Lent2026: The Spiritual Marketplace

 

Many of us, when we are plagued with fear, often pray for a solution to our problem, be it health, finances, work etc., and even consult astrologers, mediums and so called spiritual "gurus", for an answer. We think God may need some help.

But there is a story in the Book of Acts 19:13–16 which serves as a dramatic, almost dark-comedy warning about trying to use spiritual power as if it were a magic trick or a business formula. It is known as the seven sons of Sceva. The text identifies Sceva as a "Jewish chief priest." While historical records of a high priest by that name are thin, he was likely part of a high-priestly family or claimed the title to give his sons "professional" credibility in the busy spiritual marketplace of Ephesus.

The seven brothers were itinerant exorcists—essentially "ghost hunters" for hire. Seeing the "extraordinary miracles" Paul was performing (like the ones in verse 12 we just discussed), they decided to upgrade their "incantation" by using Jesus' name as a new magical keyword.

The "Formula" They Used (v. 13): "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

When they tried this formula on a man possessed by an evil spirit, the spirit's response was chilling:

"Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?"

The possessed man then attacked all seven brothers with such supernatural strength that they fled the house naked and wounded. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Jesus did warn us of false prophets, false beliefs and trusting mediums, talismans etc. The questions is: Why not simply trust God? Is that so difficult? 

Monday Reset: The Manual of Life

 

Today, our Monday Weekly Reset, is focused on the sufficiency of Scripture, in a world moving at the speed of AI, where "answers" are generated in seconds. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of modern life, business, and relationships. We often look to the latest trends, experts, Social media or algorithms to tell us how to navigate our challenges.

However, the greatest "Answer Engine" ever created isn't digital—it’s the Word of God. Whatever your challenges this week, the Bible doesn’t just offer suggestions; it offers the Truth. It is the only source of wisdom that remains unchanged while everything else shifts. When we say "the Bible has the answers," we aren't saying life becomes easy; we are saying life becomes clear. It is THE Manual of Life. 

Here are a few examples 

1. When you feel overwhelmed by your workload:

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." — Proverbs 16:3

The Reset: Stop carrying the weight of the "how." Hand the "what" over to Him this morning.

2. When you are facing a difficult decision or uncertainty:

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." — Psalm 119:105

The Reset: You don’t need to see the whole staircase to take the first step. Trust the light you have for today.

3. When you feel inadequate or "behind" in life:

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." — 2 Peter 1:3

The Reset: You are already equipped. The "answers" aren't missing; they are waiting to be uncovered in your relationship with Him.

4. When the noise of the world causes anxiety:

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." — Romans 12:2

The Reset: If the world's answers are leaving you drained, change your source. Let the Word reset your perspective.

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The 3-Step Reset

• Consult the Manual First: Before you check your email or news feeds this week, check the Word. Let God have the first word of your day.

• Speak the Answer: When a challenge arises on Wednesday or Thursday, don't just complain about the problem. Find a verse that addresses it and speak it out loud. You will find in it the science of data analytics, of complex problem solving, of leadership and so on. 

• Operate in Authority: Walk into your meetings and your home knowing that you aren't guessing. You are operating on a foundation that has stood for thousands of years.

The Bible is not just a historical text, but a living, breathing manual for every modern challenge. The Bible Has THE Answer, No Matter the Challenge

Undeserved Hardhip

"Undeserved Hardship Bears Fruit When Borne with Christ" - Pastor Vikram

"For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God... To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." — 1 Peter 2:19, 21

There is a specific kind of ache that comes from suffering you didn’t ask for and didn't cause.

It’s the "undeserved hardship"—the layoff despite your hard work, the illness despite your health, or the betrayal despite your loyalty. Our natural instinct is to protest: "This isn't right."

And you’re right. It isn’t. But in the Kingdom of God, the "unfair" is often the soil for the supernatural.

When we face hardship we've earned (consequences of our own mistakes), we learn repentance. But when we face hardship we haven't earned, we are invited into a unique intimacy with Jesus because Jesus was the only person in history who suffered perfectly undeserved hardship. When we "bear up" under unjust pain while keeping our eyes on Him, we aren't just enduring; we are participating in the "fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). We begin to look, act, and love more like Him because we are walking the exact path He trod.

But the key is we need to bear it WITH Him. Not on our own.

If we bear that pressure alone, we often find bitterness, resentment, or exhaustion. But when we bear it with Christ, the pressure produces a different kind of vintage:

A Refined Character: Like gold in the fire, the "unjust" parts of life burn away our pride and self-reliance, leaving behind a soul that shines with God’s peace.

Supernatural Resilience & Strength : You discover a strength that isn't yours. It is $Strength_{Total} = Strength_{Self} + Grace_{God}$. When your strength hits zero, His grace remains constant.

A Harvest for Others: The most powerful testimony is not the person who is blessed when everything goes right; it is the person who is joyful when everything goes wrong. Your endurance becomes a "map" for others lost in their own dark valleys.

Today maybe a good time to reflect - 

Am I currently trying to "solve" my hardship through my own strength, or am I "bearing up" under it with a consciousness of God's presence?

Can I trust that even if the situation is unfair, God is still a just God?

If you are unsure - do reach out to us and we can share some more or connect you to someone who can help support. 

Monday Reset: Consulting the Divine

 

Read: 2 Samuel 5 :23

When we read the Bible, or recollect the various writings, do not look on them as mere stories. They are a lighthouse to guide us.

One of the primary characters of the Bible is King David. While his personal life maybe what it was, professionally he made a very successful king and a great warrior and leader.

But what can we learn from him?

Recall David and the Philistines. He had just beaten them hollow in war and yet they rise again against them. In that situation what would you or I have done? Filled with the confidence and joy of victory, would we not have rushed back again to fight them?

Not so David. 

He stepped back, consulted God and only after receiving the go ahead, did he go and fight and win again.

In our own lives, how many times do we consult God? Do we do it before every action? Or do we do it only when we feel unsure and not confident.

Usually, we take action first then pray for its success. Wrong.

Pray and consult God first and then wait for success.

This week let us practise consulting God in every action or decision we need to take - personally or professionally.

Heavenly Father- as we start the week, we bring to you every situation, action and decision we will face this week. We do not know what will make or break us. But you know Father, so we put it to you for your direction. Show us what you would have us do. Amen.

Have a great week.

Monday Morning Reset:

What does Monday Feel like? A deep breath at the start of the week? A moment to realign your heart before everything begins moving again?

Mondays can feel like a rush — a fresh start wrapped in pressure, expectations, and long to‑do lists. But before the week begins to pull you in every direction, God invites you to pause… to reset… to remember who goes before you.

“My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”

— Exodus 33:14 (KJV)

A reset doesn’t mean starting over. It means starting with Him.

Lay down the weight you carried from last week.

Receive the strength God has already prepared for you.

Step into the week with peace instead of pressure.

Trust that nothing ahead of you is bigger than the God within you. 

You don’t need to have everything figured out today.

You just need to take the first step with Him.

Monday Morning Reset: New Mercies for a New Week

​“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23

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The Weekly Word is: "Steadfast"

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Mondays often feel like a mountain we have to climb. We look at the week ahead—the meetings, the chores, the "to-do" lists—and we feel like we have to provide all the energy ourselves.

​But look at the verse above. The word isn't "Your energy is new every morning" or "Your productivity is great." It says His mercies are new.

​You don't have to carry the weight of last week’s mistakes into this week. You don't even have to carry the weight of this week's expectations yet. Today is a fresh slate provided by a God who isn't tired, even if you are.

​Take a deep breath. Read this slowly:

​"Father, thank You for a new Monday. I surrender my 'to-do' list to You. Before I try to be productive, help me to simply be present with You. When the week gets loud, remind me of Your steadfast love. Give me the strength for just today, and the grace to handle whatever comes my way. Amen."

​This week, whenever you feel overwhelmed stop and whisper the word: "Steadfast." Remind yourself that while your circumstances change, His presence remains the same.

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Sabbath Prayers

 

Please join us in our Sunday Prayer for the week. We request your support in adopting prayer points for people mentioned, in your own prayers this week and become vessels of your healing. 

For Sabbath Prayers 

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Street Food and Hunger: A Short Story

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew Chapter 25
God works. And He does not do things with a wave of a magic wand, but through people like you and me. We all can be used for good, in some way, big or small.

Let me relate a short story of a simple act of kindness and love, which I happened to have witnessed.

"Every place in the world has two common things: street food and hunger.

One day, a person, call him X (since I do not know his name), saw some enticing street food being cooked. It was a rainy day and the smell of the food, hot on the stove, was more than he could resist. He walked over to get some packed for himself. As he was waiting with the rest of the customers, he noticed a small girl, maybe 6 or 8 years old, dirty, filthy and obviously hungry. She went from person to person begging for some food. Most people ignored her; the shop worker scolded her half heartedly; he had seen enough hungry folks to know she was ravenous.

One customer broke off a morsel of her food and offered it to the girl who politely refused.

The little girl waited for a while, maybe in hope, but then finally gave up, resigned to her fate. She went to the water stand and drank lots of water filling her stomach. Water was free. 

Seeing all this, this gentleman X who had had his food packed, was moved enough to pay for a plate of food and told the shop worker to give it to her. The worker, himself poor, showed his happiness. He did not wait to be thanked. He simply walked away.

When we witness such acts of unselfishness, caring and love, regardless of how someone is -  dressed or filthy, we realize that that God in Heaven is looking down at each one of the 8 Billion people in this world, and looks to us to care and to provide. Such acts of humility and empathy prove that God has still not given up on man. God has not given up on me.

“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” — Mahatma Gandhi.

So this Lenten season and thereafter, do not pass a hungry person. 

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?