To The Truth

The Glory of Youth...!!

2015-07-29T03:35:00.002-07:00

The English poet Byron said that youth is glorious. Another English poet William Wordsworth said that youth comes once in a life. In Our life Span, Youth constitutes the golden period. The age between eighteen to forty can be considered as youth. This is a time when a person can be at his best physically, mentally & even spiritually. " This is a time for audacious exploits and many have taken hold of their opportunities to climb great heights in their Youth.

Ravindranath Tagore, who wrote and set to music 2230 poems, published his first poem when He was Sixteen. Padmashree PT Usha, the Golden girl of Indian athletics entered the Olympics at sixteen. AR Rahman who had his new "Vande Mataram" published in 28 countries simultaneously, began his music career at the age of eleven. The heroic women police official Kiran Bedi joined IPS when she was twenty three. Bhagat Singh, the Freedom fighter, extolled by Mahatma Gandhi, Died a Martyr at the age of twenty four. Bachendri Pal at thirteen years of age climbed a mountain of 4000mtrs Heigh and now she holds the honour of being the first women to reach the Everest. Ziegenbalagh the first protestant cross cultural missionary to India who translated the Bible into Tamil and Printed its first Copy in Our land, Arrived the shores of Tranqubar when he was twenty three. There are many others who become leaders of great eminence when they where young. These Men & Women achievements inspire the young every where to excel in their lives,

Those who had crossed the age of 40, need not get disappointed. There is hope for them, because it is said that You are a young Man, As Long as you have a Mission to fulfil, Nevertheless Youth is reality...

Courtesy : Dr, D Joshua
"The Answer"

The JUST shall live by Faith.....

2015-03-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

Prophet Habakkuk was contemporary of Prophets Daniel and Jeremiah who lived around 612-588 BC. He lived at a time when Judea was immersed in violence, Sexual Immorality, and Neglect of God's Commandments. Naturally He was distressed and restless. He complained to God. God answered him with a forceful statement "the Just shall Live by Faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). Ever since man disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, humanity is not free from violence, Immorality and arrogance. Dishonouring God and His commandments is the beginning of destruction. When God says something more than once means it is a very serious thing. This verse is repeated three more times in the New testament; though they are stated in different contexts. They are Romans 1:17, "the just shall live by faith." This verse is stated in connection with the Power of the Gospel. Galatians 3:11 tells the same, "the just shall live by faith." This verse is told in connection with salvation which is gained not by the observance of law but by the Faith in Christ Jesus. Thirdly Heb 12:38 tells the same "the just shall live by faith". This is stated in connection with second coming of Christ. For in just a very little while. " He who is coming will come and will not delay" (Heb 10:37)

No Doubt, The World situation is deplorable. but remember God is sovereign and He is in Control of world affairs. Be assured that God answers the prayer of the righteous man.

THE CROSS, the violence of God's Love..!!

2014-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

We all are familiar with this very fantastic heart touching verse In Galatians Chap 6 verse 14...

"God forbid that I should boast of anything but the CROSS of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST."

The Universal symbol of Christian faith is not a crib or manger but a Gruesome Cross. Yet many people are unclear about its meaning and cannot understand why Christ had to die. Cross is the centrality and the Cruciality of Christianity.

The Shadow Of Death (Holman Hunt)

From Jesus' youth indeed even from his birth, the cross casts its shadow ahead of him. Holman Hunt in his famous painting entitled "The Shadow of Death" clearly illustrates this truth. It Depicts the inside of the Carpenter's shop in Nazareth. Stripped to the waist Jesus stands by a wooden trestle on which He has put down His saw. He lifts His eyes towards Heaven, and the look on his face in One of either pain or ecstasy or both. He also stretches, raising both arms above his Head. As he does so the evening Sunlight streaming through the open door casts a dark shadow in the form of a Cross on the wall behind him, where his tool- Rack looks like a horizontal bar on which His hands have been Crucified. The tools themselves remind Us of the fateful hammer and Nails.

The Shadow On the Wall

In the Left foreground a woman kneels among the wood chippings , her hands resting on the chest in which the rich gifts of the magi are kept. We cannot see her face because She has averted it. But we know that she is Mary. She looks a startled (or so it seems) at her son's cross like shadow on the Wall.

His death was central to His Mission. "All that Christ was in heaven or on the Earth was put into what He did there. Christ is to Us just what His Cross Is. You do not understand Christ till You understand His Cross." [PT. Forsyth]. He who Understand the Cross alright, understand the Bible, he understands Jesus Christ.

(Source : from "The Answer" by Dr. D Joshua)

Let HIM Move With YOU..!!

2014-03-21T05:43:00.001-07:00

Girl was going on outing with her two friends and their three boyfriends, in a small car.Then the Mum said to the daughter, "May God protect you and let Him move with you"The daughter laughed in disguise and replied: "Mum the car is full maybe if God moves in the boot, let him try there ."They then drove and went away.Then a terrible accident happened, the car was destroyed beyond recognition, all who were in died and some of them were only recognized by checking on the clothes they wore.

Surprisingly, when the police opened the boot of a car, they found two trays of eggs which not even one was damaged, in that crashed car.

NOTE: If the daughter had invited God and given him a place in the car, he would have saved them and no one of them would be hurt or damaged as he protected the Eggs in the boot where he was given a place.The Bible says the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, yet something extraordinary happens when two or more agree together in prayer.

Micheal Jackson:: MJ, Famous But Failure!!!!

2014-03-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today we will have a quick journey through the life of a legend in music who thrilled the hearts of billions of people around the globe. Thirty years ago, Michael Jackson enchanted us with his moonwalk. He was born on 29^th of August 1958. For 50 years we saw the perfect illusionist enchant and horrify the world in equal measure. We wonder over many of his achievements. His fans say he was one of the best musicians ever lived. Here are some facts about Michael Jackson.

He born as eighth child of a mill worker, started performing at the age of six.

He rehearsed when all other kids of his age went to school

His first album became the best seller

His moonwalk thrilled the world for 30 years

His 5 albums broke the Guinness world record for top selling.

He was the most famous, costly artist in the whole world.

He was followed by millions of fans all around the globe but he miserably failed in living a successful life. See this facts

· He was never satisfied in his life

· Had many marriages and all were failure

· Several child abuse cases filed against him

· He died in deep Debt and pain.

What gives us success? Is it money? Is it fame? Is it health? Is it power? The success achieved through this means are momentary. People who achieved such kind of momentary success like Michael Jackson miss an important point in their life. The faith in God. Many times people fail in their lives even in the midst of fame and wealth because they use the God given resources in their lives for their selfish ambitions without knowing the purpose why God created it. To understand this purpose we need to have faith in God.

Nothing in this world can satisfy our life unless we trust in God in everything we do. Blaise Pascal, the great Mathematician and philosopher said like this. “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

Today let us trust God for a successful life. Let us commit our time, treasures and talents to God so that He will help us to use in a proper way which ultimately will lead to our success. We do this by telling it to Him in prayer. Let us pray

Prayer

God we thank you for creating us with great talents. God, many times we are failed because we tried to use it without knowing the purpose behind giving us these talents. Now we are coming to you and submitting all that we have with us. God we pray that you take and use it and let us experience a successful life. Help us to find complete rest in you. Thank you for hearing our prayers.

Words Are Sharper than Swords!!!!

2014-01-21T05:39:00.001-08:00

ആറാം ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ പഠിക്കുന്ന സമയം.... ഞാന്‍ പഠനത്തില്‍ വലിയ സംഭവം ഒന്നും അല്ലെങ്കിലും ഒപ്പിച്ചു ജയിച്ചുപോകും....എന്നെ പോലെ ഉഴപ്പന്മാരായ കുറച്ച് സുഹൃത്തുക്കളുടെ കൂടെ ഏറ്റവും പുറകിലെ ബഞ്ചിലാണ് എന്‍റെഇരിപ്പ്...

എന്‍റെ അടുത്ത് ഇരിക്കുന്നത് ഷിബുവാണ്....ഒരു തനി നാടന്‍.....മുണ്ട് ഒക്കെ ഉടുത്താണ് ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ വരുന്നത്. ഞങ്ങളെക്കാളും ഒരു മൂന്ന് വയസ്സ് പ്രായമുണ്ട്.... അത് അവന്‍റെ കുഴപ്പം അല്ല.... പഠന മികവ് കൊണ്ട് ആ ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ അവന്‍ രണ്ടാം വര്‍ഷമാണ്‌... മലയാളം നേരെ വായിക്കുവാന്‍ അറിയില്ല...പിന്നെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷിന്‍റെ കാര്യം പറയുകയും വേണ്ട... .പാവപ്പെട്ട കുടുംബമായതിനാല്‍ രാവിലെയും വൈകിട്ടും ജോലി ചെയിതിട്ടാണ് ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ വരുന്നത്....ജോലി തിരക്ക് കാരണം ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ താമസിച്ചാണ് അവന്‍റെ വരവ്....പഠിക്കുവാന്‍ കഴിവ് ഇല്ലെങ്കിലും മറ്റുള്ളവരെ സ്നേഹിക്കുവാനുംകരുതുവാനും അവന് നല്ല മനസ്സായിരുന്നു... മുട്ടയി വാങ്ങിച്ചാല്‍ അവന്‍ ഒന്ന് എനിക്കും തരും...അവന്‍റെ വീട്ടില്‍ വാളംപുളി മരം ഉണ്ട്..രാവിലെ സ്കൂളില്‍ വരുമ്പോള്‍ ഒരു കവര്‍ നിറച്ചും നല്ല രുചിയുള്ള വാളംപുളിയുമായിട്ടാണ് അവന്‍റെ വരവ്... സീസണ്‍ അനുസരിച്ച് കണ്ണി മാങ്ങ, കമ്പിളി നാരങ്ങ, ചാമ്പങ്ങാ, എന്നിവയും കൊണ്ടുവരും....

ഒരു ദിവസം ഞങ്ങളെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അപ്പന്‍ സാര്‍ ( മഠത്തിലെ കന്യസ്ത്രീയെ കെട്ടിയതുകൊണ്ട് പിള്ളര്‍ കളിയാക്കി വിളിക്കുന്ന പേര്) . അപ്പന്‍ സാറിന്‍റെ അടി കിട്ടിയാല്‍ 3 ദിവസം ആ വേദന കാണും..ആള് വലിയ കര്‍ക്കശക്കാരനും....

ഒരിക്കല്‍ തലേ ദിവസം പഠിപ്പിച്ച ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് വാക്കുകളുടെ സ്പെല്ലിങ്ങ് ചോദിച്ചു... അങ്ങനെ ഞങ്ങളുടെ പുറകിലെ ബെഞ്ചില്‍ എത്തി... ആദ്യം ഇരിക്കുന്ന എന്നോട് cat എന്ന വാക്കിന്‍റെ സ്പെല്ലിംഗ് ചോദിച്ചു.. ഞാന്‍ ആകെ അതെ പഠിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളായിരുന്നു. സി..എ..റ്റി..... ക്യാറ്റ് എന്ന് ഞാന്‍ ഉത്തരം പറഞ്ഞു...

അടുത്തത് ഷിബു.... അവനോട് ചോദിച്ചത് എലഫെന്റ്.... അവന്‍ സത്യത്തില്‍ അത് പഠിച്ചില്ലായിരുന്നു...എന്നാലും അവന്‍ ശ്രമിച്ചു നോക്കി...ഞാന്‍ പുസ്തകത്തില്‍ നോക്കി പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കാന്‍ ശ്രമിച്ചു.... പക്ഷെ അവന്‍ കേള്‍ക്കുന്നില്ല... സാറിന്‍റെ രൂക്ഷമായ നോട്ടവും കയ്യില്‍ ഇരിക്കുന്ന വടിയും കണ്ടപ്പോള്‍ അവന്‍റെ വായില്‍ നിന്നും ഒരു വാക്ക് പോലും പുറത്ത് വന്നില്ല...

മണ്ടന്മാര്‍ എന്ന ലിസ്റ്റില്‍ പെടുതിയതുകൊണ്ട് അപ്പന്‍ സാറിനു പുറകിലെ ബഞ്ചിലെ ഞങ്ങളെ കണ്ടുകൂടായിരുന്നു എന്നതാണ് സത്യം.. കിട്ടിയ അവസരം സാര്‍ പാഴാക്കിയില്ല.... ഷിബുവിന്‍റെ കൈക്കിട്ട് തുരുതുരാ അടി പൊട്ടിച്ചു... എന്നിട്ട് വായില്‍ തോന്നിയതൊക്കെ സാറ് പറഞ്ഞു.

" നീ ഒക്കെ പഠിക്കാന്‍ വരുന്നതിലും നല്ലത് വല്ല പശുവിനെ മേയിക്കാന്‍ പോകുന്നതാ....നീ ഒന്നും നന്നാവാന്‍ പോകുന്നില്ല...ഇങ്ങനെ ജീവിക്കുന്നതിലും നല്ലത് നീ ഒക്കെ ചാകുന്നതാ.."

ഒരിക്കലും കരയാത്ത ഷിബുവിന്‍റെ കണ്ണ് അന്ന് നിറഞ്ഞൊഴുകി.... വാടിയ മുഖവുമായി അവന്‍ ബഞ്ചില്‍ ഇരുന്നു... അന്ന് ക്ലാസ്സ്‌ കഴിഞ്ഞ് ഞങ്ങള്‍ എല്ലാം വീട്ടില്‍ പോയി...

പിറ്റേ ദിവസം രാവിലെ സ്കൂളില്‍ എത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ കുട്ടികള്‍ ഒക്കെ ക്ലാസ്സിന്പുറത്ത് കൂടി നില്‍ക്കുന്നു. ഹെഡ് മാസ്റ്റര്‍ മൈക്കിലൂടെ വിളിച്ചു പറഞ്ഞു ' സ്കൂളിലെ ഒരു കുട്ടി മരിച്ചു,ഇന്നു സ്കൂളിന് അവധിയാണ്... " അല്‍പ്പസമയത്തിനുള്ളില്‍ ബോഡി സ്കൂളില്‍ കൊണ്ടുവരും.... ഇവിടെ പൊതു ദര്‍ശനത്തിന് വെയ്ക്കും". ബോഡി കാണുവാന്‍ ഞങ്ങള്‍ എല്ലാവരും സ്കൂളിന്‍റെ ഓഡിറ്റൊറിയത്തില്‍ എത്തി... ഞങ്ങള്‍ കൂട്ടുകാര്‍ പരസ്പരം പറഞ്ഞു. ഓ...ഇന്നു അവധിയാണല്ലോ.ഷിബുവിനോട് കൂടെ കളിക്കാം...എന്‍റെ മനസ്സ് സന്തോഷിച്ചു... "ഈ ഷിബു എവിടെ പോയി...."...ഞാന്‍ എന്‍റെ കൂട്ടുകാരനായ രണ്ജിത്തിനോട് ചോദിച്ചു. അവന്‍ എപ്പോള്‍ എങ്കിലും ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ നേരത്തെ വന്നിട്ടുണ്ടോ? രഞ്ജിത്ത് മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു.

പെട്ടന്ന് ആംബുലന്‍സിന്‍റെ ശബ്ദം മുഴങ്ങി....ഞങ്ങള്‍ എല്ലാവരും ഓഡിറ്റൊറിയത്തിന്‍റെ പുറത്തേക്ക് നോക്കി... ശവപ്പെട്ടിയും ചുമന്നുകൊണ്ട് ചിലര്‍ ഓഡിറ്റൊറിയത്തിനുള്ളില്‍ കയറി.... വെള്ളതുണി വിരിച്ചിട്ട ആ മേശയില്‍ ആ ശവപ്പെട്ടി വച്ചു.... അദ്ധ്യാപികമാര്‍ സാരിത്തലപ്പുകൊണ്ട് കണ്ണുനീര്‍ തുടച്ചു..... മുഖത്ത് കിടന്ന വെള്ളതുണി മാറ്റി....

എന്‍റെ കണ്ണില്‍ ഇരുട്ട് കയറിയതുപോലെ..... ഷിബു....എന്‍റെ സഹപാഠി ഷിബു.... അടുത്ത് കണ്ട തൂണില്‍ കൈ മുറുകെ പിടിച്ചു ഞാന്‍ ആ മുഖത്തേക്ക് ഒന്നുകൂടെ നോക്കി...... ശവപെട്ടിയില്‍ പുഞ്ചിരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് കിടക്കുന്ന ആ ഷിബുവിന്‍റെ മുഖത്തേക്ക്....

എന്താണ് ഷിബുവിന് സംഭവിച്ചത്? തലേ ദിവസത്തെ ഞാന്‍ ഓര്‍ത്തു...അതെ അവന്‍ ആ തീരുമാനം എടുത്തു ഇനിയും ഒരിക്കലും ഞാന്‍ എലഫെന്‍ന്‍റെ സ്പെല്ലിംഗ് പഠിക്കില്ല.....

ഇന്നലെ സ്കൂളില്‍ നിന്നും അവന്‍ വീട്ടിലേക്കല്ല പോയത് കാഞ്ഞങ്ങാട് റെയില്‍വേ സ്റ്റേഷന്‍റെ അടുത്ത്.....

വൈകുന്നെരത്തെ ചെന്നൈ എക്സ്പ്രസ് ട്രെയിന്‍റെ മുന്‍ബില്‍ ചാടി അവന്‍ ജീവിതം എന്നേക്കുമായി അവസാനിപ്പിച്ചു... പഠനമില്ലാത്ത ലോകത്ത്.... വേദനയില്ലാത്ത ലോകത്തേക്ക്....

വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ പലത് കടന്ന് പോയി.... ഇപ്പോളും ഞാന്‍ ഓര്‍ക്കും എന്തിന് ഷിബു ഇങ്ങനെ ഒരു കടുംകൈ ചെയ്യിതു...അതും ഒരു എലഫെന്‍ന്റ്ന് വേണ്ടി?

ചില വാക്കുകള്‍ക്ക് ആറ്റംബോംബിനേക്കാള്‍ ശക്തിയുണ്ട് എന്ന യാഥാര്‍ത്ഥ്യം ഇന്നു ഞാന്‍ തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നു....അധ്യാപകരും മാതാപിതാക്കളും വഴികാട്ടികള്‍ ആയി മാറേണ്ടവരാണ്.... നിങ്ങളുടെ നല്ല വാക്കുകള്‍ തലമുറയെ നേര്‍വഴിയില്‍ നയിക്കുവാനും നിരുത്സാഹപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന വാക്കുകള്‍ അവരുടെ നാശത്തിനും

മാകാം....

A Good News For You - By Zac Poonen

2013-07-06T09:52:00.001-07:00

In this article, I want to explain what it means to be “born again” – or to be “saved”. Repentance is the first step to this experience. But in order to repent (turn from sin) you must first know what sin is. There is a lot of false understanding of repentance among Christians today, because there is a lot of false understanding of sin. The standards in Christianity have come down greatly in these past few decades. The “gospel” being preached today by most preachers is a highly diluted version of the truth. People are being told only to believe in Jesus. But believing in Jesus alone will not save anyone, if they do not repent. Being born again is the foundation of the Christian life. If you live a good life, without laying this foundation, then your Christianity will be just like all the other religions in the world – that also teach people to live a good life. We must certainly live a good life. But that is the superstructure of Christianity – not its foundation. The foundation is being born again. We must all begin there. Jesus used the expression “born again” in John 3:3, when speaking to Nicodemus who was a religious leader and a God-fearing man who lived uprightly. Yet Jesus told him, “Unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

So we see that to enter God’s kingdom you need to have a spiritual birth, even if you are a very good man! Jesus then told him that He(Jesus) would be lifted up on a cross to die and that those who believed in Him would receive eternal life (John 3:14,16). Jesus went on to tell him that men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). But those who are honest would come into the light and be saved (John 3:21). To be born again, you must come into the light. That means being honest with God and confessing your sins to Him. Obviously, you cannot remember all the sins that you have committed. But you must acknowledge that you are a sinner and tell God whatever sins you remember. Sin is a very big thing and you can see only a very small part of it in your life, at first. That is something like your living in a large country of which you have seen only a very small part. But as you turn from the sins that you know, you will gradually see more and more of this “country of sin” in your own life. As you walk in the light, you will see more of your sin – and you can then cleanse yourself more and more from it. So you must walk in honesty before God all the time. To use another illustration: You are living in a house that has many dirty rooms. You want the Lord Jesus to come and live in your house. But He cannot live in dirty rooms. So He helps you to clean up each room – one by one. Little by little, the whole house is cleaned up. That is how we grow in holiness in the Christian life.

The apostle Paul once said that everywhere he went, he preached the same message to everyone: Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20). These are the two requirements to lay a good foundation in your life and to be born again. God has joined repentance~ 2 ~ and faith together. But most Christian preachers have separated them. Repentance has been left out from most of today’s gospel-preaching. Only faith is being preached by most preachers. But if you have only faith, you cannot be born again. That is like saying that a woman cannot have a child, all by herself, no matter how hard she tries. A man also cannot have a child all by himself. A man and a woman have to come together for a child can be born. Even so, it is when repentanceand faith come together that a spiritual child is born – that the new birth can take places in your spirit. This spiritual birth is just as real as physical birth – and it also takes place in a moment. It is not gradual.

There may be months of preparation for the new birth – just as there are months of preparation for physical birth. But the new birth itself (just like physical birth) takes place in a moment. Some Christians do not know the date of their new birth. I do not know the date of my own new birth. But that is just like not knowing the date of one’s physical birth. That is not a serious matter – if one is alive!! In the same way, the important thing is to know for certain that you are alive in Christ today. Are we being narrow-minded when we say that Jesus is the only way to God?

Let me answer that with an illustration: Someone who has never seen my father (or even a picture of my father), cannot know what my father looks like. In the same way, we who have never seen God cannot know anything about Him or the way to Him. Jesus Christ however, came from God. And so He alone can show us the way to God.” He said “I am the way. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).When we think about Jesus’ claim to be the ONLY WAY to God the Father, we have to say that either what He said was true or He was a liar and a deceiver. Who would dare to say that He was a liar and a deceiver? It is not enough to say that Jesus was just a good man or a prophet. No. He is God Himself – and not just a good man. He couldn’t possibly be a good man if He were a liar or a deceiver! So we conclude that Jesus was indeed God in human form. All truth is narrow-minded. In mathematics, 2 + 2 is always 4. We cannot be broadminded and accept 3 or 5 also as possible answers. We cannot even accept 3.9999. If we accept such variations of the truth, our mathematical calculations will go wrong. In the same way, we know that the earth revolves around the sun. If we decide to be “broadminded” and accept some theory that says that the sun also revolves around the earth, our astronomical calculations will go wrong. Likewise, in chemistry, H2O is water. We cannot be broadminded and say that H2O is also salt!! So we see that truth is absolute in every area and very narrow-minded. It is so, even in the matter of God. Broadmindedness can bring serious errors in mathematics, in astronomy and in chemistry – and also in knowing the truth about God. The Bible teaches that all human beings are sinners – and Jesus died for sinners.

So, if you come to Jesus as a “Christian”, He will not forgive your sins, because He did not die for Christians! He died for sinners. The only person who can be forgiven is the one who comes to Jesus and says “Lord, I am a sinner”. You cannot come to Jesus as a member of any religion and be forgiven, because He died for sinners. If you come to Him as a sinner, then your sins can be forgiven immediately. It’s easy for all of us to know that we are sinners – because God has given us all a conscience. Children have a very sensitive conscience, that makes them aware of wrong very quickly. But as they grow up, that conscience can become hard and insensitive. When a 3-year old child tells a lie, his face looks guilty because his conscience is guilty. But 15 years later, he can tell a lie with a straight face, because he killed his conscience by repeatedly ignoring its voice. The soles of a baby’s foot are so soft that it can feel even the stroking of a feather. But the soles of the feet of ~ 3 ~ adults are so hard that they don’t feel even the poke of a pin until it is pressed in hard. This is what happens to their conscience too, as they grow up. Conscience is a voice that God has placed within us, that tells us that we are moral beings. It gives us an elementary understanding of right and wrong. And so it is a wonderful gift of God. Jesus called it “the eye of the heart” (Lk.11:34). If we don’t preserve this “eye” with care, we will become spiritually blind one day. Ignoring the pricks of conscience can be as dangerous as ignoring the particles of dust that enter your eye - one day you will become totally blind, spiritually. When babies are born, none of them have any religion. They are all the same. Two years later, they are still the same – selfish and quarrelsome. But as time goes on, their parents indoctrinate them into different religions – and that is how they end up in different religions. In more than 90% of cases, a person’s religion is what his parents chose for him.

But God doesn’t look at us as people of different religions. He sees us all as sinners. Jesus came from heaven to earth to die for the sins of all humanity. He didn’t come for those who consider themselves good enough to enter God’s presence, but for those who acknowledge that they are sinners and unfit to enter God’s presence. Your conscience tells you that you are a sinner. So why should it be difficult to come to Jesus and say, “Lord, I am a sinner, I have done many wrong things in my life”?

A question that some may ask is, “Can’t a good God overlook our sins and forgive us, just like a father would forgive?” If a son broke (or lost) something valuable, and was sorry for it and apologized to his father, his father would forgive him. But these matters are not moral issues. If all our sins were just like these matters, then God would forgive us immediately. But sin is not like these matters. Sin is a crime. If a man were a judge in a court and his own son was standing in front of him, accused of some crime, can he tell his son, “Son, I love you. I forgive you. I won’t punish you”? Any earthly judge with the slightest sense of justice, would never do such a thing. That sense of justice that we all have is a small part of the perfect justice of Almighty God, in whose likeness we have been made. So when we have done something seriously wrong, God as a judge, has to say to us, “I love you very much but you have committed a crime – and so I have to punish you.” In that court, however much the son may be sorry for his crime, his father still has to punish him, as a judge. Let us suppose that the boy had robbed a bank. The father fines him the full penalty of the law – say, one million rupees. Since the boy does not have the money to pay the fine, he has to go to jail! The father then steps down from the judge’s chair, takes off his judge’s robe and comes down. He takes out his personal check-book and writes a check for one million rupees (his entire life’s savings) and gives it to his son to pay the fine. Can his son accuse him now of not loving him? No! At the same time, no-one can accuse him of not being a just judge either, because he gave his son the full punishment that the law demanded. That is exactly what God did for us too. As a Judge He declared that we must all die for our sins. Then He came down as a Man and took that punishment Himself.

The Bible teaches us that even though God is One, He exists in Three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If God were just One Person, He could not possibly have vacated His throne in heaven and come down to earth as a man in the person of Jesus. Who would run the universe then? But because God exists as Three Persons, the Son could come to earth and die for our sins before the Father in heaven Who was the Judge. Some Christians baptize people in the name of “Jesus only” saying that there is only One Person in the Godhead – Jesus. This is a serious error. 1 John 2:22 says that anyone who denies the Father and the Son has the spirit of the Antichrist. Because he then denies that God the Son came in human form as Jesus Christ, and denied his own human will and did the Father’s will and then took the punishment for our sins, before God the Father (1 John 4:2,3).Jesus was fully God and fully man when He came to earth. When He died on the cross, He took the punishment for the sins of all humanity. The punishment for our sin is to be separated from God for ~ 4 ~ eternity. And when Jesus hung on the cross, He was separated from His Father in heaven. Such separation is the most terrible suffering that any human being can ever suffer. Hell is the only God-forsaken place in the universe. God is not there. And so in hell, all the evil in the devil manifests itself fully. That evil is what makes things so miserable for all who go to hell. Jesus experienced that punishment when He hung on the cross. He hung on the cross for 6 hours. But in the last 3 hours He was forsaken by God. The sun became dark and the earth shook. His connection with His Father in heaven was cut off. The Father is the head of Christ (1 Cor.11:3) – and when Christ was forsaken, it was like having His head wrenched off. We cannot understand fully what an agony that was for Him. If Jesus were merely a created being, He could not possibly have taken the punishment for the billions of human beings who have lived since Adam! For one man cannot be hanged in place of one billion murderers! But Jesus could take that punishment because He is the Infinite God. Further, because He is infinite, He could also take an eternal punishment within three hours. If Jesus Christ were not God, and God the Father had punished Him for our sin, that would have been a great injustice. God cannot punish one person for the crime of another, even if the person is willing to take the punishment. Your friend cannot take your punishment and be hanged in your place. That would be unjust. So if Jesus were merely a created being, and He was punished for our sins, that would have been the greatest injustice. So it is clear that no created being could possibly have taken the punishment for our sins. God alone could take that punishment, because He is the Judge of the universe. He has the right to punish us – and He has the right to take our punishment Himself. And that is what He did, when He came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ.

The foundation of the Christian faith lies in two great truths: First, that Christ died for the sins of humanity. Secondly, that He rose from the dead after three days. If Christ did not rise from the dead, there would have been no proof that He was God. His rising from the dead was proof that all that He had said was true. No religious leader has ever claimed that he would die for the sins of the world. And no religious leader has ever risen from the dead. These two facts alone make Jesus Christ unique. All religions may teach us to do good to others and to live in peace. But the Christian faith has an unique foundation: Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. If these two truths are removed from Christianity, then Christianity becomes just like any other religion. These two truths are what make Christianity unique. We were all created by God to live for Him. But we have all lived for ourselves. So, when we come to God, we must come as repentant thieves who have stolen for many years, what belonged to God. We must come to Him with thankfulness for Christ dying for us, and believing that He rose from the dead and is alive today. We could not possibly pray to Jesus if He were not alive today – for you cannot pray to a dead person. But because Jesus rose from the dead, we can converse with Him. After Christ rose from the dead, He ascended and returned to heaven. Then the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead came down to earth. The Holy Spirit is a real Person like Jesus Himself. He has come to earth to fill our lives with His presence. If we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He can make us holy. When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will be enabled to live a life of victory over sin. No-one could live like that before the Holy Spirit came to indwell man – on the day of Pentecost. Before that, people could only improve their external lives. Their inner lives ~ 5 ~ remained defeated by sin and unchanged. When the Holy Spirit fills you, God Himself lives inside you and He can enable you to live a godly life inwardly too. The wonderful message of the gospel is that your heart can become totally clean when God forgives you and then Christ can live in you through His Spirit making your body the house of God. I was speaking to a Christian once who was smoking cigarettes. I asked him if he would ever smoke a cigarette inside a church building? He said he would never do that because a church building was the house of God. I told him that it was his body that was the house of God and not some church building. You would not commit adultery inside a church-building, would you? You would not watch internet pornography inside a church either. Your body is the house of God, when Christ lives within. So be careful what you do with the members of your body. Habits like smoking, drinking, taking harmful drugs and allowing impure thoughts to enter your mind will gradually destroy your body and your mind. The Christian life is like a race. When we turn our back to sin and are born again, we come to the starting line of this race. Then begins a marathon race – until the end of our life. We run and run and run. And thus we get closer and closer to the finishing line each day. But we must never stop running. Or to use another illustration: When we are born again, we lay the foundation for our house. After that we slowly build the superstructure – and this consists of many floors. This is the best life you can ever live, because you gradually eliminate everything bad from your life and become more and more like God as each year goes by. So what must you do to be born again? First of all, acknowledge that you are a sinner. Don’t compare yourself with others and find any comfort in imagining that you are better than them. Sin is like a deadly poison. Whether you drink one drop or a hundred drops of poison, you still die. So, if you want to make a good start in your Christian life, acknowledge that you are no better than the worst sinner in the world. Then decide to turn from all known sin in your life. Then believe in Christ. That means to commit yourself to Christ – and not just to believe something about Him in your mind. You can believe in someone without committing yourself to him. A bride is asked at her wedding, “Are you willing to commit yourself to this man?” Supposing she replied saying, “I believe he is a very good man. But I am not sure whether I want to commit my whole life and future to him”. Then she cannot be married to him, because she does not have faith in him. When a woman gets married, her whole life’s direction changes. She changes her last name to the man’s last name. She leaves her parents’ home and goes to live with her husband. She may not know where he will live, but she trusts her entire future to him. She has faith in him. That is a picture of what it means to have faith in Christ. The word “Christian” (to put it reverently) means “Mrs. Christ”! My wife could take my name only after she married me. In the same way, you can take Christ’s name and call yourself a “Christian” only if you are married to Him. If some lady took my name without being married to me and called herself “Mrs. Zac Poonen”, that would be a lie. In the same way, anyone who calls himself a Christian, without being married to Christ is also telling a lie. A marriage is forever and not just for a few days. In the same way, being a Christian also is a lifetime commitment. Total commitment to Christ, does not mean that you have become perfect. When a woman gets married, she does not promise that she will never make a mistake in her life. She will make many mistakes, but her husband will forgive her. But she promises that she is going to live with her husband forever. That is a picture of our union with Christ. ~ 6 ~ The next step you must take is water-baptism. Getting baptized is something like getting a marriage certificate. You cannot get married by just getting a marriage certificate. Neither can you become a Christian by getting baptized. It is only after you are married that you can get a marriage certificate. Even so, it is only after you have given yourself to Christ that you can take baptism. In baptism, you are testifying that you have finished with your old life and have made Jesus Christ Lord of your life. Good husbands and wives talk a lot to each other. So you too must talk to Jesus and listen to Him as He talks to you through the Bible, every day. A good wife will never do anything that makes her husband unhappy. She will want to do everything in fellowship with him. A true Christian also will not do anything that displeases Christ – like watching a movie that Jesus would not watch. He would not do anything that he cannot do along with Jesus Christ Can you be certain that you are born again? Yes. Romans 8:16 says that when you are born again, the Holy Spirit of God will bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. This is a wonderful life – because we are living with the best Friend anyone can ever have. We will never be lonely, because Jesus will be with us always and everywhere. We can share our problems with Him and ask Him to help us solve them. It is a life full of joy and one that is freed from anxiety and fear – because Jesus holds our future in His hands. If you want to be born again, say these words to the Lord in sincerity from your heart, right now: “Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God. I am a sinner who deserves hell. Thank You for loving me and dying for my sins on the cross. I believe You rose from the dead and are living today.

I want to turn from my sinful life right now. Please forgive me all my sins and give me a hatred for sin. I forgive everyone who has harmed me in any way. Come into my life Lord Jesus, and be the Lord of my life from today onward. Make me a child of God right now.”

God’s Word says, “As many as received Christ, to them He gave the right to become the children of God” (John 1:12). The Lord Jesus says, “I will never reject anyone who comes to Me” (John 6:37).So you can be certain that He has accepted you.

Then you can thank Him saying, “Thank you Lord Jesus, for forgiving me and receiving me. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me power to live for You. I want to please You alone from today onward.” You should now read God’s Word every day and ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit daily.

You also need to fellowship with other born-again Christians. Only thus will you grow in the Christian life and have the power to continue following the Lord. So ask the Lord to direct you to a good church. May the Lord bless you richly.

Be Punctual..!!

2013-07-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

We could take this time to relate all the reasons why and how being late can prove professionally and personally harmful to you, but if you’re chronically late, you already know them and they likely haven’t mattered enough to you -- yet. Don’t wait until it’s too late to do anything about it. Spare yourself the unfortunate experience of finding out the hard way. The following 4 steps to being punctual are predicated on the notion that being late is a selfish act. Use some of that selfishness to motivate you in a opposite direction.

step 1

Create an incentive

The first step to being punctual involves the most reliable motive known to mankind: creating personal incentives, or the "me factor." Think selfishly: What do you gain by being on time today, and what are you putting on the line by potentially being late for this particular event, meeting or function? In other words, what’s in it for you? Try to avoid generalities like “reputation.” Be specific. If you’re late to your job today, will you get fired? If not, find another incentive. For instance, being punctual will translate to leaving early in the afternoon and beating traffic. Or being late will require an excuse on your part, and if you are the kind of person who is always giving excuses, rest assured you long ago ran out of believable ones. Nothing short of a karma lie -- one that involves the alleged poor health of a loved one -- can save you now. Good luck with that.

step 2

Mentally move up your arrival time

Here’s a disastrous idea used by late people everywhere: Move your clocks ahead 10 minutes so you can constantly reassure yourself you still have 10 minutes before you’ll be late. What’s odd is that late people continue to do this even though it doesn’t provide dependable results. It has all the logic of a compulsive behavior. It's one that you know isn’t good for you but that you’re unwilling or unable to stop doing.If you absolutely need to deceive yourself about the time, mentally schedule your appointment 15 minutes sooner than it actually is. Don’t touch a clock anywhere. Just prepare for a 10 a.m. meeting as though it were a 9:45 a.m. meeting.

step 3

Reject doing one more thing

The last step in being punctual is to reject the inner urge to do that last little thing or two before you head out the door -- like taking out the trash or checking your blog for comments. Often enough, it’s this last-minute commitment to getting things done that makes you late.Make a mental note to do it first thing when you get home, write it down if you need to, but resist actually doing it. There will be time to do these little things later. Why is it so important to squeeze them in when you’re already pressed for time? Again, go with the "me factor." Tell yourself that the price of not preparing to be on time is the inability to do these little things at your leisure.

Top 8 Ways for Christian Teens to Avoid and Overcome Temptation

2013-03-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Christian teens face temptation every day, and not everyone is prepared to overcome those temptations. At some point most people are faced with the desire to submit to sin, whether it is gluttony, sex, gossip, cheating, and more. Sometimes those temptations are minor, so they are pretty easy to overcome, but other times the desire seems too great. Remember, though, that temptation is not the sin, even Jesus was tempted. We only sin when we give into the temptation. Here are some things you can do to help you avoid and overcome temptations:

1. Identify Temptations

Everyone is a little different, so it is important to know what temptations are difficult for you to overcome. Some people may find that gossip is more alluring than sex. Others may find that even holding a date's hand is too much of a temptation. When you know what tempts you the most you can be proactive about handling that temptation.

2. Pray About the Temptation

Most Christian teens know the temptations that are difficult to overcome. For instance, if you find gossip a great temptation then pray every night for the strength to overcome the gossip. Ask God to provide you with the strength to walk away from the gossip and to know what information is gossip and what is real information.

3. Avoid the Temptation

When we know what temptations are being the most difficult, we can prepare ourselves for those situations. In some cases we can even avoid the temptation itself. For instance, if premarital sex is a temptation, then you can avoid being in situations where you might find yourself giving into that desire. If you are prone to cheating, then you may want to position yourself during a test so that you cannot see the paper of the person next to you.

4. Use Your Bible for Inspiration

The Bible is there to offer Christian teens advice and guidance, so why not use it? Scripture verses like 1 Corinthians 10:13, "You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptation" Bible can help inspire you in moments of temptation. Try to look up what the Bible says on your areas of temptation for inspiration and guidance.

5. Use the Buddy System

Do you have a friend or leader that you can trust to guide you in facing your temptations? Sometimes it helps to have someone else you can talk to about your issues or even brainstorm ways you can avoid temptation. You may even ask to meet regularly with your friend to hold you accountable.

6. Use Positive Language

What does positive language have to do with avoiding temptation? It actually has more to do with overcoming temptation. You need to believe God can help you overcome the desire to sin in order to actually overcome it. Avoid saying things like, "It's too hard," or "I'll never be able to do this." Remember, God can move mountains. Try changing how you approach the situation and say, "God can help me overcome this," or "It's not too hard for God."

7. Give Yourself Alternatives

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, the Bible states that God can show you how to escape from your temptation. Allow yourself to see that escape. If you know your temptations, know how you can overcome. Give yourself alternatives. For instance, if you are tempted to lie to protect another person's feelings, try considering other ways to word the truth so it doesn't sound so harsh. If people around you are getting into drugs, try making new friends. Alternatives aren't always easy, but they can be the path God creates for you to avoid and overcome temptation.

8. It's Not the End of the World

While avoiding temptation makes life a lot easier, it can be discouraging when we do give into that sin. We all make mistakes. That is why God offers us forgiveness. While you should not sin knowing that you can be forgiven, you should know that God's grace is available. So add 1 John 1:8-9, "If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away," (CEV) to that list so you know that God will always be there ready to catch you when you fall...!!

Church - The Body Of Christ by Prof.Santhosh Mathew

2012-09-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

What is church? Church is neither a building, nor an organisation. Church is a living, vibrant organism (not organisation) full of life and zest. While Jesus was on this earth, his physical body that walked on this earth represented God to humanity.As long as Jesus was on this earth, He was the light of the world (John 9:5) by radiating the life of God (John 1:4,5). Now we are called called to be the light of the world (Matt 5:14). In the New Testament era, we cannot reflect God fully to the world only as individuals. We are called to be a body of believers connected to the head and to one another.

The word of God says that thisis a mistery and one needs revelation to get insight into this. Eph 3:3,5,6. It is through this body that God wants to reveal His glory to the world, to angels and even to satan Eph 3:10,11. Every work that God wants to do is through this body of sincere followers of Christ - and this mystical body is the Church. Though all believers are part of the universal body, the local expression of this body is the actual place where God deals with and prepares us as individuals 1 Pet 2:5. God deals with our spirit of indipendance, human zeal, human initiative etc. in this body life and helps us become broken people. Every individual effort apart from the body would damage the individual and ultimately dishonor the work and name of God. Have we allowed God to do a work in us, before wanting Him to work through us? Have we found joy in being accountable and submissive to a local body of christians?

God is looking for sons and not servants. Frantic activity without discerning the mind of God is like a servant trying to do a lot of things - many of them whic

h are not desired by the master - and creating nuisance for the master. Like responsible sons (in the footsteps of the model Son Jesus Chist) we need to hear from the Father and act. And on many occassions, God speaks to us through this local body - of which Christ is the head - through simple brothers, through God appointed leaders and through circumstances in life, if we have ears to listen to! Many times what God speaks to us directly is a confirmation of what the body has speaken to us already or vice versa. If one feels that God is speaking to him directly and that nobody else is understanding him, there is a great possibility that he is decieved and it is good to humbly recheck the source. One's self can speak to him, the world can speak to him and even satan can speak to him. There is a great protection through the church. It is only when we get a revelation of the body life that we start appreciating the value of submitting to fellow christians in our local church - and by doing that, we actually are submitting to Christ, the head. Any person who says that he can only submit to God and not to his fellow christians is in a state of self deception. Being integrated in a humble spirit with this body, we are called to fulfill God's plan for our lives. If you have a burden for evangelism, go ahead, talk to your friends and bring them to your local church. Whatever else might be your gift, exercise it in a humble submissive spirit, through the body. May the Lord open the eyes of our inner man to undrstand this mistery.

A Tribute to Legend Evg. J.V Peter Uncle

2012-08-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

This Is the Copy of News in Malayala Manorama Newspaper.My Hearful Tribute to Peter Uncle.and we can Pray for His Family....!!Pls Share This to all your friends my Dear Visitor!!

His Most Famous Song Marukarayil Naam Kandidum....!!

My New Book...Going to Publish....

2012-07-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

My New Book

I had written an article in This book Published by Spell books In Calicut. My Schoolmates also Join their hands to publish a this like great featured book.Pls try to buy this book and read.If you want this pls contact me in This Number: 8907087205

Above all,About the all!!

2012-07-06T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Song That Changed a lot of hearts.A Real Picture of Crusification of Christ....by Micheal.W.Smith..!!

Micheal w Smith

Above All Powers!!

Above all Power,Above all kings

Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kindgoms above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

ch: Crucified laid behind a stone

You lived to die rejected and alone

Like a rose trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

Above all powers above all kings

Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man

You were here before the world began

Above all kindgoms above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

ch: Crucified laid behind a stone

You lived to die rejected and alone

Like a rose trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all (2)

Like a rose trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all.

Bible Verses about Sports

2012-06-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

There are a number of sports bible verses that tell us about how to be good athletes, and the Christian traits that athletics can instill in each of us. Here are some sports bible verses that give us a proper sense of competition, preparation, winning, losing, and sportsmanship:

1.Competition

1.1 Timothy 6:11-12

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2.1 Corinthians 9:25

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

2.Preparation

1.1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

3.Winning

1.2 Samuel 23:12

But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

2.1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

3.2 Timothy 2:5

Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.

4.1 John 5:4b

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

4.Losing

1.Mark 8:34-38

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

5.Perseverance

1.Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

2.Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

3.Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

4.Galations 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

6.Sportsmanship

1.Philippians 2:3

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

2.Proverbs 25:27

It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

The Israeli village where Christian children are learning Aramaic in bid to revive ancient language that Jesus spoke

2012-06-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Students Learning Aramaic In Israel

A Christian village in Israel is teaching Aramaic in an effort to revive the ancient language that Jesus spoke – centuries after it all but disappeared from the Middle East.Maronite children from Jish, who speak Arabic as their first language, are learning the tongue of their forefathers after their elementary school became the only one in the country to teach the subject.The language, which was the region’s dominant language 2,000 years ago, is still chanted in the church – although few understand it beyond prayers.

But, rather than rebel against learning an idiom that has little practical use, the 80 youngsters aged five to ten are embracing learning phrases such as ‘ah chop’ – or ‘how are you?’Many Muslim children are even happy to learn it because, according to the school’s head teacher, it is part of the Arab community’s ‘collective heritage’.In the Arab village of Jish, nestled in the Galilean hills where Jesus lived and preached, about 80 children in grades one through five study Aramaic as a voluntary subject for two hours a week.

Israel’s education ministry provided funds to add classes until the eighth grade, said principal Reem Khatieb-Zuabi.Several Jish residents lobbied for Aramaic studies several years ago, he explained, but the idea faced resistance.

"My Life In The Stormy Seas":James Vincent with Dr.Thomas V.Thomas

2012-05-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

English Version!!

A true life experience of a man who lived with a chronically mentally ill wife !!

A case study on stigma, ignorance stereo types of mental illness and

how it can affect several lives

മലയാള പരിഭാഷ!!(Malayalam Version)

മഹാമനോരോഗിയായ ഭാര്യയോടൊത്ത് ജീവിച്ച ഒരു വ്യക്തിയുടെ പച്ചയായ ജീവിതാനുഭവങ്ങള്‍ !!

മാനസികരോഗത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള അജ്ഞത,അവജ്ഞ,മുന്‍വിധി ഇവ എങ്ങനെയാണു അനേക ജീവിതങ്ങളെ ബാധിക്കുന്നത് എന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള

സമഗ്ര പഠനം!!

6 Ideas for Teaching Kids About Sin

2012-05-11T03:08:00.002-07:00

Most of these are not original to me, but I have used them for so long. I have no idea where they originally came from. Many of these ideas come from our Sunday morning small group curriculum that we use at Westwood that was written by our team.

1.Slimy Sin:

This is super messy, but really drives home the idea that sin is disgusting. We had a volunteer stand in a baby pool and poured a bucket of slime over their head. Definitely an attention getter with the kids! We made the slime out of large cans of vanilla pudding and green food coloring. We talk about how no one really wants to hang out with that volunteer, and how God can’t hang out with us because sin makes us that disgusting on the inside.

2.Get Rid of the Sin:

Divide the room down the middle using masking tape. Divide the class in half, and put them on opposite sides of the division. Give each side 25 paper wads. Instruct the teams that their job is to get as many of the paper wads or “sins” off of their sides and onto the other team’s side. Allow teams to play for 4-5 minutes before calling time. Count how many paper wads each team has. Say: Just like this game, it is impossible for us to ever get rid of all of our sin all by ourselves. As much as we try to just stop doing bad things, we keep messing up. We have a sinful nature, or a part of us that always leads us to sin, because of the very first sin by the first people that God created.

Jenny Funderburke

3.Tricky Kool-aid:

Display tray of cups with Kool-aid made with salt instead of sugar. Offer the kids a cup (make sure they’re on the tile and near the sink). Allow them to drink the Kool-aid and express their disgust. Ask: What’s wrong with the Kool-aid? It looks like normal Kool-aid. Are you sure that there is nothing wrong with it? How can it be bad if it looks ok? Sometimes Satan tricks us with sin in the same way. It looks great on the outside, but it really is bad for us.

4.Dominoes:

Tape shapes down on the floor .As the students enter, assign them to a shape. Have them work together as a group to line the dominoes up along the tape. After the dominoes are set up, allow one student to tap lightly the first domino, and watch them make all the dominoes fall. Try to do this several times (if time allows) to allow several different students a chance to knock them down. Talk with the children about the fact that one sin leads to others, and pretty soon, it is hard to stop. Also, you could have a discussion about the idea that my sin does affect others. Explain that today we are going to hear a story that tells about the first sin and how it affected those people. We will also talk about how sinning affects God.

5.Big and Little Sin:

Have a child stand on a chair and drop two oranges from the same height at the same time. Observe what happens at the floor level (cover the floor with newspaper). This is the “control” part of the experiment. Then have a child stand on a chair and drop an orange and a grape (or pea) from the same height at the same time. Observe what happens at the floor level. They should hit at the same time as gravity pulls things, at the same rate even if they are not the same size. Explain to the students that sins whether they are big or small are still sins in God’s eyes, and we need to confess them. Adam and Eve’s sin affected all of mankind, but it was no bigger sin in God’s eyes than a lie today or something else.

6.All Fall Short:

Place two pieces of masking tape far enough apart that it would be impossible for students to jump from one to the other. Allow students to take turns attempting to jump from one mark to the other. Explain that this is exactly what the memory verse is talking about. We “fall short of God’s glory” because of our sin. No matter what we do, we can’t be good enough. Our sin keeps us from God’s perfect standard. Read Romans 6:23. Explain that the Bible says we deserve to die and not go to heaven because we can’t reach that mark. But God gives us the gift of eternal life when we trust in Jesus

Courtesy:http://jennyfunderburke.com

Are You Ashamed to stand for Jesus?

2012-05-10T09:28:00.001-07:00

Many of us have seen either wristbands, key chains, or pin buttons, with the following message: “WWJD”, or “What Wound Jesus Do”. Many people wear this as a fashion, or as an identification trinket of sorts. However, in many cases, that is the extent of their faith in Jesus, very shallow as many others who wear a cross around their neck. They seemingly hold the trinket with more regard, as more of a superstitious phylactery, than the One whom the trinket represents. Consequently, their only consolation, is in the fact that the name of Jesus (or associated symbol) associated is on display, and little more beyond that. In their minds that is standing up for Jesus, but if we were to stand up for anyone else, such as a family member, would that be our approach to standing up for them, wearing a trinket displaying their name?

Dr.Thomas.V.Thomas

The crucial question is this: Are we really ready or willing to stand for Jesus among the crowd an when it counts? Are we willing to make sacrifices of many things which we hold near and dear, that would further cause us to stand out in the crowd for JESUS? Bible says in Hebrews 12:14:”Follow peace with all men, andholiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”.1 Peter 1:15-16 says: “but as He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, are ye holy; for I am holy.” Without a doubt, we can see here, that we who bear His name are summoned to live different lifestyles which stick out, rather than blend in.As Christians we are, without a doubt, called to be holy people. Unfortunately, this message becomes marginalized via many learned explanations of “what this holiness is” from world, and human reasoning. We associate holiness, and separation from world, according to: worldly standards”. In this “separation“, we give external matters more attention and scrutiny, over the internal changes. Real separation happens from within, which flows to outside dealings. Let us see what the Bible says about us in 1 Peter 2:9-11:”But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in times past were not a people, but now are the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Above Bible verse clearly sets biblical standards for our lives. There are many people who would argue, that it is very hard, or plainly “not possible” in today’sworld. John 14:26 says, “But the Comforter, which is Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” If we attribute this direction to the prompting of Holy sprit’s guidance, then we are greatly mistaken. 1 Thessalonians 4:7, “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness.”Upon guidance from these verses, how can we simply accept the premise of having a license to be like all others? As Christians, we realize that we are a minority when it comes to daily encounters of multitudes of people in our daily life. When a person “raises the flag”identifying their self as a Christian, we are sending a message to those around us by our words and actions, that message is either telling a tale that being Christ-like is something we take seriously, and important, or is not so much. What kind of message are we sending out when we allow ourselves to say or do things which are contradictory to common knowledge of right and wrong? Let us take for example typical Sunday worship. Many people don’t give much importance to it anymore, and often skip out when it is inconvenient without any great degree of guilt or shame. Many people simply consider Sunday more no different than any other day. We traditionally, in many places are expected to attend worship services of our Lord with fellow Christians on Sunday, more than any other day. Unless we have an emergency situation, or an unavoidable circumstance, we have no substantive reason for not attending Sunday church services. Let the world laugh, but we must remember the common accepted significance of attending worship services Sundays, but not limited to Sundays.

Our attire should be different anddecent, as opposed to our common attire, we wear for common place activities, because it is a special day, and a special activity when we come to the house of the Lord. The Bible says clearly, that men were not to wear garments that pertained to woman, and vice versa, because, God considered it to be an abomination. We may have lot of excuses, and lean much on our own reasoning, but we must remember that we belong to a “Holy Family” and must keep up with holy standards to bring glory, and not shame to our Lord. Let everything be done in decency and dignity. People may varying opinions and are prone to arguing and fight over teachings such as this, but as a loyal and committed soldier of JESUS, we should follow and uphold these standards set for us.Among so many things most Christians fail in regard to fleshly lusts. Unfortunately many people think of it in regards to sex only, for we can be guiltyin lusting over a lot of worldly pleasures as well. We must be careful to not gratify our bodily needs and wants, which as a result take us away from God, towards a life of greater selfishness, and absorbed in a fleshly driven life. We ought to enjoy life, but not to the extent where it should distract us from Biblical standards. We must ask this question:“WHAT WOULD JESUS DO” in a particular situation. Would He really waste money in drinking alcohol, or other behaviors which are detrimental in nature in order to have a “good time?” Would He waste his substance (money) in buying material possessions to satisfy carnal lusts? Would he allow His sexual lusts to control Him, and bring shame to His Father, or would He control His lusts, in order to bring glory to His Father, no matter what such lusts might be? Would He abuse or take advantage of innocent people to maintain His reputation? If the answer is no, why would we accept it when one of His professing followers is guilty of such things? Is sexual satisfaction the only aim worthy of our pursuit in this life?

When Christ professing people speak lies, in order to manipulate others to get what they want, tolerate it, accept it, or reject it, because Christ did not, nor would do such a vile thing. If the Bible is truly our guide, then we understand that God expects us to be honest in what we do and say. We may be denied certain gains and satisfactions, in the short term, but God will reward us in His own time according to our faithfulness. There may be some job opportunities of which we may have to just say “NO” because we realize it could lead into compromising our biblical standard. What are we going to do in a job everyone takes bribe, and claiming to be a Christian (Christ-like), it is a lie of which we are telling ourselves? Being a true Christian may at times require us to leave a job that requires a compromising God’s word, and standing alone may become very hard. There is limit to our strength in such situations. This does not mean that we must run from world, but to acknowledge Him in all of our ways, and He will direct our paths.If we make a stand for JESUS, He will help and reward us in due time. We must be willing to do anything and everything that God would have us to do, as Christians, even if it requires sacrifices. The way to heaven is narrow way, but way to hell is wide open. Let us not forget the reality that we live in a world where of sin, that led Cain to kill Abel, his only brother. Even now, we are told, that the whole creation is waiting for redemption, from the sinful state that it is currently in. As we wait for our savior to return in glory, let us live for Him, and oppose the popular tendency of compromising on biblical standards. Is living as Christian is easy? At times yes, for His commandments are not grievous, and it is the way of the transgressor that is hard. But, is it possible? That answer is yes, it is very possible, for through Christ we can do all things. Let the worldly people do what they want, but let us live as Holy and separated people, as pilgrims passing through this world. A world which rejected Jesus, our Master long ago and now will reject those who stand for Him too. May He continue t0o give you grace to live as true Christians in such a world.

Grief-What is it? How to face it?

2012-05-10T09:21:00.001-07:00

The Dictionary defines it as: Keen mental suffering, or distress over affliction or a loss: sharp sorrow; painful regret.Grief is an instinctively, healthy human response to tragic events that take place to varying degrees in the lives of everyone. Often times, most would agree that the greatest loss a person can experience is the loss of a loved one. Many would equate a painful separation or divorce as in many ways being equal or perhaps even greater than the death of a loved one in light of the associated drama that is likely to surround it, and drawn out, with the perpetual grief that continues to follow. Grief is can obviously be a very painful experience, however as most situations in life, the pain does subside through the healing power of time. For some people it may last a very long time with many associated “up and down” moments. The closer the bind that we have with a person, the greater and deeper, and the wound will be when that person is torn from our lives, which will naturally impact our degree of our grieving, and healing process as well. Those of who we aren’t so close to, perhaps such as a public figure or someone of whom we did not have a very favorable relationship, this process may be at a minimum. However, it is those closest in our lives, by which we will suffer the most, when they are gone. Any separation, permanent, or long term can have just as equal of a negative impact, be it through death or divorce/separation.

Everyone will experience loss or drastic changes at some point in their life, for our lives are ever evolving from one status to another, to another, nothing is permanent. As the preacher states in Ecclesiastes chapter 3, “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”Life and death is simply a part of the reality of life, they go hand in hand. Along with this, there is also a time of mirth as well as mourning, which many find hard to accept. Life is simply not a bed of roses so to speak. The quicker we are to accept these realities, the better prepared we will be to and deal with bouts of fear, loneliness, despair, and helplessness, the sooner our recovery begins. Once we start the recovery process, healing and growth also begin to take place. It is not something that will happen immediately, but, is rather successive, and can take months or years for this recovery and growth to culminate. Consequently, this growth will help us to ultimately become a much stronger person. Accepting our losses can, and will help us to live a happy and healthy life once again. This does not mean that we may never, ever think of such losses; however we will have risen above them as opposed to struggling beneath them.Grieving people share certain feelings common to all no matter what their background, faith etc. may be, and can be off benefit to anyone else going through the same process.

1.SHOCK and DENIAL: Normally, the first reaction is to simply deny our loss, by refusing to accept the news, or the reality of the situation, or by carrying on as if it did not happen. A period of feeling emotionally numb normally accompanies this denial as well, which can be similar to the shock that follows severe physical trauma. However, through time, the reality of the situation will begin to set in, and then an acknowledging process of life being no longer as it was prior to the loss. Consequently, it may still but may take days, weeks or even months before we finally accept it in its entirety.

2.ANGER: Our losses may seem to be “unfair”, and perhaps we may even attempt to blame our self or others for the loss. We ask ourselves question such as: “Am I responsible for this loss? Or, “Could I have prevented this from happening?”

3.GUILT: We may blame ourselves for the loss, even though we had absolutely nothing to do with it. We also forget the fact that we are human and have our limitations, and therefore there are just some things that cannot be prevented.

4.DEPRESSION: Many people also go through a period to varying degrees of depression. This has the potential to be a very dangerous stage as it can lead to greater debilitating conditions such as sicknesses or even worse a lack of self-identified sufficient reasons to live on. These periods of depression vary in degree, or length depending upon the individual, and the severity of the tragic loss.

5.LONELINESS: As we lose the support, and companionship of our loved ones, it is natural we become lonely by coping with this new void. The familiar face is not there to see or make us laugh and smile, and therefore a sense of being “alone” or, left out in this big world.

6.HOPE: In the end of all this struggles we may be able to learn to find reasons for hope again. Even if hope was already present to some degree, yet at the time of distress, it became drowned out, due to the overwhelming of the associated emotional feelings. Later on, we will arrive to a stage when we remind ourselves of this truth: “No matter how difficult life may get, we can pull through.” For this to, shall come to pass.”

7.LIVING WITH LOSS:We must not be too ashamed to admit that we are coping with a great burden. Our EMOTIONAL needs must be taken care of to prevent a worse state, and therefore, a great option, would be to express our feelings to the right people.

Accept the help: Friends and relatives play a crucial role in helping us to cope and move on with our loss. For many people, religious groups, and its leaders can provide a great source of comfort. Faith communities are usually some of the best help we can find in living with our losses.

Ask for helps: Many people are unwilling or ashamed to ask or get help. There is a good chance that many relatives, friends, faith groups, may be just waiting for you to ask their help. Professional help is also available, and must be sought if necessary.

Protect yourself: Caution should be used, as to not be hasty in making decisions at times of such emotional duress, for we are vulnerable to making choices of which may regret it later as our mind clears.

Our Physical needs are also important. Rest is definitely one of them, for there is a soothing and healing factor at work when we rest sufficiently. It also helps prepare us for upcoming challenges, in thinking more clearly.

Staying healthy: Eat well and exercise, and avoid all temporary reliefs like depressants such as alcohol and other potentially harmful drugs, for there will be tendencies to overindulge.

Be alert for problems. If we face physical or emotional problems don’t hesitate to seek help. People who are religious or spiritual should be proactively involved with fellow members going through hardship and be alert, for any danger signs like avoiding faith based community gatherings and religious functions meetings etc. altogether.

Dr.Thomas.V.Thomas

II.How to face Grief?

Setting Goals:

A very important step to take in coping and overcoming grief, is to simply identify, and set up personal goals, and thenendeavor to reach them. To do this, it begins with short term goals that are easily achievable. Some examples of such short term goals would bein writing letters, sending emails, and completing needed visits to close friends, and relatives. Also, make it a point to arrange to keep you in good company, by having dinner with such company. Then when necessary for “alone time”, make the best of it by perhaps simply make or get one of your favorite meals for yourself.Set time limits for completing these activities, this will help propel you to complete them. Recognize and take personal notes of your progress. For we must appreciate the progress we are making in reaching goals. Though they may seem to be “insignificant” they really are not, and to recognize this will be a great help in moving forward in life.Take one day at a time, and don’t allow yourself to become frustrated if this process doesn’t appear to quickly come to pass.

Secondly, develop long term goals.

In doing this it is very important to write them down. Perhaps such goals might include, getting a new job, ifnecessary, move to a new home or area that may be closer to loved ones and friends. If moving into a new home isn’t a viable option, a simple remodel, or changing around of your current home can yet help greatly, in helping yourself to move past the tragedy emotionally, and mentally. When feasible, set time limits for reaching the goals as well as the short term goals. Intermittently, re-evaluate, reassess, and when necessary make adjustments to these goals, but endeavor to not let them come fade away.

Try new activities.

We must keep in mind that with the loss or departure of a close or loved one, will most likely result a in a lot of changes in our lives whether we welcome them or not, in order to confront tragic events as death or severe separation. Again in many cases, change of residence, or job change will be necessary. Also, we may even have to find new friends in some cases, especially after divorce, or the loss of job or similar life altering events.

III. How can you help a grieving person?

Offer emotional Support:

Just, being present can be a quite significant help. Never underestimate the amount of support that good company can render for someone suffering a loss. Often time’s people feel compelled to say many things, but it isn’t always necessary, but being there is quite significant. Don’t rule out a simple embrace or hand hold (when appropriate), for some reassurances cannot be fully conveyed with words alone. Obviously, you may not always be able to be near an individual to do this, but when you make the effort to stay in touch via either calling, writing, or sending cards, etc. It can still have a great impact in reminding the grieving person that you are still there for them though many miles away.

Be a good listener:

A sympathetic listener can offer many comforts, which is something just about anyone can do. When you simply demonstrate attentiveness, it definitely goes along way.

Encourage:

Along with being a good listener, when a grieving person knows you are behind them, they will be more open to encouragement. When they hear from you words such as: “Yes you can make it”, or “It will be all right, we will get through this together”. It will have far reaching effects in assuring them that you and others will stand with them.

Be patient:

Again, it is very important to understand that accepting loss whatever it may bewill require significant time.

Provide practical helps: Help the person especially after a death in volunteering to help around the house, or perhaps business doing some chores, grocery, shopping, cooking etc., this is most certainly a practical aspect of being there for the grieving person, that goes a long way, which will not be soon if ever forgotten.

Be willing to invite him/her to your home: for this may be one of the best way of showing your concern and care. This invitation must not limit to 1-2 times but continue as time and resources permit. This is especially significant around holidays, or when family gatherings are common.

Some myths about grief:

“Tears are a sign of weakness.” This is 100% wrong. Tears are a natural way to releaseintensefeelings. There is no shame in showing in expressing your grief regarding a tragic loss of person job etc. for it is life altering.“Children should be sheltered from grief.” This is not true. Children need to understand that life is not always fair, and that it isn’t what they read in story books. Consequently experiencing great grief can be a great learning tool in the development of children to maturity. Tell them about the loss in an honest, loving way on their level, for they too need to talk about and express their grief appropriately. Because, if they only know how to react to it by what they see on television, it can be harmful in the long run.“It’s best to avoid discussing a loss with a grieving person.” This is a false idea. Grieving people very often look for outlets to simply talk out, and express their feelings. They may feel uncomfortable in doing so, as to not to burden others and therefore may be somewhat hesitant take initiative to talk. However, that is not a reflection of their lack of need in expressing their pain related to loss.“An end to grief means an end to caring about a loved one”. Not at all. Love lasts beyond grief through a commitment to living life fully. It is simply a means of moving on, but not forgetting.Grief is not limited to humans. Animals also go through a grieving period in their own way. Have you seen animals like dogs; cats behave differently if their owner dies, or goes away. Even if their own partner dies, or becomes separated. How much more do we feel sad, when we feel as if we cannot talk and express sadness through words that others can understand?Counseling, psychotherapy, group therapy, prayers, participation in helping others, is all part of this coming out process, related to grief in our lives.

IV.FACING GRIEF

Recently I read a very interesting article on teen grief in a newsletter called “Frontline”, and would like to share with you, what I have learned through my readings, studies, and personal experiences in my associations with teen grief. I write this with hope that teenagers of today find hope and encouragement in a very painful, challenging world.Teenagers who encounter devastating circumstances could face the following.

1. Loss of Security: they can develop a sense that others whom they normally depend on may depart as well. Consequently it could even evolve into a feeling of hopelessness to where they even fear for their own lives whether it is rational or not. They may ponder within themselves questions like: “What next?”,“Who will loveandcare for me?”etc.

2. Loss of faith: “How and why would a loving God do this to me?”

3. Loss of dreams: “Life will never be the same, and my future is hopeless.”

4. Loss of identity: “Who am I, nowthat this person is no longer a part of my life?”

Teenagers are already,have sufficient turmoilin their lives simply as a result of their adolescent years. Consequently they combat the challenging changes associated with developing from a child into an adult. These include typical hormonal changes, more frequent power struggles with parents, and their yearning of independence from parental guidelines. They feel ready to fly into the unknown, but cannot yet lift themselves up at times when they fall, without support from others. Their ambitions have no boundaries, but not without the typical obstacles life hands to them. So when something of a tragic nature hits them, it can be more devastating than perhaps an already matured adult.Many of us have heard familiar phrases uttered by teens such as: “Nobody understands Me.”, “Will lifeever be normal again?” or“What’s the point of living any longer?” Etc.

Death of a Parent

Well truly, life changes forever when a parent dies, especially a close one. Consider this; while they are searching for their own identity, suddenly they lose the one who loved them and supported them in that search. It would be unusual for any adolescent, not to experience typical bouts with depression, and grief that erupt, even many months after such a loss. At first when death proved so unbearable, shock and disbelief intervened,and granted a cushion of “comfort” for a short time. Their emotional systems shut down, only to prevent an overload of intolerable despair.Teenagers may be prone to delay their grieving out of reluctance, derived from concern that their own misery would bring further anguish to their loved ones orfriends. Therefore, they may be too embarrassed to express their emotions at all. At the same time, peers may become distant or disappear because they do not know what to say or how to act. So it is double loss, making the teenager feel more alone than ever.

Death of a Sibling:

There is belief that young people are not supposed to die. They are expected to live long and happy lives. So if a young person dies, they typically ponder the question of: “How could this happen?” The trauma of a child’s death may be so piercing that the parents’ attention is focused almost solely upon their own personal, unbearable misery. In a particular situation, upon the death of his brother, a bereaved teenager said to me, “Everyone asks me how my mom and dad are doing, but they never ask about me. Don't they know this is hard for me, too?”Dr.George H.Pollock, writing in Psychiatric Annals explains: “When the focus is concentrated solely on the dead child, the effects on their surviving children can be lifelong“. Idolizing the deceased child is dangerous, creating a sense of unworthiness for the remaining adolescents. They feel that they have to compensate for their siblings absence, it is too heavy a burden to place upon anyone.

Age differences of the children should be considered. If the sibling were older, the adolescent may mourn the loss of a role model and protector. If the sibling were younger, they may mourn the loss of someone they cared for; someone who looked up to them.

Death of a friend:

The loss of a close friend may be horrific as the death of a family member. Sometimes it is worse. Everyone in general expect teen mourning for a parent, a grandparent, sibling, or other close relative, but when a friend dies, teenagers are often left to deal with their pain alone. Adults may even say: “why are you taking so hard? It’s not like someone in our family died. “After the death of a friend, they may become hesitant or even afraid to draw close to others.When a loved one dies, typical adolescents may be afraid of “breaking down publically”, and consequently bottle up their emotions, out of fear or shame of showing their inner feelings. They may act as if nothing matters thinking within themselves; “Beside time heals, doesn’tit? So there is no need to bother anyone.” Consequently they just wait it out expecting their grief to somehow go away, but the overcoming grief process does not follow this path. Healing only happens when they acceptand confront the natural feelings which follow. Time does not completely heal a broken heart, but it does heal, and allows us to further live with it. Religious leaders and/or grief counselors, and can offer optimum insights for teens in order to truly help them move on with their grief, and minimize emotional suffering.

Importance of positive thinking: There Is Still Hope

2012-05-10T08:54:00.001-07:00

Many of our failures have the ability to sweep us to greater heights of success, even higher than we ever hoped for in our wildest dreams. Life in many regards is simply a successive unfolding of successes from failures. In discovering America, Christopher Columbus even experienced some absolute failures. His ingenious reasoning and experiments led him to believe, that by sailing westward he would eventually reach India. Consequently every Native American carries the name “Indian,” as the perpetuation of the memory, of this failure by Columbus. The Genoese navigator obviously did not reach India as calculated; so the cargo of “human souvenirs” he took back to Spain to show to Ferdinand and Isabella as proofs of his success, really attested his failure. Yet the discovery of America, wound up becoming a far greater success than any possible finding of a “back-door “to India could ever have been.Another great example of great failures redounding to successes would be in the life of David Livingstone. He was a man who supplemented his theological education by completing a medical education course before heading into the missionary field. For over three years he studied tirelessly. With all energies concentrated with one aim; to spread gospel in China. The hour finally arrived when he was ready to embark enthusiastically for his noble chosen work. He had a mindset, to give his life unselfishly and relentlessly for such an ambition. Then word came from China that the current “opium war,” would make it folly to even attempt to enter this country. However, disappointment and this setback, did not long daunt him. He instead offered himself as missionary to Africa—and he was accepted. His glorious failure to reach China opened a whole continent to light and truth. His study proved an ideal preparation for his labors as physician, explorer, teacher and evangel in the wilds of Africa, [The Trumpet]

Dr.Thomas.V.Thomas

What can we glean from these compelling accounts? Nowadays, many of us expect our will to be done instantly. We’ve become accustomed to commodities as; instant coffee, instant noodles, fast food. We have less time or patience to cook food (especially from scratch). We find ourselves often on the run, and gladly spend a little extra money for ready to eat food, as opposed to saving it and making it at home. When it comes to everyday life, the majority of us have little to no patience. As a result we become more vulnerable to making lot of needless blunders. Consequently, many are more prone to enter into various stages depression; Are quicker to contemplate the idea: “just kill yourself to solve your problems” and you will be delivered from your “failures”.Columbus may have been initially considered a failure by not reaching India as he presumed and my “wasting” the royal money, but his discovery of America through his failure to find India, resulted in Him being one of the most honored of men in history. David Livingstone was in some regards considered a failure, as he did not go to China as he planned for so long, for his lifelong ambition. Yet, in retrospect was he a failure? Perhaps according to some human standards, but if God had other plans for him such as Africa in the stead of China, then not at all.

Young people, especially students want this and that, and expect it instantly. Thus, when they cannot get it, they allow the situation to get the best of them, and end up miserable. Many of them go through years of agony as they try short cuts to happiness, through drugs, alcohol, sexual experiments etc. They want to “shine” in front of others and equate that to greatness and sources of happiness. They want others to appreciate them just like everyone else, yet if that is not a result, they often become devastated. Can we accept failures as a part of our lives while living on this earth? We must learn to not be too quick to rush out to achieve success, and at the same time, expect it to happen every time. There is nothing wrong in trying, it is noble in itself, but it is essential to maintain the mindset, of expecting the best, but being prepared for the worst. Consequently, it garners no reason, to lead into a mental breakdown. Is it not far better for us and others around us, to simply live a happy life, and reach your goals slowly and steadily?

Many of our life’s failures or setbacks play an important role in sweeping us to greater heights of success, than we ever hoped for in our wildest dreams. Most often people, when they are faced with failures, the initial responses are anger, frustration, and disappointment. However, only few who face the courageously, are willing to make the “super human” effort in order to turn such setbacks events into better tomorrows. Poverty and trials in a person’s life have historical precedence, in being the catalyst that brings out the greatness in us to shine.God teach us through failures too. “Failure is one of God’s educators. It is through experience which leads man to higher things; it is the revelation of a way, a path hitherto unknown to us. The best men in the world, those who have become among the greatest successes, look back with serene affection on their failures. The turning of the face of Time shows all things in a wondrously illuminated and satisfying perspective.” [Trumpet Magazine]

It is quite a disappointed, when successes made through hard work fades away. However, if we use these stumbling blocks, and allow them to rather become more of stepping stones, we will find ourselves on our way to better future. The failure of the caterpillar results in the birth of the butterfly. The bible very clearly says: destruction of the seed is the prelude to its resurrection, as wheat. We must die first in order to be resurrected. Everyone wants to go to heaven, yet no one wants to die. We all want to succeed but no one wants to fail. Almost all achievements result only because someone else failed many times first, before such successes are manifested. Darkness comes before the beautiful morning with all its brightness. Failure is like darkness, but we must remember that it is darkest before dawn when the sun begins to rise in the sky. Our gloomy past can be the 1^st stepping stone to a bright tomorrow. No child ever walked few steps at a time but started with little by little falling down first, then rising up, and falling again. Birds fly miles but not on 1^st day of its hatching. The mother bird watches over its little ones as they learn to fly against difficulties.

Our good Lord watches over us as well, as we fall down and learn to take our small steps of faith. God reminds us that if He cares for the littlest sparrows, He will surely care for us too. As we study, labor, and build our families, let us not forget the loving and caring voices of our Savior, Who promised to carry us through the winds and storms of life. Let us remember that the very encouraging words of God’s Word: “THIS TOO, SHALL COME TO PASS”. As young people, we all have experienced such uneasy storms in our minds of whether or not we would “pass or fail in life’s bouts”. We must be careful not to become overwhelmed with the multitude of uncertainties, worries and anxieties. Can we add anything positive when we worry excessively?Perhaps we have all heard the cliché, “don’t worry yourself sick”, well there is a lot of truth to that, and many wind up doing just that. Why therefore should we spend sleepless nights by worrying over things we cannot change. This does not mean that we must not be concerned or make efforts to change situations for better. However, too much worrying can bring us to the beginning stages of depression, and many other sicknesses related to body and mind.Let us learn to believe, to trust, and to obey, in the One Who reminded the apostle Paul, and us, that “His grace is sufficient for us.” That one is named JESUS.

CAN WE TURN OUR FAILERS TO SUCCESSES

2012-05-10T07:28:00.001-07:00

Dr.Thomas.V.Thomas

We all want our life to be successful in every day. Some of the best-selling books are based on how to succeed in life. You won’t find a book on how to become a failure, because we already know how to do it. No one looks for failures, but contrariwise we desire more so, to tell others of great successes, and the good fortunes we have in this life. However, when we are faced with unanticipated failures, we become vulnerable from mere, disappointment, to degress into deep sadness, and possibly depression. We have a natural tendency to look to others, and even ourselves to blame, for each failure we experience. The bottom line is that we take pride in making something out of our lives, and that sense of accomplishment, which we can take pride in and lean on such for a sense of dignity. However, when we do fail, it can be a serious blow to our ego, dignity, and sense of well being, and remove all drive from within us to where we may just feel like dying, or worse contemplate killing ourselves. Unfortunately, many have taken such a latter drastic measure and ended their lives. However, what is the answer to those who experience such sadness and depression? What would God want us to do, in such cases? Should we expect a life of roses, and bliss each day of our lives, with most of our desires coming to fruition, and nothing less? We are living in a world where we basically have two choices; to strive to be successful, or suffer greatly, in pain and agony. So to the unsuccessful man, he not only fails himself, and perhaps his family, but others who have been to any degree inspired by his efforts to succeed. So how should we approach this mystery called life with all of its misgivings it has to offer us?

Recently I read this story in the Trumpet magazine. Some years ago, it was proposed to send logs from Canada to New York, by a new method. The ingenious plan of Mr. Joggins was to bind great logs together by cables and iron girders and to tow the cargo as a raft. When the novel craft neared New York and success seemed assured, a terrible storm arose. In the fury of the tempest, the iron snapped like icicles and the angry waters scattered the logs far and wide. The chief of the Hydrographic Department at Washington heard of failure of the experiment, and at once send word to shipmasters the world over, urging them to watch carefully for these logs which he described; and to note the precise location of each in latitude and longitude and the time the observation was made.

Hundreds of captains, sailing over the waters of the earth, noted the logs, in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Mediterranean, in the South Seas-for in to all waters did these venturesome ones travel. Hundreds of reports were made covering a period of weeks and months. These observations were then carefully collected, systematized and tabulated, and discoveries were made as to the course of ocean currents that otherwise would have been impossible. The loss of the Joggins raft was not a real failure, for it led to one of the great discoveries in modern marine geography and navigation.

In our superior knowledge we are disposed to speak in a patronizing tone of the follies of the alchemists of old. But their failure to transmute the baser metals in to gold resulted in the birth of chemistry. They did not succeed in what they attempted, but they brought in to vogue the natural processes of sublimation, filtration, distillation, and crystallization; they invented the alembic, the retort, the sand-bath, the water-bath and other valuable instruments. To them is due the discovery of antimony, sulfuric ether and phosphorus, the cupellation of gold and silver, the determining of the properties of saltpeter and its use in gunpowder, and the discovery of distillation of essential oils. This was the success of failure, a wondrous process of Nature for the highest growth-a mighty lesson of comfort, strength, and encouragement if man would only realize and accept it.

Many of our failures can indeed become springboards, which can launch us to even greater heights of success, than, than we ever hoped in our dreams. Life is a successive unfolding combination of both of successes and failures. The God of creation, who cares for us, also knows how to even work through our failures. If we trust HIM, He will take us through our failure, for are told by His Word, that all things work together for good to them that love Him, and are called according to His purposes. Not all GOOD things, but all THINGS work together for good, which is a huge difference. Many assume that if something less than positive happens, they naturally conclude, that something is terribly wrong, and thus, may become sad, miserable, depressed. However, we must consider this; the same God who created us, is also our strength and refuge. We therefore, have good reason to remain calm, strong, and continue to keep our mind focused on Him, who said: “I am with you always”. Let us therefore, face the tempests with confidence and calmness trusting that the victory will be ours.

The Meaning of Birthday!!

2012-05-06T03:30:00.002-07:00

There are few days in a person’s yearly life that is more important than their birthday. The birthday is a celebration of when a person came into the world and the contributions that person has made and will continue to make. While the contributions do not have to be as grand as running a country or finding the cure for a devastating illness, people do like to beremembered, most especially on their birthday, for anything that they take pride in doing or place value on. The birthday is not only a celebration of a person’s contributions to the world but it is a celebration of who that person is. It is an opportunity to express what a terrific friend, spouse, sibling, or child the birthday person is. A birthday is a chance to say to the birthday person that life would not be the same without that person’s smile, laugh, love, or support.

The gesture of wishing someone Happy birthday does not have to a grand, extreme gesture. A birthday truly is a day where the thought does count. While flowers, candy, and gifts will be appreciated, a person really wants to know that they are loved and remembered. A phone call to say happy birthday can make a person feel just as special as an elaborate dinner.If a birthday is forgotten, wish the birthday person a Happy birthday as soon as possible. Even if their birthday was forgotten, they will feel better knowing that you still remembered. As for gifts, any gift for a belated birthday will be appreciated with the same thankfulness that a gift received on their birthday does. No one is perfect and everyone forgets from time to time, but whatever you do-do not ignore it.

There are certain ages that people feel the birthdays are more special than other birthdays. This will vary from person to person and really has no rhyme or reason. For the special birthday sometimes a large birthday party is thrown to celebrate it or sometimes the person just wishes do something out of the ordinary so they do not feel their life is passing by. Depending on the level of adventure in the person the out of ordinary thing could range from taking a trip to skydiving.While some people hate their birthday or dread a certain age, birthdays should be viewed as a glorious time. Age is only a number and does not mean one cannot have adventures. It is amazing to hear about people in their 70s and 80s who still do incredible things like hike a mountain or even just live alone. These people did not let age affect them. To them their birthday, while it meant they were another year old did not affect them. Age is just a number to them and as long as their body can hold up, they will live their life as an adventure. As long as, one can dream it, one can do it and what better time to dream on a birthday.

NASCAR Driver Loses Sponsor Over Christian Faith

2012-04-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Although many applaud the prayer meetings in NASCAR circles, not everyone is willing to tolerate Christian values on the race track.Indeed, NASCAR driver Blake Koch is being persecuted for his faith.
Following California’s Royal Purple 300, Koch sat just 28 points out of the top 10 driver standings—but he was forced to race with a blank car after losing his primary sponsor because of a controversy over his Christianity.Koch had partnered with The Rise Up and Register Campaign, which works to educate people on the importance of voting in the 2012 elections. But ESPN would not allow the ad to air because of its so-called political and religious overtones.

“I didn’t think that my faith in Christ would have an impact on whether or not a sponsor could air a commercial or not,” Koch told Fox & Friends on March 29. “The one thing I will not do is deny my faith just because a particular sponsor might not like the way I express my faith, which I do on my own time.”Going into the race last weekend in Dallas, Koch would have been forced to park his car without a primary sponsor. As soon as ChristianCinema.com heard about Koch’s dilemma, the company stepped up to sponsor him. Koch was then able to race at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at the Texas Motor Speedway last week.
“It shows me how much God has His hand on the situation that He would bring alongChristianCinema.com at just the right time,” says Koch. “I’m excited about how they encourage families in their faith, which is extremely important to me. God is always faithful!”

Three violent attacks hit Christians in three Indian states

2012-04-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Mostly the Christians are attacked by the Many..............Here One of Them....................

Anti-Christian sentiments appear to be on the rise across India.In recent months there have been three brutal attacks on believers in three separate Indian states.One attack occurred in Kerala state. A pastor and his children were eating dinner in the home of a convert to Christianity from Hinduism when Hindu extremists stormed in. They abused the pastor and his children and then dropped large boulders on the pastor’s car.

Just before that, Hindu extremists disrupted a prayer service in Pandhi village in Chhattisgarh state. For two days the attackers threatened and assaulted attendees with their fists and leather belts. They also tore down the believers’ tent.

In a third atrocity, a group of Christians in Haibasa district in Jharkhand state were forced to leave their village after a series of attacks by local villagers. In the last of the attacks, a violent mob shut down all exit points to the village before assaulting Christians with iron rods, axes, arrows and other sharp weapons, severely beating four Christians.

Other believers, including children, were locked in a room where the assailants attempted to burn them alive. Thankfully police arrived before they could carry out the murders.The Christians took refuge at a local church but at last report are living without necessities, saysOut of India’s 1.2 billion person population, only about two percent follow Christ, Believers– like the ones mentioned–are often met with hostility. Pray that Christians in India will find strength in Christ to bear the persecution and to continue to proclaim the Kingdom.

Pray for the safety and peace of the victims of these recent attacks. Pray that their attackers might come to know the Lord.

Is The Bible True

2012-03-30T09:20:00.002-07:00

Many people question whether the Bible can be trusted. In fact, in today's society, the Bible has become to be seen as a book of fables by some people. For some the Bible has become on par with any other holy book from any other religion—a book of good principles to follow, but not the gold standard or guide by which people should live. Question is whether Bible is the revealed will of God, containing the unchangeable truth from an omniscient God. God by definition is somebody who is omniscient, which means HE knows everything in the past, present or future. The greatest acid test for any truth is the knowledge about future. So when you compare Bible with any book of knowledge, we should concentrate on prophesies contained in it. Bible is the only book with so many prophesies. If these prophesies has come true or not, is a crucial identifying factor. Satan doesn’t know the future completely, other than very intelligent guesses. So any other book will not contain prophetic knowledge with accuracy. God purposefully gave prophesies in the Bible for our conviction that Bible is true “"I am the Lord . . . new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." (Isaiah 42:8-9). "I am God . . . Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Apart from prophesies, the field of archaeology has done much to prove the Bible's true record of the past is true or not. But as we have said before knowledge of the past even Satan has. Muslims may claim that Quran has knowledge of the embryology of human body or about astronomy. But as we know Satan has done more research in these things in the last 6k years.

1. Prophesy about four world empires (with their characteristics in detail told) in Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8, which were literally fulfilled in the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Some historians were so frustrated by this prophecy, that they told book of Daniel was written only later. But then how did Daniel prophecy about rise of RC, which occurred much later only. The amount of Daniel fragments found in various caves near Qumran (Dead Sea scrolls) also shows that it was written in that period only.

2. Bible prophesied in Isaiah 45:1-3 that Cyrus will be the warrior to capture Babylon.

3. Bible prophesied that After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again in Isaiah 13:19, 20 and Jeremiah 51:37.

4. Bible prophesied that Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13)

5. Bible prophesied that Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26). This we are constantly experiencing in the ever increasing number of earthquakes happening.

6. Bible prophesies about Moral degeneracy and decline of true spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5). This we are seeing in people’s lives and media like TV, movies and internet.

7. There are almost 125 prophesies in the Old Testament about Jesus Christ, which were clearly fulfilled in Jesus. Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering at Pasadena College (California), worked with 600 students for several years applying the "principle of probability" to the prophecies of the Messiah's coming. They chose just eight from the many available and finally decided the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is one in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. What would the odds be on the more than 125 prophecies of the Messiah? Some of these are mentioned here.

a. To be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and fulfilled in Matthew 2:1

b. To be born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 and fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-23

c. Will be born in David’s lineage Jeremiah 23:5 and fulfilled in Revelation 22:16

d. Herod will attempt to kill him Jeremiah 31:15 and fulfilled in Matthew 2:16-18

e. Will be betrayed by a friend Psalms 41:9 and fulfilled in John 13:18, 19, 26

f. Will be sold for 30 silver coins Zechariah 11:12 and fulfillment in Matthew 26:14-16

g. He will be crucified Zechariah 12:10 and fulfilled in John 19:16-18, 37

h. Lots will be cast for His clothes Psalms 22:18 and fulfilled in Matthew 27:35

i. None of his bones will be broken Psalms 34:20; Exodus 12:46 and fulfilled in John 19:31-36

j. He will be buried in rich man's tomb Isaiah 53:9 and fulfilled in Matthew 27:57-60

k. Prophesy about year, day and hour of his start of mission and death Daniel 9:26, 27; Exodus 12:6 and which was fulfilled (Matthew 27:45-50). This is the one prophesy really impressed Sir Isaac Newton, the great scientist.

l. He will be raised on the third day Hosea 6:2 and fulfilled in Acts 10:38-40

8. Prophecy about Roman Papacy coming true: In Revelation 13:1-10 talks about this power as beast with seven heads (beasts in Bible prophecy symbolize nations or world powers (Daniel 7:17, 23)). "Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." Revelation 13:5. The Bible predicted that the Papacy would lose its world influence and power at the end of the 42 months. This prophecy was fulfilled in 1798, when Napoleon's General Berthier took the Pope captive and the papal power received its deadly wound.

9. Prophecy about USA coming true: read Revelation 13:11-18: USA was predicted to arise around the same time the Papacy was receiving its deadly wound. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." The papal captivity mentioned in verse 10 took place in 1798, and the new power (verse 11) was seen emerging at that time. The United States declared its independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in 1791, and was clearly recognized as a world power by 1798. The timing obviously fits America. No other power could possibly qualify. This nation arises "out of the earth" instead of out of the water as did the other nations mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. We know from Revelation that water symbolizes areas of the world that have a large population. "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15. Therefore, the earth represents the opposite. It means that this new nation would arise in an area of the world that had been virtually unpopulated before the late 1700s. It could not arise among the crowded and struggling nations of the Old World. It had to come up in a sparsely populated continent. Horns represent kings and kingdoms, or governments (Daniel 7:24; 8:21). In this case, they represent America's two governing principles: civil and religious liberty. These two governing principles have also been labeled "republicanism" (a government without a king) and "Protestantism" (a church without a Pope). Other nations since ancient times had taxed people to support a state religion. Most had also oppressed religious dissidents. But America established something entirely new: Freedom to worship as you wish without government interference or control--and with government protection. Absence of crowns signifies a republican form of government, rather than a monarchy. Lamb-like horns denote an innocent, young, non-oppressive, peace-loving, and spiritual nation. Jesus is referred to as a lamb 28 times in Revelation. So this new government was trying to uphold His principles. No other power on earth could possibly fit the characteristics and time slot of the lamb-horned beast, except America.

10. Prophecy about Antichrist in Daniel chapter 7 coming true: the Bible indicates that he is alive today! The Bible prophecies teach this antichrist power will play a crucial role in the final events of earth's history. The Roman Empire, the fourth world kingdom, is represented by a horrible monster with iron teeth and 10 horns (Daniel 7:7). The 10 horns represent the 10 kings or kingdoms into which pagan Rome was eventually split (Daniel 7:24). (These 10 kingdoms are the same as the 10 toes of the image described in Daniel 2:41-44.) Roving barbarian tribes swept in upon the Roman empire and carved out land niches for their people. Seven of those 10 tribes developed into the countries of modern Western Europe, while three were uprooted and destroyed. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." Daniel 7:8. The "little horn" power appears next. We must identify it carefully because God takes more space describing it than the other four kingdoms combined. Why? Because the biblical characteristics identify it as the Antichrist of prophecy and history. There must be no mistake in making this identification. God gives us nine characteristics of Antichrist in Daniel 7.

a. The "little horn" or kingdom "came up among them"--the 10 horns which were the kingdoms of Western Europe (Daniel 7:8). So it would be a little kingdom somewhere in Western Europe.

b. It would have a man at its head who could speak for it (Daniel 7:8).

c. It would pluck up or uproot three kingdoms (Daniel 7:8).

d. It would be "diverse" or different from the other 10 kingdoms (Daniel 7:24).

e. It would make war with and "wear out" or persecute the saints (Daniel 7:21, 25).

f. It would emerge from the pagan Roman empire--the fourth world kingdom (Daniel 7:7, 8).

g. God's people (the saints) would "be given into his hand" for "a time and times and the dividing of time" (Daniel 7:25).

h. It would "speak great words against" or blaspheme God (Daniel 7:25). In Revelation 13:5, the Bible says the same power speaks "great things and blasphemies."

i. It would "think to change times and laws." Daniel 7:25.

These points can fit only one power--the Papacy.

a. It "came up among" the 10 kingdoms of Western Europe. The geographical location of the papal power was in Rome, Italy--the very heart of the territory of Western Europe.

b. It would have a man at its head who speaks for it. The Papacy meets this identifying mark because it does have one man at the head (the Pope) who speaks for it.

c. It would pluck up or uproot three kingdoms. Three Arian kingdoms, however, did not support the Papacy--the Vandals, Heruli, and Ostrogoths. So the Catholic emperors decided they must be subdued or destroyed. Here is how Dr. Mervyn Maxwell, a theologian and historian, described the results in volume 1, page 129, of his book God Cares: "The Catholic emperor Zeno (474-491) arranged a treaty with the Ostrogoths in 487 which resulted in the eradication of the kingdom of the Arian Heruls in 493. And the Catholic emperor Justinian (527-565) exterminated the Arian Vandals in 534 and significantly broke the power of the Arian Ostrogoths in 538. Thus were Daniel's three horns --the Heruls, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths--'plucked up by the roots.' "

d. It would be "diverse" or different from the other kingdoms. The Papacy clearly fits this description, also. It came on the scene as a religious power and was totally different from the secular nature of the other 10 kingdoms.

e. It would make war with and persecute the saints. That the church did persecute is a well-known fact. The Papacy clearly admits doing so. Much supportive evidence exists. Even conservative historians claim the church probably destroyed at least 50 million people over matters of religious conviction. "That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history. (W. E. H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Volume 2, p. 40.)In The History of the Inquisition of Spain, D. Ivan Antonio Llorente provides these figures from the Spanish Inquisition alone: 31,912 persons were condemned and perished in the flames. 241,450 persons were condemned to severe penalties.

f. It would emerge from the fourth kingdom of iron--the pagan Roman Empire. We are quoting two authorities on this point: "The mighty Catholic Church was little more than the Roman Empire baptised ... The very capital of the old Roman Empire became the capital of the Christian empire. The office of Pontifex Maximus was continued in that of the Pope." (Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Medieval Church, pp. 148, 149.) "Whatever Roman elements the barbarians and Arians left ... [came] under the protection of the Bishop of Rome, who was the chief person there after the emperor's disappearance. The RC in this way privily pushed itself into the place of the Roman World-Empire, of which it is the actual continuation." ( Adolf Harnack, What is Christianity? (New York: Putnam, second edition, revised, 1901), pp. 269, 270.)

g. God's people (the saints) would "be given into his hand" for "a time and times and the dividing of time." Daniel 7:25. Several things need clarification in connection with this point: A time is a year, times is two years, and the dividing of time is a half-year. The Amplified Bible translates it: "Three and one-half years." This same time period is mentioned seven times (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5) in the books of Daniel and Revelation: three times as a time, times, and half a time; twice as 42 months; and twice as 1,260 days. Based on the 30-day calendar used by the Jews, these time periods are all the same amount of time: 3 1/2 years = 42 months = 1,260 days. One prophetic day equals one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34). Thus, the little horn (Antichrist) was to have power over the saints for 1,260 prophetic days or 1,260 literal years. The rule of the Pope began in A.D. 538, when the last of the three opposing Arian kingdoms was uprooted. Its rule continued until 1798 when Napoleon's general, Berthier, took the Pope captive with hopes of destroying both Pope Pius VI and the political, secular power of the Papacy. This period of time is an exact fulfillment of the 1,260-year prophecy. The blow was a deadly wound for the Papacy, but that wound began to heal and continues healing today. This same period of persecution is mentioned in Matthew 24:21 as the worst period of persecution God's people will ever experience. Verse 22 tells us it was so devastating that not one soul would have survived if God had not shortened it. But God did shorten it. The persecution ended long before the Pope was taken captive in 1798.

h. It would speak "great words" of blasphemy "against the most High [God]." Blasphemy has two definitions in Scripture: 1. Claiming to forgive sins (Luke 5:21). 2. Claiming to be God (John 10:33). Does this point fit the Papacy? Yes! Let's first look at the evidence for it claiming to forgive sins: "Does the Priest truly forgive the sins, or does he only declare that they are remitted? The Priest does really and truly forgive the sins in virtue of the power given to him by Christ." (Joseph Deharbe, S.J., A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion (New York: Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss, 1924), p. 279.)The Papacy further undermines Jesus by setting up a system of confession to an earthly priest, thus bypassing Jesus, our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1; 8:1, 2) and only Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). Next consider the evidence for it claiming to be God: "We [the Ps] hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." (Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter "The Reunion of Christendom" (dated June 20, 1894) trans. in the Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII (New York: Benziger, 1903), p. 304.) Here is another: "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, Himself, hidden under the veil of flesh." (Catholic National, July 1895.)

i. It would "think to change times and laws." But what about changing the "laws"? The Amplified Bible translates "laws" as "the law." The reference is to changing God's law. Of course, no one can really change it, but has the Papacy attempted to do so? The answer is "yes." In its catechisms, the Papacy has omitted the second commandment against veneration of images and has shortened the fourth commandment from 94 words to eight and divided the tenth commandment into two commandments. (Check this for yourself. Compare the Ten Commandments in any Catholic catechism with God's list of the commandments in Exodus 20:3-17.)

Historical statements in the Bible and ArchaeologyBible historical statements are accurate. Sometimes, temporarily, evidence may not be found to substantiate certain historical facts from the Bible, but in time the evidence surfaces.

1. Skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

2. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

3. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

4. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate.

5. Tyre: When Tyre was at the height of its power, the prophet Ezekiel prophesied this: “And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her...and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water... thou shalt be built no more” (Ezekiel 26:4,12,14). Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged the city and conquered it. Nebuchadnezzar then rendered the city to ruins. For two and-a-half centuries, these ruins remained like that. When Alexander the Great conquered the Medo-Persian Empire, long after Nebuchadnezzar's siege, the new island city of Tyre resisted his advances. Frustrated by their efforts, Alexander ordered his troops to build a causeway to the island by throwing the ancient ruins of mainland Tyre into the midst of the sea, and using the dust to create a way for his troops, thus fulfilling the prophecy that Tyre would be thrown into the midst of the sea.

6. Petra: Petra is the Greek word for "rock." In the heart of Mount Seir, halfway between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba in a valley surrounded on all sides by very steep rocky cliffs the city of Petra was built. Its Biblical name was Sela. Jeremiah predicted that the city would lose its power and become uninhabited (Obadiah 3-4; Jeremiah 49:16-18) because of sun worship and human sacrifices. About 400 BC, the Edomites were driven out this city by the Arabian Nabataeans. These people made Petra their capital. Nabataean lost its power, Petra became deserted and forgotten. All the references in Scripture were considered by higher critics to be figments of the imagination. They claimed the non-existence of Petra as proof for the unreliability of Scripture. In the year 1812, the Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt discovered the lost city.

7. Egypt: Critics regard Biblical stories, such as the accounts of Joseph and the Exodus, as mythology.It was only after 1799, when the Rosetta Stone was discovered, that the ancient records could be deciphered. It took Jean-François Champollion 20 years to decipher the ancient hieroglyphics from the Rosetta Stone. The Stone was unique in that three languages were inscribed upon it, each telling the same story. Today it is possible to not only read hieroglyphics, but also the ancient cuneiform writings. Astoundingly, the ancient relics have succeeded in silencing many of the Biblical critics. Concerning the story of Joseph, it is known that the Semitic Hyksos overthrew the Egyptian dynasties from the year 1780 BC to 1545 BC. In recent times, frescoes have been found in Egyptian tombs depicting fat and thin cows, and inscriptions have been found referring to seven lean and seven opulent years, making this Biblical story more than just a myth.

The greatest evidence of Bible’s trueness is found in the lives of people. The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17. The changed lives of those who follow Jesus and obey Scripture constitute the most heartwarming proof of Bible inspiration. The drunkard becomes sober; the immoral, pure; the addicted, free; the profane, reverent; the fearful, courageous; and the rude, kind. An American skeptic was visiting an island whose natives were originally cannibals. When he spotted an old man reading the Bible, he ridiculed him for reading a book "full of myths which had already been exposed." The native smiled at him and said, "My friend, be grateful we do believe this book. Otherwise, we would be serving you for dinner." The Bible really does change people.

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