@Hari

@Hari 9 December 2024

I Love U! Good morning Everyone! I have been missing for maybe 4years now. Im back to my account, i cannot even remember the seed phrase to my previous wallet. But its ok. I have to connect with new friends and new people, with dynamic mindset. Have a wonderful day.

@Hari 11 June 2021

Part 2: The Certainty of His Coming The certainty of thr Lord's return was continued in the preaching of the apostles and in the written literature which came to be the New Testament. The first example is recorded in Acts 1:11. When Jesus had disappeared from the sight of the disciples, they became conscious of the presence of two men who stood beside them in gleaming apparel and said, "Galilean men, why have you taken your stand gazing into heaven? This Jesus, the One who has been received up from you into heaven, so shall come in the same manner in which you have seen him going into heaven." The passage gives information about the manner of the Lord's return, but the emphasis here is on the ringing certainty of the promise in immediate relationship to the Lord's ascenssion until that day when he will fulfill his promise to return. The same emphasis is reflected in Acts 3:20 in Peter's sermon following the healing of the lame man. Peter stressed the fact that Jesus was the annointed One of God, that he had been put to death, that he had been raised from the dead, and that through faith in him this miracle of healing had been brought about. He challenged his hearers to repent of what they had done in bringing Jesus to his death and told them that the time was coming when God would send Jesus Christ back to the earth to bring a consummation to his purposes. This same theme is also reflected in Peter's epistles. In 1 Peter 1:13 he wrote of the grace that will be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In 2 Peter 3:1-7 he wrote that there were those who deny the coming of Christ, they rather mocked at the idea. Many years had passed since the Lord's death, resurrection, ascension, and the promise of his return. He had not returned, so the enemies of the Christians were scoffing and asking when he would come. Peter, however, noted that God is not limited by concepts as men are. The delay of the Lord's return is not to be interpreted as negligence on God's part but as a challenge for bringing others to know him while there is time for repentance. Finally, he affirmed the certainty of the Lord's return. This idea of the Lord's return is reflected in other passages also. In Hebrews 9:28 there is the statement that Christ will appear a second time. In Hebrews 10:37 a word of encouragement is given: "Yet in a little while he who comes will come." James reflects the certainty of the Lord's return and calls for patience in the light of the Lord's return. In verse 8 and 9 he speaks of it in terms of present reality as he says, "The judge stands at the door." The certainty of the Lord's return is frequently found in his earlier as well as in his later epistles. There are several in 1 Thessalonians, one of the earliest writings. In 1:9-10 Paul referred to the way the Christian people of Thessalonica had returned from the worship of false gods to serve the living and genuine God and "to wait for his Son from heaven." In 2:19 he spoke of them as his hope and joy in both the presence and the coming of Jesus Christ, and in 3:13 and 5:23 he prayed that God would established their hearts, that they might be blameless before God at the coming of the Lord Jesus. In 4:13-18 Paul spoke of the certainty of the second coming in relation to the Christian hope of resurrection. In later writings the same emphasis may be noted. For instance, in Philippians 1:6 there is the assurance that since God has started a good work in the Philippians, he will bring it to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:20 he spoke of waiting for the coming of the Lord from heaven. In Colossians 3:1-4 Paul spoke of the union of the believer with Christ in this life to union with him in his second coming. All these references speak specifically of the certainty of the Lord's return as a basic part of Christian faith in the earliest years of Christian history. Blessings... Lets have a coffee Hari

@Hari 10 June 2021

Part 1: The Certainty of His Coming One theme that runs throughout the preaching and writing of the apostles is the certainty of thr Lord's return. It had its beginning in the teachings of Jesus himself and is reflected in all four of the Gospels. Sometimes it is a teaching which was accepted by Jesus in making an argument or in presenting some other teaching. One of the earliest references is that found in Luke 12:39-40. Jesus was warning his disciples to be watchful for the coming of the Son of man. He reffered to a house master whose house had been invaded by a thief. He said that if the master of the house had known when the thief was coming, he would have been watchful. He followed the story with an application: "Be you also ready, for in an hour that you think not, the Son of man comes." When Peter asked if Jesus meant that parable for them or for his disciples at large, Jesus answered with another story which seems to suggest that "whenever the conditions are met, apply the story." Another occasion when Jesus spoke of the certainty of his coming is recorded in Luke 17:22-37. The Pharisees had asked him when the kingdom of God would come. His answer to them was that the kingdom is an inner spiritual thing, it does not come with outward manifestations. Then to his disciples he spoke of the days that would come when they would desire to see his coming. The major emphasis in this passage is on the self-evident nature of the second coming: when it becomes reality, men will recognize it without having to be informed that it has taken place. However, it is important also that Jesus spoke definitely of his coming as a matter of certainty. In Matthew 19:28 Jesus spoke in terms which assumed his second coming. Simon Peter had inquired about the future of the disciples, for they had given up much to become Jesus followers. Jesus assured Peter that everyone who gives up anything in this life for the Lord will recieve a hundredfold in return in the present, will recieve everlasting life in the future, and when the Son of man sits upon his glorious throne in the consummation of God's purposes among men, his followers will share his glory with him. Another example of Jesus referring to his second coming is the passage which is recorded in Matthew 26:64 and Mark 14:62. The occasion was Jesus trial before the Sanhedrin. When the high priest put Jesus under oath to say whether or not he was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus answered, "I am." He followed this declaration with the statement that he would be vindicated in his claim to be the Son of God when he should come on the clouds of heaven and sit at the right hand of power. This claim to be the Son of God was sufficient to cause the high priest to call for a vote of the court on the matter of whether or not Jesus had blasphemed. Some interpreters understand this passage to be a reference to Jesus work through his disciples while others understand it to be a reference to the second coming because of the statement regarding his "coming in the clouds of heaven," a term used in the New Testament and by the early writers to refer to the coming of Christ. On one notable occasion Jesus discussed the certainty of his second coming in response to a question that was asked by his disciples. The passage is found in parallel in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5-36. The disciples question was related to the destruction of Jerusalem and to Jesus coming at the end of the world. They asked the question in a way that indicated that in their minds the two events would be one, Jesus however, answered in a way that indicated that they were in error and that the destruction of Jerusalem would be one thing and his coming at the end of the world would be another. It is difficult to determine exactly where he stopped talking about one event and started talking about the other. It appears, however, that in Matthew 24:29 to 25:46 the major emphasis was on his second coming. There can be no question as to the certainty in the mind of Jesus of that coming. Blessings... Lets have a coffee Hari

@Hari 7 June 2021

Only in the Mercy Seat When everything is falling is apart. This is a story of battle, nourish by hope, cultivated by courage, and pursuing with love and honor. Nineteen years ago, i have been shot by a gun man without valid reason, i suffer the scars of the gun shot wound, that is real. There comes a time- hatred rule my emotions and thought that i cant survive to life. Only in the Mercy Seat Where Christ seated on the throne, would have peace and joy of eternity. Troubles and pain and agony will come to pass only in the Mercy seat. Come let us Rest at the Mercy Seat.. Lets have a coffee Hari

@Hari 30 May 2021

"Ta Bulol " which means at the pick of the mountain Weeks ago i went to a village called "Ta Bulol" this is a blaan word from a blaan tribe in the Philippines. It added my vocabulary of words, from being familiar with tagalog, english, and maguindanaon. What is the blaan tribe anyway? Base on my personal experience and having several friends from this tribe, i enjoy learning from different world view, it added to the flavor of my complicated life. The Bilaan or B`laan are a tribal community of Southern Mindanao, the name of this indigenous group comes from the words Bla and An, meaning Opponent People. The Bilaans in South Cotabato were renowned hunters and food gatherers, they hunted wild animals and were reaping grains, rootcrops, fruits and herbs in the once vast open space of cogonal land, known as Kolon Datal, nowadys Koronadal City. The Bilaan live in in Lake Sebu and other municipalities of South Cotabato and are one of the major non-Islamic tribal groups in the Southern Philippines.They are famous for their rich and colorful cultural heritage, ethnic art and handcrafts like the brass ornaments and traditional beadwork. Colorful native costumes woven from abaca and decorated with embroidery, buttons, beads and heavy brass belts with numerous tiny bells are worn by the women of the Bilaan, making their approach heard, even from a far distance. The sequin-like capiz shells called takmon are used to give a distinct design and color to their clothes, among the women, the intricately beaded wooden comb, the swat san salah is a must. The Bilaans have their own system of weaving using abaca fiber, before weaving the typical patterns, rituals are held in accordance with the Bilaan culture, but only the weavers know about these rituals and before making any pattern or design divine guidance is first sought. It is believed that the designs were imparted to the dreamer through the l'nilong (fairies), who are considered guardians of nature. Their handicraft and traditional attires are being brought to almost every ceremony and are considered as priceless possessions that are offered as dowries during weddings and used as payment for crimes committed against a person or clan or for settling disputes among warring clans. The Blaan culture is unique, the tribe practices indigenous rituals for almost everything that they do because of their belief on the supremacy of the great Creator named Malu or D'wata, who is the source of everything. The Blaan are strong believers on the interdependency with the environment and must respect the will of the Creator and are not allowed to touch or destroy any creature or object without His permission. They believe that there is only one supreme being that rules the cosmos and in the existence of a soul which upon leaving the body causes illness and even death. Blaan men wear their hair long and have tattoos on their back, chest legs and arms, some of the main characteristics practised by men and woman of this tribe is the shaving of the eyebrows and the blackening of their tongues and filed incisors. Musical instruments, like wooden lutes, flutes and bamboo tubes with strings are used extensively with their rituals and dances. One of the well known ritual dance is the Blit B'laan. a courtship dance of the imitating the movements of the male and female birds during mating season. Among the Bilaan in Southern Mindanao, a handwoven mat spread on the ground or the floor marks a sacred space. A story told on a B'laan mat must tell the truth. It is believed that the good spirits will join the communing human beings. Only when keeping ther faith, otherwise it will not work. These mats are also spread out to mediate conflicts by tribal leaders named Datu or the tribal elders. Close family ties have always been recognized as one of the core values of Blaan families and are deeply embedded in their culture, the life of the Blaan evolves around their family that usually lives within one compound, consisting of more than one spouse and extended relatives living together. To protect their property and to secure themselves from intrusions, most marriages are limited to close relatives, within this community cousins are allowed to marry each other. The Blaan of Southern Mindanao are still upholding their traditional ways of living, their values and their distinctive culture, it is impressive to see how this community can adjust and find meaning in life in this modern Philippines society. Let 's go back to "Ta Bulol" thing, at thr pick of the mountains could there be a lot of life reflections and learnings. We cannot be who we are now without experiencing the falling ground. Perhaps its difficult for so many of us to come at the Pick of the mountain and stay afloat in this very dramatic life. But to the ordinary Blaan people, Ta Bulol is a reflection of faith and values to which the only priceless thing every household may have. Their not a perfect people but i can assure you that if you got them friends they will be share with you the life they are daily lived. Is that simply? Lets have a coffee Hari

@Hari 22 April 2021

Youth: Partners of Sustainable Development During my college time, my shcool organize an oratorical speech, to which all the 3rd year class with English subject has the freedom to join. Im one in the list, in fact made me no choice as it is mandatory for our department to simply join and enjoy the contest. Higher grades, exempted in the final exam, and most specially be posted in the Bulliten, where every student, visitors, parents, and anyone can see and reflected on the board watching your achievement in the lobby area, awaits for the winners. About a hundred of us take the chance, with the panel from other known school in our area. Then finally after the presentation of every contestant including me, what a relief to finish the speech regardless of winning the contest or not, doesn't matter to me. Then, Im much surprise to know that i got the top vote for all the jury...congrats to me. Below is my winning piece. My winning entry during my College Oratorical Speech Today we are living in a world of constant and rapid change that we even sometimes do not notice them. Nowadays we are living in a world that changes very quickly, where globalization makes the headlines with lots of challenges and opportunities. The call for industrialization and development in different countries like the Philippines create a major impact on employment, trade, travel, immigration, and other areas. The global marketplace blurs the lines between national economies, the communications revolution brings together cultures knowledge, and information. Issues that all countries must deal with-health, enviromment, peace and security-are increasingly global. And the ongoing tragedies of persistent poverty, disease, and conflict have become not just humanitarian concerns, but shared problems as they spill over borders and affect countries around the world. The World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." In other words, development must be based on the efficient and environmentally responsible use of all of societies scare resources-natural, human, and economic. If we try to picture out our future, we are living in the world of uncertainty that we the next generation were not sure with what kind of Mother Earth we will abode. The increasing rate of natural resources depletion, the increasing poverty level and morality, pollution, global warming and the lost of biodiversity are some of our problems today. Indeed, sustainable development becomes a challenge for us, a challenge that we need to face and we must have a concrete immediate action on it. To take up these challenges, we need to create new talents, skills and values. This is only possible by taking the responsibility of our future through a personal development and concrete actions, concrete actions that belongs to the new generation our generation. Do you know what? We, young people constitute 30 percent of the total population? If we are 100 million in the Philippines today, we are about 30 million young people who are to face the challenge. On the other hand we seem to feel more when we are young and slowly change into "products" of society, as we grow older. Yet, while being special, we young people are a changing generation. Today, sports and games are being replaced by drugs, gangsterism and fascism, working at home for the family is being replaced with child labor, slaving away at a factory or selling young bodies, and the alertness of our young mind is being replaced by the numbness of malnutrition and starvation. With our current status, can we face the challenge for sustainable development if we ourselves are not prepared. Today's young people do not even have the basic weapon for survival, the tool to combat against poverty the skill and abilities in taking up the challenge for sustainable development. The skill that most of the young people have as of today as stated by our Education Secretary are texting and playing computer games. As an inherator of the planet, we have the right but our right is coupled with obligations. Let us just remain as observers, as problem identifiers. Many of us remain idle. We are country's liabilities not an assets. Dr. Jose Rizal called us the hope of the Motherland, but what a hopeless hope the country can expect from us if we are static and not dynamic. Our government is trying its best to provide the best education for us. In order to prepare us for our future and for our country. But what are we doing? Many of us are not serious with our studies. Our teachers taught us to get involve even in simple ways in protecting our environment. But try to look around, we dispose our garbage anywhere. We know that burning plastics harm the ozone layer yet many among us become the destroyers of it. It ended that we are oartners to a great catastrophe today, the global warming. As a Filipino youth let's do something for our generation and for the next generation. At all level, every individual has to be conscious of this fact and cooperate for a better world. The chances for such endeavor, sustainable development to be realized depend on your willingness, our willingness to participate in genuine partnership for our common good. Let's participate actively, let us be dynamic rather than dogmatic, let's reslond to the problem, and let's change our values. We can do something, we can make great things. We are well positioned to push for change. We have the energy enthusiasm to be the dynamic partners for sustainable development. If only if we will move, if all of us will only get involve, we "The sleeping giant! as what Dr. Joseph Arthur reffered to we can create a great impact for a better a world. As what President John F. Kennedy says, "ask not what the country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country". Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow young people can be a partners for this great endeavor for "sustainsble developement? Yes, you and I the youth can indeed be partners of sustainable development! Have any thoughts? Let's have a Coffee Hari

@Hari 21 April 2021

BCH: May I call you a best friend? Let me define friendship first, for I know-each of us has different definitions of friendship. In my own version: friendship is best describe when tested by difficult circumstances, that which stand strong until such circumstances is over. The character that produces after the hard testing is what remains a living proof of a good friendship. What about best friend? A bit higher than just friends, you could have a lot of friends but you can easily identify who your best friend is. I usually define it by virtue of loyalty. Anyway, how does it related to BCH? This article is about the journey and story of how BCH change my personal life, perspective upon outside world, beyond the world that I know. The Beginning It was the last quarter of 2018 in around October. Did I encounter someone talk about crypto, I never got interest the moment I heard those kind of virtual currency. As I always become conservative type when it comes to foreign and alien things or specially this kind of business venture. Much to that, I could not find someone to educate me with this kind of thing. Also I discover so much scam in my country that I personally get involve in as a victim. With no good gadgets to use to explore or to study, you could not easily judge me with that. Until a neighbor came visit me one-day and share with me about Bitcoin (BTC), and it's a good timing my step brother, allow me to use his old version android. Then I become so obligated to use the cellphone in running online business so I could buy one when he get it back from me. With so many sleepless night-research, discover, learn, and explore. Until I came across an article about read.cash, believe me-i register immediately, with no knowledge about BCH and the whole concept of read.cash, I just did. Good for me, I already have a coins.ph account for my eloading business. Then I'm ready to go. The First Month with read.cash Back then, so many issues the platform is fixing. So many bad writers, manipulation with some other writers etc. I remember enjoying a very small amount of tips from the platform by virtue of Points system. If I would be ask? I could not trade those times from how far read.cash is now. But for sure it's a stepping stone, to be what it must be. I spend a lot of my time posting, writing short or long article. Comments, like, etc. But how did BCH become my best friend? Here is some of the reasons: BCH never disappointed me, it allows me to explore and learn his character freely without fear. Because I never put a money to it. And he gives me much beyond my expectations. With the read.cash platform and noise.cash I can put myself in place daily as I have to plan things to post and write. In my financial hardship BCH saves me. I can withdraw fast and easy. Convert it to cellphone load, or buy something after the convertion of local currency. During the Pandemic time, BCH encourage my potential in writing and expressing myself and boosting my confidence that one day, I could become rich through BCH. My wife also got influence by me after so many arguments. She is now very active in noise.cash and read.cash. Lastly, Im thankful and proud some of my friends also get a share of the goodness and beauty of BCH they are here now and enjoying the SA-social amelioration from it. I never regret being part of the BCH history. In fact I'm thankful and Blessed that I found a friend once upon a time-tested BCH. Best friend tested by time and making it mature. If could have choose early on, I should have started it young as I was. But of course, it's not yet late, for BCH is a best Friend. Thanks You may have your own story with BCH... Let me know Let's have a coffee Hari

@Hari 20 April 2021

The End does not Justify the Means I strongly believe that life on earth is not Fair. Also I believe in the law of mystery, what I'm saying is: there are so many things on earth remains unsolved or mysterious up-to eternity. I would like to share two situational story of my own. Where by the title itself would speak out the unfairness of the earth exist. Twenty years ago, I and my friend went to a village High School for a turnover ceremony of the science tools and equipment donated from other country. My friend was invited to give a word of prayer for some kind of thanksgiving. We then settle for that said, good opportunity. Since my friend don't know the way to the School, I go with him. We arrive at the school as early, than the rest of the executive visitors. We enjoy the occasion, with much of new friends, talking, sharing at the very least of everyone's real life experiences, and specially the food. We take every moment in this occasion as special, without any thought of whats gonna happen after this. The last thing I remember is the photo party. Taking picture seriously from every side or angle just to capture the beautiful experience we have that very hour. Then, we say goodbye to those we newly meet and those our friends already with a smile on every faces that reflect the deepest joy brought from this occasion. We go straight back to our home. But in the middle of our way back, in just a twinkling of an eye, someone on the middle of the road shot us, I just remember hearing 3 or 4 bullets shot. My friend is dead at instant. My stomach hurt much, as I also been shot in the side. I was rush in the hospital, because I'm the one alive and needed to be rescue. Who would explain me clearly this kind of horror? The End does not Justify the Means. My newly graduate brother with a rank of Suma-Cumlaude. Enjoying the rest of his very tiring schooling of GE. And looking for a means to supply his personal needs and expense for the up coming board exam. Take his deal to work while taking the online review. He do his best for the good of his career and to support also our parents. But in the a twinkling of an eye. In one of the ordinary night, he got an accident-he hit an old woman that resulted to her instant death. My brother with all the feeling trauma, surrender to the nearest Police station and imprison for 24hrs. The worst came, when we meet the family side of the dead, they want my brother to pay for Php 250,000. With all our effort and endeavor we have not comply with the said amount. Where would we get this money at that limited time? So many complications. Until we can pay in full then the case is solved. The End does not Justify the Means Let us try to consider and discover some of the important Elements in the true to life story shown above. Does the end justifiable by the means? Or reverse. Does the story truly emphasizes the unfairness on earth exist? Does anybody can somehow skip from it? Any pleasant thoughts, be appreciated.. Let's have a coffee Hari

@Hari 11 April 2021

Would you believe? if I would say "motorcycle" is a killer machine. Some 10 years ago a friend of mine told me, in a friendly conversation that motorcycle is a killer machine. I completely disagree, citing all the possible reason for discussion of my disagreement. Then I think I could have get the reward for my deliberation. But deep inside my intuition also demanded a real investigation. So, I decided to leave it there. Facing reality Week ago my brother on the road going back to his boarding house, taking home his co-worker, driving a motorcycle to which very common in our area. He hit an old lady on the road that night, and instantly died. Immediately the lady brought to the nearest hospital and my brother went straight to the police station-surrendering. It was confirm that due to the physical damage the old lady is dead on arrival. The journey phase 1: That very night, one of my sister went ahead and check on my brother and the actual scenario. Before my brother put in prison, they got a chance to meet the husband of the victim and made a written partial agreement that states that our side will pay all the damages from hospital bill up-to burial. Then put in signatures from both sides, then my innocent brother proceed to the cell. Staying 24hrs as the law requires. The journey phase 2: All the siblings are inform with the accident. Friends and families contributes all the necessary angles of discussion. But none of this is beneficial, only prayers and sympathy could have been enough. This time, every family members from the victim expresses their pain and agony and burden, words that can't bear. We continue on, dispite all this we remain what we believe who we are and what we are in the sight of God and man. Then daily causes us more difficult and trouble, we sometimes come to the point to trade the accident into our side as a victim instead of we the accused. The journey phase 3: Then I decided to go down to my mom and brother for help. Then my other sister the second in family rank take her chance to do as well despite of this challenging time, travel requirements are real. So, in just a day two of us went ahead and console my mom and brother in this problem we all are facing. Sadly the negotiation to the other party is very hard to accomplish. We keep on praying and surrendering to the Lord for this very difficult times. The motorcycle in the Philippines Stimated around 7 million motorcycle in the Philippines year 2020 There are 5-6 thousand death in a year cause by motorcycle. Is this something to consider as plague? Any how, let it remain a mystery, for the world has plenty of rooms to it. The journey phase 4: Until the agreement is not made a final and official document and become the basis of expense computation. The case still in the hands of our loving father. At the moment my brother is trying to recover from this nightmare, only by His grace his able to get through. My mom is also fighting and sometimes pretend to be strong and well. To the victim that until today we feel so sorry and burden that with much prayer only God can fathom. I know perhaps how hard to loss a love one. Let the time be the witness of healing the wounds of pain. What if my friend is right? Any machine can cause good or harm to anyone. The amount of care is important to every use of machine. God's protection is also the top of everything. This is not to probe that my friend is right, I just remember what he told me 10 years back. The pains to the both sides is indescribable. Let God be God to this one. The damages: Life, Emotions, Words release from every mouth can't take it back, Financial, My brothers carrier, The degree of stress, The Friends, Relatives and everyone that become a part of this journey. Any thought of experience? Let's have a Coffee Hari

@Hari 10 April 2021

I was once become the Devil's Egg This is my story, Jhesus is my grandfather, and Pacing is my grandmother. They live in the mountainous part of the country, along the riverside. They have farm that produces - corn, coconuts, vegetables, and fruits. I am living a far away from my grandparents, my only chance to visit them is during summer time. I make sure to spend this season with them. I never thought of anything specially being the Devil's Egg, never have come to my mind this demonic impression of me. Until God allowed me to discover this and see it myself. One day, someone came to Lolo Jhesus , asking him to execute spiritual killing or infect some kind of sickness/discease to the person they hate. Lolo Jhesus required this man to bring him White chicken as an offering sacrifices for the said spiritual ceremony. This is how my grandfather become possess and influence by demonic practices-worshipping evil spirit, execute (barang) or sorcery, feeding regularly with this unseen creature, and giving his attention to it. I don't understand all those things and every execution made by him. Until I reached age 16, a pastor told me what the Bible is telling about unseen forces and the generational curse produce by it. Then he also share the love of God and the saving grace through Jesus Christ who died on the cross, and the deliverance only found in Jesus. then accepted it, following the water baptism that same day. What is the Devil's Egg? It is a psychological effect to a man from birth up-to maturity. A product of spiritual darkness that has been influence and manifested long ago. It is an evil spiritual inheritance passing Through generation to generation. A Devil's Egg birth inside you, taking ownership in your over to God. The Devil's Egg characteristics in man Instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. When I was young, I never done anything very bad, I follow the rules, I always do good things, I study hard, I never become a burden to my parents. But I cannot scape the reality of being the devil's egg, from the evil spiritual inheritance. Until I grow up, I work hard and every endeavor will be fail to nothing, over and over again. I have a lot of question inside me. Until I encounter the real situation of me. From then, I begun surrendering my life to the fullness of God's grace. Victory Being the devil's egg is never easy, you possibly be ok- like me, but the inside intuition of you speaks to the different version of you, then you begin to realize, that your on your battle filled. Only to understand that the weapon is not by might not by power, but by the Spirit of God. Thankfully I came to know the Lord, I think, this is the Victory. Having Jesus and possess by His spirit is the greatest victory. Conclusion: Whatever circumstances you are now, remember that He will carry you, through and through. Any thought? Let's have a coffee Hari

@Hari 6 March 2021

What Does My Grace Is Sufficient For You Mean? ANSWER: It means that God chooses to display His power in us by sustaining us in our weakness. Think about all the ways God displays his power. He controls the raging, torrential storms and the crippling droughts. He causes dictators and kings and presidents to rise and fall. Occasionally, he puts the laws of nature in detention and does the miraculous, like when a woman is healed from terminal Stage 4 breast cancer. God isn’t like the insecure, overly pimpled high school bully who constantly feels like he needs to establish his dominance. He’s quite confident in his power and has an infinite variety of ways he can flex his figurative biceps. Throughout scripture, God makes it clear that we should have a healthy fear of the Lord. All of this makes God’s preferred method of showing off his power rather strange. God’s grace is sufficient, and his is power is made perfect in: weakness brokenness weariness. When Paul begged God to take away his thorn (whatever it was), God said this to him: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Why Does God Use Our Weaknesses? This verse is one of those scriptural double take, spew the water in surprise moments. It doesn’t make sense on the surface. God could have delivered Paul and said to him, “My power is made perfect in my deliverance.” He could have said, “My mighty deliverance is sufficient for you.” But he didn’t. Instead, he left Paul in his crippled state and said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Weakness. God’s power is greatest when we’re at our weakest. And what we need most in our weakness is God’s sufficient grace, not more strength and not a dramatic deliverance. In other words, what we need most is NOT a chance in circumstances. Rather, we need to God’s grace that is sufficient for the very circumstances we find ourselves in. This is so backward from how the world operates. Let's have a coffee Hari

@Hari 23 February 2021

What God Has Joined Together, Let No Man Separate In the graceful Garden of Eden amid the beauties of rolling hills and peaceful plains, singing trees and babbling brooks, chirping birds and fragrant flowers, amid the splendor and wonder of it all, God performed the first marriage. There, above the music of nature and the anthems of angels, the melody of God's voice Sounded, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh" (Matthew 19:5). Mystery In His blessing of that first couple, God pronounced a benediction on every couple: "the two will become one" (verse 5). Millenniums after when Christ was commenting on that ceremony, He declared, "So, they are no longer two, but one" (verse 6). This is the mystery of marriage. At the start of the ceremony, the partners proceed to the altar as two, but at the close of the service, they depart as one! "They are no longer two, but one" (verse 6). How can that be? The apostle Paul, greatest Christian theologian of all time, stood in awe declaring,"This is a profound mystery" (Ephesians 5:32). In the Christian experience, there are many mysteries: creation, incarnation, conversion, conception. Mysteries! We can't explain them, but we can experi- ence them! Marriage is a mystery. As there is one God in three Persons, varied in function but united in loving purpose, so in marriage two persons become one in the purpose of love. This oneness in marriage is both instantaneous and continuous. On the very day of their wedding, they become one by divine pronouncement. But in the days and years beyond, they become one by human adjustment. This unity is both a product and a process. Permanence Immediately after His affirmation of marriage, Christ uttered a condemnation of divorce. "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6). From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible's central message is: Gob is love. However, within the Scriptures we note that there are some things that God hates. And one of these is divorce. "So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. That divorce,' says the Lord God of Israel" (Malachi 2:15,16). And why does He hate it? Because it contradicts His plan for the permanence of marriage. "Till death do us part," is a part of God's plan. Satan, as usual, has a different plan. The devil specializes in broken homes and broken hearts. He delights in divorce. He enjoys the traumatic anguish of estranged partners. He rejoices in the emotional abuse the children suffer as they internalize the strife of their beloved parents. He revels in hate, for is not that the opposite of love, which is the very character of God? When the Pharisees kept up the divorce dialogue with the Master, He made a severe statement: "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery" (Matthew 19:9) So, in the mind of God, there is only one acceptable condition for the dissolution of marriage: sexual unfaithtulness. Marriage has has twofold validation. It is and it is recorded in heaven. Consequently, divorce needs the and same twofold validation: recognition on earth and ratification in heaven. Jesus stated the single condition for heaven's acceptance. So, if there is a dissolution by the court of earth without affirmation by the court of heaven, one is forced to ask the question: Is such a divorce valid? As in every area of life, God does not hold a person responsible for the wrongs done in ignorance. "In the past, God overlooked such ignorance" (Acts 17:30). But when a person understands the will of God, the Lord requires conformity to His will from that day forward. His message to people who are serious about salvation is: "Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11, Kv). Healing How can someone feeling the pain of divorce experience healing? First, all unfinished spiritual business should be attended to. We should seek for and accept God's forgiveness for Whatever part we played in the dissolution of the marriage. "Come now, let us reason together says the LORD. Though your sins are like Scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). If we ask Him, God will grant pardon. When we have the assurance that He has forgiven us, we get the basis and the courage to forgive ourselves. As we pardon ourselves, the burden of guilt will disappear, and we can live with ourselves. The result is inner peace. "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God" (Romans 5:1). Forgiveness has another dimension. It should be extended to the former spouse if he or she has been an offender. Sometimes it is hard to forgive, but Jesus reminds us that "if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15). In fact, even when pardon is not requested, it should be granted. Isn't that what Christ did? (Luke 23:34). Then we need to proceed with optimism. We need to pick up the pieces and move on with our lives. Like Paul, we should say, "But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark" (Philippians 3:13,14, KJv). We should set new goals, chart a new course of action, and face the future with confidence. In this, a different state of "singleness," some of the guidelines in chapter 4 of this volume may prove helpful. At times, the struggle will seem to be overwhelming, but we should ever remember that when no one else feels our pain, God does. He too experienced the hurt of separation. When Israel, His beloved, finally rejected Him declaring "We have no king but Caesar," while they cried, "Let his blood be on us and on our children" (John 19:15; Matthew 27:25), Jesus wept. His Holy Spirit is our Comforter (John 14:16, KJV). In-Laws There are various people who possess the potential for aiding the dissolution of marriages. Among these are the in-laws. Some in-laws are distinct assets, and couples need to be grateful for their Wise support. Other in- laws, however, are unintentional liabilities. While the intent maybe harmless, the outcome may be harmful. Let us go back to God's Edenic command. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife" (Genesis 2:24, KIV). Sometimes, couples fail to "cleave" because they fail to "leave." This leaving, first of all, is physical. It is of distinct advantage to newlyweds to move to their own independent housing facility, regardless of how humble such may be. There, the husband is king and the wife is queen, even if they have nothing to reign over! This freedom of space is necessary to a couple finding their sense of identity. But the leaving should be more than physical. It should be also mental. The couple should think independence. When misunderstandings arise-as they sometimes do- there is no room for running back to mama. When problems arise-as they sometimes will-there is no place for seeking intervention from papa. The couple, under God, must confront their own frustrations and find their own solutions. At times, advice may be sought, but decisions must always rest with the couple. In their senior years, in times of bereavement or in reasons of loss, it may be necessary for a couple to take care of an aged in-law. In such a case, it is better that the in-law resides at the couple's house where they are in charge, rather than the couple live at the in-law's house where there is the likelihood of the latter's control. When such an action is contem plated, spouses should ensure that there is mutual understanding . Third Party Another frequent source of divorce is the "third party. Because close friendships formed in social, business, and professional life possess the potential for sexual intimacy, one has to be careful lest the intriguing "pet snake "matures into a monster causing marital death. Scripture says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for Someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). God's plan for humanity is: One man; one woman. He clearly demonstrated this in Eden. Although the Creator desired the population of the planet (Genesis 1:28), and although the newly created man had both the physical capacity and the material resources to maintain more than one mate, God provided Adam with only one Eve! He knew that true love and maximum happiness required a monogamous relationship. Abraham tried an alternative-- one accepted by the society of his day. With his wife's cooperation, he took a concubine. But it was not long before his home became a battleground (Genesis 16 & 21). That battle between the descendants of Hagar and Sarah has continued through the centuries of time in Arab-Israeli relationships. Solomon also ran his experiment with a network of royal wives that brought him both ruin and regret (1 Kings 11). When he came to his senses, he declared, "Meaningless! Meaningless!... Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless" Ecclesiastes 1:2). Two Components for Marriage Survival Human Will But the persons possessing the greatest power for the destruction of a marriage are the partners themselves. For regardless what others do, it is the couple that makes the decision for the life or death of their marriage. We have already said that the creation of a marriage requires two elements: the human and the divine. We have also seen that the dissolution of a marriage requires these two Components: the human and the divine. In like manner, the survival of a marriage requires the same two elements: the human and the divine. The human element is the will. Some couples enter marriage with no will to make it work. They say something like this: "Let's give it a try. If it works, we'll stay; if it doesn't, we'll go." With such an attitude, chances are that it would not work! There's no will to make it work. There's no commitment. Other partners enter the relationship saying, "It must work! Whatever, the challenges, we must find a way to make it work." They begin with a will, a conviction, a commitment. A couple needs to will to make their marriage work. Partners need to will to put the principles we are studying in this volume into practice. Spouses need to will to love and keep on loving. Someone has pointed out that love is not only a noun-a name word;it is also a verb-a doing word! It is not just something to be defined; it is something to be done. Couples need to use their wills to keep on saying, "I love you." This power of the human will is infinite. God Himself said so. Describing the potential of sinners gathered around the Tower of Babel, He declared, "nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them" (Genesis 11:6). Jesus affirmed that fact. Speaking of the mustard seed faith which could remove mountains of difficulty, He said, "Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). What limitless potential! On the wedding day, we said, "I do." Every day, we need to say, "I will!" Divine Power We said that the survival of a marriage requires two components. The second indispensable element is God's power. Human will alone will not succeed. Why? Because on the river of marital life, the couple is always rowing upstream, against the strong currents of Satan's power. And sooner or later, partners get tired. The great need is the divine Third Partner who possesses spiritual power greater than that of the devil. That partner is Jesus. Christ delights in making marriages work. A marriage was the object of His first miracle, and our marriage can be the object of His miracle today if like the couple of Cana we invite Him not only on our wedding day, but every day. Every morning and every evening we may kneel together and pray together. And if one spouse has no such interest, the other can still do it alone. There is no limit to God's power to save marriages today. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 1926). "For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). "What is impossible with men is possible with God" (Luke 18:27). Towering above the centuries of time, the statement the Savior still stands: What God has joine together, let man not separate" (Matthew 19:6).The two keys of human will and divine power eys can of open the gates of infinite potential. Recommitment There is another union which was consummated in Eden. At the end ot creation, there was a celebration. Jesus Christ, Himself the Creator (John 1:1-3), instituted the celebration (Genesis 2:1-3) So, in that gorgeous garden, the testimony of Scripture is that they were united, are united, and will stay united forever. "Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate." When, in the process of time, the peoples of earth forgot that ceremony in Eden, a service of recommitment took place at Sinai. There Christ appeared in power and glory. Through out Israel's wilderness sojourn, the Lord ministered to them. When Moses asked Him for His name, He told him that His name was "I AM," the Eternal One (Exodus 3:14). And When the Pharisees questioned Hs divinity, He responded, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8.58, NKIV). This I AM, the Eternal of both the Old and the New Testaments is Jesus Christ. The Shadow Some people believe that there Was a divorce at Calvary. 'They Produce the evidence of ColossiansS 2:13-17. "He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross...therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." It refers to a system that served as a "shadow" of the Savior. This shadow of the cross was painted in the services of the Israelite sanctuary. There were three areas in that sanctuary. In the courtyard were the laver and the brazen altar of sacrifice. In the Holy Place were the golden candlesticks, table of shewbread, and the golden altar of incense. In the Most Holy Place was the ark, covered by the mercy seat, overspanned by golden angels under whose wings Christ was visibly manifested by the Shekinah light. There were daily services performed by the priest, and yearly services conducted by priest and high priest. Every day, sinners brought their sacrifices. In the courtyard, the repentant sinner placed his hand upon the spotless lamb, confessed his transgressions, and killed the innocent substitute. The priest took some of the blood into the Holy Place and made an atonement. Once every year, there was a Day of Atonement. A special service on this day conducted in the Most Holy Place, ensured, in symbol, that the sins of the whole year were forgiven. The date was the tenth day of the seventh month, and that special day was called a sabbatk "The tenth day of this seventh mont is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly..do not work on tha day.it is a sabbath of rest for you Leviticus (23:27, 28, 32). Seven feast days are listed in Leviticus 23: The Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of First Fruits, Feast of Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and first and last days of the Feast of Tabernacles. These sacred holidays were holy days and were called sabbaths. They were days for rest and worship, and they oCcurred only once a year, like our Chrısimas or Easter. These sabbaths belonged to a system which was a shadow of the Savior and they ended at the cross. No Divorce After 1,500 years of such ceremonies, Christ, the true Lamb of God, was slain on the altar of Calvary. At His death, He cried, "It is finished!" John 19:30). And immediately, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51). The whole ceremonial system ended. Christ "took it away, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14). Therefore, today we need no ark with a mercy seat, for God's throne of grace grants mercy (Hebrews 4:16). We need no shewbread, for Christ is the Bread of Life (John 6:48). We need no candlesticks for Jesus is the Light of the World John 9:5). We need no incense, for Christ's merits is the perfume (Ephesians 5:2). We need no yearly sabbaths, for Christ is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7), and His Holy Spirit is our Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). We need no lamb, tor Jesus is the Lamb (John 1:29). We need no altar, for Calvary was the Altar (Luke 23:33). We need no priest, for every believer is a priest (1 Peter 2:9). We need no high priest, or Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). Side by side, hand in hand, it is the privilege of each couple to walk together down the corridors of time. But more than that, it could be the pleasure of every couple to walk down the aisles of eternity. Just imagine yourself walking with your family along the streets of that city. What a celebration that will be! Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 18 February 2021

Effective Communication is Vital To All Marriages It is estimated that at least 70 percent of the problems that plague marriages today are centered in communication. After all, as long as couples are still communicating, isn't there the possibility that they can resolve these problems? Let us explore these secrets. Secrets of Effective Communication Share Feelings The first secret of effective communication is to share feelings. John Powell identifies five levels of communication." STRANGERS LEVEL. The lowest level, level five, is the cliché level, "How are you?" I'm okay." We may term this superficial level, the strangers' level, for strangers talk that way. It is only ordinary chatter. ACQUAINTANCE LEVEL. At level four, the couple shares facts about other people. For example, "The Smiths are getting a divorce." This may be called the acquaintance level, for people who are casually acquainted with each other may share information about other people, but they are not sharing any part of themselves. Friends Level. Let us call level three the friends level. Here the partners, like two good friends, are willing to discuss ideas. I think we ought to stay home tonight." They are willing to share values, ideas, and judgments. But this is primarily an academic exercise since their true feelings are still kept secret. Unfortunately, most couples reach no further than this stage. True Lovers Level. It is at the second level that true communication takes place. That is where spouses share their "gut" feelings and express emotions. "I feel like a doormat! You are gone, and I am left with this baby every night!" Here husband and wife share their inner selves-"angry," "depressed," "confused," "excited," or whatever it may be. We may term this the true lovers level, for it is only at such stage that love can flourish. At this level, it is notjust the facts that count; it is also the feelings that are important. It is not only a work of "the head"; it is also the work of "the heart." This is more than discussion; it is dialogue. Super Lovers Level. Level one is peak communication. It is experienced on those rare occasions of ultimate intimacy. Shall we call this the super lovers level? These are the unforgettable moments when we confide in each other our deepest thoughts and inmost feelings-heart to heart. Communicating our true feelings is not easy, and does not come naturally. It is a skill that needs to be learned with patience and perseverance. But we communicate meaningfully only when we take the risk of revealing our inner selves and sharing our real feelings. Even Jesus, in His hour of crisis, felt that impelling urge to share His deepest feelings With someone He loved. Taking His three special friends aside, He cried, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me" (Matthew 26:38). If He felt the need to express His inmost feelings, surely we have that need to communicate ours. Feelings may be expressed in either of two modes: "You-statements" or "I-statements." A "You-statement is a statement of condemnation. It places blame for the feelings of one on the behavior of the other. "You're only making me mad!" "You're spending too much time with Janie!" Such expressions provoke anger, for they point the finger of accusation. On the other hand, the "I- statement" is a statement of confession, for it expresses how I feel without saying explicitly who is the cause or Such feelings. For example, "I feel very angry over the amount of time being Spent with Charlie." "I-statements are a very effective mechanism for Communicating our feelings. Perceptively, the prodigal son planned his speech for resolving the family conflict with the use of an "I-statement. I will arise and go unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sin against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son" (Luke 15:18, 19, KJV). Active Listening Active The second secret of effective listening would seem that in the divine design, we are supposed to listen more than we speak, for while a person has one an tongue, he has two ears! Take note of this," says the apostle James, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" James 1:19). What is active listening? It is hearing more than the words that are spoken. It is perceiving the feelings that are hidden behind those words. As Peter Drucker said, "The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said." The anatomy of communication indicates that when a message is expressed, only seven percent of its effectiveness is in the actual words, 38 percent of the message is communicated by the tone of the voice, and 55 percent by the body language! This concept is vividly illustrated in an incident recorded in Luke 5. Peter and his partners had fished all night and caught nothing. Then in the full light of day, Jesus directed them to let down their nets, and a miracle occurred-a gigantic catch of fish. Peter was overwhelmed. Bowing at the Savior's feet, he declared, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man" (Luke 5:8). But did Peter really want Christ to depart from him? Of course not! While his verbal statement was, "Go away from me," his tonal message and his body language declared, "Please stay with me forever." And Christ listened actively. He didn't depart from him. While it is vital to master the art of expressing feelings, it is equally important to perfect the science of active listening, for these are indispensable keys of effective communication, and communication is crucial to conflict resolution. These keys possess the potential for unlocking the mysteries of any marriage, opening the prisons of parenthood and releasing relationships at all levels of society. THREE "A's." But communication is not only indispensable to persons working through the challenges of conflict; it is also invaluable to partners seeking the the experience of marriage enrichment. Let us look at three A's that need to be Communicated. COMMUNICATE ACCEPTANCE. No one measures up to every spouse's expectations. All of us have areas of limitation and room for growth. However, it is a law of life that while growth is dwarfed in the sands of criticism, it is fostered when fertilized with acceptance. Too many spouses communicate criticism and even rejection, then wonder at the partner's negative growth rate. On the other hand, the communication of acceptance nurtures self-worth and creates an environment for positive growth. In the film Johnny Lingo, Mahana is deemed to be almost worthless. While many a father in that culture is offered three or four cows for the hand of his daughter in marriage, Mahana's father would accept anything to get rid of her. Then to everyone's surprise, the handsome, wealthy Johnny Lingo offers eight cows for the hand of Mahana! This is the highest dowry in the history of the island! When Johnny and his wife returned to the island after their honeymoon, the villagers are dumbfounded. Mahana is the epitome of beauty, poise and charm. Then Johnny shares his secret: the size of the dowry affects the self- worth of the lady. When Mahana realized that she was the most prized woman in the eyes of the villagers and in the eyes of her husband, she rose to the heights of expectation. COMMUNICATION ADMINISTRATION. Every human being has something worthy of admiration, and each spouse should consistently communicate appreciation of those that are admired. This process carries a double blessing. While the listener is benefited because his or her self-esteem is enhanced, the speaker is also blessed because he or she experiences an inner reinforcement of the worth and preciousness of the spouse. In the beautiful biblical love song, Solomon takes great care to communicate his admiration for his Shunamite bride. "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves... Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon,... Your two breasts are like two tawns,.. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:1,3, 5,7). Then the Shunamite dreams that their marriage is in trouble and the maidens inquire: "How is your beloved better than others?" (verse 9). This question challenges her to do a fresh evaluation of her mate ana she breaks forth into her chorus or praise. "My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand. His head is purest gold,.. His eyes are like doves by the water streams,.. His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely" (Song of Solomon 5:10-13, 16). COMMUNICATION AFFECTION. usually before marriage there is no shortage of the expression of love, but atter the matrimony, there is a scarcity. Each spouse should make it a point of duty to express love to the other frequently. When we examine that love song, the expression of love is profuse. As the husband declared, "How beautiful you are my darling! oh, how beautiful" (Song of Solomon 1:15) the wife replied, "Howhandsome you are, my lover! oh, how charming!" (verse 16). It is worthy of note that they call each other by terms of endearment. His favorite appellation is "My love," and hers is "My beloved" (Song of Solomon 1:9;2:10; 5:2, 16, NKJV). In the anatomy of both male and temale, there are special organs of ntimacy. But two of these that are widely overlooked are the tongue and the ear! These are powerful organs of bonding that help the two to be one-in flesh and in spirit. Phenomenon Not only is communication Crucial to the survival of the home; it also vital to the survival of the church. Nineteen centuries ago, the church experienced a communication of phenomenon. As the united body of believers waited and prayed for promised power, "suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" (Acts 2:2-4). Swiftly the news spread through the city, and people came to see. These onlookers who had come to Jerusalem for the annual Feast of Pentecost were "God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5). When they assembled, they stood in wonder because "each one heard them speaking in his own language" (verse 6). That first Pentecostal congregation did not speak in unknown tongues. They spoke in known languages. Those tongues were languages that were spoken, known, and understood by the various groups that constituted that international audience. The record says that the listeners were "utterly amazed" and asked each other, "How is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?... We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" (verses 7, 8, 11). Why did God perform that linguistic miracle, empowering unlearned" disciples to speak in the languages of their day? His twofold purpose was to call attention to the dawning of a new era for His church-the age of the Spirit-and to facilitate the speedy and effective communication of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the peoples of the world. Communication Crisis About 25 years after Pentecost, the church at Corinth was in crisis. While Pentecost was a manifestation of known languages understood by the listeners, Corinth saw a demonstration of unknown tongues that were not understood by those who heard them. The Corinthian experience comes near the glossolalia (gift of tongues) of our day. THE PROBLEM OF COMPREHENSION. The Church became, as Paul termed it, a congregation of foreigners. "If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, l am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me." Then, could the listener intelligently "say, 'Amen' to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?" And what about the visitors? When "some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" (1 Corinthians 14:11, 16, 23). THE PROBLEM OF CONFUSION. They sounded like instruments of an orchestra which had no harmony, giving no clear sound. They were just "speaking into the air" (1 Corinthians 14:9). So, the apostle addressed the issue in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14. He stated three vital theological thoughts. One, in the hierarchy of spiritual gifts, tongues is the last (1 Corinthians 12:28). Two, all believers do not speak in tongues, because all do not have the same gift. By the use of rhetorical ques- tions, he showed that just as all are not apostles, and all do not work miracles, so all do not speak in tongues (verses 29,30). Three, it is the Holy Spirit who decides which believer gets which gift. He gives to one the message of wisdom; to another gifts of healing; to another prophecy; to another, speaking in the different kinds of tongues (verses 8-10). It is the same spirit who gives dif ferent gifts to different people "as he determines" (verse 11). After expressing these theological thoughts, Paul gave practical directives. Three specific points are stated in 1 Corinthians 14:27, 28. First the maximum number of articipants speaking in tongues in any church Service should be at least three. "If anyone speaks in a tongue, two -or at the most three-should speak (verse 27). It should never be whole congregation. Second, these two or three should not talk together. They should only speak "one at a time" (verse 27). Third, someone must interpret" so that others can understand. Then the apostle declared, "If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church. "(verse 28). He may speak privately "to himself and God" (verse 28) but he verse 28 should be silent in church. 1 Corinthians 13 is found in the center of this theological dialogue, for it is the very heart of the solution. The master key for resolving the Corinthian communication crisis is a spirit of love. Guiding the believers beyond their babbling, wrangling, and misunderstanding, Paul leads them toward the summit of a solution when he says, "And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). Then he bursts forth into his immortal psalm of love. He starts with the supremacy of love. Love is sweeter than the songs of angels, greater than the gift of prophecy, deeper than the mysteries of science, and stronger than the faith that moves mountains. It is richer than philanthropy, it is mightier than martyrdom. Then he lists the attributes of love. "Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self- Seeking, it is not easily angered, it Keeps no record of wrongs. Love does the truth. It always protects, always not delight in evil but rejoices witn trusts, always hopes, always perseverses" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Finally, Paul underscores the permanence of love. Prophecies will be fulfilled, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass away, but "love never fails" (verse 8). Three great powers remain: "faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (verse 13). Spirit of Love This is the final secret of effective communication-a spirit of love. Such love will do miracles anywhere- in the community, in the church, but more so, in the home. This love will empower communication, resolve conflicts, and enrich relationships. But where do we get such a spirit of love? As 1 Corinthians 12:31 indicates, it is a gift of the Spirit, the supreme gift. It is the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22), Since God is love (1 John 4:8), when we open our lives to Him and permit His Holy Spirit to come in, we receive His Spirit of love. If we pray for this love, we will accept it! I love the picture Jesus painted in Matthew 18:19, 20. "If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." When I wasa child, the old church leader quoted that text to console himself and his congregation when church attendance was small. But these words are not limited to the church; they are equally applicable to the home. Isn't a husband and wife "two of you?" Isn't a parent and a child "two of you?" If any "two" ask for this spirit of love, they will receive it. Then may our prayer be, "Dear God of love, please give us Your Spirit of love that we may learn to communicate love to each other in the way we talk and the way we listen. Then help us to share that love with others, in Jesus' name." Amen. Let's have a Coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 16 February 2021

Who Is The Boss: Husband or Wife? Once there was a husband who believed he was the boss and he devised a plan to prove it. Every day he gave his wife a beating. Day after day, this woman wailed and wept. Then, when she thought she could endure it no longer, she poured out her heart to her sympathetic neighbor who gave her instant advice. "Surprise him!" she counseled. "Keep a stick by the door, and before he hits you, you hit him!" "Oh, no," cried the wife, "if I try that, he'll kill me." "Coward!" came the reply, you'll be beaten to death anyway." Well, after some contemplation, the battered woman decided to take the chance. With dread she prepared her stick, and with deep anxiety she put it in its place. As the husband heralded his approach, she tremblingly took up her position, and as soon as he opened the door, she raised the stick! The Boss Surprised and terror-stricken, the man turned around and started to run. Surprised and delighted, the woman raced after him. Round and round the house they ran, while the neighbor who offered the advice watched the excitement with delight. Getting tired of running, the husband raced into the house with the wife in hot pursuit. Through the living room and into the bedroom he ran. Then, in desperation, he crawled under the bed. When the woman realized that she was in total control, her courage knew no bounds. Poking at him with her stick as he crouched under the bed, she uttered her threat. "Come out mister, come out! Come out so I can beat you up!I've been beaten too long; now let me do the beating." Finally, the husband found his voice. Opening his mouth he shouted, "Woman, let me tell you something. Im the boss in this house, and what I say is law! You say 'Come out, but remember, I'm the boss! And I say, I'm not coming out!" Well, what a boss! It is important to observe that nowhere in the Bible is the husband called "boss." The Scripture says that the husband is the head. "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church" (Ephesians 5:23). What are the roles of this head of the home? Roles of the Husband Provider First of all, he is the provider. To begin with, he provides money. While in somehomes both partners are earners, catering for the financial needs of the family is primarily the responsibility of the husband. The Scripture commends such ity provision, condemning the one who neglects it as being "worse than an infidel" (1 Timothy 5:8, Kv). Then he provides protection. As the earthly savior of the family (Ephesians 5:23), he supplies safety. But even more than outward safety, the family needs a sense of inner security. So, the head provides a sense of belonging, the security of a commitment. He also provides leadership, a sense of direction. Of Abraham God said, "He will direct his children and his household after him to keep the wav the way of the LORD" Genesis 18:1 . In short, as head of the home, the husband provides an environment that is conducive to the growth and development of his wife and children. Greater Lover Not only is he the head in Greater Lover his family, the husband is also head nistering to the material needs of in catering to the intimate, emotional needs of the home. And the supreme need of every tamily is love. In the eyes ot humanity, the wife is the sweeter lover, but in the eyes of divinity, the husband is to be the reater lover! "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25). And because he loves his wife, the husband will never abuse her. He will not inflict physical or emotional abuse. Even when the Church disgraces Christ, He never abuses her. Why? Because He loves her, because she is a part of Him, His own body (verse 30). Whenever she hurts, He hurts. "In all their distress he too was distressed" (Isaiah 63:9). The apostle Paul stated it this way: "After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves ns wife loves himself" (Ephesians 5:28-29) The husband's love should be stronger because he represents Christ. While the church's love for Christ's is great, Christ love for His church is greater, sweeter, fuller, richer! It is a self - denying, self- abnegating, self-sacrificing love, a love that was willing to give up life itself for the one He loved. Using this divine example, the Scripture says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (verse 25). Chief Priest But the role of the head rises even higher. Not only does he provide for the material and emotional needs; he also makes provision for the spiritual needs of his household. He is not only a provider and lover; he is also an intercessor. Before Calvary, there was an intricate system of worship centered in the sanctuary. There was the ark, the mercy seat, and the Shekinah. There was the table of shewbread, the golden candlestick, the altar, and the incense. There was the sacrifice, the priests, and the high priest. But at the cross when Jesus uttered the words, "It is finished," and the veil of the temple tore from top to bottom, that whole system collapsed. Today, we need neither candlestick nor shewbread, altar nor incense, sacrifice nor priest. Christ is our High Priest, and every believer is His own priest. "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). Every person can approach the throne of grace directly and confidently (Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, in the family of God, the wife is a priestess and each child is a priest or priestess. And as the head of the home, the husband is the chief priest. Morning by morning, and evening by evening, he gathers the family of priests to offer their sacrifice of prayer and praise. To put it differently, the the husband should serve as spiritual leader of the home, gathering his family for morning and evening worship. As they sing, as they study the Word of God, and as they pray, they are erecting the family altar. This is not a literal altar of wood, marble or stone; it is a spiritual altar of study, prayer, and praise. As the head of the home, the husband empowers his house to be a house of God. As chief priest, he enables his family to be a family of God. Roles of the Wife Equality If such are the roles of the husband, then what are the roles of the wife? While the husband is the head, the wife is the heart! For are not these the two centers of control for the body? In a sinless world, God made the first woman by taking a rib from the man (Genesis 2:21, 22). He did not use a bone from Adam's head, nora bone from his foot, but a bone from his side. The divine plan was that husband and wife should stand as equals, side by side. It is interesting to observe that in God's desire to create humanity "in His own image," He found it impossible to produce His qualities and abilities in a single human being. So, He distributed these between male and female. It is only when "male and female" are com- bined that we get a picture of the "image of God" (Genesis 1:27). Consequently, it is when the perspectives of husband and are consolidated that a couple wi egins to comprehend the will of God. Since both spouses are made in His image, with brains to think and minds to create, both should enter the problem-solving center with the freedom to do analysis, share ideas, and offer solutions to the issues confronting the family. The thoughts of one should be regarded as being as worthwhile and as valid as the thought of the other. Discussion should begin with two open minds, each ready to listen actively and honestly to the submissions of the other, and dialogue should close with a choice of the better idea, regardless of which partner proposed it. The principle of mutual submission is enunciated by the apostle Paul in his famous marriage treatise of Ephesians 5. Too many people reading this counsel to couples start with verse 22 "Wives, submit." Rather, we should begin with verse 21, "Submit to one another." Thať's where couples should start. Each partner should be willing to submit to the other: husband to wife and wife to husband. It is only when we fail at verse 21 that we need verse 22! And why should we ever fail? Submission But in a sinful world, the couple ideal. Foreseeing this, God nciated Sometimes fail to reach the divin the family. This plan, which was first a prescription for preventing chaos declared in Genesis 3:16, was repeare by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." When we fail to reach the ideal of "sideship," the concept of "headship" becomes operative. Unfortunately, through the centuries men have prostituted this provision of submission, changing it into a yoke of subjugation. Consequently, women have been dominated, deprived, and demoralized. In the philosophy of Christianity, the wite is never to be depreciated; she is to be respected and honored (1 Peter 3:7). It is important to recognize that the submission enunciated in Ephesians 5:22 is not designed to be operational to life; it is only functional within marriage. It does not dictate the status of women in society.It does not teach that all women should be subjected to all men. The submission is limited to one's "own husband." The Gospel seeks to destroy the myth of the inferiority of women. It magnifies the principle of the equality of the sexes. It proclaims that in the sight of God, and at the foot of the cross, "there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). It is also vital to observe that the thrust of Ephesians 5:22 was designed to function within a framework of the love of verse 25. Since the husband loves his wife so deeply that he is willing to die for her, she can dare to trust him! Moreover, this submission is never to be commanded by the husband. Rather, it is to be volunteered by the wife. And whenever this occurs, there are three options. One, he can resolve the issue his way; two, he can resolve it her way; three, they can meet halfway. Beauty While it is the honor of the husband to provide security, it is the privilege of the wife to supply grace and beauty. She does so in the care she gives to the appearance of the home, making it an earthly paradise. It may be modest and simple, yet it can be beautiful to the family and attractive to the angels. But beyond the beauty of her home, it is her honor to display the beauty of her person. By her cheer fulness, her dress and deportment, her virtues and her character, she can create a picture of peace, a sense of dignity, a spirit of contentment, and an atmosphere of purity. A woman's true beauty comes from within. The apostle Peter tells Christian wives that even unbelieving husbands "may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence" (1 Peter 3:1, 2) and beautiful lives of their spouses. Then he describes this inner beauty. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight" (verses 3, 4). Triangle So, who is the boss? In the family of God, there is no boss. The husband is the head, and the wife is the heart, and the head and the heart must work together. The husband "must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33). There is no boss, but there is a Lord. A psalm of the family begins like this: "Unless the LoRD builds the house, its builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). There should be no boss, but there should be a Master, the Lord Jesus. Without Him, husband and wife form only an angle, and the devil with his angels enter causing chaos and confusion. But when Christ is invited, He completes the triangle, and the devil is shut out. Christ is the Third Party needed for the success of every marriage. And when He comes, He comes with His Spirit to bring the fragrance of heaven. When He comes, He comes with His angels to bring love and joy and peace to make each home be- come a little bit of heaven. But He never comes without our invitation. The Rainbow The storm abated, the fury ceased, and the tempest was over And God said to the father of the family, "Come out of the ark, you and yOur wife and vour sons and the wives" (Genesis 8:15). As Noah and his family gazed upon the frightful Scene, they beheld the horrible spectacle of rugged mountains, ugly skeletons, empty countryside. They face that catastrophic tragedy no house, no jobs, no crops! What indescribable disaster! And what did they do? "So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives..Thes Noah built an altar to the Lord and he sacrifice burnt offerings on it (verses 18-20). In our imagination, let us watch them as they gather around that family altar-father, mother, sons and daughters-in-law- and hear them singing together, praying together, praising together. Suddenly, they see the gorgeous colors of God's rainbow. Softly, they feel the peace of God's protection. Solemnly, they hear God's precious words of promise, "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember" (Genesis 9:16). Silently, fear gives way to faith. They could face the future with confidence. Today, the scene might be frightful at home. Maybe there is no house, no job, no food; perhaps no love, no joy, no peace. But if we wil kneel together and pray together, confessing to each other, forgiving one another, when we look uP, we too will see the colors of God's rainbow. We'll feel the peace of God's protection. We'll hear God's preciou1s words of promise, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. I will take care of you, for I still love you." We too, can face the future with confidence. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 15 February 2021

The Incompatible Couple: Samson and Delilah Throughout the annals of history, Samson has become legendary for his strength and proverbial prowess. This superman, who could destroy a lion with his bare hands, was the talk of his town and the pride of his nation. More than that, he was the scourge of the Philistines and the dread of Israel's enemies. But despite his strength, Samson had serious weaknesses. And one of these was women. When it was time for marriage, Samson decided to defy divine instruction. The Deuteronomic code had stated, "Do not intermarry with them (heathen nations). Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you" (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4). Israelite and Philistine But Samson visited Timnah and tell in love with a Philistine. Returning home, he told his parents, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife" Judges 14:2). His parents were astonished. "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people?" they asked (verse 3). The reply of the stubborn youth was, "Get her for me. She's the right one for me" (verse 4). The marriage was an instant fiasco. The groom gave a riddle, and the Philistines pressured the bride to get the answer from her husband. When the bridegroom discerned the treachery, he stormed away to the home of his parents. But when his anger was over and he returned, he discovered that his wife had been married to the bestman of his wedding. Things got from bad to worse for Samson as he found another Philistine woman. This time, it was a prostitute in the city of Gaza. However, when his enemies surrounded the city to capture him, he took away the doors and the posts of the city gate. But time was not his teacher. Bent on the pursuit of his promiscuity, this man placed himself in the arms of a third Philistine woman. Her home was in the valley of Sorek, and her name was Delilah. Her name means "flirt," and she lived up to that name! It is evident that Samson had become an addict. His addiction was Philistine women. Over and over he got hooked on the wrong woman. He was living a life of dissatisfaction while driving on the highway to destruction. Road to Disaster When the Philistine lords heard of the Delilah connection, they were excited. Approaching the flirt, they offered her an irresistible reward 5,500 pieces of silver, the cost of 275 slaves! "Entice him" they urged. "See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength" Judges 16:5). Soon Delilah began her enticement, and Samson played the game. He told her to tie him with fresh cords, then to tie him with new rope, then to weave the locks of his head into the fabric on the loom. But each time he made a fool of her. Applying all her romantic pressure, she cried, "How can you say, I love you when you won't confide in me?" (verse 15). Day after day she intensified her appeal until his resistance crumbled. Finally, he told her the secret. "If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other men" (verse 17). Delilah was delighted. Putting him to sleep on her lap, she had his braids cut off, and when she had summoned her countrymen, she declared, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you" (verse 20). Without resistance, they captured him. They tortured and blinded him, chained and imprisoned him. Once a superman, he was now a prisoner in a dungeon. He lost his eyes, his hair, his health, his strength, his manhood, his senseo direction. He was soon to lose his earthly life, and he almost lost eternal life. The union of Samson and Delilah is a sure prescription for disaster. Incompatibility What a price to pay for infatuation with a Philistine! What an awful reward for a rendezvous with the Wrong woman! The hard fact is that an Israelite and a Philistine are not designed for each other. Their values are different, their religious concepts are different, their philosophies of life are different. They are incompatible! The Scripture asks the rhetorical question: "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" Amos 3:3, NKJV) A successful marriage requires compatibility of Partners in a variety of areas. But the Why is this so? Because every person is controlled by a spiritual force-the evil spirit of Satan, or the Holy spirit of God. And whenever partners with opposite spirits live together conflict is certain, and chaos is sure. That is why in the New Testament, as in the Old, God's command is clear. "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?'" (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15). Samson and Delilah spell disaster! And as in marital life, so in spiritual life. Truth and Error cannot live happily together. From Genesis to Revelation, the history of God's people tells the same story. When Truth marries Truth, there is success. When Truth marries Error, there is failure. Two Systems In the beautiful Garden of Eden, all was peace. After God united man with woman on the sixth day, He united man and woman with Himself on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1- 3). So marriage is Truth, and the Sabbath is Truth. After sin entered our world, God added to the requirements of worship. In addition to the Sabbath of Jesus, man needed to show faith in the blood of Jesus. Adam was instructed to kill a lamb claiming salvation through Calvary's Lamb, Jesus Christ. But in the first two sons of Adam and Eve, two systems of worship appeared. Abel stood for be Truth while Cain took his stand for Error (Genesis 4:1-5). As the centuries came and went and multitudes chose the path of wrong, God chose the nation of Israel to reveal His way of life to the world. After their miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage, Christ led His people to Sinai where He organized the nation, instituted a system of worship, and codified His commands. There He declared, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8, KJV). That word, "remember," tells us that the Sabbath was given before. It had been given to Adam in Eden some 2,500 years before Moses! But while Israel expected to uphold this Truth, worshiping the God of heaven on His holy day, heathen nations were participating in the Error of idol worship and sun worship. So, the Lord gave a stern warning to His people that anyone who "contrary" to this command "worshiped other gods, bow- ing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars of the sky" would incur His divine wrath (Deuteronomy 17:3,5). The Marriage Knowing that as long as Israel remained with Truth the nation was safe, the devil engineered a plan to put "Samson" in bed with "Delilah." It happened literally, and Numbers 25:1 tells the sad story. "While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women." Right on the borders of the Promised Land promiscuity and pandemonium broke out. But this was not only a marital calamity; it was also a spiritual disaster. The heathen women invited the Israelite men to idol worship, and they "bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor. And the Lord's anger burned against them" (Numbers 25:2, 3). Horror of horrors, Truth and Error got married! Sorrow of sorrows, Sabbath worship and sun worship united! With the passage of time, young King Josiah confronted this appalling iniquity. "He did away with the pagan priests" in Israel who "burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon." Then he destroyed the chariots that were "dedicated to the sun" (2 Kings 23:5, 11). Ezekiel atrocity also witnessed the atrocity. "He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord, and at the entrance of the temple between the portico and the altar, we're about twenty-five men. LORD, With their backs toward temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east" were God's people in God's temple (Ezekiel 8:16). Incredible! Here practicing the heathen act of sun wOrship! "They worshiped the sun," and God described their ac tions as "abominations" (verses 16, 17,XIv). It was for such idolatry that they had been taken to captivity in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:14-21). It is important to note that when Truth and Error lie together, their bed becomes Babylon for "Babylon" means confusion. The fact is that Truth and Error cannot live in happiness together. The union of Samson and Delilah is a certain pre- scription for disaster! Conflict One day, in the little town of bethlehem, a Baby was born. They called Him Jesus. Dedicated in Jerusalem, exiled in Egypt, and reared in Nazareth, the Savior ministered n Ndea, Samaria, and Galilee. He was Rome and the Romans engaged in Truth personified. The government of the day was the error of sun worship. Mithraism and other forms of worship of the invincible sun" abounded in the empire. In fact,it was Rome that gave planetary names to the days of the week, and in keeping with its sun cult, it gave to the sun the position of prominence, calling the first day dies solis, day of the sun, later to be termed, Sunday. But what was the custom of Jesus? Luke 4:16, KV, tells us that "as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day" He had nothing to do with Error. He spoke Truth and He lived Truth for He was the Truth. He declared, "T am..the truth" (John 14:6). Because Truth and Error are incompatible, Rome was often in conflict with Jesus. From Bethlehem to Calvary, Rome harassed the Savior. It was Herod, a Roman monarch, who issued the warrant for His death in infancy, and it was Pilate, a Roman governor, who declared the decree for His death in manhood. In response to Jewish hatred and bigotry, Roman soldiers nailed Him, a Roman spear pierced Him, and a Roman cross disgraced Him. But on that resurrection morning, Roman power bowed to Christ's superhuman power. The Roman seal crumbled to pieces. The empire's soldiers fell as dead men and demons fled in terror. Christ Jesus rose as conqueror. No Compromise Forty days after His resurrection, Christ ascended to heaven and His church on earth continued to honor His Sabbath truth. Some say that the New Testament changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday in honor of the resurrection. But the church has never had authority to make such a change. Any such change would have had to be made by the Author of the Sabbath, Christ Himself. Instead, He declared, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). He called Himself "Lord of the Sab- bath" (Mark 2:28, NKJV). Then, if such a change were made, it would have been recorded in the Scripture. But there were no such record! There are three principal New Testament texts that are used to support the concept of Sunday worship. The first is John 20:19. There, the disciples were in an assembly. But it was not for worship; it was for security. They had gathered with "doors locked for fear of the Jews." The second is found in Acts 20:7. Here, on the first day of the week, they met "to break bread." It was an evening service which went past midnight, and it was also a farewell service since Paul was traveling the next day. According to biblical reckoning, the night comes before the day, and the evening begins at sunset (Genesis 1:5; Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:32). This was therefore a Saturday night service. Moreover, the breaking of bread carried no Sabbatical significance for in the early church this was done at any place on any day (Acts 2:46). Finally, there is 1 Corinthians 16:2. Actually, no meeting is mentioned there. Paul was recommending a welfare donation for the needy saints in Jerusalem. "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collection will have to be made." Each believer was to put aside his gift individually, saving it up at home when the weekly family budget was prepared. The truth is that in the New Testament Christians obeyed the Sabbath Truth. Paul like his Master, Jesus, had the same "custom." Acts 17:2 tells us that "as his custom, Paul Went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned witn them from the Scriptures." In Acts 18:4 we are told that "Every Sabbatt to persuade Jews and Greeks." So, he reasoned in the synagogue, trying the New Testament closed with Sabbat and Sunday in separate camps. Pagans worshiped the sun on Sunday. Christians worshiped the Son on Sabbath day. There was no compromise. To put it ditferently, Samson remained in the camp of Israel, Delilah remained in the camp of the Philistines. They did not meet, they did not match. Another Wedding This distinction angered the devil. and he devised a plan for another wedding. Just as he engineered a marriage to destroy ancient Israel, so he invented a wedding to devastate spiritual Israel. Satan knows that the union of Samson and Delilah is an effective prescription for disaster. With the death of the last of Christ's 12 apostles, second century Christians began a Sunday celebration of our Lord's resurrection. At the same time, many pagans were being converted to Christianity, bringing with them their heritage of the worship of the sun on Sunday. As these two ideas met and mated, a new concept was conceived: Christ the Sun. It was the idea that Christians may worship Christ, the Son, on the pagan day of the sun. A New Samson There sat Samson in his own spiritual Babylon. There he lay in that dark Philistine dungeon. The devil fooled him, and failed him. He had bound him, and blinded him. Then he menacingly mocked him. But as the Savior looked upon Samson, He still loved him. With pity He wept for him. Tenderly He yearned over him. His heart bled for him. What a gracious, loving God! In the darkness of his night and the silence of his soul, Samson saw his Redeemer weeping. He felt His Lord caressing, and he heard his Savior whispering, I still love you." Gradually, that sinner began responding to the tender love of his Savior. Mysteriously, something started happening in his head. The inward experience involved a new mind and a new spirit. It produced new desires and affections, new emotions and decisions. This inner mystery was accompanied by an outer miracle. "The hair on his head began to grow again" (Judges 16:22). Both outside and inside he was becoming was a new Samson. No more slaverv sin! No more addiction to adultery! No more desire for Delilah! That's the miracle God longs to perform in human hearts today. He invites us to break wit Constantine and unite to Christ, for the two are incompatible. He asks us to separate Truth from Error, for they cannot live happily together. He urges us to reject Rome's Sunday and accept Christ's Sabbath, for these two are ir reconcilable. He appeals to us to separate Samson and Delilah. Samson's Prayer Samson's Prayer But we need strength to perform God's will. So did Samson. And he got it when he prayed. When they took him from the dungeon to make fun of him, Samson's mind was set. Without eyes, he looked to heaven, and with a penitent heart he uttered the painful cry, "O LORD God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God" (verse 28, NKJV). Suddenly, as God's power mbined with Samson's strength, the giant arena came tumbling down. Three thousand lords and ladies were destroyed. The political right of Philistia was crushed. Wonder of wonders, God answered Samson's prayer. God still answers prayer yours and mine. ln our darkest night and our deepest dungeon, He listens to our faintest cry. From our silent anguish and our bitter blindness, He hears our earnest prayer. Every desire of our hearts for purity and victory in personal, sexual, and marital life reaches His listening ear. Every long- ing of our souls for love and loyalty in spiritual life is borne upon His bosom. It is refreshing to remember that the God who answered Samson's prayer 1s ready to answer ours. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings....

@Hari 13 February 2021

The Story of Joseph (Gen. 37:1-4) Jacob, now called Israel, continued to live in Canaan. Israel loved Joseph more than any of his sons because he had been borIn to him in his old age. He made a richly ornamented robe for him, and his brothers were jealous of him. They hated Joseph and could not speak a kind word to him. (Gen. 37:5-6) Joseph had a dream which caused his brothers to hate him. Joseph said: (Gen. 37:7-8) We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. (Gen. 37:9)... "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said: (Gen. 37:10) 10,.. "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Who stirred jealousy among the sons of Jacob? Remember that Satan in the beginning was jealous of Adam's position with God. He tempted Adam and Eve to sin that they might die. Remember Cain? He was jealous of Abel and killed him. What do you think Joseph's jealous brothers will do to him? (Gen. 37:11-34) One day Israel sent Joseph to check on his brothers who were grazing their flocks near Shechem. When they saw Joseph coming, they plotted to kill him. However, they changed their mind when they saw some Ishmaelite merchants going to Egypt. They sold Joseph for twenty shekels of silver and the the Ishmaelites took him to Egypt. Then they put blood on Joseph's robe and told their father that some ferocious animal devoured Joseph. Israel mourned for his son for many days. What stirred Joseph's brothers to want to kill him? What stirred them to lie to their father Israel? Remember that Satan became the first murderer and liar because of SIN. He tempted Cain to kill Abel. Surely Joseph's brothers were clearly following sin and the dictates of Satan. Gen. 37:36; 39:1-5) Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. While in Egypt, the LORD prospered and gave Joseph success in everything he did. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. (Gen. 39:6-17) Joseph was well-built and handsomne. His master's wife took notice of him. One day, she caught him by his cloak and tried to force him to sleep with her. Joseph ran away from her, but she accused Joseph before her husband. What stirred Potiphar's wife to desire Joseph who is not her husband? Remember the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? God destroyed them because of sexual sins. Remember the people during Noah's time? They gave in to sinfulness. God destroyed them all except Noah who feared God. Surely Satan was working through sin in order to destroy Joseph. Joseph fled and refused to sin with her. God hates sin and Joseph knew it. Joseph was also born a sinner but Joseph did not give in to sinful- ness. He fled from sin for Joseph feared and loved God. (Gen. 39:20-23) Potiphar put Joseph in prison but the LORD was with him. God granted him tavor in the eyes of the prison warden. The warden put Joseph in charge of the prisoners and God gave him success in whatever he did. God blessed Joseph because despite all the temptations, Joseph sided with God by hating and fleeing from sin. What made Joseph able to resist sin while others are not? (Gen. 40:1-23) Later, Pharaoh's cupbearer and the baker were put in prison with Joseph. After a time, each of them had a dream the same night. God gave Joseph wisdom to interpret their dreams. True to Joseph's interpretation, on the third day, Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to serve him but he hanged the chief baker as Joseph said. The cupbearer however, forgot Joseph. (Gen. 41:1-7) Two years later, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river came up seven fat cows and they grazed among the reeds. Then seven ugly and thin cows came up out of Nile and ate the seven fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. Again he had a second dream: Seven heads of healthy grain grew on a single stalk. Then seven other heads of thin grain sprouted and swallowed the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up. (Gen. 41:8-14) In the morning Pharaoh sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt but no one could interpret his dream. This time, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph. (Gen. 41:15-16) 15 Pharaoh şaid to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." 16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." (Gen. 41:17-36) Then Joseph said to Pharaoh: The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows and the seven good heads of grain are seven years of abundance. The seven lean, ugly cows and the severn worthless heads of grain who devour the fat cows and good grains are seven years of famine that God will allow to come upon the land. Then Joseph advised Pharaoh to store up grain and food reserves for the country to save Egypt from famine. (Gen. 41:37-44) Joseph's advice pleased Pharaoh and he also recognized God's Spirit upon Joseph. So Pharaoh made Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt. His palace and all the king's people were to submit to Joseph's orders. Pharaoh put his signet ring on Joseph. He dressed Joseph in a fine linen robe and put a gold chain around his neck. He had Joseph ride in a chariot as his second-in-command. Thus Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt. (Gen. 41:45-42) Pharaoh gave Asenath, daughter of a priest, to Joseph as his wife. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh. Then he traveled throughout Egypt storing huge quantities of grain. Two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath. His firstborn was Manasseh and the second son was Ephraim. Joseph has the Spirit of God! God the Holy Spirit is the one that made Joseph resist sin and enabled him to interpret Pharaoh's dream. God blessed Joseph and even the king of Egypt because they depended on God and not on magicians and so-called wise men who can read and foretell the future. Because Joseph had faith in God and the Pharaoh believed God's words through Joseph, and not the words of the magicians and fore tellers, God gave them wisdom to be safe from famine. The God of Abraham saved the whole of Egypt from famine because their king trusted in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Israel and Joseph. (Gen. 41:43-47) Finally famine came to Egypt and in all the other lands, but there was food in Egypt. All the countries came to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world. (Gen. 42:1-8) Joseph's brothers came to buy grain in Egypt. Joseph now governed Egypt and was the one who sold grain. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered his dreams. (Gen. 42:9-45:8) Joseph did not make himself known to his brothers for a while. He put them to test so they will bring his brother Benjamin to Egypt. When Benjamin came, Joseph could no longer pretend. He wept so loud and made himself known to his brothers. Joseph stunned his brothers almost to panic becau se they remembered the evil they had done to him. However, Joseph kissed and assured them saying: (Gen. 45:5-7) ...do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 'But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. God is ALL-KNOWING and WISE. He turned Satan's work and used it to save Abraham's descendants from famine. Satan is nothing compared to God. No one who sides with Satan can win over God. (Gen. 45:9-47:26) Then Joseph sent for his father Israel to live in Egypt. As they went. (Gen. 46:1-4) ... Israel,. offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at nit and said, "Jacobl Jacob!" "Here I am," he repli 3"I am God, the God of your father," he said "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there, I will go do to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes" So they went to Egypt and Jacob took every. thing he had, his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters-all his off. spring. Pharaoh welcomed them and directed Joseph to settle Jacob's clan in the best land of Egypt. The members of Jacob's family who came to Egypt including Joseph's two sons, were seventy in all. God the creator who is the God of Abraham and Isaac is good "to Jacob be cause Jacob believed, trusted in Him and valued His promises. Because Jacob trusted in God, he was no longer afraid. He obeyed God and went to Egypt for God promised to make him into a great nation there, and then He will bring them back to Canaan. (Gen. 47:27-50:13) The Israelites (descendants of Israel) settled in the region of Goshen. They gained property, became very fruitful and many. Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years and died at the age of one hundred and forty-seven years. Before Jacob died, he blessed all his sons, including Joseph's sons which he counted as his sons. He gave these instructions: (Gen. 49:29-31).."I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in ... 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan... 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. After giving them his last instructions, he died. Joseph and his brothers mourned Israel's death. They embalmed him and took him to Canaan where they buried him in the field of Machpelah as Jacob had said. Jacob valued God's promises up to the time of his death. He wanted to be buried in Canaan because God promised Abraham to give Canaan to his descendants and make them into a great nation. Jacob had great faith in God like his father Isaac and Abraham. We, too, should follow the example of Jacob or Israel. We must value and trust God's promises until we die. Let us not be like Esau who for a bowl of food sold his birthright for God's blessing to satisfy his earthly needs. God? (Gen. 50:14-26) After burying his father, Joseph's his brothers and all the others returned to Egypt. Joseph's brothers asked Joseph's forgiveness for the evil they had done to him in the past. They feared and respected Joseph. God prospered the Israelites in Egypt. They became so many as God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joseph lived to an old age and died at the age of a hundred and ten. They embalmed and placed him in a coffin in Egypt... but they promised to bury him in Canaan-the land that God promised them. (Exo. 1:1-7) These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly many, and so the land was filled with them. Application The story of Joseph has taught us that Satan continues to do his evil work through SIN Sinful Inherited Nature) within us. Satan could star jealousy within us which could make us kill and lie like Joseph's brothers. SIN could make us desire someone else's wife or husband and accuse others falsely like Potiphar's wife. Satan to follow sin and his temptations. But God wants us to resist, hate sin and flee likes for us flee from it like Joseph. We could do that if we have God they brought Joseph to Pharaoh and God revealed that Pharaoh's dream meant there will1 they be 7 years of abundance in Egypt and then 7 years of famine will come to Egypt and all over the world. Recognizing God's Spirit upon Joseph, Pharaoh made Joseph prime minister of Egypt and they started storing food for seven years. Then famine came according to God's word through Joseph. Joseph's family came to Egypt to buy food, and the forgiving Joseph was reunited with his brothers. Unbelievable as it was to his family, Jacob came to Joseph and lived in Egypt in Goshen with God's assurance that God will make Jacob's descendants a great nation in Egypt and shall bring them back to Canaan. In Egypt, Jacob's descendants multiplied and became exceedingly many even after the death of Joseph and his brothers. The land was filled with them and they were called the ISRAELITES. ATION the Spirit of God like Joseph. But you know what? We cannot overcome sin if we don't have God's Spirit within us like Joseph no matter how much we would try. Didn't God promise to send a SAVIOR save us from Satan, sin and death? Very soo we will learn from our upcoming story how w can receive God's Spirit after the promis SAVIOR fulfills the prophecy of the anin burnt sacrifices. For now, you must resolve. your will and heart to hate sin, not to trust in magicians and foretellers, and not to side with Satan by following sin and evil. Instead, wve must side with God by believing and trusting in His words. Have faith in the God of Abrahamn, Isaac, Israel and Jacob for He is the only true living God who was the creator of man and everything. If we side with God, He will bless us in ouar present life, in the future and even in our spiritual existence when we die. Remember Jacob? He remained trusting and valuing God's promises unto his death. Jacob never consulted the magicians and foretellers to save him from be existing spiritually with his father Isaac, death. Jacob knew that when he died, he would C, Abraham and the rest of his family who believed and trusted in God for he said: (Gen. 49:29-30) I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in ... 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, .. Jacob knew he would be with his loved ones in his spiritual existence when he died, but the living will bury his body. Let's have a coffee... Hari Blessings...

@Hari 12 February 2021

Seven Steps for Resolving Conflict Conflicts are inevitable. All marriages experience them. Strong marriages are attacked by them and weak marriages are infected by them. The question is not: Should we have conflicts? Rather, the issue is: How should we handle our conflicts? Seven Principles of Conflict Resolution Urgency Sometimes in our attempt to avoid conflict, problems are tucked away in a corner, and like the proverbial ostrich, spouses hide their heads in the sand. But problems are like weeds. The longer they are left unattended, the faster they grow, and sooner or later we face a forest. Conflicts are like termites. Unattended and unnoticed, they gnaw at the vital fabric of a matrimonial relationship. Therefore, issues should be be confronted and resolved as quickly as possible. To go to sleep with hostile thoughts toward one's partner tonight, is to program one's computer to produce multiplied hostilities to0 morrow. So the counsel of Scripture is, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not givefoothold" the devil a foothold" (Bphesians 4:26, 27). If conflict resolution is to be effective, care should be taken to choose the op- portune time for addressing the issue lest we attempt doing the right thing at the Wrong time. The venue for dialogue should also be appropriate. We should also choose the circumstances that are most conducive to th dialogue. If a variety of problems exist, it would be overwhelming to attempt addressing all simultaneously. Usually there are few key issues which constitute the "root of bitterness" (Hebrews 12:15). Often when these roots are dissolved, the branches wither and the fruits disappear. So it is wise to start with the principal issues, taking them one at a time. Bifocals Like a coin, every problem has two sides, and each spouse tends to see the matter from his or her side only. Someone has amusingly said that the issue usually has three sides: your side, my side, and the right side! According to an ancient tale, a number of blind men met an elephant and each attempted to identify it. While the one who held its ear thought it was a fan, another feeling its side said it was a wall, but a third holding its leg was certain that it was a trunk of a tree. Another feeling its tusk declared it to be a spear, while still another holding the tail insisted that it was a rope. The sobering truth is that not one of them was right! Why? Because each was examining only a part of the creature. Unintentionally, marriage partners often behave that way. kach views the problem from his or her limited perspective, forgetful of the fact that neither partner is encompass ing the whole truth, for the whole consists of the totality of its parts. Therefore, each spouse needs to make a serious effort to see the issues from the other partner's point of view. Moreover, as we shall discuss in two later chapters, male and female are in trinsically different, and perceive things differently. Consequently, both tive viewpoints are necessary for effecu conflict resolution. still another holding the tail insisted that it was a rope. The sobering truth is that not one of them was right! Why? Because each was examining only a part of the creature. Unintentionally, marriage partners often behave that way. Each views the problem from his or her limited perspective, forgetful of the tact that neither partner is encompass* ing the whole truth, for the whole consists of the totality of its parts Therefore, each spouse needs to make the other partner's point of view. a serious effort to see the issues frot Moreover, as we shall discuss in two later chapters, male and female aren trinsically different, and perce ings differently. Consequenuy both Viewpoints are necessary for effective conflict resolution. In order for each to see the viewpoint, there must be viewpoint ingful dialogue. Open communication is crucial to conflict resolution. Each must be willing to talk, and each must be ready to listen. If this interaction is to be productive, we we must express not only the facts of the matter, but also our feelings towards the matter. Even more, we need to listen to the expression of those inner feelings. It is also important that each spects the right of the other to express himself or herselt without interuption, even when it is perceived that such expressions may be inacurate..And it is crucial that each listens to the other without becoming overemotional or hysterical, without causing the communication process to get out of control. An aged Indian proverb admonishes that one should never criticize another until he has walked a mile in his moccasins. The purpose of this interaction is to try to walk in the spouse's shoes, trying to see and feel the issue from the partner's perspective. When we can see both sides of the coin of conflict, we are wearing matrimonial bifocals. Altruism When we understand the thoughts feelings, and desires of each other the next step is to put our parther's desire above our own. This does not come easily for, by nature,human beings are selfish. We are addicted to putting self-first. But at the very heart of conflict resolution is the very heart of conflict resolution is the altruistic principle of putting one's spouse first. This spirit of self-abnegation is underscored in the Scripture again and again. "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Then the supreme exam- ple is cited, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:3-5, NKJV). When Christ contemplated the cruelty of the cross, He wished for an escape. But when He thought of you and me, the ones He loved, and realized the need for His death, He placed our need above His own and died that we might live. He is our Model. In writing to the Romans, thee apostle repeated this secret of conflict resolution when he said, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself" (Romans 15:1, 3). So having listened to each other, and having understood the needs and desires of one another, the challenge is to put one's partner's desires above one's own, and to please one's spouse above one's self. As each mate reaches over to please the other, they are bound to meet somewhere between in the act of Christian compromise. Action Plan With this altruistic outlook, part ners are ready to create a practical plan of action. Here, brainstorming is useful. All the ideas should be listed and examined, and a decision made on the options that best meet the needs of both parties. Procedures for implementation should also be agreed upon. The action plan should be specific. It should state who will do what, where, and when. When the prodigal youth realized that he had messed up his family relationship, he came up with a specific plan of action: "I will arise and go to my father." He even prepared his speech, "I...will say unto him, Father, I have sinned." Then, having clarified his course of action, he executed it effectively (Luke 15:18, 20, KJV). But an action plan is not static; it is dynamic. So, periodically, spouses need to sit together and do an honest evaluation. Is the plan succeeding? If not, why not? What changes need to be made? How should such adjustments be implemented? The melody of marriage is like the music of an orchestra. The instruments, good as they are, need constant adjustment to the pitch of each other. This noisy tinkering is the prelude to harmony. Golden Word's Frequently, on the battlefield of marital conflict, spouses hurt each other in what we say and in what we do. One vital aspect of conflict resolution is the experience of forgiveness. It involves the request for pardon, the granting of pardon, and the acceptance of forgiveness. Usually, each is reluctant to initiate this aspect of the dialogue, believing that the other is at fault. There is seldom a conflict in which only one person is wrong. In almost every case both person are wrong. While one may appear to ae ersons are "more wrong" than the other, usually, to greater or lesser degree, both at fault. The easy question, for which each spouse has a ready answer, is Where was my partner wrong? But the hard question, the really important question that needs an answer Where was I wrong? It is easy to examine my spouse, it is difficult to examine myself. Yet, this is precisely the Scripture counsels us to do "Examine yourselves...test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Each spouse should find the honest answer to that vital question: Where was wrong? When that is ascertained, the next duty for each mate is to confess his or her wrong to the other Regardless of the size of the part one has played in the problem-be it large or small, significant or seemingly insignificant-confession should be made. There are spiritual and psychological relationships between confession and healing "Confess your faults one to another..that ye may be healed" (James 5:16, KJv). For all types of healing-physical, spiritual, emotional, or marital-confession is a requirement. There are three golden words:"I am sorry." Uttering them enriches the marital relationship, for they are worth their weight in gold. Sometimes, however, partners say them then cheapen them by adding ng the Word, "but" with a clause that turns the gold to brass! If we keep those golden words, "I am sorry," and add the silver words, "Please forgive me," our matrimonial "riches" will multiply. When a mate asks for pardon, it should be granted freely. Jesus pointed out that if we fail to forgive, we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:15). Even when forgiveness is not requested, in the heart of the one offended, pardon should be given. Isn't that what Jesus did? (Luke23:34). And when forgiveness is granted, that pardon should be graciously accepted. Optimism Throughout all this action, reaction, and interaction, it is very important that spouses stay optimistic. We must believe that success is possible and expect it. If we expect failure, our expectation will be realized, for we will contribute to that self-fulfilling prophecy. But if we expect success, we are likely to realize it, because, consciously and unconsciously, we will contribute to transforming that expectation into realization. It is no secret that most of our battles are lost or won in our heads. In one experiment, scientists placed two similar groups of rats into two containers of water to test how long they would swim before they died. The one difference was that those on group one were lifted from the water and quickly dropped back into the container, while those in group two were never taken out. Which group lived longer? Group one, of course. Why? Because they figured that if they were removed once, they may be removed again. If an optimistic rat can survive longer, what about an optimistic spouse? Jesus made a tantastic statement about the influence of optimism on conflict resolution. "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed...nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). Sometimes with a new surge of optimism we try again, only to become disenchanted when we fail again. But the candidate for success never stops trying. "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again" (Proverbs 24:16) And when Peter asked Jesus about rebuilding a relationship seven times, Christ answered, Up to "seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21, 22). Of course, before we reach such a figure, we have lost count! The point is that true love is persevering; optimistic, and never gives up. It "always trusts," it "always hopes" (1 Corinthians 13:7). The Prince The final secret for resolving marital contlict is the presence of a thind person. This crucial key is not a human third party; it is a divine third Person. He is Jesus, and His name means Savior (Matthew 1:21). Not only does He save sinners; He also saves marriages. His ability to save is limitless, for He is "mighty to save" (Isaiah 63:1). Regardless of what damage a relationship has experienced, the Savior is able to bring healing, for He is "able to save to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25, Kjv). One of His special titles is "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). When the Galilean storm raged with satanic fury threatening to engulf the helpless seamen, Christ stood up in serene majesty and said, "Peace, be stilll" (Mark 4:39, NKJv). So when the relentless waves of marital strife threaten to destroy estranged spouses, this Prince of Peace stands ready to quiet the sea and speak peace to our storms. But the Prince responded only when they called. Hour by hour while He lay beside them, they forgot Him! Moment by moment while they battled for their lives, they ignored Him! Then when in desperation they remembered Him, called upon Him, and prayed for His help, He instantly answered their prayer. So many times in our effort to still our own storms and resolve our own conflicts, we too, ignore Jesus. We forget that He waits beside us ready and "mighty to save" (Isaiah 63:1). Often, when we have tried everything else, and everyone else and failed, then we remember our Savior. But whenever we turn to Him in prayer and invite His help, He stands in our family boat and commands the waves of conflict to cease saying, "Peace, be still! The apostle James reminds. that after we have confessed our faults to one another, we shou, "pray for each other" (James 5:16) that our healing may be complete. 1f as spouses we will kneel toge with our arms around one another and pray with each other and for each other, committing both ot problems and our solutions to otur Savior, this Prince of Peace will still our storms and quiet our conflicts Then we will experience the thrillot Ephesians 2:14, "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." Seven Steps in the Process of Reconciliation It is wonderful to experience these seven steps and resolve conflicts in the love relationship with a spouse. But it is more exciting to ex perience the seven steps that resolve conflict in our love relationship with Jesus. In the beautiful Garden of Eden, no such conflict existed. There was pertect harmony between God anu the first couple. They walked and talked, they listened and shared, they laughed and loved together. But suddenly, sin invaded Paradise and con flict started. The problem actually began in heaven. Lucifer, who later became Satan, was the greatest creature of God's creation and leader of the angel hosts. But in his heart the mystery of sin appeared, and this creature defied his Creator declaring, "I will raise my throne above the stars of God..I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14). The angels became divided in loyalty and there was war in heaven kevelation 12:7). When Satan lost the battle, he and his angels were ex communicated from heaven, and these aliens landed on planet earth. From his new headquarters, the devil began his guerilla warfare. Although they were warned, Adam and Eve fell victim to the adversary. And in their free choice of allegiance to Satan, they experienced alienation from God. Suddenly, everything changed. When they "heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden..they hid from the Lord God" (Genesis 3:8). The love relationship was broken! The conflict had begun! And from that day to this, every human being has come into this world alienated from God. We are all born sinners, separated from God. The desires of each heart are in conflict with Christ. Day after day, we experience this intense inner strife, this spiritual struggle between the soul and the Savior. Yet deep within each of us, our hearts cry out for reconciliation. In Eden, it was God who took the initiative to resolve the conflict. He went looking for the ones He loved. He kept calling again and again, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9). Our loving God always takes the first step. In fact, of the seven steps to resolve spiritual conflict, He has taken six steps. We only need to take one! That's abundant love! Incarnation The first step that Christ took in His work of reconciliation was His incarnation. Just as in the beginning of time He lett heaven and came to the Garden of Eden to search for Adam and Eve, so in "the fullness of time" (Galatians 4:4, NKIV), He left heaven and came to the manger of Bethlehem to search for you and me and all lost humanity. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). But He did not only come to visit the human race; He came to be a member of our family! In order to bring man back to God, God became man! He who was "in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himselfnothing, taking the veryy nature of a servant, being made im human likeness" (Philippians 2:6, 7). As the Babe of Bethlehem, Christ took "flesh and blood," and shared in our humanity (Hebrews 2:14). By His incarnation, Jesus was saying, "I love you and have come to be with you. I have come to live like you, to be hungry and thirsty and tired like you, to be tempted like you. I have come to understand your struggles, to experience your frustrations, to wrestle with your temptations. I have come because I want to be reconciled to you." What a Lover! Crucifixion The crucial step Christ took to reconcile us to Himself was His crucifixion. We were all born sinners. Sin is the root of our problem, the cause of the conflict, and the source of our separation. The phet declares, "But your niquities have separated you from your sins have hidden his face fro bur God, you" (Isaiah 59:2). But on the cross of Calvary Christ took care of sin. That was why He endured the thorns upon His forehead He the whip upon His back, the mark His hands, the spikes in His feet, the spitting on His face, and the separation from His Father. He was bearing the penalty for our sins. He was paying the price for our reconciliation. The death of Jesus was the central act in this reconciling process. "When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son" (Romans 5:10). Then He gives us the gracious invitation: "Be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). When we experience His love, accept His sacrifice, confess our sins, and ask His pardon He gives us instant forgiveness for all our transgressions. And with His pardon, He also gives us His peace. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). When we surrender to His love, the struggle stops and the alienation ends. After the separation is over, Christ's atonemen brings us into at- one-ment with Him. Intercession After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven where he now ministers as our high Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 4:14). This is Christ's next step in the reconciliation process, and it is a vital step. When we give our lives to Jesus, we get instant pardon for our past sins. But day by day we still make mistakes, so we need constant forgiveness for present transgression. That is why we need Chrisť's intercession. Anytime, anyplace, we can turn to Him and ask for pardon and cleansing. "lf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purity us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Because He is our Lover, we can talk to Him directly. We need no intermediary. In fact, He invites us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16, KJV). As we commune with Him day by day, we can be at peace. Every day of our lives we can experience freedom from guilt, the joy of forgiveness, and the peace of acceptance. Reunion But Christ is not satisfied with being reconciled. He wants to be reunited with His beloved. So while He came to earth the first time for the act of reconciliation, He is coming back the second time for the grand reunion! This is His next step to end the conflict. The "Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, KJVv). On that day, all humanity will fall into four categories. While the family of Satan who are alive will fall dead, destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming (21Thessalonians 1:7-9;2:8), the family of Satan who are dead will remain dead (Revelation 20:5). But the family of God who are dead will be resurrected. "The dead in Christ will rise first," and they "will be raised imperishable" (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52). At that time, the family of God who are alive at the Advent will be translated. "Changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye they will be "caught up together" with the resurrected ones "to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). What a reunion that will be! Husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and loved ones-all united again! But richer than that literal reunion will be the spiritual reunion when we meet Jesus! What a thrill it will be to fall into His loving arms! Saved! Saved forever! Millennium Then when Christ, the Bridegroom, is united with His people, the bride, it will be a honeymoon in heaven! Not for a decade, not for a century, but for a whole millennium! One thousand years of fellowship! The millennium is the next step in the process of reconciliation. Onward and upward that great space trip will continue, past planets and constellations, beyond systems and galaxies, ever onward, ever upward! And as the portals of heaven swing ajar, saints and Savior will go in. Then the promise of Jesus will be fulfilled. "I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:3). But still there will be questions. And because there must never be another conflict, Christ will answer our questions: "Why that tragedy on earth? "Why that calamity?" "Why is that person lost and this one saved?" Then the records of heaven will be made available, and a special type of judgment will begin. "I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge" (Revelation 20:4). Yet, it is not only men and angels who will be judged. God Himself wil be on trial! His decisions and His verdicts will stand scrutiny. Every crevice for confict must be cleared so that all may shout in the universal chorus of commitment: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages" (Revelation 15:3). But what about planet earth? Because no human being will be left alive, the devil will be on vacation. In Revelation 20:1-3 he is pictured as being bound with a great chain, imprisoned for a thousand years. It is a chain of circumstances, for he will have nothing to do, and no one to tempt until the end of the millennium. But while heaven is for a honeymoon, it is not to be our home forever. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5, KV). At the end of the thousand years, saints and Savior will start their return journey to this planet. Earth, however, will not be ready to receive them. Satan and his angels will still be here. Bleached, bones, ragged rocks, deadly devastation will be seen everywhere. God must do a clean-up operation. He must effect destruction ther reconstruction. Restoration Standing in the sky, Christ will call to life the whole tamily of Satan from Cain, the first rascal, to earth's last rebel (Revelation 20:5). And when the devil sees the multitude, he will become mad with excitement. No longer bound, he will be loosed (verse 7), for he will have people to tempt. Pointing to the descending city, the New Jerusalem, he "will go out to deceive the nations" (verse 8) one more time. Convincing them that his superior numbers can conquer the saints, he will marshall his forces for the earth's last battle! (verses 8, 9). And in the midst of that rebellion, fire will fall from heaven. Sin and sinners will be destroyed in its flames and Satan and his angels will be consumed in its fury (verses 9, 10). But why should a loving God destroy people? Jesus gave the answer in Matthew 25:41. He said that the fire is not prepared for people; it was designed for "the devil and his angels." A person will be destroyed with the devil on one conu tion only: when he clings to Satan. Since sin is the cause of the Sin conflict, in order to eliminate conflict forever, God must destroy sin completely. If a man or a woman clings to sin, God has no choice. To eradicate sin, He must eliminate the sinner. But while that sinner is burn- ing, God will be weeping! With tears in His eyes, He will cry, "How can I give you up?" (Hosea 11:8). What a tender, loving God! That fire will purify our planet of every germ, every virus, every disease! A new environment will emerge free from the miasma of sin. John saw it: "a new heaven andanew earth" (Revelation 21:1, KJV). That's God's final step: restoration. As that city in the sky completes its descent to earth, a new world order will begin. No more sickness nor suttering! No more mourning nor crying! No more pain! No more death! The "old order of things has passed away" (verse 4). Anew world of love! A new place of joy! A new planet of peace! No more sin, so, no more conflict! Lovers will dwell in peace forever and ever! But the greatest thrill of all will be to see Jesus! The "dwelling of God will be "with men" and "he will live to face with Christ, your Savior! Con- with them" Revelation 22:4, KIV). Face ict forever end Tct forever ended! Alienation forever with Christ restored! What a thrilling thought. Eden recreated! Communion nought! What an ecstatic experience! want to see Jesus, don't you? Decision In resolving conflict between earthly lovers, there are seven steps. The husband should participate, and the wife should also participate. In resolving our conflict with Christ, the heavenly Lover, there are also seven steps. He is taking six; you and I only need to take one. That one is our decision. Although He has the powerto do so, Jesus will not torce us to be reconciled to Him. Because He honors us, He gives us the freedom of choice, and He respects our choice. But because He loves us, He is grieved when we choose to stay apart from Him. He pleads, "Come now, let us reason together..though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). He begs us to break with our love for sin, because sin is the cause of the conflict. He asks us to turn from a lifestyle of iniquity, whatever it may be-lying or stealing, quarrelling or hating, smoking or drinking, profanity or adultery, wife-hitting or husband-hurting, worldly pride or sinful pleasure-He invites us to let nothing stand between our soul and our Savior. He cries, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). This is a moment of decision. To stay in conflict with Christ will cause unhappiness today and eternal death tomorrow. To be reconciled to the loving Savior will bring peace today and eternal life tomorrow. Would that we all can say as Joshua said, "As for my family and me, we will serve the LoRD" Joshua 24:15, TEV). Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 11 February 2021

Three Ways to Say "I Love You" People are different. And because this is so, we often perceive the same things differently. There are three primary modes of perception. Some people are visual and they are influenced most by what they see. Others are auditory and these are influenced most by what they hear. Still others are kinesthetic and they are impressed most by what they feel. While it is true that usually people operate on all three levels, in the experience of most persons, one mode is dominant. Now, how does this apply to love? Different people express their love in different ways, and different persons desire to be loved in different ways. Illustration The visual man adores his wife in attractive attire, while the visual woman delights in the presence of her husband and keeps her home immaculate in her effort to make him happy. The auditory woman is uncomfortable if her husband is silent and she wants him to keep talking. The auditory man enjoys background music when he is making love. The kinesthetic man wants to hold his wife's hand when they are taking a walk, and the kinesthetic woman needs her mate to cuddle her continually. Different people want to be loved ditterently. One of the 66 books of the Bible is a beautiful love song. In its lines, love is displayed in intimate terms. As Solomon and his Shunamite bride reveal inner dimensions of their love affair, the husband asks his wife for a visual expression of her love. "Let me see your face,.for..your face is lovely:" Simultaneously, he appeals to her for an auditory revelation. "Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet" (Sorng of Solomon 2:14, NKJv). On the other hand, what the wite enjoys is her husband's expression of his love to her in a kinesthetic way She says with deep satisfaction, "His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me" (5ong of Solomon 2:6). Later on, she repeats her joy using the exact words in Song of Solomon 8:3. In ancient times and modern times alike, different persons prefer different expressions of love. If my spouse is different from me, but I expect my mate to behave like me, we will have problems perpetually. Let us illustrate this with a visual wife and a kinesthetic husband. Returning home from a stressful day's work, he meets his wife at the door. The visual woman is happy to see him, but for this man, seeing is not enough; feeling is loving. He grabs her into his arms to kiss her but she is not responsive, and he becomes not only concerned, but irritated. Relieved to be in the comfort of his own home, this husband throws down his coat, kicks off his shoes, and rests his foot on the table. "It feels good to be home" he muses, unmindful of his mate's house keeping, and totally unaware of her rearranging their living room! When his visual wife surveys the scene, she becomes frantic and they have their second unpleasant encounter. It is bedtime, and the husband reaches over to hug his spouse. Sex or no sex, he wants to cuddle her .But she does not want to be cuddled. She cares for his presence, not his romance. So, she moves over to the other side of the bed, and the third battle of the evening begins! Solution Here are two people who love each other, but they are ever in conflict with one another because they are different one from the other. What is the solution to such a problem? First, identify your partner. Is he visual, auditory, kinesthetic? Is she a seeing, hearing, or feeling person? How can one know? By listening to speech. Visual people tend to say I1 see it." "That's clear to me." Auditory persons like to say "I hear you." "That sounds good to me." Kinesthetic people often say, "I feel we should do that." But even more important than what one says, what one does. A wise spouse will watch behavior and observe actions and reactions, taking time to analyze the partner. Examination is the key to identification. Second, accept your spouse's difference. The human tendency is reject that difference. Some people tryto wish it away, longing and hopin for a change in the behavior of their partner. Other people try to work it away by putting pressure on the spouse to change. Such attempts usually end in failure. It is important for us to remember that individuality is a precious gift from God (Psalm 139:16), and it should be respected. We should also keep in mind that force is evil and its source is Satan. Instead of rejecting our spouses differences, we should accept them. Instead of working against them, work with them. God, the Model Lover, shows His in different ways. When ministering unchanging love to different persons looked straight at him and said, "Look to the man crippled from birth, Peter healing in that look-a visual dy- at us" (Acts 3:4). There was love and namic! When giving gloving care to the nan with the withered hand, Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand" (Matthew 12:13). There was love and healing in Hisvoice-an auditory dynamic! When showing caring concern for the man blind from birth, Christ "anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay" (John 9:6, NKJV) There was love and healing in His touch-a kinesthetic dynamic! If God ministers His love to different people in different ways, we should learn to do the same. Third, practice the Agape Principle. The Greeks used different words for love, and the highest form of love was expressed in the word "agape." This is the word used to describe God's self-sacrificing love for us, and it reveals the quality of love that is necessary in a successful marriage relationship. Love your partner better than yourself. This principle says: Satisfy your spouse's desires above your own. It is the philosophy stated in Romans 15:1-3, NKJv, "We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbo..for even Christ did not please Himself." When we apply this Agape Principle, the kinesthetic husband works at pleasing his seeing wife more than his feeling self, and the visual wife works at pleasing her husband more than her seeing selt. Now, as each one moves across the domestic battlefield to stand on the side of the other, they must meet one another halfway or more, so that the wife will accept her husband's cuddling sometimes-and the husband will keep his foot off the table sometimes. Thus, in the experience of each partner, the meeting of the "second self" with the "first self" causes the two selves to become one. And in the embrace of their love, there is peace. These are three keys to the heart: the seeing key, the hearing key, and the feeling key. Which is the right key to your spouse's affection?That depends on who your partner is. First, identify your partner. Next, accept your partner as he or she is. Then use the Agape Principle putting your spouse's desires above your own. The Reunion As with the earthly lover, so with the heavenly. In a literal love aftai, you can see her, hear her, feel her. In a spiritual love story, one day the heavens will blaze with splendor, and Jesus will come back for all who love Him. We will see Him, we will hear Him, we will feel His power and His love! That will be the greatest day of our lives because we will be meeting the greatest Lover of all time-Christ Jesus. His love for us is stronger than the love of any husband, and we richer than the love of any wife. Before His ascension, He made a promise, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come.again and receive you to My that where I am, here you may be (John 14:2,3, NKJV). When He appe als in all His majesty, His people will us all their senses to lavish their on Him. On that glorious day love will see Hin we will hear Him, will feel Him, and we wil go to live with Him forever. Second coming of Christ is not a wish. It is a certainty! It is referred to in the Scripture som 2,000 times! The psalmist prophesied it: "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour devour before him, and it shall be very tem pestuous around him (Psalm 503, KJv). Paul proclaimed it: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, KV) Peter preached it: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night...the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements hall melt with fervent heat (2 Peter KV). The angels affirmed it: This same neJesus,.. will come back in shall melt 3:10 KJV). have seen him go the same way you ha n" (Acts 1:11). And above back (John 14:3). Christ always into heaven it: I will come all, Jesus promised speaks the truth. He always keeps His promise. Signs This Second Advent of Jesus is Signs not far away. When the curious disciples asked tor signs, the Savior granted their desire. His answer is recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Other scriptures also describe these last-day events. There are signs in the physical world such as "famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes" [Matthew 24:7, KJV). While in 1980 there was an estimated 450 million hungry people, it is projected that by the year 2000 this figure could reach 750 million! And before one pestilence is vanquished, a new one arises. While in 1993 there was an estimated 11 million cases of AIDS, that figure IS projected to escalate to 40 million by the turn of the century! Christ told of signs in the religious and social order. On one hand, "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (verse 14). On the other hand, however, there will be "the increase of wickedness" and the decline of love"the love most will grow cold" (verse 12). This decay of love was also highlighted by the apostle Paul. It affects love for God as people become "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4). It also impacts upon love for humanity and love for the family, for people become "disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,.. Without love, unforgiving,...without self-control, brutal" (verses 2, 3). Such ills of sOCiety are evidence of "the last days" (verse 1). Then, there are signs in the financial world. Shrinking economics are the order of the day, and some leaders are calling for a new economic order. And as with nations, so with individuals: the rich are becoming richer, and the poor are be- coming poorer. Scripture portrays the wanton extravagance of the rich, and the helpless cries of the poor, with judgment for the oppressor and reward for the oppressed at the coming of the Lord (James 5:1-7). Then it reminds us that these economic problems are signs that the Lord's coming is near" (verse 8). Jesus told of the political signs of nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom (Luke 21:10). Foreseeing the complicated political intrigue, the military bat- tles, the threats of chemical and nuclear warfare, he prophesied that "men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming in the world," and He declared, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Then He pictured that redemption time. "At that time they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (verses 26, 27, 28). On one hand, these signs tell us that the Advent is imminent. But on the other hand, we cannot know the time of Christ's appearing "Therefore keep watch, becruse you do not know on what day your Lord will come." Our duty is to "be ready" (Matthew 24:42, 44). See Him! Hear Him! Feel Him! The second coming of Christ will not be a secret rapture. It will be a visible appear ing, for all shall see Him. Jesus warned that "it anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ!" or, There he is!' do not believe it." Why? Because His coming will not be a secret affair seen only by some. It will be visible as the lightning which comes from the east and flashes to the west (verses 23, 27). "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him" (Revelation 1:7). Every eye-whether one lives in Russia or America, India or Africa, Samoa or Guyana-every eye shall see Him! Christ's parousia will be audible, for all shall hear Him. His coming will be announced "with a shout. It will be declared by the "voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." That sound will resound from the Arctic to the Antarctic! The shout will be heard by the living, and its echoes will be heard by the dead, for "the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thessalonians 4:16, KJv). More than that, the Second Advent of Jesus will be glorious and all shall feel Him. He will be coming "with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30, KJV). The heavens shall be ablazed with grandeur and glory that is beyond the splendor of a thousand suns, or the majesty of a million moons, or the brilliance of a billion angels! Every being will feel the power of His presence. What a day that will be! We shall see Him! We shall hear Him! We shall feel the grandeur of His glory! Two Families It will be the end of the world! t will be the climax of the age! Everything on earth will come to a stop! All the banks will be empty for money will be worthless. The dance halls will be empty for their music Will have no attraction. The liquor houses will be empty for alcohol will have no customers. The dens of prostitution will be empty for tne harlots will be out of business. On that awesome day, there will be only two families. Those who said "No" to Jesus will run away from the Savior. They will cry to the ountry's ntains and the city's rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on thee throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!" (Revelation 6:16). But those who have said "Yes" to Jesus will run toward their Redeemer. With Isaiah they will sing, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him and he will save us" (lsaiah 25:9, Kjv). With John they will join the triumphant chorus, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20, KJv). Only two families: the family of Satan and the family of God! And you and I will be standing on one side or the other. Which will it be? Could we each turn our hearts to heaven and say, "Dear Lord, thank You for loving me. I'm glad for the good news that You're coming back for me. Ilove You, and long to be with You. I want to see You, to hear You, and to feel Your glory. Please make me ready to meet You and live with You forever." Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 10 February 2021

The First Ever Wedding Existed! Adam and Eve In these days of "alternative lifestyles" and "sexual preference," many are questioning the relevance of the traditional marriage. Within our framework of freedom, is the marriage of male and female still valid today? Some people even declare that they find no evidence of a wedding ceremony in Eden, and if Adam didn't get married, why should we? On the other hand, there are others who believe that there must have been a wedding for the world's first couple, but they cannot find the proof. The big question is: What really happened in the beautiful Garden of Eden? As we examine the record, we will discover that there are two divine institutions which commenced at the gate of Eden and will continue to the gate of heaven. The first of these is marriage. Creation It was the birthday of the world. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Day after day of creation week, God spoke the miracle words, "Let there be," and things came into being! Suddenly the earth broke forth with laughter-bubbling brook and rumbling river, singing birds and swimming fish, rolling hills and peaceful plains, bouncing beasts and crawling creatures, graceful grass and fragrant flowers, shining moon and starlit sky-all creation joined the glorious anthem of praise. Then came Friday, the first Friday in Eden, and God was ready to perform the crowning act of His Creation. No longer did He say, "Let there be..." Instead He said, "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). The word "us" infers that more than one Person participated in this creative act. The first chapter of John sheds light on the first chapter of Genesis. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:1-3). Who was this "Word" this Cocreator? John 1:14 tells us that "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." That Word is Jesus. So, God the Son, was Cocreator with God the Father. Nothing was ever made without Him. And God, the Holy Spirit, was also present. "The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:2). Therefore, in the creation of humankind, the Godhead consulted and cooperated. The Father was conversing with the Son in the company of the Holy Spirit. The First Couple How did they proceed with this unique masterpiece of creation? Genesis 2:7 tells us that God shaped Adam's body from "the dust of the ground."Carefully He formed every organ, every bone every muscle, every nerve, every blood vessel Then, bending lovingly over that lifeless form, the Creator "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being" Suddenly, the creature stood before his Creator -tall, handsome, intelligent, majestic! But as Adam executed his first assignment-the naming of the animals (Genesis 2:19, 20)-he observed that while to every male there was a female, he had no mate. Deep within him was a longing for another human being with whom he could communicate. And when Adam felt the desire, God supplied his need. Putting him to sleep, the Lord performed surgery. He removed a rib from Adam's side and made a new creation. Lovingly He formed her body, mind, emotions, and will. Tenderly He breathed upon her, and as she stood in all her perfect symmetry and beauty, Adam awoke. They faced each other and inexpressible joy sparkled in their eyes. Fathomless love flooded their hearts and they fell into the arms of one another. They were in love! The Wedding And God said: This is the moment for the marriage. It was a beautiful garden wedding. Adam, the groom, stood beside Eve, the bride, while God conducted the ceremony. A choir of angels sang a song, while all nature peeped in excitement and all heavens watched in wonder. How can we know there was a wedding? Because the Bible records both the vow of the bridegroom and the pronouncement of the minister. Here is the record of Adam's marriage vow. The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called wwoman," for she was taken out of man'" (Genesis 2:23). He made her a promise and he gave her a name. Now let us listen to the statement of God, the Minister: "For this reason a man willeave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (verse 24). The careful student will ask this question: How can we be sure that the words of verse 24 are the words of God, and not the words of Adam? The speaker in verse 23 is identified: The man said," but the speaker in verse 24 is not identified. How can we be certain? If we can find evidence that the words recorded in Genesis 2:24 were spoken by God, we can be sure of a wedding in Eden. The Evidence Four thousand years later, thee Pharisees were questioning Jesus on the subject of marriage and divorce. Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?"(Matthew 19:4, 5). Fantastic! Those are the very words of Genesis 2:24! Jesus said that God created the first couple, and Christ declared that it was God who made that statement recorded in Genesis 2:24. Christ said so, and He ought to know, for He was present at the world's first wedding. He saw it, He heard it, and He reported it! So there was a marriage in the beautiful Garden of Eden and God Himself was the Minister. The Bible says, "God blessed them" (Genesis 1:28). Adam didn't take Eve and run away with her; he married her. He didn't snatch the woman to have sex with her; he was wedded to her. Adam didn't practice concubinage; he practiced marriage. Adam didn't "live in" he had a wedding. God's Plan God's plan for the earth's first couple that day is the same as His plan for every couple today. He has ordained that sex be experienced exclusively within the bond of marriage. His command is clear: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). His desire is that sexual relationships be reserved for the bed of the married couple. "Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge" (Hebrews 13:4, NKJV). So heaven's invitation to every couple loving and living together, but not yet married, is to get married. It is important to note that in this model marriage, the partners were not Eva and Eve but Adam and Eve. Nor were they Adam and Steve, but Adam and Eve! Sexual intimacy between persons of the same sex is strictly forbidden in Scripture. In the Old Testament, God said, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death" (Leviticus 20:13). The New Testament bears the same message. "Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men,...Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death" (Romans 1:27, 32). But while God dislikes the sin, He loves the sinner. More than that, He makes His limitless power available that if we are willing, we can gain the victory. In Isaiah 50:2, NKJV, He asks the intriguing question, "Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?" In Isaiah 59:1, NKJV, the emphatic answer is given: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear." The good news is that deliverance is possible. The beauty of the world's first wedding is beyond our description. That gorgeous garden becamea chorus of praise. The twitter of chirping birds and the splendor of fragrant flowers- roses and lilies, violets and marigolds, orchids and daffodils-all joined the choir of joy. Rolling hills, verdant plains, and singing trees are united in the anthem of gladness. In this pageant of beauty, while the laughter of earth kissed the smile of heaven, marriage was born. In the Garden So, on that first Friday in Eden, there was a celebration of love-the love of a man for a woman. The next day was another celebration of love- the love of man and woman for God. The Bible says, "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work ot creating that he had done" (Genesis 2:3). Marriage received His benedic- tion and the Sabbath received blessing. Marriage, born in Eden on the sixth day, was a celebration of love n the garden of peace. The Sabbath, instituted in Eden on the seventh day, was another celebration of love n the same garden of peace. Some call it a Jewish Sabbath. But how many people were in Eden? Just two-Adam and Eve. Where they Jews? Of course not! There was neither Jew or Gentile. The Sabbath was not given first to Moses; it was given to Adam 2,500 years before Moses! It did not start at Sinai; it started in Eden. Since it was given to Adam, father of us all, it was made for the whole human race. That was at Jesus said, The Sabbath was man or white man, rich man or poor made for man" Mark 2:27). Black man, the Sabbath was made for ever maa child of Adam. Just as marriage was made for all humanity, so the Sabbath was created for the whole human family. Far from being Jewish, the Sabbath is Christian. Since marriage was made by Creator Christ, it is originally a Christian institution. Since the Sabbath was made by Christ, it is universally a Christian institution. That is why Jesus called Himself, "Lord of the Sabbath" (verse 28). More than that, the Sabbath is a day for the family of God. Since Adam and Eve were made and married on Friday, which was the first night that they slept in the arms of each other? Sabbath eve! And which was the first tull day that they enjoyed the thrill or God's love together? The Sabbath day! What a day that must have been! What ecstasy in experiencing the love of each other and exploring the love of God! Unspeakable! Unforgettable! Eternally memorable! Yes, the Sabbath is a day for the family of God. Prescription for peace Not only was it made in a place of peace, it is a day of peace. In fact, the word "Sabbath" means "rest." It pictures peace. Day after day we are caught up in the rush and hurry of everyday life, its problems and per plexities, its strains and stresses. They drive some people crazy! God's design is that each seventh day we should take a holiday. Many cannot afford extensive vacations, but God's plan is that each Sabbath be a mini-vacation. For a full 24- hour day, from sunset to sunset (Genesis 1:5; Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:32), we may leave the regular ac- tivities of work, and school, and business, not working on them, not speaking of them, not even thinking of them. It is a time to give the minda holiday, exchanging the burdens of earth for the beauties of heaven. It is a time to turn the thoughts from the machines of men to the mysteries of God. It is time for worship, the celebration of God's great act of creation. It is a time of renewal as we encounter God's recreating power in our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual experience. The Sabbath is God's plan for human sanity. It is a divine antidote for the epidemic of stress. It is heaven's prescription for peace of mind. Each new week we can descend from its mountain retreat to face life's battles in the valley and be victorious. Identification Sometimes people ask, "Can we choose any day to be our day of rest?" Let us illustrate. When the Joneses had their first baby, they carried the concern that their child should not live a life of poverty as they had done. So they took the infant to the home of a millionaire and asked him to perform the service of blessing! Ridiculous! If they wanted their child to be blessed, they should have taken their offspring to a church and have the clergy man perform that sacred rite. Why? Because only God can bless! Only God can bless a person, a place, or a day. And He has already chosen the seventh day, and placed His special blessing upon it (Genesis 2:1-3). But how can one be sure which day today is God's seventh day? The Crucifixion story answers this question clearly. Three memorable events marked that weekend: Christ's crucifixion, His burial, and His glorious resurrection. The day He was crucified we call Good Friday, the day He rested in the tomb we call Saturday, and the day He was resurrected we call Easter Sunday. Now what names does the Bible give to these three days? The day of crucifixion is called "preparation day" (Luke 23:54). The next day is called "the Sabbath" (Luke 23:54, 56). Resurrection day is called "the first day of the week" (Luke 24:1). So Friday is the Bible's "preparation day" Saturday is the Bible "Sabbath," and Sunday is the Bible's "first day of the week." To state it differently, the day that comes between Christ's crucifixion on the sixth day and Christ's resurrection on the first day is God's Sabbath day. Prince of Peace Six hundred years before Christ's birth in Bethlehem, Isaiah told the Christmas story. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given." Then he called some of His names: "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). Wherever He went during His earthly life, Jesus brought peace. To demon possessed men wild and ravening, He spoke peace. To profligate women tired of sinning, He whispered peace. To tempestuous waves raging and howling, He said "Peace be still." And where did this Prince of Peace go on His day of peace? Luke 4:16 gives us the answer: "On the Sabbath day, he went into the ynagogue, as was his custom." S0 the habit of Jesus was to worship or the Sabbath day. It is good to remember that there were hypocrites in that church angry hypocrites, scheming hypocrites, modela derous hypocrites (Luke 4:28, 29). same. He sang and prayed with the hypocrites. He even preached to them. We must never let the hypocrites keep us from church on Christ's Sabbath. One awesome day, He walkedd up a cruel hill called Calvary, and there they crucified Him. Hanging, crying, bleeding, dying, He suffered for you and for me. And whenever someone kneels at the foot of the Cross and says, "Tm in love with Je- sus, and I'm giving my life to Him," Christ pardons the sin, rolls away the guilt, and gives inner joy and peace. Then the Savior says: Since you have experienced My salvation inside, I invite you to wear My sign outside. And what is that sign? "Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God" (Ezekiel 20:20). Glorious thought! The Sabbath is a sign of our salvation. Two Symbols So, in the beautiful garden of Eden, God gave to the human family two symbols of love, two emblems of peace. Marriage was instituted on the sixth day, and the Sabbath was celebrated on the seventh day. Both were given to the first family of God yesterday, both belong to the family of God today, and both will remain with the family of God tomorrow. Marriage is a symbol of the love affair between a man and a woman. It is the sign of belonging to a new human family. The Sabbath is the symbol of a love affair between a man or a woman and God. It is a sign of belonging to a new spiritual family-God's family. Marriage is a covenant of human love. It is an act of commitment where one says to one's earthly lover, "Tlove you, and I'm giving my life to you forever." The Sabbath is also a covenant of love-divine love. It is an act of commitment when someone says to the heavenly Lover, "I love You, and I'm giving my life to You forever." Can we make such a loving commitment today? Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 9 February 2021

The Mystery Unveil, of a Happy Marriage The bride and groom stood before the altar on their wedding day. After the ex- change of vows, they knelt to pray. Suddenly, to the dismay of the couple, and the distress of the minister, the solemn hush was broken by the snickering and giggling of a wide-eyed congregation. What was the reason for such hilarity? Some mischievous person had taken the groom's new shoes and had written on the bottom of each shoe the word "H-E-L-P!" So when the groom knelt, the audience read the message, "Help! Help!" Whether we want to admit it or not, every love affair needs help! Every wedding needs help! The institution of marriage is disintegrating at a most alarming rate. In 1900, in the United States of America, there was one divorce for every 12.7 marriages. By 1940, one out of every six weddings was dissolved. In 1980, however, one out of every two marriages ended in divorce!3 And the statistics of some other countries are not far behind! Help Is Available But while the bad news is that matrimony needs help, the good news is that help is available. Help is available from the greatest marriage, Counselor of all time. His name is Jesus. Should not the Maker of marriage be the best Counselor on marriage? Help is also available in the best marriage manual of all time-the Bible. It is interesting to observe that every significant principle for a successful modern marriage is found in that ancient Book. One day, an expert in the law came to test Jesus, asking what he should do to inherit eternal life. Christ asked him to answer his own question, and when he replied, the Savior responded, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live" (Luke 10:28). In his reply, the lawyer quoted two passages from the Old Testament Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. So, he was repeating the Word of God. That response recorded in Luke 10:27 contains the key to life in its entirety: personal, matrimonial, communal, and eternal. Three Secrets of Successful Marriage Subtle Secret The secret we shall consider first is the one that the lawyer stated last. It is a subtle secret which says, "Love..yourself" (Luke 10:27). Some people condemn self-love, but Christ commended it! Of course, self-love can be sinful. It is wrong when it results in the replacement of God, causing us to love self more than we love God. It is also wrong when it causes the displacement of fellow human beings, when love for self destroys care or concern for others. Such self-centeredness leads to pride and is displeasing to God. The Lord detests all the proud of heart" (Proverbs 16: But in order to shun this sinful self love, some people become victims of self-hate. They see themselves as worthless "worms." That is another device of the devil, for if we think we are worms, we will behave like worms! The humorous story is told of a man who was walking down the corridor of a giant department store. Suddenly, he spotted someone advancing toward him, and he disliked him the moment he saw him! The oncoming fellow looked vicious, and the nearer he got, the more menacing he appeared to be. Fearing that his opponent would hit him first, the man fired the first blow. To his hurt and dismay, his hand was bathed in blood, for he had crashed the giant mirror on the wall! The fellow he hated was himself! When we see ourselves in the mirror, do we like what we see? Some people are dissatisfied with the texture of their hair, or the color of their skin; their height, width or weight; their muscle power or brainpower; their political or finanaal strength. Too many people hate them selves. They forget that Jesus sald, "Love..yourself." REASONS. But what does that have to do with a happy marriage? How does self-worth affect my love affair? It does so in at least three ways. First, if I do not love myself, I make myself unlovable. In other words, I make it difficult for somebody to love me. After all, whoever wants to marry Mr. or Miss Misery? Second, it is difficult for me to give love to somebody else, for I cannot share what I do not have. Remember what Peter said to the lame man begging for money? He said, "Silver or gold I do not have," so l cannot give; "but what have I give you" (Acts 3:6). Before I can give love to someone else, I must have some love for myself. Third, if I do not love myself, it is difficult for me to accept the idea that somebody really loves me. I am prone to exclaim in wonder, "Who, me? It can't be!" If somebody dares to love me, I find it hard to believe and ditficult to accept. Why should we love ourselves? First, because God loves us. Every person is precious to Him. Regardless of our limitations physically, mentally, morally, or or emotionally, God loves us just as we are. In spite of our inadequacies-social, professional, financial or spiritual-Christ cares for us. How can we be certain of that? Because the most beloved text of Scripture tells us so. "God so loved the World" (John 3:16). But His love is not Just for "the world," because the verse goes on to say "that whoever." The Word, "whoever' means any person. It means you and me. He says, "You are precious and honored in my I love you" (Isaiah 43:4). Now if God loves us, we ought to love ourselves. Not only are we the objects of God's love, each of us is special and unique to him. Have you ever stopped to think that of the over five billion people on earth, no one looks exactly like you? No one has your teatures, your fingerprint, or your voice. You are unique! With David we can declare, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made...How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!" (Psalm 139:14,17). Now if we are special to God, we have a right to value ourselves. This vital key to a happy marriage is: Love yourself. Accept yourself. Believe in yourself. Foster positive self-worth. The subtle secret is that a successful marriage does not start with finding the right person. It begins with being the right person! Now, when one has a healthy love for one's self, then one can proceed to the love of one's partner. "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27). The lawyer proceeded to ask another question, "Who is my neighbor?" (verse 29). Then Jesus answered him with the immortal story of the Good Samaritan, which revealed that one's neighbor is anyone, regardless of race, residence, or religion who is in need of love and care. This means that there are different types of neighbors. There is the faraway neighbor who may be living in some distant land without food or house. Since he or she needs our love and care, he or she is our neighbor. Then there is the nextdoor neighbor living in the house nearby. If he or she needs our loving care, he or she is our neighbor. Since the person who lives far away without a house needing our love and care is our neighbor, and since the person who lives nearby, in the next house needing our loving cane is our neighbor what about the person Who lives in the same house and is in need of tender, loving care? Is he or she not the nearest neighbor? Is he or she not the dearest dearest neighbor? Our spouses are our nearest, dearest neighbor, and we should our love them as we love ourselves. Why should I love my partner as much as I love myself? Because my spouse is my other self! At the marriage altar, I take unto myself a second self! This other self is to be loved and cherished as my first self. The apostle Paul spoke about this "profound mystery when he declared that "husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body" (Ephesians 5: 28, 29). So, whenI look at my wife, I am staring at my other self! And I should treat her as such. To love my partner as myself means that I am willing to satisfy my spouse's desires as much as I am willing to gratify my own. Second Secret But sometimes a crisis arises. The big question is: When the needs of one self are at war with the needs of the other self, which self comes first? When there is conflict between the desires of one's self and the desires of one's spouse, whose desires take precedence? Jesus addressed that very issue when He declared, "A new "A Commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). This means that I should love my Spouse in the same wav that Christ loved me. That brings us to a further inguiry How did Jesus love me? To answer that question we must go back to the Garden of Gethsemane and listen to His prayer. "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup, pass fom Me; nevertheless, not as I will "but as You will" (Matthew 26:39, will, NAIV). As Christ contemplated the nature jump for joy? Of course not! arguish of the cross, did His human His prayer reveals that His being recoiled with indescribable dread. His human heart cried for a way out of the inexpressible agony. But when He saw you and me and all the rest of the human family, and thought of our need for salvation, His human desire took second place! Our need took first place! He loved us not merely as He loved Himself; He loved us more, much more than He loved Himself. He did not enjoy the cruel death on the cross of Calvary, but He endured that suffering because of His love for you and for me. This "new commandment" was not new in its content, "love one another." It was new in its quality, "as I have loved you." This self- sacrificing love, this love that puts the desire of the other above and before the needs of one's self is the quality of love that constitutes the Second secret of a successful marriage. The apostle Paul spoke to this love wheen he counseled, "Do Same principle of self-abnegating othing out of selfish ambition or van conceit, but in humility consider hers better than yourselves. Each you should look not only to your answer that question, we must go own interests, but also to the interests of others." Then pointing to the Model, he declared, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:3-5). Elsewhere he said, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). Let us illustrate this vital concept. A certain family became renowned for their cucumber business. The husband faithfully planted and tended the crop, experi menting with various species until he became famous, winning one award after another for his prized cucumbers. The wife carefully pickled the product and soon became a specialist in the art, winning many prizes for her excellent pickles. Cucumbers became the lifeblood of the home and the binding chord of the family. Then tragedy struck and the hus- band died. One of the children, aware of his Mom's affinity to pickled cucumbers, offered to take over the responsibility for the crop. But to his surprise, Mother said, "No." Then she confided, "Through the years I have had no special love for pickling cucumbers. But I observed that planting and reaping cucumbers gave Dad a special sense of pride. SoI pickled them because I love him and wanted to please him." In utter amazement another child exclaimed, "On his deathbed, Dad revealed that over the years he had no consuming passion for cucumbers! But when he saw the thrill that pickling his produce brought to you, he became excited about agriculture because his life's goal was to stay in love with you, Mom, and make you happy! Those were cucumbers ot love. While the first key to a successful marriage is to love oneself, the second secret is to love your partner better than yourself. This means that we are willing to satisfy our spouse's desires more than gratifying our own. If each partner will practice this principle, most marital problems will disappear. Primary Secret We come now to the last secret. This is the most important ingredient of a successful marriage. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Luke 10:27). What does loving God have to do with a loving, happy marriage? The answer is short, simple, but profound. "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Since God is the Source of all true love, a couple can experience marital love at its optimum only when the partners come in contact with that Source. Since God is the Marriage Designer, He is the best Marriage Mechanic. Since He is the Marriage Builder, He is its best Maintainer. Since He made it, He can fix it. The psalmist puts it this way. "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). The fact is that every house is controlled by a spirit: the evil spirit of Satan or the Holy Spirit of God. Every home is inhabited by angels: angry angels of the devil or happy angels of God. Every marriage comes under the influence of the supernatural: the warring, destructive power of Satan or the peaceful, healing power of God. And every couple has the power of choice. "Love the Lord your God" The lawyer listed that first, and he was right! It does come first! It is the fundamental secret of success. It is when we digest the sublime thought that God really loves us just as we are, and in return we fall in love with Him, that we become capable of loving ourselves unreservedly. And it is after we learn to love God supremely that we are empowered to love our spouses sacrificially like He loves us. It is only when we submit our lives to His self-abnegating love for us that we begin to comprehend and are constrained to render this same self-sacrificing love to our spouses. It is the "love of Christ" that "compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14, NKJV). "Love the Lord your God" is the most vital secret. A happy marriage may be likened toa triangle with Christ at the apex and husband and wife at the corners of the base. When the partners are far from Christ, they remain distant from each other. As each spouse moves toward Jesus, they get closer to one another. And when each connects with Christ, they become Connected to each other. Love for Goa is the primary secret of a succes marriage. The Invitation Nineteen centuries ago there was another wedding. The bride and groom were enjoying themselve when something terrible happened: the wine ran out! Marriage festivities usually lasted several days, and to be without drink would have been an awesome embarrassment. It was as if the bridegroom held up his shoes with the words written in bold letters, "Help! Help!" The good news is that Christ was present to help. But how did Jesus get there? He went by special invitation! The record says that "Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding"(John 2:2). Had they not given Him that invitation, the couple would have ever looked back upon their wedding with thoughts of embarrassment and sadness. But they had invited Him and they experienced an unforgettable miracle! The water was turned to wine, and forever they remembered their marriage as an occasion of miraculous joy and gladness. In this 20th century amidst the staggering statistics on broken homes, and the unspeakable pain of broken hearts, Jesus awaits our invitation. He wants to enter our homes and pertorm modern miracles. He wants to change our water into wine, our pain into pleasure, our crying into Singing, our sadness into gladness. How do we give Him the invitation? First by prayer. Every morning and evening, husband and wife can kneel together and pray, talking to God as friend with Friend. Second, we invite Jesus into the amily by Bible study. Day by day as we open His Book and read His word, we listen to the very voice of Jesus. If children are present, we can read them Bible stories. Third, we can welcome Jesus into our family by singing songs of thanksgiving and praise. Just as that ancient couple invited Christ into their home, so every modern couple can invite Jesus into their family. He will turn our water into wine, the ordinary will become extraordinary, and our home on earth will become a little bit of heaven. I Love you These are the three big secrets of a happy marriage: love yourself;love your partner better than yourself; love Jesus best of all. And the formula always works best when we start with Jesus. Someone observed that this is the acrostic recipe for joy J -for Jesus Love Jesus best of all. O-for Others Love your partner better than yourself. Y - for You Love yourself. Let us take a final gaze at those glorious words: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Luke 10:27). When we look into the tender eyes of an earthly lover, isn't that what we say, "I love you with all my heart"? As we gaze into the precious eyes of our heavenly Lover, would that we be inspired to say, "Lord, I love You with all my heart!" Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 8 February 2021

Good morning friends! How are you guys been doing now? Today is a great day... May you continue to experience the greatest lover of all-Jesus. Blessings to all.. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 8 February 2021

Inseparable Sweethearts! It was January 16, 1935, and on the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados, a baby was born. His parents gave him a noble Bible name, Timothy. When the child was just a year old, the family moved to the South American country then known as British Guiana. As he matured, this brilliant youth traveled to the neighboring island of Trinidad where he studied at Caribbean Union College. There he met a special Guyanese girl named Thelda. Gradually a bond of affection and love drew their lives together. Tragedy Tim's goal was to become a physician, and he soon migrated to the United States of America, studying first at Andrews University, Michigan, then at Loma Linda University in Southern California. But in his second year of medical1 school when his hopes were high, tragedy struck! On that awful night of May 16,1959, a reckless vehicle knocked his car off Highway 10. For the next 48 hours, Tim's life seemed to hang in the balance as he alternated between consciousness and unconsciousness. When his condition was finally stabilized, the seriousness of his condition became evident. His cervical spine was broken at the C5 and C6 vertebrae. He was paralyzed from the neck down. Without the use of arms and legs, he would be quadriplegic for the rest of his life. On his hospital bed, the youth faced serious questions: queries about his life, about his goals, about his future. He grappled with awesome questions for which he had no answers. After two months of hospitalization, he was transferred in to the Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in New York, and to the inestimable inspiration of Dr. Howard A. Rusk. Over the next 10 months of rehabilitation, Tim was taught to operate a motorized wheelchair. He also learned the use of a device which gave him limited movement to his thumb, middle finger and forefinger. With this gadget, he was able to do some writing, and among other things, to handle his own telephone. But although these bits of progress encouraged him, life was full of trauma. Four Guiding Principles of Relationship Faith What enabled this ambitious youth to cope with such a devastating calamity? First was his faith in God. Of course, Tim had some big questons for the Lord: Where was God at the time of the accident? Why did He allow it to happen? Could such a God still be trusted? Experientially, Tim could descend with the psalmist into the valley of despair to cry out, "My tears have been my food day and nign Where is your God?" (Psalm 42:3). Then he could ascend with the poet to the summit of trust and sing, "Why are you down cast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put yOur hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (verse 11). Despite his calamity, he could say with Job the patriarch, "But He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" Job 23:10, NKJV). Can we say that? When we experience tragedy, do we still believe in God? When calamity confronts us, is our faith still strong? When we face questions without ready answers, do we still trust God? Mind Power Another source of Tim's strength was his mind power - his faith in himself. While he was paralyzed from the neck down, he was still functional from his neck up. His mind was clear and his brain was alert. The human mind is the most marvelous piece of God's creation. We are told that if someone were to build a computer to match the human brain, the housing unit would be three times the size of the United States Empire State Building. It would need all the energy of Niagara Falls to power it, while it would take the waters of Niagara to cool it. And it would utilize all the electronic circuitry of all the Tadio and television stations of the world. That's brain power! There is an amazing verse in the Bible that gives the Lord's assessment of the human mind. As the antedeluvians raised the first skyscraper, God declared, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them" (Genesis 11:6). Nothing impossible"-that's the voice of God describing the brainpower of men and women. Tim made up his mind. He would still become a medical doctor. If the University would accept him,he would resume his studies and pursue his goal. Despite the limitations of his body, he would use his brain. Thať's mind power! Some say they cannot climb to the top because they have no money. What if they had no legs? Others say they cannot reach their goals because they have no opportunity. What if they had no hands? The inspired writer declared, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). Not only did Tim have faith in God and faith in himself; he also drew upon the faith of his family. His father, a gospel minister, stood by his side, and his dedicated, Christian mother cradled him the second time. And while faithful family members supported him with presence and prayers, loyal friends gave him inspiration and encouragement. Action It is great to have faith, but that is never enough. Faith must move a person to action. Believing he could pick up the pieces, Timothy applied to Loma Linda University to be re- admitted into the medical program. School officials had to face serious questions: Could he cope? Could someone so severely handicapped stand up to the rigors of medical school? After all, even students with all their abilities and extremities sometimes fail because of their inadequacies. Finally, however, the University decided to permit him to continue. Tim arrived on the campus with his wheelchair, and with the help of some friends started his unique adventure. Not only did he have to battle with the rigors of academia; he had to conquer the physical challenges of moving his chair from classroom to classroom in different parts of the campus. Then, he had to deal with the emotional stress that his handicap presented, and with the social pressures of interacting with people, some of whom were helpful and others not so helpful. But his faith went to work. He labored, he studied, he struggled, he persevered on and on. Then came June 3, 1963. At the graduation exercises of Loma Linda University, Tim receiveda standing ovation. He was now Timothy Greaves, M.D.! For the next four years he pursued a specialty in pathology. And today, if you visit the 1,500-bed Medical Center of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, you will meet Dr. Greaves. He is assistant director of Cytology, and associate professor of Pathology. He is the epitome of success. Loyalty Meanwhile, Thelda also migrated to the United States of America, and after studying at Andrews University, she completed her professional training at Hinsdale School of Nursing, Ilinois. This beau tiful young lady attracted a number of suitors, but the big question in her mind was, What should she do about Timothy? Her brain became a battlefield. On one hand, deep down inside, she still loved Tim. On the other hand, she was sure that because of his handicap, she could not marry him. Yet, she felt an obligation to honor the promise she had made to him before the accident. She was convinced that her conscience would not allow her to be happy if she deserted him to marry someone else. So, on and on her mental conflict raged. In 1969, some 10 years after the accident, this couple met for the first time since the tragedy. It was an encounter charged with conflictine emotions. During the "70s, Thelda did orthopaedic nursing. There she mastered the ability to deal with the handicapped. But more than that, she met patients who had spouses. While some of them were married before their tragedy, she observed that some still enjoyed a marital encounter. This experience opened new windows to her thinking. Love Gradually, Thelda's questions turned into answers, and she came to a decision. If Tim proposed to her again, she would marry him. As the currents of love swept over their hearts, Tim gathered enough strength to ask, and Thelda collected ne courage to give an affirmative answer. They were engaged in 1960. One year later, on June 28, 1981, at Loma Linda, California, amid the echo of the organ, the shrill of the violin, and the strings of the harp, Tim and Thelda exchanged their marriage vows. It was a delightsome garden wedding, and nature jumped for joy. But brighter than the light of candles, flowers were their precious words of promise: "Entreat me of not to leave thee wether thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge thy people hall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16, KJv). A decade has come and gone, and their love still lives on. This couple is known for their devotion and is a perpetual inspiration. As Tim told of his love and Thelda spoke of hers, note of her words: "Tim is a special person, and I feel no embarrassment, whatever, in public when he sits in his wheel chair and I stand by his side." Then she added, "I have always been faithful to him, and I ever will be.' What love! What loyalty! This 20th century love story reminds us of that first century love song: "Love is patient, love is kind... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7, 8, 13). There is another story of two inseparable sweethearts. The man's name is Law, and the woman's name is Grace. Tim and Thelda are different from each other, but they need one another. In love with each other, they are sweethearts forever. So Law and Grace are different from each other, but they need one another. They love each other, and live together as sweethearts forever. Just as the love affair of Tim and Thelda was guided by four precious principles-faith, action, loyalty, and love-so the love relationship of Law and Grace is inspired by four unshakable principles. Relationships of Law and Grace Impotence First of all, we need to look at Mr. Law. He is described in Exodus 20:3- 17, and is expressed in the Ten Commandments. The first says, "You shall have no other gods before me. The second admonishes, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything." The third is, You shall not misuse the The name of the LORD." The fourth reminds us, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." These outline our duty to God. The other six state our duty to humanity. The fifth counsels, "Honor your father and your mother." The sixth commands, "You shall not murder." The seventh warns, ""You shall not commit adultery." The eight declares, "You shall not steal." The ninth advises, "You shall not give false testimony," And the tenth is, "You shall not covet." This law is the law of Jesus. Its sacred principles, which were understood since Eden were codified and declared by Christ, the "I AM," on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20), then endorsed and magnified by Him on the Mount of Blessing (Matthew 5). It is still the best code of conduct, and the finest standard for human behavior today. The apostle Paul affirmed that "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12). But good as it is, the law cannot save us from sin. While it is true that "through the law we become conscious of sin," the fact remains that "no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law" (Romans 3:20). "By observing the law, no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16). This is the first principle in this spiritual love affair: The Law of Jesus cannot save. It is impotent! If one were to make a fresh start today, sinful human nature would find it impossible to obey God perfectly enough tomorrow to merit salvation. And then, what about yes- terday, and the days and years of past disobedience? Try as one may, a sinner can never earn salvation. Omnipotence Since we cannot save ourselves Jesus died to save us. On the cross a Calvary, Christ suffered, bled, and died for every human being who has lived, is living, and will live on planet earth. He experienced the death that was ours, so we might enjoy the eternal lite that is His. That is the message of the world's favorite verse of Scripture, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16, NKJV). Thať's Grace! And it is omnipotent, for it is capable of saving anyone in any place, at any time. The second principle of this love affair is omnipotence, arnd it declares that the grace of Jesus Christ saves. This is the very heart of the Gospel. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). We are saved "by grace...through faith," and it is a free "gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Calvary's grace is omnipotent because it takes care of every past sin, each present mistake, and all future transgressions. Should anyone stand at heaven's gate and be asked to give a reason to be let in, only one answer will suffice: the blood of Jesus! Consequences But we must always remember that just as Tim and Thelda are different but inseparable, so Law and Grace are two inseparable sweethearts. Grace never stands alone. The apostle James highlighted this fact when he asked, "What good is it, money brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" (James 2:14). Here is a man who claims to be saved by Grace, but does not produce the works of the Law. James is saying that such a man has a counterfeit grace that does not save. Then he illustrated his point. What if one who is naked and hungry asks for help, and the other replies, I wish you well," but he fails to "In the same way, faith by itself, if it match his words with deeds of love? 5 not accompanied by action, 1s dead" (James 2:15, 17). Grace never stands alone (James 2:24). She always has Law beside her! While she possesses omnipotence, Grace has a consequence! When Someone is saved by the Grace of Jesus, he must obey the Law of Jesus. Consequence, the third principle of that whenever there is Grace, there is Law. Agreement Agreement The apostle Paul taught this very truth over ent and over again. After declaring, that "man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" in Romans 3:28, he went on to ask in verse 31, "Do e we, then, nullify the law by this faith?" Then he gave the answer,"Not at all. Rather, we uphold the law." While affirming that we are saved "by grace.. through faith...not by works," in Ephesians 2:8, 9, he emphasized in the very next verse that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Elsewhere He stated, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous" (Romans 2:13). We need to keep in mind, however, that obedience to the law is not a precedence to, but rather a consequence of salvation by Grace. We obey, not to be saved, but because we are already saved! Such obedience is "the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26, KJv), or "the obedience that comes from faith" (Romans 1:5). And Jesus agreed that this consequent obedience isa vital dynamic of the love affair when He said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15, NKJVv). Absence According to the principle of consequence, whenever there is Grace there is Law. The converse is also true: Where there is no Law, there is no Grace! This corollary is the principle of Absence. It is the fourth concept which says: If Law is not present, Grace is absent! Why is this so? Because the existence of O one is proof of the presence of the other. "I will show you my faith by what I do," apostle James declared. Then he used the devil to illustrate his point. When people said they believed, he pointed out that even "the demons believe" (James 2:18, 19). But these believing devils never obey! And no one wants to be in such bad company! So Law and Grace are inseparable sweethearts--as inseparable as the body and the spirit in a living person. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead" (verse 26). Three times in one chapter the inspired writer repeated it: "Faith without works is dead" (verses 17, 20, 26, KJV;. So if we kill Law, we will need to build two caskets, for these two sweethearts are inseparable! The Hand of Love Lars Justinen's painting of the scarred hands depicts a little girl standing beside Jesus curiously observing the gaping nailprints. As she gazes tenderly into His face she asks, "What happened to Your hands?" What hands He had! Sturdy hands made tough in the carpenter's shop. Healing hands that touched the sick and raised the dead. Firm hands that raised the scourge and sent the traders scamp- ering from the temple. Miracle hands that multiplied bread and fish to feed the multitude. Bleeding hands with the flesh torn by cruel spikes. Can we, like that little child, gaze at the wounds in His loving hands? Now those very hands are reaay to write. Let us note the inscription. "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts" (Hebrews 8:10). The amazing truth 1s that whenever a man or woman 1s saved by grace, Christ dips His finger in His own blood, and writes His law upon the fleshy tables of that person's mind. And the inscription is indelible! No more stealing, for Christ has written on our minds, "You shall not steal." No more adultery, for He has engraved upon our brains, You shall not commit adultery." No more lawful or unlawful drugs, for He has written with His own finger, "You shall not murder." No more sinful pleasure, because the Savior has penned, "You shall have no other gods before me." No more Sabbath-breaking, for Jesus has written with His own hand of love, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy," No more dis- obedience, for He has etched, "Honor your father and your mother." No more cursing and SWearing, for our Savior has in- SCribed upon our minds, "You shall not misuse the name of the LoRD." Silently, mysteriously, miraculously, we become obedient to the Law of Jesus because we have been saved by the Grace of Jesus! Inseparable Tim and Thelda are inseparable sweethearts. Accident could not alienate them, disappointment could not destroy them, paralysis could not prevent them, handicap could not hurt them. From each to the other came the words true and tender, "I love you." Within the family of God, they are sweethearts forever. Law and Grace are also inseparable sweethearts. No doctrine can divide them, no preacher can part them, no writer can withhold them, no sinner can separate them. From each to the other come the words true and tender, "Tlove you." Within the family of God, they are sweethearts forever and ever. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 7 February 2021

Coping With Singleness Have you heard of the spinster who decreed that there should be no male pallbearers at her funeral? She decided that since men give her no love while she lived, they should keep their kindness when she died! REASONS Categories of Singles First of all, there are singles who still hope to get married. Some who have been circumscribed by limited opportunities can enhance their prospects by seeking to enlarge their circle of friends and acquaintances. Joining clubs and other organizations, participating in social activities, traveling or attending appropriate institutions of higher learning may be of help. Others can become more attractive by improvement in dress, deportment, speech, or atti- tude. Some persons can enhance their interpersonal skills by overcoming fear and shyness, learning to mix, or by increasing their communication tools. Still others can succeed if they cease the search for perfection, remembering that they themselves are not perfect, and recognizing that while some basic requirements are crucial, other qualities are optional. A second category of singles is composed of persons who have developed a mental block toward marriage because of unfortunate past experiences. Some have been jilted, disappointed, or hurt and are afraid to trust again. Others carry the scars of premarital sex, while still others recall the trauma of rape However, these experiences of or incest. the past, unfortunate as they have been, should not be allowed to ruin the future. The dark nightmare of yesterday should not be permitted to destroy the bright vision of tomorrow. As the Scripture says, Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize" (Philippians 3:13, 14). Some stay unmarried because of a deliberate personal choice. For reasons of their own, whether loveof independence, commitment to careers, or otherwise they prefer to remain single. Others are unmarried by the will of God. In His wisdom, singleness for them is a part of divine providence. Still others are single because of separation or divorce. Then, there are those who are single because the icy hand of death has snatched the life of a spouse. We will be dealing with both divorce and death in later chapters. Guidelines in Coping With Singleness Regardless of the reason, however, the single person neede to master the art of coping with the complexities of Singleness. Let us examine some useful uidelines. Gifts First of all, it should be reconized that singleness is one of God's gifts. While God gives to some the gift of marriage, to somo He bestows the gift of singleness. In one of His discourses, when Jesus underscored the fact that the marriage vow should last a lifetime, His disciples replied,"If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry" (Matthew 19:10). To this option of staying single, Christ declared, uNot everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given" (verse 11). Here the Savior was saying that singleness is a gift that is given to some persons. The apostle Paul also affirmed this concept when he said, "I wish that all men were as I am, [i.e. unmarried]. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that" (1 Corinthians 7:7). So, some have been granted the gift of marriage while others have been given the gift of singleness. And both originate from the same gracious Benefactor. In continuing this theme, the apostle pointed out that the one who is committed to marriage "should get married," while the person who makes a commitment to singleness "also does the right thing" (verses 36, 37). Blessings Then, count the blessings. Life is like a rosebush with its thorns and its roses. Marriage had both roses and thorns, and singleness has its roses and its thorns. There is the thorn of loneliness. Without spouse or children, life can be lonely. Then there is the thorn of societal stigma, for society tends to treat the single person as a second-class citizen. Of course, there Is the thorn of sexuality, the constant battle of dealing with our sexual desires. But there are also the roses! Look at the rose of control. The single woman is not required to divide her time with husband and children. She is in control. The unmarried man has no responsibility to share the management of money with a spouse. He is in control. Then, there 1s the rose of freedom-freedom of movement, freedom to tend to one's personal priorities. The apostle Paul highlighted another freedom--the freedom to serve. This is how he stated it. "I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs- how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world how he can please his wife and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or Virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs:..But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world-how she can please her husband" (verses 32-34). So singleness has some blessings. Let's count our blessings. We should also remember that while marriage can contribute to one's happiness, marriage is not the key to happiness. In fact, some of the unhappiest people on earth are persons trapped in a harmful marriage. Isn't it better to be single and happy than to be married and miser able? So let us "give thanks in all cir cumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Self-Esteem The third guideline is to preserve a positive self-worth. A single person is not inferior to a married person. Both are equal in God's sight. Our Worth is not in nmarriage, but in Christ, for we "are complete in him" (Colossians 2:10, NKJV). When we look in the mirror, we should feel good about ourselves because God thinks highly of us. Whether married or single, each person is "precious" and valuable to God (Isaiah 43:4). History speaks of single people who recognized their value to God, and their worth to society, and gave rich blessing to the world. We can never forget Florence Nightingale, the "lady with the lamp," hospital reformer and founder of modern nursing. There was Sir Isaac Newton, famous mathematician and physicist who discovered the law of gravity. And what about Evangeline Booth, first female general of the international Salvation Army? Then there was Ludwig van Beethoven, deaf German composer, one of the great music masters. And how many milions have been charmed by the artistry of Marian Anderson, one of the greatest contraltos of all time! For the most significant portion of his life, Paul, the greatest Christian theologian of all time, was unmarried. So was Dorcas, the indefatigable apostolic social worker. But the greatest hero of the singles' hall of fame was Jesus. Married only to His mission of this world's salvation, He lived his life with an unswerving singleness of purpose. So singles are in illustrious company. Dependence It is important that the single person maintain a valuable circle of friends. The desire for companion. ship is a universal need wo the fabric of the human heart h Into inte divine hand (Genesis 2:18). Th a by a fore, one of the single perse wildest nightmares is loneliness rSon's the absence of a tamily, one a circle of friends. Sometimes eeds is the temptation to become a recl but this should be resisted because cluse, constant seclusion can become ause nesting place of negative self-worth. the On the other hand, social interac. tion can enhance positive self. esteem. It is wise, therefore, enlarge the circle of friendships, to both male and female. The sage declared, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly" (Proverbs 18:24, NKJV). Independence But while in the area of social relationships it is necessary to be interdependent, in the field of financial support there is need for independence. The fifth guideline is: be financially independent. Since money is indispensable to our material existence, a single person should possess some measure of economic self-sufficiency. Somany women have become victims of sexual exploitation because of their lack of skills to compete in today's job market and be financially independent. And education, be it academic or vocational, is a vital key to this economic independence. Ine Counsel of the Scripture is clear: "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet ire to mind your own business and to Work with your hands,...so that y bu will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12). Sexuality We now come to a delicate point: permitting God's control of our sexuality. The consciousness of sexual desire causes some sincere, single people to feel guilty of being terrible sinners. The fact is that in itself this desire is divine, created and instilled in human beings by the hand of God (Genesis 2:24). Sexual desire is not sinful; it is normal. The challenge is to find the Christian way to deal with it. It should be remembered that temptation is not sin. It is dwelling upon temptation that leads to sin. It is yielding to temptation in thought, word, or action that constitutes sin. The question is, How can I deal With sexual desire? The answer 1S offered in James 4:7, 8. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." Here are found three concepts. One, "Submit to God." This is an act of human will. I make up my mind to do the right. Two, "Come near to God." This is prayer. I ask for God's power. Three, God gives the victory. When He fights the devil, Satan is sure to "flee." This brings us to the cognate principle of sublimation. Since sexual desire anticipates emotional fulfillment, any viable alternative must Supply some measure of emotional satisfaction. It is not enough to "resist," we must also assist. It is not adequate to practice repression; we must also practice redirection. It is not enough to say "No" to the evil. We must also say "Yes" to an alternative good. The Bible puts it this way. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). This redirection of energy and emotion is termed sublimation. Evidently, that's what Dorcas did. She got so fascinated with her community welfare projects that while supplying the material needs of others her own need for emotional fulfillment was being satisfied. So in the hours of leisure, the single person would be wise to engage in wholesome activities that will supply an experience of emotional fulfillment. Whatever it is-tending the roses, running the marathon, or relieving the needy the hobby should be meaningful and matched to the individual's taste, while possessing the potential for personal emotional satisfaction. Best Friend Finally, let Christ bcome Best Friend lite's dearest Friend. God is still the greatest Lover, and this gracious Benetactor has promised to stupply all our needs (Philippians 4:19). As we rest in His abundant love, every vital need will be supplied. No good thing will he with- hold trom them that walk up- rightly" (Psalm 84:11 KIV). Toevery single woman He sings, "Your Maker is your husband-the Lord Almighty is his name" (Isaiah 54:5). And to every single man He says, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). Day after day He whispers, "You're precious to Me. I want to walk with you and talk with you. I want to be your Best Friend because I love you." Many centuries ago, a significant young woman experienced this spiritual intimacy. With her brother, Lazarus, and her sister, Martha, Mary lived in the little town of Bethany. She was an affable maiden, single, sweet and lovable. Unfortunately, she stopped to listen to the tempting words of a Pharisee named Simon, and soon fell into adultery. As the bad news circled in her Judean village, she decided to move northward to the Galilean town of Magdala. However, instead of getting better, things got worse. She drifted into sinful pleasure, fell into corruption, and found herself moving from one man to another. In her spiritual degradation, demons took possession of her life. There at Magdala, she was proverbial for her profligacy and became known as Mary Magdalene. Her life became sour and miserable. But one day Jesus came to Magdala, and the battle began for her soul. As the word of Christ challenged the power of Satan, the demons shouted, struggled, then submitted to the Savior. Seven devils left her. Her life changed, and she became a new person. Celebrating her newfound freedom, Mary became a disciple of Jesus (Luke 82 3). Christ became her very Best Friend. Change Today, the minds of men and women have again become the dwelling place of demons. Young and old alike seem to be driven by a power beyond themselves down the path to spiritual destruction. But Jesus still strides along the streets of modern Magdala. Whatever may be the devils that haunt the human soul-dread or despair, sorrow or suicide, drugs or drunkenness, pride or pleasure adultery or anger whatever may be the demons that torment the spirit, Jesus Christ can give victory. Spirit, Jesus Christ, he is a new If anyone is in ( ation; the old has gone, the à new new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then Mary made the bold decision to go back to Bethany. She wanted to be a Christian in her own wanted It was a challenging road hometown. onward. As she entered the village, hack, but the woman struggled she made her resoluti she would be deaf to gossipers, blind to the nobbers, and dumb to the doubters. She would let time testity to her new loyalty. Whenever the itinerant Preacher visited Judea, He found a welcome home at Bethany, for this household of singles was very special to Him. Martha, fine cook that she was, delighted to satisfy His hunger with her delicious dishes. And when Lazarus got sick and died, Christ performed the unique miracle of calling him back to life. But Mary's supreme satisfaction was in sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to the precious lessons which He taught. She was no longer wretched and miserable. Her life had been changed. She had become a new person. She was still single, but she was now Sweet and adorable. Gift of Love In the meantime, Simon the Pharisee, Mary's tempter, became a leper. Wasn't he getting what he deserved? However, one day as Jesus passed by, sinner Simon called for help, and Christ, hearing his cry, gave him help and healing. What a wonderful Savior! The Pharisee decided to say his Healer, and to this supper Martha nanks by giving a feast in honor of and Lazarus were special guests (John 12:2). As an excellent cook, Martha was an asset, and as one raised from the dead, Lazarus was a showpiece. However, Simon would not invite Mary, for her presence could be an embarrassment. But Mary decided that whether she was invited or not, she would be present to meet Jesus. The Pharisee's token of appreciation was a feast, but Mary's gift of gratitude was perfume. Hers was no ordinary gift; it was "an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume." How expensive was it? It was worth "more than a year's wages" (Mark 14:5). What a precious gift! What a special sacrifice! But as she fingered this gift, the whole history of her past rose up before her. She saw her sin, her shame, her degradation, her haunted days, her sleepless nights, her cries of anguish, her sense of loss-she saw it all again. Then she remem- bered the day she met Jesus. She re- called the inner battle, the intense struggle, then His gift of victory. What freedom, peace, and joy! Now, her whole soul quivered with holy emotion. Her being vibrated with joyous animation. Gratitude flooded her heart and tears of joy overflowed her soul. As she wept, her tears bathed the Savior's feet. And since there was no towel, she used her hair to dry her every tear. Then opening the jar, she poured out her precious perfume. Not a touch here or a drop there; she emptied it all on His head and on His feet! She had opened the floodgates of her love. Could that happen again? Could it happen to us today? Could the love ot Christ cause our souls to thrill with delight, our hearts to beat with wonder, our beings to shake with gratitude, our frames to quiver with ecstasy, our tears to overflow with joy, our lips to whisper, "Lord, I love You?" Simon gave a feast, but Mary gave her all-a lifetime of savings, the richest perfume, the gold of her dreams, her costliest treasure. Could we, like her, give our all to our Saviorour time and our talents, our wealth and our wisdom, our dreams and our desires could we give them all? Every emotion and affection, every aspiration and decision, could we give such a gitt of love? Courage One week passed by. Then our Savior took a lonely walk up that cruel hill called Calvary. There, with a crown of thorns upon His brow, and the stripes of the Roman whip upon His back, He was nailed to the cross. Mockers jeered! Skeptics sneered! Churchmen cheered! Where was Judas? The traitor was racing to a suicide! Where was Peter? The coward was weeping in shame! Where were James and John, Philip and Andrew, Bartholomew and Matthew? They had fled in fear! But where was Mary? She was standing fearlessly "near the cross of Jesus" (John 19:25). Bold! Courageous! Unafraid! Isn't that the kind of person Christ wants each of us to be someone who is unafraid to take a public stand for what is right, unashamed to tell the world that we have given our lives to Jes unafraid to tell our friends tha we belong to Christ, unasha o stand beside the cross of Jesus? It was 3:00 p.m. She heard lim cry, she saw Him die, and she marked the place of His burial. Then she went home and prepared spices a and perfumes" Luke 23:55, 56). In lif she gave Him perfume; now in death, she prepared to give Him perfum again. How wonderful was that she gave it to Him in life, for she wac not permitted to give it to Him in death. As sunset came, she "rested on tho Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (verse 56). Honor Very early Sunday morning, Mary and the other women with their precious spices moved earlessly toward the tomb. But before thev arrived, a miracle had occurred Gabriel had descended, and there had been a violent earthquake. The stone had been rolled away and Christ had come forth as a Conqueror! The Son was ready to proceed to and aiting. Waiting for whom? Not dy In the Garden He was walking waiting for Mary! This woman, still mad James or John. He waas tor Peter about to be made single, was about to be made As Mary beheld the empty tomb, honorable. she was bewilder Then seeing someone whom she thought to be the rdener, she. asked, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him."It was then that Jesus called her by her name, "Mary!" The SOund of His voice was music to her ears. It was her Master! As she was about to embrace Him, He declared, Do not hold on to me, for I have not et returned to the Father" (John 20:15, 17). Wonder of wonders! Before the eavenly Father met the risen Savior, ary met Him! What a fantastic honor! The first human being to see the risen Lord was a woman-a single woman! Before Peter or John, Mary saw Him! Before the Father greeted Him, this woman greeted Him! Single, sweet, and adorable, Mary was now privileged and honorable. It is still true today. Every woman who stands up for Jesus be- Comes special-not wretched and miserable, but sweet and adorable. Every man who takes his stand for Christbecomes Special-not degraded and horrible, but privileged and honorable. This tender love of Mary finds its echo in every human breast. It constrains our hearts to pulsate with gratitude, and inspires our souls to sing with joy. It stirs our desires to- take a fresh look into the lovely face of Jesus, and say with sublime ecstasy, "Lord, I love You." Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 6 February 2021

How to Make the Right Choice? A young man started to work as a farmhand and his first task was to chop wood. Hour after hour he worked with untiring zeal. At the close of the day when the supervisor inspected his work, he Was surprised and delighted, for the youth had completed twice the average work load. The second day the boss decided to reward this energetic lad by giving him an easy assignment. Leading him to piles of potatoes, he instructed himn to separate them, throwing the good ones in one heap and the decaying ones in another. But when the manager returned at the end of the day, to his utter amazement, the job was not completed. The distraught youth, with beads of perspiration on his brow, declared, "Sir, the hardest job for me is to decide which is good and which is bad." CHOICES Making choices is usually a difficult assignment. But all through life we must make them. Some choices are insignificant, but others are far- reaching in their consequences. One of the most important decisions in life is the choice of a marriage partner. Let us look at some tests that could be applied when choosing a mate. AGE Significant differences in age can prove to be a liability in marriage. This is so because at each step of the life cycle our needs are different. There are the early years of excitement with professional upward mobility, childbearing, and childrearing. There are the middle years of concern with menopause and midlife challenges. Then come the senior years of retirement with limitations and reminiscence. If there are serious differences in age, one partner may be running in excitement while the other is lying in retirement. CULTURE People who live in various parts of the world are products of different cultures with varying lifestyles and value systems. To the lady of India, for example, the cow is sacred, but to the man in America, that creature is tor steak. Some cultural differences are surmountable, but many of them can only be overcome if partners are aware of the issues, and are prepared to address them patiently and intelligently. WEALTH While a marriage should be built on love, a couple cannot live on love! They also need some money. Unfortunately, some weddings are motivated by money. But marriages born in money often die in misery. It does not mean that the man should be wealthy, but he should have the ability to earn some wealth. He should have the capacity to support a family. Scripture says that the man who deliberately refus to provide for his family is "worse tha infidel"(1 Timothy 5:8, kjv). an This spirit of dustry is requirement for the prospective fe also. In his description "a wife o noble character," Solomon said, she of "works with eager hands," she pro vides food for her family" she she "sets about her work vigorously," and "does not eat the bread of idlene (Proverbs 31:10, 13, 15, 17, 27). Whether working outside the home to earn wealth, or working inside the home to manage wealth, a good wife is an industrious woman. HEALTH Just as important as wealth is the measurement of health, for without health it is difficult to earn wealth. So it is wise to examine the health of one's lover. And since some diseases are transmitted from partner to partner, and others are transmittable from parent to child, a health check is imperative. But it is not enough to measure the health status; it is also vital to check the health habits of the potential mate. Addiction to lawful drugs like alcohol and tobacco, as well as to the unlawful ones like co- caine and marijuana, can ruin the happiness of any home. God's desire is that lovers should "enjoy good health" (3 John 2). Ambition Ambition impels people to be successful in personal life, in professional life, and in married life. Ambition plays no favorites; it befriends people from all walks of life. It motivated Abraham Lincoln, a log cabin lad with hardly a year of formal schooling, to become the 16th presi- dent of the United States of America! It inspired Florence Griffith Joyner to run from a Los Angeles ghetto until she grasped three gold medals in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and be rated "the fastest woman in the world!" Ambition challenged Ben Carson to change from wielding an angry knife as a disgruntled teenage street fighter to guiding the scalpel as an interna- tionally renowned neurosurgeon! God desires that we be humble but ambitious. Scripture says, "The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord...,you will always be at the top, never at the bottom" Deuteronomy 28:13). Ambition and education, be it academic or Vocational, are almost inseparable. It is usually an asset when partners can re- volve within the same educational or professional orbit. If, for example, one is a university graduate and the other a high school dropout, the spouses are likely to drift farther and farther apart fromn each other as they orbit in different social circles, and find fewer and fewer areas of Common interest. PERSONALITY Another area that is worthy of examination is personality, for people possess different temperaments. There are four basic classifications: two are introverts and two are extroverts; two are emotional and two are unemotional. While many personalities cross these boundaries and create combinations, usually, one temperament is dominant. Sanguine are the emotional extroverts. They are called influencers. They are talkative, enthusiastic, outgoing and full of charisma. On the other hand, however, they tend to be impulsive and self-centered, living for today and forgetful of tomorrow. Cholerics are the unemotional extroverts who are called doers. Decisive and efficient, they are goal setters and go-getters. They possess strong willpower and delight in managing different assignments, but they also tend to be impatient and insensitive, inflexible and demanding. Melancholy is the third category. These emotional introverts, the thinkers, have an eye for detail and are analytical, thorough, and orderly. They also tend to be serious, diligent, and sensitive. But their inwardness encourages them to brood over their past mistakes, to be pessimistic, and to suffer from low self-esteem. Phlegmatics the unemotional introverts, are very supportive and agreeable. They would rather forego their rights than face confrontation. These effective compromisers, called relaters, possess fine interpersonal and diplomatic skills. However, they tend to be indecisive, seldom use initiative, and favor the status quo. When the temperament test is completed, partners need to ask themselves some frank questions. How does my lover's personality relate to mine? Are we similar or different? How much are we differ- ent? Is this difference welcome, tolerable, or unbearable? Some differences are welcome. Jane, the unemotional introverts admires the spirit of Joe, the emotional extrovert, and sees their union as an asset and an opportunity for her growth. Yet they need to be careful, because the same opposite qualities that attract them to each other before marriage, possess the potential to repel them from each other after marriage. Other differences are not welcome, but they are tolerable. Still others, however, are unbearable. Melan- choly Mary with her timid oversensitive spirit, finds it difficult to establish a relationship with Jack who is not impulsive, but abusive. . Consequently, she ends their love affair. Centuries ago the prophet ask this this relevant, rhetorical question "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Amos 3:3, NKJV. Family Life When measuring the prospective marriage partner, there is wisdom in checking the family also. This for two reasons. First, one marries not only armes not only the individual, but a whole family. There is a second father, a father-in-law; another mother mother-in-law; new sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. This new family can prove to be an asset or a liability. Second, children tend to follow the example of their parents reproducing in the new homes the failures or successes of the old home So, the present family often becomes a model for the future famil Scripture attests to this truism of "Like parent, like child," when it says, "You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her hus band and her children; and you ae true sister of your sisters, who de spise their husbands and their chi dren" (Ezekiel 16:45). Of course, there are exceptos A youth can decide to defy the poo example of parents and proceed 1 d with a family life that is metrically different. This is not easy, but with awareness, determination, and divine help, it is possible. Spiritual Life The most importan test for potential marriage partners is spiritual life. This is because there are two spiritual forces in the world today, and every marriage comes under the control of one or the other. Every new home becomes either a part of the family of Satan or the family of God. While the devil delights to lead each home wedding to brokenness, heartache, and sorrow, Christ enjoys guiding joy. However, it is only when both every marriage to healin peace, and every partners commit their lives to the Lord that supreme marital success is possible. So, two vital questions should be answered. First, have I given my life to Jesus? Second, has my partner made a commitment to Christ? To put it differently, in order to make the right choice in marital life, prospective partners need to make the right choice in spiritual life. n order to have a happy family, we must become members of God's family. This brings us to the third big question How does one become a part of the family of God? How does one make the right choice? The experience of Jacob helps us to answer that question. New Start When the second of the twins Was born, they called him Jacob. His name meant "cheat," "deceiver." And that's just what he proved to be. He stole from his brother and fooled his old, blind father. Then he had to Tun for his life and was separated from his beloved mother forever. On and on he ran until night Caught him. It was dark outside, but it was much darker inside, for it was nighttime in his soul. Jacob was miserable. He felt disgusted with himselt, disappointed over his bad behavior, and distressed over his own sinfulness. He longed for a new start. How he wished he could become a different person. Don't we all feel like that Sometimes? In our sober moments, in our quiet hours, or perhaps in our sleepless night, when in silence we commune with our true selves, isn't there a deep desire for a new start? The good news is that although this youth had disappointed God, thee Lord had not forsaken Jacob. As he lay upon the bare ground and fell asleep, he dreamed a dream of hope. He saw a ladder from earth to heaven. He beheld the angels of God, he heard the voice of God, he listened to the promises of God, and he felt the inner thrill of the limitless love of God. Next morning, the fugitive continued his journey to Haran where he spent 20 turbulent years. Financially, he became a man of wealth, but spiritually, he was still a pauper. Deep down inside, he was the same old Jacob-mean, deceitful, and dishonest. More than ever before, he needed a new start. Three Steps When he became weary of the scheming devices of his father-in- law, Jacob escaped from Laban and began making preparation to meet his avenging brother. But his emissaries brought the bad news: "Esau t is coming! Arrival time-tomorrow! S Army strength-four hundred! S Jacob was terrified. Unprepared for battle, he felt his need for heaven's help. But how could he claim that help when he was not at peace with God? So, for the tirst time in his lite, this man got serious about his own salvation. He decided to make things right with God that very night, and in the darkness he went off to be alone with his Savior. Finally, Jacob was making the right choice. That unforgettable night, Jacob took three significant steps. The first step was that he met Jesus. As he stood alone in the darkness, this fugitive felt a man's hand upon him. And fearing it was an enemy, he started to fight. But it wasn't his enemy; it was his Friend! The Being looked like "a man" (Genesis 32:24), but He was "God" (verse 30). It was the God-man, Christ Jesus! This wonderful Jesus left the throne of heaven, passed galaxies and constellations, stars and systems, and landed on Palestinian soil to change the life of one man! Christ is the same today. He will meet with anyone who desires to have a personal encournter with Him. He will meet us anytime, anyplace. Suddenly, the Being began to talk, "Let me go, for it is daybreak" (verse 26). And while the Savior talked, the sinner listened. The second step Jacob took was that he listened to Jesus. How does He speak to us today? His Word is the Bible. In Scripture, Christ speaks directly to us John 5:39). Jacob was quick to talk back. "T will not let you go unless you bless me" (verse 26). This is prayer-talk ing to Jesus. Jacob's prayer was earnest. He was really saying, "I need help and I need it now. Bless me. Change my life. Save me. Assure me. I'm staying on my knees until you answer me." That's the third step Jacob took: he talked to Jesus. The Miracle Then something miraculous happened. A change swept over Jacob's life. He could not explain it, but he experienced it. It was an act of God! What is your name?" asked the Savior. "Jacob cheater, deceiver". Answered the sinner. Well," said the Redeemer," change that name." Then He declared, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome" (verse 28). A new name! A new charactet A new lifestyle! No longer a thiet no more a deceiver. His life had been changed. He became a truthful, honest man that very hour. His whole soul thrilled with inexpressible joy and incomprehensible peace. He had become part of the family of God. He was saved by grace. That miracle can happen again today. How does it happen? The mystery is that Christ operates on the human brain. He performs spiritual neurosurgery! Scripture says He does it by "the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Miraculously, He changes the habits and transtorms the thought patterns. Mysterio eriously He gives a new way of thinking, a new style of living. He pires new desires, new affections, new emo tions, new decisions. Miraculously, the thief becomes honest, the liar truthful, the aduterer pure; the drunkard stops drinking, the smoker stops smoking, and the abuser ends the abuse. Mysteriously, there's the break with harmful drugs, freedom from profanity, and victory over worldly pleasure. The proud becomes humble, the careless becomes caring, and the cruel becomes lov- ing. This experience is termed a "new heart" (Ezekiel 36:26). It is really a new head, for the brain has Come under the control of a "new spirit"-not the evil spirit of Satan, but the Holy Spirit of Jesus. Family of God Poor Jacob. Why did he wait so long? Twenty years of misery! Then, one single night he got the victory. In one single hour he became part of the family of God. Why did he wait that long? Why do we wait so long? Why wait any longer? Today can be our victory. This very hour can be life's finest hour. The sublime truth is that when both prospective mar- riage partners commit their lives to Christ, experience change in lifestyle, and become members of God's family, they have gained possession of the most vital ingredient of a successful marriage. Why is that so? Because every home is a battlefield with Christ and Satan striving for supremacy. Every spouse is a soldier with allegiance to one master or to the other. If both partners are servants of Satan, that house becomes the devil's domain, a place of endless misery. If one spouse is loyal to Christ and the other to Satan, the strife will be perpetual. But when both husband and wife are committed to Jesus, Christ is en- throned, the devil is defeated, and the family emerges as a family of God. Then the home becomes a little heaven here on earth, a place of love and peace and happiness. Isn't that the goal of every marriage? Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 4 February 2021

Having a Better Perspective on Dating Come Keturah," called Father, "meet the man I have chosen to be your husband. I like him, and I am sure that you will love him, too." That was the way it was done in Bible times when parents chose spouses for their children. And this is still the custom in some eastern lands today. In such societies, dating and courtship are irrelevant. But in western culture where young pe0ple choose partners for themselves, it is necessary for them to have some process to aid these choices. They need opportunities to get close to each other that they may be able to know and evaluate one another. Guidelines for Dating SOCIALIZING Spend quality time together. Anything of value takes time, and something as important as creating a relationship takes much time. But even more important than the quantity of time is the quality of time spent together. A variety of dates is useful. Spectator dates are occasions when couples are being entertained: for example, attending a concert or watching a ball game. Participation dates are activities in which the couples are entertaining themselves, such as a hike or cookout. Then there are conversation dates where partners just meet and talk. Whatever the type of activity, we need to take time to know each other better. Create a safe environment. The environment should be conducive to dialogue. Sometimes the venue will be public; at other times it needs to be private. But while privacy is needed, secrecy should be avoided. It is wise to have the security of other persons in the vicinity. A safe environment also includes safe levels of entertainment. Music should be chosen wisely. It is no secret that some types of music inspire elevating behavior while others encourage inappropriate, sensuous misbehavior. Movies should be selected carefully, for while some provide wholesome entertainment, many invite the viewing couple to participate in promiscuity. Modesty of attire also plays its part, for the dress often sets the stage for the evening's performance. Scripture says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). SEXUALITY Say "No" to sexual activity. Premarital sex enjoys popularity today, and there is much pressure upon dating couples to conform. Some say, "Everybody's doing it " Others whisper, "If you love me, prove it." Still others challenge, "If you're normal, let's try it." But this activity has its risks: unwanted pregnancy, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases with the dreaded killer, AIDS. For some, sex before marriage encourages disrespect. She may be enjoyed but is scarcely respected, a is sometimes bypassed when he gets serious about marriage. And if partners do proceed to a wedding they may discover that premarital sex was robbery, for they robbed bed them selves of the precious mystery of other causing the honeymooy lose much of its meaning. For others premarital sex produce guilt, a guilt that is sometimes transterred to sexua intimacy after marriage. For still others, this promiscuity starts a vicious cvcle which repeats itselt in acts of unfaith. fulness after the wedding. Because God, the Creator of true love, knows all this, He has given the wise com mand, "You shall not commit adutery" (Exodus 20:14). Not only should the sex act be avoided; activities that have the potential to lead on to intercourse should also be shunned. Excessive kissing, petting, and embracing tend to push partners into the danger zone. Every couple should therefore set up guidelines of conduct and work at maintaining the standards Joseph, the young exile, is an exce lent example. When tempted, "he re fused" saying, "how then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:8, 9). COMMUNICATION Ask wise questions. Some dating partners are quite talkative. Others however, are shy and silent. Some are nervous because they are fearful of saying or doing the Wrong thing re a losing the friendship. But the big reason for dating is to know one another better, and we cannot know each other unless we communicate with each other. Effective communicatioon involves both talking and listening. Those who feel afraid of talking should learn the art of asking questions. The fact is that when we do the questioning, we get the other person to do the talking! One of the biggest secrets of a good conversation is to ask the right questions. A question that allows "yes" or "no" for an answer is a poor question, for it fails to encourage conversation. A g0od question gets a person to express himself or herself. For example, instead of saying, "Did you like the Concert?" one may ask, "What do you think about the concert?'" or "What do you like about the performance? When we date, it is wise to discuss things that will help one to know who the other really is and hopes to be. Talk about education, lifestyle, likes, goals, family, etc. We should avoid majoring in minors. In that sublime de- scription of "a virtuous woman" recorded in the last chapter of Proverbs, d, one of the qualities is, "she speaks with wisdom" (Proverbs 31:26). And a noble man does likewise. Learn as you listen. If one listens long enough, and observes well enough, one will learn who his oor her partner really is. Jesus said that "out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). The one who listens intelli- gently is able to evaluate and answer the question: Is this the kind of person I am searching for? If it is not, there's a red light. If it is, there's a green light that may someday lead to the marriage altar. The benefits of intelligent dating are many. It affords opportunities to know oneself better, to understand and evaluate persons of the opposite sex, to deepen friendship, and to make the ultimate choice of a life companion. DIVINE LOVER Our dearest Lover, Jesus, wants us to know Him better. So, He invites us to have dates with Him. He wants to get close to us, and He longs to have us get close to Him. Sometimes we have serious questions about Him. Is He a real Being? Does He care about a personal relationship? does He seem to be so far away? Does He exist at all? Whenever we wonder about the reality of God, we should remember Isaiah's thought provoking question, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these?" (saiah 40:26). On a cloudless night we see thousands of stars in the sky. These are all part of the Milky Way galaxy. Our solar system with its nine planets, 32 moons, and 1,600 aster- oids, is but one of the many systems within our galaxy. How large is this galaxy? It measures 100,000 light years across. Since light travels at the speed of 186,282 miles per second, it covers 5,874 billion miles a year. So, 100,000 light years will be 587,458 trillion miles! Fantastic! Incredible! But that's the size of just one galaxy! The telescopes reveal that there are millions of galaxies! These countless suns, systems, and galaxies moving through a fathomless space could all these have appeared by chance? These innumerable bodies, each operating in its as signed orbit without chaos or catastrophe-does not all these speak with eloquence about an intelligent Architect? Daniel was right when he declared, "There is a God in heaven" (Daniel 2:28). It is He "who brings out their host by number He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power" (Isaiah 40:26, NKJV). But wonder of wonders! This great Creator, this "High and Lofty ne who inhabits eternity, craves the love and romance of humanity. He wants to "dwell with anyone "who has a contrite humble spirit" (Isaiah 57:15, NKV) longs to get close, very close to us. He likes to have dates anytime morning, noon or night. He delights to meet us any here, any place where we can be alone with Him Sometimes we get so busy that we forget Him, but He never forgets us, because we are the objects of His love. Jesus does not wait for us to start the conversation. He begins talking , speaking to us through His Word,the 8 Bible. When rebuking the ancient e! Jews He said, "You diligently studying the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me" John 5:39). So, the Bible is the testimony of Christ, and when we read it, we are listening to the very voice of Jesus! This Book is really a compilation of 66 books, penned by about 40 different writers over a period of 1,500 years. These authors came from all walks of life: David the king and Peter the fisherman; Moses the emancipator and Matthew the tax collector; Paul the scholar and Daniel the prime minister; Amos the farmer and Luke the medical doctor. Yet, their words agree! Why? Be- cause they were all inspired by the same Spirit-the Holy Spirit of Jesus (2 Peter 1:21). The Bible is Christ's love letter. Whatever our situation in life, if we open the envelope, we will read His tender words, "Tlove you." When we are sad, we may look at John 14. When we are worried, we are comforted by Matthew 6:25-34. When we feel discouraged, we get courage from Isaiah 40. When we are suffer- ing, we may meditate on Hebrews 12:1-12. When we are bereaved, we find hope in 1 Corinthians 15. When we have sinned, we hear His offer of forgiveness in Psalm 51. When we feel lonely and afraid, we think of Psalm 23. When we long for Christan assurance, we may study Romans 8. Our every need is supplied in Christ's love letter. TALKING BACK When we get close to Jesus, listening to His Word, hearing His tender voice saying, "Ilove you," we want to talk back! We get the urge to tell Him, "I love You too, dear Lord."That's prayer! Prayer is talking to God as friend to Friend. Since He is our Lover, we do not need to write out what we say. We can forget the grammar and ignore the vocabulary. We're friends! And, because we are friends, we would not want to talk to Him by reading out what someone else has written. No lover would welcome that. So, we just open our hearts to Him, using our own words and speaking heart to Heart, lover to Lover. We tell Him of our sorrows and our joys; our hurts and our struggles; our hopes and our dreams. We tell Him all our needs: material and financial; physical and social; emotional and spiritual. Sometimes when we look at our past with its failures and mistakes, we feel burdened by the load of guilt. Then we sense our need to pray for God's forgiveness. It is good to know that He is always ready to pardon us, because at Calvary He has already suffered our punishment. Listen to His invitation, "Come now, let us reason together," says the LoRD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). He has promised to "have Compassion on us...and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19). That's love! "Brother Amen." Have you ever heard of the "Amen" brother? The church was always awakened with his shouts of "Amen," much to the disgust of some sophisticated parishioners. One day "Brother Amen" got ill. As he tell Him, "I love You too, dear Lord.entend the doctor's ottice, the physician thought he would punish him for his noise in church by giving him a dull geography book to read while he waited for medical attention. Suddenly, the waiting room was in an uproar with the shouts of "Amen! Amen!" "What is there to say 'Amen' about in that geogra- phy book?" asked the angry practitioner. "Well, doctor" came the reply, "I have just read that in the Pacific, the deepest part of the sea is more than 39,000 feet-more that seven miles deep! And God has promised to cast all my sins into the depths of the sea! That's seven miles deep! Amen! Amen!" Whenever we talk to God about our past, we, too, can shout, "Amen!" And we should not only talk tob God about our past. Christ delights to converse with us about the present. Day by day as we sense our need for victory-whether it be over alcohol or tobacco, legal or illegal drugs; be it over lying or stealing, greed or gambling, profanity or promiscuity, whatever it may be if we get close to Jesus and tell Himabout it, Hewill hear and help us. He is "able to keep [us} from falling'" Jude 24). "He gives us the victory" (1 Corinthians 15:57). YOUR GUIDE But what about our future? As we spend quiet time each day alone with Jesus, we should not only tell Him of our past and present; we should talk to Him about our future. Christ is interested in all areas of our future our education and vocation, our personal atfairs and our love affairs. If we are willing to follow, He will be our Guide. This brings us to the final dynamics of dating: Pray for God's guidance. It was time for Isaac to get mar ried, but there were no godly girls in Canaan. In keeping with the custom of his time, father Abraham desired to choose a suitable spouse for his be loved son. But he was too aged to travel. So, calling his trusted servant, Eliezer, he missioned him to make a trip to Mesopotamia and choose a God-fearing girl for Isaac. The man reached his destination What a serious responsibilty on stopped at the well where the vilage girls gathered to draw wate Then, bending his knees to eart he raised his hands to heaven and Abraham, give me success today prayed, "Oh Lord, my master Abraham (Genesis 24:12). The whole thrilling story is recorded Genesis 24. The record says, "before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out" (Genesis 24:15). His prayer was answered! True, the old man, Eliezer, had been praying, but the young man, Isaac, had been praying, also (Genesis 24:63). And God heard and answered their prayers. The good news is that God has not changed! He still loves to hear and answer prayers. How stimulating it is to realize that our God is not only interested in giving us eternal life by and by; He is also desirous of providing a fulfilling family life here and now. He is concerned about our love affair, our marriage, and our family. He cares because He loves. It is exciting to communicate with an earthly lover, to say those special words, "I love you." And it is exhilarating to commune with our heavenly Lover and hear Him say those precious words, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" Jeremiah 31:3). It is refreshing to get close in a meaningtful relationship with a human lover, but it is much more satistying to get close in a spiritual relationship with Jesus, the divine Lover. And we should always remember that the One is willing to lead us to the other. Let's have a Coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 4 February 2021

The Different Personalities of Love Defines M y name is Randy," wrote a young reader to American columnist, Ann Landers. Maybe you will remember me by the letter I wrote you three weeks ago. I just wanted to tell you how things turned out. "Remember how I thought for sure I was in love? I wanted to give Dottie my class ring and my identifi- cation bracelet. I even wanted to buy her a $50 heart-shaped box of candy for Valentine's Day. I was like crazy, man. My head felt light as a feather. When I looked at Dottie I got weak in the knees and almost fainted. I per- spired until my shirt was soaked through. My appetite was shot and I couldn't even look at food. Mom told me I looked terrible and she called the doctor. "Well, it wasn't love at all. It was the flu." Randy thought it was love when it was the flu. There are many others who also thought it was love, but then it flew! Love- What is it? What Is It? What is love? I saw a humorous definition which said, "Love is a heterogeneous conglomeration of absurdity calculated to bamboozle the anatony of the individual who becomes intoxicated with its abominable and irresistible power." "Could that ever be love? Here is another one. "Love is a feeling you feel when you feel that you're going to get that feeling that you never felt before." Whatever that is, it surely isn't love. The Romans had a pantheon gods: Jupiter, god of the heavens; Bacchus, god of wine; Diana, goddess of the moon; Neptune,god of the sea; Mars, god of war; Minerva, goddess of wisdom. And their god of love was Cupid. This chubby, blindfolded boy had wings and flew with bow and arrows. dly does not do anything and everythino Whenever Cupid shot with a gold- it feels. Rather, in true love, the tipped arrow, his victim fell blindly in love with the first person encountered. Could that be true love? Do you know that the shortest and most profound statement on love is found in the Bible? Just three words "God is love" (1 John 4:8)."No, not that kind of love," someone objects, "tell me about romantic love-the hugging and the kissing love. " That is the love we are talking about! All true love -parent for child, husband for wife, girlfriend for boyfriend -all true love comes from God. That tender emotion, ability to desire, that capacity to caress was implanted in our being by the Creator, God. He is the Source of love. And if love comes from God, it can be comfortable in the presence of God. But for every good thing that God has made, the devil has improvised a counterfeit. Kobe's counterfeit is infatuation. The big question is: How can one discern the counterfeit from the genuine? Let us examine some differences. Infatuation or Love Infatuation is ruled by feelings, but love's feelings are ruled by principle. In the field of infatuation, the feelings are in charge. But the problem is that our feelings are fickle. They change easily. Today I feel great, so I kiss her. Tomorrow I feel terrible, so I kick her. That's not love! True love has feelings, tender feelings which are put in the human heart by a caring God. But love is not composed of feelings only. It is feeling plus principle. Moreover, love is not controlled by feelings. It does not do anything and everything it feels. Rather, in true love, the feelings are under the control of principle. One of the grandest descriptions of love is found in Scripture. Here it is: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self- seeking, it is not easily angered, it Keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, a ways trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:4-/) Then conmes the profound statement, "Love never fails" (verse 8). Infatuation is blind, but love sees and examines. Like Cupid, infatuation is blind. It cannot see a hd does not wish to see! When a girl recognizes that her boyfriend is hooked on drugs, but still proceeds with plans for marriage, Cupid has Wounded her! When a boy observes his girlfriend flirting continuously with other men. but still goes ahead with the love atfair, infatuation has blinded him! Jesus asked, "Do you have eyes, but fail to see?" (Mark 8:18). True love uses eyes to see and to examine the strengts and weaknesses of the prospective patner. It is not afraid to ask hard questions nor to do difficult examinations. Infatuation is in a hurry, but love takes time. Everything of permanent value in life takes time. We can build a shack overnight, but if we are building a house that will stand the fury of a hurricane, that takes time. We can put up an artificial Christmas tree overnight, but to grow a real tree, that takes time. It has to be planted, watered and nourished for weeks, months, or years. Love is a plant- a tender, pecious plant. Infaatualion is ever in a hurry: see her today, court her tomorrow, and marry her the day after. It's "love at first sight." It's "puppy love" And someone has rightly said, "Puppy love leads to a dog's life." But while this puppy love" is in a hurry, true love takes time-time to know and time to grow. Knowing a person always takes time and there is no "short cut." Growing a relationship takes time, and God expects couples in love to "grow up" (Ephesians 4:15). Infatuation is obsessed with externals, but love is concerned with internals. "Puppy love" is obsessed with the figure, is a slave to the fashion, and is intoxicated with sex appeal. In fact, where infatuation reigns, sex dominates the relationship. True love admires the figure, appreciates appropriate fashion, and anticipates sexual intimacy within the bond of marriage. But these are not the greatest concerns of true love. True love is more concerned with the personality, the kind of person the partner really is. Love examines the habits, the inner virtues or vices. True love pays attention to the character, the inner self. This love, which comes from God, tries to look at a person the same way God looks at people. "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart"(1 Samuel 16:7). While we cannot read a person's heart, ourconcern should be more with the beauty of character rather than the beauty of figure. Infatuation is childish, but love is mature. Childish and selfish, this "puppy love" says, "Give me, " with little or no concern for the to other. It is self-centered. But true love is other-centered. It is concerned with the welfare of one's partner. Childish and irresponsible, infatuation says, "I don't understand the word tomorrow; give it to me now." It cries for gratification today, regardless of the consequences later. On the other hand, true love refrains from enjoying today that which it will regret tomorrow. Infatuation thinks "like a child" and behaves like a child, but true love is mature-it has "put childish ways behind" (1 Corinthians 13:11). Infatuation is a human ditch, but love is a divine ladder. One goes down, the other goes up. Infatuation is a ditch into which blindfolded people fall, but love is a ladder onto which wide-eyed people climb. Ina certain sense, we do not "fall" in love; we climb on to love. True love does not come by accident; it involves effort. It takes thinking and working and caring. So, while infatuation is a human pit, true love is a divine ladder. And every person has the freedom to choose between the tragedy of one and the triumph of the other. The Greatest Lover All true love comes from God. But Christ is not the inventor of love; He is the tenderest demonstrator of love. Not only does He create lovers; He is the world's greatest Lover. Nineteen centuries ago, He came to earth and lived a life of love. He hugged the babes and blessed the children. He smiled at the bride and rejoiced with the bridegroom. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He taught the youth and comforted the aged. He challenged the men and wept with the women. He fed the hungry and encouraged the weary. His was a life of love. But not only in His life, in His death Jesus also showed His love One awesome night He entered the Garden of Gethsemane. All alone, He knelt and prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me"(Matthew 26:39, NKJv). As the weight of the world's sins began to rest on Him, Satan whispered, "Why go to the cross? Why not return to heaven? Judas will betray You! Peter will deny You! Your disciples will forsake You! Sinners You are trying to save will curse You! Why go to Calvary? Go back to heaven's glory!" But love re- fused to listen. Sufferings of Love At Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, heartless soldiers nailed Christ to the cross and plunged it into the ground. On His head was a cruel crown of thorns. His bleeding back had been cut by the painful whip. His hands and feet were pierced by rusty spikes. Love was suffering on that cross. But it was not the physical pain that bothered Jesus. While He felt that pain, it was the mental and spiritual anguish that caused His greatest suffering. When Judas realized the enormity of his sin, the terror of his own guilt drove him to commit suicide! But that was only the terror of one man's sins! When Jesus hung upon the cross, He was bearing the guilt and terror of the sins of men, women, and children of all countries of earth throughout the centuries of time! Such anguish can neither be described nor understood. All the murders of the world with the cries of the murdered and the terror of the murderers bom- barded Jesus on the cross. The wars of all time with the screams of dying sinners and the panic of those who caused them to die harassed the soul of Jesus. All the broken families with the cries of angry children and cruel parents and the guilt of heartless hus- bands and cursing wives, tortured the spirit of Jesus. The anguish of the adulterers, the agony of the liars, the haunting of the thieves-all of these bombarded the consciousness of Jesus. Sin broke His heart! Then the strangest thing happened. The iniquity of the whole human race began to shut away our Savior from His Father. He had an awful feeling that He had never experienced before. He felt Himself drifting farther and farther away from His Father. In vain He kept trying to reach S God, until in desperation He cried, "My God, My God, why have You for- saken Me?" (Matthew 27:46, NKJv). The Father was right there beside the cross suffering with His Son, but He could not reveal Him- self. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19,NKJV). Thunder pealed! Lightning flashed! Darkness covered the land!And Satan spoke again, "Are You still going through with this?" Then the devil threatened, "t you go to the grave, you'll never come back!" But as the eyes of Jesus saw the lost human family His mind was set: He would pro- ceed with Calvary. Then, for love's sake, He died! The Exchange Why did Jesus go to the cross? Love! Love for you and me! We should have suffered and died, for "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Thať's eternal death, with no hope beyond the grave. But God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16, NKJV). The incomprehensible thought is that Christ exchanged places with us. He took our eternal death so that we may enjoy His eternal life! "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5, NKJv). "Greater love has no one than this" (John 15:13). This is the sweetest love story of history. On January 20, 1936, upon the death of his father, George V, Edward VII was crowned king of England. But the new monarch fel in love with Wallis Warfield Simpson and the British government opposed their marriage because Simpson was not of royal blood; she Was a commaner More than that, she was twice ma ried and divorc She was consid. ered unworthy of the love of thekin However, the ruler aftirmed his love for this commoner, and decided that no sacrifice was too great to be made for her. So on December 11, after a reign of less than a year, the monarch abdicated his sovereignty and er changed the glory of his throne for the hand of this woman. Edward became a famous lover when he walked away from the throne of England to say "I love you," to Wallis Simpson. But Jesus became the world's greatest Lover when He walked away the throne ot heaven to say, "I love you" to unworthy men and women who did not love Him! What an incredible love story! The Answer All over the world, people are captivaterd by the Picture ot the cross. Men and women ot all walks of life-rich and poor, black and white, letered and unlettered-listen to this sweet story and exclaim, "Oh, how I love Jesus? " The big question is: Is it really love? Like Peter, we need to hear the very voice of Jesus asking us that penetrating question. Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" Yes, Lord, he said, 'you know that I love you.. Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love me? He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you... The third time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the thind time, 'Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things: you know that I love you" (John 21:15-17) Do we truly love Jesus? Is our love genuine or counterfeit? How can we tell the difference? The answer is simple but profound. Since Christ's love for me is true, He gave His life for me; if my love for Him is true, I will give my life to Him. Today, as we gaze afresh at Calvary and contemplate history's greatest love story, would that each would bow in deep sincerity and say, "Dear Lord, thank You for loving me and giving Your life for me. I now give my life to You, because l love You." Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings

@Hari 23 January 2021

Understanding Teenagers In recent years, much has been said about the "generations gap," and "the riotous students. " Some educators and psychiatrist have emphasized how smart young people are today and how advanced they are. The general attitude is that "puritan morality" and traditional family structure, including obedience of children, are outmoded. Strict parents have been maligned by those who advocate individual freedom and permissiveness. Society is beginning to reap the fruit of these new emphases. Suicides among youth have increased, gangs of teenagers attacking teachers and refusing to study, alcohol and drug addiction have increased to an alarming level, divorce among young married couples is rising, crime among young people by parents during their childhood, lack of discipline, and failure to be given work responsibilities. Although many young people are shiftless and delinquent because of the lack of parental guidance, they would welcome a way of life that is stable and purposeful. They have been unable to find such a life in the new structures and attitudes of society. Also, they have not seen in their parents examples of purposeful and successful living. The responsibility of parents is to help children develop attitudes and characteristics that will enable them to live successfully in society. The foundation must be laid during childhood and built upon during adolescene. Physical Changes in Puberty The term puberty "age of mankind" designates the stage when sexual maturity is reached and when the individual becomes capable of producing offsprings. This period is critical for the developing child, who experiences changes in the body appearances and chemistry, disposition, attitudes towards sex and the opposite sex, and child-parent relationships. The stage is noted by the appearance of hair on the body and marked changes in the tonal quality of the voice. As far back as Aristotle, emotional changes during puberty were noticed. He mentioned that girls become irritable, passionate, ardent, and in need of constant surveillance because of their developing sexual impulses. Primitive tribal people often celebrated the emergence from childhood into maturity with tribal dances and tests of strength, power, and skill. Some tribes conducted for adolescents a familial ritual which emphasized the need for new attitudes towards themselves and their tribe. A sharp line cannot be drawn between childhood and adolescence, but a period of transition does take place. One is no longer characteristically a child, but neither is he yet an adult. The period of sexual maturing, or puberty, lasts from two to four years. Rapid physical and psychological changes take place. These changes contribute to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity and often to disruptive behavior. The child who learned to cope with his environment in childhood suddenly must make new adjustments because of new feelings, interests, and psychological attitudes. Indications of Puberty The beginning of menstruation indicates that a girl's sex organs and secondary sex characteristics have developed to a degree, but are not fully matured at this stage. Development in boys is noticed by nocturnal emissions in which semen is emitted during sleep. This phenomenon is the normal way for the male reproductive organ to rid itself of excessive semen. If boys are not informed about this uncontrollable experience, they may conclude that they are abnormal. These indications of puberty may appear soon after the girl is eleven years old and the boy is twelve to sixteen years old. When boys and girls are between twelve and fourteen years, differences between them are especially marked, with girls normally more mature than boys. Their bodies are larger and more developed, and their behavior is more aggressive and sex conscious. Areas of Growth and Change With the changes during puberty comes a period of rapid growth which continues for three or four years. This growth begins for girls between nine and ten years and for boys between eleven and twelve and reaches a peak at about fifteen years. Growth is usually complete by twenty years of age. As the sexual organs mature, girls may experience headaches, backaches, cramps, abdominal pains, and even vomiting and skin irritation during the early menstrual periods. They feel tired, depressed, and irritable sometimes. The shape of their bodies changes as the pelvic bone enlarges and the hips become wider and more rounded. The breasts begin to develop and pubic hair appears. The skin becomes coarser and thicker and the voice changes from the high-pitched, childish voice to a fuller, more melodious tone, however, the voice change in girls is much less pronounced than in boys. Muscle tissues develop between the ages of twelve and fifteen, giving the arms and legs more definite shape. In boys, light pubic hair appears between thirteen thirteen and fourteen years, followed by auxiliary facial hair and hair on the arms, legs, and chests. The skin is coarser and thicker, and the pores become larger. The oil-producing glands (sebaceous) become larger and more active, and a temporary maladjustment in their functioning causes acne. The muscle of the trunk and limbs increase and give shape to them. The voice begins to deepen at about fourteen years and may result in a conspicuous losing of control or breaking of the voice. The male mammary glands may enlarge between the ages of twelve and fourteen years, but after a few weeks the enlargement usually disappears. The rapid growth and body changes of boys may be accompanied by fatigue and listlessness. At the same time, this growth suggest that they are ready for heavier responsibilities at school and at work. Their fatigue may result in nervousness, irritability, and moodiness. Anemia may appear and the eating habits may be erratic. Effects of Physical Changes Parents need to understand the effects of physical changes on their teenagers. Because of physical and emotional changes, they should be treated differently, otherwise, their continued treatment as children will lead to behavioral problems and poor attitudes. A general feeling of wretchedness may cause the early teenager to withdraw from his playmates and quarrel with former friends. The young person who previously never seemed tired as a child seems constantly tired as a teenager. Studies may be neglected and home responsibilities avoided. Rapid physical growth saps his energy and causes him to be careless and inconsistent. As different parts of the body grow, lack of coordination occurs giving the appearance of awkwardness. The teenager needs time to coordinate the developing muscles and the lengthening bones. Although he is listless, he is also restless since his interests are changing and he may not have discovered interests that absord his attention. At times, he is disagreeable, uncooperative, and critical of others. His mother often receives his severest criticisms. He may be argumentative and inclined to cause trouble among his friends or brothers and sisters. As he nears the end of puberty, his behavior becomes more mature and settled. With the maturing of the sex organs, the person is more conscious of sex matters. He compares his own development with others and acquires a new interest in reading books in hopes of gaining information. He may focus attention on his own sex organs and the new sensations which are emerging. As maturity is reached and social adjustments are made, interest will shift from self to the opposite sex. Both boys and girls are very modest during this time of development. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessing...

@Hari 19 January 2021

I Salute I salute to this guy, a generous donor to read.cash. Mr. Marc de Mesel. I never knew you, in person. But your act of generosity surpasses beyond that the ordinary person can. Many writers have been encourage and blessed thru your big heart. Thanks to you for your never ending support to read.cash, 1000 BCH means to lot to all of us. May the good Lord will continue to shine His glorious face on you and to your family. I declare special blessings of abundance unto your life, in the days ahead. I love read.cash, though it's already 3months now, I have not visited by the ROBBOT. But I will still continue to write article as it is my passion. God bless sir Marc. I am happy to be part of read.cash community and family. Not only for the earning side. But for all the treatment of my friends and followers here. Again thank you.... I also want to express gratitude of thanks to the admin here, and all the team who are making read.cash a wonderful community. God Bless all Let's have a Coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 13 January 2021

Children Needs of Discipline The Command to obey Without obedience, the entire plan for the child's training is ineffective. Paul commanded children to obey their parents "in all things": for this is well pleasing unto the Lord" (Colossians 3:20). In Ephesians 6:1, Paul connects the fifth commandment of honoring father and mother to the imperative of children obeying their parents. A child learns obedience in the home and extends that attitude to relationships outside the home. God gave parents divine authority to compel obedience from their children. Children should be taught that God holds the parents responsible for their obedience. If parents fail to teach their children to respect and obey them, the children will likely have little respect for God and His authority. Children who are not taught to respect and obey parents at an early age usually will not honor parents in their later years. Obedience must be taught. Instruction in obedience requires discipline. Discipline is related to the word disciple which means learner. It refers to controlling, educating, and correcting. Parents are responsible for directing the activities of children-not only telling them what to do but seeing to it that they carry out the the instructions. Failure discipline children leads to delinquency which starts with falsehood and disobedience and progresses to petty stealing or other more serious crimes. Parents who permit their children to get by with disobedience, falsehood, or disrespect without disciplining them are doing harm to their children. A parent who loves his child so much that he cannot discipline him actually does not love him enough. Parental discipline is necessary if the home is to be preserved and the nation is to be given stability. Juvenile crimes and disrespect of law enforcement officers result from a breakdown in parental discipline. The child's training program Every parent must face his child's stubborn determination to have his own way. Sometimes the child will defy the order of the parent, other times, he will pretend to carry it out but not do it. Some parents become frustrated and give up trying to teach their children to obey. Others fail to realize the importance of it. Eli, who was the priest of Israel, "restrained not his sons, "and they were in turn a disgrace unto him and an abomination unto God. God's word warns: "He that so are they his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24). Also, the writer of Proverbs warns that corrections should not be withheld from the child, for punishing him will not cause his death but will "deliver his soul from hell" (Proverbs 23:13-14). This proverb implies that the failure to correct will result in the loss of the son to hell. Parents must set the boundaries of right conduct for their children. Every aspects of life must operate within limits. No one can do as he chooses. There must be rules and regulations. These give children who a knowledge of what is expected of them are insecure. They know certain actions are wrong, but they are they are not mature enough to discipline themselves in resisting the wrong. When they commit wrong, they expect punishment. They would prefer to be made to do right than to be punished. They are confused when they do not know what the boundaries are but are disciplined when an adult decides they done wrong. In setting up rules, children should understand why they are necessary. No one likes to submit to a rule that is unreasonable, but children are much more willing to obey rules that are justifiable. It should be pointed out to them that when people have no limits they do not always do what is right. The Scripture clearly teaches that "all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid know him the iniquity of us all"(Isaiah 53:6). Children should understand that adult as well as children are responsible to obey. Reasonable rules are essential. Consistency is necessary in teaching obedience. Inconsistency occurs when a parent changes his mind or when correction of the child depends on his changing moods. If a child is allowed to break the rules and get by with it except on certain occasions, he is confused and does not learn discipline. Some parents only enforce the rules when they are emotionally disturbed, and they may at that time become extreme in the punishment. Parents must agree concerning the orders and rules given. A countermand of one parent to an order given by the other damages both the relationship of the parents and the discipline of the child. When they disagree on matters of discipline, children learn quickly to pit one parent against the other in order to get what they desire. Parents must present a unified front to their children. If they give different commands to their children, it becomes impossible for either parent to control them. Often the father's role is assured to be that of supporting his family. He may become absorbed in his work and be unconscious of his family responsibilities to help discipline the children. The father and the mother must work together in teaching children to obey. Children must be guided and controlled by parents because children do not have the experience or maturity to know and do what is right. However, children also have wills and ideas of their own, and those ideas may conflict with their parents. Since the will of the parent must prevail in important issues, the parent should allow the child's will to prevail on incidental or nonessential issues. Some children are more strong-willed than others, and they are often potential leaders, but they experience conflict with parents because they do not like interference. Parents should attempt to channel their determination in the right direction by challenging them rather than threatening them. What To Teach Children To be thoughtful of others The small child thinks only in terms of himself. He begins life completely dependent on others'doing things for him. His first words are "me""my".and "mine." His thoughtfulness, or concern for others, does not develop naturally. It must be learned. Part of the instruction in this area comes through the example of parents. When parents are considerate of their children, usually their children respond with consideration. Frequently parents must correct their children when they demonstrate selfishness while playing with others. It may be called to a child's attention when he is treated with inconsideration by another that he does not like that treatment nor do others like his actions when they are similar. Teaching a child to be thoughtful and considerate is not easy and requires persistence. To be responsible Developing responsibility should come with maturity. As the child grows older, he is expected to take tasks and do them well. A child has to learn responsibility. He begins life without responsibility, his parents do everything for him. He must learn to do things for himself and must experience a feeling of satisfaction and acceptance when he has done a job well children can help with household and garden chores. They should be required to pick up their toys, help keep their rooms orderly, and help with the preparation of meals and the washing of dishes. Children are easily motivated to help if they are not expected to perform at a level beyond their abilities. To respect property rights Young children often want toys of others. They do not know what belongs to them and what does not. The teaching of property rights should begin during the toy stage. Children must come to understand that they can play with others'toys with permission but not take them as their own. If a child is not taught to respect other people's property, likely he will begin later to steal small items from business places and eventually larger items. Motivating Children Children are taught to do right and avoid wrong through a system of rewards and punishment. A child who is denied a privilege because of disobedience will learn that there are consequences for his misdeeds. Punishment is a negative form of guiding children and is essential. However, a parent should look for positive ways of motivating and guiding children. Positive motivation comes from complimenting them when they do well. To avoid punishment, some parents become too permissive. This practice is as dangerous as the other extreme of being overly strict and unreasonable. A certain amount of fear is necessary to motivate right actions, but all fear and no acceptance and self-esteem will leave the child unbalanced emotionally. Punishment that is unfair causes resentment and does not motivate a child to do right. Often parents who have been criticized as children will in turn severely criticized their children. Criticism does not have much value in motivating a child to act because it does not offer a solution but destroys self-esteem. On the other hand, a child must understand when he has done wrong. Constructive criticism focuses on the child's careless performance rather than his character. Criticism before others embarrasses and may become injurious to self-respect. Without self-confidence and self-esteem, a child will be afraid to participate and try to do better. Leading Children to Christ Most children who are exposed to positive religious influence make decisions for Christ before they are thirteen years old. Parents should be prepared to help them understand what they need to do. Some children receive Christ as Savior as early as six years, but most are nine or ten. After they become old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, they begin to have an interest in being saved. Their concern likely will not focus on the great sins they have committed, but rather on what will happen to them if they die before receiving Christ. Usually children will ask questions to gain greater understanding of what they need to know. Parents should be prepared to guide them in understanding how to confess their sins and to invite Christ to save them. The greatest contribution of a parent to a child is to teach him fear, respect, love, and submission to God who has revealed Himself in Christ. The Hebrew parents were instructed to teach their children the laws of God and to fear God: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established"(Isaiah 54:13-14, Deuteronomy 4:10, Proverbs 22:6). The future of a nation is threatened when parents neglect their divine commission to teach their children about God, and the hearts of many neglectful parents are broken when their children go astray. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...

@Hari 12 January 2021

Childhood Development in early childhood Childhood begins when helplessness of babyhood has passed at about two years of age. Significant physical and psychological changes take place during the next ten or twelve years. During early childhood, his training is within the home. Later, he is exposed to a large society and spends much of his time outside the home environment. During preschool years, the child is concerned with further coordination and control of his own body. He seeks to understand his environment and how it works, therefore, he is constantly exploring and getting into things from which he must be restrained. While his personality is developing, he is demanding independence and may demonstrate obstinacy, stubbornness, and disobedience. His achievements in babyhood included learning to walk, to take solid foods, to talk, and to control elimination of body wastes. During early childhood, he must learn to achieve bodily stability, distinguish between right and wrong, develop the ability to communicate with others, and establish satisfactory emotional relations with parents and others. He must learn to depend on others to meet his emotional needs and to give as well as receive affection. In relating to other children, he finds that taking a toy which belongs to another child is wrong. Through this experience, he begins to learn the fundamental principles of property rights. Much of his learning comes from imitating his parents and playmates. His appetite is no longer as ravenous as it was in the early part of babyhood. Eating problems arise because his growth rate slow down and he has less appetite. He develops marked food likes and dislikes. It is important for the child to get a balanced diet with sufficient protien-milk, green vegetables, and meat. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, and sweets, provide energy, but they do not have sufficient bodybuilding nutrients. A three-year-old sleeps about twelve hours out of twenty-four. Each successive year during childhood, his average daily need of sleep is approximately one-half hour less than in the previous year. Parents should strike a medium between excessive concern and unconcern regarding the amount of sleep the child gets. During this stage, awkwardness begins to give way to developing skills and coordination in the achievement of simple tasks. He should improve in speed and accuracy with which he can attain a result. These skills are developed largely through play, through the manipulation of toys rather than the watching of television or being entertained by someone else. Self-feeding and dressing skills, which began in babyhood, show marked improvement in early childhood. The three-year-old should be able to feed himself with a fork and should be able to spread butter with a knife. He is not ready yet to use the knife for cutting foods. By the time he reaches kindergarten age, he should be able to bathe, dress, tie his shoe, and brush or comb his hair with no assistance. A three-year-old can drive nails into wood with a hammer, and a six-year-old should be able to make simple objects like boats. During early childhood, constant supervision is required by parents to prevent bodily injury to the inquiring and curious child. Speech skills also are developed during early childhood. These patterns are influenced primarily by the parents since the child learns by imitation. His future speech will be influenced greatly by patterns developed at an early stage. Speech skills are very important since social relations require communication. If a child's ability to communicate is limited, his social contacts and ready acceptance as a member of the group will be hindered. His speech skills include correct hearing and repeating of sounds and comprehension-the ability to understand what others say to him. Good hearing, vocabulary, and attention are essential to comprehension. Children's educational programs on television may improve the vocabulary of the child. The child's attitude towards people, things, and life are influenced greatly by his home life. He identifies with the thinking and attitudes of his parents and imitates their emotions and behavioral patterns. Although the child does not comprehend all that the parents say, their attitudes and emotions are communicated to him. Since the child spends so much time with the mother, he is greatly influenced by her and becomes dependent upon her. Loss of her by death or divorce usually leads to feelings of insecurity. The young child can try the patience of his mother since he is often rebellious, self-assertive, mischievous, demanding, and emotionally frustrated. His emotional variations result from his inability to achieve what he desires, the restrictions placed on him by his parents, and the interruptions of activities which he enjoys doing. The child's self-assertion and rebellion result from his attempts to relinquish absolute dependence on his parents. Development during late childhood Late childhood extends approximately from the age of six to puberty (when sexual maturing begins, usually between eleven and fourteen). When the child goes to school, he must learn to accept responsibility of his behavior and activities. The change from the home to the school environment results in radical changes in the child's attitude and behavior. During this stage, he learns the basic rudiments of knowledge for further education and vocation: reading, spelling, and basic number skills. The child is faced with new social expectations, and his childish behavior is no longer acceptable and does not receive the tolerance that it did when he was younger. He is required to compete with members of his peer group. Competition leads either to new self-expectations and aspirations or to withdrawal if the child is repeatedly defeated. Failure to adjust to his social environment and peer expectations for acceptance will result in failure and immature patterns of behavior. Failure may result also in lack of motivation to learn the developmental skills of his age level, which in turn may result in poor personal and social adjustments. At the beginning of late childhood, boys and girls are made less attractive by missing teeth during the transition from temporary to permanent teeth, stringy and unmanageable hair which results from the change from fine yesterday hair of the child to a coarser textured hair of the adolescent and adult, and poor grooming resulting from lack of interest in appearance. They insist on wearing clothes that are like those of their friends. It is very important for them to be accepted by peers, and thus they are easily influenced by them. They begin to compare themselves and their achievements to those their peer group. For example, a boy may allow his agility or clumsiness to influence his self-image as to whether he is inferior or superior. Self-conseption is influenced much by peer group reaction to each other's skills. The older child learns that violent expressions of emotions are unaccepted socially. Temper outbursts are labelled as "babyish, fear as being a "fraidy cat" and jealousy as poor sportsmanship. These emotions, however, continue to be expressed at home where there is not the same motivation for controlling them. While girls frequently give vent to their frustrations with tears or temper outbursts, boys are more likely to express theirs by being sullen, or sulky. During late childhood, a stronger desire for independence result in anger when that desire is frustrated. Also, the older child reacts to interruptions of his activities and to constant criticism. Since he tends to set levels of achievements beyond his capacity, he frequently becomes frustrated with his inability to reach those goals. His anger is expressed in various disagreeable moods. In the late childhood, more frequent and intense emotional variations may be experienced. These emotional changes come from physical and environmental causes. Irritability may be caused by illness or tiredness. Late childhood begins with the requirement to adjust to school which brings heightened emotionality. A period of emotional calm may follow as the child learns to play with others and improves his skills, but this stage ends with puberty in which the sex organs begin to function and bring heightened emotionality. The life of the infant resolves around his self-centered interest, but the individual must make a transition to interests beyond himself in order to be accepted and to become a well-adjusted member of a social group. Those who continue to be self-centered are disagreeable and find it difficult to relate harmoniously in social contacts. The child's negativism must give way to more positive attitudes, otherwise, poor adjustments will be made. Near the end of this stage, the child is no longer satisfied to play at home alone but desires to be associated with a group which is made up of a sufficient number of individuals to play games. The desire to be accepted is very strong and will agree with his group rather than with his parents when conflicts arise. Ordinarily games are played by members of the same sex. During this stage, the child learns to compete with others and to cooperate with members of his own team. Boy's antipathy towards girls reaches a high point just before puberty. Since girls mature earlier, they often regard boys of their own age as boisterous, noisy, and ill-mannered. In order to maintain his status within the group, the child is pulled between the moral codes of his family and the group with which he associates. When he is not with the group, he will likely revert to the moral code of his parents. Therefore, parents should be concerned about their child's associates. By later childhood, interest have expanded to include wider social contacts, however, home remains the place to which the child comes back with his experiences. He brings his joys and achievements as well as his hurts and disappointments. Concerned parents play a major role in helping the child adjust to his varied social environment. He will fail at times to be accepted by peers and will need to find an excuse to save face. If they agree completely with him, he may become too negative in his attitude towards his peers. If his parents are overly protective in guarding his rights, they will encourage jealousy and selfishness instead of willingness to share. He needs their moral support and guidance while learning how to be accepted by others in a give and take relationship. A child develops a concept of his own personality from what his parents think of him. If they apply constant pressure on him to achieve the impossible, he will develop emotional disturbances. If they accept him and his abilities and encourage him to live up to his possibilities, he will become well adjusted. Let's have a coffee Hari Blessings...