Christian Story

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Highest Priority

Dear Advice Lady,

I have never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. The usual signs... phone rings but if I answer, the caller hangs up.

My wife has been going out with 'the girls' a lot recently although when I ask their names she always says, 'just some friends from work, you don’t know them.' I always try to stay awake to look out for her coming home, but I usually fall asleep. Anyway, I have never approached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn’t want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her.

Around midnight, I decided to hide in the garage behind my golf clubs so I could get a good view of the whole street when she arrived home from a night out with 'the girls'. It was at that moment, while crouching behind my golf club bag, that I noticed that the graphite shaft on my #3 driver appeared to have a hairline crack right by the club head.

Is this something I can fix myself or should I take it back to the golf shop where I bought it?  Your prompt reply to this important matter will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Shaiju

Story : Tears Become Worship

Once a Jewish Rabbi started his prayers for the people in the congregation. He wanted that God should listen to his prayers and forgive the sins of all those who had assembled in the synagogue. That moment he heard the voice of God. It was something like this: “Let Tam pray for you. If Tam prays for you, I shall forgive your sins and bless you.”

When the Rabbi heard the voice of God he was terrified. However he gathered courage and turning to the congregation, he asked, “Tam, where are you? Come forward quickly!” The Rabbi did not know who Tam was. As he was waiting anxiously for Tam, a poor man came forward trembling all over with fear and anxiety.

As the poor man was standing there quiet puzzled not knowing why he was called, the Rabbi told him what he heard from God. Tam told the Rabbi, “I will pray for you, let me go and take the prayer.” But Tam returned to synagogue with a small earthen pot in his hand. He raised the pot and prayed like this: “Holy God, You know that I don’t know how to pray. But whatever I have I offer You. This pot contains my tears.”

“When I pray to you in the night, I remember my wife and children. My eyes get filled with tears when I think that they cannot get to Synagogue because they do not have proper clothes. Then I remember the poor people and the beggars. I see how they suffer from bitter cold, scorching heat, hunger and thirst. Then I cry again. Before those tears are dry I remember how we brothers scream and fight with one another. Then again I cry. I further remember how you suffer and cry remembering our trespasses. My sorrow then overflows beyond bounds. All these tears I have collected in this pot.”

The prayer of Tam was heard by God and He blessed all those who were present in the Synagogue.

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The Bible asks us to be always ready because the Son of Man may come at the most unexpected time. Reciting prayers by rote in a mechanical fashion, without meditating upon their content and meaning will not bring Heavenly blessings. Build up your life by meaningful prayers. Become aware of the miraculous strength of prayers. All prayers reach God and He responds.

The divine spirit that flows into us through prayers will help us to face any crisis of life with equanimity and optimism. God knows all our needs. What we need to do is keep close proximity to God. Jesus asks us to pray constantly. It is when we pray for others that God showers us with greater blessings. So let’s become children of prayers.

It is when we pray regularly, heartily and sincerely that God interferes in our lives and good things happens to us. Let us believe in God firmly and behave sincerely with our brethren.

- – - written by Surjith Jacob

The Language of Kuttan

The love of Christ is simple. It does not need apologetics to defend it.

I write this note in honor of an elderly gentleman named Kuttan. Kuttan was an old man in his eighties when he died. I had the privilege of seeing Kuttan few weeks before his death. Kuttan remains in my memories. The language common to me and Kuttan is the subject of this note. It is the universal language that crosses race, religion, culture, age, gender and even language-the language taught by Christ and instilled by the Spirit of God in every human being.

Kuttan was a Hindu. Kuttan did not understand English. Kuttan did not solve calculus. Kuttan never heard about Socrates or Plato. Kuttan never saw a computer. Kuttan did not understand theology or Christian apologetics. Kuttan found Jesus and then Kuttan died. Kuttan’s wife speaks about the God of Christians even today.

Kuttan was a coolie. The British adopted the word coolie from Hindi. Coolie is an unskilled laborer hired for low wages. Kuttan worked everyday as a coolie till he reached mid eighties. He worked as a day laborer till about a month before his death. Kuttan had no life insurance or health insurance policy. Kuttan never had a bank account and did not even know about it. But Kuttan exemplifies everything beautiful about the creation of Christ, the invaluable human soul.

Kuttan was my neighbor in India. My father employed him in our fields. I remember the smile of Kuttan since the earliest days of my life. He was kind. He used to tell us about the best time to plant seeds, to till the land and to harvest. He used to dress the trees and climb the coconut trees. He was a handy man. Sometimes he worked as a porter and carried heavy loads. My parents were teachers. When we were kids, Kuttan or his wife will check on us, if our parents were late to come back from school. He did this in spite of the fact that we had a nanny to look after our affairs.

I went to medical school, migrated to England and later to USA. I forgot Kuttan. I forgot the beautiful world of Kuttan and the land of Kuttan, where time stands still. Kuttan and his wife never forgot me. For Kuttan and his wife, I was their “little Tony”. Kuttan thought in straight lines. I thought in convoluted lines. Kuttan lived in a natural world. I lived in a synthetic world.

I later heard about Kuttan through my sister. My sister, who lives in USA, went to India. She visited Kuttan. Kuttan affectionately asked about me. Kuttan and his wife had many ailments. They were hoping that one day I will return and heal them. Truly, I never thought about Kuttan. I had dead lines to meet and unending examinations to pass. When my sister returned from India, she told me about Kuttan.

Finally, I remembered Kuttan. I remembered my lost innocence. I remembered the faith and hope of Kuttan. Kuttan and his wife hoped and believed that I will return one day to cure them of their ailments. I did return to India. I visited Kuttan. The monsoon was over. Kuttan and his wife were in their hut. The roof was leaking. Kuttan was not working any more. His blood vessels were blocked. A bad ulcer was infecting his bone. We arranged for Kuttan’s medical care.

The nuns in the nearby convent were already visiting Kuttan with food and clothes. The nuns arranged Kuttan and his wife to be transferred to an old age home run by the nuns. Kuttan had told his friends that he and his wife would commit suicide, if he could not feed his wife. The good Lord saved Kuttan’s soul, thanks to the nuns. Kuttan loved the God of Christians. He saw the love of God. Few weeks later, Kuttan died in the old age home run by the nuns. Kuttan’s wife is still with the nuns. She has accepted the gracious love of the nuns, and the love of the God of the nuns.

The love of Christ is simple. It does not need apologetics to defend it. It only needs the heart of Kuttan and the heart of a nun, working together for the greater glory of God.

Love is beautiful. The creation of God is even more beautiful because it manifests the presence of God’s love.

- – - written by Dr. Jacob C Tony

Weakness Can Be Strength

A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

“Sensei,”(Teacher in Japanese) the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched.

Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

“Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

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“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

When it comes to life, for some folks their biggest strength becomes their biggest weakness. For example, as Jesus said about the wealthy man, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” – Matthew 19:24. The eye of the needle was referring to a door in the wall of the city (as it was commonly called) which was too small for a camel to go through, meaning that it was impossible for a person who trusts in his riches—or his fame, personality, power or position—to get into God’s heaven.

On the other hand, when we acknowledge our weaknesses and know that we need to depend on God for guidance, wisdom, discernment, and deliverance from temptation – this can become our greatest strength.

Prayer: Dear God, please deliver me from the sin of pride and help me always remember to be dependent on you for guidance, wisdom, direction, power to overcome temptation, and for my eternal salvation. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trust God But Tie Your Camel

There was once a man who was on his way back home from market with his camel and, as he had a good day, he decided to stop at a Church along the road and offer his thanks to God.

He left his camel outside and spent several hours offering thanks to God, praying and promising that he will be a good person in the future, help the poor and be a righteous man.

When he emerged it was already dark and behold – his camel was gone!

He immediately flew into a violent temper and shook his fist at the sky, yelling: “God! How could you do this to me? I put all my trust in you and then you have done this to me!”

A passing believer heard the man yelling and chuckled to himself. “Listen”, he said, “Trust God but, you know, tie up your camel.”

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Let go and let God.

Letting go and letting God be in control does not mean that we sit around and do nothing, but rather that we act on the promises of God and live them out.

Trusting God means both that we wait on him for guidance and direction – and it also means that we get going in the direction he points us in. Trusting God means waiting on him for direction, and it also means using the minds and gifts that he has given us to head in that direction.

As long as we head in that direction in his strength and not in our own, as long as we continue to trust him along the way and even let him make mid-course corrections, we can be confident that we are trusting him and walking in his power and not our own.

Story: The Secret To Success

By Georgy ------ 1207 views

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A young man asked Socrates the secret to success.

Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. Next morning, they met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water.

The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were there?” The boy replied, “Air.”

Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it.”

There is no other secret.

Please read – Prayer : The Secret of Success