Showing Loyalty – The Call of Women

Loyalty, US Blog

Showing Loyalty – The Call of Women

Feb 14, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Luke 8:1-3 New International Version

8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 

2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Mark 15:40New International Version

40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[a] and Salome.

John 20:10-18 New International Version

10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Prostitution, US Blog

The Evils of Prostitution – Modern Day Slavery

Feb 14, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Prostitution has been legal in the Netherlands since 2000. Back then, politicians claimed it would curb sex trafficking by offering those in the sex industry the same legal protections as any other worker.

The question is, did it work? The tragic and unsurprising answer: Not at all. The Netherlands is now more of a destination for human trafficking than ever. In response, a groundswell of Dutch citizens is fighting to end this modern-day slavery. https://buff.ly/2val9km

Self-Esteem, US Blog

How should a Christian View Self-Esteem

Feb 14, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Question: “How should a Christian view self-esteem?”

Answer: Many define self-esteem as “feelings of worth based on their skills, accomplishments, status, financial resources, or appearance.” This kind of self-esteem can lead a person to feel independent and prideful and to indulge in self-worship, which dulls our desire for God. James 4:6 tells us that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” If we only trust in our earthly resources, we will inevitably be left with a sense of worth based on pride. Jesus told us, “You also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10).

This does not mean that Christians should have low self-esteem. It only means that our sense of being a good person should not depend on what we do, but rather on who we are in Christ. We need to humble ourselves before Him, and He will honor us. Psalm 16:2 reminds us, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” Christians attain self-worth and esteem by having a right relationship with God. We can know we are valuable because of the high price God paid for us through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

In one sense, low self-esteem is the opposite of pride. In another sense, low-self-esteem is a form of pride. Some people have low self-esteem because they want people to feel sorry for them, to pay attention to them, to comfort them. Low self-esteem can be a declaration of “look at me” just as much as pride. It simply takes a different route to get to the same destination, that is, self-absorption, self-obsession, and selfishness. Instead, we are to be selfless, to die to self, and to deflect any attention given to us to the great God who created and sustains us.

The Bible tells us that God gave us worth when He purchased us to be His own people (Ephesians 1:14). Because of this, only He is worthy of honor and praise. When we have healthy self-esteem, we will value ourselves enough to not become involved in sin that enslaves us. Instead, we should conduct ourselves with humility, thinking of others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Romans 12:3 warns, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

No Insignificant Witnesses, US Blog

No Insignificant Witnesses – The Call of Women

Feb 14, 2021 by Percy Parakh

John 4:25-42 New International Version

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 

35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 

36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 

37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 

38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Many Samaritans Believe

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 

40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 

41 And because of his words many more became believers.

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Self Love, US Blog

What does the Bible say about Self – Love, Loving Self?

Feb 14, 2021 , by Percy Parakh

Question: “What does the Bible say about self-love, loving self?”

Answer: Love as described in the Bible is quite different from the love as espoused by the world. Biblical love is selfless and unconditional, whereas the world’s love is characterized by selfishness. In the following passages, we see that love does not exist apart from God and that true love can only be experienced by one who has experienced God’s own love firsthand:

Romans 13:9–10, “The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

John 13:34–35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 John 4:16–19, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.”

The statement “love your neighbor as yourself” is not a command to love yourself. It is natural and normal to love yourself—it is our default position. There is no lack of self-love in our world. The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is essentially telling us to treat other people as well as we treat ourselves. Scripture never commands us to love ourselves; it assumes we already do. In fact, people in their unregenerate condition love themselves too much—that is our problem.

In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, there was only one who showed himself to be a true neighbor to the man in need: the Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37). There were two others, a priest and a Levite, who refused to help the man in need. Their failure to show love to the injured man was not the result of loving themselves too little; it was the result of loving themselves too much and therefore putting their interests first. The Samaritan showed true love—he gave of his time, resources, and money with no regard for himself. His focus was outward, not inward. Jesus presented this story as an illustration of what it means to love one’s neighbor as one’s self (verse 27).

We are to take our eyes off ourselves and care for others. Christian maturity demands it. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3–4). According to this passage, loving others requires humility, a valuing of others, and a conscious effort to put others’ interests first. Anything less than this is selfish and vain—and falls short of the standard of Christ.

None of this should be taken to mean that we should see ourselves as “worthless.” The Bible teaches that we are created in the image of God, and that fact alone gives us great worth (see Luke 12:7). The balanced, biblical view is that we are God’s unique creation, loved by God in spite of our sin, and redeemed by Christ. In His love, we can love others.

We love others based on God’s abiding love for us in Christ. In response to this love, we share it with all whom we come in contact with—our “neighbors.” Someone who is worried that he doesn’t love himself enough has the wrong focus. His concern, biblically, should be his love for God and his love for his neighbor. “Self” is something we want out of the way so that we can love outwardly as we ought.

Chinese Hero, US Blog

The Hero Who Told The Truth – Dr. Li Wen Liang

Feb 14, 2021 by Percy Parakh

All across China, people are talking about Dr Li Wen Liang. He was the doctor who discovered the novel coronavirus and in the early morning of 7 Feb, 2.58 am, he was promoted into glory and went home to be with our Father in heaven.

Back in December last year, he was arrested for being a whistle blower ‘spreading rumors’ about a mysterious pneumonia like virus. This morning we found out he was in fact a fellow brother in Christ. Our hearts are deeply moved by his sacrificial choice to spread awareness about the virus despite the risks he faced, especially to his reputation and to his own health.

He continued to care for patients up until he was infected himself. What a legacy to leave behind of what it means to be like Jesus to those hurting in a time of crisis. He chose to be an example of Immanuel, ‘God with us’ to the people of Wuhan.

Can you imagine the joy he must have felt as he entered into eternity and heard the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”? So today, please pray for his family, especially his wife who is also infected and 8 months pregnant with their second child.

May God heal them supernaturally n give them grace, peace, strength and comfort during this time. Dr Li Wen Liang penned a deeply touching Chinese poem below of how he would miss his family, his beloved Wuhan n quoted 2 Tim 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

#jiayouwuhan“The Hero Who Told The Truth” Here is a captivating, heart-touching Chinese poem I’ve tried to translate into English. It was written in memory of Mr Li Wenliang, a Christian doctor and whistleblower who died from the coronavirus himself after being punished for issuing the first warning about the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

我不想當英雄。我還有爹娘，還有孩子，還有懷孕臨產的妻，還有許多的病人在病房。盡管正直換不來善良，盡管䢛途迷茫，可還是要繼續進行，誰讓我選擇了這國這家，多少委屈，等打完這仗，垂淚如雨仰天遠望。

“I don’t want to be a hero. I still have my parents, and my children, and my pregnant wife who’s about to give birth, and many of my patients in the ward. Though my integrity cannot be exchanged for the goodness of others, despite my loss and confusion, I should proceed anyway. Who let me choose this country and this family? How many grievances do I have? When this battle is over, I will look up to the sky, with tears like rain.”

我不想當英雄。只是做為醫生，我不能眼看著這不明的病毒，傷害著我的同行。還有那多無辜的人們，他們盡管已奄奄一息，可眼睛裏總望著我，帶著 的希望。
“I don’t want to be a hero. But as a doctor, I cannot just see this unknown virus hurting my peers and so many innocent people. Though they are dying, they are always looking at me in their eyes, with their hope of life.”

誰成想我競死了！我的靈魂分明在天上，望著那張白色的病床，床上分明是我的軀體，軀體上還是那熟悉的臉龐。我的父親母親在哪？還有我親愛的妻子，那當年我苦苦追求的姑娘。
“Who would have ever realized that I was going to die? My soul is in heaven, looking at the white bed, on which lies my own body, with the same familiar face. Where are my parents? And my dear wife, the lady I once had a hard time chasing?”

天上有一道光！那光的盡頭是人們時常說起的天堂。我寧願不去哪裏，我寧願回到武漢我的家鄉。那裏有我新買的房子，每月還要還貸的賬。我怎能舍得，我怎能舍得！沒有兒子的爹娘，該有多麽悲傷；沒有了丈夫的寶貝，該如何面對這未來的滄桑。
“There is a light in the sky! At the end of that light is the heaven that people often talk about. But I’d rather not go there. I’d rather go back to my hometown in Wuhan. I have my new house there, for which I still have to pay off the loan every month. How can I give up? How can I give up? For my parents without their son, how sad must it be? For my sweetheart without her husband, how can she face the vicissitudes in her future?”

我分明死了。我看見他們把我的軀殼，裝進一個袋子。在袋子的近傍有許多死去的同胞，象我一樣，在黎明時分，被推進火的爐堂。
“I am already gone. I see them taking my body, putting it into a bag, with which lie many compatriots gone like me, being pushed into the fire in the hearth at dawn.”

再見了，難舍的親人。永別了，武漢我的故鄉。但願你們在災難過後，還記得曾經有人，努力地讓你們盡早知道真相。但願你們在災難過後，學會正直，不再讓善良的人們，遭受著無盡的恐懼，和無奈的悲傷。
“Goodbye, my dear ones. Farewell, Wuhan, my hometown. Hopefully, after the disaster, you’ll remember someone once tried to let you know the truth as soon as possible. Hopefully, after the disaster, you’ll learn what it means to be righteous. No more good people should suffer from endless fear, and helpless sadness.”

“那美好的仗我已經打完了，應行的路我已行盡了，當守的道我守住了。 從此以後，有公義的冠冕為我留存。”《聖經》提摩太後書4．
7″I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.”2 Timothy 4:7, Holy Bible

US Blog, Women

Women Speak Out

Feb 3, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Luke 2:36-38 New International Version

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[a] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Acts 2:16-21 New International Version

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[a]

Acts 21:8-9 New International Version

8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

Ghosts, US Blog

The Ghosts Of The Past

Feb 3, 2021 by Percy Parakh

The Ghosts of the Past – by Ron Hutchcraft

I don’t believe in ghosts – for the most part. There’s one kind of ghosts that are all too real. They talked about those “ghosts” in the movie, “Amazing Grace.” That movie told the story of the 18th Century British political leader, William Wilberforce.

He’s really more than any other man, responsible for the abolishing of slavery in the British Empire. And that was at a time when African slaves played a critical role in the British economy and slave-owning interests controlled a lot of members of Parliament.

The battle took 20 years, but ultimately thousands of slaves went free. Wilberforce’s spiritual mentor was actually the man who wrote America’s most beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace.” In his early years, John Newton had been a slave trader, capturing and carrying thousands of Africans to slavery in Britain and the islands.

Conditions were so brutal that many didn’t even survive the voyage. Then John Newton discovered how Jesus Christ could forgive and change a man. In the movie, John Newton is going blind but he’s still pastoring his church in London.

And he believed in “ghosts” you might say. As he dictates what he calls “My Confession” to a scribe, he says, “I have lived for years with the company of 20,000 ghosts – those I made into slaves. Their blood is on my hands.”

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Ghosts of the Past.” We all understand the kind of ghosts John Newton was talking about. They’re not departed spirits. They’re the memories and the regrets of the things that we wish we had not done. The guilt and the shame we feel because of the people we’ve hurt, the damage we’ve done, the dark things we’ve done.

But remember the words that old slave trader, John Newton, wrote in the hymn that’s become one of the most recognizable songs in the world: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see.”

As John Newton dictates his confession in the movie, he reaches a conclusion that I found deeply moving: “Although my memory is fading, I remember two things clearly. I am a great sinner…and Christ is a great Savior.”

Well, that’s my hope; that’s your hope of being delivered from the ghosts of your past. Realizing we’re great sinners, and realizing that Christ is a great Savior. There’s awesome hope for all of us rebels against God.

In Psalm 130:3-4, our word for today from the Word of God, it says, “If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness.” Here is a holy, sinless God whose rule of our life we’ve defied by doing what we wanted time after time.

We deserve the eternal death penalty the Bible says that sin carries. But God loves you so much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life in exchange for yours; to do the dying for all the sinning you’ve ever done. And the Bible says, “Everyone who believes in (Jesus) receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

That’s what He wants to do for you today. To erase every sin of your past from God’s book forever. To become your personal Savior from the guilt and the penalty of your sin. To cancel the hell that you deserve for a heaven you could never deserve.

All that becomes yours the day you open your heart to Jesus and tell Him you’re turning from your sin and you’re going to put all your trust in Him. He’s your Rescuer. You’re the dying person. When you grab Him, you’re saved.

This could be your day to experience God’s amazing grace for yourself. It’s more than a song. It’s a life-saving miracle that banishes the ghosts of your past.

If you want to make the “great Savior” your Savior, I invite you to visit our website. There’s a simple explanation there of just how your relationship with Him can begin. That’s ANewStory.com. Tonight, as you hit the pillow, you could have a new song: “I once was lost, but now I’m found. I was blind, but now I see.”

Giving, US Blog

From Everything Good In The World

Feb 3, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Katherine Hepburn, in her own words:

“Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally, there was only one other family between us and the ticket counter.

This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. The way they were dressed, you could tell they didn’t have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean.

The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, animals, and all the acts they would be seeing that night.

By their excitement you could sense they had never been to the circus before. It would be a highlight of their lives. The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. The mother was holding her husband’s hand, looking up at him as if to say, “You’re my knight in shining armor.”

He was smiling and enjoying seeing his family happy. The ticket lady asked the man how many tickets he wanted? He proudly responded, “I’d like to buy eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets, so I can take my family to the circus.” The ticket lady stated the price.

The man’s wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man’s lip began to quiver. Then he leaned a little closer and asked, “How much did you say?” The ticket lady again stated the price. The man didn’t have enough money.

How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn’t have enough money to take them to the circus? Seeing what was going on, my dad reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and then dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!)

My father bent down, picked up the $20 bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket.”The man understood what was going on. He wasn’t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking and embarrassing situation.

He looked straight into my dad’s eyes, took my dad’s hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied; “Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family.”

My father and I went back to our car and drove home. The $20 that my dad gave away is what we were going to buy our own tickets with. Although we didn’t get to see the circus that night, we both felt a joy inside us that was far greater than seeing the circus could ever provide.

That day I learned the value to give. The giver is bigger than the receiver. If you want to be large, larger than life, learn to Give. Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything.

The importance of giving, blessing others can never be over emphasized because there’s always joy in giving. Learn to make someone happy by acts of giving.”~ Katharine Hepburn(from Everything good in the world)

Standing in the Gap, US Blog

Standing In The Gap – Jesus and Calls in His Ministry

Jan 24, 2021 , by Percy Parakh

John 17:14-24 New International Version

14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[a] the truth; your word is truth. 

18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 

22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Painting, US Blog

The Son, the Son, who’ll take the Son?

Jan 24, 2021 by Percy Parakh

This is a great story. Take a moment to read it; I Pray it will make your day!

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly.

He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this. ‘The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting.

The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.. ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’ There was silence…Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!’

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’ Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?”Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’ The crowd was becoming angry They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’ The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.

”What about the paintings?” I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will… I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

‘The man who took the son gets everything!’ God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The Son, the Son, who’ll take the Son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…THAT’S LOVE

US Blog, Waiting on God

The Painted Turtle and the Psalmist

Jan 24, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Every fall, when the painted turtle senses winter coming, she dives to the bottom of her pond, burying herself in the muck and mud. She pulls into her shell and goes still: her heart rate slows, almost stopping.

Her body temperature drops, staying just above freezing. She stops breathing, and she waits. For six months, she stays buried, and her body releases calcium from her bones into her bloodstream, so that she slowly begins even to lose her shape.

But when the pond thaws, she will float up and breathe again. Her bones will reform, and she will feel the warmth of the sun on her shell.

I think of the painted turtle when I read the psalmist’s description of waiting for God. The psalmist is in a “slimy pit” of “mud and mire,” but God hears him (Psalm 40:2). God lifts him out, and gives him a firm place to stand. God is “my help and my deliverer,” he sings (v. 17).

Perhaps it feels like you’ve been waiting forever for something to change—for a new direction in your career, for a relationship to be restored, for the willpower to break a bad habit, or for deliverance from a difficult situation. The painted turtle and the psalmist are here to remind us to trust in God: He hears, and He will deliver.

Healing, US Blog

Healing For The Whole Person – Holistic Healing

Jan 19, 2021 , by Percy Parakh

Mark 2:1-12 New International Version
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 

3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 

7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 

9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 

11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Pride, US Blog

Pride – the Bait of Satan

Jan 19, 2021 by Percy Parakh

By John Bevere – from The Bait of Satan

Pride keeps you from dealing with truth and it distorts your vision. It causes you to view yourself as a victim.

Your attitude becomes, “I was mistreated and misjudged; therefore, I am justified in my behavior.” Because you believe you are innocent and falsely accused, you hold back forgiveness.

Though your true heart condition is hidden from you, it’s not hidden from God. Keep this in mind: just because you were mistreated, you do not have permission to hold on to an offense. Two wrongs don’t make a right! #TheBaitOfSatan

Martin Luther King, US Blog

Pastor Rick Warren’s 10 Favorite Quotes from Martin Luther King

Jan 19, 2021 , by Percy Parakh

MY TEN FAVORITE MARTIN LUTHER KING QUOTES

One of the greatest privileges of my life was being invited by Dr. King’s children and family to preach from the same pulpit that he preached from at the great Ebenezer Baptist Church , the congregation Dr. King pastored in Atlanta.

The occasion was the 40th Anniversary of Dr. King’s death, and the family told me that I was the first white preacher to preach there.People forget that, first and foremost, Martin Luther King was a PASTOR, He was not a politician. He was a Baptist minister of the Gospel, and a pastor of a local church.

Everything he did to promote freedom, justice, and racial equality flowed out of his understanding of God’s Word. I have read hundreds of his sermons and they are rich biblical content.

Hanging on the wall of my study is hand typed and signed note from Dr. King. It hangs next to a handwritten note from Mother Teresa and a letter of encouragement from Billy Graham. Each of these 3 Christian leaders left their mark on me as I was a young man.

In honor of Pastor Martin Luther King on this MLK holiday, I give you my 10 FAVORITE QUOTES from a man who was model to many other pastors:

1. “The purpose of life is not to be happy, nor to achieve pleasure nor avoid pain, but to do the will of God, come what may.”
2. “I just want to do God’s will.”
3. “When I took up the cross I recognized it’s meaning. The cross is something that you bear, and ultimately, that you die on.”
4. “The early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the Church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.”
5. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
6. “The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.”
7. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
8. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.”
9. “The gospel at its best deals with the whole man, not only his soul but his body, not only his spiritual well-being, but his material well being as well.”
10. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

Miracle, US Blog

The Ultimate Fish Story – Jesus and Calls in His Ministry

Jan 9, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Luke 5:1-11 New International Version
Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 

3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Grace, US Blog

We need to be Changed By Grace

Jan 9, 2021 by Percy Parakh

CHEAP GRACE

Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance.“

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”‭‭(Luke‬ ‭6:46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14-26), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor.

Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is nothing “cheap” about grace!

If grace as you know it makes you comfortable in your sin, that’s not biblical grace. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”‭‭(Romans‬ ‭6:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Jesus Christ is most certainly our Savior, but this cannot be separated from the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, and as Lord, He commands and we obey.

Fire, Holy Ghost, US Blog

Lord we need The Fire of the Holy Ghost

Jan 9, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Fire is one of the symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. What is it about the Holy Spirit that makes it like fire? Fire penetrates and changes whatever it touches. It gets down to the bottom of everything.

When you are baptized and immersed and controlled by the Holy Spirit, he gets down to the real deal inside us. All excuses and lies we tell ourselves; all pretense, all phoniness; all those instances when Christians say, “Hi,” to someone while secretly harboring animosity— all of it is burned away.

The Holy Spirit penetrates; humbles; burns up pride and everything that’s junk and carnal. The Holy Spirit goes right to it like a bullet, and it changes things; it gets us to realize the shortness of life; and it gets our eyes on Jesus. It totally transforms a life.

When the Holy Spirit came on Paul, it changed Paul from a persecutor of the church to a mighty apostle. Peter was a denier, and he was scared; but when Holy Spirit came on him, he was full of boldness.

A lot of us want to serve God, we want to be more like Jesus; but we think somehow that by introspection and getting counseling from someone or trying harder or reading a new spiritual book or getting a new Bible translation, it’s going to change us.

But the Holy Spirit is the one whom Jesus has sent to change us. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Why? Because the Spirit is in them! I’ve tried to change myself and rectify my faults; and all of us see things that are in us in the flesh; and we try to get rid of this and that.

We see, perhaps, lack of compassion, and other weaknesses. And we’re looking, and we’re picking up this, and we’ve got to remove that; and we sometimes, think, “Praise God, I’ve gotten better here”; but then we realize, “Oh no, here’s another thing I have to remove!”

Even graces we have are many times mixed with pride… Do you know the best thing you can do? Just light a match and light a fire and let the fire burn everything out! This is the most needed thing for me, and for you and for every church, in 2021

By Pastor Jim Cymbala

Amazing Ministry, US Blog

An Amazing Ministry – Jesus and Calls in His Ministry

Jan 2, 2021 , by Percy Parakh

Luke 4:14-30 King James Version

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Eternal Plan, US Blog

You are a Small Part of an Eternal Plan

Jan 2, 2021 by Percy Parakh

You are a Small Part of an Eternal Plan

Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that you are part of an eternal plan? Seriously think about this. Your existence didn’t begin at conception. You began in the mind of God before the foundation of this earth.

Meditate on this. Few things will make you feel smaller … or bigger. Far from being an accident, you and I are part of a brilliant plan that started before planet Earth and continues beyond it. This is why self-deprecation is as wicked as slandering God’s Church.

We are belittling the creation of something God has planned and crafted. He chose us before the foundation of the world, knew us before He made us (Jer. 1:5), and drew up works for us before we were even created (Eph. 2:10). He had plans for His sacred Church and included us in those plans.

This thought should bring tremendous peace to our often-stressed souls. The more I think about it, the more honored I feel to be chosen as part of God’s eternal plan for the Church.

If you’re not fascinated by your inclusion in His Church yet, it may help you to know that there are beings in heaven that stare at the Church in wonder. (Eph 3:8-10)

Think about what this is saying. God wanted to show the heavenly beings His incomparable wisdom … so He created the Church! I believe we have a sacred responsibility to function as His Church in such a way that the rulers in heavenly places can marvel at God’s wisdom.

They ought to see a oneness in us that displays God’s brilliant plan. Two verses earlier, Paul explained that the great mystery God is now revealing is Gentiles becoming members of the same body as the Jews because of what Jesus did on the cross.

This is the divine mystery that was hidden in God for ages! The grand reveal that heavenly authorities were anticipating has arrived. The curtain is drawn back, and they gasp as they see … the Church. No way! This is unreal!

Through the cross, people of every nation and tongue become members of one body? Amazing! God Himself is joining His creation and allowing them to be a part of His body? Unbelievable! This was His plan all along. There was going to come a day when almighty God would dwell with people of all races.

They would be brought to complete unity, forming one temple, which would be a dwelling place for God! Do you see why all this matters so much? Many today treat the Church as optional, as some outdated way to connect to God that has long outlived its usefulness. They’d rather connect with God on their own, in their own way, without all the weird people making things more difficult. We can empathize with many of their feelings about the Church.

But when we see the Church from God’s perspective, when we appreciate it according to God’s design, we’re left in wonder. Who but God could come up with such a beautiful and ingenious plan?

I can’t help but see our own lameness in failing to see the beauty in God’s design for the Church. Heavenly beings are shocked by God’s Church, while many on earth yawn. The early church didn’t need the energetic music, great videos, attractive leaders, or elaborate lighting to be excited about being a part of God’s body.

The pure gospel was enough to put them in a place of awe. Aren’t you at least a little embarrassed that you have needed the extra stuff?

It’s not all your fault. For decades church leaders like myself have lost sight of the powerful mystery inherent in the Church and have instead run to other methods to keep people interested.

In all honesty, we have trained you to become addicted to lesser things. We have cheapened something sacred, and we must repent.
Pastor Francis Chan