Reflections

  Members of the Church : Ministers of the Kingdom of God Bible Reading: Numbers 11 : 24-30 Key verse 29  But Moses said to him, ‘ Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s People were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them. ( Numbers 11: 29 NLT) DEVOTION Our Scripture Reading today is from book of Numbers, taken at a time , when the children of Israel were on their exodus from Egypt and progressing towards their destination – Land of Cannan . The reading today’s focuses on how God sends fire during the time of complaining by the children of Israel, under the leadership of Moses. Our reading focuses on verse 24-30 where we read, following God’s instructions, Moses gathers the seventy elders and God’s spirit falls on them. Joshua raises concern about Eldad and Medad who were elders who were in their tent and not in the assembly of the seventy elders.  Moses response to Joshua’s concerns in verse 29 , that speaks volumes of Moses spiritual le...

  The Lord Reigns Forever Bible Reading: Psalm 92 Key verse 8 “But You, Lord, are exalted forever” (v. 8) DEVOTION Psalm 92 is unique among the psalms as the only one specifically designated “for the Sabbath.” It begins with a call to joyful worship, giving thanks to the Lord and praising His name. The psalmist celebrates God's steadfast love in the morning and His faithfulness at night, emphasizing that worship is the fitting response to the greatness of God. His works are magnificent, His thoughts are profound, and His creation displays His wisdom and power. At the heart of the psalm stands a powerful declaration: “But You, Lord, are exalted forever” (v. 8). This truth anchors the entire passage. God reigns as the Most High, sovereign over all creation, exercising perfect wisdom and unchanging authority. Because He reigns forever, His people can worship with confidence, endure with faith, and live with hope. The psalm contrasts the apparent success of the wicked with the las...

  Living in the Year of Jubilee Bible Reading: Isaiah 61:1-6 Key verse 1 Vs1:… because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. DEVOTION When Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth, He declared that this prophecy was fulfilled in Him. Yet He stopped before the words, “the day of vengeance of our God,” because His first coming was to announce God's favour, grace, and salvation. Today, we live in that season of divine favour, what Isaiah calls “the acceptable year of the Lord.” The imagery behind this passage comes from the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25. Every fiftieth year, debts were cancelled, slaves were freed, and families received back their inheritance. It was a powerful picture of restoration and new beginnings. Through Christ, this has become a spiritual reality for every believer. Our debt of sin has been p...

  Living in the Year of Jubilee Bible Reading: Isaiah 61:1-6 Key verse 1 Vs1:… because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. DEVOTION When Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth, He declared that this prophecy was fulfilled in Him. Yet He stopped before the words, “the day of vengeance of our God,” because His first coming was to announce God's favour, grace, and salvation. Today, we live in that season of divine favour, what Isaiah calls “the acceptable year of the Lord.” The imagery behind this passage comes from the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25. Every fiftieth year, debts were cancelled, slaves were freed, and families received back their inheritance. It was a powerful picture of restoration and new beginnings. Through Christ, this has become a spiritual reality for every believer. Our debt of sin has been p...

  God’s Unfailing Presence in Crisis Bible Reading: 1 Peter 5:6-11 Key verse 7 Key verse- Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (NIV). DEVOTION When hard times and ordeals strike us, we all stumble and our faith is tested. Even  in this modern era, with all the tools we have to fight and overcome many a crisis, we panic and our faith in God is shaken. We at times even doubt the existence of God. Now think for a moment about the pathetic conditions experienced, and the challenges faced, by  the first-century Christians who were subjected to persecutions from everywhere, especially from agents of Roman Empire where Cesar was worshipped as God, as well  as from Jews who tormented them for embracing the new faith.   In this passage, and throughout his epistle, Apostle Peter refers to the impact situation. Addressing the first or second generation of Christians scattered in the Roman province of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey),  Peter tr...

  God’s Unfailing Presence in Crisis Bible Reading: St. Mark 4: 35-41 Key verse 40 Key verse-4:40 “He said to His disciples, why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith” DEVOTION The Sea of Galilee is a beautiful body of water, surrounded by hills and is 700 feet below sea level. It is prone to sudden violent storms like one in St. Mark 4:35-41. Mark tells the story of Jesus and His disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee. Suddenly a fierce storm arises and fills the boat with waves and threatens to sink it, while Jesus is sleeping peacefully in the boat. Panicked disciples wake Him up. Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind and the storm settled down. Jesus questions their fear and lack of faith.                                          One-minute things are calm and quiet; the next minute a raging storm threatens to sink your boat. I think many things that we face in our ...

  God’s Unfailing Presence in Crisis Bible Reading: Acts 27: 9-25 Key verse 23 For this very night  there stood before me  an angel of the God  to whom I belong and whom I worship. DEVOTION Every human being encounters storms: times of hardship ,loss, confusion or danger. Thesestorms may come in different forms like sickness, persecution, financial distress, betrayal or emotional pain. Just like Paul and his companions faced a violent tempest on the sea, we also face circumstances that threaten to sink our hope and faith. However the believer has a unique advantage: the presence of God. His presence does not always stop the storm immediately, but it guarantees that the storm will not destroy us. Paul's confidence in Acts 27 was not based on the weather or the strength of the ship but on the divine assurance that “ there stood by me  this night  the angel of God “ In today's world filled with uncertainties, believers must learn to find peace not in the ...

  God’s unfailing presence in crises Bible Reading: Exodus 14:10-25 Key verse 13-14 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” DEVOTION Today’s passage draws our attention to the mighty hand of the Lord and the deliverance He brings to His people. The rescue at the Red Sea was a miracle that could only be attributed to God alone. With power and authority, He broke the chains of Israel’s slavery and acted decisively on their behalf. Verse 30 tells us that when the Israelites saw and experienced the Lord’s mighty hand displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses, His servant. This extraordinary act at the roaring sea propelled Israel forward into their journey toward the promised land. Throughout human history, the strong arm of the Lord has worked for His people—leading them to victory, delivering them from danger, and resc...

  God’s Unfailing Presence in Crisis Bible Reading: Psalms 34 Key verse 19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭19‬ DEVOTION In the world of sports, a perfect test for strength and resilience is adversity. In the pursuit of a championship, a great team often has to endure setbacks and hardship. The Christian life can be paralleled to the journey of an athlete or sports team. When we take a step back, we can come to the realization that the difficulties in our lives have a purpose. Thus, we can walk in the providence that God so freely gives us to deal with our challenges. As a native New Yorker, one of the things that comes to mind with sports is the New York Knicks winning the NBA championship in 2026. On the surface, one might think that this team was an unstoppable force that faced very little adversity. However, in January, the team faced a challenging period. In 11 games, the team won 2 games and lost 9 ga...

  God’s unfailing presence in Crisis  Bible Reading: 2nd Cor 4: 7-12   Key verse 7 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  DEVOTION One of the hardest questions that have haunted me as a Christian, is how is it that the Apostles and first believers of Jesus never gave up their faith, despite the tremendous hardships of life.   Apostle Paul was imprisoned, shipwrecked multiple times, and was also beaten up several times. Moreover, he had constant pressure and anxiety for all the churches. (2nd Corinthians 11:28) Why and how did he endure these.  Apostle Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians 4:7 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  Paul mentions to the Corinthian church, about a treasure we have in jars of clay. What is this treasure he is talking about?  The treasure he mentions is the Gospel of Christ w...

  The Day of St. Matthew Bible Reading:  Matthew 13: 44-52 Key verse 51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. DEVOTION In today’s portion, the writer writes about four parables discussed by Jesus used to teach the people about the Kingdom of Heaven. Although brief and concise, the author depicts important lessons of faith, commitment, endurance and joy. Parable of the Hidden treasure and the Pearl: Jesus shows us that the kingdom of heaven, is “like a treasure hidden in a field.” In the same way, Jesus explains to the crowds: how a merchant searches for fine pearls. In both of the above parables, we hear of the great joy each feels once they had ‘found’ their treasure. They relinquished all their earthly possessions to surrender to the ‘treasure’ they had found.  This comparison is how each person may have a different experience when finding Christ as their treasure. Once we surrender our life unto Christ, He is our greatest treasure. In Romans 8:18, i...

  Living productively in the strength of God Bible Reading:   Ephe.6: 10-17 Key verse 10-11 Ephesians 6:10–11 “Be strong in the Lord and His Mighty Power----- DEVOTION Paul’s teaching about the armor of God is more than a list of spiritual virtues. It is a theological picture of how believers are equipped to remain faithful when their faith is challenged. The emphasis is not on attacking the enemy but on standing firm in Christ. Paul does not tell us to be strong in ourselves. He says, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Our confidence does not come from our ability, experience, or circumstances, but from the Lord who strengthens and sustains us. The armor reminds us that every area of our lives must be surrendered to God: truth for our character, righteousness for our hearts, peace for our journey, faith for our fears, salvation for our minds, and God’s Word for our spiritual battles. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the f...

  Productive Living: The Best Is Yet to Come Bible Reading: St. John 21:18–23 Key verse 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Verse 19 DEVOTION This passage features a profound dialogue between Simon Peter, the disciple who denied Jesus, and Jesus, the Savior. Jesus speaks about Peter’s future and the path he would follow, including a death through which Peter would glorify God. John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” is also mentioned. Do we give up when we face difficult situations, or do we place our hope and trust in God Almighty? Peter once declared that he was willing to remain with Jesus and even die with Him. Yet, when Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Him. However, the resurrection transformed Peter’s faith, trust, and hope. His life was redirected toward the purpose God had designed for him. In the passage, we see Peter shift his focus from Jesus to John, asking, “Lord, what about him?” Jes...

  PRODUCTIVE LIVING: THE BEST IS YET TO COME Bible Reading:  Phil  3:12–16 Key verse 12 “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil  3:12 ) DEVOTION Paul says, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil  3:12 ). Productive living is not about being satisfied with yesterday’s achievements; it is about faithfully pursuing God’s purpose for tomorrow. 1 . FORGET  — Release the Past. “Forget what is behind” (v.13). Past failures can discourage us, while past successes can make us complacent. God calls us neither to live in regret nor rest on former victories. Let yesterday teach you, but never let it imprison you. 2.  FOCUS  — Reach for the Prize. “Straining toward what is ahead” (v.13). Paul had a holy dissatisfaction—a desire to know Christ more deeply and fulfill his calling more completely. Productive people keep moving forward because they believe God still has more to acc...

  Productive Living: The best is yet to come Bible Reading: Joshua 14: 6 - 15. Key verse 12b It may be that the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said. DEVOTION Joshua 14:6-15 presents Caleb as a strong example of productive living. At age forty he was assigned along with others to evaluate a region that held potential to become home to his community. Caleb trusted in God’s promise. Others saw only enemies and fortified cities in that region. Moses realized that Caleb followed the Lord wholeheartedly and promised that the land Caleb had walked on would become his inheritance. Forty-five years later, at age eighty-five, Caleb does not ask for an easier assignment. He asks for the same hill country, Hebron, that still presented adversities. His courage comes not from self-confidence, but from confidence in the Lord who had preserved and strengthened him. Caleb shows us that age, delay, and difficulty do not cancel God’s plan and purpose. The theme ...

  Productive Living: The Best Is Yet to Come Bible Reading:  Psalm 16 Key verse 11  Verse: 11“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.”  DEVOTION Psalm 16 shows us what it means to live with complete trust in God. David begins by asking God to keep him safe because he takes refuge in Him. He recognizes that the Lord is his ultimate good and that nothing else can compare. He chooses God as his “portion and cup” and finds joy in the company of those who faithfully follow the Lord. David’s trust gives him stability. He declares, “I keep my eyes always on the LORD” (v. 8). Because God is at his right hand, he will not be shaken. This is an important lesson for productive living. A truly productive life is not simply about how much we accomplish, but about keeping God at the center of everything we do. Life does not always unfold as we expect. We experience disappointments, missed opportunities, uncertainty and change. Yet Dav...

  Productive Living - The Best is yet to Come  Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 29:10-14   Jeremiah 29:11  For surely, I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm,  to give you a future with hope. DEVOTION There is a time in life when we think we are standing still. We wait for an answer for our prayer, hope  for a change in our life' situations. In these times, we really wonder or even question if God is at  work.  The Israelites experienced the same situation during exile in Babylon. They were far from home and were waiting for a real change in life and about their future. They were to build, plant, live, serve,  and seek the welfare of the city where God had placed them while waiting for His promised  restoration. Here, God is assuring that their present situation is not their destination.   This reveals that while we wait, God is still working for us in the background. The resul...

  Productive Living: The best is yet to come  Bible Reading:   Philippians Ch 1 v 19-21 Key verse 21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain DEVOTION Paul wrote this epistle while he was a prisoner in Rome. At Philippi Paul suffered but he had been instrumental in planting this church. Paul had fatherly care for this congregation and these brethren were kind to Paul. Christ lives in Paul (Gal.2:20, Eph.3:17) and is the source and sustainer of Paul’s spiritual life (Col.3:4). Paul is in vital union with Christ and lives in devotion to Christ. And to die is gain-implies the state after death, not the act of dying. Death does not interrupt our conscious fellowship with Christ. “And absent from body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). One of the martyrs said to his persecutors as they led him to death “You take a life from me that I cannot keep and bestow a life upon me that I cannot lose”. The idea of gain is a precious thought on dying. After...