Saturday Vespers

 

Comforting God, you promise to be with all who suffer in mind, body, and spirit. We pray for those whose bodies and minds are captive to disease or injury and for those whose minds and spirits are captive to grief or fear
We pray today especially for those affected by the school shooting in Sanski Most, Bosnia, for those harmed by the spread of mpox in the Congo, and for all the people of Israel, Palestine, the Ukraine and elsewhere whose souls and bodies are captive to war and injustice. Give us your compassion, so that we might proclaim with our words and our actions the hope that comes from your loving presence.

We Pray for a revival among Christian families across the world. 
We prayer for the Pastor in Australia who needs sustenance and strength to recoup from his illness to be able to continue God's work.
We pray for a lady in India who is undergoing medical tests and needs prayers for all to be fine.
We continue to prayer for a senior in India who is a patient of Parkinsons for her peace and strength and patience for her caregiver.
We pray for all those who needs jobs and going through financial difficulties.
We pray for a gentleman in India undergoing chemo for strength and well being.
"Please cover Julian, Thomas, Olivia, Esther and her mom, Abe, Phoebe, Andrew, Paul, Rachel, Michael, Susan with the blood of Jesus and lift them up to the throne of grace for mercy and timely help. Please ask Abba Father to put his hedge of protection around us. Thank you. May Abba Father bless you richly. amen amen"
"May God cover our family with safety, strength & healing. Tonya & Mallory need to lean on Him for blessings, miracles & hope with every breath in trust & faith".

One Glass of Milk : A Short Story

“He that watereth, shall be watered also himself” Proverbs 11:25

"I read this touching true story of a boy selling from door to door to pay for his school. One day he found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.

However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry and brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly and then asked, how much do I owe you?”

You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “mother has taught us never to accept pay for kindness.”

He said … “then I thank you from my heart.”

As he left the house, he felt physically stronger, and his faith in God and man was strong. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many years later, that same young woman became critically ill.

The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

A doctor named Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. A strange light filled his eyes when he heard the name of the town she came from.

Immediately he rose and went down the hospital hall to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He returned to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won, and Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.

He looked at it, wrote something on edge, and sent the bill to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.

Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words … “paid in full with one glass of milk.”

(signed) Dr Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “thank you, god, that your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands.” 

- shared by Shubha Apte on medium.com

This, friends, is a true story. Dr. Howard Kelly (1858–1943) was a distinguished physician who was one of the four founding doctors of Johns Hopkins, the first medical research university in the USA. 

Here we are taught a great lesson: To get we must give; to accumulate we must scatter; to make us happy, we must make others happy. So, "Spread the Ripple. Be kind to someone today".  

This story was brought to you by Spread the Ripple. A publication dedicated to kindness. Kindness is our superpower. Read more stories and come and write with us here:

Spread the Ripple

We spread the ripple of kindness. This is the place for stories on kindness. Let kindness be your superpower.

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The Secret Place

Every human being has a secret place where he or she retires from time to time, when they seek solace or rest from the world. This place is deep in the recesses of the mind, in a museum of memories. It's like a room which may house all the fantasies, ambitions and dreams. But that's all this secret place can be, a fantasy, which cannot provide or change reality, no matter how much we try.

But, if we let in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit into this secret chamber, and fill it with their knowledge and presence, the secret place starts becoming a reality because we see the physical manifestation of the works of this Triune in our life. The peace one enjoys with complete freedom from worry, having put off the mountains of our "what if" problems in the hands of the triune, beats any form of escape. 

When they occupy that secret chamber, there is no room for anything else. We long to meet them and talk with them. Our wrong doings and our problems become minuscule and fade away. We look forward to our time with them and listen to what they have to say. Our secret place is no longer our secret but now becomes a permanent home to God's Holy Spirit.

In the words of Pastor Jorel

"The Secret place is a place of Encounter and intimacy With The Spirit and Presence of God which causes an Undeniable Transformation in the life and personality of a man."

Our transformation is visible not only to us but others as well, in the way we live, the way we behave, the way we talk, what we talk, how we treat others, what we say and do and so on. It minimizes the difference between intent and action. One starts living and seeing beyond oneself.

Psalms 91:1 sums it up beautifully when it says -"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

This beautiful Psalm 91describes that secret place and the outcome of our communion with God, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit. 

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