HONEY DROPS FOR EVERY SOUL

Volume 3

Issue 6

Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. (II Kings 6:16)

SEPTEMBER 2011

Published by: El_Shaddai Literature Ministries Trust. Chennai 600059, INDIA

From
Dearly beloved in Christ,

the

Editor

It is gratifying to enter into the ninth month of this year. We praise the Lord for His unmerited favor towards each one of us. He is our Father and He is our Friend as well. How privileged are we to stand close to Him in great confidence as His children! Halleluiah! May His everlasting arms hold us close to His bosom and lavish us with His everlasting and satiating love all the days of this new month. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, They are new every morning,New every morning, Great is Your faithfulness O Lord, Great is Your faithfulness! exclaims the hymn writer. We too can say the same thing if only we stop to think every morning how much the Lord has loved us. But, in the hurry of the day, we just rush madly behind our daily chores and forget the love of the Lord. Someone said, If we are not able to enjoy the love of God it is because we block it with the umbrella of unwanted worries and the burden of all sorts of things that we compel ourselves with. This umbrella eventually paralyses and prevents us from the joy of experiencing Gods love which is never abating and ever fresh. Most of us, whether we are in the secular job or in the Lords ministry, get so bogged down in the abundance of unfinished work that we inadvertantly open up the umbrella and shield ourselves against the rain of Gods love. Ultimately we feel exhausted and burnt out, instead of getting refreshed. Let us take time this month to set apart specific times of refreshing - just to bask in the rays of love from our Lord, the Sun of righteousness. We seek your prayers for the construction of a separate room for the literature ministry and administrative work. We thank you for your wholehearted support thus far and expect to receive the same henceforth too, so that the work of the Lord can go on without hindrance. The accounts for the financial year 2010-11 have been finalised and by the time this issue reaches your hands, the statement of accounts would have been submitted to the government. We thank our auditor Bro.Selvaraj and also his associate Bro. Ravikumar for their unstinted support in this matter. We are amazed to know how the Lords provision came in at the right time, and in the right measure to meet the needs of the ministry. We pray that the Lord would bless all of you who had generously and sacrificially contributed towards the ministrys needs. We pray that the Lords perennial brook of love make you flourish like a well watered garden. God bless you and satisfy you with His love.
Yours in His service,
Samuel Premraj & Manjula Premraj

THEIR EYES WERE OPENED!

[Mrs. Manjula Premraj]
Occasionally throughout the Bible we read phrases like Their eyes were opened, God opened their eyes, etc. This raises a series of questions in our minds. Does it mean that their eyes were closed till then? If so, how and when were they closed? And for what reason were they closed? and so on. Genesis 1:27 says, God created man (and woman) in His own image. So in the beginning man and woman were created flawless and perfect in Gods image, whereas the god of this age has blinded the minds of people. God of this age is none other than Satan. He has blinded the eyes of people so that they would not see the glory of God, the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. (II Corinthians 4:4) But, praise God! He did not allow men to be ruined by Satan. He opened their eyes for various reasons to make them reconcile with Him and enjoy His sweet fellowship once again. Firstly, He opened the eyes of Adam and Eve to reveal their sinfulness: (Genesis 3:7) Since Satans idea was to cause rift in the relationship between men and God, he started playing his tactics on the very first couple whom God created. He disguised himself in the form of a serpent and entered the Garden of Eden. He thus blinded Eve and deceived her cunningly, who fell pathetically in his trap. Having succumbed to Satans temptation herself, she enticed her husband Adam also to yield to sin. And when both of them knew that they had trespassed Gods commandments their eyes were opened. They realised for the first time that they were naked. The glory with which God had clothed them departed from them, and their sin was exposed! They witnessed the immediate effects of sin viz. shame and guilt. They were ashamed because they were naked and they felt guilty for they disobeyed God. So they hid from God. But God being a merciful Father clothed them and at the same time He being a righteous judge punished them by driving them out of the Garden. Secondly, the Lord opened the eyes of Hagar to remind her of His promise and give her hope. (Genesis 21:19) Hagar with her son Ishmael was wandering in the desert of Beersheba, with no water to drink and no human help. She was in an utterly hopeless condition and was afraid that her son would die. As she sat there forsaken and helpless she must have recollected a similar incident that happened in her life years ago how she was wandering as a pregnant woman in the desert and how she met the living God personally, who talked with her regarding her future and her sons future as well. But now her mind was so much troubled that she seemed to have apparently forgotten the promises God had made. But God is gracious, kind and faithful. He remembered His promise made to Hagar, opened her eyes to see a well of water and rescued them both from the jaws of death. Thirdly, the Lord opened Baalams eyes to caution him of his rebelliousness and disobedience. (Numbers 22:31) When Balak, king of Moab, sent some men with a large sum of money to Baalam, the Gentile prophet to curse the Israelites,

the Lord told him very clearly not to go with them. But, Baalam disobeyed and He saddled his donkey and started to go to the place where the Israelites had camped. God was so angry with him. He sent His angels three times to block the path of the donkey. Seeing that Baalam still persisted to go, the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey to reveal his rebellion. He also opened Baalams eyes to see the angel standing with a sword in his hand, who warned that he was rushing recklessly on a wrong path that could lead to ruin. Finally Baalam obeyed what the Lord said. He did not curse the Lords people as Balak said but blessed them instead, as the Lord commanded him. Fourthly, the Lord opened the eyes of Elishas servant to strengthen his faith and to encourage him. (II Kings 6:17) Whenever king Aram planned a raid to attack the Israelites, the Lord revealed it to Elisha and in turn he warned the king of Israel. When king of Aram came to know about this he became outrageous and sent an army of horses and chariots to capture Elisha. When Elishas servant saw that, he was frightened. But when Elisha prayed, the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw the Lords horses and chariots of fire surrounding them. The servant then realised that there was a greater strength in the unseen reality of the heavenly hosts to fight for them, than the visible reality of the Aramaean forces. His faith was greatly strengthened. Fifthly, the Lord opened the eyes of the disciples to reveal that Jesus the Lord is alive. (Luke 24:31) The disciples were walking towards Emmaus shattered, disappointed and discouraged because they had thought that Jesus would redeem Israel but He was now dead and was buried a short while ago. They were also puzzled to hear the report from the women that He had risen from the dead. And that they had seen Him. As they were walking in the burdened hearts Jesus joined them and He taught them all that was said in the Scriptures concerning Himself. And then He opened their eyes! They recognised Him and knew for sure that He is alive! They had heard, through the women,of the open tomb and now they had a real personal encounter with the Lord who had resurrected from the grave. They could not contain the excitement but they immediately returned to Jerusalem to proclaim the good news to others. Are our eyes blinded today due to various reasons? Saul was a blinded man till he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. But then when his eyes were opened the Lord gave him a great mission. In Acts 26:17 He said: I am sending you to them, to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins! And thus Saul the persecutor was changed into Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ. Let us pray to God to give us also a personal revelation of Himself. Let the eyes of our heart be enlightened that we would know the ... incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1: 18,19) Then as enlightened people let us open our eyes and look at the fields. They are ripe for harvest. (John 4:35) Let us look at the multitudes in this world whose eyes are blinded by the god of this age, Satan and lead them to the true light Jesus Christ!

Thursday, September 01

Read: Philippians 1:12-14

GLORIFY JESUS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES As a prisoner for the Lord, then I urge you to live a life worthy (Ephesians 4:1) of the calling you have received.
God, our Creator, has a noble purpose for each one of us. Nothing happens in our lives by accident. Even sufferings are allowed by God to strengthen us and to make us grow in our spiritual life. This theme runs through the entire Bible. For example, let us take Paul. Once he was falsely accused of bringing Greeks into the temple and defiling the holy place! When the crowd heard this, there was a great uproar and Paul was taken into protective custody. (Acts 21:27-40). Subsequently he faced many, many hardships and finally was brought to Rome to appear before Caesar. There he was imprisoned and chained to the Roman soldiers awaiting trial. Pauls circumstances were anything but joyful. But under such circumstances he wrote the epistle to the Philippians, containing four brief chapters, in which he mentioned the word joy 19 times in one way or another. How was it possible? Because he had a constant fellowship with the Lord. In this epistle he also described the kind of temperament Christians must have if they are to enjoy Christs peace and joy. Even in the prison, his concern was not for himself but for Christ and Gospel. He looked at these circumstances as sent by God for the purpose of exalting Christ. In Philippians 1:12,13, he wrote What has happened to me has really served to advance gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. How amazing it is to read that Paul considered him not as a prisoner of Rome but as the prisoner of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:1). Even while in prison he proclaimed the gospel to the guards and won some of them to Christ! He did not allow circumstances to overcome him. But he turned those circumstances into opportunities to magnify Christ and to win souls. Paul saw the hand of God in his hardships and sufferings. He knew for sure that nothing had happened to him by accident, that God had been working out His purpose. Dear friends, we sometimes lament about some painful incidents that have happened in our past. Did you note that Paul did not mention in great detail about his painful experiences in the shipwrecks and chains in his epistle but just said in a few words, What had happened to me. Why? Because he had the attitude that said, It makes no difference what happens to me just as long as Christ is glorified and the gospel is proclaimed. So, let us not allow hardships to break us, but let us take them to glorify Christ and bring honor to His name.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let me realize that when I take You with me in every circumstance even during hardships, struggles and sufferings, I can remain joyful. Let me not lament over my problems but talk about Your goodness to others and glorify Your name. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Friday, September 02

Read: Psalm 119: 9-16

IS GODS WORD YOUR DELIGHT?

But his delight is in the law of the Lord. (Psalm 1:2) I delight in Your commands because I love them. (Ps 119:47)
The word delight is a bright, cheerful and exciting word. When we delight in something, we feel as if our whole being experiences a warm joyful feeling. Delight brings happiness to our souls and lifts us up from despair. The opposite of delight is depression. When we do not have anything to delight, we get depressed. When we delight in something, we find ourselves irresistibly drawn towards it. No one needs to compel us to do such things. To mention a few examples eating delicious food, a chocolate, an ice cream, driving latest new model car, meeting our loved ones after a brief time of separation etc., These things occupy our thoughts and our emotions. It keeps coming to our mind and each time it comes, it is like the sun peeping out from behind a dark cloud. This is what the psalmist means when he mentions of delighting in the Word of God. Commenting about this John DeVries writes of his experience as follows: My daughter gave me an unusual birthday gift this year a big cover inside which there were twelve small cards. On each little card, she had artistically written a Bible verse for the month twelve verses for the twelve months of my next year. She told me that I was to memorize only one verse per month. She asked me to meditate upon it and delight in it. I find that as I recite these verses to myself each day again and again, Gods presence comes as radiant, warm sunlight flooding my whole being. It is truly a delightful experience indeed. In Psalm 1:2, the psalmist says that a blessed man has his delight in the Word of God. Dear friends, do we have such a delight for the Word of God? Does it occupy our thoughts and emotions all through the day? If not, why not make it our delight from today onwards. The Word of God is sweeter than the honey. It is more precious than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. It gives us life, peace and comfort which nothing or no one in this world can give. It heals us, guides us, and restores us because it is not human words. It is the Word of God. So let us enjoy the richness and delight in its sweetness each day of our lives.

PRAYER: Loving Lord, I delight in so many worldly things. But let me not neglect Your Word but read it again and again and become delighted by the life, joy and peace it gives to my soul. Let me delight in Your wonderful promises and let its brightness invade every part of my being. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Saturday, Septemeber 03

Read: Exodus 3:10-14; 4:1-13

DO NOT WASTE GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL! Moses answered, What if they do not believe me or listen to me. O Lord, please send someone else. (Exodus 4:1, 13) Once upon a time there lived a chicken. Every morning it left its home and went for a walk across the fields, down the hill to the forest. One day as it was walking it came upon an egg lying on the ground. Well, thought the chicken, I have nothing better to do today, so may be Ill sit on this egg for a while and see what happens. After some time there was a tapping noise from the egg and out came a baby bird. But it was not a baby chicken, it was a baby eagle! The chicken adopted the baby eagle and looked after it as if it were its own. Every day the two of them walked across the fields, down the hill to the forest. One day, the baby eagle looked up and there soaring high above was a wonderful, graceful bird. Wow said, the baby eagle Whats that? The chicken said, Thats an eagle. It is one of the most amazing creatures that God has ever made. The baby eagle said, Oh, if only I could be like that. Ah, said the chicken, but you are just a chicken, like me. And off they went home. Day after day, the baby eagle would stop and look up towards sky and stare at the wonderful eagle flying above. Days rolled by into months and years, the eagle became old and finally one day it died! Is it not a sad story? Dear friends, the baby eagle spent every day of its life asking, What if I could become like that graceful bird soaring above the ground? If only I could. It had a dream, an ambition, and an aim. But it failed to reach its full potential in life because it listened to the chicken which led it to believe that such a dream was unobtainable. We too are like that eagle. From time to time, we can be heard to say, What if? or If only Moses too was full of negatives. When God sent him to bring out the Israelites from Egypt, the land of slavery, he asked, What if they dont believe me..? What if they ask me your name? What if my inability to speak stands in my way.? But the Lord patiently encouraged him and made him to be a successful leader. Let us not waste our lives by thinking of all the negatives that might happen to us and finally end up achieving nothing. Let us not listen to Satans deceptive words. Let us trust God that He will never leave us but will certainly empower us to complete the task that He has assigned for us.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am ashamed to confess I had been negative in my outlook towards Your call. I have often listened to Satan and wasted many opportunities of serving You. Forgive me. Let not my life end in a sad note like that of the baby eagle. Let me use my potential to the fullest. Amen.

Sunday, September 4

Read: Genesis 6: 11-7: 5

DO WE DO AS WE ARE TOLD BY GOD?

By faith when warned about things not seen, in holy fear, (Hebrews 11:7) Noah built an ark to save his family.
When God asks us to do something, do we do it immediately or do we postpone or never do it at all? It is sure that if we disobey God or delay in doing what He commands us, we will land up in some sort of problem. Terry Anne Preston writes of her experience as follows My office is on the first floor. Builders were asked to replace the flat roof directly above the office. I was sitting at my computer as they started the work. Just then the phone downstairs rang and I went to answer it. Within a minute of replacing the handset, there was a huge bang. I rushed upstairs only to see that the whole ceiling and roof had collapsed, right on top of the chair where I had been sitting. It was only later, having checked that the workmen were safe that I realized that, had my friend Kath not called me exactly at that time I would have been killed. And when I phoned her back to tell her what had happened, Kath told me that from the morning she had the feeling that she ought to phone me. Because there was no particular issue she kept postponing until she could not keep quiet. Now I understand that it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit, said Kath astonished at the news. Noahs life reveals a startling difference from that of all the other saints recorded in the Bible. Noah was a silent man. We do not read anywhere that Noah uttered a word. He did not complain, question or argue. He did not seek explanation from God. His only response to Gods command was to do exactly what He said. Noah did everything just as God commanded him (Genesis 6: 22, 7:5). Even with our modern technology, it would be quite difficult to build such a huge ark. How much more difficult it would have been for Noah. It must have been physically, mentally and even spiritually strenuous for him particularly in view of the opposition and ridicule that he faced. If he had treated Gods words lightly and had never obeyed God, he and his family would have certainly perished in the flood! Dear friends, let us obey whatever the Lord tells us without questioning even if it seems insignificant, because delaying or disobeying may result in serious consequences.

PRAYER: Father, how obedient and faithful Noah was in carrying out Your instruction word by word in building the ark, in choosing the animals to be taken inside, in staying inside the ark and so on. Let me not take Your command lightly but let me, like Noah, be obedient and be saved from destruction. Amen.

Monday, September 05

Read: Luke 12: 22-34

DONT HESITATE WHEN GOD CALLS YOU!

Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. (II Peter 1:10)
Hearing Gods Word is one thing obeying is another! Many of us even after hearing Gods call hesitate to obey Him. This may be because of the following reasons First, is fear. We are afraid to step out in faith and trust God for our future. I John 4:18 says, There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. If we have the assurance that our Lord is a loving heavenly Father, whose love is unfathomable, which has no height, no depth or breadth or width, we will never, never be afraid of our future. When our earthly fathers, who are so deficient in love care for their children so much and do their level best to provide for their future will not our Father in heaven bless us, His dear children, more than we ask or imagine when we obey Him and do as He says? Second reason is attachment to worldly things and people. Let us examine ourselves What holds us back? The love of money? Our home? Our routine? Our Job? Our family? Our friends? Let us recollect what Jesus said in Matthew 19:29. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive one hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. So let us not hold on to these earthly things which are temporary. Let us not worry about our future but trust God for our needs. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Let us be contented with the food and clothing that we have. Let us not like the worldly people sweat and toil to store up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But let us spend our energy to work for the Kingdom of God, save the perishing souls and lead them to heaven. By doing so we will store up everlasting treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19,20) So dear friends, let us not hesitate when God calls us. It is not by fluke that He calls us. He has chosen us even before the creation of the world and has appointed us to do His work. So we need not fear and hold fast to temporary things of the world. We can be assured that when we step out in faith and obey Him, God does amazing things both in our personal lives and in the lives of others through us. O, what a great privilege it is to serve the living God, the Creator of the Universe.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let me not be afraid to trust You for my future. Let me not hold on to temporary worldly things but help me to trust You and step out in faith when You call me to do Your ministry. I submit totally to Your will. Use me in Your own way. Amen.

Tuesday, September 06

Read: Mark 10:28-31

SOFTLY AND TENDERLY JESUS IS CALLING.

Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? .. Here am (Isaiah 6:8) I, send me.
Yesterday we meditated that most of us are reluctant to obey the calling of God due to fear and unwillingness to disown worldly things and relationships. But if we know the rich blessings that the Lord has in store for those who serve Him we will have no more second thoughts but surrender ourselves completely to Him. What are those blessings? Firstly, the Lord has given us the royal Kingdom. Revelation 5:10 says, You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on earth. I Peter 2:9 says that we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. Yes, we will serve our God and will reign on earth! Secondly, He has given us the royal throne. Revelation 3:21 says, To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. Oh, what a privilege! And in Matthew 19:28, Jesus says, I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on the glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Halleluiah! Thirdly, He has given us authority. In Revelation 2:26, Jesus says, To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. Sounds incredible? Fourthly, He has given us the power to judge the world. I Corinthians 6:2 says, Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? Fifthly, He has given us the eternal Kingdom. One day He will call us and say, Come you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Matthew 25:34) So, dear friends, for the sake of enjoying the temporary pleasures that this world offers, let us not lose the rich eternal blessings. Let us not misunderstand that Gods calling is only for the selected few - like the clergymen or the missionaries or those who are committed to work as full-time servants. God calls each one of us to do a unique role in His Kingdom. Yes, to obey Gods call means to sacrifice something - the time we spend with our family, our finances, our status in the society.. But it is worth it. How joyful we would be when we receive a crown of glory and a commendation from our Father in heaven - Well done, good and faithful servant! Shall we accept the challenge and obey Gods soft and tender call?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, how great is Your goodness which You stored up for those who fear You! Let me not be deaf to Your soft call, but let me willingly offer myself to You to do whatever You say and go wherever You send, even if it means sacrificing something. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wednesday, September 07

Read: Luke 12:13-21

CAST AWAY GREED FROM YOUR VERY THOUGHT.

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed" (Luke 12:15)
The Bible warns us in many places about the danger of covetousness. It also advises us not to seek the things of this world as if they had lasting value. When compared to the eternal values, the material things of this world are trivial pursuits. This does not mean that we should not pay any attention to earning a good living, buying a home, or a car, or investing our money. It just means that we should pay much more attention to God than to all these things. One day a man asked Jesus to be the Judge and divide his family inheritance between him and his brother. Ron Lavin comments on this as follows It was customary among the Jews for the eldest son to inherit all the property after the death of his father and it was his responsibility to care for the whole family. Apparently, the man who approached Jesus was a younger brother who did not like the traditional arrangement. Jesus read the heart of the man. His problem was not that he was against Jewish tradition but that greed had rooted itself in his heart. It is very possible that this younger son believed in God and went to synagogue very regularly. After all, he was there listening to the teachings of Jesus. The mans problem was not that he was not religious. It was that he did not apply biblical truth to practical problem because of an inner covetousness that he refused to overcome. Dear friends, God knows what we are thinking regarding money and property? Are we greedy and lustful to grab others property which rightfully belongs to them? Are we self-centered and hoard wealth for our own family being unconcerned of our brothers and sisters who find it difficult to meet both ends meet? We may be religious and live godly lives but pursuit of property and money can bring out the worst in us, if we do not apply the biblical truth in practical ways. It distracts our focus from heavenly things to ungodly ways of the world. So let us be careful and be on guard against all kinds of greed not only money and property.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, give me a contented heart. Help me to live within my means. Let me not cast my eyes at others property and lust for their possessions. Let me not hoard things for myself but help me to see beyond myself and be concerned about the needs of others. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Thursday, September 08

Read: Luke 13: 18-30

DO NOT IGNORE WARNING SIGNS! Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? (Luke 13:23) Have you noticed WARNING! signs? They tell us that something ahead is potentially dangerous. For example, a high voltage electricity line, dangerous curves, hairpin bends, etc., In Luke 13th chapter, verses:18-30 Jesus gives us three warning signs about the Kingdom of God. If we do not heed the warning, we may miss the coming of Gods Kingdom in our lives. First, the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed (Luke 13:19). Second, it is like a yeast in a loaf of bread (13:21) and third, it is like a narrow door (13:24). If we read carefully, all these are insignificant and small that we have the tendency to miss them out. That is why Jesus gives them as warnings so that we would pay careful attention to these. Let us take the first illustration the mustard seed. Jesus seems to say, Warning! Since the Kingdom of God starts small, you are in danger of overlooking it. A mustard seed is very tiny but it grows into a big plant which gives shelter to many birds. Similarly, the Kingdom of God may initially seem small from earthly point of view but it can grow to become the driving force in the hearts of many children. Next, through second illustration of yeast Jesus seems to say, Warning! Since the Kingdom of God works quietly and slowly, be careful not to neglect it just because you do not see it working. Yeast causes the bread to rise. Similarly, ordinary people of God keep working silently, rise above their circumstances and become extraordinary witnesses for God thus building the Kingdom of God! Through the third illustration Jesus seems to say, Warning! Since the door is narrow, make every effort to enter into it while it is open! Nobody prefers to enter through a narrow door because it requires effort. It requires sacrifice. It requires shedding of certain loads. But Jesus wants us to pay a cost. He wants us to be His disciples. Dear friends, let us pay attention to these warning signs of Jesus. Let us - like mustard seeds and yeast - work quietly, spread quickly, committing ourselves to live as disciples of Jesus and enter through the narrow door which leads to heaven.

PRAYER: Lord, all the three examples that You have chosen to explain how the Kingdom of God would be, are small and insignificant. Let me not overlook them and ultimately be refused entry into the Gods Kingdom. Let me work for the extension of Your Kingdom, quietly but quickly. Amen.

Friday, September 09

Read: Romans 6:11-15

DONT TAKE GODS GRACE FOR GRANTED!

What shall we say? Shall we sin because we are not under law (Romans 6:15) but under grace? By no means!
Robert Hughes tells of a convict sentenced to life imprisonment in an island off the coast of Australia. One day, with no provocation, he beat brutally a fellow prisoner. Authorities took him back to the main land to stand trial, where he gave a straightforward passionless account of the crime. He showed no sign of remorse and denied having held any grudge against the victim. Why, then? asked the bewildered judge. What was your motive to commit murder? The prisoner replied that he was sick of life on the island, a notorious brutal place, and saw no reason to keep on living. Yes, I understand all that, said the judge. In that case you could have drowned yourself in the ocean. But murder? Why murder? Well, I figure it is like this, said the prisoner. Im a Catholic. If I commit suicide Ill go straight to hell. But if I murder I can come back here to Sydney and confess to a priest before my execution. That way, God will forgive me. Dear friends, we too are like this convict. Knowing pretty well that we are sinning against God, we do it blatantly. We know it is sin to tell lies, to cheat others, to covet others possessions, to be angry and unforgiving. Yet, we do it deliberately. Without a feeling of remorse we act according to our flesh and commit daringly all that the Lord has prohibited us, taking for granted His rich grace and loving mercy. Then we enter into the presence of the Lord, kneel down and say shamelessly, O Lord, forgive us our sins! Philip Yancey writes, At first a devious idea forms in the back of our mind, It is something I want. Yes, I know it is wrong. But, let me go ahead. Anyway, Ill get forgiveness later. This idea grows into an obsession and ultimately grace becomes a licence for immorality. Let us not take Gods grace in vain. Let us truly repent for what we have done, with godly sorrow. Let us strive to live a life pleasing to God. As Paul told Titus, it is the grace of God that teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives. So let us not be arrogant and keep on committing sin. Let us not exploit Gods grace and His forgiveness.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I very well know Your commandments which say, Do not commit murder and adultery. Do not steal; Do not covet and so on. But I blatantly disobey them thinking that You will somehow forgive me by Your grace. Lord forgive my audacity. Let me show true repentance. Amen.

Saturday, September 10

Read: I Kings 16:31-33; 21: 25-26

LORD, LET ME NOT TEAR DOWN MY HOME!

The wise woman builds her house but with her own hands (Proverbs 14:1) the foolish one tears hers down.
We all know that Proverbs 31 talks of a virtuous woman. But in contrast to this, the Book of Proverbs also talks of foolish women and wicked women, adulteresses and immoral women. Proverbs 6:24 advises us to keep away from the immoral women and from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife. It also speaks about a nagging woman one who is contentious and quarrelsome. Proverbs 21:9 says that it is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house! The Bible has many examples of women who were not like the ideal virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. Eve, for example, was created to be a helper for Adam, her husband, but she became a tempter to him. When Satan tempted her, not only did she fall into sin; but she tempted her husband also to sin. Potiphars wife was an example of unfaithfulness. (Genesis 39) She tempted Joseph to have illicit relationship with her while her husband was away. Jezebel is another example of a woman who exerted her evil influence on her husband Ahab, the king of Israel. She was an ungodly woman who stirred up her husband to follow idolatry practices, to worship Baal and to set up altars and temples for him. Jobs wife is an example of the one who was weak in faith. She discouraged her husband in times of adversity rather than to encourage his spirit. She must have been a godly wife to Job once, but somehow she lost her faith in God through the severe testing that came to Jobs family. In Job 2:9, she said to Job, Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die! Thank God, Job did not listen to her, otherwise we would not have had his wonderful testimony recorded in the Bible! We can keep on adding to this list of foolish women Lots wife, Davids wife Michal, Ananias wife Sapphira, the five foolish virgins and so on. Dear friends, these examples are mentioned as warnings to us. We may live in a modern age, we may have good education, good job but it is not enough if we are wise and prudent only in wordly matters. Let us remember that God has given us, women, an important role in building up our family in Christian values. So let us not live as women of the world but as women with whom the Lord is well pleased.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let the examples of such unfaithful, nagging and greedy women mentioned in the Bible be a warning to me. Let me not be a person who would break my family but let me build it on the strong foundation of Jesus. In Jesus name I pray. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Sunday, September 11

Read: Ephesians 5:18-33

WONDERFUL LESSON TAUGHT BY BEARS! He who loves his wife loves himself. The wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:28,33) Sometimes animals teach us many valuable life lessons. W. Phillip Keller shares his experience as follows; One day on a mountainside, a half-grown black bear with his coat glistening in the rain was stripping the last of the summer fruit from the tall branches of an Otalla bush. Within a few moments, I spied a second bear of similar size near another bush and then a third gathering the tender leaves from a vine maple. Then, as if to add a special delight to the day, I saw a third bear, a female, obviously the mother of the three young ones turning over rocks to find ants.. The obvious gentleness and cordiality with which these four bears treated one another made an enormous impression on me. There was simply no pushing or showing angry rivalry among them. I was especially surprised at how quiet and silent every move was, every gesture, every interaction between them. There appeared to be an aura of courtesy and respect between the bears. This warmed my own spirit in strange yet wondrous way. I thought, if only human families were as cordial as these Marriage counselors infer that taking each other for granted is one of the chief causes of marital problems. My father talks with me only when he wants to scold me, said an angry teenager. I hate going home. I can hear nothing but my wife nagging me and the children always, said a frustrated husband. When home is ruled according to Gods Word, angels might be asked to stay with us and they would not find themselves out of their element, writes C.H. Spurgeon. But trouble is that many homes are not governed by Gods Word and that is the reason for so many incidents of divorce. If our homes are to be heaven on earth, we must be controlled by the Holy Spirit. According to Paul there are three evidences of the fullness of the Holy Spirit in a believers life. Firstly, he is joyful (Ephesians 5:19), secondly, he is thankful (5:20) and thirdly, he is submissive (5:21). Of course, there would come times when misunderstandings and arguments arise. There may be unfulfilled expectations but if each member of the family is filled with the Holy Spirit they would forgive each others shortcomings and accept each other with love. So dear friends, there is no doubt that if we honor and love one another in our family, we will surely enjoy the harmony that is a foretaste of heaven on earth. PRAYER: Father, I have learnt a wonderful lesson today. Help me also to

love and forgive each member of my family. Let me not blow up their shortcoming, make a mountain out of a molehill, but let me filled with the Holy Spirit live in harmony and enjoy the foretaste of heaven on earth. Amen.

Monday, September 12

Read: Mark 12:28-31

(John 21:15)

GOD WANTS OUR LOVE!

Do you truly love me more than these?

When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them more than they ever needed. He allowed them to eat from every tree and every plant in the garden, except one! They had everything that they could dream of, or desire. There was no need for them to search for more. How amazing! God still does that for us even today, when we confess our sins, repent from our sinful ways. He forgives our sins, lavishes His love on us and calls us His own children. Then He gives us many wonderful promises. He promises us that whatever happens to us will turn out for our good. (Romans 8:28) This is an amazing promise because it means that a Christian need not worry even in the darkest moments of life. It does not mean that a Christian would not encounter bad things, but it means that God would never allow him to be destroyed by the evil and He will work it out for his good. Then, God has promised that He will supply all our needs according to the measure of His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Phili. 4:19) Another way to express this is to say that God will answer all our prayers abundantly, above all that we could ask or even imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) Still another way to describe it is to say, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. (Psalm 23:1) We can go on quoting many, many promises in the Bible which say that the Lord is our Provider, Sustainer and Keeper. Having given everything to us who are saved by the blood of Jesus, the Lord expects only one thing from us in return and that is our love. How can we express our love to Him? By obeying His command. Adam and Eve got everything from the Lord yet they failed to give Him what He wanted. God did not ask for something that was impossible from Adam and Eve. He only said that they should not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil! But they disobeyed Him in this simple matter. What a pity! Dear friends, let us not be ungrateful creatures. Let us think of all the gifts the Lord has freely given us to enjoy and let us express our love to Him not only in words but by our deeds by obeying Him wholeheartedly.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have given me all good things, more than I

could ask or even imagine. You have saved me and filled me with Your Holy Spirit. How can I be ungrateful to You? Help me to love You, have intimate fellowship with You and do whatever You ask me to do. Amen.

Tuesday, September 13

Read: Ephesians 4: 31-32

OFFER UNILATERAL FORGIVENESS!

If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. (Romans 12:20)
Corrie ten Boom was imprisoned in a concentration camp by the Germans. Ten years after her ordeal in prison, she came face to face with the woman who had been a nurse in the hospital barracks where Corrie and her sister Betsie were prisoners. Corrie recollected how cruelly that particular nurse treated both of them, especially Betsie who was almost dying. She was so unkind and ws totally unconcerned of Betsies helpless condition. Corrie ten Boom wrote later, At that moment of recognition, hatred came into my heart. I thought I had overcome it, but now when I saw that nurse again after all these years, a great bitterness came into my heart. Ashamed, I confessed my guilt. Forgive me Lord, for my hatred. Teach me to love my enemies. Corrie goes on to tell how she prayed for this enemy. She phoned her and invited her to a meeting. The whole evening she listened and looked straight into my eyes Corrie testified. I knew that she listened with her heart. After the meeting I read with her from the Bible the way of salvation - I John 4:9 - This is how God showed His love among us. He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. The nurse made the decision that causes angels to rejoice. She repented! Not only had my hatred gone, but I could shine into her dark heart, as Gods channel for His streams of living water. Larry Christenson calls this forgiveness as unilateral forgiveness which means one-sided forgiveness. It flows out from the forgiver. The other person does not ask for it. He may not even realize that he needs it. The forgiver takes the initiative and forgives without waiting for the other person to come and ask for forgiveness. Dear friends, are we able to offer this unilateral forgiveness to our enemies? Let our Lord Jesus be our model! Never had one person come to Him and said, Lord, forgive me. Yet He forgave them all. Even when He was hanging on the Cross, He forgave all those who tortured Him, though none of them asked Him for forgiveness. Shall we also take away all our unwillingness to forgive and forgive others unconditionally as Jesus did?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let unilateral forgiveness flow from my heart towards all who hurt me physically and emotionally. Let me be willing to forgive them whether they ask for forgiveness or not but let me demonstrate unconditionally the love of Jesus to them. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wednesday, September 14

Read: Psalm 15

INTEGRITY VERSUS DISHONESTY

Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands (Psalm 24:4) and a pure heart.
Five weeks short of his retirement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert Philip Hanssen was forced to come to terms with his double life. He was caught red-handed on February 18, 2001, hiding a plastic garbage bag full of classified US documents destined for Moscow. A person who was supposed to have been catching Russian spies, was arrested on charges of selling US secrets to Moscow for $ 4 1.4 million in money and diamonds! He was regarded as a good father, a good husband, a good professional and a good son. He attended Sunday morning worship services at the same church where his boss went. He was devoted to his wife and six children, living in a modest neighborhood. On his arrest, his mother said, He has always been a very honest and upright. I do not understand how he could be doing so! Yes, Hanssen was in the perfect position to spy on his country. In 25 years he rose through the ranks of counter intelligence agents in FBI. He compromised every important human electronic penetration of Russia for the past 15 years. Everyone who knew Hanssen expressed astonishment. (Source: Born to Grow P.Abraham). Dear friends, dishonesty is an inborn trait. A person need not undergo a training to be dishonest. We may not have done serious injustice as Hanssen did, but let us remember that even cheating a vendor is a sin in the sight of the Lord. We may go to church, pray, fast and do good deeds. But how is our private life? Daniel did not live by a double standard. His enemies could not frame any charges against him on any grounds, however hard they tried. How about us? Do we play a double game? Let us keep in our minds that we are answerable to God for every deed of ours. On the Judgment day, we have to stand before Him and give account. If we have cheated others so far, let us confess them to God, and restitute with others what we have done. May the Lord give us grace to live with integrity.

PRAYER: Father God, I may cheat others and even escape the law. But let me remember that I cant deceive You and I have to give account to You for everything. Let my hands be clean. Let me not even dream of cheating anyone in any matter whether big or small. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Thursday, September 15

Read: Philippians 2:5-11

THE LORD HONORS THE HUMBLE!

Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5)
Some of the greatest Christians are those who have been meek, humble, courteous and gentle. Richard was the second son of well-todo parents who lived in Worcestershire. He was born in 1197 and spent the earlier part of his life at home, helping to run the family after his father had died. Then inspite of the suggestions of his brother that he should marry a certain noble lady, Richard decided to go to Oxford to become a priest. He had the misfortune to have his money stolen and had therefore to live at Oxford in poverty. He and two other students had only one warm tunic and one gown between them, so they had to wear in turn to attend lectures. All through his course Richard was known for his humility and politeness. After his studies when he returned to his own place, he was called to become secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The king did not like this idea and so after much controversy, finally Richard was chosen for the post. The new Archbishop of Canterbury who took charge later was greatly impressed by Richards courteous behavior and made him the Bishop of Chechester! What is being humble? D.L.Moody once said, Some years ago I saw what is called a sensitive plant. I happened to breathe on it and suddenly it folded its leaves. I touched and it drooped. Humility is as sensitive as that, it cannot be brought out on exhibition. A man who flatters about himself about his achievements and his spiritual life cannot be humble man. He only deceives himself. Humility is not thinking meanly of ourselves, but it is not thinking of ourselves at all. If humility speaks of itself, it is gone, said D.L.Moody. Numbers 12:3 says, Moses was a very humble man more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. Regarding our Lord Jesus, Philippians 2:6 says, Who being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God but making Himself nothing. He humbled Himself and became obedient to death. Dear friends, let us be humble in all our dealings with men. Then we will surely be exalted by the Lord. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not be proud in my thoughts, words and deeds. Let me never allow my pride to pop out but be gentle and humble always. Let me always have Jesus as my example, who though is the Son of God, humbled Himself so low as to wash the feet of His disciples. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Friday, September 16

Read: Psalm 51-12

SIN IS SERIOUS. IT SHOULD BE DEALTH WITH!

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the (I Corinthians 6:9) Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.
Sin is not a superficial problem that can be solved with simple remedies. It comes from within. Unless the heart is changed, there cannot be any solution for it. In 18th century England, if any person was convicted for stealing, the judge could order the authorities to chop off his left hand. There was a pick-pocket who lost both hands but managed to succeed in his career because he perfected picking pockets with his teeth! Even if the authorities had knocked off all his teeth, he would have still invented some other method to steal, because his sin was deep inside it was in his heart. We live in a world where people overlook sin. They are unwilling to accept their sinful state. If men and women are basically good and not sinners under the wrath of God, then why do men preach the gospel? Then, why did Jesus die on the cross? Do not be deceived. According to what David says in Psalm 51:5, surely all of us are sinful at birth, sinful from the time we were conceived in our mothers wombs. Romans 3:23 says, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is no one in this world who can say that he is not a sinner. Sin originates in our thoughts, corrupts our minds and leads us to do evil. It separates us from God eternally. So, dear friends, do not treat sin casually. Do not think that it is harmless and try to get away with it. Look at what David did when he committed adultery with Bethsheba. He could have easily buried the matter being a powerful King. But when the Lord convicted him, he confessed that he sinned against Him. Romans 6:23 says, The wages of sin is death. A sinner has to face eternal condemnation there is no escape. So do not think that its just fun and you can get away easily. It is something serious. So, repent from your sinful ways. Only the blood of Jesus can deliver you from this bondage. So, draw near the cross. Be cleansed by the blood of Jesus and start a brand new life.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, so far I have never given a serious thought of living a holy life. I have been sinning, taking things very lightly. Forgive me. Wash me by the blood of Jesus. Accept me as Your child. Let me start all over again. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Saturday, September 17

Read: Psalm 100: 4-5

THANK THE LORD WITH A GRATEFUL HEART!

He came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw (Luke 17: 15,16) himself at Jesus feet and thanked Him.
We have so many things to be grateful for every day. Each new day is a gift given to us by our Lord. But how mean we are in complaining and murmuring about things that we lack? Robert Schuller recalls of an incident that happened when he was a small boy. He recollects how his entire family withstood a great famine because of the grateful attitude and the positive mindset of his father. I was born and raised on an Iowa farm. When I was a child a severe drought struck our place. The wind was dry, dusty, fierce and violent and it became our enemy because it would peel the dry, rich black soil and swirl it like drifting dunes in the gullies and canyons of our fields. We prayed for the rains but there was none. Then harvest came. My father would normally harvest a hundred wagons full of corn. But I remember that year the harvest was a meager onehalf wagon load. I could see the old wagon standing in the yard only half-full. It was a total crop disaster that had never been equaled before or since. You know what happened? Seated at the dinner table with his calloused hands holding ours , my father looked up and thanked God saying, I thank you God, that I have lost nothing. I have regained the seed I planted in springtime! I marveled at his attitude of gratitude. The other farmers were lamenting, We lost ninety loads, We lost hundred loads. And Ill never forget my father saying, You can never count up the might-have-beens or you will be defeated. These words of wisdom from my father, who never went past the sixth grade, were immeasurable in making me the positive thinker that I am today. When my father retired he was no longer a poor farmer. With his attitude he left a nice estate for his children. Dear friends, let us never look at what we lack. Let us not lament over what we have lost, but let us focus our attention on all the blessings which we have received from our Father and thank Him for everything from the bottom of our hearts.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You make me lie down in green pastures and lead me beside still waters. I lack no good thing for You are my good shepherd. Give me a grateful and contented heart. Let me not grieve Your heart by murmuring about what I do not have. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Sunday, September 18

Read: Matthew 5:43-48

HOW CAN I LOVE MY ENEMIES?

Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
In this scripture passage our Lord lays down a divine rule which we by His Spirit have to apply to every circumstance of our life. Our Lord exhorts us here to love all men whether they are good or bad. God exhibits His love not only to good people but to the sinners too. We, as humans, have natural affinities we like some people, get along well with some, whereas we dislike some and try to avoid their friendship. But, we should never let those likes and dislikes be the rule of our Christian life. Let us read verse 44 again where Jesus says, I tell you. Love your enemies. Jesus does not say, Love everyone. The Bible never speaks vaguely. The world talks about loving mankind. Jesus says very specifically, Love your enemies. He says, Bless those who curse you. He says, Pray for those who persecute you. Each one of these commands is stamped with sheer impossibility to the natural man. Of course, it is easy to do if we do not have enemies, but seems to be an impossible thing when we have! Yes! No one on earth will be able to follow these commands, unless he is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Unless Jesus Christ can remake us within, His teaching is the biggest mockery human ears have ever listened to writes Oswald Chambers. Dear friends, the secret of a Christians life is that the supernatural is made natural and the impossible made possible by the grace of God. If the Holy Spirit has transformed us from within, we will certainly exhibit divine characteristics in our human nature. The proof that we have been regenerated is that when we find it difficult to love our enemies, and when we are tempted to rebel, we find to our astonishment that we have the power to keep wonderfully poised in the midst of it; a power we did not have before, a power given to us only by the Spirit of God. So, let us always be filled with His Spirit and follow the divine rule of Jesus. Let us be blessed and be a blessing to others.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, a carnal man would certainly find it impossible to follow the teaching of Jesus but not a Spirit-generated man. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that by His power, I will be able to apply His divine rule in my daily life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Monday, September 19

Read: Luke 21: 1-4

LET US BE SACRIFICIAL GIVERS! Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever (II Corinthians 9:6) sows generously will also reap generously People who were converted from Hinduism to Christianity in Nepal had problem in burying their dead. As Hindus burn their dead, it was not an easy task to have a Christian burial in Nepal. So, with the finance they received from Americans, one Church in Nepal brought a piece of land for cemetery. Not long after this, they wanted to put a fence around it to protect it from acts of vandalism. So, the church held a special service to raise the needed funds. When offering was taken, a widow in the church named Maya was seen doing something special. She had lost her husband in 1994 and was left to raise two children on her own. While alive, her husband had given her a pair of gold earrings. Since she had nothing to put in the offering bag, Maya gave one of those precious earrings for the particular cause. The treasurer of the church came to know of this sacrificial offering. The news quickly spread throughout the church and this motivated others to give willingly and generously. Despite Mayas reluctance to take it back, the church committee gave back the earring to Maya and put in the equivalent of its value from their own pocket for building the fence! Do not our minds travel back two thousand years to that day when Jesus witnessed a poor widow going towards the temple treasury and dropping two very small copper coins? To others, what she put into the treasury might have been a very meager amount. But, Jesus knew that it was not an ordinary gift. It was all that the widow owned! It might have even been her last gift! Jesus was moved and He commended her for her great sacrifice. Im sure the Lord would not have allowed her to suffer in poverty but would have provided miraculously for the rest of her life. Dear friends, God want us to be not only cheerful givers but also sacrificial givers. Let us remember that when we give sacrificially we are demonstrating that God means more to us than our worldly possessions. We are also putting our faith in action that God will take care of us because He is faithful and He will never on any account allow us to suffer and starve! Shall we make a commitment today to be givers - not ordinary but sacrificial givers?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let me understand that this worldly wealth is temporary and that by focussing all my time for accumulating wealth in order to make me and my family comfortable, I am losing the vision of the rich treasure that You want me to store in heaven. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, September 20

Read: II Corinthians 6:14-7

WORLDLINESS HAS NO PART IN HOLINESS!

These things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our heart on evil things. (I Corinthians 10:6)
The first command that Abraham received from the Lord was, Leave your country, your people and your fathers household and go to the land I will show you. And so Abraham left, as the Lord had told him. (Genesis 12:4) But he did not fully obey God. Instead of leaving his fathers household as commanded by the Lord, he took his nephew Lot along with him. And because of this, Abraham faced lot of problem. Abraham was a man of faith, whereas Lot was a worldly man and so he and his men could not get along well with Abrahams men. A dispute arose between them. Hence, Abraham and Lot had to separate. But Abraham was generous enough to allow his nephew Lot to select a land of his choice and settle down there. Accordingly Lot selected the fertile plain of Jordan. Of course, God gave the best land to Abraham later. Shortly after this, once again a problem erupted because of Lot. Lot was taken a captive by the enemies and Abraham risked his own life to rescue him from them. Dear friends, whatever we bring with us from old life into the new, is likely to create problems. The life of faith demands total separation from what is evil and total devotion to what is holy. In II Corinthians 6:14 and 17 Paul writes, Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. Come out of them and be separate. Let us be careful. When we walk by faith, we should lean on God alone. We should trust in His Word and rely on His power. We should believe that He who has called us will never do a mistake. So when we step out in faith to follow Him, in obedience to His call, let us commit ourselves totally to Him. Let us not compromise on any worldly matter. Let us not associate with any worldly person in our business dealings or partnership in marriage. Of course we live in a country where people belonging to different faiths live and so we cannot certainly dissociate from them. We have to be friendly with them but should not be influenced by them because they would deviate us from our heavenly vision. A little yeast is enough to ferment the whole dough. So, let us trust God and obey Him and not fall into temptation.

PRAYER: Lord, Abraham did a great blunder by taking Lot along with him as he set out for Canaan. He faced more of trouble than blessing because of Lot. When You ask me to separate from certain people or to leave certain things let me not compromise but obey You fully. In Jesus name. Amen.

Wednesday, September 21

Genesis: 15: 12-16 & 50: 24-26

AMAZING FAITH OF JOSEPH!

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones (Heb. 11:22)
Joseph was seventeen years old when he was taken to Egypt (Genesis 37:2) and he lived there for ninety three years. He died at the age of a hundred and ten. (Genesis 50:26) During all those years Joseph underwent periods of abandonment, loneliness, injustice and rejection. He had more reasons to forsake his faith than to be strengthened in his faith. His Jewish brothers who knew Jehovah treated him cruelly and sold him to the Midianites. He had to live away from his family for many, many years. While he was living in Egypt, he was surrounded by people who had belief in a false religion and worshipped false gods. He did not have any mentor in Egypt to encourage him and to lead him in the way of faith. People whom he helped forgot about him in the hour of need. If that is what a life of faith is about, then I have every reason to reject it and discard it, Joseph could have argued easily. But Josephs faith was not such a shallow one. When he was at the fag end of his life, this is what he said to his brothers - I am about to die. But God will SURELY come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Then you must carry my bones up from this place. And his wish was indeed fulfilled. After Joseph died he was placed in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). But when God delivered the Israelites from Egypt Moses took Josephs bones (Exodus 13:19) and later Joshua buried them in Shechem after they possessed the Promised Land. (Joshua 24:32) Dear friends, do we have such deep-rooted faith? True faith is grounded on the infallible Word of God and is not based on our emotions or on the circumstances. If God had said something, a man of faith believes that it will happen, however negative the situations would be. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

PRAYER: Dear Lord, even though Joseph lived in an atmosphere which seemed to shake his faith and damage it, he rooted his faith firmly on Your promise given to Abraham around 430 years earlier, and instructed by faith that his bones be taken away from Egypt to the Promised land. Give me such a faith. Amen.

Thursday, September 22
Pray continually.

Read: Psalm 63:1-8

(I Thessalonians 5:17)

SEEK THE LORD ALWAYS !

Epaphras was led to Christ through Pauls ministry. He was a great prayer warrior. What were the characteristics of his prayer life? Firstly, he prayed constantly. (Colossians 4: 12) Epaphras did not pray only when he felt like it. Nor did he pray when he was told to pray or when others prayed. He was always praying. Secondly, he prayed fervently. He wrestled in prayer. In other words, he agonized in prayer. Prayer was a serious business to Epaphras. Thirdly, his prayer was focussed. He did not pray in general for everyone in the world. He centered his intercession on the people of Colosse, Laodicea and Hierapolis. (verse 13) Prayer for Epaphras was not an impersonal religious exercise, for he carried these people in his heart and prayed for them personally writes Warren Wiersbe. Fourthly, he prayed with a definite purpose. His great desire was that the believers in those three places should mature in their faith and in their spiritual life, that they should stand firm and be assured in all the will of God. He did not pray for temporary worldly blessings of the believers, rather he prayed for the full assurance in the will of God. This is the most important thing needed for a believer. As he learns the will of God, and applies it in his life, he matures in faith and experiences Gods fullness. Fifthly, Epaphras prayed sacrificially. True prayer requires hard work. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, His sweat turned into great drops of blood. John H. Jowett said, Praying that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. Paul was much impressed by Epaphras prayer life that he mentioned him as our dear fellow servant, a faithful minister of Christ. (Colossians 1:7) Epaphras also was a fellow-prisoner of Paul in Rome. (Philemon 23) Above all, Epaphras was the only one who was commended by Paul himself for his remarkable prayer life. Dear friends, if we too agonize in prayer like Epaphras for our church and country a great revival would certainly break out. We have to admit that revival tarries because there are no great prayer warriors like Ephapras.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I have a great desire to be an intercessor and a prayer warrior, but I am unable to prevail in prayer for long. Give me Your grace to pray like Epaphras constantly. Let a great revival break out in my country through my fervent prayer. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Friday, September 23

Read: Acts 4:23-31

PRAY FOR FRONTLINE MISSIONARIES

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the (Ephesians 6:19) gospel.
An effective prayer is what is most needed than anything else for a missionary, a pastor or an evangelist who is in the frontline missionary work. Christian workers in unreached and unresponsive areas must be covered by prayer so that Gods presence may be demonstrated, and prayers answered in such ways as to bring salvation to many. Wesley Duewell suggests the following ways to pray for those who are in the forefront areas. Firstly, remember each day those who are laboring in these difficult areas where there are few Christians and where serving Christ is risky. Pray that they should be able to meet the challenges and prove that Christ is a loving God and that He answers prayers. Secondly, pray that Christ should be manifested powerfully in these areas. Pattern your prayer after that of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 4:29-30). When the people heard of what Peter and John reported they united and prayed this prayer. And Gods power shook the place where they had assembled. Your prayer can help shake untold numbers of people and places for Christ, spiritually . Thirdly, pray that the Lord should keep the Christian workers spiritually victorious and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Satan tries in every possible way to afflict workers in these pioneer ministries with discouragement and temptation. They must stay very close to the Lord and live spirit-filled lives so that Christs power may rest upon them mightily. Fourthly, pray for daily guidance of these Christian workers. Pray that God should bring to their attention the people with needs and that they should open the door for their Christian ministry. Fifthly, pray for Gods protection for the Christian workers. Satan becomes very angry with those whom God is using. He makes them the special target of his attacks. Pray that the Lord would protect them both spiritually and physically, that they should be free from fear of threats against them and their families. Dear friends, too often we are accustomed to praying, O Lord, bless me, bless my family type of prayers. Let us come out of this narrow circle and extend our prayers beyond this. Let us pray with great burden for Gods servants who are toiling for the extension of His kingdom in remote places. They need our prayer partnership for effective ministry. Shall we offer ourselves to pray for them?

PRAYER: Lord, I remember all the missionaries in unresponsive and

difficult areas. Protect them from the fiery darts of Satan. Empower them by Your Holy Spirit. Perform great miracles through them so that they will prove that Jesus is the loving God. Guard them from all temptations. Amen.

Saturday, September 24

Read: Psalm 119:129-133

THE SOLUTION IS AT HAND! WHERE DO YOU SEARCH?

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that (John 5.39) by them you possess eternal life.
Freddy and his wife Cynthia had planned for an exciting vacation trip to Maldives. They reached the island as scheduled on a warm summer day. Gasping at the beauty of nature, they settled on a stretch of beach when they spied a large ship at a distance. Take out the field glasses. Lets have a better look at it said Freddy. Oh, dear, I thought you brought them wailed Cynthia. Both of them were upset at the thought that they would be missing out something valuable during their vacation. Just then a flock of strange birds flew over their heads. But without the field glasses they couldnt identify them. And not far behind them flew a huge jet with a foreign name inscribed on its tail but without glasses they couldnt make it out clearly. At last as they got up to return to their cottage, Cynthia casually opened her beach bag and gave a little cry. For there were the field glasses right at the bottom of the bag. Oh, they have been here all the time! If only I had looked! admitted Cynthia. Such things happen to us in our daily lives . Sometime back I thought I had lost a cheque for five thousand rupees. I had searched for it in all the possible places in the book shelves, in the carI even emptied the trash can to see if I had dropped it inside by mistake. Finally I gave up and decided to issue a stop-payment notice to the bank. Then the next day when I opened my purse to take out my visiting card, there it was hiding in between! It had been in a place I had not cared to look! Dear friends, isnt it that way with our problems too! We waste hours and days fretting, worrying and searching for answers from family, close friends and counselors. We keep looking desperately but most of the time at wrong places. Then, when all else fails at last we turn to the Bible - What a joyful surprise! The solution to our problem is there all the time! If only we had looked how much of time, energy and heartaches we would have saved! So whenever we need guidance or encouragement or comfort let us not look for it in wrong places and be disappointed but let us turn to the Word of God which provides us all we need.

PRAYER: Heavenly father, You promised :Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. But instead of seeking Your guidance and wisdom, asking for Your help and knocking at your door I look for them in wrong places. Forgive me. Fulfill your promises. Amen.

Sunday, September 25
Stand firm in the faith

Read: Matthew 17:14-21

(I Corinthians 16:13)

FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED

Stormie Omaritan received a necklace on her tenth birthday. It consisted of a small glass ball hanging from a delicate gold chain. Inside the ball was the tiniest mustard seed. She thought, Why in the world did they bother to put such a small seed inside this which could be hardly seen? But later she learnt the significance of the mustard seed from the Bible. And whenever she saw it she would be reminded of what Jesus said, If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. (Matthew 17:20) Dear friends, we have no idea of what great things God would do through us if we would just obey Him and step out in faith. In order to accomplish this, He allows us to go through some difficulties. It is then that we are forced to pray with great faith. In other words, our faith grows stronger during such times. How does our faith grow? Romans 10:17 says Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.. When we take the promise in His Word and declare them aloud, our faith would start growing. Secondly, praying increases our faith. It is through prayer that we reach and touch God. In Matthew 9:20 onwards we read of a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years. She reached out to the Lord believing that if she just touched edge of His cloak she could be healed. See what Jesus told her, Take heart daughter, your faith has healed you. Verse 22 says And the woman was healed from that moment! Hallelujah! So it is sure that every time we reach out and touch Jesus in faith our lives are healed in some way or other. Thirdly, we should cast away every doubt that comes to our mind. James 1:6-8 says When he asks, he must believe and not doubt; because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double minded man unstable in all his ways. Let us keep growing in faith day by day in our spiritual journey.

PRAYER: Loving Lord, whenever I look at mustard seed let me be reminded of Your words about faith. Let me exercise my faith during trials. Let me increase my faith everyday by reading Your Word, by reaching out and touching You in prayer. Cast away all doubts from my heart. Amen.

Monday, September 26

Read: Matthew 25:31-46

LOVE GOD! LOVE OTHERS!

A disciple named Tabitha.was always doing good and helping (Acts 9:36) the poor.
Tabitha was a disciple of Christ. She lived in Joppa. She was a believer who faithfully followed the teachings of Jesus. She also did many good works. She helped the poor by doing charitable deeds. As a result, she was dearly loved. One day she became ill and died. At that time Peter was in Lydda, a place near Joppa. So when the people of God heard about this, they sent word to him, Please come at once. And when Peter arrived at the house, he was taken upstairs to the room were Tabithas body was kept ready for burial. He asked the women who were weeping over her to leave him alone in the room and then he knelt down to pray. When Peter finished praying, he turned towards the dead womans body and said Tabitha, get up! Immediately she opened her eyes and sat up. Extending his hands to her, Peter helped her to her feet. When all the people saw that Tabitha had been brought back from dead, many believed in the Lord. Dear friends, though we do not know much about Tabithas life from this short account, we come to know one thing for sure, that she was a woman who had her priorities in order. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37,38 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Besides He also said in Matthew 25:40 I tell you the truth. Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers (sisters) of mine, you did it for me. Accordingly, Tabitha loved the Lord and she loved others. She lived a life that pleased God and blessed others. So when she was afflicted with a disease even to the point of death, God did not leave her alone. He sent one of His faithful disciples to pray for her and to bring her back to life. Peters visit to Lydda was not an accidental one. The Lord had brought him there with a definite purpose to raise up Tabitha! How is our relationship with our Lord? Does it have top priority over everything else? God wants our undivided attention. Next, how is our relationship with others? Do we have a loving heart and a humble attitude? Do we have concern for the poor, neglected and despised? If so, then, like Tabitha, we too are sure to be blessed by the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to set my priorities right, and give You my

undivided love and attention. Rekindle my first love. Let me also be concerned about the poor and the despised. May I open my hands to them generously and take care of them as much as it is possible for me. Amen

Tuesday, September 27

Read: Genesis 39:6-16

(Matthew 16:25)

BREAK FREE OF THAT WHICH HOLDS YOU BACK

"Whoever loses his life for me will find it."

Lizards are notorious creatures which have the habit of casting off their tails when threatened by their enemies. Im sure all of us would have seen such tail pieces which are cast off from the lizards bodies. Even after its separation the tail piece continues to wriggle, attracting the attention of predators such as birds and cats while the lizard runs to safety. The lizards have a single natural weak point in the vertebrae of the tail. The muscle at that place is also designed for separation. When the original tail gets cut off, a new tail begins to grow from the place and this new tail is made of cartilage and not of bone. This tail does not have stripes, colors or other markings of the original tail. It is dark grey in color. Since the growth of the new tail takes time, we must have spotted occasionally stubby tailed lizards which are in the growth period shooting across the rooms and balconies. And if by chance, another predator happens to grab this stubby tailed creature again, the same lizard can repeat the process and escape thus preserving its life once again. We learn a valuable lesson from this tail shedding process of lizards - learning to let go of things we really do not need so that we can live better lives as Christians! And although the new growth that replaces our sins may be different from original form like that of new tail of the lizard which is different from its original one the source of that growth comes from the One who loves us. By creating this change He conforms us to the image of His son Jesus Christ. Dear friends, is there anything in our lives that we have to let go or break free in order to become transformed in the image of Christ? It may be our attachment to money and worldly pleasures. Or we may be holding on to a wrong relationship which the Lord detests. Whatever it may be, let us cast it off, and let us break free from it. Only then will there be a new growth, a transformation in us. Only then we will grow in the likeness of Christ. Hebrews 12:1 says, Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked for us. So let us go ahead. Let us pull away from that which holds us and live as better Christians each day, moving towards the best ultimately.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, how wisely the lizards escape from their predators

by breaking off their tails and running to a safer place. Let me also throw off every sin that holds me back and march onwards, growing in the likeness of Jesus every passing day till I meet You on the other shore. Amen.

Wednesday, September 28

Read : II Timothy 3:14-16

WORD OF GOD IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD!

"You have laid down Your precepts that are to be fully obeyed." (Psalm 119:4)
Elsie loved feather pillows. She had one which was beautifully shaped by years of use. But when she moved to another country, she couldnt carry it along with her and had to leave it behind. She bought a new one in her new home but the new one was incredibly uncomfortable. The dozens of little feathers poke through the surface and prick the ears and the face when one is about to doze off into a contented slumber. Then one has to pluck them out which would end up in breathing them in and choking on them. Then what makes you love these feather-pillows? Why dont you settle for peaceful sleep with a cotton pillow below your head? Elsies husband asked her irritatedly. The trick is in persistence, because after a year or so of plucking, you can end up with an ideal pillow. You remove sufficient number of feathers and the pillow will ultimately become the perfect sleeping companion. Feather by feather, my new pillow is now conforming to my liking and soon it will barely resemble its original prickly condition, answered Elsie. Dear friends, you may be wondering as to what this pillow story is all about and what it has got to do with our Christian faith and the Bible. We, as Christians, feel comfortable and satisfied to read certain portions of the Bible. But we feel uncomfortable and pricked when God talks to us through certain other passages. So, we are tempted to pick out and throw off the prickly feathers. In other words, we tend to remove the offending passages that poke us. Hebrews 4:12 says, The word of God is sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Often, this is exactly the opposite of what we want the Bible to do. We want it to make us feel relaxed like a comfortable pillow, to reassure us that we are not very bad, that we need not act on anything we read. Let us not deceive ourselves. If we come to the Bible seeking the Word of God, we must be prepared to be convicted also. We can fluff a pillow but we cant fluff a sword.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not come to Your Word only to be comforted and encouraged. Whenever Your Word warns me, convicts me, corrects me, and rebukes me, let me not pluck it and throw it - but let me be willing to change myself and grow more like Jesus. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thursday, September 29

Read: Luke 18: 9-14; I John 1: 8-10

BE HONEST WITH THE LORD!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (I John 1:9)
In the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee which is mentioned in todays text, Jesus illustrated the difference between the worlds view of sin, righteousness and judgment and the view that the Holy Spirit would lead us to see. Two men went to the temple to pray one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee. Luke 18:11,12 convey the manner in which the Pharisee prayed. He was haughty and looked down upon everyone, especially at the tax collector who was standing at a distance. He was acting smart with the Lord, trying to show himself as a righteous man. He boasted to God that he was fasting twice a week! He also announced to God that he tithed everything that came into his possession. He even considered the tax collector to be a great sinner. Alas! He was cheating himself and was cheating God. And verse 13 conveys the way in which the tax collector prayed. He repeatedly beat his breast and pleaded to God for mercy. The tax collector knew the enormity of his sins but the Pharisee was ignorant of the condition of his own sinful heart and so he did not feel the need to pray for Gods mercy. As a result it was the tax collector who was accepted and justified by God. Dear friends, our God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). When we go to the judgment seat of God, honestly confessing our sin and asking for mercy He is gracious to forgive us even though we deserve punishment. In the parable of the prodigal son too, the younger son realized his sinful state, he repented and knew that he needed forgiveness and mercy. So he went to his father trusting that he will accept him. And though he deserved condemnation, his merciful father accepted him as his own son. Proverbs 28:13 says, He who conceals his sin does not prosper but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. So let us be perfectly honest with ourselves and God. Let us unload all our sinfulness on Him who makes everything new including us!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not act before You as if I am righteous and blameless. By doing so, I am only cheating myself and cheating You. Help me to be honest with You and plead for Your mercy to be cleansed from my sin and be accepted as Your child. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Friday, September 30

Read: Ephesians 3:16-19

GODS LOVE DOES NOT CONDEMN US! Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Roman 8:1) Many times, we fail to understand that Gods love is unconditional. We think that He will condemn us and abandon us forever if we sin against him. But that is not the truth. God loves us, just as we are. We may fail Him, but He never fails us. When we repent from our sins and draw near Him with broken heart, He forgives us and accepts us immediately. Rick Shallenberger writes of his experience as follows: The first time I lost job was when I was 16 years old. I thought I was a good worker, so I was surprised when the manager called me to his office and told that I was being fired. He said, I was talking too much to other employees and it was affecting everyones work! I felt like a complete failure. Even though my mom and dad encouraged me, I could not stop feeling miserable. I did not want to set foot in that MacDonalds again or ever see that manager again. A few weeks after I was fired, my dad took us to the same MacDonalds to eat. When the manager saw me, he came over and asked me if I wanted my job back. He came to know from the supervisors that he had fired a wrong person! Yes, I was talking a lot but I worked while I talked!, he said. He then told me that he would like to have my services again if I was interested. So, I took the job and work harder than ever to show my thanks for his faith in me and I tried not to talk much. I ve had the same feeling in mind in my spiritual life. I tried not to sin. But I still kept sinning. I prayed in embarrassment and frustration believing I was a spiritual failure and likely to remain so. I believed I was not worthy to be called a child of God. Much like my facing the MacDonalds manager I feared facing God. But what a relief it was when I knew that God loves me unconditionally. I am in Christ and Christ is in me. Nothing can change that. Gods love never ends. Dear friends, let us not be embarrassed that God will reject us. Yes, we are sinners but the Lord is merciful and loving. If we repent truly He will certainly accept us as His own children. We need not have doubt about it. PRAYER: Heavenly father, how great is Your love for me. Even if I sin,

but repent truly, You are gracious enough to forgive me and accept me as Your child. So let me not feel condemned and rejected. But let me with holy fear love You. Keep me from sinning deliberately.

READERS RESPOND!
Dear uncle Premraj, Greetings in His name. Wanted to tell you that today's message (27th July) in honey dropes spoke to me directlly. it was as if it was written for me only. I thank God that He uses your ministry to speak to me everyday through this Book. - Sunil Roberts, Bangalore Dear brother & sister, thank you so much for sending me the magazine 'Honey drops for evey soul' every month without delay. God taught me many things through this magazine, especially June month's magazine which speaks about 'TRUST'. Sometimes it's very hard to trust God, when He delays answering our prayers. But God taught me that He has a perfect timing for everything. God bless your efforts. -Susan Dear Uncle & Aunty, I rejoice in the Lord more & more through the daily bread which comes ready every day in 'Honey drops'. I enjoy the essence of the messages. These messages help me to pass through all the hurdles & create a frehness. They help mea lot to growin my spiritual life. Thank you and I pray that He should use you both for the work of the Lord. - Sharmila Jayarani, Vellore Dear Brother, Greetings in Jesus Name. We as a family would like to testify that God had spoken to us through His Word which was given in APRIL month 'HONEY DROPS' on 29th & 30th April. We were waiting upon the Lord for His Word for a particular situation in which we were waiting in faith, and God spoke to us very clearly on the 29th & 30th April. We are so thankful to you Brother & Sister for your spirit filled words which help us to grow in the fear of the Lord. 25 people are blessed every single month with your Book 'HONEY DROPS'. - Sharon Emmet Dear brother in christ, I am a regular reader of your jounal 'Honey drops' . I do appreciate the daily passages in your jounal. The editor's letter in MARCH is very appropriate for every christians life. -Devavaram, Chingleput. [THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING WORDS. WE GIVE ALL GLORY TO THE LORD FOR HIS GRACE! - EDITOR]

From Gilead
[Medical News]

ARE YOU ABOVE 30? THEN READ THIS! Live right, stop cancers: It is a matter of concern to see a steady rise in cancers among women in recent years. It is unfortunate that women in their 30s, who do not have any family history, are suffering from cancers unlike in the old days when cancer was considered an age-related ailment. Clearly, urban living is taking its toll. Simple preventive actions can reduce some of these risk factors. Environment : Pollution is known to be one of the contributors for cancer, for example, pesticides in farming. Stay safe: Choose a relatively clean area to live in. Limit exposure to pollution by using non-polluting modes of transport like the underground. Find out the source of your produce, poultry and fish. Organic food is a good option. Diet: A fat-rich diet can be a contributor to cancer. The younger generation swaps green leafy vegetables, dietary fibre and whole foods for fast, packaged, heat-and-eat food which contain additivies and preservatives (carcinogens). Stay safe: Eat home-cooked food with plenty of fibre (35 g/day) and whole foods. Green leafy vegetables, pulses and oats are a good source of fibre. Avoid refined sugar, flour, white bread, pasta, fries and other fatty foods. Lifestyle : Tobacco is a major contributor to head and neck cancers. It can affect other organs as well. Smoking is a major cause of cancers. Passive smoking is known to expose women to non-small cell lung cancers. Avoiding breastfeeding is counter-productive as is the use of unhygienic sanitary napkins (exposure to infection and cervical cancers). Certain oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and hormone replacement therapies (HRTs) can make patients vulnerable to cancer (although recent studies have actually proved the opposite). Delayed age of conception and obesity are also considered risk factors. Stay safe: Stop smoking, plan your family early and make it a point to breastfeed your baby. Consult your gynaecologist before considering OCP and HRT. Make sure you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.

THOSE WHO ANSWERED July -2011 QUIZ

1. 3. 5. 7. 9. 11. 13. 15. 17. 19. 21. 23. 25. 27. 29. 31. 33. 35. 37. 39. 41. 43. 45. 47. 49. Mercy Christopher, Ch-59 2. Elizabeth Lionel, Ch-13 4. Suchitra, Ch-13 6. Virgilia Anand, Ch-63 8. Esther Doss, Ch-10 10. Christie Manohar, Ch-40 12. Mary Babu, Ch-59 14. Jijibai Edward, Ch-118 16. B I pereira, Ch-45 18. R Julia, Cbe-41 20. William Jeyam, Ch-88 22. John Alwyn, Ch-88 24. N Prsicilla Vilma, Trichy-21 26. Chandra Keran .L - Ch-82 28. Nirmala Thangaraj - Triunelveli 30. Gunaseeli Premkumar - Vishakapatnam 32. Stella David - Colombo 34. Lydia Reuben, Ch-118 36. Premalatha Johnson, Ch-59 38. Celin Michael, Ch-110 40. Jemina Antony, Ch-10 42. Vasanthi Prasad, Coimbatore-41 44. Kanagavalli Aasirvatham- Madurai 46. John Hariharan, Ch-16 48. Adlin Rose , Kaniyakumari AnandakumarJohn Muthiah, Ch-39 Vimala Oliver, Ch-73 Lalitha Mohanachandran, Ch-59 Jebakani Jothimani, Ch-59 Vilasini Jothi Rajan, Ch-10 Prabhakar Bir, odisha Daibadhina Satpathy, Odisha Vasantha Simon, Ch-73 Dr. Shobana Vincent, Madurai-16 Birendra Prasad, Srikakulam Vijayarani Benjamin, Ch-88 Malathy Devarajan, Ch-84 Baskaran J. Ebenezer - Vellore 9 Rose Mary Thomas - Nellai Selvakani Pandian - Kattankulathur Joyce Magdelene T, Ch-64 Victorria Baskar, Ch-80 Mercy David, Ch-59 Jebakani Jothimani , Ch-59 Jeevalatha Chakravarthy, Ch-37 L.S.L Samuel, Madurai-14 Jemina Rupavathy,Ch-59 Litta David, Ch-85 Jacinth Mabel, Ch -73

THIS MONTHS QUIZ [FROM THE WHOLE BIBLE] [Answers should reach us before 15th]

1. You are the God who sees me. Who said to whom? 2. Name the woman who had weak eyes. 3. Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me? Who said to whom? 4. I myself will see Him with my own eyes. Where we do read this statement? 5. The __________are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Fill in the blanks. 6. Whose eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good? 7. First take the ____out of your own eye and then .. remove the ______from your brothers eye. Fill in the blanks. 8. Our help comes from the Lord when we ______ our eyes to the hills. Fill in the blanks. 9. Whose eyes are like blazing fire, and feet are like burnished bronze? 10. If you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Who said to whom? 11. Which Church did Jesus advise to put salve on the eyes? 12. From whose eyes scales fell off that he could see again?

[Questions are based on the New International Version]

The Indian Scene

[National News]

1.5 lakh post offices in India to become "postal banks" soon: In sweeping changes to existing post offices in the country, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has announced that as many as 1.5 lakh post offices spread across the country will be converted to full-fledged banks. The landmark change will enable villagers access banking facilities. Through this move Sibal wants to give banking facilities to the rural masses and commented, "We want to commercialise the department. We will seek a license from the RBI to convert all our post offices into banks." The "postal banks" apart from giving access to modern banking facilities will reduce the dependence of villagers on informal lenders for their credit requirements. Sibal stated, "The State Bank of India cant build branches all over India, but there are post offices across India. The branches are already there, so infrastructure expenditure is not required. So you can actually give banking facilities at relatively lower costs, which would be extremely beneficial to people." Two rural maharashtra girls receives American scholarships University of Cincinnati (UC) announced the coveted Global Opportunity Scholarship worth Rs. 6750000 each (Rs Sixty-seven lakh fifty thousand) to be awarded to two meritorious rural-Maharashtra student girls making India the first beneficiary country of the UC Global Opportunity Scholarship Initiative launched this year. The new UC global opportunity scholarship is meant for students with a proven academic track record while overcoming significant financial and social challenges. These winners will receive full scholarships, including full tuition, housing, meals, and airfare for a total value of over $150,000 each, to pursue their bachelor's engineering degree at UC commencing September 2011. Beware Black Money holders, govt to expose all names: Government will reveal all names who are allegedly evade income tax to crack down on the black money holders. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Jul 31 informed that the government has been working on a project which has been aimed to curb generation of black money.The government initiated project will detect the tax defaulters and will also simplicise the feasibility and methodology of putting the names of chronic tax defaulters in public domain.

Around the Globe

[Global News]

Mobile phones may not cause cancer??? Concerns over whether or not mobile phones cause cancer have been floating for over a decade, and have become a popular topic for modern scientific debate.This study sought to say that it was unlikely that mobile phones could lead to cancer. Studies from several countries have failed to show an increase in brain tumours as many as 20 years after mobile phones were introduced and 10 years after the technology became widespread, according to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protections committee on Epidemiology.However, researchers behind the study say that small or long-term repercussions cannot be ruled out yet. Israeli researchers track deadly virus: Blood-sucking mosquitoes have caused several outbreaks of the West Nile Virus. Unsure as to how a virus - transmitted from birds to humans by blood-sucking mosquitoes - migrated to the US and where it will strike next, researchers are now geographically tracking the strain and recording where it originates. Several outbreaks of West Nile Virus, which causes fever or severe neurological symptoms affecting the brain, have ravaged the US since 1999. Researchers are not certain as to how the virus migrated here and they dont know how, or where, it will strike next. By examining the outbreaks and testing samples of the mosquito population from highrisk areas - near large bodies of water, can identify danger zones and produce timely warnings of impending outbreaks, the journal Eurosurveillance reports. Get rid of that ugly belly: Are you tired of having belly fat? Now, eat two small apples, one cup of green peas and one-half cup of pinto beans and exercise vigorously for 30 minutes, two to four times a week. According to the researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre, North Carolina, vegetables, fruit and beans contain more soluble fibre and will help reduce visceral fat, or belly fat, around the midsection. They found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fibre eaten per day, visceral fat was reduced by 3.7 per cent over five years. In addition, increased moderate activity resulted in a 7.4 per cent decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation over the same time period. There is mounting evidence that eating more soluble fibre and increasing exercise reduces visceral or belly fat, although we still dont know how it works, said Hairston, of the Medical centre.

INTERCESSION 17 09 2011 Send your requests before: 14 09 2011

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP

GUEST SPEAKER : REV. CHARLES EDWIN
[FORMER PRESBYTER, CSI MADRAS DIOCESE - PRESENTLY DOING MINISTRYAMONG TRANSGENDERS IN CHENNAII]

DAY & DATE : Saturday, 24 09 2011 TIME : 6.00 P.M. VENUE : EL_SHADDAI HOUSE OF PRAYER No. 7, Aarthi Nagar, East Tambaram, Chennai 600 059. (For details contact : 94444 56177 / 2239 8310) 633

THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL EVENING! THE GIFTED SPEAKER WILL BRING GODS MESSAGE ALONG WITH MUSIC [FLUTE] AND SONGS. WONT YOU LIKE TO BE WITH US ON THAT DAY? YOU ARE MOST WELCOME!