A letter to you!

My Friends,

Hi! Thank you for being here. I, will be on holidays from the 25th of November to the 3rd of December. I leave, with all the prayers for you and your families. 

You, are under God's Mighty watch and protection. God loves you and so do I. Remember, you are His most prized possession. You are made in His image and likeness. There is no other you in the world.

Be good, loving, loyal, faithful and kind to everyone. Be forgiving. I wish you God’s Peace and Happiness. And above all I wish you God’s Love. I wish you an Ephesians 320 ‘Now unto Him (God) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.'

Love, will always, win.

With all my love,

AnitA. 

P.S: 'I can do all things through Christ who strenghthens me.' Philippians 4:13

Don’t Stop Believing. . .

I love fairytales, especially Cinderella. They always have that magical ending… And they lived happily ever after. To say, it’s not like any other fairy tale I know of. After all how many princes, on falling in love would take a glass slipper and roam through the whole town looking for the one person that they fell in love with. It was not easy, considering, that he had to go from door to door, be patient enough to give every one a fair chance irrespective of whether they were close in resemblance or not. And to top it all to be patient enough to keep believing that if not this house then the next. He never gave up, and he never bothered about people’s reactions. Even if it’s a fairytale I admire his courage, to keep pushing through, to keep believing.

Have you been praying about a situation in your life and wondering why the answer hasn't come yet?

Sometimes we pray long and hard and we wonder if or when God will send the answer. The question is not if we'll wait, but rather how long?

When our prayers appear to go unanswered, and God seems distant, we wonder if there’s any use in praying, at all. Let's look at the experience of the woman in the passage from the Bible. Matthew 15: 21-28

The woman pleaded with Jesus on behalf of her sick daughter. At first, Jesus gave her no response at all. Next, Jesus’s disciples pleaded with Him to give her what she wants. And then, after she had literally fallen on her knees and begged for help, Jesus quoted a popular saying which likened her people to dogs.

Jesus was intentionally testing her faith, and she passed the test. Others might have given up, and walked away in bitterness and disappointment. But not this woman! She continued to persist, her prayer was answered, and her daughter was healed.

Her witness demonstrates the importance of persistence in prayer. Persistence teaches us patience. Our persistence in prayer, shows to God that some need is close to our hearts, and not just a casual request. Sometimes God says “Yes!” Sometimes God says “No.” And sometimes God says “Not yet.” God’s delays are not God’s denials. As St. Teresa of Avila said, “God never gets tired of giving; so let us never get tired of asking.”

All of us need to wait expectantly. Our heart should be filled with hope, expecting the problem to be solved at any moment.  We need to wake up every morning with an expectation, that this could be our day. It’s just like when a woman is pregnant. She carries inside her the promise of life, a baby, and even though she can’t see it, she knows it's there. The moment she learns of her pregnancy, she begins to plan for her baby's arrival. She knows the promise will be fulfilled—it's just a matter of time.

When our hearts are eager to hear from God, He loves to rush in suddenly with His solution. In many cases this waiting period actually serves as a time of preparation for the answer. If God answered right away, many of us would be un-prepared to handle His solution.

We need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a simple faith. Then, in a way we never could've figured out—God moves suddenly!  Then All of a Sudden... In the Bible Paul and Silas knew about waiting, and they waited well. Acts 16 tells the story of how they were attacked by a crowd, beaten and thrown in prison. Acts 24 says the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and fastened their feet in with the locks. He was making sure they couldn't escape. But about midnight, God showed up. Now it would have been nice if He'd come a little earlier, but Paul and Silas didn’t seem to mind—they just decided to start singing and began to worship the Lord. They began to wait on God. God answered them suddenly!

Acts 16-25 say, "But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them, suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone's shackles were unfastened."

 

When people patiently and expectantly wait on God in the midst of horrible circumstances, suddenly God breaks through. So don't give up! Don’t stop believing! Stay full of hope and expectation. God’s timing was and will always be perfect.

It was just yesterday, that I spoke with my friend, and I was letting her know, how important it is to have a child like belief.

Do you remember, when you were a child, and you asked something, maybe a toy, from either of your parent? And you simply believed that it would be there. Did you ever think, or even want to know from where your parent got it from? All that mattered was that you asked and persisted on asking till you got what you wanted. You simply believed and God provided your parents with the means to getting it for you. That is the way, we need to be, simple, trusting and always believing. Let the child in you, show you the way.

Another example I have to mention here is of a little child, when told to jump by his father from a height, will immediately jump into his father’s arms, because he trusts, his father will hold him. We need to have that kind of belief that God knows best.

CONCLUSION: I would rather suggest that let the music play in your head..and let the title for that be . . . DONT STOP BELIEVING . . . And in that instant you are reminded that the prince, found Cinderella, and the glass slipper fitted on, perfectly. And Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after. . . . .

Life is filled with magical moments, and it’s our belief that makes them special. When you believe in the wonders of God, and you look at it, as if you were a child then everything, you look at will seem magical. It’s  abracadabra . . . . but on God’s time.

REMEMBER: When you have walked with God through the furnace, there comes a moment when you are at the mountaintop, and you can feel victory all around. And like God told Joshua, to give a shout of praise to God. And on their shout of praise the walls of Jericho, came tumbling down and the people of God were victorious. This is my shout of praise to God. To God, be the Glory forever and ever. Amen.

GOD’s Unconditional LOVE

We had just completed our school hours for the third standard. It’s just the three of us in class, me, my friend and our class teacher. She asks her, as to why her mother did not choose to re-marry? ‘Love is only once,’ was what I heard her say. Though at that point in time, I did not understand, the significance of that sentence. But that day, changed everything in my life. For that moment, as I now recall, life would never be the same, ever. I will always, recall the impact the word, Love made in my life. With that moment marked in my life, to this day, I recall all of God’s wonderful ways: to You 'My Almighty God,' this is my love song to You, To Your Unconditional Love,  

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever.  Psalm 52:8

At the core of most every person is a longing to know that God loves them.  They want the assurance God loves them.  God put this desire in people, and God truly wants people to KNOW and BELIEVE He loves them. 

Do you know why you can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence?

Unconditional Love! God loves you unconditionally!

A relationship with God is like no other relationship you may have experienced. God has a unique and unconditional love. God loves you because He loves you. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you any more than He already does—and there is nothing that will cause God to love you any less.

Have you ever experienced the awesome feeling of knowing you are loved unconditionally? I have come to realize how many people struggle with understanding the concept of unconditional love. A Danish proverb states: “The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.” The knowledge that God loves you will keep you going when the next mile seems intolerably long.

To speak of God’s unconditional love is to utter a wonderful fact about God’s nature. He loves because He chooses to love and for no other reason. His love is not dependent upon finding something in us that merits His love. His love is without conditions — it is unconditional.

The revelation of God’s unconditional love affects us, in the following way.

• Knowing and understanding God’s unconditional love, will have a tremendous effect on how we relate to the Lord in our daily lives.
• It affects how I relate to myself. It affects how I feel about myself and how I understand myself in light of my relationship with God.
• It greatly affects our relationships with one another in the Body of Christ.
• It affects our relationship to humanity, to those who are lost.
• It affects our relationship to His eternal purpose. God’s love toward us always has a goal in view, and that goal is absolutely related to His purpose being worked out in this universe.
• God’s unconditional love affects our relationship with God and with every human being, and with God’s eternal purpose. God wants to rest us in His unconditional love.

He loves us when we have no potential, no victory, when we have come to an end — when we are nothing but failure. Each time His love is revealed, it is revealed towards ones in a rebellious condition, a sinful condition — conditions that merit absolutely nothing, that deserve nothing but judgment. But all the while, God keeps coming and revealing His love in an unconditional way.

Let me say this, God’s love to you is still unconditional because you are the object of His love. It is eternal love based upon an eternal choice and can never be destroyed or eradicated.

This means that He meets you exactly where you are. The nature of His love does not require that you first come up to a certain level. But just as you are, the way you are, God will come down to you and stoop and feed you. Praise the Lord for this kind of love. This is the gentle nature of God’s unconditional love revealed to us in Hosea.

God’s unconditional love is a part of God’s very nature. Have you ever had compassion towards someone? You felt mercy towards them. You loved, you wept, you went out to them. It came right out of you, because it was what was in you.

This unconditional love of God was demonstrated to us through Christ’s death on the cross. Romans 5:8 says, “while we were [yet] sinners, Christ died for us.” Then in verse 7 Paul gives the illustration that someone might “dare to die” for a good man. But God did not die for a good man. It says, “while we were [yet] sinners, Christ died for us.” So this is a demonstration of the love of God.

Ephesians 5:25 says that Christ “loved the church and gave Himself [up for her].” We were failures, ungodly, sinful and rebellious. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:4-5). This is God’s unconditional love.

Do you realize that God’s love and the revelation of that love to you is not based upon any beauty or potential in you? It is just His nature, to love the objects of His love. He cannot help Himself. He cannot help but love us.

Let God, today woo your heart just to love Him. It is a matter of just enjoying the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, from which nothing can separate you. Let Him come down and meet you where you are. He does not expect you to even lift up your head. If you can only say, 'Oh Lord,' if that is all you can get out because that is just where you are, then that is where He loves you. He loves you right where you are, just as you are.

Conclusion: I hope for you all the love in the world, because it will go a long way toward understanding the deep love of our wonderful God. The truth is, however, that no matter what our experience is, we can never fathom the depth of God’s love for His children (Ephesians 3:19). God's love is so wonderful.

REMEMBER: The love of God is deeper than our level of comprehension. He loves us, not because of who we are, but because of who HE is! He is God! He is the Creator of the Universe. He made you and me in His image so that He could love us and we could love Him. He doesn’t just give us love; He is love.

God loves you unconditionally. You didn’t earn it and we don’t deserve it. His love is yours whether you accept it or not. You cannot stop His love based on your behavior.

………………G O D  L O V E S   Y O U !………………………and He always will!

Who in your life, besides God, helps you understand unconditional love? Keep God, first place.

Good Manners

Manners are the outward expression of a person’s inner character. In the Scripture we find the basis for common courtesy and manners.  We are to:

Show proper respect to everyone. 1 Peter 2:17
Excel in the grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:7
Be kind and compassionate. Ephesians 4:32
Speak words, that build others up. Ephesians 4:29
Deny ourselves to follow Christ’s example. Luke 9:23-26
Honour parents and authorities. Ephesians 6:1-3, 5-8

How we act… through our manners and our behaviour—is a choice. Our words and actions can bring light and life to our family and to others—or they can bring darkness and despair. And we want to inspire our children to make the right choices—to bring life… not darkness.

Choose to have an “Attitude Of Gratitude.” By having a thankful heart for what we do have, it will help us to stop complaining about what we don’t have. Our thankful attitude will help us show our appreciation and respect for others.

Using proper manners, in our daily lives speaks well of us, and they can carry us far. The way we treat others and how we conduct ourselves, the manner of respect and common sense speak volumes to others about the kind of person we are. Using good manners is something that we all should strive to do. Using respect for others by showing common courtesy is one thing we all can do. Practicing good manners makes a world of difference in how others perceive us.

We should have respect for one another and treat others with dignity. We cannot expect it from others if we never show it to those around us.

Our speech reflects where our heart is as well.  “From out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  (Matthew 12:34)  Avoid critical language.  Lift up others.  Always have something uplifting to say.  “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” is an old adage and is still good advice for today. 

The wonderful thing about good manners is that they help us show God’s love to a hurting world that desperately needs to know and experience Him.

We need to use these phrases, in our daily lives and also some of the qualites that can change the world! The top 10.

• Be polite, and use the word, Please.
• Thank you!(whenever someone does something nice for you, and remember to thank the Almighty God, too.)
• You’re welcome,(a reciprocation to the thank you, and to also say that whenever you need help, count on me.)
• Show interest in a topic and do not interrupt. Be a good listener.
• Take turns to speak. Do not have a one way conversation.
• Be a good sport. Don't get aggressive.
• Be kind. Kind words build people up.
• Be punctual.
• Excuse Me and
• I’m Sorry, Will You Forgive Me?(it takes just two words to mend a broken heart, or to just heal the damage of the hour.)

Respectful Actions

• Honour your parents.
• Show respect to our fellow brethren.
• Acknowledge everybody you know and meet, because God ignores nobody.
• Treat all elders and our community members, irrespective of who they are, with respect.
• Refrain from using foul language. 
• Respect other people’s property.
• Good table manners help us have more meaningful conversations and build stronger relationships.
• Good telephone etiquette.
• Our writing should be done with respect and politeness. Be careful not to write a letter or email when you’re mad.
• Be hospitable to guests who come to your home. 
• Kindness and compassion to those who are less fortunate and to every one around.
• Be thankful for our families and live bringing honour to your family.

Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)  As we make good behavior and polite manners a habit, it becomes easier to deny ourselves.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

When we deny ourselves we practice self-control, which is also a part of good manners.  Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  (Galatians 5:22-23)  The Holy Spirit can work His fruits in us, if we just offer a yielded life to Him.  To have genuinely good manners all of the fruits of the Spirit need to be evident in our lives. How many people do you know today who are courteous and polite to everybody, even to those who are not polite back? Courtesy and manners show love to others.

REMEMBER: We can’t solve all of the world’s problems, but we can help a little here and a little there. It may go completely unnoticed, or it may have an impact in ways we do not realize: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” (Matt. 5:14–15). Be a light unto others. Spread the sunshine.

Conclusion: A friendly smile, a caring look—God is pleased with that, and He will bless us for it even though others might resent it or not even notice it. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven”.

Jesus taught us the truth when He said, "Therefore all things whatsoever you would that man should do to you, do even unto them" (Matt. 7:12). In other words, manners matter.

I leave you with these words:

‘The Sun, never tells the Earth, you owe me. Look what happens with a LOVE like that. It lights up the entire Sky.’

DREAMS……………….

I know God’s given you dreams — He’s put them on your heart in a way you can’t deny. You may not have told anyone. You may have thought it was too big to happen. But I want you to realize that God hasn’t given up on those dreams and you don’t have to either.

Job 33:13-18 “But you [Job] are wrong, and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. So why are you bringing a charge against Him?
Why say He does not respond to people’s complaints?
For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; He keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.”

People in Job’s time faced some of the same issues in the world. They did not recognize that God was speaking to them in their dreams. It is still true today. Our society has taught us that dreams have very little value in our daily lives; and most of our society has not been enlightened to the fact that God is still speaking through dreams. But, this scripture makes it clear that God speaks to all men, He keeps trying, again and again, but they do not recognize it.

Common Purposes for Dreams

In the Bible, God used dreams for various reasons. A few of them to consider are:

• There were times when God used a dream to give a warning. Matthew 2:12-The Lord appeared to the wise men here for the purpose of warning them not to return to Herod, but to go back home another way. In the very next verse Joseph is also warned of the Lord in a dream to flee into Egypt with the Baby Jesus.

• There were times when God used a dream to reveal prophecy. Joseph was a man subject to dreams and the interpretation of dreams. Genesis 37-Joseph dreamed a dream about his brethren bowing down to him. Joseph was promoted to the second in command under Pharaoh. For approximately 13 years he had nothing else but these dreams that told of the future. In the Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams that have a tremendous amount of prophecy in them. There are other dreams in the Bible that would fall into this category as well.

• There were times when God used a dream to encourage, obedience to the Lord. In Judges 7-we find the Lord thinning out the army of Gideon before he goes to battle with the vast army of Midian. Gideon begins with 32,000 soldiers. In 7:3, we find that 22,000 went home because of fear and in 7:6, we find that 9,700 went home because of the way they drank water(as under the guidance of God). This left Gideon with an army of only 300 soldiers. In this same chapter the Lord instructed Gideon that if he was afraid he should go down unto the camp and then he would be strengthened. When Gideon arrived in the host, he heard a man telling a dream to another man. The interpretation of the dream just so happened to be that the army of Gideon was going to defeat the Midianites. Immediately upon hearing of this dream, Gideon was strengthened and he worshipped God. Surely the whole purpose for this man's dream was the encouragement of Gideon.

Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:12

God’s the one who placed those dreams and desires on the inside of you. It’s never too late for God, which means it’s never too late for you!

I have never heard of a single story, in the Bible or in our time, where God gave someone a dream and fulfilled it on the same day. Trust that He has you in the right place at the right time. Trust that He is working all things together for your good. Trust that new doors are opening. Choose faith and patience, and you will inherit His promises.

Here comes that dreamer! they said to each other.   Genesis 37:19

Not everyone was excited about hearing of Joseph’s dreams. When Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison, he kept on dreaming. His life didn’t take the route he had expected, but God was working behind the scenes realigning his steps until those dreams in his heart became reality.

No matter what anyone has said about you, those God-given dreams in your heart are still in the making. Your part is to keep believing, keep forgiving, keep following your heart, and stay obedient to His Word. Stay in faith, just like Joseph. God will take you places you've never imagined.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.    Philippians 1:6

Learning to walk in the destiny God has for you is a process. The first step is to get a vision, a clear picture from God that you can see. The next step is to trust Him — to believe in faith that it will happen. And then finally, you take a step of faith and live out what God has promised no matter what your circumstances or people around you have to say.

In the scripture even the great men and women of the Bible had to overcome doubts, they struggled on their journey, but they held fast to what God said knowing that He is faithful to complete what He started in us!

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Thank God, life doesn’t turn out the way we plan.  Trust God because He loves you with an everlasting love, and He doesn’t want to see you settling for anything less than His very best.

Be strong and be courageous. Lift up your eyes to Jesus. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Live boldly and dream boldly so you can embrace the good things He has in store for you!

REMEMBER: Friends, today, if you are having a hard time believing what God has promised will come to pass, understand that you are in a process. Keep declaring that He who promised is faithful! Keep the vision in front of you knowing that it is for an appointed time. Dream it and believe it because it won’t be long until you are living the blessed life God has prepared for you!

Prayer: Father, thank You for the dreams You’ve placed within me. Even when I can’t see it, I trust that You are working behind the scenes. Fill me with Your strength today; fill me with Your hope, and keep me close to You always as I put You first in everything I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mighty God

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.

Your ways, God, are holy.

Me and my brother loved watching cartoons together, one of our favourites was, He-man. During that half an hour, the television did all the talking. If you have ever watched an episode of He-man, then you definitely would know that when He-man lifted his sword in the air, and said, 'By the power of Grey-skull, I have the power,' you knew in that instant that skeletor and his army were going down. 

But God is the Almighty. He is all knowing and there is none like Him. In the Bible, we come to the realization, of the fact that God is not a one time wonder. Sarah laughed at the message that came from God. Sarah thought it was too late in life for her to have a child. The answer that came back was: 'Is anything too wonderful(hard) for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son'. And Sarah, did bear a son, Isaac.

Job experienced many tragedies in his life. We know how deep and piercing his experiences were - In Job 42 he said: 'I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be with-hold from thee'. Job knew that he served ‘The God of the impossibles'! God restored to Job everything in twice the measures.

In Luke 1:37. Mary was told, that she was to conceive and bear a Son, Jesus - Mary exclaimed 'How shall this be?' The archangel Gabriel replied, 'For nothing shall be impossible with God'.

The omnipotent God, the Almighty God, out of nothingness, brought the world into existence, with a mere word He scattered the heavens and space with stars, and to this very day He sustains it all perfectly with the power of His word. This is the God that brought the Israelites out of Egypt's bondage, the God of the Red Sea who took them across that great ocean miraculously. This is the God of the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, who sustained the pilgrim people through the desert for 40 years!

This is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the God who spoke to His Son and through His Son, and wrought wonders in this world that it has never seen nor will ever see the like of! This is the God who, in Christ, reconciled the world unto Himself.

Jesus, the Word of God, came in human flesh - He did not cease to be what He always was, as God, but He became something that He had never been, man. Jesus, said to Philip: 'If you've seen me, you have seen the Father'. In His life on earth, He chose to live as a man totally dependent upon God (The Father) - but He was still God. He lived in total humility. Because He was made flesh, because of His incarnation, He understands our struggles.

'This God, the One who, in answer to prayers of an ordinary man, (Joshua-in the Bible) stopped the sun in its course, and Joshua went to win the biggest battle in that day itself. There has never been a day like that day ever, especially considering that God heard and granted the prayer of a common man.

For 120 years, Noah worked on constructing the ark. Noah was able to faithfully fulfill God’s will because He had received God’s vision for his life.

Abraham obediently left his home with his family to the place God was leading him to.  At 86 years, Abraham was promised a son. Isaac was born to Abraham, when he was a 100 years. At the call of God, he was willing to sacrifice his only son. He believed that God knew what he was doing. As Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans: "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised" (Romans 4:20-21).

David was a shepherd boy. David was chosen to be a king at the age of 17years. He was crowned at the age of 30.  In the Bible(Psalms), David writes about his own walk with the Lord. What we learn is that David praised the lord through the good and bad times.

REMEMBER: This God is my God, The Almighty God, this is the God to whom I come. This God is the One whose promises I am counting on. Whatever my predicament may be, as soon as I compare it with the circumstances surrounding the miracles of the sun, there can be no doubts.

Like Joshua, may I be able to stand in Your presence, and dare to ask with boldness and faith from You, for that which You have in Your will for me. Like Noah, may I see Your will come to pass in my life. Teach me to be like Abraham, to be always obedient to Your Holy will. And like David, may I sing Your praises forever.

And Father, most of all teach me to be like Jesus, to be ever so humble, to completely be obedient to Your Holy Will, and to love You with all of my heart, Forever and Ever. This is my prayer to You, My God. Amen.