Telugu Daily Audio Bible
Telugu Daily Audio Bible Podcast is for all who can understand Telugu. Our intention is to let God speak to you personally through Bible. It's confusing to understand the sermons sometimes and we miss out what The Bible really has to say. It's very important to read the Bible every day no matter how busy our lives are. The idea behind this Podcast is to create an opportunity for everyone to keep in touch with God even though caught up in the busy-ness of the world's crazy schedules. It's always easy to just carry an iPod, mobile phone or an mp3 player with a new episode of Telugu Daily Audio Bible in your pockets whereever you go and you're never far away from the Word of God. Each episode is a treasure of carefully and prayerfully chosen chapters from both Old and New Testaments with short prayer at the beginning and at the end. Hope this will be a blessing to you all.
In His Service,
Jonathan & Beula
Jonathan@HighPriest.Org or Beula@HighPriest.Org
TDAB - Psalms 23-25
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Download this episode
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Dear all,
In our family prayer last night, we read Isaiah 44 and 45. I still remember these chapters as I recieved them when I was baptised, BTW, I was baptised on 28th March, 2004. I have made a note on my Bible. It reads..
21Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you.
22 I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
Look at verse 22, whatelse do I want? Whatelse greater than this do I want? I am redeemed! He has swept my sins like a cloud and mist! What a relief it was and is! I spent hours in His presence with repentence before Him and it was an amazing experience.
Apart from these, there are several promises if you read throughout 44 and 45 chapters. I could not stop my tears rolling down my cheeks last night. It is incredible. I could feel the freshness of His promises in my life even today! Thats why they say our God is a Living God! I thought, 'what has He NOT done for me throughout these years of my christian life?'. I have everything. He has been fullfiling every promise!
Thank you Lord!
J!
Posted by HighPriest at Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 | 12 comments
12 Comments:
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WATER BAPTISM is a basic requirement to a Christian’s salvation.
MARK 16:16 states, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be SAVED; but he that believeth NOT shall be damned.”
I Peter 3:21 also reads, “The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now SAVE us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
A series of questions usually arise in Water Baptism: “What is the Biblical way of doing it?” Is baptism performed by sprinkling? Or is it by immersion in water? Is it using the TITLES of Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19), or using the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ? (Acts 2:38)?
The Bible cannot contradict itself for it is the Word of God. What we need today is a revelation from Almighty God in order to for us to understand and dovetail every word in it correctly. Let us therefore take a closer look upon this all-time controversial issue.
The word “baptize” originated from the Greek Word “baptizo” which means to “IMMERSE” in water. For the first thirteen hundred years from the death of Christ, baptism was always performed by IMMERSION of the person UNDER WATER.
Acts 8:39 states this, “And they went both DOWN INTO the WATER, both Philip and the Eunuch; and he baptized him”. John 3:23 also states, “John also was baptizing at Aeneon because there was MUCH WATER there” . “They came up OUT OF THE WATER” (Acts 8:39).
It is therefore evident from these very scriptures that Water Baptism was originally performed by “immersion” of the individual person underwater.
TITLES OR NAME ?
In Matthew 28:19 we can read Jesus’ great commission unto His disciples saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, BAPTIZING them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Now, Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, never told us to baptize in the NAMES, but in the N-A-M-E, (singular). The clue here is to find what NAME the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost possess. Take note that the word “Father” is not a NAME. “Son” is not a NAME either; neither is the Holy Ghost a NAME. These are but TITLES of the ONE true GOD.
If we trace God’s Name back in the Old Testament, we will find that God the FATHER was always called the “LORD”, capital "L-O-R-D".
In the New Testament, we find that “JESUS” was the name given to the SON of God.
In this our age, the dispensation of grace, when the Holy Ghost was given since the Day of Pentecost, He is called the “CHRIST” or the “Anointing” of God.
We can now therefore conclude from these basis that the TITLES of “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” refer to only one compound NAME, which is the only Name which was given on earth whereby man must be saved (Acts 4:12) - and that NAME is nothing else but the NAME of the “LORD JESUS CHRIST”, the complete NAME of GOD.
We can read all throughout the Bible that ALL of Jesus’ disciples used His NAME in Water Baptism (References: Acts 2;38; Acts 19:1-5; Acts 10:46-48; Acts 8:14) .
NEVER can we find in the entire pages of the Bible where anybody was ever baptized using the TITLES of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Look it up for yourself and you’ll NEVER find one. There’s a million dollar reward today for anyone who can find one verse that states just that.
The apostles understood that baptism in those TITLES was not a LITERAL command, just as when Jesus told them, “Except you EAT My FLESH and DRINK my BLOOD, you have NO Life in you”. Nowhere in the Bible can we find that they literally ATE the flesh of Jesus nor DRANK his blood. Literally eating Jesus’ FLESH and literally DRINKING His BLOOD would make them cannibals and vampires if such command was followed to the letter. But the thing is that it was revealed unto them that eating His Body means "partaking of His Word" and drinking his Blood meant "receiving His Atoning sacrifice" into their lives. In Water Baptism, It was revealed also unto them WHO really was the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and what the NAME of God really was. "Lord Jesus Christ", that's the complete Name of God.
THE APOSTLES HAD A CORRECT REVELATION
Apostle PETER, having been given the keys to the Kingdom, commanded the JEWS, saying, “REPENT everyone of you and BE BAPTIZED in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38) “and you shall receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
The same FORMULA was used by Saint PAUL. Paul himself REBAPTIZED the disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1-5) in this same manner, saying, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE you believed? They said, ‘We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost.’ Paul said, “How was you baptized?” They said,’ We’ve been baptized unto John.’ Then said Paul, “John verily baptized with baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him that should come after him, that is on CHRIST JESUS.” WHEN THEY HEARD THIS, they were baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS” .
PETER AND JOHN did the same to the SAMARITANS as well in Acts 10:48,” And he commanded them to be BAPTIZED in the NAME of the LORD JESUS” .
The GENTILES who were in the house of Cornelius who first received the Gospel were also baptized in this same manner (Acts 10:46-48) , “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnified God. Then answered PETER, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? AND HE COMMANDED them to be BAPTIZED in the NAME of the LORD JESUS” (NIV).
ALL true believers in the Bible, both Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans, were ALL baptized in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST, for that is the genuine and Biblical way of doing it. What about you?
It was the Roman Catholic Church that brought forth such false baptism of sprinkling, and changed it from the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to Father, Son, Holy Ghost after the year 325 A.D. Majority of her daughters, the Protestant churches, had taken the same dogma till this day and are observing blindly the same formula without realizing it so. (Read historical facts at the bottom).
WERE ST. PETER AND PAUL WRONG?
No. These apostles knew what most religious leaders of today FAIL to recognize.
First: That the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ is the FAMILY NAME of all Christians both in heaven and on earth (Read Eph.3:15).
Second: There is NO OTHER NAME under heaven whereby we must be SAVED only in the Name of JESUS (Acts 4:12).
Third: That the FULLNESS of the Godhead dwelleth BODILY in CHRIST (Col. 2:9).
And fourth: That BAPTISM must be performed in the NAME of the CRUCIFIED (Read 1 Cor. 1:13).
The Bible tells us that “Whatever you DO in word or in DEED, do ALL in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Col. 3:17). JESUS even taught us that “REPENTANCE and REMISSION of sins should be preached in HIS NAME, beginning at Jerusalem, unto the uttermost parts of the world” (Luke 24:47).
THREE TITLES TO ONE NAME
Father, Son and Holy Ghost are THREE TITLES. Yet there is only ONE NAME. It was revealed unto the apostles that salvation alone goes in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 4:12).
The Bible teaches that there is NO salvation in any other name, title or places, ONLY in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 4:12). Yet He is the “Rose of Sharon”, “Lily of the Valley”, “Morning Star”, “Alpha and Omega” - HE IS ALL THESE THINGS, yet there’s NO SALVATION in any of these titles; ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
God has so many TITLES: “Our Righteousness”, “Our Peace”, “Ever-Present”, “Our Father”, “Our King”, “Prince of Peace”, “Son”, and “Holy Ghost”. BUT He has ONLY ONE HUMAN NAME, and that NAME is JESUS - by which Name every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Everyone, therefore, that is BAPTIZED with the TITLES of Father, Son and Holy Ghost is baptized in NO NAME AT ALL. They are TITLES like Minister, Reverend, Doctor, whatevermore, Father, Son, Daughter, Wife - TITLES. You may say it does not make a difference. Then try putting your TITLE on your check and not your NAME, and see whether the BANK would encash it - say, “I sign this check in the name of the Husband”... That just make sense as it would to disbelieve God’s Word when the revelation is laying right here before your eyes.
That NAME is the Password to heaven. It is also the KEY to all the heavenly blessings and supernatural gifts that God has given to the church. “In my NAME you shall cast our devils, In My NAME you shall speak with new tongues, in My NAME you shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). “If ye shall ask any thing in my NAME, I will do [it].” (John 14:14).
AN INVITATION
If you have not been baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST yet, YOUR BAPTISM IS WRONG. You have to be REBAPTIZED AGAIN in the NAME of Jesus Christ in order for you to receive the Spirit of God.
Acts 2:38 plainly says, “REPENT, everyone of you, and BE BAPTIZED in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST for (What?) the REMISSION OF SINS - (You are still in your sins if you are not baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST for no other Name is given whereby we must be saved), “AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST”.
GOD IS CALLING ON YOU TODAY, SINCERE CHRISTIAN, to be restored back to the original faith that was once delivered to the saints. As Romans 8:30 says, “Whom He did predestinate, them He also CALLED: and whom He called, then He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.”
If you are God’s predestinated seed, you will recognize this Message to be the Truth. And you will not wait long until you are baptized in the NAME of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Get right with God now while mercy and grace is upon your reach. “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).
Thanks for sharing all the information with all the TDAB family. I believe this will be a blessing to all of us.
People have different opinions and view on Baptism.
I am NOT specifically interested in interpretation of spellings as you have mentioned, like 'LORD', 'NAME' etc because Bible was not written in ENGLISH
when originally written. It was written in different Languages over a span of 4000 years (I am not entirely sure though).
I will have to go into a bit detail here. Writers in those days were called 'Scribes'. Now, most of scribes were Levites and hence very very
traditionalists and have followed all the PURIFICATION PROCEDURES mentioned in old testaments very carefully. So as part of it, Jews would not say
'YHWH' aloud or write because it was thought that uttering God's sacred name in vain is sin. While writing the name of God 'YHWH',traslated in English
as 'Yahweh', they would either leave space in that place or sometimes use 'YHWH'. They were so maticulous to follow the instructions on copying the
scriptures and preserving them.
During the course of translations, YHWH was replaced by 'Elohim' a Greek-Roman language equivalent to 'GOD'. The was replaced as Judaism was becoming a
universal religion rather than just a Jewish religion. It was again replaced in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word 'Adonai' ("My Lord"), which was
translated as 'Kyrios' ("Lord") in the Greek version of the Old Testament. And some books in Old Testaments and few books in New Testaments were
originally written in Hebrew, Roman and Greek languages, so does the evolution of the name.
For your reference, 'YHWH' is 'I AM', as you can see in many verses in the bible.
So, we can see many languages, replacements and versions of the same word 'YHWH'. This is the story behind the word 'LORD'.Hence we can't take the word
'LORD' literally.
Coming back to our original discussion here,
In Old testament books, we don't have visibility of Baptism but New Testament writers interpreted some of the events in Old Testament to be Baptism in
itself. For example, Apostle Paul calls Noah's flood as a type of Baptism, Apostle Paul states taht Israelites were baptised while they crossed red sea
and in many of the Jewish rituals, they wash(take bath) themselves completely before they offer sacrifices. Many believe that all these old testament
events and activities resemble Baptism.
In the New Testament books, starting from Gospels to Revelations, we can see several occassion where we can see Baptism being taken or spoken about. You
have kindly given all the references for all these occassions. As I mentioned earlier, people have formed their own interpretation or view or opinion on
Baptism. I agree with some and disagree with some. In this whole process of agreeing and disagreeing, I have formed my own understanding of Baptism.
For me, Baptism is a 'spark', a 'moment' in which I changed/transformed completely. I remember exactly how I changed within a moment. It was very
uneasy. It was like bringing a ugly white hand kerchief near to the light bulb. Hand Kerchief is ugly but it's ugliness can only be seen 'clearly' when
it is brought near to light. It didnot take several years/months for me to change. After that very moment, on a normal sunday, I could not do the things
I was normally doing, I could not speak the things I was normally speaking. I call it a moment of 'repentence'. I believe this repentence is caused by
the Holy Spirit. That moment I confirmed to God that I will not be the same again. At that moment I surrendered myself to Him completely. And it s a
commitment to God and I mentioned earlier 'A committment is a promise that is going to be kept no matter what'. By this commitment I have completely
accepted Jesus as my Personal Saviour.
After that, I prepared for three weeks by reading the Scritures, by fasting prayer, by spending time in prayer and also having fellowship with some
fellow Christians. After three weeks, I have been Baptised. Before I mention what the Holy Spirit has done in my life, I have to state, that it doesn't
matter how I took baptism, because I have already said taht Baptism is 'a public demonstration of accepting Jesus as my personal saviour'. However,
because of your eagerness, I would mention that I was baptised in the name of God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as Jesus said. At this point, I
strongly state that if someone come to me after few years and tell me that my Baptism is not valid. Do I really care? I am not going to neither accept
it nor deny it because I am a very challenging person and I would like to learn more about it and understand more.
But in all my understanding and extremely intimate journey with the Holy Spirit, I prefer to have a strong relationship with JESUS rather than worry
about the procedure of baptism. I don't really care whether the procedure of Baptism is right or wrong. All I care is, 'Am I at peace with God?'
Let me continue my story...It was not easy to be a christian, because I became so judgemental and thought everything was wrong around me. everyone was
doing wrong including christians. Lots of complaints to God. People expected me to do certain thing as routine, I did not do them. Nothing changed
around me. No one changed around me. It was hard to realise that Change was within me. It was hard for my friends and relatives to understand what I am
going though. I started looking at things from a different perspective. But later learned that Salvation is not about being judgemental. It's about
ENJOYING FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS.
I got a job, moved to Delhi from Hyderabad and from there to UK and God has been doing infinate miracles in my life. I have to mention this. I see
'Miracles' every single day! I enjoy them. God has placed me in a unique position here in UK and now I am able to serve 7 million Londeners through my
job in NHS.
Not only that, I support many pastors, orphans and few ministries. And as you all know, God has given me this Podcasting Ministry(Telugu Daily Audio
Bible at www.HighPriest.Org). As I have shared today, I am HIS servant till my last breathe.
So, in all this, I bet Baptism is a starting point but Holy Spirit works in my life everyday! If not, I would not have reached 59 countries through this
ministry. I would not pray for so many people everyday. I would not worry about the people on the streets and pray for them. I would not preach to Youth
in Hyderabad when I vist and I would not counsel young christian to-be married couples in UK. Are these not the works of the Holy Spirit? I believe they
are!! And I have many more plans like starting a Gospel Radio Station, a Gospel TV channel etc. If it is in His plan, are these too hard for Him? And I
don't know what the future holds for me, but I know WHO holds my future!! All these are through His guidance!! Through this one can tell whether I am
walking in the Spirit!
Finally, all I want to say is instead of depending on THEOLOGY, I BELIEVE AND DEPEND ON 'KNEE'OLOGY! I PRAY 'KNEELING' DOWN FOR EVERY SOLUTION I NEED!
MAY THIS TESTIMONY/EXPLAINATION BE A BLESSING TO ALL!
God Bless you!
In His Service always,
J!
But again, this is just my opinion!!!
Praise the LORD! I agree with you completely in this J, because noone on this earth knows exactly what you went through during and after baptism except me :)
Hope and pray that your testimony will be a blessing to many people.
GOD BLESS YOU,
B!
Dear Bro.Jonathan,
Greetings!!!
We thank the Lord for His guidance upon you and your family. I appreciate your good work in the Lord.
I work as an evangelist and serving the Lord since 1994. Do I need to talk about what I do for the Lord and others? No Sir, I would rather be humble than to express about all those things. Our Lord knows exactly what you and I do. Let us not only depend on the gifts and callings, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29
I understand your views. Does this mean to say that Baptism according to the Acts 2:38 is wrong? Were Apostles wrong! No, they have done exactly according to Mtt 28:19.
THE APOSTLES HAD A CORRECT REVELATION.
If we do not agree or understand, it does not mean that we can form our own opinion and deny the God’s word. No... We should wait on God and ask the Lord for His understanding and revelation. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” II Peter 1:20
For everything there is an order in the scriptures from Old to the New Testaments.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” I Cor 14:40
KJV Bible version is generally acceptable among all Christians (Protestants).
I would like to have any conversation or discussions only based on the scriptures.
I am not a Theologian and I do not believe in those teachings and opinions. Our Lord promised us in scriptures regarding the understanding of the Word.
“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” Mtt 11:25
The True Baptism is known to us through Rev 10:7
“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Rev 10:7
If you agree or disagree it doesn’t matter, but I have shared/witnessed the truth to one. I have done my part and now I will pray that the Lord would reveal it to you.
God bless you!
Bro.John Wesley
The Bible is not a book of systems. No, sir. It is not a book of systems, nor a code of morals. The Bible is not a book of systems, so many systems and so forth. No, sir! It is not a book of morals. No, sir, It is not. Nor is It a book of history altogether, or neither is It a book of theology, for It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. So the Bible is the complete revelation of Jesus Christ, and It was wrote by prophets, Hebrews 1:1, “In... God, Who in sundry times spake to the fathers by the prophets, in this last day speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ,” which was the prophets, all of them put together. Jesus was Malachi; Jesus was Jeremiah, Isaiah, Elijah. All that they were, were in Him. And all that you are, and all I am, is in Him: Words, witnesses of the Word. So It is not a book of systems, a code of moral ethics, neither is It a history book, or a book of theology. It is not. But It’s the revelation of Jesus Christ: God Himself revealed from Word to flesh. That’s what It is. The Bible is the Word, and God is the flesh. God in... God is the Word, rather, and Jesus being the flesh, It’s a revelation how God, the Word, was manifested in human flesh and revealed to us. It was written by forty different writers. Forty men wrote the Bible over a space of sixteen hundred years apart and at different times, predicting the most important events that ever happened in world’s history, and many times hundreds of years before it happened. And there is not one error in the entire sixty-six Books. Oh, my. No author but God Himself could be so accurate. Not one word contradicts the other. Remember, sixteen hundred years apart, the Bible was wrote, from Moses to—to the death of—of John at Isle—or the Isle of Patmos: sixteen hundred years. And was wrote by forty different authors. One didn’t even know the other one, and they never had It as the Word. Some of them never even seen the Word. But when they wrote It, and was understood to be prophets, then when they put their prophecies together, each one of them dovetailed one to the other.”
Thanks for the reply Brother.
You stated -
Let us not only depend on the gifts and callings, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29. - I wonder how you quoted this verse despite my effort to make myself extremely clear how I repented!
Anyway, I am glad to know that you have been serving the Lord from 1994. You might have seen many resilient and blunt people like me in your experience.
Please pray that I may know the Truth which you know that I and many like me don't know.
I have mentioned few things that I do, not to boast about myself, but to glorify Him through my deeds. I really want to boast about what I do, maybe at the end of my life, maybe in my autobiography one day before I die to inspire/motivate many young people to bring them to Him!
In case, if my Baptism is wrong and NOT according to what you describe as the right way, I am answerable to GOD!
Please pray that God may forgive me for not doing it your way.
Also please pray for me that I may do greater things that God has called me to do and NEVER look back!
In His service always
J!