But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony – Revelation 12:11a (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

Witness is a judicial term that implies seeing, hearing and testifying about something or someone. When we witness about someone, first hand knowledge is important because this leads to experience. The one who proclaims Jesus should have seen, touched, heard and experienced Him personally. The apostles of our Lord testify about Him through their personal encounters with Him - 1 John 1:1-4. We are like St. Paul who have not seen the Earthly Lord, but we have experienced the Ascended Lord. We encounter the Risen Lord through the sacraments and through our faith in Him. The testimony of the followers of Christ who have seen and personally experienced Him is effective and has the power to conquer and break the power of the Evil one, who accuses them day and night before God. Witnessing without personal involvement is a false testimony. It is important to testify about the Lord through our transformed lives.

Our personal witness of Jesus has tremendous power to draw others to Him. We see this in the story of the Samaritan Woman – John 4:1-42. She was a woman in need of deep emotional healing. How do we know this? Because she was living a secluded life; she chose to come to the well to draw water at noon when no one would be around in that area. Jacob’s well was a place in Samaria where women of that time usually gathered to fill water. Jesus got into a conversation with this woman and started to draw out her pain through her confession about her lonely life. She was thirsting for love, which is why she had 5 husbands, and the 6th one she was living with was not her husband! This deeply hurt woman was still looking for genuine love. And when she encountered LOVE speaking to her at that well and drawing out her pain, her healing was complete! She was filled with so much joy that she went back to her city and told all the people there about Jesus!

I have always wondered about the obedience of this Samaritan woman in response to Jesus words – “Go call your husband and come back.” – John 4:16. Which husband was Jesus referring to? Was it husband No. 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5? I suppose this woman must have told the man she was currently living with about Jesus and she certainly must have testified to this man too and drew him to Jesus! What or who can we bring to Jesus, today? The Samaritan woman brought the entire city through her personal witness after Jesus got her to open her heart through her genuine confession and repentance. She certainly experienced the love of Jesus and shared His love through her testimony to the people in her city. This is true evangelization – Sharing from the heart with others about what Jesus has personally done for you! For some people, our transformed lives may be the only Bible they will ever see! Our faces of love, faces of joy, faces of peace must testify about Jesus because we can radiate His Love, Joy, Peace only when we ourselves are filled with Him.

As followers and disciples of Jesus, we are in Christ bearing witness about Him to the world. Are we aware of people beyond salvation because they are desperate for living waters, inner healing, forgiveness and release? Let us draw them to Christ who alone can heal them and fill their lives with His transforming love. May our own testimonies of encountering our Lord personally touch the lives of others as we say, Come and See like the Samaritan woman!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for shedding Your precious Blood for each of us. May our testimonies always bear witness through our transformed lives, so that those who do not know You yet may experience the power of Your Love!

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure – Philippians 2:12b-13 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

Through His sacrificial death on the Cross, Jesus Christ purchased salvation for each one of us who believes in Him, yet why does St. Paul in the above Bible verse exhort us to work out our own salvation? We are to ‘work OUT our salvation’, not ‘work FOR our salvation’. If we had the ability to work FOR our salvation, then Jesus Christ died in vain! His painful sacrificial death on the Cross would be meaningless if we could save ourselves! God our Father views all our human works as filthy rags – Isaiah 64:6. He offers us a free gift of salvation by trusting in His Son’s death, burial and resurrection as being sufficient for our eternal security.

We are to ‘work OUT our salvation’, not ‘work FOR our salvation’.

How are we to work out our salvation? The Word of God says with ‘fear and trembling’, but fear of what or whom? Is St. Paul asking us to fear God? If we are performing good works through obedience and gratitude towards God for the irrevocable past gift of salvation, then why should we be scared and trembling? In the analogy of a child who wants to please his parents by doing the daily household chores in fear and trembling, because he or she fears being punished or displeasing the parents, rather than performing those tasks because he loves them. If our perspective of God is of One who punishes, then we will fear Him rather than love Him. God is Love. His steadfast love never ceases and His mercies never come to an end. Infact, they are new EVERY morning – Lamentations 3:22-23.

Fear and trembling in the above Bible verse then, can best be described as a reverential awe towards God; the knowledge of His grace which is sufficient for us. St. Paul is exhorting us to be vigilant to remain in a state of grace and holiness with God, lest we fall out of it. And as sinners, we will fall if we take His love and mercy for granted. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom - Proverbs 1:7; 9:10.

Are we working FOR God or WITH God? 

Hence, we are to work out our salvation by obedience, because God is at work in us. In other words, we are to manifest the anointing, gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit within us with great respect and care because the power of God is involved with whatever we are doing. Led and guided by the Holy Spirit, we need to discern God’s will and the action to be taken. Here, we can also ask ourselves this question – Are we working FOR God or WITH God? Many of us want to work for God and do good works, but few work with Him. When we work with God, He leads guides and directs our paths through the power of His Spirit and all He asks is our humble obedience to His promptings! St. Paul himself manifested the power of God with fear and trembling. We read about this in 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 – “And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.”

The best example in the Bible of one who worked out his salvation is Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10. He was seeking to see who Jesus was. When he heard that Jesus was coming to Jericho, he climbed a tree in order to be able to see Him. Zaccheus had a reputation of being an extortioner and a sinner. What must have been going through his mind as he sat on that sycomore tree and waited to see Jesus? I believe that Zacchaeus was WORKING OUT HIS SALVATION AS HE SAT ON TOP OF HIS SINS on that tree! He surely must have acknowledged his sinful life right there on that tree and repented for all his wrongs with a firm determination of repaying evil with good. Even with the crowd surrounding that place, Zacchaeus was connected with the heart of Jesus because we read in Luke 19:5 – when Jesus came to the place, even in that crowd of people, He looked up and addressed Zacchaeus by name! Jesus knew that deep in his heart, Zacchaeus was not all that bad. Even if he had dirtied his hands in immoral deeds, he had not lost his sense of what was good as evidenced by his eagerness to see Jesus even to the extent of humbling himself by climbing up a tree. And we know that Jesus did not disappoint this effort of Zacchaeus. He received Jesus joyfully into his home; a genuine joy that reflected the transformation effected in him when he saw Jesus. Zacchaeus the outcast sinner had never felt more accepted for what he was than at that very moment in the presence of Jesus. His conversion was apparent in his speech and decision to rectify his evil deeds. When God deals with sinners, He overlooks the sins of men that they may repent – Wisdom 11: 23-24. God first overlooks sin; then repentance follows. As humans, we demand repentance first, then we overlook the wrongs and sins of others. This highlights the difference between the way God and we forgive.

We are all sinners and therefore in need of salvation. Like Zacchaeus, let us begin by seeking to see who Jesus was. To see and know Jesus, we must make efforts to spend time in His presence. We too will be given opportunities for repentance in an atmosphere of acceptance, because Jesus’ mission is to save what was lost. When we respond to Jesus’ call or his knock on the door of our hearts, our transformation may be considered suspect especially by those who have already pre-judged us as sinners. But let us not allow that to bother us as Zacchaeus did not and worked out his salvation. After responding to Jesus’ desire to stay in our hearts, may we too like Zacchaeus, hear His same words – “Today, salvation has come to this house.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the free gift of salvation and grace. May we always honor the painful price that You paid to redeem each one of us from death and sin through Your sacrificial death on the Cross.

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

The Lord turned and looked at Peter - Luke 22:61a (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

A ‘Look’ can speak volumes without words being spoken. Our looks can convey more than what we wish to speak or communicate. It’s been said that our ‘eyes’ are the windows of our soul. And those who are filled with guilt cannot look into the eyes of the one whom they have betrayed. The ‘Look’ of Jesus at Peter in the above Bible verse is no mere glance. Jesus turned to look at Peter with piercing, discerning eyes. And what did Peter see in the eyes of Jesus that pierced his heart and soul? What did those eyes tell him? The next words in Luke 22:61-62 describe Peter’s actions. He “remembered” what Jesus had predicted about his denial. Hence, confronted with his betrayal and memory of Jesus’ words, Peter was a totally broken man as he went out and wept bitterly. His heart must have been broken into a thousand pieces with the knowledge of what he had done.

We can certainly imagine the turmoil Peter was going through emotionally; no doubt he felt shame and guilt on being confronted with his sin of betrayal and denial. We have all felt the same when confronted with our sins. Can we imagine what Jesus was going through as He looked into Peter's eyes, knowing that Peter had just denied Him, just like He had predicted? Which pain would be worse for Jesus to endure? - The pain of the scourging and crucifixion or the pain of betrayal of His friend?

For some of us, the eyes of Jesus that looked at Peter may seem condemning, without any hope or redemption. Yes, Peter had sinned; he did not measure up because he had betrayed a dear friend. For others, the eyes of Jesus may seem filled with disappointment. Yes, Peter had disappointed Jesus; he knew he should not have denied our Lord, but he did nevertheless and that too, three times! Peter also had expectations of himself as a follower of Jesus. Even if the other disciples ran away, he would not. He had even said that he would die with Jesus if necessary. To feel Jesus’ disappointment would mean that he was seeking Jesus’ approval.

Personally, I think Peter saw sadness; a compassionate and hopeful sadness in the eyes of Jesus. Jesus grieved for Peter as He looked at him with eyes of merciful love. His eyes expressed sympathy and caring. They were ‘redemptive’ eyes. Jesus was more interested in a deep relationship with Peter than excluding, punishing or condemning him. Jesus demonstrates the divine love of a parent who grieves over the failures of his child but still does not give up on him. Peter saw in Jesus’ eyes, the on-going compassionate and forgiving love of our Lord that would strengthen Peter through this entire experience & help him deepen his commitment as a true disciple!

Peter indeed cried bitterly and these tears were not tears of self-pity but tears of sorrow, brokenness and repentance over what he had done to Jesus. Remembrance indeed has a theological significance, because we see Jesus’ remembrance of Peter’s denial and repentance to let him know that despite Peter’s sins of denial and betrayal, He loved him and His plan for Peter would be fulfilled – John 21: 15-19. When God brings back a memory, He does so in order to heal and restore us and fulfill His divine plan for our lives!

As our Lord did with Peter, so He does with us, daily. We don't deserve it, but still He loves and forgives us. He knows how many times we have denied and let Him down; the times we have kept quiet when we should have spoken out; the times we have spoken out when we should have kept quiet and the times we have disgraced His name. And yet with grace, He stands with His arms open wide saying, “Come unto Me…My child.”

In our betrayals, our sins, our denials, what do we see in the eyes of Jesus as He looks at us? The cock may not crow to remind us, but each time we deny our Lord, let us remember that we are adding another stripe, another pain, another hurt to the One who truly deserves none! The sad and compassionate eyes of our Lord Jesus anticipated the joy of redemption for Peter, for me and for each of us. In my own personal traumatic experiences of the past, I too had turned away from our Lord, but like a true Shepherd who goes after that one lost lamb, He came looking for me, to draw me back into His arms. Sometimes, our Lord will allow us to stray only to make us come back to Him so strongly that for eternity there will be no turning back! That’s the power of His grace and merciful love for each one of us!

Prayer: Beloved Lord Jesus, through our tears of remembrance, like Peter may we too gain strength through the compassionate love and hope that we see in Your eyes. May Your love O Lord, draw us back to You, where we truly belong.

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

Then He took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me’. And He did the same with the cup after supper, saying ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood – Luke 22:19, 20 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

Remembrance has a theological significance. It leads to faith. Every human being has experiences of ‘remembrance’ in their lives. We remember events, people and situations that occurred in our lifetime. Experiences in the form of memories; both good and bad help us to remember and these remembrances can make us happy or sorrowful. Good memories always make us smile in thanksgiving, while bad memories can make us sorrowful if the situation has not been surrendered to Jesus for healing. We will always remember experiences of the past, whether good or bad! In fact every moment of every day is being transformed into memories as we live out our lives here on Earth!





Do this is in remembrance of Me



Today, we celebrate another glorious feast of the Catholic Church – Corpus Christi or in other words – ‘The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ’! What a wonderful way to remember God’s divine act of Love for each one of us through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. In John 6:53-56 we read about Jesus’ specific words regarding His body and Blood - “So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood abide in Me and I in them.”

The Church teaches us that the Mass is not a re-crucifixion of Christ but the re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. Through His intercessory ministry in heaven and through the Mass, Jesus continues to offer Himself to His Father as a living sacrifice in the form of bread and wine, which are transubstantiated into Christ Himself! Thus, at every Holy Eucharist, we are not merely commemorating Jesus Christ but actually participating in His Body and Blood as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 10:16 – “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" The Eucharist is a wonderful and powerful reminder of Jesus Christ’ personal love for each human being through His sacrificial death on the Cross in atonement for our sins! That’s why the Holy Eucharist is also the highest form of prayer where the Real presence of Jesus Christ is manifested!

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 24: 6-9, we read about the importance of ‘remembrance.’ – “Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered His words and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.” Even the angels encouraged the women at the tomb to remember the words of Jesus! Every time we read the Holy Scriptures from the Bible, we are called to remember God! Our Lord speaks to our hearts through the Bible, which is God’s personal Love letter to each of us as He brings to memory what He wants to communicate to us.

God speaks to our hearts and lives through various ways but we can be sure that He speaks to us when we read the Scriptures and through the Holy Spirit we are reminded of His Words. God will always confirm what He wants to communicate to us through His Word and through His Holy Spirit! “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” – John 14:26.

Even as God commands us to remember Him through Scriptures, He also gives us a command ‘NOT to remember’! In the book of Isaiah 43:18 we read God’s Word about not to dwell on things of the past – “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.” The next verse Isaiah 43:19 provides an answer as to why we shouldn’t dwell on the past, which has been surrendered to our Lord. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” In this same chapter, we read about God who says ‘He will NOT remember’ our sins – “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” - Isaiah 43:25.

Dear brothers and sisters, how would you like to be remembered while you are alive and even after your death? Have you noticed how people often speak in remembrance of the life of the dead person at his or her funeral? Yet, what is more important is ‘GOD’S REMEMBRANCE OF US’, not people’s words of our remembrance! Hence, may our testimonies; whether we are alive or dead, always bear witness of the remembrance of God’s goodness and faithfulness despite our sinfulness, God’s loving presence and care despite human rejection, God’s perfect understanding of us when people misunderstand us, God’s provision and divine healing when human efforts fail - This should motivate and encourage us to live holy lives as we endure our remaining days here on Earth because God never forgets us and He’s always watching out for each one of us – “…I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” - Isaiah 49:15, 16. In Malachi 3:16 we read about ‘God’s book of remembrance,’ in which our names are recorded as we worship and meditate about the Lord - “Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who revered the Lord and thought on His name.”

 GOD’S REMEMBRANCE OF US is more important than human remembrance!

Prayer: Abba Father, may we always revere Your Holy Name and daily remember Your Love for each of us in our spiritual journey back to Heaven, where we truly belong with You, Lord! Amen.

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

Jesus wept – John 11:35 (NKJV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

“Jesus wept” - This is the shortest sentence in the entire Bible, yet one that should inspire each human being to connect deeply with our Living Lord, because every human has shed tears in his or her lifetime.

Why did Jesus cry at the tomb of Lazarus? Does the Bible say that Jesus was late in reaching Lazarus’s tomb? No! Jesus delayed His journey to the home of Lazarus because He knew exactly what He was going to do in that situation by manifesting His power and glory! After hearing of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus stayed back for 2 more days because He was in prayer with the Father who told Him to stay back. Then, when He reached the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept through the Holy Spirit! How do we know that Jesus had been praying to the Father before He worked the miracle of raising Lazarus back to life? John 11:41 tells us that Jesus thanked the Father for having heard His prayer! This is a classic example of the work of the Holy Trinity in perfect communion with each other. Today, we celebrate the Glorious Feast of the Most Holy Trinity; in essence we are celebrating the mystery and unity of the 3 persons of the Trinity - Abba Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 5:7 gives us further insights about how our Lord offered tear-filled prayers while He was on Earth – “In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.” The key word here is reverent submission or in other words obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is true intercession and Jesus is the perfect intercessor!



Jesus is interceding with tears for each of us before the throne of God in Heaven!

Jesus is also named Emmanuel which means God is with us – Matthew 1:23. As Christians, we have the life of Christ within us. So, whenever we cry, it is comforting to know that Jesus cries with us! He cries in order to tell us that He understands our human struggles; that He is deeply concerned about that which causes us the deepest pain!

Our Lord’s hands are not shortened to stop our tears yet He cries with us and allows us to cry with Him in order that we share in His suffering and burdens so that we can come to terms with our own pain and thru’ this suffering believe that He has kept count of each teardrop and will collect our tears and transform them into bouquets of blessings. He did that for Mary and Martha when He raised Lazarus from the dead! Psalm 56:8 tells us – “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in Your record?” Each time a pained or sore spot is touched or brought to the surface in our life, tears will surely flow from the heart into our eyes, if this area of pain has not been surrendered into Jesus’ hands for Him to deal with His grace, healing and forgiveness.

Even the most hardened heart and the heart of an atheist would have shed tears, if not in their adult lives then surely at birth when they came into this world. We can easily empathize with people who console us and understand our pain, yet when it comes to our Lord who created us and knows us better than our own self and anyone else in this whole world, we find it difficult to believe that this same God who became human can understand our pain and cry along with us.

After a baby is born into the world it starts crying, but is lovingly pacified by all those around – it’s own mother, doctors, nurses, loved ones etc. What about the babies who cry in the womb? Some of us have been rejected in our mother’s womb and may be crying from the pain of rejection or fear of death (for those who survived abortion attempts); Some of us may have been rejected in the womb when we were so tiny that even our eyes were not formed to cry while we were being rejected and traumatized in our mother’s wombs, which became our tombs even before we were born! Some of us could still be carrying these painful rejected feelings, pre-natal trauma right from the moment of our conception. All our uncried tears are stored within us and they just flow out whenever we feel rejected because a rejected child knows when he or she is rejected. But the Good News is that our Loving Father God knew us even before He created us and He was present while He was forming us in the womb – Read Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1:4. God our Creator cries every time a baby is aborted (murdered) in the womb! After attending Inner Healing retreats and understanding God our Father’s deep and personal love for me, I now choose to believe that my Abba Father was very close to me even in my mother’s womb, holding me as He saw the uncried tears in that little lump of flesh that was being rejected there and was crying to survive. He cried along with me even there in the womb just as He cries along with each suffering, rejected and aborted soul.

Tears are the universal language, which reveal a broken spirit – Psalm 51:17. Our tears are witnessed in Heaven – Job 16: 19,20. Tears always have an answer from Heaven! God always answers a tear-filled prayer! Men are known to withhold or suppress tears and few cry openly. On the other hand, women who are supposed to be the weaker ones cry easily. Tears are a gift to worship God! We know the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7: 36-50 who worshipped our Lord Jesus with her tears! She was crying because she knew who Jesus was; She knew His Holy and Godly character; she knew that Jesus would not take advantage of her like all the men in her life. Her security in life was only Jesus! So, she let down her honor by coming to the feet of Jesus, kissing them, bathing them with her tears and drying them with her hair! She was God-conscious, not self-conscious. She offered her tears as worship to Jesus! When you truly worship God with your tears, people around you will get upset and talk about you. Luke 7:39 tells us that the Pharisee not only condemned the woman, but also Jesus! But Jesus has the perfect answer to this, who read the mind and heart of the Pharisee and saw thru’ the tears and the heart of the woman who had displayed great love for God after being forgiven! Indeed, the one who is forgiven much is sensitive and compassionate and has greater capacity to love God and people!

                                        

Tears can also deceive and leave deep wounds. Don’t be fooled by the tears of people! In my own painful life experiences, I’ve seen real tears in the eyes of certain people whom I blindly trusted with all my heart only to learn few months later that they had been betraying me right from the start of the relationship! One of them even said these words to me “#@%%$ to your tears!” It was only thru’ the love, grace and strength of our Lord Jesus that I could forgive this person. Praise God, because our loving Jesus is not like these deceitful men who even insulted the painful tears that were cried! Jesus never disappoints, never deceives and never betrays us! All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In fact, it’s we who need to shed tears for betraying our Lord’s love and hurting Him by our sinfulness when we turn away from Him and when we wound others thru’ our words and actions. Yet, He is such a loving and merciful God who cries along with each of us sinners and wipes away our tears, all the while telling us ‘I hate your sin but I love You, My child’. We see examples of this unconditional love in the parable of the Prodigal son and Jesus’ love for His enemies even while He was being rejected and crucified on the Cross! While meditating on the subject of tears, I always remember an incident preached by a priest at Tabor Ashram – a man who was very sick had come to him for healing and father himself had been so moved to tears seeing the sad condition of this man that in his prayer to our Lord, he had pleaded for the man’s healing and thru’ the gift of word of knowledge, our Lord told this priest that the man was crying because of his current illness but if he cried even ‘one tear in repentance for his sins’, He would heal him! I’m sure we all remember that scene from the movie ‘The Passion of Christ’ how that one meaningful teardrop fell from Abba’s Father’s eyes when Jesus was crucified and breathed His last on the Cross and that teardrop shook the very foundations of the earth!

Tears serve as a sign that we are all human. When we are sad or broken or when people hurt us or rather when we feel hurt by people, our pain surfaces and gets released thru’ the shedding of tears. Have you noticed during an anointed and inspiring talk, the Holy Spirit touches our pained and sore spots and draws out the tears? This is the first sign that God’s Word is at work – Indeed the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart - Hebrews 4:12. Praise God for tears! Praise God for the people who caused you pain and brought tears in your eyes because He is the same God who will wipe away those very tears thru’ people whom He will bring into your life!

Brothers and sisters, are you shedding tears on account of your suffering and pain? Are you crying at the loss of a loved one? Does your heart bleed with tears as you remember the pain inflicted on you by others? Have you been the cause of someone else’s tears? Does it seem as if God is late in visiting you in your pain? When was the last time that you wept, remembering Jesus’ suffering and pain on the Cross? Do we shed tears when we see Jesus crucified in our place on account of our sins? We may think we are alone and no one sees our tears, but let us remember that God is keeping count of every teardrop from our eyes! God is NEVER late and it is NEVER late to turn to Him! His delays are not denials; He is crying along with you to strengthen you for your own good and for His greater glory. Just believe in Him and you will see His glory thru’ your tears and thru’ your pain!

I read the following on the Internet few years ago – which is so true! ‘It’s better to have wet eyes and a warm, loving heart than dry eyes and be dead inside. Those tears will clear our vision to see God’s Holy Spirit in each person we meet and will open our hearts to all the love that God wants to bless us with. Those tears will strengthen our soul so that we can bring joy, compassion and healing to all those around us. God gives us tears to ease our pain and express our joy! Use them both to make this world a better place!’

Prayer: Lord Jesus, through our tears, we come into contact with Your heart, in which are love and pain, sorrow and joy. Make us compassionate like You Lord, so that our tears will flow as blessings in every situation! Amen.

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

 

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! – Luke 11:13 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

The key word in the Bible verse above is ‘Ask’. The very act of ‘asking’ is a sign of trust and dependence on the giver! In our moments of need, we usually turn to those whom we know and trust to ask them for help! Similarly, when we come to God with our needs, we trust and believe that He will provide for those needs! In fact when our Lord taught us to pray ‘Give us this day our ‘daily’ bread,’ He didn’t say ‘monthly’ or ‘yearly’ bread because He wants us to come to Him in faith daily, asking Him for our needs. Yet, some of us ask and do not receive, or we ask and do not believe that we will receive and some just give up because they’ve been asking for years and they are still waiting to receive! Perhaps we do not receive because we are asking for wrong things that God in His wisdom will not grant us, because He knows what is best for us!

Asking is a sign of trust and dependence on the Giver

 

Our beginnings in life may have been bad, but it’s our end that will determine our final destiny. The very setback that you’ve experienced will become your greatest comeback! As human beings, we have many wants and needs to ask from God, but very few of us sincerely ask God for constructive and deep transformation – a change from a life of sin to an abundant life in Christ! How many of us wrestle with God for heavenly things? It’s better to wrestle with God for His blessings rather than contend with people!

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost; the birth of the Church. In preparation for this glorious day, novenas, rallies and even night vigils are being conducted in various places. The first ever night vigil that was recorded in the Bible was when Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night, asking for His blessings and did not let go until he had received from God – Genesis 32:22-32. Such stubborn persistent behavior from a man who was such a rascal, cheater and trickster – but even with all his colorful attributes, he was determined to wrestle with God all throughout the night! Such behavior from Jacob in our times, would be typically termed as a ‘spoiled brat raising a tantrum.’

Jacob was someone who liked to be in charge. He spent his whole life fighting with people and plotting against those around him. Jacob also struggled in life. And he experienced deceit from his own people. If we were in Jacob’s shoes, most of us would have given up and stopped wrestling with people and God as well! Yet, we know that Jacob did not leave God until He had blessed him. God also changed his name from Jacob to Israel. God asked him ‘his name’ because He wanted Jacob to come to terms with his own sinfulness – in other words acknowledgement of his own sinful self. That’s when God gave him a new name! God indeed blessed him after that night vigil! He blessed Jacob so that he could become a blessing for others!

Through the story of Jacob, we discover that God loves people with ‘spunk’ who are willing and determined to change because it’s through His grace that we go through a life-transforming process where He prunes, molds and re-shapes our personalities into that which He first created us.

Do we feel that life is really a struggle? Do we feel that we are fighting an uphill battle and the world around us seems set to keep us from succeeding? What do we do when we find ourselves in such a situation? Do we give up and stop struggling and let the forces around us decide our destiny? Or do we persevere and make attempts to overcome? Is the struggle worthwhile? Is it okay to wrestle with God? To better understand the answers to these questions let us read Luke 18. Jesus tells us of a woman, a widow, who kept pestering an unjust judge that she might receive justice. And because she does not give up; because she continues the good fight, the judge hears her and gives her what she asks. Through this parable, Jesus tells us that here is an example of a corrupt judge doing what is right because she continued to struggle with him. Sometimes, God actually does want us to struggle in certain situations. When that which, we are standing for is just and merciful, He wants us to stand up to everybody, even Him. Therefore, in the OT, we have Moses talking God out of destroying the people of Israel, reminding God of His mercy. And in Luke 18 we have the widow asking for justice. How much more will a just God do what is right if we are persistent in asking Him for the right things?

Life can seem tedious when we spend it fighting God. It becomes much easier once we give in and allow Him control. With God in charge we will discover that we don’t need to fight quite so hard for He will fight the battle for us. May we wrestle with Him to give us only that which truly matters – the Lord Himself, for without Him, we can do NOTHING and with Him ALL things are possible. Then, even in the midst of trials and suffering, His love, peace and joy will prevail and sustain us thru’ the power and anointing of His Holy Spirit.

At this feast of Pentecost, let us surrender our lives, families, ministries, nations and this entire human race into God’s hands, asking Him for a fresh anointing of His Holy Spirit upon all.



Come, Holy Spirit we need Thee!

 Life is not about how we started out but how far we persevere with a renewed heart and mind in Christ! True Spirit-filled renewal and revival will begin when each person yields to God’s Holy Spirit and His transforming love will then spread from heart to heart and soul to soul until they circle the entire world!

 Prayer: Abba Father, send forth Thy Holy Spirit and we shall be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love! You’re the Living Water, the never drying Fountain; Comforter and Counselor, take complete control and help us grow in the knowledge and love of God. Amen.

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

….be filled with the Spirit – Ephesians 5:18b (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

As we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ when He was lifted up to heaven, we look forward to His second coming. Yet, during this waiting period, our Lord has not left us alone. In fact, He gave us the promise of the Father; the Holy Spirit to be with us till the end of time! What God has promised, He is surely fulfilling and He will continue to fulfill this promise of pouring out His Spirit on all flesh!

‘Be filled’ is a command that God gives each of us. It’s a present continuous tense in the Greek language. It’s not an event, but a process to ‘keep on being filled’. When God says ‘be filled’, then we should be filled with the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the Holy Trinity. He is Love itself, proceeding from the Father and Son and uniting them in infinite and eternal love.



In order to drive a vehicle, the tank needs to be filled. We may also be using the most sophisticated cell phones but if it’s not charged, it’s of no use. We don’t fill our car tanks or charge our cell phones only once to use them daily, do we? Many of us are running on tanks filled in the past i.e baptized in the Spirit, but not abiding in Him daily, perhaps because we not know how to connect with Him or we do not have a relationship with Him.

We fellowship with people because of the relationship that we share. The Holy Spirit is a person, so we need to develop a relationship with Him by communicating with Him daily, through prayer, praise and worship.

It’s interesting to note that in the Scriptures, ‘Be filled with the Holy Spirit’ is always compared to that of a drunk person! Reference – Ephesians 5:18a; Luke 1:15; Acts 2: 4,13.

The in-filling of the Holy Spirit is always compared to wine! Let us see why? A man who is drunk is intoxicated. ALL his actions are controlled or influenced by alcohol. His speech changes, ordinary men become bold, some keep quiet, walk is unsteady, attitudes change. No one needs to know Rocket Science to detect a drunken person.

When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, his entire lifestyle undergoes changes because of the power and anointing of the Spirit. His speech and thoughts will change which are the first signs. In the OT - 1 Samuel 1:12-16 when Hannah was so moved with sorrow, the Holy Spirit was praying through her with tears and groaning. In the book of Acts chapter 2, we see the disciples filled with the Holy Spirit – Peter who was shy became bold and after hearing him preach, about 3000 people were cut to the heart and converted.

In Luke 1: 41 we read that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary’s greeting and the child in her womb leapt for joy because our Blessed Mother Mary was herself ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit, through whom she conceived and gave birth to our Lord Jesus!

What does the word ‘infilling’ of the Holy Spirit mean? Infilling is not ‘me having more of the Holy Spirit’, but rather it’s ‘the Holy Spirit having more of me’! In other words, the more we empty ourselves of ‘self’ i.e I, me, myself and receive and yield to the Holy Spirit, the more will He work in our lives!

A common hymn comes to mind here – May it become our prayer!

I’ve got something that the world can’t give and the world can’t take it (Holy Spirit) away.

I’ve got something that the world can’t give and it (Holy Spirit) keeps me night and day.

I’ve got something worth talking about; it (Holy Spirit) makes me sing and it (He) makes me shout.

I’ve got something that the world can’t give and the world can’t take it away.

More and more of Jesus, I want more of Him,

More and more of Jesus, than I ever had before,

More and more of His great Love (Holy Spirit), rich and full and free,

I want more of Jesus, so I’ll give Him more of me.

The key to effective prayer and communion with God is only through His Holy Spirit, who teaches us to pray! We can be ‘filled with God’s Holy Spirit’ as we sing psalms and hymns, spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord in our hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything! – Ephesians 5:18.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we prepare our hearts, minds and lives for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit at the feast of Pentecost, let us surrender ourselves completely into the hands of our Lord. Let us give Him access into every minute detail of our lives, to purify, sanctify and prepare our unworthy vessels to receive Him for He has created and purchased our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Beloved Lord Jesus, refresh and anoint us with the promise of our Father – the Holy Spirit. Let there be an outpouring and infilling of Love in the hearts of each person who is sincerely seeking and thirsting for You, Lord. Teach us to be holy as You are holy. Lead us and guide us through the power and anointing of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessings,
Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

Righteousness and Justice are the foundations of Your throne; Steadfast Love and Faithfulness go before You – Psalm 89:14 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

Everything is built on a FOUNDATION; kingdoms, nations, ministries, families, marriages, building structures, careers, jobs, businesses and even the very life that we live! Foundations are nothing but ‘principles’ or a ‘set of values’ that act as a base for us to grow. Our foundation will determine how successful we become and how far we will move on in life.

Building a good and solid foundation is necessary and takes time. Our real attitudes are displayed during testing times when our foundations are shaken. The trials and problems that come against us are the very things that will test our foundations! It’s the foundation that keeps a house where it should be. In the Gospel of Matthew verses 24-27, Jesus speaks about setting foundations based on ‘hearing’ His Word and ‘doing’ what He says, which simply means to abide in Him in obedience! – ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell – and great was its fall!’

3 types of tests will be used to test our foundations – rain, flood and wind, which are nothing but life experiences of trials, sufferings and persecutions. And God conducts these foundational tests to prepare and strengthen us for executing His plans through us. For example, in the OT, we read about Joseph who went from the pit to the prison and finally to the palace. Elisha, who was successor to Elijah’s prophetic ministry, served Elijah for many years as his humble servant.

In Acts 16: 25, 26 we read – ‘About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.”

Amazing! Just TWO people were praying and worshipping God in a prison, and the very FOUNDATIONS of that prison were shaken and ALL doors were opened and EVERYONE’s chains were unfastened!

What caused God to shake the foundations of the prison of Paul and Silas? I believe it was their complete trust and faith in God to get them out of there and also their prayer of agreement where the two of them agreed and believed that God would set them free. Paul and Silas certainly must have prayed according to Matthew 18:19, 20 and more significantly, they must have definitely interceded for all the other people (prisoners and jailer) around them in that prison, because we see God’s plan of salvation manifested in the life of the jailer and his entire family – Acts 16: 30 – 34.

Even God’s throne has a foundation – that of righteousness and justice! God always shakes and tests foundations. Throughout the generations, we have been witnessing the acts of God through worldwide events as He continues to shake the foundations of nations, kingdoms, religious cults, false ideologies and even individuals across the universe. In recent times, we’ve witnessed tsunamis and earthquakes across nations, the growing turmoil in the Middle East, the fall of immoral and corrupt leaders, the crackdown and toppling of terrorist leaders and groups.

In the Old Testament, we know that the walls of the city of Jericho fell because they did not have a Godly foundation! Anything that is not built on a Godly foundation will surely fall! JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE OUR ONLY FOUNDATION in life, not people or false values - 1 Corinthians 3: 10, 11 – ‘According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.’

Jesus Christ - our ONLY foundation!

JESUS CHRIST will continue to shake foundations until ‘His kingdom’ is established in the hearts and lives of all those who believe in Him, repent of their sins and accept Him as their only Lord and Savior. Hebrews 12: 26-29 speaks of God’s sure promise to shake earth and heaven – “At that time, His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, ‘Yet once more’ I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ This phrase ‘yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.” Jesus Christ’s first message of proclamation was - “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” – Matthew 4:17. “For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” – 1 Peter 4:17.

As we build our foundations in life, it’s also important NOT to destroy what God has built and NOT to re-build what God Himself has destroyed. Anyone who tries to build what God has destroyed and tries to destroy what God has built will be cursed. Why? Because His Word says so! Let us read Joshua 6:26 – ‘Cursed before the LORD be anyone who tries to build this city – this Jericho! At the cost of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest he shall set up its gates!’ In 1 Kings 16: 34, we read – ‘In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.’

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, are you in a prison? There is a famous quote – “We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking only to learn that it is God shaking them!” Is God shaking the foundations of your life, your family, your business, your marriage or ministry? Some of us, including our families may be in prisons of fear, pain and bondages, sickness and suffering, trials and frustrations for months, years and even generations. Some of us may have been placed in our prisons by others. Perhaps your home or marriage has become a prison. Some of us walk into self-made prisons due to our sins and addictions and become so accustomed to the environment there that we do not wish to get out or we could be struggling to come out of these prisons!

Do you want God to shake the foundations of your prison and set you free? Jesus Christ, the Living Word is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He tells us in John 8:31, 32 – “If you abide in My Word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.” The right attitude towards God and His people will enable us to shake the very foundations of any prison! To build Godly foundations in life, we need to practice love, forgiveness, truth and justice as Jesus Christ teaches us.

Therefore, let us set our hearts and minds on becoming Spirit-filled persons of prayer, praise and worship. Even the evil one tries to lay foundations and strongholds if we grant him access into our lives. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, but when the Word of God directs our lives and we abide in Jesus as our only foundation, he may shake us for a while but once he sees us firmly rooted in Christ, he will flee!

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for being my rock and stronghold. In the Name of Jesus Christ and through His Precious Blood that was shed for me, I uproot every evil foundation in my life and family. Beloved Lord Jesus, lay Your foundations in my life, so that I will be rooted and grounded in You. AMEN.

Blessings,
Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

It’s so easy to thank people and even God when life is good. But when problems arise and people persecute us, ‘thank-you’ is the last word that comes out of the heart. And yet, God’s Word commands us to give thanks in ‘EVERYTHING’, for this is His will for us!

“Everything”?? – But how can I thank God for those situations that seem hopeless, difficult and downright painful? How can I thank God for people who seem irritating and almost get on my nerves? How can I thank God for the death of my loved one? How can I thank God when I don’t ‘feel’ thankful?

We cannot let our feelings control our lives. God desires that we walk by faith and not by sight. The only prayer that pleases God the most is this – ‘praising’ and ‘thanking’ Him in the midst of the storms in our life! When we thank God in this manner, we acknowledge that He is God above all and in control even of life and death. When you thank God specifically for a particularly difficult situation or person, you are inviting God into that situation or person, trusting that He will do what is best, for He can do ALL things.

   

There are no co-incidences in life. God has destined every situation and every person connected to you right from the moment of your conception for just one purpose – to experience His presence and to teach us lessons in life! It is His perfect will and plan to have each of us communicate and fellowship with Him in order that our wrong attitudes are corrected and perfected by His transforming love. We take so many situations and people in our lives for granted and only begin to realize their true worth when we lose them. Choose to be thankful rather than grumble, because you will notice that your attitude will soon reflect as your way of life – in your thinking, in your speech and in the way you deal with situations and people. One sure way to check our attitude is to check our speech; whether oral or written. Few days ago I met a person who’s very religious and was on his way to a prayer meeting. He stopped by to speak and more than half of his conversation was grumbling about his wife! When we tend to look at situations and people as problems, life becomes difficult. But when we change our outlook and look at problems and people through God’s perspective, then life becomes a blessing! It’s like looking at a jar of sand – You can say it’s ‘half-filled’ or ‘half-empty’. I believe 99% of all relationship problems occur because of clash of ego’s and lack of healthy communication. When the lines of communication are closed at home, we take our problems and pour them out to well wishers (friends, advisors, counselors) who may listen, empathize and guide us but cannot solve the problem. Families must encourage daily prayer as ‘dialog’ between parents and children, husbands and wives, so that whenever a fight or argument in the home occurs, let the people involved begin by thanking God for it and what He wants to teach each person in that situation. Then with a humble heart, listen to the other person’s viewpoint as the two of you thrash out your differences or misunderstandings and see each other the way God intended.

When was the last time you thanked God for an argument or fight between you and your spouse, a friend or family member? Perhaps God allowed it to happen to reveal a side of this person that perhaps you’ve never seen before, not so much to condemn but to accept him or her and to teach you about your own imperfections; to correct and perfect them in an atmosphere of trust and love.

Ever wondered why healings and miracles always take place in an atmosphere of worship, praise and thanksgiving during prayer meetings? That’s because when we offer thanks and praise out of a pure heart, the anointing power of God just flows into our lives. God is enthroned on the praises of His people! As Catholics, it’s our belief that the Holy Eucharist is the highest form of thanksgiving prayer because Jesus Christ is truly present as the Living bread! The best place to offer our heart-felt thanks to God is at the Eucharist. However, our mighty omnipresent God is not limited to just a church or chapel, hence our thanks and praise should be a continuous flow not just from our lips but from the very depths of our being at all times and everywhere!

When you begin to thank God, your situations and people may remain unchanged, but ‘you’ will definitely change or rather your outlook and attitude in life will surely change as God transforms you with His love, peace and joy! In the scale of balance of your life, you’ll be surprised to see how much you are thankful for. Begin to thank God and start counting your blessings; you’ll automatically notice the list of positives increasing and the negatives decreasing!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, life is too short here on earth. Thankful people are happy people :) Let our attitude be that of gratitude! Begin today!

Spiritual Exercise: Practice the ‘attitude of gratitude’ by thanking God even for small trivial things in your life and watch how your heart and mind will be moved to thank Him constantly for EVERYTHING.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of life and Your many blessings. I thank You Lord, for my good days and bad days too, for both are necessary for my spiritual growth in this school of life. Transform my heart into an altar of Thanksgiving so that my constant prayer will be of praise and thanks dedicated to You. Amen.

- Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 43:1

Blessings,

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org

Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? - 1 Corinthians 15:54.b; 55 (NRSV)

Greetings in Jesus’ Most Holy Name!

The following article was written by me last year and today, I dedicate it to a dear brother in Christ who went to be with our beloved Lord yesterday after a painful battle with cancer. Yes, death indeed brings painful separation from loved ones here on earth, yet at the same time death re-unites us with our Creator. We know this for a fact because of God’s Word – ‘For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ – Romans 8:38, 39.

“Because of our Lord Jesus' triumph of death and sin on the Cross, we should be living victorious lives daily. Is the Light of Easter still burning brightly or has it dimmed with trials, sufferings, sickness & problems all around us?

And in the midst of all this, if God decides that today will be your last day here on earth, how would you live this day? What would be included in the list of things that you would prepare to do? Whom would you call or meet to say your goodbye's, sorry's, love you's etc.

In reality, very few get opportunities to take care of these things & people before their final moment, but more important than all these things, is the ''attitude of the heart.''

What is the attitude of your heart, today? Is it still attached to things & people of this world? God gives us families, friends, loved ones to share, care and love each other but yet why are we still searching for love that's so much more deeper and true? Because God Himself has created in each of our hearts a void that can only be filled by His presence & love; No duplicates or substitutes can ever fill this space!

Would you recognize Jesus Christ here on Earth? Will you recognize Him in Heaven? Because death inevitably brings us face-to-face with the One true God who alone has power over life and death. Even His disciples doubted & failed to recognize Him after His resurrection. Only the ones who knew His voice & words, who sat at His feet daily & spent time in His presence recognized that it is the Lord.

When we place Jesus first in our lives & love Him, He reciprocates this love by revealing Himself to us in different ways. His ways and thoughts are always higher than ours. He is always true to His words in ways we cannot perceive.

Even thru' her tears, Mary Magdalene bent down to look inside the tomb – Refer to John 20:11. When we are broken-hearted & afflicted, even thru' our tears, we must humble ourselves and look with expectant faith towards our Lord.

When we feel lost and sad, even though we may receive divine inspirations and comforting messages from people, our hearts will still search for our beloved Lord - Even though Mary Magdalene may have been comforted or further confused with the angel's words at the tomb, she answers them but still turns around to look for Jesus as her heart was still searching for Him. She would only believe until she saw Him with her own eyes & touched Him – Reference: John 20:12-18

In today's times, we too need evidence and tangible proof in order to believe. Yet our Lord tells us that we are blessed because we believe even though we haven't seen Him yet - John 20:29. True Faith is recognizing God in action in our day-to-day lives as we place all our trust in Him and in His promises to us.

All our cries & broken feelings only tell us one thing - that our hearts are still longing & searching for Someone, that Someone who alone can wipe away our tears, soothe & comfort our hurts and pain; one who can understand us like no one else does. Only Jesus can do all this for us!

At the tomb, Jesus called Mary by her name – John 20:16. Why did He call her by name? Because in doing so, there was an intimacy and familiarity between them. We call people by their names only when we know them closely. And Jesus knew the heart of Mary just as He knows each of us.

God tells us that He already ''knows'' us even before we were born – Jeremiah 1:5. Do you ''know'' Him or do you ''know about'' Him?

When Mary heard her name thru' Jesus' lips, only then did she recognize Him. Truly His words are sweet promises to us - ''My sheep know Me and recognize My voice,'' and ''I have called You by name. You are Mine.''

When we recognize our Lord and His voice, we must cling to Him, but cling in such a way so as to take Him along with us to others who are still searching to recognize Him. We cannot keep Jesus to ourselves once we recognize His working in our day-to-day lives.

Did Mary go alone to tell the other disciples about the risen Lord? No! Surely, our Lord was with her, in her heart, because He has promised that He will never leave us and is always with us. That is why Mary ran with joy to tell the others the good news of her risen Lord! And this is what we too are called to do as devoted disciples of Jesus.

Since we are destined to spend eternity in the loving presence of God our Father, Jesus our brother & the Holy Spirit, we must spend maximum time daily in getting to know and love Him intimately. He loved us first, a love soo deep that He died on the Cross to prove His love for you and me!

My Beloved Jesus, like the lyrics in the song, “If tomorrow never comes” for me - Will You know how much I really love You, Lord? Did I try in every way to show You every day, that You are my only One.

And when my time on earth is through, and I will face You in Heaven, will the love I received from You and shared with others be enough to last?

'Cause I know Lord, You have lost loved ones here on earth, who do not know how much You love them. Some live with the regret, that their true feelings for You & others never were revealed.

So I make a promise to myself, to say each day how much You really mean to me, and avoid every circumstance, where there's no second chance to tell You how I feel. I love You, Lord. Amen.”

Spiritual Exercise: During your personal prayer, be still and allow the Lord to fill you with His presence and His love. Then, tell him how much you really love Him. And believe in your heart that NOTHING can separate you from the love of Christ, not even death!

In union of prayers,

God bless you!

Monisha Rebello

You may submit your prayer requests, which will be treated with absolute confidence. Remember to glorify our Lord as soon as He blesses you. You can email your testimonies with permission to publish them online at www.heavensmission.witnesstoday.org