Is the Church Important? - Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

Godly Surrender

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 authority.

In practice this means that we become executors of Gods will in our lives rather than decision makers. It means we put every situation, every day, every problem, every solution, every honor at Gods feet first.

This is not to be confused with revering God or respecting God. There is a difference between respecting God and making Him first in our lives.

When we make God first, we may start our day by asking God - what would you have me do today? Or how do you want me to act in "x" situation? Essentially start the day by passing control of everything for the day to God.

Surrender therefore requires humility, acknowledging one's own limitations and dependence on God.

This may involve making changes in one's behavior, attitudes, and priorities to align with divine principles and a willingness to accept His authority.

In theory we all do that: in practice maybe we don't.

King David consulted God before taking any action. Do we consult God say, before a meeting? If the meeting is critical we may pray and ask for His guidance and help. But do we ask His will? No. We state our will and may we end it by saying - "but your will be done". That to my mind is not total surrender. It is "grudging acceptance or maybe defeated acceptance".  

Therefore, total surrender also includes an "embracement" of Gods decision, His wisdom and His will, with happiness, joy and priority because we place our trust in Him more than in our own abilities.

What is the outcome? Ultimately, surrender will bring inner peace and freedom. By relinquishing the burden of control, one can experience a sense of release and trust. It's like sitting in a chauffeur driven car and driven through chaotic traffic as opposed to driving and navigating that traffic ourselves.

Surrender therefore is good for us. It not only helps us navigate this life peacefully but helps to build our next life as well by building a relationship with God, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit.

Finally, It is important to understand that surrender is often a process, and not a one time event. It is something that is worked on daily.

In essence, surrendering to Jesus or God is about placing one's life in divine hands, trusting in divine guidance, and seeking to live in accordance with divine will.

My Covid Diaries: A Nightmare turned Miracle!

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 my condition deteriorated and I was sent back into ICU. An emergency X-Ray of the lungs showed drastic worsening and my Oxygen level decreased to dangerous levels. People started [raying for me all over again, being informed and requested by my son.

As my condition worsened, I felt myself drift into a deep dark valley and as if I was slipping into another world. I lost the time and days and nights passed without any awareness. I had no consciousness, no sensation and no sound. I underwent a tricostmy surgery and lost the use of my vocal cords.

I must admit that I probably posed a huge challenge to the team of doctors, God bless them for not giving up on me and working under the direction of our Lord.

With no sense of what was going on, I do remember seeing my late husband, sitting on the highest seat of a stadium. I stretched out my arm asking him to hold me as I was gong to join him but he turned his face from me. I also saw my elder sister and brother in law walking head of me, so I called out to them as well to stop and wait for me but they don’t. (I did not know that both had already passed of Covid together). These memories haunt me even today.

I saw different churches, ones which I never knew even existed, new priests giving sermons from beautiful pulpits, reading scripture and choirs of people dressed in purple and white. Churches with different European architectures, including Greek and roman designs, stained glass windows. I also saw the baby Jesus in His manger, huge candles burning as group of angels sing and bow down with their wings covering their faces. The whole scene before me was pure, powerful and spiritual. The environment was filled with a blue hue, I have never seen in my life and I cannot explain the serene beauty of that place where I was.

Suddenly I saw water, as clear as crystal, gushing from a beautiful golden gate, guarded by two angels, and then I am standing in my home church behind the lectern, facing the cross and saying – Lord send me back as I have to preach Jesus – as the only God, the true god and a miracle God.

It was not a plea, or a begging tone but the tone and voice of a fighter, which later scared me as to how could I behave like that in front of God? From childhood I had been taught to petition God but not like this!

4th of August, 2021: Suddenly a strong beam of light emanated from that cross and engulfed me. My conscious date changed from the 11th of May to the 4th of August, 2021, the day God chose to send me back and the date I was finally discharged, after 3 months on a ventilator!

My weight had reduced from 68 Kg to 40 Kg, paralyzed below the waist, darkened skin and on a wheelchair. I was hardly able to speak.

I had my first review with the doctor one month later when he said – Ma’am you are a miracle. A Covid warrior. I wanted to tell him the warrior was not me but Jesus. I was only the medium to glorify His name.

While the Doctor put me on physio for 6 months, I was up in two months and able to walk in 3. God healed me to keep my promise – to glorify the name of Jesus.

Today, I keep that promise everyday – to witness, to pray for others who maybe going through a bad patch, to teach faith and trust.

I do hope my story will also strengthen you, and inspire you to Jesus Christ – our Saviour and Lord”.

Salvation is not an Event

 

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 and sinfulness, and commit to change. It is a time for corrective actions that lead to spiritual regeneration, for salvation itself hinges on being reborn or transformed. This journey doesn't happen in an instant or even in a single season—it unfolds in steps. Lent provides the space to take these steps, whether by shedding harmful habits or cultivating new ones, while spending meaningful time with God.

For some, Lent may extend beyond the traditional 40 days and span an entire year, as they continually evaluate and strive to deepen their spiritual lives. For others, the concentrated period of Lent is vital. Regardless of timing, the effort and outcome matter most.

Above all, we must remember that Jesus sacrificed Himself for the salvation we seek. This process calls for sincerity, earnestness, and a wholehearted commitment to change.

A Life Turned Upside Down: Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

                                                                  

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 shall call His name Immanuel’ - Isaiah 7:14

So here we have Mary a 16 year old teenager living the normal life of a 16 year old. The Bible does not specify anything about her life prior to Gabriel’s visit but I am sure we can picture the life of a 16 year old village girl living in those times.

She would be helping her mother in the kitchen, maybe taking care of younger siblings, if she had any, helping with the household chores and of course playing with other village girls her own age.

And, to complicate matters, she was pledged in marriage to Joseph the village carpenter, which seemed to be a normal practice in Jewish families. And now, into this ‘normal’ scenario enters the angel Gabriel, and turns Mary’s world upside down completely.

Not only that, the message that was given her must completely baffled her: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Imagine the enormity of that message and it’s effect on her: (And you thought Covid had turned you upside down?)

In her confused and fearful state of mind she was only able to manage the one question which was at the top of her mind. The passage says “how will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Mary’s question would have arisen from the social and legal norms of that time. If she was found to be with child out of wedlock she would be branded an adulteress she could be stoned to death as per Jewish law

And what would Joseph her fiancée think?

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God - Vs 35

Mary’s question was not a question of doubt but a question of faith. Because asking in faith is very different to asking in doubt. Gabriel’s message puzzled her but she did not dismiss it in unbelief.

Mary’s response at the end of the passage is a demonstration of her faith, her obedience and her complete submission to God’s will.

Mary’s response is what should be the response of every believer to God’s calling even though His calling will usually turn your world upside down, making life inconvenient and maybe even dangerous, as it did hers and as it did the apostles.

Mary’s calling was not an easy task that she had been called for as we read along the gospels and even beyond when we see Mary’s suffering and hardship which finally culminated in seeing her son dying a gruesome death on a Roman cross.

Mary demonstrated to us how we should respond when God calls us to do His work, in any circumstance. Think of all the health workers during Covid – who bravely took up their calling to help people. Like Mary they did not shirk or make excuses out of fear - But through it all, put aside all doubts and all questions and all insecurities and responded to the calling with faith.

Today it will be well for each of us to think: how will I respond to God’s calling? How will I react to my world being turned upside down? I may lose friends and family, or wealth or time etc. But what will my response be? Will we, like Mary, look on it in faith? Or look at it in doubt?

The Reality of Psalm 91: A Covid Story

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, one 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 for by our God. The destruction of those days could not destroy us.

That is when we realized the reality of God as He spoke to us through Psalm 91 - we practically lived it! 

“Psalm 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling”.

We lived the complete Psalm 91 day by day.

One particular incident cannot be forgotten. Due to a sudden and definitive requirement of 1 million in cash, in a foreign land, with no access to our funds (the particular account did not have internet access), we panic. As we lay in agony and fear, the bell chimed in my phone indicating a mail had come. With great dread I opened it and lo- there was a mail from a strange id known as the Messianic Bible group. The subject was - Fear not for the Lord is always with you. Addressed to me by name. I do not know how it came for I was not part of any Messianic group, nor registered for any mails. Never before had I even received a mail from these people. As I read that mail, a great sense of calm and peace came over me. It started with a quote

“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

My heart stopped pounding. I have never forgotten that because I believe it was God reassuring me. 

Later that night a thought came into my mind - talk to the bank manager (he too was a Christian). I did talk to him the next day and without the necessary documents he transferred the money. Problem solved.

Then came the third wave - as our business collapsed, customers threatened us, friends became foes, legal notices were sent, business destroyed, Covid raged on and on and we continued to overcome. For us Psalms 91:13 came alive – “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet”.

Though we had some ground support, that too finally faded away. How long can anyone support you without finance? Nights were spent in worry about the future: would we see our home again? would ever again be reunited as a family? But through it all, we learned to trust Him. Again Psalm 91 gave us the assurance of protection and deliverance. As Covid struck the world again and again, Psalm 91 assured us

"You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you".

After three years we finally made it back home. Broken in all respects but happy. Happy that we had found the God in all His glory. He delivered us - literally.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name".

We survived.

This does not mean life was or is trouble free. It means we survive and live on His grace. On His protection. We called upon Him and He answered. 

"For He gave His angels charge over us, who kept us in all our ways and did not let us dash our foot against any stone".

We leave this testimony not just as a personal account of survival and deliverance but as an invitation to discover the immense power and grace available through Jesus Christ. In the face of life's uncertainties and trials, His love remains steadfast, and His promises offer unshakable assurance.

This journey has taught us that while life may never be free from hardships, His grace sustains us, His protection surrounds us, and His presence uplifts us. Through the storms, through the losses, and through the fear, His word remained true: “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.”

May this story inspire you to trust in His providence and find refuge in His shadow. In Him, you can tread through adversity, rise above despair, and walk with unwavering faith, knowing that His angels watch over you. Our experience is not just a tale of survival, but a celebration of a victorious life—a life anchored in the power and love of Jesus Christ. 

We have made Psalm 91 our go to prayer because we have seen and experienced the reality of those verses. My family & I will never forget that we have passed through the valley of the shadow of death & who's staff guided us through. 

(In the picture is Psalm 91 and is downloadable as a prayer, should you need it). 

 

 

The Loving Lizard

                          

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:13

In a small village in Japan, there was an old house that had been abandoned for many years. One day, a man decided to renovate the house. As he started to remove the wooden wall panels, he noticed something unusual. A small lizard was nailed to the wall by one of its feet.

The man felt sad for the lizard, which must have been trapped there for a long time. However, as he examined the lizard more closely, he noticed something even more surprising. Another lizard was bringing food to the trapped lizard, ensuring that it didn't starve.

Despite the hardship of being nailed to the wall, the trapped lizard had been sustained by the unwavering care of its companion. The free lizard had dedicated itself to feeding the trapped one, showing an incredible level of devotion and compassion.

This story serves as a beautiful reminder of the power of love and the lengths to which creatures, great and small, will go to support and care for one another. It illustrates the deep bonds that can exist between animals and the remarkable ways they can demonstrate kindness and loyalty.

The question is this: That story was about lizards. Would we as human beings do the same or be lesser than a humble house lizard? 

When called upon, would we care for another even when it is not convenient or maybe needs a sacrifice? Would we, like Jesus, give up our lives for someone? 

Of course we would not. Or would we? Only we can answer that question for ourselves. 

Peace and Justice for All

A wise judge once said, "it is not only necessary for justice to be done, but as importantly, it needs to be seen to be done."

Drawing from these wise words, as Christians, it is not only important to follow Christ in letter and spirit, but also to be seen as followers of Christ, in our behavior and our attitudes to fellow men. We ourselves are the biggest witnesses to Christ and we are also our own enemy. We may preach the best of sermons, be most devout in our day-to-day devotions or know the Bible verbatim, but if our language, behavior and attitude does not reflect Christ, it is all in vain.

Christ Himself spoke at length about the way we are to behave toward others; friends and enemies. More than that, however, the life He lived, accentuated by His love and compassion for the lost, provides the consummate example of what Christian behavior should look like, enabled by the Holy Spirit.

The best barometer is how one reacts or behaves when facing extreme pressure of a threat or a loss. Do we remain calm trusting in God or do we react with screaming, shouting, threatening and possibly worse?

If the Holy Spirit is living within us, the natural outpouring of behaviors will be “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). This will spread love, respect, peace and a spirit of justice towards all, bring glory to Gods name and most importantly give the world a glimpse of Gods character, building a bridge for others to know God as well.