Shaking the Gates of Hell!

There us a story in Africa which goes like this:

"In Africa, when the sun comes up, the gazelle wakes up early, ready to run her fastest or she will be hunted, killed and be eaten. At the same time the lion also gets up, also ready to run the fastest, faster than the gazelle, because if he doesn't, he will go hungry.

The point is this: it does not matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you better be running".

Our lives as Christians are exactly the same. Except that we are not hunters; we are being hunted. Unlike the gazelle who runs away from the lion, we need to run away from satanic forces and take refuge in and surrender to God. We are called to a Daily Surrender of the way we live our lives, to our creator and Lord, and to do His will. The rest He will do as He has promised in Psalm 91.

In this context, Jesus said -

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23 KJV

A devotional in KJV also says -

"Following Jesus is not a one-time altar event or simply an emotional hype—it’s a daily decision. When the Lord calls each of us to lay down our own desires and take up our cross, this means we are choosing His way—even when it’s hard and even if it means letting go of comfort and control as we’re walking down the narrow path with Him every day.

The truth is, we are not called to live an easy life but one filled with purpose and daily surrender. Every morning is an opportunity to say “yes” to Jesus and shake the gates of hell!" That day the evil which is threatening to devour us will lie defeated. 

And That day the lion will cease to hunt.

When Knowledge & Experience Don't Count

Have you ever found yourself working hard towards a goal or trying to catch a break only to come up empty handed? Happens to the best of us. Maybe you have been hoping for a promotion at work, or praying for a healing of a relationship. Whatever it maybe, we can all relate to the feeling of disappointment and frustration when our efforts seem to go unnoticed.

In Luke 5:5 we find Simon Peter and his companions in a similar situation. They had been fishing all night without any success. But when Jesus told them to let down their nets once more, despite their exhaustion and doubts they listened and caught so many fish that their nets began to break.

The key to this miraculous catch wasn’t the timing or the location. Rather it was in their willingness to trust in Jesus’ word, even when it was illogical, defied their knowledge and their experience and counterintuitive. Simon could have easily dismissed Jesus' advice citing his own experience and knowledge as a professional fisherman. Yet he humbled himself and chose to put his faith in the words of the master.

In our own lives, we will face situations when things don’t go according to our life plan, and we are left feeling helpless and discouraged. But let's remember the example set by Simon and his companions. Let's choose to trust in God's word even when it goes against everything, we think we know. It may require us to step out of comfort zones (as Simon did) and take a leap of faith (as Simon did) trusting that God will guide and provide for us every step of the way.

So let us not give up or lose hope when things go south. Remember, God does not send bad things our way – someone else does. But God guides, protects and provides for us when we are down and out. So let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and choose to trust in His word knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Let's thank God for His word and His promises given in His word and pray for wisdom and humility to follow His word and His advice. 

With God our earthly knowledge, experience, perceptions, etc., don't count. What counts is our humility to accept His instructions, His mercy and His miracles. 

(Based on a KJV Devotional)

Pastor Rajiv: The Church That Should Be

 

The Bunker of God

As we hear / see the news about the Iran Isarael conflict and other conflicts around the world, there are so many stories of missile attacks and bombings. We hear and see people running to bunkers to keep safe. Cars get into tunnels to escape the bombs. Everyone runs for the cover of safety - a good man, rich man, poor man, rebel, criminal, murderer, they all try and get to safety in  the bunkers. 

There is also a war which is going on around us, against us waged by satanic forces, luring us, tempting us, scaring us, threatening us with even death. But human bunkers cannot protect us from those attacks.

Yet, There is another bunker which is available for all those who are afflicted, to run to. People who are suffering not only in physical war but from pain, sickness, pestilence, emotional trauma, loneliness and any kind of danger - even the war or attacks of Satan and his cohort of spirits. That is the bunker of God. The secret place where God keeps everyone who comes there , keeps them and provides for them.

God makes a promise through Isiaah in Chapter 44 verse 3 and 4

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

The way to the bunker is free, no tolls or tax and certainly no barricades saying it is full. There is always space.

How does one get there? The way is through Jesus. Believe in Him. Ask Him and let Him guide you. Let Him show the way.

What It does need is for us to trust Him completely. Make no others' God's and idols; not money not man nor nature, nor fortunetellers or stones or diamonds. He alone is God, the Almighty and who knows us from when we were formed in the womb. Who designed us. Who created us. We need to, humbly, depend on Him alone. He will protect us. There is no situation so bad that He cannot solve, so ask Him. 

As the world around us erupts in violence and tragedy, or maybe we ourselves are going though a period of need, or are suffering from the wiles and attacks of Satan, let us go the  Bunker of God and find refuge, healing and peace.

Pastor Rajiv: The Church That Should Be

 

Pastor Rajiv's last Message on the 7 Churches in Revelations. 

Uninvited

Today Pastor Vikram Masih of India shared a very valid devotion from the KJV devotional. It truly makes one think. It is about celebrations.

When we are joyous and happy, on birthdays, anniversaries, promotion etc., we like to celebrate the occasion with a party - replete with friends, rich foods, drinks, music and possibly dance. We invite all our good friends to the party - all except one. Jesus.

Like the above scenario, there was a feast in Martha and Mary's home to welcome Jesus. This devotional is about that and we reproduce it here for you:

"Presence Over Presents

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her". Luke 10:41-42 KJV

A child will always prefer a parent who is present rather than just the presents. No matter how hard we work to bring home gifts, in the end, children will long to spend more time with their mommy and daddy than to have plenty of gifts. This illustration highlights what Jesus longs for from His children —presence over presents. Martha was so concerned to please Jesus that she chose something that she could give, while Mary sat down at the feet of Jesus and chose to be present with Him.

The truth is that many of today’s Christians are stuck in the same mindset as Martha’s. They’d rather perform for God or do something for God rather than just be with Him. The Lord did not rebuke Martha but gently showed her what truly matters to God’s heart. It’s not our performance but our connection with Him. He wants us to be present with Him! What a sweet God we have!

Prayer point: Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me that living in Your presence is more valuable than all the gold in the world. Help me to always value Your presence".

Tomorrow is Pentecost and the end of the Easter season. Lets make sure we invite Jesus to our homes and every occasion. 

Desperate Moments

If we think we have troubles, remember, the man after God’s own heart was not exempt from trouble, nay, his life was full of it. As maybe ours.

We all face desperate moments in our lives, so it maybe interesting to look for "desperate moments" in the Bible and draw inspiration. While the Bible doesn't explicitly label moments as "desperate," we can certainly identify situations where individuals or groups faced extreme peril, emotional distress, or seemingly insurmountable challenges, leading to feelings of desperation. Let us think deeply about these moments, put ourselves in the place of the protagonist and think: What would we have done? 

1. Hagar in the Wilderness (Genesis 21:14-19): After being sent away by Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael are in the wilderness of Beersheba, and their water runs out. Hagar lays her son under a bush, walks a distance away, and weeps, saying, "Let me not look on the death of the child." This is a desperate cry from a mother facing the imminent death of her son.

2. Jacob's Fear of Esau (Genesis 32:6-8, 24-30): Upon returning to his homeland, Jacob hears that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. He is "greatly afraid and distressed," dividing his people and flocks, and then wrestles with God all night, begging for protection. This is a desperate prayer for survival in the face of a perceived threat.

3. The Israelites Trapped at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-12): With Pharaoh's army pursuing them and the Red Sea before them, the Israelites cry out to Moses, saying, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?" They feel utterly trapped and doomed.

4. David Fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 21:10-15): David is on the run from Saul, who is trying to kill him. He is so desperate that he feigns madness before Achish, king of Gath, in order to escape.

5. Elijah Under the Juniper Tree (1 Kings 19:4): After his victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah is threatened by Jezebel and flees into the wilderness. He sits under a juniper tree and prays that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." This is a moment of deep despondency and despair.

6. The Widow of Zarephath and Her Son (1 Kings 17:12): During a famine, the widow is preparing to make a last meal for herself and her son with a tiny bit of flour and oil, after which they expect to die. Her situation is one of dire poverty and impending starvation.

7. Job's Suffering (Job 3:1-26, and throughout the book): After losing his children, wealth, and health, Job is in immense physical and emotional pain. He curses the day he was born and expresses profound desperation, longing for death as an escape from his suffering.

8. The Disciples in the Storm (Matthew 8:23-26 / Mark 4:37-38): A fierce storm arises while Jesus is asleep in the boat, filling the disciples with fear. They desperately wake Jesus, crying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

9. Jesus in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38-39 / Mark 14:34-36): In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is deeply distressed and sorrowful, even to the point of death. He prays repeatedly for the cup of suffering to be taken from him, if possible, demonstrating the intense human struggle and desperation he felt in the face of his impending crucifixion.

These moments in the Bible highlight the raw human experience of fear, sorrow, and perceived hopelessness, often leading to fervent prayer and a reliance on God and His divine intervention in each case.

If you are in a desperate moment today, ask yourself: Who can I rely on?