THE PARADOX OF OUR TIMES

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints We spend more, but we have less.   We have bigger houses, but smaller families More conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense More knowledge, but less judgement More experts, but more problems More medicines, but less wellness.   We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often We have learnt how to make a living, but not Continue reading →

4 “NOT’s” THAT WILL HELP YOU PROGRESS IN SPIRITUAL LIFE

FEAR NOT:  Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:5, 6. The reason the Christian need not fear is that God is sovereign and in control. II Timothy 1:7 points out that, “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.   FRET NOT:  Psalm 37: 1, 7, 8; Proverbs 24:19. Much of the fear in society today comes because of evil and wickedness, and those who promote it. God’s Word tells us to fret not because of Continue reading →

Reward

I heard about a tree in California, USA which stands on a rocky point overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is a misshaped, twisted and knotty cypress tree growing out of what appears to be solid rock. The winds over the years have blown its branches backward from the sea until they are permanently shaped that way. From the front view the tree looks a single plane along the trunk with all its leaves and branches to the back. People have painted pictures of the tree Continue reading →

Money – a boon or a bane?

I remember as a small boy in our village grandpa hanging flypapers almost every evening. Well, flypaper is an ordinary newspaper with honey-like sweet, sticky substance on both sides. You can see flies coming from all over so enthusiastically saying, “I want the honey, I want the honey.” The fly lands and begins to eat, saying, “I got the honey, I got the honey.” When the fly tries to leave, the paper finally says, “I got the fly, I got the fly.” People just have Continue reading →

Put God First

We have two brothers at City Harvest AG Church, Bangalore; who were working in different places where the staff and boss practiced unjust means of handling and making money. Both of them quit their jobs because it did not suit Christian values. They were unaware of their future but God was faithful, God provided them with better jobs. I know many believers whose conscience made them quit working a Sunday job or whatever was getting in the way of them putting God first, and they Continue reading →

Father’s Love

A father and son were traveling down a country road on springtime when suddenly a bee flew in through the window. As the bee buzzed around inside the car the boy began to panic as he was scared and allergic to bee stings. Seeing the horror on his child’s face, the father covered the son with his jacket and caught the bee in his hand. Within seconds the bee slipped out of his hand and started buzzing again. The son was still terrified of the Continue reading →

Relationship Essentials

Cliff Barrows says that there are 12 words that are absolutely essential for a good marriage. Here they are: I was wrong, I am sorry, Please forgive me, I love you. Any relationship he says has to have those 12 words in it or it simply won’t work. If you have a husband who is so proud that he will never say, “I was wrong,” & you have a wife who is so proud that she will never say, “I’m sorry,” and if you have Continue reading →

I know everything

A 10th standard dropout took a first aid course, and was so proud of his accomplishment in completing it. Soon as he was travelling, he came upon an accident in which a person was injured. He rushed over to where the injured person was being attended to by a woman, and took charge. He shoved everybody aside, including the woman, and said, “Give me room. I’ve just finished a first aid course and I know what to do.” He knelt down beside the injured person Continue reading →

Love

A teacher asked one of her primary students to describe Salt. “Well, um, its…,” he started, then stopped. He tried again. “Salt is, you know, its…” Finally he said, “Salt is what makes French fries taste bad when you don’t sprinkle it on.” Many foods are like that…incomplete without a key ingredient. Imagine pizza without cheese etc. Love is one of the essential ingredients of our Christian life.

In the likeness of Christ

There is a story about a man who had a huge stone in his front yard. He grew weary of this big, unattractive stone in the center of his lawn and decided to take advantage of it and turn it into an object of art. He began to work on it with his hammer and chisel and chipped away at the huge boulder until it became a beautiful stone elephant. When he finished, it was an exquisite piece of art crafted magnificently. A neighbor asked, Continue reading →