This Week With Jesus

  When the Heavens Declare Gods Glory

  The two major villains of Christianity are Lucifer and Judas. We imagine their sin and shudder, never imagining we could act like them.  But, within each of us, a complex and often contradictory landscape of loyalties and betrayals does exist. This internal conflict is what we might call "the Judas in you." This isn't about committing a grand, historical betrayal, but rather about the subtle, everyday moments where we turn against our own values, our truest selves, or those we claim to love. It's the part of us that whispers for the easy way out, even if it means compromising our integrity. A part that indulges in hate, criticism, gossip, slander, lies, compromising integrity at work or at home, backbiting, and the list goes on. The Judas in us manifests in various ways. It's the voice that convinces us to stay silent when we should speak up for what is right, prioritizing our comfort over justice. It's the impulse to gossip about a friend to feel more inc...

 

 

A Life Woven with Love: The Story of Tabitha Today let us turn our hearts and minds today to a remarkable woman found in the book of Acts, chapter 9 and take inspiration from her. Her name was Tabitha, or Dorcas as she was also known – a name that means "gazelle," suggesting grace and beauty. But Tabitha's beauty wasn't just outward; it shone from within, radiating through her actions, as it should for us as well.  The scripture tells us in Acts 9:36, "In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas). She was always doing good and helping the poor." This simple verse paints a profound picture of a life truly lived for others. Tabitha wasn't just an acquaintance of good deeds; she was "always doing good and helping the poor." This was her essence, her consistent character. Think about that for a moment. "Always doing good." In a world often preoccupied with self, with accumulation, with recognition, Tabit...

"The LORD will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace". Exodus 14:14 KJV God Sees Your Silent Battles. Not all of the time do we have the energy to speak up, push back, or defend ourselves, which is sometimes the right way to do it. We can be so overwhelmed in life, emotional or physical pain, that silence and shutting down are what the body craves, and that’s okay. After all, God sees the quiet battles no one else does—the ones in our hearts, behind closed doors, in the moments when silence feels safer than explaining. But.   Know that you are not alone in the fight of life.   You are not overlooked. You are not ignored. The truth is that you are fiercely defended by a God Who fights for you even when you whisper prayers through your tears. Keep your peace. He’s already moving on your behalf. Let us thank God for fighting for us even in ways we don’t perceive. Help us rest and be still in His presence when we are tempted to react.  May His victory speak louder ...

Read : Matthew 9:21 The faith of this woman, mentioned in the quoted verse really needs to be commended. She knew that a simple physical touch of His garment would heal her. Today while Jesus does not walk this earth in His physical form, He did leave behind the Holy Spirit for us, to touch, to be filled and to help us understand His word and connect. In Christianity, "touching" the Holy Spirit isn't a physical act in the way you might touch an object. Rather, it refers to experiencing the presence, guidance, and transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our life. This experience is often described through various spiritual and emotional sensations, as well as by observable changes in a person's character and actions and the various activities around us. Here's how we can be "touching" the Holy Spirit: 1. Receiving the Holy Spirit: Acceptance of Jesus Christ: The foundational step is often believed to be accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour and askin...

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, popularly known as FUD, is a common sales strategy that really top sales professionals excel at. It involves deliberately disseminating negative or alarming information about a situation, in order to make a someone feel uncomfortable or insecure about their current choices or future prospects. In order to counter or check FUDs, one has to look at the present and past evidence to be able to reach a rational decision. FUD is also a strategy used by the Master of Deception , Mr. Satan. He excels at it - creating situations where people can start doubting themselves and even God. He uses the dangers and storms that come our way, to plant fears in our heads. We start thinking, will God bring me through this storm? Will I make it? Do I need to look for alternatives? And that is exactly what Satan wants. He wants us to look for alternatives. But God hates that. Our God is a jealous God. And thus shuts the gates of blessings till we come back to God. It is natural...

(References of sermons by Pastor Jolly Raj of Bethel Church Noida, India and Pastor Rajiv) Christians all over the world are a mixed lot. Some are fiery, some lukewarm, some extremely committed and some very regular church goers. But we all love our Hymns for sure. We all sing our Hymns and pray every Sunday and wonder and discuss what's it's like up there. Once such Hymn is "Stand Up for Jesus". How do you do that? How do you stand up for Jesus? Or are they just empty words? To understand this question, we need to delve into what is "not standing up for Jesus." Pastor Jolly Raj, in his sermon of the 22nd of June, 2025, talked about how the environment we live in, can slowly and innocuously creep into us and slide us into a situation where we compromise basic principles of Christianity. Such a compromise can end up even in us breaking core commandments and tenets of our faith and justifying it to ourselves in the name of humanity or integration or, as the mo...