Psalm 16 (New International Version)1 Keep me safe, O God,        for in you I take refuge. 2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;        apart from you I have no good thing." 3 As for the saints who are in the land,        they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. [b] 4 The sorrows of those will increase        who run after other gods.        I will not pour out their libations of blood        or take up their names on my lips. 5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;        you…

In conversing with your spouse or vice versa, does this question sound familiar, “Why don’t you answer to the point?” I was planning to go to Operation Mobilization library to spend the entire day to study and write. It takes one-hour drive from my house or even more depending on the traffic. To me this journey is often hard, for it is a busy road and I cannot avoid pollution and traffic hassle. So as I was getting ready and informed my wife about my day’s schedule, she curiously asked me, “Are you coming back in the afternoon?” Boom! “What…

Heard of this… on an average 2,000 kids are reported missing every year, but only half of them are found, reveal statistics. ‘Missing’ includes those who have been kidnapped, lost or run away. See report in Hindustan Times and Times of India.In 2006, of the 1,569 kids who went missing, 582 were traced. In 2007, 4,000 children went missing in Mumbai, only 831 were traced – 3,169 kids have still not been located. In 2008 only 2,837 cases of children who went missing.In a City of 18 million people, bubbling with life, business, glamour and decay, 2000 may not be…

On Sunday, we had our third preview service. I have loved every time that we have gathered for corporate worship and get excited at the thought of doing this weekly. We welcomed new visitors, we sang, we read Scripture, we prayed, we gave, we greeted one another, we preached, we took communion, we sang some more, and we ate. It was great. And the whole day was centered on the gospel. We began a three part mini-series looking at Jesus & His Gospel, Jesus & His Community, and Jesus & His Mission. We’re camping out in Ephesians 2 and 3…

True Security Is My Relationship With You Lord. Concentrate on your testimony, Rajwin. But at the same time, realize that maintaining a strong testimony is no easy task. When you are faithful to Jesus Christ it will cost you something. You will often be misunderstood, even by your closest friends and family members. You will have constant attacks from an enemy you can not even see. Faithfullness to Christ may even cost you your home, your ambition, your liffe. Your full reward will not come only unitil your work is completed. But serving Christ is a great challenge, but no…

Cinema can function as a ‘mirror’ or a ‘smokescreen’. It can engage us with life’s important questions and/or disengage us from them. Rock On (2008) engages us in conversations about identity, meaning, morality, and destiny. I found the song 'socha hai’ thought provoking. In fact, the song raises worldview questions (interesting). What is a worldview? A worldview is the set of glasses we wear through which we interpret the whole of life. The basic worldview questions are How did we come into existence? (Origins) Who are we? (Identity) Why are we here? (Meaning) How do we know what is right?…

A new fad now among teens is taking naked pictures of themselves on cell phones and sending it to their friends. Now popularly called “sexting”, is getting very popular with teens everywhere. Texting which was generally popular among young people, now seems to have evolved into its next phase. See reports on sexting in NYT, AP, USTODAY and KXLY. According to a recent study, 20% of teens aged 13 to 19 have taken nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves and sent them to someone or posted them online. Most send these gifts to their boyfriend or girlfriend (69%)…

It’s a beautiful day on the east coast. The clouds are a beautiful bright cottony white just outside the window. Makes you want to fall into them and party with the angels. I’m on a US Airways flight somewhere in the skies between Charlotte and Toronto and my thoughts are about as scattered as the clouds I mentioned a couple seconds ago. Toronto. A new beginning. A fresh start. A second chance—maybe not so much. Maybe I’m getting a little carried away. It’s definitely another chapter in my life, a new season, a step forward—okay getting carried away again. I’ll…

I cam across this interesting article in Daily Mail in UK (leading daily with over 6 million circulation). It was titled – My husband’s affair was the BEST thing that ever happened to our marriage. Check it out entire article for yourself. I wish that was true for more women who made surprise discoveries of their husband’s extra marital affairs. Infidelity wrecks marriages. Restoring broken trust is a near impossible task, especially when a third women is involved. Whether it is a casual one night stand on a business trips or affair with a secretary or old school mate who…

May 1: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.” 1 Samuel 25:32. DOES God prevail upon His people and forbid them from acting unwisely? We need not look any further than this passage to get the answer. There is at least one good reason why God prevailed upon David and restrained him from killing Nabal. Though, on the run for his life and put to much hardship because of Saul, David had a strong sense of right and wrong. How do we know that? His decision that he will not lay his…

The headlines in the last couple of days are about economic gloom abating and business confidence rising. Don't be fooled. The disease is much more fundamental.Professor Simon Johnson of MIT (who used to be the IMF's Chief Economist in 2007 adn 2008) has published an article that does not so much echo my position as it puts the position much more thoroughly and elegantly. The piece, entitled "The Quiet Coup" is at http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200905/imf-adviceI occasionally follow Professor Johnson's blog but I am not a subsciber to The Atlantic: many thanks, therefore, to my friend Friedrich Christian Haas for drawing my attention…

According to well-placed sources, the next 48 hours will be critical in the spread of this particular 'Flu, and we should know within the next 2-3 weeks whether we have succeeded in averting a full-blown medical crisis related to it. Perhaps it will be as late as October before a vaccine is available against the virus. Meanwhile, as a general precaution against ALL viruses, please turn to my Medical Blog at http://guptaramedical.blogspot.com and take the traditional Indian recipe against all 'flu type infections indicated there.From a financial or business perspective, an interesting question is: what will be the economic impact…

The following is a post by Dr. John Kimball, Director of Church Redevelopment of the CCCC. At Seven Mile Road, we are working to move prayer from the periphery to a central place in our community. Dr. Kimball’s article is a timely reminder of what we’re getting at and why.“I don’t understand. We’ve done everything you’ve told us to do…” This godly man was frustrated and tired. He had such hopes for his congregation. And yet, the issues they had been facing for many years just wouldn’t seem to cease. The truth is, they had not done everything I instructed…

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High        will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a] 2 I will say [b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,        my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare        and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers,        and under his wings you will find refuge;        his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night,        nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the…

A new Pew Research Center poll reveals something that’s not new at all: married people are happier than singles.In the most recent poll, 43 percent of people who are married reported being happy, compared with just 24 percent of singles. Even in spite of the beating marriage has taken in recent years, this number is as true now as it was a generation ago. The results were exactly the same for women as for men.The Pew happiness study didn’t confine it’s focus only to marriage. Here are some other interesting findings:Money may not buy happiness but it does reflect it.…

1. time doesn't heal that which isn't affected by time.2. no one's an enemy.3. i don't wish to rehash the recent events of my life or discuss any current leanings or feelings with anyone (so don't take it personally) but that includes you (so take it personally).4. i'm not angry, just hurt.5. i still love.6. thank you all for your advice. i've learned plenty a hard lesson. if you feel like you need to furthur voice your opinion, i'll listen. don't ask for more.7. bottom line: i don't want to talk about it. Benita Joy

Sabrina (1995) is the story of Sabrina Fairchild, the daughter of the Larrabee family chauffeur.The Larrabees are wealthy and own a family business. While she was growing up, Sabrina Fairchild (played by Julia Ormond) spends more time perched in a tree, not just watching the Larrabee family but dreaming of David Larrabee falling in love with her (the crush).For most of her life Sabrina was invisible behind the branches and spending her life lost in her fantasy. For the Larrabees (most importantly for David), Sabrina is just a daughter of the chauffeur.As she is heart broken when her dream shatters…

Right now, in this infant phase, we have two faces to our Sunday Gatherings. Three times a month, we’ll gather informally for prayer, study, conversation, and community. Then once a month, we have a corporate worship service or “preview service” with preaching, singing, communion - the whole bit. For our next three preview services, we’ll be preaching through three truths that are central to Seven Mile Road. More details coming, but tentatively, here’s how that will roll out:MAY 3 :: JESUS & HIS GOSPELEphesians 2:1-10JUNE 14 :: JESUS & HIS COMMUNITYEphesians 2:11-21JULY 19 :: JESUS & HIS MISSIONEphesians 3:1-137 Mile…

I haven’t written a reflective post in a long while… here are some of my thoughts on the season of life I’m currently in, and what I’m about to transition into.To live out the call of Christ on the earth. To let nothing else matter, and allow no thing to come between that. To have Jesus be everything, my reality. To devote my life completely to his call and purpose for my life. To live out Jesus in relation to the world. To bear the redemptive, jubiliary perspective of Jesus. To live as a Christ-follower in the world and bear…

Heard of this? Kids who use Facebook have lower GPA than those who do not. A new study by a doctoral candidate has now confirmed what parents always was suspicious about. Too much time spend on computers on social networking apps are taking precious time that should be spend on studying. See the report in TIME.Critics say you don’t need a doctoral dessertation is show what is obvious. Others say study does not suggest that Facebook directly causes lower grades, but there is a relationship between the two. “Networking may not be need now,” parents say, “they need to focus…