Greatest Commandment

If we are claiming that we are a Christian, then ‘love’ is the basic qualification. If we can love those who hate us or those who do wrong to us, then that is what Christ is demanding from us.

Love must be sincere. We should have a forgiving mentality to love sincerely. If a persons does something wrong against us, then we cannot love him without forgiving him. If we can truly forgive him, then we can start loving him. We should not love any one with bad intentions like material benefits or positions.

                Jesus Christ showed a perfect example for us to follow. He was a friend of tax collectors and sinners. He hated the sin in them but not the sinners. But what most of us does is that if anyone sin against us, we will hate him (both the sinner and the sin in him). Can we forgive Osama Bin Laden or people like him for what they did? Do not take revenge for it is Lord to avenge.

Don’t we dare to adopt Christ’s point of view?

Do to others what you want God to do for you….

Life For Christ

       We have been hearing many messages that Christ is coming soon. From many centuries the believers are preaching that Christ is coming soon to take us to be with him forever. Does that create a negative impact on you that he is not going to come in the near future? That is he is not going to come in your generation but in the generations to come. Unknowingly, I was having the above feeling in mind. So I planned many things for my future, i.e. to do a PG course after my bachelor degree and then work for many years, make money and then finally to work for our Lord.

      Recently, I was attending an ICPF(Inter Collegiate Prayer Fellowship) camp session named Mission Challenge. Even though the speaker was preaching about working for Christ, a small thought came to my mind “What if Christ is going to come in my generation? Will you be taken with him?” Suddenly a feeling came to me that He is at the doorsteps. That though shattered my concepts of working for Christ. In fact, it helped me to realize the importance of giving our Life for Christ.
      Jesus showed us a perfect example with his life so that we could follow. And what He wants from us is to walk in His footsteps or just to emulate Him. Some of us at least think that the greatest thing that we can do with our life is to make money or become famous. But he made me understand that the greatest thing that we can do with our life is to live for Christ. It is not about working for him but about living for him. If we can love him with all our heart, nothing can impede us to live for Christ and we won’t even consider this as a work.

      It is not about living our life with Christ but about living our life for Christ. We should really understand the difference between both. Well, it is very good to say that ‘I am living a life with Christ’. I believe it is what most of us including me does i.e. living with Christ, and trying to maintain a decorum of life. Here we are trying to bring Christ into our life. But don’t we dare to take a further step, live for Christ?

First we need to analyze our present condition. Are we leading a successful Christian life now? Don’t say an emphatic yes to this question. First we need to understand what Christian life is. Christian life is not about others saying about you that you are a pious follower of faith. In Acts chapter 10, it is written that the ‘Disciples of Christ’ were called Christians first at Antioch. The word Christian means the follower of Christ. So a successful Christian life means a life in which one is successful in following Christ. To be exact from the above verse, if we are his disciple we can claim that we are leading a successful Christian life.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-27). So are we His disciples from the above definition? Following Christ in not so easy and at the same time it is not a herculean task. We have to pay a price for that. We should really admire Paul the apostle for his encouraging statement “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”. From his life we can see the price he had given. Whatever was to his profit, he considered it as a loss for the sake of Christ. What Christ wants from us is that we should be His disciple.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… (Mathew 28:19). Here Christ is telling us not to make believers but to make disciples. So it is our responsibility to obey him and without being a disciple we cannot make another disciple for Christ. We should not be satisfied being a believer. But we should try our best to be his disciple. That is what Christ is demanding from us. Give our life for Christ. Remember that is the greatest thing that you can do with your life.

"That's My King"

The late Dr. S. M. Lockeridge, a pastor from San Diego, California

said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He's indescribable. That's my King. He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever. . . And when you get through with all of the ever's, then . . .Amen!