November Month Thanks giving Fellowship - Telugu Christian ...

“Reaching the unreached, worshiping the LORD and passing on Telugu Christian culture and traditions to the next generations”
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November Month
Thanks giving Fellowship
_______________________
SATURDAY
November 19th, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
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Message By
Bro. Raj Nadella
Venue:
Community Church of Santa Clara
3536 Monroe Street,
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Dear TCF Family,
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. During our October Month Fellowship meeting, we had a
meaningful and blessed time; the word was brought by Pastor. Wilson Koppula who edified and explained us how to live a spirit
filled life. Bro.Raj Nadella will bring God’s word at our November month’s fellowship meeting. Bro. Bhogi Santha Rao will share his
testimony. Dr. Raj Nadella is an Assistant Professor of Religion at Adrian College in Michigan.
Dr. Raj Nadella is hails from Challapalli, near Vijayawada; Raj Nadella lived in the US for the last several years. After completing his
M.Div. at United Theological College in Bangalore he came to the US to get a Master's degree in Biblical Languages at Graduate
Theological in Berkeley and later a Ph.D. in New Testament and early Christianity at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He
taught at the College of William & Mary for several years and is currently teaching at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.
He is the author of a book (Dialogue Not Dogma: Many Voices in the Gospel of Luke) and is currently working on a second book. He
has also authored several scholarly papers and articles. He lives in Chicago with his wife Amy and two-year old daughter Divya.
Page 1of 3 Address: 1464 Mallard Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087-3615 November 2011 ● Volume 1, Issue 1 ● TCF ● (408) 250 05112 (267)324-8892
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Driven Vs. Called
One of my managers at work would always remind our team – “All the busyness, noise, meetings, talks are all ok, he understands them – but if we
don’t execute and get things done on a daily basis we are just busy we are not effective. You guys need to pause and do retrospective” I’ve been
carrying his words with me. More on it later.
Let me ask a general question I ask my friends/co-workers – How is life? And the answer is … “Fine but very Busy”. If your answer is otherwise,
praise God. We’ve become bondage to the busyness. Busy raising families, working hard to excel at work and even at Church.
Christians Too Busy For God
Does the busyness of my life get in the way of developing my relationship with God? This was the question of a survey conducted couple of years
ago. The data was collected from over 20,000 Christians ages 15 – 88, worldwide. About 6 in 10 Christians say that it's "often" or "always" true that
"the busyness of life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God."
If busyness is affecting our relationship with God, I wonder how it affects our relationship with others. Busyness is affecting two Greatest
Commandments that Jesus gave to his followers: Matthew 22:37-39.
Disciples asked Jesus “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We sometime spend so much time on things that we don’t want to do, rather than on things we want to do. Pretty much every one I know is
struggling with this. The epidemic of busyness is unilateral these days.
As Paul wrote in Romans 7:15 “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”
Old Testament example of Solomon
Let’s look at the life of King Solomon. He was the wisest and wealthiest man ever lived. The glimpse of his splendor can be read in, 1 King 10: 14-29.
Ecclesiastes 2 talks about all the projects he undertook. If we stretch our imagination a bit, it can be concluded that he might be the busiest man of
his time. He might have no time for God or People. He would not have responded to peoples voicemails or e-mails (may be twitter)
He might be so driven. Especially towards his younger years.
Why he wanted to do that? In Ecclesiastes 2:3 King Solomon reasons “I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the
few days of their lives”. One thing we need to appreciate about King Solomon, he knew that the days of our life are few. He seemed to be a realist.
Later he concludes in verse Ecclesiastes 2:11, “Nothing was gained under the Sun”. After all his undertakings it’s interesting that he concludes
“Nothing was gained”. Note that he is reflecting on his experience during the latter part of his life. He concludes in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “… here is the
conclusion of the matter: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this are the duty of all mankind”
Does Solomon’s story suggest that we should not be driven?
Does Solomon’s experience suggest that we should not pursue anything in this life because we all know that “Nothing can be gained under the Sun”
(In Solomon’s words).
Does it mean Mediocrity, Complacency or Laziness? Does it mean not being ambitious or put to rest the idea to excel in the areas of our
responsibility?
The answer is absolutely NOT. Problem is when we fall in love or cherish treasures on the things that God says are going to be temporal.
Bible is very clear about excellence but with right intentions, Paul in Colossians 3:23-24 writes “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you
are serving.”
Point is whatever we do; we should do it with conscious awareness of Christ’s presence in our life. Our best effort is given because there is never a
circumstance where the one we follow is not with us. The motive of perusing him should drive us to excel or do better things, than to do things simply
to impress men.
Our hearts should guide our hand. As an act of Worship anything we do should be done to give our best. The principle is simple that transmutes
secular into spiritual. Everything we do should be brought under the dominion of God.
We can either please him or impress people. We can either Minister or Manipulate. This principal applies everywhere including our dealings with
family, work or church, at work places. The work of our hands should always be pleasing to him.
As Psalmist said in Psalm 90:17 “Establish the work of our hands”.
As A.W. Tozer said in “The Pursuit of God” It’s not perfection, but Holy intention that is pleasing to God”
It’s not easy in this competitive and ever demanding world, but we need to practice consciousness and continuous awareness to “Please him”.
Reality Check
Coming back to my Managers suggestion, and applying to our spiritual lives, “All the busyness, rush, drive, ambitions are fine, it is very
understandable, but are we achieving the things that God calls us to be on a daily basis, are we faithful and seeking things with a constant awareness
of his presence?” If not may be its time to pause and take a stock. Are we walking in Power of his Spirit that can make it possible to do things that is
pleasing to him? If not maybe it’s time for some retrospective.
Real key spiritual battles are fought on daily mundane things, in small decisions that we make daily. Lack of faithfulness in the little things will lead to
lack of faithfulness in big things. It’s really about little experiences not about big, mountain top experiences.
Are we Ambitious OR Obedient?
Are we consumed by our needs OR Committed to God and needs of others?
Is our busyness valuing products over people?
Are we Driven or Called?
References:
1. Ordering Your Private World – Gordon McDonald.
2. The Pursuit Of God – A.W. Tozer. By: Jay Chitrapu, Jay Lives with his family in Folsom, CA
Page 2 of 3 Address:1464 Mallard Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087-3615 November 2011 ● Volume 1, Issue 1 ● TCF ● (408) 250 05112 (267) 324-8892

Bro. Bhogi
Santha Rao will share his
testimony during our Thanks
giving fellowship meeting on
November 19 th .
P L E A S E C O M E
J O I N U S
&
B E B L E S S E D .
www.teluguchristianfellowship.org
November 2011:
Inspiring Messages.
Testimonies
Special Songs
Children’s classes
Worship Time
Fellowship Time
Telugu Classes
Youth Programs
Fellowship
Dinner!!!
PLEASE COME AND BRING ALONG YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES.
Prayer Focus:
1. November
Month
Fellowship
2. TCF families,
friends
3. Missionaries
and ACM
4. Families &
Friends
salvation
5. Employment and
Personal Needs
6. Safe deliveries
7. Sick and
Suffering
8. Pastors and
Evangelists
TCF Prayer Call
Please join for prayer
on December 6th,
Tuesday
8:00 – 9:00p.m
Please dial-in :
Phone No: 218-339-4600,
Pass code: 735933#
Page 3 of 3 Address:1464 Mallard Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087-3615 November 2011 ● Volume 1, Issue 1 ● TCF ● (408) 250 05112 (267) 324-8892