Editor’s Note

Praise the Lord. Wish you all a Happy New Year. May our good Lord bless you and keep you all under His Almighty and safe wings throughout the coming New Year. I will pray that the Lord may make your lives fruitful in this year. So this year we will call out to our Lord daily and stretch our hands to Him.

By walking with the Lord always our life becomes joyful and glad. King David says in Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Every breath that we take daily is a bonus from our Lord. Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. So remember His grace and praise Him.

The Lord looked at Joshua and said in Joshua 1:8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

If everyday we read five chapters we can complete reading the Bible in one year.

The secret of a victorious life is that we should pray everyday, so that our inner man may be strengthened. So pray always.Ephesians 6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Bible asks us to pray continually, 1 Thessalonians 5:17Pray without ceasing.

So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows.

My beloved brothers and sisters – do not worry about your past life. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool. This is the promise of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.Do not forget that you are a new creation in the Lord, You are the children of the King of Kings!

The Lord is doing a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Apostle Paul joyfully writes in 2 Corinthians 3:6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Therefore dearly beloved, let us have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil that is His flesh. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. For this, Jesus is the only way. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Lord will show us the way of life. Psalms 16:11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

I pray that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

In this coming year, let us pray like David prayed in Psalms 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

In this coming year, let the light of Jesus shine through each one of us, so that you and your families may be blessed.

Till we meet again.

Pastor Saroja M.

 

Last month, my granddaughter put her hand in the boiling hot water that we had kept during the dinner time. She started crying bitterly and I immediately applied prayer oil in faith.

It’s God’s grace alone that she did not get any blisters thereafter. I thank and give God all glory and praise for healing my granddaughter. I also thank Pastor Saroja for her fervent prayers for me and my family always.

Praise the Lord!

Sis. Natty Amanna, Ghatkopar

Since a year I had a growth on my neck. I showed this to Pastor Saroja and she prayed for me and asked me to apply the prayer oil over my neck.

I want to testify that nearly a year later; this growth has now disappeared completely.

I give God alone all glory and honour to our Lord God for His wondrous miracle in my life and for healing me through the prayer oil and I also thank Pastor Saroja for her prayers and timely advice

Praise the Lord!

Sis. Taraben Khushwa

 I am Sis. Sheila from Chennai. I could not lift my left shoulder since the past two years. I took lots of medicines, tried different exercises and also took Ayurvedic massages. Still my left shoulder continued to hurt me and I could not sleep on my left side.

When Pastor Saroja came for one of the Chennai Fasting Prayer Meeting, I requested her to pray for my problem. Pastor Saroja prayed for me and also gave me the prayer oil. My daughter used to massage my shoulder everyday with this prayer oil. Today I can lift up my hand, carry things and also sleep on my left side.

I want to praise and thank our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for healing me through the prayer oil. Also, I thank Pastor Saroja for praying for me.

Praise the Lord!

Sis. Sheila, Chennai

I am Sis Rani from Chennai. I have a three year old daughter who could not speak properly. Even 50% of words could not be spoken well by her.

In April 2014, I attended the Chennai Fasting Prayer meeting where I met Pastor Saroja and requested her to pray for my daughter. Pastor Saroja prayed with compassion over my daughter and gave me the prayer oil advising me to give my daughter prayer oil to drink daily. I regularly did as Pastor advised and gave my daughter prayer oil regularly.

I want to thank God for healing my daughter’s speech. I want to praise and thank our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for wonderfully working through His servant and for hearing and answering Pastor Saroja’s prayers. Thank you, Pastor Saroja for praying for my daughter’s problem.

 Thank you Jesus! Praise the Lord!

Sis. Rani, Chennai,

I thank my Lord Jesus for His healings through the prayer oil. I have three testimonies -

• I burnt my right hand thumb with steam water. The wound was painful and I took medicines too, but they were of no use. Pastor Saroja advised me to apply prayer oil. As per Pastor’s advise I started applying prayer oil and now my wound is completely healed. I thank God for healing me through the prayer oil. I also thank Pastor Saroja for her timely counsel and advise.
• My daughter hurt her finger while playing, her finger started paining and there was also a slight swelling. I applied the prayer oil and her finger was healed completely. I thank the Lord for healing her through the prayer oil and thank Pastor Saroja for praying over the oil.
• Due to indigestion, my stomach started hurting and I had loose motions. I drank the prayer oil in water. Both my stomach pain and loose motions stopped immediately, and I was healed

I thank Lord Jesus for His wondrous works in our life and for healing us through the prayer oil. I also thank Pastor Saroja for her fervent prayers for us always.

 Thank You Jesus, Praise the Lord!

Sis. Hema Chilla, Mira Road 

Pastor Saroja M.

God blesses those who walk in His fear

Psalms 115:13 “He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.”As we step into the New Year, God will bless both great and small – those who fear Him. God the Father knew that it is important that mankind should fear Him, thus He gave the Spirit of fear into His son, Jesus Christ and through Him that fear of God will spread into this world.Isaiah 11:2 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”.From the beginning of mankind, God knew it was important that men fear God; thus He put the Spirit of fear in His son Jesus Christ, that through Him we too shall have the Spirit of fear of God within us. Without Jesus Christ our life is nothing, without Him there is no Spirit within us. Thus it is through Jesus Christ alone that we have the Spirit of fear in our lives. Jesus Christ too prayed with that same Spirit of fear. Hence His prayers were heard as we read in Hebrews 5:7“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared”. Even though Jesus Christ was born of the true Spirit, He still had to pray to God in the Spirit of fear so that His prayer could be answered by God the Father. When Jesus Christ cried to God the Father in the fear of the Spirit, God answered His prayers. In our lives too, God desires that we fear Him, both great and small, whether a Priest, an Evangelist or a Bishop. Everyone must

fear God. What kind of fear is God expecting from us? Not the fear as mentioned inMatthew 25:25 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”Not this type of fear where we pretend to fear God or pretend not to speak aloud, etc. This fear is sent from the evil one and this is not a fear that comes from the Spirit of God. If we read from Mat 25:15, we read that Jesus had given coins tomen according to their own talents and ability. Because of the fear of God, gentiles used the coins to the maximum to reap rich benefits. E.g. children who obeyed and feared the teacher did their homework, but those children who do not fear their teacher nor valued her teachings, do not bother to do their homework on time. These children, even if they fail, do not care nor feel ashamed of the outcome of disobedience to their teachers. Unlike this, the others who believed Jesus and obeyed His command, they used the coins as per their talents and multiplied it, and were ready to return their reaping to Jesus. But there was one man who disobeyed Jesus and thus told Him that “I feared you and thus kept the coin hidden, so that I could return the same to you.” This is the fear that God does not expect from man. He expects us to fear Him out of reverence and discipleship for Him, out of love for Him. Let us read Matthew 25:15-30 “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the

one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”Remember God gave each one coins according to their ‘talents and ability’! So God knows what each ones talent and ability is and thus He knows what we can reap for Him. Also remember that God desires a fear of reverence and discipleship from us. God desires that each one of us is blessed by Him; He came into the world so that He can bless us.

Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” God first created man and blessed Him. Lord was also pleased to bless the Israelites always.Numbers 24:1“And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.”There are some blessings which come from God just like that, but there aresome blessings that also come because of His agreement with mankind.Mark 10:21“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”We know that Jesus travelled to different places preaching the Word. Once when he reached a certain place, Jesus meets a man who knows Jesus Christ from the beginning of his life, He is worthy to call Jesus ‘Abba Father’. He knows God’s word well; he kept every commandment as per Moses law. He has experienced God’s strength and grace upon him. This man came running to Jesus, calls Him ‘Rabbi’, ‘Good teacher’ and asks Him to bless him with eternal life. This man has kept every commandment of God and has walked in it since childhood. This meant that he came from a believer’s family, he has heard the Word of God and he knows the truth. But when Jesus desired to bless him with eternal life, He makes an agreement with him. Thus He speaks with him the above verse. In

Hebrews 11, we know how men gave their lives for the love of God so that God’s name may be glorified. We know what Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. How Moses, in spite of being in the house of Pharaoh, was prepared to forsake the palace and die for his people the Israelites when he discovered the truth. When a girl or boy loves each other, they are prepared to forsake their families and their homes that they have known since childhood, and run behind their worldly love. It is love that makes them do this. If we love God that much, how much more we should be prepared to love God and forsake the world for Him?Mark 10:17“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”This man who called Jesus the ‘Good Teacher, Good Master’, who from childhood kept every command of God, could not obey Him now. He could not forsake the treasures of the world, thus he left Jesus with great grief. We must remember everything in this world is God’s, He can add everything in our lives, when we leave the world and follow Him. God teaches us a lesson through this parable. Nobody is great or small before God; He is not a partial God. He will bless all mankind alike.

We know the parable of two sons in the bible where the father tells the elder one to go to the vineyard and work; the son refuses first but later he does go to work. While the father tells his second son to go and work in the vineyard, this son agrees but then never goes to work in the vineyard. Thus, in life too there are many people who only show their desire for loving God, but their hearts are far off from Him. We disobey the desires of the ‘Good Teacher, Rabbi’. We fall in the category who say ‘Yes Lord we will do’, but ‘we do not do’.Why does God speak to us in such parables? So that we may hear the message and start living our life according to His will. We always promise God that we will change, but that remains only in the church. The moment we are out of church, we continue with our sinful lives.Let us read the parable inMathew 21:28-31“But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”Remember, we may come every Saturday and Sunday to church and hear the Word of God but continue in our same sinful lives. Those outside the church will reach paradise and we will perish in hell fire. Thus our lifebecomes worthless and we are lost souls for the Lord.

 

Why did not the son obey his Father’s word? It was because he did not have fear within Him. Thus unless we repent and change our heart, everything we do, is worthless. Fear is beginning of wisdom and knowledge, thus when we fear the Lord we will be blessed with wisdom and knowledge. God’s Word says ‘Those who fear the Lord, both great and small, will be blessed’. Yes, we will never disobey a single word of God when we fear Him.

In the New Year, it is very important to fear God to be blessed. The first person in the bible to fear God was ‘Abraham’. Let us read Genesis 22:12“And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”God waited for Abraham to lift the knife to sacrifice his only son; that is the moment God stops Abraham. This is the testimony that came from heaven: “for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me”. God has prepared hell fire for those who pretend to fear Him while He blesses those who truly fear Him. Thus Abraham was blessed immensely, as we continue to read inGenesis 22:17-18“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”Thus when we truly love God we will be blessed and be truly strengthened by Him.

Another person who feared God was David. David was a valiant man and could shake this world. We know how King Saul was constantly seeking David to kill him and how David was constantly on the run to save himself from King Saul. One day David got an opportunity in his life to kill King Saul. But since David feared God, he did not even harm King Saul. 1 Samuel 24:2-12 “Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to over his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul

rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.”From the above passage we see that because David feared God and was his disciple, He did not kill King Saul though he had an opportunity to do so. In our life, we too must always have the fear of God within us.

We have read in the scriptures how the families of those who fear God, are blessed. If we read Psalms 112, 115 & 128, we see how God has blessed those who fear Him. Thus, we must fear God always. Let us read Psalms 103:11 “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” From this verse it is clear that as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is God’s mercy upon us who fear Him. Hence we must fear God always and receive our blessings. Let us also read Psalms 112:1 “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” Those who fear the Lord and live a fearful life will be blessed. Their families will reap great blessings from God. It is important that the elders in the family fear God to bring blessings for the entire family. Let us read Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” Thus parents are always accountable for their children’s lives. Malachi 4:2 “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” When we live in the fear of God, we will be blessed with good health and be blessed abundantly. Thus God the Father gave the Spirit of fear within His son Jesus Christ so that all mankind can see this fear and be blessed.

Remember, also we should never speak against the servants of God who bring the Word to us. If we do so, God’s anger will come down upon us. Numbers 12:8 “With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” One day Miriam thought that Moses is my brother; so she spoke loosely against her brother Moses. She forgot that He is God’s servant. God’s anger immediately came upon Miriam. Number 12:9-10“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” Thus,Mariam speaking against Moses brought anger of God upon herself. When we do not fear the Lord, we will speak against the servants of God and then God’s anger will always come upon us. Numbers 12:1-2 “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.”

Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.” Fear of God prolongs our life. God does not desire that we should die mid-way in our lives. We will be blessed and our children will receive refuge from God. The end times are close at heel; all signs and wonders happening in the world today are similar to that which happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. The Word has already warned us, “that when these things happen, when you see these things happening in the world, you must know that the end times are near”. Thus God has given us His grace time ‘now’ that we should repent and turn away from the evil of this world. Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Yes, this is the ‘whole duty of man’ – to ‘Fear God and keep His commandments’. We need not fear about death nor do we need to fear about any man. But if we only Fear God and keep His commandments we will be saved. Jesus says in the parable in the bible, “I have prepared a good vineyard and given it into the hands of men to toil in it.”

In Matthew 21: 33-46, the owner of the vineyard gives his fields to people to toil. At harvesting time the owner sends his servant to gather his share from these men. But these wicked men kill the servant. Later the owner sends more men to bring back his gain. Again these men kill all of them. Finally, the owner sends his only son to bring the gain from these men. They now killed the owner’s only son. The reason is that ‘these men did not fear God’. But today remember, God has mercy on such people who do not fear Him. He has given His life on the Cross for such people, so that they once again repent and can be changed. Jesus Christ cried for us on the Cross saying “Father forgive them, they do not know what they do”. This is the ‘Agape love of our Lord Jesus Christ’. When we love and fear Him and forsake the sins of this world, He will also once again gather us with great love. Our fear for the Lord must be like that of Abraham who was prepared to sacrifice his only son for the Lord. Our fear for the Lord must be like David’s love, for David feared the Lord and even though he had an opportunity to kill King Saul, he did not harm him. Likewise we too, when we fear the Lord and have a heart of discipleship within us, we can be saved from the sins of this world. God is in our midst today, His Spirit knows every fearful heart and every obedient heart, thus we will receive His refuge in the New Year and we too will be blessed!

May this message bring blessings into every life that fears Him!

Happy New Year 2015! Praise the Lord!