Thank God for Paul: Pastor Rajiv's Mid Week Message

 

When God Says NO: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

The blessing of a "No".

When God says no,  it's a lesson to be learnt or a disaster being averted. Learn the lesson, don't tempt the disaster. Give thanks and move on.

Gods blessings are not always in His giving but also in His with holding as well. God knows better than we do, and his ‘no’ is always merciful, even when it hurts.”

And that is usually when God wants a change in direction for us, from where we want to go to where he wants us to go. 

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” How insightful is that? 

The best is often painful because the human emotion is to resist change in our thinking and doing. We are so invested in the past we often fail our own future.

The only way to alleviate that pain is to trust, understand (through His word) and obey. And only after that will be able to say in all honesty - Let thy will be done. Amen.

Ethics of hypocrisy: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Luke 6:46

The word "Ethical" comes from the Greek ethos or  "moral character" and describes a person or behavior as right in the moral sense - truthful, fair, and honest. Sometimes the word is used for people who follow the moral standards of their profession.

As a Christian, have you ever wondered what our ethics should be? We profess Christianity but do we know the ethics of our profession?

If not, it's time to read the scripture again, because without due consideration, we will tend to wrongdoings or sins, both of commission and omission. For those who don't understand what these sins are - Simply put, sins of commission are things we have done which are biblically wrong and sins of omission are things we should have done but did not do. For example I should have told the truth about something but I kept silent because it was not convenient for me. That is omission of truth. 

Expanding further, in these Covid days people may have Covid but omit to inform thereby endangering others. That is omission of truth. To explain further using the example of truth and lies, commission is actively lying about something and omission is keeping silent on the truth. 

Both are equally dangerous.

When we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, we are supposed to practice His teachings, both actively and passively. But when we don't do that and yet say Lord Lord, are we not being unethical and hypocritical?

Let's become more aware of sins of omission and commission so that we consciously avoid being a hypocrite, but be held accountable to Jesus's ethics.