Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George - September 2016

Faith is from the beginning to the end a work of God. No human can achieve this. And no human can make another human being believe. All that a human being can do is to express his belief in a God-enabled manner, and hope that the listener may be motivated to believe as well. If the listener, ever believes, then that is also a work of God. So let us not try to persuade anyone to believe in God. Let us convey our belief in God with God-given grace, and let us allow God to do his work through us. Only he is the author and finisher of our faith.

 

I will not persuade anyone to believe in anything. Belief is a personal matter. It cannot be forced. But I will speak about my belief. I will tell people about my faith. And I hope that when I do this, God will work through me, and graciously enable in others a willingness to believe.

 

"If you die today, where will you spend eternity?" This is a question that cannot be answered by anyone. For the power to answer that question accurately is not achievable in human wisdom. Many people answer it based on belief. And belief, by itself cannot guarantee accuracy in answering this question. For many who believe that they belong to God will discover that they do not. This too is revealed by God to dispel foolish confidence. Let us then ask questions, which humans may be able to answer properly.

 

If you want to teach, know this. You need to learn what you want to teach. And you need to keep learning, as you keep teaching. Remember also that you are first a learner, and only then a teacher.

 

"Always be ready. You don't know when the Son of Man will come", someone said. I say, "Always be ready. You don't know when you will die. So before you leave, do what you need to do. And you may die today."

 

Freedom has many definitions. What you believe to be freedom is not freedom at all to someone else. It is best not to be dogmatic about anything. Let a man define his truths, and draw his boundaries.

 

You can't save everyone, who is determined to do something that you believe is wrong. The person, whom you wish to save, must also be convinced that he is about to do something wrong. Otherwise, you are in no position to save him. Let the one who is determined to follow the course of his own heart go where he wants to go. Remember, that the Father of the Prodigal allowed him to go away with his share of the money and do whatever he wanted to do with it. There is a lesson in that for all of us, who are desperate to save others. Sometimes, we need to let another person endure the consequences of his unfortunate actions, so that he may learn the truth the hard way.

 

If you think a man is about to destroy himself, reason with him patiently. But let him know that he is free to do whatever he wants. But he should also remember that there are consequences for every action, and that life is shaped by the choices humans make. Above all, tell him about God, who loves him, no matter what he did, does or will do. And also tell him that God is waiting for him to return, if he chooses to walk away. And finally, say a prayer for him, and ask God to save him from eternal destruction.  

Let a man pursue what he wants to pursue. Don't stand in his way. If you do, he will pursue what he likes with even more determination. God gave us freedom of choice. Let us not stand in God's way or in Man's way. Let a man live his life any way he wants. And let him experience the consequences of his choice. This is an act of love, the kind of love that God has always shown humankind. 

 

It is idealistic to think that everyone will respond favourably to God. But this will never be the case. There are many who will reject God ultimately. Some who eagerly believe at first, will fall away later, and will totally reject God in the end. So, it is best to be realistic, in this work for God. The miraculous does happen. The supernatural inspiration does occur. Revivals do take place. People accept God in large numbers. But equally undeniable is the fact that some people will not be convinced, and will walk away from God. Even when Jesus preached, people walked away from the gathering, for they found his teaching very hard to accept. Notably, in his hometown Jesus met with rejection and could not perform many miracles. And those who walked away from Jesus then, probably never came back. In this job of saving souls, let the God worker be aware of the facts. Only some souls will allow themselves to be saved. Let the workers of God devote themselves to those receptive souls, when other souls turn away.

 

Let love-givers and God workers beware of this. Some will reject love. Some will reject God. And though you may persist for a while with such people with godly patience, some of them will never accept what you want to offer them. You will observe these truths in your ministering to people. Some will come to you, appearing to be interested in what you do. But they will have no peace or love in their hearts. And they may bear with you for a while, and may even appear to appreciate you. You may even have the confidence that you can work with them. But sooner or later, you will realise that they will not accept what you want to offer. It is then that you should remove yourself from their presence, and move on to others, who are receptive to you.

 

There is no place in my life for bitterness and judgement. I do not encourage such qualities in myself, and I do not encourage those qualities in the people who interact with me. As far as possible, I will coexist with such people, if I cannot detach myself from them. But I will not hesitate to effect a detachment of this kind, whenever that is possible.I do not desire a situation where a person can contaminate me and those who are with me, with bitterness and judgmentalis, arising from a heart, which does not know God's love. None of us are so strong, that we can resist an infection of this kind. This world is filled with rancour and cynicism, and people who carry out the work of God, may receive little respect from those who are of a worldly nature. So, it is best to avoid people, who are not only doubters of good intentions, but also vehement denouncers of what they cannot understand or appreciate.

 

There is no use in persisting with a person who does not know the language of love. If the person speaks a language of hatred and bitterness, and is filled with a spirit of judgement, it is best to set that person free. It is best to remove oneself from such a person. He or she cannot receive love, and workers of God, who convey the love of God, should move on to others, who may respond favourably to love.

 

You cannot ask "Where is your love?" to a person who has never experienced it. There are some in this world, who have never known the love of God. There are some who cannot receive the love of God, even if it is offered to them time and again. What do you do with such people? What do I do? I just pray for them, and move on to the next person, hoping that he or she may receive the love of God from me.

 

Above all, the children of God should conduct themselves like God. They should convey the dignity and the propriety that God unfailingly stands for. If we cannot convey in our clothing style, that dignity and propriety, which befit God, then we have failed in honouring our Father and his Son and his Spirit. We have failed the One who saved us from eternal death. And we also fail in shining a light to others, if we behave just like the people of this world. We are called to be the salt of the earth, and a city on a hill. Let us not do so by discarding our clothes in public without sufficient reason and justification.  

We, who recognize the beauty of what God created in us, are eager to display our beauty to the world. But before we go ahead and display the beautiful work of God, we must ask ourselves these questions: "Are people going to respond properly to this display of my body? Am I going to get someone to get unbalanced in his or her thinking, when he or she looks at what I display with honest and worthy intentions? Am I helping people with this revelation of my beauty, or am I potentially harming them? Can this act cause harm even to me?" Such introspection will prevent many undesirable consequences. It is too late sometimes, when people reveal their bodies, and taste the unsavoury fruit of their actions. 

 

There is something in a human being, which triggers in many cases an improper response to a naked human body. Humans often improperly respond to even a partial disclosure of the body. When such is the case, it is best to tread wisely, in the area of clothing. Let the person who wants to display his or her body ask the question: "Why do I want to display my body? Is it to bring glory to God, or to attract attention to myself? Do I wish to arouse desire in others? Is it all right if there are many people who are responding sexually to me? Is this a desirable situation for me and for others? Will any harm come from this?" In this world, it is possible to cause damage to yourself and others, even when you dress properly. Imagine the greater potential for damage, when you are improperly dressed. This is a question worth reflecting on.  

 

Sometimes it is possible to arouse sexual desire in others inadvertently. In such cases, when a human being realises the undesirable consequences of one's clothing style, that person should take necessary steps to eliminate such situations in the future. If you are a child of God, you are not only responsible for how you conduct yourself, but you are also responsible for how you impact others. When you learn that you are having an undesirable effect on others, you have something to think about and pray about., Ask him how to bring about the necessary changes in yourself to have a wholesome impact on others.

 

You may have a beautiful body, which you wish to display. Display your body in such a manner that brings glory to your Creator. But do not display your body to arouse unnecessary and improper desire in others. This is how you honour God and his people. The human body is very beautiful, but God clothed it, so that we may not be undesirably distracted by it. The naked body has the potential to distract people improperly and create situations that can potentially harm the displayer and the observer. It is best that the children of God follow God's pattern for life, and clothe themselves with propriety and dignity. Only this will please God. 

 

Be happy with the body God has given you. Clothe your body with dignity, in a manner that brings glory to God. But when you display your body with the intention to arouse undesirable impulses in others, you are not bringing glory to God, and you are certainly discrediting yourself as a respectable human being. The world may celebrate the improper display of the human body. But the people of God should know better than to make a spectacle of their physical bodies, only for the sake of attracting attention to themselves, and to arouse others needlessly and illicitly. 

 

A child will be a great blessing in my life. God has blessed me in many ways already. But the joy of a child is still missing in my life. If this gift arrives, I believe that my life will have reached a peak. Even as I am painfully aware of what is lacking in my life, I am also sad to note that there are parents in the world, who don't value their children as gifts from God. They see them as a burden, and even try to get rid of them. This is a great folly. A great darkness is revealed when children are rejected by their own parents. Only the light of God can dispel such darkness. And parents of this kind, need to know God and experience his love, in order to appreciate the priceless gifts that their children are. The lack of godliness is the main reason for poor parenting. Even a lack of education and resources may not adversely affect parenting skills as much as a lack of spiritual understanding and a failure to appreciate God’s priceless gifts. Such an inadequacy is what leads to an abusive, irresponsible and unloving parent. 

 

Some people do not value their children. Some people do not even want children, and they get rid of them while they are still in the womb. Some parents even exploit their children and get them to earn money from a young age. Some parents subject their children to physical and sexual abuse. Some other parents abandon their children, who are then forced to live on the streets. Only some of these may find themselves eventually placed in orphanages or foster care, and even fewer may ultimately find people who will adopt them and raise them as their own children. In this world there are people, who are not parents, yet are longing to be parents. Such people will be grateful to raise these unfortunate children. But will they get an opportunity to do so? I believe it may not always be possible, as adoption may not be feasible in all cases. It appears that we live in a meaningless world where pain and suffering occur randomly, and there is no fairness at all in the way rewards are given. Many people seem to have what they do not want, and desire what they do not have. And even children are seen by some parents as unwanted and undesirable. This is a great tragedy, for children are the greatest blessings in life. 

 

Your child is your treasure. He is your gift from God. Treasure him well. Expose him to no harm. Inflict no harm on him. Guard him with all your might. And let him bloom like a flower and be what God intended him to be Still do not fail to be a responsible parent. Show him the way to go forward in life, showing by example what you teach. Be the man that you want your son to be. And then commit him to God, and ask God to take care of him in ways in which a human father can never do.

 

Everyone who loves to give, and gives to love is a child of God. And anyone who loves like that is living in God. And God is living in him.

 

If Christ lives in me, his Spirit lives in me. Can Christ live in me in any other way?

 

You will never know me, nor will I ever know you. And we will never know God fully, as long as we are on this earth. So let us not ask questions that only God can answer.

 

You will never know me, nor will I ever know you. And we will never know God fully, as long as we are on this earth. So let us not ask questions that only God can answer.

 

I support Christ and his work in as many ways as are available to me. I myself do the work of Jesus Christ.

 

When I love I am with Christ and those who love Christ. And that is church.

 

Whether someone goes to a church or a mosque or a temple is of little significance to me. Whether someone knows love and shows it to others, that is more central to me.

 

I don't worry about nomenclature, when love is central to all I am and ought to be. What I am beyond a loving man, is not something I am concerned about. And I view all human beings in a similar way.

 

Love is the name of my church. Love is the place, which I call home. My pastor is Jesus Christ.

 

So, to worship God we should love others, just as they are, without trying to transform them. Only the love of God can transform people. So we should learn to love like God, and let that love do its miraculous work in the people we love. We should not judge others unfairly, and we should always remember our own sins, when we try to point out the sins of others. To worship God, we should be conscious of God's atoning love all the time. We cannot let a sinful conscience separate us from God. For we will sin as long as we live in this world. Let our sins not separate us from God. We should remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not only should we know this, but we should also actively receive that love daily by approaching God repentantly. We should also love God back by loving what he loves, with his own kind of love, which he will teach us, as we continue to walk with him.  

 

We do not worship God by reading the Bible studiously. We worship God by enacting the love that the Bible reveals. We need to experience the love of God, and we need to share it with others. We do not worship God by merely attending church. We worship God by loving one another, not only in the worship place, but also outside it. We should particularly focus on loving those who are outside church. The people of God should actively love those who do not know God. We reveal God to others, only by loving them, as God himself loves us. 

 

To love God means to love what God loves. And God loves us all just as we are. We should learn to love like God. And we should learn from God, who will teach us to love, when we welcome him into our hearts. God will come and stay within us, and teach us how to love what we once could not love. He will teach us to love our enemies, and care for those who do not care for us. He will show us how to love, even when we face opposition and rejection. He will enable us to go on loving, even when our love is not returned. This is the kind of love we need to learn, if we want to worship God. 

 

To worship God is to be in love with God. Worship is romance of the highest order. The human being in love with God is what worship essentially is. How can such love be expressed? How can a visible human be in love with an invisible God? To love God in this way is possible only when we love what God loves. And God loves the world. God loves his creations. To love God, we should love what he created. We should love one another. We should love the other person as we love ourselves. And we should love all other forms of life that we see around us. We should love this beautiful earth and take good care of it, just as we take care of our own bodies. When we do all this, we are worshipping God, who is the reason for everything.

 

Today, many people will go to church to worship God. Denominational differences in Christianity may involve different styles of worship. But what is worship essentially? What should worship be? How do I worship God? I try to love God and all that he stands for. Love is the beginning and the end of worship. To worship we must love God with all our hearts and minds. And when we do that, we will desire to be with him always. He will pervade our hearts and minds. Every thought and every feeling will pass through his being. And when people meet us while this is going on, they will see God in us.

 

Jesus Christ went beyond the Bible of his day. He transcended the narrow-minded thinking of the religious experts and the teachers of the law. He revealed God’s love in a manner that was very different from the writers of the scriptures in his day. He showed us how to love what was not loved before. He transcended the limits of biblical thinking. This is what Jesus Christ did. So, let us not make him out to be the Pharisee of this age. 

 

Many people attempt at a biblical Christianity. I attempt at a loving Christianity.

 

To resort to Bible quotations to assert your belief in Christianity is not as commendable as to reveal your heart of love, which is what Jesus Christ is all about.

 

To be Christ is not to be biblical. To be Christ is to transcend the narrow-minded thinking of the religious experts and the teachers of the law. To be Christ is to love what was not loved before. To be Christ is to transcend the limits of human thinking. This is what Jesus Christ was. Let us not make him out to be the Pharisee of this age.

 

Be a human being before you are a Christian or a Hindu or a Muslim or anything. Be a citizen of the world before you are an American or a Briton or a Russian or anything. Let your basics be strong. Then everything else will stand.

 

To be biblical is not my main concern. To be humane and loving and compassionate and sympathetic, these are of greater importance to me.

 

The most troubling questions in life, are in the book of Job, in the Bible. These questions are never answered by God, who clearly presents the case that a human is limited in his understanding, and is therefore incapable of decoding the riddles of life. This is not a satisfactory answer to those with an enquiring mind. But Job was satisfied with that answer and bowed down to God's sovereignty. And this is what all spiritual understanding comes down to. There is a point beyond which no human being is able to pass. If we are satisfied with what we can know, without being obsessed with what we cannot know, we can find rest and peace in this life.  

Any book that says that you should stone a child for being rebellious to his parent, does not know the first thing about parental love. A child is the most precious blessing in the world. Childless parents know this even better than parents with children. No proper parent will ever consider stoning his child for disobedience or rebellion or drunkenness or gluttony. It is the worst kind of human thinking, which has been falsely labelled godly thinking. But this is the way certain parts of the Bible have been presented. But those who read the Bible should take care that they read it in its entirety. And they should pay particular attention to what Jesus Christ said. Let them pay attention to how he describes children and the way we should treat them. Then the Bible will be more acceptable.

 

When someone you love dies early, it is very hard. But you should face the facts eventually. All of us die. Some die sooner than others. Be happy that this person had a few years. Some have had even fewer. Some were aborted even before they were born into this world. This is a terrible life. But it can be beautiful at times.

 

Life can be unpredictable and unfair. Fairly often in life we see the undeserving winning and the deserving losing. We also see the talented dying early and the evil living long lives. The question that is facing every observant person is this: can we give up our hope in life because it is unfair? No, we can't. We just have to go on living, as long as we can, being useful to others, as much as we can. And though no one may appreciate what we are doing, we should keep on doing it.

 

I am now a teacher who will always remain a student. I believe that this is where all teachers should eventually be.

 

You need to speak what you believe to be true and reasonable, even if it is not in the Bible. The Bible does not contain all the truth that there is. It is by no means a total revelation. And those who are limited to it, will be limited in their thinking and understanding.

 

"You will go to hell!" is the least captivating utterance we can say to someone who needs to go to God. The wrath of God is the worst motivation for seeking an eternal life with God. However, people who call themselves followers of Christ attempt to scare people into belief, perhaps even more vehemently than the writers of the Bible had done. The most effective way of showing God to others is by revealing God as who he is. And he is love. God is love, above everything else. His righteous and just requirements were satisfied by Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for all of us. God's anger is over and his justice is now satisfied, all on account of Jesus. Those who live, still fearing God's judgement, and trying to appease God's anger by their own efforts are living misguidedly. What they need to do is to approach the throne of grace boldly, and obtain grace, for that alone can help them live this difficult life. There is no total escape from sin in this world, and all that one can do is to let the Holy Spirit gradually transform our minds, through daily renewal by means of the word of God, which is the truth of God, received from the Holy Scriptures and from God's own personal revelations in our hearts and minds. And the most loving act we can do is to share a gracious God graciously with people, without trying to terrorize them into belief in God, by telling them that they would go to a place called hell, if they fail to believe in God. God does not want terrorized cowards in heaven along with him, but he wants those who seek him lovingly, desiring his goodness, righteousness, justice, love, joy and peace above everything that this world offers.  

 

A sinner or an ex-sinner pointing out sin is a risky act. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones, they say. And there are reminders in the Bible as well: the one with the beam in his eye should not notice the mote in his brother's eye. We should not judge, or we will be judged. We should forgive or we will not be forgiven. Despite such warnings, some Christians still continue to point fingers at people and denounce them as sinners, and even tell them that they will go to hell, in order to get those people to repent. Despite their good intentions, the method they employ in bringing about the desired result is neither effective nor sincere. It is the worst kind of persuasion. We are all sinners, and we are all sailing in the same boat. But we are blessed to have a gracious God, who paid for our sins, and is willing to receive us in his kingdom, if we would accept his gracious pardon after seeking him repentantly. A gracious God should be shared graciously. So, those of us who have tasted the graciousness of God should present him to others, as a gracious father, who is longing to forgive his rebellious son. And just as the father, in the story of the lost son that Jesus told, we should not criticise the rebel, and receive him with judgement, but we should thrown open our arms in unqualified welcome and receive the one who is willing to return to God. Only such a presentation of God will appeal to the one who is already scarred by sins and beaten down in life. Our words should be a soothing balm to aching souls and not be a terrible irritant that drives them away from God. 

 

The people of Jesus Christ should be characterized by love. For Jesus said before his death, "Love one another as I have loved you. For this is how the world will know that you are mine." But very often love is the last thing one would associate with a Christian. Some Christians are often judgemental and holier-than-thou in their approach to others. And they have a tendency for pointing out sin and labelling others sinners. But the truth is that all of us are sinners, and even those Christians who now consider themselves saved were once sinners. And the plain truth is that no Christian, despite being saved, is totally shielded from sin and its effects, as long as he lives in this world. All of us sin till the very end, and so, we are sinners, till we die. Christians should bear this in mind, and deal with others sympathetically and graciously. Only in this way will they truly glorify God. 

 

Run away from a temptation and make it stronger. Stand your ground and even fall into it. You will find it less tempting later.

 

As believers in God, we should trust in the unfailing love of God. And there is a truth that we must never lose sight of. God loves us despite who we are and what we do. He wants us to live a happy, fulfilled life. He wants us to treat others as we would want others to treat us. This is why he came up with rules in the first place. But the rules rarely worked, and ended up condemning the human being and rendering him powerless in sin. But God made a way for us, when there seemed to be no way out of sin. God washed all our guilt away by spilling the blood of his own Son, and he strives to transform us into his Son's likeness, as we yield gradually to his Holy Spirit within us . So today, let us not approach God fearfully and burdened with guilt. Let us boldly approach his throne of grace and obtain grace in our time of need. God wants us to escape from sin. He tells us to sin no more. But we cannot escape from sin in our own strength. It is only when we walk in Christ, guided and empowered by the Spirit of God that we gradually overcome sin. 

 

People often see God as hostile to sexual pleasures. People, who are keen to pursue their sexual desires, often avoid thinking about God. They believe that God is against sexual pleasure and gratification. But they will do well to make a note of this. God is the creator of human beings, and he is also the creator of their sexual drives, which he placed within them. The Bible, seen by many believers, as the record of God's thoughts and deeds, apart from being a book of laws and regulations, presents God as a regulator of sexuality. As the creator of human beings, he is presented as the sole authority over how humans conduct themselves in every way, including sexuality. Every believing human is expected to bow to the authority of God, and heed his voice. And his voice is often heard speaking disapprovingly in the Bible. However, perfect obedience and conformity may never be possible in this life, even with the help of Holy Spirit. The life lived for God is an unending struggle, and there are many failures to be experienced. But those who are determined to be transformed by God, through his Holy Spirit, will rise every time they fall, and aspire to walk on, as long as they can. Their existence is an unending fight, and they will have to war against their fleshly instincts till the very end. And that end is death, which alone can exterminate sin. But this is the good news. Those who run the race for God, and fight the good fight are not alone. God is with them, empowering them, and even fighting for them. They need only to believe. And they should forge ahead, no matter what lies behind them. 

 

Ultimately, the discussion about sexual conduct boils down to this question. Do human beings and God have a similar view of sexuality? The answer is no. Humans, by nature are divergent from God, in every way, even in the way of sexuality. Even in matrimonial heterosexuality, human beings often fail to live up to God's standards. So another question needs to be asked. Should human beings approach sexuality, as God requires them to? If the answer to that is yes, further questions need to be asked. Can human beings reach God's standards? Is such a task even feasible or desirable? God obviously believes so. He enjoined human beings to be perfect, just as he is perfect. So it is the task of believers in Christ, to allow themselves to submit to the working of the Holy Spirit, who will produce in them gradually the character of Jesus Christ. But the Bible is not clear as to whether such a transformation will ever be completed in this earthly life, though there is sufficient indication that we are expected to improve as much as we can, with the help of the Holy Spirit of God. 

 

God's law is perfect, the Bible says. But his perfect law was totally unsuitable for his people. The nation Israel, chosen by God to be a holy people set apart from an unholy world, often transgressed God's laws, and were interminably involved in performing ritual sacrifices to expiate their innumerable sins. God himself realized that his law could not change the human character and predilection for sin. He needed to bring about that change in another way. So he employed his divine Son to do what no human could do. His Son had to pay for the sins of all human beings who ever lived in this world, and he was seen fit to do this, only when he became a man and lived a sinless life on earth, despite being tempted in every way. It is by the shedding of his own blood that every human sin is paid for, once and for all. However, the Son by himself cannot save the people of the world. The Spirit of God should aid him in achieving this. It is the Spirit of God, who was given the unenviable task of changing the human character. But even the Spirit of God cannot change human character, if the human being resists God and his ways. 

 

What does God think of sexuality? He certainly created the sexual instinct, so that human beings could express it. But does he limit the expression of that impulse? Does he regulate it and govern it with laws? From a biblical point of view, the answer is yes. God certainly regulated the sexual conduct of his people Israel. He also expressed his divine preferences to them in an unambiguous manner. It clearly emerges in the Old Testament that God prohibits all sexual acts outside marriage, which he sees as a union between a man and a woman. There is no equivocation anywhere in the Bible regarding divine standards for human sexuality that deviates from matrimonial heterosexuality. All deviance from that norm is unequivocally condemned as illicit and even abominable. Yet, God's laws regarding sexuality and and all other laws concerning other aspects of life were often flouted by his own people. In fact, the law given by God through Moses was an utter failure, and it could not save human beings, but ended up condemning them without the hope of redemption, by any human means.        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgive, or you won't be forgiven!

Remember what Jesus said in his prayer, which he taught us to say: “Father, forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” In that statement, Jesus clearly laid out a prerequisite for our receiving God’s forgiveness. It is clear that God will forgive us only if we forgive others. In fact, God will forgive us, in the same manner that we forgive others. If we can forgive others, then we can expect God to forgive us. If we can forgive anything that anyone has done against us, then God too will forgive anything. Let us not forget this today, if we are seeking God’s forgiveness.

It is important that we forgive others. If we won’t forgive others, then God too won’t forgive them. For God also said, “If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
So let us be careful when we deal with others. If we bear unforgiveness in our hearts towards anyone, that person will not be forgiven by God. Therefore, let us not withhold forgiveness today. For the way we forgive, will be the way God forgives us and others.

Samuel Godfrey George

Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George - August 2016

Self-help is the way to help others. This is what I find to be a working truth in my life. In order to treat others, I treat myself first. In learning to bandage my own wounds, I am able to take care of others, when they come to me wounded. So, I am thankful to God today for the many wounds I have received in life.

 

I only convey the inspiration that I have received from others. And often when I try to inspire others, I am also trying to inspire myself to do the very thing that I am urging others to do.

 

God is indeed great. He uses someone as weak and as flawed as I am, to convey his great strength. And that strength is found not in his judgement but in his unmerited love and forgiveness.

 

Your faith in God will be rewarded. Your faith will heal you. So don't despair. Go on in the hope that the one who waits for God will not be disappointed. Wait in joy. Wait in expectation. And your Lord will come and rescue you.

 

If you are in need ask God. He will supply your needs according to his riches in glory. When you ask, believe that you will receive, and you will receive. Put your trust in God and in no human being. If you are in trouble, go to God, and not to any human being. Ask only God, and he will honour your request when you do so.

 

Either we are incompetent worshippers or we have an incompetent God. The choice is left with each and every individual. The most devoted believers would have no hesitation to swear by their own incompetence as worshippers than lay the the slightest blame at God's door. But some, like Job, will ask the unmentionable questions, and will receive no answer. Perhaps the truth is that neither God nor his worshippers are incompetent. They may both play their parts well, yet there is another player in the game, who also plays his part well. God is not obliged to answer anyone, I read a few days ago. Perhaps God cannot explain, for the truth is too complex for the human mind. Still, when troubles come unceasingly and hope is snuffed out repeatedly, a terribly uncomfortable realization settles in the mind.

 

Beware, all you God-seekers! Your God will hide for a while. He will be absent when he is most needed. He will arrive late, after a death has taken place. But don't lose hope ever. Keep hanging on to your faith in the God who never fails the one who trusts in him. Heaven and earth will pass away, but his promises to you will never pass away. Nothing on earth, or in heaven or in hell can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, your Lord. So stay near Christ. Better, stay in Christ, and in him you will overcome your worst despair.

 

Be ready for humiliation, as you walk toward your God-given destiny. Your God will not permit you to be humiliated in the end. But you will feel humiliated for a while. You will feel forsaken and betrayed by a friend, in whom you had invested all your hope. You will feel utterly lost and cheated. But don't let this temporary state become a permanent reality. Be determined to believe in God, despite his absence and apparent betrayal of your trust. Remember that you cannot see everything right now. You will not know fully until later, when you see God face to face. Then you will understand why you needed to walk through your terrible road. Then the injuries you suffered will not matter. For great will be your joy, when you meet God. It will be a perfect joy that erases all your pain, and gives precious meaning to all your endless struggle. Believe in that day. Believe in your God who will not fail to meet you on that day. No matter how it looks now, go on. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is permanent.

 

As you are lying helplessly in a hopeless situation, you will wonder about your missing God. You will wonder why your God is missing and uncaring. All his promises will seem hollow and false. Unbelieving people may laugh at you and scorn you for your foolish faith. "Where is your God?", they will ask again and again. But don't hang your head low. Just say, "Even now I believe. I may be in a desperate position. Yet I believe and hope in my Lord, for he is my saviour and my God!"

 

Beware. There are twists and turns in the road to your destiny. Some are so unexpected and dark, that they would endanger your stability. Be warned. The road is full of pitfalls, and you will most likely fall and injure yourself. And the injury may seem beyond hope. But you need to believe, even as you are lying helplessly in your pit. Believe that help will come somehow. And trust in God, who promised never to leave you or forsake you.

 

Enjoy your failures. That is how you are happy. The reason for much unhappiness is the failures that people experience often in their lives. If you view failure as an attempt at learning to do something, and that every failure reveals your ever-increasing desire to succeed, then failure will turn into something sweet. The next time you fail, don’t be bogged down. Rejoice in your steely will to go on and get it right, no matter how many times you fail.

 

Not everyone gets everything in life. The wealthiest man among us does not have something he badly needs. Want is the distinguishing characteristic of the over-reaching heart. Learn to be content with what is given to you. And not everything you want will be given to you. To be content with what you receive, and to not want what you cannot have is the essence of happiness.

 

You will fail many times in life. So don't worry about failures. Just rejoice in the fact that you are still trying. As long as you are trying to be thankful, you are trying to be happy. And every trier meets with some success. And failure too is success. For every time you fail you succeed in trying even harder.

 

You need to be a habitual thanksgiver to be happy. And your thankfulness should not be fake. It should be a genuine appreciation of your gifts. Learn to see all that you have as gifts. Learn to see even your problems as gifts. Learn to see every painful experience as an opportunity to learn from. If you do, it will be the beginning of much happiness in your life.

 

Count your blessings. Name them one by one. And not only will you be surprised by what God has done, but you will also realize that there is much in your life you should be thankful for. So start being thankful today. It is never too late to start. And it is always difficult when you begin. But don't stop your thanksgiving, even if it feels forced and unnatural.

 

You should endeavour to enjoy what you have. If you cannot, you should seek help. The best helper out there is God. Ask God to show you the value of what you have. Ask God to give you a heart of gratitude for all you have received from him.

 

Happiness is enjoying what you have. When you cannot enjoy what you have because you are thinking about what you do not have, you are unhappy.

 

Whatever you do today, don't fail to worship God. You worship God by honouring what he created. Be good to one another. Help others as much as you can. Give love to someone who needs love. Be good to animals and plants, and do whatever you can for them. Help in keeping the world safe, by doing all that you can to preserve this world.

 

Don't seek love. But give love. Let your aim today be to give love to someone. When you give love, you will receive it inevitably. There is nothing better than loving someone. Turn to God for the ability to love others. Ask him to help you love people. And as God teaches you, you will be able to love even those who are not loveable at all.

 

Observe the world, and notice what is all around you. Don't be glued to your smartphones, believing that there is a better world inside them. All that technology can do is to reflect inadequately the glory of God. To see that glory, we need to lay aside technology, and look at the world all around us and make note of what God has done, as he has done it, without embellishment and exaggeration. Learn to appreciate things as they are, and not as what they ought to be.

 

Let your mobile devices not be your best friends. Let people be your best friends. Learn to communicate with people without technology. There are times when communication is impossible without technology. But if you wish to communicate at your very best, you should do it face to face, person to person, as people have always done it since time began.

 

To love God is to love others. Don't focus on just loving yourself. Focus on loving others as you love yourself. This is the commandment of God. And it is not something we can afford to ignore.

 

It is good to appreciate who you are. It is good to know what God has made you to be. But don't be lost in yourself. Appreciate others. Take the time to notice how special other people are. And acknowledge their specialness.

 

Believe that you will do the impossible today. That is the first step to doing it. And take from what God has placed in you. Use the supernatural strength that only he can provide. And then do what you never even thought you can do.

 

And let us not stop rejoicing in the glorious victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death. Let us not stop celebrating how he delivered us from the power of sin. Let us never cease to praise God for his ultimate, once-and-for-all sacrifice for all the sins human beings have committed in this world. Let us never cease to receive hope from God's promises. Let us never stop boldly approaching the throne of grace every time we are in need. When we are in want, let us always seek our Shepherd, for we will not be in want, as long as he is with us. When we are sick, let us always touch the stripes of Jesus Christ, for it is by them we are healed. When we are afraid, let us always hide under the shelter of his wings, for he will protect us from every harm, as long as we stay there. Let us not fail to rejoice in such a mighty God, who has made all his power available to us. We need to believe this, and then declare it joyfully. As we do so, we will experience the power we can only dream about now.

 

How does one rejoice in the Lord? Particularly, how does one rejoice, when the situation in life does not warrant rejoicing? In what about the Lord does one rejoice in a time of ever increasing suffering? What are the benefits of such rejoicing? Why should we rejoice in the Lord, when this life is so full of troubles? What has the Lord done, which gives us any hope that our lives will improve? Jesus Christ, our Lord, warned us clearly that the life we live on earth is full of troubles. Particularly troubled is the life we live for God. The Bible warns us that many are the afflictions of the righteous and also assures us that God will deliver us from them all. The Lord, who warned about the many troubles, also said that his people should be encouraged by the fact that he had conquered the world and its evil. We need to believe that Jesus Christ, has conquered the world, and its evil, by laying down his life for all of us, and by rising from the dead three days later. Knowing that he has done this should encourage us to go on, despite the troubles in our lives. And even though we may find ourselves surrounded by problems in life, we should be encouraged that we can always stand firm in Jesus Christ, as he has overcome all the challenges in this earthly life, and in him, we are already more than conquerors. This is not only a matter of belief, but it is also a matter of vocal declaration. Let us not merely declare this victorious truth, but let us affirm it with joy. Yes, let us find that unearthly joy in uttering this truth, of a victory, which we have not seen with our eyes, but have believed, for our Lord himself affirms it. Let us ask God to fill us with this joy. Let us first believe in what he says about us. We are more than conquerors, without having conquered anything. This is what we should rejoice about.

 

What we have may not be much. What we have may feel like a curse. But let God reveal what we have in his time. Let us submit to his mysterious working, and believe that he will give us beauty for our ashes, and will turn our mourning into dancing. Let us thank God today for what we have, though it may be the last thing we want to do.

 

Will we gain everything we have lost? Will God restore everything that has been lost? I don't think so. Not in this life, anyway. But there are victories that are secured only in pain. There is wisdom gained only in disappointment. There is a grace that emerges only from despair. So don't stop hoping today, if you have lost much. You have certainly gained what you could not have obtained had you not lost so much.

 

Say, "Thank you God" even in pain. Thank God for life, even if that life is filled with disappointments and pain. Recognize what you still have, and try to feel happy about it. That will be the beginning of your road to recovery.

 

Expect much. Receive whatever is given. And be grateful for what you have received, even if it failed to meet your expectations.

 

Be grateful when you receive less than what you did before. Be glad now for all that you have received, even if what you have received today has fallen below expectations.

 

Our fathers do not always rise to our expectations. That is why we need a heavenly Father. On him, we can safely rely, or so we think.

 

And my faith survived a major crisis in 2004, when my father died, after I had prayed so desperately for his life to go on. God denied the most urgent prayer request, and inspired in me a fear that he would do that again and again. And I had to live with a terrible mystery. Why did God deny my request? Why did my father have to die, soon after I was reconciled with him, after many years of mental separation? Why did I not get more time to spend with my father? Why could I not tell him more about God, and convince him that Jehovah is God? Why did God deny the miracle, and the victorious testimony that would have followed? I wanted to testify to the great miraculous healing power of God, along with my father, and I could never do that. Did my father accept God, before his death? Did he accept the Lord Jesus Christ, as his Saviour, before his death? I do not know the answers to these questions, and at times, I dread what the answers could be. But I go on despite this slaying, for God did slay me, when he denied me my father's life. I go on believing in a good God, though I have seen a goodness, which is nothing like my understanding of goodness. How I go on defies understanding. How I persist in my belief in God is beyond rationalising. But the truth is this. Even after twelve years, I am not ready to abandon my belief in God and his essential goodness.

 

The answers to some of our most persistent questions will not come from God in this lifetime. There is much unfairness and injustice in life. And even God appears unfair and unjust, at times, in life. Some would say, that this is usually the way life is. The good appear to suffer more than the bad. The godly are often deprived, and the godless are often thriving. The people who pray the most appear to suffer the most as well. The people who never pray appear blissful. Belief in God seems like a hopeless waste of time, at the least, and terribly unfortunate and misguided, at the most, for it apparently ushers in a guaranteed life of misery. But the great believers in God go on believing in God, despite these terrible appearances masquerading as realities screaming at them that God does not exist, and if he does, is nothing like they thought he was. They are like Job who held firmly to his belief in God, though God seemed to be slaying him mercilessly. Despite what appears to be God's heartless denials of prayers, they go on holding on to their beliefs, for there is much mystery in all of God's workings. They go on probably because they have also seen and experienced God's goodness in their lives. They have received favourable answers from God as well. So the happy memories in faith, keep the people of faith going, even in a time of terrible crisis. And strong faith will have to survive these crises.

 

On this day, twelve years ago, my father, B Ganesan, passed away, leaving me wondering whether God cares enough to answer prayers. After all these years, I know this and hold on to this: God answers prayers, but his answers are not always what we want. Some answers are actually denials, and when these answers come, we don't receive them well. We often deny the denials, and move on, believing and hoping for a favourable answer. But I was led to face this truth head on. God will sometimes, maybe even more often, deny the very thing we ask. And we often deny the denial, believing that God will always grant what we want. God will not grant all that we want. In fact, the life we live for God is full of surprises, some of them, very unpleasant. But we go on, in the faith, that God is ultimately good, and even the bad that he appears to do, will ultimately benefit us. This seems like madness even to me sometimes, but I hold on to it nevertheless, and I'm in no hurry to give it up any time soon.

 

I welcome all people, even unbelievers in God. Some of my best friends are unbelievers. But what I will not welcome is an insensitive approach to people and their beliefs. If someone does not show the required sensitivity to different beliefs and ideas, then such a person will find himself or herself unwelcome. I endeavour to appreciate different ideas as long as they are expressed constructively and sensitively. But when they violate such requirements, I do not welcome them at all.

 

It is good to express your mind. But it is not good to hurt others, and their beliefs and ideas. Don't ever make the mistake of correcting someone insensitively. For you are not without mistakes yourself, and if someone should point out your mistakes in a thoughtless manner, you would not like that as well. And bear this in mind, what you think is a mistake made by someone, may not be a mistake at all. In fact, you may be mistaken in thinking that it is a mistake.

 

When you have decided not to expect anything from people, you will not be disappointed often in life. You will, in fact, be often pleasantly surprised.

 

Silence speaks louder than words. I am grateful for the many silences I have received in life.

 

None of us is equipped to love like God. None of us can love like Jesus Christ. Our love is at best selfish and restricted to our near and dear. And even in such a close-knit circle, our love is seldom selfless. But to love selflessly, we must get rid of self. And God alone can do that. And he does that when we welcome him into our lives. When we have more of him, we will have less of us. And as we let him invade our lives, our selves will be thrown out eventually.

 

If you tread cautiously, you cannot love. If you want to love, you should be prepared to go where you feet can get seriously damaged and even destroyed. Your entire body and self will be at risk, when you love like that. Such self-sacrificing love is the greatest love, and that is the kind of love that Jesus Christ told us to give. Do you dare to love like that? Do you dare to die in the process of loving someone? Do you dare to be destroyed by your love? If you are, then you have the love of God in you.

 

Don't be paranoid about extending your friendship today. Walk boldly if you are confident in your love. But if you are not confident, don't express your love. For such love is not love. True love dares to give with absolutely no expectation of a favourable return. Aim to love like that. Or do not love at all. All friendship is love. Anything less than that is not friendship.

 

May all friends be happy today and every day. There is something very special about a friend, that we cannot derive from anywhere else. Family is very special, but so is friendship. It is said that there is a friend, who sticks closer than a brother. I have had very special friends. Without them, my life would have been quite unbearable. So I am thankful for all my friends. May the blessings of heaven always be with them. It is indeed a wonderful designer who placed in us the desire for a friend. Friendship, in its most beneficial, unselfish state, is a blessing that no one should ever miss in this life. This is my wish for all people.

 

It's good to have a friend in this world. I'm glad that I'm not friendless, though there was a time when I avoided people. Today, I'm breaking free from this long-standing tendency, and I'm paying attention to those around me. On the Internet, I've made many meaningful connections with people. On Facebook especially, I've made several of these. Of late, I've received many friend requests, and have accepted nearly all of them. I'm not sure that a Facebook friend is similar to a non-Internet friend, whom I've known and interacted with face-to-face in life. In the non-Internet life I have a few friends. But on Facebook, the word "friend" conveys to me anyone in the world, who is willing to walk along with me towards similar goals. Though I don't meet a majority of my friends on Facebook, I seem to have, at times, a more meaningful and a richer experience of oneness with these friends than I do with those whom I call my non-Internet friends. So I am thankful for all my Facebook friends today. And I say to all of them, "Thank you for extending your friendship to me. Thank you for knocking on my door. Thank you for coming in and enriching my life. May heavenly blessings be showered on you every day."

 

Sing a song of praise, even as you want to weep with pain. Even as your body is racked with unbearable pain, sing a song of praise to the One who can relieve your pain. Sing to him. Acknowledge his greatness and his ability to save you. Sing for relief. Sing for strength. And keep singing until he moves in you and calms your fear, and dulls your pain. Sing to him all through the dreary night, until rejoicing comes in the morning. Don't fail to sing to him today.

 

Don't scream out meaningless sounds in your pain. But scream out the name of the One who removes your pain. Scream out the name of the One by whose stripes you are healed. Scream out his name all night if you want to. And as you scream, plead with him, and ask him to relieve your pain. He is merciful and just, and he will not let you suffer beyond your ability to endure. Believe that, and continue your entreaties, until you receive your answer.

 

When you suffer with pain, remember the one who suffered more than any other human will ever suffer. And remember that he suffered for you and me, and every other person in this world. When your own suffering becomes unbearable, think of the one who suffered for us. And though he didn't have to, he suffered for us. And let us look at the tree on which he was hung. Let us see his pierced hands and feet. Let us imagine the unbearable agony of the one who suffered for us. And let us be happy to share in his sufferings to a small degree in this world. For it is blessed to suffer for him who suffered for us.

 

Don't focus on your pain. But focus on the reliever of pain. Call to him, cry to him if you need to. But know that he will pay attention to what you say. Also know that he will respond to your request. But try not to doubt his goodness and faithfulness. When you call out to him, believe that he will respond favourably, and expect that favourable response. Let your pain not be bigger than your pain reliever today.

 

What does a person care about? Does he care about life as it ought to be lived? Or does he care only about how he wants to live his life? Does he have any preference for external direction, or does he choose to direct himself? If he prefers external direction, where does that preference lead him? Does it lead him to others or to God? And then the question arises, "What people and which god?" Or if he depend on his own ideas of life, we need to ask: "are his ideas of life valid enough for him to live well?" And finally we should ask, "What is a life that is lived well?" The answers to all these questions will vary from person to person. But there are some agreements, and even these agreements are variable among groups of individuals who are supposed to believe in the same thing.

 

Life is a matter of choices. A good life is the sum of many good choices. There is the possibility of accident determining the course of life. But barring that, the choices that human beings make determine the quality of their lives. And when we speak of a person's choices, we can also ask, "What does this person care about?" His life will answer this question.

 

Glib statements won't do. Life is a very complex and frustrating thing. The mind is the ultimate centre of decisions. It is in the mind that God works. And he works only if permitted. So will the human permit God to do what he wants him to do? This is the problem-ridden question in faith. We want something, yet we are not willing to change. This is the tragedy of human inaction. It is a tragedy because desire does not lead to action.

 

Don't make friends casually. Be serious about the people you extend your love to. Don't quickly withdraw what you give. For such behaviour is not love, and simply not wisdom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sayings Of Samuel Godfrey George - July 2016

The road to God is not smooth. It is in fact unpredictable. Yet God himself walks with us. Let us not forget that, especially when darkness overwhelms us.

Wish everyone well. Especially those who have not lifted a finger to help you or even communicated with you, wish them well.

Today give before you take. Love before you hate. Smile before you weep.

For those of you who are wondering, I throw open my doors to all. I aspire to be like the carpenter of Nazareth, who welcomed all, especially the ones whom others were less inclined to welcome. So come to me. Let us walk together. This life is short, perhaps even shorter than we imagine. Let us love and share today, for tomorrow is not guaranteed.

There are some things that we will never know. Yet there are other things that we will know.

With God, we will always know less than we wish to know.

We can never be totally convinced of anything concerning God. He is a mystery and all that we say about him, and believe about him, is a mystery.

It is God who created all of us. We just become what he wants us to be, when we speak into existence our divine destinies. The creative power of our words is derived from God, who is the ultimate voice, which speaks ultimate words.

We are all made in the image of God. What we are is a reflection of God. What we say should also reflect God. But many times, what we think and say are not reflective of God. For we are fallen, and we cannot rise without God. And when we rise, we are enabled by God to be what he wants us to be. It is then we can think his thoughts and speak his words. And what we speak will come into existence.

One day, when I was a little boy, I had a dream. I saw a raging, train of fire speed across the sky. And I seemed to be in the air. I shouted at the fire, as it raced past me. I cried out, ‘I will serve you!’ I believe the fire was God, and my shout was a pledge of service.

There is a real distinction in this world between the extraordinary and the ordinary. And the truly extraordinary ones are the ones who will spare some time for the ordinary person. They cannot attend to all such people. But they should do the best that they can. If they fail to do that, they fail to be transcend the ordinary.

Those who spare their time for the humble person knocking on their door are the truly extraordinary. For they truly transcend the limits of those who are called extraordinary, and are yet very ordinary.

There are some in the world who believe they are extraordinary. And they think they are too important to spare any time for a humble one who knocks on their door.

He who has no time for his neighbour is the least extraordinary person in the world.

In this world the extraordinary live such busy lives that they may not have the time for an ordinary man or woman, who wants to speak with them.

If an extraordinary man has the time to speak to an ordinary one, he is truly extraordinary.

Finally, don't ever reply to a fool. An angry fool should be positively avoided.

Respect is primary in the maintenance of relationships.

There’s nothing objectionable about being moral in speech. We need to be moral always.

You shouldn’t stand out from the crowd by being rude. You should do it by being polite. We live in a rude world, so we need to show our difference by being polite.

A well-spoken person is not only someone who speaks correctly and honestly, but he is also someone who speaks in a manner that conveys his awareness of the other person.

Learn to see differences. You should honour those who are above you. You should honour those who are older and wiser.

You must consider the feelings of the person you are speaking to. You must respect those who are in authority. And your voice and tone must convey that respect.

"Smile, though your heart is breaking" they sing. It may be possible to smile even with a heartbreak. But let it not be an outward gesture, which does not correlate with what is going on inside. But let it be a smile of acknowledgement that life is not all pain and disappointment. There are moments in life, which one can be genuinely thankful for, at any given moment, despite any heartbreak. It is in the grateful acknowledgement of such moments that a genuine smile is born.

If you are constantly thinking about what you do not have, when are you going to consider what you have? When are you going to be thankful for it? When are you going to be happy about it?

Don't become more conscious of trouble. But become more conscious of the one who can solve your trouble. He is God. Believe in him today. Just believe.

I speak to people about Jesus and the great love of God. But I don't try to mould anyone. I leave the moulding to God. I try to live a life that others might find inspiring and revealing.

The highest love is the one that continues to give freely despite being rejected again and again.

Love is not to be bartered. Love is to be given freely in the hope that it will be received. I will give. You will hopefully receive. There’s nothing more to be desired.

Trust in God, and submit to his will. Surrender everything to him, even your heartbreak. Let God handle it. He alone can.

May God be your first love. Everything else will then fall into place. God knows your heart, and he will guard it, if you trust in him. Let God's best be yours.

Positivity is now my only hope. And hope is a good thing, perhaps the best thing. And a good thing never dies.

To be able to love everyone, that is the greatest blessing.

God will do his best for you. Just trust in him, and wait for him.

A small thing may go a long way. Don't fail to offer a small thing to someone today. Don't fail to give whatever you can. Remember it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Don't fail to be thankful today for anything you've received. For everything we receive is a gift. And even a small gift merits our thankfulness.

Say. "I trust in God to supply my needs. God is great and he is perfectly capable of doing what I want him to do. He will satisfy all my desires and grant everything that I need. I will not doubt him today, even if I do not receive what I was expecting."

Believe in the silent God, no matter how loudly the devil speaks.

The devil always fights. But God is the ultimate winner. And if you are with God, you win too.

Dreams are sometimes important. But reality is even more important. That's what I try to look at most of the time.

Worry is not from God. Panic is not divine.

Where there is panic there is no God.

Say, "God is with me. And he is guiding me. And I will not fail."

Take time to smile at someone today. And try to smile at a person from whom you can derive no apparent benefit. Give to someone today. Give to a person from whom you cannot expect to receive anything.

To love only those who are like you takes no effort at all. But to love those who are unlike you, that takes effort. And to love those whom you would normally dislike and hate, that takes superhuman effort, the kind that God alone can initiate.

If you love people welcome them. Do not avoid them like the plague. To love people means to receive them no matter who they are. To receive them means to accept them no matter what they are. This is the way of love and those who love.

Enjoy your work. It is good to do something useful in the world. Let us help others today, as we find meaning in our own lives.

The best thing you can do for people today is not to find fault with them. Even if they have faults, choose to see what is good in them. And encourage them with a kind word and a warm smile.

When I see parents walking along with their children, I see a great blessing that I do not have. And then I imagine how wonderful it would feel when I have a child of my own. How precious the child would be, and how I would guard him with all my might, and love him with all my heart! And then, I would realize the enormity of the responsibility that belongs to a parent. Parenting is not something that human beings can do without the help of God. As a parent, I would always seek God's guidance, in all matters concerning my child. I hope and pray that all parents would seek the help of God, and consult divine wisdom in their everyday lives, as they relate to their greatest blessings.

The greatest act of love a parent can show his child is to let him live his life, without the burden of expectations. Let the child be whoever he wants to be. For this is how God loves all of us. He lets us make our choices and live our lives, and even if we disappoint him by the way we live, we cannot be separated from his love, which is always waiting for us in Jesus Christ, his Son.

Children are the greatest blessings God can give us. So let us treasure our children as such, and love them with all our might. Let parents rejoice in their greatest gifts. May they ask God to show them how to love and care for their children. May they love their children enough to tell them about God, and his great love for humanity. May they also love them enough to let them decide what is best for themselves. May parents not clash with their children, and inflict wounds that are hard to heal. But let them love like God, who lets us live our lives, and make our choices, and not let his love be adversely affected or diminished by any disappointments that we may cause him.

Having a child would be the best thing in my life, I think. Yet I see people around me, who have beautiful children, and yet, are not happy with them. I hear a woman screaming from a nearby house. And I hear her son screaming back at her. At least, this is what I assume is happening. Their rage is beyond my imagination. They seem terribly unhappy. I heard from a friend of mine that there are parents who send their children out to beg on the streets. I also heard that some parents abuse and neglect their children. At times, I wonder why some parents are totally undeserving of the blessing of parenthood. In extreme moments I think that the ones who truly deserve to be parents are without children and those who don't deserve to be parents are given the blessing of children. I don't know what the truth is. But there is much unfairness, imbalance and injustice in this world. Life is a bag of riddles, and terribly inexplicable facts. But in all this mess, there are also wonderful, examples of goodness and love. And indeed, this world does have excellent parents and wonderful children, who experience the joy and wholeness that God intended for them. And this keeps me hoping, even as I nurse the hope of having my own children.

Think about what you can give to someone today. Don't always think about what you can take from someone.

God is great. He is faithful. He won't let you down, if you wait on him. I waited, and today God didn't let me down.

Enjoy today what God has given you. That's how you rejoice in the Lord.

Say, "Thank you Lord" always. Say "Thank you Lord for what you have given." Celebrate what God has given. And dare to expect more. May God grant you a heart that desires what he alone can give you. And never stop desiring to receive more of what God alone can give you. Dare to hope. Dare to receive. And when you receive, say, "Thank you Lord."

Dare to go the extra mile. Dare to do what seems terribly difficult. Dare to go further, if God is with you. Don't be content to be where you are. Don't be content with safety. Dare to go with God into what appears to be like danger. Dare to go as far as you can, for this is the race that you must run. It is not for those who are content to be where they are. Go where God tells you to go. Do what God tells you to do. And God does not tell you to do what is easy. God tells you to do what you will not normally do. So dare to do what God tells you to do.

You try to do it yourself. You go a certain distance. And then you cannot go any further. That is when you need to be still. That is when you need to dare. You should dare to believe in a god who is God. And then you should let him be God in your life. Will you dare to allow God to take over what you cannot do on your own?

Do you dare to be blessed today? Can you forget the terrible past, and dare to receive a blessing today? Do you dare to receive more than what you can even imagine? Do you dare to believe in a God who will bless you like that? I dare. May you dare as well.

What is the use of trouble if you cannot console another person in trouble? Let the troubled people of the world be beacons of light to one another. Let our troubles unite us in the hope that God is with us, and cares for us, and will ultimately deliver us from all our afflictions. For this is his promise, and he is faithful. We cannot ever doubt the goodness or faithfulness of God.

Trust God. He will take care of you. Whatever your trouble, do not despair. Refuse to give up hope.
Hold on to your faith. Say, "God is in control of my life. And I will not be destroyed. He will save me from my troubles. And I will smile in the end. Yes, I will rejoice, and be happy. For God himself will wipe my tears and console me. And he will let me live with him forever."

Don't underestimate the need for faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. And we need to please God. God should be pleased with us, for him to act favourably towards us. Jesus reminded us that it will be done to us according to our faith. This is a significant reminder. Let us then show faith in God today. But faith cannot come from us. Faith comes by hearing, and we need to hear what God is saying to us. Let us read our Bible. Let us hear each other's testimonies of faith. Let our faith enlarge, as a result. And may God be pleased with us.

So the gift has not arrived yet. But it will arrive. God will not forget the one who asks of him. God will not forget you. For he has carved you on the palm of his hand. He knows yours pain. He has seen your tears. And he cares. And he will not let you slip away. He will not let your dreams die. So stir up your faith in God today. Rejoice in what you have. And hope to receive what you want. For God is able, and he is capable of giving you what you do not even dare to want. So let your faith stand up today. For it is impossible to please God without faith. And you need to please him today.

Say this to your mountain today, "No mountain is higher than my God. No mountain is mightier than my God. My God is with me. I rest in his shadow. So be removed from my sight, for you cannot hinder me anymore!"

Don't despair. God is with you. And he will solve your problem.

Sincerity is the most profound language. It may contain few words. But it carries much weight.

You should do the right thing in every situation. And the right thing is doing something not because of what someone might think or even what God might think. It's doing it for the pure pleasure of doing something right, without the expectation of anything beyond it.

If I do an act of love today, let it not arise from fear. If I send you a note of thanks for something that you did, let it not be out of fear of what you might think of me if I didn't express my thanks. Let me do something good because it is good to do good. It ennobles the doer as well as the receiver. And if I live a good life for God let it not arise from fear of what God might do if I live rebelliously. Let it be for the pleasure of living a good life. For doing good is the greatest pleasure, if you know how to do it. And that is the pleasing kind of life God desires for us, but never imposes on us.

"How do I get saved?" the jailer asked Paul the Apostle. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!" Paul answered. Anyone who reads this text alone, can be misled by the great apostle's answer. I wish he had elaborated on what exactly is implied by the phrase "believe on". Could it mean lean on, rely on, depend on, and could it also mean, lean on nothing else, rely on nothing else, depend on nothing else but Jesus Christ? He alone is the way to God. There is no other way of salvation. Or could it mean even more? Believe in the incredible, self-sacrificing, love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Trust in that sacrifice, and believe that all your sins are washed away in the shedding of the blood of Jesus. And believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and see it as your own victory over death. For if Christ died, and rose again, and you are in Christ, you too will rise again after death. The cryptic statement of Paul could mean these and even more. But some uninformed person reading it, may not see the depth of what is implied in Paul's statement. It is analysis that will make the biblical text come alive.

If you want to tell people about Jesus Christ, you need to do only one thing. Love them despite who they are.

God is critical about sin. But he is favourable to the sinner, who is willing to repent. And the latter is the remarkable fact.

Charity is not in my nature. Even love is not in my nature. But charity and love come from another person living in me. And I call him my God.

Be thankful even when things don't go your way. Remember the time when you were pleasantly surprised and even delighted about what happened in your life. Hold on to these memories, and derive your thankfulness from them.

There is no one as charming as a person who is willing to admit his or her mistake.

Love is the motivation behind all my actions. I was given love once. Now I share it with whoever is willing to receive from me.

I would like all people to know God and worship him. Still I know that it will not happen, not in this age, at least.

Guilt is not good. Be repentant, but do not be guilty. There is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ. And if you are in Christ, stop letting yourself be condemned. Jesus has paid for all your sins. So don't try to pay for them. You just cannot. And you are wasting your God-given time by feeling guilty.

It is good to confess your sins. But also remember that God cares for you, and that he will forgive you. But you should also be willing to let God work in you and transform you into the image of his Son. Will you allow him to do this?

Romantic love is beautiful when it is reciprocated. But when it is not returned it is a strain on the person who gives it. She will be ultimately without reward and joy. In that case it is best to turn away from it, and love someone who is willing to respond.

The best thing I can say to you today is: "Don't lose hope in what you were made to be. Be utterly determined to be what you were designed to be. Say to yourself, "I will be what I am destined to be.

Nothing is going to stop me from being that. This world needs my life. And I will be a blessing to everyone in this world."

You won't get saved by a dip in the water, or by reading the Bible. You get saved only when you give up your hatred and littleness and accept the love and the bigness of God.

Contentment is godly. Discontentment is satanic.

The knowledge of your littleness is your greatness. Know that you are nothing, and you are something only with God. In fact, you can do everything with God.

Can you love someone who is utterly unconnected with you, and from whom you have nothing to profit? Can you devote your time and energy to that person? For this is the test of your godliness.

Rejoice in pain, for you can still feel it.

Romantic love is a popular love. It is a love that consumes much time and energy. But there is a higher love. It is the love that we show to others, celebrating who they are, without expecting anything from them in return. Such love is rare and unpopular, and unnatural and difficult for human beings.

Love more, hate less. Thank more, complain less. This is my prescription for those who want to be godly.

Let God increase in you. Let Satan decrease in you. This is what the spiritual journey is all about.

A complaining spirit is more akin to Satan than to God. If you want to be more like God, be thankful for who you are.

Be satisfied with who you are. That is how you defeat Satan, whose great contribution to you is a perennial sense of unsatisfaction.

How did Satan become sinful, a friend asked. How did sin originate? I thought about this for a while. It is not easy to answer a question, which God himself has not made clear. But this is my guess. Sin began when Satan's unsatisfaction began. When Lucifer was not happy with who he was, sin began in him. And he transmitted his disease to all of us.

Love the one you are with. Don't pine for the one who will not come.

Love without expectation. Dare to have your love rejected. Then you won't be disappointed.

Don't fail to love someone today. For if you fail to do so, you will fail to love God.

Every day I am more aware of my limitedness and littleness. This is God's graciousness to me.

Tread softly where you want to run.

Innocence is ignorance of a childish kind. Corruption is wisdom of a devilish kind.

A grateful heart is what will carry your through to the end of the day, as God has willed it for you.

The wages of trouble is wisdom.

Be grateful for what you have, even if what you have is different from what you want to have.

There is a thin line between desire and greed. Let desire not turn into greed. This is my prayer today.

It takes a certain mad kind of belief to go where God wants you to go.

May God guide you through this terrible storm. Remember, he has promised never to leave you or forsake you. Take strength from that today. And believe that he is near, and that he will not let you go. You will certainly celebrate your victory.

Celebrate your little victories if big victories will not come. Celebrate anything. But don't remain quiet and sad.

We should never stop praying. We should always keep hoping. We should always want more of life. For life is a gift from God, and let it keep coming till God puts an end to it. Therefore, let God alone decide when earthly life must end. Let us not pray for death. But let us pray for life. And not just any life, but an abundant life with God, receiving from his bounty and sharing it with all his people.

Let me learn to say, "May God's will be done" in all situations. For that is more important than any pressing desire that may distract me.

God will provide. Believe that. Say that. And tell somebody about it.

God will show mercy to the one who will ask him for it. Ask him now, and don't doubt his heart. Now rest.

Lord, please let me be aware of myself, and what I am in you. Let me know what I am capable of through you. Let me know my strengths today, and let me not be bothered by my weaknesses. When I am weak, then I am strong, for you are with me, to strengthen me in my weakest moments. O Lord, let me not forget this today.

Try to see the good in others, even when it is overwhelmed by so much that is bad.

You may not have all that you want in your life. But if you could only see the value of what you have now, you will not long so much for what is not here.

Knee-jerk reactions are not for me. Immediate replies are not my cup of tea. I think about everything. And sometimes I never speak out my thoughts.

Don't think about it. Pray about it. Pray about it again and again.

Never do anything for the sake of doing it. Do it because you are inspired. Do it only when you cannot resist doing it.

 

Nine years I have tended a plant for God. Let me not forget this plant, which has now grown into a young tree. The tree is now a shelter for God's children. Let me not walk away from this tree to plant another seed somewhere else. Let me take care of what God has entrusted to me. And let me believe that God will give me the resources to sustain and protect what he has graciously given me.

 

If I work for Jesus Christ, what do you think my religion is?

 

The time is now. You are a child of God now. You are more than a conqueror now. You are able to do all things now. You can live the godly life now. Don't think all this will happen only later. They can happen now. Just believe.

 

Growing up is slow business. So be patient, and enjoy the stillness of the moment. For you will not be here tomorrow, if you are indeed growing up.

 

The book that I don't want to part with is the Bible. That's the book which you will find with me often.

 

Believe and you shall receive. God does not withhold what is good from his children.

 

There is no way I can do anything without God. My very breath is a gracious act of his love. Today I say to God, "I cannot move without you. And I will not even dream of moving without you. Guide my steps and lead me to the place where I have to go."

 

It is a privilege to say "God bless you" to the one who has been unkind and unfair to you. It is the privilege of the Jesus Christ follower.

 

Do something for someone today without being noticed and applauded.

 

It's blessed to be the last. It's blessed to be the least.

 

A most important lesson to learn is to say to thank you sincerely.

 

Let us be prepared to face death today. The only way we can face death today is if we do what we know is right.

 

Why believe in the lie even if it excites you? Believe in the truth even though it numbs you.

 

If you keep replaying the old memories, rethinking the old thoughts and re-enacting the old rituals how will you change? To change you must discard the past and embrace the new, even if it is uncomfortable and painful.

 

You cannot change into a new person immediately. It takes time. It takes a process.

 

If you can appreciate people and ignore their littleness you have come close to loving them.

 

You must go on despite virtually nothing happening. And that's what going on is in the God kind of work.

 

Life is meant to be enjoyed. Let's enjoy it with others. And let's let others enjoy their lives as well.

 

Rejoice in the little that you have, and you will have more.

 

We are all rather paltry beneath our glorious skins. The moment we understand our littleness is the moment we grow.

 

Under pressure I appear to wilt. And then I recover. I know why I do. I feel no shame before God, for I know he knows everything about me.

 

If we are now Christ's, that's what we will always be. Do rest.

 

No matter how many disappointments you have gone through in life, learn to think of yourself as God thinks about you. You are his child, his precious one. And he will not leave you or forsake you. He loves you and cares for you. He will supply all your needs today and every day. Reflect on these truths. Absorb them deeply in your inner being. And then begin to say these truths loudly. Affirm them vocally, so that you may hear them first. And then God will hear you.

 

This is what I have learned in my walk of faith. God is unpredictable in His predictability. He does good but in His own way and in His own time. Any guesses regarding his modus operandi is an utter waste of time.

 

Most who egged me on and cited me as an inspiration are now either silent or have simply disappeared. But I still go on. And maybe this is so because I never actually relied on outside support to get myself going. All that I have done, I must have done despite external noise.

 

When we consider the contemporary approaches to God, and their insistence on living a full life, characterized by material prosperity, one needs to ask the question. Are we to live a full life, for our sakes or for the sake of others? Are we bought at a certain price, so that we cannot live for ourselves, as Saint Paul clearly said, or are we redeemed for living materially prosperous lives for our own sakes, and for the sakes of the immediate members of our family, whom we are always concerned about? Ultimately the life for God as projected by some of the present day leaders of faith, appears to be more of a life for oneself and than a life for others. And this draws a stark contrast with the self-sacrificing life that Christ and his early disciples followed.

 

The cross is not popular. I very rarely hear about the denial of the self, and the picking up and carrying of the cross in contemporary expositions of the faith life. Declare and get is the popular theme of modern approaches to God. Become prosperous for God wants you to live the full life is the current pep talk of certain leaders in faith. But no matter how many ways in which you look at this, the way Jesus Christ revealed discipleship diverges markedly from the way contemporary approaches to God project the godly life. Still, very little discomfort is visibly seen in the faith world regarding such divergent paths to God.

We must be thinking people of God, not just elegant parrots, declaring divine words that don't come from our innermost place. However, this is how faith is conducted these days. Declare and get. That is the name of faith today. I think God is at least a little deeper than that.

And there is a further truth to our vulnerability to the scheming of the devil. We possess at the very core of our being cravings that are similar to the devil's own cravings. The devil desires to overturn and distort every God-ordained purpose and design, and the appeal of such modifications and distortions is much greater than the appeal of the true purposes of God to our original sinful nature, which is identical to the fallen nature of the devil. In our unregenerated state we are much like the devil without his consummate power.

 

The life we live is a gift from God. So life is not something we created on our own. It was given to us by someone else. This is the first realization. Once we know this, we should also know that since our life comes from God, we cannot be in control of our lives. In fact, we cannot do anything apart from the source of life. And God is that source of life. We cannot live apart from him. We can achieve nothing of value apart from him. This is the second realization. Once we know this, we should also know that since we cannot control our own lives, we should submit to God, and his ultimate wisdom, concerning the way we should live. We should let him control us by our surrendering our will to him. We should trust in his wisdom and lay aside our own understanding. We should be willing to receive from him humbly. And when we receive, we should share what we have received with others in the same humble manner. This is the third realization.

 

Don't ever say, "I won't accept charity". Such an attitude belongs to pride and not to humility. Humility is to know that we are dependent on one another. We cannot live in this world without the help of others. We have accepted help from others right from the beginning of our lives, and we will continue to accept help from others till the very end of our lives. So it is good to be at peace with who we are. And we are dependent on one another.

 

Whatever unmasks a person, welcome it, even if it is terrible, abusive anger. We should not be disturbed by malicious behaviour. Let's be ready to peel off the tolerable veneer to see the intolerable hiding beneath.

 

She does her best. Her best may not be good enough. Her best may be your worst. But live with her best as long as she does her best.

 

If you are a sinner and may be the worst one at that, you are probably as fit a candidate for God as the Apostle Paul.

 

Those who wish to avoid sin are most likely to meet it.

 

Say, "God is good, though life is not good right now. God is doing something new in my life, and though I can't see it, I sense that something is happening inside me. My mind is being renewed everyday by the Holy Spirit, as I submit my thoughts and impulses to him. God won't let me down, though people will often disappoint me. Everyone may turn his back on me. But God won't ever turn his back on me. He knows who I am. And he will give me what I desire on the day he has appointed for me."

 

Don't be anxious no matter what happens. The Lord is with you. And he will make a way for you, even when your path is blocked, and you appear to suddenly come to a halt. When that happens, don't stop. Take a diversion. Do something different. But always work for the good of others. For helping others is helping God.

 

The road to God is not smooth. It is in fact unpredictable. Yet God himself walks with us. Let us not forget that, especially when darkness overwhelms us.

 

Wish everyone well. Especially those who have not lifted a finger to help you or even communicated with you, wish them well.

 

Today give before you take. Love before you hate. Smile before you weep.

 

For those of you who are wondering, I throw open my doors to all. I aspire to be like the carpenter of Nazareth, who welcomed all, especially the ones whom others were less inclined to welcome. So come to me. Let us walk together. This life is short, perhaps even shorter than we imagine. Let us love and share today, for tomorrow is not guaranteed.

 

God chose me first. But I chose him later. And that is important.

 

There are some things that we will never know. Yet there are other things that we will know.

 

With God, we will always know less than we wish to know.

 

We can never be totally convinced of anything concerning God. He is a mystery and all that we say about him, and believe about him, is a mystery.

 

It is God who created all of us. We just become what he wants us to be, when we speak into existence our divine destinies. The creative power of our words is derived from God, who is the ultimate voice, which speaks ultimate words.

 

We are all made in the image of God. What we are is a reflection of God. What we say should also reflect God. But many times, what we think and say are not reflective of God. For we are fallen, and we cannot rise without God. And when we rise, we are enabled by God to be what he wants us to be. It is then we can think his thoughts and speak his words. And what we speak will come into existence.

 

One day, when I was a little boy, I had a dream. I saw a raging, train of fire speed across the sky. And I seemed to be in the air. I shouted at the fire, as it raced past me. I cried out, ‘I will serve you!’ I believe the fire was God, and my shout was a pledge of service.