Friday, November 9, 2007

The Love That Fills The Heart....


The Love That Fills The Heart…..

Someone once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum inside each of our hearts that can be filled only by God.” How true it is; isn’t it? Whether we admit it or not, that sense of emptiness deep inside our very being, an indescribable yearning...!

Often we try to fill this vacuum with wealth, love from others, comforts, sensual pleasures and so on, but all in vain! And it is even more surprising that no religious ritual, philosophy or even good works can fill this vacuum!

Yes, the Almighty and loving God alone can fill this emptiness; He alone can fill our innermost being with inexpressible love, joy and peace! But we know that the true God is the One who created and controls the entire universe, and He alone is worthy to be worshipped! If so, how can this holy God come into our hearts?

If we are honest to ourselves, we will agree on this one thing: we all have disobeyed our conscience knowingly or unknowingly many a time in our thoughts, words and deeds! It is this falling away from the character of God that the Bible calls ‘sin’: “…for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

Do you know what the punishment of sin is, in the eyes of the infinitely holy God? The punishment is that any one who has committed even the smallest sin should suffer in hell — an eternal separation from God! The Bible describes it in this way: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Jesus Himself said, “… in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13).

But how can this loving God cast us, His dear creation, away into hell eternally? Even as God is infinitely loving, He is also infinitely holy, just and righteous. It will not be an act of justice if a righteous God does not give punishment for our sins just because we regret them, or perform some religious rituals, or do some good deeds.

Can a judge in a court of law avoid punishment, even if the culprit is his own son? No. But since he loves the son so much, that judge can declare a lawful penalty for the offence, then pay that penalty himself and thus free his son! This is exactly what God did for us.

For that very purpose, the Almighty God incarnated as a human being in Jesus Christ about 2000 years ago! He lived for thirty-three and a half years, setting an example for us to live by. In fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible, Jesus was cruelly crucified on the Cross of Calvary… It was the endless misery of hell-fire which you and I had to suffer for endless ages … that Jesus endured for our sake during those three hours on the Cross with deep pain and agony …!

What we behold on the Cross is that tender heart full of love and compassion unwilling to cast us into hell!! The Word of God says: “… God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). And Jesus rose again, conquering death, which is man’s greatest enemy.

Just as that judge did, the Lord Jesus also paid the penalty for our sins on the Cross! But the son in the court of law can become free only if he accepts the penalty paid by his father. Likewise we also can be free only if we believe deep inside our hearts that Jesus bore the punishment of hell for us! Otherwise we will be choosing to suffer the vacuum in this life and eternal hell-fire after death…

If there was any other way for the forgiveness of sins, then there was no need for Jesus to undergo such a brutal and shameful death. Yes, “Salvation is found in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

Any person in any condition can freely and easily receive this salvation by repenting of his/her sins and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the penalty of sin! There is no need for religious conversion or to join any organization for this; because Jesus never founded any religion or organization. Jesus always stood against man-made traditions and systems! He always exposed the hollowness and hypocrisy of those who earn money, man’s honour and fame in the name of God (even in the name of Jesus)!! So it is Christ, not the religion of Christianity, that we should follow!

Jesus says: “Come to Me, all who are weary and who are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

“…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (John 6:37).

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” (John 14:6).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

“But seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things (material needs like food, clothing, healing etc.) shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).

This Jesus is calling you too… His eyes full of love and compassion are even now gazing at you… If you believe that this Lord Jesus is able to take away all your sins, burdens and emptiness, then you can open your heart and say this prayer right now to Jesus:

“My loving Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins, and rising from the dead to give me eternal life! Cleanse my sins with Your blood shed on the Cross, and come into my heart now. Fill me, Jesus, with Your love, joy and peace! Thank You for hearing my prayer.”

Yes, let us live for Jesus with our hearts filled with His love, leaving behind all discouragement and emptiness forever! May the Lord bless you richly!

Jesus' Voice (Part 4)



Jesus’ Voice --Part 4

1) “The strongest power of attraction in this universe is nothing other than the love of Jesus Christ. It is like a magnet; the closer you come to it, the stronger it binds you, and the farther you go, it just leaves you alone, but will, of course, seek to bind you all throughout your life!”


2) “Our Lord longs to flood our beings all the time with His love and freshness in such a way as to overflow and touch and transform others around us too.”


3) “Until Jesus alone becomes enough for us, we will continue to have complaining and murmuring”.


4) “The honour and money of this world are just like rubbish for a person who is truly taken up with the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ. The more you come closer to the Lord, the less you will be attracted by them!” (Phil. 3:8).


5) “Where do you first look to, when you suddenly come across a crisis or a need – to mere men or to the Lord Jesus Himself?”


6) “Blessed is the man who has learned to sense in his heart everything the Lord wants to communicate with him!”


7) “Deal kindly and compassionately with others as the Lord deals kindly and compassionately with you!”


8) “When we realize the sufferings and pain that our beloved Jesus has endured in order to reach out to us and win us, whatever hardships and inconveniences and losses we suffer in order to reach out to others and win them for the Lord, will count to absolutely nothing!”


9) “All the persons and circumstances we face in our daily life are actually different tools in the skilful hands of our loving Lord used for carving us out into His very image! And if we resist Him He will simply leave us alone….but with great grief in His heart!”


10)“Failure of any sort is a golden opportunity for us to once again realize our nothingness and become humbler”.


11)“The people around us are knowingly and unknowingly seeking for real, Christlike love, -- the love which can understand their deepest needs and accept them as they really are. Are we able to impart them the same quality of love through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit?”


12)“It is our Helper, the Holy Spirit who helps us to continually put to death our flesh with all its lusts and desires, and thus enables us to become smaller and smaller in own eyes!”


13)“When others look down upon us and ridicule us for our uncompromising stand for the Lord Jesus, we should always be able to sympathize with, have compassion on and pray for them, keeping in mind their eternal destiny!”


14)“The secret of faith in prayer is the awareness that we are talking to and hearing from our loving, caring Father in heaven, who knows all our needs and burdens, and who Himself is our omnipotent, omniscient Creator!”


15)“In spite of the busy schedule of daily life, it is in the secret chamber with the Lord Jesus, that we get to know Him personally and intimately, and get transformed to that measure of His likeness in which we know Him….!”


16)“Spiritually minded people will long to hear a man who hears God!”


17) “The Lord approves the life of that person who proceeds with the green signal of the Lord in everything!”


18)“How grieved the heart of the Lord Jesus is, when we have no time to hear Him or talk to Him! And how delighted His heart is when He finds one child of His eager to hear Him speak!!”


19)“You can accomplish the maximum for the Lord through this small life of yours, if you allow Him to direct every nook and corner of your life!”


20)“The reason why we are not able to rise up to the expectation of the Lord Jesus in our daily life, is that we have not become humble enough to receive His abundant grace for everything!”


21)“When you are really humble, you can receive true correction from even the youngest of believers and even from unbelievers!”


22)“When you are tempted to seek after the approval and honour of man, ask the Lord to reveal to you the emptiness and hollowness in it.”


23)“Our lives must be an example of how mightily the Lord can use a person completely surrendered and committed to Him!”


24)“Our Lord Jesus always wants to share the sweetness of His fellowship with us even in the little things in our daily life; but are we interested in the same?”


25)“Jesus could perfectly explain the Father to us because He remained spiritually in the bosom of the Father even when He lived on this earth (John 1: 18). So the best way for us to explain Jesus to others today is also to cling close to His bosom all the time!”


26) “When we humble ourselves before the Lord like a new-born baby, the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us, just like a mother who does not want to leave her new-born even for a moment!”


27)“It is a real worshiper who gets his mind transformed and thus gets to know the will of God for everything in his life!” (Rom. 12: 1, 2).

28) “When we get irritated at somebody’s fault, just realize that we are also guilty of the same thing in some subtle manner. When we overcome that area, we will no longer be upset with that fault in anyone else!” (Rom. 2:1).


29) “In the midst of a world which shouts “Pleasure is only in sin”, the Lord wants living examples, especially among young people, who through their lives, can boldly proclaim “You cannot have a more vibrant and exciting and joyful life than in Jesus Christ”!”


30)The Lord Jesus is now asking you: “When most of my children approach Me only for their own personal and material gain, when many are gaining honour and money taking my name, are you willing to do everything in selfless love for Me and portray the real Jesus of the Bible through your life and words in front of this corrupt Christian world?....”
=================================