Jesus heals the leper

Mark 1:40-45 - Jesus heals the leper

v40a - And a leper came to Jesus

This is an incident of a leper who took the inititive and pains of coming to Jesus. In those days, being a leper was synonymous with an "outcast". They were not allowed to live in the city. They used to live in the outskirts of the city, mostly near the graves. One such man, comes to Jesus. He doesn't wait for Jesus to pass by his house or his road. He takes the step forward to come to Jesus to seek his help. He'd have had to face the scorn of many people to have been able to get near Jesus. But this shows his determination on seeking God's help to be healed.

v40b - "If You are willing, You can make me clean".

When he comes to Jesus, what a beautiful way he presents his request. He doesn't say "Master I want to be clean. Please make me clean". His request seems more on the lines of "Not my will, but Yours be done". Again, I'd say he was not only a determined man, but a man who knew the scriptures and wanted nothing but God's will to come alive in his life.

v41a - Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him,

Till now, what I saw of the leper was that of a man who knew the right way to approach things in life. But when I read this verse, it got me thinking, "Why did Jesus have to stretch out His hand?" This leper had withstood the glares and comments of the people around Jesus, knew that the best thing in his life is what is willed by God, but still inspite of coming all that distance, couldn't he have stood near enough for Jesus to touch him, without having to stretch out?

When I visualize this situation, I think of it this way. He knelt beside Jesus, and asked him to cleanse him if He is willing. Jesus was willing, so He lifted His hands to touch the leper. Seeing the hand motion, the reaction of the leper could have been to step back a step, to think that may be Jesus' hand was moving towards him by mistake. He might've thought, Jesus will say "Be clean", and presto, I'll be as good as new. Or may be He'll ask me to wash myself in the River Jordan. But inspite of submitting himself to God's will, his body was unrelenting when God did something his mind had not perceived.

Aren't we like that leper most times (or may be at all times).

We really want God to work in us.

We are willing to submit our lives to the will of God.

But!!!! When He does something in our lives as not perceived by us, we tend to move back. We tend to keep one step back, and look at Him and say, "Whoa there! Are you sure you really want to do that? This is not exactly how I expected you to answer my prayers. You sure you wanna be doing this to me?"

Breaking things

Heard this message in one of Joyce Meyer's sermons. A reality we seem to take forever to fathom.

If you recollect the incident of Jesus feeding the 5000, it talks about Jesus taking and breaking the bread before He gave it. The word says, He

• Took the bread
• Blessed the bread
• Broke the bread
• Passed the bread to the multitudes.

You should remember that He does the same thing with us. "He takes us, He blesses us, He breaks us - so He can give us to the multitudes."

Will you trust God today, that your pain is going to be for the gain of His kingdom? He is going to mess with your weaknesses, to get you to be where you can be strong in them through Him.

The miracle maker.

Summer has begun! No school any more. I can play all I want, all the day long, and ma is not going to shout at me to sit with my books. Yaay! This life is amazing. No homework, no classes, just play, play and play some more. Let me start this beautiful day, by just walking around my neighborhood. Let me explore this place for some bugs and insects I can take home and scare Daisy, my lil sister with.

Hey! What’s going on? Where does every one seem headed? I rush to my friend Sam, who also seems to be ready to go, to find out where’s he’s headed. “Haven’t you heard, this great teacher is here, near our town. Mom and dad said He can do miracles too. Come, join us. Am sure it’s going to be fun. I’ve heard He loves children, and will answer all our questions. Not like my parents who rush me out of the house when I ask where lil babies come from”, he tells me.

I am so happy. Finally some one who is going to answer all my questions. Mom these days is so busy with Daisy, she doesn’t sit down and tell me stories or sing me to sleep. I rush back home, and tell my mom all that Sam told me. I ask her if we could all go too. But she says Daisy is too small to be out in open sun for long. But I plead her to atleast let me go. I promise her to be a good boy and to stick with Sam’s family the whole time. Finally she relents, and agrees to allow me to go see this miracle man and teacher.

I change fast into my Sunday clothes (I want to be dressed to my best just incase the teacher calls me up to help during demostration of one of his stories, like our Sunday school teacher does sometimes). My mom hurriedly packs me my lunch. I peep in to see what it is. Yummy! It’s bread and fish. My favorite!! Mom knows all my needs so well. I love her so much.

With the packed lunch in one hand, and my playing stick in the other, I head out to meet Sam and his family. I hear footsteps, and turn back to find mom trying to catch up with me. (Oh no! Hope she didn’t change her mind). She rushes to ensure that I’m with Sam’s family. Both our moms talk a bit, and Sam’s mom reassures mine lovingly. Thank God all’s well now. Mom kisses me goodbye and asks me to be good and not wander away alone.

I can’t wait to see him. What if he can do some cool magic tricks? May be I’ll sneak up to him, and plead him to teach me some of those tricks too. Am sure he can’t resist my puppy dog eyes. I always get my way with dad with those eyes. But if he is cooler than that, I think I’ll follow him and become some one like him when I grow up. So that people will come from far and near to listen to me too. Man! That’s gonna be awesome.

We walk and walk to the end of our town. I can see a small group there. One of them sees us. They are talking among each other. Let me count how many of them are there. 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10..11..12..13. Wait a minute, those 12 men seem to be trying to get the other one away from us. May be he is the teacher all these people are talking about. Oh please God, don’t let him leave without talking to us. We’ve walked so far just to see him and to hear him. I don’t want to go back empty handed.

What do I see? That man is looking at us and smiling. He seems to be inviting us to join him. Not just us, there are lot more people coming in from other towns too. Luckily, we are the first ones, and we get to sit right in front. I can see him very clearly now. I can listen to his every word too. I don’t have to worry about missing out on things he says and does. Today is a very lucky day for me.

All people who came in are now settled around the master. Those 12 people I saw initially are around too. They seem very preoccupied. Ah! How does that matter, atleast the teacher seems interested to see us all. He starts talking to us about this wonderful kingdom. A kingdom where the king is going to be just, and all the people are going to be happy. No one will go hungry in that kingdom. I can’t wait for that king to come. I don’t like it here. The shopkeepers don’t give us food, because we don’t have the kind of money they ask of us. My dad works night and day. He is able to provide us with enough food, but sometimes I see him and mom not having enough to eat.

Let me not worry about my family and this kingdom now. I want to be prepared for the new king to come. I look wonder-eyed at this teacher, everything he says makes sense to me. It’s like he’s talking only to me. I can see him looking into my eyes all the time. Am sure he loves me. (Mom always says I’m the most handsome boy and the best boy in this whole town).

Some people are rising up. Do they plan to leave? How can they leave when he is talking to all of us? Wait a minute, they are not leaving. They are carrying that man to the teacher. I know him. He’s the crippled man who begs at the temple gates. What are they doing? Why are they carrying him to the teacher? Is he a doctor too?

The teacher is looking at them with such love. I have never seen any one look at that crippled man like that. He’s reaching out and touching him. What do I see? The crippled man is standing up by himself. Unbelievable. He doesn’t seem to need his friends’ support anymore. How did he do that? Wow!! That’s so cool. I can see someone else standing next. I know that lady. People say she has some disease, and will die soon. May be she wants to tell the teacher her final good byes. What are they talking? He is closing his eyes. I think he is praying. She is smiling now. She seems so happy. Her face doesn’t look tired any more. Did he just cure her? He is a miracle maker indeed.

I see James walking to the teacher. He has his trademark guiding stick in his hand. He seems to miraculously reach the teacher, just like he finds his way around our town. The teacher touches his empty eyes. The next thing I hear is James shouting with joy, saying “I can see! I can see!” He is running around without his stick. He comes to me and says he’s finally happy to see everything around him.

It’s past noon. I’m hungry. I think I’ll eat my lunch now. But those 12 people seem to be telling the teacher something. I inch forward to listen to what they are saying. “This a remote place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one here to have a bite!” But the teacher seems so calm. “Don’t fret. Have faith, and my Father can do miracles for us. Give all you have to Him, and He will grow it abundantly”, says the teacher. After saying these words, He looks around at me, and smiles.

Did he tell that to me? But how can these bread and fish be enough for all these people? This is a huge crowd. I overheard one of those men with the teacher say there could be 5000 men, along with women and children. But the teacher said give all we have to god, and He will grow it to abundance. I’ll give Him all I have. May be I can help him to do another miracle here.

I step up to the teacher. I hand him my lunch, 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish. I tell him, “This is all I have. I want you to use it to feed those who need it”. He looks lovingly at me and tells me “Clement,” (how did He know my name?) “you will be an example to people of all times. You will be spoken about for generations to come, because of what you did today. You gave the Lord all you had. God will use this offering of yours to feed all those gathered here. Come join me in giving thanks to the Lord”.

After saying these words, he looked up to the sky and gave thanks to the Lord for me and for the food he had in his hands. He gave the bread to one of those 12 men. He told them to pass it along. He asked them to give people as much as they want. “Don’t ration it”, He said. He did the same with the fish. He then made me sit beside him, and gave me bread and fish, saying, “Isn’t this your favorite food? Eat till you are full” (how does he know all about me? He knows my name, He knows my favorite food, He seems to know everything.)

I sit happily next to the teacher, and start eating the bread and fish. They taste better than always today. Everyone is enjoying the food, some of them are looking at me and smiling. Some of them come over and ruffle my hair, and tell me that I’m a very good boy. I can’t wait to go and tell mom all that happened here. What a miracle! The teacher used just those 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes to feed this multitude.

I see those 12 men collecting leftovers. They come to the teacher, and tell him that they’ve collect 12 baskets of bread leftover, after all of them had eaten their full. This miracle doesn’t seem to end. I can’t wait to get home and tell my mom and dad all about it. When Daisy grows up, I’ll tell her the stories the Teacher told me today. I will also tell her the miracles he performed. I’ll tell her how I was the only one among the multitude, who was ready to share all of my food, all my favorite food of bread and fish and how the miracle maker fed the 5000 men, and the women and all the children with just my 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish.

When that day comes

Spreading everywhere is the spirit of celebration
All things I hear are about eternal jubilation
Seems all hearts are submerged in this flood
The full-grown trees to every tiny bud

Who is it that’ll here cometh
That these people so runneth
Everywhere I go seeth only celebrations
Everyone I know seemth in jubilations

Suddenly I realize that knowth all around
But do know that this is not a place I’ve ere seen
Strangely still it feels just like home
Am surrounded by love and care all along

I look to the skies to see sight so familiar
But what I do see makes me feel stranger though
No sun, no moon, no stars do I see
But still in brightest of days I do live

I search for the temple to sit down and pray
I walk through the streets in search of my goal
Not a temple is here to worship my Lord
What a strange land I think traveling it whole

Suddenly I find myself in front of that man
He’s so lovely, he’s so kind
I’ll never forget that look in his eyes
As he looks into mine with such lot of love

I feel like I’ve known him for a long time now
But this radiance is something I’ve never seen before
I’m captivated by that look
And now to his sight I remain hooked

Now I realize am filled with his love
Happily now I’m running around
Dwelling in abounding moments of celebration
Sprinting around in the bliss of jubilation

This is the place I’ve wanted to be
Right from the day I’ve got to know Him
My longest of dreams has finally come true
As I stand face to face with the great I AM.

Decisions

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
Pondering on these things I should take
From the start of the day
Till back on the pillow I lay

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
What do I wear, and what do I make
On this bright sunny morning
As I start another new day

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
That links to my life and all those around me
Some of them small and rather insignificant
Some of them mighty and has all significance

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
I wonder along if right decisions have taken
This is the time when I want to be alone
Sitting and checking on all decisions I’ve made

Decisions, decision, decisions to make
I’m proud to tell you what a wonder it’s been
Taking the right decisions at some major turns
I look back at all, and smile at my good sense

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
The past is now gone, I need not bother
All I have to think, is bout the gift of today
And the decisions to make for a brighter tomorrow

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
No I’m not alone I strongly believe
The master planner is part of me always
Helping me, in Him take decisions right

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
I know that this is a reality always
No matter what comes, I surely do know
My god has plans to prosper alone

Decisions, decisions, decisions to make
One decision I’ve taken ere and today
To take all decisions in His mighty plans
Plans that’ll prosper and not harm me ever

Mom - God's gift

Down I land, in an all new town
Slowly I take my first few steps
Like a baby walking for the very first time
A known face to find in the crowd all around

My searching eyes finally rest
At the beaming face out in the crowd
What joy it brings to see her face
Gleaming at me with her beautiful smile

She puts me at home in this new lil town
And shows me all places as we drive along
Where she works and where she ere lived
All she shows me with such lovely care

Days go by with me sitting at home
But not a day when she doesn’t call
To check about my health, and
Making me feel completely at home

I spend long hours talking to her
Sure doesn’t feel like I’ve not known her for long
It seems to me, that she’s always been there
Watching me grow and listening to my endless talks

My every desire, fulfill does she
Even before it reaches my tongue
She cares about my feelings more than I do
And always takes time out to make me feel home

Starting to work after quite a long time
I get back home from a long tiring first day
To find her standing right at the door
Waiting for me to come home

Can’t stop telling her about all things I do
She aint just another person in my life
She’s become one of the most important ones
She’s my Mom, chosen according to God’s perfect plan

Talk to me

Am sitting alone at my lonely desk
Getting work done, all to my best
A friend wants to talk
And pops out of nowhere

We talk for sometime
Bout all things that’s fun
He seems to go, to where, not I know
Leaving me here waiting, for what, not I know

My mind now astray, tries to find other pals
From all over the world
With whom I can talk
For just a few minutes long

Sadly though find I no one here
Who seems to be free to talk to me now
I wonder how come none are free to me talk
All too busy at just the same time

Wild thoughts run along
As I try to find out
A way through my thoughts
All slimy and mire

They’re all o’er the place
Telling me aint no coincidence this
“All of them are avoiding, don’t you realize
Tells epics of how much love you they”

I wanna talk to some one
Find I though none
I’m ready to listen
But where are the people who’ll talk to me now

Have all deserted me
Have all said good bye
Leaving me here, all to myself
To live my life till eternity alone

Out there some where
Waits my patient One
Ready to listen all my lil talks
Ready to speak more than I can ever grasp

A fool I was, and a fool still am
To have found precious love
But chosen to walk on away
To my own stupid paths
To my own crooked ways

He’s always been there talking to me
Waiting as ever to listen to me
Oh what a fool I’ve always been
Blind did I turn to His gracious love

I turn to go back to my lover again
What do I see, that He’s running my way
I wanna fall to His feet and ask Him to flay
No words do I say cos of the love I behold in His eyes

I run to His arms to talk my heart out
Want to listen to every word that He says
And grasp all the meaning of His wisdom profound
Staying with Him till eternity doth last

Still I wonder what a fool I’ve been
Why do I leave this lover of mine
To others who have not known me in love
Lord help me to be not a fool all eternity

Make me whole

Walking along the way with my pals
I start to wonder why I’m falling apart
With all of them here to hold me and love
What is it that has torn me away

I pull myself up and walk on along
Only to find I no more am whole
There are many parts lost on the way
But sadly and truly not one does care

All are busy in their own little lives
And no one has time to help find me my life
Who do I look to for helping me out
Why doesn’t He atleast call out to me now

Out of the blue I heard a lil voice
Of my sweet lil pal who called out my name
I pushed her away in my quest to now pray
To the one Almighty who’ll show me the way

I pray on and on, to the one that know
Asking Him daily to lead me along
And I feel my lil pal nudging me now
Asking me to come and see the world that she knows

I push her away and warn her this time
To stop all her pranks to take me away
From the precious of times spent with my master alone
Waiting for Him to help find me my life

She didn’t go away but held me this time
Telling me how much she loved me always
No matter how I’m fallen to parts
I’ll forever remain her perfect lil one

Oh how could she say that when she’s known me so well
Wouldn’t all who I know laugh at her words insane
I push her away and ask her to leave
Deserve I no love and so not from her

She holds me again and kisses me now
And tells me again love me she how
Oh not again, don’t tell me those words
Deserve I not, not one of your touch

She hushes me now and kisses my tears
Asking to see me through her lil eyes
What do I see, I don’t believe
Perfect and whole looking right into me

He knows our thoughts and all of our deeds
But still does He say yes to our cry
Why don’t we give ear to His voice
And listen to Him answering our prayers galore

What love is it that maketh me whole!
What love is it that maketh perfect again!
My tears are now turned into songs of new life
That I’ll be singing all the days to come now

In search of my home

On a cold winter night,
I leave from their sight
All weary, and now dawdling along
Hoping to find a sweet little home

A place that I will rear my firstborn
A place that will be, forever my own

Now out of the dark
Hear I the sound
Which tells me today
That am no more alone

From the instances past
I’ve begun to grasp
More than just comfort
Cometh from things of the dark

I sprint out of there
With energy unknown
But surprisingly though
That thing comes along

I finally decide to put all to a stop
And prepare alone to fight till I drop
Look I around, to find not a soul
Oh all that I feared, now seems like a sham

I move on along, in my search to find me a home
A place that I will rear my firstborn
A place that will be, forever my own

But as I go on, I hear it again
Following me wherever I go
It gets onto me and scares me to death
And wondrously now, His words come racing along

That He is with me,
With His rod and His staff,
Ready to comfort me in the dark

I fall on my knees
When I remember His love
His blood that was shed
For I am His love

I pray and repent
For all that I’ve done
And muster to fight
The first of my wars

This time I am so not alone
I’ve got an army with me
The army of the one that I love

I’ll fight the good fight,
And complete my race
To finally rest, in my father’s own home
A place that is forever, forever my own
And this is the place where I want to raise my dear firstborn

A way through the desert - Sanu's testimony.

Testimony of Sanu Abraham (11-Mar-1979 to 27-Apr-2009) - one of the most blessed youths of Bangalore Centre Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam. It was a blessing to just be around him and to share in his enthusiasm towards life.

I met Sanu 4 years back when we held posts in the centre youth league. That year, our acquaintance grew into friendship and friendship slowly grew into fellowship with the Lord over the past few years. Words can't express the grace of God I've experienced through this chap. Infact I think I have a good understanding of my calling because of this guy. I'll forever treasure his memories.

For those of you who don't know Sanu, here is some information about him. He was an ever cheerful person, who would ensure that all around him were always happy and smiling. If you happen to just look at his face and talk to him, or talk to him on the phone, you'd think, "Man! This guy has it all. I wish I had a life like his."

Over to Sanu now.


The journey of life was going in its full zoom. It was an adventurous journey filled with all sorts of enjoyment until the route took a different turn.... a way through the desert - a desert named CANCER.

This journey started in the year 1998. I was doing my 2nd year nursing at a reputed institution in bangalore. Aged 19yrs - an age of dreams, wishes & youth in its full vigour. An age that I was busy shaping my body at gym. It was amidst all this shaping that I noticed an irregular shape at my upper left shoulder & upper left arm bone as well. When compared to my right shoulder, the left shoulder was a little bulgy. I thought it might be a mistake in me shaping my shoulders at gym. But the truth is that it was a swelling & there a small bony growth on my left upper arm bone which is called humerus.

The pain was immense a kind of squeezy & aching type of pain.The pain used to be at its peak in the night whereas in the day it went unnoticed. I used pain killers to drive off the pain. But as a faithful friend it always glued to me.

My 2nd year exams were nearing. By looking at my pain, my father decided to take me to take me to H.A.L Hospital. There I took an x-ray under the advise of the orthopedic. After looking at my X-ray, the doctor asked me and my father to wait till he met his other patients. He then came over and explained it, without saying that word cancer… 'not yet confirmed'... 'something related to'… 'may be'.

I still wonder what my father went through. I forget how exactly I felt but it was not a shock Nor did it shatter me. May be I was not being serious about it. But I believe God gave the grace to accept it. May be I did not realize it then.

I only waited to get home and yell 'Breaking News' to my friends & relatives. It spread like wild fire. My friends & relatives could not believe their ears.

Surgical biopsy at H.A.L hospital, Bangalore and a whole month's frustrating wait later, doctors could still not diagnose the problem. Numerous trips to other hospitals proved futile too. A family friend from our church suggested Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, five hours from Bangalore.

We headed to CMC, where a biopsy was fixed for August 2, 1998 – the day my final year exams would begin. Sigh! I consoled myself as it meant no exam worries.

I was not depressed about my future. It looked blank. God was helping me take everything as it came.

The biopsy result: Osteosarcoma of left Humerus or left upper arm bone - a quick spreading bone tumour. In its later stages, it spreads to the lungs.

During the surgery that followed, doctors removed three fourths of my left upper arm bone from the shoulder. They inserted a steel rod shaped exactly like that bone, into the remaining portion of the bone. They scraped out my shoulder muscles and triceps (that I was trying to build at the gym) which were affected by the tumour by now.

My family and I returned to Bangalore to so I could get my chemotherapy done at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology.

September 1998. My chemo started. Even when studying for nursing, I never met patients undergoing chemotherapy. The word sounded like another course of anti-biotics! I never imagined what its 'complications' would be like. The first 'cycle' was fine.

Before the second cycle, my family got news that my Appachan (grandfather) suffering from throat cancer, was dying. We rushed to Kerala. Appachan had lost speech. He was shrunk to bones and skin, not the man I met a year ago, and when i met him he said he had the thirst of drinking the whole water in the well. I returned to Bangalore with that haunting image of Appachan.

My hair woes began with the second chemo. I lost hair quickly – hair that my people liked and I was a bit proud of. My English teacher called it 'sheep hair' and would rub his fingers into it playfully. And lo! I lost such wonderful hair – so much in one night! Add to it nausea, severe projectile vomitting, loss of appetite.....etc and things only got worse.

I hoped lost hair would grow. To this day, it has not come back. The plus side: I no longer spend money on haircuts!

My world turned upside down with the third cycle. I would vomit so much that it felt my stomach and intestines would gush out of the mouth. Sticky saliva, oral and throat ulcers, urinary tract infections, low blood count… the troubles seemed endless. Every cycle burned me up. It continued till the sixth cycle. One day i remember I was not able to have anything. My father was helping me have my dinner. I tried somehow to have some of the food but vomitted the whole thing out. Upon that my father was insisting me to have again. I was really getting irritated and just out of that frustration I asked my dad, 'Does god have a heart?' My dad did not say anything. The next day morning our church priest visited me & my father spoke about the previous night incidents. He comforted me & said that whenever I go through any kind of pain just look at the cross and meditate upon what Christ suffered. But I had not grown spiritual enough to understand the true meaning of cross & Christ's suffering. My family was shattered. Its daily routine ruined. It hurt my sister's studies badly. Chemo cycles that last six months took me eight long months. Such a relief when they were over!

I did not want to waste time after this. I wrote my final year nursing exams with my college juniors, scored about 60 per cent, and continued my 3rd years with them. I chose psychiatry as an elective, and would travel by bus for about 20 kilometres from home to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) for my six months' training there.

One morning, when I was travelling to NIMHANS my bus hit a speed-breaker (a hump) suddenly. I was by the window, and my left shoulder hit a window rod as a result. The skin covering the steel rod inside was thin. A pin-hole injury occurred, probably because of some sharp object attached to the steel rod. I ignored the pain as it was not terrible.

As my final exams were nearing, I found puss oozing from my hurt arm one day. A family friend of mine who studied as my senior & was working as a nurse at a reputed hospital pitched in by & used to dressed up the wound every day. Thanks to her compassion, caring love, support & encouragement. Her presence at that time was very helpful not only to me but also to my family. She was like the elder daughter in my family. The day i finished my final year exam, I came home & removed the old dressing and got a shock.

The steel rod inside my arm had torn the skin and protruded through the wound hole, shining! I rushed to Vellore and got myself operated. A month later, a lump erupted on my upper arm just below the shoulder.

Cancer at it again! Another surgery. A week after surgery, the lump resurfaced at the same spot. 'Multiple recurrence', the doctor said.

Time for high dose chemotherapy! I told the doctor to go ahead. I believed in Jesus Christ, who controlled my life. Prayers by family and friends worked. My body tolerated the medicine well to the Doctor's amazement. It went without any side effects not even a hair fall or vomitting nothing........ Praise God that was a miracle.

When I was taking the follow up chemo of the previous high dose chemo, the lump came back! The previous high dose chemo controlled the tumour quite well. But unfortunately came back again. Three recurrences of the tumour! I was advised a chest x-ray and it had spread to my right lung, as my oncologist suspected.

'We need to amputate your right hand along with the lungs surgery', the doctors said. My father's eyes screamed in agony. He was crushed. For once, I got the God's grace to take that positively. God protected me in his arms. It was like He was taking the whole emotional blow upon himself. The significance of Christ's suffering was being revealed to slowly through circumstances like these........ The best part was that He was giving me the grace to discern the truth. My father asked the doctors to decide the way they would, it was for their own son. My parents were devastated. I asked them to trust God.

If He sent us to the earth, it is with a purpose. He loves us unconditionally. I used to think if God created us then He must be aware of each & every cells functioning in our body. If so then how is that a cancer cell can start growing in our body just like that without God's knowledge. And if it is with his knowledge then He must definitely have a purpose behind it. Since He created everything with a plan & purpose in His mind. If so will He not allow these things for our goodness? I signed the consent form as my mother cried. The night before operation was a funny one. I had a patient in my room from north India. We had become good friends. We used to play cards, crack jokes & all sorts of fun and we really laughed our hearts out that night before surgery.

The next morning, I experienced God and His amazing comfort & joy even as my family and relatives were sobbing by my bedside. Before I was wheeled into the operation theatre, the radiant Ms Mary, a retired chaplain at CMC came by. Her words were really powerful & encouraging. It had a soothing effect in it. She said, 'I can accompany you till the door of the operation theatre, but from there another person will accompany you till the operation table. I thought she would have spoken to some Doctor to take care of me specially...... But she said its none other than Jesus himself & I thanked Jesus Christ for the assurance He gave me through His joy & peace.

When I regained consciousness, I looked for my left arm. It was there! The doctor said they left the arm and removed only the tumour as it was far off from blood vessels and nerves. A fresh lease of life!

I even went through five whole cycles of chemotherapy with not much side effects this time. My doctor got me the best medicine possible from abroad! After that I was symptom-free for the next two years.

In 2003 the tumour came in the same place where it had recurred earlier. My doctors at Vellore decided to amputate my arm this time, after some brainstorming. My parents were dejected, and so were the nurses and hospital staff who knew me over there & were my friends by now. I went through it, with a feel good factor.... Again, t'was god's grace playing the same role again. When I woke up after the surgery, I felt for the hand and saw it was not there. But I felt like it was there!

Doctors asked me to stand in front of the mirror & make myself accept that my arm has been amputated. But I never felt the need to do that since I had already accepted it and I don't know there was never a feeling of loss at that time. I was again put on high dose chemotherapy. By this time I was well experienced to face chemo since I got used to it & also knew how to tackle it.

This time, the chemotherapy was done with a tube inserted into the body. It needed dressing in sterile surroundings. Else, it gets infected and unfortunately I got infected. Its first symptom – High Fever. I got admitted again. Infact I remember I got admitted in an afternoon & that day evening fever started to rise it went above 106 degree and as a result convulsions followed. And I became unconscious, for two days. Doctors lost hope.

My mother had even called the Chaplain of CMC Vellore over to give me my last Holy Communion at about 3.30 am. It is given to patients who are conscious. But I was unconscious! So my mother and chaplain only prayed through the night. The third day I could hear some voices.

Two weeks on, the antibiotics began working. I was told I was affected by septicaemia which means blood poisoning caused by pathogenic microorganisms and their toxic products in the bloodstream - a very fatal condition. Hardly any patients come back to life after this, they said. I returned to Vellore after another chemo cycle too with high fever. My lips,whole mouth & throat got infected. Couldn't eat anything & was on fluids for two weeks. Fever was not coming down since there was no improvement in my blood counts. Doctors lost hope again. Doctors asked my mother to inform my relatives (indicating what was to come – death). This time I was diagnosed as febrile neutropenia a condition marked by fever and decrease in the number of neutrophils in the blood. A neutrophil is a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection. Having too few neutrophils increases the risk of infection.

At that time one day my mom was sitting by my bedside & I was having severe chills & my whole body was shivering as a result of the high fever. Mom was helplessly looking into my eyes & I could read through her eyes that she too was losing the hope & the pain & agony through which she was going through. I looked into her eyes & told her, "Mummy, you don't cry. I can not die like this. Unless & until god finishes His purpose for which He's allowing me to go through this, He will not call me back. And I am pretty sure that God is still not finished with His work which He Himself has started in my life." Wow! I never thought I could say that. I don't know how but I definitely believe there was a divine inspiration from within to say that to my mother. I don't know how she felt after me telling her that but certainly I was being assured time & again by my Lord there are still pages left in the book of my life. Our god is the author of our life and our life is story of His love. And behind every chaotic & indiscriminate events of our lives a bigger story - a divine story is being written.

I told the doctors, 'You have done your best. Give God some time'. Call it a miracle, but everything returned to normalcy. I had tasted the sweetness of God. Such sheer joy! I rediscovered a new self after this, raring to go out to the world and share that experience.

I even got a birthday gift after this. I got appointed as a nurse at a government hospital. It is this God's love that has seen me through more surgeries after that.

Through the hundreds of sleepless nights, pain, my family's tears and friends' prayers, it is the joy of experiencing God that brought me out of death, not once but several times. Recently my doctors told me the tumour has spread to my lungs, but I continue living with the love of God. And enjoy living.

I meet many people, and speak about Him. Cancer patients, prayer groups, friends, families. He is helping me journey this desert. He is quenching my thirst.

- Sanu Abraham (18-Dec-2008)


Sanu's parents and sister need all our prayers to go through the tough times now. Please do continue to uphold his family in prayers.

"I-M-POSSIBLE"

Message I had prepared for my message in the Christos Mar Thoma Church, Kenger, as part of the Youth Week Deputation program on the 19th of October, 2008.

Mark 10:17 - 31
(See also: Mathew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30)

This passage talks about a man who was

• young
• a ruler (see Luke)
• law-abiding
• humble (he got onto his knees when he met Jesus)
  
• rich
• on a quest

People today feel that money is the be-all and end-all to all things done on earth. But here was a young man, who knew that having all the money is not important. But being assured of eternal life was all that he wanted to know about.
This is infact the very sentiments that Paul talks about in his letter to the Philippians (see ch. 3)

He was a perfect man in the sense of the world

• He had obeyed the commandments since his youth.Youth, in my opinion, is the time when children tend to go the wrong way. In their childhood, parents are their answer to all things. But as they grow, then tend to start hiding things from their parents, lying, stealing and even not honoring their parents. This tendency is more when a child is brought up in riches. But here was a man, who was probably born in riches who has kept the commandments.
• His claim to obedience was not a sham. It was a reality. This is the reason Jesus loved him when he looked at him (v21). Jesus could see the heart of any person. So for Jesus to have loved him, indicates just how good this rich man actually was.

Jesus wanted him to come out his comfort zone

• Some people may seem to be perfect in the eyes of the world. But God knows our weaknesses, and knows that those weaknesses make us imperfect.
• Your imperfection is no reason for Jesus to not love you. He infact loves you inspite of your weaknesses. But He wants you to be ready to leave your comfort zones if you want to be perfect in His eyes.
• This is one of the reasons why Jesus mentions that you can't enter the kingdom of God unless you enter it as a child. Children are very quick to leaving the comfort zones when they are with their parents. If you have ever played the game of tossing a baby in the air and catching it, you'd have seen the joy on the baby's face, when it is in mid-air. For a baby, the comfort is in the arms of it's parent. But when it's parent were to toss it in the air, it is not scared because it completely trusts that it's parent knows what to do. But as the baby grows up, it is easily scared.
• God wants us to be like those babies. When He asks you to leave what you have for His sake, then you should be willing to leave all that you have. Because a God who has created you, also knows your needs, and will provide for the same.

When you give up something for God, He'll give you a 100 times more

• This is probably the most wrongly quoted verse from the Bible. Here God is not talking about your money. He is talking about your attitude.
• When you give up your house or family for the Lord, and go places, you are bound to meet a lot of people. God intends each one of these people we meet to be like an extension to our families. Their homes to be like our homes.
• When Jesus asks the apostles to go out in 2s, He told them that when they enter a town, they were to stay in a house all the time they are in the town. When you are a guest in a house, you feel uncomfortable after a few days. By asking them to stay there for their entire time in a town, Jesus was telling them that that place is going to be their home away from home. (Luke 10)
  
• Jesus on the cross was still thinking of his mother. He knew his mother was losing a son for the extension of God's kingdom. Hence he told her that John was her son, and told John that this was his mother. (John 19)
  
• But not all people are called to leave homes and family for His kingdom. Some people are called to be hosts too. This requires a lot of sacrifices too. When you have guests staying over at your place, you will endure quite some inconveniences like loss of privacy, loss of comforts like watching TV when you want.

Impossible for man, possible through God

• Sometimes giving up something is not every easy. Infact it seems like the toughest thing to do or even impossible. But when you put your trust in God and ask Him for help, He'll make all things possible. All He wants us to do is to put our complete trust that He will take it to completion.

We need to put in our efforts, but always remember that,
Even IMPOSSIBLE actually spells out as "I AM POSSIBLE", and our God is the great "I AM".

Ezekial - Chapters 14-15

Dated: 10-Oct-2008

14:4 - Today we are worshippers of idols in our hearts too. Money and materials take precedence over God for us most times. If we are asked to let go of our possessions, will we do as asked?

14:14 - Noah, Daniel and Job were saved because of their righteousness. W personally can't boast of righteousness. But we are saved because of the righteousness we've received from the blood of the Lamb.

14:16 - Your righteousness is yours alone. God will not save an unjust person because of you. So does that mean, you live a just life and that is it? No, we are called to be shepherds for the Lord. Though we can't save some one else because of our righteousness, we can be a reason for them to find their righteousness through us. That's what we are called for.

14:23 - When you go through trials in your life, you might wonder what/why God is doing this. But the righteous will come out unscathed and unharmed. When you see this final result, you will know and understand God's purpose for you. God does nothing without reason or cause. He has everything planned out. But the best part is that He has contingency plans in place too.
When you sin, His plan to prosper you is no longer valid. The contingency plan to your destination becomes the primary plan, and His initial plan becomes the contingency option. To reverse these plans, all you need to do is to repent wholeheartedly. That's all it takes.

15 - The wood of the vine is of no use at all. But in John 15, Jesus says, "I'm the vine". What does this mean?
If you are in the vine, you are of use. The moment you fall out, you get rendered as just another piece of wood. This piece of wood from a vine is of no use at all. Your identity is there as long as you are part of the vine. The moment you leave the vine, you are just a piece of useless wood. As mentioned in John 15:6 , a withered wood/branch has no purpose but to be thrown into the fire.

Ezekial - Chapters 11 - 13

Dated: 05-Oct-2008

11:16b - What a promise it was. That God will be with us wherever we are. All He wants us to do, is to love and worship Him. He is ready to go to the extent of coming to us. If we feel that we are away from home, and in a foreign land, there is nothing to worry. God is with us. He is keeping an eye out for us.

12:1-6 - God can make you do some crazy things. He asked Noah to build an ark when they had no rains. Here He asks Ezekial to go out of his house, like he is in exile. But there is method in His madness. Even incase of Noah, maybe if some one had stopped by to ask him what he was doing and why, they might've gotten saved.
Here again, though Ezekial does some crazy things, no one asks him what he is doing. But here God gives them a second chance, by sending Ezekial back among them.

? Is there a message to us too here? To take note of the seemingly eccentric people around us? Are there similar crazy people who are trying to tell us something? Do we have time or interest to interact with them?

12:21-28 - God is listening to every word we say. He keeps track of them. And when the time is right, we will hear His response to us. Hence it is very important that we guard what we say. Things we intend to be said in jest, may not be taken so by others.
The words that come out of our mouths make people determine a lot about us. Here God is just giving us an example by disproving the haughty statements made by men against Him. When God says things, He means it. There are no jest statements made by Him. So when we hear His word or promise, we can rest assured that He will bring it to completion. We can rest assured of His support in claiming His promise.

13:17-23 - The description of women wearing charms and scarves matches the current day fortune tellers; infact I think most of them are women too. It's pretty clear that these people have evil powers. They are not just another set of people who are putting on an act. The devil is working through them. Nothing but God can fight those powers away. So it's best we stay away from these people. Not giving them a chance to find a weak link within us, and enter into us.

Ezekial - Chapters 8-11

Dated: 26-Sep-2008

9:11 - The man sent to mark the foreheads of people comes back at the end of the conversation between God and Ezekial. What does that mean? There were so little people that he could finish his work before the conversation ended?

10 - Glory of the Lord leaves the temple. A temple is God's home. If He has to decide to leave home, things must've been so terrible in the Jerusalem temple. If our houses get pest infected, we will do our best to remove the pest. We will get the best terminators in business and spend all that we have to ensure our house is clean again. But if nothing helps, our only resort would be to shift to a new place, and perhaps bring down the old house. This is similar to what God planned for too.

? What is the significance of coal being scattered in Jerusalem? Is this supposed to indicate the wrath of God on all of them?

9:4-6 - God asks the man in linen to go around and place a mark on the foreheads of people who are still children of God.

• Revelation 14 talks of 144,000 people along with Him, who had the mark of the Father.
• Revelation 13 talks of the mark of the devil.

? Does everything have a mark? When do we get to see our marks?
Everyone might have a mark, but do we have the mark of the Father?

8:12 - God never forsakes us. He is always aware of our thoughts and intentions at all times. We might be very big sinners, we might not even walk with the Lord. But inspite of all this, God is still looking out for us. He is seeing our every move. The things we do, thinking we are not God's children afterall, still does hurt him.

Ezekial - Chapters 4-7

Dated: 12-Sep-2008, 19-Sep-2008

7:20 - "The things that you use to disgrace the Lord will be destroyed".
When we misuse the talents given to us, God will destroy those talents. People who know you because of your talents will find no use for you. Our God is a selfish God. He wants all the glory and love to be His alone. God has given you the talents you have. When you use these talents in ways that don't please God, then He'll take it away as your punishment.

4:14 - Even in the midst of His fury, God listens to prayers. When Ezekial said he didn't want to defile himself, God heard it. He was ready to go soft on him. God loves to talk to us and listen to us and to give us what we need. He is always all ears to all our woes and cries. He wants to give us nothing but the best. So, when you cry out to the Lord, He does listen. But how He chooses to answer our prayer varies. Sometimes what we ask for may seem like the best for us. But God knows everything about us. And He knows what will be the best for us and also remain the best for us, in our complete lifetime.

3:14 - Annoyed and angry (Refer the question I felt here)
God had taken complete control of Ezekial. Imagine being under complete control of another person. How would you feel? Would you be able to be happy? So, the human side of Ezekial just comes out, when he says this.

4:4-5 - Ezekial was called to be a prophet for the Lord. But this required sacrifices from him too. He had to lie down for 390+40 days. He had food restrictions too. So when God calls us to be His workers, we need to be ready to make sacrifices He asks for.

7:21-27 - There is a code of conduct when you are God's people. When you break this, God is angry. People of Jerusalem did that. They worshipped other Gods and built altars for them. This is why God chose to punish them. In the same time, there were wicked people around them. God was not planning on destroying them though. For the sole reason that they didn't belong to His family.
If you see a boy smoking on the road, the most you'd do is advise him to not smoke. But if it is your own son, then you'd belt him then and there. It's a similar situation with God too. When you decided to be sons of God, you are giving Him full authority over your life. When you start to do things not pleasing to Him, He will punish you.
If you sin without knowing the Lord, He is going to be sad about you. But when you sin after getting to know Him, He is also gonna get angry with you. You need to remember that.

Ezekial - Chapters 1-3

I've started the study of Ezekial in my personal time. I wanted to make note of the thoughts and feelings I felt as I read through the book.

Dated: 05-Sep-2008

Ezekial [593BC - 570BC]

Some background about Ezekial and his times.
. 586BC - Fall of Jerusalem
. Ezekial saw the glory of the Lord and he heard the Almighty speak to him.

3:1-3 - God gave him a scroll to eat - "Eat this and fill up on it". Ezekial found that it tasted like honey.

What a privilege we have. We have the word of God with us. He wants each one of us to eat and be full of what His word says to us. When we are full of His word, we will experience His love. And His love is going to taste sweeter than honey.

2:2 - The spirit on Ezekial was not a common thing. But again we are privileged that God has promised His spirit on each of us. Each of us are called to be prophets for God today.

3:15 - "I was both annoyed and angry"

?? Why does he feel that?

3 - Being stubborn or hard is not only the devils doing. God expects us to be stubborn and hard too. But where you choose to be stubborn and hard, depends on who is talking to you.

God wants us to be stubborn and hard in our faith in Him, and in our trust in Him. No matter what happens around us, He wants us to stick onto Him.

God knows the people very well. He knows they are going to be arrogant and are not going to listen to His prophets.
How does God retaliate? He makes His prophets even more stubborn.
But how do we react to these situations in our life? When we see a loved on who is stubborn over something, do we just let them be? Instead, we should look to the Lord for strength to be stubborn ourselves. To hold back our fort, and also to build it further, encompassing our loved ones too.

3:15 - 7 days

3:22-27 - There is a right time for everything. Just because you know something or are asked to do something, doesn't mean you jump into it. The Lord will decide when the time is going to be right for you. Till then He will bind you. So if you feel like you are meant to do a lot of things for the Lord, but feel like you are bound, then it's just God telling you to wait till the time is right.

But can't the devil be you too? - I don't think so. When God has a plan or purpose for you, and you are willing to be allowed to be used for His plan, then He will ensure that it comes to pass. He will give you a lot of reasons to realise what He wants of you.
He will never abandon you.

3:16-21 - Ezekial was responsible for the people he didn't warn. He was freed of this responsibility when he warned the people. If God were to say the same thing to us today, most of us will be punishable. When it is so easy to discuss movies with others, why can't we share His love with others?

Refiner and purifier of silver

Once a woman was puzzled and wondered what the Bible verse - "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. (Malachi 3:3)" - meant about the character and nature of God.

She decided to find out the process of refining silver and called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you and, no matter whatever you are going through now, you will be a better person in the end!

False display

[Rev. Mathew K Muthalaly]

Mark 11:11-18 (and Luke)

Some of the doubts that crop up when you read this passage are

1. Jesus is a loving God, blessing God. Such a God cursed. How was this possible?
2. It wasn’t a season for figs. This being the case, why did God have a problem with this? Isn’t this equivalent to punishing an innocent person?
   

1. v11-14 – The instance of Jesus and the fig tree.
2. v15-18 – Jesus driving traders out of the temple.
3. v20 onwards – You see that the fig tree was dried up. This reminded Peter of Jesus’ curse. Jesus replied, “Have faith in God”.

The first two instances show Jesus’ anger. All 3 instances seem completely disconnected. If we were to try moving a mountain, we do it because we thing Jesus said yes. But there is a doubt in actually it happening. Even a tiny bit of doubt can result in no results.

A fig tree full of leaves is an indication of it having fruit. If it doesn’t have fruit, it won’t have leaves. Mark says, “He was hungry”. This shows the human side of the Lord. He was fully divine and He was fully human. He was just like us, except that He was sinless.
In His hunger, Jesus saw the leaves on the fig tree and came close to eat something. The problem here was not that the fig tree was fruitless. The problem was with the pretention of having fruit.

God’s wish for us is to be fruitful. Everyone might appear good. God expects us to actually be good too. We pretend to be good and God doesn’t approve of this. Not being good is not God’s problem. It’s being bad and pretending to be good, that is, hypocrisy that God has a problem with. He expects total submission, not a false display.

Being useless causes only destruction. We are co-creators of God. You are the salt of the world. You are the light of the world. You are called to be of use to the world. God has called us to be useful to the world. Someone who does no good or no harm, is not the best of the people.

God reacted to the use of His temple as a trading place. So it means you need to react when you should. You shouldn’t keep quiet when you should actually be speaking up.

Example of faith – A mountaineer was lost and separated from his group, on a slow clad mountain. It was nightfall and he was yet to find his way back. In the darkness, he lost his footing and slipped down a gorge. But he hung on because of his harness. Hanging by his harness, he prayed to God asking to be saved. Then out of the darkness, he heard a voice asking him to cut the harness rope. He cursed God for not taking care of him and being so inconsiderate, because He asked him to cut the only reason why he was alive. The rescue team found him in the morning. He was found dead hanging 2 feet from the land surface.

We are born with a reason. It is God’s desire for us to fulfil this reason. Don’t be a useless person and spoil the reason for your birth in this world.

The feast of the kingdom of God

[Rev. Thomas George]

John 6:32-40

v35 – I am the bread that gives life.

Jesus’ teachings were based on things that were known to the people. This made it easy for them to understand His teachings. The people were very well versed with Manna. Hence Jesus equates Himself to this manna.

Manna was given to the Israelites. Anything collected in excess rotted. Jesus calls Himself the manna after He fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. People started coming to Jesus for food. Then Jesus sends the disciples to the other side of the shore. The boat was stuck in the storm, and there walks in Jesus on the water. He calmed the waters and comforts the disciples. These two incidents brought more people to Jesus.

Each church has its own understanding of the Holy Communion. Some churches don’t allow non-members to partake in the Holy Communion. This is the feast of the kingdom of God. The celebrant is the God. The priest is only serving it to us. We eat at a hotel not based on the servers there, but based on the food. So don’t hold the priest against taking the Holy Communion.

This is a blessed experience and we are all invited to partake in it by Jesus. We need to come in prepared for this.

The priest washes his hands to remember that he is a sinner too. God has given us sinners, right to be part of His kingdom’s feast.

1. The people were not satisfied with things Jesus did. So they said, it’s not enough and spoke of the manna their forefathers got in the desert. Jesus called Himself the manna in retaliation to this claim.
v30 – What miracle will you work? We are called the reformed church. But years back this reformation took place. Do we have an experience of this reformation? Has the reformation been a present experience, an ongoing experience?
Jesus was crucified years ago. The Holy Communion is relieving this experience. Don’t take pride in what was there before. Make the past experience into an ongoing one.

v32 – “God gave manna. It was not Moses. My father is the one who gives you the true bread” – this is a present experience.


2. The Holy Communion is a rich experience. Each one of us has to come prepared for this experience. A qualitative improvement is the need of the Holy Communion. The people ask, “God give this bread always”. By this, they mean, it is not our mistake. But it has not been given to us. The communion is an investment to eternal life. Someone who partakes this shall not die, but have eternal life. It prepares us for the feast in the kingdom of God.

Do not worry

Mathew 6:25-34
[Rev. Mathew K Muthalaly]

The idea conveyed is not to bother about tomorrow. There is more to this passage.

A man is carrying a bag of burden. He is stooping because of the weight. An angel appeared to him and asked what it was. He said, “You won’t understand.” On more prompting from the angel, he said, “It contains all my worries and apprehension.” The angel made him open the bag, but found it empty. The angel said, “Yesterday’s worries are long over. The worries of tomorrow are yet to come. Why are you carrying them around today, for no reason?”

Your life is bigger than the food, water or clothes you worry about. God gave us this life. He will also give things needed to live.

v33 – search for the Lord first, and rest will follow.

You were not born with the right to choose your parents. You were gifted as a child to your parents. We are here according to God’s plan. It’s not a matter of co-incidence.

1. God gave us life. If we believe this, then He will provide for us too.
2. To believe the above principle, you have an example – the birds that don’t earn or store or grow grains. God takes care of them. Some people say, “Eat, drink and enjoy today”. This is wrong. The birds don’t sit in their nest and God doesn’t drop food in their laps. But they rise early and work for their food. God doesn’t expect us to laze around. He wants us to work hard. We need to remember that even feeding a small bird falls within His concern. So how much more is His concern for you?
   What is prohibited? It is not work, it is worry. We should work and not worry. Worrying about tomorrow is not needed.
3. You don’t achieve anything by worrying, Children are worried about exams. Parents are worried about the children’s future. Similarly, people are worried about everything. The ultimate gain of worrying is nothing. The rich are worried for their lives. There is no use of all the wealth he has. Philippians 4:6 – Don’t worry about anything. Place your needs to God.
4. God who makes beautiful a flower that lives for a day, doesn’t He care more for you?
5. The root of anxiety is nothing by unbelief. When you believe God can help you, you will not worry.
6. What is the way to remove anxiety?
1. Understanding God’s kingdom – It is no big deal to live in this world for the poor. But we store everything and worry about tomorrow.
   - We have something to lose and so we are worried.
   - We have money, so worry about losing it.
   - We have a house, so we worry about it being destroyed.
   “I want to do things better than my neighbour” – this is the root of all anxiety.
   
   If God’s kingdom is God being king, then you need to understand that God is capable of taking from the rich and give it to the poor.
   
   Once you start thinking of this, you’ll stop worrying because you realise all are equal. Some people are relieved that God’s kingdom is not here, because they are not going to carry anything there.
   
   
2. Give importance to God – If you seek His kingdom, and give Him first priority, all your basic needs will be given unto you. It doesn’t mean you will get all that you dream of. God will give you all your needs, not your wants.