Carrying one another's burdens

Bible Reading: Mark 12: 28-34

Bharathi Baskar is a famous Pattimandram (Debate) speaker, and she told this story.  A man was very stressed and had problems in his life.  So he went seeking the advice of a Guru (Teacher).  The Guru listened to him and then asked him to bring a glass of water.  The Guru mixed two spoons of salt in it and asked the man to drink it.  The man tasted it but could not drink it because it was too salty.  Then the Guru took the man to a pond, added the same amount of salt, and asked him to drink it.  The man could drink it since the same amount of salt was mixed in the pond full of water!  Then t...

The Lost Blessings

Bible Reading: John 14:15-24

God, in His wisdom, chose Israel to reveal Himself, and through them, He wanted to save the world.  God planned the salvation of mankind right in the book of Genesis (3:15), and we see the divine plan unfolding beautifully as we read the Scripture.  However, the people of God who participated in the divine plan did not know about God's final revelation or the final plan in their lifetime.  That is why the Lord expected them to walk by faith, not sight.  That is why Abraham was commended for his faith and obedience.  God promised a great deal of land to the children of Abraham even when he was childless.  We see...

The Name Lists

There are many lists of names in the Bible. Some are part of genealogies while some other lists are part of people groups or soldier groups that were worthy to be mentioned. But it is important to understand that the genealogies and other lists in the Bible are not entirely complete. There are many people who are left out. They often "highlighted" prominent people from the past, but left off those people who were not that well known. Genealogies bolster the historicity of Scripture, confirm prophecy, and provide insight into the character of God and the lives of His people.

Even though genealogies may at first glance appear irrelevant, they hold an important place in Scripture. While I read the Bible, when I come upon such genealogies, I sometimes want to...

The Lukewarm Christian!

Everyone has been praying for revival in general and revival in Churches since the time the churches were locked down!   And I came across what Spurgeon had said about the marks of a complacent church.  Spurgeon described such a church as follows: 

· They have prayer-meetings, but there are only a few present, for they like quiet evenings home

· They are content to have all things done decently and in order, but vigor and zeal are considered vulgar

· They may have schools, Bible-classes, preaching rooms, and all sorts of agencies; but they might as well be without t...

Spending time with God!

Bible Reading: Psalm 145:1-21

Our granddaughters call us on Facetime, and we spend time with them.  We used to tell stories and pray with them when they were young.  We also watch our one-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter as she has her dinner and breakfast almost every day.  When we went to the US this year, we thought our little granddaughter might not come to us.  But as soon as she saw my husband, she jumped into his hands!  Even though they are in the USA, spending time with them like this keeps us connected.  Time is the essence of nurturing any relationship, whether it is between husband and wife, parents and children, or even friend...

Transformation

Bible Reading: Romans 12:1-21

Ray C. Stedman, in his book, ‘Comprehensive Guide to the Entire Bible,’ recalls an incident from the World War II era.  An American airman was hit during a dogfight with Japanese planes over the island of Guadalcanal.  He was able to move away from the Japanese army in his damaged plane and bail out on a tiny island inhabited by cannibals.  The American, who was an atheist, was surprised when the islanders spoke English and called themselves Christians.  One day, the soldier found an islander reading his Bible.  The soldier went close to him and said that in America, they believe that the Bible is just a book of fables.&...

The Divine Voice

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 13:1-24

His Master's Voice (HMV) was the name of a major British record label created in 1901 by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a dog named Nipper, tilting his head and listening to a wind-up disc gramophone!  It conveyed the meaning that those vinyl records reproduced sound so perfectly that the dog could identify his Master's recorded voice!  While God is ready to guide and direct our steps, we have to be able to recognize God's voice.  To hear the divine voice, you must have a relationship with the Lord!

Divine Guidance

Bible Reading:  Matthew 2:13-23

When Moses commissioned Joshua, he told him, “… the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.  He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).  Moses remembered how the Lord had led them in the wilderness all the forty years.  God guided them by going before them in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.  We all need God’s guidance in our lives, and God is willing to guide us.  Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever...

Sitting or Serving?

Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-42

This time, when I was meditating and studying the incident of Martha and Mary from Luke's Gospel, I understood an important point.  Even though this appears to be a separate incident, it has to be studied and understood along with the story of the Good Samaritan.  The Lawyer who wanted to test Jesus asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus asked him what was said in the Law as he understood it.  So the Lawyer said it was loving the Lord with all your heart and loving the neighbor as oneself.   Jesus then asked him to do that and live.  But the Lawyer, wanting to justify himself, said, 

Wisdom From Above

Bible Reading: James 1:1-8/Ps 119: 33-40

Just now, a new academic year has started.  And every child who has written an exam would have heard James 1:5 prayed over them.  "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." Here, James is not talking about wisdom to get high scores!  To understand what James means, we must see this verse's context!  James says that we must view trials and sufferings from the correct perspective when we walk through trials and sufferings.  If we cannot do that, we have to ask God for wisdom to get the right perspective.  If we have th...