Saturday Vespers

                                         

Lord, teach me to offer you a heart of thanksgiving and praise in all my daily experiences of life. Teach me to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all my circumstances. Where I face challenges, fill me with your strength to face them. Where I face heartbreak and sorrow, let me feel your comfort.
We pray for all those facing health issues, or any other challenges. For those who need jobs, or who face financial insecurity. Let me feel your presence.
We pray for a young man in Delhi National Capital Region who is fearful for his father who suffered a brain stroke. He was getting better but has deteriorated today. Let us hold him up.
We pray for the people of Ukraine and for peace worldwide and an end to aggression by countries bent on increasing their power by whatever means, especially, through war and destruction and killing innocent people.
We pray for Emily for her healing. 
We continue to prayer for the Pastor in Australia who needs sustenance and strength to recoup from his illness to be able to continue God's work.
We pray for a lady in India who is undergoing medical tests and needs prayers for all to be fine.
We continue to prayer for a senior in India who is a patient of Parkinsons for her peace and strength and patience for her caregiver.
We pray for a senior in India who is undergoing back pain, in spite of surgery. May God grant her relief from this long time pain, which she has borne in great patience.
We pray for a gentleman in India undergoing chemo for strength and well being.
We commit Timothy Mwangi onto you I pray for healing for him and deliverance I pray for forgiveness and mercy remember him and his family in a special and mighty way
For Tanu who is grateful for her new job. We pray God leads her as she takes on new responsibilities.

Saturday Vespers

 

Comforting God, you promise to be with all who suffer in mind, body, and spirit. We pray for those whose bodies and minds are captive to disease or injury and for those whose minds and spirits are captive to grief or fear
We pray today especially for those affected by the school shooting in Sanski Most, Bosnia, for those harmed by the spread of mpox in the Congo, and for all the people of Israel, Palestine, the Ukraine and elsewhere whose souls and bodies are captive to war and injustice. Give us your compassion, so that we might proclaim with our words and our actions the hope that comes from your loving presence.

We Pray for a revival among Christian families across the world. 
We prayer for the Pastor in Australia who needs sustenance and strength to recoup from his illness to be able to continue God's work.
We pray for a lady in India who is undergoing medical tests and needs prayers for all to be fine.
We continue to prayer for a senior in India who is a patient of Parkinsons for her peace and strength and patience for her caregiver.
We pray for all those who needs jobs and going through financial difficulties.
We pray for a gentleman in India undergoing chemo for strength and well being.
"Please cover Julian, Thomas, Olivia, Esther and her mom, Abe, Phoebe, Andrew, Paul, Rachel, Michael, Susan with the blood of Jesus and lift them up to the throne of grace for mercy and timely help. Please ask Abba Father to put his hedge of protection around us. Thank you. May Abba Father bless you richly. amen amen"
"May God cover our family with safety, strength & healing. Tonya & Mallory need to lean on Him for blessings, miracles & hope with every breath in trust & faith".

Saturday Vespers

                                          

Studying Gods word is essential to a Christian, and prayer is essential to be able to study and understand Gods word & put it in practice. Yes, it includes intercession, it includes a call for help, it includes thanks and praise, but prayer is so much more.

Prayer is essential in studying the Bible. Asking the Holy Spirit for understanding and guidance can illuminate passages and reveal deeper truths. Prayer also helps apply the Scriptures to one’s life, aligning actions and decisions with God's will.(Crosswalk)

But most of all, that prayer helps us to dwell in the secret place of the "Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty".

So today, we pray for our own daily devotions, where the Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the message God wants to convey. We also want to pray for:

1. A Pastor in Melbourne who needs continued strength and healing to become fit to continue Gods work. We than God for His blessing till now.

2. We pray for Matt for healing of his tumor and strength for his family.

3. For Beth Laurens son who is suffering from mental illness. For her home and strength and wisdom to prevail.

4. For a senior citizen in India who is suffering from Dementia. May the family find a good elders home where he can be treated with love and dignity.

5. For a senior citizen in India who is suffering from Parkinsons. May she be blessed with Gods peace and strength and the caregiver may be blessed mightily with patience, strength and love.

If you have any specific prayer requests or would like Pastor Rajiv to pray for you, please send us a mail or simply write in the comments box. If you want anonymity that is guaranteed as neither your mail nor your comment request will be published. 

Seeds of Faith

                                                    
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.

Saturday Vespers

                                                  

As we relax on Saturdays, its time to not only think about ourselves but also all those people who need our prayers and support. We are sharing some prayer needs so that we all can support each other.

We want to pray for peace and normalcy to prevail in Bangladesh and protection of minorities there. 

We ask for divine intervention:-

For a Pastor in Australia and a senior citizen - :

We pray for healing and strength allowing him to continue his work for God. 

For a senior in India suffering from Dementia. We continue to  pray for her peace as well as strength for her caregiver.

For a senior in India suffering from a debilitating back pain, we ask for prayer of strength and healing. 

Tanu requests prayer saying:
Heavenly Father I thank you for the wonderful organization where you have blessed me and other families with a job. I continue praying that you look at us with mercy and favor, protect the organization from individuals who do not have good intentions for the company and for others, protect us from individuals with selfish ambitions and designs. For it is in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ that I do pray believing and trusting (everything has to have an end many people have been frustrated by this one person, enough is enough please consider the majority of us) Amen.

For Latvia and its people: After decades of Communism, the Soviet Union's collapse left a moral vacuum in Latvia which was quickly filled by opportunistic negative influences. Drug and alcohol abuse, a widespread sex trade, and high rates of abortion and suicide all point to significant needs. People often feel numb or even helpless. Latvia has done relatively well from a technology and development perspective, but needs prayer for the deeper and eternal needs of its people.

For all those who are without jobs, facing financial stress or health issues. 

PLEASE MAIL YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS TO: THISWEEKWITHJESUS@GMAIL.COM

Saturday Vespers

 

As we relax on Saturdays, its time to not only think about ourselves but also all those people who need our prayers and support. We are sharing some prayer needs so that we all can support each other.

For Upper Room readers who have requested prayers-

Kait  requests prayer saying:

Please pray that God relieves the pain in my body after a hard days work. Please pray that God will allow me to fulfill his calling for me for a long time. Thank you God for the many blessings you bestow

RN requests prayer saying:

Please pray my doctor’s appointment goes well tomorrow. Thank you so much.

Jlow requests prayer saying:

Prayer for my freedom. God bless those who are not.

For a senior in India suffering from Dementia. We pray for her peace as well as strength for her caregiver.

Please pray for Jim. Pray that he can work thru an issue that happened today. Pray for it to go well.

John requests prayer saying:

Please pray that my dad's hearing will be corrected and that at least one of his ears will start working again properly. Please pray in Jesus' precious name. Thanks.

Jason requests prayer saying:

Please pray for The Lord to Bless my Family and Myself with, PEACE, Good Health and Laughter.

Please pray for Jim. Pray that he can work thru an issue that happened today. Pray for it to go well.

Tressa - I have been depressed as my sister, whom I love, is in the hospital for her kidneys. I will gladly give her one of mine. Satan keeps bothering me with hopeless thoughts. I have listened to praise music, asked for prayers for her & and her s.o. They are so stubborn as to reconciliation., Please lift up J and J. I am so encouraged by prayer of the Body of Christ. Amen.

PLEASE MAIL YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS TO: THISWEEKWITHJESUS@GMAIL.COM

Who is your God?

Whatever continually occupies your mind is your God. Your job, worries, burdens, children, wife, husband... whoever comes first.
Why not give God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that place? That is not to say to ignore all others. But Those are responsibilities which we can fulfill with the help of our God.
It's not easy to relinquish control but do remember, every night when we sleep, by default we pass the control to God. It's time we gave Him priority in our conscious time and our attention as well.
Proverbs 3:6 proclaims, “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success,”

Gates and Fences

Growing up there was no television and going to the movies was a treat. The daily entertainment came from reading books. Two such book are ones I will never forget - All things bright and beautiful and All creatures Great and Small by James Heriot, a vet surgeon in rural England. 

His books are about his daily experiences as a vet and  Gods creation, farm animals, birds and other creatures in our daily life, as well as the challenges they face as do their owners and farmers. One common picture which will keep popping up is that of fences on farms, pens and enclosures where the animals are kept safe. A gate left open accidentally can result in tragedy for the animal, so the farmer makes sure all gates are shut. In case it is not and animals stray, they are sitting targets for wolves, speeding cars and other dangers, so the farmer immediately goes after the strays and tries to bring them back to safety.

This is much like our own shepherd who may leave 100 of us while we are in the safety of Gods hedge of protection, or fence, and goes after one lost person to bring them back to safety.
That the hedge, or wall or tent, of protection is a reality is clearly mentioned in Job where Satan states to God Job 1:10 “Have you not put a hedge (of protection) around him and his household and everything he has? "
This protection from God happens in 3 spheres - from outside elements, from ourselves and from our tendency to rebel and disobey.
Speaking from personal experience, This protection is so powerful it can move mountains of trouble. It is invoked not only when we ask, but is active 24x7. It protects even when we are not aware we need protection.
Today, if this is not a part of your daily prayer, we suggest you make it a daily ask. Just as we ask to be delivered from evil - which includes sickness, dangers, ill intentions as well as our own desires, allowing us to live less fearfully and more meaningfully.
Books by James Herriot in case you are interested.
All Things Bright and Beautiful:
The Classic Memoirs of a Yorkshire Country Vet https://amzn.in/d/0bBfgB5U
All Creatures Great and Small: The classic memoirs of a Yorkshire country vet https://amzn.in/d/01zGaC6l

Our 8 Watt Abilities

In his book, Pastoral Grit: the Strength to Stand and to Stay (Bethany), Craig Brian Larson writes:
"In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target.
"But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.
"And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. 'Perhaps most remarkable,' writes Jaroff, 'those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth."
The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Thats a lot like many Biblical characters and a lot like us. 

An ability we think is low, may actually be just what God needs to accomplish something. The question we need to ask ourselves is: What can I do for God? How can God use me? I can cook and clean: Is that good enough (Yes). I can run errands, is that useful (Yes). I can sew. I love to drive. I have green fingers. Yes. Yes to all. Think about yourself today. God made you for a purpose. And if you can't figure it out, go ask God. He is available 24X7! 

Remember, God does not need great orators, scientists, businessmen or women, leaders, etc.  In fact He does not need greatness at all, because He will make you great. All He needs is a contrite heart and a grateful mind. 

Living on the Edge

Some people know the true meaning of the words "God provides", because they have lived with nothing in hand, no idea from where they will meet their daily expense and yet they are able to. Quietly and without fanfare, through some God given providence.

While Gods provision is true for all, these people have lived on the edge of collapse, with nothing in sight except hope for Gods provision, unlike other people who have wealth or jobs or plans which they depend on, not realizing that even those were provided by God.

One is not better than the other. We all go through hard times, possibly living on the edge. We may feel let down or that life is unfair, but there is another perspective: it brings about true dependence on God. Such times remind us of the journey of Israel as they walked to the Promised Land. They were not allowed to store manna as an exercise in trusting Gods daily provision.

Why?

Ms. Francis Taylor explains it beautifully -

"We take these troubling events and turn them into powerful witness statements! The Holy Spirit leads us to opportunities where we can share our stories and comfort people who are experiencing the same turmoil".

We welcome all who may like to share their stories to encourage others.

When You Pray: Pastor Rajiv's Mid Week Message

 

The Little Foxes

"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 of things ... it's a long list to choose from, all get justified to us by being seemingly little. But which build and grow till they destroy.

We are the branches and if the Vine which connects us to our life source is destroyed, we too are destroyed.

It's not only the big ones we need to be sacred of but the small ones as well. What are the little foxes in our life? Can we identify the little foxes which are slowly but surely destroying the Vine of our life?