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Jesus on the Cross: A Lesson in Responsibility
May 05A persons first words don’t really matter that much. It in in your last moments that the true character of someone really emerges. Let me give Harry Potter example Only in his last moments did we really get to see who Snape really was. Did we see all the love in his eyes. Severus Snape's last words to Harry were simply "Look at me", to see Lily Evans' eyes once more before he died. And off-course the famous lines - After all this time? Always. Similarly Jesus too had his last words recorded in the Bible and one of the words really stood out to me as Jacob ( our church member ) was talking about it When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. Here is a man, he’s dying. He has a limited number of words to be said before His spirit will depart from Him. He has been tortured for several hours now, He is in deep pain, And yet, two of his last sentences are to make sure that once He is gone, His mother is taken care off. With His thoughts on Mary’s future security and protection, Jesus entrusted her into the care of John, His beloved disciple. Joseph, Mary’s husband is believed to be dead by this time and traditionally, the oldest son in a Jewish family was duty-bound to provide for his mother’s care if she became a widow. So this was a responsibility that Jesus had as the eldest born son to look after His mother. By entrusting Mary to John’s care, Jesus was fulfilling His family responsibility as a devoted son. In His final moments, as blood and water seeped from His wounded side, Jesus looked down from the cross at His grieving mother. The weight of the world's sin crushed His body, yet His thoughts turned to her future care. He could have easily said, "Mother, my Father will provide for you in heaven." He could have remained silent, knowing He would soon ascend and watch over her from on high. But He didn't. Instead, with labored breath, He spoke to John: "Behold, your mother." With these three words, Jesus delivered His final earthly lesson – that our responsibilities are fundamentally our own. Philippians 2:13 (NIV) "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." This verse tells us about the divine partnership: God empowers us with ability and desire, but the action remains ours to take. The Lord doesn't command the hammer to strike the nail – He strengthens our arm to swing it. A Dangerous Misconception I've witnessed countless faithful believers reject medical insurance, life insurance, and financial planning with troubling justifications: "I am God's child; calamity won't touch me." "God won't take me before my time." "The Lord will provide for my family if something happens." These statements contain partial truths wrapped in dangerous misconception. The Example We Must Follow Look to Jesus in His final hour. The very Son of God ensured His mother's earthly care after His death. He did not delegate that responsibility to His Father. God gave Him the duty as firstborn son, and Jesus fulfilled it faithfully – even in His dying moments. Are we surrendering back to God the very responsibilities He entrusted to us? When we stand before Him, will we say we faithfully stewarded our responsibilities as Jesus did? Or will we have to explain why we returned unwrapped the gifts of foresight, planning, and provision He gave us to protect those we love? The cross beckons us not only to salvation but to emulation. In life and death, Jesus shows us the way.
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Biblical Commitment in a "Feelings First" World
Feb 24Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. "I'll definitely be there!" How many times have you said those words—or heard them from someone else—only to watch that commitment vanish at the first hint of inconvenience? In our digital age of instant gratification and endless options, commitment has become increasingly conditional. In our recent church discussions about setting examples through our speech, conduct, love.. the concept of commitment kept surfacing in my mind – particularly how we view and honor our promises in today's world. I wanted to sit and understand what the Biblical view of commitment was, and what exactly is commitment. Here is a brief of everything I could compile and learn. This is incomplete and I might add more things to it later, please feel free to comment your thoughts and reach out to me about anything in this post. What is Commitment? Commitment is an agreement or pledge to do something in the future. Commitment is like a promise you make, to yourself and others too. It means you've decided something is important and you're going to stick with it, even if it gets tricky or boring. We make commitments daily – at work, with friends, family, and even strangers (like when we agree to pay for goods or services). While the word "commitment" has become strongly associated with romantic relationships, its true meaning runs much deeper. The Heart of True Commitment This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said. A real commitment means following through on your word even when: Things get difficult - You don't feel like it anymore More attractive options appear. This often means moving out of your comfort zone, which conflicts with our feelings first-culture that prioritizes comfort and avoiding struggle. Our words are important to God, and He takes our promises to others and Him seriously. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Today's culture often treats commitments as flexible arrangements that last "until something better comes along." Think about it: "I promise to come to your game" (unless something more interesting happens) "I'll help with the church cleaning" (if nothing else comes up) Do your promises come with these silent conditions? Clearly it is a sin to break your promises. It is a command from God to keep them. So what now? What is the easiest way to keep yourself clear from committing this sin? Be mindful of your words But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Just say yes or no, Or Do not commit at all. If you are prone to not keeping your word, do not give it. Be mindful of your commitments A commitment is making a promise of future action even when something better comes along, even when things get rough. If something requires a commitment, you can bank on things getting rough. Whether it's your own marriage, paying your loan, meeting a friend or following the Lord you said you would never forsake - sooner or later you will not feel like following through with the commitment/promise. Our feelings tell us to stay comfortable and avoid struggle and pain. A commitment however, requires us to move out of the comfort zone. Our present culture has embraced the feelings trump commitment mentality. Do not conform to the pattern of this world If you follow Christ, you unfollow the patterns of this world. We have ( I have ) to be diligent to honour commitments and not just honour our feelings in a “All the feels ” culture. The Bible gives us many examples of people who kept their commitments in agonizing circumstances Noah - built an ark not knowing when the rains would come Paul - committed to spread the gospel no matter what came Daniel - Committed to pray even though prayer was outlawed When Commitments Clash Sometimes we genuinely cannot keep our commitments. Here's how to handle such situations: 1. Would the change of plan be more loving? Is the new competing engagement such that it would be seen as a more loving or more honourable endeavor? Ask yourself: Would changing plans serve a more important purpose? For example, missing a social event because of a family emergency is different from canceling lunch because of a casual date. We can imagine a number of scenarios that can be perceived as more, or less honourable/ loving, but let's look into the Bible for more examples. Luke 10:25-37 - When the good Samaritan interrupted his travel to help the man on the road, he may have missed some important appointments to where he was going. In 2 Corinthians 1:15 we see that Paul told the church of Corinth that he was coming but then he had to change his plans. He was then accused of being fickle. This was his response to that: Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm. Paul says he was motivated not by fear or selfishness but by love. The question we must ask ourselves, is the new engagement of such a nature that backing out of the first one is seen as more loving - more honourable? 2. Communicate Honestly There is a sense in which despite our best efforts, every promise that we make is conditional because we are unable to keep our word due to circumstances beyond our control (James 4:13-15, Prov 16:9 ). You might be unable to keep it due to sickness, disability, missed flight … In fact, only God can perfectly keep each of His promises. If you cannot keep a commitment: Reach out early Explain the situation honestly Offer sincere support or alternatives Ask respectfully to be released from your commitment Building Trust Through Consistency Being faithful means being trustworthy and dependable over time. It starts with managing small commitments well before taking on bigger ones. Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness! Ask yourself this question Have I been faithful over a little ? The Challenge Your commitments reveal your character. Each time you follow through despite difficulty, you're not just building trust with others—you're reflecting the unchanging faithfulness of God Himself. He is the ultimate promise-keeper who never wavers, even when we do. In a world that often prioritizes feelings over promises, choose to be different. Make fewer commitments if needed, but honor the ones you make. Your reliability in small matters builds the foundation for bigger responsibilities and deeper relationships. Your faithfulness may be the only Bible some people ever read. Make it a story worth telling.
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Deconstructing prayer
Nov 24Last week Ps. Dexter shared with us the five marks of a healthy church. And the last point was about prayer and he gave us this quote - Prayer is the battering ram against all strongholds. I might be paraphrasing. However the impression on the power of prayer was enough to trigger something in my brain. Another quote that he shared that day - I care not if the place is crowded at your other services; the church is not prosperous if the prayer-meetings be thin. - Spurgeon We can clearly see how important prayer is. And how he is using it as one of the metric for a healthy church. Impressing upon prayer - this week I have been looking at prayers. The last two post being a modern translation of the 2 prayers by Spurgeon. Which going through each prayer I noticed some similarities between the prayers he wrote and the prayers we see in the Bible. These are the results of the comparison and analysis I have done to help me pray better. Key Elements of Effective Prayer 1. Beginning with Worship and Acknowledgment All effective prayers begin by acknowledging God's sovereignty and expressing reverence. Notice how both sample prayers start: "Dear Lord, Help us to truly worship You..." "O God, King of kings and Lord of lords, we worship You." This mirrors the Lord's Prayer's opening: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." 2. Honest Expression of Need Both prayers demonstrate vulnerability and honesty about human weaknesses: They acknowledge distractions Admit to struggles with focus Confess human frailty Express dependence on God 3. Multiple Dimensions of Prayer The analyzed prayers follow the ACTS model: Adoration: Expressing love and worship Confession: Acknowledging weaknesses and sins Thanksgiving: Showing gratitude Supplication: Making requests 4. Balanced Focus These prayers maintain a balance between: Personal needs and global concerns Individual and communal requests Spiritual and physical needs Present circumstances and eternal perspective Comparing to the Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer provides a perfect template, and we can see its elements reflected in these longer prayers: Recognition of God's holiness Lord's Prayer: "Hallowed be your name" Modern prayers: Extended worship sections Kingdom Focus Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, your will be done" Modern prayers: Requests for global impact and spiritual growth Daily Needs Lord's Prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread" Modern prayers: Requests for practical help and support Forgiveness Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our debts" Modern prayers: Requests for cleansing and spiritual renewal Protection from Evil Lord's Prayer: "Deliver us from evil" Modern prayers: Requests for protection from temptation and worldly influences Holy Spirit ? Since the time I learned that the Holy Spirit is a teacher, and it taught Paul for three years, I have been asking the Holy Spirit to teach me how to pray. To give me the words while I pray. To help me understand better what prayer is and talk to God the things I want to be asking God and just talking to Him. Somewhere I feel I have missed the essence of prayer. To understand that a little better, I had to look into Matthew 6. The intimate nature of prayer But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6-8 Jesus is asking us to go to an inner room and pray in secret. Talk to God, tell God things that you wouldn’t tell anyone. Then there is this quote by Timothy Keller "Prayer is continuing a conversation that God has started through his Word and his grace, which eventually becomes a full encounter with him." - Timothy Keller When I was in class 12, I had a girlfriend. I would tell her the transpires of my entire day, including and not limited to - What I ate, how I felt, what I liked. These conversations would often lead to a sense of longing for each other which eventually resulted in us meeting up on dates. Its interesting how Timothy is saying almost the same thing. Prayer is a continuous conversation which was started by God. Eventually - this becomes a full encounter Not only does Jesus tell us how to pray, But he also gives us a structure that we should use to pray. This blog post is incomplete. I still have more to learn and maybe someday in the future I will update.
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Trellis > Vine ?
Nov 21I was watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQFj0c3QrOA In the video Jared talks about how the focus of most universities has changed. Here is the outline what what he shared 💰 Universities have become way too expensive 🎓 The marketing for universities is no longer academic and research driven, it’s experience driven 🎪 The students are being sold a college experience, the events, guest speakers etc. 💸 Universities keep raising tuition fees to fund fancy amenities and experiences, leading to more student debt 👥 The ratio of admin staff to teachers is crazy - 3 administrators for every 1 teacher! 📚 Most intro classes are taught by grad students instead of professors, but students still pay full price 📉 Academic standards keep getting lower to keep students happy and enrolled 3 Administrators for every teacher ! That is a crazy number to have in a university. This clear shift in focus is doing a disservice to the students who are going into debt to get the degree. While I was reading through this video, I remembered something that our Pastor said in his sermon series - Stay. The series revolves around John 15. He spoke about the Vine and the trellis. While the trellis is important, it is not the main focus. The trellis should be there only to support the Vine. It is built and exists only to support the vine. We are seeing this change in the education system. This is a good case study on what happens if we focus on the trellis more than the vine. For a more in-depth video on the American education system go here - https://youtu.be/LacRHra_-C0
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Modeh Ani - Chosen series
Oct 31I was rewatching the chosen series, and I saw everyone praying the same prayer each morning I thank You, living and enduring King, for You have graciously returned my soul within me. Great is Your faithfulness. I thought it was odd - “returned my soul within me“ and decided to google it. This prayer is called the Modeh Ani. first appears in the work Seder haYom by the 16th century rabbi Moshe ben Machir. So most probably this prayer is not one that people did at the time of Jesus. However, the main message of this prayer is to posture the entire day around being grateful. Grammatically, it would be correct to say Ani modeh — “I thank You.” Yet, the words are in the reverse order, which translates literally as “Thank You, I.” The point is that the very first word that comes out of our mouths should be one of gratitude. We often spend the rest of our waking day focused on ourselves, our needs, our work. So we want to ensure that we never forget to have the foundation of our day be “Thank You.” Only after that has been said, do we mention ourselves. Source - myjewishlearning.com
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Thanks be unto God - Charles Spurgeon
Oct 30Doing the same - converting this into a new version of English
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Help from on high - Charles Spurgeon
Oct 29I found this prayer by Charles Spurgeon - Help from on high. It is, however written in the old 1900s. The language was a tad bit too old, even for me. Here is the prayer translated to a more modern version of English by GPT.
