CHRIST in Christmas

STRIVING
TO PUT CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS!
(Christmas Reflection
2011, by Martin Jalleh)

Many of us who are Christians have allowed rampant
commercialisation and the “Walt Disneyfication” of Christmas to reduce our
Christian spirituality to mere sentimentality. Christ has been hijacked by
“Christ-less” carols, cakes, cool cards and cozy nativity scenes and
portrayed as one entering into a world of comfortable spiritual sentiment.

In reality “Christmas is not a nice story” and “it has nothing to do
with the nativity scenes we see on our Christmas cards or in most of the
Christmas paraphernalia…” notes Nils von Kalm, an Australian writer and
sociologist.

The Real World

In sharp contrast to the modern vehicles of entertainment, the
biblical (infancy) narratives are stark short and simple. They do not allow
the imagination to dwell on the detail of time or setting. As Charles Anderson
of God Web would put it: “The Bible does not offer brilliant descriptions of
scenes or costumes, landscapes or city scapes...…

“ The biblical writers were struggling to express that which is
beneath the surface and to reveal the fire that burns at the very heart and
center of life…One searches the scriptures in vain for descriptions of the
manger, we are given absolutely no detail to satisfy your curiosity about
what the baby Jesus looked like…(or) the costumes of Mary, Joseph and the magi.

“ If we read the Christmas story in the original we are taken into the very
depths of our own experience where the pain and the pleasure of a cold
winter day are most intense. The Bible concerns those conflicting currents of our
own inner life, those cross currents of pleasure and pain that are finally resolved
in the experience of God's love.”

Anglican priest Joy Carroll Wallis echoes the same when she
reminds us that “ Jesus didn't enter a world of sparkly Christmas cards or a
world of warm spiritual sentiment”. Sadly, “we have often settled for the
sweet coming of a baby who asked little of us in terms of surrender, encounter,
mutuality or any studying of the Scriptures or the actual teaching of Jesus ”
(Fr Richard Rohr).

Relevant till today

The dangerous world in which Jesus was born into and the ensuing
deep struggle between light and darkness, death and life, fear and faith –
is equally real till this day and in our very own beloved country. Over the
past year Christians have been increasingly discriminated against due to the
frequent contravention (with impunity) of the constitutional guarantees of
our religious freedom.

The world in which Jesus entered was not very different in
comparison to our world. It was “a world of real pain, of serious
dysfunction, a world of brokenness and political oppression. He was born an outcast, a homeless person, a refugee, and finally he becomes a victim to
the powers that be” (Joy Carroll Wallis) .

Neither should our response to the challenging realities we are
confronted with be different from that of Jesus’: “Herod recognizes
something about Jesus that in our sentiment we fail to see: that the birth of this
child is a threat to his kingdom, a threat to that kind of domination and rule.
Jesus challenges the very power structures of this evil age.”

This point is highlighted equally effectively by Fr Richard Rohr:
“ What we call the Incarnation, God becoming a human being, becoming one of
us , strikes directly at the heart of evil and corruption in the world. God
becoming human looks evil in the eye and takes it on without flinching. As Bruce Cockburn
sang it so brilliantly, it is God kicking the darkness till it
bleeds daylight ’. ”

The Word of God comforts and consoles us at Christmas. But it also
confronts, challenges and converts us! It refuses to allow us to remain at
the level of the sweetening and softening of the message of Christmas.
We have a choice of comfortable Christianity (Christmas pudding,
presents and the perfect paraphernalia) or the courage to challenge
(by God’s grace) both the darkness and the very power structures in our country.

Surely, the suffering and injustice in our country are too great
now to settle for any “infantile gospel” or any “infantile Jesus”. The Lord
invites us to work with him in His Kingdom -- to do justice, love mercy and
walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). Our “fiat” would mean we striving to put
Christ back into Christmas!

Reversal

Renowned Bible scholar William Barclay describes the Magnificat
which Mary sang to her baby in utero as “revolutionary”. He says the song
highlights four revolutions that God inaugurated at Christ’s birth – a
moral , social, economic and spiritual revolution. Mary’s song links religion and
politics, faith and economics.

Mary prayed a model prayer just like Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2
and in the Psalms, and her son grew up to pray a model prayer in Luke 11…
Mary is no mother meek and mild. She is in fact a “revolutionary”! Her Magnificat
is a strong reminder that God is always with us – a people called and chosen
and through whom love and justice are to triumph over arrogance, truth over
evil.

It is a song that encapsulates the great themes of Christianity
and explicitly reveals that mercy comes to all who accept the Christ-child.
It is a song about what a Bible scholar called, “ reversals ” . In place of the
proud and the powerful, God will lift up the powerless, weak, poor and the
‘ least of these’ (Matt.25). God is one on the move to bring justice, a reversal of the way things are, even the status quo!

In her Magnificat, Mary prophesied about Christ’s mission. Jesus
fulfilled his mother's prophesy in his own Nazareth Manifesto -- his first
words, in Luke 4 -- by saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."

Just like Mary, we become partakers and partners of Christ’s
mission and “revolution” when we first allow God to work a “reversal” in our
personal lives. Will we allow the Lord to turn our world upside down inside out – in
terms of our purpose, priorities, values, thinking and our whole being – in order to
bring about real, relevant and radical change in this country .

May our response to the Advent call of conversion of heart result
in our personal transformation – from one of compromise to courage, and from
convenience and comfort to one of conviction and commitment to our duty and
responsibility towards social action, justice and mission.

May our concerns and commitment be not confined to the well-being
of Christians alone but may they embrace the struggles encountered by the
peoples of all races and religions, yes, even the Muslims too. May we
champion “ the common good ” and be the very embodiment of agape as Christ is born
again in our hearts this Christmas! A Blessed Christmas!

Cell phone vs. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat

our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

Trust in the Lord and *ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

Have a blessed and wonderful day!

Knock, Knock I knocked at heaven's door this morning. God asked me...'My child, what can I do for you?' And I said , ' Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message.' God smiled and answered... ' Request granted ' . ' Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle .'

The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

Sometimes, we in the church are accused of glossing over the fact that life can be hard.

We sometimes tend to give the impression that all you need to do is give your heart to Jesus and all of your problems will be solved, all your bills will be paid, you will have success and prosperity, and everything you touch will turn to gold. If you are a Christian, you will have a continual smile on your face and always be happy. We make all our baskets, we sink all our putts, we close all our deals.

Does that sound like your testimony? I know it doesn't sound like mine!

I think the problem is that we've confused joy with happiness.

Happiness is dependent on happenings. Circumstances in your life dictate whether or not you are happy.

Joy, on the other hand is a gift from God, a fruit of the Spirit that transcends whatever is happening in your life. Joy allows you to rise, even to soar, above difficult circumstances, challenges, and heartaches.

Joy comes from knowing Who is in control and that He has a plan to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We do not draw our strength from the great feeling we get when things go right; if we did, we would be powerless when hard times and adversity hit, and we would all be easy pickings for the devil.

No, it is the joy of the Lord that is our strength!

Jesus wasn't happy about going to the cross. He prayed the night before 'If there is any other way, let this cup pass from me...' But He did have joy
in obedience.

The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: 'Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross...'

There was joy for the Lord Jesus even in the pain and the agony of the cross because He knew the end result of His obedience and sacrifice would be the offer of salvation for you and me. Jesus chose to go through hell for us rather than to go to heaven without us.
In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul talks about joy over and over again. Yet he wrote that letter to the church at Philippi while he was imprisoned in horrible conditions.

How could he write about joy while imprisoned in a dark, cold, rat-infested Roman cell? It's because joy is not dependent on circumstances!

When you and I face tough times, we can draw on great reserves of joy that are rooted in our knowledge of the faithfulness of God. That's how Job was able to say in the midst of tragedy, heartache and great loss, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him' (Job 13:15, KJV)

He knew God and He trusted God. That is how he could have 'joy in unrelenting pain' (Job 6:10, NIV).

~~By Agyeman Fordjour~~

Your tears are precious to God

Your tears are precious to God

Read John 19:25-27

Tears that are cried during prayer are
very valuable, like droplets of diamonds.
There's nothing wrong with
getting emotional and pouring our
sorrows upon God. When your heart
is heavy with grief over any loss, any
worry, or any hurt, Jesus expects you
to share the burden with him. Give
yourself permission to really let it all
out, from deep within. God does not
throw these diamonds away. He
cherishes them. He cries with you.
Is Not tears prayer-diamonds, Isn't heaven
supposed to be a place of joy, where there is
no more sorrow? Yet,Heaven ::: cries because of sin
in the world ::: cries for you when you turn
away from JESUS ::: cries when someone
sins against you ::: cries with you when you
cry, and so does Jesus.

Crying seems to be a female trait; because of
the way we are made biologically, women cry
more often than men. Scientists explain that
men's hormones channel their grief into anger,
and yet Jesus — fully a man — cried for others
when he saw them weeping over the death of
Lazarus, and he cried for Jerusalem when he
foresaw its destruction, and he cried for himself
when he faced crucifixion.

God appreciates our tearful prayers, because
they mean we're being honest with him and
with ourselves. Such prayers come from a passion
deep within. Not only are they offerings of
grief, like precious diamonds for God, but they
are also an act of surrender. We have reached
the end of our ability to be strong, happy, and
accepting of life's hardships.
In that humble
surrender, God has room
to move in and comfort
us and give us his own
strength to continue onward.
Have you ever felt the
hug of God ? One of the
scriptural names for the
Holy Spirit is the Comforter,
but how can we
feel the embrace of a
God who's invisible and
intangible? Often our
tears come from being
unable to feel his touch when we need it
most.

So we have to look for the various
ways that He makes himself known to us.
Throughout the day, Jesus is at our side
doing little and large favors for us. Usually,
however, we let our pain distract us
from noticing his gifts.

In John 19:25-27, the comforting embrace
of God is made tangible between
Mary and the disciple John.

While he grieved over the suffering and loss of his
dearest friend, she grieved with a heartbreak
that only a mother can know. And
Jesus, in the midst of his own pain, gave
the gift of comfort to his mother and
friend by giving them both to each other.
It is through community — the gift of
each other — that we find comfort . There
is no greater pain than suffering alone.
God does not want you to suffer alone,
ever. He's providing you with friends who
will give you his embrace, just like he did
for Mary and John.

If you don't know who
these comfort-companions are, look
closer, look in new directions; they are
already there for you.

The ant and the contact lens

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was
standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock
climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked
out her contact lens. 'Great', she thought. 'Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds
of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now
my sight is blurry.'

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it
just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and
she prayed that she may find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the
lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the
top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of
mountains. She thought of the bible verse ' The eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth .'

She thought , ' Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and
leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.'

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met
another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them
shouted out, 'Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?'

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An
ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him
the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a
cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, 'Lord, I don't
know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully
heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You.'

I think it would do all of us some good to say, 'God, I don't know why You want
me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if
You want me to carry it, I will.'

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me
functioning each and every day Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him... I can
do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

BURDENS

BURDENS GIVE US WINGS

An old legend relates that long ago God had a great many burdens which He wished to have carried from one place to another on earth, so He asked the animals to lend a hand. But all of them began to make excuses for not helping: the elephant was too dignified; the lion, too proud; and so on. Finally the birds came to God and said, "If you will tie the burdens into small bundles, we'll be glad to carry them for you. We are small but we would like to help."

So God fastened upon the back of each one a small bundle, and they all set out walking across the plain to their destination. They sang as they went, and did not seem to feel the weight of their burdens at all. Every day the burdens seemed lighter and lighter, until the loads seems to be lifting the birds, instead of the birds carrying the burdens.

When they arrived at their destination, they discovered that when they removed their loads, there were wings in their place, wings which enabled them to fly to the sky and the tree tops.

They had learned how to carry their burdens, and their loads had
become wings to carry them nearer to God. Burdens we carry for others may become wings of the spirit, to lift us into happiness such as we have never known.

Christian Witness

Several years ago, a priest was transferred to a distant village church in his diocese. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his church to the nearest town. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he told himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.'

Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company makes huge profits; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.' When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change. '

The driver, with a smile, replied, 'You are the new priest in the village, right?' 'Yes' he replied.

'Well, I have lately been thinking a lot about going somewhere to pray. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you extra change. You'll see me at church on Sunday.'

When the priest stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold You for a quarter!'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders and on your forehead when you call yourself ' Christian '

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

"The world suffers a lot, not because of violence of bad people. But because of silence of good people!"
Bishop Desmond Tutu.

10 Commandments of a lay person

Someone has written these beautiful words. Must read and try to understand the deep meaning of it.
They are like the ten commandments to follow in life all the time.

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.

2] So a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.

36 Christian ways to reduce stress

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happens tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S.(Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most.

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us ? "

(Romans 8:31)

Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
If God has done anything for you in your life,
please share this message with someone else.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards;
so let's continue to pray for one another.
And I Hope You Dance Every Day!

Author Unknown

The Lord says, "I will bless the person who puts his trust in me." Jeremiah 17:7

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Don't let anyone steal your sunshine!

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain.

Two little words !

Why is it while we are down on our knees, We start out each prayer, with that one word, 'PLEASE'? The next time, in prayer, here's one thing to do, Start out by saying, "Dear LORD, I THANK YOU!"

Some only pray, when they ask for a gift, Others request that HE give them a lift. Like all little children, we learn to say please. But some of us say it, with way too much ease.

Try saying THANK YOU, you may be surprised, That your prayers are answered, as you open your eyes. GOD likes to be thanked, just like we all do. Surely that's not asking too much from you. So tonight, don't ask "PLEASE," say "THANK YOU," instead. You'll feel so much better, when you climb into bed. Then tomorrow you'll wake up, to a bright shining day. If only you'll remember, those two words to say.

~~ Joe Pielmeier Sr. ~~

As we look back .............

As time creeps toward rebirth I’m spending some time looking back at this year. It’s something of a tradition now to take this time between Christmas and New Years to reflect on our predictions for the year and how things came out. For the past few years I’ve taken this week as vacation and do some mini pilgrimages to my favourite shrines in the city such as to St Joseph's church , the church of The Sacred Heart and St Anthony's , a time I really look forward to. I don’t “work” this week, but this is the exception…although I don’t really think of my blog as work anyway.
2010 was a year of change for all sorts as we came out of a very tough 2009 and tried to redefine ourselves and what we called the “new normal”. The way we build and consume issues is changing. Maybe even more important the way many sources “do” their work is changing.

“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
The Lord told Mary that life was getting ready to change in a big way. Her world was going to be turned upside down. And Mary did not turn away or refuse the will of God. Are'nt we thankful today that Mary was so faithful?
Mary was an amazing young woman and she did one thing that no one else has – give birth to and raise the son of God. While we are'nt Mary, we still should have one very important thing in common with Mary – we are all called to be faithful in carrying out the will of God.

" A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL " !

I asked GOD...................

I ASKED GOD

I asked God to take away my pride,

And God said, “No.”

He said it was not for Him to take away,

But for me to give it up.


I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,

And God said, “No.”

He said her spirit is whole,

Her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,

And God said, “No.”

He said patience is a by-product of tribulation,

It isn’t granted; it’s earned.


I asked God to give me happiness,

And God said, “No.”

He said He gives blessings,

Happiness is up to me.


I asked God to spare me pain,

And God said, “No.”

He said, “Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares

And brings you closer to Me.


I asked God to make my spirit grow,

And God said, “No.”

He said I must grow on my own,

But He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God if He loves me,

And God said, “Yes.”

I asked God to help me love others

As much as He loves me,

And God said, “Ah, finally you have the idea.”

If Only God Permits

He call us to build an entire house , not just a foundation !



Therefore , let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity............And we shall do this , if only God permits . ( Hebrews 6 : 1-3 )

If there's one constant theme in the New Testament , it's the call to become more and more mature in our Christian lives . For instance , St Paul wrote " I continue my pursuit towards the goal , the prize of God's upward calling , in Christ Jesus . Let us , then who are ' perfectly mature ' , adopt this attitude " ( Philipians 3: 14-15 ) .
Likewise , the author of Hebrews urges his readers to ' advance to maturity ' and not to settle for a constant diet of spiritual ' milk ' alone . The author is confident that his reader can grow up - " if only God permits " ( Hebrews 5:13 ; 6:1-3 ) . In other words , their growth in the spiritual life is not dependent only on their determination . Without God's grace , it will never happen .
If only God permits .This can sound like nothing more than a token mention of God , as one would offer a casual God bless you to a friend . But this is not the case . If the call to maturity is meant to inspire us , then these four words hold the key to the transformation we are looking for . These four simple words tell us that we cannot do anything on our own. They tell us that we must depend on the all-powerful , all-knowing and all-governing God .

What is faith ???

- Faith is what we do with our lives in response to our encounter with the divine . Faith is a lifelong process of response .
- Listen to what give you joy ; pay attention to what delights your heart at its deepest level and then choose that with all your might .

What will you do with your life ?
- Is there a secret blueprint in the sky we must discover and follow if we are to be faithful to God and to achieve happiness in our lives ?

Let us ponder on and acknowledge the Spirit to lead us on this journey .

The Cross

A young man was at the

end of his rope ,

seeing no way out

dropped to his knees in prayer .

" Lord , I can't go on , " he said.

" I have too heavy of a cross to bear ".

The Lord replied ,

" My son , if you can't bear its weight ,

just place your cross inside this room .

Then , open that other door

and pick up any cross you wish . "

The man was filled with relief said

" Thank you Lord , ' and he did as

he was told .

Upon entering the other door ,

he saw many crosses ,

some so large the tops were not

visible . Then he spotted a

tiny cross leaning against a far wall .

" I'd like that one Lord , "

he whispered .

And the Lord replied ,

" My son , that is the cross

you just brought in . "

When life's problems

seems overwhelming ,

it helps to look around and see !

what other people are coping with .

You may consider yourself far more

fortunate that you imagined.

YOUR CROSS

Whatever your cross ,

whatever your pain ,

There will always be

sunshine after the rain.

Perhaps you may stumble ,

perhaps even fall ,

But God's always there

to help you through it all.

A Legend from the mini series , " The Thornbirds "

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life , most sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth . For the moment it leaves the nest , it searches for a thorn tree - this beautiful bird . And it would not rest until it has found a thorn tree . Then , singing among the thorns , the savage branches , it pierces its breast upon the longest sharpest spine and dying , it rise above its agony to ourcarol , to outsing the lark and the nightingale. Once superlative song , existence the price . But the whole world stills to listen and God in His heaven smiles , for the best is only bought at the cost of great pain ! So , says the legend............

But now , a true story ;

Once upon a time , there was a man . And he decided to sing the world's most beautiful LOVE SONG . He loved so greatly , that he allowed his friends to pierce him upon the sharpest spine - the sharpest thorn .

Dying upon that thorn - upon that spine , he sang the most beautiful LOVE SONG . And while he sang this most beautiful love song , the world in its stillness and silence listened as this harmony burstforth to the very depths of the earth and God in His heavens smiles because LOVE WAS BOUGHT - at the cost of great pain !

JESUS invites you to join in this Love Song . The Son of God has allowed Himself to be pierced on the sharpest spine in the sharpest thorn in order to sing this beautiful Love Song - a song which says , I LOVE YOU ! The lives and the tears through all the centuries of many a man and woman has been moved , has been lifted by this Love Song ................. What is your respond ?

" For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who soever believeth in Him , will not perish but will have eternal life " John 3:16

Why JESUS ?

JESUS was born ,
that I might be born twice .
HE became poor,
that I might possess wealth.
HE became homeless ,
that I might have mansions.
HE was stripped ,
that I always should have clothes.
HE was forsaken ,
that I always should have friends.
HE was bound ,
that I might have perfect liberty.
HE was sad ,
that I might have full of joy.
HE descended ,
that I should be lifted up.
HE became a servant ,
that I might be a son forever.
HE was hungry ,
that I should always have food.
HE was made sin ,
that I should share HIS righteousness.
HE dies ,
that I should never taste eternal death.
HE will come down ,
that I might go up.
All of this - that HE might display in me the riches of HIS grace and be the companion of God in the heavenlies.


~~~Author Unknown ~~~

Does Prayer Change Things ?

They say that prayer change things , but does it REALLY change anything ? Oh yes ! It really does !
Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances ?
No , not always , but it does change the way you look at those events .
Does prayer change your financial future ?
No , not always , but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs .
Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies ?
No , not always , but it will change your source of strength and comfort .
Does prayer change your wants and desires ?
No , not always , but it will change your wants into what God desires !
Does prayer change how you view the world ?
No , not always , but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.
Does prayer change your regrets from the past ?
No , not always , but it will change your hopes for the future.
Does prayer change the people around you ?
No , not always , but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.
Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain ?
Oh yes , always ! And it will change you from the inside out !

So , does PRAYER REALLY change ANYTHING ?
YES ! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING !

~~~Author Unknown ~~~

Let Go - Let God

Shortly before Jesus was crucified , He fortified His disciples with many teachings and assurances. His discourse gave us one of the greatest passages in the Bible ; John chapters 14-17 . And it began with one of the greatest exhortations , found in John 14:1 .

Oh , the hearts of so many people in this world , even Christians , are troubled ! They are full of anxiety , oppressed by depression and worry. But Jesus said , " Now stop it. Let go of all that anxiety . Trust in God ! Trust also in thyself !