"The Life That Pleases God"

Colossians 1:9-14 - 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks[a] to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. What is faith?  The one who pleases God is the one who is full of faith in the God. Faith has a great meaning in the Bible.  This verse like many other verses explains the meaning of faith. One who is in faith will be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. So, Paul is in constant prayer for the saints in Colossians so that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Actually Paul is praying for the increasing faith of the Colossians and to the visible expression of bearing fruit for Christ. We cannot bear fruit without faith. “Faith Always Bears Fruit.”

Faith brings actions. So Apostle James says, James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says and he continues, James 2:14What is the profit, my brethren, if faith, any one may speak of having, and works he may not have? is that faith able to save him? Many people gets confused it with the doctrine of justification by the merit of good works which all the religion teaches - the salvation by the merit of your works but Bible teaches and here James teaches the opposite - it is not your work but the work of God fulfilled through you by your faith in God. Even the Great Martin Luther got confused with the Epistle of James. Luther, supposing that James did actually teach the doctrine of justification by works, which his good sense showed him to be absolutely insufficient for salvation, was led to condemn the epistle in toto, as a production unauthenticated by the Holy Spirit, and consequently worthy of no regard; he therefore termed it epistola straminea, a chaffy epistle, an epistle of straw, fit only to be burn. James is not speaking in religious and fleshy terms but spiritual terms where our faith produces result. James 2:17, 19 in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. Faith does not just believe in God. If you think that is it then demons have more faith than you. Believing that there is a God and even fearing God are all actions demons do and God expects much more from us.

 James explains it clearly with the example of Abraham and Rehab. How could they please in the midst of their circumstances? Abraham was a pagan, son of an idol maker. In Acts 7:2-3 Stephen explains it to people who came to stone him. And he said, ‘Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran and said to him, “Depart from your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you” The call of Abram is recorded for us in Genesis 12:1: “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.’” Abraham understands the futility of the traditions of his father from his experience but what God was asking in return was something impossible. First of all, Abram’s age was not a factor in favor of leaving Ur for some unknown land either. Moses tells us that Abram was 75 when he entered the land of Canaan. In those times social security provided only among their own clan and when you walk alone there is ninety nine percent probabilities that you will be killed. How can he believe in such an unknown God who gave him some vague promises? He believed in such drastic conditions and that was rendered as righteousness. Even today in this modern age we cannot take our family and wander through the places Abraham had wandered facing all the hardships. So how could Abraham fulfill the wish of God? The answer is faith

This is the faith with actions according to Apostle James. James goes to to the other extreme to the testing of this faith of Abraham by God and obeyed completely. He did not care for his son but his God. For him God was above everything in this world. How will you understand you have faith? You will pass God's testing. Many people will have faith but when it comes to testing they will fail. This is also faith with actions. Dear brother and sister if we have not passed through test of faith and has passed it successfully, our faith is useless. So Abraham came out successfully and God calls such people as His friend. James 2: 21-26 was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. Without bearing fruit our faith is incomplete. Paul chose Abraham as the finest example of a man who is justified before God by faith apart from works (Romans 4).  The writer to the Hebrews pointed to Abraham as an illustration of a man who walked by faith, devoting more space to him than any other individual in chapter eleven (Hebrews 11:8-19). In Galatians chapter 3 Paul wrote that Christians are the ‘sons of Abraham’ by faith, and therefore, rightful heirs to the blessings promised him (Galatians 3:7,9).

Consider Rahab, the prostitute, who did a heinous crime against her own nation. She is already a anti-social but with her action she became an anti-national too. The first part of Rahab—“Ra,” was the name of an Egyptian god. As an Amorite, Rahab belonged to an idolatrous people, and had a name meaning “insolence,” “fierceness,” or “broad,” “spaciousness.”  While Rahab’s parents, brothers and sisters were alive at the time of her association with the spies Joshua sent out, we are not given any of their names (Joshua 2:13).  in the royal genealogy of Jesus, Rahab is referred to as being the wife of Salmon, one of the two spies she sheltered. In turn, she became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth from whose son, Obed, Jesse the father of David came, through whose line Jesus was born (Matthew 1:5, where the asv reads, “Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab”—not Rachab). Salmon was a prince of the house of Judah, and thus, Rahab, the onetime heathen harlot, married into one of the leading families of Israel and became an ancestress of our Lord. How could she do this crime and became referred as having faith equal to Abraham? James 2:25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

Jericho was the worst of the cities of the Amorites, and God commanded Joshua to destroy both the city and the inhabitants. By divine decree, it was to be given over to a perpetual desolation. Rahab hid the spies, put those who sought them on a false trail and helped the spies to escape and melt away into the shadows of night, and lay concealed until they could reach Joshua with their report, she took her life in her own hands. We cannot but admire her courage and willingness to risk her own neck. Had those spies been discovered hiding in her house, she would have died at the hands of the king of Jericho. Yet with a calm demeanor, and without the slightest trace of inner agitation, she met the searchers and succeeded in setting them out on a false trail. To hide spies was a crime punishable with death. Seeing the faces of the spies filled with fear, Rahab assured their hearts that she was on their side, and in spite of the sacrifice involved said, “I will not betray you. Follow me!” By military law the spies were likewise liable to instant death because of the threat of war, and Rahab, willing to do all in her power to protect her nation’s enemies, faced a like terrible end. How gloriously daring was her faith, and how richly rewarded she was for her willingness to sacrifice her life in a cause she knew to be of God!

How could she do that again for the God of Israelite? She has heard about the mighty works of God doing through his people of Israel and she believed Him as the true God. From the travellers, she has entertained and sinned with, that she came to learn the facts of the Exodus of Israel, the miracle of the Red Sea, and the overthrow of Sihon and Og. All the nations around only feared Israel and God who lead them but she believed in Him. So when she saw the Israelite spies, she was more than ready to help them. As Rahab offered to shelter the spies and aid them in their escape, she received from them the promise that when they returned to her country, along with Joshua and his army, that she and her family would be spared alive. While her sin had possibly estranged her from her loved ones, she was concerned about their safety as well as her own. When Joshua entered the city he set about the execution of the divine command, but respected the promise made to Rahab by the spies. Under the protection of the scarlet line, Rahab and all her kindred were brought out of the house. The spies came to her house, not to indulge in sin with Rahab, but to prepare the way for Joshua to take Jericho. She saved the spies not out of human pity, or because of expediency, but because she knew that they were servants of the Lord. In turn, she was saved. It lead to the another great visible expression of Faith-the fall of Jericho wall.  Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

What is faith? Faith is useless without actions.  Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Both Abraham and Rehab are examples of conviction of things not seen but believed in the ultimate power of the Almighty God. The author of Hebrews in chapter 11 mentions all such characters but the list is inconclusive. 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. If your faith do not produce concrete deeds as we see in Hebrews and other areas of Bible. Christ made it clear to people who followed him because it was easy to make them understand through the faith the religious hypocrites of those times. It is not much different today as well. So he told them, Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Without faith we cannot please God and this faith should go to the expectation of God. Such false prophets will bear thistles and thorns. Christ made it completely clear in  Matthew 7 verses 15 onwards, 15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ In other words, those who practice faith without works are hypocrites. God is Love and so when you trust in Him you are enduring in His love!

The miracle of the Cross in the life of the (believer) saint!

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

The Apostle Paul’s final statements to the Galatians is the corner stone of Christian faith. The main teaching of Christ is based the cross and crucifixion should be the defining mark of the believer. There are many people who want Jesus’ morality, but don’t acknowledge the need for His death on the cross. No one can be in Christ without identifying the Lord's death. The cross is not only the symbol that reminds us that we can’t save ourselves but much more than that, in fact, it is the basis of Christian life. Without the cross, Jesus teachings are just good ideas which are simple letters and words and sentences but with cross it becomes life for the believer.

The cross opens our eyes to divine revelations and we see the world around us in a new light. Proud, vain, and carnal hearts are content with just so much religious doctrines as will help to keep up a fair show before the world but the cross destroys it. We become a humiliation because of the cross and the world will consider as fools. carnal men glorify themselves with the world because their eyes are blinded to the glory of the cross. The apostle expresses his aversion to glorying in anything the worldly men did; not in his outward carnal privileges, as a Jew; nor in his moral, civil, and legal righteousness; nor in his gifts and attainments; nor in his labors and success, as of himself; nor in the flesh of others, or in any outward corporeal subjection to any ordinance, legal or evangelical; his glorying and rejoicing were rather in the spirituality, the faith, hope, love, patience, order, and steadfastness of the saints, than in anything in the flesh, either his own or others: and indeed he chose not to glory in anything, but in faith, hope, and joy; and that his principal glory was in the cross of Christ.

By the cross of Christ, the world is crucified to the believer, and he to the world so that the world has nothing to do with him. But Paul also has his glory in this world but that is not derived from the world or his flesh and cannot find glory in anything or anyone except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom the world has been crucified to him, and he to the world! So this glorification is the opposite of worldly glorification. it can come only through crucifixion. Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— This is redemption of the believer from eternal slavery. The glorification of the believer through the cross happened because of the greatest even in the history of the mankind occurred in the Calvary. In one action he has killed the whole mankind and even all that belonged to the God’s law. Paul’s only glory is his crucifixion. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. All of us who are crucified are dead to everything that worldly people boast off themselves because they are not our passion or desires. Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This is the whole essence of what the whole Bible is about. Without crucifixion there is no glorification. This is the very purpose of God’s heart desire for mankind and the message of the Paul. This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Many may accept Christ but when it comes to the cross they becomes the enemies of the Gospel of the cross. "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."—1 Corinthians 1:23-24. It is little wonder that the cross becomes a stumbling block for many. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 the perishing will never accept the message of the God but for us it the power of God for our daily salvation. Philippians 3:18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Most of them become the enemies of God knowingly or unknowingly. Outwardly they may talk a lot about Lord but inwardly there will not be any transformation as the cross of the Lord will not work in them. The cross brings Christ in us and as we are crucified daily the righteousness of God will spread through every area of our being. Power of the cross in the believer is everything. Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. The outer man breaks but the inner man is renewed day by day!

We are circumcised in our flesh so that we no longer are interested in the world and its charm. Philippians 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— but our love and heart desire will be only for our Lord. Song of Solomon 7:10 I belong to my beloved and his desire is for me. This makes us one with Christ so without cross we can never be united with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. This is the miracle of the Christian life – the miracle of Cross!!

Do you belong to any ot these groups?

At least six, according to a new study.

Two researchers at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga found that atheists and agnostics run the range from vocally anti-religious activists to nonbelievers who nonetheless observe some religious traditions.
“The main observation is that nonbelief is an ontologically diverse community,” write doctoral student Christopher Silver and undergraduate student Thomas Coleman.

“These categories are a first stab at this," Silver told the website Raw Story. "In 30 years, we may be looking at a typology of 32 types.”

Silver and Coleman derived their six types of nonbelievers from 59 interviews.
See if you belong to any of these groups;-

1) Intellectual atheist/agnostic
This type of nonbeliever seeks information and intellectual stimulation about atheism.
They like debating and arguing, particularly on popular Internet sites.
(Ahem.)
They're also well-versed in books and articles about religion and atheism, and prone to citing those works frequently.

2) Activist
These kinds of atheists and agnostics are not content with just disbelieving in God; they want to tell others why they reject religion and why society would be better off if we all did likewise.
They tend to be vocal about political causes like gay rights, feminism, the environment and the care of animals.

3) Seeker-agnostic
This group is made up of people who are unsure about the existence of a God but keep an open mind and recognize the limits of human knowledge and experience.
Silver and Coleman describe this group as people who regularly question their own beliefs and “do not hold a firm ideological position.”
That doesn't mean this group is confused, the researchers say. They just embrace uncertainty.

4) Anti-theist
This group regularly speaks out against religion and religious beliefs, usually by positioning themselves as “diametrically opposed to religious ideology,” Silver and Coleman wrote.
“Anti-theists view religion as ignorance and see any individual or institution associated with it as backward and socially detrimental,” the researchers wrote. “The Anti-Theist has a clear and – in their view, superior – understanding of the limitations and danger of religions.”
Anti-theists are outspoken, devoted and – at times – confrontational about their disbelief. They believe that "obvious fallacies in religion and belief should be aggressively addressed in some form or another.”

5) Non-theist
The smallest group among the six are the non-theists, people who do not involve themselves with either religion or anti-religion.
In many cases, this comes across as apathy or disinterest.
“A Non-Theist simply does not concern him or herself with religion,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “Religion plays no role or issue in one’s consciousness or worldview; nor does a Non- Theist have concern for the atheist or agnostic movement.”
They continue: “They simply do not believe, and in the same right, their absence of faith means the absence of anything religion in any form from their mental space.”

6) Ritual atheist
They don't believe in God, they don’t associate with religion, and they tend to believe there is no afterlife, but the sixth type of nonbeliever still finds useful the teachings of some religious traditions.
“They see these as more or less philosophical teachings of how to live life and achieve happiness than a path to transcendental liberation,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “For example, these individuals may participate in specific rituals, ceremonies, musical opportunities, meditation, yoga classes, or holiday traditions.”
For many of these nonbelievers, their adherence to ritual may stem from family traditions. For others, its a personal connection to, or respect for, the "profound symbolism" inherent within religious rituals, beliefs and ceremonies, according the researchers.

Are you an atheist?

Parable of the sower

The parable of the sower is simple but a very important in our Christian life.

A farmer sows seed in a field:

· Some seed falls on the paths, and the birds quickly eat it.

· Some seed falls where there are rocks, and not much soil. Plants grow quickly, but soon the sun dries them. There is not enough soil, and the plants die.

· Some seed begins to grow in a place where there are too many weeds. The weeds stop the growth of the plants, and the plants die.

· But other seed falls on good ground. So, the plants grow well. The farmer has a harvest from these plants.

The explanation of the story is also simple. Jesus himself explained it to the disciples. The farmer is like Jesus. The seed that he sows is the seed of the good news about Jesus. The field is the heart. The farmer sows the seed. It depends on the way individual heart how people respond to the word of God. What happens to the seed is different in different places. It is the same with the good news about Jesus. Sometimes the word of God has a good result in our lives, and sometimes it has a poor result in our lives.

The first seed fell on the path, where there was no soil. We hear the Word of God but give no attention to it at all. This is like the seed on the path. There is change our behavior. We are selfish and worldly. We quickly forget about the all we heard. There is no result at all.

Some seed falls where there are rocks. It grows quickly, but then it dies. This teaches us that we listen to the word of God but it is short lived. We seem to like what they hear about Jesus. But this does not last. When we have a difficult time, or other people laugh at us. We loose the interest because we never really trusted Lord.

Some seed began to grow among weeds, and the weeds killed it. This teaches us that some people have no time for Jesus. They are selfish, and they want things for themselves. All the worldly things will destroy the word that is sowed. Perhaps they want to be rich, or to be powerful. They worry all the time. They are anxious about their possessions. They concern is more for this world than the world above so the word of God has little effect in their hearts.

Finally we hear in the story about seed on good ground. The good ground is like heart that love the Lord. They believe in lord and trust in him completely. God is their blessing and they do not have any interest with the worldly. The Holy Spirit will change their life with each word that they have heard. They will be able to love other people. They will be able to forgive other people, and to live in peace with them. They will be joyful. This is because because the land is so fertile for the word of God and God can change them. He changes the inside of these people, and this changes their behavior. They will bear much fruits - the fruits of spirit from their lives.

 

Third Temple rebuilding is much closer in Jerusalem?

As reported in The Jewish Press on March 14, 2013, there is a new call for something previously unthinkable. Sinem Tezyapar, a Muslim TV producer in Turkey, has called for the rebuilding of the “Prophet Solomon’s” Temple.

She assures her fellow Muslims that they need not be nervous because:

“There is a broad expanse of land around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The land there is quite convenient in that respect, and the Temple can be placed just a little way from Qubbat As-Sakhrah, and a little ahead of Masjid el-Aqsa.”

There are overtones of wanting peace and togetherness with the Jewish people in her statements as well. This is a very interesting development and would be easy to dismiss as just one secular Muslim’s simplistic idea. Unfortunately, the fact that she is a woman in the Muslim world makes the idea even less feasible.

However, this is not the first time this idea has come from the lips of a Muslim. According to an article in Word Net Daily, an influential Muslim leader by the name of Adnan Oktar in Turkey is described as making the same proposal, to rebuild the Jewish Temple, calling it the “Palace of Solomon.”
The Jewish people have longed for their Temple to be rebuilt. In an article about the rebuilding of the Temple, Hassidic writer and publisher Mordechai Housman, describes the first and primary obstacle as being political, and second being safety reasons due to Muslims. If a significant Muslim leader would declare that Solomon’s Temple should be rebuilt, then if the Muslim community would follow, it is likely the Jewish people would jump at the opportunity and be able to overcome whatever ceremonial obstacles also lie in the path.

“Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire,
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Smoke before the real fire!!

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat last week said it was time for Israel to finally implement true religious freedom and allow Jews to pray atop the Temple Mount.

"The government is ultimately responsible for whether or not Jews can pray on the Temple Mount, not the Jerusalem municipality," Barkat told students at a religious high school. "My opinion is that everyone should be able to pray there."

Despite being the holiest site in the world to Jews and many Christians, none but Muslims are permitted to pray atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount.

Technically, anyone can pray there, but threats of Muslim violence have resulted in a police policy forbidding Jews and Christians from even mouthing prayers while visiting the Temple Mount.

Despite the ban, a growing numbers of Jews have been saying quiet prayres while visiting the Temple Mount, and many have been arrested for doing so as a result of Muslim authorities complaining to police.
The Muslims claim Jerusalem's Temple Mount as an "Islamic Trust," and therefore view "infidel" prayers as desecrating a site holy to them. Local Muslims have in the past responded with deadly violence to visits to the Temple Mount by prominent Jewish leaders.

In what is becoming an all too common occurrence, a Jewish man this week was denied freedom of worship at Judaism's most holy site, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Right-wing activist Moshe Feiglin, who is expected to enter the Knesset as a Likud lawmaker in the upcoming election, was arrested on Tuesday after the Muslim authorities that control the Temple Mount spotted him quietly bowing down in prayer.

It is not the first time Feiglin has been arrested for praying atop the Temple Mount, and he joins a long list of others, many of whom have been detained for nothing more than silently mouthing Jewish prayers while visiting the holy site.

Out of fear of another violent Muslim reaction, the Israel Police cooperate with the Islamic Waqf that occupies the Temple Mount by forbidding visiting Jews and Christians from praying at or carrying Bibles into the compound.

Israel officially guarantees freedom of religion and worship for everyone in the country. The only group that is semi-officially discriminated against are Jews when they are visiting the Temple Mount.
This time the police are going so far as to recommend that Feiglin be officially indicted, even though there is no official law against Jews praying at the Temple Mount.

Groups of Jewish visitors were prevented from ascending the Temple Mount (Judaism's holiest site) by a mob of hostile Muslim women on Wednesday morning.

Like very day, the Jewish groups lined up below the Temple Mount's Mughrabi Gate, where police checked to make sure they weren't committing the heinous crime of trying to bring a Bible into the premises. The Muslim authorities forbid the presence of Jewish and Christian holy items, and, out of fear, Israel plays along.
As the groups began to move through the gate, a group of Muslim women blocked their path and began hurling insults at the Jews. Police officers managed to disperse the women, only to then be confronted by an even larger group of angry Muslim men.

In order to avoid any violence, Israeli police decided to close the Temple Mount to non-Muslim visitors and ordered the Jewish groups to leave.

A similar incident occurred on Monday, when new Knesset member Moshe Feiglin (Likud) attempted to use his parliamentary immunity to enter the Temple Mount, but was turned away by security officials afraid of a confrontation with the Muslims.

Feiglin said it was "a clear admission of the loss of Jewish sovereignty on the Mount."

In related news, Arab Muslim leaders have again warned US President Barack Obama to avoid visit the Temple Mount during his upcoming trip to Israel. Obama would almost certainly ascend the holy site with Israeli representatives or security, and Muslim leaders say this would legitimize what they call the Israeli "occupation" of the Temple Mount.

"We warn Obama not to cause damage to Palestinian interests or our holy sites," said a representative of the local Islamic Movement.

Discipleship

The test Christ supplied to those who admitted his testimony - true discipleship and the freedom in Christ. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, Jesus makes it clear that the true discipleship comes with the abiding in the His word. He is word who became flesh. The true disciple receives and continues in the word of his Master. It is just not only believing in Him but continuing in His. it is used in continuous tense. You believe in Christ as the Messiah - the Word from God but you have to continue living in His word. How can we we do that? We have to live Christ. When we live Christ, we will be abiding in His words. His Words are the truth and the Truth will set them free. Truth only can set the mind free from its bondage under ignorance and prejudice and evil habit. 

If the Light of the world shines into the dark places of the heart, the chains ere while misunderstood will not only become visible, but will be broken. This is the freedom in Christ. he will break all the bondage of the sin and sets us free. The piercing power of the word can do this work in the believer. If this is not happening in us we are useless believers. Christ is both the author, and preacher, and sum, and substance of it: and to continue in it, is having cordially received it, to abide by it, and hold it fast, and not to be moved from it, by the temptations of Satan; the cunning of those that lie in wait to deceive; nor by the revelings and persecutions, the frowns and flatteries of men: and when men continue thus steadfast in it, and faithful to it, it is an evidence that it has come with power, and has a place in their hearts, and that they are the disciples of Christ. This is living Christ. Without abiding in His word you cannot live Christ. When we abide in Christ we will have the mind of Christ. We cannot be carried away by the world or the Satan from the Love of Christ. This Word will bring forth sixty and hundred fold. Mat 13;8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”