This Week With Jesus

"Learn in the little daily things of life to delay action until you get my guidance. So many lives lack poise. For in the momentous decisions a d the big things of life, they ask My help but into the small things they rush alone. By what you do in small things those around you are most often antagonized or attracted" . (God Calling) When we think of God, we picturize the word awesome - which conveys something grand and unimaginable, so psychologically we associate everything big with God and tend not to bother Him for smaller, everyday life things. But the fact is that not only is God not limited to the extraordinary, but He also wants to be part of and help in everyday small issues and activities of life. For example- when we pray for an important meeting, do we also mention that we need His help to reach on time? Or choice of clothes? Or when we want to buy a home item, do we ask His opinion? A good way to start could be to discuss the days plan with Him when we pray first ...

There us a story in Africa which goes like this: "In Africa, when the sun comes up, the gazelle wakes up early, ready to run her fastest or she will be hunted, killed and be eaten. At the same time the lion also gets up, also ready to run the fastest, faster than the gazelle, because if he doesn't, he will go hungry. The point is this: it does not matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you better be running". Our lives as Christians are exactly the same . Except that we are not hunters; we are being hunted. Unlike the gazelle who runs away from the lion, we need to run away from satanic forces and take refuge in and surrender to God. We are called to a Daily Surrender of the way we live our lives, to our creator and Lord, and to do His will. The rest He will do as He has promised in Psalm 91. In this context, Jesus said - And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. L...

Have you ever found yourself working hard towards a goal or trying to catch a break only to come up empty handed? Happens to the best of us. Maybe you have been hoping for a promotion at work, or praying for a healing of a relationship. Whatever it maybe, we can all relate to the feeling of disappointment and frustration when our efforts seem to go unnoticed. In Luke 5:5 we find Simon Peter and his companions in a similar situation. They had been fishing all night without any success. But when Jesus told them to let down their nets once more, despite their exhaustion and doubts they listened and caught so many fish that their nets began to break. The key to this miraculous catch wasn’t the timing or the location. Rather it was in their willingness to trust in Jesus’ word, even when it was illogical, defied their knowledge and their experience and counterintuitive. Simon could have easily dismissed Jesus' advice citing his own experience and knowledge as a professional fisherman. Ye...

If we think we have troubles, remember, the man after God’s own heart was not exempt from trouble, nay, his life was full of it. As maybe ours. We all face desperate moments in our lives, so it maybe interesting to look for "desperate moments" in the Bible and draw inspiration. While the Bible doesn't explicitly label moments as "desperate," we can certainly identify situations where individuals or groups faced extreme peril, emotional distress, or seemingly insurmountable challenges, leading to feelings of desperation. Let us think deeply about these moments, put ourselves in the place of the protagonist and think: What would we have done?  1. Hagar in the Wilderness (Genesis 21:14-19): After being sent away by Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael are in the wilderness of Beersheba, and their water runs out. Hagar lays her son under a bush, walks a distance away, and weeps, saying, "Let me not look on the death of the child." This is a desperate cry from a mot...

  "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come" - Rabindranath Tagore "When I fall sick, I am taken to a hospital where I surrender to the nurses, attendants and doctors. They put me in a wheelchair and take me where I do not know, put me on machines I do not recognize and do tests which the doctors have ordered. I am completely in their hands. Then I wonder, when I can trust the doctors, nurses and attendants for my well being, and surrender myself, why do I have a problem surrendering to God? Why cant I let God push my wheelchair?" - Pastor Jolly Raj, Bethel Methodist Church, India. " Faith is the bird that feels the light, when the dawn is still dark". - Rabindranath Tagore "Pray; and as you pray, surrender; and as you surrender, believe". - Aiden Wilson Tozer It is not our business to make the message acceptable, but to make it available. We are not to see that they like it, but that they ge...

                  You will never be saved against your will; God drags nobody to heaven by the ears.  Charles Spurgeon This life is the only hell believers will ever know. But for those who die in their sins, this is their only heaven -  Ray Comfort Let me remind you that this is God's universe, and He is doing things His way. You may think you have a better way, but you don't have a universe to rule -  J. Vernon McGee When we share Christ, the Truth behind our transformation, we are offering people an opportunity to be transformed -  David Jeremiah Too many Christians live their Christian lives inside their heads; it never gets out through hands and feet and lips -  Vance Havner When the Lord's white sheep become dirty gray, all black sheep feel more comfortable -  Vance Havner If you see a Bible that is falling apart, it probably belongs to someone who isn't!  Vance Havner God often hides His blessing in t...

As in the past, we would like to humbly request all our readers to pray, not only for their own needs but also for some people whom we know to need your prayers. Your prayers can make a powerful difference in the lives of those who are struggling, seeking strength, and hoping for a better tomorrow. Let us come together in faith and compassion, offering our heartfelt prayers for healing, comfort, and guidance for those in need. Your continued support and prayers are deeply appreciated. Prayer Needs Grazia requests prayer saying: Thank you God for blessings favor victorious wins protecting my children family home and I. God I pray for an amazing job where everyone prospers I am earning twice what I'm earning now. Send unexpected income from unexpected positive resources so I can provide for my family. Thank you God for family healing health prosperity and financial abundance . allanrking requests prayer over his Finances, Permanent Housing, Wisdom, Discretion & for a Hedge of Pr...

Today we going to continue our series of messages on prayer based on O.S. Hawkins’ book the prayer code. How many of you have heard of the term “prayer partnership?” Prayer partnership is when two people tie up and make a pact to pray together at the same pre-decided time even though they may be located at different places. Now we may not be practicing prayer partnership in our own lives even though it is a practice that brings considerable blessing but all of us each one of us who are believers in the lord Jesus Christ has a prayer partner. Surprised? Yes, the holy spirit is our personal prayer partner. He is with us all the time, he searches our hearts & helps in our weaknesses and, above all intercedes for us according to god’s will. The Holy Spirit lives in the life of every believer who has called on the name of our lord Jesus Christ. Hawkins explains that our bodies are the holy spirit’s Holy place and because he is in us, he does on our bodies what our lord Jesus Christ...

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart". Psalms 26:2 KJV I remember as a child in school, when we had to take the class test it was scary. there was fear, excitement and hope - hope that somehow I would pass that test and be rewarded by my father and mother with a chocolate. Years later, as a young man in graduation, taking an exam was again filled with trepidation and hope. Hope that I would clear it and move onto to a great future. When God puts us to the test, it can be scary, exciting, confusing, and, sometimes, altogether painful. There is warfare when God exposes something we are not aware of. The enemy comes to deceive us when we try to ignore or refuse to listen to the still small voice of God within us. But, as in childhood tests and exams, there is a hope which can motivate us. That hope is a life where we are mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually free - a life which God provides. Let us therefore, not argue or think to reason with...

I paused last eve beside the blacksmith's door, And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime; And looking in I saw upon the Floor, Old hammers, worn with beating years of time. “How many anvils have you had?” said I, “To wear and batter all these hammers so?” “Just one,” he answered. Then with twinkling eye: “The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.” And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s Word For ages sceptics’ blows have beat upon, But though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unchanged, the hammers gone. -John Clifford

Let week Pastor Rajiv talked about something called arrow prayers. Arrow prayers are short prayers that only take a few seconds to pray—they are “shot” up to God in a moment. They help to penetrate darkness or fear and direct our thoughts quickly to God, especially when we feel particularly weak, vulnerable, or scared. The devil hates these kinds of prayers because they reveal the faith and hope of the one praying them. Arrow Prayers remind us that prayer doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful! We see an example of an arrow prayer in verse four of Nehemiah 2. As Nehemiah is walking toward the king, he quickly shoots off an arrow prayer. We don’t know what his prayer was, but it might have sounded like, “God of heaven, give me favor with the king,” or “God of heaven, protect me.” Another example is of Peter as he walks on the water towards Jesus, shifting his eyes from Jesus he starts sinking and cries our - "Lord Save me". Arrow prayers can form a sort of a conversatio...

God is there all the time. We need to look for His hand in all that has taken place in my life, I need to remember all he has done; be aware of times when we have been protected against all reason. We need to remember his "Rod and His stick". That is what will create our faith and keep strengthening it. It is equally important to remember those experiences. A good way to do that maybe to create a "legacy Bible" - A record of our own thoughts and experiences as we go through our daily devotional coupled with our daily experiences.  This is a great reminder not only to us but also a great gift for our children as they too will understand our spiritual journey in this material world. It is also a wonderful way to remember His blessings and answered prayers - ours as well as for others.  A way to ensure we are not like the nine who did not return to thank Jesus. 

Its Monday morning and as everyone gets busy with work at the workplace or at home, we get focused on the week ahead and the various jobs and transactions which are lined up. We get so focused on work we seldom see people or things around us; one is reminded of a popular story about a man who got marooned and prayed and hoped that God would save him. When a ship passed by, he waved it away as did he when a helicopter came. He kept waiting for God to save Him. Eventually he died and went to heaven where he questioned God on why he wasn't saved? God replied, " I sent you a ship and a helicopter, but you refused both. What more did you expect?" This is a far-fetched story, but the point is that sometimes God answers our prayers in unexpected ways and sometimes we have to take action to make things happen. We not only have to ask but also seek and knock. We have to be aware of things around us, so we recognize when God sends an answer.  Today, at the start of the week, is the...

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  As we usually do on Saturday, we are escalating various prayer needs to you, our readers for your support through your prayers. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear His voice each day, we who are anxious over many things look forward to His coming among us. He comes to us through other people and their love and concern for us. He comes to us through men and women who need our help.  We have been praying for her for some time, and today, as this new year begins, we bring her to You for Your healing hand. We also ask for healing and pain relief for a senior lady in the Delhi area of India, who is suffering from back pain. In the extreme cold, we ask for Your healing touch and protection. May Your healing touch rest upon them both. Today the world also needs your prayer support:  Peace for All Nations: We pray for peace in every land. May conflicts be resolved, and may leaders seek wisdom and compassion. Help us to bridge divides and foster understanding...

1 Corinthians 12:14 ESV "For the body does not consist of one member but of many". 1 John 4:7-8 ESV  "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love". In the quaint town of Willow Creek, nestled amidst rolling hills, lived a solitary old watchmaker named Mr. Silas. He had a small shop on the main street, its windows adorned with intricate clocks, each ticking away with a rhythm that seemed to echo the quiet rhythm of his life. Mr. Silas was known for his meticulous craft, his hands, weathered by time, capable of repairing even the most delicate of mechanisms. Yet, he was often seen alone, his days spent in the quiet hum of his workshop, surrounded by gears and springs. One rainy afternoon, a young girl named Lily wandered into Mr. Silas' shop, her worn-out shoes squeaking on the wooden floor. Lily was new to Willow Creek, and as she expl...

Some time back we had related a popular African folk story about how, in the jungle at dawn, all the animals get up and get to work. The gazelle knows it must outrun the fastest leopard or be eaten, and the leopard knows it must outrun the fastest gazelle or go hungry. Like them, with each day of blessed awakening, a Christian must also revive and persevere. The cares of the day, concerns, sickness, troubles, financial burdens, temptations - all wear us down, and just as the leopard wears down its prey till it succumbs, so does the world and its diverse temptations and troubles, wear down our resistance. The only way we can overcome is to renew and revive every morning with time devoted to conversing with God, reviewing our life, asking our questions to gain understanding so that we do not follow a blind faith but a faith based on understanding, knowledge and experience. Everyday is a new day and every day we learn something new from His word. Everyday we have new experiences which ...

The power of prayer is well known and experienced. What possibly may not be so known is the power of corporate prayer. It is power multiplied to the power of 'n'. We bring prayer requests to you every week for this very reason: everyone mentioned here needs you. We have seen the results of your prayer as well: The Pastor who's wife has stage four cancer seems to be getting better. She is happier, more health and her appetite is coming back, which is always a good sign. The Pastor in Melbourne is now fine, doing well and back to his ministry. We want you to know that your prayers are making a difference so please do continue . Remember this verse - "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ". —Galatians 6:2 (NRSV) Today we bring these requests for you - - Miranda requests prayer saying: May STEVES SURGERY GO SMOOTHLY AND HEAL HIM - We ask you to continue to prayer for the Pastor in India for the healing of his wife and a an mira...

 

We often hear these buzz words - "Trust in God". We hear it sermons and most of all we hear it from well-wishers when we are in some trouble or a possible rock bottom. Its even printed on currency as - "In God we Trust".  It's easy to say; easy to hear; but very difficult to listen and do. Often this line becomes "jargon". So how can we actually develop trust in God? First let's get it clear: Building trust is an ongoing process. It's not overnight and instantaneous. It requires faith, patience, and a willingness to surrender control . It's about believing in His plan and timing, even when life is uncertain. Here are a few things we can do: Get to Know God Every time I read the Bible, I learn something new about God. Charles Spurgeon, a renowned preacher, once said, "Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years." This emphasizes the idea that the Bible is an ever-deepening source of wisdom and revelat...