18^th January

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

John 5:24

We serve a mighty God. The creator and giver of life. He made us from nothing, called us, designed us, and clothed us in His righteousness. When He created us, He chose to love us conditionally, radically and in spite of our weaknesses and faults. All God asks us to do is to accept and believe in Him so that we can be gifted with everlasting life.

When we were created God breathed His breath into us, and that gave us physical life. Adam sinned and death entered the world. But God wanted more for us. So He redeemed us from the curse of death, allowing His Son to pay the price for our mistakes, and once again breathed in us. But this time it was His Holy Spirit; the Spirit that gives spiritual life. His Spirit resurrects our souls from the pits of death and the penalty of sin. AND all we have to do is accept and believe! We can pass from eternal condemnation to eternal life with Christ. We can enjoy the benefits of this new life, here on this earth too… Praise God.

17^th January

“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

John 5:17

Our God never sleeps. He is never engaged with someone else or is never too busy for us. He always listens to us. God is as alive and awake now, as He was when He made the universe from His very words. He doesn’t take holiday when He gets tired, because He never gets tired. He is fully engaged at all times. He is God every moment of every day; from now and forevermore. There is no time too late to seek Him or too early to call upon His name. Moreover, not only is He always working, but He is always faithful. Even when we dishonour Him through wrong decisions and actions, He is faithful to still hear our prayers, forgive us and fight for us.

Isn’t it incredible to know that we can enter into the very presence of Jesus’ throne room, anytime of the day and anywhere. Even more so, it is incredible that not only can we enter but we are invited! Jesus Himself ushers us into His presence. Let us rejoice that our God is alive and He lives in us!

5^th January

“For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in Heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Colossians 1:19-20

Have you ever been in a situation when you feel distant from a loved one through either a disagreement or conflict? If yes, then you will know that there is no worse feeling. When there is tension between you and the ones you love, there is an empty, lost and dejected emotion that rises in our hearts. It is a horrible feeling. The distance almost seems unrepairable. Yet when there is reconciliation, forgiveness and restoration, there is no better feeling. The hurts and pain are forgiven, as you are reconciled once more with your loved ones. As Eddie Murphy sung in the film, ‘coming to America’, there is no better feeling than to be loved!!

Our sins and wrongdoings also separated us from Christ’s wonderful love. Yet when the fullness of God came in Christ Jesus, through His blood and death on the cross, the whole of creation was once again reconciled back to God. Our sins forgiven and our debt paid. If you don’t yet know His love and forgiveness, then don’t stay living in the emptiness of separation, but accept His love and enjoy being in a reconciled relationship with the Creator of the Earth. Live in true peace with a God that loves you with an unmeasurable love.

26th December

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill out hearts with His love.”

Romans 5:3-5

Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, His salvation and our hope in it, changes everything. It gives us hope that there will be end to suffering and trials. It gives us strength to go through hard times. It gives us hope that when we do wrong, we have a loving Father that brings us home again. It gives us hope that our lives can be transformed. We are hopeful for more and hopeful for better. Hope in Jesus, never leads to disappointment.

Desmond Tutu said that ‘hope is the ability to see that there is Light despite all of the darkness’. Darkness may be around us but our Hope and Light is Jesus Christ. He came into this world to bring light and life to all those around. His hope and the hope in Him changes everything. There is more, there is better, even through the storm and in the midst of the darkness. Rejoice in hope. Christ in us, is the hope of glory.

23^rd & 24^th December

^{Weekend Edition}

“So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

John 1:14

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel

Our God became flesh, lived as a human, died as a human and rose agin victorious, as conqueror of sin and death. We remember His wonderful life, death and resurrection, not just at Christmas but all year round. His life wasn’t and limited only to an historical event in history; Rather it changed history. It changed the spiritual atmosphere of the world. It changed the physical world. It changed our relationship with God. Because of His birth we too have new life.

This Christmas, you have a choice. You can accept this wonderful gift or reject as so many have. However, there is one thing guaranteed: if you accept His gift of love and salvation, you gain more than you can ever think or imagine. Jesus’ love is freely here to give you a new start and a new life. Hail the incarnate deity!! The Godhead three in one.

22^nd December

“Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being..”

Philippians 2:7

Jesus’ humility, in coming to this earth, demonstrated just how much He loved us. The original meaning of the above text is that Jesus literally emptied Himself out for our sakes; His position, His throne and His rights. Of course He was still fully God as a human, but instead of only ruling in the Heavenly realms, He came to earth in the form of a human and had to answer to earthly authority, suffer the things a human had to suffer, be beaten, be disgraced and be betrayed by the very people He created. Jesus was and is the King of the world, but humbled Himself for our sakes, on our behalf and emptied Himself so He could live a spotless sinless life.

This Christmas, as we reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ, may we too adopt the same attitude as Jesus showed us in His life. May we too humble ourselves, even when we are wronged. May we empty ourselves and live for others. May we put others needs before our own. May we give up ‘our privileges’ for the sake of others. We have the perfect example in Christ, now go and do the same!

21^st December

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”

Isaiah 9:2

The great light has come – a Saviour has been born. Have you ever stopped to wonder why Jesus is referred to as the Light of the World? Why does the Bible use this analogy to describe God? Is it simply because of His holiness that radiates like a bright light? Or is it more than that?

If we look at Jesus’ life then we can have more of an idea why Jesus is referenced as light. Think about the characteristics of light. It enlightens, illuminates, warms, protects, guides, and changes the atmosphere of darkness. Wasn’t and aren’t these characteristics found in Jesus’ life?! His guides us into a life away from darkness, away from pain and moves us into His glorious light. His light is life and love and peace. His light makes a way for us when the road is unclear. His light warms our hearts when we feel alone. His light protects us from the un-seen evil that looms around in the darkness. His light exposes the dark places in our hearts and in this world and replaces it with light. Even just the smallest amount of light can illuminate a whole room. If this is so, imagine a world full of light bearers (that’s you and me), shining Jesus’ light into every area of our lives and spheres of influence! Jesus was born to expose the darkness with His light! A light has shone in the darkness and continues to shine brightly! Even those who walk in darkness will see it! That light is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

20^th December

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

Hail! the heav’n born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Isn’t it great news that Jesus’ birth also gives us new life too. This wonderful Christmas carol says exactly that! Hail the Son of Righteousness and the Prince of peace, who came to give us a second birth. That we no longer will die in our sins but that we can be saved from them and given new life! Isn’t that incredible. Jesus’ birth represented a new relationship and a new covenant with mankind. He gave us new life that we no longer have to walk in our sins but can walk in freedom. The old is gone and we have been given new life!! He gave us a chance for true life, not as the world gives but life in all its fullness. Glory to our King! Peace on earth to all men! Rejoice and praise the giver of new life.