Hope: Pastor John Muhamad's Mid-Week Message

 

PROVISION, PROTECTION AND PARTICIPATION.: Our Daily Reflection

Why is it important to give thanks? 

Human beings are prone to covetousness, and we tend to focus on what we don’t have. By giving thanks continually we are reminded of how much we do have. When we focus on blessings rather than wants, we are happier. When we start thanking God for the things, we usually take for granted, our perspective changes. We realize that we could not even exist without the merciful blessings of God. We can have thankful hearts toward God even when we do not feel thankful for the circumstance because there is a lot to be thankful for. 

When we make thanksgiving a lifestyle, we don't have to wait for the third Thursday of November but make it daily, hourly or transactional. It creates confidence in the future, strength to face challenges and overall happiness.

The Bible clearly instructs Christians to fix our eyes on the Heavenly Father, the true source of every good thing in our lives. He is the One who graciously gives us “good things” of all kinds, and our natural response should be thank Him specifically.

An interesting aspect is - should we thank God for failure? Yes. Even failure, because out of failure emerges learning and out of learning comes a solution and strength the next time we face it. More importantly, the failure we see maybe part of Gods plan to give us some much more than we expected.

The best part is we don't need to reserve a time or place. We can do it as we sit in the train or bus, or when we wake up and spend some blissful moments in a cozy bed or anytime and anywhere.

I like to call this a triple P approach - PROVISION, PROTECTION AND PARTICIPATION.

Thank Him for 

Provision for our or someone else's daily needs or special needs.

Protection - from evil, like disease, accidents, enemies, etc.

Participation by the Father in our lives. He loves us and wants to be part of His children's lives (just as we do with our children), wants to talk to us, hear us, commune with us. If we let Him.

After all, if a lifestyle of thanksgiving was good enough for a King, it is good enough for us.

Psalm 103

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s...

Therefore ...

Psalm 50:14-15

14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,

fulfill your vows to the Most High,

15 and call on me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Hope: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflection

Today is the first Sunday of the advent and which is dedicated to hope.

Our religion is based on faith and hope. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". So faith is pretty much clear but what is hope?

Hope is always in the future tense. It could be immediate, intermediate or long term. "Give us this day our daily bread", a hope in the immediate future of fulfilment of our immediate needs, our wellness and health and the wellbeing of family and friends. 

But we must keep in mind that the destination of a follower is beyond this world and hence that hope we have extends into a life beyond what we have, to a New World, established by the Son, described so vividly in Revelations. The “city of the living God,” will be a spectacular place according to God’s perfect design. And, as one writer put it, "the heavenly Jerusalem will be “a place of unimagined blessing.” 

Where All Nations and People Will Worship Jesus - Revelation 7:9-10, and where Heaven Will Be Filled with Peace, Joy, and Praise - Revelation 7:15-17. Where we will be united with loved ones, where no disease or sadness will exist and "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD. Isaiah 65:25 (NASB). 

Therefore, our hope is that after our physical death, we will experience all of this.

Today our hope may be for a job, children or a life partner or wellness; but the larger picture is beyond the apparent; my hope is that one day I will be reunited with my wife, my children, my brother and sisters, my parents, my grandparents and all those whom I have loved and known; my hope is the peace and rest I will experience in my Fathers mansion with Jesus Christ. 

All this I can hope for because of a Jesus Christ, who is the bridge to my relationship with God and citizenship in Heaven. 

I therefore, hope and believe that the Biblical prophecies will become a reality and that we will prevail with Jesus. With this hope we look forward to the birth of Jesus Christ, who made it all possible. 

4 Faithful Sayings: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

It is a faithful saying. — 2 Timothy 2:11

Paul has four of these “faithful sayings.” The first occurs in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptations, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God. 

The next is in 1 Timothy 4:6, “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” Here it affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation — of time and of eternity. 

The third is in 2 Timothy 2:12, “It is a faithful saying—If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him”; this shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that “if we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” 

and the fourth is in Titus 3:3, “This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” This last one sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works. 

These sayings or statements are interconnected. They are more like principles of our beliefs.  Let these principles be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction so, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. 

we can sum these up simply as - Christ gave us free grace, being doubly blessed in this life and the next, because having suffered with Christ we will also reign with Him and meanwhile performing the good works we are called to do. 

Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.

Giving is part of "Thanksgiving" : Pastor Rajiv's Reflection

As Thanksgiving approaches, we may consider submitting a part of our blessing to God, which, in todays world which is tantamount to sharing His Blessings with others as well. Pastor Rajiv talks about the importance and more, of sharing God's Blessings with others who may need what we will share. 

Lets us thank the Almighty for deliverance from a pandemic which hit the world after a century; for our deliverance from it and other evils which may have befallen. From hunger, as even today 345 Million People Are in Hunger Crisis while the haves waste food (40% of the food produced in America is never eaten and. if just half of the food waste worldwide were recovered, we could end World Hunger). 

In this context and background, Pastor Rajiv's message is ever so important. 

 

The Original Thanksgiving: Our Daily Reflections

Nehemiah 12:43

43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Over a period of time, maybe the past year, we all have worried about various issues that may have surrounded us. I can recall no bigger terror as when Covid surrounded us, invaded homes, offices, shops and families. I have seen families wiped out, destroyed. People falling like flies. Businesses were decimated and collapsed. Or maybe the terror of financial losses, business losses, homes destroyed and so much more evil that surrounds us.

Yes, we all have experienced that terror.

Much like the terror that the Israelites may have felt when Moses led them out of Egypt and as they were chased by Pharaoh and his men.

And at the end of it all, we can only be thankful to God we are saved. But how do we show that we are truly thankful? Or is it just a lip service. Is it just a day of the "observed Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner"?

Looking to the Bible, in what may be the first ever Thanksgiving, we read what Moses instructed the people of Israel to do, in observation of Thanksgiving -

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

1 Once you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and are settled there, (Upon receiving this “inheritance” which could be anything – food, clothing, shelter, new homes, material possessions, spiritual possessions, protection, good health and so on…)

2 take some of the early produce of the fertile ground that you have harvested from the land the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket. Then go to the location the LORD your God selects for his name to reside (take a portion of our blessing or a token thereof and take it to your church since the Church is God’s)

3 Go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him: “I am declaring right now before the LORD my God that I have indeed arrived in the land the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.” (Openly Declare the Blessing that we have received from God)

4 The priest will then take the basket from you and place it before the LORD your God’s altar (Offer our token to the Lord – maybe share it with the lesser fortunate after we have offered it to God. It could even be a prayer if we have nothing else)

5 Then you should solemnly state before the LORD your God: “My father was a starving Aramean. He went down to Egypt, living as an immigrant there with few family members, but that is where he became a great nation, mighty and numerous. (In all sincerity, declare how God’s blessing helped each one)

6 The Egyptians treated us terribly, oppressing us and forcing hard labour on us (Think of all that could have gone wrong if the Lord had not intervened)

7 So we cried out for help to the LORD, our ancestors’ God. The LORD heard our call. God saw our misery, our trouble, and our oppression. ( Recall how we prayed and pleaded with God to spare us, and how He responded with compassion)

8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with awesome power, and with signs and wonders. (Recall how God carried us in the palm of His hand)

9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land—a land full of milk and honey. (and finally delivered us from our trouble and terror, and blessed us over and beyond)

10 So now I am bringing the early produce of the fertile ground that you, LORD, have given me.” Set the produce before the LORD your God, bowing down before the LORD your God. (And now, therefore we offer this token of our gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord)

11 Then celebrate all the good things the LORD your God has done for you and your family—each one of you along with the Levites and the immigrants who are among you. (Celebrate our blessing with friends, family, Neighbours etc)

Yes, the practise of Thanksgiving did not start in 1621, when the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared an autumn harvest feast and which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. Thanksgiving started much before that as we have seen.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, can we celebrate it as was prescribed Biblically by Moses (Prescribed and not just described)? Or will we just carve that same old Turkey once again.

Moses said, “[God] brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” - Deuteronomy 26:9-10 (NIV)

Nehemiah 12:43

In the midst of my worry, my pastor read Deuteronomy 26 before our church’s offering, and I was struck by its perspective. Many Bible passages about tithing assure us that God will provide. In this passage, the giver declares what God has already done.

As I think about this change in perspective, I realize that God has done great things in my life. God is my Creator and Redeemer, so I can trust that God’s provision will extend into the future. God has called me into full-time ministry. Of this, I am certain. And because God called me, God will provide.

Of course, I have financial needs. But God has been and will be faithful. When I declare how the Almighty has already provided, my heart finds certainty in an uncertain time.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear God, help us to remember how you have provided for us in the past and to trust you with the future. Bless our tithes so that they may bless others. Amen.

LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

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Grieve Not the Spirit : Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflection

All that we have must come from Christ, but it comes solely through the channel of the Spirit of grace. Moreover, as all blessings thus flow to us through the Holy Spirit, so also no good thing can come out of us in holy thought, devout worship, or gracious act, apart from the sanctifying operation of the same Spirit. Even if the good seed be sown in us, yet it lies dormant except he works in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure.

It is important for us to better understand the person of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes people think of the Holy Spirit as more of an “It” than a “Him.” But according to Scripture, the Holy Spirit is not only God, but He has a will, a personality, and can even be offended!

One of the places in Scripture where we read about grieving the Holy Spirit is in Ephesians 4:29-32. The apostle Paul writes:

“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not grieve God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live…. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tender hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

We need to understand that the Holy Spirit is part of God, embedded into each one of us.  

He is what Jesus left behind to be with us. He is God in us.

If the Holy Spirit be indeed so mighty, let us attempt nothing without him; let us begin no project, and carry on no enterprise, and conclude no transaction, without imploring his blessing. Let us do him the due homage of feeling our entire weakness apart from him, and then depending alone upon him, having this for our prayer, “Open thou my heart and my whole being to thine incoming, and uphold me with thy free Spirit when I shall have received that Spirit in my inward parts.”

The Possibility of the Impossible: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

Read: Exodus 2 Verses 1 to 10. 

Most times familiarity breeds a state of mindless recitation leading to zero consciousness. The story of Moses in the Bible has been heard so many times we probably cease to think about it anymore. But pause here to examine the scenario:

Moses is born in a scenario, where the king has passed a judgment to kill every male Jewish child. He is therefore destined to be put to death. He is floated into the river as a desperate attempt by his mother to save him. She probably thought it was better for the river to take him than the violent death he faced. The river, instead of swallowing him as it should have, floats him to the kings' daughter swimming nearby, and who is attracted to the baby. She protects him and brings him up and finally Moses saves and leads his people, according to Gods will and wish, out of Egypt to a new land.

Can you see the possibilities of the impossible? That Moses should have escaped Pharaoh's diktat: Impossible. 

That he was not drowned: next to impossible. 

That of all people, Pharaoh's daughter funds him. Incredible. 

That the king's daughter goes against her father and protects an adopts him: Impossible.

Yet, out of all these impossible situations, God brought Moses to finally achieve the purpose God had for him. The appearance of Pharaoh’s daughter and her discovery of the baby were not mere coincidences; they were acts of God, part of an amazing plan to save Moses.

It's the same God who is working in our lives today. He chose us before we were born (Isiaah 49:1) so we are not an accident. He has a purpose for us and will make the seemingly impossible, to be possible to achieve that purpose.

We can never be in a worse position than Moses, yet in every adverse situation we find ourselves in, be sure God will use that same situation to turn our life around.

Moses’ story encourages us to think of all the acts of God in our own lives. It invites us to ponder if and how we show appreciation for God’s saving grace upon our lives and the lives of our loved ones. How do we explain God’s love for us and God’s work of salvation through Jesus Christ? The amazing acts of God are limitless in the Bible but more importantly in our own lives.

So, no matter how impossible it may seem, pray foolishly for God to turn it around, and in our foolishness God will listen. He will act. And He will make the impossible to become possible.

The Last Word: Our Daily Reflection

Who has not heard of the grace of God? A lot many are in the habit of saying "By the grace of God I am fine, or this happened" etc. But do we know Grace is so important that the Bible ends with "Grace". The last verse of the last book of the Bible, Revelations says -

" The Grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."

The Bible ends with that blessing, the blessing of Grace for all. 

But What is grace? Grace needs to be known and understood, so we give it true value. 

Grace is simply the supernatural enablement and unmerited favor of the Lord. And we have this "supernatural", God given, power we call grace though we do not merit it nor deserve it. We must therefore value it and practice it. 

Understand and realize that God stoops down to make us great. That is God's grace, and it really is sufficient. By His grace we have been saved many times from any mess up we could possibly imagine, known or unknown. If Grace is at work in our life, no one and nothing can harm us. God has got us covered. The popular term, "I have had a narrow escape" is in fact an unknown acknowledgement of a God given help. 

Let us therefore value it by practicing Grace in our lives. Tell ourselves everyday - "the Grace of Lord Jesus is with me; I will succeed today in everything I do for the Lord and for humanity. If we are going through any challenge, say, "I receive grace from the Lord to overcome this challenge. As we continue to say it, the Holy Spirit will make sure we receive it.

If we have overcome a challenge, be aware that it was nothing but God's Grace at work. Don't believe me: Look minutely at each detail that has transpired during that challenge and see for yourself. Did something "magically" work out"? Did someone come into your life to help you? Did a sudden thought come into your mind to give you the solution? That was grace. So, remember all your narrow escapes and analyze the "escape". 

Grace deserves to be valued, let us therefore value this grace and honor it.  By doing God's will, in happiness, overcoming our own, we show a tiny bit of gratitude for this unmerited grace.

​Grace deserves to be practiced. "​Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need​"​.​ ​

Don't Try Faith: Pastor Rajiv's Daily Reflections

1 Peter 1:7, NIV: These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. — 1 Peter 1:7

Faith trials are a part of life. Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators. and no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. 

Tried faith brings experience. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too.

However, while faith will try you, don't try faith, especially the young in faith, lest it discourage.

You will have trials enough without seeking them: the full portion will be measured out to you in due season, when you are ready, maybe at age 25 or age 55. 

Meanwhile, if you cannot yet claim the result of long experience, thank God for what grace you have; praise him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.