I liked these two books by BILL THRASHER and also recommend them to those looking for some Christian books to read these days:
--"Living the Life God has Planned"
--"Believing GOD for His Best: How to marry contentment and singleness"
----If you are single and wondering what is God's way to go about dating & marriage, then this is a very good book to read!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
God's annointing on Francis Chan
I have been listening to Francis Chan's online sermons (sequentially from the day 1 of his church). As I listen to his sermons, I feel he has special anointing from God, to further His Kingdom in this age. In-fact people have started calling him young John Piper!! His book "crazy love" is becoming increasingly popular (reminds of Rick's "purpose driven life", when it came out first).
His wiki is interesting. It says:
"Chan's parents both died by the time he was 12 years old. He was somewhat close to his brother growing up. He did not get along well with his father, but says that his fear of his father has helped him understand a level of fear of God. He also stated he didn’t understand the love of God well until he became a father himself."
"Chan frequently talks about 'What the bible is really saying' and really living our lives that way. He is not afraid of confronting lukewarmness, but his challenge seems to draw more people to his message, rather than pushing them away. In-fact his church is now one of the largest churches in Ventura County, California. He started his church in 1994 with only 30 people. Within two months, the church had grown to 100 people, and by 2000, Chan was leading a $1 million project to provide for the 1,600 member congregation."
"Chan gives away about 90 percent of his income ... Chan doesn't take a salary from his church, and he has donated all of his book royalties, which total about $500,000 to various charities. Much of it goes to organizations which rescue sex slaves in foreign countries."
I do highly recommend listening to his sermons sequentially from day 1!
His wiki is interesting. It says:
"Chan's parents both died by the time he was 12 years old. He was somewhat close to his brother growing up. He did not get along well with his father, but says that his fear of his father has helped him understand a level of fear of God. He also stated he didn’t understand the love of God well until he became a father himself."
"Chan frequently talks about 'What the bible is really saying' and really living our lives that way. He is not afraid of confronting lukewarmness, but his challenge seems to draw more people to his message, rather than pushing them away. In-fact his church is now one of the largest churches in Ventura County, California. He started his church in 1994 with only 30 people. Within two months, the church had grown to 100 people, and by 2000, Chan was leading a $1 million project to provide for the 1,600 member congregation."
"Chan gives away about 90 percent of his income ... Chan doesn't take a salary from his church, and he has donated all of his book royalties, which total about $500,000 to various charities. Much of it goes to organizations which rescue sex slaves in foreign countries."
I do highly recommend listening to his sermons sequentially from day 1!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
It all belongs to God..we are just His stewards
Quoting from a text:
John Wesley’s house caught on fire and burned down. Someone went up to tell him about it and Wesley responded by saying, “God’s house burned down…one less thing to worry about.”
John Wesley’s house caught on fire and burned down. Someone went up to tell him about it and Wesley responded by saying, “God’s house burned down…one less thing to worry about.”
Friday, March 26, 2010
‘Do you mind if I clean the latrines again today?’”
Pastor Mark Zeiler talked about RAVI ZACHARIAS's account:
http://rzim.org/justthinkingfv/tabid/602/articleid/10018/cbmoduleid/881/default.aspx
Of all the stories I’ve told after thirty years of traveling, this one is nearest to my heart, probably the most moving to me. In 1971, I preached in Vietnam. I was in my mid twenties; my interpreter was seventeen years old. His name was Hien Pham. We covered the length and breadth of the country. The American troops carried us around or we went by motorbike. How our lives were rescued, I don’t know. But we came back safely. A revival broke out in the country through the preaching of these two young men.
Hien was my interpreter. In the city Natrang, I held him close, embraced him, and said, “Goodbye, Hien. I’ll probably never see you again.” I flew to Saigon and on back where I was living at that time in Toronto.
Seventeen years later, my phone rang. I was in Vancouver speaking and the phone rang at 11:00 p.m. The man said, “Brother Ravi.” There’s only one person who called me with that intonation that way. I said, “Hien, is that you?” he said, “Yes.” I said, “Oh my word! Where are you?” He said, “California.” I said, “What are you doing here?” He said, “Have you got a few minutes?” I said, “Yes.”
He said, “After Vietnam fell, I was imprisoned by the Viet Cong because I’d worked with the Americans, worked with people like you. They put me behind bars, they took away all English from me, took away my Bible from me, tried to knock faith out of me. I was only allowed to read Marx and Engels in French and Vietnamese. After about a year in there, so worn out, I said, ‘Maybe you don’t exist, God. I’m giving up all hope. I don’t believe in you. Tomorrow when I wake up, I’m not going to pray.’”
That morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines. He said, “Brother Ravi, it’s the dirtiest place on earth you’d want to be. I bound a handkerchief around my mouth cleaning the wet floor, and I saw a little bin with dirty pieces of paper, with human excrement in it. But something told me as I looked there, there was one paper, a piece of paper with English.” He said, “I hadn’t read English for so long. I washed it off, put it in my hip pocket, waited for everybody to go to bed, to sleep. Lights were out.
I took out my flashlight under my mosquito net. I flashed it. On the right hand corner it said, Romans chapter 8.” He said, “I started reading and cried. ‘Oh, my dear Lord, you didn’t leave me one day without you.’ ‘For all things work together for good to them that love God; to those that are called according to his purpose. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither things present, nor things to come, nor life nor death.’”
Hien said, “Next morning I went back to the commanding officer. I said, ‘Do you mind if I clean the latrines again today?’” He went there every day. He found another page from the New Testament. The commanding officer had been given a Bible a long time ago. He was tearing out a page every day using it as toilet paper. Hien was washing it and using it for his devotions every day.
I said, “Where are you now?” He said, “I’m at Berkeley doing my business degree.” I said, “I can’t believe this, Hien.” He said, “I’m in America.”
I said, “How did that happen?” He said, “I was released and I built a boat with 52 others. Four days before my release, before our escape, four Viet Cong came armed to the teeth and grabbed me and said, ‘Are you trying to escape?’ I lied and said, ‘No.’ They said, ‘Are you telling us the truth?’” He said, “Yes.”
They let him go. He got on his knees, and said, “God, I lied. I’m running my own life. I lied. If you really want me to tell them the truth, let them come back again.” He said, “I sincerely hoped that prayer would never be answered. Hours before we left, the four of them came with their machine guns, grabbed me by the collar, rammed me against the wall. ‘You’re lying, aren’t you?’”
Hien said, “Yes, I’m escaping with 52 others. Are you going to imprison me again?” They said, “No. we want to go with you.’”
“Brother Ravi, if it weren’t for them we would never have made it. They knew how to navigate the ocean on that boat, get us safely to Thailand. I was then listed as a United Nations refugee. I’m here in America now doing my business degree.”
He runs a financial planning company now in California. He came and visited us, wanted me to officiate at his wedding, and he looked at my kids and said, “Don’t ever think God is far away from you. That intimate relationship is the greatest thrill of anyone’s life, for He seeks such to have fellowship with Him.”
http://rzim.org/justthinkingfv/tabid/602/articleid/10018/cbmoduleid/881/default.aspx
Of all the stories I’ve told after thirty years of traveling, this one is nearest to my heart, probably the most moving to me. In 1971, I preached in Vietnam. I was in my mid twenties; my interpreter was seventeen years old. His name was Hien Pham. We covered the length and breadth of the country. The American troops carried us around or we went by motorbike. How our lives were rescued, I don’t know. But we came back safely. A revival broke out in the country through the preaching of these two young men.
Hien was my interpreter. In the city Natrang, I held him close, embraced him, and said, “Goodbye, Hien. I’ll probably never see you again.” I flew to Saigon and on back where I was living at that time in Toronto.
Seventeen years later, my phone rang. I was in Vancouver speaking and the phone rang at 11:00 p.m. The man said, “Brother Ravi.” There’s only one person who called me with that intonation that way. I said, “Hien, is that you?” he said, “Yes.” I said, “Oh my word! Where are you?” He said, “California.” I said, “What are you doing here?” He said, “Have you got a few minutes?” I said, “Yes.”
He said, “After Vietnam fell, I was imprisoned by the Viet Cong because I’d worked with the Americans, worked with people like you. They put me behind bars, they took away all English from me, took away my Bible from me, tried to knock faith out of me. I was only allowed to read Marx and Engels in French and Vietnamese. After about a year in there, so worn out, I said, ‘Maybe you don’t exist, God. I’m giving up all hope. I don’t believe in you. Tomorrow when I wake up, I’m not going to pray.’”
That morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines. He said, “Brother Ravi, it’s the dirtiest place on earth you’d want to be. I bound a handkerchief around my mouth cleaning the wet floor, and I saw a little bin with dirty pieces of paper, with human excrement in it. But something told me as I looked there, there was one paper, a piece of paper with English.” He said, “I hadn’t read English for so long. I washed it off, put it in my hip pocket, waited for everybody to go to bed, to sleep. Lights were out.
I took out my flashlight under my mosquito net. I flashed it. On the right hand corner it said, Romans chapter 8.” He said, “I started reading and cried. ‘Oh, my dear Lord, you didn’t leave me one day without you.’ ‘For all things work together for good to them that love God; to those that are called according to his purpose. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither things present, nor things to come, nor life nor death.’”
Hien said, “Next morning I went back to the commanding officer. I said, ‘Do you mind if I clean the latrines again today?’” He went there every day. He found another page from the New Testament. The commanding officer had been given a Bible a long time ago. He was tearing out a page every day using it as toilet paper. Hien was washing it and using it for his devotions every day.
I said, “Where are you now?” He said, “I’m at Berkeley doing my business degree.” I said, “I can’t believe this, Hien.” He said, “I’m in America.”
I said, “How did that happen?” He said, “I was released and I built a boat with 52 others. Four days before my release, before our escape, four Viet Cong came armed to the teeth and grabbed me and said, ‘Are you trying to escape?’ I lied and said, ‘No.’ They said, ‘Are you telling us the truth?’” He said, “Yes.”
They let him go. He got on his knees, and said, “God, I lied. I’m running my own life. I lied. If you really want me to tell them the truth, let them come back again.” He said, “I sincerely hoped that prayer would never be answered. Hours before we left, the four of them came with their machine guns, grabbed me by the collar, rammed me against the wall. ‘You’re lying, aren’t you?’”
Hien said, “Yes, I’m escaping with 52 others. Are you going to imprison me again?” They said, “No. we want to go with you.’”
“Brother Ravi, if it weren’t for them we would never have made it. They knew how to navigate the ocean on that boat, get us safely to Thailand. I was then listed as a United Nations refugee. I’m here in America now doing my business degree.”
He runs a financial planning company now in California. He came and visited us, wanted me to officiate at his wedding, and he looked at my kids and said, “Don’t ever think God is far away from you. That intimate relationship is the greatest thrill of anyone’s life, for He seeks such to have fellowship with Him.”
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tozer's pursuit of God
Quoting from Tozer's pursuit of God:
"The doctrine of justification by faith -- a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort -- has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved", but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little."
(I think, Dallas Willard also stresses on this in his book)
"The doctrine of justification by faith -- a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort -- has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved", but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little."
(I think, Dallas Willard also stresses on this in his book)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Does God see you as His friend?
I was listening to a sermon from cornerstone/simivalley church on Genesis 18:16-33. It talked about God consulting Abraham in deciding the fate of Sodom. The preacher said, God was like: "Shall I hide from (my friend) Abraham what I am about to do?". The preacher claimed that this is a very good example of "personal relationship with God" ... I thought that was a very interesting analysis ... I had never seen Genesis 18:16-33 like that ...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
George Muellar
Quoting from "Living the life God has Planned":
George Mueller was burdened to encourage people to experience the faithfullness of God. He founded an orphanage not only because he cared about the needy children but because he wanted God's people to see that He is faithful and will answer prayer. He saw older people living in fear of whether they would be forsaken by God. He saw people operating unethically in their careers because the feared that they could not compete if they lived honestly in the business world. To honor God's faithfulness was his objective in starting an orphange and making his needs known only to God. In his lifetime he recorded more than fifty thousand prayer, and many of these are found in the book Answers to Prayer
Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller :
Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered.
Once, whilst crossing the Atlantic, his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but the captain said that he was slowing the ship down for safety and Müller's appointment would have to be missed. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for the lifting of the fog. The captain followed him down, claiming it would be a waste of time. After Müller prayed, the captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him; partly because of the captain's unbelief, but mainly because he believed the prayer had already been answered. When the two men went back to the bridge, they found the fog had lifted.
The captain became a Christian shortly afterwards.
Müller's faith in God strengthened day by day and he spent HOURS in daily prayer and Bible reading.
George Mueller was burdened to encourage people to experience the faithfullness of God. He founded an orphanage not only because he cared about the needy children but because he wanted God's people to see that He is faithful and will answer prayer. He saw older people living in fear of whether they would be forsaken by God. He saw people operating unethically in their careers because the feared that they could not compete if they lived honestly in the business world. To honor God's faithfulness was his objective in starting an orphange and making his needs known only to God. In his lifetime he recorded more than fifty thousand prayer, and many of these are found in the book Answers to Prayer
Quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller :
Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered.
Once, whilst crossing the Atlantic, his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but the captain said that he was slowing the ship down for safety and Müller's appointment would have to be missed. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for the lifting of the fog. The captain followed him down, claiming it would be a waste of time. After Müller prayed, the captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him; partly because of the captain's unbelief, but mainly because he believed the prayer had already been answered. When the two men went back to the bridge, they found the fog had lifted.
The captain became a Christian shortly afterwards.
Müller's faith in God strengthened day by day and he spent HOURS in daily prayer and Bible reading.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tiger Woods does remind me of King Solomon ;)
Yes, Tiger Woods does remind me of King Solomon ;)
Look at this article:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/233947
"Buddhism," said Woods in his awkward 13-minute address, "teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.".
The article also says, Woods – a man who has everything, and is reeling from the possibility that it will be taken away....
Pray for Tiger and also that people will learn from Tiger's life.
Look at this article:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/233947
"Buddhism," said Woods in his awkward 13-minute address, "teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.".
The article also says, Woods – a man who has everything, and is reeling from the possibility that it will be taken away....
Pray for Tiger and also that people will learn from Tiger's life.
Friday, February 19, 2010
are you a happy soul? :)
http://www.crosswalk.com/1300750/
Fanny Crosby was given a wrong medical treatment at six weeks of age that resulted in permanent blindness. As a child she made up her mind to store in her heart what she called the "little jewel of contentment." She declared this jewel to be the "comfort of her life." When she was eight years old she wrote:
O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don't.
To weep and sigh because I'm blind;
I cannot, and I won't.
Scores of people have been blessed through the legacy of hymns she has left the church, and millions have been blessed by her learning the lesson of contentment in God's sovereign will.
Fanny Crosby married Alexander Van Alstyne when she was thirty-eight. This dear couple experienced a great loss when their only child died at a very young age. In her grief she penned the hymn "Safe in the Arms of Jesus." A ministry borne out of a humble and contented heart bears great fruit.....
Fanny Crosby was given a wrong medical treatment at six weeks of age that resulted in permanent blindness. As a child she made up her mind to store in her heart what she called the "little jewel of contentment." She declared this jewel to be the "comfort of her life." When she was eight years old she wrote:
O what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don't.
To weep and sigh because I'm blind;
I cannot, and I won't.
Scores of people have been blessed through the legacy of hymns she has left the church, and millions have been blessed by her learning the lesson of contentment in God's sovereign will.
Fanny Crosby married Alexander Van Alstyne when she was thirty-eight. This dear couple experienced a great loss when their only child died at a very young age. In her grief she penned the hymn "Safe in the Arms of Jesus." A ministry borne out of a humble and contented heart bears great fruit.....
Friday, February 12, 2010
Where did your riches/success come from? Abraham Lincoln "said" on National Day of Prayer & Fasting:
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/fast.htm
We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.
We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
"We owe the world an encounter with God." -Bill
Pastor Bill Johnson says, "The only way we are going to be people who bring the world an encounter with God is if we are consistently encountering Him ourselves. We can only give away what we have..."
For example, (quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller)
Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered.
Once, whilst crossing the Atlantic, his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but the captain said that he was slowing the ship down for safety and Müller's appointment would have to be missed. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for the lifting of the fog. The captain followed him down, claiming it would be a waste of time. After Müller prayed, the captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him; partly because of the captain's unbelief, but mainly because he believed the prayer had already been answered. When the two men went back to the bridge, they found the fog had lifted.
The captain became a Christian shortly afterwards.
For example, (quoting from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller)
Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered.
Once, whilst crossing the Atlantic, his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by the following afternoon, but the captain said that he was slowing the ship down for safety and Müller's appointment would have to be missed. Müller asked to use the chartroom to pray for the lifting of the fog. The captain followed him down, claiming it would be a waste of time. After Müller prayed, the captain started to pray, but Müller stopped him; partly because of the captain's unbelief, but mainly because he believed the prayer had already been answered. When the two men went back to the bridge, they found the fog had lifted.
The captain became a Christian shortly afterwards.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Interview with Patrick Fung
I liked the interview with Patrick Fung at:
http://www.urbana09.org/program.webcast.cfm
http://www.urbana09.org/program.webcast.cfm
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A passage from the book, Desiring God (copied from XA blog)
Once we had no delight in God, and Christ was just a vague historical figure. What we enjoyed was food and friendships and productivity and investments and vacations and hobbies and games and reading and shopping and sex and sports and art and TV and travel . . . but not God. He was an idea--even a good one--and a topic for discussion; but he was not a treasure of delight.
Then something miraculous happened. It was like the opening of the eyes of the blind during the golden dawn. First the stunned silence before the unspeakable beauty of holiness. Then a shock and terror that we had actually loved the darkness. Then the settling stillness of joy that this is the soul's end. The quest is over. We would give anything if we might be granted to live in the presence of this glory forever and ever.
Then something miraculous happened. It was like the opening of the eyes of the blind during the golden dawn. First the stunned silence before the unspeakable beauty of holiness. Then a shock and terror that we had actually loved the darkness. Then the settling stillness of joy that this is the soul's end. The quest is over. We would give anything if we might be granted to live in the presence of this glory forever and ever.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Distressed?? How does your's compares to Jesus's?
As Dustin pointed out, Jesus can relate to our pain and distress very well:
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html
Before the crucifixion, as Jesus Christ prayed in the Garden of Gesthemane, the disciple and physician Luke noted that:
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
—Luke 22:44 (NKJV)
This was written by the physician Luke, a well-educated man and a careful observer by profession. Luke is also the only gospel writer to mention the bloody sweat, possibly because of his interest as a physician in this rare physiological phenomenon, which spoke elequently of the intense spiritual agony Jesus was suffering… (Dr. Henry M. Morris, The Defenders Bible, arginal notes for Luke 22:44)
Although this medical condition is relatively rare, according to Dr. Frederick Zugibe (Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland County, New York) it is well-known, and there have been many cases of it. The clinical term is “hematohidrosis.” “Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form.” Under the pressure of great stress the vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes “the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands.” As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface - coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.
What was the source of Jesus great stress and anguish? Clearly he was in intense spiritual agony. Being the Son of God, he would have in detail everything that was about to happen to him. He knew that he was physically facing one of the most horrible forms of capital punishment there has ever been. His body was human, and he would feel everything at least as intensely as we would. Was this the source of his severe stress? It is doubtful....(read rest in the website)
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t018.html
Before the crucifixion, as Jesus Christ prayed in the Garden of Gesthemane, the disciple and physician Luke noted that:
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
—Luke 22:44 (NKJV)
This was written by the physician Luke, a well-educated man and a careful observer by profession. Luke is also the only gospel writer to mention the bloody sweat, possibly because of his interest as a physician in this rare physiological phenomenon, which spoke elequently of the intense spiritual agony Jesus was suffering… (Dr. Henry M. Morris, The Defenders Bible, arginal notes for Luke 22:44)
Although this medical condition is relatively rare, according to Dr. Frederick Zugibe (Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland County, New York) it is well-known, and there have been many cases of it. The clinical term is “hematohidrosis.” “Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form.” Under the pressure of great stress the vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes “the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands.” As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface - coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.
What was the source of Jesus great stress and anguish? Clearly he was in intense spiritual agony. Being the Son of God, he would have in detail everything that was about to happen to him. He knew that he was physically facing one of the most horrible forms of capital punishment there has ever been. His body was human, and he would feel everything at least as intensely as we would. Was this the source of his severe stress? It is doubtful....(read rest in the website)
Sunday, December 6, 2009
"Chasing the Dragon" and "Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret of His Power"
I just found this quite an inspirational book:
"Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret of His Power"
I am reviewing it, right now.
It is challenging my current spiritual state, to a great extent, as I read it.
I think it goes very well, hand in hand, with "Chasing the dragon". Jackie Pullinger seems to be the Smith W. of today! Wow.
And i read somewhere that Leonard Ravenhill said that Jackie is the closest woman walking with God alive today.
"Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret of His Power"
I am reviewing it, right now.
It is challenging my current spiritual state, to a great extent, as I read it.
I think it goes very well, hand in hand, with "Chasing the dragon". Jackie Pullinger seems to be the Smith W. of today! Wow.
And i read somewhere that Leonard Ravenhill said that Jackie is the closest woman walking with God alive today.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Can ancestory of Jews be traced using modern genetics?
I came across some interesting articles:
http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/cohanim-dna-connection/
http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/cohanim-dna-connection/
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Rick and Kay Warren's Painful, Gradual Love Story
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/novemberweb-only/145-21.0.html
[Some highlights]
A word from God. Then another. Then misery. How the Warrens finally fell in love.
....All of that left little time for dating, which didn't seem to bother him in the least. He and some like-minded friends jocularly proclaimed themselves "Bachelors to the Rapture" and boasted that they would be pleased to remain single until the Second Coming...."Rick just figures, 'Why spend money on a girl you're not going to marry?'" he explained. "He believes that when the right one comes along, God will point her out and that will be that."...One weekend he accepted an invitation to speak at the First Baptist Church. Kay played piano for the service. Rick would recall what happened: "I looked over at her right before I got up to speak, and God said just as clearly as I'm talking to you, 'You're going to marry that girl.' Now, I immediately doubted it for two or three reasons—first, I didn't love her; second, God had never before or ever since talked to me that clearly in my life, ever; and, number three, she was madly in love with my best friend." He decided to keep the revelation to himself.....Soon after they returned to school in the fall, Kay's boyfriend broke up with her....Rick asked her out and she accepted....Eight days later they went out again,... as they finished praying, Rick looked up at her and blurted out, "Will you marry me?"....
[Read the full story in the web-link]
[Some highlights]
A word from God. Then another. Then misery. How the Warrens finally fell in love.
....All of that left little time for dating, which didn't seem to bother him in the least. He and some like-minded friends jocularly proclaimed themselves "Bachelors to the Rapture" and boasted that they would be pleased to remain single until the Second Coming...."Rick just figures, 'Why spend money on a girl you're not going to marry?'" he explained. "He believes that when the right one comes along, God will point her out and that will be that."...One weekend he accepted an invitation to speak at the First Baptist Church. Kay played piano for the service. Rick would recall what happened: "I looked over at her right before I got up to speak, and God said just as clearly as I'm talking to you, 'You're going to marry that girl.' Now, I immediately doubted it for two or three reasons—first, I didn't love her; second, God had never before or ever since talked to me that clearly in my life, ever; and, number three, she was madly in love with my best friend." He decided to keep the revelation to himself.....Soon after they returned to school in the fall, Kay's boyfriend broke up with her....Rick asked her out and she accepted....Eight days later they went out again,... as they finished praying, Rick looked up at her and blurted out, "Will you marry me?"....
[Read the full story in the web-link]
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Traditional medicine
http://research.chance.berkeley.edu/page.cfm?id=11&aid=35
I am trying to find out how did Samoan traditional healers discovered
the natural medicine for treating hepatitis which also has the promise to be an anti-AIDS drug!
I am trying to find out how did Samoan traditional healers discovered
the natural medicine for treating hepatitis which also has the promise to be an anti-AIDS drug!
Laminin vs Jesus :D (blessed are those who study biology ;)
So what is LAMININ? Laminins are major proteins in the basal lamina also called the basement membrane, which is a protein network FOUNDATION for most cells and organs.
It reminds of Jesus in many ways! Apart from its resemblance to cross, it does exactly what Jesus does, as described in Colossians 1:17 (He is before all things, and in him all things hold together). Laminin literally holds your skin, muscles, organs, and everything else in your body together, it is literally the glue of your body. Like Jesus holds together the individuals in the body of Christ.
It keeps us functioning normally and protects us from degenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophy or progeria.
Laminin is also made up of three parts--three in one, just like our triune God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.)
Laminin--called the "basement membrane" without which we would literally fall apart
http://www.instructables.com/community/Lamanin/
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=61216516
Hence blessed are those who study biology ;)
On May, 2010, Lowe rightly commented on this: who said we are not made to love and give :)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
The Skill of His Loving Hands
I found this inspiring devotional by Bakht Singh:
"Skill of His Loving Hand"
http://www.scribd.com/doc/5563670/Skill-of-His-Loving-Hands
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakht_Singh
Bro. Bakht Singh is often referred as 'Elijah of 21st Century' in Christendom. And The Lord received him for his ministry on three conditions:
1. Do not join any organizations—serve all equally.
2. Do not make your own plan. Let Me guide you and lead you every step of the way.
3. Do not make your needs known to any human being. Ask Me only and I shall provide for your needs.
"Skill of His Loving Hand"
http://www.scribd.com/doc/5563670/Skill-of-His-Loving-Hands
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakht_Singh
Bro. Bakht Singh is often referred as 'Elijah of 21st Century' in Christendom. And The Lord received him for his ministry on three conditions:
1. Do not join any organizations—serve all equally.
2. Do not make your own plan. Let Me guide you and lead you every step of the way.
3. Do not make your needs known to any human being. Ask Me only and I shall provide for your needs.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sermon Jams
Found cool sermon Jams:
http://www.1031sermonjams.com/
I also found some free mp3s of these on web, but they might be illegal!
http://www.1031sermonjams.com/
I also found some free mp3s of these on web, but they might be illegal!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Abondoned baby (copied from http://francischansblog.blogspot.com/)
FRANCIS: "why is my life more valuable than this baby's? Someone asked me recently why I don't save money for emergencies, or retirement. My answer was how can I justify saving for myself "just in case" something happens to me when something IS happening to so many already. 29,000 kids will die today of preventable causes. If I'm to love my neighbor AS myself, why spend so much time worrying about me?"
Two GREAT sermons I just heart
Francis Chan
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3875379187214966791
Misty Edwards
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1881104351786712058
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3875379187214966791
Misty Edwards
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1881104351786712058
Friday, April 10, 2009
Pray for transformation of heart...pussy cat analogy
Courtesy Houston FM104.7 (http://khcb.org) Pussy cat went all the way to England and ended up in queen's place. She was asked: "Pussy cat, pussy cat did you see the queen?". Pussy cat replied: "Queen? i dont know..but i saw the wonderful mouse under the throne!!". Moral: Notice the desires of the heart for the pussy cat: so different, from say humans! If one prays, God can indeed transform the heart to a very different holy one!!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sunday Sermon III: Jesus prays for His people's JOY and Satan tries to steal it like he always does as he did in the garden
John 17:11-19: Jesus prayed for His people:
-But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my JOY made complete in themselves.
---(COMMENT: watch out SATAN IS ALWAYS TRYING TO STEAL OUR JOY and you will say "enough is enough..no more Jesus/Bible/Church". Satan tries to decieve us today the same way he did in the garde of Eden. Remember greater is He that is in us that what is in the world!!)
-But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my JOY made complete in themselves.
---(COMMENT: watch out SATAN IS ALWAYS TRYING TO STEAL OUR JOY and you will say "enough is enough..no more Jesus/Bible/Church". Satan tries to decieve us today the same way he did in the garde of Eden. Remember greater is He that is in us that what is in the world!!)
Sunday Sermon II: Jesus prays for His people's protection & sanctification
John 17:11-19: Jesus prayed for His people:
-Holy Father, PROTECT THEM in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one
-While I was with them, I protected them in your name that* you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost,* so that the scripture might be fulfilled
-I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
-Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
-Holy Father, PROTECT THEM in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one
-While I was with them, I protected them in your name that* you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost,* so that the scripture might be fulfilled
-I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
-Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Sunday Sermon I: HOW TO BE PRODUCTIVE?
Todays service was great!! It started with: John 15:1-17:"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit...". Jesus said the Father is the Gardner, in charge of tending to the branches and making sure there is good and healthy growth.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
recession; bad market; no jobs
But Jesus says there are more jobs and less workers: "Harvest is plenty; but the workers are few".
Saturday, March 14, 2009
an old email
i am cleaning my inbox these days, as my stanford account is going to expire. i found this email from Pete:
Pete Sommer wrote:
> Hi Mitul,
> you remain in my thoughts and prayers. I have not yet called the Chackos.
> Remember that when Jesus was abandoned, mocked, denounced, spit upon,
> beaten, and crucified, he was thinking of you. His head turned to look
> at you in love. He thought it was all worth it, in order to save you.
> If this is so, you can never be forgotten by God. His presence is with
> you.
>
> Let me know if you want to meet again.
>
> Pete
Pete Sommer wrote:
> Hi Mitul,
> you remain in my thoughts and prayers. I have not yet called the Chackos.
> Remember that when Jesus was abandoned, mocked, denounced, spit upon,
> beaten, and crucified, he was thinking of you. His head turned to look
> at you in love. He thought it was all worth it, in order to save you.
> If this is so, you can never be forgotten by God. His presence is with
> you.
>
> Let me know if you want to meet again.
>
> Pete
Life is not about worrying about what you dont have but rejoicing about what you have
..lets see how Biblical is that...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
“Christ gave us the goals and Mahatma Gandhi the tactics.” — Martin Luther King Jr, 1955
I have been a big fan of Gandhi. He once said:"When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of tragedies and if they have not left any visible and indelible effect on me, I owe it to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
Now thats a different question why Gita and not Bible. The point here is "overwhelming sorrows", "tragedies" is part of everyone's life. Note how people find peace by reading scriptures. Something what Jesus said: "THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE".
Some of his quotes:
"Be the change you want to see in this world"
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test:
Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melting away. "
"I do not want a kingdom,salvation,or heaven, what i want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed the poor, and the needy" (I cannot confirm if Gandhi actually said that. This is from http://www.manavsadhna.org/)
Now thats a different question why Gita and not Bible. The point here is "overwhelming sorrows", "tragedies" is part of everyone's life. Note how people find peace by reading scriptures. Something what Jesus said: "THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE".
Some of his quotes:
"Be the change you want to see in this world"
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test:
Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melting away. "
"I do not want a kingdom,salvation,or heaven, what i want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed the poor, and the needy" (I cannot confirm if Gandhi actually said that. This is from http://www.manavsadhna.org/)
Without faith it is impossble to please God
Yesterday was a bit stressful, someone smashed my car door. But as a result i did get more time to spend with God :-) because as i was driving around my car to get it fixed, the Christian radio was on! I was getting worried about loosing work time but then i realized God is everywhere (& sitting right next to you) and there is no waste of time if it is spent in Him! But i was still stressful and i coudnt work when i reached my office and decided to go back home from office and at home there is no Internet :D. Additional worries about my overdue paper also started to attack me. At the end, I didnt have any other option but to read scriptures the entire evening with the hope to find peace and i must say it did work :D So yes yesterday was a good day because a lot of time was spent in understanding how He works in our lives :-)
In the morning while reading scriptures and listening to Christian radio, the Words i had was: "Without faith it is impossible to please God .... They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress: He brought them out of darkness and deepest gloom and broke away their chains (Psalm 104)"
Also i realized when something chaotic happens, you start thanking Him for the all the past days when He was protecting from all kinds of chaos. So once in a while chaos is good for me :D so that i realize more how He has been actively protecting me in the past...
As i am thinking more about "It is impossible to please God without faith", i realize why He keeps Himself unseen in ways that we often doubt in our minds about His existence: so that we have more opportunity to exercise greater faith and hence be more blessed. As Jesus said to His disciple: "Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!"
In the morning while reading scriptures and listening to Christian radio, the Words i had was: "Without faith it is impossible to please God .... They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress: He brought them out of darkness and deepest gloom and broke away their chains (Psalm 104)"
Also i realized when something chaotic happens, you start thanking Him for the all the past days when He was protecting from all kinds of chaos. So once in a while chaos is good for me :D so that i realize more how He has been actively protecting me in the past...
As i am thinking more about "It is impossible to please God without faith", i realize why He keeps Himself unseen in ways that we often doubt in our minds about His existence: so that we have more opportunity to exercise greater faith and hence be more blessed. As Jesus said to His disciple: "Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!"
Monday, March 9, 2009
He is working in my life
There is no doubt He is working in my life these days, as I see He is constantly reminding me of apostle Paul's: "I have learned to be content with whatever I have, in any and all circumstances". Yes this is what i need in my life asap, something which i think i had lacked a lot in the past. Today I saw a girl walking down the corridor with a smile (which reflected as if true contentment) in her face, with her gaze pointing downwards. When i saw her, i instantly felt she is acting as if her world was just perfect. It was as if He was telling me this is the kind of smile one has to carry to reflect inner contentment! PTL indeed!
My weekend / Jesus's prescription for success
My weekend was quite eventful. We moved to a new apartment, so a lot time was spent in cleaning and moving (good physical exercise ;). I was really amazed by the range of emotions i went through: pretty much everything: from His peace to full-of-anxiety. But i was very glad by the end of the weekend and i felt i was pretty much in His grasp throughout the weekend (i slept pretty much exhausted and woke up clearly renewed by Him). The highlight of the weekend was the Bible class taught by a rice university professor. That was such a blessing. I have been praying to get in touch with a Christian professor (as i might become one) who could give me some tips about balancing between research and other things in life. The professor's message was Jesus's prescription for success: "Mark 9:35: If anyone wants to be first he must be last of all and servant of all". He pulled out stories from his life & experiences to support it .... Then followed another blessing, the worship session in the church: it was such an amazing song (i am trying to find the song online): i felt it was just for me: He cares about me so much :-)...Then we went to the house of the professor for lunch which was again such a blessing. It was a gathering of young rice student believers who gave me a lot of tips about following Jesus. I got a lot of insights into what it means into having "life in abundance" as promised by Jesus. And if Holy Spirit remains in us forever once received. And if we can have joy through Him all the time, no matter what the circumstances are, as Apostle Paul stressed..
I also learnt how important it is to take breaks in between crazy day and medidate/pray/call on Him to regain His peace. I realize again & again that i relate so much to "Blessed are the poor in spirit"...i have called upon Him during my anxious moments by far more than in my peaceful moments...The professor gave me the final tip: make sure i always start the day with Him, then i will see how He guides me rest of the day...
Also i note something profound from Zac poonen's online sermon during the last week: "If a person has spirtual gifts, it dosnt necessarily mean the person is also spiritual": hmm something to remember...
I also learnt how important it is to take breaks in between crazy day and medidate/pray/call on Him to regain His peace. I realize again & again that i relate so much to "Blessed are the poor in spirit"...i have called upon Him during my anxious moments by far more than in my peaceful moments...The professor gave me the final tip: make sure i always start the day with Him, then i will see how He guides me rest of the day...
Also i note something profound from Zac poonen's online sermon during the last week: "If a person has spirtual gifts, it dosnt necessarily mean the person is also spiritual": hmm something to remember...
Saturday, March 7, 2009
What am i doing in Houston
What i am doing in Houston?
I was supposed to finish my postdoc project at Stanford by Nov 15. But i coudnt, as the project was more complex than we first thought. So it is still going on. I came over to Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, as it has all the expertise in the project. Incidently Stanford didnt have any signifcant expertise (very funny) in my project. Today, 03/07/09, i think it should take may be 1-1/2 months more to finish it up and submit the paper.
Ok, so what next?
Well at this point it seems i am headed to become a professor (in some university, thank God there r so many in the world) or a scientist in some lab. The question is when do i apply for one such job. Well right now i think i would try to acquire couple of more years of postdoc training before i apply for a permanent position. I want to make sure that after i start with a long-term career of a professor/scientist i have enough expertise to understand & do science at a very broad level. Ok, so in a nutshell after i finish my current postdoc, i will do a second postdoc and then after that apply to become a full-time professor/scientist, after couple of years, unless God has some other plans for me =P Keep me in your prayers, that i am led by Him =P
So How is Houston?
Oh man it is working out so nicely to me. God is so helpful! I have got 24/7 access to my lab at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM): something i didnt even have at Stanford after Nov 15. BCM is located in Texas Medical Center (awesome place).
Next door is Luke center: it has a chapel: which always has a pastor during the work hours: meaning during the weekdays: u can just go over to get prayers and share with him your burdens!! so cool! Next door is rice university: which is also amazing. At times, i drop by Christian fellowships of Campus Crusade & chi-alpha: they have AMAZING worship sessions.
There is an amazing park (golf course, houston zoo) outside BCM: i take breaks and sit in the park: and yes believe me i get, as if, glimpses of heaven: i forget all my needs: i feel like spending all my time there. Its a perfect place to pray, meditate, spend time with Him and melt away all worries! The reason all worries melt away is because you feel so good immersed in the nature that you dont feel like wanting anything else (well i have only tried that place couple of times, lets see if i get the same feeling in future also ;-). I didnt plan for all these, they just happened as if all planned out by Him (my friends & i did pray for relief from need worries)!!
I was supposed to finish my postdoc project at Stanford by Nov 15. But i coudnt, as the project was more complex than we first thought. So it is still going on. I came over to Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, as it has all the expertise in the project. Incidently Stanford didnt have any signifcant expertise (very funny) in my project. Today, 03/07/09, i think it should take may be 1-1/2 months more to finish it up and submit the paper.
Ok, so what next?
Well at this point it seems i am headed to become a professor (in some university, thank God there r so many in the world) or a scientist in some lab. The question is when do i apply for one such job. Well right now i think i would try to acquire couple of more years of postdoc training before i apply for a permanent position. I want to make sure that after i start with a long-term career of a professor/scientist i have enough expertise to understand & do science at a very broad level. Ok, so in a nutshell after i finish my current postdoc, i will do a second postdoc and then after that apply to become a full-time professor/scientist, after couple of years, unless God has some other plans for me =P Keep me in your prayers, that i am led by Him =P
So How is Houston?
Oh man it is working out so nicely to me. God is so helpful! I have got 24/7 access to my lab at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM): something i didnt even have at Stanford after Nov 15. BCM is located in Texas Medical Center (awesome place).
Next door is Luke center: it has a chapel: which always has a pastor during the work hours: meaning during the weekdays: u can just go over to get prayers and share with him your burdens!! so cool! Next door is rice university: which is also amazing. At times, i drop by Christian fellowships of Campus Crusade & chi-alpha: they have AMAZING worship sessions.
There is an amazing park (golf course, houston zoo) outside BCM: i take breaks and sit in the park: and yes believe me i get, as if, glimpses of heaven: i forget all my needs: i feel like spending all my time there. Its a perfect place to pray, meditate, spend time with Him and melt away all worries! The reason all worries melt away is because you feel so good immersed in the nature that you dont feel like wanting anything else (well i have only tried that place couple of times, lets see if i get the same feeling in future also ;-). I didnt plan for all these, they just happened as if all planned out by Him (my friends & i did pray for relief from need worries)!!
Houston Christian radio
As i drive back and forth form lab to home, my time is really really blessed with the Christian radio FM 105.7 (only in houston, but everywhere: http://www.khcb.org/)
Zac Poonen's sermons
I found Zac Poonen's verse-by-verse Bible sermons:
http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/verse_by_verse.php
It is amazing! Zac Poonen rocks! He has a very good reputation as a true preacher and if often invited to Abundant Life Christian Fellowship.
http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/verse_by_verse.php
It is amazing! Zac Poonen rocks! He has a very good reputation as a true preacher and if often invited to Abundant Life Christian Fellowship.
my prayer partner
Few months back God blessed me with a prayer partner: Leslie (guy with girls name ;). Since he is retired, he has enabled me to call anytime to share and get prayers. I am so blessed: Leslie is about 50 yrs old and is a veteran believer. He helps me with stories from his entire life (& also life of his mom) about how the Chirstian faith is so true, faithful, & life saving!
I found Leslie, when i visited Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in December to get prayers for rekindling my faith!
I found Leslie, when i visited Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in December to get prayers for rekindling my faith!
some prayer requests
You may pray for me that i will be truely in His grasp (v. imp, as i note that at times i can be very disobedient & try to take things into my own hands) and clearly see Him in my life. There can be moments in my life where i am like: does God really exist..those r the most terrible moments, as i feel very vulnerable then..these sometimes can happen when things don't go my way or i suspect taking bad decisions despite praying. But do praise the Lord that He is really taking care of me in Houston very well!! For example, it just happened that the funding for my project resumed miraculously for a brief amount of time! My roommate is so caring (he feeds me at times)! People in my lab are helping me a lot! And so far i have always been restored very-well from low-periods!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ministries
[Last updated: mar 09]
I have been praying about what my ministries in His Kingdom. I got some words of wisdom, hopefully from Him. It seems for me my ministries start with places where i am put into. I guess the idea is what Jesus said to Peter: "Take care of my sheep"..
-Surprisingly, its only recently, i realized my main ministry is my lab!! Yes people around me are usually non-believers. So its really important how i conduct myself in my lab & treat my labmates, keeping in mind that His will is to bring in His Kingdom into our work-places through believers around!
Now it is becoming more and more clear of the need & importance to invest in becoming good friends with labmates and think&care about them and try to become part of their lives. People around can be very stressed out and do seek for friendly attention.
Also people in any research lab usually have the "publish or perish" pressure, which results in a lot of junk publications! Christians are expected to maintain integrity of character in work and follow 1Kings 9:4: "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee,..."
-Then i realized my home is my 2nd main ministry: i have 2 room-mates: 1 muslim, 1 hindu. One is very stressed out these days with jobsearch. My other roommate is a devout muslim and such a nice guy, that i am learning a lot from him. I think God prompts me a lot to invest in deep friendships with them...
-And my mom, bother, sister, their family in India.
-While driving to work, there is an opportunity to drop by 8-9am, M-F Bible study with homeless in a church for homeless (http://www.lordofthestreets.org/). There is a lot of opportunities out there: like pray for them during & after the Bible study, etc.
-And yes recently i got words of wisdom about facebook ministries (while praying, yeah!). I am working on: "Pray for the World"
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=70687636352&ref=ts
the idea is to regularly pull out issues around the world and post it there, so that people in facebook can jointly pray about them...i am working on it :-)
Another one is a book review of "celebration of disciplines":
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=66244503768&ref=mf
The idea is to share "favorite quotes" from books that i read with others..
While reading "celebration of disciplines", i am becoming very excited about fasting. It does a really good job in presenting the discipline of fasting. At some point when Great Britain was in danger of being attacked by France, the whole country started praying, and the French invasion seemed to have averted. I think one can use facebook to that that!! -- it should be very easy to call people, through facebook, for joint worldwide fasting if some serious world issue comes up!
Facebook evangelism should work out very nicely for people who spend a lot of time on computers (like myself ;).
-As i interact with Christian here, i am realizing how important it is for Christians to go on regular mission trips. Outside US, there are so many places, which need Jesus so much. Hope He would also bless me with mission trips every year.
-Understanding the science behind faith: I noticed that my faith is still very weak. Usually, i have seen, that when something dosnt happen my way, i get distressed and start questioning my faith. It happened again the other day, and i started reasoning if God is real, from a scientific point of view! This came to my mind:
"If there is someone like God who knows everything that is going to happen in future, then it means everything is predetermined. But Bible says that we do have free will & choices to make. Hence how can someone like God exists who knows the future!". Matt from campus crusade, rice u., told me not to loose faith because of it as this is the classical "Compatibilism" issue. He gave me some links to study:
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Free-Will/Compatibilism/
http://www.theopedia.com/Libertarian_free_will
http://www.geocities.com/freewilltheology/foreknowledge.html
http://www.amazon.com/reader/0830826521?_encoding=UTF8
ref_=sib_dp_pop_toc&page=9#rea
der
Since I am a scientist, i think its useful for me to study these kind of things, so that i could help people in my workplace better understand God from a scientific point of view.
I have been praying about what my ministries in His Kingdom. I got some words of wisdom, hopefully from Him. It seems for me my ministries start with places where i am put into. I guess the idea is what Jesus said to Peter: "Take care of my sheep"..
-Surprisingly, its only recently, i realized my main ministry is my lab!! Yes people around me are usually non-believers. So its really important how i conduct myself in my lab & treat my labmates, keeping in mind that His will is to bring in His Kingdom into our work-places through believers around!
Now it is becoming more and more clear of the need & importance to invest in becoming good friends with labmates and think&care about them and try to become part of their lives. People around can be very stressed out and do seek for friendly attention.
Also people in any research lab usually have the "publish or perish" pressure, which results in a lot of junk publications! Christians are expected to maintain integrity of character in work and follow 1Kings 9:4: "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee,..."
-Then i realized my home is my 2nd main ministry: i have 2 room-mates: 1 muslim, 1 hindu. One is very stressed out these days with jobsearch. My other roommate is a devout muslim and such a nice guy, that i am learning a lot from him. I think God prompts me a lot to invest in deep friendships with them...
-And my mom, bother, sister, their family in India.
-While driving to work, there is an opportunity to drop by 8-9am, M-F Bible study with homeless in a church for homeless (http://www.lordofthestreets.org/). There is a lot of opportunities out there: like pray for them during & after the Bible study, etc.
-And yes recently i got words of wisdom about facebook ministries (while praying, yeah!). I am working on: "Pray for the World"
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=70687636352&ref=ts
the idea is to regularly pull out issues around the world and post it there, so that people in facebook can jointly pray about them...i am working on it :-)
Another one is a book review of "celebration of disciplines":
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=66244503768&ref=mf
The idea is to share "favorite quotes" from books that i read with others..
While reading "celebration of disciplines", i am becoming very excited about fasting. It does a really good job in presenting the discipline of fasting. At some point when Great Britain was in danger of being attacked by France, the whole country started praying, and the French invasion seemed to have averted. I think one can use facebook to that that!! -- it should be very easy to call people, through facebook, for joint worldwide fasting if some serious world issue comes up!
Facebook evangelism should work out very nicely for people who spend a lot of time on computers (like myself ;).
-As i interact with Christian here, i am realizing how important it is for Christians to go on regular mission trips. Outside US, there are so many places, which need Jesus so much. Hope He would also bless me with mission trips every year.
-Understanding the science behind faith: I noticed that my faith is still very weak. Usually, i have seen, that when something dosnt happen my way, i get distressed and start questioning my faith. It happened again the other day, and i started reasoning if God is real, from a scientific point of view! This came to my mind:
"If there is someone like God who knows everything that is going to happen in future, then it means everything is predetermined. But Bible says that we do have free will & choices to make. Hence how can someone like God exists who knows the future!". Matt from campus crusade, rice u., told me not to loose faith because of it as this is the classical "Compatibilism" issue. He gave me some links to study:
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Free-Will/Compatibilism/
http://www.theopedia.com/Libertarian_free_will
http://www.geocities.com/freewilltheology/foreknowledge.html
http://www.amazon.com/reader/0830826521?_encoding=UTF8
ref_=sib_dp_pop_toc&page=9#rea
der
Since I am a scientist, i think its useful for me to study these kind of things, so that i could help people in my workplace better understand God from a scientific point of view.
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