This Psalm helps us reminisce about the days we lived without God to appreciate life after salvation.
Tag: Jesus
The Man They Called Jerub-Baal – Judges 6
We often question God for the heartaches and grief in our lives without fully understanding His will. God wants us to come to Him with these questions rather than festering them up in our minds and fading away from His presence. Gideon was right to ask God for a reason for his misfortunes but he was also ready to accept God’s solution. Many a time we crib to God about our plights but seldom do we act on His guidance to come out of our problems.
How To Begin Our Faith Walk?
God’s ways of dealing are new every morning, and people cannot understand them. People need precedence in everything to trust and obey. God does explain to us before He accomplishes His will, yet He ignites our faith to do His will in our daily walk of life.
Jael & Barak – Judges 4 & 5
On the outskirts of Kedesh, Hebner the Kenite had pitched his tent as he was on good terms with the king of Hazor, Jabin. Jael was the wife of Barak, literally a nobody and not even part of any of the tribes of Israel, who brought down the army of Sisera and helped Israel overcome the mighty Canaanites.
The First Three – Judges 3
It is strange to see a whole generation grow up not knowing anything about God. The Israelites loved their traditions and festivals and the festival of Passover would have been religiously followed each year. Families would get together over the Passover meal as the elders would recount the adventures of their ancestors in the desert and how the LORD would constantly bring them out of the brink of annihilation. However, for some strange reason, this new generation did not feel connected with their Maker. Not only did they abandon their own relationship with God but they were responsible for the children not knowing God as well. They were easily influenced by the pagan nations around them and descended into a downward spiral of sin and corruption. They replaced God with the traditions and festivals that surrounded them.
The LORD Raised Up Judges – Judges 1 & 2
It is strange to see a whole generation grow up not knowing anything about God. The Israelites loved their traditions and festivals and the festival of Passover would have been religiously followed each year. Families would get together over the Passover meal as the elders would recount the adventures of their ancestors in the desert and how the LORD would constantly bring them out of the brink of annihilation. However, for some strange reason, this new generation did not feel connected with their Maker. Not only did they abandon their own relationship with God but they were responsible for the children not knowing God as well. They were easily influenced by the pagan nations around them and descended into a downward spiral of sin and corruption. They replaced God with the traditions and festivals that surrounded them.
Judges – Introduction
The book exposes the downward Spiral of the Israelites and paints a picture to its readers of their lives without God. Whether we acknowledge it or not, our surroundings have a lasting effect on our belief system. Israel seamlessly blended in with its neighbours and at every opportunity chose to align itself with the pagan world than associate with the God of Heavens and the Earth. No sooner did they enter the promised land, the people forgot about everything that God had done for them and their ancestors during their journey through the wilderness.
I Never Knew You!
The Gospel of Matthew recorded the teaching of Jesus driving His servants away from Him, saying I never knew you. God loved us so much and gave His Son to us so that no one should perish but live eternally. God predestined us to call us His children and never forsakes us. Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and Sisters. Then what makes Him say, “I never knew you”?
The Church of the Firstborn – Hebrews Part VI
It is imperative that the church and its leaders make straight their paths else the entire fellowship will descend into a downward spiral. Within the confines of the church, we should ensure that the grace of God is not taken lightly. But when it comes to individual families, we should not intervene until and unless we get a clear sign from God. It is only through His leading that we can deliver His peace. Let us wait for God’s leading for our lives before we descend into self-appointed causes of spiritual justice.
The Perfecter of Faith – Hebrews Part V
Today, organic food is very difficult to source and even if a brand promises purity of its ingredients there is high probability of adulteration in everything we consume. Even after knowing this fact, we do not give up eating altogether and are getting by with whatever is available in our local grocery store. But when it comes to our fellowship, we expect the purest variety and when we do not find it, we abandon it altogether. We feel we don’t need fellowship like we need food and thus our different standards. We make concessions for other things in our lives that are not perfect but don’t extend the same leniency to our fellowships.
Envy Leads To Evil – Psalm 37
This Psalm deals with three phases of our lives. The first one is comparing our lives with others. By doing this, if we find ourselves above others then we feel proud else we feel sad. The second approach is comforting ourselves by assuming wicked people’s fall or the rewards awaiting us for doing good. The third phase is looking at God and rejoicing in His amazing grace.
The Old And The New Covenant
Every three years latest models come on the market, and the old ones become obsolete. The company stops updating the software to its older models. People still go for those outdated smartphones at a lower price because they buy them to show their status to others. Who knows that they purchased it after the new one was released? As far as the buyers of the latest smartphones, they need the updates of the software daily to cope with their job requirements, etc. Though their old smartphones have become obsolete, every aspect of the old one is available in the new one.
In Remembrance of Him
Today we are participating in His Holy Communion, not in haste but at ease to remember and rejoice in the freedom God gave us from the clutches of sin through His Son, Jesus Christ. People celebrate the Passover once a year, but Jesus asks us to remember His New Covenant as often as we can. Jesus asks us to remember our Father and thank Him for His incredible love. To believers in Christ, it is a daily meal rather than a Last Supper.
Take Heart (He Has Overcome)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV) Jesus uttered these words during his final hours on this earth. The disciples had gathered with him to celebrate the Jewish festival of…
The Keys Of The Kingdom
Seldom people are encouraged to help others constantly, but many discontinue doing good to others because of not getting a pleasant response. It can happen that the person whom we had helped might end up being our enemy today. Or the people who derived benefits from us to reach a higher level would have forgotten us.
Riches: Sign Of Salvation?
Despite the teachings through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the idea of connecting worldly blessings to spiritual blessings continues. James criticized the shepherds for giving importance to the wealthy group in the synagogues and the churches. Some affluent Corinthian Christians abused the Lord’s Supper by marginalizing poor Christians.
Do Not Be Provoked – Psalm 36
While Bible scholars consider Psalm 18 as the Psalm during the old age of the Psalmist, scholars attribute Psalm 36 to the young David. David was introduced as “the servant of God” in these Psalms. Because in both of these Psalms, David stopped listening to the provoking noises and started listening to the soothing voice…
Vindication In His Righteousness – Psalm 35
This imprecatory Psalms of David motivates people to ask God to take revenge on their enemies. It persuades people to rejoice in the fall of their enemies more than they enjoy their salvation. While choosing an advocate, one should go by their experience because experience makes the advocate understand the client’s case and the opponent’s…
Humbling Ourselves
John the Baptist desired that God must increase, but he must decrease. How far do our desires comply with John the Baptist? Even if we want to reduce ourselves, the humiliation attached to it does not allow us to accept our decline. We thereby resist our willingness to decrease ourselves and fight against our decline….
An Encouragement To The Desperate – Psalm 34
The title of this Psalm suggests that David wrote this Psalm after he pretended to be insane and escaped from the kingdom of Achish (Abimelek). Whenever we face critical situations, we lie instead of facing the truth. God expresses His displeasure about our lies in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 28:15, 18&19) and speaks about…
A Comeback Story Of Fear
Many children of God still live in fear despite being delivered from the clutches of fear. To come out of this fear, we should be aware of the tricks of the evil one. Looking at the Old Testament, we see people living in terror all the time. Knowing how God has delivered us from those…
Through the Lens of the Creator – Psalm 33
During the period of this Psalm, there was hardly any written script to tell of the wondrous creation of God. Yet the Psalmist tries to capture the creative power of God by seeing all that has been created. The Psalmist unveils the creative hands of God in every visible object and attributes the power of…
The Road Map
A roadmap is a strategic plan that defines a goal or desired outcome and includes the necessary steps or milestones to reach it. It is a high-level document that helps articulate strategic thinking—the why—behind the goal and the plan for getting there. Among various roadmaps, the visionary roadmap visually represents the changes happening within us…
The Chosen People
We feel happy and proud when we understand that we are God’s chosen people. Feeling optimistic about this privilege leads to pride. Pride secludes us from the rest of the world, and we restrict the grace of God within a narrow circle of our fellow believers. The scripture tells us that pride goes before the…
The Confession – Psalm 32
Confessing sin is the outcome of trust. If we confess our sins, it implies that we trust God. Trusting a person will give us the confidence to tell them everything. A genuine confession is the first step towards receiving forgiveness from God. Confession replaces our guilt with peace. But people hesitate to confess their sins…
Love The Lord – Psalm 31
It is unclear as to when David wrote this Psalm because of his amalgamated expressions. David was a fugitive most of his life and even amidst his trouble, he often found peace in the presence of God. Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory…
From the Courts to the Cross – Mark 15
named,Perhaps the fastest trial in the history of the Roman government, as the unprecedented nature of events left the Jewish rulthe Roman government and the followers of Jesus in utter disbelief. Early in the morning, the entire body of the Sanhedrin gathered and made plans to kill Jesus. They bound Him up and took Him…
A Thorn in our Flesh – 2 Corinthians 12&13
In the final defence of his authority, Paul painfully shares a personal out-of-body experience. He speaks about himself in the third person, lest anyone would think he was boasting about his experiences in Christ. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in…
Super Apostles – 2 Corinthians 10&11
In the last section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul changes his tone from the theme of the earlier part of the letter, as he seeks to confront the ‘Super Apostles’, who were tarnishing all the good work done by him in the province of Achaia. He withdraws his claim of not indulging in…
A Lacuna We Never Realize
None of us can say that we have received answers to all our prayers and solutions for all our problems. When our difficulties persist, sicknesses linger and people come against us, our faith shatters. We often think as the Psalmist, that I have kept my heart pure in vain and washed my hands in innocence…
Made Rich through Christ’s Poverty – 2 Corinthians 8&9
A passage that is quoted often before the time of giving in our Sunday services, Paul’s challenge to the Corinthian church has been used as a template to inspire and encourage the practice of tithing. However, Paul’s emphasis seems to be on the transformation of the heart and understanding the commitment that the church had…
An Unceasing Prayer
People prefer to watch television for hours together and are reluctant to spend time on prayer. While watching the television, even the thoughts about the inevitable pending jobs do not disrupt us. At the same time, we allow our thoughts to disrupt our prayers. Thoughts like, did we close the windows of our car, switched…
Godly Sorrow – 2 Corinthians 7
After writing the severe letter to the Corinthians that was full of rebuke, Paul was troubled, especially when his companion Titus was held up in the Achaia province. Upon successful reunion with his protege, Paul finally found peace as Titus recounted the kindness that was shown to him by the Corinthians. Hearing reports that the…
Vanity and Idolatry – 2 Corinthians 6
As the Church in Corinth started growing in numbers, the people started to think that they were impervious to the sins of the world around them. They thought that they were immune to the pagan ways of their city, but slowly that fallacy caught up with them as they fell prey to their own vices….
A New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5
Tents were the earliest form of shelter for the early Israelites. Noah, Abraham and even Moses all lived a nomadic existence and depended on tents to protect them from the harsh weather. Later on, tents became obsolete as Israelites started moving into cities and into houses made of stone. No one desired to live back…
Rhetorical Prayers
A rhetorical question is asked merely for effect where no answer is expected. The statement contains our preconceived notions, posed in the form of a question. Likewise, most of our prayers are rhetorical. Once a preacher called the believers to pray for rain in their territory as the land was battling a severe famine. Many…
Death & Life – 2 Corinthians 4
Paul heard that his opposers were also tarnishing his name and the credibility of his gospel. Defending the integrity of his message, Paul wrote this section of his letter to the people of Corinth. Unlike the other preachers who peddled the word of God to make a name for themselves or to extract monetary benefit…
Quicksand
Quicksand is common and found most often where freshwater meets saltwater. It is a fluid made of sand mixed with water or air. It changes its viscosity in response to stress or vibration, making it easier to sink but harder to escape. The ground looks solid, but if we walk on it, the sand begins…
A Veil That Covers our Hearts – 2 Corinthians 3
With the rise of false preachers and deceitful messengers, the church in Jerusalem (which was the base for all missionary journeys) started issuing letters of recommendation to all its patrons about the ministers they would send to them. Paul himself would use such letters to introduce his associates when he would send them to a…
God is My Rock – Psalm 28
The Psalmist compared the sturdy character of God with a rock in some Psalms. The Old Testament writers also perceived God as Rock, as they enjoyed His protection all through their journey. People compare the sturdiness of God to a rock, but God compared the unshakable faith of Abraham to a rock (Isaiah 51:1-2). People…
Captives in Christ’s Triumphal Procession – 2 Corinthians 2
Paul did not want to go to Corinth immediately after sending the letter full of rebuke at the hands of Titus. He was not sure how the church at Corinth would react and wanted to give them time to process and act on his rebuke. He says that he had confidence in the people to…
The God of All Comfort – 2 Corinthians 1
Regarded by most Bible scholars as the fourth letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, it serves as an affirmation to its readers who had heeded to Paul’s harsh rebuke in the preceding letter. Paul also wanted to prepare the hearts of the congregation for his next visit and remind them of the commitment they…
A Fact Check
There is a common belief among the believers of Jesus that following Jesus’ teaching is a difficult task. Many people accept difficulties as part of a believer’s life and think that the more they suffer in this world, the greater will their reward be in heaven. Many elders teach others that following or serving Jesus…
The Parable of the Wise and the Foolish
As Jesus was warning His followers about the times of tribulations that were fast approaching, He encouraged them saying that the Holy Spirit will always be by their side throughout the ordeal. When they would be dragged to the synagogues and courts and be on trial before the authorities, they need not worry about what…
The Parable of the Ten Minas
On His final trip to Jerusalem, Jesus visited several towns and villages along the way, teaching and healing those who came to Him. His ministry was gathering steam as more and more people started following Him. Jesus’ popularity drew such large crowds that when they were passing through the ancient city of Jericho, a tiny…
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were questioning Jesus’ authority after he had caused a ruckus in the temple. His condemnation of turning the temple into a marketplace was directed at them as they were the ones who had allowed the sellers in the temple. Thereafter, they desperately looked for opportunities to seize…
Blessed Are The Meek
The terminologies used in the Bible mostly appear to be the same as defined in the dictionary. But in the real sense, the scripture conveys an idea just opposite to the perceptions of this world. Despite Jesus telling us that “blessed are the meek,” we still believe that the people who have influence, wealth, muscle…
The Parable of the Lost Sons
As Jesus was gaining more followers each day, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law sought to use His popularity against Him. They started murmurs about how Jesus was mingling with the wrong crowd and that His followers were nothing but prostitutes and tax collectors, sinners that He should not be associating with. In…
The King of Glory – Psalm 24
We are aware of the truth that the glory belongs to the Lord. Even after knowing this, do we attribute the glory to God or give it to something else that dominates our lives. In the days of David, Kings were the glorious people on the earth, and David was also one of them. Despite…
The Parable of the Unknown Hour
When Jesus prophesied about the day of the lord and the abomination that causes desolation the disciples were curious to know when would these things come to pass. Like students who constantly ask the invigilator for the time remaining during their examination, we too want to know the exact time of our lord’s coming. We…
To the Ends of the Earth
“You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth,” Jesus told these words to a group of people who knew nothing about geography, as most of them were fishermen who depended for their livelihood on the nearby sea. They were uneducated and did not know how to articulate their thoughts clearly. Moreover, they…
The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard
Once a rich man had come to Jesus asking what he must do to “gain” eternal life. We know that we cannot do anything to gain eternal life or even our salvation as it was freely given to us. But the rich man was persistent and Jesus’ standard answer of following the commandments did not…
With Swords and Clubs – Mark 14
After finishing their meal, Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn and left for a place called Gethsemane. Jesus had come to the earth to accomplish the will of the Father and His ministry of more than three years was culminating to this very day. His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow as the hour of…
The Parable of the Vineyard and the Tenants
After Jesus had cleared the temple of the various merchants, He called out the Jewish leaders for turning the house of the Lord into a den of robbers. This did not sit well with the chief priests and the teachers of the law, as they started looking for ways to kill Him. They questioned the…
The Valley Of Death…
We are striving hard to survive among various challenges in this earthly life. While we face trouble in our jobs, diseases or arguments with our loved ones, we stop trusting God and trust every other resource of this world. In this pursuit, the thought of ending our lives frequently comes to mind. When we forget…
From Caterpillar To Butterfly
Seeing a bunch of caterpillars crawling on the ground, I often used to wonder how does this ugly creature transform into an eye-catching colourful butterfly. People love catching the beautiful winged insect and try to keep them in the palm of their hands but no one wants to touch a caterpillar. God cleanses us by…
The Last Supper – Mark 14
The proximity of the Passover festival temporarily halted the plans of the chief priests and the teachers of the law from scheming and how to secretly arrest and kill Jesus. They were afraid that the capture of Jesus during the time when Jerusalem was already flooded with tourists from the surrounding states, would only diminish…
Give In, Not Give Up
The world quotes Jesus word’s for turning the other cheek when facing an enemy or persecutor but no one wants to adopt it. Resistance and retaliation appear to be defensive weapons but did not help in defending but ended up avenging ourselves and others. Jesus teaches us not to resist the evil person, which means…
The Temple – Mark 13
Having established how the teachers of the law devoured the house of the widows but enjoyed the adoration from the elite (Mark 12:39-40), Jesus presented them with an example of what is God looking for in His people. While in the temple, Jesus was observing the crowds putting money into the collection boxes. The wealthy…
Evidence Gathering – Mark 12
After Jesus had cleared the temple of the various merchants, He called out the Jewish leaders for turning the house of the Lord into a den of robbers. This did not sit well with the chief priests and the teachers of the law, as they started looking for ways to kill Him. They questioned the…
A Grand Entrance – Mark 11
As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem for their final trip to the hill city, they came to the familiar town of Bethany on the Mount of Olives. This was a regular halt point for the group as it was home to many of Jesus’ close followers. While preparing to head for Jerusalem, Jesus asked…
Seizing the Opportunity – Mark 10
Jesus was teaching in the region of Judea as the Pharisees were looking for an opportunity to trap Jesus. They knew about Jesus’ closeness with John the Baptist, who was killed for speaking out against the extramarital affairs of king Herod. They wanted to use this opportunity to try and get Jesus to speak against…
The Transfiguration – Mark 9
Almost a week later, Jesus took Peter, James and John and went up to a high mountain. When they were all alone, His appearance transfigured before their very eyes. His clothes became the brightest shade of white, unattainable by any of our earthly dyes. Definitely nothing close to what the disciples could have imagined as…
Who Holds our Future
We all know that our future lays in the hands of our Sovereign God. The psalmist even wrote that “My times are in your hands” (Psalms 31:15), and Paul brought out the fact that God has marked out His people’s appointed times in history along with the boundaries of their lands (Acts 17:26). Our God…
The Survival – Psalm 15
While reading this Psalm, we should go back to the Old Testament times where people were afraid of God, and they did not even pronounce the word Yahweh, but only wrote it down to express His name. When the chief priests entered into the inner room with the blood he offered for himself and for…
The Night is Coming….
In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light amidst the darkness. From where did this darkness come? Does it exist on its own or is there any other power than God has that has birthed it? The Gospel of John explains the role of our Sovereign God in creating all…
The Beginning – John 1
The Gospel of John does not share any similarities with the other Synoptic Gospels, but this unique account of the life of Christ has a completely different purpose. Written by most probably John, the disciple, during the latter half of the first century to a predominantly Gentile audience of the Greco-Roman city of Ephesus, its…
The One After John – John 1
The conversation between the other John and the Jewish leaders where he denied comparisons to three of the most famous Old Testament figures.
The Lamb of God – John 1
The ministry of Jesus spread through people sharing their personal experiences of their encounter with the Messiah. Even today, in a world filled with countless religions and distractions, the work of God continues through the personal testimonies of people who have experienced Christ in their lives.
Surveillance – Psalm 14
This Psalm focuses on the unceasing surveillance of God on each one of us, whoever we may be or wherever we are. In public places, we often find stickers informing us that we are under surveillance. Surveillance cameras are used to deter people from anti-social elements such as shoplifting or attempting to escape from prison….
The New Wine – John 2
Two days after gathering His disciples, Jesus arrived at a wedding in a place called Cana in the region of Galilee. During the festivities, Jesus’s mother brought a matter of concern to Him saying that the wedding party had run out of wine. Of all the requests brought before Jesus, this would have been the most trivial of the lot.
The New Temple – John 2
Jesus did not answer their demands by giving them a sign immediately but foretold about His own death and resurrection that will be the ultimate sign of His authority given to everyone.
The Light – John 3
Everyone knows John 3:16 by heart but the next verse is equally important, for Jesus did not come to condemn us but save us. If he wanted to condemn us for our wrongdoings, He would have brought the day of judgment upon us but rather He came with the sole intention to be an atonement for our sins.
The Living Water – John 4
The living water represents His Spirit in us who gives us the joy that comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven. The joy in our hearts that gives us a new life, a new beginning with the knowledge that the slate has been wiped clean. That is what Jesus has to offer.
The Savior of the World – John 4
Quite ironical that the Jews , through whom the salvation was to come rejected the Messiah but the ‘pagan’ Samaritans were the first to proclaim Jesus as the Savior of the world. Jesus revealed His true identity in this Samaritan town, something that He would not do in the Jewish towns.
The Healer – John 5
During one of Jesus’ trips to Jerusalem, He encounters a man sitting by the poolside at Bethesda waiting for healing when the Healer himself came to him.
The Son of God – John 5
Once again Jesus had riled up the Jewish leaders simply by giving a man the ability to pick up his mat and walk as they started questioning His authority.
The Bread of Life – John 6
Just like satan blinded the eyes of those disciples who abandoned Jesus that day, he is doing the same even today for the believers who are satisfied with eating the symbolic bread and wine and will never desire to taste the Bread of Life.
The Son of David – John 7
Jesus came alone to Jerusalem and stood out in the crowd, He did not wait for the consensus to be formed about Him before He spoke out against the leaders. By the power of God, He took a stand against the leaders who had diluted the Gospel and made it a religion. Are we waiting for a consensus in our lives or are willing to stand out for God?
The Great I Am – John 8
Jesus saved the adulterous woman from being stoned and did not condemn her. But now the crowds had picked up the stones once again, this time, to kill Jesus.
The Man They Call Jesus – John 9
While the Pharisees were focused on their quest to crucify the Messiah, Jesus continued to walk on the path that God had set before Him, touching yet another life on His way to Calvary. As Jesus and His disciples were walking the streets of Jerusalem, they saw a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples could not help but pass judgement and wanted Jesus to weigh in on who is responsible for this man’s condition, his parents or he himself.
The Good Shepherd – John 10
Jesus deemed the pharisees guilty of sin as they were not blind but refused to change their ways. Another argument between Jesus and the pharisees ensued ending up with Jesus revealing another aspect of His identity by comparing himself to a shepherd.
The Resurrection and the Life – John 11
The raising of Lazarus would be a precursor to His own resurrection from the grave on the third day. We have read that He had raised at least two people from the dead but they had not been in the grave for four days. The disciples and the Jews gathered around this tragedy, would soon be the witnesses to Jesus’ big reveal, that He indeed is the Resurrection and the Life.
The Intimate Friend – John 12
The festival of Passover was approaching and the hill city of Jerusalem would soon see an influx of pilgrims to the holy land and its neighbouring towns. Jesus also made the trip to Judea one last time, just six days before His crucifixion. On His way to Jerusalem, He visited His followers in the nearby town of Bethany where He had raised Lazarus back to life.
The King of Israel – John 12
Jesus did not have a large following in Jerusalem but His followers were those who had seen him in their own hometowns and were in the city just for the festivities. It is very easy to get swept by the atmosphere of our surroundings and people started joining in the chants even though many of them would have only known hearsay about Christ and not realized His true purpose.
The Servant King – John 13
Jesus has one last meal with His disciples before His arrest, followed by a lightning-fast trial that would lead Him to the cross the very next day. But His work among His disciples was not done, as He continued to enlighten them with His teachings during what is now known as His Last Supper.
The Betrayed – John 13
In rejecting Jesus as the Messianic King, the Jewish leaders proved that they did not understand the very scriptures they were reading and teaching others. Satan had blinded their eyes in the name of religion and in their efforts to hold on to their traditions, they failed to accept the greatest Gift from God. Jesus wanted to highlight His rejection to prepare the disciples for the persecution that was coming their way.
The Comforter – John 14
In rejecting Jesus as the Messianic King, the Jewish leaders proved that they did not understand the very scriptures they were reading and teaching others. Satan had blinded their eyes in the name of religion and in their efforts to hold on to their traditions, they failed to accept the greatest Gift from God. Jesus wanted to highlight His rejection to prepare the disciples for the persecution that was coming their way.
The Vine – John 15 & 16
After answering the questions and doubts that the disciples had brought forward, Jesus uses the illustration of a vine and its branches to help the disciples understand how they are connected to the Father through Him. Throughout the Old Testament, illustrations involving vine usually denoted the Israelites and their failure to comply with God’s instructions….
The Glorified – John 17
While the other Gospel writers have focused on the events that took place in the Garden, John takes a step back and tells us the events before they reached the Garden. Jesus’ longest recorded prayer came just moments before His capture as He prays for Himself, for His disciples and for everyone who will ever…
The Arrested – John 18
After finishing His prayer, Jesus left with His disciples and crossed the Kidron valley. Here, there was a garden where Jesus would often meet with His disciples. Judas, who knew about this place, brought with him the chief priests and Pharisees, along with a detachment of soldiers to the garden where Jesus and the disciples…
The Sin Bearer – John 19
Pilate made one last attempt to convince the Jews as he found no basis for a charge against Jesus. But the Jewish leaders insisted that Jesus had broken their laws by claiming to be the Son of God. Pilate who did not know what to make of this case was even more afraid now and…
The Messiah – John 20
Often we are reduced to our basic understanding of who Christ is. We are not able to fathom the extent of His power when we experience His wondrous works in our lives. Some even try to rationalise His supernatural intervention using medical sciences, their good fortunes and even their wit that gave them a way out of their problems. Mary and the other women who witnessed the empty tomb would have often heard Jesus talk about this day, but when the day finally arrived they were puzzled.
The Epilogue – John 21
Peter and John were the two disciples who experienced Jesus’ trial up close and were also the first of the disciples to reach the tomb of Jesus only to find it empty. Perhaps this is why we are given a short epilogue at the end of John’s account to tie up the loose ends with…
The Bread and the Yeast – Mark 8
During His time in the gentle region, there was another large gathering which caused Jesus to have compassion over the people. Again due to the remoteness of the place, there was no way to feed everyone who had gathered. Jesus asked His disciples to gather up all the bread and fish that they could find…
Holiday Cleaning
We deep clean our homes usually before the holiday season because we want to keep our dwelling place cosy and comfortable. This type of deep cleaning can only be done by us than any hired help, as we know the usual hangout spots of dust bunnies and clutter in our homes. We are keen on…
The Institution of Marriage
From its very inception, the institution of Marriage was supposed to unite two individuals to serve God as one body. Over the years, mankind, especially the forefathers and other leaders have had a hand in corrupting this sacred union. Marriage became a means to bear offspring and not a way for its members to unite…
The Defiled Are Welcome – Mark 7
Jesus’ popularity had garnered so many admirers that the pharisees in Jerusalem simply could not ignore Him anymore. The scribes and the teachers of the law were sent to the region to keep a close watch on this new man of God that seemingly had the whole northern country of Galilee buzzing with excitement. They…
Flawless Word – Psalm 12
Can we say that our words are flawless? Flawless not with respect to our grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, or even correct usage but about what is in our hearts. Our mouth speaks what we have in our heart, and that is why Bible says that for a fool, it is better not to open his mouth,…
Restoration
In the Old Testament, we see many occasions of restorations such as restoration of hope, of families, and even of kingdoms. We need hope for restoring the things we have lost, especially hope in God. Once, David had lost his family and the families of his warriors, which resulted in hostility from his supporters. Even…
Prophet Without Honor – Mark 6
Having raised the daughter of a prominent synagogue leader, Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth and was given a chance to speak in His own synagogue. Those who had gathered were amazed at His teaching and were beginning to question His origins. Where had He learned everything? Isn’t he the son of the carpenter?…
The Restorer – Mark 5
After the ordeal that the disciples faced in the lake, Jesus brought them to the other side, to a place that they perhaps had never visited ever before in their lives. That day they were about to witness three completely different but equally astonishing miracles in the lives of ordinary people like them. Ordinary by…
Our Lord’s Prayer
When we learn our multiplication tables by heart during our formative years, we would recite them from start to end in order to arrive at the product of two numbers. In due course, we understood the concept of multiplication, and without reciting the entire table, were capable of solving the multiplication problem instantly. We all…
The Sermon on the Boat – Mark 4
After His confrontation with the Pharisees, Jesus once again went to the lakeside to reveal the secrets of heaven. He got into the boat and narrated a string of parables focusing on the word of God. There is even a practical application of His teachings as at the end of this sermon on the boat, Jesus asked His disciples to go out to the sea where they faced storms like they had never faced before and their faith in Jesus is tested.
The Case Against Jesus – Mark 3
When watching a nature documentary we realise that even though big cats like lions and tigers are ferocious killing machines, their hunts are usually covert operations. A tiger uses its skin pigmentation to hides among the tall grasses and patiently waits for its hunt. Watching a pack of deers enter its field of vision, would be a mouth-watering prospect for sure, but it still waits for the deer to be separated from its group. Only when the deer is alone perhaps drinking water with its back turned does the tiger pounces on its prey. For an animal who is starving for the flesh, it still knows how to pick the opportune moment. Similarly, satan who is desperate for our soul knows when to stay silent and when to attack. When we feel disconnected from God, satan takes advantage of our situation and tries to separate us from God. He does not have to do much but uses the compassion of our father to sow seeds of doubt in our minds. The same compassion that has sustained us for all our lives, he seeks to use against us. The Pharisees had Jesus cornered and had home-field advantage. All they had to do was just remain silent till Jesus showed His compassionate heart. Then they would pounce on him with a flurry of accusations that will sow seeds of doubts in the hearts of His followers, leaving Jesus vulnerable and be caught by them.
The God of Sinners – Mark 2
Faith can work wonders and bring us even the unexpected. The men had brought their friend to Jesus to make his life on earth easier but by forgiving his sins, Jesus made his eternity better. Jesus knows the heart and he knew what was in the paralyzed man’s heart. When someone around us gets blessed, we try to equate their past actions and try to justify their path to their blessing not knowing anything about their relationship with God. People would have written off the paralysed man as a sinner but Jesus forgave his sins as He looks at the heart. Do we realise that Jesus knows the ins and outs of our hearts, or is our spirit paralysed to not even feel the presence of the Creator in our lives?
Meeting Together
The past year has pushed everyone to experience a different lifestyle of working from home, leaving aside the hassles of getting ready on time and travelling a long way in traffic. Initially, people found it difficult because of their lifelong habit of coming to the office.
The Good News – Mark 1
Although the other Gospel writers, place the arrest of John the Baptist much later, Mark starts his account of Jesus’s ministry after John had been put in prison. On hearing about the arrest of John, Jesus proclaims to His followers that the time has come. The political leaders of Israel were cognizant of the role that the chief priests, Rabbis and even prophets played in keeping the peace. Throughout the Gospel, we read how the Pharisees wanted to prevent an uprising, the very reason they gave to put Jesus on the cross. But the imprisonment of John, a prominent prophet who had a lot of followers from the Judean countryside meant that the government officials were ready to capture and execute the previously protected group of the Jewish leaders. According to them Jesus also fell into that group and coupled with the fact that He was traveling with anarchists within His disciples, made it easier for them to execute Him. This would still happen a couple of years later but Jesus knowing all this told His disciples beforehand.
The Greatest Teacher
In 1994, UNESCO earmarked 5th October as World Teachers’ Day to garner attention on the profession and the welfare of those who have dedicated their lives to the teaching profession. The main motive of these celebrations is promoting the idea of “Education for All.” Similarly, every child of God is responsible for spreading the Good…
The Greatest Hits Gospel – Mark (Prologue)
While the accounts of Luke and Matthew tried to capture the early years of Jesus, Mark jumps starts his version from the start of Jesus’s ministry. Since Mark only knew what he heard in the sermons of Peter, Paul and the other apostles, his account seems like a fast-tracked version of Jesus’s ministry. His Gospel often does not match with the chronology followed by the other writers and focuses only on revealing the identity of Jesus as the Messiah and not so much on the minor details that are included in other accounts. Amidst the impending persecution of the Roman churches, Mark’s theme for the Gospel seems to be that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah who did not come to overturn the Roman government but to restore the bridge between humanity and God, by humble dying on the cross.
Never Settle
The modern world runs on the philosophy which states that we should never settle for anything less than what we deserve. That’s the motto of every tech company as well as what they higlight when launching their ‘new and improved’ version of the same device, hoping to make an impression on their potential consumers. In the corporate world, attaining a level of satisfaction is labelled as complacency.
Prayer for the Oppressed – Psalm 10
While we pray for our protection and blessings, we often forget to pray for the oppressed in our society. While we are ignorant of other’s sufferings, our suffering appears as a big mountain. We might be thinking that people who do not have any problem can only address the issues found in another’s life. For…
Thank You Lord – Psalm 9
Thanking each other is the best etiquette in our society, and it encourages a person to give their best. It is an act of showing the person who helped us that we have identified or realized their kindness.
Follow Me
Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus to fulfil the desire of His Father. However, these followers depended on what they saw and failed to visualize the unseen God, who had sent Jesus to this world.
The Glory of God – Psalm 8
Nature reveals the wondrous work of God, but unfortunately, we do not have the time to admire His creations. The wise of the earth are known for their inventions and their masterpieces, while the creator of heaven and earth is an unsung hero.
Our Refuge – Psalm 7
Taking refuge in God is a unique experience. In a worldly context, taking refuge is about staying in the refugee camps or a rehabilitation centre. People staying at a rehabilitation centre do not need to carry a shield, but the people at the battlefield need to have a shield.
Ananias and Sapphira – ‘Til Death…
In our day-to-day activities with our local church, do we compete with someone? Without understanding their commitment and relationship with God, do we ever force ourselves and our family members to imitate their attitudes? If we continue to do such things, we may face dire consequences like Ananias and Sapphira.
Do Not Rebuke Me – Psalm 6
We instinctively look for the approval of others but do not like their disapproval or corrections. Criticisms, though intended to be constructive, often discourages us and even pushes us to the extreme of withdrawing from our missions. Till the time we do not realize our mistakes, we won’t be ready for corrections.
Shelter to Shadow – Psalm 91
People live in vanity, and they want to show off things that they do not have and do not want to disclose the things they have. A poor person tries to present himself as a rich person, whereas a rich one does not care for such a presentation. A coward speaks much of his imaginary brave acts, while the brave keep quiet. A self-righteous person behaves like a righteous one, while the righteous do not reveal their spiritual standard. People build up false images and hide behind these lies to make a convent with death.
Do You Want to Be Redeemed?
At the pool of Bethesda, Jesus met an invalid man and asked if he wanted to be healed. A weird question to ask someone who had been patiently waiting for thirty-eight years to receive his healing. But Jesus’ words always have a purpose and putting it in the right context helps us understand its true meaning.
Listen to my Words – Psalm 5
The opening words of this Psalm highlights the confidence that David has in his relationship with God. To attract the attention of a person who is listening to many, we say “Listen to me.” Children use the technique of crying to attract their parent’s attention. The opening words of this Psalm also resemble the action of an adamant grown-up child persistently irritating his parent by repeatedly asking them to grant permission.
Emmaus – Have You Been There?
On the first Easter morn, the disciples were all terrified as they were hearing mixed news about their leader whom the Roman officials had killed just a couple of days ago. A narrative unique to the gospel of Luke, lets us know about two followers of Christ who were traveling back to the nearby town…
Our Eternal Redemption Secured
Jesus entered the holy places carrying His blood to secure our eternal redemption. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross sanctifies our conscience from dead works so that we may serve the Living Lord forever and ever as our eternal redemption is secured.
Parables and Paraphrases
The creations reveal the existence of the Creator and the way they function projects the knowledge of the sovereign God. Somehow, many do not reach out to this ultimate truth, but they restrict themselves from this understanding by focusing only on the creations.
Answer Me When I Call – Psalm 4
In today’s context, this Psalm reminds me of a telephonic conversation with our friends and relatives. After changing our phone numbers, many would not recognize us, as the number does not appear on their phone-book.
The Son of God! – Matthew 27-28
Just as the women were hurrying from the tomb filled with mixed emotions of fear and joy, they came face to face with the one they were looking for. Jesus Himself was standing in front of them and they fell at His feet and began to worship Him.
The King of The Jews – Matthew 27
The chief priest and the elders started making plans to have Jesus executed. They bound Him and handed him over to the Roman governor Pilate, as executions were under Roman jurisdiction.
The Faithless Faithfuls – Matthew 26
We are certainly all-in when we can see Jesus working miracles in our lives. But our faith gets shaken when we cannot see His works and start doubting even the existence of God. If our faith is based on the works of God in our lives then we will not go far with Him but like a drug addict keep coming back to Him only when we run out of money/blessings. Peter was still immature and did not understand what his response should be when Jesus foretold his denial.
The Defector – Matthew 26
The chief priests and the elders were assembling in the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas, and were trying to figure out the best way to dispose of Jesus. They were looking for a way to secretly kill Jesus without riling up His followers. When they were perplexed and could not find a way to dispose of with the Jesus problem, satan presented them with an opportunity that they quickly grabbed on to.
Deliver me, my God! – Psalm 3
In the Bible we see people like Cain, Jacob and Martha getting diverted by their family members. People who are close to our heart can hurt us more than strangers. We won’t remember the abusive language used against us in yesterday’s traffic jam but we won’t be able to forget a simple statement given against us by our kith. Satan knows how to use the people around us to dishearten us.
The Sheep & The Goats – Matthew 25
For many of us have been given lamps but only few are wise enough to carry the extra oil that is needed to keep our flame alive.
Led By The Spirit
As soon as Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God led him to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The primary temptations are that the devil wants us to prove to him that we are the children of God. This precious relationship is personal between us and our God. Repeatedly. the devil asked Jesus to prove his relationship with His Father, but Jesus firmly denied to prove it to the devil.
The Summer is Near – Matthew 24
As the fig tree can let us know if summer is nigh, similarly the signs of the end of days would let us know that Christ’s coming is near.
The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees – Matthew 23
After stumping the Pharisees with His question, Jesus proceeded to call them out on all their wrongdoings.
God of the Living – Matthew 22
Jesus came with the purpose of introducing or reintroducing God to everyone, those who loved Him and even those who hated Him. The questioning session that the Pharisees and the Sadducees had been using to unmask Jesus before His followers, turned into Jesus revealing the identity as the Messiah.
Kiss the Son – Psalm 2
The Psalmist asks the offenders to take refuge in God and says that if the rulers of the earth will turn faithful to the incredible love of God, then righteousness will come upon them from heaven.
The Invitation is Extended to Everyone – Matthew 22
Jesus came down to extend the invitation of His Father’s banquet to everyone as Israel had rejected and rebelled against God by prostituting themselves to the pagan cultures that surrounded them.
The Wicked And The Righteous – Psalms 1
Our society has both wicked and righteous people. Both of them share the same arena to earn their livelihood. The wicked will always be with us in the form of our neighbours, colleagues, friends and relatives who distort us from fulfilling the purpose of God in our lives.
The Son has the Ultimate Authority – Matthew 21
The fallout from the temple clearing incident perhaps did not sit well with the chief priests and the elders as surely that would have opened the eyes of the people to the corruption that had infiltrated the walls of the temple.
The King comes Home – Matthew 21
Kings would usually come back from wars to triumphant welcome by their countrymen. These lavish parades would have the valuables plundered in their latest victory along with the procession of the prisoners of the war who were going to be humiliated and tortured by the locals. The kings would always choose a warhorse or a prized camel, to make their grand entrance back to their palace rather than riding on a colt and that too of a donkey.
The True Empathizer
God teaches us to show sympathy towards others, and sometimes He allows us to go through pain to understand other’s pain so that we may sympathetically pray for their remedy. At the same time, we should expect God to show His compassion to us rather than expecting pity from others.
The True Meaning of Christmas
Christ came to save us from our own sins but did not come to start a religion to help us save ourselves. The world around us has done its best to try and subvert the true meaning of Christmas from us.
Christmas Celebrations
While there are different opinions about the time of the birth of Jesus, we should also know the origins of Christmas. When people gathered in great numbers to celebrate the birth of Jesus, this was named Christmas during the late twelfth century, with its literal meaning being Christ’s Mass. With the coining of the name Christmas, the noble theme of God’s love has been distorted with some fictional characters of fantasies.
Bless And Be Blessed
Amidst criticism, Prosperity Gospel still survives because there are people who need that kind of gospel. All of us love to be blessed, and we speculate and await our turn. Various schemes are devised to derive blessings, such as blessings through prayers, blessings through partnership or membership, blessings through donations or offerings, and blessings through anointed oil, handkerchiefs and servants of God.
The Heavenly Man – 1 Corinthians 15
Depending on our fellow believers will only get us so far and might even lead us away from God. The only way to defeat death is to depend on the heavenly man and follow His path.
Till We Meet Again – 1 Corinthians 16
Let us learn from the bitter experience of Paul and his fellowship with the Corinthians that we should not depend on human beings for love and compassion but on God for His grace and mercy.
Problems Beyond Our Abilities
Based on our positions, we rank ourselves highly and feel proud of ourselves. When a problem occurs, irrespective of its severity, we always look at it as a gigantic figure. Our pride locks us within a small world, and we do not understand that the problems are everywhere and with everyone.
Peter – The Fisher of Men
The Bible portrays Peter, James, and John as the close associates of Jesus. Out of these three disciples, Peter’s inconsistent spiritual growth is a source of encouragement for all of us, as we are also inconsistent in our spiritual walks but the spiritual journey of Peter started when he was only an illiterate fisherman.
The Cross Made Lighter
The purpose for our lives is to worship God with all our mind, soul and body at all times. Worship means submitting our freedom in God’s hand by using the freedom that Jesus gave us. In order to move forward in the tasks assigned to us by God, we should have a clear mind to discern the things that discourage us. We often fail to remove the beam from our own eyes but continue to peck at our neighbour’s eyes in search of specks and injure them in the process.
The Absolute & Incontestable Truth
People are in search of God in their own way, and many have lost their hope in this pursuit. Moreover, when the path is not known, it kindles anger and frustration creating chaos, like our trips we used to take back when GPS was not readily available on our phones.
The Jordan Valley 