Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George, March 2017

To trust in God is equal to saying, "I don't like this. But I will let God do this anyway, for I trust him to be good eventually."

 

We say, "Thy will be done" and secretly hope that it is our will that will be done. The essence of trusting God lies in accepting what we do not like, and letting it shape us into the people that God wants us to be,

 

Don't be anxious about anything. But pray about everything that frightens you. Thank God for being near you. He won't let you be harmed by anyone or anything. He is the guardian and the protector of your soul. Believe in the one to whom you have entrusted your precious life. Trust in God today. Believe that he will guide you to a safe place. And boldly affirm your confidence in this manner, "If God is for me, who can be against me? Who can prevail over me? The Lord will not permit his child to suffer more than he or she can bear. The devil may hassle me for a while, but God will save me in the end. I belong to God, and that fact will never change."

 

Find out why you are scared, and what you are scared of. And place it before God. But know God in advance. Be still and know that he is God. There is no force in this world or out of it that can stand against God. If you believe like this, nothing can shake you. But you will be tested severely and many attempts will be made to shake you. You may even stumble and fall, but with God you will rise again. And in the end, you will remain standing, provided you wear the armour of God.

 

God is with you. Learn to speak the words of God. Learn Psalm 91 by heart and speak it to yourself. It is what I did when I came under an anxiety attack in 2010. It saved me. That's why I am still here. So put your trust in God. Say like King David, "A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me." God will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Believe and speak the words of God over your life.

 

Know that God is with you, and he is beside you even now. Whatever fear is troubling you, know that God is greater than anything that threatens you. Greater is God in you than the devil in this world. Believe that and say that. And you will find a new strength enter your mind and body, when you confidently affirm the greatness of God. Keep saying to yourself, "God is great. He will never leave me or forsake me. I am his. No one can pluck me out of his hand." Ask God to give you a faith from above. Desire God desperately. And he will not fail to respond to you.

 

To say nothing, to spare the venom, and to let the offender go - these are the lessons that I have learned in my years with God.

 

Thankfulness does not just satisfy God. It also satisfies human beings, who have much to endure in this life. Gratitude is what keeps us sensible in difficult times. And it is what keeps us going, when we would have otherwise given up and admitted defeat.

 

Thanklessness and ungratefulness may be more natural to human beings than thankfulness and gratefulness. But God clearly prefers the thankful and the grateful. In fact, the Creator expects human beings to be thankful in all circumstances. What that means is that humans are required to be thankful even in dire situations. In hard times humans should find something to be thankful about. They have to do something extraordinarily out of character to satisfy their God.

 

Even as you suffer in life, be thankful for the joy that still remains with you. Always be thankful regardless of the circumstances. Find something to be grateful for. Consciously attempt at being grateful always. Even when you are tempted to complain about the bad in your life, speak glowingly of the good that you still observe around you.

 

To enjoy life, we need to laugh more at ourselves, at how petty and ridiculous we are. We need to see the lighter side of our terrible lives, and feel grateful for what we cannot endure.

 

Following your heart is the best use of your time. But beware, your heart can utterly deceive you.

 

I don't think much about the end of the world. End time prophecy is riddled with embarrassing mistakes, and I want to stay out of that area. But I do think about the end of life, which will happen to all of us. I think sometimes about my death, but I don't dwell on it. I think about life right now, about the good I can do, and how to make the best use of my time.

 

Life is rarely what we want. It is mostly what we do not want. If we could like what we do not want, we would be masters at living well.

 

Be happy where you are, even if you don't like it. Some things in life are hard to appreciate. But we should accept them with gratitude.This attitude will preserve us till the end.

 

If our ultimate aim is not pleasing God, we will find out that pleasing ourselves will not satisfy us in the end.

 

If you could worship God without speaking the truth, your worship would amount to nothing. But if you could speak the truth without worshipping God, your truth will still stand.

 

If only people would love who they are, they would also love who others are.

 

To make this world a better place, the people in this world need to be happy with themselves.

 

It is not wrong to love ourselves. In fact, it is a must. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot love others.

 

If I could love myself as a narcissist would, my life would be a lot easier. Rather, I am often my worst critic.

 

What I celebrate is not me, but God in me.

 

Even as I nurse my long-lasting, wounds, and contest in this dogfight against my own terrible nature, I am able to attend to the sufferings of others, and offer words of consolation to them. This is nothing short of a miracle.

 

I try to know myself. There is probably more darkness in me than I suspect. But I'd like to focus on the light, and what God does in me. I try to see the better side of me, though it is not easy.

 

I am not selfless. But I am not as selfish as I used to be.

 

Don't ask me what my religion is. Ask me what my motivation is. My motivation is to give something in return. I have received many good things from God. And I want to share these good things with my fellow human beings.

 

Where I come from is really not important. What I am and what I want to do for you, these are pertinent questions. I am your friend, and I want to accompany you on this journey called life. If I can help you, I will help you. If you can help me, I would gladly receive your help. This is all that we need to think about.

 

Someone told me not to question God. But I question him often. I tell him plainly what I think. I quarrel with him sometimes, and disagree with him. But he quickly draws me back to him. And I walk with him again with renewed strength.

 

Mistakes are painful but necessary. Don't feel ashamed of them. We cannot progress without them.

 

Even my own father may not have accepted me, but I know that God accepts me just as I am. People may judge me and reject me, but with God I do not fear judgement and rejection, for I know that I have been made right before him by Jesus Christ.

 

What love does, discipline cannot know.

 

Jesus was both liberal and conservative. He was more liberal than the liberals of his day, and more conservative than the conservatives of his day.

 

Going to church will not not save you. But going to God will.

 

Doctrines will not lead us to God. A simple heart, aware of its emptiness and desperately in need of God is all that is required.

 

To have everyone come to God, we should be willing to discard every doctrine that divides us.

 

Some of us know God, but do not live with him. Others do not know God, but live with him without being aware of it.

 

On a day when blessings​ seem scarce count the earlier ones.

 

You can't solve a problem by worrying about it. But you can feel better by trusting in God for its solution.

 

Some people are better human beings without religion than those with it.

 

A crisis may be the best gift from God for a person who is struggling in faith.

 

We will go through crises but when we go through them with God, we come out happier.

 

Love is the ability to embrace all without reservation.

 

If you could love the one you're with and not look in longing at the one you're not with, your happiness might just last.

 

A liberal mind is broader than a conservative mind.

 

The best way to get appreciation is by appreciating others.

 

If you love something, you will always find time for it.

 

If you want a good life, then start to appreciate the life that you have now.

 

Do you want to love? Love yourself first. Love what you are, and who you are. Love God who created you for a certain purpose. And the purpose is to know the love of God who loved you enough to put you on this planet. He loved you enough to let you see the wonder of life. Now see that wonder, and appreciate your life. Do what you are able to do, and do it well, and do it happily.

 

Love the people you have in your life today. And love them well. This is the one task that you must fail to do. For if you do so you will also love God.

 

Luck has something to do with every human life. Luck is a combination of events that can go one way or the other. A believer in God, who does not believe in luck, may find himself knocked down by a vehicle on the road, which suddenly lost control and rammed into him. Or he may perish in some other unfortunate way. There are a few miracle stories of supernatural rescue, but these are offset by many tragic stories of bad things happening to good people. It is my belief that such sad events are not predetermined by God, but they happen by chance. Unfortunate and unlucky these events seem to be.

 

Could God have stopped an accident from happening? Could God have prevented a tragedy from happening? Could God have stopped a human from carrying out his evil intention? God could have done all this. But in my understanding, I do not see him doing anything like this. God allowed human beings free-will. So, he lets humans do what they want, even if human actions have criminal intent. He lets humans make mistakes, and sometimes these mistakes have serious consequences.

 

Accidents happen not because of God but because of humans. Human imperfection gives rise to human error. Human error is often the cause of accidents. And when accidents happen, God has nothing to do with them.

 

Let it be between God and you, and not between God and someone and you. You can approach God directly. You can speak to him now. You can ask him yourself. And he will answer you.

 

Everything is ordained by God. Every accident is in God's plan. Every train derails, and every plane crashes, and every ship sinks because God planned it. Every ant that is smashed under human feet today is also predetermined. This line of reasoning is ridiculous.

 

If it's not in the Bible, it's not in life. That's a severe limitation in thinking.

 

You wonder why the good live short lives while the evil live up to a ripe old age. This is what I think. None of us are good. It may seem that some of us are better than others. As Jesus put it, "Only God is good." Life is difficult, and unpredictable. Accidents happen: Inexplicable events take place. The people who seem good meet with untimely deaths. The people who seem bad go on living for an inordinately long time. This may not exactly happen the way it appears to us. One can be confident that bad luck affects all of us. But it does appear to some of us that the good suffer more than the bad. The Bible states that many are the afflictions of the righteous. Jesus Christ warned that in this world there will be many troubles for those who put their trust in God. I believe that there are troubles for all of us in this world. That is the way it is. We need to accept the unpredictability and unfairness of life and make the most of our time, whatever may be the length of our lives.

 

Why should the people of Christ show kindness to those who don't deserve it? We were told by Jesus Christ to be a light in this dark world. We should let our light shine so that people may know Jesus Christ who shines through us. We love others, not because they are loveable or lovely. We love them despite who they are. We are told to love the most unlovable people. We are told to show kindness to the cruellest people. We are told to do the impossible thing. We are told to forgive the unforgivable. But why we should we do these things, when people don't deserve our kindness and our love and our forgiveness? We do this because we belong to Jesus Christ. And he loves and forgives and shows kindness to the most wretched people in the world. He showed kindness and love and forgiveness to us, when we deserved nothing but his condemnation. If he lives in us, we should show him to others by living like him.

 

God loves the world so much. It is this love that led him to send his Son to this world to lay down his life for the sins of humanity. Let all human beings know this love and accept it without reservation. Let this love guide them closer to God. Let those who have received this love also share it with everyone they meet.

 

Let hell not be the reason why you go to God today. There may be a hell where unbelievers and rebellious spirits go ultimately. But let not the fear of going to hell be the reason for your going to God today. God is your Maker, and without him you are incomplete. Let your search for completeness lead you to God today.

 

Let fear not be your motivation to believe in God. It is better to be a fearless unbeliever than a cowardly believer.

 

Don't hold on to the past. Let it go, even if it was wonderful. God is doing something new in your life. Focus on this, and accept the new opportunities and challenges that you are about to face. Whether it is good or bad, easy or difficult, accept the new and live it with the grace God will certainly give you.

 

My child, all of us go through troubles. The children of God suffer the most. They are chosen to suffer, because suffering is probably the greatest teacher in life. Nothing moulds us and transforms us into the image of God like suffering. And we suffer most, when we think that God is not with us. But this is the truth. God never leaves or forsakes his children. It simply cannot be, though it looks very much like that. If we would only believe in God more than we do in what we think or feel, we would make considerable progress in this spiritual journey.

 

You may not be able to relive the past, even if you have the same people in your life. Time has passed, people have changed, and you need to move on to something else in your life.

 

God will not give us everything that we want. But he will give us everything that he wants for us, if we want it too. There is much that we want in life, that God does not want for us. And there is much we do not care for in this life, that God wants for us.

 

How do you know that God is speaking to you? Is he saying to you, "Don't be troubled. I'm here for you. I care for you. And I will take care of you. I will supply all your needs. You can count on me"? If you are hearing this, no matter who you are and what you have done, you can be sure that God is speaking to you. For this is what he has been saying to all of us since the day Jesus Christ ascended into heaven to sit beside his Father. And this is what he will continue to say to his children in the years to come, as long as he wants to. I see no reason to doubt this fact.

 

Don't try to worship God. Just speak to him, believing that he is near you. Believe that he is near you, as you believe that the air you breathe will keep you alive. And know this. Nothing on earth or in heaven can separate you from God.

 

Don't hear the condemnation of people. Hear the approval of God. If you are trying to know God and worship him, he will welcome you into his arms, regardless of the path that you take to reach him. The people of God do not travel the same path to God. But God knows who we are, and where we are, and he will reach out to us, when we get lost.

 

If you are concerned about God and the things of God, it is likely that you have God in you.

 

When God looks at us, he does not see us as Protestants or Catholics or anything else. He sees us as his own children, bought by the blood of his Son Jesus Christ. And this is how we should see ourselves.

 

The best kind of meeting is arranged by God. When I am with God, I don't try to meet people. People come to me, and I meet them.

 

Church is where believers in God are. If only two of us are joined together in our faith in God, we are a church most pleasing to God.

 

Being Catholic or Protestant is not important. Being a child of God is important. This is what you need to be every day.

 

The question that we need to ask today is: "Do we know whom we worship? What does he want from us? Are we doing what he wants us to do?" Let us not be stuck in man-made theories of God, But let us look at Jesus Christ, and experience the love of God that he so unforgettably conveyed to us. Then we will be transformed by that love into the people God wants us to be.

 

Thanks to Wi-Fi, I can place my laptop on my bed and type my messages. There is always something to thank God for. The need of every day is to find that reason, and act on it.

 

Does someone have to write an entire book to say that God takes his time to transform human beings? It takes time to grow physically. It takes even more time to grow spiritually. None of us is transformed instantly. Some changes appear sudden. But nothing is full grown in an instant. Change is a long, drawn out process. Some of us who are undergoing spiritual growth feel that not much has happened over the years. We are still prone to the same evil tendencies. We still remain addicted to worldly lusts. But in truth, we are moving on, even if we cannot feel it. We are moving like the earth, which moves beyond superficial detection. We are moving forward, even if we cannot see any progress. God is an efficient worker. He made the universe. He can make us be like him, if we would only believe in the miracle of time, his time. He makes all things beautiful in his time. In this we should lay to rest all our doubts and start believing in what seems impossible to our human minds.

 

You worship God in your heart. You worship God in your mind. You worship God in you. You worship God in the people you meet. You worship God in every created thing. When you worship God like that you don't need to go to a church to worship him.

 

When you learn to be grateful for every little drop that trickles your way, you have attained a spirit of gratitude.

 

God does not only love us. He hurts us by making us aware of our unworthiness. It is when we see how irredeemable we are that we respond to his gracious love, the only thing that can save us. God cannot embrace us before he hurts us. And we should not recoil from the hurt, hating God even more for showing us our hopelessness. We should return to him, trusting in his love, and desiring it, for there is no other way out of the hell we are destined for.

 

Love changes everything. Love is the greatest motivator for change. It is undeniable. But love without hurt may not amount to anything. When love changes us, it is aided by hurt. We are hurt by the fact that we don't measure up. We are hurt by the knowledge that we don't deserve the love. It is that hurt which ultimately makes us embrace the love and be transformed by it, for nothing else can save us so well.

 

Sometimes we hurt people to get them to think radically. A big change issues out of a big impact. And one of the biggest impacts on the human soul is a hurt.

 

I am what I am today because of the hurts that I suffered in my life. People hurt me inadvertently. I absorbed those hurts and made them my greatest motivators to reach a certain destination.

 

If you always sugar-coat your words, you may fail to make an impact on others. Euphemistic language serves a purpose only up to a certain point. Beyond that point, you should a call a spade a spade.

 

Great change can issue from great hurt. Offence can transform a person like nothing else.

 

The idea of using offensive words is to offend. If you are not offended by them, they have failed in their purpose.

 

What did Jesus Christ mean when he said that he came so that we might live a full, abundant life? Was he primarily referring to material well-being, or spiritual well-being? If we examine the context of the statement, Jesus was talking about the devil, and drawing a contrast between the murderous Satan and the life-giving Christ. So the focus of Jesus' abundant life cannot be material prosperity, but a certain inner, spiritual well-being. God does add the material things to us, but only when we seek his kingdom and his righteousness above every other thing. The Christ kind of abundance therefore is a richness in God, and not a richness in the things of this world.

 

People who want religion may go for Christianity. I go for Christ, without the trappings of religion.

 

What is my religion? I am asked this question often. I follow Jesus Christ. I even work for him. What does that make me? It is anyone's guess.

 

To the one who said that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would not call his children idiots, I say that he called them worse names. He has called his chosen people a prostitute who pays others for sex. Jesus Christ, his Son used labels such as vipers and dogs. The Bible contains many difficult words, and often refers to humanity in unflattering terms. God and his people come across as particularly impolite and scathing in their interaction with people.

 

There is wisdom in calling a spade a spade. Anything more or less is a distortion of truth. Jesus Christ labelled the world an adulterous generation. He referred to non-Jews as dogs. On other occasions he addressed the learned men of his community as vipers. St. Paul addressed a church as "foolish Galatians". Sometimes hard words are required to bring out the truth. When such words are used by Jesus Christ and those who serve him, it is for the purpose of highlighting truths, which cannot be effectively expressed using less severe words.

 

A good teacher may have bad students. When you call a student an idiot, it may not reflect on the wisdom of his teacher.

 

We only know what has been revealed to us. Even that we do not well. But the one who thinks he knows everything, when he only imperfectly knows what has been partially revealed is a pitiable idiot.

 

Every sanctimonious person is an idiot. Anyone who thinks he knows God well is a bigger idiot.

 

When you want to point out someone's folly, think about how someone else did not point out that you are an idiot.

 

We should love ourselves. And we should love others as we love ourselves. This is the fitting way we glorify God who made all of us so well.

 

Loving yourself is not a bad thing at all. Just don't forget to love others in the same way.

 

A loud, bragging faith is less appealing than a calm, self-deprecating, seeking of God.

 

Let the godly man look at his own despicable heart before he throws light on the lostness of a brother.

 

A balanced, sensible faith in God will attract more people to God than strident fanaticism.

 

Religious fanaticism will probably come across as lunacy to many onlookers. It is best to temper religious fervour with secular balance, so that faith may not appear ridiculous to the faithless.

 

Ultimately we should attract the faithless through our faith, and not repel them. Balance is what is required. Fanaticism should be avoided at all costs.

 

Faith should be a balanced, beautiful experience and not an idiotic fantasy, which will repel onlookers.

 

Some believers denigrate their god more through their shameless fanaticism than do the most disparaging atheists.

 

We are all slaves to one thing or the other. Some of us are slaves to the bottle, while some others are slaves to the syringe. Some are slaves to sexual desire, while some others are slaves to currency. Some of us are slaves to God, while some others are slaves to religion. Ultimately, no one is truly free, and everyone should decide for himself who his master should be. And we should aim to make the most of our slavery without regret.

 

A holier-than-thou believer is more obnoxious than a mocking atheist.

 

We are all slaves to one thing or the other. Some of us are slaves to the bottle, while some others are slaves to the syringe. Some are slaves to sexual desire, while some others are slaves to currency. Some of us are slaves to God, while some others are slaves to religion. Ultimately, no one is truly free, and everyone should decide for himself who his master should be. And we should aim to make the most of our slavery without regret.

 

In life there are restrictions. There may even be a bondage or two. A life which attempts to achieve despite suffering and to work within restrictions is the kind of freedom that is available on earth. Such a way of living may not always meet with success, but it is always consistent in finding a way to do something good, without offending and restricting others.

 

A free act is done with love, without expecting any reward for it, except the joy of doing it.

 

Freedom of speech is needed. But it cannot mean that we can speak anything, anytime in any way we want. We need to speak properly, considerately and politely. We should also know when not to speak.

 

I am free to admire flowers today. But I am not free to pluck them. I am free to appreciate the world today. But I am not free to impose my will on it.

 

There is no such thing as unlimited freedom. All freedom is limited. The freedom of one should be curtailed for the sake of accommodating others.

 

A free human being is one who is not bound by the thinking of others. Agreement with others in his case is not a must, but it comes only when minds genuinely meet.

 

To be free is to be able to be what one is, without the fear of offending others.

 

Freedom is to do what one likes without hurting others or restricting their freedom.

 

We have waited 2000 years. But God doesn't wait. He is out of time, and he knows the end from the beginning without travelling through time, for he sees them both even now lying side by side. But we who cannot see the timelessness wonder why he is delaying his return. We come up with reasons for his delay. However, it is better not to guess the mind of God. He is giving us time to repent, you say. Time is a double-edged sword. Along with the time to repent, comes the time to do even greater evil. More people are born. More evil proliferates. No, it is better not to guess the divine mind. God is now reconciled to the world through the blood of his Son. And humans are no longer in enmity with God. This is the vital fact that every God-aware human should bear in mind. God's return happens every day as we recognize his great love for us. Every day God returns to the recognizing heart.

 

Let's remember the good that we have received from God. That's how we go on. The troubles in our life have increased, and we are praying to God more urgently to help us overcome our great problems. Even as we continue to struggle in life, let us not forget that God has been good to us. He has answered our prayers, and granted us relief many times. May God grant us help again. May we receive grace in our time of need. May God strengthen and prosper us in every way. Let's not give up doing this today.

 

Is Jesus in a statue? Is Jesus in a massively proportioned statue on top of a mountain? Can Jesus be found as an infant in the hands of his mother, sculpted by a human being? Can Jesus be touched by placing our hands on sculpted wood and rock? Are we not guilty of worshipping God today as we did thousands of years ago? Are we not guilty of worshipping idols when we bow before the statues of Jesus and his mother, not to mention the plethora of his saints? Can Christ not be found anywhere else?

 

Do you need to see clouds in the shapes of horses and lions to visualise the second coming of Jesus Christ? Do you need to hear the massive blow of a trumpet to get prepared for Jesus who is coming to take you away with him to heaven? Do you need to see a grand cosmic event in the sky to ratify the biblical prophecies concerning the return of Jesus Christ? Are you nor ready to accept Jesus now without pomp and fanfare? Are you not ready to welcome the wretched, beggarly Jesus standing in front of you, waiting for your help?

 

How does it feel to fail again and again? How does it feel to have your weaknesses exposed again and again? How does it feel to know the truth and be powerless to enact it in your life? How does it feel to see the light and not be able to step out of your darkness? How does it feel to take a few steps forward and then take many backward?

 

I choose not to be critical of other faiths, for I have not experienced them personally. I choose to look at my own faith sympathetically, for little good may come from being critical of it. Today, I need to rejoice in life, and in God who has revealed himself to me through the Bible. And I should share this joy with others, so that they too may know God as I do. And I should do this respectfully and sensitively without offending anyone's deeply held beliefs.

 

You shouldn't force yourself to believe in God. From the beginning to the end, belief in God is a work of God. God will help you believe in him, as he helped me to believe in him. I had no belief in God once. I now believe in God, but my belief is not without its moments of doubt. All believers go through those moments. But God will help you rise above those doubts every time. You should trust him to do that. Don't panic if you don't have belief now. Just ask God to help you believe in him.

 

Does it matter whether a page grows or not? I cared about such things once, and maybe even now I fall into that error. Does it really matter what following a page has on Facebook? All that matters is that the thoughts and words and works that God inspires in a worker reaches others, who are desperate for answers that will save lives. I hope I have not let down God in that respect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Messenger of Love - Samuel Godfrey George

Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George - February 2017

One will not be tired of doing good if one enjoys doing good. But one will be tired of doing good if one is intimidated into doing good. One will also be tired of doing good if one expects a reward for doing good. The last two types of doing good are what many Christians tend to do. When we do good, we make the best use of the time God has given us. The joy we bring to others and to ourselves when we do good is the reward for our actions. If we expect a further reward we may be disappointed. Sadly this is the kind of good that Christians from the very beginning of faith have done.

 

The greatest story in the Bible is the story of the lost son. This is the best illustration of the relationship between God and Man. No further revelation of God's love is required, for the story captures the heart of God. Love and forgiveness are the most powerful characteristics of God. Jesus Christ came into the world to show us the loving, forgiving God. But the human authors of the Bible could not present this great message of love and forgiveness without torturing readers with more than a smattering of threats. Maybe, threatening a person into good action is the way of all human flesh. Maybe all human goodness has resulted from threats like these. But this is an unsatisfactory motivation for goodness. We should do good not because we are scared of what God might do to us if we fail to do so, but because we love God, who loves doing good. Doing good is the best action anyone can do. And those who do good should do so joyfully without fear. This is the kind of message that the Bible fails to convey satisfactorily.

 

The Bible speaks both judgemental words and uplifting words. Where the Bible works least is when it speaks judgementally. Where it works most is when it speaks upliftingly. There is a holier-than-thou tone applied by every writer in the Bible, and this is the least attractive feature about the content that we encounter in the Bible. Where the Bible does best is in the candid admission of sin and helplessness, which we sometimes find in the Psalms and in St. Paul's letters. But for every such admission, there are many passages rendered in a self-righteous tone. So, the Bible should be read carefully in the knowledge that everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God, especially the human authors of this divinely inspired book.

 

Judgemental words are least attractive. Uplifting words are most attractive. To attract people to God, you should speak uplifting words.

 

The people who leave are not something to be factored at all. They were never meant to be here.

 

For the people of the world to come together, an immediate requirement is a polite, constructive and sensitive dialogue. And this cannot happen without people realizing their own limitations in understanding and knowledge. People who offer their opinions, should always do so humbly, always bearing in mind that they could be wrong, for no one knows everything, and has considered every possibility regarding the subject he is speaking about.

 

When you express a disagreement with someone, be polite and sensitive. Do not say anything that would hurt the person, and inflict an injury that will have a lasting impact on that person. Try to express your point of view, bearing in mind your own limitations in understanding, and point out the truth as you see it, without disparaging the opinions and beliefs of others.

 

It is good to express your mind. But it is not good to hurt others, and their beliefs and ideas.

 

God is still working with me. I am far from complete. But I'm still something to behold.

 

What today we know in part, one day we shall know in full. Until then let us be content with incomplete knowledge.

 

Let me not rejoice in being noticed by humans. Let me rejoice in being noticed by God.

 

Be who you are without fear. It is the greatest act of love you can show yourself. And you must love yourself before you can love others.

 

Let us seek God not just for the money we need. Let us seek him because there is nothing better to seek. Let us love him so much that we cannot be without him. Let us draw near him, for without him there is no life worth living. God is everything and gives everything to the one who is in love with him. Seek money, and you will never know him, as he really is.

 

I often read, "Get ready for a financial blessing. If you need a financial breakthrough say 'Amen'" I say, "What kind of a God keeps you waiting for a financial blessing? He who knows how to bless you with life every day, how is it that he needs to be reminded of the financial blessing that you desperately seek? Is God only the giver of money? Do you seek him only for the currency that he provides? God is more than a money giver. God is the giver of all good things. He is the giver of life. He is our Father. He knows our needs even before we ask him. And he will give us what we need even without our asking."

 

God's blessings are here and now. Your very breath testifies to his blessing. You don't have to wait for a financial gift to know that you are blessed. Everyone needs money. But above all, everyone needs life. And God gives life every day even without our asking for it. He keeps the heart ticking and the brain working. He keeps all our natural processes happening in a wonderfully organised way. Let us acknowledge the blessing of life as long as we continue to breathe.

 

We are freed from sin not by our obedience to God's law, but by our belief in Jesus Christ.

 

The curse that Jesus Christ took from us is physical and spiritual death and slavery to sin. The blessing that we received in exchange is everlasting life with God.

 

Jesus Christ took our curse from us on Calvary two thousand years ago. And we took his blessing from him. Let's hold on to that blessing. Let us not lose it in trying to make spiritual progress by our own efforts.

 

None of us is obedient to God's law. And even if we try to obey it, we will fail. So, it is best to believe in God, and be saved by his grace through our faith.

 

Don't try to keep God's law. It is not possible for any human to do that. If a human should try to obey the law, he will come under its curse. For cursed is the one who cannot follow the rules in God's law. Instead, believe in God and his Son, and your faith will be counted by God as righteousness.

 

Abraham was considered righteous not because of his obedience, but because of his faith in God. It is faith that God is moved by.

 

Faith has a blessing attached to it. Abraham was considered righteous when he believed in God. And so you too will be considered righteous when you believe in God.

 

To have the Bible speak to you, you may have to wait for a call from God. In my life it took thirty years or more for the Bible to make sense. God himself was not real in my life for a very long time. I only saw a distorted image of God. My own preconceived notions of what was right and wrong blinded me to God. It was only when I saw myself through the Bible that I also saw God. The Bible showed me who I was, and when I discovered myself, I also discovered God in a way that I had never thought of him before.

 

When I read the Bible, some parts of it seemed to be about me. The struggle that St. Paul went through, as recorded in Romans 7, seemed to be my struggle. When I read about the disbelieving people of Israel wandering in the desert, I could see a connection between them and me. The book appeared very relevant to me and the life that I observed all around me. However, the Bible did not always make this impact on me. In the first thirty years of my life, the Bible made no impact on me at all.

 

Don't despise what God called you to do. The task may offer few rewards and may not compensate your time and energy. But there is a reward waiting for you, which no human or demonic agent can undermine or destroy. God will not fail to reward your seemingly unprofitable efforts to speak for him. And he shall start doing so in this life itself. So keep on keeping on.

 

If anyone is in trouble he or she should pray. That's what the Bible says. If you have allowed your feelings to dictate the way you live, you should accept the consequences of the actions that your heart dictated. But there is hope for you if you would turn to God. If you are willing to turn away from heeding the impulses of your heart, God can still act in you and transform you from within.

 

To be free from bad politicians, people should think carefully before casting their vote. They should honestly assess the candidate, and carefully consider his or her policies and views. They should also consider the candidate's personal life and check whether there is stability in it. People should investigate into the track record of this person as a public servant, and find out if he or she has ever been found to be dishonest or corrupt. Only when they are satisfied by the appropriateness of the candidate should they cast their ballot for this person.

 

People are greedy and power hungry by nature. Political life offers plenty of opportunities to exercise these unhealthy urges. Many politicians fall into temptation, and pursue unlawful gain, at the risk of destroying themselves and the people whom they govern. Some corrupt politicians sully not only their reputation, but also tarnish the image of their party. People who voted for them feel cheated and are not willing to trust politicians again. This contributes to the overall degradation of society.

 

The love of money is the root of all evil. To gain money people are willing to risk quite a lot in their lives. Some people even resort to illegal actions to obtain money. When they succeed in hoarding money, they attempt to control others with money. This kind of control happens a lot in political life. Votes are bought with money. People are bought with money. Power itself is bought with money.

 

A corrupt leader does not arrive on the scene automatically. The emergence of a corrupt leader is dependent on people who allow themselves to be taken advantage of. An electorate, not adequately concerned about matters relating to probity in political life, and susceptible to outward charm and charisma of an insidious political figure, will often elect a person, who is most likely to deceive people, and to engage in corrupt practices. Thus, the responsibility for the existence of corrupt leaders is with the people who elect them. When the privileges of democracy are not appropriately used by the people who are at the heart of it, the result will be poor governance and overall failure.  

 

What determines the election of a responsible government is a responsible electorate, which is able to perceive the difference between positive change-makers and divisive reformers who aim at bringing about change at the risk of fragmenting people, The questions that the electorate should ask are: how far are people willing to go to make change? Is the cost of change affordable? Is change that is targeted at benefiting a specific group defensible, even though the group may be a majority?

 

Today if you are in a desert expect to see streams of water in it.

 

Faith in God is to be sure of God and certain of what you expect from him.

 

When there is no one but God, you are ready to meet God.

 

The greatest moment in faith is when you are left all alone with God.

 

A confident attitude will not always guarantee desired results. Reality has its own mechanism, and it does not always correlate with human confidence.

 

Repentance is from God. So don't try to produce it. Long for it. Ask for it. Wait for it.

 

Why would a God who gave once fail to give now? Keep hoping, for God is faithful, even if you are faithless.

 

The road to wisdom is nearly disastrous. I almost ruined myself in my search for clarity. I had to detach myself from nearly everything that could have distracted me. I had to lose nearly everything to keep me going in this seemingly self-destructive path. But this is the irony. It is when you pay a supreme prize that you gain a supreme gift. Wisdom is more precious than silver or gold. To buy it you need to lose everything. At least, you should be ready to do so.

 

If you want to be right always, you will find yourself wrong many times. But if you are willing to learn from mistakes, which you will certainly make, you will more often be right.

 

Find out what life is all about. Don't restrict yourself to what you want life to be all about. Life is more than you can understand or conceive. To understand life, you should learn to accept what you do not know without judging or dismissing difference or discordance.  

The writers of the Bible were not mere manuscript copiers who wrote down word for word what the Holy Spirit spoke to their spirit, but they were essentially reflectors of divine wisdom passed through their experience and understanding. So, the theology that finally emerged in their writing was mingled with their own thought patterns and socio-cultural, political and economic situations. Thus, the Old Testament is a Jewish book conveying a Jewish conception of a national God. And the New Testament is partly Jewish and partly Gentile, for it does take the God of the Jews out of his country, and share him with the world around them. The national God was made an international one.

 

I was reading the last chapter of Saint Paul's second letter to Timothy. I noticed the deeply personal tone of the letter. In the letter was a reminder to Timothy to fetch a coat that Paul had left with Carpus at Troas. It is likely that Paul may not have considered the possibility that his letter to Timothy would enter the corpus of sacred literature, at the time he penned it. When we read the Bible today, we should take care to realize that some of these words may not have been entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, for the example that I cited is more personal than anything else.

 

If we won't trust God, whom will we trust? Is there another person, human or divine that we can place our trust in? I don't think so. God is the only safe risk that we can take.

 

We should wait on God even if the waiting is intolerable. God is good even if he appears insensitive to our pleas.

 

Jesus Christ showed us what matters most. The lost people of the world matter to him more than the ones who think that they are already saved. He searched for the most morally bankrupt people. He spent time with them and showed them by example what God's love was. He did not lecture about morality, but he let his love transform them through its incomparable power. Only love conquers all. Every other form of discipling the body will fail. Nothing lasts permanently as the result of love's working in the human soul. And we, who were found by Jesus Christ, should seek the lost and transform them with the love of God in our hearts

 

When Jesus came to the world, religion was a matter of strict rule following with little love in it. People were more concerned about cleansing their bodies than their consciences. People were exercising their minds more than their hearts. Jesus showed us by example that the heart matters more than the mind. His disciple Paul showed us that love is greater than even faith and hope. His disciple John showed us that God is essentially love . When people see God as righteous judgement rather than gracious love, they get a lesser God, a human dilution of God. If we in the age of the Holy Spirit, still reduce religion to rules and regulations, we will have a smaller God to worship, We need to see God beyond rules and restrictions, and embrace the presence of God everywhere. God is where we would not even want to go. God is in unlikely places. God is among unlikely people. If we see God like that, we will go beyond our comfort zone, and search for him in uncomfortable places. And that's where we will know who he really is.

 

A great country does not put itself first before other countries. A great country sees others countries in the same way as it sees itself.

 

A great country requires a great leader, who is large-hearted and willing to embrace those who are different.

 

In selflessness is greatness. In selfishness is littleness.

 

A great country does not only protect its own interests. It reaches out to other countries and tries to solve their problems.

 

A good leader unifies his people. A bad leader tears them apart..

 

In unity is greatness. In division is littleness.

 

An aggressive country laying down conditions inflexibly may be perceived as a bully, but never as great.

 

When fear operates, greatness cannot emerge.

 

Tolerance is the mark of greatness. Intolerance is the mark of littleness.

 

A leader who often causes division can never unite a people.

 

No country can ever be great if it aims at benefiting only itself.

 

For a country to be great, it should be perceived as a leader by other countries.

 

When people differ, they should express their differences sensitively, without hurting one another.

 

Harmony in the way people think is desirable. But allowance should be made for disharmony too.

 

Though people may think alike many times, they may also often think differently.

 

People are different, and they see things differently. But there are certain points of harmony in collective perception.

 

We cannot all see God in the same way, just as we cannot see anything else in the same way.

 

Don't put a human being in the place where God alone can be. God alone is an ever-present help in times of trouble.

 

Humans too are good friends. But they cannot be counted on at all times. God alone helps always.

 

God alone is the constant friend who responds to our need. God's help is the only one that be counted on at all times.

 

When I am in need of encouragement, I encourage others. This is the work of God in me.

 

You are a beautiful child of God. For nothing that God dwells in can be called anything but beautiful. Celebrate God. Celebrate yourself, for you are a work of God.

 

You are God's child no matter what you do. You belong to him. And he lives in you, transforming you from within into the image of his Son. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. And he will do it, even if you slip and fall. He will lift you up when you fall. He understands your weaknesses better than you think. His great love for you bears with all your faults. Don't be hard on yourself today. God knows everything about you, and is not angry with you. In fact, he is pleased with you, for you want to be like him. That is why you are sad when you fail.

 

The blessings of God are not always attached to obedience. God blesses all his children, just like a good human father blesses his children, regardless of how they behave. God is better than a human father. He loves his human children, though they are intrinsically flawed. He showers his richest blessings on them, even if they do not worship him. Some great blessings are given freely to all. Sunlight, air and rain are free to all. Some natural blessings are packaged and sold by human beings. But God first gave everything freely to us without any rule attached. The rules came later when God realised the depth of human sin. However, even those rules could not be obeyed, and Jesus Christ had to intervene and lay down his own life as a sacrifice for all human sins. After that, no payment for sins is required by God anymore. Even today, God is waiting to shower his blessings on you. You cannot merit them through good conduct. Some will come to you naturally no matter how you behave and what you believe. Others will come only when you accept the Son of God, Jesus Christ. As you stand in Christ, his righteousness will become yours, and his rewards will come to you.

 

Have your broken a promise to God? Are you terribly distressed by it? There are many who have broken their promises to God. Some of us break our promises to God not because we want to break them. We just cannot live up to our word, for our flesh is weak. But don't worry if you have broken your promise to God. He knows that you made the promise to please him, and he understands how you are struggling with your wayward desires. He will strengthen you and make you beautiful in his time. Until then don't lose heart. Keep trusting in God to complete his work in you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George - January 2017

The God who saved you many times will save you again. Be still. Just believe.

If you are feeling lost today, know that God is looking for you. Searching for the lost is his highest priority. 

God will help you now, though you think you don't deserve his help. No one can ever deserve God's help.

It is best to be weak and in need of God. Strength can mislead and distract a person away from God.

 

Holiness can be a road to arrogance. Weakness can be a road to humility. And humility is what pleases God.

 

If you worry today, you will have no time to praise God. You need to praise God even when it hurts. This is God's will for you.

 

Be grateful for a little. And you will have more.

 

Obedience is from God. Don't try to produce it on your own. God understands your weakness, and will strengthen you in time.

 

Don't try to manipulate God into blessing you. Don't try to act good. Act normal. And trust in God. He will bless you.

 

Wait on God. Don't try to solve your problem. Remember that God's solution is way better.

 

As you are waiting for God's answer, remember every good thing God has done in your life. He will be there for you again.

 

Are you feeling helpless? Remember that God is the help of helpless. Just ask him to help you. And he will not let you down.

 

You don't know what to do? Just praise God. Remember his kindness. Keep on doing this, and he will come to your rescue again.

 

To be confident in God is admirable and desirable. But even holy confidence can be misleading, and also unappealing to the neutral observer.

 

A man's confidence no matter how well-founded is only human. And all things human are fallible.

 

None of us know who we really are. We can only make guesses. And some guesses are close to the truth.

 

No matter how hard and unfair life is, believe that there is a God who cares for you. And he wants to do his best for you. Just believe this and reach out to him and wait patiently.

 

Dying is not a solution, if you are struggling in life. If God has given you another day to live, then live. Don't think of dying as long as you are living. When death comes naturally, I hope you would have lived life fully, enjoying the enjoyable parts, and enduring the difficult ones. Don't give up before that. Don't say, "I can't take this." We all have to take this with the strength of God.

 

To make the unremarkable remarkable, to make the unreal real, to focus on the fragment and not on the whole -- this is the devil's work, and it is usually irresistible.

 

There is an endless struggle between right and wrong in the soul. Often wrong triumphs over right. At least this is the case until the good matures in you. And the good comes from God, and it will grow only when God becomes bigger in you. And God becomes bigger only when you let him speak to you and transform you with his words burning within you.

 

Let's not engage in divisive dialogue, but let's speak of those things that unite us. Let's endeavour to see one another as God sees us. And in God's eyes, we are all his children. Some of us know that because we have returned to him, and have received his love and forgiveness. Others do not know this, and those who know should tell them about our Heavenly Father, without being divisively and exclusivistically arrogant.

 

If you are looking for a God-fearing Christian, you might have to look for a long time. There are not many who know God. And those who know him may not fear him. And there are fewer who follow Jesus Christ. Christ made godliness more difficult than ever before.

 

Expecting a reward in heaven is not as satisfying as relishing a reward on earth. Let us savour life right here. Let us do good enjoying the fruits of it even as we labour. For there is nothing better for a human being to do.

 

We should do good more for our sake than for God's sake. There is nothing better to do.

 

There are more valuable things in life than the size of your triceps. It is not your muscles that must enlarge. It is your heart.

 

I've had my share of human praise. And it does get addictive. But these days I am happy to be in a quiet place, where very few notice me. It is best to work without being aware of others noticing you. It is best to work quietly even without reward. For that alone is evidently the work inspired by God. When God powers you, you go on, even if no man welcomes you.

 

Seek the presence of God. Be where God is. Don't aspire to live in the limelight, basking in human praise. Get up and walk where no one notices you. Plod and serve like the lowest servant. Work without reward. And after you finish your work, just lie down in peace, knowing that God wants nothing more from you.

 

We are children of God, adopted into his family. We are co-heirs with Christ. But Christ is God's servant before he is God's Son. He came to earth to serve humanity. And he showed human beings how to serve. So let your desire today be to serve. Serve like Christ. Serve everyone. Be the lowly servant of all. Have a low opinion of yourself. Don't use any lofty labels before your name. Be content to be known as a servant, a mere servant of God.

 

Don't try to get someone to do the work, when you can do it. Even if a servant is around, don't fail to serve. Serve along with the servants. Think of yourself as a lowly servant, and serve God, who is always above all. You will never be anything more than a servant in his eyes, though he may call you a friend, out of the sheer generosity of his heart.

 

Don't be eager to receive from the world. The world and its joys are temporary. Much of what passes for joy in this world is sheer misery. Be content to lag behind the achievement-oriented. Live every day gratefully, even if you have to sit somewhere and do nothing worthwhile.  

Know that you are strong. And declare it even when you feel weak. God is your strength. And he is in you. And he will not leave you ever.

 

If you have submitted your addiction to God, don't lose heart if it still has power over you. Let God handle your addiction in his own way and in his own time. Be aware of your need of God, and depend on him whenever you are weak. Remember that it is when you are weak and painfully aware of your weakness that God strengthens you most. Some habits don't disappear overnight. Some addictions die very slowly. But if God is working in you, and if you let him grow in strength, you will find your heart and mind being recast gradually by the working of his Spirit. All your worldly addictions will one day bow down to the mastery of God in you. Let God be your king, and your addictions will finally bend their knees when his power gradually overwhelms them. It may not happen quickly. But it will happen eventually. You cannot lose sight of that ever.

 

Observe the world with an admiring eye and an eager ear. Listen to its best speakers. Read its best writers. Surround yourself with good language. And you will come out of this highly influenced by all that surrounded you.

 

Wild sexual desires are best managed by God. If an oversexed person lets God into his life, in time, his sexual attractions will be tamed by God, if he would only let God do that. We should let God do what he wants when he wants to do it. But if we hold on to our desires, and long to experience them, God will just let us do it until we get tired of them.

 

God is not in the same league as the devil, when it comes to attractiveness. The attractions of God are imperceptible to many. On the contrary, the attractions of the devil are clearly perceptible and desirable to many. This is why one is more likely to be attracted to evil than good in a world like this. Mere words won't do. Action is required. The required action is to reveal God's attractiveness. And God is best revealed by his people. Let the people of God show what an attractive life they lead because of God, and then maybe the porn addicts will pay attention.

 

If Christ is in you, let him live through you. With Christ, all things are possible. With him you can love what you hate.

 

See the bad guys as children of God. And love them as such. Then they too will see God in you.

Time flies. So let's make it count before it slips away. Let's do some good. Let's make someone smile today.

 

God is good to us all, though sometimes we cannot understand or even accept his goodness. A few times he seems anything but good. But we need to go on. Blessed are the ones who don't have an earthly father, for God himself will be their father, and guide them in the homeward way.

 

Jeremiah was a mere boy when God called him. Samuel was also a child when God first spoke to him. Age is no barrier to being a servant of God.

 

Remember this. Your doubts about you are less important than God's confidence in you. And God says you can.

 

You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. If God gives you an opportunity to glorify him, just do it believing that he will be there right behind you.

 

Be led by God. And he will help you lead others. Don't be hampered by what you think you are. But be encouraged by what God knows you are.

 

It is traditional and maybe even superficial thinking to conclude that all who refuse to bow to God will eventually be destroyed. Does God work like that? Does he have a heart that desires destruction? Does not the Bible say that God does not want anyone to perish? Yet the same book enjoins us to believe in the love of God, which saves us graciously from the destruction that our self-imposed rebellion brings upon us. In all this formulaic drama that the Bible presents, there is a possibility of great surprise. Those who bowed down to God in this lifetime may find themselves the enemies of God in another lifetime. There is the possibility of Jesus saying, "Go away. I don't know you" to many who claim to know him now. Conversely, those who consider themselves unknown to Jesus now, may find themselves in his embrace in a later time. It is best not to reduce divine happenings to simple, child-like formulae.

 

You are free in Jesus Christ. The freedom that Christ offers you is an internal one. And it exists despite external noise.

 

Reaching the goals that I have set for myself are less important than reaching the goals that God has set for me. In order to reach godly goals, I need to stir from my sleep today, and make myself available to God's workings in me.

 

When we are children we believe that there is a right answer to every question. But as we grow older, we realize that there is no right answer to any question. We realize our inadequacy of knowledge, and even consider the possibility of many right answers to a question. This leads us to tolerate differing opinions and ideologies. And the more we tolerate the better we are able to live with one another.

 

Don't run away from your desire. Face it and know the emptiness of it. Then you will walk away without turning back.

 

"He who has seen me has seen the Father" is the most conclusive statement of Jesus regarding his divinity. Isaiah called him the Everlasting Father and the Mighty God centuries before he appeared. St. Paul said that the fullness of God resides in Jesus. For those who need biblical support for the deification of Jesus Christ, these citations should serve the purpose. For me, I know that Jesus is God, simply by the statement of Thomas, the most prominent doubter among the characters of the Bible, who required visual confirmation, which was granted by Jesus himself. When Thomas uttered, "My Lord and my God" he ended the debate about who Jesus Christ really is. Those who wish to enquire into the matter further, must travel another route, which may not lead them anywhere. It is better to believe in Christ, than to disbelieve in him, and search for another Christ. In the middle of life, I have decided to cling to my old rugged cross, for nothing else in this world truly keeps me secure.

 

God's love is not based on your performance. He loves you no matter you do. He will love you today, even if you sin. Know his love, receive it, and be transformed by it. His love will bring you to a perfect harmony with him.

 

Let us go where the star leads us. The star led three men to Bethlehem, to the house where Jesus Christ was. They honoured him as the King of Israel. Today, let the star lead us to Jesus, the King of our hearts and minds. And he is even more than that. He is the King of the whole universe. He is God.

 

We Christians know that Jesus Christ is more than the son of Joseph and Mary. He is the Son of God. He is the King of the entire universe. Did those three wise men know that? They may not have known how great a King he was. But they certainly knew that he was a king. And they respected and honoured him as they would respect and honour a king. Those three wise men honoured Jesus Christ as the King of Israel. But we know better. Let us honour him as the King of the universe. Let us also honour him as our King, the King of our hearts and minds. Shall we do that today? Shall we bear our gifts to the Lord Jesus Christ today? 

 

Jesus surely was the King. But was he just the King of the Israelites? Was he not the King of the universe? This is something that became clear only later. Only after Jesus Christ laid down his life for the whole world, only after he rose from the dead, only after he ascended into heaven was it clear that Jesus Christ was not just the King of Israel, but was really God, the King of the entire universe. Let us remember this moment when three extraordinary men were guided by a wonderful star to the place of the birth of Jesus Christ. And these men knew that Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He was not merely the son of a carpenter. They realized that he was much more than that. 

 

Three men were guided by a star many years ago. And they were guided to a place called Bethlehem. They were on a search for a remarkable person. They believed that the star signalled to them that a very important person was going to be born. Were they right? They went to Bethlehem and found a little baby. Was this little baby the King that they thought he was? Was he the King of Israel? Then, how could the King of Israel be born to a carpenter? Was the King a poor man’s son? They certainly thought so. They gave him very precious gifts. They honoured him. This is a special moment in the life of Jesus Christ. Three men from the east — three men who were not Jews came to pay him honour. Three non-Israelites honoured him. Three outsiders knew who he was. Many insiders didn’t know, though some insiders were told about Jesus Christ. But I think these wise men knew a little bit more. They knew that Jesus was a very special King.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sayings of Samuel Godfrey George - December 2016

A New Year is not new until something changes within us, as we move into it. Otherwise it is just a change in number. Our lives continue to go on without any change. To those who are aiming at internal change in the coming year, know this. There is no desirable change without God initiating it. He alone can change us in that way. But he will not change us, until we are ready. Are we ready to be moulded in his heavenly hands? That is the question that stares each of us in the face. May God be with you all, and initiate the new in you. Otherwise, we will be walking down old roads under a new name. Have a God-initiated New Year.

If someone makes a woman pregnant, and then prefers to be with God while she is giving birth, he is not being responsible as a husband and a father. A man who has impregnated his wife, should be next to her, during the entire stage of her pregnancy, and particularly during the final hours before the birth takes place. He should be at her side, while she gives birth, and give her the strength that his very presence brings. If he were to involve himself in a special prayer service instead, because he is a man of God, it does not speak well of his status as a husband and a father. The best service he can render to God in that time would be to stay with his wife and minister to her needs. Perhaps the difficulty of doing both jobs is why many people who are dedicated to God do not marry. Let the married man be first married to his wife, and then to God. Otherwise, his marital life will probably fail.

Trust less in medicine and more in God. There is no illness that God cannot cure. Put yourself in God's hands, and expect him to do his best for you. There are some illnesses that medicine cannot cure. There are times when medicine makes your condition worse. In such a situation, it is better to avoid medication, and trust in God. This is not advise for all, but only for those who are willing to risk it with God.

We should celebrate Christmas because we need to celebrate Jesus Christ. And we need to celebrate Jesus Christ because he is the love of God in concrete form.

God is good to us all, though sometimes we cannot understand or even accept his goodness. A few times he seems anything but good. But we need to go on. Blessed are the ones who don't have an earthly father, for God himself will be their father, and guide them in the homeward way. 

This may not be the last day of the world. But this may be your last day. So make it count.

Time flies when there are few worries. So let's make every moment count before it slips away.

Don't blame the devil for your own wickedness. Admit your failings and know that only God can pull you through the quagmire of your evil ways. And then smile in joy, as he comes to live within you, and helps you walk out of your own darkness.

Let not a religious book be your excuse for not accepting someone unconditionally today. For love is unconditional acceptance of the other person, without making any demands on him for a change.

 

There is something to be valued in ancient thought. But there is also something to be valued in new insights that only the passage of time can bring about. To hold on to ancient thinking even when it appears unreasonable, and reject new ideas emerging from new study, because they might endanger our affiliation to old patterns of thought can be perilous to our growth as an intelligent species.

 

What turned Solomon's heart from God may not be his pagan wives, as is often thought. But what turned his heart could be his falling out of love with a God who demanded so much beyond what any man could give.

 

The most unloving thing you can do any day is to denounce a person as wicked, when you yourself are wicked, or at least, have been wicked once, before God saved you and invaded your own wicked heart with his righteousness.

 

Can you tell when you are equally yoked? Everyone is unequally yoked to someone else, particularly in a marriage. There will always be differences between people. No two people can be perfectly alike, not even two Christians in a marriage. You and I can both be Christians without worshipping the same idea of God. Each of us has a unique idea of God, even if your God has the same name as mine, and has been written about in the same religious book.

 

Love trumps everything, even religion.

 

You have no right to demand a good performance from others when your own performance is far from satisfactory.

 

The person you marry should be in love with you above everything else. Let me repeat this. Everything else should come next. Religious faith, political beliefs, every affiliation to an ideology should come next.  

I met a young man today, who said that he wants to marry a woman who believes in God, even secretly, if open belief is not possible. I told him that this should not be the most important requirement. For belief in God is a slippery thing. The one who claims to believe in God may not really be a believer. And those who call themselves the followers of Jesus Christ are often the most un-Christlike people you can ever find. I told him that it is better to search for a person who values his character, and honours his mother, who is at the centre of his life. If he should find such a person, I suggested that he marry her, even if she is a non-believer in Jesus Christ. Ultimately, we believe in Jesus Christ, only when we find him in others. Maybe his unbelieving future wife will see Jesus in him someday, and come to believe in him. A marriage like this will be a greater way of glorifying God.

 

Search for one thing only if your are looking for a husband or a wife. Search for what unites you. And if your hearts are united, you can surmount any other difference that lies between you. Don't drag religious faith into your union. Leave your gods out of your bedroom, and love each other and celebrate everything that binds you together, and tolerate everything that you find different or conflicting. That is the only way you can stay married in joy and peace.

 

Don't blame the location of your house for the bad things that happen in your life. Don't blame witches for casting spells on you, causing stressful situations in your life. Examine your heart if you can, and see what lies in there. King David prayed for a clean heart, underscoring the need for an inner cleanness, which is seldom within the reach of human beings. Every human being desperately needs God, for he alone can create a clean heart. So, the first thing you should do today is to acknowledge that your bad fruits have come from your bad roots. And your roots are in your corrupt, selfish, loveless heart.

 

When I hear that God loves people, I can't help wondering, how could God love people? Sure, some people are loveable. But many are difficult to love. Some people are so horrible to even be around, that one cannot even think about loving them without compromising on one's sanity. So, God's love, if it is true, is indeed the most difficult thing to comprehend or accept. That he could love the most horrible and godless human being as much as he loves the one who desperately seeks him goes beyond human rationality and fairness.  

 

There is a narrow definition of what it means to have God in us. The Christian concept of the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in the believer is the narrow idea of God living in us. And there is a broad definition of having God in us. All humans are made in the image of God, and as such, they bear a likeness to God, and have a godly element in their make-up. Otherwise, humans are identical to animals.To see the image of God in others is the first step towards treating them well.

 

Joy comes from the depth of sorrow. Such joy cannot be vanquished.

 

Aim to cry first and smile later, and not the other way round.

 

If you cry patiently and secretly, you may smile eventually.

 

When you see a smile, it may only be a final projection, and not a faithful reflection of all that went on inside. Yes, there are many blessings in life, which make one smile. But for every blessing there is a downside. And our smiles are the final products of many tears shed silently and secretly.

 

I'm not prepared for Christmas this time. I'm letting it happen to me. I'm letting God take over, and I'll watch him as he is being born in me once again.

 

Whatever God is doing in your life, as you submit to his will, praise God for it, even if you are not initially happy about it. And slowly you will understand what God is doing and then you will feel happy about it.

 

I'm not prepared for Christmas this time. I'm letting it happen to me. I'm letting God take over, and I'll watch him as he is being born in me once again.

 

If Christmas makes us think of Jesus Christ, then let every day be Christmas. If Christmas inspires us to give to others, then let every day be Christmas. Let Jesus Christ be Lord, and let his love be our law. And then every day will be Christmas.

 

I submit to the will of God, and it will take care of me, and all that I am concerned with. Thus I will rest.

 

The Bible does not tell us that Jesus Christ was born on the 25th of December. But this should not prevent us from celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day and every other day. We should not be so rooted to the Bible that we cannot use our common sense.

 

Don't do what you don't want to do, even if the compulsion to do it comes from someone who is near and dear to you.

 

Let Christmas be what it is supposed to be. Let us not just celebrate the moment when Jesus Christ entered the world. Let our celebration go beyond outward festivities and move into inward seeking of God's love, which transforms us into the image of Christ gradually. And that is what our observance of Christmas should achieve in us. It should not just be a remembrance of the birth of Christ in the world. It should be a celebration of the birth of Christ in us. And our celebration should lead us to open our hearts further to the Christ who will lead us to God, and secure for us the eternal joy that God promises all who are in his precious Son.

 

"I am a servant of God, and God will not let me perish" I said today to someone, who retorted, "All of us are servants of God. You are not superior to us." I claimed no superiority, as I was only stating a fact, as I saw it. Yet the man I was speaking to saw a difference, and he was trying to iron it out. I believe that there are grades in servitude. There are lesser servants and greater servants. "The last shall be the first. And the first shall be the last" said Jesus Christ, clearly implying that the denizens of his kingdom will be graded. He also said that the greatest among the heavenly ones will be the servant of all. Not all can serve like that. Servanthood is a gift from God. And gifts of servitude do not come uniformly. And those who are able to serve everyone, and not just their own family members, and those who care for the weak and the downtrodden and can love even those who hate and despise one another are the greater servants of God.

 

I have lived ten years for God, learning about him and then sharing my knowledge of him with the world. Today, someone asked me in a dismissive way, "What did you achieve in all these years?" And this is my answer to him. "I lived for God. That by itself is an achievement. And I learned from God. And the outpourings of that learning blessed me and all those who heard me. Those who heard my voice also heard him who spoke through me. I made no money. I built no house. I achieved nothing tangible. I lost so much. I lost nearly every valuable thing. I sold everything and got into serious debt. But I held on to God, even as he clutched me in a grip that would not let me go. This achievement cannot be seen by all, but only by those who dare to give up their lives for God with supernatural passion that is the most supreme madness.

 

Along with your muscles, you should build your mind. You should care about what is inside of you as much as you care about what is outside of you. In fact, you should care more about the inside than the outside.  

 

Place the ailing one in God's hands. There is no better place. That's where faith and miracle meet.

 

If you are sick and are in need of God's healing, I pray that God places his healing hands on you, and delivers you from this sickness. Be encouraged. God is your healer. Love him and seek him with all your might. Where God is, there is only health.

 

An addiction is on its way out, only when the pain of it becomes unbearable.

 

Forgive others because you yourself need forgiveness.

 

Know that life is not just disappointing, but also pleasantly surprising. So life is definitely worth going through.

 

Don't be just disappointed. But understand that disappointment is a part of living.

 

This is the sum of all my learning. Anger is the most worthless feeling. Tolerance is much better.

 

If you want to climb a hill, you must be prepared to slide and fall many times.

 

The best way to protect yourself from disappointment is to experience it and then to learn to live with it.

 

Expect the good and the bad. And you can live with the bad, while enjoying the good.

 

"Don't expect so that you won't be disappointed" is a negative and even disastrous thought process. Hope for much, but factor in the disappointment. You maybe disappointed often, but you may also be pleasantly surprised.

 

Disappointment may be inherent in life. But with God even a disappointment can bring joy.

 

You can expect the best when you are with God. Just don't expect the best to be what you think it is.

 

When the exact facts cannot be known, there is no such thing as faithfulness to reality. We need to make the most of the facts that we have, and celebrate the occasion as best as we can.

 

It’s not the intention of those who celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day to override anyone’s objections. People celebrate Christmas because they want to celebrate it. There is a need to celebrate it. There is a need in every Christ believer to remember the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. And since no one is sure when exactly Jesus was born, Christmas Day is as good as any other day to remember the undeniable event of Jesus’ entry into this world.

 

Doing good is doing something, knowing that it is good, without expecting any benefit from it.

 

Why God likes someone, and why he persists with that person may never be clear to others.

 

When God teaches, and his truth becomes clear, a man is automatically humbled.

 

When God likes someone, he teaches him, no matter how stubborn and proud he may be.

 

God teaches those he likes, whether they humble themselves or not.