This Week With Jesus

R ead John 1 19-28  Here If someone asked you today, who are you, what would your reply be? Most of us would give our name, profession and maybe address. John the Baptist was asked the same question, repeatedly, and his answer can become a standard for us. Most of us, when questioned, focus on the creation rather than the creator. We would say our name, our occupation, or position and so on. But John introduced himself by his mission. He was clear on what it was and what he was committed to do. In our case our mission defines our focus. Is our mission to become a CEO or a political leader etc. Or is our mission to become an instrument of Gods work. And if so what exactly can I do in His kingdom? What is our role? The answer to that question will tell us whether we are "creation focused" or "creator focused". Whether we have made idols in our lives or not. Today, as an exercise can we craft an answer like John's which we can answer people with when asked "wh

Every time I think about life and all the numerous small and big miracles I have experienced, I recall Romans 5:5 where it says - "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us". it follows then that if we want God's wonderous participation in our lives, through the Holy Spirit we need to relinquish control. But we confine the Holy Spirit, muzzle Him, constrain Him, all to remain in control. One thing is for sure: That Miracles are not the "normal" of today. They are acts of God - The Force Majeure. Even the law recognizes that. Miracles are always within the grand design of God the Creator and fall within the category of prophetic symbolism intended to draw attention to something beyond themselves that confirms the word of God. They are not isolated gestures on the part of God but play an important part in the execution of the grand design of the Creator for the redemption of His c

As we get older, we become wiser and we gradually realize that a $30 watch and a $300 watch show the same time...Whether we wear $30 or $300 purses, the same amount of money can fit in both..  Whether we drive a $150,000 car or a $30,000 car, the journey and the distance are the same, we always reach the same destination.. Wisdom is what we all want and need. It helps us to make the right choices, to make the right decisions, to know right from wrong. It gives us discernment. But wisdom is not easy to find nor get. It is a challenging process, requiring us to rise above our own selves. While wisdom is a keen desire of all, it requires us to work towards it. It is a process in steps. So what are they?  1. Desire - the first step is to have a consistent desire to get wisdom, throughout the process. Consistent because, frequently we will find that wisdom tells us to do something while not doing it is more attractive. Not to desire something, while that desire is so pleasurable. And so we

Ted Hughes, in his novel Iron Man, describes the fantastic story of a creature who finally saves the earth in spite of humans viewing him as an enemy. Sounds familiar?  Today let us look at David - another Iron Man. Where did David get his sustenance and strength?  Pastor Colin Smith explains this rather wonderfully in his  sermon, "He sustains Me" on what gave David that strength and is a promise for us as well.  As we know, David did not have a peaceful life like many of us do. He was plagued by a continuous stream of troubles, even death. Yet he was a man of God. In spite of his continuous troubles he fought on and accomplished what he was entrusted with. What gave him this strength? What did he have that we are missing?  Pastor Smith has explained all this and more in his message, "He Sustains Me" which we recommend you read/ hear. The message is available here

Deuteronomy 4:9   Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them . Waking up every morning is a miracle in itself, and that’s worth celebrating. Each new day is a gift from our gracious God. We are so miniscule we cannot even begin to create a certainty in our future. The only certainty we have is the past. Our past shows us that we are dear to God and being that we can be sure that He will ascertain the best for our future. That best may not be in line with what we want, but it will be what we need, to live a life as God would like us to. In the words of Ms Francis Taylor - When you feel abandoned by God it is so important that you remember when God was there for you. This is what Moses was trying to impress upon the Israelites before they entered the promise land. (In the quoted verse) He had many instructions for t

It is widely believed that the those who are poor are often more generous than the rich. Jesus recognized this in the temple when he saw a woman put in all she had into the offering bag. This may be due to the fact that the poor rely on God for their daily bread and  they recognize that fact that whatever they have came from God. This is not a universal law. There are so many well to do people who share their wealth in many ways. Yet, some Acts from the Bible take the prize as in the verse below.  Acts 2:45 "and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need". One of the points raised by Pastor Rajiv in his message earlier was that sacrificial giving goes beyond the specific giving. The word sacrifice comes from the Latin word sacra which means sacred and à ficeo à meaning ‘to make.  SO SACRIFICE MEANS TO MAKE SACRED OR TO MAKE HOLY! I n other words  to devote to God.  As we near the middle of Lent, some of us sacri

Psalm 22 verses 1 and 2  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yesterday we talked about unanswered prayers. Today we go a step further: when we think our prayer has not been answered, in some extreme situations like the death of a loved one, or a serious illness which won't go away, we can feel abandoned by God. But is it really so? Feeling abandoned is not the same thing as being abandoned. So, having made that distinction, do we feel abandoned or are we really abandoned? Or is there some wisdom or logic, beyond oir comprehension? Recently, while researching on the topic of unanswered prayers, we came across a real-life account of a person who felt abandoned. We will not try to reproduce the story, but let you read it yourself. So here it is. https://thecatholicwoman.co/letterstowomen/reckoning-with-grief-and-unanswered-prayers