Category: India Blog

India Blog, Sin

Never Again Go On The Path Of Sin

Mar 25, 2021 by Percy Parakh

“गुनाह की राह”Rev. Tahira Ali Massey [YESHU Tere Sang]

गुनाह की राह पर फिर से कभी जाया न करो ;
अंधेरो पर कभी भी तुम यक़ीन लाया न करो ।=>

कि गम – मुसीबतो में ज़िंदगी चलेगी सदा ?मसीह के नाम से हर पल यहाँ मुसकाया करो ।…
अंधेरो पर कभी भी तुम यक़ीन लाया न करो ।=>

कदम तुम्हारे उठतें गुनाह की राहो में ;
बचोगे आज नज़र सूली पर उठाया करो ।…

अंधेरो पर कभी भी तुम यक़ीन लाया न करो ।=>
किसे कहोगे यहाँ यार सब फरेबी है ;मसीह है सच्चा उसे यार तुम बनाया करो ।…
अंधेरो पर कभी भी तुम यक़ीन लाया न करो ।

′′ The path of sin ′′ Rev. Tahira Ali Massey [YESHU with you]
Never go on the path of sin again and again
Don’t ever believe in darkness.=>
That sorrow – life will go on forever in difficulties?
Smile here every moment in the name of Christ….
Never believe in darkness.=>
When you take steps in the path toward sin;
You will be saved today, if you raise your eyes to the cross….
Never believe in darkness.=>
Whom will you trust here, all are frauds;
Christ is true make him friend….
Never believe in darkness.

Hindi Worship, India Blog

Jai Jai Naam Yeshu Naam, Gayoon Mein SubhOShyam

Mar 23, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Jai Jai Naam Yeshu Naam
Gaoon mein subhoshaam – 6

Balheen ka sahaara,
paapiyon ka dost hai Tu
Yeshu Tu hai kitna pyaara
Shabd na kaise bataoon? – 2

Jai Jai Naam Yeshu Naam
Gaoon mein subhoshaam – 4

Tujh mein bana rahoon to,
amrut phal laoon main
Gaoon teri jai sadaa to,
Tujh sa ban jaoon main – 2

Jai Jai Naam Yeshu Naam
Gaoon mein subhoshaam – 4

Tu hi hai jo mujhko bulaata
Deta hai jeevan jal
Teri shakti paaoon sadaa aur
Yojanaaye safal ho jaaye – 2

Jai Jai Naam Yeshu Naam
Gaoon mein subhoshaam – 12

Christianity, India Blog

Why believe in Christianity above all other Religions?

Mar 17, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Critics often ask why we should believe in Christianity over all other religions in the world. How can it be that only Christianity is true?  If God exists, why can’t God use different religions?  Don’t all paths lead to God?  Skeptics ask these kinds of questions all the time, and unfortunately, few Christians have the answers.

Nevertheless, they cannot be different paths of the same God because they teach different gods, and contradict each other. And, none of the other religions have Jesus who claimed to be God in the flesh, fulfilled detailed prophecy, died on the cross, and three days later rose from the dead. Therefore, in an attempt to demonstrate why Christianity is true, and all other religious systems are false, I’ve prepared the following list of reasons for Christianity’s superiority.

There are such things as absolute truths

If truth is relative, then the statement that truth is relative is an absolute truth statement and would be a self-defeating statement by proving that truth is not relative.  But, if the truth is absolute, then the statement “truth is absolute” is true and not self-defeating.  It is true that truth exists.  It is true that truth will not contradict itself, as we have just seen.  It is true that you are reading this paper.

If we can see that there is such a thing as truth in the world, then we could also see that there can be spiritual truth as well.  It is not absurd to believe in spiritual absolutes anymore than physical or logical absolutes.  Even the statement that all religions lead to God is a statement held to be a spiritual absolute by many people.  This demonstrates that people do believe in spiritual truth.  Why?  Because truth exists.  However, not all that is believed to be true is true.  Furthermore, all belief systems cannot be true since they often contradict each other in profound ways – and the truth is not self-contradictory.

Religions contradict each other; therefore, they cannot all be true.

Mormonism teaches that there are many gods in existence and that you can become a god.  Christianity teaches that there is only one God, and you cannot become a god.  Islam teaches that Jesus is not God in the flesh – where Christianity does.  Jesus cannot be both God and not God at the same time.  Some religions teach that we reincarnate, while others do not.  Some teach there is a hell, and others do not.  They cannot all be true.  If they cannot all be true, it cannot be true that all religions lead to God.

Furthermore, it means that some religions are, at the very least, false in their claims to reveal the true God (or gods).  Remember, truth does not contradict itself.  If God exists, He will not institute mutually exclusive and contradictory belief systems in an attempt to get people to believe in Him.  God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).  Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that there can be absolute spiritual truth and that not all systems can be true regardless of whether or not they claim to be true.  There must be more than a mere claim.

Fulfilled prophecy concerning Jesus

Though other religions have prophecies in them, none are 100% accurate as is the Bible; and none of them point to someone like Jesus who made incredible claims and performed incredible deeds.  The Old Testament was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, yet the Old Testament prophesied many things about Jesus.  This is undoubtedly evidence of divine influence upon the Bible.

Please consider some of the many prophecies of Jesus in the following chart:

ProphecyOld Testament ProphecyNew Testament Fulfillment
Born of a virginIsaiah 7:14Matt. 1:18, 25
Born at BethlehemMicah 5:2Matt. 2:1
He would be preceded by a MessengerIsaiah 40:3Matt. 3:1-2
Rejected by His own peopleIsaiah 53:3John 7:5; 7:48
Betrayed by a close friendPsalm 41:9John 13:26-30
His side piercedZech. 12:10John 19:34
CrucifixionPsalm 22:1,
Psalm 22:11-18		Luke 23:33;
John 19:23-24
Resurrection of ChristPsalm 16:10Acts 13:34-37

Fulfillment of prophecy can have different explanations.  Some state that the New Testament was written and altered to make it look as if Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (but there is no evidence of that).  Others state that the prophecies are so vague that they do not count (but many of the predictions are not vague at all).  Of course, it is possible that God inspired the writers; and Jesus, who is God in the flesh, fulfilled these prophecies as a further demonstration of the validity of Christianity.

The claims and deeds of Christ

Christianity claims to be authored by God.  Of course, merely making such a claim does not make it true.  Anyone can make claims, but backing up those claims is entirely different.  Jesus used the Divine Name for Himself (John 8:58), the same Divine Name used by God when Moses asked God what His name was in Exodus 3:14.  Jesus said He could do whatever He saw God the Father do (John 5:19), and He claimed to be one with God the Father (John 10:30; 10:38).  Likewise, the disciples also called Him God (John 1:1, 14; John 10:27; Col. 2:9).  By default, if Jesus is God in the flesh, then whatever He said and did would be true.  Since Jesus said that He alone was the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one can find God without Him (John 14:6), His words become incredibly important.

Again, making a claim is one thing.  Backing it up is another.  Did Jesus also back up His fantastic words with miraculous deeds?  Yes, He did.

The eyewitnesses recorded the miracles of Jesus, and the gospels have been reliably transmitted to us.  Therefore, we can believe what Jesus said about Himself for two reasons:  one, because what He said and did agree with the Old Testament; and two, because Jesus performed many convincing miracles in front of people who testified and wrote about what they saw Him do.

Christ’s resurrection

Within Christianity, the resurrection is vitally important.  Without the resurrection, our faith is useless (1 Cor. 15:14).  It was Jesus’ resurrection that changed the lives of the disciples.  After Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran and hid.  But when they saw the risen Lord, they knew that what Jesus had said and done proved that He was indeed God in the flesh, the Savior.

No other religious leader has died in full view of trained executioners, had a guarded tomb, and then rose three days later to appear to many many people.  This resurrection is proof of who Jesus is, and that He did accomplish what He set out to do: provide the only means of redemption for humanity.

Buddha did not rise from the dead.  Muhammad did not rise from the dead.  Confucius did not rise from the dead.  Krishna did not rise from the dead, etc.  Only Jesus has physically risen from the dead, walked on water, claimed to be God, and raised others from the dead.  He has conquered death.  Why trust anyone else?  Why trust anyone who can be held by physical death when we have a Messiah who is greater than death itself?

Conclusion

Why should anyone trust in Christianity over Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism, or anything else?  It is because there are absolute truths.  Only in Christianity are there accurately fulfilled prophecies of a coming Messiah.  Only in Christianity do we have the extremely accurate transmission of the eyewitness documents (gospels). So, we can trust what was originally written.  Only in Christianity do we have the person of Christ who claimed to be God, performed many miracles to prove His claim of divinity, who died and rose from the dead, and who said that He alone was the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).  All this adds to the legitimacy and credibility of Christianity above all other religions – all based on the person of Jesus.  It could not be that Jesus is the only Truth, and other religions also are the truth.

Either Jesus is true, and all other religions are false, or other religions are true, and Jesus is false.  There are no other options.  I choose to follow the risen Lord Jesus.

India Blog, Yoga

Is Yoga Just a Form of Exercise?

Mar 4, 2021 by Percy Parakh

IN ALL YOGA, these postures are offered to the 330 million Hindu gods. Yoga postures are offerings to the gods. Every single body position has a meaning. Yoga positions were not designed by your local fitness instructor.

They were designed and they were created with demonic intent to open you up to demonic power. The serpent spirit called “Kundalini”. Because Hinduism is demonic. If you do these postures and you do this breathing technique and this meditation, then you will be accepted by a god, little “G.”

That’s the real danger!!!! Yoga’s real goal is to awaken Kundalini power, coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine, ready to spring up to manifest itself through the alleged chakras, (centers of universal force) of the body. It’s demonic!

There are a surprising number of Hindu influences in our North American culture. Many of these go unchecked or even unnoticed by the Christian Church.

“Christian” Yoga for one has really caught on in the Christian community and many church calendars have become filled with Yoga classes. The spiritual effects, though, have been detrimental. Christians will often say about Yoga, “Well, I don’t practice the spiritual part of Yoga, I just do it for the exercise. It’s the same as the Apostle Paul saying it’s OK to eat food sacrificed to idols”(1 Cor

. Now, I know what you might be thinking. “Occult? Oh, come on now! Aren’t we overreacting just a little bit? Yoga is just exercise.” But, did you know that Yoga is one of the essential religious practices of Hinduism? As Subhas Tiwari, a professor of yoga philosophy and mediation at the Hindu University of America in Orlando, Florida stated in the September 5, 2005 issue of Time Magazine —”Yoga is Hinduism.

“And, in fact, Yoga is the major missionary arm of Hinduism and the New Age movement in North America. By Yasmeen Suri

India Blog, Theosophy

What is Theosophy?

Dec 8, 2020 by Percy Parakh

Question: “What is theosophy?”

Answer: Theosophy is more of a philosophy of religion than a religion per se. The word theosophy comes from the Greek words theos “god” and sophia “wisdom”. Literally, theosophy means “divine wisdom.” The roots of this philosophy can be traced back to ancient Gnosticism, with borrowings from Greek philosophy and medieval mysticism. Modern theosophy also draws heavily on Hinduism.

The Theosophical Society was founded in New York in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, a Russian-born spiritualist, and Henry Steel Olcott, an American lawyer and newspaperman. Three years later, they moved the international base of operations for the Theosophical Society to India.

Theosophy teaches that all religions contain elements of the “Ancient Wisdom” and that wise men throughout history have held the secret of spiritual power. Those who have been enlightened by the divine wisdom can access a transcendent spiritual reality through mystical experience. Like Hinduism, theosophy teaches reincarnation and a belief in karma. Theosophists also place their trust in the Mahatmas (literally, “Great Souls”), also referred to as the Great Masters or the Adepts—those who have reached an exalted state of existence and who possess the sum of the world’s accumulated knowledge. According to theosophists, these Mahatmas are directing the spiritual evolution of mankind.

In 1911, the Theosophical Society proclaimed the advent of a “World Teacher”—a young Hindu named Jiddu Krishnamurthi. Theosophists heralded this messianic character as the world’s hope of enlightenment, peace, and unity. However, a few years later, Krishnamurthi renounced his position as “World Teacher” and stopped claiming to be a messiah.

Although theosophists contend that their philosophy is compatible with Christianity (and with Buddhism, Hinduism, and all other religions), it is clear that theosophy is at odds with the Bible. Not only does the Bible refute the idea of reincarnation and karma (Hebrews 9:27), it also differs from theosophy on the following points:

1) Theosophy denies the existence of a personal, infinite God. The Bible plainly teaches the existence of a God who is both personal and infinite (Hebrews 1:10, 11:6).

2) Theosophy denies the need of forgiveness. The Bible proclaims all mankind to be in need of God’s forgiveness, available only through the death of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25).

3) Theosophy teaches that Christ was a “Great Soul” who inhabited the body of a man named Jesus for a few years (this is an ancient Gnostic heresy). The Bible teaches that Jesus is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1-14).

While the number of theosophists has dwindled through the years, the philosophy itself has had a marked influence. Theosophy has produced great interest in the Eastern religions among those in the West, leading to revivals of Hinduism and Buddhism. It has also heavily influenced the rise of other religious movements, such as Rosicrucianism, unity, and the New Thought movement.

Theosophy seeks a higher wisdom, but it fails to recognize that there is no higher wisdom than is found in Jesus Christ, “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Related Topics:

What is anthroposophy?

I am a Buddhist, why should I consider becoming a Christian?

What does the Bible say about karma?

What does the Bible say about reincarnation?

What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe?

India Blog, Programmer

13 year old Kid from India is the youngest IBM Watson Programmer

Nov 30, 2020 by Percy Parakh

13-year-old Tanmay Bakshi a kid from India, became the world’s youngest IBM Watson Programmer at the age of 12. Just listen to the conversation, it is mind blowing!

Based in Brampton, Canada, he started coding at the age of 5, created an iOS app at 9, and became the world’s youngest IBM Watson Programmer at the age of just 12.

Meet Tanmay Bakshi – an AI expert for Google and IBM, a TedX Speaker and a Keynote Speaker for associations like NASSCOM. He has also co-authored the book Hello Swift! iOS Programming for Kids and Other Beginners.

What’s more, he runs a YouTube channel that has nearly 300,000 subscribers, where he uploads tutorials and other informative content.

India Blog, Religion

Religion V/S The Gospel

Nov 14, 2020 by Percy Parakh

By Pastor Vinu John

Somebody once asked a Christian friend, “I can’t understand you Christians because India is the home of many religions that it is an exceedingly religious country. Why then do you introduce yet another religion and add to the confusion? Surely, India has enough religions.”

The Christian friend answered, “Friend, I’m not interested in RELIGION, but I’m deeply interested in the GOSPEL. I would not walk across the streets for RELIGION, but I’m willing to go around the world for the sake of the GOSPEL.

There is a difference between the two. ”RELIGION is man made; the GOSPEL is God given,

RELIGION is what man does for God; the GOSPEL is what God has done for man,

RELIGION is man’s search for God; the GOSPEL is God’s search for man,

RELIGION is man trying to climb the ladder of his own self-righteousness, with the hope of meeting God at the topmost rung; the GOSPEL is God coming down the ladder of the incarnation of Jesus Christ and meeting us as sinners at the lowest rung (forming the steps of a ladder),

RELIGION is good views; the GOSPEL is good news.

RELIGION is good advice; the GOSPEL is glorious announcement.

RELIGION takes a man leaves him as he is; the GOSPEL takes a man as he is and makes him what he ought to be.

RELIGION ends in an outer reformation; the GOSPEL ends in an inner transformation.

RELIGION white washes; the GOSPEL washes white.

RELIGION often becomes a farce; the GOSPEL is always a force, the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

There are many RELIGIONS, but only one GOSPEL.

Doctor, India Blog

Doctor at age 16, IAS Officer at age 22

Nov 13, 2020 by Percy Parakh

Former collector of Jabalpur, Dr. Roman Saini’s story is one which is bound to inspire many to do something good for the welfare of the society. To help all those students who cannot afford IAS related education, he launched an online institution by the name “Unacademy” and has been providing not just IAS related education, but coaching in various fields.

Another shocking thing about Mr Saini is that he had turned an IAS officer at a tender of 22. He also became the youngest to clear the pre medical examination and a doctor at the highly reputed AIIMS. When he visited a village in 2011 as a part of the medical camp and then he realized how much people were struggling in such meteor towns.

He runs the Unacademy website with the help of his friend Gaurav Munjal and is doing a spectacular job, gaining great popularity on social networking websites such as Facebook, Quora, Instagram and Youtube. When his popularity increased, he decided to quit the IIT job and focus completely on becoming a full time educator.

There are closely 400 videos in his portal and is currently having more than 1 Million subscribers on Youtube, which indeed is a significant number to achieve. His channel provides a great platform for all those students who cannot afford costly coaching or materials required to prepare for competitive exams.

He covers almost all main aspects like Geography, Physics, History, Politics, Arts, Environment, Ecology, Biodiversity etc.

Financial conditions becoming a barrier to educational progress is a common sight in our country, but from many years we have failed to bring a solution to this thing. Here’s a young 25 year old, who is showing way for this generation people to not just settle yourself well, but also to help your surroundings to improve and live a sophisticated life.

We all salute you Mr Saini, keep doing the great job!

India Blog, Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pinchai CEO of Google is Interviewed by the New York Times

Nov 12, 2020 , by Percy Parakh

Sundar Pichai, the India-born CEO of Google, was interviewed by The New York Times on how he is steering the tech giant through the most turbulent period in its history. Pichai, who helped develop Google’s browser, Chrome, dwells on employees who protested sexual harassment at the company and on Silicon Valley’s troubles in the interview, but it also  provides a fascinating account of his childhood and how it was like growing up in India. Below are the highlights on those aspects of his life:

Voracious Reader

Pichai, who attended prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, then Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he received advanced degrees, was a voracious reader as a boy. “I had a lot of time to read. I was processing a lot,” he said. He told NYT that he read whatever he could get his hands on. He read Dickens.

“Simple” Childhood In Chennai

Pichai, who joined Google in 2004 after stints at Applied Materials and McKinsey, said there was a simplicity to his life, “which was very nice compared with today’s world”. He told NYT that he lived in a “kind of modest house, shared with tenants”. He and family would sleep on the living room floor, according to him. And because there was a drought when he was growing up, even now, he said he can never sleep without a bottle of water beside his bed. He told NYT that other houses had refrigerators, and then his family finally got one, it was a big deal.

Studying In IIT

Pichai said he rarely had access to the computer— maybe three or four times — during his stint at IIT. “To come and just have these labs in which you had access to computers and you could program, it was a big deal to me,” he told NYT in the interview. He said he was so wrapped up in that, that to some extent he didn’t understand there was a much bigger shift happening with the internet.

Screen Time With Family

Pichai said he wants to let go of his devices for the weekend, but hasn’t succeeded yet. The TV at home is not easily accessible, according to him. He told his son is 11 years old, and he is mining Ethereum and earning money. Though his son getting insight into how the tech world works, how commerce works, he still doesn’t have a phone, Pichai told NYT.

India Blog, Indian Navy

Brave Indian Warriors – Women Indian Navy Pilots

Nov 1, 2020 by Percy Parakh

Indian Navy’s first batch of women pilots ready to soar high on Dornier aircraft

Lieutenant Divya Sharma, Lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop and Lieutenant Shivangi are the three women pilots of the first batch.

Scripting history, they are ready to take on all MR missions on Dornier aircraft.

We salute these women for their courage and bravery, and their scrifice for their beloved country!!

India Blog, Transformation

A 30 Year Old Vegetable Vendor Rescues A Baby From Trash

Nov 1, 2020 by Percy Parakh

A real life story that happened in Tinsukia District, Assam…A vegetable seller, Soberan, was coming home, pushing his vegetable thela.

He heard a baby crying in the bushes. Soberan went near the bush and saw an infant lying on the heap of garbage, crying. Soberane looked around, waited a while and when no one appeared, lifted her in the lap.

It was a baby girl. Soberan brought her home. Soberan was 30 years old at that time and was unmarried. He was very happy and decided to raise the child single-handedly. He named the girl, Jyoti!!

Soberan worked hard day and night and did not let her feel the lack of anything. He sent her to school and did everything he could to fulfill her needs. Even if he had to remain hungry, he never let his daughter fall short of anything.

Years passed by….. And Jyoti graduated in Computer Science in 2013. She started preparing for competitive exams. In 2014, Jyoti performed brilliantly in the examination conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission and was appointed the Assistant Income Tax Commissioner!!!

Soberan’s eyes welled with tears on seeing his daughter fulfilling her dream. Presently, Jyoti is taking good care of her father and is fulfilling all his wishes. Even though she insists on him relaxing, her father still runs the vegetable vendor trade.

Soberan says,”I did not pick a girl from garbage; I got a diamond from a coal mine. She has filled my life with divine light.” That’s Soberan & his daughter, Assistant Commissioner Jyoti!

Holy Spirit, Hound of Heaven, India Blog

The Hound Of Heaven by Francis Thompson

Sep 6, 2020 by Percy Parakh

By Ravi Zacharias

I believe one of the most profound poems ever written was penned by an Englishman named Francis Thompson. Thompson was a genius, but he became a drug addict and was on the run for many years.

Towards the later part of his life he wrote the magnificent masterpiece he called

“The Hound of Heaven.”

The poem describes God as the persistent hound who, with loving feet, follows and follows until he catches up with this person who is trying to run and flee from him. Writes Thompson:

“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled him down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated,
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.”

As the poem comes to an end, Thompson depicts the persistent cry of God to the one who flees his presence, the one God pursues to the end:

“Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.”

With the wisdom of one who had found himself chased after, Thompson notes the heart of God and the contradiction of humanity. We run away, fearful that if we have God, we might have nothing else beside.

And God says, “You were weak and blind and miserable when you were driving me away, because you were actually driving love away from you. It is Me you seek.”


Idolatry, India Blog

Why is Idolatry Forbidden in the Bible

Sep 1, 2020 by Percy Parakh
The Warnings Against Idol Worship

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;  (Revelation 9:20 NASB)

The condemnation of idolatry, usually defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, is found throughout the Bible. For example, the first two commandments state…
Then God spoke all these words, saying, 
“I am the  Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 
(1) “You shall have no other gods before Me.
(2)  “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 
(3) “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the  Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:1-6 NASB)

Note: “Jealous” does not mean He is suspicious or distrustful, but that He demands exclusive devotion. 

And many, many other verses endorse the commandment that prohibits idolatry. Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:4 NASB)

You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 26:1 NASB)

I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the  Lord your God.’ (Ezekiel 20:7 NASB)

I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. ‘I am the  Lord your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them. (Ezekiel 20:18-19 NASB)

Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. (Ezekiel 14:6 NASB)

Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘you shall worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”  (Matthew 4:10 NASB) but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.  (Acts 15:20 NASB)

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. (Romans 1:22-25 NASB)

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:14 NASB)

In fact idolatry is singled out in the Bible as the most abominable of sins

Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke against Baasha through Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel sin, provoking the  Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols. (1 Kings 16:12-13 NASB)”

Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness. ‘They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation, (Deuteronomy 32:20-21 NASB) 

Behold, listen! The cry of the daughter of my people from a distant land: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not within her?” “Why have they provoked Me with their graven images, with foreign idols?” (Jeremiah 8:19 NASB)”I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations.”  (Jeremiah 16:18 NASB)

All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of mockery; In the time of their punishment they will perish. (Jeremiah 51:17-18 NASB)

The Consequences of Idol Worship

In the Old Testament Isaiah and Ezekiel  were very clear as to the fate of those who indulged in idolatry,The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the  Lord alone will be exalted in that day, But the idols will completely vanish.

Men will go into caves of the rocks And into holes of the ground Before the terror of the  Lord And the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble. In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats Their idols of silver and their idols of gold, Which they made for themselves to worship, In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs Before the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, When He arises to make the earth tremble. (Isaiah 2:17-21 NASB)

They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame, Who trust in idols, Who say to molten images, “You are our gods.”  (Isaiah NASB)They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them; The manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation. (Isaiah 45:16. 42:17 NASB)’So as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations, therefore I will also withdraw, and My eye will have no pity and I will not spare. (Ezekiel 5:11 NASB)

“So your altars will become desolate and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. “I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. “In all your dwellings, cities will become waste and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and desolate, your idols may be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be blotted out. (Ezekiel 6:4-6 NASB)

So were Paul and John in the New. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, (1 Corinthians 6:9 NASB)

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB)

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:5-6 NASB)

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,  (Colossians 3:5-6 NASB)

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; (Revelation 9:20 NASB)

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8 NASB)

All of which brings us to the question of why? Why was idolatry so strongly condemned in the Scriptures – so strictly forbidden with such severe consequences for disobeying very express commands to stay away from idol worship.

Idols.. Images of gods or Demons in Disguise?
Elijah And The Priests Of Baal:

It is interesting that when Elijah challenged the priests of Baal atop of Mount Carmel to persuade their god to perform a miracle, the pagan priests beseeched their god without the use of an idol, which certainly indicates that Baal was not just an idol, but rather one of the polytheistic gods that could be worshipped through an idol.While the ancients believed that Baal was a god, the Bible is very clear that false gods are nothing more than demons which accounts for the strongly worded commandments against their worship.

Note how the Bible does not differentiate between sacrifices made to idols and sacrifices made to demons and that wine poured out as a libation, or drank by the worshipers was the “cup of demons””They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread. (Deuteronomy 32:17 NASB)

They (the Israelites) did not destroy the peoples, As the  Lord commanded them, But they mingled with the nations And learned their practices, And served their idols, Which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood. (Psalms 106:34-38 NASB)

What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols (Gk. eido?lon) is anything, or that an idol (Gk. eido?lon) is anything? No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons (Gk. daimonion) and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons (Gk. daimonion). You cannot drink the cup of the  Lord and the cup of demons  (Gk. daimonion); you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons (Gk. daimonion). (1 Corinthians 10:19-21 NASB)

In other words the pagan images, the lifeless statues of ancient gods and goddesses were simply the face of the daimonia (demons) which may also be one explanation for the hideous faces given many of these images (Ex. the eight-armed, demonic looking, goddess Kali depicted as holding a skull in one of her hands) are far more than man made images.

It is fair to conclude the characterization of such deities as “Zeus,” “Amun-Ra,” “Demeter,” and “Isis,” were simply the classical names attributed to specific fallen spirits. The images (falcon headed statues, animal forms, etc) provided a point of focus. It is interesting to note that each of these deities has specific characteristics such as nature, gender and authority which would probably not be the case if they were nothing but inert man made statues. See The New Age and Devil Worship

In other words, Apollo was a real personality; Osiris was a genuine underworld fiend; Hecate actually lived, and still does! Ishtar, the goddess of love and war who played a major role among the Canaanites as Astarte (the Israelites knew her as Ashtoreth) was a real live demon. Isis, one of the most important deities of ancient Egypt is still revered by pagans today.

The Hindu gods Shiva and the eight-armed demonic looking goddess Kali depicted as holding a skull in one of her hands are far more than man made images. It is no wonder the apostle John warned believers to beware of them.Little children, guard yourselves from idols.  (1 John 5:21 NASB)
 
Idolatry and Other Religions

Hinduism: In Hinduism, “an idol or an image is not a lifeless form but a living embodiment of God thus “a superior form of divine worship” [01]. Even the most philosophically sophisticated and ethically advanced Hindus usually worship before idols. To add to which, occult practices such as those condemned in Deuteronomy 18:9-14 [divination, telling fortunes, interpreting omens, consulting a medium etc. are common in Hinduism.

Buddhism: Although there does not seem to be any evidence of the promoting of idol worship by Buddha, statues of him flood the world of present day Buddhism. The official position is that “The images are erected as a mark of respect and appreciation for the highest achievement of enlightenment and perfection by an extraordinary religious teacher”. Symbols which helps the Buddhist “recall or to remember the Buddha”. The reality is probably a little different, with very little “pure” Buddhism being practiced in the world today. The ultimate aim of Buddhism is “Nirvana”, a perfect peace of mind that is free from suffering, desire, anger and the cycle of rebirth. The individual becomes one with the universe. See The Message of the Bible

Islam itself condemns idolatry, but has fundamentally unbiblical views of God and Salvation (See Section on Islam)

The Final End of Idolatry

One of Isaiah’s prophecies concerning the end times says thisThe pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, But the idols will completely vanish. (Isaiah 2:17-18 NASB)

As did Micah and Zechariah”I will also cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications. “I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no more. “I will cut off your carved images And your sacred pillars from among you, So that you will no longer bow down To the work of your hands. “I will root out your Asherim from among you And destroy your cities. (Micah 5:11-14 NASB)

“It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. (Zechariah 13:2 NASB)As Isaiah said “the Lord alone will be exalted in that day”End Notes[01]

Reasons For Idol
Worship in Hinduism. http://www.hinduwebsite.com/idols.asp
India Blog, Kundalini Yoga

Can practicing Yoga and Meditation be very harmful

Jul 28, 2020 by Percy Parakh

“One often hears and reads about the dangers of Yoga, particularly of the ill-reputed Kundalini Yoga. The deliberately induced psychotic state, which in certain unstable individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis, is a danger that needs to be taken very seriously indeed.

These things really are dangerous and ought not to be meddled with in our typically Western way. It is a meddling with Fate, which strikes at the very roots of human existence and can let loose a flood of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed.

These sufferings correspond to the hellish torments of the chönyid state…”   C. G. Jung, Introduction to The Tibetan Book of the Dead *

https://www.yogadangers.com/spiritual-dangers-of-yoga/

India Blog, Scientist

DRDO Scientist Appointed by the PM in India

Jul 10, 2020 by Percy Parakh

Interesting story of a young DRDO Scientist appointed by PM Narendra Modi. He is Pratap aged 21 years. He travels 28 days in a month to foreign countries. France has invited him to join their Organisations for which he will be provided with monthly salary of Rs 16 Lakhs, 5 BHK house and Car worth 2.5Cr. But he simply declined.

PM Modi has honored him with suitable award and has asked DRDO to absorb him.Let us see what this boy from Karnataka has achieved.

Part 1
He was born in a remote village in Kadaikudi near Mysore Karnataka. His father earned Rs 2000 as a farmer. Pratap was interested in Electronics right from childhood. While studying he acquainted himself with various websites such as Aviation, Space, Rolls Royce, Boeing 777 etc. from a nearby Cybercafe .

He sent several emails to Scientists all over the world in his broken English about his interest to work but in vain. He wanted to join Engineering School but due to financial problems he joined a Science College to earn a BSc in Physics. Again he was unable to complete the same. He was thrown out of hostel for not paying the hostel fees.

He used to sleep in Bus Stand in Mysore, and used to wash his clothes in the public toilet. He learnt computer languages such as C++, Java Core and Python on his own. He learnt about “Drones” through eWaste. After 80 attempts he succeeded in developing a Drone.

Part 2
He went to IIT Delhi in rags in a unreserved train compartment to participate in a “Drone Model Competition”. He won “Second prize”. He was told to participate in a competition in Japan. To go to Japan an academic Professor in a Chennai College had to approve his Thesis.

He went to Chennai for the first time and with great difficulty that Prof. approved him with some comments that he was not qualified to write it.

Pratap required Rs 60,000 to go to Japan, a philanthropist from Mysore sponsored his flight ticket and balance money he made up by selling his mother’s Mangala .

Somehow he reached Tokyo after going on his maiden flight to Japan all alone. He had only Rs 1400 when he landed there. He couldn’t take the Bullet Train since it was very expensive. So he went by normal train by changing trains at 16 different stations with his luggage to reach his last station.

He walked another 8 km to reach the ultimate destination with his luggage. He participated in an Exposition where 127 nations were participating.The results were announced in a graded manner and finally top 10 . Pratap dejectedly started walking back and slowly the judges were inching to top 3, 2, and finally the First prize was announced as “Please welcome Mr Pratap Gold Medalist from India”.

He was crying with joy. He saw with his own eyes the Indian flag going up. He was rewarded with $10,000 and celebrations followed everywhere. He was called by PM Modi, Karnataka MLA & MP and was honored by all.

France offered him a job with a great salary and fantastic perks. He simply refused and now the PM has honored him and has asked the DRDO to absorb him.

KUDOS TO THE YOUNGEST ACHIEVER.

India Blog, Many God's

How Many God’s Are There?

Jul 7, 2020 , by Percy Parakh

Question: “How many gods are there?”

Answer: Various religions have various answers to the question “How many gods are there?” Religions that hold a monotheistic worldview believe there is only one real God. Polytheistic religions allow for multiple gods. The Bible unequivocally teaches there is only one God, and He created all things, sustains all things, and transcends all things.

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are the three main monotheistic worldviews that accept the existence of only one God, and no other. While monotheism embraces the reality of other supernatural or spiritual entities, it does not allow that they are truly gods, and it rejects the belief that any creature could challenge the power of the one true God.

Atheism is a worldview that rejects the existence of God, the spiritual world, or gods of any kind. From the atheist’s perspective, there is no such thing as a personal, divine being who caused or created any part of the material world.

Polytheism is a worldview that believes more than one or numerous finite gods are present in the world. Polytheism takes many different forms. In some, all the gods are relatively equal. In others, the gods are subject to a hierarchy. Examples of polytheistic belief systems include Hinduism (which teaches the existence of millions of gods), some forms of Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Paganism, and Mormonism. Mormons typically deny this classification, arguing that they worship only one God. Be that as it may, Mormonism still endorses a belief in an indefinite number of gods.

Pantheism is a worldview held by most Hindus, many Buddhists, and other New Age religions. Pantheists claim God “is all and in all.” He permeates all things, comprises all things, includes all things, and is contained within all things. Since nothing exists apart from God, all things are in some way associated with God. The world is God, and God is the world. In pantheism, God is infinite, but not personal—all is God, and God is all.

Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all teach the existence of a singular, personal, transcendent, preexistent, self-existent, omnipotent, sovereign, and eternal God. Jewish and Christian Scripture says, “I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be” (Isaiah 43:10, NLT; see also Isaiah 44:6, 8).

But Christianity sets itself apart with a distinct perspective on God’s nature. God has revealed Himself to be triune: the one God exists in three co-existent, co-eternal, co-equal Persons who share the same nature. The three Persons of the Trinity are God the Father (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2), God the Son (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3–4; Mark 1:10–11; John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

It’s important to understand that the Trinity doctrine does not imply three Gods. The Bible is clear that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5). But He exists in tri-unity.

People have imagined for themselves many gods, given them names, fashioned their images, and drawn up elaborate stories of their feats and foibles. But “we know that ‘An idol is nothing at all in the world’ and that ‘There is no God but one’” (1 Corinthians 8:4). The myriad of gods and goddesses that have come and gone in the history of the world are nothing but cut-rate imitations of the One who’s really in charge. Demonic deception is behind false gods and their idols, as Satan continues to lead people astray from the truth: “The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God” (1 Corinthians 10:20).

The Bible says that the one true God is the sovereign Creator of the universe (Isaiah 42:5; Ephesians 1:11). He is eternal (Psalm 90:2); He is personal (Deuteronomy 34:10); He is holy (Psalm 99:3). The Bible says this one God is all-knowing (Isaiah 46:10), all-powerful (Matthew 19:26), and present everywhere (Psalm 139:7–10). The one true God never changes (James 1:17). Scripture confirms the presence of many false, so-called gods (Deuteronomy 32:17), but none of these counterfeits possess the unsurpassed excellence of the Lord God Almighty. He alone is worthy of worship, honor, and glory (Revelation 5:12).

Recommended Resource: Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias

Buddhism, Hindu, India Blog

Did you know that Buddha Prophesied about the coming of Jesus Christ!

May 12, 2020 by Percy Parakh

Hebrews 1:1 New International Version (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

The Bible says that in the past, in ancient times before the coming of the Messiah, God spoke to people through the prophets, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel some of the Old Testament prophets. It could be posited that Buddha, Zoroaster, etc. would fit in here.

But if you watch this video, Buddha had prophesied about the coming of Jesus Christ. The Zoroastrian scriptures also speak about a future coming of a Saoshyant which may have been Jesus Christ. Saoshyant (Saoshyans) is a Zoroastrian term for “savior.” 

Hebrews 1:2-3 New International Version (NIV)

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

India Blog, Temple

Main Mandir hoon Tera – I am a Temple of the Holy Spirit by Anil Kant

May 6, 2020 by Percy Parakh

This is a beautiful Hindi Song by Anil Kant. The words of the song mean that I am a Temple of the Holy Spirit, which dwells within me.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 New International Version (NIV)

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

John 14:26 King James Version (KJV)

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

India Blog

My Shoe Shine Miracle 2 Years ago on the streets of Bombay!

May 3, 2020 by Percy Parakh

I was walking on the sidewalk, from Sterling Cinema theatre, (where my nephew works) to the Kotak Bank, on P.M. Road. This was more out of necessity than any desire on my part.

Let me explain – Taxi Driver’s are loathe to drive short distances, as they don’t make much of a profit. The sweltering heat, and the afternoon sun, we’re almost intolerable. So reluctantly I decided to walk it to the bank.

I was slowly meandering towards my destination, when lo and behold I noticed shoe shine guys on the pavement, and even as I was walking, I made a mental note, to get my shoes shined, because I hadn’t had them shined by these guys in a long time.

As I was walking my eyes strangely came in contact with this old man, with a bekoning look on his face. I just had to stop for one. He cheerfully reminded me that it would only cost me Rs. 20 (roughly 30 cents).

As he was shining my shoes, I was wondering how this old chap was surviving on only a few shoe shines a day. I was strangely compelled to share my testimony about how Jesus had transformed my life, and I urged him to trust in him.

I payed him Rs. 50 which seemed like a big Bonanza to him, and he was instantly beaming from ear to ear.(I had made his day!). I told him that he could probably get a Bible in Tamil, just a few steps away from the Bible Society Shop.

I began to quickly walk away ( before I would start weeping) and the holy spirit started dealing with me, nudging me to have done some more. I turned back and bought him a New Testament Bible in Tamil, walked up to him and gave it. I urged him to read it.

This afternoon almost a week later, ran into him on my way to the bank. I noticed a strange glow about him. He immediately recognised me, and wanted to touch my feet and kinda worship me.

I just grabbed his hand and prayed the Good Lord would fill him with his Holy Spirit.Wonder if one day I will meet him in Heaven, and he would tell me how he was gloriously saved and delivered out of poverty! O, what a glorious day that would be!

India Blog, Repentance, Savation

Most people believe they are pretty good. So are you a good person?

Apr 30, 2020 by Percy Parakh

ARE YOU A GOOD PERSON?
No one is good enough to go to heaven. All of us deserve to go to hell. But what God did was amazing in that we don’t have to get what we deserve (hell), and we also can have what we don’t deserve (heaven).

Around 2,000 years ago, God gave us His Son, who lived a perfect life. He was mistreated by evil people around Him, and He went to court and was punished for things He did not do. But when He went to court, and was punished for the things He did not do, He did it for us, so that we would not have to be punished for our sins.

Of course, we might have a good understanding of what Jesus did when He died on the Cross to take the punishment for our sins, but if we have never responded to God by repenting of our sins, and putting our trust in Jesus Christ as our sin bearer, it will do us no good.

We have to respond to God and the message of the Gospel. We must turn to God and be forgiven of our sins.

We commit sins every time we break God’s Commandments. God will punish every sin we have committed. When we die and stand before God, we will see our sins. If we die in our sins, we will go to hell to be eternally punished. That is bad news…

But the Good News is that Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins. He was buried in a tomb and on the third day he arose from the dead.

He is alive today and will return to the world to collect those who belong to Him.

All others will be left behind. All those who have died already, who are in Christ will be raised from the dead and will go to be with the Lord.

The ones left behind will await God’s judgment and will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever. On That Day, Jesus will either be your Advocate, or He will be your Adversary. Which one will He be for you?