The Tomb Story

Here comes the next arrow right at the heart of our faith with the 'discovery' of the 'tombs' of Jesus and Mary and Mary Magdalene and child and brother of Jesus (all alleged but proclaimed as authentic), Oh wow! a whole family's burial ground with name tags et al.

What do we do now? Do we panic, run helter skelter trying to defend our faith, disprove all the claims by the media or just do a protest march complete with slogans and placards and effigies of James Cameron and the crew burnt in public places? I don't think so...

From the day Jesus was born (and even before this) there has been allegations against Him, His birth, posterity, His claims and so on.
But we do know that He is the Son of God, born in the flesh, dwelt among us, went through many temptations but emerged victorious each time and then died on the cross as the most holy sacrifice, only to rise again to liberate us from the clutches of death and the power of the grave. That He is coming again to judge everyone according to their deeds (us included) and to establish His eternal kingdom.
This is the foundation of our faith which is not logical (according to human standards) as many ask this that why would God (if He is) show so much love as to die for man and to reconcile him back to God.
Leaving our point of view from a different perspective I want to ask a few questions based on the new discovery to the people alien to what we believe:

1. Why in the first place would they put the the very body they would have wanted to hide forever, in a named tomb?
2.How could they claim that He raised a family right in front of the very people among whom he preached?
3. How did He get away with this thing of dying and rising again when the people in authority had already guessed what His discples might attempt and had sealed the tomb and had guards posted there?
3. Were the disciples blind to have died (some were crucified, others stoned to death, some boiled in oil and others put to swrod) for a cause whose very source is now mortal and was living an ordinary life with wife and children?
4.How could Pharisees, Sadducees, the Romans be silent if the person whom they punished and killed was walking around?
5. Behind every controversy there is a desire of gain. But in this particular situation, who is benefited? Do the family of Jesus hold a patent to all the funds raised? is any individual getting all the money/power transferred in to his account for the sake of keeping this secret?
i think the ones gaining fame and money are none other than those who stir up such controversies!

So let them continue their campaign against the most Holy One, our job is to continue preaching the Christ who was crucified and who is resurrected. We do not talk about Jesus for any benefit of ours (atleast not material gain on earth); for our hope is not from this world but the unseen and eternal.

The great and mighty EGO

(Strictly not for those who have alter egos, who pretend to be sleeping and to those who deny the very existence of God)

If there is one thing that can slow down our progress in anything good in this planet, I feel, is our own ego. Ego that prevents us from being real, that distances us from people so they wont know what we are, ego which never lets us look in the eye of the person who has hurt us or whom we have hurt (knowingly) and the best of friends turn out to be enemies, where realtionships turn cold and sour, where we either refuse to admit our mistakes or refuse to accept the one with mistakes and faces are set hard against each other. Ego which delays our communion with God, prevents us from accepting His presence in the first place and deceives us in thinking everything is under control. Ego causes us to be forever trying to be 'super people' we will never be and turn out to be 'super complainers' of anything and everything around us.

But Jesus knew this so well that He said to deny ourselves and then follow Him, everyday. But we have tricked ourselves in retaining ego and deceive ourselves in 'thinking'/imagining that we have denied everything for God's sake but in actuality we are enjoying our own feat like a saddist! Some of us who serve God do it to stroke and comfort and satisfy our ego that we are doing 'something' for God better than someone else. Thats why it becomes so easy for us to compare and judge others.
Its like what somebody said, that it is when you feel that you are humble that you are really very proud. We seem to be wallowing in our own vomit expecting others to pick us up and clean us when God wants us to get out of it once for all.
Seems really a vicious cycle down here...

I dont have any suggestions or solutions for this because I am worse than you...

But Jesus has the answer for this...

When everything under the sun becomes vanity... everything that comes under the Son, becomes true and valid and clear.

For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' " So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:7-12


"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14 26,27

"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Can we judge anybody?

Oh! Wow! what a question! 'Dont you know moron that we are not supposed to judge anybody? ' could be ringing in your ears as you read this but wait a minute. i dont know about you but I have had this constant urge to judge others, honestly I have tried not to but it comes in different ways and my, my what a relief when we have someone as a subject for our 'judgmental skills' to be put into practice. You feel the 'most righteous' person in the whole world correcting others but after we do it, the guilt sets in. Then we realise...uh-oh i have broken the Lord's command - 'Judge not, condemn not'!
Well the bible says if any of our brothers/sisters sin, we are to approach them, tell them in love that what they are doing is wrong (and not go around the world 'sharing' this big issue among everbody else except the one concerned) and tell them to stay off it. If they dont heed you, then call two witnesses and do it. God never promotes one person to go and correct everybody else because He knows for sure all of us have flaws and He alone, the most Holy and upright One can do this job thoroughly.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:37,38

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Luke 6: 41,42

But I did find a sort of 'loop hole', you know, to judge! I mean, I did find out somebody whom we can judge freely without any restraint. oh, who is it? is it my noisy, irritably loud neighbour? My unbeleiving husband/wife? or is it that drinking/smoking friend of mine who is prone to 'fall' in sin again and again? Or my christian 'brother' who never seems to be punctual in attending all those meetings...inspite of my hour long sermons especially made for him? Nah...none of them...
It is US (not United States...ha ha ha...we can leave that to HIM for sure...but I meant WE ourselves)!!
Please read :

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 1 Cor 11:27-32

My desire

This is my heartfelt desire - to be true to myself, God and others

I know I am not truthful to even myself (this happens often to me anyway), I think we all go through that when we try to be someone what we actually are not
we 'act' out a lot, even to God but the Word says everthing is laid bare before Him.
We cannot hide ourselves from our Creator Who knows the very intent and motives of our heart.
Every thought and the reason behind every one of our actions are known to Him.
But yet we seem to forget this truth so easily and fall into a mould where our faith becomes a 'religion' where, all we do gets more ritualisitic each day and we try to satisfy our ego of being the 'faithfullest' by the 'proper doing' of things with no heart in it.
But God is Spirit and when we worship Him, we ought to do it in spirit and truth, yes we know that too but when we sing to Him and worship Him, do we really mean every word we say? or do we say it out of an emotional high and then forget it for good? One thing I have understood is that though we forget what we tell God, He always remembers every word of it. (Most of us know that too but we slip away from this right? I do, amybe you dont). So we better be careful when talking to Him, especially when we tell Him things like, 'Lord I love you, I will serve you, and use me and break me..."
Ok and I think a whole lot of our attitude toward God reflects in our attitude to people. If we r not true to God, how can we be true to people, who cant read our thoughts. So we lie to them in our words, actions...we become flatterers (not real encouragers), men pleasers, bitter inside but sickeningly sweet outside, very pious outside but rotten inside, gossipers and accusers with real insecurity problems...I could just go on
But what I want to point out is the mask which we wear day in and out. I really want to just rip those masks (social, intellectual, emotional,religious...) which I am wearing and be myself as God created me to be...yes with failures, mistakes, problems but a genuine desire to change for the better.

Maranatha!!

i can hear my own voice, talking to me, noone to hear me speak,noone to speak to me,noone really interested,
But i know my Lord is ever lending His ear to me but sometimes i can't assure of this myself...

In this world where outer beauty counts most
where power and charisma is a necessity and a loud voice matter a lot
where achievements and laurels haul you up the ladder of success
where realtionships are conditional,
when people tell each other, as long as you are healthy and pleasing to look at, I am with you
but when you are down and out, noone really cares if you are dead or alive
when the closest betrays and the trusted forsakes...
i cry out frm within, with all the strength that is in me
"I cant take it any more Lord,
Maranatha Lord, Maranatha!"

The Dead Church

A new Pastor in a small Oklahoma town spent the first four days making personal visits to each of the
members, inviting them to come to his first services.

The following Sunday the church was all but empty. Accordingly, the Pastor placed a notice in the local
newspapers, stating that, because the church was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent
Christian burial. The funeral would be held the following Sunday afternoon, the notice said.

Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the "funeral." In front of the pulpit, they saw a closed
coffin, smothered in flowers. After the Pastor delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his
congregation to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead church.

Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a "dead church," all the people eagerly
lined up to look in the coffin. Each "mourner" peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a
guilty, sheepish look.

In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.

Author is Unknown

source : http://www.christian-jokes.org

Is God my crutch or my wheelchair?

I consider myself an invalid without God. When I say God, it becomes a sort of generality. To be specific, I am nothing without Jesus. So I need Him as a crutch always and then at times He becomes my wheelchair when I am too weary to walk and a stretcher when I fall.

My weakness : Pride, anger,jealousy, envy,lust,bitterness,impulse,hate, depression,unrest,gossip,greed...

My strength: Jesus whose love has been stronger than death to me

Sieves - From David Jeremiah

If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
Galatians 6:1

Have you criticized anyone recently? Complained about another's actions, attitudes, or words? Amy Carmichael suggests filtering our words through three sieves: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? "All of us who have tried to remember these three sieves, and have used them, know what a help they are. We are sorry when we ever forget them."

Paul's advice in Galatians 6:1 goes even further. Instead of simply refraining from criticism, we should seek to restore the person; and Paul, too, gives us three sieves: Are we spiritual? (You who are spiritual…) Are we gentle? (in a spirit of gentleness…) Are we careful? (consider yourself lest you also are tempted.)

Suppose a friend at church has done something unwise. Rather than spreading the news, why not prayerfully ask God to speak to him. If you feel led, then approach that person with concern and gentleness. If you're harsh, you'll drive them away; but gentleness is like salve on a wound.

James promised: "He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).

My Lord, my Savior, pour Thy love through me.
Amy Carmichael

The 'Prosperity Theory' dissected

Well, the new teaching doing the rounds seems to be:
Jesus became 'poor' so we will be 'rich'; (take the literal sense)
Jesus wore expensive clothes that the soldiers fought to own;
God will answer all that we ask Him, just name it and claim it;
There shouldnt be any sickness among God's people, if you are, its because of your sins;
You are sons and daughters of the King, so you need to 'look' like one;
Faith is there to get things from God;
God is after you to meet all your needs/wants(read demands);
Your words now has 'power' and you confess the right things for the right things to happen to you;
In short life is a bed of roses for a christian.

Let us just look at what the Lord Himself has to say:
Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." John 18:36

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2,3,4

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; Matthew 6:18,20

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. - Paul from 1 Cor 12: 7,8,9

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14,15

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Tim 6:3-10

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life... John 11:1-3

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Job 38 :1

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

A few good books (christian)

Yes ofcourse The Holy Bible (The Good Book)

Then there is
More than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell
Holding on to your faith even When God Doesnt Make Sense - Dr. James Dobson
Biographies on Amy Carmichael and Samuel Morris
I dared to call Him Father - Bilquis Sheikh
The Purpose Driven life - Rick Warren
Tortured for Christ - Richard Wurmbrand
The kneeling Christian - Author unknown


...and...
People of THE WAY - by yours truly (ahem yet to be pubished) ;-)

Musings

When I am tired when I am depressed
When I am alone and when I am burdened
I wish with all my heart that
I could be a child again
Then I would be free from life's difficulties
Free from the pain that is caused by love
and seperation
From hurts and envy that often follows every mind
From anger and bitterness which has dogged me so many times
Then I would be running free with the wind,
Or lay myself down on a patch of grass
Looking up at the sky with a thousand stars
without being conscious of being watched
Climb trees, swing my legs and eat what i liked
Be loved by all and hugged by all
Would hold my thatha's (grandpa in kannada) hands as I picked every pebble and interesting looking stone
And inspected every hole in the ground
While he went on with stories of his childhood.
Wish I had listened more intently to what he said
Then I could have recalled all of it in his absence now
But it didnt matter then what he spoke
His presence was all I needed which it seemed was there forever
And then there was Ajji (grandmother) who would fold her legs like a cradle
And make me curl up there
That was the most comfortable place for me ever after my mother's womb
Then she would stroke my hair as she sang a lullaby
Thatha's hands always smelled of nose powder,
He wouldnt put the powder deep inside his nose, just at the tip
And then wipe it off and sneeze twice or thrice
That was his style statement! And Ajji smelt of coffee
and curd and turmeric and sandal wood (now that was because of the Mysore sandal soap which she used)
Oh I wish I could be a child again
But i know it is not possible in this world again
Cos only one life we have here to live
But when I die and and be taken up to be with my Father
I know I will be a child again
Where my heart will be light and my mind clear as crystal
I will be free of everything that had me bound on earth as a mortal
But one hurt would still remain with me forever
That I will never see my thatha and Ajji again
For they never knew The Way...

too busy

mom-in-law at home