Category Archives: Walking with Jesus

Let us Hold Unswervingly to the Hope!

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Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thought:

Is fellowship vital for a believer? The hope we hold means that Jesus is the sole author of our salvation, should we then exclude ourselves from others. The Bible answers that in Hebrews 10 23:25, it mentions that we should tightly hold on to hope but at the same time we are also called to spur one another in doing good things and be encouraging to others. Also, it warns about some people who have a habit of not meeting. Though Christ alone is sufficient for our faith, how can we put that faith into action without outwardly showing that love among others, including believers? Hold on to fellowships if you are in one or seek and find fellowships if you are not in one, or in some cases even start one. In any case, do it prayerfully, listening to God’s will.

Word:

Hebrews 10:23-25

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Prayer:

Lord, we pray that you lead us to find fellowships and grow in them. We pray that we can encourage and love others. Amen.

Recognizing our critics

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Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thought:

Apostle Paul in his instructions to the church of Thessalonica asks them to recognize three important characteristics in people; those who work hard, those who care for others, and those who admonish others. It seems sensible and practical to appreciate hard-working and caring people but it’s not easy to appreciate them when they strongly criticize us. The type of admonishment that Paul talks about is done in love where the person who admonishes someone cares enough about them to boldly warn them of their sinful ways. A simple illustration is a mother admonishing her child for playing with fire. We know she does it in love and it is for the child’s well-being. As believers, we should be able to humbly accept and live with people who admonish us, at the same time, when a situation arises, we should also be courageous enough to admonish others in love.

Word:

1 Thessalonians 5: 12, 13

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord, and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to be humble when You or others admonish us, help us fix our sinful ways, and also give us the courage to admonish others in love. Amen.

Thoughts, words, and actions

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Greeting in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

Thought:

Sometimes our thoughts are not often as talked about as our words or actions. In many cases thoughts will be the starting point of a good or bad thing that we may do in the future, so we need to guard our thoughts. Apostle Paul gives a good idea of how our thoughts should be: pure, true, noble, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. We should avoid sinful thoughts to stay, sometimes being too busy can also stop us from those good thoughts as mentioned in verse 8. In verse 9, He leads by example and asks us to follow either by what we have heard from him or from what we have seen from him, which essentially is his words and his life in actions respectively. Our thoughts are for us, and words and our lifestyle is for us and others to witness, but all need to align with God’s will.

 Word:

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.          

 Prayer:

Lord, give us your Spirit, to govern our words, thoughts, and actions. Amen.

Being Angry, sin or not?

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Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

Thought:
Being Angry? Is it a sin? No, anger in itself is not a sin but when kept uncontrolled, it can lead to undesirable consequences. For example, most acts of physical abuse, verbal abuse, and thoughts of hatred stem from being angry and this is what God doesn’t want from us. Jesus, Himself was angry when he drove away people from the temple. There might be situations where God uses our anger to do acts for the greater good like correcting others or stopping injustices, but in most other situations we need to be patient, exhibit self-control and leave the situation prayerfully for God to handle.

Word: Ephesians 4:26-27
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,  and do not give the devil a foothold.

Prayer:
 Lord, forgive us whenever we have left anger to control us. Give us control over our anger so that it doesn’t hurt anyone. Amen

Rejoicing in sufferings

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Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Thought:
Peter writes to the early Christians during a time when they were always threatened and persecuted by the Romans. But despite that, he asks them to rejoice amidst their sufferings. The suffering that is talked about here is suffering for being a Christian. In today’s world, there are still many direct physical threats to being a Christian, but there are also indirect consequences of being a Christian, like being excluded and discriminated against for our beliefs, and loss of friendships and relationships. Even in these cases, we are called to rejoice and praise God. Why do we rejoice? because we suffer just like Christ suffered, God is always there with us through our sufferings, and our hope is in having eternity with God.

Word:
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. 13 But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Prayer:
 Lord, we praise You even when we are suffering for Your name. We pray for strength and comfort for all believers who are suffering and going through similar ordeals. We are grateful because, without Christ’s suffering, we would not have any hope. Amen.

Why suffer for doing good?

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Dear all,

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thought: The world teaches the concept of Karma where people get what they deserve based on their deeds. According to the Word, it is considered to be better, if it is God’s will, that we suffer for doing good (verse 17). Is that harsh? No, rather it is by that very principle we have a living hope, Christ went through the ultimate suffering on the cross so that we may be reconciled with God instead of going to hell, which is where we deserve to go. In verse 14, Peter says we are blessed when we suffer for what is right. Let’s be encouraged by the fact that through the suffering, God is always with us, watching and His reward for us is in heaven.

Word:
Peter 3:13-18

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for the grace and mercies you have showered upon us because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the defeat of death through His resurrection. Strengthen us to endure sufferings and persecution when we are doing what is right. Amen.

Marriage: Love & Respect – True Joy and Peace, that is from God!

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Dear all,

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thought:

 People of the world might suggest several things for a joyful marriage. Some of them might sound good and feel good but the Bible is clear on the roles of a husband/wife in a marriage and upon following, it can lead to the best marriages in terms of true joy and peace, that is from God.

Word:
Ephesians 5:21-33 (Also refer 1 Peter 3:1-7)
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Prayer:
LORD, thank you for the institution of marriage, help us to fulfill the roles you have given us. Help us to imitate the relationship of Christ and Church in the marriage. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Submit to all Authority

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Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ.

Word: 1 Peter 2:13-14
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

Thought:

Human authority can be upper management at the workplace or local/national governments. In any case, they aren’t always believers themselves. But in all cases they are appointed by God and thus we should submit to them, this doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with them, but we are called to be humble and respectful to them. Grumbling, gossiping, being disobedient and hateful are some ways we fail in being submissive. When we find it hard to live under any authority, we just need to pray and ask God for endurance through it rather than react to their wrongdoings.

Prayer:

LORD, We know You appointed all authority, therefore help us to be submissive to them and we pray that you bless the authority and provide them with wisdom and strength to lead the people and make decisions as per Your will. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

Cornerstone

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Dear all,

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Word: 1 Peter 2:6-8
6 …“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”
8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.

Thought: In the above verses, Peter is talking about Jesus when he is referring to the stone.

For people who trust in Him, he will never be put to shame. Sounds almost impossible, but once we abide in Him, only what He thinks matters to us, the world may shame us but, for us believers, the world is not where we place our trust and hence what they think shouldn’t bother us.

The verses also mention that whoever rejects the stone, it causes them to stumble. One of the things that this could mean is that the truth can be offensive to people. Many Jews of Jesus’ lifetime were offended and rejected Him and His message. Even today, the very fact that Jesus is the only way for salvation is offensive to most non-believers, but that same message is precious to believers.

Prayer:

LORD, Help us to place our trust in You, the chosen and precious cornerstone. Give us the courage and burden to lovingly share about You among non-believers through our words and actions. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Holy Life is a Jolly Life

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Dear all,

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Word: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

Thought: God has called us to be holy because He is holy. Things that make us unholy can be internal or external. This could be anything like our words, thoughts, actions, people we hang out with, places we go or habits we pick up. As humans we are bound to fall short one way or the other, but God’s mercy and grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His resurrection more than makes up for it. Let that inspire us to be more holy and ultimately more like Jesus.

Prayer: LORD, give us the strength to overcome the things in our life that make us unholy, so that we can become holy like You. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.