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 ...

                                                      Matthew 13:19 "When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side". In the days of old, there was no Bible, no word of God written somewhere. So when God needed to communicate he did so through prophets. They had a calling, were receptive to God's communication through dreams and signs, were blessed with wisdom and knew human nature of those times. Today, we find all these qualities in Gods word, and hence, just as it was critical to listen to what the prophets said then, it is critical for us to read and understand Gods word now - to gain His wisdom, knowledge and His instruction for our lives. To do this we need to go beyond just reading the word. We nee...

A life-changing reality is a profound shift in one's understanding of themselves, the world, or both, leading to a significant alteration in their values, beliefs, and ultimately, their life path. It's not merely a new piece of information, but an experience, insight, or realization that fundamentally alters one's perspective. It is the tipping point, after which one experience triggers change in thought, action and priorities. John 9:25 states: “He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” This verse reflects the testimony of a man who was healed by Jesus, emphasizing the transformative power of faith and healing. The context of this verse highlights the man's acknowledgment of his previous blindness and newfound sight, symbolizing spiritual awakening and understanding. The blind man in this story went through such a change when he experienced a life changing reality: Jesus. And he could not de...

  Every time we deny ourselves in order to serve someone else, we grow in Christ." ~ David Jeremiah "Faith is not limited to affirming the existence of God. No, faith tells us that God loves us and demands a loving response. This response is given through love for human beings, and that is what we mean by a commitment to God and to our neighbor." ~ Gustavo Gutiérrez "Even the best of Christians are troubled by the question, "Why does an almighty God send, or at least allow, suffering?" When you are nagged by thoughts like this, say to yourself, "I am still in elementary school. When I graduate from the university of Christian life, I will understand His ways better and doubts will cease." ~ Richard Wurmbrand "It is my desire, in the office of a Christian minister, to do nothing which I cannot do with my whole heart. Having said this, I have said all." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson "As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement fo...

  Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  This verse beautifully illustrates the daily renewal of God's grace and mercy, offering a fresh start each day to each of us.  Isaiah too gave similar counsel in chapter 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."   This encourages us to look forward to the new things God is doing and a daily spiritual renewal and revival for each one.  So, every day let us be happy for another day to live.  Today is a New Day so thank you for a chance for a new start. Yesterday's gone and with it are our failures, mistakes and regrets. Lets ask God to help us to start again. It's a good day to give thanks for this life. A new oppo...

"God has a time for everything, a perfect schedule. He is never too soon, never too late. The when of His will is as important as the what and the how." ~ Richard Halverson "A grateful heart is like a sponge that soaks up God's goodness." ~ Joel Osteen "God sees in you a masterpiece about to happen" ~ Max Lucado "God loves purity so well He had rather see a hole than a spot in His child's garments." ~ William Gurnall "Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping your enemy will die." ~ Joyce Meyer "The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." ~ Soren Kierkegaard "I don't want to play with marbles, when God told me to move mountains!" ~ Reinhard Bonnke "Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, 'My life for your life." ~ Timothy Keller "In reading our newspapers today, we can se...

Despite the actions of Adam and Eve, and Eve's role in those events, God recognized the immense value and strategic importance of a woman as a wife. If Eve possessed the ability to influence Adam toward rebellion, she also had the potential to guide him toward faithfulness and obedience to God. In this light, the modern-day woman embodies a vital role—serving as God’s influencer within the family. A wife has the capacity to inspire spiritual growth and foster faithfulness and godliness in her husband and children. Her influence, however, extends far beyond the boundaries of her immediate family, reaching into society, the church, the workplace, and the broader community. Thus, today's Eve holds a very important position : that of being Gods influencer in the family. The Bible features numerous women who wielded significant influence, demonstrating strength, faith, and leadership. Here are a few notable examples: Miriam: She was a prophetess and played a crucial role in the earl...

There is this story of a man who was asked what he gained by praying so much to God. The man replied nothing. But I lost a lot. How so, he was asked, what did you lose? "I lost anger, greed, ego, insecurity and fear of death to start with". On reading this, maybe fictitious, story, one thinks - what did I gain or lose by praying and spending time with God? For starters we may gain a relationship with the Father. By having that we can be assured that all things, no matter how dismal they may look today, work together for our good. So that builds up faith. We also realize we are under His protection. That builds up a sense of security. We also realize that He is very real, because we see Him at work in our life. Therefore, He exists in a realm which is our destination and therefore death is not final. And till then, we are at peace with ourselves and our fellow men, which adds to happiness Finally, our deep peace comes from not being at loggerheads with God over who's will ...

 

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 authori...

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...

  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 a...

Moses' first speech in Deuteronomy is a profound historical review that serves to remind the Israelites and us, of their/our past, instruct them in the present, and prepare them for the future. The speech is found in Deuteronomy 1:1–4:43 and is a foundational text for understanding the covenant relationship between God and Israel and, today, between God and us. Through this speech, Moses calls the Israelis to remember God's faithfulness, learn from their history, and commit to a life of obedience and trust in the Lord as they stand on the brink of the Promised Land. This speech is as relevant today as it was then; we too have travelled the Christian's road and many of us stand ready to be prepared for the future. Our memories of "good" are short but we seldom forget the "bad" - and which necessitates a hard look at the past so that we do not forget God's infinite blessings and so that we can be strong and confident of the future. "As Moses is gi...

                                                                   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 s...

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, o ne 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 fo...

Matthew 17: Verses 1-9 About eight days after Jesus had made certain statements (likely referring to his impending suffering and death), he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.  As Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. The three of them were looking at God! One wonders how and when and if we too will see God or encounter God in our earthly life. Ms. Francis Taylor answers this question in a simple and beautiful way, and we reproduce it here: "When I asked myself that question (if I will see God), I came up with so many answers they were too long to list! However, I will name a few: looking into the faces of my newborn children and grandchildren, watching the waves break on a stormy day, standing in Denali, looking up at Mt. McKinley, a crocus peeking out of the snow, seeing the sunrise and/or sunset over the ocean, seeing the look of love in the eyes of a spouse or a ch...

 

                           "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...

In an earlier post about following Jesus, we talked about making idols in our lives, contrary to the 1st commandment. We think we don't, but we do. Rev Francis says - "Every time we put our needs before God, we set ourselves up as gods. Every time we choose pleasure, money, sports before God, we have created idols for ourselves." Is it any wonder that Jesus said that we need to forsake what the world gives us to be able to follow Him? He never said that we should not enjoy the good things we have - but let not those things become "Gods" and give them priority over that one true God. It could be something as simple as time. We can't serve Jesus because our job takes up too much time. It could be our family or a party or TV or sports. This does not mean we should not have or do these things. It simply means we must develop a habit to consciously give priority to Jesus over everything else, which comes second. Today, let's review our life, and without a bia...

Did you know that the Early followers of Christ were called followers of "the way" ? The term "Christianity" came much later. Let us pause and think why were they called that? What was "the way"? The answer will open the door to another basic question: why should anyone follow Christ? Because Christ offered true followers a pathway to salvation. Jesus was and is the way to our salvation. Thus, our ultimate goal to follow a resurrected Jesus is because He is the way to salvation.  How may you ask? Jesus said to take up our cross and follow Him - essentially symbolizing the end of our earthly self and a new beginning. When a person carried a cross in Jesus’ day, no one thought of it as a persistent annoyance or symbolic burden . It was literal! "To a person in the first century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by crucifixion. To carry a cross was to face the most painful and humiliating means of death human beings could develop. Two...