Sunday, February 28, 2010

Who God Uses


Just check out the people God used. You may think you are too insignificant, but think again!


Who God uses


The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer... AND
Lazarus was dead!

A Journey Through Suffering

Journey 
Through 
Suffering







When life unleashes all its pain and hardship with ruthlessness and cruelty, and you find yourself groping for that light at the end of the dark tunnel, it is easy to despair and be despondent. You are bedeviled and confused. You spend so much time thinking about possible reasons why your seemingly carefree existence has been brought to a screeching halt, without any obvious prior warning signs. Answers are not easy to come by!

It has been almost a decade since my self-imposed retirement from journalism. Yet, it is easy to put pen to paper when you swerved off life’s road and you know that it will never be the same again. The past is gone; the present is tense and you do not know what the future holds. But you are sure it can never again be like it used to be. Such a situation can either make you stronger, more resolute and more determined or it can completely crush your spirit. Some unanswered questions kept haunting you: Why and why now?

Some months earlier when Ting, my wife, was diagnosed with cancer of the carcinoma nasopharynx, it was a virtual upheaval for the family, especially for our kids. Our youngest daughter’s second birthday was just weeks away. Everything turned topsy-turvy. We embarked on a journey of uncertainty with fear and trepidation, a journey into unknown territory. We were fully aware that the difficult steps in the initial stage were an easy challenge considering the tension, pain, longing and separation that we had to endure. Yet, we were confident that “though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4), we will be “sustained” (Proverbs 18:14).

It all began over a year ago when Ting complained of “ringing” in her right ear. We took several trips to the doctors at Tezpur, the cultural capital of Asom. Then we consulted a specialist at Downtown Hospital, Guwahati, who after several visits over a period of months concluded that it could be a case of mastoid abscess. But she got no relief. During a furlough back home we visited another doctor who offered to operate. The good doctor’s offer prompted us to consider going to a reputed hospital for a second opinion and necessary treatment. And Christian Medical College, Vellore, was our obvious choice.

The initial battery of tests and investigations did not reveal any definite diagnosis. A neurosurgeon ordered an MRI scan which finally revealed a tumor. A biopsy was conducted to determine whether the tumor was malignant or not. It was a real test of character and faith as we await the results. During the week leading to the day when the biopsy results would be known, we tried to be calm and composed as best as we could. However, no preparation was good enough for what was to come. But deep down in my heart God said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12:9). The samples taken during the biopsy confirmed our worst fears. Ting rang up late in the evening. Between her hysterical cries I managed to mumble a word here and a word there. She cried her hearts out that night, I was told. Dazed and tired, I decided to sleep. Before I retired to bed that March night which seemed so long ago, I said a prayer and claimed for the family one of the most promising verses in the Bible: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Once the reality of the situation sank in, Ting faced her treatment with songs and prayers in her lips, and reading of books. The doctors ordered thirty-three rounds of radiation and six cycles of chemotherapy. When I was able to offload my duties and plan my trip to be with her during the course of her treatment, she asked me to “bring the hymn book”. Since that first trip to CMC, I had made numerous trips and every time I stepped inside the hospital I experienced a strong feeling of comfort. As a Christian, the wall hangings with Bible verses provided much comfort and solace. Ting’s department, the radiation therapy unit, was no exception. Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me……” seemed so new and so refreshing.

During the course of Ting’s treatment we have learned to exercise deep faith in the power of prayer. It can give immense comfort to weary souls like ours. Relatives and friends called and SMSed to give words of comfort. They really made a big difference. The elder of the church which we attended in Shillong eight years earlier called to offer sympathies and words of comfort. It was like “cold waters to a thirsty soul” (Proverbs 25:25) to hear his soft voice after a gap of almost eight years. I was overwhelmed with emotions. When I first reached Vellore with a handwritten get-well card signed by my daughters, sisters, brother and other close friends, she could not stop crying. I know crying can do a lot of good. Someone who knew better once said: “I know two people who claimed to have never cried – one committed suicide and the other ended up in a mental hospital”. Through it all we have learned that we are surrounded by people who care, who pray for us. Though this journey is not of our choice, we continued to see the goodness of God and His presence (Matthew 28:20, Jeremiah 29:11).

Books can be a great source of comfort too. Most of the time when she is able to, Ting read books. We bought enough books which would have taken the uninitiated a lifetime to read. Apart from periodicals, she devoured many of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul Series” books, making her cry as she read them. “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn gives new insights on the subject of heaven. David Biebel’s “If God Is So Good, Why Do I Hurt So Bad?”, “Jonathan: You Left Too Soon”, “Finding Your Way After the Suicide of Someone You Love”, and “How to Help a Heartbroken Friend” offered comfort in time of crisis. Former secular novelist turned Christian writer Francine Rivers’ novels especially “Redeeming Love” touched one’s soul. Carole Hamm’s “Springtime of the Soul”, Martha Hubler’s “Draw Me Closer, Lord”, Terrie Williams’ “A Plentiful Harvest”, “Stay Strong” and “The Personal Touch”, Dr. Gary Smalley’s “The DNA of Relationships”, Alistair Begg’s “The Hand of God: Finding His Care In All Circumstances” and many others were a real blessing to us.

I believe the most difficult part of the journey has been walked by the children. They needed to be relocated which was easier said than done. They had to go to a new school halfway through the academic session. They had to learn to live in a totally new environment. But the unknown faces soon shed off their masks and they discovered a whole lot of new friends welcoming them with open arms. God in His wisdom and grace has allowed each one of them to settle down quickly even in our absence.

And that leads us to the inevitable question: Does God have a purpose in this? Possibly! I don’t assume a false sense of knowing something which I definitely do not know. But I strongly believe that God does not take pleasure in letting someone suffer for one’s good. We do not seek for answers. We do not ask for reasons. But we believe that God in His infinite goodness has allowed this to happen to us. We must admit that good things have happened to us as a direct result of the situation we are in. It also has been a humbling experience, the best class-room for a life-changing lesson in humility. It teaches you to be more sensitive to others who are suffering. It draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Him.

The lesson of life God taught us as we continued this journey is not to despair. Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and our well-laid plans, but deep down in our heart of hearts we are assured that God is not helpless even among the ruins. In the words of another hope-r, “I pray in hope. I’m going to keep hoping to my grave”. Hope is what keeps us going. Not only hope in this life but also in the next! For it is hope that is all that we have and we know Hope will take us through to the end!

Do I hear the faint and distant drum-beats of hope getting closer?

Spending Time

Huithiang > The messages and preaching of Bryan Wilkerson has a tremendous impact world-wide. I have been immensely blessed. Bryan Wilkerson has served as Senior Pastor at Grace Chapel since September of 2000, having previously served for 16 years as Senior Pastor at Shelter Rock Church in Manhasset, New York. Bryan is a graduate of Wheaton College and Denver Seminary. Additionally, he holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Bryan is a frequent contributor to Preaching Today and The Leadership Journal and enjoys speaking at Camp of the Woods and other conferences.

Bryan’s life mission statement is “to lead as many people as possible to a joyful and growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.” He is passionate about communicating God’s truth with clarity, warmth, and relevance to our daily lives. He enjoys the challenges of leading a large, vibrant church, and of working with a gifted, dedicated staff.
When he isn’t in meetings or preparing messages, Bryan can be found running or biking the back roads and trails of New England. 
He and his wife, Karen, live in Bedford and have enjoyed 29 years of marriage. They have four children, Kelly (26), Brendan (23), Mark (20), and Daniel (17).
Spending
Time
By Bryan Wilkerson

Text : Psalm 90:1–17
Topic: The eternal value of numbering our days
Big Idea: By numbering our days we realize how few we actually
have, we spend them wisely, and we live them out for God’s
eternal purposes.


I happened to catch a song on the radio a few months ago called “100 Years,”
by a group named Five for Fighting. It was the tune that caught my attention at
first, but the words were just as haunting. The premise of the song is that if you’ve
only got 100 years to live, then 15 is a great age to be because you’ve got plenty of
time—”time to buy, time to lose, time to choose.” Twenty-two isn’t bad either, as
you’re just crossing the threshold into grown-up pursuits. At 33 or so it feels like
things are coming together—you have people in your life and work to do. But at
45 you’re nearing the halfway mark, and time is slipping away. At 67 the sun is
falling toward the horizon, and before you know it, you’re 99, wondering where the
time went and wishing you were 15 again, even for a moment.
When I heard that song, it brought to mind another song, a much older one. I
don’t mean from the sixties or seventies. I’m talking about one of the oldest songs
in human history: Psalm 90. The Psalms, of course, were songs, and were to be
sung by God’s people in worship and reflection. Psalm 90, which is connected
somehow to Moses, may be one of the oldest pieces of literature in the Bible.
Like the song “100 Years,” Psalm 90 ponders the passing of time. The singer seems
to be perplexed, troubled even, by the brevity of life. The way he figures it, we’ve
got more like 70 years—threescore and 10—or maybe 80 if we’re lucky. Whatever
the number turns out to be, they pass quickly, he says, and before we know it,
we’ve come to the end, and we wonder if our lives have counted for something, for
anything. Has it all been trouble and sorrow, or will we have something to show for the years we’ve spent in this world?

That’s a question we all ask from time to time. Not every day, probably, not even most days. But on certain days—when life slows down for a few moments, when the calendar flips from one year to another, when we blow out the candles on another birthday cake, when we hear of a celebrity who’s passed away or of tens of thousands lost in a wave of disaster—we stop and think about the passing of time, about the meaning of our lives.

Rabbi Harold Kushner writes, “Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or
power. Those rewards create almost as many problems as they solve. Our souls are hungry for meaning…we want our lives to matter.”

In our “40 Days of Purpose” campaign, we learned that one of people’s greatest fears today is the fear of living a meaningless life, of coming to the end of their lives and having nothing to show for it. Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose-Driven Life, continues to be one of the bestselling books of all time. Millions upon millions of Americans want to live a life of significance.

That’s what this new series is all about. For the next 5 weeks, we’ll be discovering how to live “A Life That Counts.” When all is said and done, we want our lives to add up to something—something that will last. As Christian people, we want our lives to count for God. If that’s going to be the case, then we have to manage wisely the three primary resources God has entrusted to us: our time, our money, and our talents. We’ll be looking at a variety of passages from Old and New Testaments, and trying to be as honest and practical and creative as we can be in exploring these areas of life.

This morning we’ll begin our teaching series thinking about time. We’re going to discover that if you want your life to count, you have to number your days. Let’s take a closer look at Psalm 90 and see what that means.

We Are Told to Number Our Days
As we mentioned, Psalm 90 may be one of the oldest pieces of literature in the Bible. It’s
attributed to Moses, but we’re not sure exactly what that means—if Moses actually composed it, or if it came from Moses’ era, or if it was written by a later author from Moses’ point of view. Whoever wrote it, and whenever he wrote it, he was thinking about the passing of time. He could have been a young person, looking ahead to all that life held for him. He could have been an older person, looking back and wondering what his life had meant. Or, he could just as easily have been at mid-life, looking both ways at once, and wondering.

Whatever the circumstances, and whichever way he’s looking, the author sees two things.

First, the eternality of God. “Lord, you have been our dwelling place through all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the Earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Moses certainly understood the immortality of God. Remember, he was the one who asked God his name: “When they ask me who sent me to them, what shall I tell them?” And God replied, “Tell them, I am who I am.” God always was, always is, and always will be. God has no beginning or ending. God simply is. He is eternal.

To make the point, the songwriter says, verse 4, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” Now, that verse is not some cipher for decoding the Book of Revelation; it’s simply a metaphor, a feeble attempt with human words to explain that God is not affected by the passing of time. He’s never late. He’s never in a rush. He’s never tired.

The second thing he sees is the frailty of man, the brevity of human life. “You turn men back to dust,” he sings, reminding us that these bodies that we work so hard to take care of, to keep healthy, to make more attractive, will one day return to the Earth and be turned to dust. We’re like people living on a flood plain, verse 5 tells us, when the waters rise we’re swept away while sleeping in our beds. We’re like grass, the song goes on, springing up bright and green after a midsummer night’s rain, only to wither and die under the afternoon sun.

Five for Fighting isn’t the first rock band to echo the thoughts of Psalm 90. Some years ago, the group Kansas sang a song called “Dust in the Wind.” The words go: “I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone. All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see. It slips away, and all your money won’t another minute buy. Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.” A few years ago we listened to yet another song about time, this one by Hootie and the Blowfish: “Time, why you punish me? Like a wave crashing into the shore, you wash awaymy dreams…. Time is wasting, time is walking; time, you ain’t no friend of mine.”

So how do we resolve this tension between the eternality of God and the frailty of human life? We sense that we were made for something more than this life. God has set eternity in our hearts. We want to do something that will last. Yet time so quickly catches up with us, and most of what we accomplish in this life turns to dust along with these bodies we inhabit. The castles we spend our lives building get washed away when the tidal wave called time washes over us. How can we make sure our lives will count, not only in this life, but beyond?

The answer, says the songwriter, is to number our days—to count them, to value them. Verse 12 is the turning point in the psalm, where the song shifts from lament to hope. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Everybody counts something. Wise people count the things that really matter.

I was on an airplane this week and was working on this message. They showed a movie called Mr. 3000. I was too cheap to rent the headset, and I had work to do anyway, but I glanced up enough to get the gist of the story. Bernie Mac plays a baseball slugger who retires when he gets 3,000 hits, earning the nickname Mr. 3000 and assuring himself of a spot in the Hall of Fame. He parlays that nickname into fame and fortune, only to discover a few years later that there was some sort of mistake, and he really only had 2,997 hits. So at 40-something he comes out of retirement in order to try to get three more hits and recapture his title and his happiness. But on the way to that 3000th hit, he discovers that maybe the things he’s been counting may not be so important after all.

We all do that. We all go through life counting things that we think will make us happy, or significant. We measure our happiness or significance by the numbers that mean something to us. When I was a kid, I counted baseball cards. We all did. We’d shoot for them and trade for them and save up our allowance. And if at the end of the day I had more cards than I did the day before, I was happy. I was cool.

I don’t know what kids count today—video game scores, or the number of A’s on their report card, or the wins and losses of their team. Teenagers count the number of friends they have, the number of colleges they get into. College students count grade points and credit hours—at least I hope some of them do. Others count how many beers they can drink in a night, which somehow proves their manhood. Adults measure their happiness and success by the number of bedrooms in their house, the cars in the garage, the degrees they have, their golf score, or the yield on their investments.

Psalm 90 warns us not to go through life counting the wrong things. If you want your life to count for something, number your days. Count the days and hours and minutes; value them, make the most of them, and measure your life by what you do with them. It seems to me that three things happen when we number our days.

We Realize How Few We Really Have

First, when we number our days, we realize how few of them we really have. Most people live like they have an unlimited number of days. We expect to live long lives, and figure we have so many days we can’t even count them all. But the songwriter reminds us that we have a limited number of days—70 or 80 years by his reckoning. That may sound like a lot, especially when you’re only 15. But when you do the math, when you actually number the days, you find out you have something like 29,200 days if you live to be 80.

And when you put it that way, it’s not that many. Just 30,000 days to live. Think about it in terms of money. It doesn’t take long to spend $30,000, does it? That’s a nice car, or a year or two of college. That won’t even get you a down payment on a decent house around here. $30,000 isn’t a lot of money. And it’s not a lot of time, either. When you number you’re days, you realize how few you really have.

Psalm 90, like the other songs we’ve been talking about this morning, remind us that sooner or later, we’re all going to die. And most of the time, it comes sooner than we’d like. We don’t like to face that reality, but until we do, we’ll never know how to make our lives count. One commentator paraphrases verse 12 this way: “Teach us to remember that we must die, in order that we might know how to live.”

Right about now, country music fans have another song running through their heads, and if I don’t mention it I’m going to get bombarded with e-mails (the first one from my wife). I’m thinking of Tim McGraw’s current hit, “Live Like You Were Dying.” Like most country songs, it tells a story of a man who learned that he was sick and only had a short time to live. He tells how that knowledge changed him—how he went skydiving and mountain climbing, how he loved deeper and spoke sweeter. He became the husband he’d always talked about being, and thekind of friend he’d always hoped to have. He realized he’d spend all of eternity thinking about what he did with those last days. So now he hopes that everybody has the chance to live like they were dying.

When we number our days, we realize how few of them we really have, and so we spend them more wisely.

We Spend Them More Wisely

That’s the second thing that happens when we number our days: we spend them more wisely.

I came across a study from some years ago of how typical Americans spend their time. The average American adult spends about seven-and-a-half hours a day sleeping, three-and-a-half hours a day working, two hours a day watching TV, one-and-a-half hours doing housework, one hour eating, half-an-hour on recreation, half-an-hour washing and grooming, and about nine minutes thinking. That study was done about ten years ago, before the Internet and video games had become so popular, so who knows what it would reveal now. My kids tell me it’s not unusual for a kid to spend seven, eight, or even twenty-four hours straight playing a video game. Notice that the number of minutes per day on average spent in worship or service to others was so insignificant it didn’t even show up in the survey!

If you were to number your days, your hours, and your minutes, what would it reveal about the way you are spending them? After sleeping and work, would TV be third on the list? You hope not, but you really don’t know till you sit down and do the numbers, do you?

How much time do you spend getting closer to God and nurturing your spiritual life? Fifteen minutes a day? Thirty? Is that enough? Is that what God has in mind, or is that satisfying to you? How many hours per week do you spend in service to your church or community? Think about it—right now. I’m not talking about attending worship or a class; I’m talking about actually serving your church, or some Christian cause. Is it two hours a week? Every week, or some weeks?

Two hours a week multiplied by 52 weeks a year equals 144 hours a year. That’s not very much, is it? That’s barely 4 days a year! You don’t really know how you’re spending your time till you sit down and number it. Then you can begin to spend it wisely.

Time is like money. You can use it to buy things—things that you need or want. But in order to spend your money wisely, you have to know how much you have. If you go shopping without knowing how much you have, you can get in a lot of trouble. You may put too many things in your shopping cart, and find out you don’t have the money to pay for them. Or, you can walk out of the store without the things you really need, because you didn’t think you had enough money in your pocket.

Most people make one of those two mistakes when it comes to time. Some people, younger people especially, think they have so much time they can afford to waste some. They think they’ll get to the important things later when they’re done with school, when the kids are older, or when things aren’t so busy at work. But then they run out of time before they get to those things. Other people think they have too little time, that they can’t possibly do something significant for others or for God, so they don’t even try. The thing about time, unlike money, is that we all have the very same amount to work with—24 hours a day. And we all have just enough time for the things that God would have us to do.

That’s why it’s so important to number your days and hours, so you understand how many you have to work with, so you can spend them wisely.

We Receive God’s Blessing

The third thing that happens when you number your days is you’re able to offer them to God and ask him to bless them. When we spend our days without really thinking about them, we miss the opportunity to ask God’s blessing on them, to consider his purposes for that hour or day or year. But when we number our days, then one by one we are able to offer them up to God, and seek his direction and blessing. And when we do that, when we offer our days to God one by one, then our days begin to add up to something, something that will stand for eternity.

The psalm ends on an upbeat note. Having faced the reality of death, and having accurately reckoned the number of days and determined to spend them wisely, the songwriter invites God’s blessing on the days to come. Verse 14: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many days as we have seen trouble.”

The songwriter is a realist; he’s not kidding himself or us about how difficult life can be
sometimes. But when we number our days and spend them wisely, then God is able to bless them, and they count for something. Not only for the years of our lives, but for all eternity. Verse 17 reads, “May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us, yes, establish the work of our hands.” When we offer our days to God, he is able and faithful to bless them with eternal significance.

Author and pastor John Piper tells about a plaque that used to hang over the sink in the kitchen of the house he grew up in. He figures that every day in those formative years he read the simple verse that was printed there: “Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” To the left, beside those words, was painted a green hill with two trees and a brown path that disappeared over the hill. “How many times,” says Piper, “as a little boy, and then as a teenager with pimples and longings and anxieties, I looked at that brown path—my life—and wondered what would be over that hill. The message was clear. You get one pass at life. Only one. And the lasting measure of that life is Jesus Christ. I am 57 as I write these words, and that very plaque hangs today on the wall by our front door. I see it every time I leave home.”

Do you think about that every time you leave home? Every time you wake up to a new morning? That when all is said and done, the only things that will count will be the things you have done for God, and with God? That’s the sobering truth of this psalm, that most of the things we work so hard for, the things we count as important, will someday be forgotten. How much money we made, how many rooms we had in our house, how many deals we closed, how many games we won, how many vacations we took. Time will wash them all away, like a wave crashing into shore.

Certainly we should work and play and love to the best of our ability, but when we leave
God out of the picture, when we fail to work and play and love for his glory, then all we do crumbles to the ground and is swept away, like dust in the wind.

But the things that are done for Christ will last. The cups of cold water given in his name, the people we have pointed to Christ, the children and grandchildren we have raised in the faith, the churches we have helped to build, the Bible lessons we have lived and learned and shared with others, the money we have invested in his kingdom. These things will stand for eternity. When we number our days, when we realize how few we have and how valuable they are, then we are careful to offer them to God, and to live them for his purposes.

I’ll never forget a funeral I attended many years ago for the brother of a colleague of mine. The man who passed away was a Christian man—bright, hardworking, and dynamic. He died before his time, somewhere in his late 50’s, I would say. His funeral was held at the church he attended. One by one people came to the platform to praise this man and honor his accomplishments. He had great administrative gifts and helped to start two new hospitals in the area. He was a soccer enthusiast. He helped to start the local soccer association. He introduced many coaches and players to the sport and traveled the world as its ambassador. He took great pride in his Welsh heritage, joined societies, and sang in chorals. He was obviously a man of remarkable energy, passion, ability, and influence.

But one thing was missing from the words of praise and the list of accomplishments—the
name of Christ. Not one of the people who came to the microphone spoke of his faith, or of any spiritual influence he had on their lives. He introduced many people to soccer, but few, if any, to Christ. None of the organizations or causes he championed or supported were Christian in their mission. No one from the church came up to speak of his leadership or service in the congregation. And the pastor who led the service could say nothing of his contributions to the church except that he often critiqued the sermon at the door. None of his children had words of praise and thanks to offer, nor did his wife, for they often got the short end of his attention and energy.

This man’s life was not evil, nor was it pointless. He accomplished many good things and
enriched the lives of people and communities. But he missed the opportunity to do it
for Christ—to advance his name and his kingdom and his glory. Few of those people or
accomplishments would follow him into eternity. He introduced many people to soccer, but few to the kingdom. He lifted his voice to celebrate his heritage, but not his faith. I couldn’t help but imagine what such a man might have done for the kingdom if only he had offered his time and talent to God, and asked what God would have him do with them.

I compare that funeral to the one I attended with some of you earlier this year for David Horst, a longtime member of our church. David was also a man of enormous talent and energy. He, too, was successful professionally and highly regarded in the secular community. He, too, died before his time, before his 80 years. But unlike the man I just described, David was careful to number his days, and all of his resources, and offer them to God.

At his funeral, the parade of people who came to the platform didn’t speak about his success and influence in the marketplace. They spoke instead of his spiritual impact, of how he pointed them to Christ and invited them to a Bible study. They spoke about his leadership and support on a variety of Christian ministries and institutions like Gordon College, StonyBrook School, and mission agencies. They spoke of his years of service and leadership here at Grace, of his mission trip to Moldova to share his expertise with Christian businesspeople in that nation. His wife and daughters and sons-in-law spoke of his love for the Scriptures, his love for them, and his faithfulness as a Christian husband and father. I remember sitting in that service and wishing the whole church could be there to see what God can do with a person who offers every part of their life and every day of their life to God. It’s what the Bible calls stewardship—and it leads to a life that counts.

None of us knows how many days and years we’ll be given on this Earth. Maybe we’ll get a hundred years to live, or maybe threescore and ten, or maybe less. But we all know how many years we’ve been given to this point. Maybe it’s only 15 or 22 or 33 or 46 or 67—but suppose you were to draw a line under those years right now and do a subtotal. Suppose you were to number the hours and days and years you have lived to this point. What would you have to show for them, eternally speaking? How many of them have you intentionally offered up to God for his glory? What have you accomplished that will follow you into eternity? Who have you pointed toward Christ by your witness and your ministry? Where have you invested your time and money and talent in God’s kingdom? If you were to number the works of your hands to this point in life, would you be satisfied that you had numbered your days aright?

I want you to look at your whole life, at all of your days, those behind you and those yet to come. I want you to realize how few days you really have. I want you to think about how you’re spending them. I want you to offer those days up to God, and ask him to bless them, and to make them eternally significant.

Because if you want your life to count, you have to number your days.

Five for Fighting, Hootie and the Blowfish, Tim McGraw—they’re all singing the song Moses sang a long time ago. If you want your life to count, you have to number your days. He goes on to make the point as emphatically as he can. You only have one life. That’s all. You were made to live that life for God. Don’t waste it.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Best Equation

Huithiangnote: This is the best I have read in a long, long time. It was sent to me by a friend Mr. P. Bulte who is working with NABARD. I was so fascinated that I have decided to share with everyone on my blog. If the matter is copyrighted, I offer my apology as it is not my intention to infringe on any copyrighted materials.


Equation 1

Human = eat + sleep + work + enjoy
Donkey = eat + sleep

Therefore:
Human = Donkey + Work + enjoy

Therefore:
Human-enjoy = Donkey + Work

In other words,
A Human that doesn't know how to enjoy = Donkey that works.
---
Equation 2

Man = eat + sleep + earn money
Donkey = eat + sleep

Therefore:
Man = Donkey + earn money
----
Equation 3

Woman= eat + sleep + spend
Donkey = eat + sleep

Therefore:
Woman = Donkey + spend
Woman - spend = Donkey

In other words,
Woman who doesn't spend = Donkey

Therefore:
Man-earn money = Donkey

In other words
Man who doesn't earn money = Donkey
----
To Conclude:

From Equation 2 and Equation 3

Man who doesn't earn money = Woman who doesn't spend

So Man earns money not to let woman become a donkey!
And a woman spends not to let the man become a donkey!

So, We have:
Man + Woman = Donkey + earn money + Donkey + Spend money

Therefore from postulates 1 and 2, we can conclude

Man + Woman = 2 Donkeys that live happily together!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

On Some Not So Trivial Matters


I am at pain to pen this. Tried hard not to but a nagging thought in my mind compelled me. I leave it to the discerning mind of my readers for their final judgment if the matters raised are worth serious consideration.

Boys in tight fitting trousers
I have never seen anything more disgusting. One evening around six when I entered the ATM kiosk I saw this figure which was everything but male. There was nothing to suggest from the back to immediately identify the person who was ahead of me as a boy. My mind ran through the profile of the person noting that she must be about 15/16, still in high school or had just entered college life. Hair was a bit short but I concluded it was okay. Slim and tall, I thought the dress fits her well. You would never understand my reaction when the head turned. She turned out to be a “he”, but he still looks like a girl because of the way he dresses.
I asked myself why boys have the fad to dress like girls. Are they sexually-oriented like girls? If not, why do they want to cover themselves up in such girlish dresses?
In the last four decades I have witnessed different fashion trends. But in all those males were still males. But not now! The other day I saw this boy in a tight-fitting trouser which itself was nauseating enough. And the color? Green! Oh! my, why do we produced such kids?
Parents have a big responsibility to see to it that their sons do not become “daughters’ in future. Their mannerisms and dresses must always conform to their gender. If ignored, sexual-orientation can undergo Himalayan transformation. And if it comes to that, no one will be more pained and shamed than parents themselves. There is still time. But we need to act immediately, and now!

Young girls and older men
One lighted-hearted but animated discussion on a dusty road-side mobile recharge shop during a Tuesday’s enchanting morning resulted in one friend talking about an incident which he witnessed a few days earlier. The disturbing incident took place when he was headed for Lingsiphai village in his car. As he was passing through Thingkangphai, a young girl, he said very young, was driving an Activa and heading in the opposite direction. A much older man, must be married, and with enough kids to last several reincarnations, was pillion-riding. As their vehicles crossed, he noticed that the man was holding with both hands the “b-easts” of the young girl in full public view. The Activa sped away and he was unable to note the numbers.
When he narrated the incident, he was both amused and pained. Civil societies and conscious citizens should act to curb such immoral and socially disturbing behaviour. While intimacy between male and female may not be against the law, we are well aware that intimacy of any kind should be between the sheets, and in the privacy of one’s home. Such open display of intimacy must be checked, and I believe, the parties involved can be booked for obscenity under law.

Of lies and football
One Sunday afternoon I overheard a conversation between a mother and her easy-going son. It went something like this: “Nunu, there are many people in the ground now. I will go and watch the football match”. “But son, it is Sunday and they don’t play on a Sunday”. “Oh, that’s true, but still some children are playing and I will go and watch them anyway”.
And talking of football, after more than a decade I managed to watch the last 10 or so minutes of the second semi-final played at the public ground. As it was my first, I wanted to know which side was which, and asked a young fellow next to me if the red uniformed team was this and that club. To say that he was a bit rude would be an understatement. His answer was, “I don’t know”. I asked another and he gave me the same answer. The young fellow was watching a football match without knowing the score, which team was on which side and so on. No, he evidently knew but was too rude to give proper answers.
As I looked around, I saw a former player from Bungmual and was able to get proper answers to my simple questions. It didn’t cost him anything to give me those answers. As for me, knowing those simple things helped me to enjoy those last few minutes of the match.

And do you know?
+All the planets in our solar system rotate anti-clockwise except Venus. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
+If you yelled for 8 years 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
+Honey is the only food that does not spoil.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Year In Full Flow Now

With the onset of the new academic session, we are going full steam ahead. Chhungthianching, Janezokim and Dongbiakvak joined school yesterday. Khawllemhoi's coaching class for her board examination has been going on since January. By the grace of God, the year is truly upon us. Here are some pictures of my daughters taken yesterday.
Dongbiakvak >>>

Janezokim >>>
Chhungthianching >>>
Khawllemhoi >>>

The Four Sisters >>>

Robie sweeping >>>
Pipi & Pupu >>>
Bathroom construction in progress >>>
Pat helping with the washing >>>

Though things are far from normal, we continued to see the goodness of God at work. We are thankful to Him for the many wonderful things He has done for me, my children and parents and my larger family. As we move into the future, it is our prayer that He will continue to shelter us under the shadow of His wings!

Monday, February 08, 2010

Mark Lowry: Comedian, Lyricist & Singer

One of my favourite characters in contemporary Christian world stage is a singer, comedian, lyricist and a strong advocate of the Gospel who is a house-hold name world-wide. He has been making people laugh, cry and think for about 40 years now. Singing publicly and recording albums and videos since age eleven, you could say that he has done this most of his life.
Mark Lowry was born in Houston, TX, on June 24, 1958. He has a 'perfect' older brother, Mike, who lives in Lynchburg, VA, with his wife and four children, as well as a 'perfect' younger sister, Melissa who also lives in Lynchburg with her husband and two children. Mark's father (Charles) is an attorney and Mark's mother (Beverly) speaks and sings all over the country at various conferences. Beverly has been featured on two of Mark's recordings.
Mark attended Liberty College (now Liberty University) in Lynchburg, VA, from 1975 to 1980 where he first intended to gain a Business degree. In 1976, Mark felt God was calling him to a music ministry and, when he graduated in 1980 with a Youth degree, he began performing at independent Baptist churches around the country. His first booking agent, Roy Morgan, booked Mark in 43 cities in 41 days. As Mark put it, "This boy could book a pork chop into a synagogue."
Mark tells how in the early days he would have to fill the gaps between his songs while he was waiting for the little old man in the back of the church to change his soundtracks. "Those few seconds of 'dead air' can feel like hours when you're on stage facing a crowd - so, to fill time, I'd start talking about my life and my testimony. People would laugh... and I finally realized I was on to something."
And that's how Mark's well-known comedy was born. His unique presentations have been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
In 1988, Mark was offered the baritone part in the Gaither Vocal Band. Mark remained with the Vocal Band for 13 years, performing dozens of solo concerts each year, as well. Mark's antics on stage with Bill Gaither were an instant hit with Vocal Band audiences and their comedy became the highlight of the evening when the Homecoming tour was born. Mark has been featured on most all of the Gaither Homecoming videos - now numbering more than one hundred - often in the co-hosting role with Bill.
In 1984, Mark wrote the lyric to a song that would establish his status as a songwriter forever. When his church asked him to write a Christmas play, he wrote down a series of questions that he would like to ask Jesus' mother, Mary. These questions were used as a 'filler' between the scenes of the play. Six years later, after two other writers had already tried, Buddy Greene wrote music to Mark's lyric and Mary, Did You Know? was born. This beautiful song, which has become a modern Christmas standard, has been recorded by more than thirty different artists including Michael English, Kathy Mattea, Kenny Rogers, Wynonna Judd, Billy Dean, Natalie Cole, Donnie Osmond and Clay Aiken.
In 2004, Mark released his first Christmas CD. It features ten beloved Christmas songs, including Mary, Did You Know?
Mark has recorded six comedy and music videos - four of which have gone 'Gold' and two of which have achieved 'Platinum' status. Mark Lowry on Broadway débuted at #1 on the Billboard music video chart and stayed there for five weeks.
Mark's latest video, Mark Lowry Goes To Hollywood, was released in September, 2005. "I've enjoyed every video I've produced through the years. But, I must say, this is my all time favorite. I love what I was able to say at the very end of the video ... that God is truly, absolutely, unconditionally out of His ever-loving mind in love with US! How fortunate are we? I want the world to see this video. Not because it's funny or because of the music but because I believe so strongly in the message."
In 2005, Mark and some friends ventured into event planning and launched the Mark Lowry Senior Trip. Mark wanted to create a fun and relaxed vacation for folks over 50, with entertainment and shows created with them in mind. The inaugural Senior Trip was held in April, 2006, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, TN, and Mark's Christmas Celebration Senior Trip was held December 10-12, 2006 in Asheville, NC. The 2007 slate included Branson, MO in April and a return trip to Gaylord Opryland for Christmas. Gaylord Opryland Hotel hosted the final event in April 2008.
Mark continues to travel across the country with LordSong and Stan Whitmire on the 'Be The Miracle' tour. During these concerts, Mark shares his exciting and revitalized message of God's love and grace. This message comes through loud and clear in his three most recent CDs, Life Gets Loud (released January, 2009), Be The Miracle (released January, 2006) and I Love To Tell The Story which is Mark's first all-hymns project (released September, 2007).
In January 2009, after an absence of over seven years, Mark Lowry re-joined the Gaither Vocal Band along with fellow Gaither Vocal Band alumni Michael English and David Phelps. With the brand new five-voice Gaither Vocal Band and a GVB Reunion DVD (released in January 2009), GVB fans who have longed for a reunion both on stage and off finally get their wish. (www.marklowry.com)

Sunday, February 07, 2010

All Things Considered.....

When I first heard about it, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of pride. For a community shorn of such festivities, Awllen was an opportunity to unwind, regroup and refocus. True to its serenading name, coming as it is at the fag end of the winter season, it was an occasion the young and old looked forward to. With festivities within the community few and far in between, the hype surrounding this particular social function was something everyone welcomed. But reports emanating after the culmination of the event have been far from satisfactory.

One, asking a nobody to be a somebody and the nobody’s failure to make an appearance has angered many. Such choices must be made taking every possible aspect in consideration. It may be pertinent to point out that for a philanthropic organization it would always be in tune to invite non-political entities, and people within the community itself. We must not make any effort to turn the community into a vote-bank, more so for people outside the community.

Two, guests should be invited on the basis of contribution and love for society and their vision for community-building and not position. Our failure to recognize the above two important points resulted in the farce that was played out on February 2.

While some may just want to blast off and rock, it may be reasonable to remember that community gatherings are a time of togetherness, interaction, sharing and, certainly, enjoyment! While it is not socially and ethically wrong to enjoy oneself and have the time of one’s life, I’m afraid that turning a public function into a private party is not only farcical but totally unacceptable. We made a sham of the whole event, turning its purpose upside-down. We have turned one big opportunity to bond with one another into an event which will lead to talks about the probity of leaders and their character. And certainly, many will question the necessity of such gathering. Now, the inevitable question is: “Don’t we deserve leaders who will lead?” And it may be safe to conclude “we are what we are because of who and what we are”.

For some one who has been away for almost thirteen years now, commenting on an issue is not an easy one as some tend to consider me “an outsider”. But as someone who bears the name Vaiphei proudly, and also in the absence of any platform wherein such issues can be raised, I feel I am duty-bound and called to raise the issue through my blog. But before I wind up for the night, let me share a few more thoughts on leadership and what it required.

While many may disagree with me and I too feel that it is debatable, the foundational cost of true leadership is self-sacrifice. If you are a leader you have to sacrifice yourself. Along with that, a true leader must sacrifice time, money and energy. A true leader never believes anyone owes him for his services. He is doing it because he is aware of the price involved and he understands it. The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. True leadership exacts heavy toll. Every great tree was once a seed. But the seed had to die. You cannot simply achieve great success without paying a heavy price.

If you are going to be a leader, a truly effective leader, you have to accept the fact that from its very nature the load of a leader is a very lonely one. He has to stay ahead of the pack - alone. And he must be prepared and willing to tread alone, even though he may be the friendliest person in the world. Leaders are the loneliest persons in the world. Loneliness is a price every leader have to go through.

Leaders are tired people. But they never complained. Why? Because they have a passion for their purpose. And they know that fatigue is a part of the package that comes with leadership.

No leader is exempt from criticism. His character and humility will be nowhere be seen more clearly than in the manner in which he reacts to and accepts criticism. A leader who negatively reacts to criticism is a leader who fails to understand the situation.

One important price of leadership is rejection. If you hate to be rejected, you will never be a true leader. Rejection does not mean you are wrong. It does not mean you are the wrong person holding the wrong position. It simply means you haven’t build a bridge between you and your followers. And that they don’t know you yet.

The life of a leader is full of expectations and duties. And these duties accompany responsibilities. And with responsibilities come pressure. The greater the responsility the greater the pressure.

Finally, don’t take life too seriously otherwise you will be controlled by every element. See it for what it is. One of the most precious gifts a person can exercise as a leader is the gift of humour. No matter how embarrassing the situation may be, a good leader must be able to laugh at himself. Don’t take yourself too seriously. And don’t take others too seriously. A good leader has the ability to look at life for what it is. And learn from it!

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Thank You, Dear Friends!

Dear Friends,
How time flies! It was just like yesterday but now it has been over four months since my beloved wife & soul-mate Khomting (Khomlianting) left for her eternal home. The question is not to speculate whether she is with the Lord in heaven, or if she is somewhere in a dark-pit, in a dungeon of torment or in, as we would prefer to call, “hell”. The moot point now is “she is in her eternal home”. No matter what we do, say or think will ever change that, ever again. She journeyed with us, briefly, through the hard times, as well as the happy times. Like every human-being, she enjoyed a certain degree of happiness, faced seemingly insurmountable problems, jumped from one crisis to another, yet in the end, she left us, so empty and so barren. We have prayed, cried, suffered and fought alongside since 2004. In these last 5 years we have embraced both happiness and sorrow. We have celebrated each and every victory - there were many along the way. Together we have cried as there were heart-breaking and disappointing defeats. We all expected a different outcome and when the doctor delivered the bad news to us during the last week of January 2009, it stopped us in our tracks. It shattered whatever hope we had. Between the two of us, I believe, I was the one who was unable to handle our situation more. But every time I succumbed to pressure and the emotional pulls of the situation, Ting was right there with these lines: “Pathian in nang tawh I chate khankhua di chu a he ma mai. Uthang, bang atia lungkham sek la hem?” (Dear, why are you so heart-broken? God will take care of you and our children)
Life is no bed of roses. Even after her home-going, my parents, children and I continued to walk the rough path. The inescapable truth is that there is no way out. Our longing for my wife is undiminished, unending and unconditional. When we went to her grave on November 2 (Khomting’s 44th birthday), our youngest child Robie asked, “Dad, is this the road to heaven?”. Piercing questions, that shot into your deepest being, continued to flow from her mouth to this day. We visited the grave again on December 19 along with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, my children and several others, and when tears dropped from my eyes I knew instantly that it would never dry so long as I live. I would always have tears for you, my beloved!
One time as we lay in bed, holding each other tightly, as she wanted that particular night, Robie said, “Papa, when you go to heaven, do not leave me behind. We will go together”. I had to remove my pillow to make way for another as it was wet with my tears. How they missed their mother! How they missed the joy of togetherness! Oh, how they longed to behold her once more, even if for a few fleeting seconds, just to be assured that she was no mirage in their lives! Oh, how they suffered the pain of separation!
When my first-born Nadine missed school after several bouts of severe pain attacks in her abdomen and was lying on her bed, Robie came running to me and said, “Papa, Ulem Nu-nu kiang van gam ah chia ta di maw le?” (Papa, is my sister Lem going to heaven to be with mother?).
Loneliness and longing, deep and intense, continued to visit us as we slowly summon enough strength and began our painful walk. The wildflowers of memories continued to flash before our naked eyes every second. “Henu, inn hung kin ta’n la” (Mother, come home soon/quickly) reverberated across the house as little Robie wails in painful longing. It was never easy.
As we begin our new journey in life, we rely on the goodness and mercies of our loving Heavenly Father to comfort us. And we are confident that He will give us the strength to carry on and move into the future, however painful it may be. Your prayers and support for my daughters, parents and me have been incredibly important and valuable. As friends, relatives, colleagues and sympathizers of my family, we want you to know we appreciate you for praying, believing, supporting and sustaining us throughout the long period of my wife’s illness. As also during the days following her home-going, and to this very hour. Without you, it would have been more difficult.
As you might imagine, the costs that we incurred throughout are nothing short of staggering. The demands of my wife’s treatment forced me to step away from the day-to-day operations of our school. This essentially meant the loss of any meaningful income for a long period of time. All told, with actual treatment costs in the hundreds of thousands of rupees, and factoring in lost income to the school, the likely deficit created by the situation was in the 6 figure range. But friends, relatives and many Good Samaritans came forward to help us ward off a possible crisis. I am particularly grateful to one friend who sent 57,000 rupees to offset the cost of my wife’s treatment. And like him, many generously came forward and helped us. Without your help, it would not be possible to be in a situation wherein we are today.
And today, as we continued to move forward, my children and I would like to thank you
all from the bottom of our hearts for your prayerful support and help during the course of
Khomting Vaiphei’s long struggle with cancer. It is our prayer that our loving God, the Father of all mercies and God of comfort, who is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask and hope for, will shower on you His choicest blessings so that you may continue to be a blessing to others in need.

A grateful family,

Khamneithang Vaiphei & daughters,
Khawllemhoi, Chhungthianching, Janezokim & Robie Dongbiakvak

Thursday, February 04, 2010

A Daughter With A Heart!

A few things about last night's Janie Janezokim's birthday celebration.

Janie wanted to celebrate her birthday in her own way. For the past one week she talked of nothing but her birthday. She said, "Papa, I'll invite only those I'm really closed to. I don't want too many people to turn up also". I don't know what was going on in her mind but I do appreciate her openness and also some of the things she did as her birthday approached. She suggested that she wanted a three-layered birthday cake. Living in a small town where cakes are difficult to get, I was doubtful whether we would be able to get such a cake for her. But we did get the cake and though she was not fully satisfied, she was contented. She was in two minds whether we should have a dinner party or just tea and some snacks. She knew it was not easy to prepare for 40 - 50 people. So, we finally settled the matter and stick to the tea and  snacks items only.
When the day dawned, she was up and about, and I asked her to sweep. Her little sister Robie helped. Patricia cleaned the rooms as their big sister Nadine is indisposed for the last few days due to recurring stomach pain. She has been unable to attend her coaching classes since Friday.
Janie went to the houses of her close friends and relatives, personally inviting them. When we were returning home after getting her birthday cake from the shop where we ordered, we saw her inside a shop. I was shocked. I stopped the vehicle and inquired what she was doing. She said she wanted to buy slacks to wear. when we returned home it was almost 3.00 pm and she took bath on her own and started preparing for the birthday party which was to start at 5.30 pm.
She was so excited and so happy, bubbling with enthusiasm. Her friends and relatives turned up. Her uncle from Guwahati, Pastor T. Kampu unexpectedly turned up. Everything went according to script. Her uncle T.Kampu shared from God's Word, her grandpa said a prayer for her and another uncle Elder Chinlam closed with a word of prayer.
I had a tough time sending her to bed. She was so full of excitement. Wanted to see the gifts again and again. But even for children like her, all things must come to an end. And I believe she was happy and satisfied with the way things had gone. As for me, I said a silent prayer of thanks to God for all the people who showed up and gifted my daughter such wonderful gifts, and be a mother to her. Her mother may never put the first piece of cake into her mouth again but Janie will always know that she has mothers who love her as much as "she" did!
---
God has blessed me with fine daughters, who all have different qualities and peculiarities. Nadine is sharp, intelligent, helpful. Patricia smart, always dressed for the kill and brilliant. Robie is Robie. She is such a darling I cannot imagine a world without her. And as for Janie, she is not that intelligent and bright but someone who looks into my heart. Every time I shed a tear, she is there by my side crying with me. Every time we visited her mother's grave, she is there with me crying. She knows the hurt and pain I am going through at this very moment. And she will do everything to console and comfort me. For such a tender age, her reaction to certain situations are really amazing. God must have given me such a daughter with a heart of gold for such a time as this! I love you, my child! Your mother must be very proud of you!

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Happy Birthday, Janie!!

When Janie Janezokim was born on this day 9 years ago at J.N. Hospital, Imphal, I remembered being asked by a lady patient/attendant why we were in the hospital. My uneasy and simple answer was: "Pokpa!"
Her mother and I missed her 7th and 8th birthday as we were away in Vellore, with my wife undergoing treatment. Last year, as her birthday approached, Janie was so restless she rang us up very frequently from the pay-per-call phone-box which was kept at the ground floor of her auntie's house at Guwahati. We had left them all at the care of my sister Hawiphal and her husband Rev. T. Kampu while we were away.
During the intervening night of 2nd and 3rd February last year I didn't sleep a wink as Janie's pleadings to return before her birthday kept ringing in my ear. She was not aware that her mother's two-year treatment for carcinoma nasopharynx had failed and she was undergoing the second-line of chemotherapy. Like every 8 year-old, she just wanted us to be with her for her birthday. We didn't make it. But her uncle and aunty bought for her a beautiful birthday cake. Oh, she was so happy she rang up again and told us they had a wonderful birthday celebrations.
Like that February 2 evening last year, I couldn't sleep at all last night. The memories were so clear, as if they occurred a few seconds earlier. Her mother's pitiful condition, Robie's longing for her mother, all came back so vividly. Life can be very cruel at times.
Whatever may have had happened, and however painful the memories may be, there is still a place and time called "the present and future". Hopefully, my children will find new strength and determination to move forward into a brighter future.
And today, as Janie Janezokim turns 9, her mother must be smiling in Heaven, blessing her and guiding her, and making a new promise that she will be her guardian angel from now and forever more!
Happy Birthday, Janie!! May God's choicest blessings be yours, always!!