Reflections

  CHRIST WHO GIVES HOPEFUL VISION   HEBREWS 11:1-12  VS  1:  Now faith is the assurance of the things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith involves assurance, conviction and hope concerning things not seen or visible. Faith is acting in obedience even when we don’t know understand what God is asking of us.  This is the kind of faith Noah had, Abraham Had, Enoch had, and God wants us to have the same hope and faith. What God is asking us to do at times may seem unusual and impossible but if we condition ourselves to obey God and execute His commands, we will be surprised how we will be blessed. Just as vision is one of the five physical senses that gives us evidence of the world we live in, faith is the sense that gives us confidence in the unseen spiritual world. Christ gives us hope to live in this world which is filled with miseries, stress and conflicts. When we go to sleep at night, we have the great hope we will wake up next day morning....

  CHRIST WHO GIVES HOPEFUL VISION  Col 1:1-14 "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you." Colossians 1: 3-5 A Christian’s hope isn’t an escape or wishful thinking, but something that a Christian is meant to do. We have hope in eternal life, which means that we can face today with renewed vigor and strength. The future can be a scary thing, with so many uncertainties for who knows what tomorrow might bring. When we have faith in Christ, however, we have hope not only in this life but in the next. The future, while uncertain, can be entrusted to God, and He will help us through. 1 Peter 1:3-5 says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great...

  CHRIST WHO GIVES HOPEFUL VISION    Psalm 6 The Lord has heard my  cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer (Psalm 6:9) When we study the Book of Psalms, we can see that there are at least five types of Psalms: psalms of lament, royal psalms, thanksgiving psalms, wisdom psalms, and historical and prophetic psalms. Psalm 6 is a perfect example of a  lament psalm. There are two types of lament psalms; community and individual.  Community psalms of lament deal with situations of national crisis,  which describes problems faced by all the people of God.  Individual lament psalms address problems faced by one member of the people of God. Psalm 6 is an example of an individual lament psalm of  David. The Anglican Church uses this psalm during 50 days Lent period, as it contains all the features of a lament psalm. This psalm is the first real lament of David to the Lord as his heart is consumed with thoughts of his enemies. He is depressed. W...

  Christ who gives Hopeful Vision Micah 7: 7-20   In Micah 7:7-20 Micah talks about a very chaotic society. All around him, he sees a society that is in a state of moral decay. Gang warfare is widespread, and lawbreakers buy protection from judges. Rich businessmen and other influential persons bribe government officials to cooperate with them in their evil plans. Even the best of them cannot be trusted. Treachery and deceit are so widely practiced that people cannot trust even their friends and relatives. Has society learned from its mistake? Thousands of years later nothing has changed. We have daily challenges, temptations, and worries that we cope with. We are living in a time of pandemics and a world on the verge of a major war. We worry about our finances, our children, and our loved ones. We worry about the decisions made by our elected leaders. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? That light that we look for comes in the form of Jesus Christ and our faith in God. I...

  Worship- Which Gives Perfection to Personhood  Psalms 16 “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8 Today’s Bible verse talks about keeping your eyes on the Lord. You need to keep your eyes on God if you want to have a solid relationship with Him. Keeping our eyes on God makes a huge difference in our life. When we stay focused on God and His goodness, we see Him move in big ways and we can be firm in our faith. We’re encouraged to wake up and read the Word daily as Christians; it prepares us for the day. To me, it’s like nourishment, my daily bread.  God knows that I need his assurance. I know he will never leave me, which is his promise to all people. Psalm 16 reminds us that God is right in the thick of it with us. Because of this, we will not be shaken.  David, a man after God’s own heart, prays because he knows and trusts that God will answer. God listens when we pray. God cares about what we care ...

  Worship- Which Gives Perfection to Personhood  Luke  13:10-17   The meaning of wholeness according to the dictionary is, ‘the quality of being or feeling completed and not divided or damaged’. The word ‘heal’ also comes from the same root as the word ‘whole’ comes from. Therefore, the idea of healing cannot be divided between the body and the mind. Both mind and body should be healed to receive wholeness, and that will lead us to holiness. Here in this passage, we can see that Jesus heals a crippled woman, and also Jesus rebukes the attitude of the people in the Synagogue.  Worship: To Raise the Unraised The woman was crippled for eighteen long years. In her life, she might have never gazed beyond a limit. Her physical condition forced her to look only in one direction. Even though she had limitations, her presence in the Synagogue tells us about her unwavering faith in the Lord. After healing, Jesus called her the daughter of Abraham. The compassionate touch ...

  Annunciation to the Virgin Mary Luke 1:26-38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.” Vs. 38 The text for today’s meditation is the narrative of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus. This was the prophetic fulfillment of the great salvation plan which was first promised to mankind in the Garden of Eden after the fall, for which God was using a young Jewish girl. Mary’s response is what makes her different from others, who expressed hesitance and or unbelief upon the visitation of God. When Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he had excuses and asked God to choose someone else for the task. For the Priest Zechariah, the birth announcement of John the Baptist was beyond comprehension due to the natural impossibility.  Mary had been entrusted with a mission which was beyond human understanding and logic. She was chosen for something that would bring humiliation and even death pu...

  Worship – Which gives Perfection to Personhood Acts 2:22-36 V 25, 26 ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope.  “We become like that which we worship. Therefore, as we worship the Lord, we are changed into His very likeness.” (Destiny Image)  When we intentionally choose to focus on God and worship Him during the painful times of our life, trusting that He knows what’s best for us, He will faithfully take us to the other side of our suffering, to a new place of healing, where we are perfected in His image. I recently witnessed a simple illustration of this truth while toasting a pop tart (the breakfast of champions...and lazy moms) for my daughter. A very angry and hostile pop tart leaped out of nowhere and landed on my hand, causing a painful burn that developed into excruciating blisters. The pain was so severe that it was the only thing I ...

Mid- Lent-The Necessity of the Cross St. John 3:1-17 V17” For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”. Creation itself sprang from a bubbling overflow of God’s love. God wanted to share the life and love He already had so intensely among Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God was never mad at us. He was mad about us or rather madly in love with us. Thus the incarnation took place to reconcile us with the Father, because we thought we were separated. He came that we might know God’s love; to be our model for Holiness and Wholeness and make us partakes of the divine nature. He came to destroy the power of the evil.  In today’s passage, Nicodemus comes to Jesus because he saw there was more to Christ than first met the eye. He came to Christ to find out what he was missing. Being born again is the beginning of the new life with Christ. As we are born again by the spirit, we should walk by the spirit. That means we...

  WORSHIP - which gives perfection to personhood Romans 8:31-39 V35“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Worship or Aradhana, per Google, is defined as the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for God. To that, I would also add worship can be an action, a reaction, and even sometimes no action. Let’s look at what the Word of God tells us in Romans chapter 8 verses 31 to 39. This portion is well known by all. There are multiple declarations by St. Paul reminding us of the firm foundation that we stand on.             - If God is for us, who can be against us?           - God’s unchanging love for His people led to the greatest act of love             - We are justified by God             -  Jesus intercedes for us              - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? We are more than conquerors I alw...

  WORSHIP - which gives perfection to personhood Isaiah 66: 19 - 24 Verse 20: "And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord - on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the Lord. Isaiah, chapter 66 talks about the message that the Lord wanted His people in Israel to hear as they were repairing the temple in Jerusalem. If we read the first few verses of this chapter we can understand that God is reminding His people of His great majesty and that He cannot be confined in the four walls of a temple. Heaven is His throne and Earth is His footsteps. The bible verses for us to meditate today are the last verses from the book of Prophet Isaiah. The key verse written is a dream and a desire of every faithful Christian who wants to share the joy of their relationship with God and help everyone experience it. God's people become missionaries and go out to all parts of the world bringin...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST Matthew 1:1-17 Verse 17: Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. Have you ever created a family tree? It can be amazing to see how relationships fit together and to know the people who have contributed to your family line. Acknowledging the grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who were a part of your family history also helps in confirming your own identity. Who you are now is a product of those who came before you. The Gospel of Matthew is the only one that starts by listing out the genealogy of Christ. We see Matthew placing importance on readers knowing the ancestry of Christ as they journey in knowing the life of Christ. Matthew 1:1-17 gives us a detailed breakdown starting from Abraham all the way to the birth of Jesus. A promise made long ago comes to pass many genera...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST Matthew 15:21-28 Matthew 15:28: Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.      Matthew 15:21-28 is more than a passage about Universal Salvation, it is also a passage of loving your enemies and hence is challenges us to examine our actions, words, and thoughts.  The woman is referred to as a Canaanite (v.22), an ancient enemy of Israel (Deuteronomy  20:16-18 ).   Despite this, she comes to Jesus to seek healing for her daughter.  She not only refers to Jesus as Lord (vs. 22, 25, and 27), she also calls him “Son of David (v. 22)” and knells before him (v. 25).   This “outsider” had a better understanding of who Jesus was than many Israelites.  “Son of David” means someone like David, a person after God’s own heart (Acts  13:22 ).  This woman is acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and a person who is doing the will...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST ACTS OF APOSTLES 10:34-43 Vs.34- “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does right is acceptable to him.”      In this passage, Peter conveys the message that God does not play any favoritism, especially toward the people of Israel. God will not show partiality based on race but accept all those who live righteously and fear him with love. This sermon of Peter calls us to lead a God-centered life where we can submit our everyday life to God’s will, and as a result, we can be an example to those around us. When we lead such a life, we will be preaching the good news of peace. This sermon of Peter stands alone because his previous understandings about God have changed just before this. As a result, he was able to convey the message about God’s concern for humanity. Prayer Dear God, help us to have your vision about this world. Please take away all sorts of discriminative viewpoints...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST Isaiah 45:1-8 Verse 8 – “You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it.”       The main focus of this passage is in the verse 8.  Salvation was given to us when Jesus Christ sacrificed His life on the cross for our sins. Universal Salvation is the reconciliation between God and the sinful humans of this world. When we look at this specific verse in Isaiah, we can see that salvation will spring up from all parts of the earth. This verse is emphasizing the universality and inclusivity of the Salvation of God. Salvation is given to all who seek it and accept it. This passage is focusing solely on the power of God. From all these verses we can see the greatness of the Lord that we believe in. The Lord who has created the whole universe and who is almighty is also the same Lord who is by our...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Vs.21- For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe...         This verse is the strength of those who believe in the power of Christ’s sacrificial death! As quoted by Paul whether Jew or Gentile and as in the present days, whichever religion one is stamped by the world, as long you believe that Christ’s blood is sufficient for thee – YOU ARE SAVED! This thought or doctrine may seem foolish to the wise of the world, the atheists, the skeptics, etc. but the magic behind it is that once you have tasted the Lord you will not turn back. Everything that goes on in your life has a new meaning and purpose in your life. God’s invisible hands are hard to go unnoticed and we unveil His Divine Plan for us. It is profound love and joy to know that you are in His plan and that the wisdom of this wor...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST Ruth  1: 20-21 Don’t call me Naomi, call me Mara because the almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty. The Lord has afflicted me.         Have you ever been upset with God? Have you cried out in desperation for being unable to have things as you wanted and made it known to God? The lyricist puts this feeling and the solution to the despair beautifully in the song- ‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer.  Naomi had experienced several hardships. She had left Israel married and with riches in plenty, but returned widowed and poor. She changed her name to express the bitterness and pain she felt; however, she was not rejecting God by openly expressing her pain. She seems to have lost sight of the tremendous resources she had in her relationship with Ruth and with God. However later in ...

  UNIVERSAL SALVATION IN CHRIST Psalm 116 Verse 13-14: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.          Universal salvation refers to all sinful human souls being reconciled to God because of his divine love and mercy. The cup of salvation that is being mentioned in the above verse is the cup of blessing which is given to us.  As children of God, he has blessed us immensely but how much of it are we using for him and giving back to bring glory to his name. In the above verse the Psalmist has accepted his cup of salvation that God has given him by forgiving his sins and despite what situation he is in he is ready to accept it and do all that he has promised to do in the presence of God’s people.  In this thanksgiving Psalm the author is going through various difficulties and near-death experiences, and in all those situations God Almighty is gracious...