Jesus is often referred to as the Prince of Peace. The title "Prince of Peace" comes from a prophecy in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, where the prophet says: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,…
During Jesus Christ's trial, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, asked Jesus if he was a king. Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate responded with a famous question:…
I do a series of reflections on the gospels, and those who watch these might notice that I begin every Scripture passage by saying: Listen! That is because, as G. K. Chesterton said, “there’s a lot of difference between hearing and listening.” What’s the difference? Hearing is simply the act of receiving sounds by the ear. If we are not…
One day, when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he entered a village and was approached by ten lepers who called out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus saw them and told them to go and show themselves to the priests, which was the customary way for lepers to be declared clean and re-enter society. As they went,…
Since the beginning of recorded history, people have fought for freedom in various ways. From slaves seeking emancipation to colonised peoples seeking independence, human beings have demonstrated a strong desire to be free from oppression. However, the chains that have bound us the tightest have been the chains of sin. Two thousand years ago, Christ broke those chains. "It is…
All of us have experienced failure, and the impact of the fall is directly proportional to the height we have risen. Those who reach the pinnacle of success often believe they are untouchable, even though history should have taught us that no one stands so firmly he cannot fall. If you are one of these people who has fallen, take…
Jesus gave his believers the "Great Commission" of making disciples of all nations. We cannot make disciples of anybody unless we are disciples ourselves. That requires discipline. Discipline and discipleship are closely related concepts in Christianity. The word "disciple" comes from the Latin word "discipulus," which means "learner" or "pupil," and the word "discipline" comes from the same Latin root.…
We all know John 3:16, where Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Belief — or faith in Jesus — is the key to being saved because Scripture also says: "Salvation is found in no one else,…
Have you read Paul's letter to the Philippians? It is the most joyful book in the Bible! Paul uses the Greek words for joy and rejoicing sixteen times in only 104 verses. "Rejoice in the Lord always," he urges at one point. "I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). What is interesting is that Paul wrote this "epistle of…
Today we are going to choose to live a surrendered life. But what does that mean? Living a surrendered life means giving back to God what he has given us. It's relinquishing control over every aspect of our lives, turning it over to him to do as he pleases. Jesus lived a surrendered life: "I have come down from heaven…
Revenge is a very popular movie theme. From Death Wish and Carrie to Django Unchained and The Godfather, everyone loves these stories of vengeance because it fulfills one’s own desire for revenge. We have this innate nature that wants to see people pay for the pain they have caused us, don’t we? Now we may not pick up a sword…
Today we are going to choose repentance. If you wondered why we didn't begin this series with repentance, it is because of an important principle. The principle is this: God does not love us because we repent; we repent because God loves us. Consequently, we needed to get to love before we got to repentance. We spoke about love yesterday,…
I always squirm when people speak about falling in love because when we fall *in* something, we can fall *out* of it too. And falling out of love — as I am sure you can attest — can have some terrible repercussions, the least of which is heartbreak. So, what do we do? Stop falling in love? That is as…
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives…
John Bradford was an English Reformer who lived in the 16th century. One day when he saw criminals led to their execution, he is said to have exclaimed, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” He knew that were it not for divine grace, he could easily have been one of the criminals going to the gallows. What…
Disappointments are a part of life. So is failure. So, also is rejection. It hurts when we experience it. When things don’t work out as planned; when we fail in something, be it an exam, a career, or a responsibility; or when someone we love dumps us, it hurts. Sometimes it hurts like crazy. Getting upset, sad, or angry is…
One of my favorite passages of Scripture — I have many favorites — is contained in Isaiah 40. The prophet writes: "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). How awesome is that? But what…
One of the loveliest pictures Jesus painted is the one where he speaks of his Father as the gardener, himself as the vine, and us as the branches on the vine. He says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can…
One day when Jesus was dining with a group of Pharisees, he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table. He promptly launched into a parable before saying, "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 14:11). God hates pride. Pride was Lucifer's sin, which caused…
One day Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). He spoke about a widow who kept returning to an unjust judge, seeking justice against her adversary. The judge ultimately granted her request because of her persistence. Jesus concluded the story by saying, “Will not God bring about justice…
Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Unfortunately, many of us don’t lead the abundant life Christ promised because of our bad choices. Let us change that. Over the next forty days, as we pray and fast, we will…
Load More
©
2004 - 2023
Aneel Aranha