Meaning of Psalms 23...............

Meaning of Psalms 23...............

 

A Sunday School teacher asked her children if anyone could quote the entire 23rd Psalm. A golden-haired, four-and-a-half-year-old girl was among those who raised their hands. A bit skeptical, the teacher asked if she could really quote the entire psalm. The little girl came to the front of the room, faced the class, made a perky little bow, and said, "The Lord is my shepherd, that's all I want" She bowed again and went and sat down. That may well be the greatest interpretation of the 23rd Psalm ever heard. King David, himself a former shepherd, begins this Psalm with, "The Lord is my shepherd," immediately putting himself as a sheep in the care of Jesus Christ (who is the same being as the Lord of the Old Testament-see John 1:1-3, 14 and Heb. 1:2). This analogy of Christ as a shepherd and His chosen ones as sheep, is reinforced in several scriptures, especially in John 10, John 21:15-17 and Hebrews 13:20. The shepherd is the provider and protector of his flock. The sheep are helpless without him. Similarly, human existence is but a sinful, carnal experience without God in our lives (John 5:30; Rom. 8:6-11). Continuing with, "I shall not want," David indicates here that as a sheep in Christ's care, he was confident that he would lack nothing. This sentiment is repeated in Psalms 34:9-10, and clearly indicates David's understanding in regards to putting God and God's way first in his life (see Matthew 6:25-34). He goes on to write, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters." Both the "green pastures" and "still waters" indicate a blessed abundance, further illustrating the benefits of a God-led life. Friends that little girl's words are true, "The Lord is my shepherd, that's all I want............"

Faith to Move Mountains................

Faith to Move Mountains................

 

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokeys built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard. Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week. At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen". "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too." The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door. When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly." The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week! 

Praise

 

 * Tune into God’s enriching Presence: God inhabits the Praise of His
People. He is seated on the throne of our praise.

   * Activate God’s Power: Praise is that slender nerve that moves
God’s mighty hand. Consider the King Jehoshaphat’s battle, how the
Lord had delivered him through Praise and Worship.

   * Profit more from your trials: Praise can turn Trials into
Triumphs. Praise will help us identify that ‘Distressing circumstances
are God’s blessings in disguise’. Praise so that you’re faith
Strengthens and quality of endurance is produced in you. Praise is a
catalyst that speeds up God’s maturing process in your life.

   * Help you experience Christ ‘as’ your life: Any born again
Christian is “dead to sin, but alive to Christ”. Death does not
necessarily means being annihilated but being separated. It means our
innermost being is separated from sin, it is no longer our nature and
we no longer need to let it be our master. Our sin springs from our
old sinful tendencies that are no longer our true identity.

   * Demonstrate God’s reality in a Secular & Materialistic society:
Refer Romans 11:33-34. Secularism means God and his will has no part
in our lives.

   * Overcome Satan and His Crafty Strategies: Even the highly
Educated have turned to Spiritism, to the occult and Satan worship. He
gets us preoccupied with him in ways that seem to be strategic to our
spiritual warfare. It’s a serious mistake to underestimate Satan’s
power, but a tragedy to overestimate it. Any Praise thwarts Satan.
Make your praise more powerful by coupling it with God’s word, which
is a double-edged sword.

   * Bring Glory & Pleasure to God: This is something no one but you
on this earth or in heaven can give: “the love and adoration of your
Heart”. Sometimes people try to attach praise unto an indifferent or
self willed life, hoping for an emotional lift or special visible
Rewards. And sometimes, even a disobedient Christian can get into a
Mood of worship or experience high while listening to Praise music CDs
And cassettes. After all, pagans worshiping false gods also experience
Times of ecstasy. But neither a disobedient Christian nor the pagan
honor the true Living God. So how can their praise be a joy to God?

Worship is more than emotional turn on. It includes offering ourselves
to God, to be His servants, to do His will – nothing more, nothing
less, nothing else. It means we radically change our goals. We chose
basic life goals that are centered in Cod: to know Him better, to love
Him with all our being, to do His will at any cost, to Glorify Him and
to please Him.

“O Lord Jesus, my beloved, may I be a joy to thee”. Out of such
Surrender & worship flows the kind of Praise that fully honors and
Glorifies and delights God

“It is not what we eat, but what we digest that makes us strong;
Not what we gain, but what we save that make us rich;
Not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learned;
And not what we profess, but what we practice that makes us Christians.”

The One Who Is in us Is mightier................

The One Who Is in us Is mightier................

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage started his bus, and drove off along the route. There was no problem for the first few stops, few people got in. few got off, and things went generally well, at the next stop, however, a big hunk got in. six feet height, body built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back. The driver was five feet three, thin and basically meek....Naturally, He didn't argue with big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened. Big John got on again, said "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down. And the next day, and the one after that, and so forth, this irritated Bus driver, who started losing his patients over the way Big John was taking advantage of his size. Finally he could not bare, He signed for body building program, Karate, Judo and all marshal arts. By the end of summer, he had become quite strong; So on the next Monday, when Big John got in the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" the driver stood up, glared back and screamed, WHY? With a surprised look, Big John replied, "Big John has a Bus pass." Friends, this story tells how we will be deceived by outer appearance. Bible says Satan is roaring like a lion to disturb His children. Never under estimate your self thinking to be weak. Because the same Bible says, that,  The one with in us is mightier than the one who is in the world.  So we are stronger because He abides in us. 

An Atheist.............

An Atheist.............

A preacher and an atheistic barber were once walking through the city slums. Said the barber to the preacher: "This is why I cannot believe in a God of love. If God was so kind as you say, He would not permit all this poverty, disease, and squalor. He would not allow these poor bums to be addicted to dope and other character-destroying habits. No, I cannot believe in a God who permits these things."

The minister was silent until they met a man who was especially unkempt and filthy. His hair was hanging down his neck and he had a half-inch of stubble on his face. Said the minister: "You must not be a very good barber because you wouldn't permit a man like that to continue living in this neighborhood without a haircut and shave." Indignantly the barber answered: "Why blame me for that man's condition? I can't help it that he is like that. He has never come in my shop; I could fix him up and make him look like a gentleman!"

Giving the barber a penetrating look, the minister said: "Then don't blame God for allowing the people to continue in their evil ways, when He is constantly inviting them to come and be saved."

Don't Be Afraid………..

Don't Be Afraid………..

Here we are, afraid of losing what we have all the time, holding on to it so tight that not a soul can touch it. We think by hiding it from the world, it's hidden and it's ours. Nothing is. Nothing ever will be. For, nothing ever was, everything was in His hands Who created this universe. If you think there is anything that you have, is blessing from God, be it money, a house, a job. Here we are, so insecure that we are afraid of re-starting our lives, so we just carry on trying to sort out the current mess. The thought that we should give it all up and just start all over - with nothing - might cross our minds some time, sure, but we get scared and we push away anything that scares us. There is nothing I can ever achieve or gain that I cannot lose, in a matter of seconds. You have never gained enough to not be able to lose it all, in just a few minutes. What you think is yours, was never yours and will never be yours. Whatever you make here, you leave here. You came naked and you're going to go back naked. So what are you afraid of? In God's eyes, Love is never absent. In Gods heart forgiveness is never impossible. In Gods embrace, no one is ever alone or forgotten. God Bless you, Have a good day.

LET GO !!!

Let go...     Genesis 21:10-11  "Wherefore she said unto Abraham,  "Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman  shall not be heir  with my son, even with Isaac." And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son." It must have been very painful for Abraham, when God commanded him, to send away Hagar and Ishmael away. The above verse says, 'And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight!'. Yet, Abraham obeyed God ! He did not delay. He did not postpone it for the next day. He did not argue with God. He just obeyed. I guess he bid goodbye to Hagar and Ishmael with tears in his eyes. No wonder, God called Abraham His friend! We need to salute this awesome man Abraham for his obedience to God! If God is of paramount importance in your life, then you would let everything else go, to keep Him close to your heart. Friend, it was indeed painful to leave the plush office cabin of the multinational bank where I worked and walk into the busy highways of Chennai and travel the bumpy roads of the villages and work in the mission field; nevertheless my passion for God was higher than everything else in this world. After many years of making that commitment, my passion for Him has increased bountifully and not reduced one bit. If we need God's blessing in our life, then we need to unconditionally obey God and purge sins away from our life. There comes a point in our lives when we must deal with the failures of yesterday. We cannot continue as if nothing has happened, as if no wrong has been done, as if we have not erred from God's plan. We need to acknowledge our sins and rectify our life according to the Word of God, not according to our assumptions (mark this carefully friends. God needs a change in our life. Are you hearing me please? If you have been entangled into a wrong relationship, walk out of it. The Bible tells us that when a person gets saved, he turns away from the world. If a bartender gets saved he gives up bartending, he doesn't become a Christian bartender. If a prostitute gets saved he/she gives up prostitution. You cannot be a child of God, hanging on to the old sins. When a man who was working in the movie field got saved, I encouraged him to change his profession, it was a major decision, though. However, he did struggle, he did suffer, but he completely walked out of it. Praise God! Too many Christians want to walk with sin and still be a Christian?  It does not work that way my friend. You can't walk with God and the devil. You can't drink beer and live for God. You can't watch dirty TV programs and still proclaim to be His child. You can't copy the ways of the world and live for God. You cannot serve two masters! WE MUST BE SO CONSUMED AND COMMITTED TO THE WILL OF GOD THAT WE ARE WILLING TO LAY ASIDE ALL OUR LIKES, DISLIKES AND WISHES, SO THAT HIS WILL CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

 

What makes all the difference in your Effort.................

What makes all the difference in your Effort.................

 

Have you ever heard the story of the giant ship engine that failed? The ship's owners tried repairing, one expert after another, but none of them could figure out how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was in his teens. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed! A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars."What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!" So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."The man sent a bill that says, "Tapping with a hammer $2 and Knowing where to tap $9998". Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your life makes all the difference. Friends, In the same way our life is like a ship. We many times have so many things to be done right but for which we cannot repair or find the right solution. We should know where exactly to get right so that our lives may be made smooth. Lets invite Jesus Christ today to makes us right as he already bore the expenses on the cross and make our lives right.

Never Quits......

Never Quits……….

 

Abraham Lincoln born in poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. He could have quit many times - but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the United States history. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House: 1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them. 1818 His mother died. 1831 Failed in business. 1832 Ran for state legislature - lost. 1832 Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in. 1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt. 1834 Ran for state legislature again - won. 1835 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken. 1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months. 1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature - defeated. 1840 Sought to become elector - defeated. 1843 Ran for Congress - lost. 1846 Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good job. 1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost. 1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected. 1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost. 1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention - get less than 100 votes. 1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost. Finally in 1860 he was elected as president of the United States. Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you, but to help you and realize your hidden potential and Power, Let Difficulties know that you have a God who blesses you and gives success.

Solution for Our Problems...........

Solution for Our Problems...........

 

Once, their was a man who used to sell sugar across villages. He had a donkey that use to carry bags of sugar everyday for this man. While traveling the man and the donkey have to cross a pool of water, a bridge to travel across another village. Everyday the donkey used to carry bags of sugar and help the man. One day the donkey fell in the water as they were crossing the bridge. The sugar was melted and the burden on the donkeys back was lessened. The donkey felt so happy and it started doing it everyday. But the poor man was going into losses everyday. So one day the man was really upset and decided to sell away the donkey to a washer men {Dhobi}. The donkey now had to carry cloths from one village to another everyday. It has to cross the bridge. Now donkey thought that if at all he fell in the bridge again his burden who have been lessen. As it though he through himself in the water. The clothes were wet and the burden was too much for the donkey to take and it drowned in the water and died finally. Friends, when we are over burdened with loads of problems in our lives, we always try to find solutions by our selves and finally end up in wrong things which in turn take away our lives. Its always better to cast our burdens upon the Lord who will take care of the rest instead of we trying to find the wrong things out and put our selves into problems. If we are facing a problem today, it means God already have a solution with him. With out he having a solution he will not allow the problem to torment us. So best solution is to seek him {Jesus Christ}.

Compassion.........

Compassion.........

Even amidst a huge crowd Abraham Lincoln the President of USA, spotted and approached a poor young man. When he gestured him to spell out his plea, he presented his case, "President, I was formerly a drummer in the army. A terrible disease attacked me and I am the under medication. There is no one to help me" President then enquired whether his parents were alive and found that he was an orphan. The heart of Abraham Lincoln was moved with compassion and immediately he gave a chit to the Army Captain to help that young man. The Christ-like compassion flowed from the heart of Abraham Lincoln. Today, let us examine whether we have this virtue of Christ-like compassion in us. "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).

A Flower of God's Design.............

A Flower of God's Design.............

A young preacher was walking with an older more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and the younger preacher, 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 die. If I cannot unfold a rosebud this flower of God's design. Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine? So I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my 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"