Called to Serve

Acts 8:5-8, 26-27, 38b-40
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city…Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians…Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

The book of Acts gives us a sense of how the Church exploded after Jesus’ resurrection. Nothing was the same and followers of Christ were doing things that were not of them. Philip seems to be the man of action mentioned throughout this chapter and he was involved in some real mystifying acts like healing people with evil spirits inside of them, healing cripples and paralytics and even disappearing after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch who accepted Christ. What is God speaking to us today through this passage?

For many weeks, a dear friend of mine has been plagued by a rasping cough. It’s trying and hard when the medication he has been taking has had no effect and his faith is being challenged. It is at times such as these when one doubts why the Lord permits suffering in the lives of his cherished and those living far from God seem to be in bliss. The reality is that like Philip, we are called to serve God regardless of when and where and we should consider it a privilege to serve for the salvation we have received from the Lord. Philip was not acting in his strength but through the Holy Spirit at work in him. The Lord works in mysterious ways when we submit to his will and we need to pray for humble hearts that we might serve faithfully and God is glorified through our lives.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/09
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Acts
New Testament
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Testimony in Death

Acts 7:54-56, 59-60
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

When you read chapter 7 of Acts, you really start to wonder if Stephen was stark raving mad! He was falsely accused of speaking words of blasphemy against Moses and against God and when asked to justify himself, he chose to lecture the temple authorities, his accusers and everyone present at the Sanhedrin about how they like their forefathers murdered Jesus the savior, the prophets, and lived far from the law set out by God to Moses. Was that not fool hardy? Couldn’t he have just not agreed and let them punish him with a jail term of a pat on the wrist rather than enrage them to stone him to death? Was there any point?

If you verse 58 and you will notice that Stephen’s clothes were given to Saul, one of his accusers and a man who was determined to reach the echelons of priesthood by virtue of catching all the believers in Jesus Christ and putting them to death. A little while after this incident, Saul is transformed into Paul, a man after God’s own heart who gave up this treacherous life to seek God and lead thousands to Christ. What might sound insignificant in Stephen’s death has significance to Saul before his conversion to Paul. He later said in Phil. 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”. There is no coincidence or chance with God. Are you willing to live for God’s glory?

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/08
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Acts
New Testament
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Worldly Wisdom or Godly Peace?

Acts 6:2-4, 12b-15
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word”… They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

As we continue to read through the book of Acts, we notice how the spirit of God is at work in and through the body of believers. Significant challenges come up and wisdom is exercised beyond the intellect of the chosen. Each situation is dealt with appropriately and there is a peace which is not the norm in any human transactions. What is the Lord speaking to us through these passages?

The only news these days is about economic recovery, stimulus, bail outs, unemployment, etc. A global economic crisis has struck and all the wisdom of the world is unable to resolve the issue. Many other issues are being pushed down to accommodate this one and in the process, there is turmoil and uncertainty everywhere. Don’t we wish the wisdom given to the believers in the Church in those times was given to our leaders today? Wouldn’t it be most prudent to ask God to intervene in the present situation and help us resolve it? Our call as children of the living God is to pray for God’s wisdom upon those in power and authority and we are called to show obedience to God’s word and testify that peace which only a believer can feel in trying circumstances such as these.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/05
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Acts
New Testament
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Living Testimonies

Acts 5:3-5a, 9-10a
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died…Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died.

The believers were all one in heart and mind and shared everything they had with each other. Those that had land and property sold them and brought the money to the apostles to use in the community and no one lacked anything. This is not something we can do today because we are worried how we will manage before we can worry about even our own family, forget our family in Christ. The issue highlighted in today’s passage is not just about sharing all we have with each other but about lying to the Holy Spirit. Is that an issue we face?

I have had severe difficulty dealing with lying because I lied for no reason most of my life and the Lord had to scrape it out of me in very painful ways. I am still tempted to lie about things just to sound ‘cool’ or to get away from a situation and the consequences are often dire. In the passage above, it talks about lying to the Holy Spirit and to God and this might sound alien to you but it’s really not. What Ananias and Sapphira did might have seemed like self-preservation but to the Lord, it was a break of trust. We are reminded today that we are not people of this world but God’s chosen ones and our lives are a living testimony of God`s saving grace. Therefore, we need to seek ways to glorify God and not to shame him or we will face his wrath!

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/04
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Servant King

Acts 4:24-28
“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.”

I penned the reaction of the leaders a day too early and I suppose it is what we would expect from hard hearted people, not unlike ourselves before we were saved by God’s grace. As I read through today’s chapter, the grateful prayer of the new church caught my attention. They prayed not thanking God for Peter and John’s release but glorifying God. They praised God for how he brought about his perfect will through the meaningless sacrifice (In the eyes of the Jewish elect) of his son and servant, Jesus Christ, and that the Lord would enable them to perform miraculous signs in Jesus’ name for his glory. What could God achieve by sacrificing his own son and what glory is there to work among the common folk?

As we continue to journey through life, the reality of how short life can be keeps looming close to our hearts and minds. There are no safe havens anymore here on earth as crime and corruption have reached the very core of our souls. In these times, what hope can we have in trying to live for ourselves when nothing is for certain? However, with Jesus, we have hope of eternity in God’s presence and that’s a hope no one can ever take away. We are encouraged again this morning that our lives are for the service and glory of Jesus and that’s all that matters. His life was not one of power and authority the way the world sees it but of meekness and majesty. He is our Servant King and we are his grateful servant followers.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/03
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Greater Than Silver & Gold

Acts 3:4-10
Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

What amazes me this morning about this miracle, which I have seen performed many times in Sunday School, is not the miracle itself but the response. The temple authorities and the devout who were worshipping at the temple must have been relieved that Jesus was out of the picture and the chance of people following him was destroyed but with what just took place, they were either aghast that this was spreading or they were truly joyful for the unexplained healing that took place. If I was part of the authorities, I would not be the most pleased for certain and my first reaction would be to arrest the blasphemers but what if I was the layman coming to perform my religious rituals? What is the Lord speaking to us this morning through this?

The power of miracles was thought of to be restricted to only a select few. In comics stories of superheroes, these are just one or two people who are extraterrestrial or chanced upon their gift by the virtue of an insect bite or a scientific experiment gone wrong. However, here we seem to have a pandemic because Jesus’ abilities were being exercised by his followers and it was not because they were special but because he chose to give it to them through their submission. The Lord started to work through his body of believers to reach the lost in ways unexplainable and not because of their goodness or holiness but because of his mercy and grace. Are you willing to serve the king of kings? Then call on Jesus right now and ask him how.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/02
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Sudden Wisdom!

Acts 2:37-39
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

After reading through the gospels, the first thing that strikes me about Acts is that the disciples have suddenly matured and are a different set of people. No longer do they seem silly, doubting, tense or confused but they seem to be transformed and the obvious reason is not alcohol as some locals witnessing this change commented it might be. Peter stood up to speak and the 10 other disciples stood up with him and there seemed to be no bickering or doubts about what he spoke. What was happening here? What happened to these local uneducated fishermen that they suddenly grew wise?

All along the Bible, people have held onto the prophets and the disciples as significant. The Jews hold onto Moses’ law, some Christians look up to the disciples as special but the reality of the matter is that everything is about God, his son Jesus Christ and the ministering of the Holy Spirit. The change the disciples encountered was not of their own accord, not because they suddenly understood and certainly not because they were a special set of humans. They were empowered by the Spirit of God that was at work in and through them. Today we are called to submit our lives to Christ and to let the Holy Spirit work in and through us, not to be called great but to direct the world to Jesus Christ, the savior!

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
02/01
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New Testament
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A Fresh Start

Acts 1:7-8
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After covering 89 chapters in the 1st 4 books of the New Testament, we now start our journey into the book of Acts which was written by Luke. Jesus visited the disciples several times after his death and the disciples were trying to understand what Jesus’ plan was in terms of restoring Israel. Jesus however helped them see that he was not there to free them from the Roman oppression, rather, he was there to give them freedom from sin. Also, he was there to tell them what the future held in their calling as dicisples.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters us and directs our lives. The direction is different for each person and the course we take depends on our obedience. However, the purpose is always the same and that is we are all called as a new creation in Christ to witness about what the Lord has done for us to everyone around us, regardless of geography. We are called to be lighthouses in this dark world where our enemy is not fellow humans but the devil himself and the one solace we have is that this battle was won 2,000 years ago when Jesus rose from the dead and defeated Satan and sin.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
01/30
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Haiti Response

John 21:15-17
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”.

On Jan 12, 2010, the tiny island nation of Haiti was shaken up by the largest recorded earthquake in it’s history with over 3 million people affected, over 170,000 dead and over 250,000 injured and homeless. This is a tragedy of epic proportions and it is wonderful to see the way the people of the world have supported the people of this nation and continue to do so. This morning, my classmate posted a link from the UK press which condemned Rev Pat Robertson who spoke on CBN’s 700 Club about the Haitian’s pact with the devil in 1791 in exchange for freedom from the French which might have been the reason for the country suffering to date. I was eager to respond to this but decided to reflect on God’s word to see what the Lord had to say.

When Jesus was crucified wrongfully, followers of Christ would have wanted to fight and rebel against the temple leadership and all those who caused this wrong. Even today, there are many who vehemently condemn the faith, Jesus and anyone who follows it and we would want to react. However, the Lord did not die but was raised from the dead as the scriptures foretold! Therefore, we have no reason to hurt and hate anyone because God was glorified. In the same manner, Christ visited the disciples 3 times after his death and dint ask them to avenge his death but rather to share the gospel with the world, to care for God’s children and to supply their spiritual needs. In the Haitian context, I believe we should be offering a hand through prayer, resources and any other support to show these people that the Lord loves and cares for them dearly.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
01/29
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John
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Eyes Of Our Heart

John 20:21-23
Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Last evening, we received a call from dear friends of ours that one of them had hurt himself and before saying anything more, I just knew I had to rush. I got there and got him to the hospital where we spent 5 precious hours together talking about the Lord and why God would permit this issue, knowing fully well it was for God’s glory. The Lord just confirmed to me now what we eventually discovered in the course of our conversation.

As humans, we generally believe only after we experience something through our 5 senses and this was the case for the disciples when they discovered Jesus’ empty tomb. However, with God, we are blessed to believe without seeing because we are to see with the eyes of heart and mind, which is an alien concept to most of us. This couple were hurt by a recent incident where they were not at fault. For some reason, I had the desire to tell them that they need to ask forgiveness from their oppressor for holding hurt within them because that is not what Chirst would want. It was such a treat to experience my good friend see through the eyes of his heart what God was speaking to him and those 5 hours were a real blessing. What is God speaking to you this morning?

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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2010
01/28
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John
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