Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart…!!!!

Primarily, I thank the Lord almighty with a Grateful heart for giving me the grace to enter into 2013. Being a born Christian doesn’t make me to realize the Love of God..! It’s by the experience which gained through the Journey of my Life till date.

“Taste and see that the Lord is Good” - Psalm 34:8... Psalmist statement was patently true and only when we tasted the Love of God we will be able to do the will of GOD in our life.

The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” – Exodus 4:11-12

When God commissioned Moses to free the Israelites from the clutches of Pharaoh, Moses could only see his deficiencies. He still doesn’t believe that God will give him the ability to speak. There is a big difference between the struggle of not knowing what to do and knowing exactly what to do, but not wanting to do it.

Today friends you might be in the same trajectory and no wonder I’m into it as well. If you see something that you KNOW you need to do, trust that the God who caused to you see the opportunity will also equip you to accomplish the task. Anything less is unbelief.

For the past 2 Years I haven’t been lettering in the blog and I know for sure what I ought to be doing as per the will of God but I wasn’t doing anything. The reason could be sluggishness, responsibility towards family, busy schedule etc..etc.  Paul says in.”  Acts 20 : 24  “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Yes I comprehended the tasks which have been given to me by the Lord Jesus. As HE promised, “For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Mathew 10:20”

Dear Friends, The Lord made raven to feed Elijah and the same GOD is capable of doing this in your life in this New Year.

“The Lord sent ravens to feed Elijah, when he was in the wilderness: "The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening." 1 Kings 17:6”

Stay tuned and Blessed..! Expect great things from our Lord in this New Year.!

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope!

Getting Closer to God

Friends,

It's been a long while, i posted in my blog.But its time to gear up and take the shoot.So keep your fingers crossed...!:)

Getting Closer to God....is the one which burdens my heart to put it forth. God Bless.!!

In Christ Alone,
Justina Stephen

Desert Song!!!

I Praise the GOD Almighty for making me to write this blog. A Song touched deep inside my heart and made me to sing this song(Desert Song) all the day..
“Hillsong” is always used to be my favorite album when I started having thirst for GOD and to glorify and praise his name. Desert song is one of the song in the album called “ This is Our GOD” by Hillsongs music. I heard this song recently and had touched my heart deeper when I heard the circumstance at which the song was sung by one of the great worship leader of Hillsongs- Jill McCullough.
This song was sung by two worship leaders of Hillsongs Live - Jill McCullough and Brooke Fraser in 2008.But when I happened to hear about the state in which she (Jill McCullough)sang the song shows her dedication and realization of Knowing our GOD is still bigger than everything she was facing.
Yes that's absolutely true when we feel like everything is rushing up on all our ways of difficult situations and be still and know that our GOD is an able GOD even at the time of lost to make us overflow with his anointing. I have gone through similar kind of phase in my life and sometimes I feel like not going to HIM because my spirit would have broken to the core questioning him with all "Why's"not knowing what to do and feel like to be in the loneliness amidst of huge crowd. But I can't stand at that phase for a long time and immediately kneel before him since I know nobody can make me feel better except HIM.

Yes "All of my life,In every season,HE is still God,I have a reason to sing and I have a reason to worship"!!!.His love for us endures forever.
The Presence of GOD flapped over when we are in brokenness. It will be a new experience in Holy Spirit and that is really really a wonderful experience and the peace of GOD will flow like a river when we Stand and glorify the Lord in the midst of all our tragedy. The Devil will loose of all his tricks and plays and we overcome him through the anointing of GOD the Father.
I can truly say trials are set apart to make us strong and to rely on him in all of our ways.Because only when we are in distress the spirit of GOD intercedes with us in prayer even when we dont know what to pray for ourself. That's an awesome experience. I thank & glorify my Daddy GOD because I know that all things are possible for HIM.I remember as Job says"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted". Job 42:2.
Yes none of his plans be thwarted by the Satan as we have a victory GOD with us.Amen!.Here comes the Lyrics of this wonderful song .Hear and be blessed!!!

This is my prayer in the desert

And all that's within me feels dry

This is my prayer in my hunger and need

My God is a God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire

In weakness or trial or pain

There is a faith proved

Of more worth than gold

So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoiceI will declare

God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle

And triumph is still on it's way

I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ

So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life

In every season

You are still GodI have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
when favour and providence flow
I know I m filled to be emptied again
The seed I have received I will sow!!!

FINDING AND KEEPING A LIFE PARTNER

Golden rules for finding your life partner by Dov Heller, M.A.

I have read this from one of the blog which is really impressive and ofcourse worth to know it!!When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50%, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr./Miss. Right!
If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love"; I believe this is the no1 mistake people make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love. Though this may sound "not politically correct", there's a profound truth here. Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love is the result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: "You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone"; You need a lot more!!! Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about Finding and keeping a life partner.
QUESTION..1: Do we share a common life purpose?
Why is this so important? Let me put it this way: If you're married for 20 or 30 years, that's a long time to live with someone. What do you plan to do with each other all that time? Travel, eat and jog together? You need to share something deeper and more meaningful. You need a common life purpose.
Two things can happen in a marriage:
(1) You can grow together, or
(2) You can grow apart. 50% of the people out there are growing apart.
To make a marriage work, you need to know what you want out of life!
Bottom line; marry someone who wants the same thing.
QUESTION..2: Do I feel safe expressing my feelings and thoughts with this person?

This question goes to the core of the quality of your relationship.
Feeling safe means you can communicate openly with this person. The basis of having good communication is trust - i.e. trust that I won't get "punished"; or hurt for expressing my honest thoughts and feelings. A colleague of mine defines an abusive person as someone with whom you feel afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Be honest with yourself on this one. Make sure you feel emotionally safe with the person you plan to marry.
QUESTION ..3: Is he/she a mensch?
A mensch is someone who is a refined and sensitive person. How can you test? Here are some suggestions. Do they work on personal growth on a regular basis? Are they serious about improving themselves? A teacher of mine defines a good person as "someone who is always striving to be good and do the right ";. So ask about your significant other: What do they do with their time? Is this person materialistic? Usually a materialistic person is not someone whose top priority is character refinement.
There are essentially two types of people in the world:
(1) People who are dedicated to personal growth and
(2) people who are dedicated to seeking comfort. Someone whose goal in life is to be comfortable will put personal comfort ahead of doing the right thing. You need to know that before walking down the aisle.
QUESTION..4: How does he/she treat other people?
The one most important thing that makes any relationship work is the ability to give. By giving, we mean the ability to give another person pleasure.
Ask: Is this someone who enjoys giving pleasure to others or are they wrapped up in themselves and self- absorbed? To measure this, think about the following: How do they treat people whom they do not have to be nice to, such as waiters, bus boys, taxi drivers, etc.. How do they treat their parents and siblings? Do they have gratitude and appreciation? If they don't have gratitude for the people who have given them everything; can you do nearly as much for them? You can be sure that someone, who treats others poorly, will eventually treat you poorly as well.
QUESTION ..5: Is there anything I'm hoping to change about this person after we're married?
Too many people make the mistake of marrying someone with the intention of trying to "improve"; them after they're married. As a colleague of mine puts it: "You can probably expect someone to change after marriage for the worse" If you cannot fully accept this person the way they are now, then you are not ready to marry them. In conclusion, dating doesn't have to be difficult and treacherous. The key is to try leading a little more with your head and less with
your heart. It pays to be as objective as possible when you are dating; to be sure to ask questions that will help you get to the key issues. Falling in love is a great feeling, but when you wake up with a ring on your finger, you don't want to find yourself trouble because you didn't do your homework.
Another perspective...
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance.. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going anywhere relationships. Observe the relationships around you.
Pay attention...Which ones lift and which ones lean?
Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?
Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?
When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?
Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you?
The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.
An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye"; Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really that important.
Do you bring out the best in each other?
Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare and control?
What do you bring to the relationship?
Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain?
You can't take someone to the altar to alter them. You can't make
someone love you or make someone stay. If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life"; you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Seeking status, sex, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.
WHAT KEEPS A RELATIONSHIP STRONG IS:
1. TRUST
2. COMMUNICATION
3. INTIMACY
4. A SENSE OF HUMOR
5. SHARING TASKS
6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN
7. DAILY EXCHANGES (meal, shared activity, hug, call, touch, notes, etc.)
8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS
9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE
10. GIVING EACH OTHER A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF COMMITMENT
If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment withdrawal, abuse, neglect, and dishonesty; and pain will replace.

Discovering the Sacred Echo..

I believe in Jesus and I have heard his voice at the time of my Life’s toughest decision and have listened to his voice and fervently obeyed and followed his ways.But still I doubt his voice and seek for his confirmation and when things didn’t happen in my own time and when it goes beyond my control I started doubting his ways that shows my lack of faith in Him.

But I’m so thankful to him since he loves me so much of all my weaknesses and continues to speak to me.I was surfing the net to study for an external certification to advance in my career I really don’t know how I happened to end up with a site which shows the title as “Discovering the Sacred Echo”.Title was interesting and I had the urge to read this so I started reading it.I have just copied below whatever I have read through that site but I was astonished to the core it was just recaping the things that I did in my life to understand his voice to follow and obey his will in my life so far. It gives me a confirmation again that I’m aligning with his path.

Read through it and be blessed…!!!
When God really wants to get your attention, He doesn't just say something once. He echoes. The same scripture, idea, or theme will reappear until you can't help but wonder if a greater something, or Someone, is at work. The persistent voice of God in our lives--the sacred echo--is available if we take time to slow down and really listen. But do you begin to hear God's voice in your life?
Consider these simple steps for getting started.
Take Time to Seek God

The first step is to take time to seek God. What does it look like to seek Him? Well, King David displayed his search for God in his life, his leadership, and even the songs he wrote. In Psalm 63, he wrote, "Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." So how can you seek God? Through prayer--which is simply talking to God. Spend time letting God know your concerns, your questions, your doubts. Ask God to speak to you. At the same time, don't forget to take time to thank God for who He is and all that He has done.

Be Honest, Be Dependent

In our modern world, it's easy to think you can do things on your own. But if you want to begin hearing God's voice, you need to seek Him and recognize your dependence on Him. That means being honest with Him. Admit your need for Him. Confess your disappointment with Him. Ask Him to give you ears to hear and eyes to see the ways in which He is speaking. And ask Him for the ability to discern His voice apart from your own.

Hear God in Scripture

Next, it's essential to spend time in scripture. The Bible is like God's megaphone for His people. That's why Hebrews 4:12-13 describes the Word of God as "living" and "active." If you want to hear God's voice in every aspect of your life, then you need to spend time in the Word, because scripture provides balance, confirmation and direction. Many times a scripture will be an actual sacred echo. For example, you may read Matthew 5, which says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" and find a much needed reminder on the attitude you need to deal with a conflict in your life. God may use scripture to expose an area of sin, compel you to give or serve, or confirm something He's already spoken to your heart.

Ask God Questions

As you're spending time in the Bible, consider prayerfully asking God questions. It may seem simple, but asking God a question implies humility and dependency. Ask God to give you insight. Ask Him to reveal things that are hidden. Ask Him to show you how to pray. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask and keep asking. You may even want to write down small question marks next to scriptures that you don't understand. These portions can be explored later in commentaries and in discussions with members of your spiritual community.

Be Quiet, and Listen

As you're spending time in scripture and asking God questions, it's essential to take time to listen. You may find that a certain issue or person keeps coming to your mind. Spend time praying about that situation and individual. Or you may find that a verse or passage applies perfectly to the circumstances in your life. Thank God for the His wisdom. Or you may feel compelled to drop a note or call someone out of the blue. Be sure to follow through on these nudges. You may discover that God is speaking to you--convicting, revealing, exhorting, and communicating with you!

Practice Hearing the Echoes

After you've tried these things, if you still find yourself struggling to hear God's voice, try some very practical steps. Find a quiet place where you can unplug from the busyness of the day. You may discover that the challenge of Psalm 46:10 to "Be still, and know that I am God" takes practice. In addition, you may find distractions of to-do's filling your mind. Keep a pen and pad of paper nearby to write those things down as they flutter through your mind. Then intentionally return to the time of stillness. Finally, you may discover that spending more time in worship--whether through music or scripture read aloud--can be a helpful tool to drawing your focus to God and what He has for you.

How to Know if it's God

As you begin to hear things, you may find yourself wondering, "Was that God or not?" That's why the scripture is so important. If you feel something that goes against God's commands, then it isn't from Him. Remember that He's in the business of loving and redeeming mankind. Some questions to ask yourself when evaluating the echo: · Does what I heard line up with the vision God has for my life? · Does what I heard line up with the wise counsel in my life? · Does what I heard leave me with a sense of peace? · Is what I heard blanketed with love?

Be Patient-Speak, Listen, and Wait

Along the journey of hearing from God, don't lose heart or patience. Developing any spiritual discipline takes time. It requires a measure of hard work and waiting. Remember that prayer has three parts: speaking, listening, and waiting. Take time with each one. As Philippians 4:6 encourages, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God." When you do, you may be surprised and delighted that God is speaking to you more than you ever imagined.

Wonderful Prophetical Eve….Sat the 21st of March…

Many will not have the privilege of GOD’s anointing. I Praise GOD that I was drenched in Holy Spirit. Isn’t good and wonderful if someone who really cares for you and who carries all your burdens.Yes I’m blessed to be one of the privileged group….

I was Just along for the ride in my life and I had no idea what was going on but one thing I ask of the Lord as the Psalmist David says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”. I Just surrendered to him of all my ways…

To disembark a good music where others can hear it with fervor the one main thing is obligatory..ie the Chords..without which you cannot play a good music which will be delightful to others..But playing chords is not an easy task but once erudite we can perform any types of music classical,folk,country or hard rock music or a host of other styles..

I realized that I was in the progress of learning Chords to play for the people. I Praise and thank GOD for teaching me and pruning me to set free the Life’s music and for the Prophetical words that I received. Guess Still have way to go…

As HE always does in my Life HE would surprise me & make my Life happier ….!!!

A BIG GOD

This is a story about a little girl who, on the way home from church, turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the Preacher's sermon this morning confused me."The mother said, "Oh! Why is that?The girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?""Yes, that's true," the mother replied."He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?"Again the mother replied, "Yes.""Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us,wouldn't He show through?"Read this again.........Think.....

If you believe that GOD is within you,are you sure that HE is showing through you.If not you may have to change the way you live.Ask GOD to reveal through you.!!!