Vigilance for Imitation

 

Vigilance for Imitation 

The deceptive imitation, easily underscores the need of spiritual vigilance. The enemy hath dainty poisonous sweet to the taste which he administers to God’s people. The main aim is to take the person (all humanity) to his own residency, against what God has intended. 

Strong's Greek: 3402. μιμητής (mimétés) -- Imitator, follower

3402 mimētḗs (the root of the English term, mimic, "one who imitates, emulates") – properly, the positive imitation that arises by admiring the pattern set by someone worthy of emulation, i.e. a …[i]

Strong's Greek: 539. ἀπάτη (apaté) -- Deception, deceit, delusion  Original Word: ἀπάτη Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apaté Pronunciation: ah-PAH-tay Phonetic Spelling: (ap-at'-ay) KJV: deceit(-ful, -fulness), deceivableness(-ving) NASB[ii]

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works; 2 Cori. 11:14-15.

       Only few Christians of today want to deal with the fact that there are many false apostles and deceitful workers among Christians. They transform themselves into apostles of Christ. The truth is no one can transform themselves into a true apostle of Jesus; unless they realize the true cost! The true cost is surrendered life in Christ, and continue to marvel at the Cross! This work is of God and not of man.

       We humans can be easily deceived by outward appearances. Often, we  recognize evil only if it openly declares itself as evil. The danger here is we end up embracing Satan, who transforms himself into an angel of light. If Satan were to appear before us, the fallen humanity will be strongly tempted to worship him as almost divine beauty. He is an angel of light.

Poole says, “They were never apostles of Christ, only they put themselves into such a shape and form, that they might have more advantage to deceive.” [iii]

          Jesus warned us one of the signs of end times as deception.

           And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive; Matt. 24: 4. 

         Satan has three forms under which he tempts men:  The subtle serpent;  The roaring lion;  The angel of light.

He often, as the angel of light, persuades men to do things under the name of religion, which are subversive of it. Hence all the persecutions, faggots, and fires of a certain Church, under pretense of keeping heresy out of the Church; and hence all the horrors and infernalities of the inquisition. In the form of heathen persecution, like a lion he has ravaged the heritage of the Lord. And by means of our senses and passions, as the subtle serpent, he is frequently deceiving us, so that often the workings of corrupt nature are mistaken for the operations of the Spirit of God.” (Clarke)

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ;

2 Cori. 11: 13.

       Angel of light can be easily described as one not meant to describe an authentic heavenly being not aligning with God’s truth. The genuine truth (God’s Pure Word) can be easily counterfeited. The root cause is deception. The deceptive imitation, easily underscores the need of spiritual vigilance. There is terrible condemnation reserved for these false apostles,  to be judged based on their wicked, deceptive deeds! 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;1 Pet. 5: 8.      

Do not, therefore, indulge the thought, that the main purpose of Satan is to make you miserable. He is pleased with that, but that is not his ultimate end. Sometimes he may even make you happy, for he hath dainty poisons sweet to the taste which he administers to God’s people. If he feels that our destruction can be more readily achieved by sweets than by bitters, he certainly would prefer that which would best effect his end.” (Spurgeon)

         The enemy of our souls tries the beleivers in all possible directions, till he is utterly destroyed. The enemy wants to destroy the beleivers if possible rend the body, and take the person to his own residency, against what God has intended. The enemy in the Garden of Eden (Ref. Gen. 3), still works with deceptive schemes, differently till today.

        But, we do not have to despair. This is because the hand writing that was written against humanity in the Garden of Eden was rewritten on the Cross of Calvary, for redemption and eternal life with God. So, we marvel at this cost, because of one man’s obedience. That is our Lord Jesus Christ! The grace of God is able to, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you; 1 Pet. 5: 10.

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[i] Bible Hub https://biblehub.com › greek

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimesis#:~:text=Mimesis%20(/,%5B2%5D

[ii] Bible Hub https://biblehub.com › greek

[iii] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-11/

Friendships

 

Friendships

(For my hurting clients & for those who are hurting..)

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God; Jam. 2: 23.

      This verse highlights, about Abraham’s close relationship and faith in God. This was credited to him as righteousness. This close relationship with God earned him the title as “Friend of God”. Despite being childless for a long time, He trusted God because of his friendship relationship with God, which is deeper, and had Isaac as the heritage son of his older age. A true friend will not only love when the road is easy, but at all times.

 “Here is a proof that faith cannot exist without being active in works of righteousness. His faith in God would have been of no avail to him, had it not been manifested by works.” (Clarke)

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity; Prov. 17:17. 

Strong's Greek: 5384. φίλος (philos) -- Friend - Bible Hub

5384 phílos – a friend; someone dearly loved (prized) in a personal, intimate way; a trusted confidant, held dear in a close bond of …[i] 

           Friendships can be healthy, and allow us to learn from each other, grow in empathy, social skills and helps in emotional regulation. Friends love to spend time together, enjoy other’s company, often help each other in practical ways, such as offering advice or assistance during challenges in life.  

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend; Prov. 27:17. 

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up; 

Ecc. 4: 9-10.

          A good friend is one who respects boundaries, listens without judgment, emotionally supports, encourages personal growth, shares common interest, and is built on mutual support, trust, respect, care, honesty and  genuinely want the best for you. They do not have to be perfect or available all the time, but makes one feel emotionally safe, valued, and seen over time. A good friend knows your inner world and not surface details, with whom one can feel safe being honest and vulnerable.   

“The bond of real friendship is often closer than the natural tie. The friendship between David and Jonathan is such an example.” (Bridges)

        Fair-weather friends  are friends only when the weather is pleasant and fair; and they are not true friends at all. There will not be consistency and reciprocity with fair weather friends. On the other hand, in toxic friendships it involves toxic manipulation, peer pressure or lack of reciprocity.

From a neuroscience perspective, friendships play a significant role in maintaining mental and physical health. Our brains are wired for social connection. Positive social interactions release neurotransmitters like oxytocin and endorphins, promoting happiness and reducing stress. This neurochemical response is fundamental to our survival and well-being which makes nurturing and maintaining friendships even more important.[ii]

        Some times, Christian friends break up because of varied reasons: different levels of spiritual growth, bad company, personal issues, divine purposes, financial issues, and also what was  revealed in private, the shared secrets of  their heart, being openly shared to others. Friendship betrayal can be painfully transformative, leading to trust fractures. Healthy friendships reflect mutual support and respect, while toxic ones can drain one’s energy and spirit.

        When something falls in our eye, we tear up; and if we hurt a person deeply, the true feelings of that person comes out eventually. If we throw stones at birds, we are going to scare them away. That principle applies, if we insult a friend, the friendship is broken. If we are arrogant enough to reveal their secrets to others, and turn on them unexpectedly we are going to loose friendships.

“Beings engaged in evil designs have no other way of going, but with tricks, devices, concealments, double meanings. Sin is a mean and despicable thing. The greatest potentate of evil was here doomed to cringe and crawl, and his seed have never forgotten their father’s posture.” (Spurgeon)

 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners;1 Cori. 15: 33. 

          God’s word gives us guidance to navigate  friendship breakups. Bible emphasizes that it is important to let go of friends who are unsupportive, manipulative, deceptive, jealous, harmful and so on. Then again, the most important thing is if the friendship hinders spiritual growth or leading one to fear them more than at ease, it is time to recalibrate, and reevaluate the bond of that friendship.

         Honouring and respecting others during tough endings are essential Biblically. Misunderstandings and grievances arises, but we have Biblically informed perspective for resolutions. This is important because when friends act against God’s teachings and values, that act as a very bad testament for Christ. It is imperative to love the people God gave us in our lives because one day God will own them back. The only road to healing, is to forgive our trespassers just like Jesus did on the cross.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots; Lk. 23: 34.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king; 1 Pet. 2: 17.

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother; Prov. 18: 24.

Morgan on the principle of this proverb: “Let it be applied. Then two startling questions will arise. First, a question as to whether I am really a friend to anyone; and second, a question as to how many real friends I have.”

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you; Jn. 15: 15.

 

Charles Bridges “We must look to our Lord for the best example in this matter. We see the Son of God taking on our nature so that he might be our friend and brother (Hebrews 2:14). The mystery of this friendship is beyond our imagination.”

 

“The ancient Jews applied this proverb to Christ, adducing it as a testimony that the divine Messiah would by his incarnation become the Brother of man.” (Bridges)

“The grace that does not change my life will not save my soul.” Charles Spurgeon

 “We are sent out into the world to love one another. Sometimes we live as if we were sent into the world to compete with one another, or to dispute with one another, or even to quarrel with one another.” (Barclay)

 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends; Jn. 15: 13. 

        Personally I like friends, and love to spend time with them, doing things with them, entertain them at my home and love to talk about the greatest of all friends, which is The Only One Friend who is Truthful and trustworthy always; The friend in the Dale! Abraham knew “That Friend” long time ago, and we The Church is called to know Him and be Known by Him!

Apart from the second Advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise into a millennium.” (Spurgeon)

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[i] Strong's Greek: 5384. φίλος (philos) -- Friend - Bible Hub

[ii] The Neuroscience of Friendships

Jesus Christ in the Old Testament

 

Jesus Christ in the Old Testament

           God saw it all; He saw what we did not; He heard what we did not; and He did what no man would not.

Strong's Hebrew: 3442. יֵשׁ֫וּעַ (Yeshua) -- Yeshua, Joshua

Word Origin: Contracted form of יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yehoshua) Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous): Strong's Greek Number 2424, often used in the Septuagint as the Greek …[i] 

Strong's Greek: 2424. Ἰησοῦς (Iésous) -- Jesus - Bible Hub

Context: Ἰησοῦς is the Greek form of the name Joshua, which appears in the New Testament as the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of the New Testament, …[ii]

        The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies that points directly to Jesus as the Messiah. One of the earliest is the Protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15.

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel; Gen. 3:15.

        In this verse God declared that the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head, symbolizing Jesus’ ultimate victory over sin, death and Satan, even though He would suffer for humanity on the cross. This shows God’s deep love for humanity in the Garden of Eden itself.

      Starting from the book of Genesis, the seed of the woman; First sacrifice, Blessings of Abraham, Isaac’s substitute ‘the Ram in the Thicket’; Burning bush; Joseph as the foreshadow; from the Tribe of Judah the Messiah would come and all of it points to Jesus Christ.  

       Passover Lamb; Israel crossing of the Red sea; the cloud by day and pillar of fire; the Rock that gave water in the wilderness; manna that came from heaven; instructions for the Tabernacle, the furniture all the pieces and the prophecies are all about Jesus.

           Brazen Altar, Menorah; Ark of the Covenant; the way of the four faces of the living Creatures; Cherubim’s covering under the wings; Bull offering; Grain offering; Trespass offering;  and the Peace offering all of it points to Jesus Christ. I can keep on writing much more…..

          Exodus to Leviticus the blood that was shed ; the 613 laws points to fulfilling the perfect sacrifice as the Lamb of God; the Lamb and the Lion; points to Jesus Christ.

          Joshua  bringing Israelites to Canaan; Ruth and Kinsman Redeemer; Hidden hand of God in the story of Esther; all of these  points to Jesus Christ.

         The Major and Minor prophets and their prophecies points to Jesus Christ as the One who comes out of Bethlehem. Torah, to the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets; and in the Book of Job, Elihu’s speech all of it points to Jesus Christ (Job.32-37).

             Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth and this is fulfilled in Matthew 1: 23.  

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel,” Isa. 7:14.

Micah foretold His birth in Bethlehem:

“Out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” Mic. 5:2.

 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us; Matt: 1:23.

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.  Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment; Job. 32: 8-9.

         Messianic Psalms are pointing to Christ; Book of Proverbs speak about the wisdom of Jesus; Book of Zachariah saying “He will Ride on donkey”; one sold for 30 pieces of silver; the grace that opens the windows of Heaven; all about Jesus Christ.

         If we look at the Books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation the Story is all about Jesus Christ. This Story is History (His- Story). It is a special privilege to become a part in His Story. His Redemption and Salvation story, and to become His heirs, as adopted children; can be our privileged story.  

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Rom. 8: 3. 

         The law of sin and death was strong and seemingly the absolute law for humanity in the Old Testament. God saw this, and through His Son Jesus, we have the law of the Spirit of life. This stands tall and strong and freed us from the law of sin and death.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper,  and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth; Jer. 23:5.

         The above verse speaks of a righteous Branch from David who will reign wisely, pointing to Jesus’ messianic kingship 

         Genuine, Invisible Church all around the globe do we see the hidden hand of God, Jesus Christ and His Spirit in us? Isaiah 9:6 describes Jesus Christ as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, highlighting His divine and kingly nature. This is the Mighty King going to come and take His Bride, The Church soon. Are we ready?

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[i] Bible Hub https://biblehub.com › hebrew

[ii]Bible Hub https://biblehub.com › greek

Grief vs. Peace

Grief vs. Peace

{ On (April 12^th, 2026), I  lost my precious, godly mum aged 93  who loved me much, and  lived very far away from where I lived. I know she is in glory now, but I am grieving, the loss. It is not easy losing someone we love, even if we know eternity is there for all believers to join together and cherish. It is the right thing to grieve, but not without hope. I am writing this as it can be a comfort for many.}         

        Grief is one of the most universal expressions of emotions of humanity. All human experiences and this  crosses every culture, language, generations, and at different stages of life. We experience grief at the loss of a loved one, the end of a different relationships, at the loss of a cherished dream, or in profound life changes. Greif changes the capacity of a person to process  thinking, and it has the power to reshape the way one  thinks, feels, remembers, reminisce and experience the world around us.   

       We humans are built for connection with God and then to people around us. So, we have to understand that we are attached to people, because God has wired us in His image, Genesis 2-3; and Psalm 139. To understand grief, need to understand attachment as well. Human beings are social creatures and we are built for connection. From the moment we are born, our brains are wired to form close relationships. Relationships built are  not simply emotional preferences; but they are biological necessities in life itself.

      Grief is not a disease;  not a sign of weakness; and not something that can be “fixed.” But, grief does reflect the brain’s attempt to adapt to a reality that has suddenly changed.      

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living; Psa. 116: 3, 7-9.

Pains of death…pangs of Sheol:

“In Old Testament poetry death and Sheol are aggressive, clutching at the living to waste them with sickness or crush them with despondency; so the singer’s plight may equally have been a desperate illness or (as Psalm 116:3  suggests) a wounding and disillusioning experience. Like Job’s, it could well have been both together.” (Kidner)

      Grief is the natural emotional, psychological, physical, and social response to losing someone or something deeply meaningful. Examples: often associated with death,  follow divorce, miscarriage, infertility, the loss of a job, chronic illness, moving away from home, losing a beloved pet or something valuable, or even the loss of an imagined future.

          If human beings are only physical in nature, our total work focuses only on satisfying the physical needs. But our body has a soul and a spirit as well. The body hosts the soul and the spirit. We have to take care of the person as a whole: the spirit, the soul and the body. This is God’s good intention, for humanity ever since the Fall, and He gave us His word (Jesus Christ) and His Spirit for us to be renewed with strength.

“Understand, dear soul, that it is thy privilege to live inside the double doors of God’s loving care. He says to thee, ‘Peace, peace.’ If one assurance is not enough, He will follow it with a second and a third.” (Meyer)

       It is very fair to ask as children of God and as disciples of Christ, some heart searching questions, “what sustains our mind”? What do we think upon often? What are our real strong holds of the mind? What is our mind established upon? Where does our mind lean upon often? 

Grief is not just an emotional event; it is a profound neurological process. The brain rewires itself in grief, activating specific brain regions tied to pain, reward, and memory. The amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex all show heightened activity, leading to intense physical and emotional distress. Grief activates the same brain circuits as physical pain, producing measurable changes in brain structure and function that can persist for months or years. Understanding the neuroscience of grief helps in recognizing its biological impact and aids in moving through it.[i]      

 

         We are fearfully, marvellously and wonderfully made; (Ref. Psa. 139). One who has wired, and knitted us in our mother’s womb, also webbed and interwoven   marvellously the brain and the heart. The billions of neurotransmitters in our brain and the heart, definitely points to God’s word and His design of man, and Neuroscience affirms this. Heart and brain (mind) are interchangeably used throughout the Bible. Heart can think and so also our brain which we know.   

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee; Isa. 43: 2.

 

         This means that God will be with us, despite difficult circumstances. Trials are varied; sometimes we face waters, sometimes rivers, and sometimes even fire. Floods can overwhelm us, and fires can consume us.  Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were kept safe by God in the fire by the presence of God ( Ref. Dan. 3:19-25); we will be preserved by God, despite very difficult circumstances. Even if a child of God, walks on a luxurious padded carpet, He will be with us. We are called to have this life totally dependent on God our Creator.

 

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste; Isa. 28:16.

 

“Walking is the pace at which you go when you are not in a hurry, when you are not concerned or alarmed. When you are not burdened or anxious, then you walk. ‘He that believeth shall not make haste’ (Isaiah 28:16).” (Redpath)

 

“You,” your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behaviour of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules.[ii]

        Death separates all of us; and it is important to show our love, kindness, and goodness to one another when we are still breathing. Petty quarrels, and disagreements need not have to be a stumbling block for our growth and maturity in Christ. May God establish us in His word. The Law of the Lord is perfect! Forgiveness, even in difficult situation, show Christ’s fruitfulness in our character to others.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment; Heb. 9: 27.

 “A man dies once, and after that everything is fixed and settled, and he answers for his doings at the judgment. One life, one death – then everything is weighed, and the result declared: ‘after this the judgment.’ So Christ comes, and dies once; and after this, for him also the result of what he has done, namely, the salvation of those who look for him. He dies once, and then reaps the fixed result, according to the analogy of the human race, of which he became a member and representative.” (Spurgeon)

          I pray God will fill us with a deep hunger for us, so we grow in Him and are deeply satisfied. 

In Hebrew, the term perfect peace is actually shalom shalom. This shows how in Hebrew, repetition communicates intensity. It isn’t just shalom; it is shalom, perfect peace.[iii]

In Semitic languages when you want to emphasize a word you repeat it two times. For instance, if your mind stays on God, you will have calming peace, or maybe harmonious peace, or compensating peace, how about prosperous peace or maybe even healing peace.  All these adjectives are definitions of shalom.[iv] 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee; Isa.26: 3.

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[i]neuroscience of grieve - Search

[ii] The Relationship of Neuroscience and the Soul • OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics

We will define life and human worth ultimately in virtue of the soul, thereby grounding biomedical ethics and “justice for all” objectively, irrespective of functional, ethnic, or other differences between various …

[iii] Isaiah 26 Commentary: Judah’s Kingdom of God Song

[iv]HEBREW WORD STUDY – PEACE PEACE – SHALOM SHALOM - Chaim Bentorah