The Great Commission

As the year is coming to a close, I have been meditating on the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.  In the end times, God will use angels to proclaim His Gospel to people worldwide (Rev. 14:6).  But now, God has chosen to use you and me.  We may be imperfect, yet that is what God has ordained to use.  So many times, we are begging as Moses tried to beg off the call of God!   One cannot understand the depth of the Commission from just one passage.  It can be better understood when we take all the passages together.  

All four Gospel writers record the final words of Jesus Christ.  Luke again reiterates Jesus' words in...

The Star of Bethlehem!

There is a beautiful story tucked in the pages of Matthew's gospel about the Star that appeared to the wise men.  The Bible says in Matthew Chapter 2 that a Star appeared to the wise men from the East in the days of Herod, the king.  That Star was the sign that announced the birth of the King of the Jews to the wise men.  The wise men followed the Star till they reached Judea, and there instead of following that same Star, they thought that a king could be born only in a palace and went to Herod's palace.  There they came to know that Jesus was there.  When they heard that the King of the Jews was not in the palace they were perplexed.  Then they saw the Star again.   The Star...

Preparation!

Christmas is here! All of us prepare for Christmas.  We take out the decorations, clean the house, bake cakes and prepare for Christmas! Not only that. We buy clothes for ourselves and others too. Earlier, we used to send greeting cards, but now no one sends cards. People send only WAP forwards! Preparation is essential. My sister-in-law had prepared a questionnaire of introspection for our year-end prayer a few days back. It had many questions about relationships, not only with the spouse but also with brothers, sisters, and the people around us. It also had questions about our focus for the New Year. It is not about the questions, but the idea of introspection challenged my heart. It is important that we spend time in introspection since i...

Meeting Jesus!

Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord according to the law of Moses.  There they met Simeon, a godly man.  Simeon had a gracious promise made to him that he would see the Messiah before he died.  The Bible says Simeon was just and devout and the Holy Spirit was upon him (Luke 2:25-35).  He was known for his piety and communion with God.  We read of another person who blessed Jesus that day.  It was Anna, the daughter of Phanuel (Luke 2:36-38).  The Bible says this godly woman served God with total devotion.  Anna's close walk with God was shown by her love for Jesus.  The Bible says in Verse 38 that "…  in that i...

Celebrating Christmas!

Advent means arrival or visit.  Advent reminds us of the birth of Jesus around 2,000 years ago and points to the second coming of Christ.  Advent is a time of joy and celebration!  For some, it is about wreaths, candles, and Christmas trees.  For some, it is about buying grand new dresses and decorating their homes.  It is about baking, making savories, and planning big parties for some.  For some, it is about singing carols and attending carol services.  Christmas has become more about greed, consumerism, and personal enjoyment!  If Advent points to the second coming of Christ, how should we celebrate Christmas?  That is the question we have to answer today!

The Lord’s Prayer

As soon as we hear the phrase 'The Lord's Prayer,' what comes to our mind is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples.  This prayer is addressed to the Father: "Our Father who art in heaven…."  (Matthew 6: 9-13).   This prayer could have been rightly called the 'Disciple's Prayer!  Our Lord Jesus constantly prayed throughout His ministry.  He prayed even from the Cross.  Our Lord's prayer in John's 17th chapter is the most extended recorded prayer.  John Knox of Scotland was known for his prayer life.  'Give me Scotland, or I die' is the most quoted of all his prayers.  He asked his wife to read John's 17th chapter again and again on his deathbed...

Forgiving others!

Forgiveness does not mean we ignore the wrong done to us.  Forgiveness is not that we pretend that it did not happen.  It happened, and it did matter.  We were hurt, and we were wronged.  Otherwise, there would be nothing to forgive.  But forgiveness is a choice.  It does not change the facts.  It is looking hard at the facts and making a conscious decision of the moral will to set the hurt aside so that it does not come as a barrier between the people involved.  It is easy to say but far more challenging to do!  Today many families are broken because of unforgiveness!

Let us see what Jesus taught about forgive...

Beware of False Teachers

The writers of Scripture take false teaching very seriously, and so must we.  Throughout the New Testament, we see numerous examples of men named false teachers and traitors to the gospel.  Paul warned Timothy that Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus had made a shipwreck of their faith and swerved from the truth ( 1 Tim 1:18-20; 2 Tim 2:16-18).  Their false teaching will spread like cancer unless handled with utmost seriousness.  Failure to do so will result in the infection spreading.  The apostle John also warned his readers of Diotrephes in 3 John 9-10.  Jesus warned the disciples saying, "Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly t...

Martha

I can be categorized as a Type A personality, but these traits vary from person to person.  When I think of myself, I am pretty driven and task-oriented.  I usually start the day with a to-do list since I am well organized.  In my life, everything has a place, and everything has to be in its place!  I cannot sit when things are lying around or have much to do.  These traits contribute to a lot of unnecessary stress, and as such, I can readily identify with Martha!  In the first-century home without any modern gadgets, cooking for a group from scratch is a great challenge, and it is no wonder Martha was irritated with Mary.  It was not that Mary was lazy, but Mary sat at Jesus' feet....

The Prompting of the Holy Spirit!

The earring on my right ear has a way of coming off; a few years back, I lost a pearl earring from that ear.  Sometime back, I had my diamond earring on, and it came unscrewed three or four times, and every time I noticed it, I said, 'Thank you, Jesus, ' and tightened it, feeling thankful to God for prompting me.  This happened many times, and one day I lost the earring!  I searched everywhere but could not find it.  My loss was great.  Last winter, my thin chain came off the hook and fell on the heavily carpeted floor in my son's house in the US, and by chance, I noticed it.  As I picked it up, I automatically said, 'Thank you, Jesus,' but the Lord said in my heart, ‘it is not enough’! It is...