Genesis 18 – The Negotiation

God lets Abraham in on his plan to destroy the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah resulting in Abraham blatantly pleading for his nephew Lot. The pleading turns into negotiations with God agreeing to all of Abraham’s changes to the clauses but Abraham himself knew that his negotiations will not be able to save his nephew.

Quiz – John 6

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the sixth Chapter of the Gospel of John

Genesis 17 – The Circumcision

So we can finally start calling Abram as Abraham, as in this chapter, God renames Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many). Seems like a cruel joke to rename a guy who is about to turn 100 and whose wife is on the verge of turning 90. But when God renames someone, it is far from a joke, but rather an assurance of the fulfillment of the promise he had made to Abram almost a quarter of a century ago.

Faith – A Gift from God

How do we start believing in Jesus Christ? Those who have had an encounter with Jesus can surely tell us about their start. But what about the born Christians and believers who do not have a special kind of encounter with Jesus Christ?

Way maker

Recently in one of our Bible studies we were discussing John 5 and how the Jewish leaders were persecuting Jesus as he was not ‘keeping the sabbath’ by healing the sick on the Lord’s day. To which Jesus replied…

Quiz – John 5

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the fifth Chapter of the Gospel of John

Genesis 16 – The Family Feud

I like the NIV heading as it doesn’t mention Abram or Sarai and just reads ‘Hagar and Ishmael’. Not surprising, given that this chapter reveals more details about the chosen family that we generally would not associate with the father of faith.

Quiz – John 4

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the Fourth Chapter of the Gospel of John

Genesis 15 – The Covenant

Chapter 15 starts off with God renewing his promise to Abram with the words “I am your shield, your very great reward”. That is what God was offering Abram. In a sense offering himself through the birth of Jesus the snake crusher.
But Abram misconstrues this to mean that God will bless him with great wealth and land and quickly speaks his mind saying that the inheritance that God is promising him in the future is of no use to him without a legal heir. He will surely not be alive to enjoy it and since he does not have any sons (not yet) his servant Eliezer’s family would reap the benefits.

Genesis 13 & 14 – The Separation

Today we are looking at chapters 13 & 14 and in particular the relationship between Abram and Lot. We know very little about Lot up to this point. We know he accompanied Abram to Egypt and came back but apart from that the author of genesis has not revealed anything about Lot. Lot did not have a father and Abram did not have a son so it’s safe to say that Lot saw Abram as a father figure given that he also left his hometown to follow Abram. And Abram would have seen lot as his son and his presumed heir.

Genesis 11&12 – The Chosen Family

One day, Abram heard a voice asking him to leave his father’s household and go to the land of Canaan. Several years later, Abram listens to the voice and sets out from his hometown to the land that God had promised him.

This marked the beginning of the nomadic life for the chosen family and would be the first of their many travels. Much like this initial expedition, Abram’s spiritual journey was also in its infancy which can be clearly seen in today’s passage.

Who are we in the Kingdom of God?

The old adage ‘Ignorance is a bliss’, does not suit the present day situations that we have to face. An IT professional should be aware of the latest technology in order for his code to be relevant. A government official should know the bye-laws and his duties to do his job effectively. We should be aware of the weather outside or the prevailing traffic rules before we step out of our houses. However, in the spiritual realm, man fails to walk with God because of his ignorance regarding the presence of God, who is always with him. Ignorance of the promises, assurances and provisions of God misguides man to lead a miserable life.

Genesis 9-11 – The Tower

In the last chapter we saw God using a rainbow to remind us of his covenant with us but the incomplete tower of Babel will be forever a sign of our rebellion against Him.

Creations reveal the Creator

With the invention of modern technology, mankind forgets to look at God’s magnificence through his creation. God created ears and gave a sense of hearing to all the living creatures and man invented the cell phone. Of these two, which one is most popular among man, certainly, the latter. In the course of time, mankind was blinded enough not to reach out to the Creator through His creation but stooped to worship the creation itself because of ignorance and foolishness…..

Genesis 6-9 – The Flood

This week we are discussing the Sunday school favorite story of Noah and the ark and see how God showed His grace upon Noah and his family and how Noah reciprocated by obeying God’s voice to the letter.

Understanding God’s Will

When we stand at a crossroad, we always look for opportunities according to ground realities. It may be our career or a crucial life decision like marriage when we look at the present to visualize our future. Often we depend on our peace of mind to determine our decision.

John 5 – The Healing Ministry

The conversation between Jesus and the unnamed woman at the well gives us an insight into what God actually wants from us, that we worship Him in the Spirit and in truth. We discuss that and other bold claims Jesus made that baffled the woman and see how we can apply those truths in our lives.

Quiz – John 3

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the Third Chapter of the Gospel of John

John 4 – Samaritans Believe

The conversation between Jesus and the unnamed woman at the well gives us an insight into what God actually wants from us, that we worship Him in the Spirit and in truth. We discuss that and other bold claims Jesus made that baffled the woman and see how we can apply those truths in our lives.

Genesis 4 – The First Murder

The fall of man continues through the next generation as we see Cain not taking heed to God’s warning regarding the ‘crouching tiger’ and commits the first murder.

We discuss the first sixteen verses of Chapter 4 (Genesis 4:1-16) and see how man’s rebellion against God is prevalent even today.

John 3 – Light and Darkness

Today, we look at John Chapter 3 and discuss the infamous conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus which gave us the verse that perfectly summarizes God’s love for mankind, the mankind that keeps failing to understand His love.

Nicodemus seems to represent our confused state and much like us, struggles to grasp the true meaning of Jesus’ words.

Genesis 3 – The Fall

Genesis Chapter 3 starts off by introducing us to a new creature, the serpent, the craftiest of all wild animals that God had made. We discuss the impact of that infamous conversation between man and the Serpent and how God planned to redeem us through the Snake Crusher. (Genesis 3:15)

Battle of the Mind

It is obvious that mankind has been struggling generation after generation to get rid of sin. People understand the concept of being conceived in sin (Psalms 51:5) without any effort while unable to digest the truth of being sanctified and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, like Paul is genuinely admitting the battle of his mind, (Romans 7:19-20) no one else is genuine in accepting the real state of their own minds.

Acceptance of our condition and repentance are two essential factors for obtaining forgiveness. To get rid of sin we must understand our sovereign God in a wholesome manner…….

Quiz – John 2

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the Second Chapter of the Gospel of John

John 2 – New Wine

We continue our series on John and see the first of the many signs that Jesus performed where he used six dirty vessels to bring out new wine and had the same plans for the six ordinary men that were following him at the time of the wedding.

Quiz – John 1

Test your Bible knowledge with this quiz on the first chapter of the Gospel of John

John 1 – John the Baptist

We continue our series on John and see the first three witnesses of Jesus

1. John the Baptist introduces Jesus to his onlookers – (John 1:19-34)
2. Andrew introduces Jesus to his brother Simon – (John 1:35-42)
3. Philip introduces Jesus to his friend Nathaniel – (John 1:43-51)

In this episode we cover the second half (v 19-51) of Chapter 1 of the book of John.

Luke – Chapter 22

We discuss Jesus’ final hours before Crucifixion, how Judas agreed to betray Jesus and how Jesus gave the Passover festival a new meaning.

I Never Knew You

When we read Matthew 7:21 it is alarming to know that Jesus may forbid us from entering His Kingdom in spite of …

Genesis 2 – Adam

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. The second chapter of the book of Genesis starts off with that line and goes into the details of how God created the first humans and placed them in this delightful garden where all their needs were provided.

John 1 – In the Beginning

We start our Series on the book of John and immediately are bombarded with callbacks from the very first book of the Bible. John takes us back to the creation and calls Jesus by three simple yet distinct names.

The Word (John 1:1), used to create everything, The Light (John1:4), the start of the creation and the Life (John 1:4), what God breathed into Adam’s nostrils.

In this episode we cover the first half (v 1-18) of Chapter 1 of the book of John.

Genesis 1 – In the Beginning

We start our Series on the first book of the Bible, Genesis, which tells us about God’s wonderful creation, our subsequent fall and God’s plan for our redemption. Chapter one tells us how it all began and quite aptly the very first line of the bible is In the beginning.

Genesis 49 & 50

We discuss the final two chapters of the book of Genesis and saw how Jacob and Joseph both desired to go back to the promise land during their final breaths.

Genesis 46 & 47

Here’s the recording from last night’s Bible Study. We saw how God brought Jacob’s entire family to Egypt and provided the very best land for them.

Genesis 47 & 48

Recording from Thursday’s Bible Study where we talked about how Joseph brought Egypt out of the famine straight but into slavery, eventually saving the entire country of Egypt and both his families from starvation.

In The Garden

“Just imagine if you had been with Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane?” This question like a sales pitch for a travel agent’s call for a pilgrimage tour. While Peter, James and John, failed to cope with their master’s mission, Jesus is expecting a different response from us. On that fateful night, nothing was clear regarding His redemption plan but now everything has come to light. But now that we know better are we still finding it hard to stay awake?

Luke – Chapter 21

In Jerusalem, Jesus continues to teach and foretells the destruction of the temple in which the Israelites took great pride.

Luke – Chapter 20

After arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus had to navigate several rounds of tricky interviews by various groups.

Luke – Chapter 17

Love for money is the root cause for all kinds of evil. In the ancient days, man exchanged the goods and services in return for his own needs. In due course of time man invented money to replace the barter system.

Not Peace, But Sword

Modern age relies on various kinds of visual aids to promote technology, business, public awareness and social media updates. Visual aids attract human attention more than any other communication tool. Eye-catching visuals go deep into our mind and stay for a longer period. Moses was astonished by an eye-catching glimpse of a burning bush, he…

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Luke – Chapter 16

Love for money is the root cause for all kinds of evil. In the ancient days, man exchanged the goods and services in return for his own needs. In due course of time man invented money to replace the barter system.

Luke – Chapter 15

The tax collectors and sinners and others who were shunned by the temple, were gathering around Jesus to hear his words. This bothered the Pharisees as they were the ones who had made them an outcast. Jesus heard their grumblings and proceeded with three parables of finding something that was lost. The Parable of the…

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Luke – Chapter 14

The Pharisees kept inviting Jesus to their homes in hopes of gathering evidence against him in order to nullify his radical claims. Maybe that’s why a ‘Prominent Pharisee’ would host a grand luncheon on Sabbath and break the very same law that he was accusing Jesus of violating..

Luke – Chapter 13

Many TV Evangelists preach, what can only be described as the Gospel of Fear. They survey the current events from all over the globe and interpret them to their audience as punishment from God. Similarly the Jews thought themselves as righteous and labelled the Galileans who died at the hands of Pilate as sinners deserving death.

A Tale of Two Sisters

In this modern age, many gadgets exist that shorten the time phase in every sphere of our work life. Every day new innovations are coming up to make the older ones obsolete. This has changed our work culture tremendously. In spite of these boons, we are more busier than ever and are not able to find time to look after our own family matters.

Luke – Chapter 12

It takes no time for Yeast to quickly make its way through the dough and in the same way, hypocrisy penetrates our fellowships if we let it. The Pharisees were masters of hypocrisies with a set of rules for them and a different set of rules for their followers. Perhaps this is why Luke devotes half of the chapter recording Jesus’ warnings regarding the pharisees.

Luke – Chapter 11

The disciples would have noticed Jesus withdrawing to a solitary place to pray several times and eventually one of them asked Jesus to teach them to pray too. Jesus tells them a very short yet a contained prayer.

Luke – Chapter 10

Jesus wanted the disciples to completely depend on God, who is the ultimate provider and not waste time in letting better food or accommodation decide where they lodged in the city…

Luke – Chapter 9

Jesus sent out the Twelve after giving them power and authority to drive our demons and cure diseases and to proclaim the kingdom of God. In asking them to take nothing for their Journey Jesus wanted to teach the disciples how to completely depend on God….

Luke – Chapter 8

This Chapter starts off with Luke mentioning the women disciples about whom we hardly hear from the other writers and ends with Jesus giving two daughters a new life

Forgiveness

The Oxford dictionary defines forgiveness as “To Stop feeling angry or resentful towards (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.” Stop feeling angry means keeping ourselves from stress and it centers around our interest rather than others.

Luke – Chapter 7

The Centurion was an officer in the Roman army who was in charge of a hundred soldiers. He would have heard about the miraculous healing that Jesus was doing in the lives of the Jews and wanted to approach Jesus for his dear servant. He did not think that his position of power entitled him a visit from Jesus but thought himself unworthy to even approach Jesus. So he asked the elders of the Jews to carry his message.

Luke – Chapter 6

The pharisees were looking for every opportunity to negate the validity of Jesus as being the Messiah. In this particular incident, they took on the issue of Sabbath which is part of the ten commandments. The Pharisees took all the rules to the extreme while forgetting the very reason for which God created Sabbath in the first place.

Who You Say I Am – Hillsong

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:14 God does not need us to define Him or give Him an identity. This is what He meant when he sent Moses to the captive Israelites…

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Luke – Chapter 5

After a hard night of fishing, Peter had returned to the shore disheartened, when he saw Jesus approaching. Jesus got into Peter’s boat and started to preach to the people gathered on the beach. Peter wrapped up his fishing gear and joined the others.

Luke – Chapter 4

The Spirit of God led Jesus through the wilderness where He was tempted for forty days. There are three temptations which are recorded in this chapter and while there might have been more lines of dialogue between Jesus and Satan, these three still teach us a lot of things.

Luke – Chapter 3

The last book of the Old Testament ends with letting the people of Israel know, that before the coming of our Lord, there will be another prophet like Elijah who will warn the nation to turn from their evil ways….

Luke – Introduction

When Luke sat down to write his account, the Gospel of Mark and probably even Matthew’s Gospel already existed. Then why did he decide to write another book on the life of Christ?

Acts 21-28 – The Homestretch

In the final section of the book of Acts, Luke records the last years of Paul’s ministry. Luke leaves us without closure and we do not know what happens to Paul. Either he was executed or Luke’s narration had led up to the present day and even Luke does not know what will happen next. However, Luke gives an extensive account of the works of the Holy Spirit which was the purpose of writing the book.

A Fig Tree with Luscious Leaves

The incident with the fig tree which is recorded by Mark leaves the readers in total confusion as it subverts the magnificent power of Jesus Christ in three ways…

Upgrade

We desire to get the latest phones for the minor upgrades that they offer, upgrades that we may never even need in our lives. How often do we upgrade our walk with Christ?

Pain – A Ladder to Perfection

God has knitted every organ of our body and made us a living being. These organs are sensitive to any foreign body.  They do not easily get accustomed to a new environment but strongly raise an alarm against a foreign object, such as pain and nausea. In the same manner every sorrow and grief coming against our soul should raise alarming signal against disobedience to the word of God and should lead us to repentance.

Splinters and Stones

I love this song and how it recounts the incident in John Chapter 8 from a different perspective, the one from our point of view.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Often believers long for the gifts of the Holy Spirit without laying down the foundation of knowledge, wisdom and faith.

Nicodemus – The Secret Follower

Mentioned only in the Gospel according to John, Jesus’ late night meeting with Nicodemus gave us the most influential verse and the summary of the entire Gospel in John 3:16.

Acts 10 & 11 – Gentile Pentecost

Cornelius was a centurion in the Italian Regiment and was stationed at Caesarea which was located about 33 miles to the north of Joppa. It was the capital of the Roman occupied Judea.  Since it was a major seaport and fell on the main caravan route from Tyre to Egypt, it had a vast and diverse demography….

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Spiritual Vision

When we come across sickness and other problems we assume that the reason for our sickness is our sins. Likewise, we too judge others when they suffer. We read in Romans that the wages of sin is death and we think that every sickness and sufferings leads us towards death. If that is true, what is the meaning of the death of Christ in our lives?

Wonder – Hillsong United

This song reminds me of Paul and how he would have felt when he regained his sight. After his encounter with Jesus, on the road to Damascus, Paul lost his vision. But when Ananias prayed for him something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see again. His spiritual eyes were also opened on that day and he saw the Jesus way. Paul took baptism and traded in his old life for a new one. The man who breathed murderous threats against the disciples of Christ was now not ashamed to proclaim the same Gospel to everyone. That encounter opened his eyes to the Wonder of Jesus.

Acts 5 – The Offering

The members of the first church start bringing their offerings to support the Jesus movement, some with good intentions and some with not so so good…

Acts 3-4 – The Stand

At the place where Jesus was almost stoned and amongst the people who crucified him, Peter and John, led by the Spirit, take a bold stand for the sake of the Gospel.

Casting Crowns – Thrive

At the junction you’ve got these two rivers coming together and then you’ve got this tree right in the middle. Growing up in Alabama you don’t see trees like this everyday. While I’m walking out to take this photo this old farmer from the area is walking with me just chatting. He says to me, “you know these old trees like this, they’re strong for a reason. If you take all the dirt away, you would see just as much root as you would reach. ” Roots with no reach is useless. To Thrive as a believer is to have roots that dig in and to reach is to understand our goal. – Mark Hall

O Praise The Name (Anástasis) – Hillsong Worship

This song tells a timeless story — it helps us remember it anew and reflect on it in a different way. It’s the story of the Cross, of His resurrection, of the greatest love story in history. Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This song is a story of the Cross, a story of love, and of rebirth. Anástasis, Jesus’ resurrection that leads us to respond to His great love for us! – Hillsong Worship

Acts 2 – The Pentecost

The festival of weeks or more commonly know as Pentecost is celebrated 7 weeks after Passover. On this day Jews from all over the globe would come to the Holy city of Jerusalem to be part of the festivities.

7eventh Time Down – God Is On The Move

God is on the move. He is moving in the hearts and souls of Christians. He is moving in our churches. He is stirring our hearts to revival. We can hear it in the rumblings of the voices in our nation crying out for change. We can see in the way people are turning back to God. And, we can feel it in the way in which God is calling the people of the church to stand up. 7eventh Time Down sings about God moving in their song “God Is on the Move.” This song speaks to the ways and times God is moving. – Rare.Us

Guard Your Steps

Most of us feel lost when we miss even a single Sunday Service. Is it due to a change in our routine or did we truly miss the word? Many people do not even know the very purpose for which they attend church.

Acts 1 – The Aftermath

Luke starts his second book to Theophilus with a brief summary of the forty days that Jesus spent with his disciples.

This is Amazing Grace – Phil Wickham

  BEHIND THE SONG WITH KEVIN DAVIS The song is simply about the amazing grace and unfailing love that this God, this King of glory, this King above all Kings, has shown to us. The verses are all about His majesty and what He has done, how He spoke the world into existence, how He…

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Rise Above Temptation

About forty days after God opened up the skies proclaiming that Jesus is His Son, Satan placed Jesus in the same platform and challenged Him to prove his sonship to God.

Resolutions with God

We are a couple of months into the new year and by now, for some of us, the resolutions we made are a distant memory. Often times, upon hearing a powerful message or perhaps receiving the answers to our longtime prayers, we make a resolution with God but soon forget about it. At the beginning of the book of Samuel, we find the story of humble beginnings for a small family, living in the hill country of Ephraim and their resolutions with God that changed Israel’s political landscape.

Alive in Christ

Jesus tells us not to fear people who can only destroy us physically and cannot do anything to our soul. While on the one hand we realize the sovereign power of the Almighty who has authority over our physical body and soul, but on the other hand it ignites frequent doubts about martyrs among many of us and we respond exactly opposite to what Jesus calls us to do.

God is in Control

We are couple of weeks into the New Year and have seen God satisfying our needs and repeatedly experience it in our lives. However, the blessings of the years passed have limited our relationship with God. For this reason, as a new year begins, anxiety engulfs us and we forget God’s enormous power.

Tabitha – The Risen Saint

In the coastal city of Joppa which was about eleven miles northwest from Lydda , resided Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) who was on her death bed. Tabitha Dorcas was a tailor and a follower of the ‘Way’. The origins of her faith are not mentioned in the Bible…

God Sent His Son

Christmas is a well-known festival all over the world, having different perceptions be it commercial, traditional, spiritual and so on. In the Gospel of Luke we see that Joseph and Mary did not get a room for an overnight stay….

Why Should We Pray

Prayer is the breath of every Christian, but how many Christians are actually praying.

Zach Williams – Chain Breaker

“I’m thinking about the first verse. It says, ‘If you’ve been walking the same old road for miles and miles. If you’ve been hearing the same old voice tell the same old lies.’ That was just such a part of my life for years, just dead end road after dead end road,I’ve conquered it. But it’s been through Jesus and not my own doing … He broke all those chains that I had basically given myself.” Zach Williams

What do we Believe

Our christian lives are sometimes influenced by the people around us. There are so many theological schools of thought that we sometimes find it hard to know what we believe.

What A Beautiful Name – Hillsong Worship

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth – Philippians 2:9-11

Christian Ideologies and God’s Promises

There are some misinterpretations of Christian ideologies which paves way for disbelief and even many followers of Christ have become victim to these misinterpretations and fail to claim the promises of God.

You Make Me Brave – Amanda Cook & Bethel Music

“You Make Me Brave”., written and performed by songwriter, Amanda Cook, this compelling song carries passion, boldness, and a tangible anointing for connecting worshipers to the loving heart of Father God. From this intimate connection is where we are strengthened, encouraged, and filled with confidence to bravely influence the world around us. – Worshipu

Deliverance is from God

Scripture says that Jesus did not allow the evil spirits to speak and the reason behind it is an eye opener to all of us. Jesus does not want people to identify him through someone else but he wants each one of us to experience him personally.

Faith of a Centurion

As Jesus was entering Capernaum, a Centurion approached Him asking for his servant’s healing….

Jesus – Chris Tomlin

“The initial melody and lyric of this song came from my guitar player, Daniel Carson. He is constantly writing and recording ideas, and from time to time I wander over to his world and listen. Among several demos, was this melody and lyric idea for a chorus that jumped out at me. At the same time, I was looking to use the name ‘Messiah’ in a song. The two ideas seemed to fit perfectly. Messiah is such a strong name for Jesus. For when you use that name, you are truly saying that He is the name above all names–that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Chosen One, the Savior of the world. That’s why you will notice that every lyric in this song amplifies this idea of Jesus being the Messiah.” – Chris Tomlin

Fear of God is the Hatred of Sin

Why does a man fear the commandments and not God? He looks at God as a stringent high school principal with rules stating do and dont’s and fails to understand God’s love.

Prince of Peace – Hillsong

Jesus is the original Peacemaker. On the cross he took all of our affliction upon Himself and made peace with God for all mankind. It is from this cataclysmic act of glorious surrender and reconciliation that we find peace now and forever in and through Him. And it is in knowing the ‪‎Prince Of Peace‬ personally as He takes up residence in our hearts that we begin the process of being made into His likeness as PEACEMAKERS in this world.
– Joel Houston

Love Thy Neighbour

During one of the gatherings where Jesus was teaching, a Lawyer asks Him, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”. Jesus asks the Lawyer that in his opinion what does the law say in regards to obtaining eternal life. To which he promptly answers Love the Lord your God with all your heart and…

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Christ died for Everyone

About two millennia ago Jesus died on the cross not just for the Jews but for every sinner in the world. At the cross, when enduring such excruciating pain, Jesus prays for forgiveness for the ones who put him there.

Whom do we Fear?

The phrase `Do not be afraid’ is recorded in the Bible more than 80 times. No doubt, even today Jesus is convincing each believer with this phrase. The author of the book of Hebrews reassures us of the promises of God saying that He will not forsake us but encourages us to say the following verse,

 The Leap of Faith

In the land of Aram (Syria in Greek) there lived a valiant soldier highly regarded by the king and was the commander of his forces. The lord had brought victory to Aram through this man. His name was Naaman. He had a perfect life, respected in his community and feared amongst his enemies. However with his great wealth he also had an incurable disease – Leprosy, the disease which caused one to be shunned from society and live as an outcast.

The Secret of Healing

We see many miracles happening. But sometimes when it comes to our personal needs we are unable to experience the blessing that we have seen in the life of others. Most of the time we strive hard to experience it but in the process we lose our hope.

God is Longing for our Love

We fairly understand the love of God but at the same time are unable to understand the eradication of condemnation. Because of this lack of understanding many are still under the clutches of guilt and keep asking for pardon for their sins without knowing the truth, that God has already pardoned all our sins through His son’s sacrificial death on the Cross.

The Living Water

On his way to Galilee Jesus passed through the small town of Sychar inhabited by Samaritans. It was mid-day and the journey and the heat took a toll on Him and Jesus sat by the well. Along came this Samaritan woman to draw water from that well.

Is God Unjust?

Jesus says that Judas betraying him is “To fulfill the scripture”, (John 18:1) as foretold by the Psalmist. It is written that as soon as Judas took the bread Satan entered into him. So was Judas chosen beforehand to betray Jesus?

God Fulfils Our Heart’s Desires

God has promised us to fulfil our desires according to his gracious plan. In spite of this great promise, we wonder why our desires are not fulfilled. Some of us are waiting years together for God to work in our lives. We think that Satan is hindering in our lives in fulfilling our desires according to God’s plan. But the fact is that it is not Satan, it is we ourselves who are hindering God’s plan for our lives.

The Rich Young Ruler

Jesus was in the district of Judea answering the ensnaring questions of the Pharisees when a young man came to see HIm. In the Gospel of Luke this man is described as a rich young ruler (Luke – 18:18). He had great wealth and power yet when he came before Jesus he fell on his knees. (Mark – 10:17). He presented himself with great humbleness and asked Jesus, “Good teacher what must I do to receive eternal life?”

The Sacrifice of Christ

Almost 2000 years have passed since Jesus Christ had shed His precious Holy blood on the Cross for cleansing the sins of mankind. Although the existence of God is even before the creation of the universe but still mankind is not able to recognise the presence of God. Why is it so?

Vengeance

It is a common phenomenon to expect bad things to happen to our enemies. We expect evil people to pass away from the world, we want good citizen; good governance. We are unable to tolerate people who …

The Syrophoenician Woman – The Epitome of Faith

Jesus left Galilee and headed north some 35 miles to the gentile occupied port cities of Tyre and Sidon. The purpose of Jesus’ short visit to these cities is not clear. He was not preaching in this region nor was he performing any miracles. Then why did Jesus take his disciples and travel such a long distance to Tyre and Sidon?

John the Baptist – The Voice in the Desert

Though his name says Baptist and he even baptized with water but John The Baptist was definitely more than a baptizer. Born in a priestly family and chosen even before birth for the role he had to play as a witness to the Light, though short lived, lived to its full as a lamp that burned and gave light. Jesus himself certified about him that he is more than a prophet (Matthew 11:8-10). Named even before his birth as John (Meaning Yahweh is gracious), his ministry was to testify about the one who is full of grace and truth.

Your Sorrows Will Turn Into Joy

There may be so many unanswered questions in the heart of believers regarding long suffering. End to our prolonged suffering depends on the transformation of our hearts. Psalmist had captured the transformation that took place in the life of believers as they passed through the valley of Baca which is figuratively a valley of suffering or weeping. We are always impressed by the end result but fail to concentrate on the transformation.

The Family of Christ

Jesus was amongst the crowd preaching when someone told him that his mother and brothers (and possibly sisters) were standing outside and wanted to speak to Him. I have always wondered why did they not come in? Or why did Jesus not go out to meet them but used them to talk about who all constitute as the family of Christ. But when we read the same incident in Mark we get to know the context of the situation.

The Word Became Flesh

At the outset, John in his book introduces the ‘word’ as God Himself. John 1:14 says that God became flesh and dwelt among us. As we are celebrating Christmas, we need to understand why God became flesh. The author of Hebrews explains the reason in Hebrews 2:14-15

Heritage of Christ

John 1: 12 clearly tell us who are the children of Jesus Christ. There are numerous verses which remind us of this fact. On the authority of word we claim ourselves as children of God. If we are children, we are His legal heirs too. If we are the legal heirs, then our prayers need not be a petition or plead but a simple asking or intimation.

Glorifying God

We are called to bear witness for Christ Jesus but many believers misunderstand this in their lives and struggle to bear witness. Most of the time we expect miracles to happen in our lives to bear testimony. It is easy to do so when miracles happen but if nothing works out then bearing testimony to Christ Jesus seems difficult.

Faith an Integral Part of Our Life

At once after feeding five thousand men, Jesus asked his disciples to go to the other side. Probably Jesus did not want his disciples to get carried away by the applause of the beneficiaries of the miracle. Jesus decided to spend some quiet time with His Father and went up the mountainside. Shortly before dawn He decided to join his disciples who were sailing. While they saw Jesus walking on the water they took Him for a ghost. But Jesus comforted them by saying “It is I” and asked them not to be afraid. This signifies the level of faith of his disciples.

Ask And You Shall Recieve

Jesus was going to Jerusalem via Jericho and huge crowds had gathered all around Him wanting to hear what He had to say. As they entered Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside. On hearing the commotion, he asked the people around him as to what was going on, to which he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. We do not know to what extent he knew Jesus…

There is Only One God

All believe in one God, but the environment refers to so many Gods and Goddesses where people believe that each of them has some specific task to perform. Likewise, idols are made by men as an object to concentrate on, as they are unable to concentrate on the `unseen’ or `unknown God’. Hence, people believed on all these as various means or ways to reach the `One God’.

Seeing the Unseen

Jesus said this to the Pharisees who were unable to see Him and accept His work due to their limited knowledge of the scripture. Scripture is a written law that should be implemented in our day to day life. This is being implemented by two sources, one is with human mind and discipline, the other with God’s mind and discipline. Human mind has laid down some punitive elements to implement the law but God implements His law through unconditional love. Human mind uses a law to accuse but God uses the same law to rescue.

Prayers and Answers

When King Herod had killed James the brother of John, he understood that it had pleased the Jews. This is the strategy that Satan uses even today. No one has any reason to hate Jesus but the persecutions are in order to please the majority. In Acts 12:5 we read that in order to please the Jews, Peter was put in prison but this brought displeasure to the church, the body of Christ. The church was praying for the protection of the life of Peter and his release. Church ought to pray for the protection of the servants of God and for their boldness to preach the Gospel without distorting its truth to please people.

More Than Our Portion of Food

Luke narrates this incident by introducing Martha who welcomed Jesus into her house. Even John in his book tells that Martha was the one who first met Jesus when she had lost her brother Lazarus. This shows evidently that she is a dominating person among her family members and seems to be a laudable …

Christ and Traditions Do Not Mix

The revival in Ephesus did not sit well with the silversmiths in the region. Demetrius gathered his fellow craftsmen started a riot in Ephesus. The ‘Way’ had created a huge crater in their business. Playing with the people’s sentiments towards traditions and rituals, the Idol Makers of Ephesus created an uproar among the people.

From Crucifixion to Ressurection

Christ died for us 2000yrs ago. Every year we meditate on the seven verses Christ said on the cross. Jesus tries to portray the Love of Christ through this act of crucifixion. Today let us recall the basic reason behind His crucifixion and resurrection.

Vocal Band – At The Cross

[In] the autumn of 1850…revival meetings were being held in the Thirtieth Street Methodist Church. Some of us went down every evening; and, on two occasions, I sought peace at the altar, but did not find the joy I craved, until one evening, November 20, 1850, it seemed to me that the light must indeed come then or never; and so I arose and went to the altar alone. After a prayer was offered, they began to sing the grand old consecration hymn,

Alas, and did my Saviour bleed, and did my Sovereign die?

Fulfillment of The Law in Christ

…the people who lived during the time of Jesus had the law as their deterrent without understanding its importance of implying it in their life. The law acted as a parameter to levy punishment rather than people adhering to it. By the same law Jesus was convicted for blasphemy.

The Fruitless Fig Tree

Why did Jesus curse the Fig tree? Mark, in his account of the incident clearly states that it wasn’t the season for figs. This makes this incident even more puzzling and therefore it is often misinterpreted by many. Did Jesus curse the fig tree because he was famished ?

Truth and Mercy

David says in Psalm 31: 21-22 that he became fearful and was afraid that he had gone far from Him. Similarly we also face this fear many times in our lives and become worrisome and don’t get justice hence, all our work gets spoiled. David says that he was not of any use but still God showed His mercy and gave him victory. God, whether we believe in Him or not, whether we love Him or go far from Him, will be with us and never leave us alone.

Do You Want To Be Healed ?

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” John 5:6 Are you suffering from chronic disease? Or are you suffering from prolonged dispute? Or are you unable to come out of your lifetime sins? The greatest assurance…

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Overcome Evil With Good

Give a thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. This is not about pleasing people but about acquiring peace amidst backstabbing people. God does not want us to compromise with truth to have a cordial relation with fellow men.

Assurance of God’s Presence

The Psalmist in Ps 121 took his eyes unto Lord for help and explained the reason that why he did so. We do seek God but cannot explain why we do so, because we do not even understand why we should look to Lord. We always look to God for our needs to be fulfilled and when it is fulfilled we some time take it as a coincidence.

The Christmas Message

Joseph and Mary were the first people to receive the message of Christmas. When it was told both of them were not in a state of understanding neither the depth of its truth nor about the fulfillment of Isaiah’s Prophecy. But both decided to be quite till the time they understood the truth behind the message.

Quiz – Twelve Days of Christmas

Its that time of year again.. Christmas is around the corner. Carolers have started making their rounds, Sunday schools are presenting their modern rendition of the Nativity play and sermons highlighting the true meaning of Christmas. This Christmas lets get back to the basics with this ‘Christmas Quiz’ and remembering the First Christmas.

A Traditional Christmas

Christmas is celebrated in numerous ways all over the world. Every culture has added its own flavour to the holiday. Whether it be the Puritina of Guatemala, Las Posadas of Mexico, Holy supper in Ukraine, Parols of the Philippines or the more common traditions such as Carols, Christmas tree, Nativity plays, Christmas Cakes, attending the…

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‘The God of this Age’ and his Schemes

In the book of Genesis, the serpent played the role of tantalizing Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.I Chronicles 21:1 ” ….Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.” Isaiah (14:12) gives a glimpse of Satan’s origin. In I Samuel (28:7), Saul, a King anointed by God, felt helpless while seeing his enemies…

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Vocal Band – Let Freedom Ring

One morning on the national news, there was a story about a young African-American police officer whose associates at the department met him one morning on duty dressed in the hooded garb of the Ku Klux Klan. Even women on the office staff and other department employees joined to taunt and frighten him. The prank went on a long time before they told him it was a joke and had him pose for pictures with them all in their costumes of discrimination….