This Week With Jesus

8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life... 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. We do not realize that the concept of karma is temporal while grace is eternal.  Just to be clear, karma is not a religion but a philosophy. The philosophy of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in the schools of eastern philosophy and spirituality. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives. What you do always comes back to you - much like the boomerang. It is also widely believed that a semblance of karma is reflected in the Bible where it refers to reaping what you sow, in Galatians 6 verse 8 as quoted above. But it's not to be taken out of context. The reference is to the spir

A while back I read a story of a visiting pastor who attended a men's breakfast in the middle of a rural farming area of the country. The group had asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast. "Lord, I hate buttermilk", the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going. The farmer loudly proclaimed, "Lord, I hate lard." Now the pastor was growing concerned. Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, "And Lord, you know I don't much care for raw white flour". The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable. Then the farmer added, "But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits. So,  Lord, when things come up that we don't like, when life gets hard, when we don't understand what you're saying to us, help us to just

 

These days we honor some thinker or scientist or politician saying "she (or he)" is a visionary. The meaning of that erm is thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom and believes in it. They are full of knowledge which they apply and practice. According to world norms, everyone is not a visionary. Only a few exceptional ones. According to Christian terms, who are the visionaries? Well, everyone, has the opportunity. Few perhaps take it. Visionaries are the people who look at the world as it is and see what it could be instead. A Christian visionary sees it as it is today, and what he will become beyond, and plans for it. S/He sees and believes that there is a life beyond death which they want to save and are ready to invest in it. S/He researches, believes and plans. S/He shares. Christian visionaries are not afraid to pivot, and lead a life based on Christ's way. They believe there is a war out there, an unseen but not unfelt war. They pray for, a

Plan. Provide. Protect . Three things which the Lord freely offers us if we ask.  All our life, we work for these three things:  we try to plan for what we think is the best, we try to provide for ourselves,  and our families and we need protection from evil days, evil ways and evil circumstances. Do we ask God?  Or do we run to Him when everything is going wrong? Plan 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 hope and a future..." If we ask, listen and do what God has planned for us, everything will work together for good. Provide What does the Bible say about provision? The provisions of God for his people are a common theme throughout scripture. Matthew 7:11 is a very popular verse -  "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much   more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him"  Another one is Matthewb14

1 kings 17 verses 13-15 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. One of the basic principles of Christianity is sharing. During the early days of the disciples recorded in the Acts, the principle of sharing and the activities around it is mentioned in detail. This is especially true when we receive numerous blessings from God, not only in terms of material things but more importantly the blessing of peace offered by Jesus. In the quoted verse the widow shared her last meal. At that point in time she did not know her food supply

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. ESV 17 Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full MSG In the quoted verse I believe that the thought is better represented by the word "needy" rather than the word "poor" as it is inclusive and refers to various needs of people. Meeting those needs creates a transformation - From Sadness to hope. Such a transformation creates hope in the hopeless when their mental or physical needs are met. This transformation can happen to anyone and everyone, who asks, as God is the author and the architect. But we too can participate in the transformation helping God with small things.  It could be helping someone buy groceries, share time with someone who maybe lonely. Maybe chat with lonely elders and listen to their stories, which, by the way , are usually very interesting, entertaining and informative. Sometimes all we may need to invest is a