Almost an year now...

Yup...never had imagined that this year would rush past so quickly. It feels like I just said goodbye to all my dear friends in Cardiff and left for India and now here I am, the academic year of the Bible College due to get done with in two weeks.

Its graduation time for the students here and I have no idea how one whole year has gone by...

God has been with me through all of this time and has ministered to my very being through every moment of it. There were many lessons to be learnt and sometimes it became a li'l bit hard but I was all the better to have gone through those times.

I am going to spend the next two months with my family and the church family in Ahmedabad. I am hoping to be of support to the covenant family here as they go ahead in the vision of 200 people by the end of this year. Chandrakant has taken up the leadership of the fellowship over here since last November and we trust God is going to build a strong testimony of His kingdom through us.

I hope to relax a bit and brush up some old skills so I become sharper in my gifts. And yes, you will find much more frequent posts once I get back home.

Do pray for me. I need that more than anything.

A lot to munch on for a week or two...encouraged me loads

Here are a few good quotes from an article I read...

Moving to a Mindset of Faith by Joel Holm, Running with Fire, Issue two.
- A mindset of faith moves us to focus not just on our commitment to His cause but more on His promise to us. – Joel Holm

- Each individual faced great trials and adversity in their mission. Each believer made great sacrifices. Yet it was God’s promise, not so much their commitment, that caused them to persevere. It was what God had told them He was going to do through their faithfulness that kept them faithful. A mindset of sacrifice forces us to rely on our own ability and commitment to see God’s mission through to the end. A Divine promise from God doesn’t eliminate any of the challenges, but it does enable us to serve by faith.

- Transitioning from a mindset of sacrifice to a mindset of faith moves believers to a place where, like the Chinese pastor, they can truly know they “belong to God”.

- Mission doesn’t begin with sacrifice. It begins with God and a passionate faith that He has a plan to use each of us to impact the lives of people for eternity.

- Moving from a mindset of sacrifice to a mindset of faith means replacing our effort with His intimacy.

- With a mindset of faith, we focus on His intimacy and grace in our life, His gifting and His power, His work to be done. And in doing so we will celebrate all that He does through us.

100 posts!!

So....i last posted on 2nd Feb and so have by now have a 100 posts!!

so for the 101st,

We are holy in Christ....thts what i read in Andrew Murray's devotional book on Holiness.
Simple....dont work towards being holy...work towards being more in Christ and you have found the answer to all your doubts.

in Christ...thats the key for a believer...more of Him and less of me. What a wonderful God and what a wonderful Kingdom

Hi again!!

Yes I am back again. I know these infrequent posts are not really the ideal condition I had envisioned but, please, my dear readers do hold on in faith and one day you will encounter regular posts on this blog.
Alrite, quick update, we just went on a picnic yesterday. It was great fun, just that I am really really tired right now and it seems as if every part of my body is aching [it was a cool spot by a huge river, Narmada and then a fun park]. Well...anyway, it was wonderful. The best part of the day was when I was on one of the roller coaster rides, suddenly, I didnt have any fear within me, but what happened instead was this really cool feeling within myself of how God had me on one of these in my life right now as he is preparing and training me in His Kingdom. That is indeed, much more exciting and worth being on than any roller coaster in the world.
Will leave you guys with a quote from Tommy Tenney's God Chasers which I am reading currently

God is just waiting to be caught by someone whose hunger exceeds his grasp.

I will strengthen you...

I am the Lord, and there is
no other;
apart from me there is no
God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not
acknowledged me.
Isaiah 45:5

I was browsing through Isaiah today and this verse captured me. What an amazing God who say that he will strengthen his people even though they haven’t acknowledged him!

So yeah i am alive and here's something to munch on...

Someone has said that when God wants to do something especially difficult, He starts with a baby. When Israel needed a leader, Moses was born. When God needed a forerunner for His Son, John the Baptist was born. And, greatest of all, when the world needed a Saviour, Jesus was born.
- Joyce Wells Booze, Heroes of the Faith [from the life of Anna Tomaseck]

IF I SHOULD QUIT

If I should quit before my work is done,
The work commissioned by God’s only son,
How could I stand before Him on that day?
How could I face Him, and what would I say?

If I should quit- just drop out of the race,
I wonder if someone would take my place?
And would I cause a Christian friend to fall,
Or some unsaved one to reject God’s call?

If I should quit, how could I face myself?
And lay so many Scriptures on the shelf?
A quitter or a conqueror I can be,
And God has left the choosing up to me!

- Dolores Smeeton

Taken from Heroes of the Faith; Assemblies of God, Division of Foreign Missions, Springfield, 1990.

I am back...in Nadiad

After spending two great weeks with my family, I am now back in Nadiad. Coming back was a very interesting experience because this was the first time I was ‘coming back’ to Nadiad after a holiday. My heart had this feeling of exhilaration as I went to the girls hostel and unlocked my room, as I met my brothers and sisters there and now, as I am sitting in my office, the first time in the new year for me, I am completely at peace and in fact overflowing with joy that I am in the purpose of God.
God has called me to this place, to this wonderful group of covenant brothers and sisters with whom I am determined to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom and see it come in the fullness that only the Spirit of God can cause.

Patch

With passion, anything is possible.

This is a simple quote from 'Patch's Prescription' on Dr. Patch Adams' website [yeah...the real one that Robin Williams plays in the movie]. I believe what he says is true. His passion has led him to wait for his dream of a model hospital to be built for 33 years without any regret. I think our passion for the Kingdom of God can do something better, it can cause the coming of Christ to be much more closer and what better passion than one that brings us closer to Him!
If you want to look at the nine other pointers on Patch's prescription, just click on the link below,
http://www.patchadams.org/patch/prescription/ideas.html

A Divine Appointment...in store for me???

I have been on vacation for the last ten days and have spent a wonderful time with my family and friends. I had been putting off going back to my college for quite a while. I dont know if it was just pure procrastination or some kind of a fear lurking behind it but today I went anyway.
And guess what happened, I met up with one of my students whom I wouldnt have met otherwise at all and it proved to be a precious time. I was able to encourage and exhort him in the things of God and give him good suggestions as to how he could take decisions regarding his future especially in terms of doubts that he had regarding ministry in the Body of Christ.
It proved to be a great time and at the end of it all, I was glad that I took the decision to get over my emotions and go to college. It just occured to me how many such appointments I might have missed just out of pure whims but well...not now...I am determined not to miss another one any more.
I am sure its going to be the same for you.

Do I stand or do I still want someone's shoulder?

Today I learnt an old lesson again.
If I go on wanting to turn to someone for help and comfort every time anything gets out of sync in my life, oblivious of the person's intentions, it will leave me crippled for life.
I think at some point in life, a believer in Christ needs to stand up and be the strong man or woman of God that he or she is meant to be. Our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ are definitely here to encourage and comfort us in our time of need but that doesnt mean they become our comfort zone or our convenient counsellors whom we live upon and many a times drain mentally rather than encouraging them in return.
Today, I was reminded I am a woman of God again...just as the angel addressed Gideon...God saw his potential not what physical eyes showed Him.
I urge all reading this post...Become who you are called to be. Dont shrink back from standing up and going through the fire and through the water because God has promised He will be with us and will guide through all trial in triumph. Let this new year be an year of faith, strength and triumph!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY!!

Are you needy?

The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.
Psalm 69:33

This verse spoke to me strongly a few days ago when I had evaluated myself and found myself wanting at few points. I was about to begin thinking about how needy I was even after so many years of walking with God and this verse literally jumped out of the Scripture to me.
Even if you are a captive, God doesnt despise you, he still loves you and upholds you and causes you to increase. Therefore, at any point of time, we do not have to live under condemnation. Moreover, if you still cling to that condemnation you are denying the love of God and the view he has adopted towards you. Hence, we are to look at ourselves as God looks at us.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness inot his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Praise God, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God is our stay and our guide!!

Hello everybody!!!

First things first...happy christmas to all you people out there!! hope you have great time of love and fellowship this season.
I was having some problems with logging in into my account but i simply waited it out and now the account is fine and running. I have been quite busy these days but am enjoying a break of two weeks with my family now.
As to something new, I am sure most of you are aware, Hannah P and Gary W have after all gotten engaged. My heartfelt best wishes to them as they step into a new phase of their lives and get geared for what God has in store for them together. I love it when two people who love God get together but it just makes it so much better when both of them are the dearest of friends to you!!!
CONGRATS...HAN N GARY!!!

I am alive....again

This is simply to inform everybody that i have not taken to a hermit life in the Himalayas. Simply lost continuous access to the internet, basically because of my own procrastination.
But i am working on it and will be back in business soon.
Meanwhile, we have a big conference coming up with Tony in India next week. Leaders from all over India are coming to partake of the Word of God. Do pray that we experience an increased anointing of the prophet of God and simply enjoy ourselves!!

And the lights came on...

This post has been long overdue but better late than never.
This is about something cool that happened at this last Wednesday fellowship that we had.
After the worship was over and one of our elders, Justin, stood up to speak, there was a power cut and everything went dark. Being around eight in the evening you wouldn’t expect anything less. But, Justin exhorted us and we decided to sing and worship God and spoke in faith that before we finished the song, the lights would come on.
And as we sang, and reached the second stanza, the lights did come on!! Hallelujah!! We can experience God’s presence in all circumstances!

Just when Abimelech thought he would burn the city with its tower...

So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
Judges 9:52, 53


Verses 46-49 of the same chapter of Judges relates the story of Shechem and how the people sought refuge in the temple of El-berith but they were burnt down by Abimelech. El-berith is usually identified with Baal-berith mentioned in Judges 8:33 and 9:4. Thus the people of Shechem who provided Abimelech with silver from the same temple [9:4] are destroyed by the same man. At first, they took refuge in the wrong person and now they take refuge in the wrong place.
Then, immediately Abimelech goes to Thebez. Here, also, he thinks he is going to do the same thing. But now, the people run to the strong tower in their city. They know what saves and who can save. In the beginning, Abimelech thought he had got them too. When Christ died on the cross, Satan thought it was finished, he thought he had overpowered the Sovereign God, that his dominion has at last become the everlasting Kingdom.
But, just when Abimelech thought he could set fire to the tower and overpower everyone who had taken refuge in him in hope and faith, a woman threw an upper millstone on his head, crushing his skull. Just when Satan thought the King of Heaven would be held captive in the fiery abode, that this was the end, lo and behold!! The Son, the Seed of the Woman [Genesis 3:15] overcame the tricks and treachery of the enemy and in a master stroke crushed the skull of the Ultimate Enemy, Death and rose again on the third day, having ransomed all lives from the clutches of the illegitimate master.
Praise God!! The skull of the enemy is crushed and our King is seated at the right hand of God, the Father awaiting the Day when he returns in glory!!

“…a strong tower…in the city”

Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled. They locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
Judges 9:51

The account’s climax finds itself in a battle around a strong tower and a city. Psalm 144:2 states
He is my loving ally and my fortress,
my tower of safety, my deliverer.
He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in him.
He subdues the nations under me.

God is the strong tower in whom we take our refuge. And it was only in Christ that mankind could take refuge from the sin that had trapped it into an inevitable impending doom. But praise God!! The cross gained the victory for us…now we take refuge in the strong tower in Zion, the city of our God and no usurper can hold a certificate of guilt against us because He has cancelled that legal certificate, hostile to us, nailing it on the cross [Col 2:!4].
The world now has a strong tower that they can flee to and lock themselves in. It is Jesus Christ who bled His unblemished blood to atone for our sins and today we stand justified when we put our faith in the redemptive work of Christ.
Praise God…the tower still stands and will stand till the fullness of time for all who wish to take refuge in Him.

“…crushing his skull”

Next Abimelech went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it.
Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled. They locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
Abimelech went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire,
a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
Judges 9:50-53

The NASB translates cracked as crushing in verse 53. I came across this passage in one of the meetings I had been to.
This passage is a very dramatic and yet subtle shadow of the work of Christ.
The first aspect that emerges is that Abimelech was an ‘illegitimate ruler’. He was the son of Gideon’s concubine [Judges 8:31] and then later on, he killed all of Gideon’s seventy sons to be elected as king [notice…not anointed].
Satan was the illegitimate ruler who gained dominion through deception. Satan received authority because of Adam and Eve’s willful disobedience rather than God giving him that authority.
But then, there is a strong tower in the city. All the men and women run into it…we’ll take a look at that tomorrow.

I logged on to my blog this morning and felt it really needed some colour...so here's to colour...this photo has been coloured colourful illusions 

The Cross of Christ

Here’s a quote from a tiny booklet I came across while clearing our office written by Tony Ling,

Yet for those who experience the work of the cross in their lives, the crucified Jesus is the wisdom and power of God. It is as if, with arms cruelly stretched along a rough hewn beam, Jesus with one hand grasped the hand of his holy Father and with the other reached out to sinful humanity, and in himself, brought us together.