Psalm 23 - Part 3

How Do You See Yourself?

David has not only beautifully described the role of our Shepherd, but he has also recognised himself to be God’s sheep. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. He acknowledges them and boasts about the grace of God that alone carries him through. 

Psalm 100 : 3

Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 

As a sheep, he knew that there were times he got distracted and strayed away from the word, presence and promises of God. He went on his own on dangerous paths; yet he was never afraid because his Shepherd was always around. With His rod and staff, he would discipline and comfort getting him back on the right track. 

He is assured that he will always walk in the grace, favour and victory of God. He was calm because he knew the power of God. He knew that His Shepherd will always be faithful and will love him and care for him even in his darkest hours. He was sure of being encompassed by His presence till eternity. Can you trust that your Shepherd watches over you with the same confidence that David had?

Psalm 23 ~ Part 2

DO YOU KNOW HIM?

A part of Psalm 23 talks about the Shepherd. While meditating on this Psalm, all I could imagine was the intimacy between David and God. He knew His Shepherd so well. No wonder he could so freely and without any shame worship the Lord. No wonder he was so crazily in love with the Lord. He talks about how the Shepherd loves, cares and corrects. Jesus has laid down the best example of a good shepherd. https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.biblegateway.com/passage/%3fsearch=Isaiah+40:11&version=NIV&interface=amp

A few qualities I could understand about what David saw in the Lord were :

1. He takes care of all our needs. There’s nothing we need to worry about when we know that our Shepherd is in control. https://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+6:25-34
2. He ensures that we are satisfied and that we will lack nothing. He is sensitive to our needs and proves to be more than enough for us. He comforts His sheep with His presence. When the Shepherd is around, the sheep will be at peace and will have a sense of security. https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.biblegateway.com/passage/%3fsearch=Psalm+27:3&version=ESV&interface=amp
3. The sight of the Shepherd rejuvenates the sheep. They can trust their Shepherd to lead them in the paths that are right and involves no danger. The Shepherd is always around and never leaves His sheep. https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.biblegateway.com/passage/%3fsearch=Psalm+27:10&version=NIV&interface=amp
4. He disciplines and comforts because He loves His sheep. With a rod, a shepherd can gently nudge a stray sheep back into line or, using the hook, pull a sheep from a dangerous spot. The rod is also used as a weapon to defend the flock against wolves and other invaders. He makes provision for His sheep in advance. His anointing over His sheep is enough to get them abundant blessings. When the battle seems lost, the Shepherd completely turns the table in favour of His sheep. He ensures that His sheep is always on the winning side, even if it means laying down His own life. https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.biblegateway.com/passage/%3fsearch=John+10:11&version=NIV&interface=amp

Psalm 23 ~ Part 1

Whom do you trust?

David had a rock-solid confidence in God. He didn’t wonder whether God was going to give him food to eat, clothes to wear, or a place to live. Part of that confidence came from his experiences. And part of that confidence came from the fact that David knew God very well. All of David’s hopes and dreams were caught up in the Lord. Even if he had been forced to go without some of the things that people consider necessities, he wouldn’t have missed them much. His trust was in the Lord. 

http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/isaiah/49-10.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/luke/passage/?q=luke+12:29-31

http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/john/6-35.html

Your situations might make you feel that you’re alone, you’re hopeless and cannot be healed again. Rather than living in a dead situation, live in the life Christ offers you. Before you let the Devil know about your God, you need to know Him and trust him; the Devil already knows the power of God. We let him in through open doors because we don’t trust in God and we don’t realise His power. I saw every problem as a dead end in my life till I didn’t completely recognise the power of God in my life. Today when I do, I can easily depend on Him even in the times of trials. I can easily praise and worship Him, dance even when it hurts and rejoice even when there is no reason to do so. My situations may not give me a reason to rejoice; but my God surely does! 

Touch Me Not!

All of us have learnt about sensitive plants like the mimosa. They close themselves when touched. As kids, we used to find that very amusing. And as grown ups now, it is equally amusing to find people with so much of sensitivity. As Vishwas, a brother in church once told me, ‘I find people become more sensitive after accepting the Lord.’ As I pondered over it, I found it to be a fact. We can find ‘touch me nots’ more in the church than what we may find in the world outside. All of us, somewhere down the line, feel bad about almost everything and anything thrown at us, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. 

We feel bad about not being smiled at, not spoken to, not taken extra care of, our needs not being noticed, being discussed in our absence, being addressed in our presence, and so much more!! And each one of us has gone through this phase at some point of our Christian life in our fellowship with our spiritual family. Some of us have matured through it while some of us prefer to remain stuck down there. 

Most of the sensitive people would be the old members who demand personal attention for everything. The scenario should actually be the other way around; the new members should be given more love, care and attention by the older members. That’s how we work together in the family of Christ. Not putting down one another, but encouraging one another. When we gossip and not be open about how we feel, we create barriers for ourselves. Much of those barriers are unnecessary and wouldn’t have ever existed if we were open and clear in our communication with each other. 

Philippians 2 : 1 - 7

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A1-7&version=ESV

Hebrews 5 : 12 - 14

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%205:12-14

When God was dealing with this issue in me, I realised why did I feel so bad about little things that shouldn’t make a difference? And God showed me the answer through my mom. When I see her serving people in the church, as their spiritual mother, I see her love for them just as her love for my sister and me. I don’t find her service for them any different from all that she does for us. When I learned to embrace people as they are and love them, even though we do not belong to the same biological family, I found it easier to accept correction from people, take jokes lightly and be open about how I felt. I realised that just as you can’t develop a close bond with every other person in your family, you might not be able to bond closely with everyone in your spiritual family. In spite of it, the love of Christ keeps us bound and even if we are not closely bound, we can still be available for each other to help, love, care, share and pray. When we view our spiritual family like our biological family, we’ll be able to stand by each other at all times with unconditional love. My mom has always taught me that the spiritual family is as important as the biological family and she has lived by it. 

1 John 4 : 7 - 21

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A7-21&version=ESV

My Glorious!

Psalm 19 : 7 - 10

This is a Psalm of eloquent praise of the Lord and His laws. Verses 7 - 10 mentions the excellencies of the law in its manifold uses. 

It took me a while to write this one. Even as I continued to meditate on this Psalm, verses 7 - 10, to be precise; I could draw out 6 points about the the faithfulness and glory of God. These verses just provide a ‘perfect revelation of the Lord’. 

1. The law of the Lord : All the laws of the Lord are perfect - flawless. When we love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul; and when we follow His laws, it has the power to convict us and change us. It is by following the law of the Lord that we are able to live righteous lives.     2 Timothy 3:17, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’
2. The testimony of the Lord : All that the Lord says, He does. All the works that He has done in the past, the mighty works He still does, and the faithful works in the years to come has proven and will continue to prove His steadfast love. If you can, just take a moment to remember the recent wonderful surprise from God in your life. And I’m sure that there will be many more such incidents in your life and you won’t be able to stop thanking God for His faithfulness. In times of difficulties, these experiences and testimonies that God has raised in our lives gives us wisdom and helps lift our spirits because we know we can trust God. We know that we can encourage each other because of His goodness that we have experienced in our lives. We can rest in the fact that ‘He is the same yesterday, today and forever.’ Hebrews 13 : 8
3. The statues of the Lord : Whenever we hear of some court case going on in the country, we wish for the honest side to win. And when that happens, we do feel happy about it. Similarly, the percepts of God are true, just like Him. There is no hidden lies or compromise in it. It is true in itself. Following His statues helps us live life the right way. Because His percepts are true, it brings joy and refreshment to our hearts. God’s truth and justice will always stay supreme. All those who rely on His truth and justice will never be disappointed. Psalm 119 : 128, ‘and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.’
4. The commandments of the Lord : At times, we find the instructions of God irrational. But God knows best. All His commandments are pure, unadulterated. He gives us instructions only because He loves us and wants the best for us. Following His pure instructions only purifies us further. It refines us. It displays our trust in Him. When we embrace His commandment which is without darkness and surrender to it, the Spirit will enlighten us, convict us and cleanse us. Psalm 119 : 9, ‘How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.’
5. The fear of the Lord : God will live forever. When everything on earth has decayed, He will still be Lord. And all those who chose to worship Him, will still be singing His praises. There will be worship in heaven for all eternity. Revelation 15 : 4, ‘Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.’
6. The judgements of the Lord : His judgements are grounded on truth and righteousness. They help us stay alert and be thoughtful about our thoughts, words and deeds. They are right and help us stay upright in our ways. They are to be valued more than gold and silver, because His judgements will not rust away or reduce in value, but they will endure forever. Psalm 119 : 103, ‘How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!’

Finally, we know that God is all powerful. He alone can work wonders for us. He alone can do the impossible and all glory, honour and praise is due to Him!

Forget Not His Benefits

Amidst the storm I have felt your peace,

In your embrace I feel my fears release. 

In your light my darkness flees,

Your goodness, Oh Lord, will never cease!

You healed me when I was sick,

My thoughts, my words, my deeds you fixed. 

You consecrated me and set me apart,

Now from Your love, will I never part. 

You bring joy to every mourning,

And heartfelt praises for You are unending. 

Your grace never leaves me forgotten,

So I offer my praise unbroken. 

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not His goodness,

Surrender to Him, He will impart His righteousness. 

Obedience He seeks, and not your sacrifice;

Trust Him, His grace will suffice!

The Character of Those Who May Dwell With the Lord

Psalm 15 (NKJV)

We all know the life of David. He's fallen so many times and each time he ran back to the Lord. And the Lord calls David , 'A man after My own heart'. In Psalm 14:1, a lack of respect for God and His laws was the worst kind of ignorance, as far as David was concerned. The person who rejected God was considered the biggest fool of them all. And in Psalm 15, he shares what God expects out of us. We are humans and are bound to fall. That doesn't make God love us any less. His love is unconditional and doesn't change. But we can always strive to be the kind of people whom God seeks and loves.

1. He who walks uprightly : walking in accordance to God's word.

2. And works righteousness : truth in action.

3. And speaks the truth in his heart : truth in emotions, intentions behind the words and actions and thoughts.

4. He who does not backbite with his tongue : truth in speech, openness with one another and uplifting each other.
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th points imply honoring God and pleasing Him through our actions, thoughts and words.

5. Nor does evil to his neighbour : does not conspire.

6. Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend : loves unconditionally with a clean heart and forgives the wrong done to him.

7. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honours those who fear the Lord : he is careful to fellowship with the right people. The fine balance of such a person's judgement is effectively described. Since his behaviour os consistent, he also knows whom to reject.

8. He who swears to his own hurt and does not change : true humility. If he has said something or committed something, and things suddenly take a turn in disadvantage of him, he doesn't change his words, but abides by it. His deliverance will come from God.

9. He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent : he does not demand money by taking advantage of others, specially in their difficult times. He is honest in his dealings.

He who does these things shall never be moved. 

The Sleep of Holy Confidence

Psalm 3:5 (NKJV)

I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 

David was being hunted down by his son. His life was sought after by his own people. Was he scared? Yes! He was scared and went into hiding. Yet, his confidence was in the Lord. David was not only scared, but also hurt emotionally. There was a turmoil within him. In spite of it all, he chose to trust the Lord. He could confidently rest and find his peace in the Lord. He was sure that the Lord would never fail him. He was assured that his redemption would only come from the Lord; just like Peter in Acts 12. 

David had to be alert because of his enemies; but knowing that the Lord was his righteousness and justice, he chose to rest. When he awoke, the Lord had honoured his faith by keeping him safe and secure from his enemies. The Lord was his shield, his glory and the lifter of his head! David cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard him from His holy hill. (Psalm 3:3,4)

The Righteous Person

In today's world, being righteous would certainly not be considered as swag! It would sound more like a person committing crime by not following the standards of this world. But what does the Bible say about a righteous person? How does God view the righteous person?

Psalm 1:1 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked

Nor stands in the path of sinners

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful

1. Walking in the  counsel of the wicked. Counsel means direction or helpful suggestions. Everytime that we receive counsel, we need to first seek God's will in it before accepting the counsel. It is important to discern the counsel coming your way. It is important what we receive and feed our minds with, because it determines the course of our life. Continuously accepting advice from the ungodly (people who don't walk in submission to God and His word), will only lead to destruction. It is better to stay away from people who don't follow the word of God and those who take us away from the truth. 
2. Standing in the path of sinners. You cannot fellowship with a sinner and avoid staying away from sin. Our company, people with whom we fellowship, matters.  
3. Sitting in the seat of the scornful. Spending time with people who dishonour God is as good as dishonouring God ourselves. This will only make us forget God's goodness and walk against the will of God. And, for God, obedience is better than sacrifice. (1Samuel 15:22)

Psalm 1:2-3

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of river, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever he does prospers. 

The only thing that a righteous person longs for, is the presence of God. Meditatingon God's word (spending time to understand theword of God in order to live in accordance to the standards of God) is of utmost importance. It becomes easier for such a person to avoid listening to people who guide him/her against what God wants. Such a person won't mock God, even if it seems like everyone else does.  

God's Spirit is the river that flows by you and offers you all the life and strength you need. When you receive your life from the Holy Spirit, you're always able to succeed in God's eyes, even if everything around you seems out of control. 

Repentance 2 Restoration

Job 42.

We all know the story of Job; his suffering and then his wonderful restoration. The way to that restoration wasn't easy. It was painful and required Job to do one thing : Repent. He had to humble himself before the Lord in order to be restored. 

Throughout the book of Job, you will see conversations between him and his friends. Job continues to question what has he done to deserve this suffering and his friends continue to condemn him instead of comforting him. Finally when the Lord speaks, Job repents before the Lord and suddenly finds a sense of peace within himself. He doesn't find the need to justify himself any longer. He realised God's truth and His ways of working. He repented and prayed for his friends, only then was he restored. Repentance frees us and makes it easier for us to pray for all those who hurt us. 

Job 42:10 NKJV

And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Acceptance of our faults and true repentance brings restoration of God's peace and joy in our lives. The need for justifying ourselves doesn't arise, because we realise that truth, in itself is justified. We find easier to pray that God blesses those who are against us rather than praying for God to give us justice, because we can rest in the fact that God is just and knows best what to do and when to do it.

Luke 6:28 NKJV

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Walking in repentance and humility, and walking in His truth will lead us to the restoration God has planned for us. 

James 4:10New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Be Careful Little Mouth!

She maybe a victim of hatred

He may be suffering with a aching heart;

Let not your words make the wound even more difficult to heal,

Be careful little mouth, what you speak!

Her situation might be lifeless 

He might have lost everything;

Let your words not bring darkness and death,

Be careful little mouth, what you speak!

Whenever you speak let love and life flow out of thee,

Let uplifting and encouraging thy motive be.

May what you speak keep their candles burning bright

May you not blow off their light,

Be careful little mouth, what you speak!

Do not be haughty for where you stand

Forget not thy humble beginnings

For God is just and to Him matters the heart that serves,

Abel's offering He considers

So speak kindness and grace

Strengthen and uplift the weak,

Oh be careful little mouth, what you speak!

Broken and Stronger!

There are days when we feel frustrated, hurt by words and actions, shattered and completely broken. Those are the days when we go into the "pity mode"; days when we remember how good we have been and that we deserve to be treated better. It's completely natural to think that way.

I felt that way a couple of days back and I cried. Later I prayed. Whereas, I should have prayed in the first place. God asked me a question, 'Is your crying making things any better for you?' And I knew deep within, that crying only worsened things. I was crying over something that I felt bad about and was stuck there. I continued to remain in that hurt whereas the person who hurt me didn't even care. In doing so I ended up increasing my heartache rather than feeling better.
Just then, God reminded me a couple of dreams I saw about my situation. And I realised that when the dreams God shows about our storms come to past, we need to stop pitying ourselves and not cry much over it. Instead, stand up in prayer and ask God to lead. Face it. We need to thank God for the victory He will give us.

We need to trust God and His justice. Even though situations seem unfair, our God is not unfair. Understanding this truth will help you retain your peace and deal with things in the love of Christ. There might be times where you will be required to stay patiently in the situation you are and see God's deliverance. At other times, you may be required to move on letting go of what or who hurt you. When you let go of the unwanted, you will see growth in certain areas that were previously a stumbling block for you.

Let God heal you. He can only do so when you surrender your all to Him. When you are broken, He makes you stronger.

Finding the Gomer in Me

Hosea 3:1,2

"THEN SAID the Lord to me, Go again, love [the same] woman [Gomer] who is beloved of a paramour and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins [used in the sacrificial feasts in idol worship]. 

So I bought her for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley [the price of a slave]."

Now, sit back for a while and think; your partner is in love with many others. How does it feel to accept your partner in that case? You know that your partner is cheating you, and that too openly. How would that make you feel? 

Now coming back to Hosea, God told him to marry an adulteress, which he did. They had kids and were happily married. But, being a human, she felt weak. She returned to her old ways. Hosea should have left her. She didn't deserve his love. After all he did for her, accepted her knowing who she was, she just didn't deserve his love. But God asked him to BUY his wife, and Hosea BOUGHT his wife. 

Buying someone who belonged to him! Buying someone who was already his...paying a price for someone who didn't care. But he did so. 

You might be wondering, 'how can I relate to all of this?' Well, to be brutally honest, we all have a Gomer in us. No offense, but we do commit/have committed/end up committing adultery. How, you ask? Just like Gomer, we forget the love and sacrifice of Christ thus, returning to our old sinful ways of living. We forget that HE PURCHASED WHAT BELONGED TO HIM. We forget that HE PAID A PRICE FOR THE FOOLISHNESS OF HIS CREATION. But because of His unending, unconditional and selfless love for us, He bought us. 

Are we still running away from Christ because of our selfish desires? Are we hesitant to run into His arms open wide because of the guilt we carry in our hearts?

Well, the good news is that : THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE HIS LOVE FOR YOU. He's already lavished it. A love that covers multitude of sins. So, let not your guilt or selfish desires take over the place of your Saviour. If you're broken or lost, suicide is not an option nor a solution; Jesus is. His sacrifice at the cross, His blood is more than enough to set you free, complete you and heal you. 

I'd like to conclude as Chris Tomlin has sung:

Come home running

His arms are open wide

His name is Jesus

He understands

He is the answer

You are looking for

So come home running

Just as you are!

Let His arms be your home. Get enveloped in His embrace because, He is more than enough for you. 

When I Stopped Praying For Myself

I received my healing
I slept in peace
The day I went on my knees,
The day I stopped praying for myself.

I saw His joy overcome my mourning
Uplifting me, setting me free
The day I prayed for her world that was crumbling,
The day I stopped praying for myself.

I could forgive and love freely
Without receiving the same toward me
The day I prayed for his heart bleeding hatred,
The day I stopped praying for myself.

I covered myself with His blood
Thanked Him for all I had
Then I stood in the gap for them,
Assured that He knows my needs.

I lay their burdens at His feet
He being faithful knew how and when to give
He did His goodness to me reveal,
And all my needs He did meet.

He gave me joy, He renewed my strength
He helped me soar and my peace I regained
The day I let go off my self,
The day I stopped praying for myself.

Something known as Dating!

‘Dating’ - might seem such a taboo in our society. People always seem to have a negative notion about the concept of dating.

My husband and I dated for two years before marriage, and I must say that those are the most cherished days of our relationship. Now before you jump to any conclusions, we had something that I would like to term as healthy dating.

Since it was a long distance relationship, it became easier to maintain our testimony. But we ensured that we were careful each time we met. What I really liked about him was that he would seek the permission of my parents each time he took me out. Everything we did was known to our family and hence, we had nothing to fear. Walking in the truth will always cast out fear. We ensured that we do not commit mistakes that we made in our past relationship. That made our journey of courtship even more special. Our pastors were aware of our plans and so were our families.

It’s so important in the sight of God to maintain your purity. We all make mistakes. What’s important is that we learn from them and don’t repeat them. Having people to guide us who have been through such experiences proves to be a blessing in disguise as we can be more cautious about doing the right thing.

I’d like to share somethings that I’ve learned about healthy dating:

1. When you date a person, you are basically trying to get to know the will of God even as you spend time talking with the person. Dating can never let you know how compatible you are with a person. If you look into yourself, you will be surprised to find out that you aren’t aware of most of your weaknesses and strengths. So you can’t possibly know a person just by spending hours of talking with him/her. I’ve known a girl who was dating a boy for almost eight years yet, there was this side of his that remained unknown to her and finally was the cause of their separation. How can you be so sure that the person you are dating is not deceiving you? The best you can do is seek the will of God because God sees the heart and knows who’s best for us.

2. When you date someone, you DO NOT OWN THE PERSON! So please hold your horses back! You haven’t promised the person to to stand by him/her until death separates you. So, there is a possibility that you haven’t been sensitive enough to the voice of God or you decide to turn a deaf ear to His plans. In either case, if it’s not His will it won’t last long. You need to bear in mind that The person you date might be someone’s future husband/wife. Don’t enforce yourself on the person and don’t give in to the wrong demands of the person as well. It’s better to know your limits and stay safe and right. It might seem difficult in the flush of all emotions you go through, but trust me, it is possible!

3. Don’t expect a lot from the person you date. Know the desires and plans of the one you date and share yours as well. You can always find out ways to mutually plan out things and find a way out. Accept the person with his/her individuality. There might be a lot of differences, but love surpasses them all!

4. Don’t walk in lies. Let your journey of courtship be truthful. It’s always better for your pastors, elders and family members to be aware of it. They are way more experienced than you are and can guide you in the right way. When they sense something fishy, ensure that you follow the advice and check if you are attuned to God’s word. This way, you can be sure of maintaining a good testimony and an example for others.

A healthy dating experience will help your conscience feel free and peaceful. Eventually, you will also see God’s plan unfold beautifully in your lives.

Perfect Love

When I was younger, the picture of ‘love’ looked so perfect in my mind. Like a perfect person or perfect parents or a perfect marriage. However, God gradually led me to the deeper meaning of love. Love is not about the good people or the good moments you spend wit someone. Love is all about being with someone through all the dirt and mess they carry. Love is not about expecting perfection, but it’s all about accepting the imperfections and loving them anyway. True love is all about sacrifice, just like Jesus sacrificed His glory for us. Just like the Father sacrificed His only Son for us. That, to me, is love; unconditional love, yet not blind love. He knew the cost. He knew the pain and suffering. Yet, he chose to carry the cross because He loved us, and still does.

Love will never let you fall in a pit. True love will help you stand and face the tests of life, and help you rise above your situations. It considers the beauty of the heart above the external beauty. There is no fear in love.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”

-1 John 4:18

Sometimes, we continue to hold onto relationships because of fear, but we mistake it to be love. When we love in our hearts, there will be no room for fear.

There is a difference between genuine Christ-like love and its counterfeit known as attachment. Attachment says, “I need you to love me, so I will love you in order to gt your love.” But true love says, “I don’t need you, but I love you and hope all the best for you.” True love will always stand by you and never fail you.

When you understand the love displayed at the cross when Jesus said, “It is finished”, you will be able to love unconditionally and experience unconditional love as well.

-Sarah Timothy & Sussanah

Who's My True Friend?

I have heard of a classic story since I was in my school days and it was very popular. This story was about Damon and Pythias, said to have taken place in the Sicilian city-state of Syracuse in the fourth century B.C. As I'm sure many of you remember, these two men had been close friends since childhood. Pythias spoke out against the tyranny of the ruler, Dionysius, and was subsequently arrested and condemned to death. As a last request he asked if he might be allowed to go back home to say goodbye to his wife and children and to put his household in order before his execution. Dionysius was not willing to risk Pythias' fleeing, until Damon stepped forward and offered to pledge his own life and be imprisoned until Pythias returned. The condition that Dionysius imposed was that Damon must be willing to die in his place if Pythias did not return 3 by the date of execution. Damon willingly agreed and Pythias gratefully left. As days and days went by, and the deadline approached, and there was no sign of Pythias, Dionysius visited the prison to see if Damon was sorry he had made such a bargain: "You were a fool to rely on your friend's promise. Did you really think he would sacrifice his life for you?" Yet, Damon remained confident of his friend's loyalty, explaining that perhaps the winds had kept him from sailing or he had met with some accident on the road. On the day of execution, Pythias still had not returned, and Dionysius smugly greeted Damon, who was bound and ready to die. "What do you think of your friend now?" asked the ruler. Damon simply replied, "He is my friend. I trust [that he has good reasons not to be here, and I am ready to die in his place]." Just as he finished speaking, Pythias suddenly appeared, staggering, beaten and bruised, and nearly speechless from exhaustion. "[Thank heaven I'm not too late!] You are safe, [Damon,] Praise the Gods," he gasped. Pythias then explained how his ship was wrecked in a storm and how he was then attacked by bandits on the road. "But I refused to give up hope," he declared. "At last I've made it back in time. I am ready to receive my sentence of death." Dionysius was utterly astonished. He was so emotionally overwhelmed by this demonstration of friendship -- in both directions -- that he revoked the sentence and let both go free, asking only that he could be taught how to be such a friend. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friend."

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

-John 15:13

Easier said than done? Well, the One who said this actually did it! Yes, He laid down His life for us because He knew that there was no other way we could live eternally.

In this world, where everything seems fake and where most of the people are so diplomatic, we have a hope that true friendship does exist. If we claim to walk in accordance to God’s word, we too will display this quality of friendship - Selflessness.

True friendship is rare to find these days. People are so focused on their needs and maintaining a good name in the society, that diplomacy and craftiness has taken over honesty and innocence in friendship. It’s no longer about what the other person feels or needs, it’s all about ME. The culture in corporate world is such that, people use the very same people as footstep to climb the ladder who helped them to shape their career at a very critical phase. So the word called Trust and friendships are just mere fictional words found in bed time story books in the industry.

We can find it very easy to push our friend into the pit in order to remain safe outside. We can only understand the true meaning of friendship when we realize the work done for us at the cross and apply it in our friendship as well.

You might be experiencing lots of stress and pressure in your school, workplace, home, personnel life. End results would be how you give in into the situation. When you put potatoes, egg and coffee beans into hot water, potatoes which is hardest gives in to the heat and turns softer, egg which is very tender becomes very hard, but coffee beans brings aroma and changes the liquid.

Most of teens experience ‘peer pressure’. But the fact is that if your friendship is true, there’s no pressure whatsoever. You are accepted for the person you are. The essence of friendship is comfort and honesty. A true friend will always make you feel comfortable, be honest to you about your flaws and yet love you and accept you. A friend won’t pressurize you to ‘fit in’. Neither  do you have to force anyone to believe the truth. Love and respect keeps friends bound. Jesus never looked down on people. He accepted people with love and spoke the truth in love. He never forced people to follow Him or believe in him. He only led a life of example which encouraged people to be like Him. You need not be a great preacher to bring your friends to know about the Salvation in Christ. Let your life be a testimony, just as the life of Jesus was. And even as people see Christ in you, God will start working in them!

-Neethu Shaju & Sussanah

It Does Not Always Have To Be Loud!

Many a times people end up saying things or doing things that hurt us and vice versa. We trust God and know that He is just. We believe that He will lift is up and deliver justice in His perfect time. So we pray, we forgive and we move on. But when God actually proves us right, we want to shout out loud and show how the other person wronged you. Isn't that a bit unfair? Sometimes, God actually likes to do things quietly and it's best to keep our excitement of being proved right to ourselves. We don't need to look down upon the person who wronged us. We are accountable for our own deeds, so let's decide to act wisely. Just because the person doesn't personally apologise to you, doesn't mean that you have to force one to do it. In that way you're just returning the bad done to you. That also means you didn't really forgive the person in the first place. 

Let's deal in love. Let's learn to keep somethings between God and ourselves. We don't need to always shout out from the roof tops. Not everyone needs to see God's justice in your life at every instance. Sometimes it's best when it's realised by you. Take joy in what the Lord has done for you and avoid taking steps that will take you back to the situation God got you out from. The only difference now would be, that you'll be the one taking the wrong step. 

The entire purpose of the Book of Esther is to help us realise that sometimes God likes to work quietly through cause and effect. Esther's role as a queen gave her a platform. It gave her a place where her voice could be heard and she could make a difference. She didn't know it, though, until God asked her to speak up. 

So, relax and wait patiently on the Lord. Obeying Him will only get better results. If he wants you to stay quiet, do so. You know what being in that pit is like. Instead of pointing out how wrong the person is and telling the whole world about it, learn to empathise and be helpful. That will only make your Heavenly Father more proud of you. 

BUSY???

When I think of last year, it’s been a wonderful year. Not that I haven’t been through rough phases, but it’s about how I’ve emerged out of them as a better and a stronger person.

With the New Year come new resolutions. We all try our best to live up to the standards we set up for ourselves. When I thought about my resolutions, the only statement that popped into my mind was you’re so busy these days! I haven’t been able to keep in touch with close friends, I haven’t been able to devote enough time to write my blogs, and the list goes on. But while thinking about all of this, I questioned myself: Are we really busy?? There are so many people who work hard, or maybe even harder than me and yet find enough time for themselves. And when I thought of all the possibilities, it all came down to just one problem : improper management of time. 

If we really prioritize things correctly, we can have enough time to catch up with the little things that bring happiness in our lives. And I delayed writing this article just because I first wanted to live up to it myself. I have got my priorities right and I have been able to take out time for all those things I avoided by reasoning that I’m busy!  

There are plenty of articles about time management with a lot more details. But I personally feel that prioritizing things correctly is all that you need to do.

Have a wonderful year by staying connected with the ones who beautify your life, doing the things that you love, taking joy in the little things that bring you happiness and also help in spreading smiles!