WHERE IS GOD? A TESTIMONY

This Christmas if your list is falling short of gifts, try giving your family a bear hug filled with peace and love and wrap it up with load of love. My family was saved by a simple yet fun loving Pastor Pappu Thilak and family. Pastor Thilak born in a Hindu family has celebrated more than 25 years of Christmas ministering non believers. He aims to plant as many churches, Liny, his wife councels the ladies into the ministry. God gifted children Arpit, the eldest serves the Lord in translating the word of God to all the locals. His eager hands carry the harmonium to all the prayer meetings and his melodious fingers raps ups songs of praise. Abhishek, finger tapping the banjo and tabla gives in to the beat rendering grace of all the hymns, Sabina lends her charismatic voice and charms songs to their rhythm, Darshan the mighty drumming skilled boy can make a drum of almost everything. A spirited family to know, but when it comes to serving the Lord, they are at their best.
This is the personal testimony shared by Pastor Thilak:
November 1983 was a remarkable time for me. My brother Pushpan and his family came from England to see my mother who was sick. I had already come home from North India to look after my mother. Pushpan spent 45 days with us, the longest time I ever spent with my brother since he left home.One day we all visited one of Pushpan's friends, who was a pastor in Kerala. I was happy to go with him since I was always looking for Christians to attack because these Christians took my brother away. We stayed overnight there and had a good talk with the pastor. He explained to me what sin was, the fact that Jesus could take my sins and I didn't have to make the sacrifice of going to the temple anymore.Since the next morning was Sunday, there was a church service in a cattle shed. There I asked the Lord Jesus to forgive my sins. This was my first step in getting to know Jesus.Pushpan took every effort to get a Malayalam (my mother tongue) Bible for me in Calcutta. Ten he and his gamily went to Finland where his wife was raised. When came back to Bihar. I bound the Bible up with a couple of rubber bands and put it in a corner for good. I said to myself, "I don't have time to read this Bible. This is for the people who have time to sit, relax and read. I am busy with my temple choirs," the day I packed away the Bible, I felt like I was like I was beginning to lose my joy and peace.Two years went by and I felt like I was totally abandoned. Nobody cared for me, I thought. There was a real emptiness in me. I thought that if could move to any place that I might come back to my normal life. So I left Bihar and came to New Delhi. The next day I found a temple where I could go and worship God. I got the same position in that temple as a choir director, but my soul was thirsty like deer pants for streams of water.One day someone inside me asked, "where is your Bible and why don't you pray about your situation?" I wrote to my sister-in-law to send me Bile from Bihar.After I received the Bible, one night after all the others had gone to bed, I slowly got up and opened it. I read it for a little time and prayed. Soon after the prayer, I felt like I had a little peace. I thought that may be this is the real God who could hear my prayers.From that point on, I slowly started to make friendships with Christian people and one day I went to a church. After the church service, l some people invited me to their home for lunch. In the middle of our conversation, they said, "Thilak, you are a sinner," I said, "I know that," They told me that I should receive Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord today. I agreed. One of the four there prayed for me. After that I felt like the heavy burden that I was carrying had become a little lighter. When the second person prayed, the burden became lighter still. By the time the fourth person spoke to God, I could move my head very freely. I ran to my room and cried. This was the real God who took away my burdens. This was my turning point in becoming a Christian.For 6 months in the morning I went to the Church. In the evening I went to the temple. I didn't want to leave my tradition in the temple, but in order to go to the church, I had to catch the bus which goes by the temple. In the beginning I was ashamed to carry my Bible, so I would cover it with a newspaper. Just before I got into the church, I would put the newspaper in my pocket and open my Bible. When I went back home, I would cover it up again.In New Delhi, I was baptized and it was after this that the Lord started to pour out his blessings on me one after another.I went to the USA in 1986 to study business and it was there that I got a chance to grow in the Lord. When I attended a huge missions conference, Urbana '87, I dedicated my life to serve the Lord. Since then, the Lord has been directing my life to serve Him and I changed my major and went to San Jose Christian College, then to Columbia Biblical Seminary. After graduating from CBS in1996, my family ad I returned to India to tell my own people about this great guru, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom "alone" we can have salvation from our sins and eternal life.May the Lord bless you through my testimony. You may have grown up as a Hindu, Muslim or something else. If you want to see God, you must turn to Jesus Christ. I learned that only after 21 years of searching. Your may ask why I want to see God. The Bible keeps reminding us, "Prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12).THILAK PAPPU.If we can be of any help to you in sharing the gospel with your non-Christian friends, we would be glad to help you out.Please email us at thilakpappu@vsnl.com.
Prayer:Heavenly Father, maker of heavens and earth, we glorify thy name. You have made fishermen to cast thy holy net to save us from sin. Thank you Lord for when I was weak and had no hope at all you assigned Pastor Thilak and family to bless my broken family with cords that cannot be broken. You renewed us in faith, hope, love and salvation. Lord, grace Pappu Thilak and his loving family to continue, transform and upgrade the spiritual realism of all the church members. Lord, if you can turnaround for me and my family, thy grace is sufficiant for us. There are many more who need timely spiritual intervention, Lord open their hearts with your mercy, and seal it with words of Thy wisdom, strenghten you people with your miraculous wonders. Pray that we can nourish our ministry with the tenets of your work. We ask this in the name of the Lord, our God, Amen

BREAKING THE ICE

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
In the journey of seeking materialistic success, our spirituality is left behind. More than counting on our blessings we count on our achievements. Success without spirituality is like a king without a crown and our achievements becomes our liabilities. We all like to try our luck with destiny; we want to give it a fast chance. Just like the fastest growing city Gurgaon, so called the Millennium City, a city with scarce water, electricity, rooms full of emptiness and dust for free.
Having just moved in with just one thing on my mind, faith as hope was excess baggage it had to be left behind. We were now looking out for opportunities, options and whatever knocks our door. My husband has been an atheist much before the Genesis, and my testimonies were merely coincidental or lucky. Through all believe or not to believe, he got a call for an interview and wanted my daughter to pray for him. I could hear everything and told him that his ego was heavier than his weight, since he weighed a little more than a hundred kilos, he couldn’t pray for himself. To which he replied that, “God is so great, He shall bring me opportunities right at my doorstep”. The doorbell rang, he opened the door and there was somebody saying, “Praise the Lord”. That was Gurgaon’s friendly neighborhood Pastor Thilak Pappu and his wife Linny, their children Arpit, Abhishek, Sabina and Darshan with a handful of invitation cards.
Pastor Thilak shared his experience on the Lord, coming from a Hindu background, he speaks so eloquently about the Bible and I make tall claims that I am born and brought up in a Christian family our Bible never moved from the Alter and if I remember it was never opened. Pastor handed me his visiting card and I saw evangelist amongst all the other things written on it and immediately asked him to evangelize my husband, and we just passed it off like a joke. I was under assumption that he could make the heavens thunder, the winds and the earth could shake as he could possibly drive the demons out of my husband and he would talk in tongues, I was sincerely looking out for some action, melodrama and everything they make movies of. From then on every visit that Pastor Thilak and Linny made there was something new happening in our lives. This time I made sure that I was not praying for myself but praying for my husband and I wanted a confirmation from the Lord that he has sent me a messenger, and I wanted to be sure of it.
On the second visit Pastor Thilak showed me some verse from the Bible which said, “You shall be set free” and said that he got this message for me, but there was no banging of the doors, or any thing weird happening so I just let this day pass off, we invited the family for dinner. It took us three days to get rid of all the dust and now we were ready for dinner with Pastor and his family, we had a good amount of experience sharing conversation and then it was time for grace before the meals and then dinner. Just as dinner was getting over, there was thunder and the winds running wild, there was such a fierce sand storm that it brought not just the dust we spent days cleaning but also sand within seconds we were carpeted with desert sand. That night I thought that God was working.
The third visit Pastor and his wife got me a Bible and not just me but my husband as well. This reminded me of a few years ago, I was so hurt about the circumstances I was living in, suffering in so much pain for no fault of mine, that I burnt the Bible I had, I destroyed the word of God with my own hands, and asked the Lord that my curses will be turned to blessings only if I am gifted the Bible again. 5th September, as Linny was writing on our Bibles I was wondering how to make the payment for one of them and they were handing out two. They seemed to be like net workers for the World Books and they had many more inside. I was really feeling ashamed to tell them that we cannot afford it, so I courageously asked them how much it would cost me. My pockets were sobbing louder that my heart throbs. Pastor Thilak and Linny impromptu said that it was a gift. This time I glanced at the doors and windows to make that they are closed so if there is any thunder or sandstorm it may just pass over us. As they handed over the Bibles to us there was something beautiful happening when we were receiving it. My husband whom I thought had an altered ego syndrome, looked like a lamb. This time I was scared as I thought that he was always possessed and something unnatural was about to happen. Pastor Thilak then asked us to come down on our knees and now was the time I was praying so loudly in my mind, that if I were given speakers wired to my mind they would surely burst. Pastor Thilak asked us to repeat after him the prayer of accepting Jesus Christ in our lives. I was repeating it but my entire focus was on my husband and I could hear him distinctly say each and every word Pastor Thilak was saying. My husband born and brought up in a backward Muslim community, so clearly and loudly saying each and every word was mind-blowing.
My husband was called for an interview to Mumbai, Pastor came over to say a prayer for us. I was a little worried as I could take care of my kids but just could not get up. My mornings were a real task for me, by noon I was tired like a donkey, just doing nothing. I shared this with Linny and as usual she replied that all answers are in the Bible, that day she taught me to read the Proverbs according to the dates of the month, that day it was the 30th September. It was close to midnight as I read Proverbs 30 and went on to read 31, to my amazement I got my answer. It was the Bible talking to me as I am such a mindless reader, this made me think that if all the answers are in the Bible we have been so foolish to rely on the wisdom of man and so I went to sleep. The very next morning I woke up at 7 am and the morning looked beautiful and readied myself to take on the day. My husband was as surprised to find me answering his wake up call; I waited for his return safely to tell him that I don’t need any more wake up calls. I silently thanked God for sending me such wonderful friends in Pastor and Linny.
Linny then invited us to a 3 day camp in Alwar, my husband excused himself and I was happy to take that break. Speakers came from all over and the hall was in full attendance. I could never find any verse in the Bible and Linny helped me with all the notes. The camp theme, “Rooted and built up in Him” Colossians 2:7, though much of the subject went bouncers. The organizers kept on requesting the gathering to write their questions and they will try to answer them at the end of the camp. Linny kept asking me to write and put my question and put it in the box. I kept thinking to myself all the while that I have so many questions to be answered but I don’t want to put it in the box, I want the answers directly. As Linny was making notes for me and markings in the Bible, something that really shook my faith was, “The parable of the Talents” but since she was marking the Bible I could just read some portion of the parable. We all went back to rest for sometime, but I was restless this afternoon, I read the parable all over again and that day many of my questions were answered. Linny asked me if my questions were ready to be put in the box and I told her that they were already answered not one but all my questions were answered.
Linny introduced me to Dr Silas one the speakers who was in his early seventies but he talks and walks so youthfully and full of spirit. She told me that I could discuss my problems with him but I who can give so much jargon on communication skills I wept, wailed and could not speak a word. I just eased my self when I heard him sharing his experience on Christ. He used to be all that my husband was in his youth, born in a Hindu family, a gambler, an atheist, a complete man of arrogance, now I did not have much to say but I could feel some firmness in my soul, the hurt of being abused by life just vanished. He advised me to go back and love my husband like a child and be a mother to him as a wife I might think otherwise but a mother I cannot leave my child. I looked at all the battles I fought and now victory was at my door step. As he shared his testimony I could picture my husband with dove flying around him. I could see Saul becoming Paul. It has been such a wonderful time meeting this man who now walks, talks, and writes many Christian books. I had the time to reflect on corrective spiritual guidance and then have my faith rooted and built up in Him. My husband was alone at home and so it was a good time for him as he could be thinking more clearly of how he wanted to live and establish his life. I used to be a reader by size, smaller books were my reading preference and now the Bible something to about 900 pages seems impossible. On my return back home my husband asked me to imagine him in his old days and I asked the Lord, that he should be like Dr Silas passing the baton of the Lord’s saving grace to as many who were as lost as me. This is where our friendly neighborhood Pastor Thilak and Linny cheerfully address, “all problems can be solved Biblically”.
My husband who used to be reading the Cole books to keep a track to the races for the day, now studies the Bible every day and races to the Bible study where he gets to know more about the Lord. My husband joined the study because he wanted to know more, but he asked the most questions. Pastor Thilak organizes a Bible study every Thursday at 7pm. They also organize a Light House Meeting which meets house to house every Saturday night. This Light House meeting is like a house on fire a good way to celebrate Saturday nights live and high on spiritual champagne. We have the entire Pastor Thilak Pappu and family in participation for any Biblical occasion. Linny as the conductor, Abhishek on the harmonium, Arpit on the Banjo, Sabina gifted for her voice and Darshan the Drummer Boy, this seven year old can gives the beats of a professional. Sunday is at the Brethren Living Church, at Tagore School at 9.30 am and for the children they organize a Kids Club in the evening at 4pm . Pastor Thilak and Linny also come home to methodically explain the Bible from the very beginning. Linny is a perfect companion for women as she spiritually addresses and even nurses problems faced by women of all ages. My husband was blessed with a job opportunity in a much better location, where water is in abundance, electricity is always there and you can dust your house once a week. So even if you think you know Christ. THINK AGAIN.

JEHOVAH JIREH, MY PROVIDER

Illustration: I may be a testimony for many events that have happened in my life, but the one thing that I find difficult to do is to stop worrying. I just give up and then pray that the Lord takes over, believe you me, IT WORKS.
I was once in a financial fix, and had to plan the monthly grocery very carefully. So I tried shop hopping at the malls to see the season’s best offers. It was the dawning of Diwali, Big Bazaar had everything on offer that I did not require, so I wanted to go to another mall. Spencers was looking very expensive from the outside, so I did not want to take the shopping cart as I might have nothing to buy. But curiously as I entered to just check out, and I was pleasantly surprised a Spencers very well decorated, friendly ambience. The tube music was playing, “Joy To The World” in the midst Diwali and as an Event Manager I found that extremely funny, and started singing my favorite Christmas Carol.
As I walked along I could see more than my eyes were looking for my cart was getting full and there was no room for more. That day I could not stop buying, I got everything and much more that I wanted and for the first time I walked out paying Rs 999 out of the Rs 1000 I had saved for the grocery. I could not believe my purchases; I could not handle the bags I was carrying as there were too many. That’s when I realized I had prayed to witness the glory of the Lord. It cant be a coincidence for the store manager to play a Christmas Carol amongst the Diwali mayhem, they cant make a mistake like that, but my Lord can make a miracle, just like that.
From that very day I decided to make the Lord my manager and I his assistant, things in my life just evolved without being involved. I wake up every morning, put my hands up say this simple prayer.
Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly 1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. [a]
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;
34 for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.
Prayer:Dear God, This is your day, not mine. You are my master and I am your slave. You are my manager and I am your worker. You are my financer and I am indebted to you Lord. You are my advisor and I seek your intervention. Lord you manage my day, thy way, lest I might fall. Lord you are my foundation, you are my way, you are the truth, and you are my life. Lord you know my needs, my challenges, and my desires. Lord my life is in your hands, do not forsake me Oh Lord, lest I tumble and fall. Lord be my rock, my strength, and my grace. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name all good things come.

THE UPPER ROOM

Illustration: If my life could have changed just by someone telling me about reading the Proverbs. It brought me back my health, wealth, and self-esteem. It saved my life, my broken marriage, brought me closer to my family. You can imagine the change that can happen in your life by meditating daily on all the verses. The Proverbs have the power to clean and heal our words, our deeds, our actions and our body. We may have no special room for the Lord but we can definately create it by being in a quite place without much disturbances. Just relax, breath slowly, try being aware of the breath going in and slowly coming out. This is one of the best ways to feel spiritual silence. Begin by believing that you are the wellspring of life, feel the gentleness of the breese blowing, hear the birds chirping, feel your heart beating. Some may feel dizzy but that's okay, some may experience a feeling of rocking or a feeling of being lifted up or falling. Just be in that feeling and enjoy it. God inhabits the praises of his men. So begin the series with your favorite hymn of praise, or just by humming it. Avoid sleeping, try doing the same thing everyday at the same time. The Power of the Proverbs, as you breathe in slowly feel an inward energy bringing you closer to wisdom, understanding, discipline, prudence, righteousness, justice, fainess, knowledge, discretion, learning, discernment, guidance, knowledge, instruction, teaching, safety, victory, shield, protection, faithfulness, prosperity, favor, good name, nourishment, honor, wealth, love, gains, profits, returns, precious, long life, pleasant, peace, blessed, firmness, power, trust, confidence, inheritance, esteem, exhultation, gracefulness, splendor, brightness, wellspring, insight, sweetness, life, kindness, strength, feasting, correction,satisfaction, security, harvests, morality, governance, nobility, treasures, rejoicing, delightment, acceptance, addition, joy, diligence, grace, integrity, rooted, accuracy, humility, uprigthtousness, blameless, rescue, unpunished, refreshed, goodwill, abundance, rewards, endurance, promotion, ruler, cheerful, brightness, laughter, innocence, success, cheerful heart, good temper, patience, zealous, careful, attentive, flawless.
The Proverbs guard us from negative forces of life, as you breath out slowly feel that negative energy coming out of the body, all the forces that become our weakness, keeps us in chains of undiscipline, foolishness, enticement, restlessness, waywardness, ill-gotten gain, mockery, rejection, ignorance, rebuke, disaster, calamity, distress, trouble, complancy, destruction, fear, perversity, crookedness, deviousness, adultery, seduction, unfaithfulness, resentment, ruin, wickedness, snares, envy, violence, shame, forsaken, darkness, bitterness, death, cruelness, weakness, groaning, stubborness, captivation, trapped, sluggardness, scarcity, poverty, corruption, deciet, haughtyness, lies, guilty, schemer, false witness, dissension, immorality, jealousy, pride, arrogance, rejection, division, grief, disgrace, maliciousness, slander, uprooted, worthless, perish, godless, escape, gossip, punishment, stupid, decay, decietful, warped, pretence, fantasy, annoyance, plunder, liar, boasting, slave, rash, hatred, darkness, quarrels, dwindler, emptiness, sadness, hot headed, reckless, oppressed, wretched, trmoil, bribery, loss, rebellious, merciless, breacher, crushed spirit, ill-tempered, selfish, partial, hasty, ruins, dessertion, contemptuous, calamity, arrogance, frustration, deception, bloodthirsty to be driven out of our body, mind and soul in the name of Jesus. If there is something that I have missed you can feel free to add on. Encourage yourself by reading the Proverbs daily as the glory of our Lord, furthermore reading this before reading all the Proverbs so that it becomes your crowning glory of your life.

Proverbs 5

Warning Against Adultery

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
7 Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
8 Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man's house.
11 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, "How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors.
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly."
15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?
21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
23 He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Prayer:Heavenly Father, we worship you, we praise you for your glory and honor, Almighty Father. Lord do not forsake us as we are the lambs lost, but you have found us. You have saved us Lord from all evil by dying for us on the cross, yet we sinners cant mend our ways. Father, you have given us your Holy Son, delivers us oh Lord, deliver us from all that is evil and grant us peace. Father of miracles, you have healed many just by your touch, touch us now and heal us from our disease. You are a prayer answering God, hear what we cannot speak, and grant us our favors. Merciful Father, protect us from all anxiety, enlighten our spirit as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord saviour, Jesus Christ.

JESUS! THERE’S A CHRISTIAN IN MY CUPBOARD

Illustration:It is true that most Christians leave their Christianity at the alter and live like unbelievers. Even the Bible stands testimony for categorizing people as wise men and foolish men. We don’t have to really look outside for these people reside within us. It is by our convenience we lead our Christian life, as if we are Christians, “By demand” and “On Demand” basis. We all glorify the basis tenets in church, but when we are tested for practice, we are the biggest failures. It is simple to read a Christian life, but complex to lead one.
We see ourselves brushing, combing and dressing in front of the mirror everyday. We are pleased with our outward look but when we look inwardly we are in a complete mess. We are like antique clocks that keep ticking but our hands don’t move. Proverbially speaking, our Christian instruction manual, our spiritual reference guide is like stories meant to be “Read Aloud”. As we meditate on Proverbs Chapter 4, we must seek the Lord, so that we live by His instruction, His wisdom, and that we may listen, understand and accept His path to everlasting life

Proverbs 4
Wisdom Is Supreme
1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Prayer: Lord I thank thee, for coming into my life. Lord there is so little I know about Your wondrous deeds, Your sacrifices and Your Holy word. Lord give me eyes so that I may see, give me ears so that I may hear, give me a mind so that I may learn, give me a heart so that I may understand, give me the courage so that I may overcome all my barriers and live in the free will of the Lord. Lord, sanctify me, cleanse me, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Mould me and make me as per your will Lord. Darkened are my paths by evil spirit, I stumble and fall, as I do not the path of righteousness, yet you have lifted me. Lord your words are life and health to those who find them. Lord help us to guard the wellspring of life. Lord help us to keep clean our words and deeds and never to swerve in evil path but to step firmly on the paths laid by you Lord. Lord let not the wisdom forsake me, but let it crown my head as a present to you. Lord have mercy and grant us peace in Your way. Amen

SPIRITUAL GRAMMAR

Illustration:I recently met Dr Silas C. Nair, on a Bible study course, it was such an honor to see God's workers working for us. Dr. Silas Nair is an evangelist and elder in fellowship with Christian Brethren Chapel, Palarivattom, Ernakulam, Kerala. He is a Bible Teacher well accepted by the Brethren Assemblies the world over. Coming out of caste Hinduism, he knows the Lord since 1968 and has been serving Him in His vineyard since 1972. He is the author of several books viz. Can I know God, Who is Jesus Christ, Who is Holy Spirit, What is Baptism, and Why Bible the Book of books, The Servant Leader, etc. published by Gospel Literature Service, Bombay. In his writing ministry, he is at presently engaged in producing an eleven volume series on systematic theology titled “ABC-of-Theology”. His books, He is Wonderful, Man and His Destiny, ABC of Christology, ABC of Ecclesiology, and ABC of Pneumatology, ABC of Eschatology, Essentials of Theology & Life and Election of God is presently available. In his recent discourse, what really caught my spirit was his addressing English Grammar to Spiritual Grammar. The simple conversion of I, You and Him to Him, You and I. In English Grammar we have learnt, I as the first person, You as the second person and Him as the third person. In Spiritual Grammar we learn to take Him as the first person, You as the second person and I as the third person. This twist in grammar can almost give you a turnaround perspective on our belief, works on our faith, and marinates our soul. In this wonderful course I also got to meet Mr John who introduced Dr Silas into the faith. A faith with a common goal to salvation, yet not an "I" in their speeches, but "HIM" in all their deeds, from an unbeliever to a beliver, from a beliver to eternity. To see them still together growing in faith and still serving the Lord was marvellous drive down the memory lane. This is a message of fellowship, a fellowship with the Holy Spirit be with us for now and evermore.

When we are meditating on the following proverbs, we must remember and practice our spiritual grammar, to win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 3
1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. 19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. 34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Prayer : Lord I ask for favor so that I may remember not my will but thy will. Lord let me serve with love and faithfullness, and all that pleases you. Lord I seek your blessing so that I can discipline myself as you wanted me to. Lord help me to lift up sound judgement and discernment, so that I am on my way to safety. Let me sleep soundly without being afraid, let disaster not take the best out of me, let me reserve my confidence in the glory of the Lord. Let me be just and fair to my family, neighbours, friends and collegues. Lord may I be blessed with righteous, grace and humbleness in all that I do and all that I ask for. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship with the Holy Spirit be with us. Amen

NO MATTER HOW FAR

Illustration: Many times knowingly unknowingly we have wandered away from the Cross. The Cross has been a witness to our sins many times, we think that we may cover ourselves, but our saviour knowest us all. He knows that we are being tempted all the time and when we cannot bear it any more, he gently makes provisions to save us, yet we forget to Glorify the Lord. As Youth we have rebelled the word of God. As Professionals, we always think that it was a part of the job. As Teachers, we take for granted all the teachings. As Parents, we engage ourselves in worldly pleasures. As Preachers, we use the Bible as a glorified menu card. Are we not then the children of a lesser God? Our spiritual disobedience leads us to consequences that our offspring may suffer in testimony, let us remember that we have a living God and a God for all ages. Let us not be prudent in our spiritual inheritance, but let be exemplery in the manifestation of the word of the Lord Our God, in whose name all good things come.

Proverbs Chapter 2

1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. 10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

16To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Meditation Prayer:No matter how far we have wandered in our lives, we just need to take one step to come closer God. No matter what sins we have committed, our God is a forgiving God. We may have carried the wrong crosses in our lives; we now want to set it free. Let us recommit our lives to what our forefathers have given us. Father in heaven, glory be your name. We surrender our lives to you Lord, a life to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. Let us not be led by our will, but thy will. Lord deliver us from every evil and grant us peace in our day. Keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety. As we live in joyful hope for the coming of thy kingdom. Amen

CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD

Illustration: We often find ourselves in a realm of spiritually emptiness, too hard for us to be understood by others. Our restlessness, anxieties, our way of life has taken us, away from ourselves. We have no control on our desires, and yet we are led into a path of spiritual warfare. We are confused by the delusions of modern day packages, looking for incentives in everything, buy one get one free. The Great American Dream, an inspiration to billions youngsters, is now a living nightmare. The yo-yo market hangs like a noose, awaiting the genext on a slimy foundation. Where are the management gurus who carved an iconic image for themselves in the economic books of history? Most of them were from the worlds top premium management schools, whose white papers and speeches have deformed personality traits in young minds. Their collapse able state of art infrastructure is too weak to nurse the wounds they have inflicted. If we can blame ourselves, we can heal ourselves. Let not fate decide our destiny, but by faith overrule it. Are we children of a lesser God? Let us reflect our lives every day guided by the Holy Spirit, in the words given to us by our forefathers. Meditation for wisdom, understanding, instruction, justice, judgement and equity.

Proverbs Chapter 1

1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

9For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Prayer:May our praise never cease, may our hearts rejoice gladly, may our needs be fulfilled, may our sins be forgiven, may we be delivered from all evil, may we be granted peace, may we be protected from all anxiety and may eternal glory be showered on each one of us. All glory and honour is yours Almighty Father, forever and ever. Lord, we are living in the world of choices, often our paths are leading us away from you Lord. Lord we ask for forgiveness that we may be strengthened by your mercy, by your love. Lord many times you have stretched your hand to save us yet we chose not to fear the Lord. Lord from this very moment, fill us with your Holy Spirit, that we may know thy word. Keeps us free from all desires. I ask this in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

HOLE IN THE WALL

The Beginning
Do you believe that God created man?
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27
Do you believe that you are blessed?
God blessed them and said to them. “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:28
Do you believe that God makes provisions?
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground- everything that has the breath of life in it- I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:29-30
Do you believe what God made was good?
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
The first day God created heavens and earth, day and night.
The second day God separated water from water, so the expanse was called, “Sky.” God saw it was good.
The third day there was vegetation, fruit bearing trees according to the seeds. God saw it was good.
The fourth day God made the greater light to govern the day and the smaller light to govern the night. God saw it was good.
The fifth day created creatures for the sea, land and air, and blessed them to increase in number. God saw it was good. God saw that it was very good.
The sixth day God created male and female and blessed them to increase in number, to rule over the earth, seas, the airs and every living creature that moves.
It was only from the second day onwards that God began to see good, and after that every other day God saw that it was good. It was only on the sixth day God saw all that he made, and it was very good.

All of us knowingly or unknowingly have sinned and have hidden ourselves away from God and the Bible says, “The wages of sins is death.”
But our God is a merciful God, a forgiving God, a God who wants us to live an eternal life. So about 2000 years ago….God sent us his only son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
If you believe that you want to be saved and live eternally, just say this prayer.

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."