CLEANSE YOUR HOUSE!

"Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing" (Deut 7:26)

Many saintly people say that this verse directly warns against bringing a television set into the house. The abominations that appear in modern television programmes are unparalleled in history. Statistics reveal that many murders, sexual offences, robberies, divorces, etc. are caused by programmes appearing on this idiot box.

Once a precious child of God named Samuel was very sick. He started examining his life and seeking the Lord, trying to find out why he continued to be sick. One day he had a vision. A demon was sitting on his house-top - where the aerial of the television set was set up. And through that aerial, the demon was sending into his house various demons, including sicknesses. Samuel immediately got rid of the television set. He was instantly and completely healed.

Child of God, perhaps the demon of sickness is not leaving your house because this abominable magic box is there. Cleanse your house. Let the God of all grace keep your heart and home clean.

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

Called to reveal Jesus

"...called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me" (Gal 1:15, 16)
This is the grand, high calling we have. This is the purpose of our life. Paul understood that. If we know that this is our calling, if we are diligent about this calling of ours, we will never fall. We will not fall in our thoughts. But very often we don't remember the purpose for which the Lord has called us. Paul says, "...to reveal His Son first in me and then through me." This is the great work God is doing in our life.

If we are aware of this our high calling, whatever the trial that comes our way, our attitude and spirit will be Christlike. "Oh, this trial is to reveal Christ in me!" we will think. We will not feel offended and hurt. That's why St Peter writes, "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure... if ye do these things ye shall never fall" (II Pet 1: 10)

For Christ to be revealed through you, first He has to be formed in you. St Paul says in Galatians 4:19, "I travail in birth until Christ be formed in you." The baby must first be conceived in the mother's womb, before it can be born. Spiritually speaking, Christ being formed in us means, getting a clear revelation of the character of Jesus. Jesus was formed in Mary's womb through the Holy Spirit (Lk 2:31) So, through the Holy Spirit we have to first get a revelation of the character of Christ.

The prayer and longing of a mother expecting a delivery is, "Oh, somehow I must get a safe delivery!" This is true spiritually also. After we get a revelation about the character of Christ our constant prayer will be, "Lord, this revelation should grow and grow and grow and Your character should be revealed through me." A mother is very careful about the child conceived in her womb. We must carefully preserve the revelation in us. Then Christ will be growing in us.

When a mother delivers a child there is travail or pain. That is why Paul also says, "I am also travailing, that Christ may be formed in you." Child of God, are you travailing in prayer for Christ to be formed in you?

Strength from our Covenant

It is our steadfastness in the covenants we make with our God that gives us the inner strength to press on in our spiritual life overcoming every foe and every obstacle on our way. As long as Samson kept his covenant he was a mighty man and no one could withstand him. But the moment he broke it he became an ordinary man and he soon succumbed to his enemies.

Life-giving strength got from the covenant is not something that only a child of God receives; God also derives His strength from His covenant-keeping nature which is self-existent in Him. Read Genesis 1:1. Here the particular usage of God in the original is, Elohim, which is formed with El & Alah. El means 'faithfulness by an oath,' and Alah means 'to show faithfulness by an oath'. Therefore the meaning of Elohim is 'One Who gets strength because of His faithfulness to the oath or covenant.'

God's covenant-keeping character could create the heaven and the earth. We, being God's children, can create a perfect heavenly life and a perfect earthly life by our covenant-keeping character. In other words, unless we maintain a covenant-keeping life we cannot build up our spiritual life or physical life in the perfect way. Many have messed up their lives because they were not faithful in the covenants they made with the Lord. Let us be warned.

Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

GOD'S MARK OF LOVE

The Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him" (Gen 4:15)

Though it was obviously a needless fear that Cain had, the Lord was so gracious that He did everything He could to protect him. If only sinners have their eyes opened to see this wonderful love of the Saviour!

The Lord could have pacified Cain and told him that his dear was unfounded. But this could not have satisfied Cain, he being a sinner. Therefore God promised him a sevenfold vengeance; thus showing him that he was still sevenfold precious to Him. So child of God, never for one moment think you have ceased to be precious in the eyes of the Lord. He loves you inspite of all your sinning and straying. So if you feel you are not close to Him, draw nearer right now.

God's own hands made a mark on Cain. That mark was the mark of eternal love for the sinner - to protect him from every fear and worry. If a sinner was marked thus to protect him from danger and fear, how much more certain it is, O child of God of little faith, that God will set a mark on you for your protection and safety!

Everyone who saw Cain could see the mark of God's love on him. Do we set such a mark of love and care on those who have sinned and displeased us? Can everyone see that we truly love them, that we have not shunned them or rejected them?

- Late Pas.T.U Thomas, in Morning Manna

GOOD WORKS AND WONDERFUL WORKS - August 17

When the disciples returned to the Lord Jesus after performing their ministry of deliverance, did not the Lord Jesus say, "Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven' (Lk10:20)?

The Lord is more interested in our life than in our ministry. Let us therefore give first priority to a spotless life. let us repent with deep sorrow and be delivered from our unsanctified state. We need to first sanctify ourselves before we call upon the name of the Lord Jesus to minister to people.

Many will say to the Lord, "Lord, Lord, have we not... in thy name done many wonderful works?" But what does the Lord say to them? "I never knew you" (Matt 7:22, 23). But in another place the Lord says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt 5:16).

So the Lord Jesus expects us to shine by our good works rather than by the wonderful works which may not glorify the Father's name. Good works are related to the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, whereas wonderful works relate to the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as, gift of healing, casting out devils, miracles etc.

Our character, which is displayed through our good works, is more important than our gifts which consist of wonderful works.

- Late Pas.T.U Thomas, in Morning Manna

LIVING ON THE BORDER

"Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." Rom 13:14

There was once a mother who faced a strange problem. Every night she would put her little boy to sleep in the middle of the bed. But in the middle of the night, the boy would fall on the floor with a thud. The mother will go and put the child back in the middle of the bed. But again, after sometime, the boy would be on the floor. Finally, one day, the mother kept watch over the child and discovered the boy's problem. He had the habit of coming to the edge of the bed and sleeping holding onto the edge.

This can be our problem also. There are so many things we do almost bordering sin or the world. We may ask, "What is wrong in looking at that? What is the harm in going there? Does the Bible say one shouldn't do that?" Our question should be rather, "What do I gain by it?" If there is no gain in a thing, there must be some harm in it.

Let us not make provision for the flesh. Let us always be sure that the things we allow in our lives are in the centre of God's will.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil" (I Thess 5:24). Finding out some loopholes to go to the edge of the world and live a a bordering Christian life, is dangerous. "Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ" means revealing Christ. In everything we do we must reveal Christ.

Pas.T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna, dt Aug 12