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Vol. 10 / Issue 45 / May 24 2007

Contents of this issue

Editorial

Pressing toward the Goal!!

Awesome God – Part 5



News Items (Common to all issues) :

Standing in the Gap - Fasting prayer on 8th Dec.. 2015

Download Articles in Handheld Computers

Please Join us in "Peace Prayer Room"

Your Spam Folder

Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online

Through the Valley of Death

Free Tutorials for your Kids!

Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God? Book

Free E-Cards

Online Games for you!



Editorial

By Sherly Isaac

Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight” (1 Sam 16:22).

David’s father received the message from King Saul that his son had found favor in his sight and that he would stand before him. Finding favor makes all the difference in your life. What did Saul see in the little David? David was not even well acquainted with royal customs. He was just a little shepherd boy who loved the Lord with all his heart. I don’t know if he had ever gone to school? But David had enough anointing of God over him that could drive away the distressing spirit from Saul. We read in 1 Sam 16:23, "And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.”

This little boy found favor with the King so that he could stand before him. Yes, favor enables you to stand before kings and queens. Since years ago I realized that whenever I go out, I must ask God to give me favor in the eyes of whomever I would meet that day. I prayed that prayer often and I remember how God gave me favor in the eyes of my teachers. Till my B.Sc. (B.S.) classes my work was not appreciated but when I attended M.Sc (M.S.) I saw spectacular difference in the behavior of teachers and fellow students. Though there were many good and highly gifted students in my class and yet every time teachers looked at my work and appreciated it greatly. In the practical also they showed my work as sample for other students. Often I was amazed thinking how this little prayer brought so much difference in the behavior of those people towards me.

In the story of Joseph we read how favor of his master played a significant role in his life while Joseph was just a slave in Egypt. From ancient times as well as at present is there any value given to a slave? A slave has no right and he is treated worse than an animal. But in Gen 39:3-4 we read, “And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.” Later on he was falsely accused of the crime he did not commit but God did not leave him. We read in Gen 39:21-23, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.”

Yes, that was the God given favor that made Joseph, though a slave, to prosper even in his slavery.

In Exo 3:21-22 we read yet another incident when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt from their slavery, God gave favor in the eyes of the Egyptians (Exo 11:3), “And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.” And in Exo 12:36, “And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”

Yes, favor softens the hearts of people towards you, favor makes you to stand before kings and queens and favor makes you to prosper before your enemies. If you want this favor in your life, ask God to come into your life and help you to excel in all your works.



Pressing toward the Goal!!

By Sheela Isaac

Phil 3:12-14, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Getting saved does give a guarantee that you could reach heaven, but it does not mean that you reach by living whatever life you like. It means that Salvation does give you a 'free Pass' for entry into heaven but it is still conditional. That is why Paul is clearly saying, "Not that I have already attained but I press toward the goal." It is like you may have a ticket to board an airplane but it could be possible that at the time of boarding you may be banned for some reason. In the same way getting saved is definitely an entry pass but the entry is not guaranteed till you arrive there. Bible denies the theory, "once saved is always saved." The reason is getting saved is pretty easy but going to heaven is not that easy. Pastor John Hagee said, "starting right is pretty easy but ending right is pretty hard." Look at the life of Solomon. He started right but could not end right. Another man called Saul who was once filled with Holy Spirit and was counted among the Prophets could not finish his race correctly. What about New Testament? Judas the disciple of Jesus Christ was counted among the disciples but could not make it to heaven. David, "a man after God's own heart" could have nearly missed heaven because of his grievous sin but he could save himself with his hard repentance. All these examples clears it very well that after getting saved still you could be left out from heaven.

I heard a true story of a Pastor Daniel Ekechukwu of Power Chapel Evangelical Church in Onitsha, Nigeria. He was serving the Lord and was saved and spirit filled. It was Thursday Nov 29, 2001 when he and his wife got into some argument and his wife slapped him on his face. He got very angry and was thinking how to repay it back. Finally he decided to keep quite till Sunday service was over then he would ban her and give her separation notice for one year and send her to her father's house. Next day before he was leaving home his wife begged his pardon for her wrongdoing but he did not accept that apology. The same night when he was returning home he met with an accident and was severely injured. He was rushed to the Hospital and while he was in the ambulance he knew that he was going to die. So he prayed the prayer of repentance and asked for forgiveness of his sins. He said that then he saw two white angels approached him and took his soul with them. He saw his broken body lying in the ambulance. First they showed him heaven. He saw billions of people worshipping God in white shiny garments. He could not differentiate race, ethnicity or color of those people since all looked the same and there were no young, middle aged or old people among them but they all looked the same. He saw in heaven mansions of transparent walls, which looked like glass, and it looked that light was coming from the floor. He was not able to tell the height, or width of those mansions. Later the angel showed him hell and said that he would have ended up in hell because he did not forgive his wife even after she was begging for pardon. Because of unforgivingness the final prayer of repentance had no effect. But he was sent back to life because of God's mercy. You can read the whole story here.

The said Pastor was a man of God but still he could have lost heaven because of sin. I heard another story of a man who was a spirit filled Pastor. He preached the Gospel for many years. But once he left his wife and went away with a woman to live with her. God considered it as sin and he was warned by prophecy saying, "it was his last chance to repent and turn." The Bible clearly says that nothing unholy can enter into heaven. Rev 22:14 -15, "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie." The Bible also says that without holiness no one can ever see God. Heb 12:14, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:" You might be saved today you might be a child of God but if you continue in sin you could lose heaven. Before Salvation you had a free choice to choose between Jesus or world, sin or righteousness, heaven or hell. In the same way after salvation also you were given the same free choice. After getting saved also you can still live in sin because there are no automatic programs controlling you. Salvation does wipe out older sins but not the present and future sins. After getting saved it is every believer's sole duty to follow Christ and holiness. God does not put a virus scanner on you like we have in computers. God would not scan your virus (sin) daily and would not remove it automatically but it is you who need to scan and remove it asking forgiveness for it. It is for you who need to decide not to go in older sins over and over again. So don't be mistaken thinking that once saved is always saved. NO!! You might be saved today but after ten, fifteen or twenty years later it is not necessary that you will still stay saved. Unless and until you walk daily in holiness by checking up your life you could easily slip away in to sin and could lose your free Pass to heaven.

Look at the life of David. He was a spirit filled man. He was a man after God's own heart. God Himself declared it but what happened to him? Not only did he commit adultery but to hide it he committed murder also. David might have thought that nobody would know it but who can hide things from God? God sent His prophet Nathan to warn David. I am sure, for Nathan it was not an easy task. He did not know what would be his fate after telling the truth. He didn't know whether after telling the truth to David he would live or die but he had no other choice than to convey the message of God. It was good news that David did repent from his sin. Psalm 51 is the greatest example of David's prayer of repentance. There he pleads before God confessing his sin. It is definitely a very touching prayer. Here I am giving few verses from it:

David prays:
Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
Psa 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight; That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.


Then he further says, "do not take away your Holy Spirit from me, and restore to me the joy of Salvation."
Psa 51:9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.


Here it is clear that when you sin you lose the joy of Salvation and even you could lose the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That is what happened to king Saul. He did not commit any grievous sin as David did, but he did lose Holy Spirit. What was his sin? He disobeyed God twice. The things God said he failed to obey. The question is, why God did punish Saul but not David? David did repent but Saul did not. God did punish David for his sin but God forgave David and did not take away his salvation. Saul did not repent so he did lose his salvation and a place in heaven. God is not a respecter of persons. He does not do injustice and that is why God did punish David too for his sin but forgave him because he really felt remorse for his bad deeds and turned around.

My brother and sister, sin has it's own consequences. But on the other side Jesus is so kind and gentle when we repent and show real remorse for our sin and when we really show willingness to turn from our evil ways He does forgive and forget it. That is why repentance is so important in Christian walk. Without repentance you can't get saved nor can you receive forgiveness for your sin.



Awesome God – Part 5

By Sherly Isaac

Bible tells us that the God is an awesome God. He does mighty wonders. In Rom 4:17 we read, “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

In Isa 40:26 we read that, “Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.” Psa 147:4, “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.”

The God numbers and calls the stars and heavenly hosts by name. Does it amaze you? With all the modern equipments, satellites, telescopes and even ability to go to space our scientists are unable to count exact number of stars. They do not know how many galaxies are there. In the year 1999 according to the estimation of Hubble Space Telescope there were 125 billion galaxies but the number would go up as they discover more galaxies. Some believe that there are more than 500 billion galaxies are there. If there are billions of galaxies then we can understand that how big number of stars would be there as the galaxy means, “a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space.”

Isn’t it amazing that God numbers every single star and calls it by its own name? What a mighty and wonderful God we have. What an awesome God is He! Not only He counts stars and heavenly hosts but he also knows every one of us. In Isa 43:1 He says, “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Not only He knows us but also our hairs are numbered as we read in Mat 10:30, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

At times our heart fills with so many worries and fear thinking the things which may never happen. At times we forget that how much God cares for us, and how much He loves us that even he numbered our hairs. If we just realize that a caring, awesome and mighty God is with us then there would be no place for worries and fear for us. Peter writes in 1 Pet 5:7, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Yes, just by casting all our care upon Him we can enjoy our day without losing our hearts.




Standing in the Gap - Fasting prayer on 8th Dec.. 2015

As the Bible says in Ezekiel 22:30 "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it." And also the Bible says in Numbers 16:48, "And he (Aaron) stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped." We have fasting prayer every second Tuesday of each month. Our next fasting prayer meeting will be conducted on 16th Nov. 2015

Download Articles in Handheld Computers

You can now download articles in Palm Doc format for your palm handheld computer. It will work with any devise that has Palm OS and Palm Doc Reader installed. To download click on the link named "Palm Doc Format" i.e. at the top of this page by the side of each articles.

Please Join us in "Peace Prayer Room"

If you have any prayer request please join us any time at our New Chat Room at http://insearchofpeace.org/prayer If any of us available in prayer room, we will be praying online otherwise you can email your prayer request to feedback@insearchofpeace.org

Your Spam Folder

If you are getting this newsletter in your bulk/junk/Spam folder please hit the "not junk" or "not spam" button so that you could receive it in your mailbox. Also adding feedback@insearchofpeace.org email address into your contact list can avoid this email from ending up in your bulk folder.

Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online

Now you can read Bible in Hindi online at http://www.hindibible.org
in Malayalam online at http://www.malayalambible.org
in Tamil online at http://www.hindibible.org?ver=tamil

Through the Valley of Death

As many of you know that in the year 2005, our dad was very sick even unto death. God miraculously healed him. We have compiled it in a book form. I sure believe that it will inspire you and encourage you greatly.

This book is available for purchase at JasmineCorp Store

Free Tutorials for your Kids!

Now you can learn Graphics and web designing online. These tutorials are free but you may need to get login ID by registering yourslef. Currently tutorials for Paint Shop Pro, HTML and Dreamweaver/Fireworks are available but in future more tutorials will be added.

Check the tutorials at:http://jasminecorp.net/tutorial

Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God? Book

Now available "Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God" Available at JasmineCorp Store, and "Is Jesus God?" Available at JasmineCorp Store,

Both books compares the Bible and the Quran and read eye opening facts about Jesus, God of the Bible, Allah and Islamic faith. I am sure that you want to read this.

Also read:
Book Title: Is Jesus God?
Author: Sherly Isaac
ISBN: 0759628092
http://insearchofpeace.org/books.htm

Free E-Cards

Send free E-Cards (Greeting Cards) to your friends and family. Its an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family. The website address is:
http://ecards.jcsearch.com

Online Games for you!

Now you can play games online at http://insearchofpeace.org/games




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