86,400 Seconds

                                            

Man lives his or her life in moments, not in years, though we do celebrate birthdays. In actuality, life is lived in moments. We often miss fully living in the present moment because we are so busy rehashing the past or rehearsing the future. 

Our days are numbered as is our breadth. We could be happily alive one moment, and moved on the next, leaving our near and dear ones, our riches and all our material glory behind. The material outcome of each one of us is the same: ashes and dust and onto eternal life minus all we have known. Meanwhile I can either strike off the day or moments I have lived or add each day of my life to my treasure of days lived (Robert Brault).

Therefore, each moment of life is to be celebrated; with joyous gratitude and celebrating those moments with sharing a piece of ourselves. William Arthur Ward pointed this out and famously said

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you'?"

Keep in mind the old saying. “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, and that’s why we call it the present.”

Does God have a sense of humor?

Good question, but the answer depends very much on the definition of humor. Perhaps the best indication that God does have a sense of humor is that He created man in His image (Genesis 1:27), and certainly people are able to perceive and express humor. 

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a “sense of humor” as “...The ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is comical or funny.” According to this definition, then, God must show an ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is comical. The difficulty is that people perceive what is comical differently, and what sinful man perceives as funny would not amuse a holy and perfect God. Much of what the world calls humor is not funny but is crass and crude. Our humor is expressed at the expense of others (tearing down rather than building up), again something contrary to God’s Word.
To understands Gods sense of humor let us look at His word - the Bible and its historical narratives.
Here we find a humorous side in many, many situations. Imagine Jonah being brought back when he was running away. Or remember Balam and Balak? While Balak is surely drawn as a caricature of a monarch, their ridiculous stance is increasingly absurd with each stupidly unresponsive reaction.
Going further, what about the satire of Jotham in his story about the trees? Though in that day, as in every subsequent age, there was no room for a satirist in the kingdom of an incompetent ruler.
What about Elijah's ridicule of "the priests of Baal who wailed and slashed themselves in the hope that Baal would send fire from Heaven. "Shout louder!...Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling; or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened!" (1 Kings 18:27). Infact, an Indian person can surely understand the sarcasm in the answer "I am who I am" which is actually a retort when translated into Hindi.
In the NT think about when Rhoda finds Peter at her door, she gets so excited she forgets to open the door!
Hyers says "Jesus freely used humor, irony and satire" and offers the examples of "the blind leading the blind; straining out a gnat, then swallowing a camel; meticulously cleaning the outside of a cup while leaving the inside filthy; maintaining whitewashed tombs that are outwardly beautiful but inwardly full of dead men's bones; loudly honoring past prophets while plotting to kill present ones who preach the same message."  These are examples of what Whedbee describes as "Jesus as the cynic sage."
The Bible has inspired a multitude of art and fiction in many genres, including humor and comedy. William Shakespeare's comedy The Merchant of Venice includes elements from the Book of Daniel. Biblical references can be seen in films with Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. Modern examples include Monty Python's Life of Brian, and sketches by Rowan Atkinson.
But what I find most funny is the thought of weak and silly man trying to match wits with an almighty and all-knowing God; it is comical, and I can just picture God smiling indulgently as He watches our feeble attempts.

Never Abandoned

Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian poet, writer and composer of the Indian National Anthem said -
"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man"

It is inevitable that at some point in our life we face being left alone. By parents, by a spouse, friends and family. The reasons could be one of many - most common being death. As an adult, the pain and sense of abandonment can be overwhelming as can be insecurity and hopelessness. 

Yet two things come to mind in such a situation. Two verses which can rebuild hope and life.

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

King James Version

And then you have Isiaah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

These two verses give me hope that we are never abandoned. The first verse tells me that God chose me and if He chose me, He will never abandon me. God is not illogical. He made me intricately, scientifically, in a way we are still trying to understand. He took great pains to create me to fulfil a purpose or plan. Therefore, He will make sure that He takes care of me, using whatever means or whichever people.

These verses give a lot of hope, confidence and security provided that we fulfil a condition in the second verse - "waiting on the Lord". Essentially it means that we Acknowledge God's sovereign control of all things, come to terms with our dependence upon God and Seek spiritual strength from the Him.

Because of the first quoted verse, we know that God delights in each one of us, whatever we do or say. Jesus is not only our hope, but He is also God's hope, that through Him, we find our way back to Him and live under His shadow. Our trials are the road back to Him not to abandonment.

Today, if you are facing some loss, rejection and going through a sense of abandonment, pick up the Word and get to know who you are and who is your father in heaven. A quick reminder is this verse in Isiaah 41:10

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

Quotable Quotes: A God Lead Life

                                      

Sometimes, simple quotes from people can be more effective than the longest or best of sermons. A couple of lines can leave a lasting impact, simplifying some of the most complicated messages. Today we bring you some quotes around the theme - A God Lead Life

1. Coincidence is Gods way of remaining Anonymous - Albert Einstein . (For all those who believe in coincidences),

2. Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is whether I am on Gods side, for God is always right. - Abraham Lincoln.

3. Life is Gods novel. Let Him write it - Isaac Singer

4. We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls. - Mother Teresa

5. There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.' - C. S. Lewis

6. God has entrusted me with myself - Epictetus

7. God has given us two hands - one to receive and the other to give - Billy Graham.

8. The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be - Anne Frank

9. Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment, suffering, pain, fear, and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He's sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life, I found that my worrying stopped - Charles Stanley

10. Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes. Every day you are alive is a special occasion. Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God - Mary Manin Morrissey

A "Tick in the Box" Life

The phrase "A tick in the box" is used to refer to a way of doing things that involves following rules or instructions that are the same in every case, with no possibility of someone using their own sense, knowledge or ability to do something. Today the question is: Do we lead "tick in the box" lives? 

David Jacobs says this: 
"If you and/or your family is anything like mine, the act of prayer has become repetitive. We say a quick prayer before eating, sometimes go to church and say quick prayers that we read off the bulletin, and overall any time that we pray it is of very little meaning or consequence. There is not an ounce of focus spent on the words and meaning of the prayer. It is almost like we are not even there. What do we want from these prayers? What are we asking for?"
You see it’s not the atheist who is a hypocrite, it’s the apathetic believer who is satisfied with the “whitewash” of the lifestyle and social standing of being part of a church community. And that is exactly what Jesus meant when He said 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27.
True devotion to God is something that is done inwardly, not merely on the outside.
God does not need, want, or ask for mindlessly repeated prayers. Long prayers, complex words, high sounding praises don't really matter. We don't need to use just the right words for Him to understand (Romans 8:26). What we do need is to communicate in sincerity and humility. God knows what we need before we even ask. We can speak to Him simply and openly, and He will hear, understand, and respond (Hebrews 4:15–16). He will hear and does hear the cries of our hearts. 

What we need to do is focus more on being more like Him in spirit and deed and less on ticking the boxes. 

The World's Greatest Need: Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

"Then if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek me and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land".

In Case You Missed

 

Why is Prophesy important

This is Part I of the complete message where Pastor Rajiv gives the history and reasons behind the prophesying. You can see the video HERE

Does the ends justify the means?
The ends/means dilemma is a popular scenario in ethics discussions. Usually, the question goes something like this: “If you could save the world by killing someone, would you do it?” If the answer is “yes,” then a morally right outcome justifies the use of immoral means to achieve it. But there are different things to consider in such a situation. We present a new look at a very old question. This instructive video message by Pastor Rajiv can be viewed HERE

Skydiving to Meet God

Skydiving is a popular sport. Skydivers do it to experience the thrill of a free fall for various reasons like stress busting, adventure, resilience to adversity and to value our lives.
But there is one common factor which encourages people to go in for it: the parachute.
The parachute ensures your safety, opening up at just the right time.
Coming to the main point, skydiving to meet God? Is that even a thing?
Do you remember the first time you turned to God? I mean really turn to Him and let Him into your life? Beyond traditional worship and mouthing of prayers? One believer who captures the moment in words writes -
"Honestly speaking, the first time I did experience God was when I was in deep, deep trouble. There seemed to be no hope from any quarter. That's when prayer came out from the deepest recesses of the heart and mind. That's when I really and truly experienced the power of God; not through a solution (which did come in due course) but through a sense of peace and deep relief. After that there was no going back. I then knew beyond doubt that He is a friend I can count on. He is my safety net now and forever".
The question is: most of us have had this experience, why then do we fear adversity? And if we have not, then i think one has missed an experience of a lifetime. That does not mean we have to look forward to it, but that we do not run away from it and seek solace in worldly things.
Does not every adversity mean an opportunity to experience God? To experience Him in our human struggle? To watch Him at work firsthand. To experience the supernatural!
It was just such an experience that made Carl Boberg, a member of the Swedish Parliament in 1886 exclaim 'How Great Thou Art' and compose a poem, now a world-famous Hymn, because he experienced Gods glory through His creation. The famous singer, #GloriaEstefan, had a personal experience when she had a life and career threatening accident and a brush with the divine that she’ll never forget. Later she said. “I would visually see the prayers entering my body and going to my spine. I would imagine nerves reconnecting and doing all these things....". She channeled her encounter in her next album, "Into the Light". Its single, “Coming Out of the Dark,” recounted her experience.
Sometimes God allows adversity to strike us to get our undivided attention. Adversity provides us an opportunity to get to know and experience our creator firsthand. Let us not fear it because God is right there, listening and ready to deliver us. That's some real comfort right there!
God is the parachute when we freefall from the skies, opening up at just the right time.

Empathy

 

Empathy is a translation of the German term "Einfühlung", meaning “to feel as one with.” It implies sharing the load, or “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes,” in order to understand that person’s perspective.

Empathy is entering into another person's world and feeling with that person, rather than feeling sorry for him or her. It is the very basis of human relationships and helps us to feel valued, loved, and cared for. Being connected to others is good for our mental wellbeing.

There are enough articles and material about the benefits of empathy at work and in personal relationships. But there is another aspect of empathy that we may not have thought about: empathy and the 10 commandments.

The Ten Commandments (decalogue=10 words) are ten principles for living in harmony with God and with other human beings. The first four deal with our relationship with God. The final six deal with our relationships with other people. It is in the last five that empathy comes as a critical enabler. Empathy in fact will help us keep those 5 commands.

For example, all of the law that was written in the Old Testament is fulfilled in " love your neighbor as yourself". That is not possible unless one has empathy. 

This is exactly what the apostle Paul was encouraging us to do when he wrote, “Bear one another's burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Thus, consider "empathy" a qualification to be able to fulfil the law. 

Is empathy important to follow Christ? Definitely! Can empathy be consciously developed? Absolutely! Here are some tips:

1. First and most important, don't confuse "empathy" with "sympathy".  Sympathy is a feeling of pity while empathy is compassion & understanding we give another. This is a very common trap we all fall into. 

2. Practice mindfulness. Don't hurt people under the garb of "telling it like it is". Understand the situation. 
3. Listen to others with your full attention. Understand their perspective from their situation. 
4. Question your biases and what you 'think' you know. Remember, you will never know all unless you consciously find out otherwise what you know is what you think you know, but that isn't always what's real, so do not make assumptions.

5. Don't pass judgements; understand the other persons situation. 

Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message