money) & then move forth to conquer the world.
God Bless You.
Victorious Life
The Bible say’s in 1 Timothy 5:8“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever” 1 Timothy 5:8
What a strong statement????? The Bible equates one who does not provide for one’s own family to the status that is below an unbeliever. In another instance in Proverbs 13:22 the Bible say’s “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”
The people like to glorify what is easy to glorify & avoid what is tough to obey.
Remember the classic Bible quote from the Gospel of Matthew “Look at the lilies of the field……”; we all know that quote by heart & miss-quote it out of context at the very first opportunity. Jesus does speak of the love of money as the root cause of all evil, but he also speaks on the qualities you need to have to create wealth in this world and the next. Want proof????
24 of the 39 parables that Jesus spoke were about money. Don’t believe me, “check out what I am claiming”. Jesus always wanted his people (Us believers) to be clear on the concepts of money. Jesus always directed his question at ‘Where is your heart?”; “On the money?” or “On Me?”
When we look at the concept of Saving & Investing from this angle the answer is clear. I am always looking at ways to make my family secure as the Bible says we need to make our family secure. You do your best for your family & leave the rest to God. This will be a stronger example rather than saying “God will take care of my family” & you absolving yourself of the responsibility to take care of your family.
The Bible say’s in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”. Aha!!!, How much more clarity is needed? First “Jerusalem” (Your Home), then “Judea” (Your Neighborhood) & last “to the end of the earth”
If you have been neglecting your family for your secular work “or” God’s work, then this is a wake up call for you. First, Save & Invest in your family (Both Spirit & Money) & then move forth to conquer the world.
God Bless You.
SNARES
SNARES
Psalm 91:3 “Surely HE (God) shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler “
This verse looks like a caution but the Lord revealed to me that it is a WORD OF PROMISE. The verse talks about God’s promise to DELIVER YOU AND ME FROM THE “SNARES OF THE DEVIL”. You will never happen to read this article unless the Spirit of God has planned to deliver you from Satanic Snares and set you on the road to freedom and victory. So rejoice for the wonderful freedom and strength you will receive at the end of reading this article. As you read this article the Holy Spirit will help you discover the snares of the devil in your life but please remember that the intention of the Holy Spirit is not to condemn you but to convict you and immediately deliver you from the same.
A snare is something that a believer unknowingly and inadvertently falls into. The devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8) hence the bible asks us to be “vigilant “.
SNARE OF BUSYNESS
Very often I have awoken in the morning from sleep feeling spiritually sick and down only to discover that it had been a week since I spent meaningful time in prayer with my Saviour. But how come I did not sense it, Busy-ness. I was too busy doing the job God has graciously given me that I forgot the Giver. Official pressures kept me so busy. My drive to perform the best and get into my boss’s good books kept me very busy. My drive to perform more for a promotion and earn more salary and prestige kept me very busy. Competition kept me very busy and all these things have made me numb to the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit whispering into my ears that I was missing out on prayer.
Sometimes we think that by praying we are doing God a favour or pleasing him. No! The Holy Spirit is driving us to pray, not because He gains anything by our prayer but that we may gain spiritual strength-not only to grow spiritually but also professionally. Please understand that for a believer, success in professional life too is hooked to his success in spiritual life. The devil makes you busy in your profession so that he can suck out your spiritual life which will in turn lead to your failure in professional life too. He uses your profession to destroy your profession. You may say, “Others will run ahead if I take time for prayer and slow down a little bit “. I agree, but that’s only for a short while. When you run with the Holy Spirit you may slack in the beginning but as you gain spiritual strength and apply spiritual wisdom and direction to do your professional work you will run steady and strong and will run beyond the point where others will wear out in frustration and bitterness. You will be running in full speed while others would wear out.
“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint”
(Isaiah 40:31)
SNARE OF PRAYER LESSNESS
Prayer is not an exercise of uttering simple words. Little do the believers realize how their words that proceed out of their mouth during prayer affect the unseen spiritual world. The words that run out of their mouth proceed into the spiritual world and attack the powers of darkness that are against us. If only a believer gets a glimpse of the spiritual reality their prayers are creating, their prayer times will see an unprecedented revival. Now do you understand why the devil labours to stop a believer from getting into his prayer room, Hell begins to shudder when a believer enters his prayer closet. He trembles, cries and shouts words of defeat to himself.Whenever I preach this message I would sense the terrible cry of the devil saying, Oh! Please don’t preach this truth to these people. I have spent years of deception to keep them out of prayer. Please don’t attack the foundations of my plans to destroy this believer.” I can hear him shout Oh! They are hearing what I never wanted them to hear “. The agony of His cry is the clue to the power of my preaching. The Bible says “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God” ( Romans 10:17 ) and no wonder the devil does not want people to HEAR . Why does the devil shudder at prayer? Because he knows the bible well. He knows that when a believer gets into his prayer closet Whatever he asks God, in the name of Jesus Christ, God will do it for him and two things will result-the name of the Father will be glorified through the believer-the believer’s joy will be full. (John 14:13 ,14 and John 16 :23 ,24) and both these things are devastating to the devil’s plans.
Dear believer go head and revive your prayer life and receive all that you desire and led a successful life which will make you an attraction to others .They will glorify your God and your joy will also be full.
SNARE OF FAITHLESS NESS
A BELIEVER CAN NEVER RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM God until He believes and a believer can receive everything from God when he believes. This is the biblical principle .The devil is not much worried about a believer who just reads the bible like a religious routine or a religious discipline. This will just get the bible into his head – which is also important – but all the reading that’s stored in the mind can’t become a reality unless they are believed. The devil will stop you from reading the bible but if you manage to beat him there he is still not defeated. He will stop you from believing them. The devil relaxes as long as you only read the Bible but the moment you begin to believe them, your faith sends vibrations into hell and the devils roils with anger. Remember in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus Himself taught us this principle in Matthew 21:22which says “All things whatsoever you ASK in prayer BELIEVING you will receive”. Note ALL THINGS is hooked to ASKING and asking is hooked to BELIEVING. What a powerful principle the Lord Jesus Christ taught us when He said “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23 ). What more reason do you want to prove that the devil will do everything possible to stop you from believing and from this you need to realize the world of wonders BELIEVING will open into your life.
SNARE OF WORD LESSNESS
Hosea 4:6 says “My people perish for lack of knowledge ” in other words “people are perishing due to ignorance”. A believer’s life begins to perish if he is ignorant. Ignorant of the Word of God. The Word of God contains all the promises that a believer needs to make his life peaceful, successful, Prosperous and joyful and why will not the enemy stop him from discovering his gold mine. Too often our prayers are filled with our own words that come out of our own perception of our problems. No wonder our prayers are filled with lamentations and tears. The devil can drag us away in prayer by making us dwell in our own words of unbelief and agony and keep us away from using the Words of God in prayer. God’s word are like missiles and only they can go forth and destroy the works of the devil and not our words. At the same time only God’s word can operate in a believer’s life and fulfill God’s purposes in his life, as God Himself says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” ( Isaiah 55:11)
Believer! Your future is in His Word but His Word is in your hands. “If you abide in Him and His Words abide in youyou will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you” ( John 15:07 )
SNARE OF FELLOWSHIP LESSNESS
Jesus Said “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask it will be done for them by My father in heaven because where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them” ( Matthew 18: 19- 20)
If you know that the devil fears something (you can know this by observing what area of your life he continuously attacks) boldly go ahead and have it because there lies your victory. Is your marriage being delayed by mysterious reasons ? Then your marriage is going to be the area which the Lord will use to glorify His name through you. Is it your profession ? Then that’s where the Lord is going to be glorified. The same is that with fellowship. I used to wonder why it is so difficult for two like minded believers to come together for prayer. Fellowships are suffering without attendance. Why ? Because the devil knows what will happen if only believers come together. The devil will see to it that two believers don’t come together and even if they manage to get together he will see to it that they don’t stay together for long. But don’t worry the Lord has promised to deliver us from all this.
Whenever you feel spiritually tired to pray for a point don’t procrastinate the prayer or give up on it, but immediately apply the biblical principle – go find another believer with whom you can trust your prayer point ( Watch out for gossipers and backbiters) and pray with them and you will see miracles happening.
Rejoice my friend for the Lord will surely deliver you out of all these snares no matter how deeply you have fallen.“He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4) and therefore you are bound to win. Success, peace, health and prosperity are our spiritual destiny and we will have it all.
(This message was delivered by Bro. Samson Sugunakumar in the CCF Inaugural Meeting on Feb 18th 2006 . Bro. Samson Sugunakumar, Chairman, Founder of Word and Power Ministries, Chennai)
God basics…
I just thought that I should pen a message that goes down to the very roots of our Christian faith. If you are a believer of God then that belief is based on the foundation of 3 basic principles.
- God is real
You have a faith that God exists. Your God is someone whom you know through your personal experience. You have undergone a situation in your life where you cried out to God for help. That cry for help took you to a definite result that gave you a tangible evidence of God’s existence.
Many years ago – I got the proof of the reality of God when I made a simple prayer and said “Jesus – If you are the son of God, Change my life”. My life has changed permanently and continues to change till today. “Yes” – God is real.
- He’s personal
It is so easy to read stories of God’s move in others lives. However, when that move happens in your life, it becomes a testimony. A testimony, that God is not only real but also a personal reality. He is the God that you talk to even for things like changing your job. He is your God & there is no medium required to connect you to God.
Sometimes when I pray, I ask God for many impossible things, and he does many impossible things for me. I asked God that my current company should get ISO 9001-2001 and though we were far behind in the documentation required, we still got recommended for ISO. “Yes”- He (Jesus) is my God. He takes care of me like father would take care of his child.
- He wants to relate to us
God wants to relate to us & specifically to you. The way to relate to him is “prayer”. As against prayer being a petition session, it is supposed to be a communication session with God.
Sometimes miraculous things happen when I pray while preaching. I suddenly feel the prompting within me to specify a particular medical condition and say that God is healing that condition. Moreover, the healing actually happens. “Yes”- God wants to relate to us and uses every possible way to relate to us.
In all that you do in your personal, corporate “or” ministry, first PRAY. God wants to talk to you, lead you, and guide you into fulfilling his plan for your life. His plans for you are great. As the Bible says in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Some of us believers have become like a cricket player who has lost form. Do what a cricket player would do to get back into form. Get connected to the basics again.
God Bless You
V Chacko Jacob