Values - We Live With!!!

When a child is born, who rejoices? The parents, relatives and friends. But who cries? The Child. However, when we die, it should be the other way round. We should be rejoicing and have the satisfaction that we made a contribution to the world and left the world a little better place than we found it.
People names live forever through their good deeds.

"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward
for what he gave." - Calvin Coolidge

How Do We Judge Our Values?
According to Mahatma Gandhi there are seven deadly sins:

• Wealth without work


• Pleasure without conscience


• Knowledge without character


• Commerce without morality


• Science without humanity


• Religion without sacrifice


• Politics without principle
  

Each of these perversions reflects a lack of values. There are two ways by which we put our value system to the test:

1. God Test: Whenever we are doing something, at home or at work, alone or with someone - if values are in question - ask yourself, "If God sees me doing this, would He be happy of me and say, Weldone boy!" or would He be sad about me?


2. People Test: If my people were to see me doing what I am doing, would I want them to see it, or would I be embarrassed?
   

We worry about the declining morals of the younger generation: where will they end up? Values and virtues are not hereditary; they are learned. We need to get our priorities right if we are to infulence the next generations positively.

CHARACTER IS PRICELESS
Our character will be what we ourself choose to make it; because it's not readymade, but is created bit by bit and day by day. It's very well said:

Money lost, nothing is lost

Time lost, something is lost

Character lost, everything is lost.

I feel sad for those of the people who inherit money without values. Without lessons and guidance, they often equate everything with money. They think everything can be bought and sold. People want to be overnight successes at the cost of their conscience and it still doestn't work. That's because true values are priceless. The moment a price is put on values, the values lose their worth. The most precious things in life, money just can not buy. People with character, integrity and the right values are not for sale. Money can buy:

• a good bed, but not sleep


• amusements, but not happiness


• books, but not wisdom


• a clock, but not more time


• companions, but not friends


• cosmetics, but not beauty


• food, but not strength


• house, but not home


• Medicines, but not health


• a ring, but not marriage


• The Bible, but not salvation

COMMITMENT

Commitment is an integral part of a good value system. When your value system is clear it will be easier to make decisions & commitments. Example: you can't keep a friend by revealing to others what he told you in confidence.

Lack of commitment destabilizes relationships and leads to insecurity.

• Parent/child
• Husband/wife
• Student/teacher
• Customer/salesman
• Employer/employee
• friend/friend

Commitment says:

1. I am willing to sacrifice because I care.
2. I am a person of integrity and you can trust me.
3. You can count on me no matter what.
4. Despite pain, I will still be there.
5. I will not let you down in good times or in bad times.

Commitment is a sign of maturity. Relationship, society, teritory are based on commitment, not just on closeness and intimacy. Commitment not kept leads to:

• Broken homes
• Abandoned children
• Unfulfilled life
• Isolation
• Loss of business
• Poor relationship
• High stress levels
• Guilt
• Depression... so on.....

ETHICS

Bad circumstances are not EXCUSES FOR MAKING BAD CHOICES.

Values and etchics are not only designed for good times, but also to get you through bad times. There are two choices- 1) Personal choices(what clothes to buy, what to eat etcs.), and 2) Ethical choices(objective choice between right & wrong or justice). Thats why our conscience hurts when we make an unethical choice and doesn't hurt when we make a wrong personal choice.

Ethics and ethical choices are confusing- only to those with unclear values. Ethics and justice involve: a)Empathy, b)Fairness, c)Compassion for the injured, the ill, the aged, the needy etcs., d) The larger interest of society

Just because a majority of people agree on something doesn't make it right.

TO EDUCATE A MAN IN MIND AND NOT IN MORALS IS TO EDUCATE A MENACE TO SOCIETY.
-Theodore Roosevelt

LIVING WITH A PURPOSE

All of us put on this planet for a purpose. We are part of a big picture. But very few people discover their purpose in life. Most of us just exist and keep counting our days rather than our days count.

I would rather fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than succeed in a
cause that would ultimately fail. - Woodrow Wilson

It is not what we Eat-but what what we digest that makes us strong

Not what we Gain-but what we save that makes us rich

Not what we read-but what we remember that makes us learned

Not what we profess-but what we practice that reflects our Christian Values.

How would you like to be remembered? What is your legacy? Will you be spoken well of? Will you be remembered with love & respect? Will you be missed?

Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord? !

Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17
The question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" is found in Genesis 18:14. The answer to this most important question is found in Jeremiah 32:17, "There is nothing too hard for Thee." Here you have the all important question and the thrilling, certain answer from the inspired Word of God.
Five Things Come To Us Out Of This Text:
1. There is no promise too hard for God to fufill. (Deut.33:27; Number 23:19)

• God sometimes says some things in the Bible He did not say directly to me, but God never utter one word in the Bible that He didn't say for me.(Romans 15:4; I cor.10:11; Titus 1:2)
• What do the Promises of the blessed Word mean to you? (Phil.4:13,19)
• There two specific promises, one for wisdom and the other for power (James 1:5; Luke 11:13), and the promises are just as sure as they have always been.

2. There is no prayer too hard for God to answer.

(When God is going to do something wonderful, He starts with a difficulty. When God is going to do something very wonderful and miraculous. He starts with an impossibility.)

• Almighty God is not limited to circumstances.
• It is God's way out - it is our way in - it is the way over - it is the way of victory

Have you learned to claim the prayer promises? (Jeremiah 33:3; Matt.18:19; 21:22)

3. There is no problem too hard for God to solve.

• Any Christian, if he attempts something for God, comes to great times of crisis in his life.
• But no problem is too great for God to solve. (Psalm 37:3-5)

Everyone gets into Tight places: Gideon did-Abraham did-Moses did-Paul did etcs.

4. There is no place, where God can't send revival.

It's said that in great Welsh revival people did four things:

• They condemned sin in themselves.
• They completely obeyed God in every matter.
• They had a compassionate burden for others.
• They prayed. (II Chron.7:14; Habakkuk 3:2)

5. There is no person too hard for God to save.

The story of the paralytic-the four men brought to Jesus (Mark 2:1-5)

When the plaster began to fall and made all the noise and everybody wondered what was going on except Jesus, and when all of sudden the hole appeared and there was a cot with a man on it and four men sticking their heads in that hole and looking down - I would like to have been down there and looked up and have seen it. These men loved this cripple man - they would have done anything to get him to Jesus.

People around them were questioning them: "where are you going?" "what are you doing?" Someone said, "it can't be done!" someone else said, "now wait a minute- I never saw it done that way before!" Then someone else asked, "wait just a minute - it is going to cost some money to get that hole patched."

(When we start out to do a soul-winning work, there in always somebody to ask, "where are you going to get the money?" Well, they went ahead and opened up the hole anyway! instead they said, "let's be careful. If we drop him, we will hurt him worse than ever!"

And these tender hands let him down through the hole. When he gets down at the feet of Jesus, Jesus looks up, and the Bible says when He saw their faith - not his, their's(four heads peeking through the hole in the roof). He looked down at the man and said, "son, they sins be forgiven thee!" (Mark 2:5)

Finally, let's we all say as Jeremiah said: "There is nothing too hard for Thee."

BEING CONFIDENT IN THIS ONE THING, THAT GOD WHO HAS BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU,
WILL COMPLETE IT (PHIL.1:6)

The Basin and the Towel

... the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve... (Matt.20:28)... Whosoever, therefore, shall HUMBLE himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt.18:4)

Ever since the fall of mankind pride and prejudice became the hallmark of life. Humans lost the divine quilibrium and gave way ton passion for pedigree, lust for power and the desire for material gain. Some felt as if God had taken a voluntary retirement from creation. While others supposed that He is like a sultan in His majesty and power, without any regard for the problems of His creation.

"Who is the greatest" (Luke 22:24)? A query that challenged the standard of success. The pharaohs of this world cried out, "Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?! The Nebuchadnezzar proudly asked, "Who is that God that can deliver you out of my hand?" Humans venerated creation as divine and gave birth to polytheism. The pompous Greeco-Romans, in the first century, interpreted humility and service, only in a derogatory sense. Even today, the trend continues! There are those who pride in their humility and use it judgementally in their relationships with those they regard as not humble. In the Biblical revelation the splendor of God is His humility (Luke 14:11) - a supreme virtue and service (Rom.15:31) as one of those seeming paradoxes (Matt.23:11).

Scripture presents many accounts of Jesus' role of a servant. One in which several powerful lessons are found in Serving, is the allegory of washing the road-dust of the feet of his learners (Jh.13:1-17). They were preoccupied with elements of precedence; as to who should be the greatest in the Kingdom and would be the closest to their Master (Luke 22:24). Feet-washing was below their dignity. While Jesus was contemplating on sharing about His journey to Golgotha, He sensed their attitude. He took off the robe of dignity and girdeed Himself with the towel of service. He stopped to define what was true greatness (Matt.18:4). He restored to an indelible and inevitable example (Jh.13:14-15), authenticating that service rendered in humility is a learned art and that had no affect on His position as the Son of god. It involved considerably more than a mere job description or attending a trade school or earning a degree from a seminary. It came through modeling God's character and altering that into His description.

In the present environment of individualism and spiritual anarchy; the art of serving seems unpleasant and inconvenient to the rational mind. It was not only the twelve who were plagued with an insecurity complex. the rivalry prevails even today, within the ecclesiastical domain. The towel and the basin has been theologized and traditionalized to the extend of jeopardizing its origional intent. The act is performed in several church services, as though it was the fufillment of the teaching of Jesus! His dramatization endorsed His leadership with a spirit of servanthood (1 Peter 5:5). This gave a vivid picture that leaders ought to take off the mantle of religious superiority and submit to God's authority. Prepared to be tailored into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29) and be transformed into His resemblance (2 Cor.3:18).

Today Jesus waits with the towel and the basin, to wipe away the dust and the dirt of all worldly excellence. The degree of expectation is probably far more than what was foreseen in the days of the twelve. He demand calls for an eradication of the professional-the outwardly religious and the status symbols intended to impress (Matt.10:39) and a transfiguration into the towel and the basin spirit in order to serve our fellow-countrymen, baptizing them into the blood of Calvary and turning them into burning firewood of the Spirit.

Isn't It Strange???

• Isn't it strange how Rs.20/- seems like such a large amount when you donate it to Church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?


• Isn't it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don't want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?


• Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at place of worship, and how short they seem when you're watching a good movie?


• Isn't it strange that you can't find a word to say when you're praying, but you have no trouble thniking what to talk about with a friend?


• Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but hoe easy it is to read 1oo pages of a popular novel?


• Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in the Church?


• Isn't it strange how we need to know about an event for the Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjest it for other events in the last minute?


• Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God or to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?


• Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspaper say, but we question the words in the Bible?


• Isn't it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?

For as he thinks within himself, so he is... Proverbs 23:7

• 
  In Your Thoughts Today You Are Building The Blueprint Of What You Will Become Tomorrow! So,discipline your mind.
• The uncontrolled mind has no knowledge of the self. He has no meditation. To the unmeditative there is no peace. And to the peaceless how can there be happiness?
• Though a man go out to battle a thousand times against a thousand men, if he conquers himself he is the greatest conqueror.
• He who reigns within himself and rules his passions, desires and fears, is more than a king.
• A MAN is his own best kingdom. But self-control, this truest and greatest monarchy, rarely comes by inheritance. Everyone of us must conquer himself, and we may do so, if we take the Holy Spirit for our guide and general.
• Man's greatness lies in his power of thought.
• We grow by thinking and not by simply accepting the thoughts of others, even though these thoughts may be noble.
• Ideas rule the world, and all ideas are from the mind.
• A negative mental attitude is one of the primary causes of failure.
• Can you walk on water? You have done no better than a straw. Can you fly in the air? You have done no better than a bluebottle. Conquer your heart; then you may become somebody.

THE PENCIL

The pencil maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. "There are five things you need to know" he told the pencil, before I sent you out into the world. Always remember these and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

ONE: You will be able to do many things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you will need it to become a better pencil.
THREE: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.
FOUR: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
FIVE: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember and went into the box with pupose in its heart. Now replacing the place of the pencil with you:

ONE: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand.
TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time by also going through various problems for you need to become like Jesus.
THREE: You will be able to correct mistakes you make.
FOUR: The most important part of you will be what's on the inside.
FIVE: On every surface you walk, you must leave the mark of Jesus. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

By understanding and recollecting when necessary, let us move in life to fulfill the purpose of God on our life!!!

Failure???

>> Failure doesn't mean - God has abondoned you. It means - God has a better way for you.


>> Failure doesn't mean - you'll never make it. It means - it will take a little longer.


>> Failure doesn't mean - you don't have it. It means - you have to do something in a different way!!!

"No Matter What You Are Facing, There Is Someone Else In The World Who Has Had The Same Past As You And He Has Faced It Successfully And Gone On To Live A Productive Life."

The Prayer of Serenity

God Grant Me The Serenity
To Accept The Things I Can Not Change
Courgae To Change The Things I Can
And Wisdom To Know The Difference.

The Rich Merchant And His Wives

There was a rich merchant who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other man.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the 1st wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied 3rd wife, "Life is so good over here! I'm remary when you die!" The merchat's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife,"I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out: "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his 1st wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I shold have taken much better care of you while I could have!"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives:-

1) The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

2) Our 3rd wife? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

3) The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

4) The 1st is in fact our Soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

"FOR WHAT PROFIT IS TO A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSSES HIS OWN SOUL OR WHAT WILL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL." (MATTHEW 16:26) THE BIBLE

Always Be On Guard

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a Church in Houston, Texas. Some week after he arrived, he had an occassion to ride on the bus from his home town to the downtown erea. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet." When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said,"Here, you gave me too much change." The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? Have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday." When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard-and remember-You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself-CHRISTIAN

Watch your thoughts-they become words

Watch your words-they become actions

Watch your actions-they become habits

Watch your habits-they become character

Watch your character-it becomes your destiny!

STAY FAITHFUL AND BE GRATEFUL..

Powerful Ways To Expand Your Life

• DEFINE YOUR FUTURE:
  Describe the life you'd like to live. The future you see defines the person you'll need to be. Identify the traits and qualities you'd like to acquire. Think bigger than yourself. An acorn that only thinks as an acorn will never become a mighty oak. Strecth yourself. You are undoubtedly capable of more than you ever dreamed is possible for you.
  


• BECOME THE PERSON WHO WOULD ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS: As you develop the skills, knowledge,relationships and demeanour of the 'future you', your goals will be the natural byproduct of your growth. Spend an extra hour each day in the study of your chosen field.
  


• GIVE MORE THAN YOU MUST:
  Nothing advances until somebody does more than they are paid to do. Always deliver more value than others expect. Don't require others to acknowledge3 your generousity. Give with 'Class'.
  


• MAKE TIME FOR WHAT YOU LOVE: If you don't live fully, you deny the world your potential contributions. Your 'play' sometimes contributes as much as your 'work'. What you love reveals the value you bring to the world.
  


• REFINE YOUR INNER CIRCLE:
  We define ourselves through our key relationships. Explore the mix and depth of those with whom youb spend most of your time. Release those who limit you and connect with those who dcan help you live more fully.
  


• RESOLVED YOUR UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Either deal with it or descard it. Say your apologies, face your fears, pay your debths, express your gratitude and get on with living. Don't let yesterday drain value from today and tomorrow. Break out of the limited world of your past and start to grow.
  


• RETHINK EXISTING HABITS AND ROUTINES: Describe your typical day and then reconsider every aspect of it. Change or expand the places you go, people you see, things you do, and the time you devote to each. Try new things, learn a new language, go some place different, do some things you'd typically pass by. Find out what your possiblities really are.
  


• LIGHTEN UP:
  Stop stressing over things that only matter to you emotionally. When life isn't fair to you, get over it quickly. Take your misfortunes as 'course corrections' rather than 'catastrophes'. Let go so you can grow.
  


• TIGHTEN UP:
  Sloppiness in life allows more variables to creep in and spoil your plans. Stay on target, increase your self-descipline, master the art ofv self-motivation. Sometimes details matter a lot.
  


• PROFILE YOURSELF:
  Keep a journal of your goals, concerns, fears and dreams. Revive it at least once a year. Look for patterns that reveal your core values, natural velocity, natural intelligences and recurring situations. Realise how life ebbs and flows for you. Notice the natural cycles of life. Know yourself.
  


• INVEST IN YOURSELF:
  Set aside a portion of each year's income to acquire new tools ans teachers to increase your potential. Refine your systems, get expert coaching, attend special conferences, cultivate a study group, appoint a board of advisors. You are your only true asset. Send part of today ahead to the person you'll be in future.

My Mission Statement

My Mission In Life Is To Glorify God By Seeking To Know Jesus More Fully And Intimately, To Grow In Him And In His Character, To Serve She Broken Hearted And Needy By Sharing The Love Of Jesus With Them And Make Them To Be Healed And Complete In Jesus Christ.

The Statement of Faith

• I believe in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and in the inerrancy of the Scripture, that the Bible, Old and New Testaments in the origional autographs, is the inspired, infallible Word vof God, a complete and final written revelation of God.


• I believe in one personal and holy God, the Creator of all, who is eternal and who manifests Himself in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• I believe that Jesus Christ, though fully God, became a human, that He is the promised messiah, wsas born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His vacarious death on the cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us.
• I believe in the person and work of the Holy Spirit, who indwells, seals and empowers all believers, baptizing them into the Body of Christ. I believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit for all believers who ask in faith, enabling them to preach the Gospel in power.
• I believe that all people by nature separated from God and resposible for their own sin, but by the grace of our Lord, and by trusting in Him, they are saved.
• I believe in one holy universal & apostolic church(the Body), and the Jesus Christ the Head of the Body.

This motivates me to holy living, heartfelt worship, Christian fellowship, believers baptism, holy communion and mission involvement. Amen