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Posted on Wednesday, May 06, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. EST

 

BEST OF

AUG 2007-JULy 2008

MULTIMEDIA:

Video: "CASAs Celebration Captivates Assembled Audience’s Anticipation" (Feb 20, 08, 12:35 p.m.)

Video: MORE APRIL-MAY MULTIMEDIA FOOTAGE... (May 08, 9:37 a.m.)

Video: "Wayman Wins Rapping Rendition Celebrating Chi O's Consecutive Fourth First" (March 07, 08, 11:54 a.m.)

Video: "Redeemer Rescues Radically Curing Cocainism!" (March 11, 08, 10:52 p.m.)

Video: ‘Fashion Show’ Sends Models Message Mesmerizing Many! (Feb 20, 08, 11:56 a.m.)

EXPRESSIONS:

"What have you done for your F.A.T.H.E.R in life?" (June 15, 08, 5:40 p.m.)

"What D.I.S.T.A.N.C.E will you go to meet Jesus?" (July 03, 08, 10:06 a.m.)

"What does G.O.S.S.I.P do to you?" (April 17, 08, 6:52 p.m.)

Forever, Redeemer Everyday Excitingly Delivers Omnipotent Message! (F.R.E.E.D.O.M)” (July 05, 08, 9:48 a.m.)

"Who do you let M.O.L.D your life?" (July 16, 08, 11:19 a.m.)

NEWS:

Video: "Henien's Helpfulness Highly Honored at Awards!" (March 03, 2008, 12:01 p.m.)

Video: "Joyfully Jerome Bettis Briefly Delivers Duquesne Graduates Galvanizing 7-minute Speech! (May 03, 08, 8:44 p.m.)

Photos: Thirty-Fifth Time, Thousands Towards Truth Memorialized ‘March for Life 2008' (Jan 23, 08, 1:09 p.m.)

HOTPRESSIONS:

“Rebuttal to the Pitt News editorial, 'Abstinence-only education not way to go!'" (Dec 08, 07, 4:34 p.m.)

GREEK LIFE:

Video: "Rags Reveal Riches, Reminding Kappa's Kingdom Connection!" (March 30, 08, 1:34 p.m.)

Video: "Alpha Delta Pi's Analyze Lambda Chi Alpha's Love Story!" (March 31, 08, 1:21 p.m.)

Video: "TriSigma's Travel Through Time Paging PiKA's" (April 01, 08, 2:27 p.m.)

Video: "TriDelta's Triumphantly Tackle Twisted Villians Vindicating City's Citizens, Seeking SAE's Support!" (April 02, 08, 2:30 p.m.)

Video: "DeltaPhiEpsilon Dominates Wonderland With DeltaChi's Daily!" (April 05, 08, 7:36 p.m.)

ENTERTAINMENT:

Video: "Dark Knight' Kindles Joker's Judgment, Justifying Satan's Sinister Soul Search" (July 23, 08, 8:34 p.m.)

"'Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' caringly Christocentric" (May 14, 08, 2:29 p.m.)

"Totally Baked'  Brings Beelzebub's Badness!" (April 28, 08, 4:43 p.m.)

"National Treasure 2 Tests Truth Through Time!" (May 21, 08, 10:37 a.m.)

"Flawless' Forgoes Forgiveness For Foes" (June 06,08, 4:34 p.m.)

FEATURE:

"Top 14 creative responses given by Market Central customers for Love is......" (Feb 14, 08, 1:42 p.m.)

"PGSIS 2008 Presented Poem Welcoming Women & Men Mightily" (June 22, 08, 3:45 p.m.)

"Top 14 creative responses given by Market Central customers for being the president of the United States would be like......" (Feb 18, 08, 1:49 p.m.)

Slideshow: "Light Up Night 2007 Lifts Students Spirits"  (Nov 18, 07, 2:00 a.m.)

Video:  Light Up Night's Nativity Creche Christened Colorfully!  (Nov 17,07, 11:52 p.m.)

IMPRESSIONS:

PS Editorial: Hussein Has Hebrew Hating Friends For Foes! (July 18, 08, 1:32 a.m.)

PS Editorial: "Oust Obama Over Commanding Country Cause Character Critical!" (July 30, 2008, 4:11 p.m.)

PS Editorial: "Homosexuals Have Maligned Marriage Maledicting Messiah's Message!" (May 16, 08, 5:01 p.m.)

Dad Delivered Daily, Delighting Family of Five Forever! (Dec 22, 07, 11:22 p.m.)

PS Editorial: "Badmouthing Black Woman Willingly, Jacobs Justifies Expelling Employee!" (May 23, 08, 10:14 p.m.)

FOOD:

View the week 6 interactive menu and nutritional information for Market Central  (Sept 24, 07, 10:58 a.m.)

"Cereals Classified Favorites For Happy High School Students" (July 14, 08, 3:45 p.m.)

Photos: "Slide Show of Hollywood Theme Night at Market Central"  (Feb 06, 08, 1:51 p.m.)

SPORTS:

Video: "Ramon's Rushed Shot Secures Panther Points, Validating Victory!" (Feb 10, 08, 1:37 p.m.)

PS Editorial: "Patriots Perfectionist, Bill Belichick Tumbles Through Treason" (Feb 05, 08, 2:08 a.m.)

Video: "Christ Captivated Coach Wannstedt Wonderfully With Wisdom!" (March 28, 07, 11:00 a.m.)

Slideshow: "Chair charred capping celebration, commandeering cops" (Dec 03, 07, 1:49 p.m.)

Slideshow:"Morgantown Memories Propel Pitt Fans Festivities!"  by Matt Keeny & Ramesh C. Reddy (Dec 03, 07, 12:47 p.m.)

 

“Deliverance In Savior Trust As Now Christ Emancipates! (D.I.S.T.A.N.C.E)

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard


May 06, 2009

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song by called which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

SCRIPTURE:
Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance." (Mark 8:1b-3, NIV)

Observations:
What statements does Jesus make to the disciples?

1. I have compassion for these people.

2. They have already been with me three days.

3. They have nothing to eat.

4. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way.

5. They have come a long distance.

I decided to look at statement 5 today:

Interpretations:
What is the significance of Jesus telling the disciples 'some of them have come a long distance?'
Jesus was making a point that the distance they came to see Him is so long that if they are sent back to their destination without anything to eat they will be hungry and collapse. Jesus did not want that. What stuck out to me was Jesus knowing the distance the crowds came from to see Him and the crowds desire to see him not letting distance come in the way.

HOW GOSPEL HAS GIVEN ME TESTIMONIES REGARDING D.I.S.T.A.N.C.E
This past Sunday, May 03, 2009, even though I had sprained my ankle less than 24 hrs ago during our church clean-up, I did not want to miss worshipping the Lord Jesus at PCCO-Oakland International Fellowship. The only problem was that the buses were not running their regular route which meant I had to walk a long DISTANCE with my mom. I thank the Lord Jesus that He gave me the strength to bear through the pain and walk to church from where I lived about 2.5 miles based on my pedometer reading.  I did that because I and my mom were excited that Pastor Hugo was preaching the sermon and wanted to hear what God wanted me to hear through the pastor. My mom loves sings songs to the Lord too :) The DISTANCE did matter but when I focused on the goal at hand which was to reach the House of worship to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus took care of the rest. I don't recommend walking with a sprained ankle and in retrospect as my mentors told me that was not a good idea. The bottom line was that I wanted to be at church to hear God's Word spoken. As stated in yesterday's testimony, church life is important as a supplement to our own time with Jesus Christ in His Word and prayer.

I realized when we love someone and care for them, DISTANCE will not matter to stop us. I also realized when we need an answer to something in our lives, distance will not matter to stop us.

TESTIMONY 2 REGARDING DISTANCE:
To this day, I am very touched by the members of my brother's International Christian Fellowship church and what they did one December afternoon in 2007. They drove all the way from Maryland just so they could come and anoint my dad's head with oil and pray for him while he was on a ventilator. DISTANCE did not stop them because of their love for Jesus and my family. They came with the goal of praying for my dad and singing songs to him. After their prayer, my dad came of the ventilator and started breathing on his own. Days later my dad gave his life to Christ before going to be with Jesus.

TESTIMONY 3: REGARDING DISTANCE:
Years ago, while working as a staff worker for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, I had to move from Shadyside to Squirrel Hill but did not want to ask anyone for help as not to burden them because of the DISTANCE and work it takes to move.

I am so thankful to the Lord for Sara Witmer now Sara Schuster (Former President of PITT-INTERVARSITY), Jonathan Morton, (Former Vice-president/President of  PITT-INTERVARSITY), Joshua Steck (Former worship leader for PITT-INTERVARSITY), and David Black (Former member and aspiring leader for PITT INTERVARSITY) for all the DISTANCE they went for me which was unexpected.

They were the best leadership team I ever worked with and had the honor of serving as their staff/campus minister. At that time I was also taking Post-Bac classes and would not even miss a single small group Bible study because I was also facilitating the study.

They knew I had a lot of moving to do and I told them about it. They asked me if I needed help but I am the kind of person that does not like to burden others to ask for help so I told them ‘no, I will handle it’.

Asking for help is biblical and we are commanded to "Carry ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ!" (Galatians 6:2) but I went my own way.

 I under estimated the stuff I had and the mess the Shadyside apartment was in. Anyway, since I did not have a car, I carried most of the stuff in the bus back and forth and other times took a short cut from Shadyside to Squirrel Hill.

 When I did not show up at the small group, they became really concerned and Jonathan who I had the honor of still working with before April 2001 suggested something might be wrong and that they should go look for me.

 So rather than having their Bible study on ‘serving others’, they put it into practice right away. During one trip as I was tiring and showed up at my apartment, I saw Josh outside helping my roommate move out. Before I had come, I was thinking to myself that I had no one to help me. How could I have help when I did not ask would have been anyone’s logical response! Not with these student leaders though.

I asked Josh, ‘Do you know my roommate and he said, “No”. Then, I asked him, “What are you doing here then?", All he said was “Wait and see, it is a surprise.”

 As I walked to the apartment door, “I heard students standing at the steps shouting “surprise” and I was totally speechless and so touched.

 They had not had the small group study to come to see how I was doing. They came all the DISTANCE from the University of Pittsburgh to help me. I dream for that type of small group fellowship and community for everyone to have. I am still touched **teary**.  I am a emotional kind of guy which is not the norm but when you are touched, you are touched :)

It was not just any week but it was close to finals and that made it that much more touching since I did not ask them for help nor did I tell them where I lived.

 They took it upon themselves to find out from the former Vice-President of the chapter, Becky McMullen who is now Becky Posh, where I lived because she remembered the location as she saw me in that neighborhood. Sara and Becky were roommates!

Becky had Bio lab stuff going on so she could not make it but all 4 of them came.

 I vividly remember Sara asking me that they really, really wanted to help and what did I need done?

I told her that they should go back to the dorms. She told me that she would go but not to stay but bring back boxes she had in McCormick Hall.

She did not mind going all the way back. She always had a helping attitude and finished her degree in Nursing at Pitt. If I was injured, she would be the first person to look at it. One time when I passed out in the cafeteria, she told the manager that she could take me to their dorm and let me rest in the guest room of their McCormick Castle Suite as they called it.

She and all her roommates tried to do whatever they could to cheer me up and help me feel better including Bradley Gingrich (former leader of PITT-IVCF) that were visiting from the chapter. Sara went to make soup and Becky went to get me more layers of clothing to keep me from being chilly.

 Getting back to the apartment story, Sara would not have any of my ‘don’t need help stuff’ but like a professional mover she and all the others found whatever empty garbage bags/boxes and packed everything in 3 hours. They did not leave my place till 11:30 p.m. Josh had homework so he left early but then the next day Josh and David came back to help with Josh’s pickup truck that arrived from out of town from a long DISTANCE. They packed everything into the pick up truck and unpacked it in Squirrel Hill.

After they left at 11:30 pm, the first thing my Chinese roommate  who was not a believer in Christ said to me was, "That was really nice of them to help you like that." Naturally he got curious and asked, "Where are they from?"

I answered from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship small group. His response was, "No wonder". They had made an impact on the roommate by their actions. Then he asked what their roles in the fellowship were and so on.

In all these testimonies, you see how the love for Christ impacted different lives and distance did not matter to accomplish the set goal. Distance did not matter for the crowds to meet with Jesus too.

Every testimony here where my life was affected shows someone having an encounter with Jesus that moves them to action. That happened because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ working in their lives. I praise the Lord for that.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. The people came a long distance to see Jesus to be taught by Him, led by Him, and to be ministered to by Him and I need to do the same. I should not let distance of where I live, etc prevent me from going to the House of Worship to worship Christ the Lord. What is much more exciting is that Jesus is never far from me now. He is close to me. He is right in my heart and His Spirit will lead me and guide me. I need to be focused on the Lord and let His Word minister to me in all facets of life whether it is academic, relational, political, religious, etc. Distance does not matter anymore to meet Jesus because we can meet Jesus right in His Word which will be near our heart as we open it and read it. That is what I desire to do to let His Word guide me and lead me. Also I can talk to Jesus through prayer.

I ask you now dear friend what distance won't you go to meet Jesus?
Dear friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only One living Jesus would have still died for you and shed His precious cleansing blood to redeem you. Jesus went paid the  DISTANCE with HIS BLOOD just to save you from the bondage of sin and death. The DISTANCE ended at the Cross of Calvary where He was crucified for your sake to set you free by His precious blood. Now because of the DISTANCE, Jesus went for you, you now can go the DISTANCE for Jesus.  There should not be a distance you won't travel to meet Jesus.

You should not let relationships, academics, career, etc keep you from Jesus because if you do, they will become a DISTANCE in your life and take you farther and farther away from JESUS. 

More than anything you should not keep a LOVING RESPONSE over MORAL ABSOLUTES to keep you from Jesus.

For example, your love for your boyfriend/girl friend, husband/wife, parent/child because you want to show them love should not keep you from coming to Jesus if they don't want you to become a follower of Christ. Not coming can be seen as a loving response towards your significant other but at what price, the price of giving up MORAL ABSOLUTES.

The moral absolute is Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life! No man comes to the Father except through me!" (John 14:6, NIV)

There are no if's and but's. It is clear cut. God's standards are for our benefit and God paid the price with the BLOOD OF HIS SON for our sake because of His love for us. Help us Jesus. Thank you Lord.

When we were separated from God because of our sin, Jesus became the bridge to bring us back to God so it makes perfect sense for Jesus to say what He said in John 14:6. No religion in the world can make the claims Jesus made and back them up no matter what DISTANCE has been in TIME.

 Jesus went the DISTANCE for you because of His LOVE shown by His GRACE towards you so you can be freed from the bondage of sin  and death.

We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is none righteous not one.

Friend, you will never be alone with Jesus Christ in your life. His presence will permeate your life and will provide the community to take care of you as He has done in my own life. It starts with you wanting to go the DISTANCE for Jesus.

Won't you do that friend?

Won't you come to Jesus no matter what the DISTANCE  to meet Jesus?

You can friend right now. As the crowds came a long distance to meet with Jesus, as my brother's church leaders came a long distance to meet with my family and pray for my dad, and as 4 leaders from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship came a distance to help me, you too can go the DISTANCE. It all started with JESUS CHRIST.

You will not be disappointed in Christ for He will take you as you are and minister unto you. Friend, there is nothing you or I can do to be right with God on our own because of sin. But the Good News is Jesus did it for us to restore us to Himself and to community all because of His LOVE & GRACE.

Friend, there is so RELATIVISM or MORAL SUBJECTIVISM in God's Kingdom no matter how many examples you can think of. Everything is based on MORAL ABSOLUTES. We have not kept to that standard.

God's LOVING RESPONSE is not separate from MORAL ABSOLUTES but many times our LOVING RESPONSE can separate us from MORAL ABSOLUTES as the example above. Moral absolutes list the commands we are to keep because of His love for us!

Yet we break them because of sin. There are consequences for our actions and death is the result for our sin. It can be physical or spiritual death.

No one can ever say that they are good because 'good' implies you have not broken God's laws but kept all the laws. It implies your standard of behavior has always been based on MORAL ABSOLUTES (Standards set by God in Scripture and not what man thinks is right and wrong)

None of us have met that standard because too many times our LOVING RESPONSE towards others actually breaks God's laws too. A LOVING RESPONSE apart from MORAL ABSOLUTES can still get us into trouble.

Think about it, a LOVING RESPONSE of a husband may mean killing his suffering wife to alleviate her pain but the MORAL ABSOLUTE says, "THOU SHALL NOT MURDER"

I share this with you because MAN WILL ALWAYS JUSTIFY HIS WAYS TO MAKE A POINT OR BE RIGHT but in GOD'S KINGDOM OUR ANSWERS MEAN NOTHING UNLESS CHRIST IS IN THE PICTURE.

Mostly, man will justify why man does not need Christ in their lives since they are already doing good works and God will accept them when they die.

HOGWASH!

It is not in the character of God to ACCEPT anyone who has not ACCEPTED THE REDEMPTION OF CHRIST in their lives. Jesus went the DISTANCE for you and me for that reason because He wanted us to be ACCEPTED into His Kingdom.

So, please don't base your life living on SUBJECTIVE MORALISM, RELATIVISM, EXISTENTIALISM ATHEISM, etc for none of them will help you reach God because you and I won't without CHRIST.

In every religion, people go the DISTANCE to try to meet God by their ACTIONS but in Christ, people did not have to do anything to reach God, for God reached out to man. The INITIATIVE was God's from the beginning to save lost humanity in their sin. It was a DISTANCE paid in BLOOD.  It was for you and me so we can meet Jesus.

Jesus loves you not because you think you are a good person or bad person according to your standards but because it is HIS nature to LOVE HIS CREATION and shower them with HIS GRACE regardless of whether we are bad or good. Jesus can do that because when Jesus died on the cross to save humanity, Jesus died for our past, present, and future sins to cover us in His righteousness.

But to receive that righteousness in our lives we have to accept the GIFT OF GRACE given us. It is by His GRACE we are saved not through works so that none can boast.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

Grace alone means it is nothing you or I can earn by our actions. We just cant because as Isaiah 64 says, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6, NIV)

These righteous acts we think we do are not righteous to God unless CHRIST is in the picture.

Will you let the DISTANCE Jesus went to save you by His BLOOD, the DISTANCE paid by His BLOOD mean nothing to you?

Please don't let it mean nothing to you but let it be everything to you.

Imagine when someone is sick with a deadly virus, how much they anticipate and hope for an antidote. When the antidote is given or released, they do take it if they want to live.

In the same way, the deadliest virus known as sin has invaded our bodies and we are all dying but we can be saved from eternal destruction if we take the antidote. The antidote is offered in Christ's blood to take and receive so we can be SAVED BY HIS GRACE and LIVE BY HIS GRACE. That is exciting to know friend. I know it is for me and I hope it is for you.

You have the ANTIDOTE  in HIS PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD available to take and be redeemed. Please take it and ask Christ to TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE BY HIS GRACE. Redemption is based on GRACE for it is HIS SAVING GRACE that JUSTIFIES and HIS LIVING GRACE that SANCTIFIES.

Yes friend, our sin sweeps us away and holds us bondage. But thanks be to God while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for our sin to restore  you and me. You can be restored to the Lord as you depend on Him and ask Him to be the Lord of your life and make you whole.

Remember Jesus already knows what you are going through and whatever He allows to happen, it is also for a reason.  Jesus knew what the crowds were faced with and if Jesus cared much for their physical needs now much more will he care for your spiritual needs too! Don't give up but come to the table of the Lord and receive His forgiveness and grace for your life right now.

This is the time of Salvation! Don't wait for some other time. You are being spoken to right now and God wants to work in your life. Allow Him to and come as you are. Come to the fountain of blessing and find healing in Jesus' name for all who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. " (Romans 3:22-25, NIV)

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:6-11, NIV)

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32, NIV)

"But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."(Romans 10:8-13, NIV)

"Deliverance In Savior Trust As Now Christ Emancipates!"(D.I.S.T.A.N.C.E)/"What D.I.S.T.A.N.C.E will you go to meet Jesus?"

PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, I spent time in one verse Lord and you taught me a lot as I reflected on this verse alone. You taught me about the DISTANCE people can go to show your LOVE to others as church leaders from my brother's church came all the way from Maryland just to see my dad and pray for him in person. You brought 4 students to help me move from a distance. You helped me walk the distance to church through the pain. Every event happened because of your work in our lives. Thank you so much Jesus. I pray Lord Jesus for the one right now who knows they need to go the distance for you but they are stopped by Satan's lies of deception. To some Lord, it is because they don't feel worthy but that is why you came to make us feel worthy in you and find our identity in you. For others, it is because of academics, relationships, career that is influencing their decision not to turn their life over to you. Oh Lord, please forgive them and work in their lives Oh Lord. Work in their lives by Your Spirit because when you Spirit works in us, we will be transformed and changed. We will also accept the gift of grace you have showered on our lives. Thanks so much Jesus for going the distance paid by your blood for our sin. I love you and need you. Thanks for dying for my sin and coming back to life to save me. Help me Lord Jesus, to live for you and serve you. Thanks so much Jesus. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

 May you experience the POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes to give JOY and PEACE.

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to live out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo shared this example this past Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and restore us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

May you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you. Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life, digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life. I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit! I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! But beware of churches who do believe in the Word of God completely but there is no freedom in Christ but legalism involved.

As a professional, it is not too late to join a church! As a student, it is not too late to join a fellowship on campus this  new year of 2009! May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His love now and forever! Amen!

 

Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen!

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through.  Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible Live Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-720-4579

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

 

Express Your View

 

.Click picture to read my dad's memoriam:


Nov 01, 1941 - Dec 17, 2007

' I AM ' Series Archives:

"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (Dec 08, 07, 10:10 a.m.)

Gospel According to Mark
Revised Archives:

CHAPTER 1:

Mark 1:1: "What does the G.O.S.P.E.L mean to you?" (Aug 27, 08, 11:36 a.m.)

Mark 1:1-4: "How seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y about prophesy?" (Aug 28, 08, 8:52 a.m.)

Mark 1:4-8: "Who do you P.O.I.N.T to in life?" (Aug 29, 08, 10:29 a.m.)

Mark 1:7-9: "What do you S.T.A.N.D for in life?" (Aug 30, 08, 8:38 a.m.)

Mark 1:12-13: "How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E of Jesus in life?" (Sept 01, 08, 10:28 a.m.)

Mark 1:12-13: "How do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N  in your life?" (Sept 02, 08, 10:28 a.m.)

Mark 1:14-15: "How do you handle the T.I.M.E given you?" (Sept 03, 08, 9:37 a.m.)

Mark 1:16-18: "What do you do with your P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N in life?" (Sept 04, 08, 10:51 a.m.)

Mark 1:19-20: "Without having to P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.E what should you do in life?" (Sept 05, 08, 9:39 a.m.)

Mark 1:19-20: "How do you rate in the B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S of Jesus?" (Sept 08, 08, 9:23 a.m.)

Mark 1:21-22: "Whose T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S do you actively listen to in life?" (Sept 10, 08, 9:48 a.m.)

 Mark 1:23-28: "What C.A.P.T.I.V.I.T.Y are you facing today in life?" (Sept 11, 08, 12:19 a.m.)

Mark 1:29-31: "Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G in your life?" (Sept 15, 08, 8:57 a.m.)

Mark 1:32-34: "Where do you need A.N.S.W.E.R.S in life?" (Sept 16, 08, 9:54 a.m.)

Mark 1:35-39: "How do you find S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y time with the Lord ?" (Sept 17, 08, 9:30 a.m.)

 Mark 1:40-42: "Where do you need to be C.L.E.A.N in life?" (Sept 18, 08, 9:19 a.m.)

Mark 1:43-45: "What do your actions C.A.U.S.E in life?" (Sept 20, 08, 7:19 a.m.)

CHAPTER 2:

Mark 2:1-2: "What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y in life?" (Sept 22, 08, 9:37 a.m.)

Mark 2:3-5: "What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D.S do you have in life?" (Sept 23, 08, 9:50 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "Who do you I.N.T.E.R.C.E.D.E for in life?" (Sept 24, 08, 9:48 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S. take hold of you in life?" (Sept 25, 08, 10:16 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D daily?" (Sept 26, 08, 10:12 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S in life?" (Sept 27, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 2:13-15: "Where are you looking for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E  in life?" (Sept 30, 08, 12:14 p.m.)

Mark 2:15-17: "Who do you I.N.V.I.T.E to dine with Jesus now?" (Oct 04, 08, 11:34 a.m.)

Mark 2:18-20: "When does F.A.S.T.I.N.G become important in your life?" (Oct 06, 08, 11:58 a.m.)

Mark 2:21-22: "How do you see your L.I.F.E now?" (Oct 07, 08, 10:24 p.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What kind of L.E.A.D.E.R is Jesus to you?" (Oct 11, 08, 12:59 p.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What does the S.A.B.B.A.T.H mean to you?" (Oct 13, 08, 10:47 a.m.)

CHAPTER 3:

Mark 3:1-6: "Whose N.E.E.D.S do you meet in life?" (Oct 14, 08, 11:31 a.m.)

Mark 3:7-8: "What  is your I.M.P.A.C.T in life? " (Oct 15, 08, 11:22 a.m.)

Mark 3:9-10: "What  S.P.A.C.E do you give yourself in life?" (Oct 16, 08, 12:36 p.m.)

Mark 3:11-12:"How do you fight E.V.I.L in life?" (Oct 18, 08, 8:53 a.m.)

Mark 3:13-15: "What emphasis do you put on your R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P with Jesus?" (Oct 20, 08, 11:07 a.m.)

Mark 3:16-19:"Where is your A.P.P.O.I.N.T.M.E.N.T in?" (Oct 21, 08, 10:33 a.m.)

Mark 3:20: "Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R in life?" (Oct 22, 08, 2:33 p.m.)

"How are your actions seen by your F.A.M.I.L.Y in life?" (Oct 23, 08, 2:41 p.m.)

"How do you handle S.L.A.N.D.E.R in life?"(Oct 25, 08, 10:16 p.m.)

"Who are you campaigning and V.O.T.I.N.G for?" (Nov 04, 08, 7:48 a.m.)

Mark 3:28-30: "What is your V.I.E.W of Jesus in life?" (Nov 10, 08, 1:44 p.m.)

Mark 3:31-34: "What are you doing with G.O.D'S W.I.L.L in life?" (Nov 11, 08, 11:15 a.m.)

CHAPTER 4:

Mark 4:1-20: "Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R in life?" (Nov 12, 08, 9:12 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you in life?" (Nov 13, 08, 10:56 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "Where are you at your W.A.L.K with God?" (Nov 14, 08, 8:21 a.m.)

"What kind of L.A.M.P are you?" (Nov 17, 08, 10:24 a.m.)

Mark 4:21-23: "What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L in life?" (Nov 19, 08, 10:56 a.m.)

"What do you do with what you H.E.A.R in life?" (Nov 26, 08, 10:50 a.m.)

"What do you base your T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G on?"(Nov 27, 08, 11:05 a.m.)

"What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L. & Farming?"(Nov 28, 08, 8:24 a.m.)

"What are the S.T.O.R.M.S you face in life?"(Nov 28, 08, 8:24 a.m.)

"Will you let Jesus be the Lord of your P.A.S.T and move you forward?" (Dec 31, 08, 8:38 a.m.)

JANUARY 2009

Mark 5:1-13: "Where is your I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y this year of 2009?" (Jan 01, 09, 11:50 a.m.)

Mark 5:14-17: "What will people report about you this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 02, 09, 10:40 a.m.)

Mark 5:15a: "Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G this New Year of 2009? (Jan 03, 09, 8:36 a.m.)

Mark 5:15-17: "What makes you A.F.R.A.I.D of coming to Jesus?" (Jan 05, 09, 12:44 p.m,)

Mark 5:18-19: "When will you T.A.R.G.E.T your family?" (Jan 06, 09, 9:56 a.m.)

Mark 5:20: "What do you do with your T.E.S.T.I.M.O.N.Y this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 07, 09, 1:16 p.m.)

Mark 5:21: "Will you G.A.T.H.E.R before Jesus in this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 08, 09, 10:39 a.m.)

Mark 5:22-24a: "How is your P.R.A.Y.E.R life with Jesus this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 09, 09, 7:56 a.m.)

Mark 24b-29: "Where do you feel U.N.C.L.E.A.N this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 10, 09, 9:49 a.m.)

"Where do you need F.R.E.E.D.O.M this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 12, 09, 2:25 p.m.)

"Whose T.I.M.I.N.G are you following this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 13, 09, 11:49 a.m.)

"What place do you give G.O.D.S W.I.L.L in your life?" (Jan 15, 09, 8:26 a.m.)

CHAPTER 6:
Mark 6:1-3:
"Where do you seek W.I.S.D.O.M this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 17, 09, 9:52 a.m.)

Mark 6:2-3: "What do you do with your C.A.L.L.I.N.G in life?" (Jan 19, 09, 10:01 a.m.)

Mark 6:2-3: "Will your I.N.A.U.G.U.R.A.T.I.O.N be into the Kingdom of God?" (Jan 20, 091:15 p.m.)

Mark 6:4-6: "When do you feel A.C.C.E.P.T.E.D in life?" (Jan 21, 09, 9:54 a.m.)

Mark 6:6-7: "How is your F.A.I.T.H this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 22, 09, 11:42 p.m.)

Mark 6:7: "What do you T.E.A.C.H by your life?" (Jan 23, 09, 8:53 a.m.)

Mark:  "Who are you S.E.N.T by to where?" (Jan 24, 09, 9:55 a.m.)

Mark: "Where are you S.T.A.Y.I.N.G in life?" (Jan 26, 09, 10:48 a.m.)

Mark: "How is your spiritual H.E.A.L.T.H this New Year of 2009?" (Jan 28, 09, 11:36 a.m.)

Mark 4: "What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L instead of farming?" (Jan 31, 09, 7:44 a.m.)

FEBRUARY 2009:

Matthew: "How is your love on Valentines Day?" (Feb 14, 09, 5:38 a.m.)

Mark 6: "What have people H.E.A.R.D about Jesus through you?" (Feb 16, 09, 8:50 a.m.)

Mark 6: "What do you T.H.I.N.K about Jesus?" (Feb 17, 09, 10:10 a.m.)

Mark 6: "How do you handle D.O.U.B.T.S in your life?" (Feb 18, 09, 10:20 a.m.)

Mark 6:17-20: "When do you S.P.E.A.K out?" (Feb 19, 09, 10:50 a.m.)

"What has the T.O.N.G.U.E done in your life?" (Feb 20, 09, 9:42 a.m.)

Mark 6: "What has P.R.I.D.E done to your life?" (Feb 21, 09, 9:20 a.m.) 

Mark 6: "What M.I.S.S.I.O.N have you been called to?" (Feb 23, 09, 10:00 a.m.)

Mark 6: "Where do you find your R.E.S.T in life?" (Feb 24, 09, 4:03 a.m.)

Mark 6: "Who have you made the S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D of your life?" (Feb 25, 09, 11:05 a.m.)

MARCH 2009:

"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (March 02, 09, 1:16 p.m.)

Whose C.A.R.E are you really in? (March 09, 09, 6:29 a.m.)

Mark 6:45:  "When do you P.R.A.Y in your life?"  (March 10, 09, 9:21 a.m.)

Mark 6:46-48a: "What T.R.O.U.B.L.E are you facing in life?"  (March 11, 09, 10:02 a.m.)

Mark 6:48b-51: "What are you A.F.R.A.I.D of in life?"  (March 12, 09, 10:10 a.m.)

Mark 6: "How have you H.A.R.D.E.N.E.D your heart?"  (March 14, 09, 11:11 a.m.)

Mark 6: "What are you R.E.C.O.G.N.I.Z.E.D for in life?"  (March 16, 09, 10:32 a.m.)

Mark 6: “Who have you I.N.T.R.O.D.U.C.E.D to Jesus?"   (March 18, 09, 10:11 a.m.)

CHAPTER 7:

Mark 7:1-8 "How do you view H.Y.P.O.C.R.I.S.Y in your life?" (March 21, 09, 9:41 a.m.)

Mark 7:1-8: "How does the Lord view your W.O.R.S.H.I.P in life?" (March 23, 09, 11:04 a.m.)

Mark 7:1-8: "Whose T.E.A.C,H.I.N.G.S do you follow in life?" (March 24, 09, 9:05 a.m.)

Mark 7:1-8:  "How do you honor your P.A.R.E.N.T.S in life?" (March 25, 09, 10:48 a.m.)

Mark 7: "What makes you C.L.E.A.N in life?" (March 26, 09, 10:27 a.m.)

Mark 7: "When are you getting your H.E.A.R.T transplant?" (March 27, 09, 7:51 a.m.)

Mark 7: "What side of the C.R.E.D.I.T coin are you part of?" (March 28, 09, 9:42 a.m.)

HOLY WEEK:

"What happened to Jesus' dirty/stinky F.E.E.T one day?" (April 04, 09, 12:27 p.m.)

"Will you be the offspring of the S.E.E.D cultivated?"  (April 06, 09, 12:20 p.m.)

"What kind of L.I.G.H.T will you follow this HOLY WEEK?" (April 07, 09, 11:28 a.m.)

"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D this HOLY WEEK?" (April 08, 09, 11:28 a.m.)

"How do you know judgment will P.A.S.S.O.V.E.R you this HOLY WEEK?" (April 09, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you on and after GOOD FRIDAY this HOLY WEEK?" (April 10, 09, 8:41 a.m.)

"How do you match J.E.S.U.S attitude this HOLY WEEK?" (April 11, 09, 10:03 a.m.)

RESURRECTION SUNDAY:

"Why have you L.O.C.K.E.D youself away?" (April 13, 09, 1:41 a.m.)

"Why are you not at P.E.A.C.E in your life?" (April 14, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"Will you be in Jesus' A.C.T.I.O.N film called life?" (April 15, 09, 11:55 a.m.)

"Why can you have J.O.Y in life?" (April 16, 09, 2:05 p.m.)

"What will give you P.E.A.C.E in life?" (April 18, 09, 12:32 p.m.)

"What won't Jesus do for you in your D.O.U.B.T.S?" (April 20, 09, 12:13 p.m.)

"What C.L.A.I.M do you make about Jesus?" (April 21, 09, 11:40 a.m.)

MARK 7:

Mark 7:25-26: "What do you do to S.A.V.E your loved ones?" (April 23, 09, 2:36 p.m.)

Mark 7:27-30: "What has A.D.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y done in your life?" (April 24, 09, 8:25 a.m.)

Mark 7:31-32: "Who do you B.R.I.N.G to Jesus?" (April 25, 09, 8:14 a.m.)

Mark 7:33-35: "Why cant you G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E in life?" (April 27, 09, 9:55 a.m.)

Mark 7:36-37: "What do you need done W.E.L.L in your life?" (April 28, 09, 10:14 a.m.)

CHAPTER 8:

Mark 8: "Why won't you G.A.T.H.E.R around Jesus in life?" (April 29, 09, 11:17 a.m.)

Mark 8: "Who needs your C.O.M.P.A.S.S.I.O.N this week?" (May 01, 09, 11:17 a.m.)

Mark 8: "What place do you give a R.E.T.R.E.A.T in your life?" (May 02, 09, 8:41 a.m.)

"What does Jesus not know about your S.U.R.R.O.U.N.D.I.N.G.S in life?" (May 04, 09, 9:05 a.m.)

"How is your W.H.O.L.E. life compared to its parts?"  (May 05, 09, 9:08 a.m.)

 

 

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