A Sad Dispatch: A Nation of Dry Bones!

A major survey by Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that 66-70% of Christians believe that other religions (Faiths like Islam, Hinduism etc) can also lead to eternal life! (http://religions.pewforum.org/reports)

While the political establishment and countercultural forces are constantly chipping away at the core of Christianity, this research seems to indicate that the ever content parishioner, who is being proffered a version of truth from the revered pulpit, stands on shaky ground of Pluralism.

Have we become a Nation of Dry Bones? [Ez 37:2]. Do we favor augmenting the message in the name of inclusiveness? We live in a time when “The Truth” which is Christ and his teaching is usurped by a gospel of compromise. In the valley of the bones [Ez 37] it is first the Word [Ez 37:4] and then the Spirit [Ez 37:7-10, 14] that brought the dry bones to life. Devoid of both, we remain dry bones.

Priests, Princes and Prophets – God blames these three institutions in that order for the degradation of a society [Ez 22:26-28]. The degeneration of a nation does not start in the inner sanctums of local brothels or in the dark and dim lit gambling houses or in the hallways of power, instead it burgeons in the inner sanctuary of Churches managed by Priest/(Pastors) who blur the line between what is Holy and common [Ez 22:26(a)], what is clean and unclean [Ez 22:26(b)], and what is right and not.

In their stead, God is looking for simple believers like us to stand in the gap. Will He say “…but I found none”? [Ez 22:30]. Stand for the unadulterated truth even if it hurts. Be bold to say and believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life.

Regular Dispatch: A Hating but Righteous God!

Proverb 6:17-19: There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

The gravity of this verse bears heavily on me. Even God draws a distinction in what he dislikes. Some behavior he hates while some others (or even the same) he detest. To know God, is to know his behavior – his likes and dislikes. To be like Christ who is God is to have an attitude and mind set of Christ.

Living in a pluralistic society, we often forget that an innocent whether Christian, Muslim or Hindu, poor, rich, wise or foolish, white, black or brown, malayalee or north Indian – regardless, God is on the side of the innocent. Let us not deny justice to the week, poor and the needy or stand false witness against ANYBODY! Personally I think, in our modern times, the poor is more likely to find justice in a secular court than in the hall ways of the Church. Beware of partiality, nepotism and favoritism. Let us be just in our examination.

These verses address three areas – Attitude, Mind/Heart and the Tongue (the organ of death). Run away from pride like a hunted deer (especially the pride of the spiritual kind), keep you heart and mind clear of wicked thoughts, keep you tongue from lying (we tend to think white lie and small lies are okay! – but many times and oft these are the kind that cause confusion).

Guard your tongue from creating dissension among the brothers. Unity in the body of Christ is killed by dissension. God detest the one who cause dissension. Let us make ourselves aware of the complete meaning of this word.

Out of 7, three evils are of the tongue. Sometimes I think the dumb easily finds favor in the eyes of the Lord. But even they can’t escape their own heart. Above all let us remember that God hates and detest all these. If that is the case, let us hate these in our life and run away from these.

John 7: Jesus' life gets increasingly difficult

Though less in numbers, we came together to study John 7. Not only was Jesus' life getting more difficult with the religious and political establishment closing on him, but his teaching was being rejected in large number. He had one more year to go in his ministry.

At the end of thsi chapter John says (John 7:43) "Thus the people were divided because of Jesus".

Here is the Blog Qn - If the people were divided because of Jesus, is this gospel expected to cause division among the people of this world? or should we be surprised if this gospel of Jesus cause division?

Regular Dispatch: The Logic of Revival

If history is our guide and His Word the light, three conditions should exist in a people before God can pour out his revival –

1. A messenger with a divinely inspired message
2. Fear of the Lord and obedience
3. A profound concern and burden for the matters of God

Haggai was among the first wave of exiles’ that returned to Jerusalem in the year 536BC. After their return, people started to rebuild the Temple of the Lord, but left it incomplete. As they settled down and their basic necessities taken care of, they turned their attention to luxury (Haggai 1:3, 4).

It is to this people God send Haggai. His message had a singular theme – “Put God first” and called them to rebuild the temple (Haggai 1:2-9). The leadership both temple and civil, and the people obeyed the word of God and the message of Haggai because they feared God (Haggai 1:12).

When they decided to turn (repentance) from advancing themselves and instead developed a concern and burden for the matters of God (by obeying the Lord and Haggai’s message (Haggai 1:12(b)), thereby dedicating themselves to finishing the temple, then the Lord started stirring their spirits – hence spurring a revival (Haggai 1:13-14)

God sends revival for a purpose. A task is accomplished by a revival. In our times it is to expand the kingdom of God. But he will not send it to a people that are unprepared or unwilling to give God’s matters priority.