Thursday, May 23, 2013

Life filled with Miracles!!!

Dear Friends, Welcome to the Miracles segment of this blog! Let Holy Spirit speak to you and lead you according to HIS perfect will..!

Can’t imagine how I get to the state I’m now and couldn't count on the situations how miraculously my JESUS have saved and poured out HIS Favor on me.

For the past few months I have been guttering over to pen down the miracles I have experienced in my life. Nevertheless I was not keen at putting that in action as I always do due to sluggishness. One Sunday I was touched by the words which my Pastor used in his sermon. You can’t hold it within yourself when you truly experienced the miracles of GOD.

The very moment I was touched by Holy Spirit and understood the significance of sharing the testimony of my life. I was questioning GOD, LORD it’s too much that I have tasted your love and how will I put everything together. My JESUS guided me and spoke to me very clearly and recapped how HE dealt with me in the seasons of my life.

Later part of this I will share about the seasons which I had encountered JESUS in my life! Friends before I proceed would like to ask this question, which is the moment/stage do you really think, will be a turning point in your life?
  • May be if you are in school, you would be thinking of choosing the right course for graduation to set your career right.
  • Secondly if you are in final year of college you would be carried away with the placements worries.
  • Thirdly when you are working for a company or organization your focus will be on to excel in the job and go higher designations.
  • Fourthly you might have a challenging situation in your Visa approval.
  • Fifthly when your parents or you think to find a life partner, definitely your thoughts will be fluctuated on choosing the partner.
Do you really agree about the above stages which can really make your life best or worse? Well, for me GOD worked out for its BEST.Stay tuned to read the miraculous ways HE lead me. God Bless!

In Christ Alone
Justina Stephen


Sunday, February 24, 2013

This is my Prayer!


                                    
                                   
Dear Friends before I flinch with my contemplation about this post, I would like to set forth few questions to you. Ponder over these questions and scrutinize about your motives.

1. Are you praying regularly?

2. If so, what is the motive of your Prayers?

3. Does your Prayer points include the following - Praying for Family needs, Financial Situations, Protection, Praying for a House to own for yourself, Praying for a child, Praying for Wife or Husbands salvation, Praying for marriage, Praying for Husband’s Job, Praying for Children’s Education, Praying for Health, Praying for ministry, Praying for Visa’s to get through, Praying for friends ?

Certainly many of our Prayers will encompass few or some of the prayers points from the above list. Well it’s not a bad idea to pray over these things. But would like to insist that do not use Prayer as a rescue operation rather than as ongoing life support.

Recently God revealed how my Prayer should be through Paul’s writing. As Part of Monthly goals I’m reading the book of Philippians. Don’t be surprised that I ‘m working on Monthly Goals  J . Recently I’m learning many things in the areas which I was ignorant. Like everyone else I too have the desire to work on the resolutions which I take every year. But I was failing and this Year I could improve on, because of the ideas given by my friend and truly, she is the greatest blessing to me at the appointed time J Given link below for your improvement areas on the resolutions and it will be very helpful for you too.! http://sheensteve.wordpress.com/category/goals/

When I read Paul’s letter to the people of Philippi, he prayed for the people of Philippians. This Prayer throws an insight about my daily prayer time with God. I and my husband together memorized this verse with actions, like how we teach a kid with actions, so as not to forget things easily. J

Read these verse carefully and slowly,

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1: 9 – 11.

There are five important requests found in this Prayer,

1.     Abound more in Love.
2.     Grow in knowledge and depth of Insight.
3.     Discernment of Good and Bad.
4.     Purity and blameless when the day of Christ.
5.     Filled with the Fruits of righteousness.

The order which Paul put forth has a meaning and intention to it.

Firstly he prays for the abundance of Love. Love for whom? Of all the commandments, the most important which Jesus says, 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12: 30, 31.

Secondly he prays about abundance in knowledge and depth of Insight. The knowledge comes from God’s word. A growing love for God is seen in one’s fellowship with God (Psa. 63:1-8), in obedience to God’s law (John 14:21).Reading and meditating the word of GOD will help us to grow in knowledge and wisdom.

Thirdly he prays for discernment. Most people know that discerning what is good and what is bad or what is best is not always easy, therefore much wisdom and insight is needed that comes by reading the word of GOD. Such wisdom comes from asking for it in prayer -Read James 1:5; Proverbs 2:1-9

Paul’s fourth request is tightly tied with the last request. He prays that the believer will be “sincere and blameless until the day of Christ” (v 10 b). Paul prays that they will be found pure when Jesus returns filled with the fruits of righteousness.

Fifth request is to be filled with the fruits of righteousness. What is righteousness? It is an attribute that implies that a person's actions are justified, and can have the connotation that the person has been "judged" or "reckoned" as leading a life that is pleasing to God. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.

When we en graft God’s word upon our hearts, "the fruit of the Spirit" will be seen within us. The Spirit will produce these qualities within us by the word He has inspired.

So the ultimate conclusion for Paul’s prayer to be answered is by reading the word of GOD J. God will give us the grace to understand the truth by having a closer walk with HIM through Prayer and meditation of HIS word. Finally I would like to remind you of the verse in Psalms 1: 2 – Blessed is the one – who meditates on his law day and night. When we look upon HIM for this revelation all the prayer points which you were praying (Refer above – Question 3) will be taken care by HIM. God Bless!

In Christ Alone
Justina Stephen

Friday, February 22, 2013

Accepting the discipline of Holy Spirit



What is discipline? It is the training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior. I know, you may wonder it could be literature writing :) . Certainly not, the reason I bring this meaning spelled out is to reveal how God lead me since the beginning of this New Year.

Who is Holy Spirit? The word of God is the “Holy Spirit” (John 1:1) and to discipline ourselves to do what the word says is the same as receiving the discipline of the Holy Spirit. I and my Husband Sam were continuously reminded of reading the word of God which we were lacking in the past. I believe this one area is every believer will be struggling since it’s the chain of bondage which Satan usually laid before us. When you started knowing the truth (word of GOD), the truth will set you free which Satan wouldn’t be interested to encourage this. (“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. - John 8: 32”). Predominantly the believers will fall prey to this fixture of Satan who brings us various genuine reasons for not reading and meditating the word of GOD. No wonder we were into it as well.

Purely by GOD’s grace and perfect leading we have accepted the discipline of Holy Spirit in this New Year. He showed us a Church where HE wanted us to be in the place where we live. The only message which we heard in different aspect of sermons is to read through HIS word in these past 2 months of this Year.

Starting of these lent days we attended the church service in the evening. We truly felt the presence of GOD during Prayer time. I strongly urged in my spirit about HIS leading on the disciplined life which HE expects from us. But I don’t have any plans on how to implement it. While returning back from Church we were having a discussion about the message and what God spoke to us which we regularly do after every church service. On that beginning of lent days Holy Spirit patently revealed the plan to Sam on what we should be doing on these lent days.

We might have heard from Christians on the sacrifices which they would be planning for lent days such as avoid eating Non veg or do fasting during these days. We also had the desire of taking a step to get closer to HIM. The biggest and most common excuse which we hear from people about the busy life is they don’t have time for regular Bible reading, Prayer. So we decided to spend our evening time in Bible reading and Prayer and it’s a blessing to us. We were simply astonished every time on the way HE led us in meditation and Prayer which we thoroughly enjoy in HIS Presence. J At times I’m perplexed about how HE speaks to us through HIS word and also our spirit feels the need of implementing what we read in our daily life.

I have been reminded of the verse "I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths." – Proverbs 4: 11. Now our spirit longs for his teaching everyday and it’s not a sacrifice we are doing during lent days rather it’s has become the most precious hours to feel and hear HIS voice.

Friends, the bible is our instruction manual for life and hold on to the instruction. In obeying God's Word lies the very essence of life. Therefore, begin and end your day by reading the Bible and be blessed. God Bless!

In Christ Alone,
Justina Stephen



Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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!