Praise the Lord, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. As the year draws to an end, our hearts are filled with gratitude for all the wonderful things our Lord Jesus Christ has done in our lives, and for what He continues to do. We humbly submit ourselves to our Saviour and pray that His will be done today, and always, in our lives.

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:” Faith is the most important thing in our life, and it is the basis of Christianity. God proved His love to the world by sending His one and only son JESUS, as a sacrifice for us. Therefore, all those who believe in the name of JESUS will be showered with His choicest blessings. To receive the stored blessings, we must ask in faith of the Father, through the name of His only Son, JESUS CHRIST! John 7:16 “Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”

Even when JESUS walked on this earth, He knew the thoughts of the people around Him. He was aware that the high priests, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees were jealous of His teachings. Jesus mostly spoke in parables, and He explained in many ways, that the Word given to Him was by His Father God. Jesus Christ always preached the Word that His Father in Heaven gave Him. He urged the people not to disbelieve or get annoyed, or be jealous or angry with the Word He preached; for the Word was from God, His Father, and it was not His own. John 7:17 “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.”

Today too, God is with us; whoever strives to follow Him and obey His Word and command, will understand and accept His Word. John 14:24 “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

Man, from the beginning of time, has always tried to prove that he is brilliant and very good in every way, but the word of God says that the thoughts of man are impure. Luke 16:15 “And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”  Hence, we must strive to come out of our sins today, even as Isaiah cried out to the Lord in the Holy Temple, whereafter the flaming fire touched his lips and changed him, making him a pure vessel for the Lord.

So today, let us confess our sins and make ourselves worthy and pure vessels from within, as we are the temple of the Holy Ghost!

Till we meet again,

Pastor Saroja M

 

Praise the Lord! My name is Gungun. My father was very serious around midnight, and there was no one at home except for my mother and grandmother. We had nobody who could take him to the hospital at that time. In a helpless state, I called the Rose of Sharon Prayer Helpline for prayer, not knowing what to do. The Prayer Warrior prayed very sincerely for my dad. Praise God, within half an hour he became normal. I give all glory to Lord Jesus and thank the Rose of Sharon Church, Mumbai for praying for him. Thank You, Jesus.

Sis. Gungun, Najafgarh, Delhi (ROS TV Program Viewer)

Praise the Lord. A few months ago, I dropped boiling hot lentils (Dal) on my right palm. I immediately washed my hand, applied prayer oil all over my right palm, and then continued cooking the rest of the food. By God’s grace, after applying prayer oil, not a single boil appeared on my palm, and neither did my hand became dark. Within two days, the affected area became absolutely fine. I give all glory to Lord Jesus for healing me, and I also thank Pastor Saroja for praying over the Prayer oil, and for her sincere and fervent prayers always.

Sis. Esther Patel, Mira Road, Thane, Maharashtra.

Praise the Lord. My sister and I are both unmarried and suffering from diabetes and hypertension for a long time. Yesterday, I had to undergo an Echo Test for my heart. I had requested prayer from the Rose of Sharon Church. I praise God that my report has come normal today. Thank you to all who prayed for me. Thank You, Jesus.

Bro. Dennis Paul, Delhi. (ROS TV Program Viewer)

Praise the Lord! I had kept a prayer request for the sale of my house, along with many other personal requests. Today I am delighted to mention that my house has been sold. Also, several of my personal requests have been answered, after prayers were made by the team at the Rose of Sharon Church, Mumbai. Thank You, Jesus. Thanks to all who prayed for me at the Rose of Sharon Church.

Sis. Mavshi, Mumbai. (ROS TV Program Viewer)

Praise the Lord. My husband Harish works for the Indian Railways and we have been married for 23 years. He has never given me his salary or bonus. He normally brings the required provisions for our home and then spends all the salary on himself and his friends. This time, I had requested prayers through the Rose of Sharon Church prayer line, for him to give me all his bonus money and not waste it, as I had wanted to do some house repairs. Praise be to God; this is the first time in these past 23 years that my husband has given his bonus to me! I give all thanks to Lord Jesus for His wondrous work and for answering our prayers. Thanks to the Rose of Sharon Church. Thank You, Jesus!

Sis. Sadhna Dhanukh, Lucknow (ROS TV Program Viewer)

Once upon a time, a U.S. marine was separated from his unit. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.

As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it is your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you.”

After praying, he lay quietly, listening as the enemy drew closer. He thought, “Well, I guess the Lord isn’t going to help me out of this one.” Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.

As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

“Ha, he thought. “What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour.”

As the enemy drew closer, he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his cave, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.

“Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man. “I had forgotten that in you a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.”

We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways. The great leader Nehemiah, reminded the people of Israel when they faced the task of rebuilding Jerusalem, “In God, we will have success!”  

Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider’s web can become a brick wall of protection.

Believe God is with you always. Just speak His name through Jesus, His Son, and you will see His great power and love for you.

 

 

Isaiah 41:15 “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.” When Jacob considered himself to be a worm and of a lowly state, God spoke to him through this promise and strengthened him. Jacob thought of himself as a little flock, low before God, therefore God gave him victory in everything. Isaiah 41:14 “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” God was with Jacob; hence the enemy did not win over him, and God gave him victory in everything. Jacob thought of himself as a worm, a little flock, and a little family; and he always lived in fear.

God gave Jacob a promise in Isaiah 41:15 “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.” Jacob was strengthened by the power of God, and the enemy could never triumph over Jacob.

Today, even in our lives, we may be a little flock; we may be weak and a small congregation, but due to God’s mighty presence in our midst, we need never fear anyone. This is exactly what God tells Jacob, ‘You think yourself to be a worm, but I will give you victory in everything you do.’ Just as God promised Jacob that He will be with him, so also the Lord God today promises us of His presence in our lives.

David thought himself to be a worm, but we know of how he defeated the mighty Goliath, for God was with him. David always said that he was but dust before God; and because God was with David, he was able to defeat Goliath and the Philistines, and gain victory against them.

Today, we may think that we are weak and a little flock, but we must be mindful of the promise of God for Jacob, for it is the same for us as well. When the Lord of Hosts is with us, why should we live in fear and worry about any man?

God is not with the proud but with the humble, and those who think lowly of themselves. The apostle Paul thought very lowly of himself. 1 Corinthians 4:13 “Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.” Paul thought even more lowly of himself than Jacob and David did; he considered his life as a broken hand, dislodged and thrown off. Due to his humility, we see how God blessed Paul with immense wisdom and knowledge to write many Holy Scriptures in the Bible.

Luke 14:11 “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Jacob was strengthened by God’s promise. David thought lowly about himself, but God blessed and gave him victory over Goliath, thereby giving Israel a victory over the Philistines. The apostle Paul was blessed with God’s mighty wisdom and knowledge, yet he thought himself unworthy of anything. Do not worry if the world treats you badly and thinks lowly of you. Remember, the lowly are lifted high in God’s sight, for our Good Shepherd is with us.

The Lord of Hosts is always with us, and that is why we can be victorious in all that we do. Pride must never enter our hearts. When we think we are worthy of nothing, God will fill us with His wisdom and knowledge, and accomplish His deeds in our lives. We must always thank God, never taking pride in our stature or greatness in this world. When we think of ourselves as great, God will bring us down. But when we think lowly of ourselves, God will lift us.

Isaiah 62:3 “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” We are a crown of glory and a royal diadem in the Hand of God. When we are in His hands, we will always rejoice. When the Prodigal Son returned to his father’s house, his father welcomed him with new clothes, jewellery, and rejoicing. The Prodigal Son was blessed with all his inheritance for the second time, and he once again became a part of the family.

Revelation 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” Who is this Great Multitude thundering ‘Hallelujah’ to the Lord? They are the ones who thought lowly of themselves, who the Lord lifted high above! They are the ones who thought they were lonely, small, and unworthy before God; hence God lifted them on high, to sing praises to Him and glorify His Holy name.

We must not take pride on this earth, for we who are proud are worthy of nothing before the Lord. But, when we humble ourselves, we can gain much in this world. The thieves of this world come to rob our wealth, but Satan comes to rob our souls so that we may be lost in this world.

He is not interested in our riches and wealth, but only in our souls. He does not want to hear God’s praises from our mouths as we shout Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Those who thought lowly of themselves, those who have triumphed over the devil, those who humbled themselves, those who thought they considered themselves a little flock, they become a Great Multitude for the Lord in Heaven.

Revelation 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” To stand before the King of Kings and be a part of the Great Multitude like Jacob, David, and the apostle Paul, we must humble ourselves. Only then will God lift us to sing praises to Him. Isaiah 62:3 “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.” If we remain in God’s hands, we can glorify Him with all our hearts and mind.

God has chosen us to do good works for Him. Those who do good works for God will reach the Kingdom of Heaven. We can do good works in different ways, not only by reading the Word of God but also by praying, singing, giving tithes, etc. Good works are good deeds and actions done beyond normal acts. Wherever Jesus went, the multitudes followed Him. Many went with Him because they believed in His Word, some went to find out His mistakes, while others followed Him for food. But, wherever Jesus went, there was also a lot of work to be done. Some people cleaned the place, filled the water, cooked food, and prepared the venue for Jesus’ preaching These are considered good works for the Lord. Even minuscule tasks like sweeping, filling water, etc. in the Church are considered good works.

In our Church, during Christmas, Harvest, Church Anniversary, and Easter, we serve food for the congregation. But do you know how much work goes into this? Who lends a helping hand in all these works? These good works are seen by our Lord God, and those who are chosen by God alone can do these works. Hence, in each one’s life, it is important to do good works for the Lord. We should not be the ones who come and go in the crowd, even as Jesus said ‘many are called, but few are chosen.’ The Holy Bible records the smallest of the small good works done for the Lord, and our lives must be counted by the good works we do for the Lord. God has a book in His hand, and our good works get entered into that book. Our aim in life must always be to do several good works for the Lord.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The Lord God has chosen us even before our birth. He has planted us to do good works. How blessed are those who are chosen even before their birth to do His good works! These people are planted by God. Jesus says, ‘Those who are not planted by my Father God, will be plucked out from their roots.’

What does this mean? We must be a chosen vessel by the Lord, we must be chosen amongst the multitude to sing Hallelujah to the Lord! In the Holy Scriptures, when Jesus went to Peter’s house, his mother-in-law was unwell, and she lay on the bed. As soon as Jesus laid His hands on her and prayed for her, she became well and prepared food for Jesus. Did Jesus need food? No, He did not need food. But she rose from the sick bed and did good works for Lord Jesus. Similarly, we too must be able to always contribute through our good works for the Lord.

In the book of Revelation, we see how God cautioned the seven churches through His warnings. He encouraged the deserving and rebuked the disobedient. In different ways, God spoke to the seven churches. Revelation 21:7 “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

In the Book of Revelation, Chapter 2, the Lord spoke to the seven churches: the Church of Ephesus in Rev 2:1-7, the Church of Smyrna in Rev 2:8-11, the Church of Pergamos in Rev 2:12-17, the Church of Thyatira in Rev 2:18-29, the Church of Sardis in Rev 3:1-6, the Church of Philadelphia in Rev 3:7-13, and the Church of Laodicea in Rev 3:14-22.

The Lord corrected these churches with His anger and for those who were obedient, He encouraged them with His love. He made these churches worthy to stand before Him in His Kingdom. God made these churches a Great Multitude to stand and sing Hallelujah before Him. Are these churches little in number? No, but He gave them another chance to repent and leave behind all their sinful ways and obtain victory in the name of Jesus Christ. God wants us to be victorious always. When we are corrected, we must not be dejected, and when we are praised, we should have no pride. Corrections given by God to these seven churches should not be seen sorrowfully, rather we should joy in God’s correction, knowing that He corrects us because He loves us.

Revelation 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” To reach the Kingdom of God in Zion, we should do good works for the Lord. We must be worthy to wear the crown of glory and be a royal diadem in God’s Hand.  In every good work for the Lord, we must strive to be a part of it.

Those who have lost the battle in this world are not a part of this Great Multitude. Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” It is not the desire of God that even one soul be lost in this world.

We may have lost many battles in our lives before we accepted the Lord, we may have failed in our lives, and we may have fallen several times. But, when God corrects us, even as He corrected the seven churches, once again we can rise, and He will embrace us once again.

 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” When we ask for forgiveness from Jesus Christ, He is ready to plant us in His vineyard. In the name of Jesus Christ, we must glorify our Father God, so that through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lawyer, and our Judge, He will once again give us the grace to stand before Him.

Haggai 2:5 “According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.” Today, God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are with us. No one is as privileged as we are. By the blood of Jesus Christ, remain united in oneness with Him. To stand in Zion amidst the Great Multitude, and to sing Hallelujah for the Lord, we become the crown of glory for the Lord. ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.’ We are not alone today for we have the power of the Holy Spirit with us. God speaks to us and strengthens us through His Spirit today.

Man can do nothing through his might and his strength. Gideon was a weak person, and he could not fight the Midianites and gain victory. At that time, the Lord looked at Gideon and said in Judges 6:12 “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.” God gave power to Gideon to fight the Midianites, for God gives strength, power, and wisdom to the weak. Gideon was strengthened through the Lord, and he gained victory over the Midianites. Similarly, today we can triumph over the devil, for God is with us.

Isaiah 59:19 “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” Even if the enemy flows as a gushing flood, the Lord will stand against the strength and power of the waters and save us. We must not fear the enemy because we think we are lowly, weak, like worms, and like a little flock. Even as God lifted Jacob, David, and the apostle Paul who thought lowly of themselves, the same God will lift us. We are far too precious in His sight. Never be proud before God – then only can we stand amidst the Great Multitude and sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Where God’s Spirit is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” When we know the truth, the truth will set us free. John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If we do not know the truth, we will be defeated in life. The Lord takes care of us every step of the way in our lives, and He will not allow us to waver. Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Yes, the Lord will whisper in our ears and speak to us, He will never let our feet be shaken.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We must always be humble before God and walk with Him, then He will guide us step by step.

The devil wants only our souls, not our riches and wealth. We hail from different states, families, social, and cultural backgrounds, but the one common thing that joins us is the Lord’s Spirit, and His Spirit leads all of us to freedom.

Isaiah 42:16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” God will make all crooked ways straight, and He will lead the blind who do not know the way.

I always consider myself ‘blind,’ for with my wisdom and knowledge I cannot go to so many places for meetings, and sow the seeds of faith in these places. I am blind before God. But my faith and trust are in God. He is the one who is sending me to these places, He alone leads me and takes me safely and on time to the venues of so many prayer meetings. God says He will never leave us or forsake us. If the grace of God is not with us, our entire lives will be futile, and every work of our hands useless. But, when God’s grace is upon us, He will lead and guide us with His own Spirit. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Let us all commit our lives to God’s Hands. The Spirit alone will lead us and guide us and strengthen us.

May this message be a blessing to all those who read it.

Pastor Saroja M.

 

Praise the Lord, dear readers! Wishes and prayers that you and all your family members are safe and healthy, and we pray that you may continue to be so!

Last week, when I visited the old age home during my regular visit, I decided to take something nice and hot for our residents. I stopped by a shop, and got them garam garam vada pav! As soon as I entered the ashram, as always, all were very excited. After greetings were exchanged, I told them I got them vada pav! As soon as they heard it, their joy knew no bounds, and they told me that just that morning, they were saying to each other that they would love to eat vada pav. God heard their words spoken casually, and fulfilled the desire of the inmates at the Rose of Sharon Old Age Home! The residents enjoyed the vada pav with nice green and red chutney to their heart’s content!

I am ever so thankful to my Lord Jesus for fulfilling even the smallest wishes of our dear residents!

Do continue to pray for our residents and take care of yourselves.

Till we meet again.

Pastor Saroja M

Praise the Lord!

The children attended their annual Sunday School exams last month and fared really well.

While the elder kids had written exams, the younger kids had oral exams. It is so wonderful to see the little kids recite memory verses at this age!

We at the Rose of Sharon Sunday School are glad to announce the top performers for 2022.

Senior Kids

1. Priscilla
2. Grace
3. Joel

Intermediate Kids

1. Stephen
2. Joshua
3. Namrata

Junior Kids

1. Sheba
2. Sarah
3. Isaac

Congratulations to all the children! May they continue to learn and keep growing in the fear and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, as the exams have ended, the rehearsals for Christmas programs have started in full swing.

Do continue to remember our little children in your daily prayers.

Kids Corner