Dr. John C. Reddy

  From Prisoner to the Protector of Egypt   Joseph was a handsome young lad when God gave him dreams. The essence of his dreams, which God gave him, foretold that his brothers, father, and mother would bow down before him. The brothers were envious of Joseph because of his dreams. Even his father, Israel, rebuked him because of such dreams. It would be unthinkable, especially in that culture, for a father to bow down to a son. What could Joseph do? These dreams were given by God, who knows the future. Who knows the beginning from the end. Although his father rebuked him yet, being a godly man, he "kept the matter in mind" (Gen. 37:11).    Sometimes people want to fight against God and His plans. Joseph's brothers tried to kill him and said to one another, let's kill him. "We shall see what will become of his dreams!" People think they can thwart the plans of God. But it is hard to fight against God, His plans, and His people. In the New Testament, S...

Life is short; Eternity is long   Two weeks ago, our doorbell rang as I attended to the door, there stood a man with a huge bouquet of flowers. My brother-in-law and his family ordered flowers and a box of chocolates for my special birthday from Australia. It was quite a surprise as I wasn't expecting anything, especially from across the great ocean. The flower arrangement was gorgeous with a variety of flowers.   Two weeks passed, and the flowers faded, and I must throw them away. I was not pleased to discard these flowers but did it anyway, of course, reluctantly. It reminded me of the brevity of our lives.   The prophet Isaiah writes,  "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever"  (Isaiah 40:6-8).   In the Psalm...

The sign of the scarlet cord Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho. Her house was on the city wall. People come and go to her home without being noticed. When Joshua sent two spies to scout out the land around Jericho, they went to the house of Rahab. But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land." So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land." But Rahab hid the two spies and told the king's officers that the men who came to her had already left.  Later, Rahab went up on the roof where she hid the two spies and talked with them. She acknowledged the God of Israel is the true God . She said our hearts melted when we heard about the miracles your God performed to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, how the Lord made a dry path through the Red Sea. And how He helped Israel defeat their enemies on the way. She believed...

Every person should know, what is the Church?   What is the Church? Many people think of Church as a building where Christians gather for worship on a Sunday. The Church ( ἐ κκλησία ekkl ē sia) is a unique entity revealed and ordained by God and came into existence at the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers. The true meaning of "ekklēsia" is the "called out ones." Jesus started building His Church by calling out people to repentance and turn to Him. Jesus said, "... I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Jesus is the One who is building the Church.    The Church, a group of people who are called out and set apart for the glory of God. God's view of the Church is seen as described by apostle Paul, "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...