In Case You Missed: Karma or Grace?

Karma or Grace

The concept of Karma has become a byword in the lives of people today. Knowingly or unknowingly, directly or indirectly, we start believing in it. 

One of our more popular posts from the past clears the air on Karma and grace. You can read it HERE

https://thisweekwithjesus.blogspot.com/2023/09/karma-or-grace.html

The Blame Game

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye".

In Matthew 7:3–5, Jesus reminded us not to be hypocrites and blame others but look at our own faults and limitations first. 

It is in our human nature not to accept blame for something gone wrong and pass it on to someone else. Adam did it; Eve did it; Moses did it; Aaron did it ( Exodus 32:1-8); Saul did it; and, we do it all the time. Believe it or not, sometimes we even blame God! Why did God allow this to happen, is a question many have asked, including from Jesus' time (John 11, 37-38). Another favorite these days is: "God, I tried to wait but you’re not moving fast enough so I guess I’ll have to do it myself.” So, when we act, or fail to act according to God’s will and it doesn’t work out, it’s God’s fault. A lot of people, if not all, when facing some misfortune or loss, say "It's God's will". How soon we forget Jeremiah 29:11! (“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. '”). Maybe one could simply say - "Yes, this has happened, but God will see me through in His grace and in His time". 

The reality is we’re to blame if we don’t seek God’s direction or accept God’s timing.

Self-righteousness can blind us to our own flaws while we amplify the flaws of other people or a situation. It also blinds us to any other will but our own. 

The problem is when we face the Lord who and what will we blame?

Remember, shifting the blame does not shift the consequences. 

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All the Lonely People....

Does this image look familiar? Does it bring a feeling of Deja Vu? 

"This is for all the lonely people
Thinkin' that life has passed them by....."

These are the opening lines of a song by a group called America which, in the late sixties, observed the depth of loneliness people were facing. What can be sadder than for someone to watch life pass by. Yet, the truth is that it's a reality for a lot of people, young and old, retired folks, people in old age-homes, rehabs, hospitals, aged care, widows and widowers and couples whose children have relocated due to marriage or jobs and hardly call them. 

These are just a few.
Today, loneliness is an epidemic, across age groups and in the elders. (Covid further exacerbated the problem).
Loneliness or Social isolation is as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by up to 50%.
As Christians, in churches or fellowships, it is our duty to see to it that our fellowship and our time extends to people who may be excluded due to age or societal issues or economic issues.
Psalm 34:18 tells us that “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In Psalm 25:16-17, the writer gives us a prayer to God in a time of loneliness: “I am lonely and afflicted, relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.” Yes, loneliness is an anguish.
Loneliness is not a choice and it is thrust upon us through circumstances. Loneliness is nothing to do with how many people are around us but how many people engage with us.
What can we do as churches, congregations or even as individuals to alleviate the loneliness of people?
First, get them into mainstream and get them involved in Church congregations and fellowships. One Pastor in Melbourne goes around every Sunday to pick up the elders who have no one and bring them to church. He and his family regularly take them out to lunch. He keeps them involved in church discussions.
Second, visit people who have been isolated, regularly. Or have them over for a meal.
Stay connected, stay in touch at least thrice a week - phone, message or text, just to let them know you care.
Do not treat them as second priority. Visit them when you have promised and do not let them down.
At work, school, or church, sit by a new person and get to know him or her.
These are simple things to do. They cost nothing except your time and your time is what they value most. They look forward to it. But the most surprising thing is we get as much pleasure and peace as they get when we engage.
One truth to believe in is - Be a friend to make a friend. This is true whether in our relationship with God or people. Remember Matthew 24:36 -
"I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me".

The Truth About The Christ

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away"
Mark 13:31

This is an astounding statement by anyone! The quoted verse is typical of some of His assertions and can be viewed as a boast or something said to motivate His disciples. This verse is a great indicator, in human terms, to the truth of the rest of His teachings and claims as well.

So how do we know if this, and all that He said is the truth?

The biblia sacra "holy books" translates Greek τὰ βιβλία τὰ ἅγια (tà biblía tà hágia, "the holy books") or The Bible, is foundational to Christianity, but many believers struggle to articulate why they trust it and what is written, including the teachings of Jesus. 

Today we shall attempt to provide some logical answers to this question.

God's word and Jesus' works and His teachings are recorded in the Bible, which has been written, compiled and translated for the last 2000 years, recording history of the previous 5000 years!  

Let's consider this: While we can't be sure of the exact number, the number of Bibles in the world are at least 6 billion! In a world of 8 billion people. The Bible is the most translated book in the world, with more translations (including an increasing number of sign languages) being produced annually. According to Wycliffe Bible Translators, in September 2023, speakers of 3,658 languages had access to at least a book of the Bible, including 1,264 languages with a book or more, 1,658 languages with access to the New Testament in their native language and 736 the full Bible.

Gideon, by themselves, have distributed 2 Billion Bibles in the last 100 years.

With a known figure of 6 billion Bibles, it logically follows that at least 4- 6 billion people have read it or parts of it, including the Torah or the Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible). That's 60% of the world! So at least 6 billion people have read the Bible. It has been authored by approximately 40 people, in different ages, different geographies and different time zones. There is no way they could have colluded to write such a fantastic story. And there is no way 6 billion people would believe it! 

These statistics not only point to the fact that it is the truth, but also and more importantly, establish the fact that His words live on and will live on till eternity, and not pass away. Just as Jesus said.

Finally, those who have trusted, have personally experienced its truth and the truth about Jesus, and have borne witness time and time again, including the apostles. 

Don't you think it's time each of us took a leap of faith, trusted in Him and His word, and personally experienced Him? 

In Case You Missed: A Second Chance. Inspired by Corrie ten Boom

A Second Chance: Inspired by Corrie ten Boom

Do you think you live in dire circumstances? Submerged in circumstances which drown you? Read on....

Corrie ten Boom was a holocaust survivor, who was arrested by the Nazis along with the rest of her family for hiding Jews in their Haarlem home during the Holocaust, she was imprisoned and eventually sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp along with her beloved sister, Betsie, who died there just days before Corrie's own release on December 31, 1944.

This post is based on her story, her inspiration and her book, the Hiding Place, which is also picturized in the post. Join her journey of forgiveness as she meets one of her tormentors, torturers and Nazi guard, face to face in a church.

The problems & issues we cry about are small compared to her story. AND, they are MICROSCOPIC compared to what Jesus went through for us. 

This Post is available HERE. Read On:: 

https://thisweekwithjesus.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-second-chance-inspired-by-corrie.html

Don't Reinvent Please

(This post is based on a KJV devotional & also refers to a sermon by Pastor Jolly Raj from Bethel Methodist Church, Noida, India. The link to the sermon is also given below). 

Sometimes, we needlessly complicate our faith, and that can quickly put us on the wrong path. Fad teachings and new doctrines seem to emerge every day, as do new interpretations. 

For example, a big discussion doing the rounds of some theologians is whether Judas was really to blame and if went to heaven or he'll.

But we already have God’s word, and we already have the Lord’s Supper.

Furthermore, "He values us so much he counted it worthy to die on the cross for our sins" (Chipo Biti)

What more do we want? We need not reinvent our faith with extraneous rituals, they may only lead to polluted doctrine. Instead, let us hold to the simple gatherings and foundational truth that we have already been given.

2 Peter 2:1 clearly warns us - "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction".

Pastor Jolly Samson Raj, who leads the Bethel Methodist Church in a city called Noida in India, beautifully explains this using the Book of Colossians. His sermon can be found HERE, and we strongly recommend everyone to hear this. All of us really do need to be aware of what surrounds us as we walk in faith.

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Standing On or Sitting On?

"And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good". — Genesis 32:12

There are 8810 promises in the Bible of which 7487 are those made by God to man. The promises are ours for the asking—7,487 of them made by God Himself.

These promises address all the issues we may face in life - poverty, death, betrayal, trust, war, Satan, you name it. Which also means that God has us covered in all aspects of life. He never is before his time, but he never is behind it. If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an “if,” you may urge it with certainty.

God does not give his words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for a while with the intention of putting us off at last; but when he speaks, it is because he means to do as he has said. Those promises can change lives.

How fast do we hold onto His promises? Do we even claim them like Jacob did? Do we demand?

We go to church and sing, “Standing on the promises,” but some of us are simply sitting on them!