Christmas-My childhood Memories

 “There is nothing sadder in the world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” Erma Bombeck.

I grew up in a neighborhood where Christians were in the minority. Yet Christmas brought so much joy not only to us Christians but also to those who lived around us. 

Christmas preparation started early in October at our home, when my mother along with my two older sisters and I went shopping downtown for clothing and cake ingredients. Exchanging gifts at Christmas time was not a custom for us then. However, wearing pretty new clothes to church on Christmas morning, making the traditional Christmas fruit cake, and having a feast-like Christmas lunch with family and neighbors were part of the celebration.

The dark and moist fruit cake my mom made at Christmas was called Rich Cake, because almost all the ingredients that went into the cake were imported from either Britain or Australia and that surely cost a lot of money. Along with 25 freshly laid eggs collected from our chicken coup, large amounts of  imported raisins, currants, cherries, strawberry jam, butter and vanilla went into making this cake. At that time, we didn't have a cake mixer to beat the batter, or a food processor to chop the large amount of dried fruits or even an oven to bake the cake. Yet that didn't stop my mom from making the cake.

Along with my two older sisters, she spent long hours chopping the fruits and soaking them for days in brandy and golden syrup and beating the cake batter in a huge enamel basin with a wooden spoon. She then poured the batter into large baking trays and sent them to the bakery to be baked a month ahead.  Once the cake was brought back from the bakery, no one was allowed to see, touch or taste the cake until the Christmas morning. It was stored securely in barrel-like steel containers away from ants and the family’s sight. As a child, I wasn’t fond of the fruit cake, and so it didn’t bother me much. My favorite was my mom's fluffy raisin and cashew nut cake.

We didn't have Christmas lights blinking on our rooftops or a decorated Christmas tree in our living room. Instead red, yellow and green loops of crepe paper hung across our front porch and living room with clusters of huge colorful balloons pinned at every corner.  From the middle of December, Christmas carolers from our home church as well as from neighboring churches would start marching down our lane with candle lights in one hand and tambourines in the other, making a joyful sound to wake up any dozing soul. Yet, no neighbors complained nor did they throw a stone to show any displeasure. Love and respect for each other gave no ground to feud  over petty things.

On Christmas morning, we would wake up to the sound of firecrackers blasting in our backyard and far across our streets. My ears, in the mean time  would be perked up to hear another kind of sound, the jingling of keys on my father’s almirah (free standing cabinet) in the next room, and for my father's voice calling my name. No sooner did I hear that, I’d jump out of bed and run towards Dad’s room wondering what toy Dad would be holding in his hand this time. As always Dad would  be waiting with a huge smile and a gift in his hand-a beautiful doll in a box, or a winding toy-like monkey beating a drum or a shaggy dog barking , a toy train or a tea cup set . He would also present me with a beautiful taffeta or a frilly lace dress to wear to church that morning.  Since my sisters were old enough then to sew their own clothes, he got mine made at the seamstress' shop in downtown where he worked.

Until we returned from church on Christmas morning, we were not allowed to eat anything. But when we returned, we would find all kinds of Christmas goodies and cakes laid out neatly on plates on the table with bunches of a variety of plantains. Soon, Kaakka, an old Muslim man, who worked at  my father’s office would walk in to help my mom prepare the Christmas lunch. Kaakka resembled the genie poofed out of Aladdin’s lamp, and his broad toothless smile and gentle manners charmed anyone who came  across him.  In no time, he’d get ready to prepare his famous ghee rice and goat curry in two huge barrel like containers over open hearth under at our backyard The aroma of cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and other spices in the curry and rice wafting in the air would soon bring the neighbors around to celebrate the Christmas meal with us. Invitation was not needed for anyone to drop in, and whoever came never left without eating on that day.

Apart from the neighbors, those who usually worked at our yard fixing fences, plucking coconuts from the trees and chopping firewood would also come with their children  to eat and take some food back home. Because of the caste system that prevailed, they didn't sit with us at the table to enjoy the Christmas meal. Instead, they sat under the mango tree at our backyard and ate on huge banana leaves. 

As a child, I couldn't understand why they were not invited indoors or eat with us, but I never questioned.  Probably, my parents feared that if they invited the workers to sit with us and eat, our neighbors, mostly Hindus, would object and would leave without eating. Looking back today, such things look stupid and outrageous. But at that time, no one questioned and no one wanted do anything about it. But I was happy to handout candies, balloons and firecrackers to the children at the end of the meal, while my parents presented  new clothing and money to their parents.

 I may have born in a Buddhist country and grew up in a Hindu neighborhood, but the joy of  Christmas experienced during my childhood was extraordinary.  I didn't have the pleasure of  walking down lighted streets or sitting on Santa's lap to take a photo or have a pile of wrapped up gifts under the Christmas tree, but I had everything what Christmas is all about- love, laughter and sharing.

Pain Could be a Blessing in Disguise

 It was one of those October afternoons in Madurai, South India in 1970’s when the sun was burning bright and wind was nowhere to be seen to blow on the Neem branches to make them sway and wave. Meanwhile, inside the building which was marked “Chemistry Lab,” on the outside door, fifteen women in their late teens with lab coats worn over colorful cotton saris were busy doing experiments at the bench stations or scurrying up and down the room with test tube or a beaker in hand to get the necessary reagent for their experiments. I was one among those final year chemistry major students in the room on that day.

Because our professor Miss.Rhine was away that afternoon, we were at ease to smile and exchange some funnies whenever possible. Always watching the clock on the wall and the supervising TAs walking around the room, we tried to some fun amidst tiring work and pungent smell of chemical fumes coming out of our experiments. Being on our feet and doing experiments all day long had been hard enough, but managing the time to finish the task in hand was a challenge to most of us in the room. Especially, to someone like me, who was slow and a perfectionist.  Time seemed to be running fast , and  It was then I realized I was running short of a reagent.

Quickly grabbing a small measuring jar off the rack, I hurried to the shelf on which stood strong acids and corrosive liquids. Scanning through the printed labels on the brown bottles across the shelf, I quickly spotted Phenol, the reagent I needed for my experiment.  The bottle being full, felt heavy when I took it off the shelf.  In my haste, I overlooked the nature of the liquid and tried to pour it into the narrow mouthed - cylinder from a rather heavy bottle. Result- the corrosive liquid quickly overflowed the cylinder and ran down my left arm within seconds.  At first, it felt like cold smoothy running down my arm; but, within seconds its coolness turned into vengeance and started to scorch my hand with intense pain. I felt as if my whole arm was set on fire and I was about to faint.

Quickly, the cry of those nearby alerted our lecturer and the TA to rush to my side and apply first aid. After my injured arm lavishly powdered down with baking soda like substance, I was rushed to a nearby hospital in a taxi with our college nurse. At the hospital, the wait was long and my pain became intense. Because my case was not life-threatening, the staff at the hospital let me wait till they attended to more serious ones. After sitting an hour or so on the hard wooden bench in the emergency room, I was finally called in to be seen by the doctor. The doctor quickly me a tetanus shot in the other arm and applied my left forearm from elbow to the wrist with a dark purple ointment. Painted in purple, my arm would have looked perfect to wave on a parade, but the scorching pain made me to whimper and groan instead.

Back in my room an hour later, I blurted out in a loud cry.  Far away from home, I longed for my mother’s touch and her gentle strokes on my back at such a time. I also longed for the company of my brothers and sisters, who would have tried to make me laugh and forget my pain by their humor and comical gesture at a time like this. On any other afternoon, especially,  after standing long hours in the laboratory, the gentle breeze coming through my wide open windows on the upper floor would have lulled me to sleep. But, not that afternoon. Utterly feeling alone and homesick, I cried out to the Lord in self-pity.

“ Lord, I’m in terrible pain. My whole arm is burning as if it’s set on fire. Why don’t you do something Lord? Please make the pain go away soon.”  I tried to remind Him of His promises and expected Him to make my pain go away at once.  No miracle took place. The pain remained intense and unbearable.

Then something strange happened. Suddenly my attention turned to the suffering of Jesus Himself on the cross. I began to see the pain He underwent on the cross, with huge iron nails piercing through his palms and feet, and a crown of thorns poking His head all around. What an agony, Jesus must have gone through at that time. In comparison, the pain in my arm was like a pin prick. If the Lord could endure such pain patiently for my sake, what am I wailing about? Why am I making a big fuss over a little pain in the arm. How much more Jesus should have complained of the terrible pain He underwent for you and me? To my surprise, the more I thought about it, the lesser I became aware of the pain in my arm.  In fact, the moment I took my eyes off myself and focused on Jesus, I felt my pain sliding away. Within minutes, the scorching pain left me without a trace.

Truly I couldn’t even believe it at first. But it did happen. The pain that was tormenting me all this time simply vanished. When I shared this experience with someone years later, she thought it might the injection the doctor gave me. I was told the shot the doctor gave me was a tetanus shot and not something for pain.  Even if the doctor had given me a pain killer shot, I doubt whether it would have brought me instant healing like this. We could call it a coincidence, medical intervention or a miracle. I would call it a miracle, for I had never experienced such an instant healing like that ever before or after.

 Yes, God has the power to heal us when we cry to Him in our need. But, His methods differ from time to time. Sometimes He does it miraculously; sometimes through medication and other times through changing our focus, hearts and circumstances.  God has His unique way of answering our prayers.

I also saw this incident as a blessing in disguise. Many in my resident hall, including my juniors, to whom I haven’t even uttered a “hello!” before, came to my aid when I needed to use my injured hand. Because I needed to keep that arm from getting wet to prevent any inflammation, I could only use my right arm. In our college at that time, we didn’t have the luxury of dishwasher or taps in our dining room or kitchen. We had to wash our own plates and tumblers by pumping water from the ground by hand.

So, when the girls in my hall found out about my injury, they offered their hands to help me wash my plate, carry my books, comb my hair, dress up in my sari, and making me comfortable in every way. Not only God enabled my pain to go away, He also opened my eyes to see the love and care of my fellow colleagues-Christians as well as Hindus.

This incident taught me a great lesson which I’ll never forget. When our eyes are on Jesus, our mindset seems to change. When our focus is on others’ needs than on our very own, our problem  seems to matter less.  What a better way to overcome pain and strife?***

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone in the US
Family and friends have flown back home
Mom's chinaware washed, dried and putaway
until the next Thanksgiving celebration at our place
A week had already gone, yet the leftover
turkey and pickled beets and greens are still finding
their way into our lunches somehow these days.
Tempting are still the wrapped up pumpkin cheesecake
and sweet potatoe pies in the fridge
yet, the weight showed on the scale this week
does want to make us to run
to run away from the fridge,
and to run and run around the block non-stop.

Yes, it's great to have Thanksgiving Day every year
And to be with the family and feast to your fill
We do remember to thank God for all His blessings
for the family and friends,good health and jobs we do have.
Now that the Thanksgiving Day is over and the house is gettign back to normal
Do we forget to thank the Lord for our day to day blessings?

No, not at all.
To be alive and to be fed, clothed and sheltered in a safe environment
are something we can never taken for granted
How many who went to sleep last night failed to see this day, we cannot count
The house we live in, the job we do and the love of the family we have are not guaranteed for life
Disasters come, accidents occur, hurricanes and tsunamis shake and sweep away lives without notice
So, what we have now at hand is something we need to be thankful for whether they're big or small
Each day is God given gift and each of us need to be thankful that we are alive and loved and cared.
Let us not wait for another Thanksgiving Day to thank and celebrate
Instead, like the psalmist in the Bible, let us sing and thank the Lord as below.

" It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and sing praises to Your name , O Most High,
To declare Your loving kindness in the mornings
And Your faithfulness every night!" Psalm 92:1

The Book of Revelation-The scroll and the Lamb (Rev:Chapter 5)

In the old testament, we read that an unblemished animal- a lamb, a ram or young bull is offered as a sin offering for the sins of a person or the nation. When the animal is killed, the anointed priest would dip his fingers in the blood of the animal and would sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil of the sanctuary at the temple in Jerusalem.

In the New Testament, in John 1: 29, we read that John the Baptist points to Jesus at the Jordan river and telling, " Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

In 1Peter 1:19, apostle Peter writes, " But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Yes, the precious blood of Christ is shed to redeem the mankind from sin and to reconcile the redeemed with God Almighty, who is holy and righteous. Jesus' last words on the cross was, " It is finished." Yes, no more sacrifice of animal as sin offering is needed at the temple or anywhere. Christ has done it once for all mankind. That is the Good News we are called cherish and share.

Now getting back to our study on the Book of Revelation, we come across a slain Lamb in the 5th chapter of the book. In this chapter,  John sees a scroll in the right hand of the One who sat on the throne sealed with seven seals. And John hears a mighty angel telling in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" At this sounding, John started to weep for he saw no one in heaven nor on earth nor under the earth was worthy enough to break the seals on the scroll or even to look inside it.

Luckily, he was soon comforted by one of the elders saying, " Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Who is this Lion of Judah? Who is the Root of David? Who else, other than Jesus of Nazareth was called the Son of David or King of the Jews? Yes, it was none other than Jesus Christ, we Christians follow. He is the One, who triumphed over sin was worthy to break the seals of the scroll in heaven.

John then sees a slain Lamb standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four creatures and elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which the scripture interprets as seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. When the Lamb took the scroll from the One who sat on the throne, John sees the four creatures mentioned in the previous chapters as well as the twenty four elders seated on the throne, fall down before the Lamb.

Wow! What a scene! How great and praise worthy the Lamb must have been to receive such a reverent bow. That wasn't all. They began to sing too. Each of them had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang,

" You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
" You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God
and they will reign on the earth."

Then, John heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousands times ten thousands. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain
to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
" To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!
The four living creatures said, " Amen," and the elders fell down and worshipped. (Rev 5:9-13)

To your benefit and mine, I've tried to post whatever I've studied and gleaned from the first five chapters of the Book of Revelation. By doing so I've tried to spike an interest in you to further delve into the book on your own or with the help of a good Bible commentary or with the support of a Bible study group.

The entire Bible from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation is truly God's revelation of His redemption plan for mankind. God, the Alpha and Omega who is a creator of heaven on earth gifted us with a beautiful world to live in. But by man's choice of disobedience, sin entered the world and suffering and death followed. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we could read about the fall of man. God could have easily given up on the rebellious mankind, but His unconditional love made Him to come up with a redemption plan to bring back the strayed away mankind back to Him.

The Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible could be considered as the final revelation of God's plan of judgement and what is yet to come. That doesn't mean God has completely  stopped revealing His plan to us. No, not at all.  He continues to reveal His love and plan to us, individually and cooperatively through out our lives as long as we keep our eyes focused on Him and our ears attuned to His voice.

I pray that my posting on the first five chapters of the book has been helpful for you to look upon God with absolute reverence and gratitude. I'd very much appreciate if you could be kind enough to leave a comment at the end of your reading. Just a word-thanks, would be sufficient to know that someone has read the post. 

Book of Revelation: Letters to the Churches- contd.( Rev:chapter.3)

Well, in my earler posting, I wrote about what Apostle John was commissioned in his vision to write to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira, which were in Turkey at that time. In this posting, we are going to learn what Christ asked John to write to the churches in Sardis, Philadelphia and Laudicea. Though all these churches were in existence at that time, what is said to them is applicable to the body of churches even in this twenty-first century. How? Because we do display some of strength and weakness these churches had both as the body of the churches as well as individually. That's why it's crucial we need to give great attention to what the Spirit of God is saying to these churches that we too could repent and retreat to our first love of loving the Lord with our soul, heart and mind and become the true followers of Christ Jesus.

To the Church in Sardis, Christ introduces Himself as the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Even though the church is seemed to be alive and reputed in people's eyes, Christ seems to find them fully dead spiritually. His call to them, " Wake Up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die. Remember, what you've received and heard. Obey it and repent!" That's a strong command.
Warnig: If they don't wake up, they'll face God's judgement earlier than they expected. They were told that He'll come as a thief in an unexpected time.
Rewards Promised: To those who had remained alive and faithful( a few among them,) they'll be worthy to walk with the Lord dressed in white.(white reflects righteous and untarnished.) And their names will never be blotted out from the Book of life. The Lord will acknowledge them before His Father and His angels.

Question? How do I see myself spiritually- super spiritual and judgemental, lukewarm or dead?
                 How do others view me outwardly? Active and serving widely in ministies or passive and serving quietly whenever needed.
                How does God see me inwardly? Dead/ alive?
               Whose view should matter the most to me? God's, mine or others?
               Can I count myself among the few whose name will never be blotted out of the Book of life?
              If not, what should I do to be alive and be worthy to be dressed in white and walk with the Lord? Confess, repent ,rejoice and be faithful to the Lord. Simple, but important steps to take. If the journey becomes tough and challenging, you can always rely on the Lord's strength to keep you alive and keep you moving forward.

To the Church of Philadelphia, Christ introduces Himself as the One who is holy and true and who holds the key of David.
Although the Lord sees the church having little strength, He commends them for being obedient to His word , not denying His name and for their endurance during hard times. They were asked to hold onto their faith so that no one could take away their crowns.
Rewards Promised: They will be kept away from the hour of oncoming trial that's going to come.   upon the whole earth. To those who overcomes, he'll be made a  pillar in the temple of God and the Lord will write on him the name of God, the name of the city of God-the new Jerusalem and also His new name.
Question: Would I be found faithful and obedient to the Lord as this church?
                 Have I ever denied the Lord to avoid skeptism, scrutiny or humiliation?
                 Have I ever grieved the Lord knowingly by my choices and actions?
                If so, how do I rectify my faults? Simple- Go before the One who is of unconditional love and uncountable forgiving capability. Bathe His feet with your tears and surrender your weakness and wrongs and ask His guidance and strength for your journey ahead.

To the Church of Laodicea, Christ introduces Himself as Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
The Lord finds them lukewarm in their devotion. He could have preferred them to be either hot or cold and not to be in between. Such lukewarm condition of the church makes it so distasteful to the Lord that He says that He wants to spit it out of His mouth. Being boastful of its wealth, the church has become overblown in its thinking and complacent in its attitude towards God. However, In God's eyes, they look wretched, poor, blind and naked. What a sad situation to be in, inspite of their wealtlh and status in the world.
Yet, God refuses to give up on them. He wants to refine and heal them and make them walk righteously dressed in white with Him. His voice is heard as echoeing as below:
" Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me."  Rev 3:20

Rewards Promised: To him who overcomes, the Lord will give the right to sit with Him on His throne just as He overcame and sat down with His Father on His throne. What a glorious sitting that could be and what an amazing blessing in store for us, if we are to overcome and stand firm till our last breath!
Question:  How does my spiritual barometer read?-Cold, hot or luke warm? If my passion for Christ has dwindled with time, I need to wake up and rekindle it with spending more time in His presence and less time in being busy with things that are eternally not worthy.

Instead of being a Christian for namesake and attending church for ritual sake, I need to be a true witness for Christ spreading His love and grace wherever I am. To attain such a faith walk, I need to seek God's guidance and strength on a daily basis. Instead of being happy and satisfied with having a ticket to heaven, we need to first learn to live the life on earth with gratitude and God's prospective without giving into complains and grumblings.

Christ has promised us peace and joy amidst any calamity in life and such an abundant life can be attained only when we have an intimate relationship with the Lord. I pray that you and I develop such a devotion and obedience towards  the Lord that we get to sit beside Him on the throne one day in heaven as He had promised in this chapter.

Book of Revelation- Letters to the churches (Rev. chapter:2)

In the past two weeks, I tried to share what I learned at our Bible study on the first chapter of the Book of Revelation. This week, we delved into the 2nd and 3rd chapter of the book, where Apostle John, who was commissioned to write what He saw in a vision, was clearly directed to what to write in a letter to each of the seven churches in Turkey.

Even though, John was asked to write to those practically existing churches in Turkey at that time, it could well apply to churches at large throughout the age, including the ones in our time and within our communities.

It was Christ, who introduced Himself to John in the vision as "I am the First and the Last" commissioned John to write these letters. Interestingly, in the salution of each letter, Christ introduce Himself by a different name. Written to the attention of the leader of the church, each letter has the components of salution, commendation and /or cendemnation, exhortation and the promise of rewards to those who overcome.

To the church of Ephesus, Christ introduces Himself as the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walk among the seven golden lampstands. He commends the church for its hard work, perseverence, resisting sin, discerning false prophets among the believers and enduring patiently without quitting on its faith. Yet, there was one flaw- a big one, maybe a giant one in the Lords eyes for He says, "Yet, I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first." Ooops! That's a mega one.

We would have stood in awe before such a church which was working hard, growing larger, living with no scandals, outsteading trouble makers and false teachers and persevering in good faith. We would have ranked them top in the chart. But the Lord's eyes which could see through the depth of the hearts found them error in one vital thing. They had lost their initial passion for the Lord in a big way. In their busyness of working hard to build up the church, they have slided in their devotion. Such a decline in devotion wasn't a small matter in Christ's mind. The rest of the good deeds put together couldn't suffice this missing part.  Even though the church had been functional and doing great to onlookers eyes, it had become somewhat robotic spiritually.

Warning given-If the church doesn't repent, it will be rooted out from its place.

Reward promised: To him, who overcomes, the right to eat from the Tree of Life in the paradise  of God.

Question: Have I slided back in my love towards God?
                Have I become too busy working and serving the Lord that I've no time to spend time  with
                Him alone?
               Time to think, confess and get back to the Lord with love and devotion. Toiling for God without much devotion towards Him bring no joy to Him or to me.

To the church of Smyrna, Christ introduces Himself as the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
He commends them for being rich spiritually despite their poverty and affliction in the world.
He warns them of the persecution they're going to face for His sake for a short time, but He encourages them to be strong and not be fearful even to the point of death.

Reward promised: Crown of life; They wouldn't be hurt by the second death.

Question: Am I spiritually rich as the church of Smyrna, which was well pleasing to Christ's eyes.
                Is the church I attend helps me to become spiritually rich in their teaching and in  fellowship?
               Am I willing to be faithful unto my last breath or would I give into fear of opposition, humiliation or persecution and give up on my faith?
              Do I consider the blessing of being Christ's follower slightly and for granted or am I so thankful and grateful for that?

To the Church of Pergamum, Christ introduces Himself as the One who has the sharp, double -edged sword.
He commends them for being faithful and true to His name inspite of living in an ungodly place where Satan and his ways have become norm and accepted. The church found favor in tth sight of the Lord, for not renouncing their faith inspite of seeing  strong witness like Antipas being putting to death in their city.

Warning: Yet, there were some who profess to be Christ followers in the church, but who hold onto the teaching of some who tolerates sexual immorality and idol worship practices. Such pollution in the church was grievous to the Lord. Unless they repent, they would be fought with the truth of the Word and put to shame.

Reward promised: To him who overcometh, hidden manna  and a white stone with a new name would be given. Only the one who receives the stone will know the name written on the stone.

Question:  Am I in anyway polluting or compromising the truth of God?
                 Am I following the world's or  Christ's way?
                Do my action speak louder than my words to convey that I'm a follower of Christ?
                Do I become judgemental and look down on everyone who don't agree with me or do I act in love as Jesus did?

To the church in  Thyatira, Christ introduces Himself as the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and feet are like burnished bronze in the vision.
Commendation: The church is commended for its deeds, love, faith, service and perseverence. Also, they were commended for doing more than what they did at first.

Warning: Yet, there was something Christ wasn't pleased with- the tolerance towards a prophetess who misleads His servants by her teaching. Her acts to inco-operate sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols into the church were abnoxious in God's sight. Time was given for repentence. If not, she as well as her future generation will undergo terrible suffering.
To those who do not give into the prophetess' teaching, they were told to hold onto the truth till He comes.

Rewards Promised:  To him who overcomes, he'll be given autority over the nations. He will be given the morning star-The Light.

Question: Am I giving into false teaching or easily swayed by the teaching of so many on television and airways, who call themselves Christian leaders, but their lives and motives are far away from Christ's?
Do I know the scripture enough to discern what is true and what is false?
Do I seek God's guidance for discernment?
Do I pray for my church and the churches in general so that they'll be protected from the lies and misleading of the evil one?
Or am the one quick  to point my fingers in judgement rather than leaving the judgement to God and praying for clarity and the backslided ?
                                       (Contd. with the next 3 churches in my next posting.)

The Book of Revelation- Session Two (Rev 1:9-20)

Last week, in the study of Revelation, I wrote about what I learned in  Revelation 1;1-8 and in the first video session of Beth Moore's teaching on this book. This time, those of us who are doing the Bible study are instructed to learn in the SOS step manner in  order to learn deeper and apply meaningfully in our personal life.
S ---What does the scripture say?
O--- Is there anything the scripture requires for me to obey ?
S----How can I share this truth with others?

Reading: Revelation 1: 9-20
What does the scripture say?
 Apostle John who writes this book is in the island of Patmos as an exile for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people. On the Lord's Day ( probably a Sunday or a Sabbath Day)  while he was worshipping God in prayer and praises, he heard a voice sounding like a trumpet behind him and telling him to write on a scroll whatever he sees and send it to the seven churches in Turkey at that time. The voice named the churches clearly as Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
John turns around to see who was speaking to him.

What did he see?
He saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands, was someone like the Son of Man( Jesus) standing among them, dressed in a robe flowing down to His feet and with a golden band around His chest (in a priestly attire).His hair white as wool and snow( symbolizing wisdom) and His eyes blazing like fire (symbolizing His judgement of all evil.)  His feet shone like glowing bronze and His voice sounded like rushing waters. In His hand, He held seven stars and in His mouth , He had a sharp double edged sword (representing the power of His words.)  His face shone like a brightly shining sun.

John fell like a dead man at the Lord's feet. But the Lord gently tapped him with His right hand and said, " Don't be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And  I hold the keys of death and Hades.

The Lord asked John to write what he has seen then and what will take place later. He explained to John that the seven golden stars that He held in His right hand represented seven angels (or leaders) of the seven churches and the seven lampstands represents the seven churches to whom John was asked to send what he wrote.

Is there anything in these scriptures, I'm required to obey?

We find John worshipping God in spirit when he heard the trumpet like voice behind him. It wasn't a cooperate worship. John was alone worshipping God in private. Worshipping God with fellow believers is good and essential. But worshipping God in private, when no one is around and looking is vital. It is the key to a strong faith walk. Do I commit myself to have the private audience with God daily? If not, I need to set aside unneccessary schedules and commitments and have daily time with God for prayer and worship.

When I do, I'll be able to hear the Lord's small voice telling me what to do or not to do. Rarely would I hear an audible voice or see a vision like John. But I could hear the Lord speaking to me through His Word (the Bible.)
The number seven (7) represents complete and perfection.
We read that the Son of Man ( Jesus) standing among  seven golden lampstands and holding seven stars in His right hand. The lampstands represents churches and stars represents the angels of the churches.

What do I learn here?

I learn that Christ loves each of these churches and cares enough to make John to write and send His message to them. He wants the churches to be complete in perfection. He holds the angels/leaders of the churches accountable for that.
How do I obey? Because the churches are close to God's heart, I've to work for the betterment of them by praying for them, loving the fellow believers Christlike and serving wherever and whenever my help is needed. Like these churches mentioned in Revelation, no church is perfect. Instead of giving into badmouthing, judging and making division in the church, I need to leave the judgement part to the Lord.

What would I share?

I'd share the importance of  praise and worship in our  time with the Lord.
I'd share that John couldn't behold the glorous face of Christ  when he turned around to see. It wasn't the face of Jesus of Nazereth, his Master with whom he walked, talked and ate for three years in Galilee. His voice didn't sound the same as before. Unworthy to stand before the glorious risen Christ, the Alpha and Omega, John fell like a dead man at His feet.

Likewise, we too might have a different view of Christ in our mental picture. For some of us, He's more of a friend in need, a deliveror from trouble, a guide for heaven and comfort. Most of us picture Him with a smiling face, dressed in a white robe and having  blond hair and blue eyes. No one could blame us for that's the image of Jesus we've seen  on pictures hanging on the walls, on Sunday school take aways, church buildings, books and movies ever since our childhood.

And, now in this chapter, we come to view another picture of Him. Here, instead of seeing Him as Jesus-the Son of Man, we come to see Him as Christ-the Son of God in His glory. Dressed in a robe  with a golden band across His chest representing a High Priest, having the hair white like wool and snow displaying His wisdom, and His fire like blazing eyes symbolizing judgement of all evil and the sharp double edged sword in His mouth symbolizing the power and authority of His words.

Could you and I ever stand erect and behold such a majestic vision of Christ? For sure I cannot. In my unworthiness to stand before Him, I too will fall flat on my tears bathed face and lay dead like John, if not for the grace and gentle whisper of His loving voice. How often we tend to forget who truly Christ is-the Lord of lords and King of kings, and see Him only as the world around us potray Him. But when we seek Him with our whole heart and abide in Him according to His words, He is going to reveal more and more of Himself to us. It may not be through a vision as in the case of John, but in some other ways He sees best to reveal in  a personal way. During such revelation, we may hear the nudge of the Holy Spirit directing us what to do.
Let us too behold the Lord in reverence and obey Him as John did two thousand years ago.

Christ's second coming- What does the Scripture say?

What did Christ say about the timing of His return to earth?

" No one Knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mathew 24:36.)
" You also must be ready, because the Son Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him."-(Luke 12:40.)

"Now, brothers, about the time and dates we do not need to write to you, 'for you know very well  that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman..."
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (Mathew 24:42)

What did Christ warn us about His return?
"Then if anyone says to you, " Look, here is the Christ! or, " Look, He is there!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So, be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time."( Mark13:21-23)

So, how will Christ appear?

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. " Men of Galilee," they said," why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

" For as the lightening that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
' At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the sky with power and glory." (Mathew 24:27, 30.)

" Look, He is coming with the clouds,
   and every eye will see Him,
  Even those who pierced Him
 and all the people  of the earth will mourn because of Him.
So, shall it be! Amen.( Revelation 1:7)

" For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we, who are still alive  and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

What else will happen at that time?

" Immediately after the tribulation of those days
 The sun will be darkened
  and the moon will not give its light
 the stars will fall from the sky
 and the heavenly bodies will be shaken  (Mathew 24:29)

Two thousand years have gone by since it was written in the scriptures, " the end is near..." " Yes, I am coming soon." Revelation 22:20. The early disciples of Christ believed that Christ's coming will occur during their life time. But it didn't happen. Generations have gone by without witnessing it happening. So how can we be sure it would happen in our time or in the future?

Jesus said," Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Mathew 24: 35.)

Apostle Peter warned in 2 Peter 3:18, " First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, " Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."

" But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; earth and everything is it will be laid bare." (2 Peter 3 :8-10)

" Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." ( Revelation 22: 12)

Amen. Come , Lord Jesus.***

The Book of Revelation- The Unveiling of Christ, the King of glory

Like many, I've avoided reading the Book of Revelation in the Bible thinking that I wouldn't ever understand what's written there even if I try my best to grasp it . So, why bother I thought and had put it off for a long time. I'm not someone who likes to rely on Bible commentary for interpretation, although I admit that there are some great Bible commentaries to help us understand the Bible better.

So, when our Women's Bible Study coordinator announced that we'll be doing the Book of Revelation this Fall I was exited, especially when I learned that we're going to follow Beth Moore's video session series for the study.  Like me, 80-100  women too had got excited to sign up for this study to learn what's said so unique and mysterious manner in signs and  symbols in this last book of the Bible.

As  Beth Moore points out in her study book- " no scholar, commentary , denomination, preacher or teacher can plausibly claim to have all the answers and ultimate interpretation for this fascinating finish of scripture,"it's futile to expect a full  understanding of everything written in the book.  "As long as God is glorified and His Word held sacred and inspired, having our views challenged can be a very healthy thing," Beth Moore writes and further adds, " An ardent desire to know God through the study of Scripture mixed with a humble spirit concocts the best kind of student. " I pray that I become such a Bible student with a humble heart, and develop an ardent passion for God as Beth Moore does.

Yesterday was our first video session lesson and I've given below what I've learned so that by writing it not only I help myself to remember better, but also hope that those who read this post will be motivated to study the Book of Revelation and helped to come to know Christ as God wants Him to be known to His followers through this book.

The author of this book: John the Apostle, who wrote the Book of John and the epistles John 1 and 2 in the Bible.

Place, where it was written:  Island of Patmos( off the coast of Asia) where John had been exiled by the Roman authorities.
Date written: About 95 AD

Setting: Christians were tortured, persecuted and burnt on stakes during the Roman emperor Nero's rule. After Nero's death, Domitian became the emperor of Rome. Although he didn't persecute the Christians as Nero did physically, he did bring psychological torment to the believers. It is said that Domitian was one of the three emperors of Rome who demanded the worship of him by his Roman subjects. Because Christians and Jews refused to bow before anyone but their God, they were mocked, ill treated and looked down as low and uneducated.

Theme: Unveiling of the true vision of Christ.

Purpose: To reveal the full identity of Christ to his believers and to warn the seven churches in Turkey at that time as well as to the believers at large in years to come to keep up their hope and faith to the end and to declare what is to take place at the end of the time.

The purpose of the writing the book is clearly given in the first eight verses in the first chapter of the book. It is given direct and simple that anyone could understand. You don't need a commentary to understand at least to know its purpose. Help may be needed to understand the following passages and later chapters because they deal with a lot of symbols that cannot be easily understood.

In Revelation 1:1-2 reads as follows:
"revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place. He made it know by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw-that is , the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ."

It goes on to say in verse 3-" Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

See, it's not that hard to understand that. God wanted to reveal His son as the King of glory to His believers. Understanding His father's heart, Jesus summons His angel ( name not given, but must be a special one to be Christ's chosen angel) to go to His beloved disciple John in Patmos and reveal to him in a vision what God intends to reveal to the churches.

So, what did John do when he was given such a vision.?  As a faithful servant, he records everything he saw and heard from the angel.

More importantly it is said that whoever reads out or hears this prophecy( the events predicted to occur in the future) and believe it in his heart is said to be blessed by God. In those days, not many were educated enough to read or write. So, its either the priest or the scribe who reads out the scripture for the people in the assembly. That's why the one who reads as well as the one who hears and believes are considered to be blessed according to this scripture.

Don't we all want to be blessed by believing what is said to be about our Christ our Saviour, who loved us enough to shed His precious blood to cleanse us from our sins so that we could have an unhindered relationship with God the Father, the Alpha and Omega, the creator of the universe and freed us from all bondage to make us live a contented and fulfilling life?

Christ didn't die so that we could have a prosperous life as some false Christian preachers teach. Christ wanted us to become alive in spirit and enjoy a fulfilling life even amidst troubles and having less to own.  Christ alone is sufficient to have the joy and abundance He talked about. Such a loving Lord, who walked on earth two thousand years ago along the sea of Galilee  is going to return to earth in a breathtaking way, not as as the one with blond hair and blue eyes in a white robe as we mentally picture Him, but as the King of kings in His full glory surrounded by angels with trumpets in an unknown and unexpected time. Except the Father, no one, even Christ doesn't know the exact time of His coming. Never for a second believe if anyone predict a date or the year of His coming. If anyone predicts, he's nothing but a false prophet.

"The time is near, " it says in verse 3.  How near, we don't know. Only the Father knows. Even John may have thought it might happen while he was alive.. But it didn't happen. 2000 years have gone by since then and not many in this day and age believe that to happen. And those of us, who believe in His second coming are being scoffed and scorned by the learned and unbelievers in this modern age.

What does Revelation 1: 7-8 say?

"Look, He is coming with the clouds
 and every eye will see Him.
even those who pierced Him
and all the people on earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be ! Amen.

" I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, " who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
The Sovereign God has spoken, and it is up to us whether we want to believe what it says or not. I choose to believe it and be blessed by it, even if I'm looked down and scoffed at by others. What about you?
God reveals Himself to us in so many ways. Though He at times speaks to His people through visions, dreams and scriptures, He does reveals Himself t us through daily occurrence in life we usually overlook. nature, people, trouble, disasters are some venues through which He chooses to get our attention and reveal Himself to us .

As an assignment for this week, Beth Moore has asked us to write down whatever we sense God's revelation to us in a personal way. To do that , I need to have my eyes, ears and heart wide open to detect God's movement and voice in my sphere. Yes, I need to keep my spiritual antenna up to view my God (yours  too) in action. Isn't that exciting? Aren't we so blessed to get a glimpse of the all loving God in our day to day routine. That's what is called faith walk. It  comes with prayer, humility and surrender. Prosperity and self-recognition need to take the back seat if we need to see what God want us to see. Come on board my friend! Do not delay. Precious is our Lord and precious is His blood that was shed for you and me..

Hope to continue on this Book next week after my next Bible study on Thursday evening.

An unforgettable Sunday Morning Experience

Last Sunday, when my husband and I, along with our daughter went to church earlier than our usual time, we found to our surprise all the  seats, we usually sit at the front were already taken up. Pastor Bob was out of town this Sunday too, and the youth pastor for Junior church was expected to give the message on this morning. Although we were happy to see the sanctuary almost full to the last row, losing our usual seats at the front made us to sigh and walk out the door and sit on the leather couch in the foyer.
The seating felt comfy and two flat TV screens on either side of the front desk in the foyer made it very convenient to sit back and watch what was happening on the stage inside.

On the screen, instead of our worship leader Steve thumping his guitar and singing aloud in a rock star fashion, a young woman named Stephanie was at the  keyboard, leading the worship in a slow and  solemn song with great devotion. Slowly the irritation of not getting seats inside began to leave, and we began to join in the the worship.

However, the traffic of late comers rushing into the sanctuary and kids walking out with their moms to go to the bathroom or to get a donut kept our focus sidetracked most of the time. After a while, the interruptions subsided, and soon it became quiet and conducive to listen to the pastor's sermon. Because it was the first Sunday of the month, communion table was neatly laid out at the front and the pastor was talking on the significance of the bread and the wine we are going to take short while.

I haven't heard this youth pastor preach before, but I must say, I really liked what I heard that morning. At the beginning, he made a teenage girl  from his youth group to share her testimony at the recent youth camp, and then he backed it up with the emphasis on God's grace and the importance of remembering His grace while we take part in communion. I found that enlightening,because it's easy for us to take the communion so lightly and do it as a Christian ritual. Rather than approaching it with gratitude for God's grace and remembering Christ's death on the cross for our salvation, we fail to  remember the reason for taking Eucharist.

In Luke22;17-20, we read Jesus offering bread to His disciples at the last supper and telling them" This is my body which is given for you;do this in remembrance of Me." Later, He offers the cup of wine to them and saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." I was glad that the youth pastor brought to light the significance of taking the communion and to caution us to not to intake it as any other bread or wine.

As we were keenly watching the screen and taking in what the pastor was preaching that morning,  an odd squeaking sound started coming from outside.  It sounded as though someone was playing with a squeaky toy just outside the foyer's door. I got annoyed thinking some bored teens must be keeping them entertained by making such odd noises. The "holier than you" in me hates any kind of disturbance while I'm listening to the sermon.  I expect people to give reverence to the place.and to give respect to those who want to worship in a quiet place. It annoys me to see people walking casually into the sanctuary with cup of coffee in hand, dressed in shorts and sit cross legged.

After all it's God's house and don't we show some reverence to the place of worship? Probably, because  I was born and raised in the Eastern hemisphere,and was used to enter worship places barefooted and in silence out of reverence, I carry this view. But to my sadness, in the West, especially in the evangelical circle, my opinion doesn't go well. Church is a place of fellowship more than a center for worship, I was told when I confronted a pastor once on this matter.

As long as people get a chance to hear the message, it doesn't matter how they come or sit in the church, I was made to understand. Maybe they're are right and I'm so old fashioned. But, on the other hand, if we see in the view of David, who sang " Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord forever." Psalm 93:5, and " Oh worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness" 1 Chronicles 16: 29, I wonder how many would agree with me today,  but surely David would, I presume.

So, when my time of worship was disturbed by the squeaking sound last Sunday I was naturally annoyed to the brim. But soon my annoyance turned into joyfulness when the source of the squeaky sound walked in through the door with wobbly legs. It was none other than a sweet little toddler with squeaking soles and twinkling lights on her shoes. Her light spring jacket thrown over shoulders, the little girl with  a  chubby face and short black hair walked in with her mom trailing behind. Caring less of the disturbance she was causing in the foyer, the little angel kept walking around and noting everything around with keen interest. It was truly an awesome moment to watch the precious little Asian toddler walking around like an angel from heaven, and lighting up the place. T

he squeaky sound which annoyed me a little earlier became a joyful beat to my ears now. Soon, she was gone, squeaking her heels and toddling behind her mom. But we, who were seated in the foyer couldn't get her squeaky feet out of our minds for a long time.

Aren't we all thankful for the little children,brown, black, yellow or white , who make the world so beautiful with their lovable faces, laughter, and innocent approach to life? It doesn't surprise me why our Lord loved them so dearly, and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Mathew 19:14.

Yes, last Sunday morning I was blessed to learn the significance of taking in the communion bread and wine with gratitude, and to have the joy of listening to the squeaky steps of an adorable toddler.
I must say it was one of a kind of Sunday service experience for me.

The Radiant Face of Faith

                                  
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8:35

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding.”Proverbs 3:5

“My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have thanked Thee for my roses, but not once for my thorn. Teach me the value of my thorn,” prayed the blind Scottish preacher George Matheson.

“If I had not lost my sight, I could never have written all the hymns God gave me” said Fanny Crosby, who wrote some of the best loved hymns of all time, including ‘Blessed Assurance’, ‘Blessed Redeemer’ and ‘To God Be the Glory!’

From the depth of a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “No matter how deep our darkness is. He is deeper still.”

Who would have ever imagined for a poor cobbler like William Carey, with no formal education in theology, to take the gospel to India and get the Bible translated into forty different Indian languages?
Being poorly funded and unable to speak the native language, Carey and his family ended up living in a house amidst matted jungle swarmed with snakes and tigers. Disease in the new land caused his kids Ann, Lucy and Peter (all under age five) to die, and their loss plunged his wife into depression and to insanity.

Years later, when fire devoured his years of translation work in the printing press, Carey responded with tears brimming his eyes, “ How unsearchable are the ways of the Lord!...The Lord has laid me low that I may look more simply to Him.”

In such scenario, I would have pulled out my hair to baldness and drowned myself in the well of self-pity. But, Carey, amazed by God’s unique ways, wrote to his son William, “All our hopes must depend on the power and faithfulness of God. All His promises were made with a full intention that they should be fulfilled , and it’s our duty to live by faith, and to walk by faith.”

More than anything, what awed me the most was what Carey told the Scottish missionary Alexander Duff, on his death bed, when Duff went to visit him., “ Mr. Duff, you have been speaking about Dr.Carey….Dr.Carey …Dr.Carey. When I’m gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey—speak about Dr. Carey’s Savior.”

Today, in our success and recognition craving culture, I wonder how many of us would honestly radiate such humility and unshakable faith. Don’t we all want to stand in ovation before these giants of faith?

What was their secret? What made them so strong that neither hunger nor hardship nor blindness could separate them from God?

If we could read through their lives, we’d find a common link running underneath. They all had a kingdom perspective. Their eyes were focused on God, and not on their circumstances. They were aware of problems and roadblocks in their path, because Christ had already warned them about it.

“In this world, you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16: 33b
They sought God for who He is, and not for what they could get from Him. They must have valued their quiet and quality time with God, more than the quantity time they spent in the name of service. Because they delighted in the Lord, whatever they did became a worship unto God.

Experiences have taught me to focus on the One, who answers prayers, rather than on the answers alone. It doesn’t matter whether my requests are granted, delayed or denied, my prime purpose of praying should be to know the heart of God and to dwell in His presence in utter adoration.

In Oswald Chambers’ words, “We are not here to prove that God answers prayer, but to be living trophies of God’s grace.”***

It's July 4th, today

It is July 4th today
The day of celebration in America
When flags of Stripes and Stars are hoisted high
And parades and parties sweeping around
to commemorate the great day of freedom.

Freedom to speak out with no fear
And freedom to worship with no restrains
And freedom to express your thoughts into
art,speeches and written words
should never be taken for granted
Nor be ever misused for selfish gain.

To be alive and to be free to make choices
And to live within borders in peace
Are God given privileges
Freedom does come with a heavy price
And it need to be cherished and guarded
with heartfelt humility and gratitude.

I pray that the trumpet of Freedom be heard
from all the corners of earth
So that the young and old of all color, race and faith
will walk with no fear or bondage
Let the names of those who stood up for peace
Justice and freedom be remembered
And let us all work for a better world
where love, truth and justice rule!

Yet, I will Rejoice in the Lord!

The following two scripture passages are favorites of mine, because they portray what steadfast faith really looks like. As long as we live under the sun and within the tent of skin called body,we cannot escape anxiety, doubts or despair, when disappointment, failure, and loss come our way.

It is in such times, these scriptures come alive and speak to me what true faith looks like. If I say, I trust in the Lord, then I need to truly trust Him irrespective of the circumstances. For me to do that, I need to be firmly rooted like the tree planted by the river Prophet Jeremiah speaks of, or be like the farmer Habakkuk writes about.

In Jeremiah 17:7-8. the prophet beautifully puts it in the following way.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose hope is the Lord.
For he shall be like a tree
planted by the waters
Which spreads out its roots by the river
And will not fear when heat comes
But its leaf will be green
And will not be anxious in the year of drought
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.


Prophet Habakkuk, who might stand smaller and considered minor in comparison to prophet Jeremiah, goes even higher to illustrate a man of steadfast faith as follows:

Though the fig tree may not blossom
Nor fruit be on the vines
Though the labor of the olive may fail
And the fields yield no food
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold
And there be no herd in the stalls-
Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18


In the Message version, Eugene H Peterson paints the above scenerio in our
day an age setting for easy understanding.

Though the cherry trees don't blossom
and the strawberries don't ripen
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty
I'm singing joyful praise to God
I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.

Can you imagine yourself in the shoes of the farmer who had lost all his crops, sheep, and cattle, yet chooses to not to give into despair, but to rejoice in the Lord instead.

How awesome could that be such faith in God's eyes! Everything you've hoped and worked for to flourish have vanished like an illusion. Yet, the farmer seems unaffected by the turmoil. How? Because that man puts his trust in the Lord and not on the things he possessed.

Jeremiah calls the man blessed, because his hope in not what he has or what he gets in the future; His hope is the Lord. So, when he faces adversity or financial dryness, instead of panicking and wasting his time in worry, he looks up to God with hope. Because he had experienced God's faithfulness in the past, he had learned to face the future with confidence.

What a testimony would it be, when we, who claim to have faith in God display such faith in times of loss and turmoils. I pray that we stand worthy to be called such men and women of faith Jeremiah and Habakkuk write about in their books.***

Father's Day

It's Father's Day today, the day set apart to honor Fathers all around the country. It's the day fathers receive all kinds of gifts from their children varying from "I love You, Daddy!"mug or teddy bear from a preschooler to gaudy colored tie with sparkling beads from a preteen to a handyman tool from a bell boy son to a paid up vacation from a CEO at pharmaceutical company.

I remember a hillarious episode in the Crosby Show on Father's Day, where Crosby brings out of storage a boxful of Father's Day gifts he had received and one by one pulls out in front of his children. By now the children had grown up to be young adults and when they look at the gaudy silk tie with sparkling beads, the belt with twinkling lights, the flowery cap with a protruding antenna Crosby put on to display, their eyes pop up with unbelief. None of the gifts look useful to their father at any age, but they were given with love and with the allowance they could afford to buy. The father knows it and that's why he has cherished every one of it without casting them away.

That's what the Father's day is all about. It's not the gift you give the father values, but the love with which it is given. Even a word like "I love you Dad!" over the phone or a tender touch of the son or daughter on sick bed would melt even a hardhearted man.

I grew up in a country where no Father's or Mother's Day were celebrated. Because of that I had no chance of writing a Father's Day card or giving my dad a gift on such a special day honoring him. In fact, I never had a chance to give my father a wrapped gift at any time. I was barely eighteen, when my dad passed away so suddenly of heart attack.Unlike here, children never got allowance or worked outside home to earn some money to call their own.

Lack of gift giving didn't mean lack of love, and the parents as well as the children knew that well. Parents expected love, respect and obedience from their children. And the children looked for love, responsiblity, and security from their parents. I didn't grow up telling " I love you Dad" or "I love you Mom" as my children do here. Neither did my mom or dad spelled it out in words that they loved me. I didn't wait to hear from them either, for their care and action spoke much louder than any spoken words.

I was blessed to have a noble, compassionate and a very responsible man as my father, whom I called Pappa. I never grew up hugging, playing or joking with my father as my children do with my husband. It wasn't norm in the culture I grew up at that time. Out of respect, I spoke with my father only when I needed to. I loved him dearly and I'm always so proud to be his daughter. The day he died, I felt as if my world collapsed. I couldn't accept his death for almost an year. I never told him "I love you Pappa!" or gave him a Father's Day gift, but my father knew it well I loved him very much.

On this Father's Day, I like to thank my Heavenly Father who has blessed me with so many good things. I want to thank Him for giving me the best father and giving my children a great dad. The best gifts I can give my Heavenly Father are my obedience, reverence and love. He values my time spent with Him and the talents He had given to be put to good use. Although, I wasn't accustomed to say "I love you" to my earthyly father, I've grown to say "I love You," to my Heavenly Father almost daily.
"Happy Father's Day!" to all those who are blessed be to be dads. Take the blessing seriously and responsibly and you'd never regret it. Your children will thank and remember you forever for the love, discipline, provision and protection, you've given them to have a secured life.

The Hiding Place

If not for the old lady, who lived next door, my uncle and aunt wouldn't have been sitting in a church hall that evening. As usual they would gone to a cinema theatre to watch a movie on that Saturday evening. A revival meeting would have been the last place anyone would have expected to see them. Though uncle grew up in a church going family, and attended church to please his family in his early years, he showed no interest in church or God once he became an adult.

Now, in his forties, he had everything he had dreamed of- a steady job, a beautiful and devoted wife, five children and a house beside the sandy beach. He was floating high and enjoying life with no desire or time for God. It's at this time, his neighbor started inviting him and aunt to accompany her to church. Every time, uncle had some excuse to give the old lady and shoo her away. But then a four-day revival meeting started to happen in the city, close to their place and their good neighbor pleaded with uncle and aunt to join her at least for these meetings. Because my uncle and aunt loved this kind lady, they agreed to go with her this time with one condition. Never again, she should bother them with such request.The old lady agreed, and so they went.

The preacher's message that evening on the " Fall of Adam" greatly touched my aunt's heart. In silence, she asked God to open my uncle's ears too to hear the message as she did. To her surprise, she noticed my uncle keenly listening to the preacher as he read Genesis :3 from an old King James Bible. During the sermon, when the preacher suddenly raised his voice and called out, " Adam...Adam, where are you?" something strange began to happen. My uncle, who was seated in the middle row in the hall, heard those words very different from what the others heard. In his ears, the preacher's words sounded as if God was calling out to him -" Abraham...Abraham where are you?"

The first thought that popped up in his head was Am I hiding from God like Adam? Where am I hiding? What would I tell Him if He asks me?
A chill ran down his spine. The calling sounded so real and convicting, he realized how "far gone" he was from God. Like Adam caught in the spotlight of God, my uncle too searched for a place to hide. Finding neither bushes to hide nor Eve to blame on he bowed his head and started to sob like a child.

On that night, when the preacher gave the altar call, my uncle scurried down the aisle along with my aunt and surrendered his life to Christ. From that day onwards, he spoke of nothing, but the love of Christ to whoever came across his path. It didn't take long for him to decide to give up his high paying job to become a lay preacher and a radio evangelist for the Back to the Bible ministry in South East Asia.

Even in his dying moments, he demonstrated how much he loved the Lord. At the hospital, where he was laying in bed one afternoon, the patient on the next bed offered him a newspaper to read. But my uncle politely refused the offer, by telling him that he was too excited to meet his Lord that he had no time to read the newspaper. With that, he closed his eyes for the last time and went to be with the Lord at age 62, after a brief illness.

After his death, when his radio ministry was about to be discontinued, my aunt courageously stepped forward to carry on the ministry. " It's the Lord, who pushed me to do that," she always proclaimed. Truly she demonstrated what Philippians 4:13 says-"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Otherwise, how could a shy, stay-at -home like her with no college education or proper training could carry out a radio ministry, as well as become the managing editor of a Back to the Bible publication?

A few years back, she passed away at the age of 95 with the satisfaction of serving her Lord to her fullest. I don't know how many thousands of lives, my uncle and aunt would have impacted by their ministry. It all happened because some good neighbor took them to a gospel meeting to hear God's message. Even my life was touched by their love for Christ.

As a child, I looked forward to uncle Abraham's visits. In fact, he was the first born-again Christian I ever met. During his visits, I enjoyed listening to the Bible stories and waking up in the mornings to the clanging of his tambourine and songs of praises. His love for Jesus sparkled through his eyes and bubbled through his words that I couldn't help, but fall in love with Jesus at a very young age.

In my teen years, he anchored my faith by sending me gospel tracts and books of godly men like Sadhu Sundar Singh, D.L.Moody, Billy Graham and others. You wouldn't be reading this blog, if not for my uncle, who brought me to Christ. My uncle and aunt wouldn't have had a ministry to share the love of Christ, if their neighbor hadn't persisted in inviting them to attend the revival meeting. Otherwise, who knows we too might have found a hiding place to get away from God.

Some of us may hide behind the wall of wealth, power, pleasure and even good works to avoid anything to do with God. But God love us too much to ignore us. He keeps on calling our names. Sometimes, He devises storms and hardships to get our attention and to make us come out of our hiding places. The longer we stay in the hiding place, greater will be our regret in our later years We are better off to choose God as our Hiding Place than to find a hiding place to get away from a loving God.***

He Knows.

I was in no mood to smile or laugh at my husband's joke when I got up from my bed this morning. Something was bothering me and I couldn't fathom what it was. Thinking that prayer and praise would uplift my spirit, I dragged myself to the place in our living room where I usually do my morning devotion. I didn't feel like kneeling down to pray or opening the Bible to read. So, I took out my devotional Prayer, Praises &Promises that was atop my Bible and flipped it open to a page randomly in the hope of finding something to cheer me up.

And, there before my eyes blinked the title He Knows in big bold letters. And the reading for the day was taken out from my favorite psalm 37. Because I just flipped open the book to a random page, the date on the devotional didn't correspond to the day I read it. But the scripture verses and the message looked as if it were perfectly chosen for me at that very moment.

Yes, He knows. That's for sure, I thought as I read through the passage. It didn't take too long for me to realize what was bothering me this morning. Only yesterday I had been watching the recorded program of Suze Orman's rules for financial wellness and her advice on how to  avoid financial pitfalls in today's economy crisis.

When I clicked the remote button off, and got up from my couch I had the satisfaction of having learned something on money matters. Little did I realize at that time how learning about investments and stacking for retirement would trigger my anxiety about our financial uncertainties on the unconscious level. Worry must have crept in while I was asleep,causing me to wake up this morning suliking.

Years back, I had been more of a worrier than a warrior.  Naturally when your better-half decide to give up a dependable salaried position and become an entrepreneur, when you're a stay at home mom taking care of two young kids, worry become your constant companion. 'What if's' question kept me awake at nights.

Thankfully, the faithfulness of loving God in those trying years made me to rely on God more and to fear less of the 'What if's?' Because fear and faith cannot co-exist, I opted to not to give into worry unnecessarily. It is never easy to give up on something you're accustomed to, but with prayer and practice, even worry could be overcomed. That doesn't guarantee a worry free life. It only means that I wasn't a chronic worrier I used to be. Bouts of worry shows up from time to time and this morning was one of such morning, I suppose.

However, I couldn't put my finger on it to say what was worrying me at that time. But He knew. Yes, God who knew me in my mother's womb, knows me too well after all these years too. It's amazing He seems to know more about me and my needs than I know about myself. Until I opened devotional to read, I had no clue what was bothering me. But God knew. How am I so sure. Otherwise, why should I randomly flip open to a page that stares back at me with the words, He Knows? Or read like punching lines at the end of the page as below?

" Take comfort in knowing that God is intimately aware of your needs. ..Do you have pressing needs? Leave them with Him. Trust Him to provide them and resist the urge to look ahead and worry. Concentrate on what God is doing for you today"

If I've the ears to hear God's audible voice, I would have definitely heard the same thing from Him. Instead, I heard Him speaking through the words of the author Warren W.Wiersbe in the devotional.

Being a writer myself, who had written a devotional column for some years, I'm humbled as well as overjoyed to know how God guide us to write the words in order to speak to those He choses to speak. Yes, He knows !***

Where is God?

Where is God? Who is God? What is God?-these are some of the questions we are familiar with. In times of peril, even those who believe in God wonder about the whereabouts of God. Many debate and deny the existence of God, because they cannot equate a loving God with a suffering world.

How could a loving God allow poverty, violence, injustice, tornadoes, tsunamis to happen in the world and do nothing about it? they ask. Where is  a loving God when a child dies of hunger? Reasonable question. We wish we could give a satisfying answer. But we are unable to do so with our limited love and understanding.

It's here I'd like to share a story, which Mother Theresa wrote in her book, "Where there is Love, there is God." A man once came to Mother Theresa's place with a prescription from a doctor. His child was dying in the nearby slum in Calcutta, and the prescribed medicine could not be found in any part of India at that time. It had to be brought from England. There was no way the man could get the medicine from abroad to save his child. He had neither money nor influence.

As the man and Mother Theresa were talking, another walked in with a basket of medicines. To equip the mobile clinics that served the poor all over the slums in Calcutta, workers from Mother Theresa's organization, went around gathering half-used medicines from houses around the city. On that particular day, the man was bringing all the half-used medicines that he had collected on his rounds.

Mother Theresa couldn't believe what she saw in the basket the man handed to her. On right on top of the basket was the exact medicine that the doctor had prescribed for the dying child. She writes, " I just couldn't believe because if it was inside, I would not have seen it. If he had come before or after, I would not have connected. I just stood in front of that basket and kept looking at the bottle and in my mind I was saying, Millions and millions and millions of children in the world- how could God be concerned with that the little child in the slums of Calcutta. To send that medicine, to send that man just at that time, to put that medicine right on the top and to sendthe full amout that the doctor had prescribed."

Where was God that day? He was there, right in the middle of the situation, working through the man who went out to collect the half-used medicines on behalf of sick and dying people in the slums of Calcutta and through sacrificial love of Mother Theresa who toiled for the poor and outcastes of the society in India.  God is love. He is everywhere . Up in the heaven and down on earth looking for you and me to be hands and feet.  He needs us to be the channels through which He could display His undying love and compassion to the hurting world. His heart weeps when we choose to turn the other way and leave the hurting world go unattended.

God made a beautiful earth for us to live in. But when sin entered, evil followed and made the place imperfect with man made potholes. Nature does act up with vengence at times and bring disasters to our surroundings.  In the middle of such devastation, God shows up and bring help and healing through compassionate people who donate goods, feed the hungry and build or rebuild houses. God need our partnership to heal, comfort and build this broken world. The question is "Are we willing to co-operate with Him?"

So, the next time when someone asks me " Where is God?"  I need to pause for a  moment before I give the answer.  I need to examine myself first  to find out whether I've  failed in anyway to represent God's love and care to him for him/her to ask the question.
"Where there is love, there is God. God is Love."

Are we displaying God's love to others? If not, don't be surprised when someone asks "Where is God?"  Action speaks much louder than words and remains longer in memory!
" Preach the gospel all the time. If necessary use words."- St. Francis of Assisi.***

A Mother's Prayer on Mother's Day

On this Mother's Day,
I thank You Lord for blessing me to be a mother of two lovely daughters,
 and for have given me a godly mother.

I pray this day,  whatever I'd learned from You and taught them
 they would wear like garlands around their necks to beautify them
.
They have seen my ups and downs,my strength and inadequacies
They have also  heard my prayers, heart desires and constant naggings

Guide them to choose the good and noble
And guard them from following any of my wrong and selfish doings.

Bless them with wisdom
And teach them how to wait on You in patience.

Let them learn to delight in You as I do
and dwell in Your faithfulness with confidence.

Waken their ears to listen to Your small voice
And direct them to walk in faith with no worry or fear.

Bless them to become godly mothers
and to carry the torch of love and faith

Help them to trust You for ever
And to pass down their faith to their children and to their children

 Yes Lord, it is this mother's prayer on this Mother's Day
that I ask You to bless me to have a godly generation down the  line.

When Mercy Shows up

Have you ever met Mercy? How does she look like? Just recently I watched Mercy on tv hugging a former drug addict named Fanny, who has been clean for the last six months and asking her, what she wanted. And Fanny replied amidst much sobbing and tears running down her face-"Prayers. I need lots of prayers to keep me off the street and drugs."

Fanny has been sober for the past six months, has a job to be proud of and wants to move out of her place so that she'd be away from her familiar, drug infected surrounding. She has applied to get a small apartment which she's confident that she could pay its rent of $65.00 out of her pay check and with government subsidies. She wants to turn a new leaf in her chapter of life and live with hope as others do. She couldn't have done without God and people like Mercy. That's why she needs prayers from you and me so that more Mercys will show up to help out more Fanny to get off the streets.

Mercy is not the real name of the woman, who looked into the eyes of the former drug addict with love. But mercy was what Fanny,the earlir drug user saw in her. No one else cared to look at Fanny or talk to her when she was loitering on the streets enslaved in drug addiction. All whom she knew or came in contact were men and women like her who smoked and smelled of drugs all day long.

No sane looking person ever walked her street or dared to talk to her or to any of fellow addicts until Mercy showed up.
Mercy knew the stories of many like Fanny who had been helped to go to the rehablitiation center to be cleaned up and how soon they get back to their addiction. Yet, she seemed determined to not to give up on them, but to love enough to feed, care and pray for them. That's Mercy spelled in kingdom love.

Mercy with another face shows up in another part of the country. Blessed with a husband to support her, Mercy opens up their humble home to shelter a woman released from prison. Unknowing where to go and what to do, the ex-convict just released from prison shades her eyes unable to face the glaring sun outside the prison gate. As she steps out crippled with guilt and fear of the unknown,Mercy meets her with open arms and beaming smile. That night,the woman who slept behind bars on a lice infected plank bed for six years slept like a baby under soft and clean blankets after a hot meal. Tears kept trickling down her face as the woman stirred in her sleep unbelieving the kindness she felt under Mercy's roof. breathe fresh air melt down in tears, when welcomed in love by Mercy and made to sleep in comfort with no judgement. at stretsteps into a car that takes her to in fear and guilt to face the world and

Mercy didn't stop with Jane. She went onto bring Mary, Tabitha,Stacey,Rita, Lucie and others into her home,after their release from prison.It didn't matter what crime each one did, Mercy gave the same welcome and comfort to everyone. Soon others joined hands to build a shelter to house these women, whom the world outside weren't prepared to accept, forgive or give a second chance. Because Mercy dwells, walks, talks, embraces and reaches out to those whom the outside world had forgotten, so many lives have been given a chance to hope, dream and build a better world as others do.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy," Jesus said.

"Mercy requires that we:
Keep short account of sin and injustice.
Have eyes to see beyond a circumstance and into the heart.
learn to desire the salve of mercy more than the satisfaction of punishment
Be willing to lay down our quick judgement and work on becoming compassionate."
(the above quote taken from Living life as a beautiful offering by Angela Thomas.)***

Red Letter Christianity

It's only yesterday I came across the term Red Letter Christianity. I was flipping through the Christian channels on television when I came across a program with this title. Because it was hosted by Tony Campola, whom I really respect as a Christian leader,I thought of watching it. Brian Mclaren was the guest whom Campola and his co-host interviewed yesterday.


Listening to them, I came to understand that many Christians are getting frustrated and disatisfied in the direction churches are moving these days, especially in North America. Instead of focusing on the poor and the lost and the inequality and injustice that's prevailing around us, it's so sad to see some Christians are wasting time in debating and fighting over abortion and homosexuality.

Red Letter Christians are those who are more interested in doing and following Jesus and His sayings which are printed in red letters in the Gospels. At one time, Christians wanted to identify themselves as Born Again Christians in order to differentiate them from the nominal Christians who had no Born Again experience. It seems that trend has lost it's distinction and meaning that Christians are looking for some other name to identify them. Some prefer to call themselves as Followers of Christ.

Although I couldn't learn much about Red Letter Christianity in one sitting, I can say that this group stands for what Jesus truly care and talk about in the Gospels. Because Jesus' sayings are printed in red letters in most of the Bibles these days, the organization has acquired the title Red Letter Christianity. Instead of wasting time on debating and fighting over issues on homosexuality and abortion like the Right winged Christians, Red Letter Christains have chosen to spend time working on more needful and important issues like poverty, sex trafficking, greed, corruption, growing income inequality. I was even surprised to know that an Emerging Church is on the rise and some Christians are prefering to meet and worship in house setting rather than attending the usual community or denominational churches.

In a way I'm glad that Christians are wakening up to see what's going wrong with many modern day churches. It's so sad to see the trend of prosperity gospel is spreading like wildfire not only in America but its spreading other parts of the world. As a result, the preachers are getting rich living in mansions and flying in their own jets while the parishners and those who support them out of their meagre income keep on living with the same social issues. Churches are getting built in huge arena like fashions to seat thousands and messages are offered to make the crowd happy and entertained.

The power that beheld the first apostlic church and made the gospel spread no longer exists in our churches. We do have powerful music bands and worship team to rock the buildings, but the power of God is hardly visible in our operation as it did in early churches.Younger generations are confused by what they hear and what they witness. It's no surprise, people are turning towards eastern religions and spiritual gurus to find some solutions. People are hurting and they are seeking to find deliverance.

Busyness has robbed many church leaders strength and left them wearied and unfruitful. Prayer has lost its powerin churches. As a result, hunger for reformation is arising among many Christians and no wonder Red Letter Christianity and Emerging Church are bringing hope and meaning to those who are getting disatisfied with what they are seeing in today's churches, especially in North America, with so many church leaders and televangelists are acting more like business men and woment to promote their own agenda instead of God's agenda.

Well, it's wrong to measure all churches as well as Christians with the same yard stick. There are many churches who are bringing hope and truth to communities. Just today, I heard someone, who co-founded St.Judes Children's Hospital, which provides free treatment to its cancer patients, say how much the church he attends has blessed him. When his son, film director Tom Shadyac asked him, whether he could give one thing which has impacted his life, he pointed to the love he sees at the church he attends every Sunday. For him to see Blacks, Whites, Hispanics and Asians worshipping together standing shoulder to shoulder praising God, hugging one another in genuine love and serving together in unity truly made an impact on him, he said.The love and energy he felt there on Sunday was enought to carry him through the entire week to operate in right attitude and come back on next Sunday to be recharged in love. Wow! what a strong statement and what a blessing to have churches like that where Christ's message is not only preached, but lived out.

So, what's my part and your part in this. Our part is to follow the foot steps of Christ and live by the Red Letters and pray for the churches and church leaders so that Christ name is glorified and displayed in victorious witnessing of His followers, whether they chose to call themselves Red Letter Christians, Followers of Christ, Born-Again Christians or mere Christians!