A.S.K : Pastor Rajiv's Mid Week Message

Ask, Seek and Knock. 

Matthew &:7 says - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you".

But how do we know if what we are asking for is the Will of God? Pastor Rajiv discusses this very important aspect of the ASK principle today in his message. 

 

 

Praemonitus, praemunitis: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

Forewarned is forearmed


The definition of a proverb is a short saying that is widely used to express an obvious truth. Proverbs were used in ancient days to convey a truth in a picturesque form. They were used frequently in the Vedas as well as the Bible.

The Book of Proverbs is a book of the Bible that contains truths or words of wisdom from Solomon (considered the wisest King of Israel),  and other wise Israelis, or general sayings which are considered wise.

Given this we start today a daily series on the Book of Proverbs. We will draw extensively from the Aramaic and Greek versions so as to get to the true meaning of what is written, and not lost through translations.

So today we focus on what is wisdom.


Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”


The Greek word used in the original texts is "phobos" which means respect, reverence, awe. It's a combination of all three. It us the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do.

This link between fear and God means we cannot possess wisdom if we recreate God in our own image. He is not our buddy to bless us and help us and give us what we want.

The Lord God Almighty is far greater than that, and the fear of the Lord begins when we see Him in His majesty and power and judgement. And because of this fear as described above, we wish and try not to offend Him.

Wisdom therefore, is merely seeing life from God’s perspective and responding accordingly. Wisdom is a priority, and we are told to seek it above all else, so that the choices we make in life are choices which are in line with Gods plan and wish for us.

Choices- Our Daily Reflection

We are not Robots. We all have the ultimate freedom - the freedom of choice.

“Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” (Moses 3:17).

We are also free to choose between good and bad and live our life the way we choose to.

God has given us this gift, the gift of free will, the freedom to choose. Why? Because He would have us as His children, not as His slaves. God created humanity in the image of God and called them to partner with him in expanding his creation. But partnership requires trust, so God gave humanity the freedom to make their own choices.

So we can either choose to work and live with God, following His ways or we can choose to live our life, according to our minds and heart. Sadly, humans often make the choice to trust their own wisdom over God’s.

What really influences our choices is our subconscious or conscious  belief, or non belief, that physical death is not  final. If we believe that physical death is not final and that our God awaits us after our life on earth is over, we will make sure our choices are based on Gods guidance and will. On the other hand if we don't believe that, then it really doesn't make a difference in what I do or choose. I could be a robber or a murderer and nothing to it.

So if we truly believe our souls live on, awaiting judgement, awaiting resurrection, we make careful choices, choices which go beyond physical life.

So the moot question is that while we follow Jesus, do we really believe Him? 

Do we believe when He said  -

John 11 ver 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;"

And if we do believe Him, then let's believe in This verse as well and make that choice.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" 

The καρπός: Fruit of the Spirit (Contd)

Yesterday we talked about Love and Joy, we continue today with the rest of the seven.

Peace - eirene

The Biblical concept of peace, εἰρήνη (eirene) in Greek, is:  inclusive of life without conflict, as well as wholeness and harmony with God and others. A life of peace is safe and secure both physically and mentally.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

“Peace is a result of allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and minds. When we have peace, we are from fear and worry about finances, our safety, our salvation, and our eternal life. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is seen in the peace that comes even when our circumstances are far from tranquil. (Penny Noyes)

Jesus encouraged his followers in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Forbearance - makrothumia

Makrothumia is used to express a slow human reaction toward another human being or of God waiting long to bring judgment against man. Makrothumia is a necessity in Christian fellowship, as well as in ministry. This is because successful fellowship and ministry among Christians happens only when human reactions are under control. People need the ministry of God's Spirit, not the human reaction and opinions of others. It is produced by God's Spirit alone. It is not an ability possessed by a human being, nor is it the result of human effort.

Makrothumia can also be described as long tempered as opposed to short tempered. The usual English words are patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, longsuffering, and slowness in avenging wrongs.

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to withstand challenging situations with perseverance and endurance.

Kindness - chréstotés

Strong's Concordance states chréstotés as goodness, excellence, uprightness (Strong’s Lexicon). Again, these are characteristics of the heart rather than outward actions. In modern times we can represent all those words by “kindness” (KJV), which is a quality (Webster), not an action in itself. There “acts of kindness” or a “kind act” are based on the quality of kindness.

chréstotés conveys the meaning of moral goodness, integrity, usefulness, and benignity, all enabled by the Holy Spirit without getting trapped in self-righteousness judgement, but lead to repentance through the kindness of God.

Romans 2:4

4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Goodness – agathosune

Agathosune describes a positive moral quality characterized especially by interest in the welfare of others. It is not only about being good but doing good as well, therefore “goodness” is seen in our actions.

So putting it simply and as per 2 Thessalonians 1:11,

“We pray for God's power to help you do all the good things you hope to do and your faith makes you want to do.” Through the Holy Spirit's work in Christians' lives, they are upright in heart, and they do good things.

Like any human action, first you need to want to do something; second you hope to be able to do it, which means that there is a passion to want to do it and lastly you actually do it. That is what Paul was talking about in this verse, that the Holy Spirit helps us in all three aspects of doing good – want, hope and action.

Faithfulness – pistis

Pistis means conviction of the truth of anything. In Biblical terms we know it as faith. However, we contrast it to faithfulness which is an ongoing practise of faith. Why do I say that? Because Faith is belief and faithfulness is belief in action, or faith in action. So the question is – is our salvation through belief in Christ or is it through our acts of faithfulness?

I think this question deserves personal thought and reading to understand since we are clear that salvation cannot be earned through action.

In the New Testament, faith is the belief in God and the conviction that Jesus is the Messiah through whom we obtain eternal salvation. The reason we are highlighting this is because

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”

Gentleness – prautes

The NKJV translates the Greek word prautes as "gentleness," while the KJV uses "meekness." II Corinthians 10:1 refers to Christ's meekness (prautes) and gentleness (epieikeia) as separate virtues. Prautes describes a condition of mind and heart—an internal attitude—whereas gentleness (mildness combined with tenderness) refers to actions—an external behavior. Although English has no direct equivalent words to prautes, "meekness" comes closest. The drawback to this is that in modern English "meekness" carries the stigma of weakness and cowardliness. In contrast, the meekness manifested by God and given to the saints is the fruit of power. It is enduring injury with patience and without resentment.

Self Control – egkrateia

According to Strong, egkrateia means mastery, self control which is the ability to control one’s body and its sensual appetites and desires – physically and mentally.

This kind of self control cannot be but 100%, meaning that either we have it or we don’t. And the only way to complete self control is though the power of the Holy Spirit. According to penny Noyes – “Self-control relates to both chastity and sobriety, particularly moderation in eating and drinking. Self-control is the opposite of the works of the flesh that indulge sensual desires.”

As Galatians 5:16 says “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

Conclusion

This discussion is mainly to help understand the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In a nutshell –

• It is the presence of God in our lives
• Indicates a strong relationship with Christ
• The fruit of the spirit are the inward and outward effects of the Holy Spirit in our life.

In Matthew 7:16-20, Jesus warned his followers to be wary of false teachers, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

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Notes and Credits

This study was based on the article What Are the Fruits of the Spirit? Bible Meaning and Examples by Penny Noyes.

Other credits as stated. 

You can Download a free PDF for "Living By the Holy Spirit Power - A Prayer and Scripture Guide"  here.

The καρπός: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

Yesterday we talked about the heavenly team of God the father, God the son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit of God. We also understood that once we have committed to Jesus and received our “saving” , we are left by Him with the Holy Spirit to change us. This change has also been defined in the Bible and known as the Fruits of the Spirit – meaning the inner and outer effect the Holy Spirit will have on us.

Today let’s look at the Fruit of the Spirit, with their original words in Greek, and see what they actually meant, in their original form. The Greek word καρπός  or Karpos that we translate  as “fruit” usually means fruit in the sense of edible fruits and vegetables, but it can also be translated as offspring, deed, action, result or  outcome. 

Galatians 5:22-23

22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγὰπη - Strong's #26), joy, peace, longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα), kindness, goodness, faith,

23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

There is only ONE Fruit! 

What is amazing is that Paul has referred to fruit as in a singular form, but goes onto to name seven outcomes. The word for "fruit" is singular indicating that there is only one fruit of God's Spirit, with many parts making up the whole. That is to say that the one fruit of God's Spirit is comprised of the nine components described here in these verses. Just as there are many elements making up one piece of fruit, so there are many elements working together to make up the one fruit of God's Spirit. 

This tells us that one part of the fruit cannot be separated from the others. Now let's look at the different parts of that one fruit. 

Love – Agape.

The Bible mentions Love as the first fruit. We all know what Love means and there are difference forms of Love. However the original text defines it as “agape”, a Greek word. Agape’ is perfect love that only God can give. Note the difference as Greek defines love in multiple formats – eros or sexual love, philos or brotherly love. Agape is Godly love or the kind of love God has towards man who actually does not deserve it. According to Vine’s dictionary – “it expresses the deep and constant ‘love’ and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential ‘love’ in them towards the Giver, and a practical 'love’ towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver,”. We are to practise this kind of Love towards one another, because this is the love God has for us. This also indicates that we cannot and do not have to deserve this love from God. He has it for us in every situation. So as we receive from God, we share it with our fellow men and women.

This is the same kind of love Jesus has for us - “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Agape, then leads to Joy.

Joy – Chara (pronounced Khara)

Chara in Greek is noun which describes a feeling of inner gladness, delight or rejoicing. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behaviour. Joy is not an experience that comes from favorable circumstances but is God’s gift to believers. Joy is a part of God’s very essence and His Spirit manifests this supernatural joy in His children (Galatians 5:22-note, Acts 13:52,).

Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. (Percept Austin)

Let us internalize this today and discover the meanings of the rests of the parts tomorrow. 

The Dream Team: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

In a relay race, there can be no individual winner. It's the team. We are taught about the importance of teamwork in every school, college, university and work. But do we know that the best example of team work is as old as God?

While many people do not give much thought to the doctrine of the Trinity, because of its seeming unimportance and irrelevance, it actually is absolutely essential for the Christian faith to be true. The biblical teaching of one God in three persons is at the heart of Christian belief.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all work together to achieve one common objective: the Salvation of mankind. Of you and me.

They have their roles cut out: God created us; Jesus saved us; and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us. 

Once we have committed our selves to Christ what is the difference between our old self and new self? It's the presence of the Holy Spirit in us who now gives us the fruits of the spirit 

Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

These fruits make us visible to the world as Christians and believers of Christ. The contrast is between the acts of the flesh versus our actions when the Holy Spirit resides in us. The this heavenly "dream team" works together towards creation, saving and sanctification - all three being equally important. Tomorrow we will talk about the fruits of the spirit in a little more detail. 

Walking with God: Pastor John Mohammad, Melbourne as Guest Speaker

Pastor John Mohammad is a regular guest speaker at the Hilton Street Church and those who follow their services online, or in person, would know him quite well. As ex policeman, Pastor John combines his experience and his faith to witness to God. 

Today Pastor John talks about what it means to walk with God. 

Walking Humbly: pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

Micah 6:6-8

6 With what shall I come before(A) the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?(B)
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(C)
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(D)
Shall I offer my firstborn(E) for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(F)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(G) and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a](H) with your God.(I)

Yesterday we talked about whether God can trust us. Today we will talk about what God expects from us.
In the quoted verse, it is quite clear that above our earthly gifts, the Lord requires us to act Justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. I think that is the start to building trust.
Of these three, todays lets talk about walking humbly with God.
This statement is in two parts -
1. Walking with God and
2. Walking humbly.

First, what does it mean to walk with God. For clarity and example, look at the life of Enoch, a prophet in Genesis.

(From this point onwards I will be quoting from other sources as well)

According to Rev Patrick Street , " The word “walk” is the biblical expression for “fellowship and obedience with God that results in divine favor.” It refers to the manner of life a person living in nearness to God.
Enoch walked with God … a walk of dedication and devotion. His walk lived up to His name … Enoch means “Dedicated.”
I will quote from Ms Kelly King, a women's ministry specialist here. She says
"First, walking with God begins with making a commitment to set aside a specific time and a specific place to meet with Him. Whether it’s in your kitchen, an office, or on a physical walk, consider your time with the Lord a sacred moment of your day"
Second, have a plan for your time with the Lord. I’m not a fan of just letting your Bible fall open to any chapter of the Bible. Instead, consider a Bible reading plan to give you a guide. Devotionals are great tools to help you focus on your time alone with the Lord, but do not let them replace Scripture. The words of others are encouraging, but the words of God are eternal.
Third, keep a journal or notepad handy. Write down ways the Lord is speaking to you through His Word. Circle or underline Scripture that you want to highlight. Write down verses you want to memorize. Look for ways the Holy Spirit may be convicting you to repent, to confess, and to change your behavior. Knowing God’s Word increases your head knowledge, but obeying God’s Word puts faith into action.
Fourth, spend time praying. This is your conversation with the Lord. Pray in different ways. Pray Scripture back to God. Keep a prayer list of those you are interceding for. Spend time in praise and thanksgiving. Pray out loud. Pray on your knees. Prayer shouldn’t be something you avoid, but something you desire."
For the full article you may read https://women.lifeway.com/2018/01/29/a-leader-who-walks-with-god/

Next we understand the second part: walking humbly with God. 

Well, what does it mean to be humble? Here I will quote Rev Francis Taylor

She says "True humility does not deny the gifts we have been given, in fact it means using our gifts to the best of our ability while all the time giving God the credit. To give yourself a quick humility check, think about how you react to a compliment. Do you just say "thank you" or do you play it down as if you don't deserve the compliment? The humble person says thank you and if another person also deserves credit as well, they mention it. But to put one's self down is to deny God's gift and is false humility".

So there we have it. We know what to do and how to do it. We also have an example. But. Will we do it? Let me convince you with this verse -

“You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.” – Deuteronomy 5:33

Can God Trust You? Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

We all talk about the need for us to trust God in all that we do or live. But have we ever considered - Can God Trust us? 

Today let us reference Samuel, the prophet and religious hero in the history of Israel, represented in the Old Testament in every role of leadership open to a Jewish man of his day—seer, priest, judge, prophet, and military leader. His greatest distinction was his role in the establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

Samuel has a personal relationship with God. His attitude and service won the heart of God. And His trust. Consider this verse- 

1 Samuel 3: 19 "And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground".

Such was his commitment to God that Samuel became a king maker. Literally. He installed Saul, later removed him and installed David. So what was so great about Samuel that he could do all of this and have a personal relationship with God?

1. Samuel listened to God. He not only heard God but did what God wanted him to do - the most important criteria
2. He could take correction. When the people wanted a king, Samuel vociferously rejected that demand as he considered it an effrontery to God to have a human king. Later, when God told him to agree to a king, he ignored his objections and agreed.
3. He was clearly Gods rep; when the people or the kings did wrong, he had the courage to go and face them and correct their mistakes.
4. He drew power from God. Not men and kings. He was therefore fearless of men and kings and said what God told him to say, no sugar coating.
5. He was dependent ONLY on God.

God trusted Samuel. Why? I think Psalm 4 verses 2-3 have the key to this trust.

"2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers"

His delight was in the law of the Lord and he meditated on this day and night.

Such was Gods trust in Samuel that He was always with him and when Samuel ministered to the people God made sure his words were not empty. God trusted him with the most vital tasks - managing people and kings. Imagine that!

Drawing inspiration from Samuels life, and as much as you trust God, let your attitude and service be so pleasing to God that He can also put His trust in You.
- to do what you say you will do
- to keep all your vows
- to remain untainted both morally and physically.
- to do what God tells you to do.

Therefore, we need to ask ourselves this question daily- Can the Lord trust me today? What did I do to build that trust? What did I do to fail that Trust? Let us start to keep an inventory of our "comings and goings" to help us get to that ecstatic state of being trusted by our God. 

In God we Trust: Sunday Reflection

Today's title (which is  the official motto of the United States of America) is not a reflection on that country but on all of us. We profess one thing but practice another. We profess God but trust ourselves and our friends and  allies. This was 700 years before Christ as well, where God's people were in name only. Our opening verse from Isiaah talks about the infidelity of man towards God, true then and true now. 

Isiaah 30:15

"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
But you refused...."

Isaiah was best known as the Hebrew prophet who predicted the coming of Jesus Christ and is known for having urged Israel to rely on Yahweh, their national god, instead of on the political power, and the gods of nations like Egypt or Assyria for protection and prosperity. He also promoted just and ethical practices in everyday life and politics.

Today the opening verse is as true as it was during Isiah's time: 

A. low or no trust in God; 

B. dependence on man and earthly things; 

C. no rest for the body or soul and 

yet the promise of our faithful God of redemption, which we studiously ignore or consider irrelevant. 

Today as then, we thrive on excitement and restlessness. Oscillating between different paths and ways, we try to find answers to life's challenges, not trusting in God in quiet faith, but in our own abilities, forgetting that those very abilities are God given.

A logical question then is : what did Isiaah want to convey?

1st - We need to understand and be clear that this is a directive straight from God.

2nd - It is an invitation to return to God and

3rd - It defines our strength from God and which comes through is faith and trust and which deliver which deliver peace and rest.

Faith and Trust in God replaces anxiety with hope; it stills the mind and the soul and engages a strength which surpasses all and which is God. Nothing is too small or big for our God. Then why should we be foolish and not pass on our problems to Him rather than try and solve it ourselves? 

Jesus has opened the door, all we need to do is trust Him and walk in.