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CSI Good News
(Church of South India Good News)
Vol. 9 / Issue 29 / August 23 2007
Contents of this issue
Editorial
Heaven and Earth will Pass Away
Praise Him.....
News Items (Common to all issues) :
Through the Valley of Death & other Books
Download Articles in Handheld Computers
Kids Page - Free Tutorials
Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online
Your Spam Folder
Your Feedback
Editorial
By Sherly Isaac
Bible often narrates the mighty power of God over nature’s fury and other physical conditions.
We read in Mat 8:23-27, “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Here we see that the disciples were scared when they saw the high waves covering their boat. But at the same time Jesus was sleeping having no fear in the midst of the storm. How was He so calm in the midst of that terrible storm? We can see the answer in His reply to His disciples.
When His disciples made Him awake saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!", His reaction was astonishing toward them. He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" There was something lacking called “faith” in the lives of the disciples. Though they walked with Jesus and had closely associated with Jesus yet they did not know who they were in Christ Jesus and how much potential they had because of Jesus.
According to John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” But how many of those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior know that they belong to the family of God and that they have the same privileges as of God. You inherit everything what God has, when you become the child of God. Most Christians take it very lightly and often they would say that, “days of miracles and mighty things are over….” No my friend, as long as God is on His throne He will do miracles, He will rescue the perishing and will wipe away the tears of those who weep.
I remember when I was young; there were servants in our home because my dad was a high-ranking official. Whenever we spoke anything, they would obey and do accordingly. They were much older than me and yet they obeyed me. The reason was, I was daughter of an official. It was not because I had any power but just being the daughter, I could enjoy the same privilege as of my father. If I had this much power just being an officer’s daughter how much more power I have because I am the daughter of the Creator, the King of kings and the Lord of lords?
Jesus told in John 15:16 & John 16:23, “whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” Yes, there is power in the name of Jesus and we have to just use our authority that Jesus gave us. Jesus demonstrated His mighty power by rebuking the winds and the sea as we read in Mat 8:26-27, “Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Often we find ourselves in the midst of storms in our lives and it overwhelms us. But look at Jesus how calmly He was sleeping because He knew who He was! He was no ordinary man but the Son of God. You are no ordinary person when you are a child of God. You can stay calm trusting in Him and clinging to Him. You can overcome the world as He overcame the world by His mighty power.
Heaven and Earth will Pass Away
By Vinod Isaac
Mat 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Jesus is emphasizing the accuracy or importance of the Word of God by saying "Heaven and Earth will Pass Away but My words will by no means pass away".
Jesus has spoken like this only on two other occasions. One at Mat 5:18
Mat 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
Mat 5:18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
Just after Jesus gave the most popular "Sermon on the Mount", He is making very very clear that "Sermon on the Mount" does not replace the Law of God. Today many theologians put all the emphasis on "Sermon on the Mount" and try to justify that Jesus changed everything saying that the Ten Commandments is not valid any more. Jesus already knew that there will be people who will not believe in the Word of God and that they will try to fit their liberal theology where ever they can. That is the reason why Jesus is making it very clear that He has not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill. And with greater emphasis He declares that it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the Word of God to remain unfulfilled.
This means that modern science which depends on the Laws of Physics that govern the movement of planets and earth even those laws can fail but the Word of God will not. Today most of the people want to prove everything using science. It looks as if God is being replaced by science, but according to Jesus science can and will fail and yet the Word of God will not. What is your source of trust today? If you have to choose between science and Jesus what will be your choice?
The second place where Jesus says, ‘heaven and earth will pass away but law will not fail’ is in Luke 16:17-18.
Luke 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.
Luke 16:18 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The occasion is when Jesus is confronting the Pharisees because of their lust for money and the way by which they acquire wealth using illegal or unlawful means. Also of interpreting the law to suit their needs, for example, their teaching saying that divorce is ok.
Jesus knew that money making through illegal means and divorce are going to increase in the last days. Jesus also knew that there will be theologians who will break the law and will teach people the opposite of what is in the law. That exactly is the reason why Jesus is making clear that heaven and earth will pass away but law will not. God will still judge according to His law not by a liberal interpretation of Bible.
Now coming back to Mat 24:35
Mat 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."
Here Jesus is saying that heaven and earth will pass away but His words will not. Context is the second coming of Jesus. Today 95% of churches never preach about the second coming of Jesus. Many churches don't believe that Jesus is coming again. Many theologians don't believe that Jesus' second coming is a sure thing that will happen. Most of the time the topic of the second coming of Jesus is discussed in churches today as a subject of laughter.
Why is it so? Reason is simple, people don't believe that Bible is the Word of God and that every thing written in the Bible is going to be fulfilled. Jesus knew that in the last days He will not find faith. That is why He made it clear that Heaven and Earth will pass away but His word will not.
Jesus further said
Mat 24:37 "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Mat 24:38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
Mat 24:39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be”.
What was the condition at the time of Noah? Sin was abounding. People didn't care about God. Noah and his family (only 8 people) could survive the flood. Only eight people were found righteous in the sight of God. Rest of them were eating and drinking and enjoying their lives not caring about their spiritual life.
Today we live in a world where sin is abounding. People talk about their evil deeds as if those things are casual. Internet and U-Tube are full of such articles and videos where people boast of their evil deeds. Sense of guilt and shame seems to be vanishing. Moral standards are vanishing.
When Jesus will return there will be two groups of people. One group of people will be those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and living in sin. For them Jesus' coming will be a terrible and horrible day. Exactly like when flood came in Noah's time and water was rising. People may have cried for help but it was not available for them. Bible says that people will cry and ask for mountains and rocks to fall upon them.
Rev 6:16, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
Rev 6:17 "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
It will be the judgment day for them who had ignored God's warning and lived their lives in their own way, knowing what is wrong and yet continuing to do what was wrong.
For the second group of people who are blood washed children of God, who are walking in Lord's way, it will be a day of rejoicing. Who are these people?
Rev 7:13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
Rev 7:14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
They are washed by the blood of the Lamb. They have kept their garment clean.
Yes my friends Jesus is going to come back and the question is, will you be found prepared to go with Him? Will He find faith in you?
Luke 18:8 "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
If you have not put your trust on the Lord Jesus Christ till today you can do so by asking the Lord Jesus to come into your heart. Just tell Him, “Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner and I need you as my savior. Lord I believe that you died for my sins on the Calvary's cross. Please wash me with your blood and make me clean. Please come into my heart. Be my Lord. Amen.”
Praise Him.....
The Lord has heard your prayers. Many thanks for all the prayers for the Bible School. I have good news to tell you. Last week the person who came to inspect our Bible School was not friendly and we feared the worst. There were two options either to close our Bible School or get the license to run it. But when inspector came in this week for inspection, the attitude was different and very friendly. God is good. He hears the prayers of his children.
Russia
Through the Valley of Death & other Books
As many of you know that in the year 2005, our dad was very sick even unto death. God miraculously healed him. We have compiled it in a book form. I sure believe that it will inspire you and encourage you greatly.
This book is available for purchase at JasmineCorp Store
Also read these two books by Sherly Isaac "Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God" Available at JasmineCorp Store, and "Is Jesus God?" Available at JasmineCorp Store,
Both books compares the Bible and the Quran and read eye opening facts about Jesus, God of the Bible, Allah and Islamic faith. I am sure that you want to read this.
Download Articles in Handheld Computers
You can now download articles in Palm Doc format for your palm handheld computer. It will work with any devise that has Palm OS and Palm Doc Reader installed. To download click on the link named "Palm Doc Format" i.e. at the top of this page by the side of each articles.
Kids Page - Free Tutorials
Now you can learn Graphics and web designing online at Kid's page. These tutorials are free for kids who subscribe for CSI Kids Newsletter. Currently tutorials for Paint Shop Pro, HTML and Dreamweaver are available.
So please enroll your kids by going to http://kids.csinewsletter.org/member/join.asp
And visit CSI Kid's page at http://kids.csinewsletter.org
Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online
Now you can read Bible in Hindi online at http://www.hindibible.org
in Malayalam online at http://www.malayalambible.org
in Tamil online at http://www.hindibible.org?ver=tamil
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Your Feedback
Your feedback and comments are Welcome. Please send your Parish news & articles to Editor (Sherly N. Isaac) at this address News@csinewsletter.comThe messages submitted will be checked whether they are correct according to the word of God. Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit the messages. The writers are responsible for the contents of their writings.
 
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