At Every Turn of Life....

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Isiaah 11, 1-4

Our lives take different turns each day and our situation may call for one or the other of these gifts of the spirit. 

In Francis Taylors words, we don't know God's plan any more than the Israelites did, and there are times when we can even question God's wisdom or His faithfulness. I'm sure that the Israelites kept waiting for relief just as we often do.

However, as we wait, we can pray for wisdom to understand our situation and have faith in Gods hand of mercy.

For the Israelites it would take several lifetimes for God's promise to be fulfilled. For us, as we may wait for an answer to our own prayers, it can seem like that, but if a promise has been made specifically, be sure it will happen. At each turn, that should be our prayer. Never have doubt born from rebellion but faith born from "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD". The Christ Jesus had this even as He faced death. 

Let us decide to practice it. Amen. 

The Power of Prayer: Pastor Rajiv's Message for the Week

 

Goliath and You

 

The Story of David and Goliath is extremely well known to most if not all the earth, regardless of one's beliefs. Goliath was a descendant of the Nephilim—the offspring of the “sons of God” and their human wives. 

The Israelites failed to wipe out the Anakites—a subset of the Nephilim—in their conquest of the Promised Land, and so the Anakites survived in Gath and its surrounding cities, eventually becoming what we know as the Philistines. Goliath was a Philistine warrior from Gath—a powerful symbol of Israel’s previous failures.

Like the Israelis, we all have, have had or will have a Goliath in our life and will have to face it someday.

A Goliath could be anything - a debt, failing faith, a family tragedy, a life threat, a mortgage, addiction, losses, or so many things this world has to offer. David's story teaches us two things - a. It is possible to defeat Goliath no matter how big and strong he is. And 2. the way to do it.

David was in constant communication with God. Maybe through self-talk, through prayer through thoughts. When he killed the lion and the bear, think about how. Who helped him.

An ancient document found at Qumran in Palestine claims that David wrote over 4000 songs. Tradition attributes 73 of the 150 poems of the biblical book Psalms to him as well. Psalm 144 depicts David playing the ten-stringed lyre, which some even suggest he invented. David communicated with God through his music as well.

Because of this, David did not need to pray before fighting Goliath because he was in constant communication with God! He has a prayer in His heart and the strength from being in constant communication with God.

So here seems to be the key. Like David, we do need to take time out to prayer but equally, so we need to be in constant thoughts in communication with God.

Choices

It is easy to be distracted by various choices we tend to make in our daily lives. What clothes we will wear, what will be do, what will we eat, what TV show to watch, a.d so on.

However, the primary choice we need to make is something we keep putting off - to some time in the future: Choosing God.

What does it mean to choose God? Firstly, choosing God does not simply mean that one believes in God. Choosing God means choosing to live a life following Gods word, His instructions and the way of life He has specified. This becomes the primary choice and once we make this choice, everything else is secondary.

Deuteronomy 30, 19-20 tells us that choosing Him is choosing to live in this life as well as the next. Choosing Him and walking in His ways leads to blessings for generations; it brings to life His promises specially where He says His thoughts are not to harm us but to prosper us. 

But choosing God involves overcoming the world's biggest hurdle: Ourself. We are our own enemy.

Choosing Him means we have to choose His way and not our own way. This is where many believers fail- unable to overcome the self, we make God secondary to our self , our self worship and our self choices. Choosing God means first we have to stop choosing us and overcome ourself first.

God has already chosen us. When will we choose to choose Him? Have we chosen Him?

The Last Day

We really don't know the future, no matter what we read or believe. The fact is: we don't know about tomorrow, and as the song goes, in reality we just live from day to day.

How does one accept this reality? Suppose we knew that today would be our last day here on earth, what would one do? How would we spend it? 

Surely, we would make each second count, mend broken relationships, seek forgiveness for things we know we have done wrong talk to people we may have ignored, smile at a stranger and many things we wanted to do but put on the backburner. Take time to appreciate the people in our life and let them know how much they mean to us. We won't obsess about trivial inconveniences, as we are wont to do today, or ruminate about small affronts to our ego. We wouldn't brag, as there is nothing to brag about- what we had is about to become someone else's; we wouldn't gossip. We would focus on what matters. We would desperately believe that there will be something after death and pray to the Almighty. 

Or we may agonize, dread and so want to be spared.

Believe me, each moment will be more precious than gold would be if it was the last day. 

The point is since we do not know about tomorrow, should we not live as if each day is our last? Praise and thank the Almighty for one more day and proceed to live as if there would be no other, live in the joy of the moment, not creating a bucket list but cleaning the slate to be ready to meet the maker. 

Have You ever eaten Manna?

Before we jump to preconceived definitions or understanding of manna, let's take a step back and understand what manna was. Was it only for the Jews when they wandered in the desert and didn't have food?

Manna has a Greek root that comes from the Hebrew "man", and although it literally means "substance exuded by the tamarisk tree," it's almost always used to refer to God's nourishment, in the Bible.

Figuratively speaking, you could say that when I was ravenous in the morning - The doughnuts my coworker brought in this morning were like manna ...."

Combining both statements, the key here is Gods provision at the time when you most need it!

With this background, can we think back and remember all that God provisioned us when we most needed? It could be health, food, money, a shoulder to cry on, a friend who dropped by when we were down and out? When He enabled us to achieve something. When we or someone we prayed for had a successful operation? 

Manna can be anything that we have needed, when we have needed, and what we have needed, most, at a point in time. 

I don't think anyone can truthfully say they have not had manna. We all have received it when we needed it most. It's time we thought back, identified such occasions and thanks and praised God for it, personalizing it and accepting and believing that the Biblical manna was not historical, for Jews alone, but for you and for me. In truth, Jesus Himself is Manna.  

Bloom and Grow

  

Flowers bring beauty and serenity to our lives. On every occasion we present flowers to our friends and family, to bring cheer to the day. Think about how a flower, becomes a flower and presents its beauty to the world and there is so much we can learn from it.

Think about the dandelion. Dandelions are both fast growing and incredibly hardy. It can spread both by seeds and by new shoots from roots or root segments. The seeds are easily blown around by wind and will quickly spread into adjoining downwind areas. It needs no special treatment yet produces 13 benefits for humans. 

But what is more important is this:  a flower blooms where it grows. The dandelion does not say I will grow here but bloom there. It does not put conditions to its blooming. It simply shares its beauty and its scent, wherever it is, and goes wherever the wind takes it. It does not put-up conditions for sharing its goodness.

But we people do, don't we? "I wish I had more money so I could feed the hungry". "I wish I had more time, to visit the sick, or the widows, or lonely people around me". Or simply, "I can't come to Church because I don't have my car this Sunday". 

Sounds familiar? Sure, it does, we do it all the time! 

 Let us remember some key instructions - 

..... ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Christmas is over. Will sorow bring you down?

Live like a King!

                                                 

Read Matthew 18 21-35

This is a very important parable and teaching. Probably the essence of Christianity revolves around this principle of forgiveness. Not only in thought but indeed and action. I doubt there may be a single person in this world who does not bear some ill will towards someone else.

So today we quote from Ms. Francis Taylor on this very important topic.

"I'm sure you are familiar with the parable of the unjust servant. The servant in this story owes the king a lot of money but when he begs the king for mercy and promises to pay it all back if he will just give him a little more time, the king forgives the debt. Then the servant sees another servant who owes him some money – nowhere near the amount he owed the king! – and he demands that the servant pay him back immediately. When the servant begs for more time, he refuses and has him put into prison until he can pay back the full amount. The other servants are horrified at his behavior and tell the king what has happened. The king calls in the servant and has him turned over to the "tormenters" until he can pay back the full amount. Any offense against God is a major offense, and yet God has forgiven us, and forgives us over and over again. We pray in the Our Father asking God to forgive us AS we forgive others. I'm not sure we mean it. Is there someone we still can't forgive? I'm not saying anything about forgetting. Have we asked God to help us forgive? The problem here, is that a lack of forgiveness does nothing for the person not forgiven, but it can keep us from moving on. In families it can keep brothers and sisters apart; parents and children, and can cause problems for generations. Let us be more like the King and less like the unworthy servant."

How does a king live? Exactly how our King, the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Love as He loved. Forgive as He forgave. Let us therefore live like our king.

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You name it. I've done it!

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be [carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8: 5-6

There are 613 commandments in the Old Testament. For list refer here 

Going through them, we will realize it is impossible not to break them. They cover each and every minute aspect, in a day to day scenario, and situations which we commonly ignore, like telling someone we are not available when we are. It is when such a realisation comes that we understand how we are saved by grace.

But being saved by grace does not mean we continue to live as we like!

Commenting on the quoted verse, David Jacob writes in his devotional - 

"I have certainly been guilty at times of seeking the pleasures of the flesh. I believe that we all have, whether it be romantic love, material possessions, or even another juicy cheeseburger. It is so hard to steer clear of these temptations, and if we think about it further, is it really wrong for us to want these things? Is it wrong to romantically love someone and enjoy the physical nature of the bodies that God provided us? Is it wrong to want to make money and be successful so that we can buy the things that make us feel good? Is it wrong to want to eat and drink to our hearts content? In a vacuum, all of these things are not wrong, but as Paul explains, if the pleasures of the flesh are the REASON that we do these things rather than with the Spirit in mind, it will lead to death".

While the question is a debate in itself, and best left to theologians, on our side it maybe a good idea to be aware of  two things - that we are saved by grace and by grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we try and examine the motive and driving force behind our actions and desires, rejecting those that are driven by material lust (gluttony, love, gathering wealth and so on). As Mr Jacobs has pointed out, there is nothing wrong to desire but it's the thought behind it which counts. 

Proverbs 16:2 drives home the point and can't be clearer when it says - 

All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight, But the Lord examines the motives. NASB