Archives For rajesh

Is Choosing Total Abstinence from Drinking Alcohol Biblical?

January 31, 2021

Is there any biblical basis for believers to choose to abstain totally from drinking alcohol today? An application to believers today of two OT passages about divine prohibitions of drinking by certain people in certain places shows why choosing total abstinence from drinking alcohol is biblical.

Priests Were Prohibited from Drinking Alcohol in the Tabernacle and Will Be in the Millennial Temple

God demanded that Aaron and his sons who were priests in OT Israel could not drink any alcohol whenever they would enter into the tabernacle of the congregation:

Leviticus 10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

God will also make the same demand of those who will serve as priests in the millennial temple:

Ezekiel 44:21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.

To understand how these passages have profound relevance to believers’ choosing to abstaining totally from alcohol today, we must bring to bear on our understanding not only what these passages teach us but also what the NT teaches is true of every believer.

NT Priests Who Choose to Abstain from Drinking Alcohol in Their Temples

Whereas only some of the people in Israel were priests, the NT teaches that every believer is a priest (1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6). Moreover, every believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), which was not the case with the OT priests in Israel.

Arguing from the lesser to the greater in applying what God has revealed about His prohibiting priests from drinking alcohol within the tabernacle and the millennial temple to the truth that every NT believer is a priest whose body is the temple of the Spirit, it is biblical for NT believers to choose to abstain totally from drinking alcohol today.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Interpretation, Theology
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Progress on My First Book

January 23, 2021

For the past decade, God has directed me to study Scripture intensely to learn what He has revealed about music. Lord willing, I hope to write my first book this year: “The Battle for Kingdom Music: A Call to Worldwide Consecration.”

I worked for several hours on the book today and am very thankful to God that I made some good progress!

As the Lord leads, please pray with me for Spirit-filled wisdom, skill, and grace to finish writing this book this year. Thanks in advance to any who pray for me about this matter in the days to come.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Christian Books, Ministry, Prayer
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We Must Reject a Man-Centered Understanding and Practice of Music

January 16, 2021

It is understandable that unbelievers understand and practice music from a man-centered perspective. Believers, however, must reject a man-centered understanding and practice of music.

Three lines of biblical reasoning show that we must reject such an understanding and practice of music.

The Existence of Angelic Beings Who Produce Music in Heaven

Scripture reveals the existence of angelic beings who play music in heaven:

Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Revelation 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

The existence of angelic beings who produce music in heaven shows that humans are not the originators of all music and that they are not the producers of all the music of heaven. In fact, we do not have any basis that any of the music that these heavenly beings play is of human origin in any way.

Because the music of heaven is the most important music of all, we must reject an understanding and practice of music that is man-centered.

The Existence and Use of Musical Instruments Not Originated by Humans

Not only does the Bible reveal to us that angelic beings play music in heaven that is not at all of human origin, but also it reveals the existence and use of musical instruments that are not at all of human origin.

Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

We do not have any basis to hold that these instruments used in heaven were originated by humans. Humans, therefore, are not the originators of all musical instruments.

Because the music of heaven is the most important music of all, the existence and use of musical instruments in heaven that are not at all of human origin teaches us that we must reject an understanding and practice of music that is man-centered.

The Reality of Divine Production of Music

Most importantly, Scripture reveals that God Himself plays a musical instrument:

Zechariah 9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Certainly, God did not learn anything about music from humans. His playing a musical instrument profoundly shows us that humans are not the originators of all music.

Furthermore, because any music produced by God is music that is perfect in every way, we plainly understand that we must reject an understanding and practice of music that is man-centered.

Application

By considering carefully what certain Scripture passages reveal about music and musical instruments that are not at all of human origin, we learn unmistakably that we must reject an understanding and practice of music that is man-centered. Rather, we must base our understanding and practice of music foremost on what Scripture reveals about the music of heaven and of heavenly beings, most of all of God Himself.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Music, Theology
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On “Triumphing over Sinful Fear” by John Flavel

January 9, 2021

I recently began reading an excellent book by John Flavel, Triumphing over Sinful Fear. The following paragraph arrested my attention:

It cannot be said of any person, as it is said of Leviathan: he is ‘made without fear’ (Job 41:33b). The strongest people are not without some fears. When the church is in the storms of persecution, and almost covered with the waves, her most courageous passengers may suffer as much from this boisterous passion within as from the storm without. This is the result of not thoroughly believing or seasonably remembering that the Lord—Admiral of all the oceans and Commander of all the winds—is on board the ship to steer and preserve it from the storm.

—Triumphing over Sinful Fear, 2

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Quotes
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Bible Reading Report 2020

December 31, 2020

I praise God that I was able to read the entire Bible again in 2020!

I read the following books more than once this year:

2x Ecclesiastes; Isaiah; Minor Prophets; all the books of the NT

3x Proverbs

4x Daniel; 2 Peter; Jude; Revelation

5x Psalms

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Praise God for the perfection of His Word and for revealing Himself to us through it!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading
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Would God Accept Worship That Sounds Like Confused Noise?

December 23, 2020

Suppose you arrive late to a temple where people are worshiping. As you head toward the building, you hear loud sounds emanating from it

Because you are outside the building and still quite a distance from it, you are unable to tell what exactly you are hearing. All you hear are composite, pulsating sounds that you can feel even in your body. What you hear sounds chaotic and raucous to you.

When you get to the heart of the temple, you discover that the people are wildly dancing and chanting and moaning with words and sounds that you cannot make any sense about what they mean. You are also completely unfamiliar with the strange instrumental music that is blaring deafeningly throughout the building.

Because you cannot make any sense of either the verbal sounds being produced or the instrumental music being played, the composite sound sounds to you like confused noise. Would you think that God would be accepting that worship that sounded like confused noise from a distance and sounds like confused noise even when you are directly in the middle of it?

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM
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Not Seeing Anything Does Not Disprove the Existence of the Supernatural

December 12, 2020

Many people think that seeing is believing. As a result, they hold that their never having seen supernatural beings with their own eyes disproves the existence of the supernatural.

Scripture, however, provides several remarkable passages that show that not seeing anything does not disprove the existence of the supernatural.

Balaam and His Donkey

Numbers 22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Numbers 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

For some time, Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord, but Balaam did not. Had someone asked Balaam whether there was an angel before him, he would have responded that there was not.

Only when the Lord opened his eyes did he see the angel of the Lord. Balaam’s not seeing the angel earlier was not proof that there was no angel present.

Elisha and His Servant

2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Faced with a dire threat, Elisha’s servant only saw the enemies’ forces surrounding them. Only after Elisha had prayed did the Lord open the servant’s eyes to see the supernatural forces that also were all around them. His not having seen them earlier was not at all an indication that they were not there.

Daniel and Those with Him

Daniel 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Although Daniel saw a profound vision, the men with him did not see it even though it was real. Had they testified that they did not see anything at that time, their testimony would not have been proof that the supernatural does not exist.

Paul and Those with Him

Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus

When the Lord appeared to Paul and those who were with him, only Paul saw the Lord. Although the men who were with him did hear a voice, they did not see anyone.

Even though the Lord was present with them all, they did not see Him, as Paul did. Their testifying that they did not see anyone would have been a faulty testimony that no one was there with them.

Conclusion

In four explicit passages, Scripture reveals that various people did not see anything when there were supernatural beings actually present with them. These passages show that not seeing anything does not disprove the supernatural.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Apologetics, Theology
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Three Passages to Pray about Possible Election Fraud

December 5, 2020

Whether there has been massive election fraud in the 2020 US Presidential election and other elections this November is a matter of great dispute. Believers who desire a righteous accounting of the votes in these elections should pray fervently to the only One who knows all that has happened and is able to make known the truth about what has happened.

Passages to Pray

Three passages in the Psalms provide instruction about how we may pray about possible election fraud. They do so because they petition God about what He does in dealing with those who are unrighteous or.they speak about what He does to such people.

Psalm 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Psalm 9:16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

Psalm 140:8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

Prayer

Applying these passages to our prayer lives, we should pray biblically about the possible election fraud that may have taken place in this election. The following prayer provides an example of how to pray based on these passages.

Heavenly Father, You are God alone. You know all things. You can do everything. We do not know what truly has happened in this election.

Please let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just. If there has been fraud in this election, please bring it to an end and bring about the establishing of those who actually won their elections but have been wrongly deemed to have lost them.

Lord God, make Yourself known by executing judgment so that whoever has committed election fraud would be snared in their own works so that there is a righteous accounting of the votes in this election.

Holy Father, grant not, O Lord, the desires of those who have cheated in this election. Do not further their unjust devices, lest they exalt themselves.

Regardless of whatever the outcomes may be, please bring about a righteous accounting of the votes in all the elections in our country. In Your wrath that we are justly experiencing for our sinfulness, please remember mercy. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Prayer
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Why Is Knowing Who Spoke What Is in Psalm 95 Important?

November 28, 2020

Unlike many other Psalms, Psalm 95 does not provide any information about its author or about who spoke it. Noting that fact, some might conclude that knowing that information is not important.

Explicit NT revelation, however, shows that this would be a faulty conclusion.The use of Psalm 95 in Hebrews 3-4 teaches us that it is important for us to know who spoke at least some of Psalm 95.

The Ultimate Speaker of Psalm 95:7-11

Scripture teaches that the Spirit is the ultimate Author of the entire Bible (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). Even so, the Spirit specifies that He was the One who spoke what is said in Psalm 95:7-11.

Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

The Human Speaker of Psalm 95:7-8

Beyond specifying that the Spirit is the ultimate Speaker of Psalm 95, the NT reveals that David was also the one who spoke what is said in Psalm 95:7-8.

Hebrews 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Discussion

From what the NT reveals in Hebrews 3-4, we see that both the Spirit and David spoke what is said in Psalm 95:7-8. Because this truth about Psalm 95 is not revealed at all in the OT but is made explicit in the NT, we know that the Spirit wants us to know and ponder the significance of this truth.

Why then does the Spirit want us to know that David spoke was what is said in Psalm 95:7-8?

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation
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The Profound Importance of What Psalm 117 Teaches

November 21, 2020

Many believers may not understand the profound importance of what Psalm 117 teaches because of its brevity–it is the shortest chapter in the Bible.

Psalm 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. 2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

In spite of its brevity, examining how the NT uses Psalm 117:1 makes clear the profound importance of that teaching in a way that any believer can readily understand.

The Use of Psalm 117:1 in Romans 15:11

The following comparison shows that Romans 15:11 cites verse 1 of Psalm 117:

Psalm 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

Romans 15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

The first two words of Romans 15:11 show that Paul cites Psalm 117:1 as biblical proof of what he teaches earlier in the passage:

Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

Specifically, Paul teaches that Psalm 117:1 is proof that “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God” in order that “the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy”! The NT thus instructs us that Psalm 117:1 is a divine mandate to all the Gentiles and all people to glorify God by praising and lauding Him!

Because glorifying God is the premier obligation toward God that every human being has, we see the profound importance of what Psalm 117:1 teaches about what God mandates. Moreover, because Psalm 117:2 explains the bases for that divine demand and reiterates the divine demand of praising Him given in Psalm 117:1, we learn that Psalm 117 emphatically makes known the universal obligation for all humans to glorify God by praising Him for His mercy!

Application

God wants all the world to glorify Him by praising Him for His mercy. We must use Psalm 117 to make known to all men everywhere the divine mandates for them to do so!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Interpretation, Music, Theology
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