Friday 27 September 2013

Nothing matters!!


Lord, it's getting to be desperate times
Why do you seem to delay
In responding to my pressing needs
That I remind you of each day?


In my mind I know that you
Will come through in the end,
But in my heart emotions rise
And I worry and fret again

Help me, Lord, at those times
To give it again to you,
Help me know deep in my heart
That you will pull me through

And that you fully understand
Exactly where I’m at,
Though circumstances do not change,
In you, I shall not lack

Everything when given to you
Will work out for my good,
For when I cast my care on you,
It's then, that it's understood

That it's just a matter of your timing
In responding to my need,
For often it's because you're doing
A deeper work in me

So all that's left for me to do,
The one thing that is sure,
Is to put my trust in you each day,
For nothing matters more.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Self!!

My parents are bugging me. They just don't seem to understand me or how I feel."

"I hate my parents. I know I shouldn't, but I do."

"I am a very hot tempered person, and I have some family problems. I get mad at the least little thing, and that bothers me. I yell like it's going out of style."

The three young people who wrote those statements are really having a rough time. Is it like this with you, too? If so, I can tell you some other problems you are probably having.

You are not only having trouble at home, but you are also having trouble with some of your teachers. You can't stand some of your friends and when you pray it seems that God doesn't hear.
 
Maybe you go to church but you don't get anything out of it. It seems that you have one problem after another.

Why? Why do you have these problems? It's easy to blame other people, but the real trouble is deep down inside. The real problem is Self. Self is on the throne of your heart. To be honest about it, we all have the problem of Self.

What is Self like? Self is a born rebel. It hates to take orders! It wants no one, not even God Himself, to rule over it. Where does that kind of spirit come from? It comes straight from Satan!

Self is full of pride. Self always wants to be Number 1, to be looked up to, and to be praised.

Self is always selfish. It doesn't care what happens to others, as long as it has its own way.

Self is easily offended and "hurt." Self always feels like it is the one who is getting the "raw deal." Whenever it is criticized, Self rushes to its own defense. Self will never admit that it is wrong—it always blames somebody else.

Self is the spirit of Satan. When Self is on the throne of your heart, you are controlled by Satan.

Jesus gave us the solution. He said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23) What did the Lord say? He said that we must deny Self. To deny Self means to say "No" to it, to refuse to give in to it.

If Christ is ruling in your life, you will respect authority. You will have a spirit of obedience. Let Christ rule in you!!

Amen! Hallelujah!!

Wednesday 4 September 2013

An eye opener!!


It was 1818 in France, and Louis, a boy of 9, was sitting in his father's workshop. The father was a harness-maker and the boy loved to watch his father work the leather. "Someday Father," said Louis, "I want to be a harness-maker, just like you." 

"Why not start now?" said the father. He took a piece of leather and drew a design on it. "Now, my son," he said, "take the hole- puncher and a hammer and follow this design, but be careful that you don't hit your hand." 

Excited, the boy began to work, but when he hit the hole-puncher, it flew out of his hand and pierced his eye! He lost the sight of that eye immediately. Later, sight in the other eye failed. Louis was now totally blind. 
A few years later, Louis was sitting in the family garden when a friend handed him a pine cone. As he ran his sensitive fingers over the cone, an idea came to him. He became enthusiastic and began to create an alphabet of raised dots on paper so that the blind could feel and interpret what was written. 

Thus, Louis Braille opened up a whole new world for the blind--all because of an accident! 

Tuesday 3 September 2013

On the winning side!!


Christian teens have one of the toughest jobs in the world—living up to their convictions. They love the Lord Jesus and want to live for Him. But trying to live the Christian life is a battle and much of the time they find themselves on the losing side. They can sing and smile in church but they are slaves of a thousand things of which they are ashamed.

They don't want to be hypocrites but they just cannot live up to what they believe. In short, to them the Christian life is a beautiful thing but they can't make it work. They get plenty of advice on what they ought to do but nobody gets around to telling them how to do it.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins 
Is there an answer to this problem? 

Yes, there is! God doesn't just save us and then leave us here to be battered by the devil until we die and pass on to the next world. To be sure, the Christian life is warfare, but we are on the winning side, not on the losing side.

The first step toward a life of victory is to know that you are in Christ. You can't win the battle against sin or the devil until you know your new relationship with Jesus Christ. To be in Christ is to share all that He has. The Christian life is not only a changed life—it is an exchanged life.

Remember: God's Word will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from God's Word.
What do you do when you sin? Confess it to God and get going again for God. Your position in Christ hasn't changed. You are still in Christ, and He is still in you. However, sin does break your fellowship with God. The way back is plain. The Bible says,

 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) 

But the more we learn to trust and obey the One who lives in us, the more we will be able to say with the Apostle Paul,

 "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ…" (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Monday 2 September 2013

Pay back!!

Late one summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night
truck stop. 

The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leather jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell’s Angels type - decided to give him a hard time. Not only did they verbally abuse him, one grabbed the hamburger off his plate, another took a handful of his french fries, and the third picked up his coffee and began to drink it.

How would you respond? Well, this trucker did not respond as one might expect. Instead, he calmly rose, picked up his check, walked to the front of the room, put the check and his money on the cash register, and went out the door. The waitress followed him to put the money in the till and stood watching out the door as the big truck drove away into the night. 

When she returned, one of the bikers said to her, "Well, he’s not much of a man, is he?" She replied, "I don’t know about that, but he sure ain’t much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles on his way out of the parking lot."

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Obedience to God!!

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
                                                                                                                                Luke 5:1-7


 Simon was an experienced fisherman. His livelihood was fishing. He knew when to throw the net, where to throw the net and how to throw the net. He very well knew the tides of the sea and the directions of the wind. Yet all his knowledge had failed him on that particular day. He was having a very depressing time. He was under pressure. No fish mean no food for him and his family. We read that both the boats that were on the shore were empty and they were washing their nets. No catch at all for any of them. Imagine their mindset in such a situation!!



Jesus walks up to them and asks them to push it back again into the water a little bit so that he could preach to the hundreds following him. Simon did as asked to. He even listened to Jesus teach. The teaching must have stirred Simon's soul a bit. After teaching the people, the bible says, Jesus asks Simon to take the boat to deep waters and let down the net for a catch. Any fisherman would know that fishing has to done during the night because the surface waters are cooler in the night and only then the fishes come up and during the day time when the sun heats the surface water the fishes prefer to stay at the cool bottom. 

Simon knows that Jesus was a different person because the sermon he preached sitting on the boat had already stirred up Simon's soul. Therefore instead of arguing with Jesus, he throws down his nets. To his amazement he finds a large number of fish in his net. The nets couldn't hold it all, they were breaking. Simon then calls to his other fellowmen to come for help and they bring another boat to take back the fish. 

What is amazing is that both the boats began to sink under the weight of the caught fish!! What no knowledge or skills or know-hows could do, obedience to God did it!! 

We may be like Simon well versed in our field, knowing all but still we would be in a failing state, depressing state. What Jesus said to Simon was against all his knowledge but even then he obeys God! God's word is the most powerful thing. It created! And still can! Even if there hadn't been any fish all night through, in the morning when Jesus had asked Simon to throw down his nets, the fish would have come to be from nowhere!! That's the power of the Word!!

There maybe nothing in our lives! We may seem to be utter failure!! But when God speaks into our live all things come to exist! You will be blessed with the blessing that you cannot contain! You will be sinking in your blessing!! Your blessing will overflow to others and even they will not be able to contain it!!

Obey God!! Listen to His still small voice and be blessed abundantly!!

Amen! Hallelujah!!

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Be like Jesus!!

Gary Thomas, in his book Authentic Faith, describes a friend of his named Mike. He met Mike when he went to college. Mike was a leader among students. He had everything: a contagious personality, athletic ability, good looks, and natural appeal. And everybody wanted to be around Mike. Everybody wanted to be Mike.

But a few years after college, Mike suffered a brain hemorrhage, and, as a result, he lost everything: his handsome appearance was gone, his voice was slurred, he couldn’t teach any more. Everything that others admired in Mike was now taken from him.

His treatment required months of grueling therapy, but eventually he was able to function again. The devastating effect on his body was paralleled by an equally powerful change in his spirit. He still attracted followers, but he was no longer focused on himself. He was focused on God. Gary Thomas says, "In college, when I was around Mike, I wanted to be like Mike. Now, after spending time with Mike, I want to be more like Jesus."

Monday 5 August 2013

Restoration!!

A few years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt's famous painting "Nightwatch." Then he took out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. A short time later, a distraught, hostile man slipped into St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo's beautiful sculpture The Pieta. Two cherished works of art
were severely damaged. But what did officials do? Throw them out and forget about them? Absolutely not! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore the treasures.

J. Stuart Holden tells of an old Scottish mansion close to where he had his little summer home. The walls of one room were filled with sketches made by distinguished artists. The practice began after a pitcher of soda water was accidentally spilled on a freshly decorated wall and left an unsightly stain. At the time, a noted artist, Lord Landseer, was a guest in the house. One day when the family went out to the moors, he stayed behind. With a few masterful strokes of a piece of charcoal, that ugly spot became the outline of a beautiful waterfall, bordered by trees and wildlife. He turned that disfigured wall into one of his most successful depictions of Highland life. 

 By His sovereign grace, God can bring good out of our failures, and even out of our sins. So do not be dejected, commit yourself unto the Lord and see the miracle happen!!

Amen! Hallelujah!!

Shared  by 
Carolyn Thomas

Monday 22 July 2013

மறந்திடாதிருங்கள்!!


 இஸ்ரவேல் ஜனங்கள் !!! சிறையிருப்பில் இருந்தார்கள்! அடிமையாய் இருந்தார்கள்!! எகிப்தில் பாரோனுக்கு பயந்து ஒரு பரிதவிக்கபட்ட வாழ்க்கையை வாழ்ந்துக்கொண்டிருந்தார்கள். மோசமான முறையில் நடத்தப்பட்டார்கள். அநேகம் பேர் மரித்தும் போனார்கள்.

கர்த்தர் அற்புத விதத்தில் இடைப்பட்டார். இஸ்ரவேல் ஜனங்கள் விடுவிக்கப்பட்டனர். தங்களை அடிமைப் படுதினவர்களிடமிருந்து அவர்கள் விடுதலை அடைந்தார்கள். சந்தோஷமாக எகிப்தை விட்டு புறப்பட்டார்கள். அவர்கள் சந்தோஷம் அதிக நேரம் நீடிக்கவில்லை. பாரோன் தன் மனதை மாற்றிக்கொண்டான். தன் சேனையை அனுப்பி இஸ்ரவேலரை திருப்பிக் கூட்டி வர சொன்னான். திரளான பாரோன் சேனை இஸ்ரவேலரை பின் தொடர்ந்துக் கொண்டிருந்தது, அவர்களின் சந்தோஷம் இதை கண்டு துக்கமாக மாறிற்று. அழுகையும் புலம்பலும் இவர்களை மூடிக்கொண்டது.

நம்பிக்கை இல்லாத சூழ்நிலை போன்று தோன்றிட்டு. செங்கடல் முன்னே பாரோன் சேனை பின்னே, எந்த பக்கம் போனாலும் மரணம் நிச்சயம் என்று அவர்களுக்குள் தோன்றிற்று. ஆயினும் கர்த்தர் அவர்களை கை விடவில்லை. மீண்டுமாக அற்புதமான  முறையிலே அவர்களை விடுவித்தார். அவர்களுக்கு முன்பாக இருந்த செங்கடலை அவர் இரண்டாக பிளந்தார், இஸ்ரவேலர் அதிலே நடந்தார்கள் ஆனால் பாரோன் சேனையோ அதிலே மூழ்கி மாண்டார்கள். இன்று கண்ட எகிப்தியனை என்றுமே இனி காண்பதில்லை என்று கர்த்தர் வாக்களித்தார்.


அப்பொழுது மோசே ஜனங்களை நோக்கி: பயப்படாதிருங்கள்; நீங்கள் நின்றுகொண்டு இன்றைக்குக் கர்த்தர் உங்களுக்குச் செய்யும் இரட்சிப்பைப் பாருங்கள்; இன்றைக்கு நீங்கள் காண்கிற எகிப்தியரை இனி என்றைக்கும் காணமாட்டீர்கள்.
                                                                                           யாத்திராகமம் 14 :13.

கர்த்தர் கூறிய வாக்குத்தத்ததை அவர்கள் நம்பினார்கள். அவரை துதித்து பாடினார்கள். மடிந்து போவோம் என்று நினைத்த இஸ்ரவேலர் மகிழ்ச்சியோடு பாடினார்கள். கர்த்தர் அற்புதம் செய்தார். கர்த்தருக்கு பயந்து அவரின் மேல் நம்பிக்கை வைத்தார்கள் என்று வசனம் சொல்லுகிறது. கர்த்தரின் மேல் நம்பிக்கை, கர்த்தருக்கு துதி, கர்த்தர் தங்கள் தேவனாய்  இருப்பதை குறித்து மிகவும் மேன்மை பாராட்டினார்கள்.

அப்பொழுது அவர்கள் அவருடைய வார்த்தைகளை விசுவாசித்து, அவருடைய துதியைப் பாடினார்கள்.     சங்கீதம் 106:12

இந்த விசுவாசம், துதி, நம்பிக்கை எத்தனை நாட்கள் நீடித்தது என்று நினைகிறீர்கள்? ஐந்து ஆண்டுகள்? ஓர் ஆண்டு? ஒரு மாதம்? ஒரு வாரமாவது நீடித்ததா? மூன்று நாட்கள் மட்டும்!!

மூன்று நாட்கள் வநாந்திரதிலே தண்ணீர் இல்லாமல் அலைந்தப் பொது ஜனங்கள் புலம்ப ஆரம்பித்தார்கள, முறுமுறுக்க ஆரம்பித்தார்கள், அழ ஆரம்பித்தார்கள். கர்த்தர் செய்த நன்மைகளை மறந்தார்கள். கர்த்தர் தங்களை விடுவிக்க வல்லவர் என்பதை சந்தேகித்தார்கள். செங்கடலை பிளந்த தேவன் வனாந்திரதிலே தண்ணீரை தர வல்லவர் என்பதை விசுவாசிக்காமல் போனார்கள்.

ஆனாலும் கர்த்தர் கன்மலையிலிருந்து தண்ணீரை புறப்பட செய்தார். அத்தனை ஆயிரம் மக்களின் தாகம் தீர்த்தார். மீண்டுமாய் அற்புதம் செய்தார். மீண்டுமாய் விடுடித்தார். அவர்களின் அவிசுவாசமோ  மீறுதலோ கர்த்தரின் அற்புதத்தை நிறுத்தவில்லை. மோசே ஜனங்களுக்காக பரிந்து பேசின போது கர்த்தர் மனதுருகினார்.

வேதம் சொல்லுகிறது அவர்கள் அவரின் வாக்குத்தததை நம்பினார்கள், துதித்தார்கள் ஆயினும் மறந்துபோனார்கள் என்று.

ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் கர்த்தர் செய்த நன்மைகளை மறந்து அவருக்கு எதிராய் முறுமுறுத்தார்கள் என்று நாம் வாசிகின்றோம்.

இது இஸ்ரவேல் ஜனங்களின் நிலை மாதரம் அல்ல. நம் வாழ்க்கையில் கர்த்தர் செய்த நன்மைகள் ஆயிரம் ஆயிரம். ஒரு ஒரு முறையும் கர்த்தர் நன்மை நம் வாழ்வில் செய்யும் போது நாம் அவரை துதிக்கிறோம், ஆராதிக்கிறோம், போற்றுகிறோம், விசுவாசிக்கிறோம். ஒரு புது விசுவாசம் ஒரு புது நம்பிக்கை உள்ள மனிதனாய் நாம் உணருகின்றோம்.

எத்தனை நாட்களுக்கு? அடுத்த பிரச்சனை வரும் வரையில்!! அடுத்த பிரச்சனையிளிருந்தும் கர்த்தர் நம்மை விடுவிக்க வல்லவர் என்பது நம் புத்திக்கு எட்டாமல் போய்விடுகிறது. நாமும் இஸ்ரவேலர் மாதிரி தான் இருக்கிறோம். அவர்களை போல முறுமுறுகிறோம், அவிசுவாசம் அடைகிறோம், புலம்புகிறோம். அவர்கள் மறந்துப்போனார்கள், நாமும் மறந்துப்போகின்றோம்!!

சகோதர சகோதரிகளே கர்த்தர் உண்மையுள்ளவர். அவர் வாக்கு பண்ணினால் அதை மறப்பதில்லை. அவர் செய்வேன் என்றதை செய்தே முடிப்பார். அவர் பொய்ச்சொல்ல மனிதனல்ல, மனம்மாற மனுப்புதிரனுமல்ல.

ஒரு வேளை இஸ்ரவேலர் போல நாமும் கர்த்தரின் மேல் நம்பிக்கை அற்றவர்களாக, அவர்களை போல ஓர் இரு நாட்கள் மட்டுமே அவரின் மேல் நம்பிக்கை வைபவர்களாக இருப்போமேயானால் இன்றே நாம் ஒப்புக்கொடுப்போம். கர்த்தர் செய்த நன்மைகளை நாம் ஒரு போதும் மறந்து விடவேண்டாம். எப்பொழுதும் அவரின் துதி நம் வாயில் இருக்கட்டும். அவரின் அற்புதங்களை மாத்திரம் நம் நாவுகள் பேசட்டும். அதையே நாம் எண்ணி துதிப்போமாக. 

ஒருப்போதும் மறந்திடாதிருங்கள் கர்த்தர் நல்லவர் அவர் அற்புதங்கள் செய்ய வல்லவர்!!

ஆமென் !! ஹல்லேலுயா!!

by Carolyn Thomas

Monday 15 July 2013

Serve His Purpose!!

Robert Roberts writes about a fourth grade class in which the teacher introduced a game called "balloon stomp." A balloon was tied to every child's leg, and the object of the game was to pop everyone else's balloon while protecting one's own. The last person with an intact balloon would win.

The fourth graders in Roberts' story entered into the spirit of the game with vigor. Balloons were relentlessly targeted and destroyed. A few of the children clung to the sidelines like wallflowers at a middle school dance, but their balloons were doomed just the same. The entire battle was over in a matter of seconds, leaving only one balloon inflated. Its owner was, of course, the most disliked kid in the class. It's hard to really win at a game like balloon stomp. In order to complete your mission, you have to be pushy, rude and offensive.

Roberts goes on to write that a second class was introduced to the same game. Only this time it was a class of mentally handicapped children. They were given the same explanation as the first class, and the signal to begin was given. But the game proceeded very differently. Perhaps the instructions were given too quickly for children with learning disabilities to grasp them. The one idea that got through was that the balloons were supposed to be popped. So it was the balloons, not the other players, that were viewed as enemies. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker. A little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won.

Who got the game right, and who got the game wrong? In our world, we tend to think of another person's success as one less opportunity for us to succeed. There can only be one top dog, one top banana, one big kahuna. If we ever find ourselves in that enviable position, we will fight like mad to maintain our hold on it. A lot of companies fail to enjoy prolonged success because the people in charge have this "balloon stomp" mentality. In the church, the rules change. Jesus Christ gets top billing. We're just here to serve his purposes, and we do that most effectively by elevating others and humbling ourselves. 
 
Amen!! Hallelujah!!

Shared by 

Carolyn Thomas

Thursday 11 July 2013

People people people!!

IT HAD BEEN A HARD WINTER IN THE ROCKIES. THE SNOW PILED DEEPER AND DEEPER. THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED BELOW ZERO AND STAYED THERE. THE RIVERS FROZE OVER. PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING. THE RED CROSS USED HELICOPTERS TO FLY IN SUPPLIES.

AFTER A LONG HARD DAY, AS THEY WERE RETURNING TO THEIR BASE, THE RESCUE
TEAM IN A HELICOPTER SAW A CABIN NEARLY SUBMERGED IN THE SNOW. A THIN WISP,OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE CHIMNEY. THE MEN FIGURED THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT CABIN WERE PROBABLY CRITICALLY SHORT OF FOOD, FUEL, AND MEDICINE. BECAUSE OF THE TREES THEY HAD TO SET DOWN ABOUT A MILE FROM THE CABIN. THEY PUT THEIR HEAVY EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT ON THEIR BACKS, TRUDGED THROUGH WAIST DEEP SNOW, AND REACHED THE CABIN EXHAUSTED, PANTING, AND PERSPIRING. THEY POUNDED ON THE DOOR AND A THIN, GAUNT MOUNTAIN WOMEN FINALLY ANSWERED.

THE LEAD MAN PANTED, "MA’AM, WE’RE FROM THE RED CROSS."
SHE WAS SILENT FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SHE SAID, "IT’S BEEN A HARD LONG WINTER, SONNY. I JUST DON’T THINK WE CAN GIVE ANYTHING THIS YEAR!" 
 
This may be a funny story to read but how true it is that we shut out the help we having knocking on our door from God!! 
 
Amen! Hallelujah!!
 
Shared by 
Carolyn Thomas
Yeshoowa ministries

Monday 8 July 2013

Lets not forget!!

It happened for the Children of Israel. They were living in bondage... They were slaves to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Their lives were miserable. They were mistreated... many of them died.
But then God intervened in a miraculous way... The Children of Israel were set free... They were walking away from their slave masters, but suddenly, the Pharaoh changed his mind. And a great Egyptian army was coming upon the Children of Israel hot and heavy.

They thought the situation was hopeless...But then God came in a special way... He parted the Red Sea, the Children of Israel walked across on dry ground... and when the Egyptian army tried to cross, the waters came crashing back down. and the Children of Israel had made their escape!

Bible says, "Then they believed his promises then, they sang his praise." Psalms 106:12 (NIV)

There came a point when their situation was desperate. 

Exodus 14:10 says, As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.

And God answered! He provided a miraculous deliverance! 

Exodus 14:31 says, "And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him"

The people got excited about the Lord.They suddenly began to really have faith in Him.They began to praise the Lord, in fact, almost the whole chapter of Exodus 15 is a song of praise to God.

How long do you think that spiritual high lasted? How long do you think that the praise continued to be on the lips of the people? How long do you think the people kept their faith in God--before it began to waver?
How long?

5 years? 1 year? 1 month?  Do you think it lasted 1 week?
Only 3 days!

Exodus 15:22 tells us that "For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water"
 
So the people began to grumble...they began to complain...they began to whine... We’ve all gone through difficult things...we’ve had those times when we have felt surrounded by the enemy... And, we’ve had those times when we have just felt spiritually dry...we knew that God was the answer for spiritual dryness...And so, we prayed...we focused our individual prayer life on our need for revival...

And God answered!!The Holy Spirit moved! We enjoyed a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord!!
We certainly want to lift up our praise to the Lord...We certainly want to put our faith in the promises of God...But we want to stop the cycle from repeating itself right there...

Bible says
They believed His promises...they sang His praise...but they soon forgot!!!

Let’s put our faith in the promises of God...Let’s lift up our voices and sing His praises...
But, let’s not forget what God has done!! 

Amen!! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas

Thursday 4 July 2013

God cares!!

A pastor called on a lady from his church and found her very despondent and feeling that God had forsaken her. Looking at the baby in the woman’s arms, the pastor said to her, "Drop that baby on the floor." Startled by the suggestion, she looked at him in disbelief. "Well," he said, "for what price would you drop it?"

Indignantly she replied, "Not for as many dollars as there are stars!"

He then said kindly, "Tell me, do you really think that you love your child more than the Lord does His?" That truth broke through the woman’s despair.

Perhaps you feel, like that woman, that God has forgotten you or no longer cares. You need look no further than the cross of Calvary to see that God loves and cares and sent His Son to die for your sins.

Shared by 
Carolyn Thomas

Monday 1 July 2013

Come unto JESUS!!


Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt, and the repairmen couldn't find the problem.  So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life--but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz.  Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high.  

Steinmetz's reply: For tinkering with the  generators, $10. For knowing where to tinker, $9,990. Ford paid the bill.  

Steinmetz built that generator, he knows what could go wrong where and how to fix it. no other repairman could do it. The know how is wisdom.

God created us and knows all our problems. No one else can help us but Him. When we face problems, no matter how hard others try to fix it, it is in vain. We need to know that we need to call our creator to get us out of it. 

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Mathew 11:28

He is the only one who can give us rest. He is the only one God who tells us to come to him when we are in trouble. That's the wisdom many of us lack and try to fix things by ourselves and with the help of others as incompetent like us. God created us and so He is the only one who can deliver us. 

COME UNTO JESUS!!!

Amen! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas

Thursday 27 June 2013

Christian Bear!!


An atheist was taking a walk through the woods. 'What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!', he said to himself.
As he continued walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes. Turning to look, he saw a 7 foot grizzly charging towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. Looking over his shoulder he saw that the bear was closing in on him. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster.
He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear raising his paw to take a swipe at him.
At that instant the atheist cried out: 'Oh my God!...'
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
It was then that a bright light shone upon the man and a voice came out of the sky saying:
'You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to a cosmic accident.  Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?'
The atheist looked directly into the light.
'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps, could you make the BEAR a Christian?'
'Very well, 'said the voice. The light went out, and the sounds of the forest resumed.could you make the BEAR a Christian?
And then the bear lowered his paw, bowed his head and spoke: 'Lord, bless this food which I am about to receive and for which I am truly thankful, Amen.'

Wednesday 26 June 2013

God our Helper!!


One dark rainy night a salesman had a flat tire on a lonely road. But to his dismay he had no lug wrench. Seeing a nearby farmhouse, he set out on foot. Surely the farmer would have a lug wrench, he thought. But would he even come to the door? And if he did, he'd probably be furious at being bothered. He's say, "What's the big idea getting me out of bed in the middle of the night?" 

This thought made the salesman angry. Why, that farmer is a selfish old clod to refuse to help me. Finally the man reached the house. Frustrated and drenched, he banged on the door. "Who's there?" a voice called out from a window overhead. 


"You know good and well who it is," yelled the salesman, his face red with anger. "It's me! And you can keep your old lug wrench! I wouldn't borrow it is it was the last one in the county."  

How many of us face our lives with this attitude? It is because of this misunderstanding about people around us and about the situation around us we miss out many blessings. Many of us misunderstand the love of God too at many times in our life. 

Many a times we decide that God wouldn't help us out in our desperate situations and get angry on our God. Our God is a loving God. Never will he back out from helping us. We need not fear that at the middle of the night our God wont help us out because He may be resting. Remember, Our God never sleeps nor slumbers!! 

So fear not! Have a clear understanding!! God is our helper at all times!!

Amen!! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas

Saturday 22 June 2013

Salvation!!


I read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing. At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father's full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.

The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son. When that boy grew to be a man, he said, "All my life I've known what God is like by what my father did that night."    
 
The punishment that we were supposed to suffer, Lord Jesus Christ took it upon himself. The blessings that God, the Father has promised his only begotten, beloved son Jesus has been now given to us through the mighty sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary!!

How many of us realize that it is our plate that was supposed to be empty? How many of us feel the love and grace of our Lord God in the Salvation plan? The Father's love is seen clearly when He sent His only Son Jesus to save this mankind. Do we dare doubt it? 

Take the full plate that Jesus is offering you today! The forgiveness for all your sins and sonship with his inheritance. He is more than willing to help us accept him as our personal Saviour so don't delay the salvation God has willingly paid for!!

Amen!! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas
Yeshoowa ministries

Thursday 20 June 2013

Grace!!

At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity.

Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.”

Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead.

Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, arm full of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what’s all this rumpus about?”

Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.”

“Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.”

The room fell silent.

Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. 

Isn't it so true!!God's grace is what's making the world go round even today!! God's grace saves people, God's grace makes his children live in victory!!

Are you aware of God's grace in your life? If so Praise him, Love him, Glorify him.

Amen! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas

Monday 17 June 2013

Be a God pleaser!!


A Miller and his son were driving their Ass to a neighboring fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they met with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and laughing. "Look there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such fellows, to be trudging along the road on foot when they might ride?' 

The old man hearing this, quickly made his son mount the Ass, and continued to walk along merrily by his side. Presently they came up to a group of old men in earnest debate. "There," said one of them, "it proves what I was a-saying. What respect is shown to old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest his weary limbs." 

Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and got up himself. In this manner they had not proceeded far when they met a company of women and children: "Why, you lazy old fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace by the side of you?' 

The good-natured Miller immediately took up his son behind him. They had now almost reached the town. "Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is that Ass your own?' "Yes," replied the old man. "O, one would not have thought so," said the other, "by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than he you." "Anything to please you," said the old man; "we can but try." 

So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to the town. This entertaining sight brought the people in crowds to laugh at it, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor the strange handling that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him and, tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. 

Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again, convinced that by endeavoring to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass in the bargain.

This may be just a story but this is what most of us do in our real life. Trying to please all around us we leave off doing God's will for the fear that others may mock you or judge you. God's words are to be obeyed come what may! That's the only way to gain favor in the sight of the Lord and be blessed!!

Amen! Hallelujah!!

By Carolyn Thomas

Saturday 15 June 2013

A lighter moment!!


Locked Car Door

 A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car.

She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened. The baby sitter told her that her the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."

The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time or other had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."

So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help. Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.

The man got out of his car and asked her if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure". He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."

The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"


Shared by
Carolyn Thomas
Yeshoowa ministries