Secret of Holiness: Prayer - Part 1 (Matt. 6:7-15)

Secret of holiness prayer - part 1 from Pastor Jp Samuel

Fast Facts on Fasting

Fasting from Pastor Jp Samuel

A Walk Down Hollywood Lane

http://youtu.be/eZqkiuCE_24

Star sprangled pavements, glittering pixels in megascreens, red carpet events and papparazzi and scintillating shows line up alongside each other in Hollywood.  However, on the other side one can see smoke shops selling bongs, strip clubs, homeless people explicitly asking for and smoking weed.  Both these images capture what Hollywood is all about.

On the one hand all the glamor of Hollywood only appears to be at the surface and the joy and happiness it has promised have been empty, false and not satisfying.

Movies are the Bible for many who may or may not be religious and they go to it for the same reasons people go to God - an hour (or more for Indian movies) of peace, joy, rest and happiness.  And Hollywood has been successful in creating many multiverses and colorful worlds for millions of people over the last few decades albeit only in form and not in content.  People still long for joy, happiness, redemption and forgiveness and they are looking for light and hence are drawn to the silverscreen.



Jesus said, "I am the light of the world".  He is 'the light that lights everyone born in this world' and has called us to 'be the light of the world' (Matt. 5:14).  Unless our light shines brighter than that of the silver screen people are not going to be drawn to God. 

Love in many languages

This is being touted as the 'love month' with shops, restaurants and Hotels bracing themselves up for the Valentine's day. In one of the Hotels in Singapore, couples are invited to celebrate their love by spending 10,000 S$ a night that includes a 5000 S$ 'jewelry set' for their spouse.

Does it take that much to express love to our spouses? Are there any other ways to do so? And that too not just on 'Valentine's day' but everyday of the year?

If you've asked such questions, then the following link is just for you. It helps husbands, wives, parents, singles and even children to discover what their chief 'love language' is among the five major languages namely - words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.

http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/

As Christians, we are called to love one another. The question is : do we love others (esp. our spouse) the way they like to be loved or love them the way we expect to be loved? And how does this correlate to how Christ loved His bride - the church?