This Week With Jesus

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 The Principle of Replacement The Principle of replacement states that it is not enough to passively accept the enemy’s actions or even accept it in order to leave it to God’s intervention and justice. We are to do the opposite: we are to replace evil with good. Why? That is the very opposite to what we have been taught!.  Because, by doing good to the one who has wronged us may shame the other person into repentance and a change of way. Paul closes this passage saying do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This is not easy in fact it is costly because it sometimes involves taking on the pain of someone else’s wrong doing. But overcoming evil with good may result in gaining a friend and promoting reconciliation in the process . These words may have been written thousands of years ago but are as true today as then. Today these words are as relevant, as crucial, and, as important as they were then because we are living in a

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 While we discussed resolutions yesterday and, taking a cure from Paul, we looked at "building a Biblical New Year Resolution". From verse 14 onwards Paul changes gears to talk about behaving like Christians with non-believers. Make no mistake, this is a crucial admonition especially in the world we are living in today. Paul says we are to relate to non-believers the same way we relate to other believers: with love Even when non-believers persecute us do good even to those who treat us badly. The post tragedy behaviour of Mrs Gladys Staines is a beautiful example of this : ‘bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse’. It takes god’s grace to be truly concerned about the successes and needs of other people. Verse 16 is extremely crucial in defining behaving like Christians : be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. do not be wise in your own opinion. Simply put, t

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 Most people make new year resolutions! In fact, A study in the us in 2016 showed that 41% of Americans made new year resolutions but by the end of the year only 9% could claim to have been successful in keeping those resolutions. The reasons for this failure are many - unrealistic goals, poor record-keeping, plain forgetfulness, and, an unrealistic number of resolutions. I don’t know how many of us make new year resolutions. I don’t, but perhaps a good way to start would be to follow the list given by Paul in our bible passage today. Paul in this section of his letter to the Roman church is advising and cautioning them, and us, to ‘behave like Christians’. As a church, as people, I think that is a good resolution to make and then strive to keep it. But what exactly does he mean? Paul talks about behaving like Christians within  the church, with other Christians (verses 9 to 13) and behaving like Christians outside the church, with others (in ve

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths you would have me go this coming year. Show me your vision for me a d Guide me in your truth and teach me. for you are God my Savior, my provider, and my protector and my hope is in you all day long, every day. Your thoughts and plans for me will give me an expected end. Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old and yet are new every morning, in your great faithfulness. So I do not lose hope. Do not remember the sins of my youth, of past years gone by, and my rebellious ways, but forgive me my transgressions, according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good. Yet, even as I am your work in progress, help me, in all things shewing myself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, and good speech. Fill our homes with your presence, for me and my house, have and will, serve you. And in this coming year, and years after that, renew our strength and that of our children, and

  As we near the end of 2022, we cannot but recall the horrid years the world has spent since 2020, those dark Covid times. And every now and then, even now, we see that pandemic raising its ugly head. We cannot forget the mass graves in New York, the mass of funeral pyres in India, the daily death counts in China, Europe and the world, and the constant fear of death looming over our heads. No one in this world was spared loss, directly or indirectly. Sadly, some did not survive. They went on ahead to prepare a place for us. For those who did, that time was spent in fear and or heartbreak.  Today, in retrospect, what do we feel and think? What have we learnt? The past defines the future and There is one truth which has kept many of us going - 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. The truth is that we all have come through the worst, with the Lord’s help. Each o

  It’s our 1st Anniversary! Yes, we are ONE year old. It’s been a year since Pastor Rajiv and his team started sharing his messages and other reflections. We wish to thank our readers and contributors through the year and on this occasion share a special reflection. In the Upper Room today , Terrie Hellard-Brown recounts a miraculous Christmas experience which we would like to share here - "As worship leader in my church, I always planned the Christmas worship services with great care and excitement. One year I asked a soprano named Rebecca to sing “O Holy Night” during the last Sunday morning service before Christmas. As the date approached, Rebecca called me and said, “I keep feeling like God wants me to sing ‘O Holy Night’ in French. Is that weird?” I told her I thought it would be glorious, and that if God was leading her to do it, then she should. Our church had an English-speaking international congregation with 15 countries represented weekly. We were not aware of any atte

People who are alive today, possibly are witnesses to the biggest tragedies the world has seen. The world wars, epidemics, nuclear accidents and the latest being Covid. During this covid time I doubt there will be a single person or family who has not lost a friend or a family member, near or far, or has not been affected in some way. But the very fact we are here today is because of the grace and mercy in our life. When one journey ends, another begins. For some maybe on their second journey, but for us we can only say "Father, thank you for your grace and mercy in our life today. Truly we have walked through the shadows of death, but your grace has been with us throughout" "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me". As we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate that this day God came down to be with us. Today He stooped to conquer () so that we could have a life .  So