Being Sabbath-Minded

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 17: 24 – 25

But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me,” declares the Lord, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work in it, then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.

Revelation 21: 2 – 5

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

We, usually, pray when we have a need, like healing, provision or salvation of a loved one, among many other needs. Not that there is anything wrong with it. We are asked to enter into God’s presence with confidence with all our requests, only believing that He will answer our prayers. As a child confidently approaches his/her father for things they need, so can we approach our Heavenly Father’s presence with what we need. In times of desperation, despite all our efforts, we can’t solve our problems. In such times, we always run to God. God does wants us to come to Him with all our needs, not just some of them.

We, who are the creatures hand-crafted by God, are vessels ordained for worship of our Heavenly Father. Our primary and only focus should be worshipping Him. How many times are we entering into His presence only to worship Him? Our only petition when we enter to worship Him is that He accepts our praise, worship and thanksgiving. Do our hearts long to worship Him or do the cares of this world distract our focus away from worship of Him? When we enter His presence, nothing of ours should go with us. We must leave our cares outside, emptying ourselves completely, before we enter His presence.

When God spoke through Prophet Jeremiah about not carrying any loads into the city gates on a Sabbath, He was saying not just physical load but even our mental and emotional loads. When we enter the City of God on a Sabbath, we are not supposed to carry any of our burdens in but leave behind at the city gates and enter the City, completely empty and naked. Neither our strengths, our skills, our talents, nor our burdens are required inside the Holy City. We enter in through the City gates for the sole purpose of worshipping the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

King David, a man after God’s heart, longed to worship the Lord always. In Psalm 27: 4, David declares, “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.” Joshua remained in the tabernacle of the Lord even after Moses left. Do we like these stalwarts of faith, also love to be in the presence of the Lord just to worship and behold Him? If our hearts are always delighted to be in His presence, casting aside the cares of this world, then we will be sabbath-minded. Our very beings, every cell in our bodies, leaps in joy to be in His presence.

Mark 2: 27 – 28

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Christ declared that He is the Lord of the Sabbath. He is the only one to be worshipped for He alone has conquered sin and death. He alone is worthy to behold. There is coming a Sabbath day, when we will enter the Heavenly Jerusalem, where there is no pain nor sorrow but only joy. All old things will pass away so much so that they will not even come to our remembrance. Everything is made new. The old earth and old Heaven are gone and replaced with a new earth and a new Heaven. We will be preoccupied in worshipping and adoring the Lamb of God, slain for all mankind.

Dear Saint of God, let us enter into this Kingdom of God with confidence so our heart’s desire will be fulfilled. Let us leave our burdens outside the City gates and enter into His rest. We may be heavy-laden but let us swap our burdens with His, which is light and easy. Let us be Sabbath-minded when we enter into His rest. In entering such rest, there is a blessing of prosperity. All the cares of this world will dwindle and pass away. Let us not give up on the glory that awaits us by focusing on these momentary afflictions we may be going through. Let us not be preoccupied by the cares of this world but be preoccupied in worship of Him. Let us join with David in desiring to be in His presence for all eternity. In the end, that is our true heart’s desire: to be in His house, burden-free so our hearts will worship and adore the True King.

Matthew 11: 28 – 30

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Closet Faith

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 5: 14 – 16

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

When we become a born-again Christian, as we take our first baby steps in faith, we are eager to shout from the rooftops about our Lord, His goodness, His majesty and His faithfulness. As we continue to walk in faith, the initial fire slowly fades and we slip into a monotonous routine: attending church, doing some volunteer work, charity and some other good works. Yes, it is important that we continue to walk in faith, do all the right things but it is vital that we keep the flame alive in us.

Jesus Christ lit the fire in us when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. There comes a point in our lives that we should realize if the fire that is lit within us is purifying us from within while shining brightly for the Lord. His cleansing fire should burn away every dross, every thing that is of the world while the Lord is perfecting us into His Son’s likeness. While we are in this perpetual stage of refinement, we should ensure that we continue to shine before the world and not be a closet Christian. Are we a useful instrument in His hands?

Many of us have settled into a mediocre style of walking with the Lord. We are not eager to shine for Jesus as we did in our initial days. We don’t live in expectation that God is going to do something wonderful if we submit ourselves to Him. We are not curious as to what adventure the Lord is going to take us at the next bend. We shield ourselves from the world, put our head down and forge ahead thinking that we are doing good. We hesitate to become a useful instrument in His hands blaming our personalities. We feel we are not cut out for whatever ministry God calls us. We feel that we don’t have confident personalities or the drive or the calling like others. In the end, we tend to focus on our weaknesses, our personalities, and our circumstances. Focus has shifted from Him to self.

Dear Saint of God, there are ebbs and flows in every Christian’s journey. In order for us to obey the commandment of Jesus: go into the world and preach the Gospel, we must keep the fire burning within us. When the fire is burning within us, then we are able to shine brightly for the world around us. Our closet faith is neither good for us nor for others. When the world sees the light of Jesus in us, then they will be drawn to Him like a moth to a flame. We must examine at what stage we are in. Let us forget who we are, what personality we possess but remember whose we are. Let us shift our focus from ourselves to Him. Let us focus on being the light of the world because Jesus declared us so.

May the true light of Jesus Christ continue to burn brightly in us in these dark days. May this light continue to draw others to Christ. May our Lord’s name be glorified through this light.

1 Peter 2: 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Being Heavenly Minded

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 6: 19 – 21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6: 30

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Matthew 6: 33

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

A dear friend reminds me often that if God calls her home, I should be ready to pick up the mantle. Until I met her, heaven, eternity, and rapture were on the back of my mind. I knew and understood that heaven is my eternal home but I was caught up with the things of the world. I am so blessed to have crossed paths with this saint who is heavenly minded in all her dealings. She is joyfully ready to enter into eternity. Her faith, her readiness and her heavenly mind inspired me to shift my focus as well.

Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, spoke of storing up treasures in heaven. His listeners must’ve wondered how they could store treasures in heaven, when they haven’t even been there. Jesus spoke extensively about the Kingdom of God. John baptized people and asked them to ‘repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand’ (Matthew 3: 2). Jesus desired that His people who believe in Him would be with Him for all eternity. In other words, He urged the people to not be in pursuit of the worldly fame and fortune, which will be destroyed. Rather pursue holiness which will be accounted as righteousness.

Furthermore, He mentioned that we will be clothed. If a lily of the field can be a beautiful blossom one day and is withered the following day, then how much more our Savior who redeemed us with His precious blood is willing to give us robes of righteousness? Our Savior who has ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us will come back to receive us unto Himself. Where He is, there we will be also for all eternity. We are not only clothed in robes of righteousness but we also will receive new and glorified bodies.

Dear Heavenly Minded Saint, what then is our task? To live our lives for Him. With our minds, hearts and eyes fixed on heaven, we must carry out our earthly responsibilities with due diligence. Let us not focus on earning wealth. Instead, let us focus on earning souls for the Kingdom of heaven. Let us not seek worldly fame, which vanishes like a mist. Instead let us focus on how our lives can be salt and light in this dark world. We must continue the good fight of faith as Paul instructs Timothy, holding onto eternal life. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6: 12). Our task on this earth, in these clay tabernacles is to be rich in good works, to be generous, kind, and merciful which then equates to storing up treasures in heaven. When our whole being is desirous of being heaven bound, then nothing in this world can tie us down.

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed (1 Timothy 6: 18 – 19).

The heritage you inherit is not nearly as important as the legacy you leave. The legacy you leave is not nearly as important as the eternity you enter.

At the Crossroads

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Job 23: 8 – 14

“Behold, I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him; He turns to the right, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than any necessary food. But He is unique and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does. For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him.

Job found himself at the crossroads of life. Until now he thought he was right in the sight of God. He diligently followed the Lord, ensuring there was no sin in him and in his family, and offering sacrifices just in case he or one of his family members sinned in their thoughts. And yet, he found himself in a quagmire from which there seems to be no way out. He recollected if there was something in his past that could have brought about these trials in his life but to his dismay there was nothing. He was willing to seek the Lord’s forgiveness for any sin in his life but God brought nothing against him. His companions reasoning also brought to naught. Job was desperate to know why God allowed such hardships.

Job knew His God. He knew the commandments of the Lord. He knew what displeased Him and what brought pleasure. And yet he found that He could not perceive his God whichever way he turned. Many of us go through life knowing that we are on the right side of God. Diligently obeying His commands, living a righteous life, busy about God’s Kingdom and yet we find ourselves at life’s crossroads. We try to analyze what went wrong and start blaming God for all the wrong going in our lives.

While bemoaning his situation, Job was confident that his God knew which direction he was headed and confessed confidently that God will bring him out as pure gold after testing him. Job was not only confident of his own faith in God but also in God’s faithfulness towards him. He was confident that no matter what situation he was going through, God will direct his paths. Furthermore, he was confident that God will fulfill every promise. Such was Job’s faith in God.

Many of us go through situations where our faith is tested. We first try to reason just like Job if God has turned against us. Then we try to see if there was some unconfessed sin in our lives that is causing the trouble. We seek again Lord’s forgiveness even though He has already forgiven and forgotten. We remind God of our past sins when He has already forgotten. Still when our situation doesn’t improve, we come to terms that it is a trial that God is allowing and we should face that challenge with boldness. In all this, we have focused on ourselves more than focusing on God. ‘What did I do?’ ‘Why did it happen to me?’ ‘What should I do?’ ‘I did everything right.’

Maybe it is time we shift our focus from ourselves, our situations and focus on Him. Just as Job realized that God has the prerogative to do with us what He wants, we too must realize that we are His creation. Our Creator has every right to do what He pleases with us. The clay has no right to question the Potter. We are in His safe hands. The Master has the authority to fashion us according to His purposes. We just must trust Him.

Let us then abandon our confusion at the crossroads. Let us return to Him who is sovereign over everything. Let us harken to the words of Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in Him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15: 5) Let us enter in to His rest and allow Him to become the true joy of our lives. When we are confident in Him who is able, then no storm, no trial, no disease, no mountain, etc., can shake us. His confidence becomes ours. God was confident of Job’s faithfulness and knew that he will come out as gold. That is why God boasted about Job’s faith before Satan even before his trials started. Dearly beloved, let us become confident of His faithfulness. No matter the depths of our anguish, our Lord will carry us through. Such is His love for us!

Being Constant

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Colossians 3: 12 – 17

12. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13. bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Please allow me to indulge in a topic of constants in Math, Physics and/or Chemistry. Many of us who pursued advanced science in high school and later in college have certainly come across constants when solving equations. A constant is a fixed value that doesn’t change. No outside force affects its value or composition. However, when used in an equation or a chemical/physical reaction, it’s value definitely affects the result of the equation or reaction. Constants are essential as their fixed values provide a baseline or reference point for comparison and analysis.

Recently, I embarked on a long trip to take care of my aging parents. Before the trip, I spent ample time in prayer asking the Lord to strengthen me physically, protect me emotionally, secure me mentally and above all keep me steadfast spiritually. I requested my prayer partners to intercede on my behalf based on these requests. Lo and behold, I was given supernatural strength to do various tasks despite the heat and humidity. My energy levels were at a totally different level, much to my surprise. Whenever I became emotional, the Holy Spirit nudged me to remind that I should keep my emotions under check. Whenever I was mentally drained, His overwhelming peace just blanketed me. Spiritually, I seem to be relying more on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and learning to be alert to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Through it all, the spiritual aspect remained constant while the other three factors were in all places.

The fact that being constant in spiritual matters affects other aspects of my life in a good way but doesn’t affect my spiritual well-being in a negative way. If it is affecting, then it is time to check our spiritual thermometer. Where do we stand in our faith? Is the world affecting us or are we affecting the world? In all aspects, I, mindfully, acknowledged God, thanked Him often, spoke about His goodness and faithfulness, shared inspiring testimonies of people that I knew who walked through trials and came out successful, prayed at the drop of a hat and gave God the glory in every situation.

King David’s life is a testament of his constancy of faith in God. No matter what situation he faced, he acknowledged God. From a lowly shepherd to the throne of the kingdom of Israel, through betrayals, heartaches and losses, one thing remained constant in his life: his love for the Lord and to remain in His presence. Apostle Paul advises us to adorn ourselves with love, patience, meekness, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness and do everything in the name of Jesus. When we do that, our lives, our actions, even our demeanor reflects the love of Christ to the world around us. It is time to check if the spiritual constant is constant in our lives. Being spiritually constant reflects Christ through our lives and affects other aspects of our lives and of people around us in a positive way bringing glory to God.

Being Preoccupied

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Psalm 19: 7 – 11

The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much of the fine gold; sweeter than honey and the dripping of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 27: 4 – 5

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Psalm 119: 10 – 11, 14 – 16

With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.  

King David was always delighting in the Word of God. He may not have been a learned man as he rose from being a shepherd boy to the king of Israel. However, he was aware of the law of God. He meditated on His word. Before he became the king, he sought the Lord in every aspect of his life. He sought the counsel of Urim and Thummim in many situations when he was on the run from Saul and when he had to wage war against the enemies of Israel. Later, when he became king, he sought the counsel of the Lord and of the prophets in the land. Whatever situation he was in, he thought of God first.  More than anything else in the world, his delight was in the law of the Lord. He favored the temple courts than any place else. The reason being there was constant praise and worship in the Tabernacle of the Lord by the priests of God and he could join the throngs to worship Him.

David’s preoccupation was God Almighty. He meditated on His law night and day. No wonder he did not fear his enemies. He knew the Lord his banner would be with him. When he wanted to make important decisions, he sought the Lord his wisdom for wise counsel. When he wanted to satisfy the desire of his heart, he delighted his soul with the law of the Lord. Such was the passionate love of David towards His Maker. No matter what circumstance he was in, David was always preoccupied with the Lord, His Word, His laws, His precepts and His presence.

In our present times, we have numerous things to be preoccupied with. We have come up with ways to kill boredom. We have 24/7 television, other forms of entertainment, our careers, families, hobbies, health, etc., to keep our minds occupied. On the flip side, we have the cares of the world, the responsibilities we have to bear, illness of a loved one, the state of our country and world around us, etc., that have become our primary preoccupation. In all situations, it is not a sin if our minds and hearts are preoccupied with these pressing matters. However, are we steering our hearts and minds to the precepts of the Lord? Do we seek the presence of the Lord in all our circumstances?

Dear Saint of God, let us delight ourselves with the Word of God even in dire circumstances. Instead of the worries and anxieties of the world wearing us down, let us wear the garment of praise so that all the cares of the world are washed away from us. For our Lord will take up our burdens upon Himself and He will give us His yoke which is light and easy. King David was confident that if his delight was in the Lord and His house, then His Almighty God would shield him in His Holy Tabernacle. Yes, the cares, the worries, the responsibilities are real and present every day of our lives. Jesus Himself said these words, “But seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6: 33 – 34)

Let us be preoccupied with the Word of God, seeking His presence, and His counsel every minute of our lives. Let His laws steer our every thought and every action. Even when we sleep, let His precepts guide us. It is delightful to be preoccupied with His Word for He alone can satisfy us like no other. Once we taste the sweetness of His presence, there is no going back. We become so addicted that we seek His presence constantly. Our Heavenly Father becomes our primary preoccupation. Nothing in this world will delight us like His presence. Yes, we may be distracted for a bit, but our hearts’ desire causes us to refocus on Christ, our Redeemer. For He is beautiful beyond description. Soon will come a day when our Lord will descend and take us home to be with Him where we can truly delight in His presence for all eternity.

Psalm 119: 97 – 98O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.

Being Ready

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Joshua 5: 13 – 14

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”

He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?”

2 Timothy 4: 1 – 2

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

The Lord of Hosts has now charged Joshua to lead His people into the Promised Land. Joshua, now fully empowered but still cautious, took his responsibility very seriously. This generation that was before him was fully equipped, were highly motivated and focused to take over the land of the Canaanites. Joshua constantly reminded them to obey the Voice of the Lord. He led by example. Now that the people have crossed into Jordan, they were ready to take the city of Jericho which was the first fortified city. Instead of marching ahead, Joshua and all the fighting men waited on the Lord for instructions.

Joshua himself was scouting the land and he chanced upon a man with a drawn sword. Since he didn’t recognize the man, probably not attired in the same way as the Israelite soldier, Joshua cautiously approached him. Joshua was ready to take him down if he was the enemy. Joshua was constantly on the alert. Joshua was courageous enough to question the man if he was for them or against them. However, when he learned that the man was the captain of the host of the Lord, Joshua fell down and worshipped him.

Apostle Paul charged Timothy to constantly be on alert, be ready to defend his faith, to reprove, to rebuke and to exhort at the drop of a hat. We, as believers of Lord Jesus, are supposed to be on our toes constantly when it comes to defending our faith. That means, we have to immerse ourselves in God’s Truth, day in and day out. The more we are filled with the Truth, the more confident we will be to defend our faith. Every curve ball, our fiery dart that is hurled our way, we can deflect them by being on the offense. If the sword of Truth is in our hands and on our lips, we can face any giant, any ism, any doctrine head-on.

In a world where we are constantly being challenged for our faith, subtly questioning the confidence we have in Christ, how much empowered we must be to defend our faith; not only defend our faith but confident enough to point others to the Truth of God’s Word. We do not know when and what kind of enemy will attack us. In season or out of season, we must be ready to defend our faith with kindness and patience.

Dear Saint of God, let us strive to immerse ourselves in the Word of God, so we have confidence to stand boldly in defense of the faith we hold so close. The enemy is lurking around every bend to bring us down, luring us with false doctrines, and placing a doubt in our hearts and minds. Let us boldly avert every attack of the devil, deter every false teaching with the Word of Truth, just like Jesus did.

Wilderness Wanderings – Part 2

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Numbers 33: 51 – 53

“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.

Numbers 33: 55 – 56

‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’”

Caleb and Joshua were the only two people from the original group of Israelites that entered the Promised Land because they fully obeyed the Lord and fully believed in Him. The Lord, in His anger towards these unbelieving Israelites, caused them to wander in the desert of Sinai for forty years until the last person of that evil and unbelieving generation died. Yet, in His loving kindness, God continued to protect them from enemies and the weather, and provided them sumptuous food and water. He cared for them so much that the clothes and shoes they were wearing did not wear out for those forty years.

God’s commandment for the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land was that they should drive all the people and destroy their idols and high places. Only then they could possess the Land. The Canaanites were idol worshippers. Almighty God did not want the Israelites to be part of that pagan culture. He just redeemed them from the idolatry of Egypt. He wanted a nation that fully followed Him, obeyed Him and worshipped Him. His instructions were clear: no idol or high place should be present in the Promised Land. He will never share His glory with another.

We, as believers, in Jesus Christ, have been redeemed from the idols in our past. We must completely destroy each and every idol that we worshipped in the past. We used to serve at the feet of the idols of success, money, fame, health, etc. All those gave us temporary fulfillment but there is no lasting satisfaction. They may have consumed us. We may have been accustomed to having them around and in us. However, each time, we’ve come to the end of ourselves. And yet failed to recognize that our deep desires are only fulfilled in Christ.

When we enter into the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to drive out all these old habits, demolish all those idols which we held close to our bosoms, and destroy every trace of our old self. If we failed to do that, then these same habits, demons of the past, become snares, stumbling blocks and thorns in our sides. All what God promised, we won’t be able to possess completely. We cannot be sailing in two boats. We cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the Promised Land. Jesus Himself said that “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 62).

We must be willing to take a full head-long plunge into the Promised Land. Looking back to our old life, stoking our old habits thinking they are harmless, revisiting our old sins are all symptoms of one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world. If we are not fully enjoying the blessings of God in our lives at the moment, we must introspect as to what old habit or sin is still a shadow that is following us. Is it too difficult to stop lying, stop complaining, stop gossiping, or coveting or some other habit/sin? We cannot pour new wine in old wineskin. We must be completely cleansed, purged of every trace of the world for our Lord to fill us with His goodness.

Unable to fully obey and fully trust in the Lord has deadly repercussions. God said He will punish those who are sailing in two boats. Lives and time were lost in the wilderness due to disobedience and lack of faith. Instead of enjoying the abundance of the Promised Land, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. Even the righteous people had to suffer for the faithlessness of the people. Are we walking in the footsteps of these disobedient and faithless Israelites? Are our faithless actions causing us to miss out on God’s best? Are our actions robbing others around us of God’s blessings?

Dear Saint of God, it is time. Time to let go off the past. Time to give up our old habits/sins. Time to die to self. The Promised Land awaits us. The fullness of God’s goodness is at hand. We are missing out on it due to our own disobedience. We could be more alive than we are right now if only we learn to trust Him completely. We could stop wandering aimlessly if only we learn to focus on Christ and follow Him. We could come out of this wilderness we have created around ourselves and enter into the Promised Land.

Psalm 16: 5 – 6

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed my heritage is beautiful to me.

Wilderness Wanderings – Part 1

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Numbers 14: 22 – 24

“Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.”

Israelites were eye witnesses to God’s awesome power while in Egypt, during the exodus from Egypt and while on their journey towards the Promised Land. They have seen how God destroyed the Egyptians, and their gods. They were eyewitnesses to the pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They witnessed how the Lord of Hosts parted the Red Sea for them to cross. They feasted on Heavenly Manna, quail and water from the rock while in the desert. Despite witnessing and experiencing God’s protection, and provision, they still did not believe in God fully.

When Moses sent the twelve spies to scout the land they were going to possess, ten of the spies came back with a negative report. For forty days, they surveyed the land and all they could see was how miniscule they were like grasshoppers (Numbers 13: 33) before the people of Canaan. On the contrary, Caleb and Joshua, who were fully aware of God’s awesome power, believed that a God who could annihilate a massive Egyptian army is well able to dispossess these Canaanites from the land. Caleb and Joshua were certain in the power of the Almighty God. After their return, their positive report based on what they believed couldn’t prevail upon the negative report of the other ten spies who were afraid of what they saw.  

Because of their lack of faith in the Almighty God, the Israelites were doomed to wander in the desert for the next forty years, a year for each day they spent scouting the Promised Land. Until every single one of them died in the wilderness, God did not allow them to enter the Promised Land. Only Caleb, Joshua, and the younger generation, were able to enter the land, dispossess the Canaanites and claim the inheritance.

We have seen God’s awesome power, His protection, and His provision numerous times in our lives. Yet, we have not fully obeyed the Lord like Caleb and Joshua. We still doubt and shirk away from His promises. We are comfortable living in the past with our old self. No wonder we are unable to see the goodness of God in our lives. Our own unbelief is stopping us to witness the power of God in our lives. We have no right to say that God is far away or that God doesn’t listen to our pleas, when we have to introspect where we are lacking in our own faithfulness and obedience towards God.

2 Corinthians 5: 7

For we walk by faith and not by sight.

Precious Saint of God, instead of blaming God for all the evil or wrong that is happening to us, let us look within our own hearts and see where we have been disobedient to God’s commands. God has already blessed us. A Promised Land awaits us. All we need are eyes of faith and an obedient heart to enter the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, where our hungry souls will be satisfied. Let us strive to walk by faith in an Almighty God and in obedience to Him, who is well able to preserve us and lead us to the Promised Land. Let us not walk by sight in unbelief and disobedience, thereby, miss out on the blessings that are in store for us. May our good and faithful Lord preserve us as we walk in total belief in Him.

PERIPATETIC

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 1 Comment

James 1: 22-25

22. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24. And, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.

My son and I were researching on Ptolemy, the ancient Egyptian astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. History records his unique behavior as being peripatetic. It means a person who talks when he walks. Ptolemy was known for being peripatetic. Apart from being an intellectual, he might have been very hyper active. His contributions to science have been an authority for centuries.

The passage above reminds us of our spiritual walk. The Word of God is like a mirror, which shows us as we are with all the beautiful aspects as well as blemishes. If we don’t pause and reflect on our image that is tarnished and considering in whose image we are created, it is difficult for us to be the people of God out there in the world. Just reading the Word is not enough, but obeying and practicing is very vital. Before we go pointing other’s mistakes, it is imperative that we assess ourselves against Christ’s scale, practicing living accordingly, and changing our attitudes. Only then we are worthy to be called the children of God.

We, who are good at preaching, talking but not practicing living out our faith on a day – to – day basis, we should start living out our faith. Being kind and merciful, loving, attentive, non-judgmental, long-suffering, standing firm on the side of truth of God during persecutions, and just imitating Christ in all ways, are some of the ways we can get started on living for Christ intentionally. By doing so, we are not only living out our faith but we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.

Beloved, let us not just talk the talk but let us also walk the walk. That way, our lives reflect the love of Christ to the confused world around us. In the dark days that we are living in, people are walking dazed and confused as they are bombarded with numerous lies. Not many are aware of the absolute truth of God and the devil, on the other hand, is pushing people into a perpetual state of confusion. Even if truth is staring in their face, people are unable to believe it. That’s how severely this pandemic of confusion has infiltrated the minds of people, especially our youth. Truth has become relative when it should be absolute. Therefore, as believers, when we are out in the world, our lives if they reflect the love of Christ, the pandemic of confusion can be eradicated. People’s blindfolds will fall to the ground and they will embrace God’s absolute truth. Beloved, may our good Lord grant us His favor in order for us to be peripatetic.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

When Morality Isn’t Enough

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 19: 16-22

16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept [g]from my youth. What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

This young man was sincere in his heart when he approached Jesus with such a genuine question. When he informed Jesus that he was morally an upright man by keeping all of the God’s commands from a very young age, he sure expected Jesus to applaud him for his efforts. His plight begs the question: why isn’t being a moral idealist just enough? He indeed felt that he was still lacking something despite his obedience to the moral law. His emptiness is what drove him to ask Jesus this question.

Great thinkers, philosophers, scientists have all asked this question. In their quest to find the answer, they have experimented with various behaviors, reasonings, philosophies, etc., only to come to nought. Those that found their answer in the Bible, found the ‘ideal’ they were searching. Those that didn’t find their answer were lost or confused. Every other religion or ‘ism’ strives to answer that question but still come up wanting. Only in Christ can be found the ‘ideal’ that we have been searching for.

Being morally upright is beneficial not only to people around the person but to self as well. There is no guilt or condemnation because in the person’s heart, they know that they didn’t hurt their neighbor and they have been pure in their own thoughts and actions. However, the gnawing on the spirit arises when the morally upright person is considering their relationship with their Creator, when they try to figure out what their purpose is on this earth.

C. S. Lewis in his book ‘Mere Christianity’ explains at length about morality: “Some people prefer to talk about moral ‘ideals’ rather than moral rules and about moral ‘idealism’ rather than moral obedience. Now it is, of course true that moral perfection is an ‘ideal’ in the sense that we cannot achieve it. In that sense every kind of perfection is, for us humans, an ideal… but there is another sense in which it is very misleading to call moral perfection an ideal… But it is dangerous to describe a man who tries very hard to keep the moral law as a ‘man of high ideals’, … It might lead you to become a prig and to think you were rather a special person who deserved to be congratulated on his ‘idealism’.”

He further explains using an analogy of a musical band. “Morality, then, seems to be concerned with three things. Firstly, with fair play and harmony between individuals. Secondly, with what might be called tidying up or harmonizing the things inside each individual. Thirdly, with the general purpose of human life as a whole: what man was made for: what course the whole fleet ought to be on: what tune the conductor of the band wants it to play.”

Is our moral living harmonious with fellow saints and in tune with God’s purposes? Striving for morality is good. However, it is not the end of it all. Our moral uprightness is not the way to eternity but Christ alone. How in tune are we with God’s will? How is the Master Conductor conducting our lives for His glory? Are we obedient to this Ideal Master? Or are we seeking our own path and falling out of sync, only to end up frustrated like the young man in Matthew 19? He was asked to give up one thing that was dear to him and follow Jesus. Alas! he couldn’t part with it and obey God’s call. Is God asking us to obey His call and are we finding excuses to achieve moral idealism in our own way?

Dear Saint of God, let us continue to strive to have high moral standards as prescribed by our Heavenly Father. However, let us not lose sight of our ‘Ideal’ – Jesus Christ, who actually showed us how to live. Live a life of moral uprightness, live in harmony with others, but above all, live in obedience to God’s call, living out His purposes, all for His glory. May God help you as you strive for that kind of ‘idealism’.

Reference:

Lewis. C.S. “Mere Christianity”. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1952.

Lamp & Light

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Psalm 119: 105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Proverbs 6: 23

For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.

Imagine holding a candle or a lantern in a dark place! We can’t see farther than a few feet. When we hold the lamp in front of us, we can see the ground that is in front of us, maybe a couple of feet. The lantern casts light in front of us just for a few steps. However, we can see our feet and the ground we are walking on. As we focus on the ground on which our feet stand, then we are confident in the next step. If the Word of God is our lamp to our feet, and Jesus our firm ground, we can take our next step confidently in this wayward, wily world. One step at a time with just enough light for a few steps at a time leads us to trust in Him wholly.

Jesus, the Word incarnate, the Light of the world, who knows the path ahead better than anyone else, will lead us on. Trust only Him! His word is the only Light that can guide us through this dark, dreary, and deadly world. Satan is deft to distract us from the path that Jesus is leading us on. With Jesus’ guiding light, we can see clearly, the ugliness of such distractions. If we are on the path walking hand in hand with our Risen Savior and rooted in the Word of Truth, then we will be able to see clearly to persevere to stay on the right path.

Dear Beloved, our lives on this planet are abounding with darkness, lurking dangers at every corner and overwhelming distractions that are innumerable. How often we do trip and fall into the traps the devil has laid out for God’s saints! Allow Jesus, the Bread of Life, the Word of Truth and Grace, and the true Light of the World to be your lamp and light for this journey on this earth.

The Hospital Tour

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Breakfast was a feast for the hungry doctor. Prashanth didn’t eat much as it was his second breakfast. He nibbled on some guava and watched in delight as Dr. Mittur ate her food. Besides watching his kids eat, he hadn’t been so happy watching a stranger eat. He smiled to himself.

“Babu, are you going to torture her on her first day and especially after a long trip,” asked Satyamma, refilling his glass of water.

Prashanth looked up to her and knew that she is not going to be happy about their trip to the hospital later. As he was fumbling for words, Dr. Mittur said, “Oh no, Satyamma. We are just going to visit the hospital for a quick tour and be back soon. I too want to relax a bit and get energized for Monday.”

Prashanth just shrugged smiling at Satyamma.

“Well, then I shall expect you both for lunch sharp at 1 PM,” said Satyamma, refilling Vandana’s glass of water.

As Satyamma left, Prashanth leaned forward and whispered, “She is the actual boss of this house. As much as I try, I usually end up offending her in some way or the other and she doesn’t hesitate to give me an earful. Growing up, I didn’t fear my parents as much as I feared her. Now, I love her and despite her nagging, I accommodate her demands.”

Vandana mouthed an ‘o’ and smiled. “I shall keep that in mind, Mr. Kumar. Now shall we go to the hospital?”

“Absolutely. Let’s go before Satyamma gives me a long list of to do’s and not to do’s with a lady,” smiled Prashanth, leading the way. Vandana let out a hearty laugh at that remark.

Prashanth opened the jeep door for her. She must inform him that she doesn’t like to be treated like that all the time.

As they made their way through town to the hospital, people stopped by to look at her. Many waved, some smiled and some wondered who she was. Mr. Kumar made small talk describing the town.

They passed a stretch of vegetable farms on both sides of the road, over a small bridge and made a right turn through a large gate. On the side of the road a large board carried the name of the hospital, ‘Ashraya Town Hospital’.

They passed through a beautiful garden with plenty of flowering plants, benches, flower vines hiding bamboo arches, trellises along the edges, two men and a woman working on the garden. They entered a large archway where a young boy promptly jumped from behind a pillar just as the jeep came to a complete stop. Prashanth tossed the keys to the boy and asked him to park in the shade. As Vandana was about to exit, Prashanth ran to open the door for her.

“Mr. Kumar, if you don’t mind my saying, can you please stop opening and closing the car door for me? I feel awkward. I am not used to such formal treatment. I am used to taking care of myself,” said Vandana, as she got out. “Forgive me, if I have offended you,” said Vandana feeling a bit guilty.

“Sorry Dr. Mittur, not at all my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. I guess I am just used to treating any young or old lady that way. I don’t want to be the reason for your discomfort. However, you must allow me to treat you like a lady in the presence of Satyamma or she will skin me alive,” said Prashanth, grinning like a school boy.

Vandana let out a small laugh as she walked past him and nodded in approval.

“Welcome to our hospital, Dr. Mittur,” said Prashanth leading through the large doors up a few stairs. There was a wide ramp for wheel chairs and gurneys next to the stairs.

Prashanth introduced Dr. Mittur to the hospital staff in the reception. Prashanth gave a grand tour leading her through the rooms, surgery, labor rooms, and pharmacy, laboratory and staff rooms. Vandana was very impressed to see that the hospital had some old charm to it with some modern feel. She can get used to it. She was also introduced to two doctors who were hired on temporary basis and worked in shifts.

“Dr. Mittur, welcome to your office,” said Prashanth, opening a door to a medium sized room with a large desk, a computer, a television perched in one corner and a door to exit to the garden. The room was brightly lit, thanks to the windows on two walls of the room. She had a small private patio with chairs and a breathtaking view of the garden they passed by.

“Mr. Kumar, I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like a doctor working but like a tourist on vacation. If you treat me this way, then I might never leave,” said Vandana, stepping back into the room.

“That is the whole idea, Dr. Mittur. We desperately need a good doctor. The last year or two with construction still underway, I tried to find a permanent doctor. Most of them were fresh out of medical school and were not willing to stay in a rural place like this. They wanted to make more money, quickly. They preferred the comforts and benefits of a corporate hospital. Others that were willing to come couldn’t commit to long term,” said Prashanth, flopping down on a medium sized couch next to her desk.

“Mr. Kumar, to be honest, my future is a bit uncertain at the moment. However, I wish to be upfront. If tomorrow something arises that requires my departure, I will give you a notice period and I will find a replacement, albeit a temporary one until you find another permanent one,” assured Vandana, sitting on the other end of the couch.

“That is fair enough, Dr. Mittur. Life is full of surprises, isn’t it?” said Prashanth, extending his hand.

Vandana smiled, shaking his hand. Again, that touch sent shivers down her spine. Prashanth held a few seconds longer, warmed by her honesty and that smile.

“Now if you have any questions, apprehensions or doubts, Dr. Mittur, you can feel free to approach me any time,” said Prashanth, gesturing with his hands.

“For now, I don’t have any. Thanks, and I will keep in mind. Shall we go back home,” asked Vandana, standing up.

“Yes, of course. I am sure you want to rest after the long journey,” said Prashanth, leading the way.

Being Imitators of Christ

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 1 Comment

Ephesians 5: 6-11

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Even though salvation is acquired once, it requires constant effort to keep working out our salvation. In order for our bodies to be fit, we eat healthy food and exercise regularly. Likewise, we must eat the Bread of life that was broken for us and drink the Blood of forgiveness that was shed for us while exercising our faith on a regular basis. In doing so, we will remain constant in faith and in reliance on Jesus. Just as Christ lived and loved, so must we live and love imitating Him as long as there is breath in our lungs.

In our current world, in our churches, in our work places and even in our own families, we have allowed the devil to sneak in by compromising our beliefs, morals and faith all in the name of blending in, or keeping peace or being politically correct. Numerous times we compromise so we could please others in our lives. Even with guilt gnawing at us, we choose to stand with the world and not stand firm with Jesus. We don’t take a stance against sin or evil for fear of being ostracized. Knowingly and willingly, we allow ourselves to be deceived by the darkness of this world.

Jesus asked us to be in the world but not part of the world. He asked us to shine light on the dark world around us. He commanded us to live like children of light, bearing witness of the light of Jesus that shines brightly within us. How dare we then, snuff this Light by compromising! Churches have compromised their values just so they remain popular and welcoming. They fear losing members of the congregation rather than fearing God’s wrath that comes on those who are disobedient. In doing so, the churches have become inept in maintaining a high moral stance. Instead of exposing the darkness around them, they have entertained the darkness within their walls. 

True Christians must make their stance in remaining uncompromised when it comes to being imitators of Christ. As children of light, our lives, actions, and words should reflect our faith. We must denounce and avoid any kind of ‘fruitless deeds of darkness’ at all cost. We should dare to expose such deeds of sin, instead of remaining timid, which can also be interpreted as approval of sin. We must condemn the people who not only make excuses for their bad behavior, but also encourage others to follow suit. In doing so, we will reflect God’s love and goodness to the world around us. As bearers of true light, we must lovingly, speak out what is true and right.

Ephesians 5: 13, 14

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Beloved Saints, let us wake up from our laid-back attitudes and slumber. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to stir up the flame within us, so we will stand boldly defying the compromised bride of Christ. In this effort, let us remain firm in steering the Church towards the true Light of Jesus. For on that Day, she will be presented to the Bridegroom as a flawless bride.

https://www.seedsnow.com/?rfsn=7635120.7ce443b&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7635120.7ce443b

Official Formalities

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Vandana took another ten minutes imagining sleeping in the big bed, enjoying early morning sun rises from her patio, composing letters sitting at the large oak desk and the list was endless. Maybe she doesn’t want to move to cramped hospital living quarters. As long as she is here, she might as well revel in this luxury. God knows when she will ever be able to enjoy such luxurious comforts. Not in my life time, she thought.

She quickly showered, thankful for the running hot and cold water. She wore a light yellow and pink floral cotton dress keeping in mind the heat during the mid-day. With a light touch of makeup and a dab of lip gloss, she loosely braided her hair as it was still damp. She left the room imagining returning later that day and sinking into that inviting bed.

As she walked the long hall, she took her time looking at the pictures. She noted that the Kumar family was well acquainted with several politicians, musicians and some celebrities that she didn’t even know. As she made her way into the large living room, she noticed that it was empty. She didn’t know if she should sit in one of those couches or just wait standing there.

“Namaste, Dr. Mittur,” said a female voice from behind. Vandana spun around to find an old lady standing with a tray of coffee and tea.

“Namaste,” greeted Vandana.

“Babu will be right over after his phone call. Please take a seat,” urged the old lady.

“That is alright, umm… I didn’t catch your name, amma (mother),” smiled Vandana, sitting down at the edge of the sofa.

“Sorry, Dr. Mittur. My name is Satyamma. I am the caretaker of the Kumar residence. If you need anything, just holler my name,” declared Satyamma, setting down the tray on the coffee table.

“Nice to meet you, Satyamma. I must say that you have done an excellent job of taking care of this house. The house is so beautiful,” admired Vandana, relaxing a little bit into the sofa.

“I hope everything in your room is to your content. I mean, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask us. Forgive me doctor, but I sincerely hope you decide to stay here and not at the hospital quarters,” beseeched Satyamma.

“The room is perfect as it is and I think I have everything I need at least for now. I might change my mind about moving to the quarters. I really love it here,” decided Vandana.

“So glad to hear that, Dr. Mittur,” boomed Prashanth’s voice from behind them. “I was dreading that you will insist on moving to the hospital quarters.”

“If you had offered me anything less, I would have moved out,” teased Vandana.

“Thank you, Satyamma,” smiled Prashanth, taking his cup of tea from her.

“Babu, breakfast is ready. Whenever you are ready, I can serve,” said Satyamma.

“We will be there in ten minutes, Satyamma. Thanks again.” Prashanth sat across from Dr. Mittur.

As Satyamma quietly left the room towards kitchen, “I honestly hope you like our guest room, Dr. Mittur.”

“I was quite sincere, when I said I like the room, Mr. Kumar. I promise you until you fire me, I plan to be here. Even in my father’s house, I was never in such luxurious quarters. Who knows if I will ever live like a princess in the future! While I am given the opportunity, I plan to take full advantage,” stated Vandana, looking at Prashanth over her cup of coffee.

“I like that,” said Prashanth, mightily pleased that Dr. Mittur is loosening a bit. He liked that sense of humor and that twinkle in her eyes when she smiled. “Now coming to the important part of your stay here, Dr. Mittur,” said Prashanth, moving to the edge of the seat. He placed his cup on the tray, picked up a file that was on the sofa next to him and pulled out a pen from his shirt pocket.

“We have some formalities to fulfill before you officially start your work at our hospital. It is just our agreement, some background checks and referrals, etc. You can take this file, please read through carefully and I have inserted copies for you, me and my lawyer. So, you can practice your signature while you are at it,” advised Prashanth, winking again.

Vandana leaned forward to take the file.

“Thank you, Mr. Kumar. I will go through the documents and will sign and return them to you by tomorrow,” said Vandana, flipping through the documents.

“Shall we have our breakfast, Dr. Mittur?”

“Yes, of course,” said Vandana as she stood up. She placed her empty cup on the tray.

As she leaned forward, her braid fell forward, which she promptly tossed back as she got back up, catching Mr. Kumar staring at her. As she raised an eyebrow in question, he snapped out of his ogling and blushed slightly.

Vandana smiled as she followed Mr. Kumar to the dining room. She looked around the place wide eyed as more antiquities caught her attention. Two colorful embroidered tapestries adorned the main hallway.

“These are the prettiest embroidery work I have seen in years,” remarked Vandana, stopping to study the intricate design much closer.

“Ahh..these! My wife’s handiwork, I must boast,” raved Prashanth, running his fingers tenderly on the design in one corner.

“I must say, it must have taken a long time for her to finish these,” added Vandana.

“Sure did. These embroidered pieces took six months to finish and she used to sit late in the nights to work on them. She was quite obsessed about finishing them. Memories, they are the only ones you are left with,” sighed Prashanth, looking at her, misty eyed.

“Forgive me, Mr. Kumar. My intention was not to bring back painful memories,” consoled Vandana, gently touching his arm. “Forgive you, Dr. Mittur? I am left with beautiful memories of my Pratima. I am glad to be reminded of her. That is why I surround myself with all her things. Makes me feel she is still within arm’s reach,” assured Prashanth, pointing towards the kitchen.

https://www.seedsnow.com/?rfsn=7635120.7ce443b&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7635120.7ce443b

Pierce Your Ear

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Psalm 40: 6

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced…

Deuteronomy15: 16, 17

But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life.

After Israelites entered the Promised Land, God gave them several instructions as to how they should conduct themselves before the Lord and towards their brethren. Right after the instructions about cancelling debt of a fellow Hebrew in the seventh year, God gives this interesting instruction to Israelites about Hebrew slaves working under rich masters. A fellow Hebrew who offers himself or herself as a slave to a rich Hebrew master is permitted to remain a slave for six years and must be allowed to go free in the seventh year. However, if the slave chooses to remain a slave to this kind master, because the slave loves the master, the master must pierce the slave’s ear by pushing an awl through the earlobe into the doorpost. Then the slave will remain with his master for life.

In Psalm 40, King David after experiencing God’s goodness, mercy and love, decided to remain God’s servant for life. His desire was to remain in the house of the Lord forever. He was so confident of his faith and love towards his Master, that he offered his ears to be pierced. We do not know if David literally got his ear pierced on the doorpost of the tabernacle where the Lord dwelt. His heart’s desire was such that he longed to remain a servant or slave to his Master because he loved God, the kind Master and His family. David knew that he would be well off if he remained in God’s house. That is why he is a man after God’s heart.

Are we ready to get our ears pierced? Are we longing to remain in God’s house forever? After witnessing His love, mercy and faithfulness, can we be any complete elsewhere? Do we love our Master enough to remain in His house forever? Do our hearts carry such passion for our kind Master that we are willing to become His servants forever?

God is seeking willing hearts to join His family.

Prepare Ye, Prepare Thine

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Isaiah 25: 6-9

6. And in this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees.

7.  And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

8. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.

9. And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Another year has come to a close and a new year has dawned upon us. Let us thank our good Lord for carrying us through another year filled with a mixture of joyous and anxious moments, tragedies and pleasant surprises. Our good Lord has never failed us. We rose up from our mistakes and are forging ahead equipped with better experiences. Throughout this tumultuous year, our Lord stood by us like a pillar of strength. Thanks be to Him!

As I look forward for another year, I am reminded of a song “Prepare the way” by Darrell Evans and Eric Nuzum. We are reminded to prepare ourselves for God’s reign in our lives. First and foremost, we need to prepare our hearts, our homes and the people of God for our Lord. However, knowing my Savior, I couldn’t help but see the underlying desire of my Lord for this preparation.

Our Yahweh God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to save us, die instead of us and restore us to our Heavenly Father. In addition to the rescuing and restoring of our souls, He deeply desires that we are in perfect joy, peace, health, and success while we are in this world. It is just like Him. It is His very nature. He desires that we be restored everything that the devil has stolen from us: health, joy, success and peace of mind. In so doing, He is preparing a people who are just after His own heart: generations of people who live for the Lord, live in the Lord and live by the Lord. He desires to see people who are victorious, healthy, gracious, peaceful and always joyful. Such a generation of people will bring forth a heaven on earth that we now only dream of. A heaven that we so look forward to where there is no strife or tear, we could as well have it right here when there arises a generation who strive to live God-centered lives.

Make ready your hearts, make ready your homes and make ready a people of God in this New Year as our Restorer God is making His move to restore everything that we’ve lost: our joy, peace, love, health and success. It is not just a one-time restoration but a wave after wave of overwhelming blessings that will chase us down and wash over us. A time will soon come when we will look up to Him and say, “Lord, why do you love me so much?” In that time, all we can do is surrender to His love with raised hands, tears of joy and eyes longing to behold such a loving God face to face. Prepare yourselves, prepare your families and prepare a generation of people for our God. Our Restorer is waiting to make His move!

Prosperity in Captivity

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 29: 4-10

4. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,

5.‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.

6. ‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.

7. ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’

8. “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream.

9. ‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.

10. “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians have sacked Jerusalem and Judah. They have taken into captivity several thousands of Israelites to Babylon. The Israelites, who disobeyed God despite repeated warnings by God through His prophets, saw with their own eyes the utter destruction of their beloved city and their holy temple. God, in His infinite mercy and everlasting love for His people, inspired Jeremiah, the prophet to write these words. Jeremiah sent this letter to the elders, priests and all the people who were in exile.

God, instead of breathing down condemnation on a people who were living in exile in fear, encouraged them to move on with their lives. He neither abandoned them nor forgot them. On the contrary, He showed them mercy and granted favor in the sight of the Babylonians. Here, He is instructing them to live their lives as normally as possible. This instance prompts us to ask the question: ‘which conquering nation would allow its conquered subjects to build houses, gardens, assimilate into their society and lead productive lives?’ We can see how the Lord’s hand has guided the Israelites, protected them and prospered them in a strange land. Even though, they were slaves of Babylon, they did not live like slaves. Furthermore, God instructs them to pray for the welfare of the city of Babylon. Because in the prosperity of Babylon, lies the prosperity of the Israelites. Even in captivity, the Israelites flourished. In addition, God gives them the timeline of their return to Jerusalem.

We, as children of God, may be in dire situations: enslaved by our circumstances, stagnant and unhappy with career, life, finances, etc., battling a health crisis, nursing elderly parents or a sick person, waiting for a breakthrough, or some other situation. We may think that life has come to a standstill. Despite endless prayers, we don’t seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our circumstances have not improved. We don’t see any of God’s promises being fulfilled. Life seems to be on hold. Day after day, month after month, year after year, time seems to be rolling by, while you remain where you were.

As disheartening as this sounds, take heart, my fellow saint! Go about your life as normally as possible. Live your life as God commanded you to. Remain faithful and steadfast in His love. Live in anticipation that the breakthrough will come any moment. Just because we don’t see the result we are expecting, doesn’t mean that God is not working. God has set a time for the return of the exiles back to Jerusalem. He didn’t say how they were going to return. The Israelites may have thought that God will wipe out the Babylonians and miraculously, He will take them back to Judea just like He did when He brought them out of Egypt. History tells us that Babylonians were overthrown by Medes and they in turn were conquered by the Persians. Through His prophet Isaiah, He said that during the reign of Cyrus, the remnant will return.

Life may be at a standstill but our Sovereign Lord is still on the throne. Nothing happens outside of His will for His children. All He wants is our utmost obedience. All He desires is our utmost loyalty. All He asks is our utmost trust. ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29: 11 When our Lord has the perfect plan for our prosperity, for our future, why then should we worry? Let us go about our daily lives diligently, honestly and expectantly. We may be in captivity, but our souls are free. We may be enslaved, but our hearts are grateful. We may be confined to our circumstances, but our lives are bursting with joy. Let us not allow our circumstances to keep us captive but let us allow God to prosper us even in our captivity.

Still on the throne

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

1 Samuel 12: 22

For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.

We are living in uncertain times. We are not confident of the rulers that are in authority. We elect them democratically, yet we cannot blindly trust their judgment. Why? Well, they are humans just like us. They are bound to fall and fail, to commit wrong, to misjudge and to succumb to a temptation. No one is exempt. Except a man or woman grounded in the Word of God, of which there is a dearth in our current world. How difficult it is to find a man or woman after God’s own heart!

Israelites begged Samuel to appoint a king over them just like their neighbors. Appalled at their request, Samuel forewarned them about the hardships that they would face if there is a man who ruled over them instead of God. They ignored all his warnings as they wished to be just like their pagan neighbors. To have a king rule over them was the trend in the land and not an invisible God who still was their one and true King.

Reluctantly, Samuel appointed Saul as king as God suggested. Soon after, Saul disobeyed God pertaining to sacrifice. Enraged, Samuel left Saul to his misdeeds. In his farewell speech, Samuel warned Israelites again of their choice of a man instead of God. However, he urged them to follow God and not rebel against Him. Both the king and the Israelites are supposed to obey God with all their hearts. Then God will flourish them in the land and protect them from all their enemies. If they don’t then God will not spare them of His wrath. That said, Samuel prayed for thunder and rain to fall from heaven. When the Israelites witnessed God’s power, they were terrified and realized their sin of asking for a king.

Samuel, in his kindest voice, eased their fears urging them to continue to worship God and follow Him. He promised that God will not reject them if they obey Him. Even though there might be a king who ruled them, God is still their true King and God. He is the only one who requires of their utmost devotion. He is the only one who will never fail to keep His promises.

In these uncertain times, we are reminded again through Samuel’s farewell speech that no matter who governs us, God is still our true God and King. Our devotion must be to Him and Him alone. Yes, we can be patriotic, loyal to our countries and the rulers who govern them. However, they should never take the place of God in our lives. We should not place all our trust in them hoping that they would be the ones who will bring change and a better future. If they fail, we are the ones who feel disappointed and lose faith. How much more is the need of the hour to place our trust in one true God and King!

God is still on the throne and He will never forsake His own!

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reason For Advent – Week 4

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Luke 2: 25 – 35

25. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28. he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29. “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30. For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31. Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32. A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33. And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35. (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Simeon was the last of a few faithful people who eagerly awaited to see the promised Messiah. Led by the Holy Spirit, he sought out Jesus’ parents Mary and Joseph as they came to present themselves in the synagogue. A righteous and devout man, who lived by the promise that he will not see death until he saw the salvation of the Lord with his own eyes. Here was Simeon, who lived among evil men, probably accosted for his faith, witnessed Israel disintegrating into lawlessness. His only hope was in the salvation of God, which He promised. He waited with anticipation the redemption that was coming.

Simeon knew the length of days of men on earth. He knew for certain that in his lifetime, he would see God’s salvation. He lived each day awaiting patiently for the arm of God to bring about His salvation. The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God (Isaiah 52: 10). Even though he was surrounded by evil, oppression by the Romans and to some extent the religious elite, he never gave up. God chose him and kept him alive so he could witness first hand the promise coming to fulfillment. What a blessed life, Simeon had!

Just like Simeon, we who are called by God to be the watchmen, to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth, also eagerly await His glorious return. When our eyes are fixated on Heaven and our union with our Redeemer, then we too, who are equipped to interpret the signs of the times, will live out each day of our lives expecting the coming fulfillment of His promise. Whether we live or die, our hearts long to behold Him. Time and time again, He has kept His promises. The skies may disappear, the earth may fall away, but His promises will never fail.

Dear Saint of God, as we live our lives in anticipation of His glorious return, let us continue to hold onto His faithful promises. Not one will be broken. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine upon them (Isaiah 9: 2). During Jesus’ first Advent, the heavens echoed of His birth but the world did not see since He came as a meek and lowly servant. However, at Jesus’ second Advent, the whole earth will see as the King of kings and the Lord of lords descends with the herald of angels and all creation. Even though, we may be engulfed with darkness, mocked for our faith and anticipation of His return, let us remain faithful and steadfast as Simeon, eagerly awaiting the hand of God to rescue us.

Isaiah 60: 1-3

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

A Room Fit for A Princess

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Vandana was spell bound by the beauty of the house. Even though, it was a sprawling estate, yet it had the feel of a warm, loving home. The walls were adorned with black and white pictures of Mr. Kumar’s relatives, antiques collected from their travels, indoor plants and vines by the windows, and large vases filling up the corners.

Mr. Kumar seemed humble despite being a rich man, which she liked. As he led her to her room, he was explaining about the history of the house. They walked through an open hallway to the end of the building. They stopped in front of a large ornately carved wooden door with metallic embellishments. Mr. Kumar pushed open the door which opened to the inside.

“Dr. Mittur, this is your room – our prized guest suite, which my grandfather designed with dignitaries in mind. It has all the amenities of a five-star hotel with a homely touch. I hope you will be comfortable here,” declared Prashanth, leading the way.

Vandana, felt like a princess in a mansion. Never before in her life had she been in such a lap of luxury. She pinched herself discreetly, hoping it was not a dream. The room was ornately decorated with all sorts of antiquities. The bed was large enough to fit an entire family of four. The bed’s four posts appeared to be handcrafted and lace curtains overlapped with a mosquito net was hanging. Who would have thought of covering up an ugly mosquito net with a delicate lace curtain? The writing desk must be an antique with its intricate hand carved flowers and leaves along the edge and the wooden flap that hid the interior of the desk. The desk was of a reasonable size. She could plug in her laptop and still have room left for writing. She only hoped that there is proper internet connection so far away. The two windows on both sides of the desk offered a beautiful view of patio on one side and the garden on the other. Most of the lighting came from these two windows as well as the patio with French doors. The golden, burgundy and green shades of the curtains gave a royal feel to the room in addition to a sense of warmth.

As she was taking in the beautifully decorated room, Mr. Kumar walked into a smaller room adjoining the bed room to turn on the lights.

“Dr. Mittur, if you can please step in here, I would like to show you the closet and the bathroom,” called Prashanth, peeking out.

Jolted from her reverie, she followed him into the closet, which was a medium sized room with shelves, hangars and drawers. Mr. Kumar led her through another door at the farther end of the closet to a large bathroom. As she stepped into the bathroom, she realized that her previous living quarters were the size of this bathroom. Spell bound, she just nodded at all the things that Mr. Kumar was pointing to. He led her back into the bedroom.

“Dr. Mittur, you have a telephone in the bedroom as well as the bathroom. If you need anything, just give us a call. There will always be someone to answer your call,” added Prashanth, winking at her, “including me”.

Vandana smiled. He led her to the patio that bordered the other side of the bedroom, giving ample light to the interior. As he slid the curtains, “Ahh… before I forget, please ensure that you don’t lock the closet door when you are using the bathroom. In case of an emergency, we won’t be able to hear you. You can lock the closet when you are using the closet. Just a precaution, you know. We’ve had some serious incidents in the past which we don’t like to be repeated. At least, not on my watch,” he cautioned as he opened the large French glass doors.

Puzzled, Vandana nodded and followed Prashanth. The patio was quite large, partly covered and partly opened. All along the railing there were potted flowering plants. On the left-hand side of the patio, there was a trellis covered with night jasmine and under the jasmine vine, a wicker swing for two.

“I hope you like this place, Dr. Mittur. If it is not to your liking, or if you need to add any other furnishings, please don’t hesitate to inform me. We are here to help you feel at home,” declared Prashanth, standing in front of her. He was watching her closely as she took in the luxury of this suite. He sincerely hoped she would prefer to stay here and not insist on moving to the hospital quarters.

As she was checking the plants and the railing, the sun rays cast a golden hue to her light brown eyes. Prashanth knew he gasped at the golden beauty in front of him. She didn’t seem to notice as she was completely engrossed in the beauty of the place. Like a kid in a candy store, she smiled in delight as she surveyed her surroundings. She quickly turned to him clapping in delight and quickly controlled her joy seeing he was watching her.

“Oh, Mr. Kumar. This is heavenly. I won’t add anything nor will I take anything away from here. It is absolutely luxurious and inviting,” she delightedly announced, walking towards him.

“I’m glad that you like this room. If in future, you change your mind, please do not hesitate. There are other rooms too in the house that we can accommodate you in. But believe me, this is the best room in the house,” boasted Prashanth, heading back into the bedroom.

While they were checking out the patio, Sunil dropped off her bags in the closet. He neatly arranged them onto a large shelf so she doesn’t have to bend down to pick up her things.

“Well, looks like your bags are in there,” said Prashanth, glancing into the closet.

“Please let us know if you need anything. You can call us on the phone,” he pointed to the phone beside the bed. “You can come back the way we came to enter the main house. It is a straight path to the right once you step out of your room. Satyamma will have breakfast ready for you,” he walked towards the door.

“Thank you, Mr. Kumar. I appreciate all your help,” smiled Vandana, standing demurely by the door.

With his hand on the door knob, Prashanth turned back one more time. “Would you prefer tea or coffee? We also do room service, if you prefer to have them in the privacy of your room,” winked Prashanth.

Would you stop winking? You make me feel like a teenager, blushed Vandana.

She suppressed her blush with a smile and averted his eyes. Surprised, that she was getting comfortable with this man, she just nodded declining room service. “Alright, will leave you in peace,” teased Prashanth, closing the door behind him.

*** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reason for Advent – Week 3

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Luke 19: 41 – 42

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “if you had known in this day even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

Walking or driving through neighborhoods, I observed people’s houses were all decked up for the Christmas season. Lights of various colors, wreaths of various sizes, garlands, inflated characters like Santa Claus, Peanuts, reindeers, nativity scenes, etc., adorned peoples houses and front yards. People do put in a lot of effort and money in these decorations. And each house is uniquely decorated. I wonder if each house had a story to tell about the most precious gift, that is Jesus Christ in their lives.

Year after year, as we celebrate the first advent of Jesus Christ, we ought to remember the second advent of Jesus Christ, which is quite at hand. At His first coming, He came as a lowly servant, in a manger, born of a virgin. He shed His precious blood to redeem us from sin and death, so we could be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. His first arrival was prophesied in the Old Testament numerous times and yet the people of Israel failed to recognize the timing of His arrival. That is why Jesus lamented and wept over the city of Jerusalem that they did not anticipate His advent.

There are a greater number of prophecies of His second coming than His first. His second coming isn’t going to be a quiet affair. On the contrary, the whole creation will know of and see His advent. Jesus Himself proclaimed about His second advent numerous times. He gave His disciples and us the signs of times that would indicate of His arrival. The apostles, the early church and saints of the past have eagerly awaited His second coming. They neither wanted to miss nor misinterpret His second coming like their ancestors. They lived their lives in anticipation of His arrival.

Today, are we living in anticipation of His arrival? He won’t be coming back as a babe in a manger but He will be coming with all the Heavenly hosts, roaring like a lion. The Israelites may have failed to read the signs of the times they were living in and may have failed to correctly interpret the prophets. We, on the other hand, don’t have an excuse. We do know the Holy Scriptures. We do know how to interpret the signs. How much more then should we live each day in anticipation of His arrival any minute!

Dearly beloved, advent is a season of anticipation. Even though we celebrate Christmas once a year, we should live each day as it could be the day of His coming again for His bride. The days we are living in are getting darker by the minute. The world may mock us of our faith in the King of kings, who is returning. Nevertheless, nothing should deter us from living in anticipation. We will go about our daily lives, an eye on the world and the other eye looking heavenward – a reason for us having two eyes. We will continue to hear what is going on in the world with one ear and listening with the other to what the Holy Spirit is teaching. We will continue to serve others in need with one hand and raise our other hand in worship of Him. Let us live in anticipation of the advent of our Lord and Savior. Let us learn to interpret the signs of His coming again.

The Yeast Beast

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast – as you really are. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8 (NIV)

In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread. Exodus 12: 18-20 (NIV)

In the beginning of the Jewish New Year, in the month of Abib, when the Israelites were still living in bondage in Egypt, God commanded them to observe the Feast of Passover. Apart from slaughtering a lamb and applying the blood on the doorposts, God also commanded that they should get rid of yeast from their houses. Tradition requires that they should light a candle and search the entire house for any trace of yeast and get rid of it right away. Many were skeptical as to how they could bake bread without yeast.

Yeast, which represents the old world and Egypt, should not be found anywhere in Israel. God is setting apart a people for Himself. God has redeemed the Israelites through the blood of the Lamb, which was the covering on the outside. How could one be purged of the yeast, our old self, the remnants of the evil world from which we were delivered? The Lord commands the Israelites to purge every trace of yeast from their houses and must eat unleavened bread.

When yeast is added to the flour, it works its way through and causes air to fill up. It not only makes the bread rise but also sour as the yeast eats the sugar in the flour and releases the gas that makes the bread rise. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. Galatians 5: 9 (NIV)

Even though we were purchased by Jesus through the shedding and applying the blood on us, we could become corrupt if there remains in us any minute trace of the yeast beast. The world and old in us does the same as the yeast. It eats away the goodness of God slowly and gives us a false pride, sometimes even religious pride. It puffs up and causes us to think that we are righteous people. Without our riddance of this yeast, we will be given a false sense of security, to a point where we tend to make compromises in our walk with the Lord.

As much as it is hard to get rid of our old self, old teachings, and our old habits, we must strive to start afresh with our Lord’s help. We must seek and rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance so we would not stray or return to our old ways. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians warns the church that the last remnant of evil must be purged from us. If it remains, it will permeate and corrupt the whole society or church.

Jesus warns His disciples in Matthew 16: 11 “How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Even old teachings, some unrealistic and subtle rituals and expectations of being righteous can lead us away from the Truth taught by Jesus. He warns in Luke 12: 1 “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Dearly beloved, let us remain in Him who is the source of all truth and wisdom. Let us go through the purgatory of eliminating every trace of the yeast beast, which represents our old self, the world and its evil influences, so we could be the true remnant for Him, unblemished and purified. Instead of taming the yeast beast, let us be free from it altogether, so our Lord can continue His good work of righteousness in us.

*** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reason for Advent – Part 2

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 31: 33, 34

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Another important reason about Advent is to remember the new covenant that God made with Israelites (by faith, Gentiles as well): a new covenant that God took the initiative to be in a personal relationship with each and every one of us. No longer are His laws written on stones but on the hearts of His people. By surrendering to Him completely, He, by His Holy Spirit, stirs in us the desire to obey Him. After experiencing the new birth in Christ, who is at the very heart of this grand scheme, we will obtain a chance to make new beginnings by establishing a permanent and personal relationship with our Maker.

This born-again experience is what brings us new hope and we await with eagerness for that day when we will be forever united with our loving Savior in eternity. This experience gives as a new heart which is filled by a new Spirit from God. This Spirit will motivate us to draw closer to Jesus, know about our loving Father more intimately and also guide us to carefully keep His laws. Not grudgingly, but gladly. Jesus came to our sinful world as a humble and flawless babe, poured out His precious blood to cleanse us, conquered sin and death, raised on the third day, ascended to heaven, seated now at the right hand of our Father in Heaven, and interceding on our behalf. Therefore, through Christ our restoration with our Heavenly Father has been complete.

During this Advent season, as we remember these wonderful promises God made for a renewal of our relationship with Him, we are blessed to further know that as long as we are relying on Him, remembering Him and the promises He made, then we no longer have to worry about anything in this world but wholly trust Him for a prosperous life on this earth and beyond. 

Ezekiel 36: 26-29

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.

My sincere prayer for us this Christmas season and beyond is that Jesus would bring us and our families that blessed hope of complete restoration: restoration of relationship with God as well as everything restored to us that which we have lost so that we will never experience lack and our storehouses will be plentiful. Merry Christmas!

*** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Being Disciplined

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Romans 8: 24 – 25

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

An athlete dreams of one day winning that coveted Olympic gold medal. He/she hopes to one day stand on the podium and receive that medal, making their country and family proud. In order to achieve that goal, he/she works hard, trains, sacrifices pleasures and with dedication strives to make that hope a reality. They may not succeed in the initial attempts but they never give up on their dream. Until the goal is attained, they will not rest.

Many of us struggle with weight issues. We all hope to have a healthy, muscular, lean, good-looking bodies. We diet, exercise, sacrifice our food cravings, hoping that one day, we will gain our optimum weight and healthy-looking body. We take all measures to be disciplined about our eating habits. We change our lifestyle to accommodate our goal. We don’t give up on that hope but strive to come closer to our desired goal.

In life, there are several instances, where we have a goal/dream that we discipline ourselves to achieve it and make it a reality. As long as there is room for improvement, any hope of the dream becoming a reality, we will put in extra effort to achieve. Whether it is career, health, finances etc., we will not leave a single stone unturned. We have not yet seen with our eyes our dream/goal coming to fruition but in our mind’s eye, we have already seen the picture.

We, as believers of Lord Jesus Christ, have a blessed hope. A hope in something that we have not seen yet. We are aware of the reward that awaits us, the eternity with our Father in Heaven and Christ His Son. We are familiar about the glorified bodies that we will receive. We are eagerly looking forward to see what we are hoping for now, becomes a reality. Paul, in his letter to Romans states eloquently the blessed hope we have in Christ even though we do not see it now. However, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

When we are waiting, how are we waiting? Are we training our faith? Are we disciplined in working towards that goal? Are we praying, reading the Word of God, meditating on His Word, living out our lives faithfully, and shining His light to the world around us? How have we disciplined ourselves towards that goal?

Fortunately, for us, thanks to His Divine Providence, He gave us His Holy Spirit to intercede on behalf of us. Through His power we inch closer to our blessed hope. When He is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8: 31) He, who is seated at the right hand of the Father intercedes for us. When nothing can separate us from our loving Heavenly Father (Romans 8: 38 -39), who assures us that He is our only hope, all we need to do is just trust Him.

Beloved Saint of God, let us be diligent in pursuing Him, who is our only hope. Let us be disciplined in exercising our spiritual muscles every day by praying, reading and spending time in His presence. Let us persevere in achieving that goal of finally seeing Him face to face, our blessed hope. When we are training in such fashion, we will be confident of the dream becoming a reality. When our blessed hope appears, we will be standing firmly and confidently (1 John 2: 28).

*** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Perpetual Listener

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 1 Comment

Psalm 81: 8, 10-14

“Hear, O my people, and I will warn you – if you would but listen to me, O Israel!… I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!”

When you want to have a conversation with a friend or a loved one and decide to ring them, you would expect to know how they are and if anything, exciting has happened in their lives. You patiently listen to them: laughing if something funny occurred, grieve with them if something tragic occurred, encourage them if they are down and so on. When it is your turn to share, there is nothing wrong in expecting that they also would listen with the same eagerness about your welfare and sensational news that you might share. However, if the other person is not interested in your affairs, he/she might bid you good-bye. In several instances, you might find yourself becoming a perpetual listener as the person on the other end of the line is rambling on about their own affairs. You would feel disappointed that you weren’t heard. Now if such a thing seems to occur more frequently, you tend to conclude that the person on the other end just wants to be listened to! You might even avoid such people because you are growing tired of their stories and you are not given a chance to be heard.

There are instances that you are sharing something important but you are cut off because it is not as interesting as their topic, resulting in disappointment. You realize that you are not as important as you thought you were in that person’s life. Their affairs, their news, their troubles are of utmost importance and yours are least. In the third instance, there are people who pretend to listen to you but are not paying attention to what you are saying. You feel like you are talking to a wall. In all these instances, you are not heard! Suddenly, you feel so lonely and disappointed that you begin to wonder that if you matter at all to anyone. None to talk with and none interested in you can drive you to heartache.

I envisioned God in the same position – perpetual listener. He calls us and we answer. However, instead of listening to Him, we are rambling off about our problems, our sicknesses and dilemmas. God, in the kindness of His heart, listens to us. He then waits for us to stop talking so He could speak to us: give us the comfort that we are seeking, strengthen us when we are weak, encourage us when we are lowly and heal us when we are sick. He wishes to reveal His Word to us, hidden nuggets of wisdom from His truth. But we just don’t listen to what He has to say! We are too enamored about what is going on in our lives that we don’t have time to sit and listen intently to Him. As I came upon this scripture, I realized how many times I have rambled on and failed to listen to God. He is so eager to talk to us if only we would listen. In just five verses, the phrase, ‘listen to me’ has been quoted thrice. If only we listen, God has solutions to all our problems. When I as a human can get disappointed when I am not heard, how much more can God get disheartened when His people, whom He redeemed by paying a huge price, are not listening?

In Bethany, when Jesus visited Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Mary sat at His feet and listened. Martha complained to Jesus that her sister wasn’t helping her. However, Jesus replied Martha saying that Mary chose the most important thing and that will not be taken away from her.

Psalm 81 closes this way:

15. “Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

16. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

We must learn to listen to Jesus. We must practice listening to the sweet, still voice of Jesus when He speaks. We might not find solutions to our problems, and we certainly won’t have victory in our lives when we don’t listen to Jesus. God promised that our enemies’ imminent punishment would last forever and conversely, we would enjoy His best, if only we listen! Let us reform ourselves from ramblers to perpetual listeners.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Small Talk

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Prashanth felt the warmth in her hand as she covered his. He knew she did that genuinely. Her instinct as a doctor to comfort those who are hurting now was clearly evident in her action. He was glad that he chose the person with such a kind heart and warmth for his hospital. He, however, wished her hand was on his for longer. He knew she must have felt embarrassed by her action. He didn’t say anything further but drove on at a steady pace back to his hometown.

“You have come at a perfect time, Dr. Mittur,” declared Prashanth, trying to make a small talk. He disliked the silence.

She turned to him. “This place is indeed very beautiful, Mr. Kumar. Is it a festival time or any special occasion?” she inquired.

“I meant the climate. Winter is almost over and spring is right around the corner. You will see some foggy mornings but there is nice warmth later. In two months’, it will be very hot. All you want to do is laze around in the cool of the house during summer,” complained Prashanth, secretly longing for lazy afternoons spent napping, playing board games with kids, and eating mangoes and watermelons. Even the kids longed for those days. His sister and her two kids have been spending their entire summer vacation with them for the past four years now.

“Summers are very lazy and mostly quiet in these parts, Dr. Mittur,” declared Prashanth.

Vandana nodded and smiled, wondering what he meant by that. Hospitals are always busy. There are always sick people to be treated and babies to be delivered. ‘How can that be quiet?’ She wondered.

“Tell me about the hospital, Mr. Kumar. I am so anxious to see the place. Will I get a grand tour of the place today? That is, if you don’t have any pressing matters,” she asked like a curious kid.

Smiling, “Of course, Dr. Mittur. If you are up for it after a long tiresome journey, I shall give you a grand tour of my new project,” Prashanth offered.

“Great! How about a quick shower, some breakfast and we can be on our way,” chimed Vandana, rubbing her palms gleefully.

After twenty minutes, they arrived at his sprawling bungalow. The gates usually remained open during the day. They drove through and around a circular drive way. He stopped the car in front of the main entrance.

“Welcome to Ashraya Nilayam, Dr. Mittur,” bowed Prashanth, opening her door in subservience.

“What a beautiful place you have, Mr. Kumar,” announced Vandana, wide-eyed and looking about the ancient, palatial house as she stepped out of the jeep.

“Sunil,” he hollered. “Sunil will bring your bags to your room, Dr. Mittur. Please follow me.” He led her up the steps to the door.

Sunil appeared at the door.

“Sunil, please bring the suitcase and the bags to the guest room on the farther side of the house. Don’t try to bring them all at once or you will hurt your back like last time. Either take someone’s help or make two trips,” instructed Prashanth.

“Yes, anna (older brother),” said Sunil, hurrying towards the jeep.

“Dr. Mittur, please come in this way,” welcomed Prashanth, leading her into the large living room. “This home has been in our family for three generations, Dr. Mittur. My great grandfather purchased the property, my grandfather built the original house and my father made some additions.”

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bid Me Come

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 14: 25-31

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Many of us, as believers of Lord Jesus Christ, have a deep desire to do something for the Lord’s Kingdom. Whether it is evangelism, charity or some other noble ministry to help God’s children in our neighborhoods, our communities or people across the world. However, many of us struggle with the question, ‘Am I equipped enough?’ In our desire for being part of the Lord’s Kingdom, we ask the Lord to bless us with special gifts. God, in His great love, grants us one or multiple special gifts. He equips us for whatever mission He wants to use us for furthering the Gospel of truth. He even opens the right doors for us to enter, so the ministry that He called us to would be effective and bring glory to His name. He closes all other doors, prevents us from going to certain people or places. He even gives us the right words to speak and the right tools to use.

Peter was one of those disciples who was impulsive, eager and on fire for Jesus. All the disciples in the boat were petrified when they saw a ghost like figure walking towards them on water. When they learned that it was Jesus, Peter was the only one who mustered up the courage to ask Jesus to command him to come to Him. When Jesus asked him to come, Peter was bold enough to step out in faith and walked towards Jesus. He was able to walk a little distance before he got distracted by the billowing waves and howling winds. The moment he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked around, he began to sink. However, Jesus reached out, stretched forth His hand and rescued Peter.

When as believers of Jesus Christ, as disciples on fire for Jesus, we step out in faith, keeping our eyes on Jesus. However, the cares of this world, the distractions around us cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. Sometimes, the initial success of the work could cause us to be proud. Sometimes, we do beyond what we are supposed to do, relying on our own strength. We fail to recognize that we need our Lord’s strength and not bank on ours which is weak and failing. Sometimes our desires get in the way of God’s plans. Sometimes, we get distracted by the applause we receive. Sometimes we get carried away by the worldly standards and fail to recognize that we are special and chosen by God. Our lives may not be typical of the world’s standards. We fail to recognize that we are set apart for His work.

That is when we sink. We sink into a cesspool of self-pity and failure. We cannot seem to understand why all our best efforts are not producing the results. We fail to recognize that we got distracted. We fail to recognize that our focus has shifted from Jesus to the world. We fail to recognize whose mission it was in the first place. We fail to recognize our utmost priority. Like Peter, let us cry out to Jesus to save us. Let us reach out to grab onto His outstretched arm. He will safely carry us through stormy waters.

Dear Saint of God, don’t get disheartened by the failure. Don’t get disappointed when the right opportunity doesn’t open up. We may be distracted but we need to refocus on Jesus. We must ask Jesus to bid us come to Him. We must remember on whose business we are about. It’s not ours but His. He will accomplish His purposes the best way He chooses. We must just remain with Him, and in Him. For His strong arm is always there to rescue us when we are failing, when we are sinking, and when we are distracted. He will ensure that the fire He lit in us will keep on burning, shining brightly His light in us for the world to see.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Love Endures All

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 1 Comment

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Innumerable messages preached, books written, poems rhymed, songs sung, sculptures carved, and wars battled over this four letter word – love. Yet mankind still searches for that all- satisfying, all-sacrificing, selfless love in this world from another human being or self-made idols. Despite knowing that God is love, we are still seeking a kind of love that is only fathomable, and unwilling to dive in to the depths of God’s love that is unfathomable.

Why is it that we are not willing to succumb to God’s love when it is within our reach? Is it because of the fear that we will be transformed? Is it reluctance to direct that love outwards like God instead of inwards? Do we consider that that kind of love is just a fable when it is utterly impossible to be extremely unselfish? Whatever the reasons, until we tread into the waters of His love, we will not experience the superiority of His selfless, all-forgiving, all-enduring, encompassing love.

It is indeed hard to die to self when we taste God’s love. However, not in our strength but His. When Jesus appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection, He asked Peter specifically if he loved him thrice keeping in account of the three times Peter denied Jesus. After affirming Jesus that indeed he loved him, twice, Peter could not confirm of his love for Jesus the third time. He simply said, “Lord, you know all things.” Jesus knew the kind of love Peter has towards Him. Jesus’ love for Peter was enough for Peter at that moment (St. John 21: 15-17). Jesus’ command for Peter was to feed and take care of His sheep.

We need to step into a realization that indeed we are immeasurably-loved, highly-favored by God despite of our numerous shortcomings. When His light shines, darkness in every corner of hearts will be dispelled forever. Just like Peter, we should realize that it is not our love towards God that is important but His love for us. When our focus is on Him, transformation is easy. We will no longer be troubled when wading through troubled waters. Our attitudes will change drastically. We are no longer selfish, mean, short-tempered, etc., but sacrificial, kind, sweet-tempered, loving unconditionally, enduring everything with a smile on our face. That’s because we will be walking clones of Jesus on earth. We will be wearing His robe of righteousness, walking & behaving like Him so much so that others will know that we are Christians by our LOVE.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Yearning For His Courts

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Psalm 84: 1-2, 4, 10

How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts!

My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You.

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

When my family first started attending our church, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the congregants’ response to “How are you?” Most of them would reply, “I am blessed.” Usually, we hear, “I am doing well or all good or fine.” Not that there is anything wrong with those answers but ‘I am blessed’ definitely took us by surprise. After a few weeks, as we were getting to know our fellow believers, I was amazed to hear how some of them are eager to enter God’s presence. They talked about Heaven as though going from one town to another. Many of them were enthusiastically waiting for the Lord’s call.

The Psalmist of Psalm 84 sounded just like my fellow believers. He longed and yearned to be in the courts of the Lord. Even a single day in the Heavenly courts was much better than a thousand elsewhere. He’d rather be standing at the threshold of God’s house than anywhere else. He wasn’t worried about the cares of this world. The reason he longed to be there was to praise Him forever. He probably envied those who were already in the Lord’s presence when he exclaimed, “How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You.”

Not only his soul but his heart and his flesh longed to be in His presence and sing for joy. One day soon, when we receive our glorified bodies, we will be in His presence forever praising Him. Many of us are concerned about the things of the world. To some extent they are important but they shouldn’t be consuming our lives. The political situation in our country, the terror that is exploding in unexpected places, the mental and spiritual state of humanity, epidemics, world’s hunger and poverty, the economic condition of individual as well as state, etc., are all very important concerns. We should be involved in all these matters, and be aware of what is going on around the world. However, these matters should neither overwhelm us nor consume us.

We all live in a fallen world. As believers, it is our responsibility, first and foremost, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us as He is the only hope for mankind. The entire world is falling apart and we are not equipped to fix it. We can do our part to make it a tad bit better. Nevertheless, our business must be about restoring lost souls to the Kingdom of Heaven. When our hearts long for His presence, we so desire that others around us also shouldn’t miss out on Heaven. When people see the joy of the expectation of Heaven on our faces, they also will long to have such a desire. It is a good contagion, if you ask me. That is how I too got the contagion from my fellow believers. Now my soul longs to be in His presence as well.

Recently, my aunt went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with illness. She was a strong woman in the Lord. Despite her illness, she continued to pray for scores of people that they would come to the saving grace and knowledge of God. The doctors had given up on her and sent her home. As she teetered between heaven and her bedroom, the family that gathered around her could see her smile, hear her hum and in between pray. When she was strong enough to muster some words, she assured her daughters that she is asking God to strengthen them and that she prayed for future generations as well. Her only request was that they should continue to grow in faith and do their part for the Kingdom of Heaven. Her life and testimony had been to show case Jesus through her life and music. However, her soul yearned for Heaven. Now she is in His presence singing His praises evermore.

Dear Saints of God, no matter how deep the valleys or how high the mountains are in this world or how chaotic the world around us is, when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, who awaits us in Heaven, then we too will sing like the Psalmist, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, Lord. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42: 1-2

Let us make this our prayer:

Psalm 27: 4

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Racing With Horses

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 12: 5

If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

In the first four verses of Jeremiah 12, we see Jeremiah complaining to Almighty God about the wicked people, how they are prospering, how the faithless are bearing fruit. Even though they have God on their lips, He is far from their hearts. Jeremiah is calling on God to bring down judgment on these wicked people who have surrounded him and were plotting against him (Jeremiah 11: 18-23).

In Verse 5 God answers Jeremiah with the above verse. In this world, we are being persecuted for our faith. We deal with daily sneers for professing our faith in Jesus in the public square. We are dealing with wickedness and faithlessness on a daily basis. However, God is saying that just because a few people are mocking us for our faith, are we right in asking God to bring down judgment on the unrighteous?

Jesus Himself declared that in this world we will have many struggles but be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. He has laid an example for us to follow suit. Jesus could have wiped out the whole mankind with just one word or called on His angels to destroy us. But He didn’t. He didn’t compete with men. Even when the people crucified Jesus on the cross, He didn’t contend with them. He wasn’t racing against men on foot but He was competing with the devil himself for our souls.

The trials and temptations we face in this life are hard. Indeed, we constantly contend with them on a daily basis. If these struggles can shake our faith, then how can we withstand the onslaught of the evil that is coming? A horse represents speed, agility, and an unstoppable force. If the small struggles we face for our faith bring us down and make us question our faith, then how will we stand against the full onslaught of the evil headed our way. The evil one is always conspiring against us. He aspires to see that sooner than later we will be rattled to give up our faith.

We see, just like Jeremiah, the wicked prospering and are frustrated. We consider in our hearts that the unfaithful people are having fun and always enjoying life, while we Christians are always poor, and constantly struggle. Such situations cause many to abandon their faith and follow the world. That is exactly the time when the devil smirks at Jesus.

God points out to Jeremiah that if what we see in the physical realm and get disheartened, then how are we going to face the battles in the spiritual realm? If in a safe country we are stumbling, then how can we stand firm and manage our way out when we are surrounded by hate and persecution? Consider our fellow Christian brother and sister in a region where they don’t have freedom to read the Bible or where Christianity is forbidden.

Do you see and read, dear Saint, the times we are living in? We are constantly facing troubles of all sizes and we get disheartened. If under such small trials, we are troubled, then how are we equipping ourselves to face the bigger ones that are coming our way? Jesus Christ faced the ultimate stronghold when He took up all our sins on the cross, and He came out victorious. Apostle Paul urged Christians in the early church to stay the course and keep the faith despite the persecution. He assured them that God will rescue them. Saints down through the ages have faced several trials. Many were martyred but they gladly bore them all knowing that the One who walked before them has already won the victory. When we face trials, let us learn to look up as our redemption draws near.

In exhortation, Ephesians 6: 10-12: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

A Doctor Or A Fairy

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

They rushed to the book store. They looked around the place to try to find the doctor who he hoped would recognize somehow. Now he wished he paid more attention to the picture instead of her resume.

“Daddy, can you recognize the doctor?” asked Nitin.

“It is getting late for school, Daddy,” reminded Nithya.

“We will find the doctor, kids,” assured Prashanth.

Then he saw her step off the compartment with one large suitcase and two bags. She tossed the two bags on to the platform and carefully placed the suitcase. She got down, adjusted her red, white and black printed tunic, then her black scarf. She swung her backpack over one shoulder and pulled her belongings to the bench. She looked around for the person who was supposed to pick her up.

“There she is,” announced Prashanth, as he pulled the kids behind him towards the doctor.

“Are you sure, Daddy,” asked Nithya.

“Now I remember from the picture,” smiled Prashanth, very glad that his memory had not failed him.

As they approached the doctor, Prashanth suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach. His hands were suddenly sweaty. There stood an elegant lady, with such poise. Her posture relayed confidence yet a tad bit of vulnerability. Her light brown eyes looked warily around her yet didn’t show apprehension. Her hair was braided and hung over her left shoulder. She checked her watch before she looked up straight into the eyes of Prashanth.

They stared at each other for just a few seconds, he with amazement at the beauty in front of his eyes and she with suspicion.

When Nitin tugged at his hand, he awakened from his reverie.

“Dr. Mittur?” asked Prashanth.

“Yes. Are you from Mr. Kumar’s residence?” she asked.

“Yes, Dr. Mittur. I am Prashanth Kumar here to pick you up,” announced Prashanth. He saw a sparkle of surprise in her eyes when he told her his name. She smiled and looked towards the children.

“Namaste. I am Dr. Vandana Mittur. I am a bit surprised as I was expecting an elderly gentleman with dhoti and all instead of a denim clad er… younger man,” she said, coyly.

“Sorry to have disappointed you, doctor,” said Prashanth, annoyed that he sounded old on the telephone. “Are these all your belongings? Are there any more?”

“These are the only ones I could carry. More bags will arrive in a week,” she said, picking one of the bags.

“Doctor, if you don’t mind, can we hurry as I have to drop off the kids at school before we head home,” said Prashanth, picking the heavy suitcase and the second duffel bag.

“Most certainly. I hope I am not the cause of delay,” said Dr. Mittur, hurrying after the man and his kids who kept turning back to steal a glance of her. “Is the school far off from the station?” she shouted after him over the sound of the train whistle and hollering vendors. Her question went unanswered which made her realize that indeed the kids would be late for school. Without further inquiries, she picked up the pace in her stride after them.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The 3 P’s

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Deuteronomy 28: 1-2

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

Psalm 121: 7-8

7 The Lord shall [c]preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve[d]your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

When God gave the Law to Moses, He instructed Him to pronounce to the Israelites the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Moses commanded them to inscribe these laws on large white washed stones in the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 28: 1-14, God pronounced a number of blessings for their obedience. God blessed them in the country that He gave them (v3). He blessed their children, their cattle, (v4) their work, their fields, their food, and in everything that they set their hand to do (v5-8). He promised to cause their enemies to flee in seven different directions (v7). He also promised to preserve unto Himself a holy people (v9).

All God wanted in return was their obedience to Him and to His Word. He wanted the nation of Israel to be a nation set apart for Himself. He wanted to bring salvation to the entire world through His beloved nation. He established them as a nation because of the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He even promised that as long as the sun and the moon shine in the sky, He will protect His nation under His wings. Such was His faithfulness to the nation of Israel.

In return for our obedience, God is offering us the three P’s: Prosperity, Peace and Preservation. The promise of prosperity in every aspect of our lives is clearly evident from the verses in Deuteronomy 28. In addition to prosperity, He promised to give us peace. That means we will live peaceably with our neighbors. There will be no strife or conflict. Furthermore, He promised to preserve us for His namesake. Preserving a holy remnant to shine the light of His love and mercy to the dark and dying world was His intention to save more people.

Dear Saint of God, we are a holy remnant, preserved for such a time as this. We, who are the redeemed, are the light and truth bearers to the world around us. The onus of the burden of proof lies with us as we are the witnesses of God’s goodness. We, who are recipients of the 3 P’s of God must share the message of the 3 P’s to the confused and chaotic world around us. We have experienced the peace of God even in the midst of crises. We have experienced the prosperity with which He overwhelms us. We have experienced and witnessed His preservation of a remnant in every generation.

3 John 2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

We serve a God who is faithful to all His promises. Let us become a holy remnant or nation of people who are faithful in obeying His Word. Let us share the 3 Ps with others who are not familiar with the Bread of Life and the Living Waters. Let us point them to the One and only Living God.

https://amzn.to/478KoR0

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drive to the Railway Station

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

As he entered the kids’ bedroom, he was pleasantly surprised to find both kids dressed in their uniforms. Nitin was struggling to tie his shoe laces while Nithya was stuffing her backpack with the books that she left out the night before after her homework.

“Nitin, you are almost eight years old. You need to learn how to tie your shoe laces. Otherwise, your friends will make fun of you,” Prashanth advised, while looping the laces. Turning to Nitya, he added, “You, young lady, you need to keep your back pack ready the night before. Anyway, run along now to the kitchen. Satyamma must have kept everything ready. We will leave in fifteen minutes,” said Prashanth.

As the kids bounded out of the bedroom, he quickly grabbed their sweaters from their closet and ran after them. He checked his watch quickly as he dashed down the stairs. If they followed the schedule, then they should reach the railway station on time. Smiling to himself for being on time so far, he sat down at the dining table with the kids on either side. Satyamma served them their breakfast. Soon they were on their way to the railway station.

“Is the doctor pretty, Daddy?” asked Nithya after a while.

Stunned at her question, Prashanth tried to remember the doctor’s face from the picture on the application form. He went through a lot of applications before zeroing on three doctors. Of the three, Dr. Mittur was the only one who agreed to join right away.

“I don’t seem to remember her face, Nithya,” said Prashanth still trying to recollect. “One thing I’m afraid is that she could be a very strict one because she served in the military,” added Prashanth.

“What is military, Daddy?” asked Nitin from behind.

Glancing in the rearview mirror quickly, he explained. “Military means a group of people who help and protect our country from bad people from other countries. They are made up of Army, Navy and Air Force.”

“You mean they are like police,” asked Nitin.

“Yes, but they are bigger than police. They help protect the whole country.”

Nithya suddenly remembered something. She turned to face her brother, “Nitin, do you remember when we went to Aunty Asha’s wedding anniversary party last year, there was a family there. You played with a boy…can’t remember his name. Anyway, you said that you liked that boy very much and wished he would be your best friend for life. You see… his Dad works in Indian Navy. He is a soldier in the military.” She felt proud that she remembered and was able to explain to her little brother.

“Yes, I remember. His name is Vikram. He was a nice kid. We had lots of fun,” said Nitin, smiling that he remembered that kid’s name after a year.

They drove in silence for a while, the kids looking out through the window and Prashanth looking at the road.

“How will you recognize her at the railway station, Daddy?” asked Nitin from behind.

“Oh dear! I completely forgot to look at her picture. I should have written a placard with her name. I guess we will figure out once we get there,” assured Prashanth. ‘How could he be so careless’, he scolded himself.

Soon they arrived at the railway station. At this hour, the railway station is a cacophonic center with workers arriving from nearby hamlets to the town and blue collared workers leaving town to Visakhapatnam for their jobs. With the morning fog still lingering, the air a bit chilly, people were awaiting their respective trains huddled around coffee and tea shops and some eating breakfast.

Prashanth purchased three platform tickets at the counter before entering the main platform. He walked over to the ticket collector at the gate who was an acquaintance while holding both kids’ hands.

“Good Morning, Ramesh,” greeted Prashanth.

“Good Morning, Prashanth. What brings you to the station so early in the morning with kids? Are you expecting relatives?” asked the ticket collector, punching tickets of the passengers and shoving them back into their hands.

“No… no relatives yet. I am expecting a doctor for our hospital. She must have arrived by the morning train from Vizag. Has the train arrived or is it delayed?” asked Prashanth, checking his watch.

“You mean the 8.15 one?” questioned Ramesh, waving to one of his colleagues.

“Yes. Is it on time?”

“Of course, it is on time. It just pulled in. People are still alighting. Don’t worry. It will be here for another ten minutes. Plenty of time to find your passenger. Do you know the compartment number?”

“I think it is S-9,” said Prashanth, pulling out the paper he scribbled on in a hurry the night before.

“Head over to the right side and you should find the compartment across from the book store,” guided Ramesh.

“Let us go, kids, to fetch our doctor,” said Prashanth, pulling at his kids’ hands.

“Daddy, can you let go of my hand, please? It is embarrassing,” said Nithya, trying to pull away from her father’s grasp.

“It will be embarrassing when I will have to announce your name over the speakers. Do you see how many people there are here? You can get lost in the rush. So, don’t act smart with me, young lady,” said Prashanth, tightening his grip.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When God Orders the Steps – Jonah

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jonah 4: 2

He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

The Prophet Jonah lived during the reigns of King Jeroboam of Israel and King Amaziah of Judah. The Assyrians were the dominant tyrannical empire of the time. They were gaining strength and word reached the Israelites about the ruthlessness and brutality of the Assyrians. History records that entire villages would commit suicide if they heard the Assyrians were coming. They thought death by suicide was better than the impending torture that the Assyrians would bring on them. These brutes were infamous for skinning people alive, hooking their jaws and carry them into captivity. They would raid, pillage and capture entire towns.

When Jonah was commissioned to go to Ninevah to pray for them, Jonah thought it was a ridiculous idea. In his heart, he determined that they were not a worthy people to save. He’d rather see them come under God’s wrath than pray for their salvation. Such was his aversion to the Assyrians. Jonah’s prejudice against the Ninevites caused him to flee in the opposite direction. Jonah was supposed to be the intercessor on behalf of the Ninevites. In His mind, he thought, if there was no one who can pray for the Ninevites, then God will eventually bring His wrath on them. He sincerely felt they deserved God’s judgment for their evil. However, God had other plans. God used a mighty storm and a great fish to bring Jonah to Ninevah. Reluctantly, he told the Ninevites of their impending doom if they didn’t repent. Fearing God’s wrath, the entire city of Ninevah repented from the oldest to the youngest, from the king to the poor man. Even the beasts of the field fasted and were covered in sack cloth. The entire city was thus saved from God’s wrath. A pagan kingdom feared God Almighty and repented of their evil ways.

We, in our own lives may have come across people who we think aren’t worthy to hear the Gospel. We carry that prejudice against murderers, rapists, terrorists and all kinds of bad people. Inadvertently, we have passed a judgement on them. We have decided they weren’t worthy to be saved and would prefer them to be eternally separated and cast into hell fire. For such people, instead of praying for their salvation, we are more excited for their condemnation. Who are we to condemn someone? Aren’t we all sinners? There may be a degree of sin but we all are sinners. Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel, Leesburg, VA coined a phrase: mercy for me, judgment for thee. How selfish we are when we seek mercy for ourselves but expect judgment for others! We don’t try to place ourselves in their shoes when we have to show mercy.

Jonah, disappointed that the Ninevites repented and didn’t suffer God’s wrath, was very upset with God. He went out of the city pouting and fuming at God. Just a few days prior, when he was in the belly of the great fish, he cried out to God to save his life. God heard him and saved his life. Right in front of Jonah’s eyes, the entire city of Ninevah cried out to God and repented and God spared them of His wrath. Jonah was angry, miserable and frustrated with God’s mercy towards these pagan people. God was trying to teach him that every nation, tribe and tongue belong to Him and He has every right to save them. He was not willing to judge them by bringing wrath upon them where innocent people lived.

Dear Saints, the reluctant prophet, Jonah, was unforgiving, merciless and prejudiced towards the people of Ninevah. Even though the Ninevites were pagan people, God still chose to save them. However, we serve a mighty God, our Savior, Redeemer, who is forgiving, merciful and loving towards all those who believe in Him. We should be merciful, non-judgmental towards non-believers and intercede on their behalf for their salvation. However scarlet our sins may be, we serve a merciful and a righteous God, who is willing to make them as white as snow (Isaiah 1: 18). God ordered the steps of even this reluctant prophet to fulfill His purposes. How much more He is willing to do His great and mighty deeds through those of us who are willing to do His bidding!

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Utmost Obedience of Rechabites

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 35: 5 – 10

5 Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine.” 6 But they said, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’ 8 Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. 10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

Rechabites are an interesting group of people that pop up a few times in the Bible. Historically, their family line can be traced back to Midianite Jethro, father-in-law of Moses. In this portion of Jeremiah 35, the Bible records an exclusive group of people who have laid down strict laws and have adhered to the vows that their forefather Jonadab (Jehonadab) has vowed before the Lord. Here is a nomadic tribe which has set itself apart and has never assimilated into the society that they were living nearby. Instead, they have kept their forefather’s vow for generations.

The Prophet Jeremiah in order to compare and contrast the faithfulness and obedience of a nation/tribe (in this case, a small group of loyal people) to the faithless and disobedient nation of Israel, brings the whole house of Rechabites along with other men into the house of the Lord. He places wine in front of them and asks them to drink. However, the Rechabites fiercely defended their forefather’s oath and refused to take the wine.

On one hand, the Israelites, despite God’s repeated warnings through His prophets, tend to easily forget their loyalty to the Lord. At every opportunity they get, they stray away to different idols and find themselves in trouble. A loving God comes to their rescue every time. Jeremiah, utilizing the exemplary lifestyle of Rechabites, reminds the people of Judah that Rechabites have been so faithful through all generations because of the oath of their ancestor, a mere man. How much more the Israelites must obey the true and living God!

Jonadab (Jehonadab) was the man, who jumped into the chariot of Zealous Jehu to wipe out Baal from the land of Israel. (2 Kings 10: 15) Jehu knew in his heart that Jonadab was the man who can help him eliminate Baal and Ashtoreth worshippers from the land of Israel. Both men were responsible in bringing to a halt the atrocities and abominations committed by Ahab and Jezebel. Centuries and several generations later, the descendants of this valiant hero, still remained faithful to the promise of their forefathers. They upheld every aspect of the vow that Jonadab vowed before the Lord. Such was their faithfulness to their forefather!

Jeremiah reminded the people of Judah that when people like Rechabites were willing to obey their father’s vow dutifully, why couldn’t the children of Israel despite several warnings from the Lord still chose to disobey Him. God honored the Rechabites by promising them that they will never lack a man to stand before the Lord.

Jeremiah 35: 18 – 19

18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.” ’ ”

Dearly beloved, where do our loyalties lie? Are we willing to obey the Lord God Almighty implicitly and take Him at His Word? Do our lives reflect our faithfulness and obedience to God or do they reflect worldly desires? Just imagine hearing the blessing from a prophet of God for their faithfulness in keeping their forefather’s vow. They may not have expected any kind of blessing or promise. They were only obeying the vow of their forefather. God honored their faithfulness and blessed them with such a blessing. Let us also remain faithful and obedient to the One and only True God because in obedience there is blessing.

1 Samuel 15: 22

22 So Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.

https://amzn.to/3G5CUCN

*** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Longing to Belong

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

1John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (NIV)

We, Homo sapiens are created to be social beings. Our sense of belonging to a group, family or a person is the main driving force of establishing relationships. That is why the word ‘Family’ is held in such high esteem. We form groups, clubs, organizations, etc., so we can boldly say, ‘we belong to this group.’ No one in this world wishes to be alone. Maybe for a time being but not for long.

We envy those who belong to a special club where access is limited. We wish to belong to the inner circle of people whom we esteem highly. Girls in schools want to belong to the princesses club. Boys want to belong to the popular group. All our lives, we are struggling to fit in – fit in one group or the other. Why is this urge to belong so great? We define ourselves or sometimes transform ourselves just so we could fit in or be accepted by others.

Often, we are so desperate that we are willing to change to such an extent that we tend to forget who we actually are. In this process of belonging, many a times we have either lost or willingly given up our true identities. Too often we forget that we are created in God’s image and we are uniquely fashioned for a purpose. You see, God likes variety. However, our drive to belong forces us to change and become a replica of someone else. We fail to stop and ask ourselves if it is worth it.

We are called Christians because we belong to Christ. We are bought with a huge price. God is seeking us so He could establish us as heirs in His Kingdom. He loves us so much that He wants to be in our company all the time. We belong to the eternal Kingdom. We fail to realize and recognize that we already belong to our Father in heaven. Is it because we don’t see that eternal Kingdom that we long for these temporal clubs? When we walk about our daily lives, we should walk in boldness that we belong to the everlasting Kingdom and that we are heirs to the Kingdom. We are given special privileges: seeking the audience of the King whenever, wherever and however, we are given authority on this earth, we can boldly approach the throne of Grace without any inhibitions, and many more. We already belong to the ETERNAL CLUB! Let us transform into Kingdom people by renewing our minds.

The above verse 1 John 4:4 in the Message translation sums up beautifully:

My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world’s language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Kumar’s Residence

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

The morning humdrum at Kumar’s residence has begun with the rooster’s crow at the dawn’s first light. The servants started their morning chores sleepily. Even the cows didn’t want to wake up and belted out annoying moos as they were being milked. Satyamma, who considers herself as the most important person in the household, seemed sleepy and reluctant to attend to her chores that morn as her usual high-pitched voice was barely audible. She tugged at her warm head scarf, ensuring it was tight and there is no chance of morning chill entering her ears, then tossed a shawl around her as she stepped out of the kitchen door. Winter that year had been unusually cold in the Valley.

However, the man of the household, Prashanth was up and ready by dawn. He seemed to be a man on an agenda, at least for that day. His kids, twelve-year-old Nithya and ten-year-old Nitin were reluctant to get out of their beds.

“Good Morning, kids. Time to go to school. If you are not ready in the next 20 minutes, you are toast today. Satyamma will not spare you,” said Prashanth, pulling Nitin’s covers.

“Daddy, please 5 more minutes. I am still sleepy and it is so cold outside,” begged Nitin.

“How come you are ready, Daddy?” asked Nithya, rubbing her eyes.

“Don’t you remember? I told you last week that we are going to have a new doctor. Well, she is arriving today by morning train. We have to pick her up from the railway station before I drop you two off at school,” said Prashanth, folding Nithya’s blanket.

“Ahh! The new doctor,” said Nithya, gingerly placing her feet on the cold floor. She shivered and wrapped her arms about herself. She quickly slipped her feet into the slippers that were next to her desk and rushed to the bathroom.

“Please hurry up as we have to leave early,” urged Prashanth after Nithya as the bathroom door closed.

“Nitin, c’mon. Wake up, please!” begged Prashanth.

“Nithya is in the bathroom, Daddy. I want to sleep until she gets out,” smiled Nitin, as he pulled the covers over his head.

“Oh, alright! Hope your backpack is ready. I will check on Satyamma,” smiled Prashanth, walking out of kids’ bedroom.

Prashanth too longed for his warm bed on that particular morning. However, his latest project – bringing in a new doctor for their fifty-bed newly built hospital has taken longer time than he anticipated. What with all the doctors the education system is churning out in this country every year, still there was a dearth for qualified, experienced doctors. Shaking his head out of frustration, he walked into the kitchen where he found Satyamma transferring milk from a pail to a bowl.

“Satyamma, I hope you remember that we are expecting the doctor today. Kids and I have to leave a bit early. Can you get breakfast and the kids’ lunch ready by 7.30?” asked Prashanth, helping her put the bowl of milk on the stove top.

“Yes, Babu (as she affectionately calls him), I remember. I will call you once everything is ready. Do you want to check the guest room and see if everything is in place? I hope I didn’t miss anything,” said Satyamma, lighting the gas stove.

“I will check right now. Hope the kids don’t delay,” said Prashanth, heading towards the guest room. He jogged to the guest suite at the opposite end of the house.

Prashanth checked the guest room that was located at the end of a long hallway. When he told Satyamma to clean the room few days prior, he wasn’t sure if he had been specific. However, he trusted her judgment and her motherly touch. He just hoped the doctor would rather prefer to stay here than in the quarters at the hospital. Besides, this part of the house has easy access to the main gate without going through the main house. The room opened into a reasonable sized, partly-covered patio with flower pots adorning the fringes. The window and patio facing North East warmed the room perfectly during cold winters while giving the guests needed privacy from the prying eyes of the servants.

The room was specifically designed as a guest room by his grandfather as he used to host passing dignitaries back in the day. One of the walls was adorned with pictures of famous movie stars, politicians, singers and other big shots of the day with his grandfather and grandmother. Five years ago, when he inherited this bungalow, he was pleasantly surprised to find some old pictures in a trunk that have gathered dust. He was able to restore most of them and immediately mounted them onto frames. Now those wonderful memories adorn the walls of Ashraya Nilayam – his beloved bungalow, the childhood home he grew up.

Prashanth checked each and every corner of the room, behind closet, chest of drawers, in the bathroom, under the mattress and the bed. This is one of the rooms that Nithya favored to retreat whenever she has a quarrel with her brother or an argument with him. Prashanth ensured that nothing was hidden that could have escaped Satyamma’s eyes. Fully satisfied, he closed the door behind him before heading up to the kids’ bedroom. He hoped the kids would be ready earlier than he expected so he could reach the railway station on time.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.**

These Hands

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Once they were famous for their elegance and beauty

Poems and songs of love only were written

Not a care for anyone was wrought, but propriety

Hands, these hands were indeed long, slender and beautiful.

Once they longed to be tangled with their true love

Nothing mattered but holding the hands of the one they adored

Though adorned with a golden ring they longed for a tender clasp

Hands, these hands were indeed long, slender and in love.

Once they held a precious gift begotten of love

Caressing and comforting the one clinging to the breast

Wondered if these hands could shield the babe from hurt

Hands, these hands were indeed strong, tender and cared.

As these hands cup the Holy Book thanking their Maker

With all the beauty and pride bygone

Are these hands worthy enough for service unto Him?

Hands, these hands are indeed ugly, wrinkled and unworthy.

Elegance and beauty they have displayed

Love and adoration they have sensed

Care and trust they have bestowed

Clumsily and weakly they now rest in His Hands.

https://amzn.to/3tSZ5Jb

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

CRADLE → CRUCIBLE → CROWN

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Psalm 139: 13-14

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

The Psalmist declares that we were knit together very intricately with much love and tenderness in our mother’s womb. God knew us even before we were formed. He had us on His mind. His intricacies in fashioning us are indescribable. He knew each baby that is going to be born: the child’s character, personality, future etc. Just imagine God knew every human that was ever formed in a mother’s womb. Whether the child was born or not, He still formed them. Such knowledge is too much for our minds to comprehend. God in His infinite wisdom, designed a mother’s womb as a safe protective shell for the baby.

Once the baby is born, we take all necessary precautions and measures to keep the baby safe, healthy, well-fed and comfortable. Our whole world now revolves around the baby in our arms. God has now a few helping hands to rear that baby outside of the womb. With sound intentions we protect our children from the cradle! We cherish them in our arms as long as we could and always keep them within arms’ reach. We teach lessons in such a way they understand the world around them. We give them pointers to figure out right from wrong. Age-appropriate lessons, fear and love of God, and other important life lessons become a necessity for survival in the dark world that they will be assimilating into day by day.

In a chaotic world, as we ourselves are trying to keep abreast about our world, we glance down or sideways to ensure our children aren’t confused or fearful as we are. We clench our fists hoping that they didn’t see the confused look on our faces. In the midst of all these uncertainties, we are trying our best to stay rooted in the Lord while teaching our wee ones to do the same. According to Anne Ortlund, in her book, “Children are wet cement”, she reiterates that in a child’s formative years, while the cement is still wet, as parents we must impress upon their tender hearts the fear of God, the treachery of the devil, and everything in between.

Jesus Christ entered this world as a baby. He was born through a borrowed womb, empowered by the Holy Spirit. His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph did their part in bringing Him up. He was well protected and much loved in that household.

Job 23: 10-11

But he knows the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

The babies are now old enough to grasp the lessons taught, even complex ones. They understand right from wrong, and good from evil. Their hearts do comprehend the fear and love of God. The young people are learning some responsibilities, while finding their way in this world. They are not only being exposed to the goodness in the world around them but also the treacheries. They are now in situations where a protective presence of a parent might not be available all the time. They are learning to protect themselves from the evil around them.

As they take their first steps into the crucible of life, they soon realize how things were much better as long as they were in the cradle. Where they felt safe and secure, now they feel frightened and in despair. In some circumstances, confusion prevails, which then leads to anxiety and fear. The crucible of life comes with challenges that seem overwhelming. However, this very crucible, where we are tried, pounded, and heated up, is the place where our true colors shine brightly. The Master Smith is carefully watching us, removing all impurities as He purifies us. He increases the temperature, pounds us to shape, reheats us till He sees perfection – the reflection of His Son in us.

Jesus Christ, went through the crucible for our sake. He who was righteous became unrighteous as He took upon His shoulders all the sins of the world. His crucible experience led him to the final battle – the cross. Dying on the cross meant separation from the Holy Father and going into the pit of hell. He was willing to swallow that bitter pill also for our sake so we will ultimately be reconciled to the Father for all eternity.

1 Peter 5: 4

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The crucible experience may be difficult but it leads to eternal life. The lessons learned will help us live like Jesus did. Many a times, we question why we endure such pain as we go through life’s trials. For at the end of the time, being in the crucible, when we are taken out of the crucible, when our fashioning is done, and when Christ’s reflection is seen in us, we are ready to receive a crown of glory. Let us then count it all joy as we suffer through the crucible journey. Long or short it may be, but the end result is worth the pain that we endured. 

Job desired to find out why he was in the crucible, only to figure out that he is in the best hands possible. May the time spent in the crucible will bring forth pure malleable gold that will be fashioned into useful instruments by our Savior Goldsmith!

Peripatetic

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

James 1: 22-25

22. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24. And, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.

My son and I were researching on Ptolemy, the ancient astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. History records his unique behavior as being peripatetic. It means a person who talks when he walks. Ptolemy was known for being peripatetic. Apart from being an intellectual, he might have been very hyper active. His contributions to science have been an authority for centuries.

The passage above reminds us of our spiritual walk. The Word of God is like a mirror, which shows us as we are with all the beautiful aspects as well as blemishes. If we don’t pause and reflect on our image that is tarnished and considering in whose image we are created, it is difficult for us to be the people of God out there in the world. Just reading the Word is not enough, but obeying and practicing is very vital. Before we go pointing other’s mistakes, it is imperative that we assess ourselves against Christ’s scale, practicing living accordingly, and changing our attitudes. Only then we are worthy to be called the children of God.

We, who are good at preaching, talking but not practicing living out our faith on a day – to – day basis, we should start living out our faith. Being kind and merciful, loving, attentive, non-judgmental, long-suffering, standing firm on the side of truth of God during persecutions, and just imitating Christ in all ways, are some of the ways we can get started on living for Christ intentionally. By doing so, we are not only living out our faith but we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.

Beloved, let us not just talk the talk but let us also walk the walk. That way, our lives reflect the love of Christ to the confused world around us. In the dark days that we are living in, people are walking dazed and confused as they are bombarded with numerous lies. Not many are aware of the absolute truth of God and the devil, on the other hand, is pushing people into a perpetual state of confusion. Even if truth is staring in their face, people are unable to believe it. That’s how severely this pandemic of confusion has infiltrated the minds of people, especially our youth. Truth has become relative when it should be absolute. Therefore, as believers, when we are out in the world, our lives if they reflect the love of Christ, the pandemic of confusion can be eradicated. People’s blindfolds will fall to the ground and they will embrace God’s absolute truth. Beloved, may our good Lord grant us His favor in order for us to be peripatetic.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I Don’t See Jesus – A case against Halloween

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. –

1 John 4: 4-6

Ever since I moved to United States, the one holiday I couldn’t understand was Halloween. What is it about this holiday that both adults and kids alike, all dressed up in costumes – some beautiful but mostly horrid, enjoy spooking their neighbors? I dug through the origins of this holiday and much to my surprise, it had a mixture of pagan and Christian origins.

Back in the Middle age, when saints were highly esteemed, the Catholic and Orthodox churches honored their saints of the past on a day called All Hallows Day. The Celtics gathered their flocks and harvest and secured them for the coming winter. They believed that the ghosts of the dead came out during the evening before the All Hallows Day to enter anyone to destroy or cause trouble. So in order to confuse the ghosts, people dressed up as ghosts and wandered the roads and by lanes of their villages. Since then that evening was called All Hallows eve, which then evolved into Halloween.

Forgive me, if my words seem offensive to those who celebrate this holiday. However, I must state my case in order to justify my hesitancy in celebrating this holiday. Every holiday I celebrate, I look for the reason behind the celebration. All that matters to me is: do I find Jesus in this celebration? Take Christmas for instance, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. During Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, giving us a hope. When I celebrate a birthday, I am grateful to my Lord for keeping me alive and healthy for another year and so on.

When I celebrate, I only want to see Jesus as my heart fills with gratitude for what He has done. However, when I look at those ghoulish faces, I don’t see Jesus. Looking at houses decked up as haunted houses, kids and adults dressed up to scare those ghosts or evil spirits away, I feel that they got it all wrong. We know from the Bible that Satan roams the earth back and forth, seeking whom he may devour. That means that the Satan doesn’t choose one evening in the entire year to devour someone. He is always on the prowl. One name in heaven and earth that causes the devil and his cohorts to fear and run away is the name of Jesus. All authority is given to man to drive out the evil spirits in the name of Jesus. So how come we don’t use that name?

In conclusion, I reiterate two case points not to celebrate Halloween. Primarily, I don’t see Jesus behind the celebration and secondly, all I need is the name of Jesus to drive evil away from me and my house. These two reasons suffice.

https://amzn.to/46NIvc5

Paid Ad

Pursuing Perfection

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Roman 12: 2 (NIV)

Cooking is my thinking place: a place where I have time to collect my thoughts, draw inspiration while perfecting my cooking skills. Cooking has enabled me to multitask. Over the years, I have perfected some dishes that have a special connection. Every chance I get, I have attempted to perfect a dish that needs a bit of tweaking, an addition of a new ingredient, reducing some spices, adding ingredients in a particular order or cooking for a set amount of time, because that dish holds a special place in my heart. I wasn’t satisfied until I’ve achieved the taste that has been embedded in my brain. The ones that I’ve perfected are now done with precision that I don’t even have to think hard on. They are easy to prepare and every time they come out perfect. How do I know that it is perfect? Well, my family approves with a big thumbs up and a mouthful!

This got me to thinking about my walk with Jesus. I’ve been a believer for quite some time. I believe that I’ve made some progress in my faith. I’ve tried, tested and tasted how faithful my Savior is. There were several times, when all I could say or do was a big thumbs up when God answered prayer or provided in a supernatural way. He is perfect in all His ways!

On the other hand, there are times when I feel I am not going anywhere: standstill and sometimes dismayed. I feel so imperfect. With the Holy Spirit’s prompting, I reevaluate my approach in my walk with the Lord. I return to my thinking place and analyze the reasons of my stagnation. I notice that I’ve returned to some of my old worldly ways of doing things or thinking. I’ve been influenced by the world around me so much that I’ve failed to differentiate between truth and fallacy. For certain the amount of time I should have spent at Jesus’ feet on bended knee has been reduced to naught.

At this juncture, I am ready for some tweaking in my spiritual life. As the Holy Spirit leads me, I add some new ingredients in my prayer life like praying more, reading the Bible more and listening to good Christian music. I reduce some ingredients that are influencing my walk by not paying much attention to worldly influences. I’ve reset my time by spending longer time reading the Word from the Bible and not reading other literature. Such corrections have reestablished my faith.

In our walk with Christ, such reevaluations are necessary. When we feel stagnated, our prayers not being answered and our fasting without results should drive us to succumb to the tweaking of the Holy Spirit. God always answers prayers for He is faithful and perfect in all of His ways! We are the ones who fail to test and approve His good, pleasing and perfect will. He is willing to transform us only when we surrender to His correction. Only then can we see the results of His perfection. Let us persevere in reevaluating our spiritual walk with our Lord so we won’t be conformed to the influences of this world but be transformed by renewing our minds. Only then we will able to give big thumbs up to God’s perfect will!

https://amzn.to/3F1OI8t

#PaidAd

Being Content

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Genesis 25: 7-8 (Amplified)  

The days of Abraham’s life were a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and he died at a good old age, an old man who was satisfied (with life); and he was gathered to his people (who had preceded him in death).

Abraham was a man who lived his life to the fullest. He had the most beautiful wife, who faithfully followed him everywhere he went. She bore him Isaac when both of them were very old. Sarah was ninety years old while Abraham was hundred years old. Sarah died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years. Abraham had buried her and mourned for her for several days. Soon after Isaac’s wedding to Rebekah, Abraham took another wife named Keturah, who bore him six more sons. Altogether Abraham was the father of eight sons: Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.

Now that is a blessed man. He not only was healthy but also fruitful. He was a wealthy man with herds of cattle, male and female servants. He was a well-respected man in all the regions he traveled. When Sarah died, Abraham, a man of integrity, pleaded with the Hittites to sell him a piece of land to bury his wife. Even when they offered their choicest tombs for free, Abraham refused to take it. Such was the heart of this righteous man.

The Bible never records of his ever being dissatisfied or striving for anything. He only had one desire: a son who would be his heir. God honored the man’s desire after several trials. Through it all, Abraham never questioned or doubted God. He followed God, sought His presence and talked to Him. Such was his devotion to a God who his ancestors didn’t know.

As he was drawing close to the last years of his life, he made a very important move. He was wise enough to pass on his inheritance to his son Isaac, the son of promise. With his foresight, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away (Genesis 25: 6). If they stayed near to Isaac, he knew they would contend with Isaac for inheritance. The Bible doesn’t record of Abraham giving any kind of inheritance to Ishmael. No wonder Ishmael and his descendants were hostile towards his brothers (Genesis 25: 18).

Here was a man, who followed God wherever He called him, and trusted Him with everything he had. That is why, his complete devotion to Lord Almighty is credited to him as righteousness. Here was a man, wise in all his dealings. No one around him ever suffered any loss, rather were blessed. He dealt fairly with everyone. Here was a man, who was thoroughly satisfied with his life. His journey on this earth was complete and satisfied.

Abraham died a contented man – contented in every way. Are we content with our lives? Are we still striving? Are we trusting God for everything like Abraham? Is God our inheritance or the worldly riches and pleasures? Are we seeking God as thirsty deer seek water? Is our utmost devotion to Him or this world and its cares? Will someone declare that we were contented after we are gone? What will our testimony be?

Dear Saint, cast your burdens on the Lord and He will give you rest. Let us make God our true inheritance for He alone can satisfy us in all aspects of our lives. Let our highest devotion and loyalty be only for Him. Let us lead contented lives instead of greedy lives. In exhortation, Proverbs 21: 21 says He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Furthermore, 1 Timothy 6: 6-7 declares “But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God]. For we have brought nothing into the world, so [it is clear that] we cannot take anything out of it, either.

Sola Scriptura

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

St. John 1: 1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Sola Scriptura means ‘scripture alone’ in Latin. Our Omniscient Lord has given us His Word for a reason. It is all sufficient, most certain and infallible word of God that is necessary for God’s glory, our salvation, our faith, and our life on this planet and eternity (White, 2004).

Years of listening to several preachers, misunderstanding and misrepresenting the Word of God has driven me to read my Bible in a new light. With the Holy Spirit’s help, I have embarked on this amazing journey of really devouring the Word of God with eagerness and delight. Indeed, it is sweeter than honey! Every revelation revealed by the Holy Spirit through the Word has been a glimpse of what it is like to be in the Garden with God walking beside you, disclosing to you the Word in all its glory. Without His help, without His exposé of the person of Jesus Christ, this would have been a boring book. With each turn of the page, the ‘Truth’ became crystal clear.

We are called to be in unison with Jesus as well as the Father. How are we to go about being one with the Triune God? God has breathed His Word to us through the Holy Scriptures – an instructional manual, if you will. Kindly allow me to lay out how we need to go about. For instance, if we purchase an appliance, do we just plug and use it straight away or do we read the instructions carefully before we plug in? If we don’t read the instructions and use it, then for some weird reason, the appliance doesn’t work the way it is supposed to, then who or what needs to be blamed? Self, of course! Similarly, to lead a Christ-like life on this earth, God gave us ‘The Bible’, which is all-sufficient, most efficient and certain and the truest manual one can rely completely on. It is the ultimate authority!

Then what about church denominations, distractions from the Truth, various doctrines that seem to slightly contradict the Truth, which seem to be inspired by men rather than God? We are torn and ripped apart by this dichotomy that has plagued our Universal Church of Christ for centuries. How are we to combat such wide array of beliefs, thereby, not follow false doctrine or false teachers? Can we trust and rely solely on the Scriptures?

There is but one tried and tested solution to such dichotomy. With the Word of God as the fulcrum in our walk with the Lord, we must believe that any discrepancies we encounter and ignorantly partake certain times, are subject to His Divine Authority. The unchangeable, indestructible, irreplaceable Word of God will eclipse every falsehood that comes from the mouth of a mere man. That should reassure us from never fearing while we are walking on uncertain ground. Resting in Him for wisdom can lift us up from every controversy. Conversely, relying on preachers or men-derived doctrines for all the truth can drag us into miry pits, where we never learn to discard the crutches.

As we behold the Truth in our hands, let us trust in God the Father, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit alone, and in His breathed Word to guide us through murky waters of this world.

Thoughts inspired by:

White, R. James Scripture Alone – Exploring the Bible’s Accuracy, Authority, and Authenticity. Bethany House Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI, 2004. The Holy Bible

Dangerous Prayers

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

What kind of prayers do we pray often? Most often praying for our needs, healing, provision, supernatural miracles when we’ve reached the end of ourselves are the most common topics prayed for. However, we serve a Mighty God, who is filled with such awesome power that we fail to recognize and tap into, more or less very often. Even though, He is offering us this power for free (Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14: 12), we have stored Him in a safe deposit box, draw only what we need and when we need.

We need to step out of our comfort zones, out of our ‘me, myself and mine’ attitude and push ourselves into prayers about God’s kingdom and His Sovereignty. The power that can change our circumstances, the power that can help us glimpse into God’s heart can be gained by praying dangerous prayers. If we earnestly seek that horrifying but still empowered prayer life, filled with adrenaline rising turns at every corner while submitting to our Creator, then we need to have a renewed heart that chases after God’s own heart.

In Psalm 139: 5 – 10 “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.”

King David prayed this famous prayer knowing well that God knew everything about him. He is praying to God Almighty to see his innermost thoughts. What do our innermost being – the spirit that our Heavenly Father placed in us, long for? Our spirit is longing to see what is in God’s heart. Just imagine gazing into those awesome desires of God!

Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, implored the saints in Ephesus to search deeply the wisdom of God which He was willing to reveal to those who seek Him. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might… (Ephesians 1: 13, 17-19) We might be fearful entering those dangerous waters for fear of what God might reveal to us. Knowing God’s thoughts and His desires, will give us a better perspective on our lives and His purposes. Our priorities will change. Our dangerous prayers will nudge us to pursue God’s Kingdom, the way God desires. When we are on such a path, then that path leads to a ‘way everlasting.’

Shall we take that next step in our walk with Christ? Or are we settling for mediocrity? Are we ready to pray such dangerous prayers, where we will have glimpses into God’s heart? Dear Saint, let us enter boldly into His presence to seek His heart as He opened the curtain and waiting with open arms. He is willing to reveal but we are not attempting to seek Him at such deeper level. Try, dear saint, to be persistent in your prayer life. God always honors the desires of our heart. God adores a seeking heart.

Reason For Lent

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Hebrews 6: 7-9

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

Another season of Lent has begun. Traditionally, people and churches observe Lent by fasting, preparing themselves to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ during the forty days. Over centuries, new traditions have been added and some old ones have been forgotten. Whatever the case may be, Lent is supposed to be a season of a spiritual cleansing and renewal. Remembering the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the cross for our redemption and reconciliation to our Heavenly Father, should be on the top of the things we must consider while observing Lent.

Over the years, people have instead swerved to the physical aspect of Lent. By giving up a physical desire like giving up sugar, coffee, meat or something else, or placing an old habit on hold for those forty days is not what the writer of Hebrews is writing about. If we claim ourselves to be believers of Jesus Christ, then we must move away from physical aspects of Lent and move towards the spiritual aspects. By giving up certain foods or pausing on old habits is only taking care of the flesh/physical aspects of ourselves. What is giving up sugar or meat do to our souls? Yes, it may improve our health but not have an impact on the heart.

Why do we then invest in this physical body which is going to perish anyway? Why not we invest in the spiritual body which is going to last forever? The author of Hebrews reiterates that we, who are the true children of God should be like rain- soaked soil which brings forth vegetation: a vegetation that will be useful for others. A soil that is tilled for the benefit of others, yielding much fruit and being a blessing to others. That is being a blessed person. Do our souls long for being useful instruments in God’s hands?

What then should we do to accomplish that blessedness? Giving up physical desires may be of little or no help but our focus should be more on how our hearts’ conditions are. Do we desire what God desires? Are we seeing where God is working and following in His footsteps? Are we maturing in our walk with God? Or are we still going back to the old habits after the forty days are over? What earthly desire did we give up to gain a spiritual desire? What godly characteristic did we develop after forty days of fasting and praying? Did we revert back to our old self and succumb to the old fleshly desires because the season of Lent is finished?

By returning to our old self, our lives are analogous to a soil which brings forth thorns and thistles. Useless and void of anything good. As soon as the Lent season ends, if there is no spiritual maturity, if we give up on fasting and praying, or if we give up a spiritual habit we picked up during Lent, then there was no reason to observe Lent in the first place. We are worthless and end up being burned. We are not useful to God and His Kingdom. We are not blessed but accursed.

Hebrews 6: 11-12

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Therefore, we must take that step towards spiritual maturity with every season of Lent that passes by. Being diligent means we are working towards that spiritual maturity like an athlete training to improve his performance. If we are sluggish, then there is no progress. We will be at the same place where we were before we started off. With each passing Lent season, we will never progress towards that maturity, thereby, missing out on the promises which God promised to those who through faith and patience persevered.

Hebrews 6: 1-3

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement. And this we will do, if God permits.

Beloved, now that our foundation is secure, let us move away from the rudimentary teachings to mature aspects of faith. Let us move from milk to solid food. Time is short. Christ’s return is imminent. What then should our focus be? Who then should our focus be? With each passing Lent season, we should be climbing up onto the next rung in the spiritual ladder. Let us take a step forward instead of two steps backward. Let us focus not on the physical but spiritual, because only spirit endures. Our physical bodies are temporary but our souls are eternal.

As Paul declared in 2 Timothy 4: 7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith… , will we also declare with such confidence at the end of our lives? Let us be the rain-soaked soil bringing forth good fruit and in abundance. Let us be diligent in pursuing God. Let us be hungry for God’s truth. Let us always be progressing in faith and not regressing. May this Lent season be a time to take those first steps of progression in faith. With each passing Lent season, may we find ourselves spiritually mature and slowly showing the likeness of Christ. May God be with you as you progress!

Reason For Advent – Week 1

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

We are awaiting our promised Messiah. This four week season of hope filled waiting, while preparing our hearts and families to behold our blessed Savior is a time to reflect on God’s promises through the Old Testament and to prepare for a hopeful life and His glorious appearing again. May this season of Advent draw us all close to our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Emmanuel, Jesus Christ.

From the time of creation, God had promised a seed that would reestablish the lost connection between God and mankind, while utterly defeating the one who distorted the truth. In Genesis 3: 1-15, when man fell, God prophesied of a coming Messiah, the one who will crush Satan’s head but will get hurt in the process. In Genesis 6-7, God provided a way of salvation through the “ark”. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8). He gave us a sign of a rainbow, a promise that He will never destroy us. Whenever we see a rainbow, let us remember that promise that our Heavenly Father is not out to destroy us but to love and redeem us.

Jesus, who came from the family line of Abraham, is the promised Son. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac but rescued him at the last moment by providing a ram, thereby giving us a glimpse of His provision of a perfect sacrifice through His Son. Because of Abraham’s faith and obedience, all those who believe in Jesus are blessed with Abraham’s blessings. God further promised kings through Abraham’s seed and Jesus, the King of kings was the promised One (Genesis 17: 6).

Even though Advent is not a biblical mandate, it is a wonderful tradition to set our minds and hearts on the coming of Christ. A humble prayer as we meditate amidst celebration, let us be glad that the Prince of Peace, Lover of our souls, Eternal Hope has provided Himself as a vessel to redeem and restore us to God for all eternity. May you be blessed during this Advent season as you ponder upon the promises of the true Messiah.

BEING THANKFUL

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Wish this was Christ’s second commandment after the greatest commandment. Growing up, I learned a song based on this verse. I hummed, sang out aloud off key with all my heart but never really practiced. Now as an adult, these words ring so true and sum up our Christian daily walk – a walk that Jesus Christ wants and wills for us.

Thanksgiving celebrations shouldn’t be done only on the last Thursday in November. Instead every day should be a day of thanksgiving. For a Christian, every single day, every single moment is and should be of thanksgiving. Ephesians 5: 20 recommends we do this: Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Are our hearts always joyful and singing praises to God, thanking Him always? King David appointed Levite priests to offer praise and thanksgiving to the Lord our God continually (1 Chronicles 16: 4). Praising God and being thankful for all He has done should be an integral part of our daily lives. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we won’t take God’s blessings for granted. Remembering what God has done, telling others about it, showing God’s glory to others and offering gifts of self, time and resources are the key elements of true thanksgiving. If we are truly thankful, our lives will show it.

How then is our attitude towards God and His faithfulness? Are we grateful for what God has done for us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God’s gifts of life, food, health, work and friends. After going through tough times, we should be quick to thank God for delivering us and protecting us from severe loss (Numbers 11: 4-6; Numbers 31: 48-50). Numerous times our circumstances will not allow us to be in that state of being thankful.

Take heart, dear saint, for the Lord who made us, knows our every situation. For in all things God works for our good if we love him and are called according to His purpose. In every trying experience that we go through, He is building in us the strength and we can be rest assured that His perfect love will see us through.

Our Loving God doesn’t demand that we be grateful towards Him. However, it pleases Him that we acknowledge Him for everything. When we respond to Him through our gratitude, He responds to us by revealing a little bit more about Himself.

Psalm 92: 1-2

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.

As we grow in faith, we understand His grace. As our hearts are filled with thanksgiving towards our Maker, for all He has done, we find ourselves changing. Our attitude changes drastically. We are more positive, humble, gracious and loving. Our joy is found only in Him. Our prayers are answered only by Him. All the drops of water in the ocean, if turned to ink, still are not enough to pen our offerings of praises and thanksgiving to our Lord for all He has done. Let us then do God’s will by always being joyful, praying continually and giving thanks in everything.

**As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Consider your ways

~ Sowmya Gali ~ Leave a comment

Haggai 1: 5-7

5. Now therefore, thus says the Lord of Hosts, “Consider your ways!”

6. “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”

7. Thus says the Lord of Hosts, “Consider your ways!”

Several months ago, I had an epiphany that if I desire to be a useful instrument in God’s hands, I should be a healthy individual, first and foremost. Therefore, I embarked on a health journey trying to eat foods in a Biblical way. For several years before this epiphany, I have been making significant changes to my diet and exercise regimen but I wasn’t seeing the results. As I learn about Biblical foods, I kept introducing foods that are healthy and tried to get rid of foods that are unhealthy and processed.

There were moments when even a little difference excited me and gave me encouragement to continue on this health journey. However, there were some old habits that were just hard to give up. For example, I just couldn’t give up coffee. Even though, I wasn’t a heavy coffee consumer, I acutely and woefully craved that one cup of coffee in the morning with a handful of pumpkin, raisins and sunflower seeds. I gave up sugar in my coffee several years ago. I even made a dramatic switch from instant coffee to freshly brewed coffee. Where I used to drink 1 large cup of milk with instant coffee stirred in, I changed it up to freshly brewed coffee with just 1/4th cup of milk.

The verses above gnawed at my spirit. Yes, I am making the changes but I am still not giving up some old habits. Some remnants of the old habits sneak their way back in. The Holy Spirit is asking me to consider my ways. Contextually, Haggai the prophet is asking the exiles who returned to Judea to consider their ways. Here, the Israelites just returned from Babylon, and they built their houses first but ignored the House of God which lay in ruins. They were eager to get into the routine of their lives while ignoring the things of God. They were doing all the right things but not in the right order. They were supposed to rebuild the House of God first and instead were focusing on rebuilding their houses.

All their hard work was misplaced. No wonder they were not seeing the benefits of their labor. In life, we make drastic changes learning from our past mistakes. Nevertheless, in moments of weakness, we tend to reboot our old habits and justify that we are improvising. Our old self constantly reminds us how good it was in the past. As the adage says, ‘Old habits die hard’, we fight hard to give up our old habits. Our new self is in a constant battle with our old self. Who wins depends on our perseverance. We must be in a constant consideration of our ways. With God’s help and our perspective in the right place, we can make progress and be overcomers. Only when we have turned completely away from our old self towards what God intended for us, then we can see the blessings of God pouring down on us.

Whether we are starting our journey or somewhere in the middle or at the end of our journey on this earth, placing God and His Kingdom first puts everything else in its proper place. We don’t need to find excuses to make changes but consider that today is the day of our new self. Old has died and the new has risen. Every day is a blessing from above for us to make those changes. As we make changes to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual journeys, we will see God blessing our efforts. We will become useful instruments in His hands.

Philippians 4: 6-8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. It is always good to consider God’s ways!

When God is My God

~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Genesis 27: 20

Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord Your God caused it to happen to me.”

Jacob, when he was about to deceive his father Isaac, lied about his identity. Isaac, in his old age, relied on his touch and smell than his hearing. Jacob was familiar with the God of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. At this juncture, he was yet to acknowledge God. He must have heard stories about the faith of his grandfather Abraham and all the wonderful things God had done in his life. He also must have been familiar with his own father Isaac’s relationship with God. Isaac was a living testament of God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises to both Esau and Jacob. Yet, both of them failed to acknowledge God.

When Isaac sat up to eat the game that Esau was supposed to cook and bring, Jacob, disguised himself in his brother’s clothing and offered the meal to his father. Suspiciously, Isaac questioned Jacob how he was able to find the game so quickly. In order to not expose himself he boldly told Isaac that Isaac’s God gave him success. Not Jacob’s God but Isaac’s God. This statement clearly indicates that Jacob was familiar with God Almighty and His ways. Yet, Jacob didn’t believe in Him.

Genesis 28: 20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.

Jacob is on the run after deceiving his father Isaac and robbing Esau of his rightful blessing. Esau had vengeance on his mind. Rebekah urged Jacob to flee to Paddan-Aram to her brother’s house until situation calmed down. Jacob, while fleeing from Esau’s anger, he rested at a place called Luz, where he took a stone for a pillow. He sees the stairway to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. The Lord introduced Himself that He is the Lord of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. He promised him that He will watch over him where he goes and will bring him back to his father’s house. The Lord stood above and declared to him that the place where he was sleeping will be his. Just witnessing the dream, Jacob was in awe. He remembered how his father Isaac built altars whenever God spoke to him.

It is interesting to know that God doesn’t ask Jacob to obey Him. He just pronounced the promise that He will bless Him, unconditionally. What favor rested on Jacob! Jacob, on the other hand, instead of claiming that promise and believing in God, places a condition before God. His obedience or acknowledgment of God was conditional. If God blesses him, then he will believe and follow him.

Many of us are like Jacob. Despite God’s promises, His faithfulness, His provision, His blessings, His protection, we still place conditions before Him. If God solves my problem, then I will believe. If God takes me out of my trial, then I will follow him. We have witnessed numerous times how God always remained faithful but we fail to recognize His faithfulness. On the contrary, we place conditions before him.

Despite, Jacob’s arrogance, God was with him. He waited patiently, until Jacob realized that God was truly on his side. A deceiver, when deceived by his father-in-law Laban, understood the pain of being wronged. A once ruthless negotiator, when negotiating with Laban, was cheated out of fair wages. He must have realized the unfair way he negotiated his birthright with Esau for a bowl of stew. He now found himself running again away from Laban. He also realized that if he returned to his father’s house, Esau would kill him.

Jacob was at the crossroads of his life. If he turned to Paddan-Aram, Laban will not spare him and take away all his possessions, including his wives and children. If he forged ahead and returned to Canaan, Esau would kill him and his family and seize all his possessions. While he was agonizing, he wrestled with God. At this juncture, he didn’t let go of God. The God of Abraham and Isaac, now became the God of Jacob.

God changed Laban’s heart after God warned him not to harm Jacob. After God’s intervention with the situation with Laban, Jacob realized that he was at the mercy of Esau. However, God changed Esau’s heart as well. Two long lost brothers now embraced despite the animosity and past hurt. Jacob realized that when God became His God, situations turned favorable to him. When He realized that the God of his fathers was on his side, He worshipped Him.

Genesis 33: 29-30

Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named that place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

Dear Saint of God, we may not wrestle with God and see Him face to face like Jacob. Are we conditionally acknowledging God? Or are we loving, Him, obeying Him unconditionally, just for who He is? Are we worshipping Him for who is or for what He can do for us? Let us lay aside our conditions and let us love Him and follow Him because He is our God. Let us make God our God because there is none like Him.