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Vol. 12 / Issue 2 / July 24 2008

Contents of this issue

Editorial Download Palm Doc format
Let no one take away your Crown Download Palm Doc format


News Items (Common to all issues) :
Standing in the Gap - Fasting prayer on 14th Oct. 2008
Printed Version of the Magazine
Download Articles in Handheld Computers
Please Join us in "Peace Prayer Room"
Your Spam Folder
Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online
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

John 2:3, “And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."

In John second chapter we read about the first miracle that Jesus performed. He was invited in a wedding along with his family and His disciples. As they were enjoying the wedding feast, Jesus’ mother came to know that wine ran out. I remember how embarrassing it is for a host who arranges a wedding feast and his guests go without food and drinks. Once we attended a wedding where half of the people could not get any food. The host was so embarrassed that the next day he went to the houses of those who were invited and apologized to them.

Jesus’ mother probably a relative of the host realized the seriousness of the situation. She immediately informed Jesus, "They have no wine." What would you do in a completely impossible situation like this? Look at Jesus’ mother; she knew that bringing her problem at the feet of Jesus would help solving it.

At times we fail to bring our problems at the feet of Jesus. We try to solve our problems with our wisdom, might and money. But if we bring our problems at the feet of Jesus, there is sure solution for it.

The next few verses talk how Jesus miraculously turned the water into wine. Even it amazed the master of the feast. We read in John 2:8-10, And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"


Even today Jesus wants to turn our situations around. He wants to solve our impossible situations and save us from embarrassment. For this very purpose He came in this world to take away our shame and guilt. He gave His precious blood on the cross so that we could live an honored life filled with His peace and joy. Are you in an embarrassing situation today? May be because of the sins you have committed or addictions which you are unable to overcome. Or because of problems that led to this embarrassing situation. No matter what it is, bring it to the feet of Jesus and He will solve your problem. He will turn the table around just as He did in the wedding feast of Cana.

Let no one take away your Crown

By Sheela Isaac

John 10:17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
John 10:18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

Jesus laid down His life to give us eternal life. No one else had ever done it. No one else ever died for us but Jesus. John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." Yes that is the greatest love of Jesus that He came to rescue us from hell fire. Because of Jesus' blood we receive forgiveness of our sin and eternal deliverance from sin and sinful desires. As you know, Jesus came down into this world to shed His precious blood for sinners. He bled and died on the Cross to take our place and take our sin. Legally we deserved punishment for our sins, but He took upon himself that punishment and became our perfect substitute. Is it not wonderful that Jesus died on behalf of us to give us life eternal? Is it not wonderful that the sacrifice of Jesus brings salvation and healing to humans? But do you know that healing and salvation are both conditional? Even after you received them, you could lose them easily.

1. Healing is conditional:
Look at the story of healing at the Bethesda pool. There was a sick man beside the Bethesda pool for thirty-eight long years. He wanted to get healed but was bed ridden and was not capable of moving fast enough to get down to the pool when the Angel stirred it. John 5:2 - 4,"Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. An angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had."

He was very helpless. It could be that no one ever visited him or cared about his well being. But one day Jesus came seeking him and healed him. John 5:8-9, "Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked." He was healed immediately but one thing Jesus told him. What was it? Sin no more. John 5:14, "Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

See what the Lord said; 'do not commit sin any more lest a worse thing come upon you.' Jesus healed him right? Was it emotional healing? Was it false healing? No, he was certainly healed perfectly and he walked away as if nothing had happened ever. He was crippled for thirty-eight long years but one word from Jesus made him perfectly well. This healing was not emotional but still Jesus said, watch out, do not lose the healing. It looks that a person after getting healed could lose his/her healing. Let us see what the factors are, which could make a person lose his/her healing.

1. Living in sin, 2. Ungrateful toward God 3. Unthankful life 4. Unrepentant lifestyle

There are many who receive healing through prayer, but the healing gets lost in a few days or months. The reasons could be various as I mentioned. After getting healed if you love to continue in the old sinful lifestyle, the sickness returns. Jesus said the same thing to the man healed at the pool of Bethesda. Many people love to get healed but they do not want Jesus in their life. So they stay ungrateful toward God and never thank Him for what He had done and they lose their healing easily.

2. Salvation is conditional
Like healing salvation is also conditional. If we read the story of a woman in John chapter 8 we find that she was caught in adultery. John 8:4-5, "they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" When they kept asking Jesus with the purpose to stone her to death Jesus gave a very nice reply. John 8:7, "So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." In the next verses we find that no one stoned her but everybody left from that place. Then Jesus asked her, Has no one condemned you?" She said, No one, Lord. Then Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." John 8:10-11, "When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

You can see again that Jesus said to her, "go sin no more," Jesus did not approve her sin but He forgave her with one condition that she should not live again in that sin. In the next verse Jesus cleared it further saying, "I am the light of the world and those who want to follow me should not walk in darkness." John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

It is plain and simple that if you want to walk in the ways of Jesus, you can't continue in sin. With Jesus on board sin and spiritual life can't go hand in hand. One side you can't say that you are saved and still live in sin as any other heathen people do; it does not work. If you are saved today it does not guarantee that you will stay saved always. In Christian circle there are groups of people who think that if you are saved once you are saved forever, but it is a false theory. If once saved always saved theory is correct, then you don't need to worry about holiness, but you can live as you like. But Bible speaks about holiness hundreds of times and Jesus also spoke about it very clearly. Let's see why Salvation is conditional and why it could be lost. There are several examples in the Bible which clears that once saved is not always saved.

Mathew chapter 25: 1-13 speaks about ten virgins. Five had oil in their lamps but five did not have sufficient oil with them. The Bible says that their lamps were going out. It means they had oil once in their lamps. Mat 25:8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Oil represents Holy Spirit. This parable shows very clearly that once they were close to God, once they were filled with the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible you can't receive anointing of the Holy Spirit unless you are saved. So it is clear that they were saved once but something had happened in between. Here they are at the verge of losing everything. In the next verses Bible clears it very well that they indeed lost their place in heaven. When Jesus came, they were not ready to go with Him. What a great tragedy!! What a costly mistake it was!! Once they were saved, but when the actual time came for them to get into heaven it appears that they had lost their salvation. Mat 25:2-3, "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,..." Mat 25:10-13, "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

There are many more verses, which speak about enduring till the end and holding fast the crown. If you are a saved person then you are a blessed person. But watch out and be very careful not to let the things you gained slip away. Let not satan fool you on the way and snatch away your salvation. Hold it fast tightly, strive for it, work hard for it and keep your salvation at any cost till the end. Then only you have your victory. Once I was hearing a TV interview of a famous evangelist. They asked her, "you are so successful and your programs are going all around the world through TV and radio. What do you think about your success?" She said, "The day I stand at the portals of heaven and enter the pearly gates of heaven and when I see Jesus then I would say I am really successful." How true it is, when you got saved you got the boarding pass for heaven but it is not the final ticket. It guarantees heaven with one condition i.e. if you endure till the end. You got the boarding pass through salvation but you don't know the boarding date. Only God knows the real date. It could be ten years from then, it could be twenty, thirty, forty years or beyond that. You don't know. That's why you need to safeguard that pass at any cost, you need to keep it safe, you need to be watchful all the time. It means you need to guard your life in holiness, you need to grow in your spiritual life in holiness and in obedience. You need to follow the commandments of Jesus religiously i.e. without fail.

Few years back my brother had to travel. He was traveling from point A to C and in the middle he wanted to take a break for a day at point B. So he booked the ticket and traveled from point A to B and after a day's break when he went to board the train at train station the access was denied. He was perplexed because he had boarding ticket and pre reservation. The reason was that while the booking clerk made a mistake in entering the wrong date, my brother did not ensure that the ticket was dated correctly. My brother had to travel on 19th suppose but the ticket was for 18th and so it was not a valid ticket. The same thing could happen to a believer. You have the ticket through salvation but you need to safeguard it till you board. If you lose it on the way or misplace it you can't go to heaven. The same thing happened to the five foolish virgins. They thought that they had everything to go to heaven but at the final moment access was denied and they could not go. They begged saying, "please open the door for us, please let us in." But alas it was too late for them.

James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
Rev 2:10 "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
2 Tim 2:12, "If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us."
Mark 13:13, "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
May the good Lord help us to run the race faithfully and finally enter the pearly gates of heaven.

Standing in the Gap - Fasting prayer on 14th Oct. 2008

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 14th Oct. 2008

Printed Version of the Magazine

We are excited to announce that we are starting printed edition of the magazine that will be monthly. And will contain all the four or five issues of a month. Our online magazine will still be free and can be read via email or on our website

There was a huge demand that we send our magazine by snail mail. So that you can read it offline as well as give it to your friends. So we are starting a printed version. To cover the printing cost we decided to charge a small subscription fee. And it is just $35/year that you can pay using our subscribe link at In Search of Peace Magazine

Hope this will bring the Gospel to people where we cannot reach online.

Thanks and God bless for your continuous support and interest in what we do.

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Please Join us in "Peace Prayer Room"

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Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online

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Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God? Book

Now available "Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God" and "Is Jesus God?"Books in major book stores like http://amazon.com, http://bn.com (barnes & noble), http://booksamillion.com etc. 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. Here is the link:
http://insearchofpeace.org/books.htm

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

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