This Week With Jesus

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."

Have you ever felt trapped? like there was no way out of a difficult situation. Jonah was no stranger to that feeling. After running away from God's call, he found himself in the belly of a great fish. Can you imagine the darkness, the stench and the despair he must have felt? Yet, in the midst of his darkest hour God was still with him.  Sometimes we find ourselves in our own 'Belly of the Fish" moments. It maybe a broken relationship, a health crisis or a seemingly impossible situation. Its in those moments we need to remember that God is with us even in those depths. He is our refuge and our strength.  Just like Jonah, God can use our difficult circumstances to shape us and teach us important lessons. It was in the belly of the fish that Jonah repented and cried out to the Lord. Sometimes it takes being in the belly of the fish for us to truly surrender to God and seek His guidance.  So if you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation, remember Jonah. Your belly

                                                     Gods blessings are not limited by our circumstances. He can bring abundance and increase in the most unlikely of places. As we faithfully sow seeds of kindness, love, forgiveness and generosity, we can expect a harvest of blessings in due time. Remember, the harvest may not come immediately, it requires patience, perseverance and unwavering faith. But, rest assured, the Lord will bless us abundantly, according to His perfect timing and plan. Today let us take inspiration from Isaacs story and sow seeds of faith in our own lives, even during adversity, and give thanks and honor to the Lord knowing that every good thing comes from Him. Psalm 91 is a perfect reminder of Gods protection and provision during every adverse situation that may surround us.

                                                  Life is lived on trust. When we consult a doctor or an architect for example, we trust that the outcome of their work will be good for us. When we board an aircraft, we trust the pilot and the technology to reach our destination. When we eat our food, we trust the farmer has not used dangerous fertilizers. Even when we cross the road we trust the walk sign. When we sleep, we trust that we will wake up the next morning. In all these situations where we trust, we trust fully. No halfway trust, no partial trust. There is no such thing.  When we completely trust all these things throughout our life so easily, why is it a challenge for us to trust God who made, maintains and runs all these things that we, so easily, trust? Jeremiah 17 Says   "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves rem

  This is Part I of the complete message where Pastor Rajiv gives the history and reasons behind the prophesying . 

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes" .  Song of Solomon 2:15  Did you know foxes love grapes (among other fruits). In fact, the term "sour grapes" comes from the story of the fox who tried to eat the grapes on a branch but couldn't reach them so after several failed attempts he gave up muttering - "they would have been sour anyway". Little foxes are smaller animals that cannot reach the hanging grapes, so they gnaw the vines off at the ground, causing the out of reach fruit to fall with the ruined vine. It is one thing to lose some of one seasons grape, but it is far worse to lose forever a vine that took 12 to 14 years to mature. Like little foxes, there may be little faults and sins in us that seem little but can destroy the fruit we produce. These could be "little" lies , "little" selfishness, "little" greed, "little" envy, gluttony of food, gluttony o

Don't let man made traditions become a convenient  substitute for God's Laws and directions.