Group28/3/07

Bless the Lord O my soul..

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

Deo(S4M) led the group this week and he raised up a very interesting topic...HOLINESS! He asked if all those sitting there could be saints eventually... We discussed about the saint that we were most inspired by and why. Holiness is not something that is meant only for sanyasis or priests or nuns. Each of us can be a holy person and indeed we are called to be holy or 'set apart for the Lord'. In both the Old and New Testaments, we are told to be holy, even as our Heavenly Father is holy. And this holiness comes from the influence of the Holy Spirit on our thoughts, words and deeds. All things that corrupt us must be removed from our lives, however small they may be...bitterness, anger, fear, worry, frustration and so on.

The word for the day was from Ephesians 6.10-19.

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

We sang the action song "Who gives the faith..". Then Sherinchechi(S8R) shared her experience when she was caught during an exam because her little brother had unknowingly written something in the Clark's table she was using. She had to write all the papers again....but God turned it to be a blessing....She scored 81% for that year, because of which she passed her diploma with distinction! Truly HE works for the good of those who love Him who have been called acording to His purpose.

The talented actors from our Audio Visual ministry presented a skit on five friends who usually copy during exams and how Christ changes each of them....It was really comic but meaningful....really worth watching!!!!!! Great work AV ministry!!! We closed off with prayer...

The first week with a new core at the helm went off wonderfully....may He continue to bless JY MACE!!!!!! Do keep praying for us.

Love and prayers

Sumi

2 Cor 12:9

My grace is sufficient for you because my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Group21/3/07

Our God is an awesome God!!!!

Dearest in Christ

This week's group was led by Jeffiechetan(S6L) and Binumon(S4E). They shared some powerful thoughts with us...Jeffiechetan shared about how the Lord guided and blessed him every step of the way during the placement and how the verse Phil. 4:13 strengthened him. The word for the day was from Phil.4.

Phil. 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Indeed with Christ by our side to lead and guide us, we can do all things...no task or trial is too big, too difficult or too scary. And nothing is impossible for Him......Like that sms forward says "DON'T SAY, GOD, I HAVE A BIG GOD, INSTEAD SAY, PROBLEM, I HAVE A BIG GOD!!!!!" Let each of us try saying this to each problem....and see the difference....Of course we must also have complete faith in our God that He is able to deal with the problem in the best possible way! Binu shared a story that illustrated how faith can work wonders... They also emphasised that the converse is also true....that we can do nothing without Him. What can the branch do without the vine??

Let us face each new day in our lives with this verse....I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me... We really CAN do all things through Him...just try and see...

We then sang the action song "uttar se aala re"...all joined in enthusiastically!! We concluded with prayer.

Do keep the core and ministries in your prayers. And you all dear chetans and chechis are also in our prayers.....

Love and prayers

Sumi

2 Cor 12:9

My grace is sufficient for you because my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Group14/3/07

Praise the Lord!!!!

Dearest JY family members

The group of the day was led by Jerinchetan(S6M) and George(S4C). And they brought up a very apt topic-TENSION- it being the start of a new semester. They shared insights into how to deal with tension.... Or rather how tension should not have any place in the life of a true Christian. Surely if we submit our needs, worries and fears to Him in prayer, we need not walk around bearing their huge burden everyday. If we do, we show a lack of faith in Christ, that He is not powerful enough to deal with our problems effectively.

It may be difficult to trust Him in the storms of life but that's when our faith comes into play. We display the strength of our faith in the fire, the flood, the storm. And if Jesus is in the boat, why worry? After all He has said, "Do not worry about tomorrow...." The word for the day was from Mark 9:33-37.

Mark 9:35

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Humility must be the hallmark of every Christian, especially a JY member. For we are called not to sit in high places and be served but to serve others in all humility, as our Master did.

We concluded by praying and cheering.

God bless you all!!!!

Love and prayers

Sumi

2 Cor 12:9

My grace is sufficient for you because my strength is made perfect in weakness.

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CORE-New soldiers

Dear JYMACE family
I am very glad to say that yesterday was a nice time for us.New soldiers for JY family ............ ..had the core team reconstitution yesterday.We had 22 soldiers for our family to lead us for the coming year.
Coordinator -Nitin Antony Francis(s6)
Bible ministry-Jeffie John Parackal(s6)
Music Ministry-Jomy( s6) and Merin(s4)
Audio visual-Eugene Peter(s6) and George Tharakan(s4)
Intercession- Bineesha Vinayan(s4)and Manju Ann(s4)
Outreach-Jerin George( s6)and Serene V G(s6)
Library-Tenish( s4)
Finance-Linta( s6)
Secratary-Sumi Sam George(s4)

Yesterday Siju chettan came in the core.After declaration Peterachan(from mathirappilly came to core)blessed all new core members.We have core team leaders training at Emmaus from this friday.Hope we can bring all new members for that program.Do pray for all new core team members and for the program also.God bless you
Shinto Devasia

Contentment

this feeling....Cultivating Contentment

By Karen Ehman

"… I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

Devotion:

Five-year-old Ryan was our next door neighbor. A blond-haired, brown-eyed spitfire whose favorite past time was to ride his bike. His rickety, red, girl's Schwin bicycle had been handed down through several cousins before making its way into Ryan's garage and heart. Badly in need of repair, it didn't matter to Ryan. He proudly paraded that contraption up and down our block each afternoon. So imagine my surprise when one day, I happened upon Ryan kicking his beloved bike as it lay on the ground.

"What are you doing, buddy?" I questioned." Stupid bike,' he murmured still striking it with the toe of his tennis shoe. "Cool kids have a bright blue-- mud puppy-- dirt bike, not some dumb old, girl's bike from their cousin." And then, it dawned on me what day it was. It was Ryan's first day of kindergarten. And sure enough, at recess the kids discussed what bikes they owned and in Ryan's eyes his prized possession had suddenly turned stupid. His contentment had vanished. Why?

Comparisons. Comparisons deal a fatal blow to our contentment. My house is just fine….until my sister builds one larger and more functional. My clothes are satisfactory….until I see the latest new must-haves of the season. Why even my husband's not bad of a guy…. until I think of my friend's handy hubby who can build an addition on their house, while mine can barely fling a paintbrush. You see, we're usually content with our own red Schwin hand-me-down until we spy our neighbor with her new, bright blue mud puppy.

The great playwright William Shakespeare said it fittingly in his work Much Ado About Nothing, "Comparisons are odious." That's right, they stink!! And if we wallow in comparisons long enough … we begin to stink.

The apostle Paul penned today's verses from a dark, lonely, first century prison, with no internet access or air-conditioned exercise room. Yet just when did Paul say we should be content? When life is clipping along, with circumstances going our way? When we've just told Howie we'll take the deal? No it says in any and every situation.

The Greek word rendered "content" in this passage denotes more than just a throwing up of arms in reluctant acceptance. It means literally "to be satisfied to the point where I am no longer disturbed or disquieted." This is the calm place God has prepared for us in the midst of life's storms. He's waiting for us to lift our eyes off of our circumstances and instead, fix them solely upon Him; to look to our position in Christ for our worth, not our position in society.

We must stop struggling to change our circumstances. What will make the difference is the peace of Christ living in us, not us living with someone else's circumstances. Don't our human minds reason that the opposite is true? You know the audio reels that play through your mind: "If only I had a bigger house … a little more money … mild-mannered children … a kinder, gentler husband."

Not available in microwave form, godly contentment needs to be patiently cultivated. We must cease comparing and instead embrace our current lot in life, welcoming all that God will teach us through it. Only then we will discover the secret Paul knew; that true contentment is not having what you want; but wanting nothing more than what you already have.

Dear Lord, help me to take my eyes off of others and fix them instead upon you. May I discover the peace You graciously offer me, no matter the circumstances of my life at this moment. I praise You for the good times and I thank You for what you teach me during the not-so-wonderful times. Use all of them to make me what You want me to be.

2 Cor 12:9

My grace is sufficient for you because my strength is made perfect in weakness.