A Christians Job Description

Exodus 8:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me".
Many people, throughout time, have wondered what is their purpose and role in this world?
As Christians, the purpose is very simple and clear: serve the Lord.
It was so during Adams time, and it is now. 

How do we serve the Lord?
1. Take care of Gods world around us. - He entrusted it to Adam and thereby to us.
2. Take care of people around us. - Jesus entrusted people to us.
3. Thank, Praise and worship God. Why? Because Praise diverts our focus from ourselves to God. A very logical and clear explanation of this can be found here
4. Implement His principles, wisdom and advice in our lives.
5. Talk to Him. - no one likes to be ignored, including our creator. He likes to talk to us, laugh with us, cry with us. He wants to be let into our lives and be part. He wants to do good things for us. He wants to have a relationship with us - not only on Sundays and during devotions but throughout the day, everyday. Remember, He walked and talked with Adam every day. 

What's in a name?

What's in a name? Plenty if we go by the Bible. Name changes, most often given by God, establish a new identity and purpose God wants its user to embody.

In the Bible, names often convey identity, destiny, or divine promise. The practice of changing names marks transformative journeys and reflects new beginnings, new statuses, or new roles designated by God.

Based on your journey, what name would you choose today? Some may define who you have become and some may define who you want to be. 

Here are a few suggestions: 

1.     Abigail: Hebrew — The father’s joy.
2. Alexandra: Greek — Helper; defender of mankind.
3. Alice: English — Noble; kind.
4. Amara: Latin — Strong; attractive; stylish.
5. Amelia: German — Industrious; striving.
6. Anne: Hebrew — Favored grace.
7. Arianna: Greek — Holy.
8. Avery: French — Wise.
9. Charvi: Sanskrit — Beautiful.
10. Gabriella: Hebrew — Devoted to God.
11. Grace: Latin: Goodness; generosity.
12. Hannah: Hebrew — Favor; grace of God.
13. Isabelle: Hebrew — God is my strength; devoted to God.
14. Jocelyn: Latin — Happy; joyful.
15. Kaitlyn: Greek — Pure.
16. Naila: Arabic — Successful.
17. Levi: Hebrew — Joined in harmony.
18. Matthew: Hebrew — Gift from God.
19. Miles: Latin — Soldier.
20. Milo: German — Merciful.
21. Nathan: Hebrew — He gave.
22. Ned: English — Wealthy guardian.
23. Noah: Hebrew — Rest; comfort.
24. Oswald: English — Divine power.
25. Zachary: Hebrew — Remembered by God.
26. Zane: Hebrew — God’s gracious gift.

Sunday Quotes

                                 

 Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence. Augustine

It is just as important to trust God as it is to obey Him. When we disobey God we defy His authority and despise His holiness. But when we fail to trust God we doubt His sovereignty and question His goodness. In both cases we cast aspersions upon His majesty and His character. God views our distrust of Him as seriously as He views our disobedience. Jerry Bridges

To some degree Satanism is purely a kind of disease of Christianity. You've got to really be Christian to believe in Satan. Alan Moore

No Christian can be a pessimist, for Christianity is a system of radical optimism. William Inge

Christianity helps us face the music even when we don't like the tune. Phillips Brooks

Christianity means a lot more than church membership. Billy Sunday

We ministers have undoubtedly failed to connect and apply Christianity to the practical everyday problems of the average man. In this, we have failed to follow in Christ's footsteps. For the religion which He taught and revealed in His own life and ministry was an intensely practical and down-to-earth affair. Peter Marshall

Saturday Vespers

                                          

Studying Gods word is essential to a Christian, and prayer is essential to be able to study and understand Gods word & put it in practice. Yes, it includes intercession, it includes a call for help, it includes thanks and praise, but prayer is so much more.

Prayer is essential in studying the Bible. Asking the Holy Spirit for understanding and guidance can illuminate passages and reveal deeper truths. Prayer also helps apply the Scriptures to one’s life, aligning actions and decisions with God's will.(Crosswalk)

But most of all, that prayer helps us to dwell in the secret place of the "Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty".

So today, we pray for our own daily devotions, where the Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the message God wants to convey. We also want to pray for:

1. A Pastor in Melbourne who needs continued strength and healing to become fit to continue Gods work. We than God for His blessing till now.

2. We pray for Matt for healing of his tumor and strength for his family.

3. For Beth Laurens son who is suffering from mental illness. For her home and strength and wisdom to prevail.

4. For a senior citizen in India who is suffering from Dementia. May the family find a good elders home where he can be treated with love and dignity.

5. For a senior citizen in India who is suffering from Parkinsons. May she be blessed with Gods peace and strength and the caregiver may be blessed mightily with patience, strength and love.

If you have any specific prayer requests or would like Pastor Rajiv to pray for you, please send us a mail or simply write in the comments box. If you want anonymity that is guaranteed as neither your mail nor your comment request will be published. 

Seeds of Faith

                                                    
Gods blessings are not limited by our circumstances. He can bring abundance and increase in the most unlikely of places. As we faithfully sow seeds of kindness, love, forgiveness and generosity, we can expect a harvest of blessings in due time.

Remember, the harvest may not come immediately, it requires patience, perseverance and unwavering faith. But, rest assured, the Lord will bless us abundantly, according to His perfect timing and plan. Today let us take inspiration from Isaacs story and sow seeds of faith in our own lives, even during adversity, and give thanks and honor to the Lord knowing that every good thing comes from Him.

Psalm 91 is a perfect reminder of Gods protection and provision during every adverse situation that may surround us.

Who Do You Trust?

                                                 

Life is lived on trust. When we consult a doctor or an architect for example, we trust that the outcome of their work will be good for us. When we board an aircraft, we trust the pilot and the technology to reach our destination. When we eat our food, we trust the farmer has not used dangerous fertilizers. Even when we cross the road we trust the walk sign. When we sleep, we trust that we will wake up the next morning. In all these situations where we trust, we trust fully. No halfway trust, no partial trust. There is no such thing. 

When we completely trust all these things throughout our life so easily, why is it a challenge for us to trust God who made, maintains and runs all these things that we, so easily, trust?

Jeremiah 17 Says  

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit. (7-8)"

Sunday Quotes

                                 

“When we work, we work. When we pray, God works.”—James Hudson Taylor
“Joy is the infallible proof of the presence of God.”—Madeleine L’engle
“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”—Elisabeth Elliot
“For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.”—Saint Teresa of Ávila
“Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”—Garth Brooks
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”—C.S. Lewis
“Christ literally walked in our shoes.”—Tim Keller
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”—Saint Augustine

Saturday Vespers

                                                  

As we relax on Saturdays, its time to not only think about ourselves but also all those people who need our prayers and support. We are sharing some prayer needs so that we all can support each other.

We want to pray for peace and normalcy to prevail in Bangladesh and protection of minorities there. 

We ask for divine intervention:-

For a Pastor in Australia and a senior citizen - :

We pray for healing and strength allowing him to continue his work for God. 

For a senior in India suffering from Dementia. We continue to  pray for her peace as well as strength for her caregiver.

For a senior in India suffering from a debilitating back pain, we ask for prayer of strength and healing. 

Tanu requests prayer saying:
Heavenly Father I thank you for the wonderful organization where you have blessed me and other families with a job. I continue praying that you look at us with mercy and favor, protect the organization from individuals who do not have good intentions for the company and for others, protect us from individuals with selfish ambitions and designs. For it is in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ that I do pray believing and trusting (everything has to have an end many people have been frustrated by this one person, enough is enough please consider the majority of us) Amen.

For Latvia and its people: After decades of Communism, the Soviet Union's collapse left a moral vacuum in Latvia which was quickly filled by opportunistic negative influences. Drug and alcohol abuse, a widespread sex trade, and high rates of abortion and suicide all point to significant needs. People often feel numb or even helpless. Latvia has done relatively well from a technology and development perspective, but needs prayer for the deeper and eternal needs of its people.

For all those who are without jobs, facing financial stress or health issues. 

PLEASE MAIL YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS TO: THISWEEKWITHJESUS@GMAIL.COM

Learning from Covid

Remember this picture? A frequent picture during the dreaded Covid-19 days. 

Since you are reading this post, you have obviously survived Covid. You are among those who got past the gate. Sadly, not everyone survived those days of trauma, dread and heartbreak. Lives were lost. Businesses were lost. Families were ruined. Covid experiences are deeply sobering. One of the most tragic things about Covid-19 is the way that people dying from it so often had to say goodbye to their loved ones via video-link rather than in person. 5 million people gone and the aftereffects of Covid are still being experienced today, 3 years later.

But for those who did survive, the question is what did we learn? Did we gain anything new?

For me, I learnt a few lessons which changed my life.

Lesson no. 1. Life is not to be taken for granted. No matter how many times we quarantine ourselves, hide ourselves, evil can and will always find us. Our only protection is God.

Lesson No. 2. Don't take others for granted. Family and friends and strangers. They all are part of who we are. They are part of Gods family. When we lose them, a part of us dies with them. All that is left are memories. Let us honor and love those we have with us today.

3. Learn to live with the minimal. That's resilience. Never, ever, again, become dependent on luxuries. Covid taught us what we knew but forgot: Needs outweigh luxuries.

These are a few lessons among many. But by far, the biggest learning was and is, that there is a God who rules the Earth, who protects and provides for us even though we may not understand the events around us. That we have hope through Jesus Christ who, went to the extent of undergoing the worst suffering from evil, for us, opening the door for our hope. That He continuously guides us through His Holy Spirit, if we care to listen. That if we look, we can find His hand at work in our everyday life. We have to trust.

Some say Where was God during Covid? Honestly, I do not know. What I do know and believe is that Covid was an attack of evil against a Humanity that God established, and God was part of that attack, along with us, and suffering, along with us. 

Jesus was among us then and with us now; in life & death. And we believe that those who died are seeing Him in paradise. Those who lost this life, are cradled in His bosom and those who are left back are consoled in this life.

God Bless everyone.   

In Case You Missed

 

Dead Ends
Have you ever encountered a situation so dire that it was beyond any conceivable thought or plan? Read More....

What Part of the Word did you Practice today?
Reading the word of God is great, but do we really practice it? Read More...