Love obeys!

Love obeys!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 14:31
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

Jesus loved the Father and therefore He obeyed Him every moment of His life. His obedience was the key to His extraordinary success, His undeniable impact and His outstanding personality which distinguished Him from the world.

Jesus wanted the entire world to know, by His obedience, that He loves His Father. He taught us, love is incomplete without obedience. His obedience to the Father proved His love for the Father. Just like Jesus obeyed His Father, we are to obey Jesus, the head of the church. Your love for Jesus can only be expressed and shown by your obedience to His commandments. Jesus said in John 14:15, 'If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.' He said in John 14:24, 'He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.' Your obedience is a response to the Lord's love for you. We love because the Lord first loved us. Your obedience is an expression of your faith in Jesus Christ and your love for Him. Jesus said in John 15:10, 'If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.' Jesus abided in His Father's love by obeying the word of His Father and therefore the enemey couldn't touch him. Similarly, we abide in the love of Jesus by keeping the commandments of Jesus. I Corinthians 7:19 says, Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. I John 3:23 says, And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. We do what His word and His Spirit says, because we are doers of the word and we are led by His Spirit. Obedience pleases the Lord!

Friend, Jesus is our standard and our greatest example in life, therefore we look to Him and consider Him in every arena of life and every step of the way. His life teaches us, His words feed us and His presence makes all the difference in our lives. His life teaches us the need and the power of obedience. Keep your eyes on Jesus and let His life, His word and His Spirit lead you to the greatest days of your life. Follow your Shepherd and the best is yet to come. Love Obeys!

You are sealed!

You are sealed!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Ephesians 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

The day you heard the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the word of truth and received it, something actually happened, something marvellous and beautiful. The moment you accepted Christ, God marked, stamped and sealed you with the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 6:17 says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with  Him.' The Holy Spirit has joined Himself to your spirit. You have become one with Him.

Isn't it amazing to know that you are a marked person? You are marked as Gods own possession. Glory to God! You are sealed with the Holy Spirit. You are separate from the world because you are a marked person and therefore you have authority over the factors that causes the world to stumble. Marked for divine protection, favour and promotion. Marked as justified, redeemed and sanctified. Marked for heaven. See yourself as God sees you. I Peter 2:9 says, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You are special just because you have been stamped with the Holy Spirit. A marked person has special privileges. Do you know Satan cannot touch you, sicknesses cannot come near your dwelling and that you are redeemed from destruction, simply because you are marked! Heaven has it's eye on you and the angels of God surround you. Do you know that you are marked? Speak out these realities! Don't stop talking. "I am marked with the Holy Spirit. Glory to God! I am a marked person." When you hear about destruction, sickness and other negative things happening in the world, shout, "I am marked."

Friend, you are so powerful in Christ. The day these realities become established in your consciousness, you will experience the abundant life that Jesus has for you. Mediate on these scriptures and let it overtake your consciousness. Always be conscious that you are marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit. You are a world overcomer because Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. The Greater One lives in you. Live a marked life!

“The Greater One lives in me and therefore I am a marked person. Favour is mine. Prosperity is mine. Shalom is mine. Supernatural protection is mine. Jesus loves me and I have His mark on me. Hallelujah. ”

Are you stressed? Believe!

Are you stressed? Believe!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 14:1
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

Are you disturbed? Are you troubled? Are you worried and upset? Look at this verse, Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

Jesus said, let not your heart be troubled. This means it's your choice. Proverbs 4. 23 says, 'Guard your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.' Guarding your heart is your responsibility. Be careful what you believe and receive into your heart. Whatever you choose to believe and receive, will determine how you respond and react, how you speak, behave and how you lead your life. If your heart is troubled, worried, upset and disturbed then the question is, what are you believing? Why are you not believing what the word of God says? This is why Jesus said, Believe in me and you won't be disturbed or troubled. Believe Gods word. Believe Gods love for you. Faith in Gods word and Gods love will bring rest to your souls and health to your bones. You won't be troubled when you trust Jesus and hold on to His word. You might be in the worst place on earth and still experience the peace of God by simply trusting Jesus. It is impossible for those who cling on to Gods word, rely on His love and follow Jesus, to ever stay disturbed, troubled or upset. The faith way is the stress free way. Romans 10.17 says, Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. So, keep hearing the word of God consistently and let the word of God dwell in you richly. Mediate on the word day and night and you won't be stressed another moment in your life. Speak the word of God consistently and let it be established as the only language you know.

Friend, being troubled, stressed and upset is an indication that your faith is in the wrong person or the wrong thing. Jesus said, Believe in me and you won't be troubled. Heaven and earth will pass way, but the word of God will never pass away. Refuse to hear anything that's against the word. Refuse to meditate on anything that's against the word. Refuse to speak anything that's against the word. Guard your heart and fix it on Jesus and His word. Be at peace, at rest and in the joy of the Holy Spirit. This is your time! Jesus is Lord!

Serve!

Serve!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 13:5
After that, Jesus poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

What an example Jesus has set for us! Think about this, take some time and meditate on this; Jesus, the Son of God washed the feet of His disciples. Life is incomplete and dry without service.

Generally, servants used to wash the feet of people. Jesus took the place of a servant and performed the work of a servant. Jesus said in Matthew 23:11, But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. The world sees those who are being served as the greatest but the Lord sees the one who serves as the greatest. Jesus said in John 13. 14-15, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." Love is incomplete without giving and serving. Jesus said in Matthew 20.28, I have not come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many. The source and motive of service is love. The love of Jesus compelled Him to wash the feet of His disciples, to serve His disciples. He kept His reputation aside, the opinions of people aside and the trend of this world aside and served His people. Glory to God! This is genuine Love! If you love Jesus, you will serve Him. If you love people, you will serve them. To serve simply means to give up your life in fulfilling the calling and commandment of God which is for the glory of Jesus and for the benefit of people.

Friend, wherever you are, be the first to serve. Whether you are in church, office or in your house, be eager and ready to serve. Serve you way to the top. Love serves! Humility serves! Don't let pride or selfishness or anything else keep you from serving others for in serving others you are serving your Lord Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes on Jesus and serve faithfully, serve with all your heart, serve not for recognition, attention or reward, serve simply because Jesus served. Jesus said in John 13:17, If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Be blessed! Serve! Go Higher!

Your Shepherd knows your name!

Your Shepherd knows your name!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

John 10:3
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Psalms 23.1 says, The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not lack. Jesus is our shepherd and we are His sheep. He is not a bad shepherd, He is a good shepherd and He laid down His life for you. You are eternally precious to Him.

This verse says, He calls His own sheep by name. The Lord knows your name, He has not forgotten you. Isn't it amazing to know that the Lord is personally involved in your life and has the best in store for you? Sometimes, because of the pressures and challenges of life, we feel the Lord has forgotten us but thats not the truth. Hebrews 13.5 says, the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. Jesus said, In Matthew 28.20, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. The key is to trust Him no matter where you are and no matter what you are going through. He knows your name. He is well aware of whats happening in your life. He is working on your behalf. He is working behind the scenes. He is working for you good. Romans 8. 28 says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Our five senses may conclude, nothing is happening but by faith we believe Jesus, our Shepherd is working and all things will turn out for our good. Will you trust your Shepherd,  the one who calls you by your name? Your unbelief blocks Him and therefore blocks you. Your trust releases Him and therefore releases you.

Friend, just because you can't see anything happening, doesn't mean nothing is happening. Jesus is not irresponsible and careless. He knows everything about you and is working tirelessly for your good. If you knew and believed this, you would sing like Paul and Silas, who were in jail, facing tremendous persecution for their faith in Jesus. You cannot be defeated and you will not fail because your Shepherd, Jesus knows you, loves you and will lead you to the green pastures and still waters He has for you. Trust your Shepherd!

God lives in you!

God lives in you!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

I Corinthians 3:16 NKJV
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

God lives in you. Elshaddai lives in you. Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Shalom lives in you. You are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells, abides and abodes in you. This makes you a champion! Glory!

The day you got born again, the Holy Spirit joined himself to your spirit and you become one with the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 6:17 says, But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with  Him. Be God inside minded. Every day and every moment of your life be conscious that God Almighty lives and dwells in you. The Apostle Paul said in II Corinthians 4.7, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He was talking about the precious treasure of the Holy Spirit residing on the inside of us. You are the home of the Holy Spirit. He dwells and lives in you. This was a mystery in the Old Testament, but was revealed to the Apostle Paul and He said in Colossians 1.27, To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. In the Old Testament,  God dwelt in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle, but in the New Testament because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, every believer becomes the tabernacle of God and God Almighty dwells in each one of us. Glory to God!

Friend, it's important for us to know that not only does the Holy Spirit dwells in us but He is also greater than anyone and anything in this world. I John 4.4 says, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Be conscious that the Holy Spirit, the Greater One, dwells in you. Be sensitive to Him, Yield yourself to Him, Consider Him, Involve Him, Obey Him and He will make you an undeniable success. This is your time. Go on with Jesus!

Holy Spirit is a person!

Holy Spirit is a person!
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

II Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

The communion of the Holy Spirit is the key to success in the life of a believer. Without the Holy Spirit, its impossible to know and experience the love of the Father and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in an intimate way. Without the Holy Spirit, its impossible to live the Christ life and walk the Christ walk.

In having communion with the Holy Spirit, its important for us to know that the Holy Spirit is a person, who has a mind, will and emotions. The Holy Spirit is not a thing, He is not wind, oil, water or a dove. He is not an influence, a power or a force. He is a person who has power and influence. You cannot have communion with a thing, a substance or a force. The Holy Spirit has a will, I Corinthians 12:11 says, But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. He has emotions because He can be grieved, Ephesians 4.30 says, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. He has a mind, Romans 8.27 says, Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the  will  of God. The Holy Spirit speaks, Acts 13.2 says, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” All of these scriptures prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that Holy Spirit is a person. Like you fellowship with your friends, fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This is the key to success. He is your Helper and He longs to help you in every area of your life. We need help, let's take His help.

Friend, befriend the Holy Spirit and develop a deep and intimate relationship with Him. As you grow in your relationship with the Holy Spirit, you will begin to experience His power in every area of your life. Spiritual things will become real to you, the word becomes alive and prayer becomes lively. Your love for Jesus will grow immensely because the Holy Spirit always magnifies and glorifies Jesus Christ. Walk with the Holy Spirit, Go on with Jesus!