GOOD MORNING INDIA
PG Vargis
Ask!
Mathew 7:7-8 NIV 7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
In Matthew 15:22-28 a woman came to Jesus making a request of Him. Jesus' answer was basically that she was asking for something that did not belong to her, because she did not have a covenant with God.
Yet she asked - and received! She didn't just beg. She worshiped Jesus and appealed for mercy. She didn't claim she deserved the answer - but she did ask.
This is one of the secrets of life. Ask! It works with God and it works in our relationships with people, too.
Ask questions. And ask for help.
Pride can prevent us from asking. Pride tells. Humility asks.
In marriage many people are unhappy. Yet they don't clearly communicate to their spouse what it is they would like. Don't nag! But respectfully and lovingly ask for what you desire.
Make your requests known. People can't read your mind. (God knows our thoughts, but still tells us to ask Him for what we need or desire.)
Philippians 4:6 NKJ 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Many people stumble through life disappointed that God has not given them more. One reason may be because God is waiting for them to have enough faith to ask Him for His help.
I don't mean we should act like a beggar. But be bold in asking for what you need or desire.
We may hold back from asking because we think we don't deserve good things. Probably true! But Jesus deserves good and He died so we could receive what He deserves. Jesus took what we deserved so we could have better.
Mathew 21:22 NIV 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
John 16:24 NIV 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
James 4:2 NLT 2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.
Jesus said to ask. Actually, it is a command. Ask!
Say This: I will obey God's Word and ask.
Yours to count on to see India is evangelized in our lifetime. No one can do it alone. But together...we can do it. Let us do it... together...now,
p g vargis and team
PG Vargis
Abraham's Blessings Are Yours
Galatians 3:13-14 KJV 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians tells us Christ redeemed us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us.
What were the blessings Abraham enjoyed?
Genesis 24:1 NIV 1 Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
Genesis 13:2 KJV 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
Abraham's blessing also extended to his descendants as they walked with God.
Genesis 25:11 KJV 11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well lahairoi.
Genesis 26:12-13 NIV 12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.
According to Romans, Abraham was promised the world for his descendants, and we who have faith in Christ Jesus are those descendants.
Romans 4:13 KJV 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
It should not be hard to believe that Jesus Christ is heir of this entire world. And remember that Romans 8:17 says we are joint heirs with Christ.
Galatians 3:9 KJV 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Abraham's blessings do not come on everyone -- only people of faith. Abraham was blessed because of his faith in God's Word. We must receive these blessings by faith, also. So, if we refuse to believe they are for us, we will not have them.
Say This: In Christ Jesus, all the blessings Abraham enjoyed are mine.
PG Vargis
Not Talking
Job 34: 29 "If God is silent, what's that to you? If he turns his face away, what can you do about it? But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling, 30 so that those who hate God won't take over and ruin people's lives.”
In the Old Testament there is a story about Daniel. Daniel was praying to God for help, but none came. God was silent—so it seemed. Daniel prayed and went without food for three weeks. Still nothing. Then one day he was standing on the bank of the Tigris River when an angel named Michael appeared before him. Daniel was scared nearly to death, and fell on his hands and knees. Then the angel spoke to him. “Daniel ... consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have been sent to you.” Daniel obeyed, standing but trembling like a leaf in the wind. Then the angel said, “Since the first day ... your words were heard.”
God heard Daniel the first time he called out to God in prayer. Even though God didn’t respond right away, God heard Daniel. God hears us in the very same way, always listening to our prayers. He’ll answer when the time is right.
“Dear Lord, I’m not always patient when I’m asking you for something I need. Help me to learn that you always hear me—even when there seems to be no answer. Amen.”
Yours to count on
to see India is evangelized in our lifetime. No one can do it alone. But
together...we can do it. Let us do it... together...now,
PG Vargis
Forgive!
Mark 11:25-26 NKJ 25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
You must forgive others. No matter what they have done. It is the command of God. But it was given for our benefit.
To not forgive hurts you. Refusing to forgive is like swallowing poison daily. It will destroy you.
Jesus said we should forgive when we stand praying. So we don't have to wait until people apologize. Nor does forgiveness require a long time.
Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision to quit holding something against someone. When we forgive people we must release them and forget it.
You may think it is impossible to forgive someone who has deeply wronged you. With God it is possible. He never asks us to do something we cannot do.
Luke 6:35-38 NKJ 35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Whatever we measure out is what will be measured back to us. If we want others -- including God -- to show mercy to us and forgive us -- we must forgive and be merciful to others.
It is not enough to forgive only those people who have wronged us a little. We must forgive everyone!
Mathew 18:21-22 NKJ 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Surely Jesus was not setting a maximum limit on the number of times we should forgive. He gave an absurdly high number so we would realize He meant for us to forgive without limit -- just as He forgives us.
Luke 23:33-34 NKJ 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Jesus set a perfect example of forgiveness for us when He forgave those who mocked Him and crucified Him. But this kind of forgiveness is certainly beyond normal human ability or experience. It takes the power of God to do it. When we are born again we have access to that power through the love of God inside us.
Ephesians 4:32 NKJ 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
We are commanded to forgive others in the same way God has forgiven us! Having God's help is necessary to do that.
Colossians 3:13 NKJ 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
It is not optional. If we desire God's blessing and fellowship -- we must forgive others as He forgave us.
Say this: With God's help, I will forgive.