Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

Monday Quotes

 

“No one sets out to become an apostate—it's never the result of one abrupt, drastic turn away from the Lord. Instead, apostasy is most often the product of a pattern of sinful compromises that harden and gradually steer a professing believer away from the truth.” - 

(John MacArthur)

“True weanedness from the world does not consist in being beat off from the world by the affliction of it, but a being drawn off by the sight of something better.” - (Jonathan Edwards)

“Discipline is not inconsistent with love. It is lack of discipline, in fact, that is inconsistent with love. The Lord disciplines His children because He loves them, and we will discipline our brothers and sisters in the Lord if we truly love Him and truly love them.” - (John MacArthur)

“The Christian is not superficial in any sense, but is fundamentally serious and fundamentally happy. You see, the joy of the Christian is a holy joy; the happiness of the Christian is a serious happiness. ... it is a solemn joy, it is a holy joy, it is a serious happiness; so that, though he is grave and sober-minded and serious, he is never cold and prohibitive.”

(Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

“Every temptation, directly or indirectly, is the temptation to doubt and distrust God.” - 

(John MacArthur)

“If God is the Creator of the entire universe, then it must follow that He is the Lord of the whole universe. No part of the world is outside of His lordship. That means that no part of my life must be outside of His lordship.” - 

(R.C.Sproul)

“The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we believe in.” - (R.C.Sproul)

“To see lonely, selfish, empty individuals transformed slowly but surely into warm, loving, wholesome, and happy people is to become aware of why Paul describes Christ as ‘unsearchable riches’.” - (Ray Stedman)

“Seek to have your life in God, not in things, not in people, not in places, not in circumstances, not in arguments, not in human intelligence, but in God.” - (T. Austin-Sparks)

“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” - (C.S.Lewis)

Saturday Vespers

 

We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day, We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. You come to us through other people and their love and concern for us. You come to us through men and women who need our help. You come to us as we worship you with your people. We remember your presence with the pastors wife with stage 4 cancer and the hope you bring this advent to all those who call upon you for a miracle. We remember a lady in India suffering from back and hip pain and who needs the relief you can give.

Mr. Crane says - Today I would like to have a prayer request for the health of the father of one of my co-workers who is very dear to me. He has problems with his lungs and is in the ICU being treated. He has been with this problem since he had his accident at the age of 42. He is now 57 and still fighting...

Stephanie prays for God to repair, restore, connect, and heal in every way her relationship if it’s in His will and He will show them how to put Him in the center.

A lady in the USA needs prayer as she tries to free herself from a marriage full of domestic abuse. She needs your prayers and a lawyer as well as a strong will not to back slide. She needs her job as well as she is on hard times, even without electricity this winter.

Richin asks for a prayer for a Third Great Awakening in the US

May the Holy and blessed occasion of Advent bring peace, joy, love and hope to all.

The Day After....

 

We have just finished Thanksgiving yesterday with a lot of celebrations possibly all over the world, even though it is more of an American tradition. In reference to our giving thanks to God, recently Pastor David Jacobs wrote -

"A common misconception among young people.... is that we pray to God to ask for something. Perhaps there have been times when you yourself have prayed for good and righteous things. But we shouldn't forget thanking Him for what has already been provided. God is not our concierge: in fact, we serve God.

Trust in Him, for God gives us what He deems is necessary for His children, and for this, we should continually show our gratitude".

While Thanksgiving is a day dedicated once a year to give thanks, we have received so much that once a year may not suffice. Instead of asking for more, will it not be a good thing to dedicate a Friday or a Saturday or any one day in the week, (or maybe everyday) to give ONLY thanks for what we have received during the week gone by?

We, for one, give Him thanks for ALL our readers, and pray for each one to be blessed. You give us the encouragement to go forward everyday with an inspired message which we hope reaches someone who needs to hear it.  God Bless you all. 

Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

Too Many Miracles

 

           “I’ve Seen Too Many Miracles to Doubt God’s Existence”

Miracles happen around us everyday, we only need to open our eyes to them. In our own family, we realized our blessings in a hospital.

Standing there at the foot of her bed in the emergency room, all one could was pray as the Doctors and nurses tried to find the cause of her illness. And then you see the miracle happen as your prayer gets answered.

(If you have a healthy family, you are blessed; count the blessings you usually take for granted).

Since some time now I have noticed prayers being answered and realized they always had been. We were too busy in the business of life to notice. Covid also brought a realisation that He was looking out for us, everyday, in every way. We never felt a days want for food or any necessity. It was always provided in some way.

Each day we lived, and live, is a miracle. Whether it was health, sickness, finances, jobs, business, relationships - you name it. We are grateful and thankful for each one because in retrospect, when we look back we realize what a blessing it has been.

In truth, we should not be celebrating thanksgiving once a year but everyday, because each day He blesses us with Miracles. Small or big does not matter.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Please pray with us for those who need it at:  

https://thisweekwithjesus.blogspot.com/p/prayer-requests.html

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Monday Quotes : Integrity is keeping a commitment even after circumstances have changed

 

“How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.” (George MacDonald)

“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

“Since God knows our future, our personalities, and our capacity to listen, He isn't ever going to say more to us than we can deal with at the moment.” (Charles Stanley)

“If your friend is sick and dying, the most important thing he wants is not an explanation; he wants you to sit with him. He's terrified of being alone more than anything else. So, God has not left us alone.” (Lee Strobel)

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.” (Brother Lawrence)

“A little lifting up of the heart suffices; a little remembrance of God, an interior act of adoration, even though made on the march and with sword in hand, are prayers which, short though they may be, are nevertheless very pleasing to God, and far from making a soldier lose his courage on the most dangerous occasions, bolster it. Let him then think of God as much as possible so that he will gradually become accustomed to this little but holy exercise; no one will notice it and nothing is easier than to repeat often during the day these little acts of interior adoration.” (Brother Lawrence)

“King David, after all the things he done wrong, is still mentioned in Acts 13:22 as a man after God’s own heart. That stands, it wasn’t left out in the New Testament because David had failed to live up to God’s standards; God saw the man who, in spite of all his weakness, That stands, it wasn’t left out in the New Testament because David had failed to live up to God’s standards; God saw the man who, in spite of all his weakness, , kept seeking him and longed to become what God already saw in him: a man of God!” (Eleonore van Haaften)

“No matter how just your words may be you ruin everything when you speak with anger.” (John Chrysostom)

“Correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines.” (Martin Luther King)

“Faith makes all things possible…love makes all things easy.” (Dwight L. Moody)

“Integrity is keeping a commitment even after circumstances have changed.” (David Jeremiah)

“You were made by God and for God and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” (Rick Warren)

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” (Mother Teresa)

“Afflictions are but the shadows of God's wings.” (George MacDonald)

“Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

“The holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

Saturday Vespers: Care for Each Other

                                           

Just as Adam was made responsible for the care of the garden, God commits some special responsibilities to us as well. It could be the care of our children and bringing them to God, it could be caring for the sick, or caring for some elderly people, or maybe helping someone financially broken, or the elders in our circle and our parents. How we deal with what has been committed to us as responsibility is what will determine our success in Gods world. That will determine whether, at the end of it all, Christ will say - "well done my good and faithful servant..." . Let us therefore pray for discernment to see our responsibilities and strength and mind to fulfill them.

This week we pray once again for the Pastor in India and his wife who is suffering from Stage 4 cancer. We pray for a miracle of Jesus to heal her.

we pray for a senior lady in India for relief from back pain which she is suffering from.

For a senior gentleman in India who is suffering form cancer and in great pain, undergoing start of dementia. We pray for your peace and relief

MJ Gates requests - Dear family in Christ; please pray with me for my friends May and Vincent. They're marriage is suffering from many choices that have caused them to separate

Anon requests praying saying - My husband is generally unhappy & has been since I met him over 30 years ago. He needs Jesus. He's been coming to church with me, but it's hard for him to open his heart. Please pray for him

Emily praises God for giving her direction

Tanu says - I continue committing my mum, sons Michael & Shawn, daughters Emmy & Tiffany, my wife Joyce in prayer, protect my father remember the rest of my family I also pray for complete healing of my children keep us safe forgive us of our sins for it’s in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ

God's leadership Team

Have you ever wondered what kind of a man could be on Gods leadership team? Not in terms of riches or power or might but in terms of righteousness, because unreasonably and unconsciously, we expect that of God's leaders.

For the answer we looked at the great leaders in the Bible, and found shortcomings in many many of them.

Some Bible figures who had shortcomings include:

Moses: Moses had a tendency to get angry, and once killed an Egyptian

David: David was an adulterer and a murderer

Peter: Peter denied Christ on the night of his arrest

Abraham: Abraham lied about his wife, Sarah, and had a child with Hagar, instead of not trusting Gods promise.

Jacob: Jacob tricked his father into giving him Esau's birthright

Aaron: Aaron made an idol for Israel to worship

Paul: not only persecuted early Christians to the extant of death but his attitude to women in the church (among other things) was somewhat questionable. For example, the First letter to the Corinthians says, "Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says".

Joshua: Made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites without fully investigating the situation

Jacob: Was a cheater

Noah: Got drunk

Samson: Had problems with lust and anger

Rahab: Was a prostitute

The list goes on.

And then we realize that God does use people with flaws to accomplish great things, which can mean you and me as well. 

For example, God used Samuel to anoint David, who led the nation in spiritual reform.

Let us not, even for a moment think that God did not know these weaknesses.

The point is that every one of us, so called good or bad, has the potential to be used by God at some point in time. Yet we tend to judge someone in a leadership role and critisize them for their shortcomings. At the same time, we use our own shortcomings to run away from God's responsibilities.

But no one is too far gone for His grace and to be used by Him for His work. 

Therefore let us not absolve ourselves but be ready for His call, with our mind, eyes and ears open and waiting.

The Peacemakers

The Colt Peacemaker revolver was named for the sentiment that an armed society was a polite society. The presence of a Colt revolver was thought to discourage troublemakers from picking a fight. The Colt Peacemaker was also seen as an equalizer for women, the elderly, and those who were physically smaller.

In a warped sense, the very instrument of violence was thought to bring about peace.

But Christ talked of a different peacemaker. Men and women who are empathetic to others.

The peacemaker initiates reconciliation when others have wronged them. The peacemaker is also quick to repent when they have wronged others. In a world, where we have been discipled to avoid conflict, peacemaking takes a commitment to move toward it.

The human peacemaker does not enforce peace with the threat of violence but brings about peace with love.

When we contemplate the profound words of Jesus in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God,” we understand the inheritance that peacemakers receive – the kingdom of heaven itself.