NOVEMBER 2 - When in Pain

NOVEMBER 2 - When in Pain     Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. — PSALM 119:49 – 50     My heart goes out to people who suffer with physical pain.     Oh, how hope is needed! Michael wrote, "Two years ago, tumors were pinching my sciatic nerve, and I was forced to my knees in tears. I couldn't stand the pain anymore. I shut myself in a room, lay on the floor, and shouted to the Lord, 'I am not leaving here until you do something. Kill me, heal me, but don't let me suffer like this!!!' It was a little later, and then I heard a still small voice, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid' " (John 14:27).     Michael was encouraged by John 14:27 because when God gives peace, he is imparting a sense of the presence of the Prince of Peace, his Son, Jesus. Michael can endure almost anything, as long as he knows Jesus is "laying on the floor" with him. And as Psalm 119:49 assures, God's comfort envelops Michael every time he remembers a promise like that from the Word.     I can identify. For me, when the pain doesn't go away, I'm quick to remember promises like John 14:27. My comfort in my suffering is this: the promise of God's presence preserves my life. Just knowing he's "with me," gives me peace, hope, and comfort. It sees me through.     Meditate on today's verse. Think of God's promises you know from Scripture. How do they preserve your life, especially when you are suffering physical or emotional pain?     Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me your peace when I hurt. Bless you for the hope and comfort I always find in you. Every single one of your promises preserves my life — I could not survive without your precious Word sustaining me every moment.

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NOVEMBER 1 - The Devil’s Real Weapon

NOVEMBER 1 - The Devil's Real Weapon     He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. — COLOSSIANS 2:13 – 15     A guest on a Chris tian talk show was telling about an exorcism he performed. He described frightening displays of demonic power in the room of the demon-possessed individual. Furniture moved and the demoniac howled horribly. Several friends heard the same program; they said, "You'll never find me getting into stuff like that!" Fear gripped their hearts, making them think that demon-possession was the worst of all evils.     But is it? The devil's most damning weapon is not demon possession, or even the oppression he forces on weak Chris tians. His most damning weapon is not evil spirits, ghostly appearances, weird sounds, green flashing lights, levitation, or chairs scooting around a room. The devil's most powerful weapon is unforgiven sin. It is the only ammunition he has against us. Sin that we try to shield from the Holy Spirit's scrutiny becomes a weapon in the devil's hands. With it, he can accuse us, belittle us, strip us of confidence and, finally, he can rob our joy and peace of mind.     Take heart from today's verse. Jesus took away our sin and nailed it to the cross. Having done that, he disarmed the powers of darkness — even making a public spectacle of demonic forces.     Your sin was nailed to the cross, but you nevertheless have the responsibility of bringing every sin before the throne of God in confession — God wants you to acknowledge your transgressions and iniquities. When you do, those sins are no longer weapons the devil can use to defeat and discourage you. What wrongdoing can you acknowledge before God today?     Lord Jesus, thank you for nailing my sin to the cross. Search my heart, Holy Spirit, and reveal any transgression I need to turn from. _

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குரு எனக்கு அளித்த உபதேசம்

குரு மரண படுக்கையில் இருந்தார்.. அருகில் அவரின் சீடன் கவலை தோய்ந்த முகத்துடன் காணப்பட்டான். குரு மெல்ல அவனை அழைத்து, " சிஷ்யா.. ஏன் கவலைப்படுகிறாய்? உனக்காக நான் எப்பொழும் இருப்பேன். கலக்கம் அடையாதே..." கலங்கிய கண்களுடன் சிஷ்யன் கூறினான்.. "குருதேவா... நீங்கள் கூறியபடி ஜாபம் தியானம் எல்லாம் செய்து வருகிறேன். ஆனால் ஆன்மீக உயர்நிலை அடையும் காலம் எப்பொழுது என தெரியவில்லை. எதுவரை எனது ஆன்மீக பயிற்சியை தொடர்வது. உங்கள் காலத்திற்கு பிறகு யாரிடம் நான் கேட்பது?" அணையும் ஜோதி பிரகாசகமாக சுடர்விடும் என்பதை போல ஜோதிர்மயமான முகத்துடன் சிஷ்யனை பார்த்தார் குரு.. "கவலை கொள்ளாதே. இந்த கட்டிலுக்கு அடியில் ஓர் பெட்டி இருக்கிறது. அதன் உள்ளே உனக்கு பிற்காலத்தில் உபதேசிக்க வேண்டியதை வைத்திருக்கிறேன்...அது அனைத்து விஷயங்களையும் போதிக்கும். எனது உபதேசம் தேவைப்படும் பொழுது மட்டும் பெட்டியை திறந்து பார். எனது ஆசிகள்"...என கூறியபடி அவரின் ப்ராணன் உள்ளே அடங்கியது. நாட்கள் சென்றன... தனது ஆன்மீக சாதனையில் தனக்கு பலன் கிடைப்பதாக சிஷ்யனுக்கு தெரியவில்லை.. தியானம் , ஜபம் ஆகியவற்றை விட்டுவிடலாமா என எண்ணினான்.. குருவின் உபதேசத்தை கேட்க பெட்டியை திறந்தான். சிஷயன் ஞானம் அடைந்தான்.. நாட்கள் சென்றன... சிஷ்யன் கூறிய கருத்துகளை மக்கள் ஏற்காமல் கலகம் செய்தனர். மீண்டும் குருவின் உபதேசத்தை கேட்க பெட்டியை திறந்தான்.. அதற்கு பின் வரும் காலத்தில் மக்கள் கருத்துக்களை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டனர்... நாட்கள் சென்றன... தனது இறுதி காலத்தை அடைந்தான்.. தனது சிஷ்யனை கூப்பிட்டு கூறினான்.. "எனது பிரிய சிஷ்யா.. எனது குரு எனக்கு அளித்த உபதேசத்தை உனக்கு அளிக்கிறேன். எனது உபதேசம் தேவையான பொழுது மட்டும் இந்த பெட்டியை திற. எனது உபதேசம் கிட்டும்." சிஷ்யனுக்கு சிஷ்யனான பரம சிஷ்யன்.. தனது ஆன்மீக சாதனையில் தோய்வு ஏற்பட்டது. குருவின் உபதேசம் அறிய பெட்டியை திறந்தான்.. அதில் எழுதி இருந்த வாசகம்... "இன்னொரு முறை முயற்சி செய்"

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ATTENTION, PARENTS

ATTENTION, PARENTS   "He would be held responsible" – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXII.     A young French criminal was sentenced to hard labour. He received the verdict calmly.     But as he was being led away, he cried out to the crowded courtroom, "I have nothing against judges, for they have sentenced me justly. I have nothing against guards, because they have done their duty. However, I never forgive two persons in the courtroom – my father and my mother! They have failed in their duty to me! They paid no attention to my upbringing. They did not object when, as a child, I spent hours, watching movies, where scenes of violence and crime are shown so vividly that they easily impressed themselves on my imagination. They turned a blind eye to the bad company I kept. And so, here I stand, a convicted criminal. The fault is their's, but I have to pay for it, by going to prison."     It was William Penn who said, "Men are generally more careful of the breeding of their horses, and dogs than of their children."         http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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THE ONLY BLUNDER

THE ONLY BLUNDER   "Third kind of disciples is those, who go on postponing the carrying out of their orders and making mistakes at every step." –Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXIII.   In the book, Three Religious Rebels, we are given the story of a wealthy nobleman. His name was Theodric. All his dreams and ambitions centered on his only son, Robert. Theodric wanted his son to be a man of possessions and power.   However, Robert had nobler aspirations – to renounce the world and become a humble monk in the Abbey of Saint Pierre. The father was disappointed and heartbroken.   Years passed. Old Theodric was about to die. The wealthy father called his son to his bedside and, with a radiant smile, said to him, "Robert, I want to tell you that when you decided to become a monk, I strained every nerve to change your mind. That was wrong. For that I am truly sorry."   The dying man paused for a while, then said to his son, "Robert, I see very clearly now, that there is only one mistake that one can make in life."   "What may that mistake be?" asked Robert.   With a final struggle for breath to get out the words, the father said, "The only mistake that one can make in life, my son, is not to be a saint."       http://vasukimahal.blogspot.com

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