The man who paid the price - for some one's deliverance

On the 20th day evening, Eby Achan spoke about a specific person who paid the price for the deliverance of someone.
Mark 2:4-5
When they could not come near to Him because of the crowd, they unroofed the roof where He was. And digging through, they let down the cot on which the paralytic was lying.And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, Child, your sins are forgiven to you.

To understand this portion we need to check the background.
- Jesus came to Capernaum from a place called country of the Gergesenes(Mathew8:28).
- This land Gergesenes is given to Ruben,Gad and half tribe of Manasseh(Read Numbers 32). They didn't want any portion in the promised land, instead they themselves choose this land to grow cattle. Later people started growing pigs
- Jesus healed the demon possessed man who came on the shore to welcome him. No one else came there to greet him.In that way Jesus healed that land and the curse on that land.
- But when the people of that land knew that the demons killed their pigs, they became agitated and asked Jesus to leave their place.
- Jesus went back on the same boat and came to Capernaum
- People of Gergesenes rejected Jesus for pigs. They gave importance to their income than God.

Jesus came back to Capernaum. There a man opened his house for Jesus(Mark 2:1-2). Jesus sitting inside the house preaching and healing people. The crowd was so much that there was no room even at the door.

When one place rejected Jesus because they give importance to income, here is one man who opened his own home for Jesus and all the crowd

Then came four people carrying a parlytic person. Since there is no room to come near Jesus, they removed a portion of roof of that house and brought down the cot with that sick man. Jesus healed that man seeing their faith.
- Before removing the roof, the people who carried the sick naturally asked the house owner
- There is every possibility that the house owner himself suggested this way of removing the roof
- He considered the deliverance of a sick man mosre importnat than his material possession, his house
- He very clearly knows that his house will be damaged by doing this
- But here is a man who paid the price for the deliverance of some one else.

These days God is looking for people like this house owner, who is ready to pay the price for the deliverance of this nation, this state, this society, his family and friends.

You are the Salt of the Earth

Continuing our fasting prayer on the 10th day, today Br:A.G.Vinayakumar exhorted from the Word, specifically from Mathew 5:13
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."

To understand this particular verse or passage of Jesus, we need to understand the qualities of Salt
Why he compared His children to Salt?
What Lord expects from us when we read this?

Qualities of Salt

1. It is pure. This shows holiness of self.
Every believer needs to be holy always himself/herself

2. It is a cleansing agent. It can make things clean
After we become holy, it is our responsibility to help our neighbors to become holy. God want us to become the cleansing agents of our society.

3. It gives taste when added with food
"Is tasteless food eaten without salt"(Job 6:6)
God want believers also become the taste agents, who can bring taste to the society and other people's lives.

4.It helps plants in their growth. it can be used as a fertilizer
Every believer should help others to grow further in their lives

5.It has preserving power
Believers should act as preserving agents in this society. We should stand in the gap and pray.

6. It has healing power
Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' ".And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken. 2 Kings 2:21,22
In this world, we should act as healing agent.

7. It is used in sacrifices
Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.Leviticus 2:13

8.It is used as a covenant which lasts for ever
Don't you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 2 Chronicles 13:5

The Hope of His Calling

Ephesians 1:15-19
We continue our meditation on Book of Ephesians in our fasting prayer. Today Evg.Saju Pappen lead the session on the topic "His Calling"

Ephesian 1:15-19 is a prayer of Apostle Paul. In his prayer, Paul is pleading that, every one of us should know our calling and the hope of our calling or why we are called. To understand this calling our spiritual eyes must be enlightened
Then he discussed about two persons and their calling and how they responded to their calling

1. Moses- God calling Moses
Exodus 3:4,10
Points to note here
- Moses was 80 years old when this calling happened
- First 40 years he was in Pharaoh's place as a prince and next 40 years he was looking after the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro .
- Now he is desert, close to Mountain of God, Horeb. But he is almost down and out. His passion is dying.
- When Moses saw the bush burning, he moved closer to Horeb to see what it is
- God asked him to remove unholy things first, then come to Mountain of God. This very true now also. God wants us to be holy in every aspect
- Then God introduced himself to Moses as God of Abraham,Jacob and Issac. This is just to remind Moses where he is now and who is he and who is his fore fathers

How Moses responded to God's call?
- Moses raised 4 doubts/questions/excuses to avoid the calling
a. What is my merit/worth in taking up this huge task of delivering Israelites? Ex 3:11
Moses is trying to explain God that I am worthless, good for nothing fellow. But God does not require any qualification to use you. As Ephesians 2:1, we were dead in our sins, but still He loved us and died for us.
b. What is the name of the God who send me? Exodus 3:13
God introduced Himself to Moses initially. But still Moses again ask the question. Then God explains it further
- I AM THAT I AM .
- I am the God of Abraham, Jacob and Issac
- I am the God of your Father's
c. I am slow in speech and has slow tongue Exodus 4:10
Here Moses is trying to make God understand about his infirmities, even though he knows that God is his Creator. many times we also try to teach God and try to make Him understand about our issues.
d. Send somebody else other than me. Exodus 4:13
Even after clearing all his doubts, Moses is still not willing to go. Then God became angry
Jeremiah 13:15,16
But in the end Moses obeyed God's calling. Later he never questioned God. He did exactly what God commanded Exodus 39:32, 39:42, 40:16, 40:25, 40:32..

2. Calling of Elisha 1 Kings 19:19-21
- Elijah put his mantle upon Elisha, when he is working in the field
- Elisha responded immediately and ran after Elijah
- He killed the Oxen which was keeping him in the fields and followed Elijah

And God used Elisha mightily, with double spirit.

Conclusion
1. Are we sure about our calling?
2. Are we responding to the calling? or still telling excuses?
3. If we respond, it will be a blessing to us and our generations

Ruth 2:8,9

3 day fasting prayer is going on in our church, Revival centre AG church. Today we had a guest speaker from Kerala. Pastor Saji Kurian preached from word of God Ruth 2:8-9
Ruth, the name has 4 letters
R - Rest for Ruth
U - Unselfishness of Ruth
T - Trust of Ruth
H - Hope of Ruth
He specifically talked about field of Boaz. Boaz is representing Jesus Christ. SO we all are in Boaz's field. This field has 4 important qualities
1. Verse 8 "Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here".
This field has everything more than enough for you and your generations. So if you are in this field blessing will come behind you.
2. Verse 9. "Watch the field where the men are harvesting and follow along after the girls"
In this field you are not alone. You always have fellowship. When you are passing through tough times, your fellow believers and your local church and your pastor will uphold you in your prayers. So in this spiritual war here, you are not alone.
3. Verse 9. "I have told the men not to touch you"
If you are in this field, you are secured and protected. No weapons of the enemy will harm you.
4. Verse 9. "And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men filled"
In this field you are cared properly. You are believing in a God who always cares and loves you.