Search My Heart Oh! God.. Make It Ever True...

A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.

Here's what you do," said the Doctor, "stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and s o on until you get a response."

That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens."

Then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?"

No response.

So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, "Honey, what's for dinner?"

Still no response.

Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, what's for dinner?"

Again he gets no response so he walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. "Honey, what's for dinner?"

Again there is no response.

So he walks right up behind her. "Honey, what's for dinner?"

"James, for the FIFTH time I've said, CHICKEN!"

Moral of the story:The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could be very much within us..!

Prayer:
Search My Heart Oh God, Make it ever true
Search My Heart Oh God, May it be like you
You are the potter, I am the clay
Make me and Mold me, This is what I pray...! Amen.

Lord Prepare Me..

"Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church was established in 1844. It is one of the oldest deeded Methodist Church, having been established at its current location since before the Civil War. In 1856 Mrs. Nancy Cochran deeded this property to the church which now bears her family's name. The over 100 year old Cochran family home, received a historic marker in 1994 and still stands on the church property. The remaining Cochran family still visit the cemetery and some still attend Cochran Chapel on a regular basis " - From History of this chapel.

I am sure, Nancy Cochran would have no idea when she deeded this property that, in 2008 a bunch of people from other continents come and worship the Lord in this place.

Where ever we are, what ever we do, God can make us a Sanctuary. As the bible says:"We are the temple of God"; As a living Sanctuary we will be witnesses to the world; we will keep our arms open for people to be loved, accepted, forgiven and feel accommodated; This is what a sanctuary is for, to show the Love of Jesus Christ to this world.

Let our prayer be: Lord Prepare me, To be a sanctuary, True and Holy, Tried and True, With Thanks Giving, I will be a living Sanctuary for You.

Happy Father's Day...

Exactly on this day of 2008, my father celebrates his 70 years of life on this earth. Born and brought up in a poor family in a village; went through struggles and storms just like any other human being, but trusted in the Lord no matter what life brings.

My father is my early childhood hero as he kills snakes which roams in our backyard and front yards. Later in teenage, he was my example; I have hardly seen him teaching me stuff, but I always watched him and learned from him, which I would have never learned, if he would have taught me with the rod. But he used rod when I do the things that he does not do.

Now, I am grown and my hair turning into lines of silver.. I look at his golden hair and I still learn from him. He is passionate to preach the the good news- Jesus is the Savior; He seeks for one saved soul to come to Christ. Even in his 70s I have not seen his passion gone down yet. The time he spent in meditating the scriptures showed me how he loves the Lord. He is not perfect, but he is passionate and patient.

The bible tells us(Mathew Chapter 7): "If you then, know how to give good gifts to your children (even though we are evil), how much more will our Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"

As we are thankful for our earthly fathers, our heavenly father has loved us so much, that He gave his only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior who alone can cleanse our sins and take us into heaven. We all can celebrate Fathers day, becuase we can say: Our Father in Heaven hallowed be thy name.

Press On Toward The Goal...

I just can not imagine, 5 months rolled away, and entering to 6th month of the year. I was just going through a "prayer and commitment" that we did in our church on the New Year's Eve to see and introspect myself. I am hoping this will be useful for everyone, anytime, anywhere, what ever we are going through.. just to help us PRESS ON.. towards a maturing Christian Life...

Today I am stepping across the line. I'm tired of waffling, and I'm finished with wavering. I have made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable. I am going God's way. There is no turning back now!

I will live the rest of my life serving God's purposes with God's people on God's planer for God's glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his Word.

Since my past has been forgiven and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying.

Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family. Because this life is preparation for the next. I will value worship over wealth, "we" over "me", character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, positions and pleasures. I know what matters most, and I will give it all I have got. I will do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.

I won't be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I will keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me.

When times get tough, and I get tired, I won't back off, back down, back out, or backslide. I will just keep moving forward by God's grace. I am spirit-led, purpose driven and mission-focused, so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.

I am a trophy of God's amazing grace, so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me. To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I say; However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is YES! Wherever you lead and whatever the cost, I am ready. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyway. What ever it takes Lord; whatever it takes! I want to be used by you in such a way that on that final day I will hear you say, " Well Done, You good and faithful one, Come on it, and let the eternal party begin!"

- Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the price for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13 & 14)

Five Great Grips..

Michael W Smith, in his song, beautifully sings like this,

"Sin and its ways grow old,
All of my heart turns to stone,
And I'm left with no strength to arise
How You need to be lifted high"

I was needed to be lifted, I have fallen; once again; I have sinned; I felt so weak I prayed to God (to speak to me and cleanse me) and went for a fellowship prayer meeting. An ordinary man spoke the following, as if he saw me and my situation and he went on like this:

If you are feeling weak, if you are feeling lost, if you are feeling tired of trying all possibilities of keeping yourself pure and clean both in your mind and in heart and failed, here is the simple message. No big philosophy involved, no big deals, but just five simple steps, not to loose your grip in God.

1. Listen to the Scriptures
2. Read the Scriptures
3. Study the Scriptures
4. Memorize the Scriptures
5. Meditate on the Scriptures

Following Christ is humanly hard, but spiritually safe; In order to lift us high, He was lifted high on the Cross. And it is our turn to Lift God high. The Song continues,

Jesus, You be lifted high
Oh God
And I fall to my knees
So it's you that they see Not I
Jesus, you be lifted high

I realized in my life, all the above 5 grips were missed at least for some time, so instead of me lifting the name of God, I was needed to be lifted. Let me be small, Let Jesus Name be lifted high in our lives and let us grip ourselves in God and in the Word of God. What a great wonder, that God's Words LIFT us high, and it helps us to LIFT God high in our lives..!!

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

It was a cold February morning in 1976, our neighbour (I don't even remember her name)found my Mom lying unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital. The doctors did an immediate surgery, a major one, lasted for almost 7 hours. My Dad and me waited outside the operation theater and I saw my Dad crying and praying. The doctors came back and said if we would have delayed her a few minutes to the hospital, she would have not made it! God gave my mom back that day! I am grateful and it is worth remembering on this Mother's day!

She loved, she loved and she loved. She is a cook but it was healthy; a teacher and a doer; a psychologist but depended on God; a physician but prayed to God for healing; Tylenol - pain reliever, fever reducer; a wife; a secret admirer; an occasional preacher; good story teller; a willing and careful friend; a prayer warrior; a faithful believer in God and in me; casual but concerned; courageous to cross life's storms; Strong but weak; Average but extra-ordinary; never let me go, but let me go; faced challenges, but never discouraged; always remembered winning is not the goal of an argument; Outgoing, but cherished memories; Organized well to accommodate surprises; well balanced in times of imbalances! Dish washer; Washer, Drier; Air-conditioner; Coffee Maker; Vacuum Cleaner; Supporter both moral and monetary; She suggests but never imposes;

How many words we talk about our Moms, I don't think we can cover everything. It may need million pages to write about Moms.

But one final question I ask myself, "Did I tell her, how much she meant to me". Still remains a question. I want to; but she will say, 'Oh! come on, I did not do anything'. But I am going to tell her, if not everything, but a word of thanks..

What if I would have lost my mom on that day? 'My mom's answer: God would take care of you'.

The Bible says, if the worldly parents can give the best for their children, how much more will our Heavenly Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him.. It is hard to beleive, but is anything too hard for the Lord?

Great Quotes About Mothers...

"God could not be everywhere, and so He made mothers." -- Jewish Proverb

"Her children arise up, and call her blessed." -- Proverbs 31:28

"Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world." -- Kate Douglas Wiggin

"The phrase 'working mother' is redundant." -- Jane Sellman

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." -- Henry Ward Beecher

"A mother is never cocky or proud, because she knows the school principal may call at any minute to report that her child has just driven a motorcycle through the gymnasium." -- Mary Kay Blakeley

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." -- Mark Twain

"There never was a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary." -- Dorothy Canfield Fisher

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." -- Henry Ward Beecher

"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." -- William Ross Wallace

"I really learned it all from mothers." -- Dr. Benjamin Spock

"My mother loved children and she would have given anything if I had been one." -- Groucho Marx

"An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest." -- Spanish Proverb

"There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it." -- Chinese Proverb

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That is his." -- Oscar Wilde

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -- Tenneva Jordan

"No matter how old a mother is she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement." -- Florida Scott-Maxell

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." -- Abraham Lincoln

"Motherhood: All love begins and ends there." -- Robert Browning