This Week With Jesus

 

Read Mark 10:21  Many a Sunday morning we stand up and sing the song - "All to Jesus I surrender". But do we truly mean that? Do we truly surrender all?  In the quoted passage we have a near perfect young man, who did everything God expected but could not surrender. Today let us think, have we truly surrendered? - what does surrender look like? First and foremost, surrender needs us to let go of the control we want over our lives . Realize that that fantastic job, that promotion or a great business are not because of our abilities but because of Gods blessings. Therefore, they are not our priority even though they may give us economic power. It involves recognizing that one is not self-sufficient, and that divine grace is essential. And divine grace comes from divine wisdom. It means letting go of the desire to dictate the course of one's life and trusting that God's plan is superior. It involves a profound act of yielding one's will and control to divine authori...

Today we share a short diary of a Covid survivor – a senior lady in Delhi, India, who calls her experience “a nightmare turned miracle”. We share with you the Covid Diary of Ms. S. Massey, a retired School Principal, mother and grandmother. She credits ONLY God’s grace and mercy that she is able to share her story today – in her own words: “9th May, 2021: 10 PM : Tested positive for Covid, asymptomatic. Being 70 years of age and an asthma patient, I was advised hospitalization. In spite of non availability of beds and oxygen, it was with God’s grace I was able to get an admission to a well known hospital. Tests showed about a 20% infection and treatment was started. 10th May, 2021 : Slight improvement, but still asymptomatic. 11th May, 2021 : Stable and ready to be discharged and to quarantine at home! Discharge procedure starts. My happiness knew no bounds and all friends, family, church people who had been praying for me heaved a sigh of relief and thanked God. But, during the day...

  Salvation is not a singular event, so we shouldn't treat it as such. It is an ongoing process that began at the cross and continues throughout our earthly lives, involving faith, repentance, and transformation. Lent plays an important role along the way. Phil Ashey, pastor of South Riding Church in Virginia, observed, "Our culture is so focused on an event rather than a process. Even as evangelicals, I think we've been trapped by the idea that salvation is a one-time event, like a sale that we've got to close. But often, it's a process in which people ask questions again and again and approach God repeatedly to consider faith. I see Lent as a door—an entryway—for people to connect or reconnect with Jesus." Engaging in this process means approaching God, understanding His will and power, and reflecting on our faith in Him. Lent offers a unique opportunity to dedicate time toward this reflection. Over these 40 days, we examine our lives, confront our baggage a...

                                                                   Since we are talking about Covid days this week, and you think Covid turned our lives upside down, well, think of this scenario: A strange person appears before you, someone whom you have never seen before, stands before you in your room, and starts talking to you about your future - pretty freaky!! isn’t it? Today I want us to wind back 2025 years and look at the life of a 16 year old Jewish teenager in Israel. This teenager had her life turned completely upside down by the visit of a stranger, in circumstances similar to what we mentioned. We are first introduced to her by name in Matthew’s gospel but we are told of her by Isaiah in his prophecy ‘ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and s...

The COVID times were extraordinary. Today it is five years, or half a decade, that it was declared a Pandemic.  As of April 2024, the virus had infected over 704 million people worldwide, and the  number of deaths  had reached almost 7.5 million. During the peak, o ne saw relatives, friends & neighbors drop like flies. Tragedy was all around us.  My family and I had been stuck in two different countries, 6000 miles apart, away from our home and each other. Yet were brought together, under His shadow against mighty odds and impossibilities. While thousands, nay millions, fell at the sides, we were kept safe in a safe country, in the safe home of a Pastor and his family. COVID was all around us, yet did not come near us. Our daughter in India too remained safe as we tried to come back and she tried to get back to us.  Over those three years, as our savings disappeared, business dwindled and stopped, we never went hungry or in want. Everything was provided fo...

This is a story about Zaver, an atheist and scientist, and a strange journey. Zaver had to travel to another city to present a lecture on Natural Phenomena, a journey of about two hours from his home. As he boarded the train and took his seat, he started thinking about his lecture, trying to remember examples he could use. As the train stopped at the next station, a man boarded and sat on the seat next to Zaver. "Good morning, Zaver," he smiled and said. Startled, Zaver smiled and asked, "Do I know you?" "No, Zaver, you don't. But I know you from the beginning." "Ah, you must have known my parents then." "Yes, I did. In fact, your whole family knew me well. I am a close family friend." "Oh, you must be from the church. They were regulars at the church." "Yes. I was in the church too. But I don't see you in church these days?" "No. I am a scientist and an atheist. I don't believe in God." "O...

We all love ourselves more than other people, but we care more about their opinions than our own. Because of this we tend to do, or not do, things which maybe right in our conscience. But, doing the right thing is a priority in Christian life , following Jesus' way. He said   “ Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:11 Isiaah 1 verses 17-20 lay it out clearly as well.  Pastor David Jacobs, commenting on these verses from Isiaah says - "It is not easy for the oppressed to stand up for themselves. Think about the downtrodden and unfortunate in history: the slaves in Egypt and the Americas, the Holocaust, or the plight of women in some parts of the world. It is difficult to hear their voices because they have no power. Nobody is listening. It is our duty, according to Isaiah, to listen and find a solution". What other people think should not matter. When Jesus ate with the tax men, he knew w...

 

  Dorothy Gale from the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz said, "There's no place like home": In the movie's final scene, Dorothy wakes up in her bed and says this line after being transported to Oz by a tornado.  The phrase is often used to express the feeling of comfort and familiarity that comes from being at home. We all may have repeated this line quite a few times in the past. But today, let us think about this: where do we think is our home?   Is it this? The earth.                                      Or this? Paradise.  If it is paradise where we want to live, we have to work towards it. First, we have to find the way and the way is clearly mentioned in John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. There is no way we can get there on our own. We need Jesus. Second, we must prepare ourselves by chang...

Pontius Pilate: To Jesus And what is 'truth'? Is truth unchanging law? We both have truths. Are mine the same as yours? What is truth? Pilate’s answer to his own question could be a question asked in despair. How do we know right and wrong, good and evil, what is the right thing to do in any situation? How can anyone believe in a universal truth that transcends this world of suffering and despair? Whatever his motive, he didn't get an answer because the truth was right there, standing in front of him. Today we, like Pilate, do not recognize the truth. The truth was standing in front of Pilate, to be judged to die or to live. Bob Kaylor says "For Pilate, anything that got him advanced in status in the eyes of the emperor was truth. Truth is whatever you decide it is, whatever is most pragmatic, kind of like throwing darts at the wall and drawing targets around them. Actually, Pilate would have been right at home in the 21st century, where truth is always relative."...

We have often said a single quote can teach us more than a sermon. Today's quotes are on the theme of faith - "It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters."  - Mother Teresa "Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light."  - Helen Keller "It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable."  - Maya Angelou "What is to give light must endure the burning." - Eleanor Roosevelt "In God's eyes our words have only the value of our actions."  - St. Ignatius Loyola "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."  - Martin Luther King Jr. "What does the Lord require? Only to act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  - Micah 6:8 "Faith is the bird that feels the lig...

  The Boat with a Hole - A short story. Read it HERE Quid est veritas: what is truth? Pilate's key question, we are still trying to answer today. Read it HERE

                 I cannot forget a Book by Robin Sharma called  "Who will cry when you die". The title inspired me to think,  and often I ask myself the same question: who will cry when I die? Maybe not literally, but who will genuinely grieve?  Apart from my family and a couple of friends, I really can't count any. We are so involved with self and careers and God knows what else, we forget to carve out a legacy  of good which can live on after us. But why should we?  Because "Life" is not a career; life is not about just us. There is nothing wrong about doing things for us but that is not the end. Life is the means to the end but life is living in harmony with the world around us. Taking care of the world and people around us. Using our talents wisely for the benefit of others. Thats how we can create a legacy.  Creating a legacy is about making a lasting impact that transcends your lifetime. It involves living...

 Lamentations 3:22-23 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness ". There is a traditional story in Africa which goes like this - "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.” That is nature. Each does what they were created to do.  For us too , every day is a new day, a new promise and a new beginning. Another chance to be what the creator wants us to be. To do what He wants us to do. Another day of hope for the brokenhearted. Another chance to live. Another chance to experience His love. What should we do with this new day? This new beginning? Will it be the same as yesterday or will it b...

Joshua 1: 7-9 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” What part of God's word did you put into practice today? You have read your Bible, said your prayers, meditated and possibly taken notes as well. Of all God's word that we read and quote, which ones have we actually put into practice? It is important because that "practice" is called obedience. And that is what the quoted verse is talking about. Second, let us not interpret Gods word, because we often interpret it to suit ourselves. For example, a...