GHG - 17 (JESUS CHRIST KNOWS THE THINGS YOU HAVE NEED OF BEFORE YOU ASK HIM)

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” – Matthew 6:7

When we pray, we should be careful of what we speak. There were certain moments in my life I prayed meaningless prayer to which God never answered.

When I was a little boy I went to a magic show which was conducted by a great magician of that time. I was amazed to see the magic tricks he performed. At that moment I wanted to become a great magician and so when I returned home I prayed to God to give me the magic talent. I prayed for several minutesbegging God to give me the grace to perform magic tricks.

After my prayer I used to examine whether I got magic power by saying, “In Jesus Name let there be a plate in my hand.” Nothing worked out according to my expectations. I was disappointed at that age but when I think about that prayer now it seems to be so funny. Thank God He never answered that prayer and because of that I am blessed now.

There were times we do not get answers to our prayers but you have to know that God does things only for your good. He knows what you need and what will be blessing to you. So do not get disappointed when your prayer does not get answered. God has greatest plans for you.

As I grew young my mom put a restriction that none of our family members should watch worldly movies. She strictly followed that in our home and so we could not watch any movies at all. I remember that the last movie that I have seen in a theatre was Jurassic Park. My mom wanted us to grow well in God’s ways and so she doesn’t wanted our mind to get corrupted by seeing those movies.

Being young we could not obey our mother and so I used to go to my friend’s house to watch movies in the pretext of studying. As I did that regularly I lost peace in my heart. I know I am doing things against God but yet I could not stop watching movies. So before I go to my friend’s home I used to pray like, “Lord, if watching a movie is wrong in your sight and if it is not your will let there be no power (current) when I reach their home.”

God never answered that prayer of mine and not even once the power was off when I went there. All the time power will be there as I go to his home and everytime I told to myself that I am not doing anything wrong. But later I understood that Jesus Christ won’t answer those stupid prayers which I made because He has given me the free will to choose sin or holiness.

There were times we know that we are doing things against God and for our own peace we might ask God to come directly to stop us from doing that if it is not His will. Remember, Jesus Christ will never answer those prayers and that doesn’t mean that He is permitting us to do wrong things.

Later in my life when I came across some beautiful and spiritual girls, I went to God’s presence asking Him to make them as my wife. For some people I waited and fought for so long but Jesus Christ never answered my prayers. He was keeping silent and sometimes I wish to take His silent as ‘yes’. But I was afraid to move further without His will. Later when Jesus Christ gave me a wife I understood why He kept silent on previous prayers even though I fought with Him.

He knows who will be a good wife to me and so He blessed me with a superb wife exactly at His time. Now my marriage life is filled with so much of joy and peace.  

Jesus Christ says in Matthew 7:11, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

My dear young friends, your Heavenly Father knows what is good for you and He will do only good things in your life. Surely He will answer your prayers which will bring good to you and glory to His name. So surrender your life according to God’s will and wait for His time. You will surely be blessed with a good job, good partner and good future. God bless you.

There were times Jesus Christ answered even my little desires. What are those desires and how God has fulfilled it?

-         To be continued in GHG - 18

PROMISE FOR THE YEAR 2014 - BLESSING MSG BY BRO. MOHAN C LAZARUS (TAKEN FROM A SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE)

MONTHLY BLESSING MSG BY BRO. MOHAN C LAZARUS (TAKEN FROM A SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE)

JESUS CHRIST WILL LIFT YOU OUT OF THE ASH HEAP AND WILL MAKE YOU SIT WITH PRINCES (FONDLY REMEMBERING THE WORKS OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF UNCLE D.G.S DHINAKARAN)

“He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes-with the princes of His people.” – Psalms 113:7,8.

There lived a young man who was born in a poor middle class family. He could not bear the anguish of poverty in his life. To pursue his degree, he joined a college and there he fell in sin along with his friends. As a result he failed in his course. He could not bear the pain of poverty, unemployment and failures in life.

He hated his life to the core and so he thought of ending his life. One day as he walked towards the railway track to end his life, he met his uncle on the way who shared the love of Jesus Christ with him and his uncle’s words comforted him. His uncle told him to surrender his life into the hands of God. 

The young man went to the Lord’s presence and surrendered his life into the hands of God. Jesus Christ filled him with His peace and joy of salvation.

But yet we may think that what God can do with this young man’s life who failed in his spiritual life and studies. We cannot comprehend God’s action with our human mind. 

Jesus Christ took the life of that young man in His hands and blessed Him. This young man was none other than late Dr. D.G.S Dhinakaran.

In his studies he failed at his young age but when he died he was called as Dr. D.G.S Dhinakaran. Not only that but God raised him as the Founder Chancellor of a Christian Engineering University where thousands of young people are getting graduated every year. How could Jesus Christ give doctorate degree to a man who failed in his basic degree and make him a founder chancellor of a big university? To man it is impossible but to God it is possible. Remember, Jesus Christ is a mighty God who can do anything. All things are possible with God.

Not only in studies but God also blessed his spiritual life. Once D.G.S Dhinakaran was living in sin but when God touched his life, he was transformed into a new person. God started to use him mightily and millions of people around the world were touched through his comforting message. When he died they called him ‘Apostle of Love’.

I just want to place before you two important thoughts which Holy Spirit wanted me to share. 

Once Uncle DGS was a failure in his studies. He thought he can never pass his degree. But Jesus Christ blessed him with a doctorate degree and made him to work as a manager in State Bank of India for several years. 

Similarly Uncle DGS failed in his spiritual life at his young age. But Jesus Christ transformed him and raised him as a world renowned evangelist. He was called the ‘Apostle of Love’.

At his young age, Uncle DGS thought that his life had no blessing at all. When he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, God used him mightily and blessed millions of people through his life. 

Even today the Christian engineering university and the Jesus Calls ministry that God established through Uncle DGS, were standing tall for the glory of Jesus Christ. 

My dear young friends, even today you might be thinking that you have no blessings in your life. You might think that you are not at all useful for anything. Do not get discouraged. 

Jesus Christ lifted Uncle DGS out of ash heap and dust. He made him to sit along with the presidents and princes of the nations. Jesus Christ will do the same in your life. Your life will not end in the dust. You will receive blessing and you will be a blessing to many.

Today you might say that you are doing nothing for the glory of God as you are struggling with the sin. Do not worry. Jesus Christ will wash you with His blood and make you stand for His glory. You will proclaim God’s word to many people.

Today you might be running around someone for their prayers. Holy Spirit says to you that soon God will use you in such a way that people will come running to you for your prayers. 

You are poor in your studies, job and in your spiritual life. Your life is not going to end that way because Jesus Christ is going to lift you high. You will be blessed and a blessing to many.

“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” – Job 9:10

CHRISTIAN BEST ONE LINERS - 14

Death to the Christian is the funeral of all his sorrows and evils, and the resurrection, of all his joys.

God without man is still God, man without God is nothing.

God sometimes puts us in the dark for us to see the light.

God is able to do immeasurable deeds.

Never give the devil a ride - he will always want to drive

Suffering with truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

God doesn't want shares of your life - He wants a controlling interest.

The mind grows on what it feeds.

Wishing will never be a substitute for prayer.

You honor Jesus when you act in faith on His word.

There are no meaningless details in the Word.

It's not what you think; it's what the Bible says.

Self pity comes when you lose the intimacy with Jesus.

We may not be what we want to be, but thank God we are not what we used to be.

Working for God does not pay much, but the retirement plan is out of this world.

LYRICS THAT TOUCHED MY HEART - 11 (FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE)

Song: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Album: Scripture Lullabies

Written and Produced by: Jay Stocker

Looking out into the night sky
A million stars shining down and
I can see how you'd feel so small

Don't forget I'm your Creator
You are Mine and I adore you
Nothing else moves My heart like you
You're not here by chance, you are My design
I did well to give you life

You are fearfully and wonderfully made
Long before you drew your first breath
I knew your name
Surely goodness and mercy
Will follow you forever
For you are fearfully and wonderfully made

Looking deep into your eyes
You're beautiful, like no one else
I smile when I think about your face

You were made in My own image
Carefully, My love would finish
Forming you into who you are

I won't let you go, I'm here with you always
I'll watch you grow strong because I know

You are fearfully and wonderfully made
Long before you drew your first breath
I knew your name
Surely goodness and mercy
Will follow you forever
For you are fearfully and wonderfully made

Surely goodness and mercy
Will follow you forever
For you are fearfully and wonderfully made

THE WALL - 20

LOVE JESUS CHRIST UNCONDITIONALLY EVEN WHEN YOU GO THROUGH TOUGH TIMES - VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL

 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” – James 1:12

We love Jesus Christ so easily when our life was filled with so much of blessings. But when the trials come we ask so many questions in our heart and we fail to love God.

Even when Jesus was in this earth, He performed so many miracles. Everyone who came to Him received healing and comfort. So a huge crowd followed Him every day. Everyone loved and longed for Jesus because He performed so many miracles for their goodness. But one day Pharisees arrested Jesus. His disciples fled away immediately. Those who followed Jesus for blessings and miracles vanished all in a sudden. No one stayed with Jesus. Finally Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. Everyone returned back to their home because they know Jesus can’t do any miracles now, as He was dead.

But there came a man named Joseph and He went and asked Pilate for the Jesus’ body.

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.” – Mark 15:43

On that day Pharisees was against all those who were with Jesus. Joseph knew it. Then why he has to go to Pilate risking his life for the body of Jesus? He knows Jesus was dead and can’t do any miracles but yet he went and took the body of Jesus and buried it according to the custom of Jews. He gave due respect and love even to the dead body of Jesus Christ. Why he has done that?

Because he loved Jesus so much. He loved Him with all his heart, soul and mind. He loved Jesus even when He was dead. The love he had upon Jesus was so great that he even risked his own life. 

His name was written in all the four gospels and Biblical historians say that Joseph was blessed greatly and he did God’s ministry saving thousands of souls for the kingdom of God till the day he died.

When he died it was written in his tomb like this: “Here lies the body of that most noble disciple, recorded in scripture by the name of Joseph of Arimathea, and noted by the four evangelists, St. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, for begging the body of our Blessed Savior when crucified to redeem lost men from eternal destruction and burying it in a tomb of his own making.”

What a testimony! He was declared and testified as the most noble disciple for the way he loved Jesus.

What about your love that you have upon Jesus today?

I know a young girl who loves Jesus so much. She is a God given sister to me. When she was doing her final year engineering degree she got placed in two multi-national companies. One of those companies called her to join their training but as she wanted to join in the other company she declined that offer. After her studies she waited for months for the call letter but she didn’t get one. Months passed and one day she got a call from the old company in which she declined the offer.

Immediately they asked her to join the company and so she joined the company immediately. There in another city she continued to grow in God. She passed in some tests the company conducted but she could not clear the foundation test in the first attempt. Maximum of four attempts were allowed and with much prayer she went for the second attempt but she failed. She didn’t ask any questions to God and also she didn’t doubt God’s love.

She made the third attempt and again failed. Everyone around her was shocked. But she told God that even if she fails in the fourth attempt she will not backslide from her faith. I was so amazed to see her faith.

By God’s grace she cleared her test in the last attempt and we were so happy. But yesterday her overall result was declared as failed and she was rolled off from the project team which she was assigned.

She was so upset but yet this morning she sent a sms to me saying, “I have no clue why it’s all happening but God knows. Am not giving up my faith whatever may come. All is well with the Lord.”

I was really surprised to see her belief. She was a young girl and this was her first job and they were going to send her off from that job. But yet she says that she will never stop loving Jesus.

At this moment, it feels like God was silent in her life but yet she had put her trust in Him and she continue to love God.

My dear young friends, even today you might be waiting for a blessing for so long. You might feel like God was so silent in your life. God says in Joel 2:26, “...My people shall never be put to shame.”

Those who wait on the Lord will never be ashamed. God will not put you to shame but He wants you to love Him even at this toughest moment of your life. If you love Him at this point of your life when you were not receiving any blessings that you have expected, you will receive the crown of life that Jesus Christ has promised for those who love Him.

Love God unconditionally and you will receive the crown of life. You will never be put to shame. God bless you.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5

Few months before my best friend got married and he shifted his home to a new city. His work place was nearly 120 km away from his home and so he decided to travel by train. As he was new to the city, he really doesn't know which train to get into. Also he had no knowledge whether the train will stop in the place where he wants to get down.

Somehow he found a train and boarded into it. As the train was approaching his work place he thought that the train will stop on that station. But actually the train won’t stop in that station. Suddenly he had a doubt and so he asked the person who stood nearby and that person also told that the train will stop.

As the train entered the station it slowed down a bit and then it took speed. My friend realized that the train won’t stop and so he thought to jump off the train. As per his understanding he thought that he will jump safely out of the train. So he jumped. But unfortunately he could not balance himself and so he fell down with a force. His shoulder got dislocated because of the way he fell down but by God’s grace his life was saved. He took bed rest for one month and recently he reported for work.

At the particular moment when my friend saw the train moving fast he leaned on to his understanding and took a wrong decision which had put his life in danger. Many a times even in our lives we fail to choose right choices. Because of that we lose precious blessings in our life.

In 2 Samuel 11^th chapter we read how David committed adultery with Bathsheba. One fine evening David was walking on the roof of the king’s house. From there he saw a woman bathing. God has given David so many blessings and if he would have looked to God for His counsel, surely God would have showed him the way to escape. But David leaned on his own understanding and so he inquired about the woman and took her. Later he killed her husband.

One wrong choice which David took at that moment leaning onto his own understanding made him an adulterer and murderer.

My dear young friend, Jesus Christ wants you to trust Him at all moments. Do not lean on your own understanding. If you want to marry a girl, stay at Lord’s feet and ask Him to reveal His will. If you want to take any important decision in your life do not ever lean on your own understanding but lean on Jesus for His counsel. He is your Father who knows what is good for you.

He will speak to you through His Holy Spirit and will guide you. Bible says in Psalms 23:2, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”

Jesus Christ will make you to lie down in green pasture and He leads you beside the still waters. He has great blessings in store for you to make you happy and feel blessed. You might be going through rough patch in your life but do not get discouraged. Trust in Jesus Christ. He will never fail you.

Jesus Christ wants you to have life in abundance. Do not lean on your own understanding. Trust Him. He will bless you.

LEARN TO PRAY THIS WAY - AUTHOR UNKNOWN (AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY TAKEN FROM THE WEB)

My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in Cub Scouts only a short time. During one of his meetings he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give all to "dad".

That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried.  Dad read the paper and scoffed at the idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young, eager son. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed.

Finally, mom stepped in to see if I could figure this all out.  The project began. Having no carpentry skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do and what we couldn't do.

Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood derby car. A little lopsided, but looking great (at least through the eyes of mom). Gilbert had not seen any of the other kids' cars and was feeling pretty proud of his "Blue Lightning", the pride that comes with knowing you did something on your own.

Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race.  Once there my little one's pride turned to humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only car made entirely on his own.  All the other cars were a father-son partnership, with cool paint jobs and sleek body styles made for speed.

A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility, Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, Gilbert had "mom".

As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the finely sanded ramp. Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there.  As the last race was about to begin, my wide eyed, shy eight year old ask if they could stop the race for a minute, because he wanted to pray. The race stopped.

Gilbert went to his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between his hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with His Heavenly Father. He prayed in earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, smile on his face and announced, 'Okay, I am ready."

As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their car sped down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart and watched his block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly great speed and rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second before Tommy's car.

Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank You Father" as the crowd roared in approval. The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?"

To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I wouldn't cry when I lost."

Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to win the race, he didn't ask God to fix the outcome. Gilbert asked God to give him strength in the outcome. When Gilbert first saw the other cars he didn't cry out to God, "No fair, they had a father's help!". No, he went to His Heavenly Father for strength. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to rig the race, to make us number one, or too much time asking God to remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through the struggle. "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Gilbert's simple prayer spoke volumes to those present that night. He never doubted that God would indeed answer his request. He didn't pray to win, thus hurt someone else; he prayed that God supply the grace to lose with dignity. Gilbert, by his stopping the race to speak to his Father also showed the crowd that he wasn't there without a "Dad", but his Heavenly Father was most definitely there with him. Yes, Gilbert walked away a winner that night, with His Heavenly Father at his side.

May we all learn to pray this way. Your Heavenly Father will reside with you always.

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LOVE NEVER FAILS - NICE MESSAGE TAKEN FROM THE SPIRITUAL BOOK TITLED 'MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE' WRITTEN BY KENNETH E. HAGIN

“Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].” – 1 Corinthians 13:8

Love would not depart from her husband. That’s what love would do. Divine love would not put away his wife. If both husband and wife are walking in the new commandment of divine love, then their marriage will not fail. Now scolding and quarreling have caused marriages to fail. But this Jesus-kind of love never fails!

There has never been an authentic case of two Christians who consistently walked in love ever going to divorce court. Now I did not say that there has never been a case where two Christians were divorced. I said, ‘two Christians who consistently walked in love.’

According to 1 Corinthians 13:8, love never fails. If two Christians are walking in love, then their marriage will not fail. If both husband and wife are walking in divine love, neither will even want a divorce. The atmosphere in their home will be so positive. They won’t want to get out of that kind of marriage.

If you are having trouble in your marriage and both of you are Christians, you need to write down 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 from The Amplified Bible on a piece of paper. Then both of you need to read it every morning before you get up and every evening before you go to bed. If you will read these verses together and act on the Word, it won’t be long until your home will be Heaven on earth.

I remember a splendid Christian man I knew quite well. His wife had been saved, but never filled with the Spirit. Even though she was saved, she didn’t walk very close with God. She wasn’t consecrated. That’s dangerous. You see, if you are not dedicated to God and separated from the world, you are sort of like the little boy who fell out of bed. His mother heard the thud when he hit the floor and rushed into his room, “What’s the matter?”

The little boy said, “Well, I fell out of bed.”

She said, “How did you fall out of bed?”

“Well,” he said, “I stayed too close to where I got in.” 

He was too close to the edge of the bed. Some folks get saved and then stay too close to where they got in. They eventually fall out of the things of God.

Well, the wife of the Christian man that I knew did just that. She fell out of the things of God and took up with another man whom she lived with for several years. Now she was not divorced from her husband. They hadn’t gotten a divorce yet. She was just cohabiting with this other man for about seven years.

Evidently, she didn’t want anything to do with her husband. And he had every right in the world to divorce her and remarry if he wanted to. He even began to think about it. 

But then she contacted him and wanted to get back to God. She realized that she was a weak person and that without him, she would die and go to hell. She realized that she needed him. 

Well, in regard to natural, human love, he didn’t have any for her. She just about killed every bit of love that he ever had for her. Natural love is that way, but divine love never fails. It lives forever.

And so he told her, “From the standpoint of the love of God and from the standpoint of saving your soul and from the standpoint of keeping you from going to hell, I’ll take you back.”

So he took her back, even though he didn’t have any affection for her whatsoever.

He acted on the love of God that was in him. That’s a mighty hard thing to do-to take someone back after they have wronged you in so many ways. There aren’t too many people who can do that. There aren’t too many people who respond in divine love like that.

In the process of time, I was invited into their home, and on a certain occasion they prepared a meal. I remember that I saw them holding hands. They were older folks, and once in a while they would slip around behind one another to get a little hug and kiss. And I could see that when she looked at him, she just adored him. I could see in her eyes such endearment. She respected him so much. I saw a closeness between them. Even the natural love was restored. So she was saved and kept from going to hell and besides that their marriage was totally restored.

We have to ask ourselves the question: “What would divine love do?”