Safe In the Arms………….

Safe In the Arms………….

 

A little boy was helping his father move some books out of an attic into more spacious quarters downstairs. The little boy was helping his dad, even though he was probably slowing down things more than he was actually assisting. But that boy had a wise and patient father who knew it was more important to work at a task with his young son than it was to move a pile of books efficiently. Among this man's books, however, were some rather large study books, and it was a chore for the boy to get them down the stairs. As a matter of fact, on one particular load, the boy dropped his pile of books several times. Finally, he sat down on the stairs and wept in frustration. He wasn't doing any good at all. He wasn't strong enough to carry the big books down a narrow stairway. It hurt him to think he couldn't do this for his daddy. Without a word, the father picked up the dropped load of books, put them into the boy's arms, and scooped up both the boy and the books into his arms and carried them down the stairs. And they continued load after load, both very much enjoying each other's company. The boy was carrying the books, and the dad was carrying the boy. Friends, Aren't we safe in the arms of Almighty God every moment…! We are. Instead, every time we are frustrated with things in our life, He (our heavenly father) is always ready to get us back to normal situation. Every time we tend to fall, He is always ready to pick us up, as the father picks up the boy here from staircase. He is never frustrated with our doings. He is always ready to love us. Promise of The Day: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them" (Mark 10:14, 16).

 

Handling Criticism……………(Must read)

Handling Criticism…………….

Once the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on a small island, He went to pick up some firewood and a poisonous snake bit him. The people thought he would die immediately. That's what it feels like when somebody criticizes us, when somebody is talking behind your back, trying to put you in bad light; we can feel the sting of his or her words. I love what Paul did. One translation says, "He simply shook it off." It was as though he was saying, "No big deal. I'm not going to let this thing bother me. It may be poisonous, it may look bad, but I know God is in control. I know God can take care of me." Miraculously, the snake didn't even harm Paul. Many people let negative words or other people's opinions totally ruin their lives. They live to please other people and honestly think they can be happy by trying to keep everyone else happy. They don't want anybody to say a negative word about them. That's impossible. You have to accept the fact that not everybody is going to like you. Some people will find fault, no matter what you do. You can be there for them a thousand times in a row, but they will remind you repeatedly of that one time when you couldn't show up. Life is too short to try to keep people happy. The Scripture says in Proverbs, "A gossiping, find faulting tongue is like a venomous snake." A person's words can poison your life. The longer you think about it, the more venom goes into you. If somebody is talking about you, don't go home and call seven of your friends and ask, "What did you hear about me?" Just shake it off. Don't spend all your time trying to win over your critics; just run your own race. Remember, most of the time, it's not really about you. It's about the fact that they haven't dealt with that jealous, critical spirit on the inside. The best thing you can do is ignore the slingers. Do what God has put in your heart and trust Him to take care of the criticism.

Great piano master and a Little Star…………

Great piano master and a Little Star…………

 

This is a wonderful story to remind us how God works in our lives. I hope you are encouraged by it. Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NOADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized. That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

Fwd: Fact of the day

---------- Forwadded message ----------
From: nbrprasad1951@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:12:33 -0600
Subject: Fact of the day
To:

*Fact of the day:*

Demand for gold grew 9% year-on-year in 2010, driven by the jewellery buying
of Indian and Chinese customers, but also lifted by the fact that the *world's
central banks became buyers for the first time in over two decades.*

Demand last year hit 3,812 tonnes, above the 2008 peak,
despite the fact that gold prices have increased 40% between 2008 and 2010.

*In value terms the demand for gold was $150 billion, up 38% year-on-year*.

"Consider Investments in* Gold*"

Consider* Reliance Gold Savings Fund *
*

NFO CLOSES 28th Feb 2011 *
Only 6 days left

--
Regards :
-----
N B Rajeendra Prasad

Mobile : 9394779909
10-2-249/A, Shanthinagar Police line, A C Guards,
(Road opp to Mahavir Hospital Lakdika) HYDERABAD-500 028.

Roots need to be fixed perfectly………..(must read)

Roots need to be fixed perfectly………..

 

There was a man who owned a bunch of horses, and one day one of the horses kicked a wood fence and scraped his leg badly. The owner took the horse to his barn, cleaned the wound, and bandaged the animal's leg. A few weeks later, the man noticed that the horse was still bothered by that bruise. The owner called a veterinarian to come examine the horse. After checking the animal, the vet prescribed some antibiotics. Almost immediately, the horse responded positively to the medication and began to do much better. A month or two went by, however, and the owner noticed that the injury still had not healed; it actually appeared to be worse than before. So the vet put the horse back on antibiotics. Once again the animal responded and was fine for few weeks, but then the process repeated itself. Finally, the owner loaded up the horse and took him down to the veterinarian's clinic.  The vet put the horse under anesthesia and began to probe the injured leg. Once he got deep enough, the vet discovered a large silver of wood that had gone far below the skin when the horse had hit the fence. The vet realized that every time the horse went off the antibiotic, the infection caused by the foreign object returned. They had been treating the symptoms rather than treating the true source of the horse's pain. We do something similar many times. We fix the surface things. Only as you get to the root and start dealing with the source of the problem, positive changes can be expected realistically. As long as people have bad root, they're going to continue to produce the wrong kind of fruit. We are children of God, so we have the greatest power in the universe, inside of us. We must get down to the root, so we don't go through life trying to pick off the bad fruit. Take responsibility. Rise up and do something about the roots in your life to be fixed perfectly in order to experience good things of God. Your inner life will improve, you will have better relationships, and you will be happier and more fulfilled.

A way to overcome bitterness……….

A way to overcome bitterness……….

 

Overcoming bitterness seems to be one of the toughest battles you have had to face. Are you still plagued today with a secret bitterness that just won't let go? Do you bear the tell-tale signs of this unresolved condition, such as cynicism and sarcasm? A bitter person can also be given to emotional extremes, relentless in his strivings, harshly reproachful and full of underlying anger. If you have ever tasted straight vinegar, you know it's very bitter...but imagine mixing vinegar with gall (the bile of an animal). When Jesus was on the cross, it was after He received this bitter cup that He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). I've often wondered if this symbolized that bitterness was the last thing that Jesus overcame on the cross. If you are suffering from symptoms of bitterness, remember that, even if it was the last thing He tackled, Jesus totally overcame it on the cross; God also illustrated this point through the children of Israel. Remember when they came to Marah, "They could not drink its water because it was bitter...Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became sweet" (Exodus 15:23-25-NLT). The piece of wood in this story represents the cross...the cross of Christ which, when applied to your life, can make even the most bitter waters of your heart sweet. Hold this promise in your heart on this day and let His cross wipe out any bitterness hidden there.

Septmber-11-2001......! (Must Read--True Story)

Septmber-11-2001…………

 

It was the voice of Todd Beamer, the passenger -- and Wheaton College graduate -- who said "Let's roll" as he led the charge against the terrorists who had hijacked United Flight 93, the one, you will remember, that crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. The whole world knows how brave Beamer and his fellow passengers were on September 11. But this week we learned more fully what buttressed that bravery: Faith in Jesus Christ. Todd died as he lived, a faithful evangelical believer. In an article titled "The Real Story of Flight 93," Newsweek reveals gripping new details from the actual transcripts of the now-recovered cockpit voice recorder. "Todd had been afraid," Newsweek relates. "More than once, he cried out for his Savior." After passengers were herded to the back of the jet, Beamer called the GTE Customer Center in Oakbrook, Illinois. He told supervisor Lisa Jefferson about the hijacking. The passengers were planning to jump the terrorists, he said. And then he asked her to pray with him. As Newsweek relates, "Beamer kept a Lord's Prayer bookmark in his Tom Clancy novel, but he didn't need any prompting. He began to recite the ancient litany, and Jefferson joined him: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." As they finished, Beamer added, "Jesus, help me." And then, Beamer and his fellow passengers prayed a prayer that has comforted millions down through the centuries -- the prayer that David wrote in a time of great anguish: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want . . . Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. And then the famous last words: "Are you guys ready? Let's roll." We now know from the cockpit voice recorder that Beamer and other passengers wrestled with the hijackers and forced the plane to crash into the ground, killing themselves but foiling what was believed to have been the hijackers' plan to fly Flight 93 into the Capitol or the White House. As Christians, we know that God can bring good out of evil. In Todd Beamer, the world witnesses a faith that held up in the extremity of fear. A faith that is even now comforting his widow and two young sons. Lisa Beamer told NBC's Dateline, "You know, in the Lord's Prayer, it asks us to forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." As Todd prayed this prayer in the last moments of his life, in a way, Lisa said, "He was forgiving those people for what they were doing, the most horrible thing you could ever do to someone." It wasn't Todd Beamer's job to fight terrorists. He was just a passenger who along with several others did what he didn't have to do but foiled a terrible evil that might have been done to his country. As Flight 93 hurtled towards destruction, Todd Beamer could not have known that his quiet prayers would ultimately be heard by millions -- that the story of his last acts on earth would be a witness to the Lord he loved and served and a lasting example of true heroism.

Handstand against coke machine…………

Handstand against coke machine…………

 

Whenever God calls upon you, is your reaction more like that of Moses or of Jonah? We all know the story of Moses! When God called him through a burning bush to go and free his people, his reply was swift and bold: "Here I am Lord". He was readily available and although obviously afraid, he did what he was called to do. Jonah, on the other hand, did what most of us probably would do. God asked him to do a job for him but Jonah's reply was a big 'No way!' as he ran in the opposite direction on a boat and God had to send a storm and a whale to get his attention until he eventually did what he was called to do. Are you a Moses or a Jonah? One man was travelling along the motorway in his car praying to God. As he approached a service station he heard a voice order him to pull over, find a coke machine, and to do a handstand against it. The man, utterly confused, fought with himself about whether to bother doing such a strange thing, and he began to do a Jonah as he drove straight past the station. However, as he carried on the voice came again and the man slammed on his brakes, turned around, and drove back to the station. In he went and in the corner he saw a coke machine. He nervously looked around but everything was quiet and there were no witnesses to embarrass him. As he got on his hands, ready to flip himself up, a young man burst into tears. The driver gets up, looks around, and sees a young man crying under some chairs. "What's wrong?" he asks the man. "Well, you see that bridge over there?" the man replies, "I was just about to jump off it, but I gave God one last chance to prove his existence. I told him that if he existed he should send someone to this station and do a handstand against the coke machine. It was so serial I thought it could never happen unless God really did exist, and he sent you!" The driver then shared his faith with the young man who never did get to jump off that bridge. Imagine what would have happened to this man if the driver refused to follow God's call? Please, whenever God calls you, listen to His voice. Be brave and trusting as God may well call upon you to do a handstand for Him!

Broken coffee Mug……….

Broken coffee Mug……….

 

One of my favorite coffee mug was broken this week. Not sure how it happened. Just found it sitting there on the counter with the handle broken off. A friend had given it to me because it has one of my favorite Bible verses on it. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God" (Philippians 3:14). As I stood there looking with disappointment at my handle-less cup I realized that now the mug actually illustrates the verse. Before it was a very nice coffee cup with a really meaningful verse on it, Now it may represent what Paul had in mind when he penned the words. "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brothers, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14). Coffee mugs are made with a purpose. Mugs are made for drinking coffee, for drinking hot chocolate, for holding pens, for collecting change. They are not made to simply sit on a shelf and gather dust. When you use a mug there is the possibility that it will get damaged or broken. Like the coffee mug we were created with a purpose. We were created for life. We were not created to sit and watch life go by. We were created to embrace life. Paul said we were created to do "good works" (Ephesians 2:10). The abundant life does not happen without risks. Doing good works is not without dangers. Life is for living. When you live life, there are risks. When you live you may get hurt. When you live you may experience disappointments. When you live you may get damaged. When you live you may get broken. When that happened to Paul, he chose to press on. He did not allow his life to end with a broken handle. He kept pushing forward. He continued to move forward toward the prize God had called him to.

Be encouraged today……….

Be encouraged today……….

 

Have you been crying out to the Lord for something? Maybe there's a situation in your life that's been overwhelming, and you feel like you've done everything you know to do and can't see a way through. Be encouraged today because we serve a God of justice! He is faithful to His Word, and He will always be faithful to you. Not only is He a God of justice, He is your vindicator. One thing we have to remember is that our battle is not with the person who may have wronged us. Scripture says that the enemy of our souls, the accuser of the brethren is our ultimate enemy. Know today that God already has a plan; He already knows the future, and He will bring about justice! Before eternity is through, He will right the wrongs that have been done to you. Your part is to release the situation into His capable hands. You don't have to straighten everybody out or right the wrongs in your life, that's God's job. Trust Him with your future because the God of justice is working things out on your behalf! Father God, today I release every care, every concern, and every situation that is beyond my control. I trust that You are working things out for my good, and You are bringing justice to me. Thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

I refuse to be discouraged………….

I refuse to be discouraged………….

 

I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry; I refuse to be downhearted, And here  is the reason why...? I have a God who is mighty, Who is sovereign and supreme; I have a God who loves me, And I am on His team. He is all wise and powerful, Jesus is His name; Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same. My God knows all that's happening; Beginning to the end, His presence is my comfort, He is my dearest friend. When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low, I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go. When circumstances threaten to rob me from my peace; He draws me close unto His arms, Where all my strivings cease. And when my heart melts within me, And weakness takes control; He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul. The great "I AM" is with me, My life is in His hand, The "Son of the Lord" is my hope, It's in His strength I stand. I refuse to be defeated and I refuse to be discouraged My eyes are on my God; He has promised to be with me, As through this life I trod. I'm looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven's throne above; My prayers have reached the heart of God, I'm resting in His love. I give God thanks in everything, My eyes are on His face; The battle's His, the victory is mine; He will help me to win the race.

The Empty Chair…………..(Must Read) just spend few mins for reading this...

The Empty Chair…………..

 

A man's daughter had asked the parish priest to come and pray with her father. When the priest arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The priest assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father. The priest told him his name and then remarked, "I see the empty chair; I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the priest shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. "I abandoned any attempt at prayer, until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest: Sit down in a chair and place an empty chair in front of you. In faith see Jesus in that chair. It's not spooky because he promised: 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now.' "So I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm." The priest was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the priest that her daddy had died that afternoon. "Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head in the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?" The priest wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."

Dream catchers...........

Dream catchers……….

 

On the wall above my bed there are two very beautiful dream catchers that my wife bought. They are red and brown willow hoops decorated with feathers, horse hair, and beads. They have a wonderfully delicate, spider web design in the middle of them. At the very center of the web in the very middle of the dream catcher there is a round hole. The Native American Lakota Tribe believes that the dream catchers represent the web of life. Their people believe that hanging them above your bed or in your house will sift your dreams and visions. The good in your dreams will be caught in the web and carried with you, but the evil in your dreams will pass through the hole and no longer be a part of your life. I enjoy looking at these lovely dream catchers, because they always remind me of what I want to do in my own life. I want to catch only the good within myself. I want to capture only the highest, wisest, best, most loving, most giving, and most joyous part of myself and let the rest fade away. I want to become the person that God meant for me to be and live the way that God meant for me to live. I want to become a wonderful part of the web of life and share only love and joy with others and the world. The glorious truth is that you, I, and everyone else in this world can do this too. God loves us all so much and God gives us the strength and ability to become our highest selves. We can choose to be the person God meant for us to be. We can fill ourselves with love, joy, and light and then share them with the world. We can capture the angel within and allow the worst parts of ourselves to fade away. We can live as a true Child of God sending smiles, giving love, offering joy, scattering sunshine, and creating laughter wherever we go. We can catch the dream of the person we always wanted to be and make it a reality.

Answers to my questions………….

Answers to my questions………….

Before God spoke the universe into existence He knew my name.  Before He created the atmosphere He held me in His heart.  Before He created the oceans, the land, the plants and creeping things, He chose the color of my hair.  Before He created the animals and before He created the first man, He loved me. He placed within Adam's body all of the DNA of every human being who would ever walk the earth, and within him he placed the color of my eyes.  Before He knit me together within my mother's womb, he cherished the sound of my laugh.  Before I shed my first tear he felt my pain.  Before my sin, my sorrow, and my stubborn disobedience, he chose to carry them to the Cross.  He hung there His blood pouring out…for me. Why he chose to do this I cannot comprehend.  God wanted me to be his own child.  How can that be?  With all of my flaws and character defects He wanted me to believe in Him, and He gave me the grace to believe in myself.  God loves me with a fire that can never be quenched.  I am special to him, even if I am not special to anyone else, including myself. I have tried to perfect myself, and I have failed.  I have tried to believe the world's message, but I have found no answers.  I have followed the paths forged by others only to find disaster at every bend in the road.  Only God has given me the answers that I have sought.  Peace.  Love.  Fulfillment. The change in my life is not a complicated one.  It's not about how good I am or how I pray or how often I go to church.  It's not about money or fame or popularity.   I cannot speak for others.  They must decide for themselves.  I only know that the world has given me no happiness.  After searching my entire life, I have only been able to find the answers to my questions on my knees at the foot of the Cross.