Paul's Commentary

God giveth and giveth and giveth again-Hope in times like these

2011-08-25T09:17:00.006+02:00

All around us we see that the world as we know it is going through some hard times. Iam sure that all of us also do know someone either personally or somehow that has been going to a rough phase in life. Few months ago I was in zimbabwe Africa and was ministering at a conference there. The preacher that spoke the nights before me made this statement "everyone of us are either in a storm, coming out of one or entering into one". The world has drastically changed and the worls's financial system driven and motivated by greed and fear is finally showing its true colour. In times like these, when the going gets tough, and the pain and trouble seeming not to end and never to cease, Iam reminded of the words penned by Aime Johnston Flint, who personally was bed-ridden most of her life and struck by one physical challenge one after another.These words have meant a lot to masses of people all over the english speaking world.

Here are the words penned by the humble giant of faith Aime Johnston Flint

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labours increase,

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When strength has declined ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth and giveth and giveth again

Communicating timeless truth

2011-06-01T15:28:00.008+02:00

Every once in a while, there are those that question the authority and relevancy of the Word of God. Assuming the importance of such a questioning, there arises those that defend their position and those that challenge the defended position.In regards to the bible, the specific and central truth of the christian faith, there seems to be a negotiation taking place within the church itself.This negotiation however seems to be a one sided deal, where those that want to dilute the sound, clear, life-giving, sin-forgiving message seem to get the upper hand. Somehow it seems that the louder one voices his or her opinion regardless of the truth, that opinion somehow seems to be the measuring yard for truth itself. It is this sort of flawed reasoning that I find prevailing in most of our societies and much of the Church itself.
As the body of Christ, we have been entrusted with timeless truth that will influence and impact any culture, academy and society at any given time in history.
Have we forgotten that the Church of Christ, is the foundation and the pillar of truth? Are we so "diseased", that we now trade our faith for flawed reason, sound biblical revelation for human relevance and the bible for the newspaper.
It is high time we realise the importance of communicating the timeless truth we have been entrusted with,unashamedly!

Back again

2011-05-31T14:42:00.001+02:00

It has been quite a while since I have attempted to write anything here. The reason being, a whole lot of other things have taken priority. During the time that I have not been able to post on this blog many a thing has happened both in the immediate surroundings as well as around the world. As far as I remember it has been at least two years since I posted anything on this blogspot. I would like to start again, and hopefully continually update and post in this blogspot.
So what happened between then and now?
I remember an old friend of mine remarking “what happens between then and now and now and then is LIFE”. However we might all agree with that, it is true that many things have taken place the last few years. God has been good towards us.
One major happening since I wrote last, is the birth of our son. He was born in October 2009 and right now he is 18 months old and full of life and energy. He is such a joy to my wife and me and our girls.
Last April, we as a church were able to move into our own facility. It truly is wonderful to be there. It is a former state church building that we now use for our services and for our church. It’s amazing how God knows exactly when to allow us to the next phase in our lives both individually and also collectively.
I do hope and trust that this blog serves not only to highlight my comments but also comes across to you in the spirit of the love of God
Trust that you would also drop in every once in a while and share your ideas and thoughts.

Why the tension among believers

2009-03-27T21:56:00.000+01:00

A verse in the letter of John comes to my remembrance as I reflect on the state at which we as believers (meaning Christian) might find ourselves in, especially when it comes to intra/inter-church relationships. Let me just quote it from memory “but if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” ( 1Joh1:7 italics mine). It is my absolute conviction that the letter that John writes, he writes to people who profess to be followers of Christ and are in a church setting. It is very interesting to observe that the apostle that had revealed for him that which would happen in the last days, has very little to say about our “so -called”, (at least in Swedish setting), I would even say, man made substitute for the true fire of God. What he concentrates on, in at least the first letter that he writes is a powerful, heart piercing, radical call to live the message that we preach, namely walking in light just as God is light and walking in Love just as God is Love.

John’s definition of fellowship is not scratching each other’s backs and polishing one another’s spiritual gifts and living in Quasiglory-land, but a heaven on earth, open, prestige less, pride less, honest, upfront relationship with one another in the Love of God. I believe that we are so uptight and have our masks and guards up so much that we deceive ourselves by hiding behind the unseen bars of pride and prestige that is destroying us as individuals and eating us up from inside.
It is high time that we stop pretending to be what we are not and start living out who we are in Christ Jesus. We in Christ are in the light, and no darkness can quench the light that we are in. Let us therefore draw strength and courage from the light that we are in and live out in our everyday relationships with our friends especially in the churches that we are part of. Let us break down the wall of insecurity, the fortress of inferiority, the fear of being talked about, the need to receive spiritual medals from mere men and allow the precious, priceless, incomparable, Love of our Almighty God through Jesus Christ enable us to walk and live in light towards one another.

A church whose members walk in light towards one another, believing and cheering the God that is on inside of each other, clearly and willingly submitting and believing in the leadership of the God appointed men and women in the government of the church, will cause a mighty God –ordained breakthrough not only in the local outreach of the church but also on a global level.

Having had this verse put to my remembrance and the above illumination that the Holy Spirit encouraged me with, makes me really wonder “why the tension among believers”. Is it really God ordained or is it a demonic attack from the very pit of hell to steal, kill and destroy the family of God, the only hope for a lost and dying world, which we are unaware of?

Poem by a man at a prison cell in vietnam

2009-01-24T21:51:00.001+01:00

I do not know who the person is that peened this poem. But I have heard this so many times and everytime I hear it, it brings a warm assurance in me that God is always by my side and waiting for me to come home with His arms open wide.Here's the poem, hope it will bless your soul today.

Lord God I have never spoken to you
But now I want to say how do you do
You know they told me you didn’t exist
And like fool I believed this
Last night from a cell hole I saw your sky
I figured right then they had told me a lie
Had I taken time to see the things you’ve made
I would have know that they were not calling a spade a spade
I wonder God if you will take my hand
Somehow I feel you will understand
Funny I had to come to this hellish place before I had to see your face
Well I guess that there isn’t much more to say
But iam sure glad God that I met you today
I guess zero hour will soon be here
But iam not afraid since I know you are near
The signal; Well God I have to go
I love you lots, I want you to know
Look now, this will be a horrible fight
Who knows I may come to your house tonight
Though I wasn’t friendly to you before
I wonder God if you’ll wait at your door
Look Iam crying Iam shedding tears
I will have to go now God goodbye
Strange now since I met you, Iam not afraid to die

Friendships with other men

2009-01-24T12:26:00.000+01:00

We as men need men for friendships. Often we think that we do not have a need to build relationships with other men in our lives. But the contrary is true and very essential in our lives. There is a need in every man for meaningful relationship of his own kind. We need quality exchange with other men. This will in turn enable me to value and magnify the lady in my life. The quality of men in my life is extremely important to the portrait that I will build of me. You will only excel in the company of those that are superior to you. I need both, the man that Iam comfortable with and with the man that Iam uncomfortable with. This is essential for the success in my life. I need men that can learn from me and men that I can learn from. Associations are the transference of credibility or loss of it.
Now how do I access such men and what do I look for to help me build such relationships. The following is taken right out of some notes that I had made while hearing a man of God teach on this subject, which I have found both encouraging and essential in my own life when I started to put these few pointers in use.
1. Access the fear of God present in their lives: It is the fear of the Lord that keeps a man from being unfaithful. The fear of God is the invisible compass for our behavior. It is the ability that enables us to acquire both knowledge and wisdom. A man’s obsession to please God is his indication of the fear of the lord.
2. His loyalty: Is he loyal where he is? Loyalty at any cost is a character trait that will bring you to the top. Loyalty is being true and honest to the person we are under, in a way that we are working for God. If you are working for someone that does not admire you and what you achieve then ask God to put you elsewhere. If you are doubtful of the man that you work for, then your work will be flawed and you start to prostitute yourself. Listen to the sound of loyalty and disloyalty. Are they loyal to their wife? Are they unfaithful to their wife? Discretion is proof of loyalty. Covering the weaknesses of those they protect is a proof of loyalty. Never stain the reputation of other people. David always was loyal in all his deeds. Even though they were not his friends he still had loyalty to the position 2Sam 1: 1- 16. Being loyal to a principle proceeds loyalty to a person. Being loyal to principle will always cause you to be loyal to person that holds that principle. True loyalty warns and advices the person that you are loyal to. You want men that fight for you and not lie for you.
3. His Focus: what is the dominant focus of his life? What does he permit, pursue and protect? Is he a lover of pleasure or the lover of greatness? Who are his heroes? Assess their knowledge level and knowledge passion. Be an ingredient in peoples’ lives for their excellence. Be the voice in peoples’ lives that propelles them to their dreams.
4. Who are the people he listens to: who speaks into his lives? Who else matters? Who has the ability to change, affect and correct him?
5. His seriousness about accuracy and integrity: Can you depend on the statistics he gives you. Can you depend on his excellence? Is he real and genuine? Does he want to fix your problems or does he want to help you cover your problems. If I bond with a man I must have full persuasion that I can depend on what he says. He must be able to distinguish between an opinion and that which is accurate. Never cover your mistakes, but rather confess them.
6. Look for productivity: What has he produced, what are his goals and dreams? What has he done with his life and what does he want to do with his life.
7. Look carefully at the quality of the friends they are comfortable with: see the quality of the friend of your friends. Whose company do they cherish and enjoy. Whose voice do they value?
It is impossible to put a monetary value on a good man. It is going to cost me relationships that I now have in order to bond with people that have succeeded in lives. Bond always with people who try to do their best and have a desire to accomplish something in this life.

Flaky hearers!!!

2009-01-23T17:31:00.000+01:00

From what I have seen, heard and experienced thus far, it seems to me that there is always someone somewhere that feels they have a calling from God to distrust you. Now that might sound weird, but the sooner you get used to it, the better it is for you. Iam in no way demeaning honest requireries and the expression of heartfelt concern. In fact Iam grateful that Iam surrounded by people that are both honest in what they say, do and also in expressing their heartfelt concern in various matters.
This note, on the other hand, is to address those who project and insinuate to know better than the rest or rather that they hear God better than the rest. More often than not they even let others know of it. Please do not misunderstand me, some do hear God better than others, but it not those Iam addressing. Iam addressing the self –styled spiritual hearers of our day, and claim and procalim everything under the sun. Isn’t it interesting how we USE GOD for our own lazy benefits! In fact I wonder if it is ignorance on their part or if it is just downright arrogance? Or maybe is it insecurity? Most of these people ( you can notice for yourself) never get committed to any local church, never work under the man or woman God has placed in their lives.They seem to be fleeting from place to place looking for the " right spiritual atmosphere".I wonder why? Whatever the reason is, the sooner we come to grips with what we are doing and allow God to cast his light into our lives through his word, then his spirit can lead us into all truth and set us free, or may I say bring us into light both with ourselves, with God and with our fellow humans.
Trusting that you understand my heart in what I have tried to address.
It’s time for those us to come out of our phony, flaky, pseudo spirituality and step into your God given destiny.

Pointers to Character development

2009-01-23T17:06:00.000+01:00

It’s been a while since I posted on this medium. The reason being that I have been tied up by many different things. The last few weeks I have been watching how God prepared us (my family and I) for such a time as this. One of the things God enabled us to both learn and practice over the years has to been to get to know people by their character.
One preacher made a very sound statement that has catapulted me into what I have learnt over the last 5 years. This was the statement that he made “there is no devastation like an untrustworthy person”. Wow…… it might seem really hard to read that, but the fact of the matter is, that statement is absolutely true. God wants us to grow in wisdom so that we might make the right choices in life and also choose to trust the right sources.
Here are some pointers that might help you in discerning and developing your character as well as connecting with people in your life’s journey. I mean both marital and even social.
1. People’s reactions to men and women of God, reveal their character. Do I despise the people God has placed in my life or do I embrace them as God’s gift to me and for me.
2. People’s reactions or rather fulfillment of their own promises and responsibilities reveal their character. We might be very good at fulfilling those promises that we make to others, but how about those that we make to ourselves. Often time we tend not to honor those promises and responsibilities that we require of ourselves
3. People’s reactions towards hurting people reveal their character. What kind of a person are you? One who looks upon hurting people or one who does something to help hurting people?
4. What is your reaction to an instruction? Now this I believe is the something that we all have a hard time with. We really do not want to be told what to do, but whether we like it or not our character is formed and revealed by the instructions we choose to obey or disobey.
These are just a few pointers that I have put into practice in my own life. Trusting that this will help you as well. In no way I want to say that these are only pointers to developing character, but the above have helped me along the way.

The reason for the season

2008-12-02T18:49:00.000+01:00

I love the month of December. There something about the month of December that really is hard for me to put in words. I was born and brought up in Chennai, in south India, a city with a population of about 6-9 million. Today and for the last 12 years of my adult life I have spent living in Falun, a small city in Sweden, where everything is different from what I was used to in Chennai.
Last Sunday, after service, we went to lunch with a few of our friends from the church to a restaurant in the city. For me it was as if something came to life once we stepped into the main street in the city centre. The whole city was lighted with all these lights, loads and loads of people all over the street walking up and down with their loved ones, shopping and enjoying the day. There were signs everywhere where I could read how stores were trying to cash in for the month. We went to the restaurant and after lunch, my wife and I decided to spend sometime in the city main street and walk together with our children and see all that the town had to offer on that day. Our daughters seemed to enjoy the afternoon as they got to ride on the “merry-go-round” (I don’t know what the real word is) eat candy, run around and us trying to hold on to them. Everyone around us (as far as I noticed) seemed to be enjoying the afternoon, despite the cold biting wind. Suddenly I was struck with the thought: “is shopping and having fun for a day the real reason behind this festive season?”
The newspapers adverts, the signs, the billboards (even though there are none where I live) the toy store catalogues and every thing around me seemed to really bring out the above question more and more in my mind.
I personally, do believe that the real reason behind the season is that for 2000 and some years ago, God became man and was born into time, space and matter. Jesus Christ, Gods only begotten son was born to a Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem.
His birth, announced to the shepherds by a choir of angels, caused both curiosity but also rejoicing, because there was a message attached to the words of that glorious heavenly choir. Please allow me to state the words of that glorious heavenly choir, that brought such curiosity, hope and joy all at the same time to these shepherds. The choir announced “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11).
That my dear friend is the reason for the season, that for you and me was born for 2000 years ago, in Bethlehem, a saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
Let this festive month of December bring to your remembrance, that your sins are forgiven, and that you are in right standing with God, because unto you was born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

Pharisee or a Disciple

2008-11-29T13:36:00.000+01:00

Isn’t it strange that we sense in our churches around the world a tendency to what I call Phariseism rather than the natural tendency to being a disciple of Christ? I know and understand that Iam treading on a mine zone. But at the same time I count it necessary to voice my conviction on these two delicate yet important issues in the body of Christ.
I always like things simple and understandable, especially when it comes to understanding the kingdom of God. According to Jesus himself, a Pharisee is someone that keeps and holds the practices of the kingdom of God without the under girding attribute of the Love of God.
A disciple on the other hand is one that is motivated by the Love of God to keep the practices of the kingdom God under girded by the unconditional love of God that he has experienced in Christ Jesus.
Discipleship is built and formed on the strong foundation of the Love of God and his complete work for us on our behalf in the person of Christ Jesus. I as an individual cannot do anything to attain the favour or the grace of God. God in his loving kindness has not required of me to attain his grace, mercy, love and favour based on my works or practices, but he has rather given it to me through the work of the person Jesus Christ. It is through what Christ has done for me that Iam now a bonafide member in the body of Christ, a son in the family of God and a disciple of Christ in this present world. This in turn motivates me and sets me on a journey where I grow in Christ’s Character and exhibit his attributes in and through my life.
Let me put it this way, going to church, tithing, giving to the poor and needy, being nice to everyone around me does not necessarily make me a disciple of Christ.
I heard some say that just because elephants have ears and I have ears that does not mean to say that Iam an elephant. Isn’t that true?? Of course it is true. In the same way, just doing the outward acts of a disciple without the inward love of God motivating us, does not make us a disciple of Christ.
Let us grow in His love, experience His love, his unconditional love, not necessarily a license to continue in a neither hot nor cold condition as regards to life in the kingdom of God, but an empowerment over sin and to a life in total victory, peace and harmony, independent of the culture and circumstances we live in.
Let us take a stand in humility, to act not in self-righteousness and be deceived in our passion towards God. Let us allow ourselves to be totally soaked in His love, so that when we are squeezed by different circumstances, His love will flow out of us.
Let us be Christ’s disciples and not Pharisees in the family of God. It is a choice and the choice is yours.

Order Character Charisma

2008-09-13T15:47:00.000+02:00

I just got back home after spending a couple of hours with a dear pastor and his wife that are visiting with us and ministering in our church today. This morning, we had it arranged to have a round-table chat with this dear pastor and his wife, regarding the various challenges we face in building the kingdom of God and more specifically in building the local church. Sometime in the middle of our conversation this dear pastor made a statement, and it goes like this “charisma without character creates chaos”…then after pausing for a while, he made this other statement: “charisma with character creates order”.

The above two statements are so true. In fact we can have a whole lot to add and discuss and bring to light, just by reflecting on these statements.

I just want to state it again and allow those statements to sink into the very fiber of our soul.
“Charisma without character creates chaos; Charisma with character creates order”.

It is my persuasion that a lack in character or a lack of godly character, will ultimately lead to self destruction. Charisma alone is not enough, neither talent alone or anointing alone or gifting alone or even for that matter, just experience alone or wisdom alone. We do need charisma, talent, anointing, gifting, experience, wisdom but never at the cost of personal character. It is our character that undergirds all of the above and provides for us that base from which we can launch out. I do have a great respect for the men and women of God of both our time and times past. I do learn from the experience of others. I listen to the wise counsel of men and women of God that have more experience in the ministry than I do. I am an ardent believer that without the anointing nothing can ever be done that will have a lasting effect. Iam convinced that all of us have God-given talent, something that God has placed in every individual. The sooner we discover our talent, the better and effective we will be in realizing and helping those around us. But at the same time if I slack in developing Godly character within me on an everyday basis, my testimony or rather my life would be a living contradiction. It is my desire that we as the body of Christ, especially, the local church would be able to establish Godly character that would make the church attractive in the community. The bottom line is, character and character alone decides the quality of life that we will enjoy while we are here on this earth
Let me make that statement again:“charisma without character creates chaos; charisma with character creates order”.

The inseparable Twins: Character and Anointing

2008-08-14T19:29:00.000+02:00

There is a lot to ministry than what we see or read. Ministry is more than a sermon. More than the glamour of being on Daily Television or the popularity that comes along with fame. It is very easy to attain success in ministry but maintaining success and breaking and exploring new ground together with the leading of the Holy Spirit is a whole other level. Ministry in the kingdom of God is not based and can be easily misunderstood with a democratic mindset. Ministry in the kingdom follows the rules and regulations of the kingdom and for us living in 2008 ministry might seem very strange and even hard to comprehend. When I use the word, "ministry", Iam talking about the five-fold ministry gifts given by Jesus Christ to His church to equip the saints as found in Ephesians 4. The primary aim, focus and purpose of these ministry gifts is not themselves or the attaining of their personal goals and the expansion of their ministry but to train and equip the people they are sent to.
The purpose of me writing this is to comment on one aspect of ministry. I will not cover every aspect of the ministry, but only on one particular area. The area that I want to comment on is the common understanding that “anointing” alone is enough to succeed in God-given assignment for our lives as ministers of the Gospel. A few years ago I was a part of a fellowship and it was brought to my knowledge that one of the members of the fellowship would stay, if they “feel “ the anointing. To me it was like saying “I will remain married to my wife, as long as I feel attracted to her”. Now outward attraction is not lifelong, but will only remain as a result of a strong commitment from me to stay and remain with my wife the rest of my life. Anointing alone does not guarantee success or God directed-ordained ministry. No amount of anointing is a substitute for a lack of personal character. No amount of anointing is a substitute for not developing the fruit if the spirit in one’s life. No amount of anointing will be able to rescue a life that is going down the drain due to lack of personal character. No amounts of public recognition will cease that inner desperate cry to be set free from the bondages that no one else knows about other than us. We can walk down the red-carpets, fly in business jets, pull in crowds by the thousands and still cry on the inside for someone or something to set us free from that which is holding us captive. How can captives set free the captives?
It is character in the vessel God has chosen to act through that will produce fruit that remains. Anointing without character is unlike God. No matter how much we are anointed and how much people call us anointed, if we lack in character, one day we will fall and the whole world will know about it.
I call for a young breed of preachers that are full of the character of the Almighty God, so that everywhere they go, they will create awareness that something beyond that which is common in ministry has arrived to stay.
Christ-like character in the life of the minister is the ocean on which the boat of anointing can sail and reach its God-given destination.

Alexander Solzjenitzen

2008-08-07T17:55:00.000+02:00

A man whose faith in God motivated him and gave him courage to stand against the tyranny of communism has passed away. Yes Iam writing of none other than the great Alexander Solzjenitsyn. He passed away at the age of 89. A great and a powerful write and author, whose faith in God helped him to stand up and fight for the human rights of his fellow citizens in the former soviet union. The first I heard of him was when I was listening to a preacher from the country of my birth(India) name him and quote him a couple of times in his sermon.
In a time and age where being “politically incorrect” could cost one’s life, Solzhenitsyn, stood up for the cause of his fellow countrymen. His bold and uncompromising works revealed to the west the treacheries that were taking place behind the Iron curtain in the lives of individuals that differed in thought and faith from the communistic world view. Capturing the attention of the world with his 1962 novel “A day in the life of Ivan Denisovitjs”, that sold in the millions, he shot to fame and later in 1970 received the Nobel Prize for literature. Shortly after this he was sent in exile from his country and spent his exile in Germany, Switzerland and later on in the United States. Living in the United States he made note and publicly spoke of the moral decline that was taking place there. When he addressed a gathering at Harvard it is said that they literally booed him down because he sounded so old fashioned and conservative. He called America back to its founding truths, to never build and depart from God.
After the fall of the iron curtain and the communism he returned back to Russia where he was received as a hero and later went on to receive a medal of honor from the former KGB man and president Vladimir Putin.
A great man in our time has made his exit into eternity; let his life serve as an example for us all that live in the free world. Let us hold on to the truth that can set us free.

Finality/Eternity

2008-07-05T17:41:00.000+02:00

Lately the words "eternity/finality" has had me think a whole lot. I have people often tell me in my conversations with them, be it at work, at the parking lot, at the grocery store, downtown, at a restaurant, at airports, even at churches, that "one day all this is going to be over". For my swedish readers the words are " snart är det slut på detta". Now that makes me wonder if it ever occured to people that life continues even after our three score years and ten ( 70). That life continues even after we cease to exist. That life here is just a short period of time when it comes to eternity. Maybe we dont beleive in eternity anymore. Maybe we have allowed our every day care some how steal from us the perpective of "Eternity". Finality of life here on earth is not the end of it all. It continues in to "Eternity". We can reject this thought and live life as it comes, but then we are being set up for the greatest surprise of our life time.
I heard once someone say " there are no atheists after death". Guess that statement holds true. I would here like to put into writing that "there is more to your life and my life than just figuring out how we going to live here and now".
Every motivational speaker, every self help writer, are keen on pointing that the key to lasting satisfaction is to live our lives for a greater purpose than ourselves.
Jesus Christ challenges us to let our lives be a reflection of who he is, and thereby making our "Finality" of life here on earth a stepping stone,a spring board, a wide open door, a marvellous reception, and an invitation to "Eternity" with him.
Finality of life or Eternity with Christ..... the choice is yours.. Hope you could choose "Eternity" with Christ.

Opinion? or Conviction?

2008-06-09T12:53:00.000+02:00

To often in our day, the comman man, makes the error of mistaking an opinion for a conviction and a conviction for an opinion.
Opionion is something that merely voices our preference on a certain issue. A conviction, on the other hand, is a deep-seated, unshakeable reality that is embedded in our conscience. Giving voice to our preferance, in a way does help and enable us move along on the path of life, but a conviction secures our life-long jouney.
Having said that, let me also say that opinions vary and change from time to time depending on the mood of the person and the season in which he or she is present in.
A conviction, does not change, it does not vary and is independent of how you and I feel.
Lets say, if I allow my opinion to form and nuture my conviction, my conviction would never be stable and will keep changing from time to time. People around me, can get a feeling and a sense of insecruity and instabilty coming from me. This might cause them to distance themselves from me and also ( if this way of life style is allowed its full course) in the long run, personally destroy my life as well as the lives of those that are close to me. Opinion driven life-style is always dependent on the fleeting changes in time and the common mood in the society.
Therefore , if iam to frame my values on the basis of my opinions, it is understandable that , my values will be fleeting and changing on the mood of the hour.
Why do we run away from our convictions and allow opinions to form the basis for our convictions? What are we trying to escape? What in the name of meaning are we trying to accomplish?
According to my studies in various fields of human history, I have come to learn that, every breakthrough in the human history was always preceeded by the conviction of an individual in that time and age.
Someone once said " Every fresh new golden era in human history has been preceded by the devotion and righteous passsion of one or more individuals who knew their God and knew where they were going".
Opinions do not have the ability to cause that kind of a passion and devotion that is required to break ground in human history. It takes conviction and from it will stem commitment out which passion, enthusiasm and a zeal to break new ground will arise.
Let us walk and live out our conviction rather than our opinion.
A verse that I love in the bible is from the book of Daniel. It says " they that know their God shall do mighty exploits".
The exsistence of God, and His intervention in human history through His son Jesus Christ, is a conviction that I live by and not merely giving voice to the prefereance of the life that i have chosen to live.
Hope you too would somehow seek to get to know and be convicted of the the powerful, almighty, loving, atoning, merciful son of God, "Jesus Christ".

Life!

2008-06-06T21:37:00.001+02:00

Life! What is life all about? How come there are so many people trying to figure out what life is all about? Philosophers writing volumes, religion trying to give its view, society placing an answer, Politicians, professors, teachers, parents and even us, all trying to figure out what life is all about.
When I was 3, life to me was trying to sit on the back seat support of the rickshaw when I went to the nursery school with my cousin. At 12 it was the excitment of flying all by myself on an aeroplane to the city of Calcutta, in the nation of my birth, India. At 14 it was the thrill of having a girlfriend. At 18 it was the long journey from Madras ( chennai) to Uppsala, Sweden. At 22 it was marriage to my beautiful wife Mirjam. At 25 it was the birth of our first daughter Elsa. Oh what a day it was. I was so nervous, that the midwife told me to relax and sit down on the couch. I will never ever forget that moment when Elsa was born, and seconds after I was holding her in my hand, after cutting the the umbilical cord. Well then again at 27, it was the birth of our second daughter, Emma. This time, the whole "labor process" went quick and I was not that nervous ( guess I felt that way, because there was no midwife telling me to relax). Well now that iam 30 I still think and sometimes wonder what Life is all about.
I have come to the conclusion that "Life cannot be defined, but rather life has to be lived, in order to experience it".
Well I guess that would all for now, coz I still cant put in words what life is all about.
Or could I?
Let me try: Every human on the face of the earth has sometime wondered what life is all about.
Where do i come from, what is my purpose, how do I attain salvation and is there life after death?
These are valid, deep-seated questions that every man and woman has. It is our attempt as men and women to get to know the answers to these questions that enables us to get a hold of what life is all about.
For me, answers to these questions, that all of us have, I found in the person of Jesus Christ and the message that he preached and personified. Yes, in Jesus Christ, I have found what life is all about.
I still do wonder at times, on what life is all about, but my wondering always finds a way to the harbour, and that is, in the person of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Saviour. Iam reminded of the words "on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand".