A Matter of Focus……….

A Matter of Focus……….

 

My friend Marge had an experience aboard a plane bound for Cleveland, while waiting for takeoff. As she settled into her seat, Marge noticed a strange phenomenon. On one side of the airplane a sunset suffused the entire sky with glorious color. But out of the window next to her seat, all Marge could see was a dark and threatening sky, with no sign of the sunset. As the plane's engines began to roar, a gentle Voice spoke within her. "You have noticed the windows," He murmured beneath the roar of the engines and thrust of the takeoff. "Your life, too, will contain some happy, beautiful times, but also some dark shadows. Here's a lesson I want to teach you to save you much heartache and allow you to "abide in Me" with continual peace and joy. You see, it doesn't matter which window you look through; this plane is still going to Cleveland. So it is in your life. You have a choice. You can dwell on the gloomy picture. Or you can focus on the bright things and leave the dark, ominous situations to Me. I alone can handle them anyway. The final destination is not influenced by what you see or feel along the way. Learn this, act on it and you will be released, able to experience the "peace that passes understanding."

 

Remember the Duck………..

Remember the Duck………..

 

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to dinner. As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you." I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something. Jesus Christ was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. But because He loves you, He is ready to forgive you. Perhaps He's wondering how long you'll let the enemy make a slave out of you. The great thing about God is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.

 

 

Lighted Candles………..

Lighted Candles………..

 

I have a lot of candles in my home. Most of them just sit on the shelves gathering dust and waiting for another power outage to take out those pesky electric lights. Every now and then, though, I do take the time to light up one or two of them. It feels good to sit quietly and watch their flickering, little fires beat back the darkness around them. It puts me back in touch with the candles burning within myself as well. Enlightenment for me hasn't come from flicking on a single switch but rather from lighting one candle at a time in my heart, mind, and soul, I know that I still have a long way to go too, but I am lighting more candles every day. Most of the candles burning inside of me, in fact, weren't even lit by me. They were lit by other shining souls I met along the journey of my life. The brightest flame they lit is the truth that God loves you, me, and everyone in this world. With this flame you can light enough candles to brighten the whole universe. Some of the other flames they ignited in me and that I want to pass on to you are these. Love is stronger than hate. Giving brings more joy than receiving. Forgiveness heals our hearts. Love and joy are both choices we make and gifts we share. Hate comes from ignorance, but love brings wisdom. We are all Children of God. And we should not only claim our birthright, but live up to it as well. We are all one family here and we should do our best to help each other's candles burn as brightly and beautifully as possible. Take happiness then in lighting the candles of learning and love inside of yourself. Take joy when others light them inside you as well. And with love and goodness share their light with everyone everywhere. Remember that we all come from God's light. Until we return to it we all should do our best to burn brightly and cast the darkness out of this world.

 

Ah, There You Are………

Ah, There You Are………

 

I misplaced my joy this morning. I woke up to find it missing like a set of lost keys. I started looking for it everywhere. I looked for it in the morning paper. It wasn't there. I looked for it in my books. It wasn't there. I looked for it in some music. It wasn't there. I looked for it while I ate breakfast, got the kids ready for school, and headed out the door this morning, but I couldn't find it anywhere. When I finally got back home I decided to take a walk. I thought that if I couldn't find my joy then at least I could get some exercise. The last leaves of Autumn were thickly covering the ground. I walked for awhile on this beautiful, crunchy carpet and breathed in the fresh, cool air. It was so peaceful and wonderful. After walking for a bit I stopped and smiled. I suddenly knew where to look. I glanced down and saw my joy peeking up at me from deep inside my soul. It had been sitting there right next to my love and God's love just waiting for me to find it. "Ah, there you are," I said. Then I laughed at myself for not knowing where to look all along. It is amazing how we so often look for joy in every single place except the only place where it can truly be found, within ourselves. We are like a person running around searching for the glasses that are perched on the top of his head. We need to stop the search. We need to look deep into our souls and see the joy that has been sitting there all along. It isn't hidden and it isn't hard to find. It is there shining brightly right next to God's love and our love. It is just waiting for us to smile down and say, "Ah, there you are." Reach down and grab that joy today. Choose it, rejoice in it, and live in it. Take it along with your love and God's love and share it with the world. And if you ever misplace it again remember where to look for it first.

 

 

Unfolding of a Rose………

Unfolding of a Rose………

 

A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact... It wasn't long before he realized how impossible it was to do so. Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it intact, the older preacher began to recite the following poem... It is only a tiny rosebud, A flower of God's design; But I cannot unfold the petals, With these clumsy hands of mine. The secret of unfolding flowers, Is not known to such as I. GOD opens this flower so sweetly, When in my hands they fade and die. If I cannot unfold a rosebud, This flower of God's design, Then how can I think I have wisdom, To unfold this life of mine? So I'll trust in Him for His leading, Each moment of every day. I will look to Him for His guidance, Each step of the pilgrim way. The pathway that lies before me, Only my Heavenly Father knows. I'll trust Him to unfold the moments, Just as He unfolds the rose.

 

Keep this bell ringing

Christ Bell

This is an awesome e-mail. Someone took a lot of time setting up this message.


THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condem nation ( Rom. 8:1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?


Keep this bell ringing...pass it on
'The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace...
Numbers 6:24-26

A great gardener mixes the right soil for each plant…………..

A great gardener mixes the right soil for each plant…………..

 

A little girl was enjoying the beauty of the garden in her home. Her father had a good collection of rare and exotic plants. He grew them with tender care. The girl was fascinated by a plant full of fine and fragrant flowers. She went near the plant and enjoyed its beauty and the fragrance of its fine flowers. Suddenly she noted that the plant was growing in a heap of filth. She could not tolerate the presence of dirt at the bottom of the plant with such fantastic flowers. She conceived a plan to clean the plant. She pulled the plant with all her might and uprooted it. She then carried it to the tap and washed the shoot and roots in running tap-water till all traces of dirt were washed away. She then placed the plant on a clean stone and went away, thinking that she had done a great deed indeed. Later her father came to the garden and saw the uprooted plant. Its flowers and leaves had wilted and the plant had almost died in the scorching sun. His little daughter ran to him to exhibit her achievement. "I have cleaned it, Daddy", she reported innocently. "It was placed in dirty soil. Now it is clean." The father showed her how her treatment had almost killed the plant. He told her that he had collected the filthy soil and placed it to cover the plant's roots as it was the best medium to grow that plant. It could grow up healthily and produce fine flowers only if grown in filthy soil. She was sad that the plant had suffered and withered by her cleaning. Pain, poverty and illness may cause agony in our life. Sight of successful persons may make us depressed and envious. A great gardener mixes the right soil for each plant. In the same way God provides each of us with the best environment required for optimum spiritual growth. But it may appear to be unpleasant to us and we may even complain to God about our plight.

R u ready .... ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpfk-btUD-g

--
Thanks & Regards,
PeterK. Sudeep

The Victorious Life……..

The Victorious Life……..

 

1 Samuel 17:24-47; The Philistine army was ready to fight. Merely a boy, David traveled from his home to the battlefront in order to check on his brothers and supply them with food. There, he heard the notorious Goliath threaten Israel. The young Israelite was outraged: Who was this giant to challenge the Lord's army? David sensed God's direction and obeyed. A battle ensued between a giant and a boy, but the almighty God stood with the youth. Goliath, along with the entire Philistine army, was defeated. This is truly an amazing story--we rarely hear of anything this miraculous in our world today. But we, like David, can live triumphantly, even in the midst of terrifying and "impossible" circumstances. First, we need to understand success from the Lord's perspective: Goals should align with Scripture; then our heavenly Father directs us, and we follow with confidence. Second, we--like David--ought to have a clear picture of what needs to be accomplished. Good goals should be clear enough to write in a sentence or two. For example, David's aim was to free God's people from their enemies. Our goals may be huge and lifelong, like modeling dependence on Jesus for our children. Others, such as creating a weekly family night, are simpler to achieve. Whether facing a daunting challenge like David's or an easier undertaking, you should live intentionally. Ask the Lord for direction and purpose as you write down goals, both big and small. The same God who led David in victory desires to lead you today.

Fwd: praye request

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Samson Raj <sam.m674@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jan 8, 2010 at 9:03 AM
Subject: praye request
To: Shagufta k <pinkykhatib@gmail.com>, pskiran@hotmail.com, "PeterK. Sudeep Patchala" <peterkamalsudeep@gmail.com>, pbvsivaprasad@gmail.com, "9@n!...! steals u r heart...!!!!!!!" <crazyguy_gani@yahoo.co.in>, boddu rammurhty naidu <rammuthynaidu.boddu@gmail.com>, rajesh sunkara <s.rajeshmaths@gmail.com>, Samson Raj <sam.m674@gmail.com>, "samsonraj.m" <samsonraj.m@gmail.com>, "sam.m674" <sam.m674@gamail.com>, Jani convey Happy New Year wishes to you <sayyadjani.md@gmail.com>, "Manoj ..:-)" <sunnyjohn3@gmail.com>, SANDEEP HELI GOLLA <helisandeep@gmail.com>, sally susmitha <smiley.susmitha7@gmail.com>

Good morning all 
 
 
   This is sam .
 
 
My mother is very serious position suffering from peralasis at karnataka (hubli).

Please pray for my mother good health......

--
Thanks & Regards,
PeterK. Sudeep

A carrot and an egg to examine……..

A carrot and an egg to examine……..

 

A student complained to his learned teacher about the difficulties he has to endure in his life. He came from a very poor family and had to look after his home and support his aged and sick parents and his younger siblings by working hard every day after the classes in school while his wealthy class-mates could play and rest without any stress or strain. He was almost exhausted and had even thought about committing suicide. The wise teacher gave him a carrot and an egg to examine. He was asked to comment on their hardness. He said that the carrot was sufficiently hard that it cannot be crushed by hands. The egg could be easily cracked and the liquid contents would leak out with ease. Then the teacher put the carrot and egg together in a pan, added some water to cover the articles and then boiled the water over the flame. After some time, the teacher took out the articles from the pan and asked for the comments of the student. The boy observed that the carrot, which was hard earlier, had become very soft after boiling. The egg, on the other hand, became very hard during the boiling. Its contents had solidified and now would not flow out even when the shell is shattered.  The teacher told the boy, "Earlier, you were like the carrot. Your courage and strength of mind were lost when you were exposed to the hard realities of life. You became weak and could be smashed easily." Next, he displayed the egg and told, "Be like the egg. You are soft and tender by nature, but the adversities of life should make you bolder and stronger. Then you can gain the courage to face any harsh moments with confidence." He then narrated the biography of successful persons who could overcome the hard times of early life with confidence and earnest efforts. Bible tells in John 12:24, a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains".

Bridge’s of Blessing for the year 2010…………

Bridge's of Blessing for the year 2010…………

 

A young girl who was traveling on train for the first time heard that it would have to cross several rivers. She was troubled and fearful as she thought of the water. But each time the train came to a river, a bridge was always there to provide a safe way across. After passing safely over several rivers and stream, the girl settled back in her seat with a sign of relief. Then she turned to her mother and said, "I'm not worried anymore. Somebody has put the bridges for us all the way!" When we come to deep rivers of trial and the streams of sorrow, we too will find that God in His grace "has put bridges for us all the way." So we need not fall into hopelessness and anxiety. In delightful though often untraceable ways, He will meet our needs. We can be sure that He will provide a way. Those who have given their situations over to God can exclaim with the psalmist, "The Lord is righteous in all His ways and gracious in all His works…The Lord preserves all who love Him" (Psalm 145: 17, 20).

 

Lets thank God; For every blessing what He has done and every bridge what he is made to overcome the trials and tribulations in the year 2008, Lets pray;God we come to your throne of Grace and mercy, We come to You seeking Your protection and Your goodness for the entire new year 2010, often harried and driven by life's pressures and temptations. But we come to You, not demanding, but submitting our self's to be used for your glory -- not just today, but for the rest of my life. In Jesus we pray. Amen.