PETER’S MESSAGE

“All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah!”

When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”

Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from his sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit. For God’s promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away--- all whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Peter made his appeal to them and with many other words he urged them saying, “Save yourselves from the punishment coming on this wicked people!” Many of them believed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the group that day.

(Acts 2:36-41)

May the Lord bless you and take care of you. May He be kind and gracious to you. May the Lord look on you with favour and give you peace.

With love filled blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

HUMILITY

Mary said, “He –the Lord- has brought down mighty kings from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.”  (Luke 1:52)

Lord Jesus was invited on a Sabbath after the synagogue prayer for a meal as was the common practice of the Pharisees.  Noticing the immature behaviour of people, rushing to occupy the important seats inspired Lord Jesus to provide a good prescription about humility and hospitality to be observed in a social human life.

The Lord told them this parable, “When someone invites you to a feast don’t select the best places, instead choose the lowest place.  If you sit in the best place, then, when more important guest than you comes, the host will ask you to move back and it will be a great insult for you. Wherein, if you are seated in the lowest place, the host may ask you to take a better seat.  Then you will be honoured in the presence of all.” 

Lord Jesus concluded, “Everyone who makes himself great, will be humbled and everyone who humbles himself will be made great.”

The Book of Proverbs provides further guidelines to us, “When you stand before the king, don’t try to impress him and pretend to be important.  It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important.”  (Chapter 25 : 6 – 7)

Humility is an important virtue to be practiced by a follower of Christ.  Lord Jesus is the owner of a heart full of meekness and humbleness.  St. Paul provides insight regarding the humility of Christ Jesus, “He always had the nature of God, but He did not think that by force He should try to become equal with God.  Instead of this, of His own free will, He gave up all He had and took the nature of a servant...”  (Philippians 2 : 6 – 7)

Here St. Paul advises us to imitate Christ Jesus and to realign ourselves according to the teachings of the Word of God to adorn the nature of the Lord.  So also he instructs us, “Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble towards one another, always considering others better than yourselves.”  (Philippians 2: 3)  The Lord reprimands the proud and blesses the loyal.  St. Peter puts it this way, “God resists the proud, but shows favour to the humble.  Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that He will lift you up in His own good time.”  (1 Peter 5 : 6 – 7)

God cannot tolerate pride and arrogance.   Humility is a gift from the Holy Spirit and to avail it one must get rid of pride and arrogance.  Lord Jesus sternly corrected the pride, prejudice and cowardness of the Pharisees.  If the Lord is against you, human wisdom, brilliance and insight are of no help.  The ‘superiority’ or ‘I know everything’ attitude makes you to do foolishness and thereby become a victim of insult.  It will push you to interfere in others’ matters and take you to unworthy places. 

Those who are honest and accept their status modestly, choosing to remain in a position of humility can be honoured in the Kingdom.  Let us take stock of our lives and learn to be content with what we have and be a stronger person.  Lord Jesus clearly indicates that God will carry out His judgment on the same principle. 

And finally He turned to the host and added, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner do not invite your friends or brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbours, for they will invite you back and in this way you will be paid for what you did.’ People are often mistaken when this sentence is taken out of context.  In fact, Lord Jesus very beautifully informs us that if you feed the rich people for the sake of a mercy deed, the reward for your good deed will be repaid by them.  Lord Jesus never meant not to invite benefactors or well wishers to your feasts; instead He depicts in attractive human terms to feed the poor and hungry who are unable to repay your good gesture.

The Lord was reminding us that the Gracious God has provided and blessed the world in abundance so that all the people can enjoy and have sufficiently. Only if the rich would open up their hearts and store rooms generously to the poor and deprived people, then no more will there be any poverty.

…. by a Guest Writer

THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

As it is written in the book of Prophet Isaiah, “Someone is shouting in the desert. ‘Get the road ready for the Lord.  Make a straight path for Him to travel.  Every valley must be filled, every hill and mountain leveled off.  The winding roads must be made straight and the rough paths made smooth.  All mankind will see God’s salvation.’  Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him.

“You snakes” he said to them, “who told you that you can escape from the punishment God is about to sent?  Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins and do not start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor.  I tell you that God can take these stones and make descendants for Abraham.  The axe is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire. 

The people asked him, “What are we to do then?”

He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none and whoever has food must share it.”

Some tax collectors came to be baptized and they asked him, “Teacher what are we to do?”

“Don’t collect more than is legal” he told them

Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us?  What are we to do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely.  Be content with your pay.”

People’s hope began to rise and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.  So John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am.  I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  He has His winnowing shovel with Him to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.” 

This is the Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

LET’S BE AWAKE AND SOBER

The Holy Bible says, “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will run away from you.”  (Jam 4: 7)

PART II

Click here for the earlier part

Dear devotees of Christ, consider yourself a blessing if you have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord; filled with His supreme power of the Holy Spirit and venerated Him at the center of your heart. After being cleansed, the Holy Spirit will begin to work in you, giving you timely inspiration to lead a disciplined and orderly life. He will illustrate you a quite place and time that can be designated to the Lord in communication. The Holy Spirit will lead you in progress thus attaining tremendous heights of peace and joy.

Be sure to memorize that just as God’s mercy are sprinkled so also are the temptations scattered everywhere.

 It is essential to remind ourselves that Jesus too was tested by the evil spirit after the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus resisted him with the Word of God. Though the devil left Him; it is mentioned in the Holy Bible, ‘the satan left Him for a while.’

 

Similarly, the owner of those old evil habits that you abandoned due to True repentance is always on the lookout to capture you again. Unable to admit failure, it is the devil’s grudge and aim to harm those who threw him out. We often come across people who are unable to accept their mistakes and maintain grudge and anger to harm those who correct them.

The satan that left Jesus in the wilderness, always did try to capture Him through the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law. When the time came for Jesus to be handed over to the power of the world, satan re-entered through His own disciple Judas Iscariot. (John 6:70)

The Holy Scriptures indicates the return of the devil with seven more badly than him.

If we go through the Light of the Holy Word it mentions a woman, Mary Magdalene from whom seven devils were cast out; she resisted the devil and went on to be Jesus’ constant follower, observing the Crucifixion with the Lord’s Mother.  She was blessed to be the first to witness and converse with the Risen Lord.    

Similarly, in the Gospel of Mark the devil himself confesses that ‘there are so many of us’. (5:9)

Lord Jesus rebuked and cast out all the evil spirits, proving His power and authority; so that whoever believes in Him need not fear the power of the world.

In the Holy Bible, the number ‘seven’ is a symbol of completion and perfection. While the devil traps you with his seven destroyers, the Holy Spirit anoints our life with His seven wonderful gifts.

It is important to correct oneself  at the  on start of the evil trap be it a small white lie or a casual disobedience; or else these habits may grow to more serious and cruel deeds. The satan throws in all his perishable and poisonous pleasures and turning him/her to a murderer or destroyer of the world. One of his worst natures is cheating and deceiving each other. When you do evil, sin is crouching at your door.

So let us be alert and control our life from the lust of eyes, body and pride. The devil is always in action capturing the number, power and spreading wickedness in all its fullness, as he knows he has very little time left. (Rev 12:12).

Lord Jesus said through the parable that those who are not ready to repent and have a stagnant life will advance to such tragedy, that they will be thrown in the lake of fire and sulphur along with satan. 

When our actions are accurate in the sight of God, the joy that radiates will be relevant on our face. St. Paul, undoubtedly declared that human race has the power of victory over the demons as he wrote in his letter to the Romans (16:20),’God our source of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.’

It is prudent to resist the entry of devil into your life. He blinds us to our numerous blessings through discontentment, throwing our attention to others and their prosperity, spinning a web of aloofness; striking the flame of enmity between your dear and true ones who flourished your life with prosperity.

If you have shared your heart with evil some you will turn a deaf ear to the Voice of God.  

Turn to the Savior Lord Jesus and the Merciful Lord will pardon and save you, and He says, ‘I will never leave you; I will never abandon you. So let us be bold and say the Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid what can anyone do to me?’ (Hebrews 13).

The Holy Bible says, “They will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil who had caught them and made them obey his will.”  (2 Timothy 2:26)

Dear ones in Christ, you may consider that it is impossible to overcome temptations. But it is possible when you lead a life in union with Christ, filling your heart with His constant love; and shielding your thoughts, deeds and speech with God’s love and fear.

Though we do not belong to this world, yet there would be tendencies to fall into the trap but as an ardent believer of Christ we all must be aware of the devil and its tricky nature.

Blessed are those whose journey on this earth is steady and union with the Blessed Trinity. 

Even when you go through a mountain of suffering, be sure that Christ is leading you. Accept the rejections and insults for the sake of God and even if you fall through weakness, pray with greater determination to rise in good spiritual and physical health. Fight like a good soldier for the Kingdom of God.

Pray as the Lord taught, “Do not bring us to the hard testing but keep us safe from the evil one.”  

Keep your soul always shining; let your peaceful life be an inspiration for others to overcome their anxiety, fear and desperation.  Never argue or boast about your faith - especially to those who abandoned and wandered from true faith.  You may encounter many such people, so guard your faith as the only treasure which can reach you to your goal.  Pray to God for His grace that you may avoid sin. 

St. Peter warns us, “Be alert, be on watch, your enemy the devil roams round like a roaring lion for someone to devour.”  (1 Peter 5:8)  While St. Peter warns, , St. Paul advises us, “Be alert against the devil putting on the armor that God gives you so that you will be able to stand up against the devil’s evil tricks”  (Eph. 6 : 11). 

Whoever calls for safety of Lord under His protection can achieve victory over the devil. 

Lord Jesus has given us an example to use the Word of God like burning arrows to shoot against the devil, so when you confess the Word of God against it, your temptations will be powerless and disappear. 

Confessing your faith in Christ will help win over evil thoughts.  The one who believes in the Name and power of Jesus can overcome the tricks of the devil.

 The God whom you trust says to you, “He will crush the head of satan.”  When the Lord is your refuge you need not fear the wicked spirit. 

Let us imitate Job, who succeeded his faith test, confessing “His hands will kill the escaping monster.”  (Job 26: 13).

Lord Jesus has given His power and authority over the evil to His disciples and believers when He declared, “Believers will be given the power to drive out demons in His Name.”  (Mark 16 :17)

St. Paul says to the people who abandon their faith, “I am surprised at you! In no time at all you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are accepting another gospel.”  (Galatians 1: 6). 

St. Peter wrote about those who turn to sin again, “If the people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Son Jesus Christ and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in a worse state at the end than they were at the beginning.  What happens to them shows that the proverbs are true – a dog goes back to what it has vomited  and a pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud.” (2 Peter 2: 20-22)

Never get discouraged dear ones.  Lord Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and Deliverer; also a High Priest who can wash us once again and accept us.   Whoever holds out to the end will be saved. 

Let’s all pray together to keep our faith alive by not restraining the Holy Spirit and also do not despise inspired messages.  The Holy Bible says, “Pray at all times, be joyful and be grateful to God in all circumstances - favorable or unfavorable.  Avoid every kind of evil – be it great or small. 

Things may change, life may change, surroundings will change, people around will change, but your Lord who called you never changes, would never forsake you, because He is a Faithful God.  Amen.

Reciting few prayer beads like the below will spiritually increase your zest to grow in the goodness.

‘Jesus, meek and humble heart, be my love’,

‘My Lord, my God, I love and trust in You’,

‘Soul of Christ sanctify my soul’

Give assurance to your mind – I prefer death than disobeying God.

With love filled blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

LET’S BE AWAKE AND SOBER

The Holy Bible says, “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will run away from you.”  (James 4: 7)

PART I

When an evil spirit goes out of a person, it travels over dry country looking for a place to rest.  If it can’t find one it says to itself, ‘I will go back to my house.’ So it goes back and finds the house empty, clean and all tidy.  Then it goes out and brings along seven other spirits even worse than itself and they come and live there.  So when it is all over that person is in a worse state than he was at the beginning.  This is what will happen to the evil people of this day. (Matthew 12:43-45)

A life excluding Jesus is valueless; something the devil too would not be interested in. But the moment we are united with the Lord Jesus, satan will have his eyes fixed on us and will plan ways to deviate us from our Savior.

Just like a robber who comes to steal some valuable possession, so does the devil, the enemy of the Kingdom of God and God’s children; comes to rob us from the Precious Blessings of Salvation.

Through the above parable, Lord Jesus teaches that when a devil is driven out; God creates a contrite heart through forgiveness of sins and the heart is set free. So it is utmost important that we recognize that the occupancy of the heart is vacant and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord venerate and reign Him in the centre of your heart.

Lord Jesus compares the heart of a person who lives in union with God to that of a neatly arranged home. It is clean and beautifully arranged with all its furniture in order. A well ventilated space; it gives the required light, while the breeze of freshness purifies it. Everyone is attracted and welcome to it and feels at place.

When we set up a disciplined spiritual life, the exterior beauty gets relevant too.

Such an orderly and closely controlled life, subjected to alertness in prayer, resisting the devil is a blessing from God, giving us hope to do well.

On the other hand, the evil spirit who left the person, tired from wandering in dry places and pushed out from everywhere is always on the lookout for an opportunity to return to the ‘now perfected’ home. He will be excited to see the heart without the Master. As said above, his intention is only to rule and destroy us.

Many people accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, when they are enlightened with the knowledge of truth. They promise themselves that they will progress in Spiritual Life, read the Holy Bible regularly, make time for personal prayer and confession, attend Holy Mass, partake in prayer meetings and works of charity etc.

After few months, they begin to waver in their resolutions and begin to prioritize other works over their spiritual Life, leading to more laziness as days progress, and finally giving it all up, unaware that the devil is at the corner all ready for return. When Jesus the personal Savior, is not given the due honor and reverence, we tend to ignore His voice and lead a cold life propelling us to postpone daily spiritual activities. The unholy spirit grabs this opportunity, and gains easy reentry into their life  bringing alongwith it seven other evil ones, to destruct, ruin, create chaos in their life and put off even the little burning flame of faith.

This parable is a wake-up call for such individuals. Though it does not elaborate on the characters of an individual, it is all about a heart kept ready to welcome someone.

                                                                        (to be continued….)

With love filled blessings,

Your Sister in Christ