Thinking Aloud

Globalization has come to India . The economic policy of the nation is aimed at the development of a progressively integrated global system marked by free trade and free flow of capital. Our lives are becoming increasingly mixed up with those in other nations. It has become fashionable to look up to foreign nations – particularly western nations -- and copy their lifestyle in fields like sports, music, entertainment, clothes, food, and even language. A number of our possessions are imported or manufactured in India by multinational companies. We are more ‘connected’ than we realize. Our God is a global God.   He had always cared about the entire world and has made this clear in His numerous declarations found in the Bible. He had always wanted for His family, members from every nation he created. Acts 17:26-27 (ISV) says “From one man God made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within w...

Mathew 28:1-7 “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave .  A nd behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled the stone away and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow.  The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” The angel, who announced the good news of the Lord’s resurrection gave the ladies five messages in the above three verses:   ...

JOHN 13:4-5 Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.  So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him. This unexpected turn of events, this unconventional act of Jesus stunned and puzzled the disciples.   From the day Jesus started His earthly mission, He has been exalting the virtue of humility. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”, He told them in Matthew 5:5.   When the disciples argued among themselves who would be greater among them, Jesus informed them explicitly that “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life...

Stephen was a Hellenist, i.e. a Greek-speaking Jew. Thus he belonged to that class of Jews usually residing outside of Palestine who, though distinguished from the orthodox Palestinian Jew by a broader outlook on life due to a more liberal education, were Jews none the less, the original Jewish element predominating in their character, as Stephen was. Of his conversion to Christianity, nothing is known, but there is no doubt he was active in the early church, respected for his Spirit and wisdom. The record makes it very clear that the importance of Stephen lay in his activity as a preacher and a powerful witness for Christ; it is this activity which has given him the place he holds in history ( Acts 22:20). In itself that is not surprising, for in the early Christian church, every Christian was at once a witness for Christ, and lay-preaching was common. Stephen was especially qualified for this high work, having been gifted by the Holy Spirit of apostolical gifts, not on...

The word ‘anger’ is used in the Bible some 45 times of human, 177 times of Divine. The word occurs rarely in the New Testament (Mark 3:5; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; Revelations 14:10), its place being taken by the word “wrath”. The anger of God is the response of His holiness to an outbreaking sin. Particularly when it culminates in action is it rightly called His “wrath.” The Old Testament doctrine of God's anger is contained in many passages in the Pentateuch, Psalms and the Prophets. In Proverbs men are consistently advised to turn away from anger (15:1; 27:4), and being “slow to anger” is commended (15:18; 16:32; 19:11). Christians are enjoined to put away the feeling of self-regarding, vindictive anger ( Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8), and to cherish no desire for personal revenge ( Ephesians 4:26). An angry person does not fulfil God’s will but rather becomes an obstacle to it. An angry person gives a foothold to the devil to accomplish his purpose. He g...

It is not known who wrote the Book of Hebrews or when. It was probably written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD because the religious sacrifices and ceremonies are mentioned in its text, but no mention is made of the destruction of the Temple . The intended audience must be the second generation Jewish Christians.   These were undergoing severe persecution both from the Jews and the Roman government. Many of them might have been contemplating returning to Judaism because of persecution or lack of understanding of Christian truths. Strictly speaking, it is not a “letter”, but written as a thesis. The author describes in details how not only Jesus Christ fulfills the promises and prophecies, but is better than anything in the Jewish of thought. Judaism and Christianity were both religions revealed by God. But ‘Hebrews’ clearly demonstrates the superiority of Christ over everything and everyone. Christianity supersedes all other religions, philosophies, belie...