Fragrance of Christ

Once upon a time in Nolan house, the two sisters were giddy with excitement since the school just got over!

“Time to say goodbye to books!” , the younger one, Beth cried out.

“And to exam pressures!”, the elder one, Grace sighed out .

Both of them started making chits on what they could do together. This was what they used to do every vacation and they would get their parents to vote as well.

As they were deep in cutting pieces of papers, they heard their mother.

“Girls! here, take these empty boxes and throw them out!” Their mother was spring cleaning and decluttering the boxes.

“Yes, mama!”, they replied in unison. Both of them took a look at the rather large gift box. A sudden scent hit them.

Beth took a long whiff contently as Grace figured out its name. “Frankincense.”

“What if we keep our clothes in this box? So they could smell the same?” Beth asked but didn’t wait for her big sister’s reply; rather she ran with the box to their room. Grace went along with her sister’s musings.

And so both of them took some clothes and packed it into the box. The box stayed on their bed and they soon went to continue making chits.

Soon their mother saw the box and grew surprised. “Girls, why is this still here? Wasn’t this also included in the other boxes I gave you to throw?’’

“Mama, the box had this awesome smell so I thought sister and I could put our clothes in so they also will have this amazing scent!” Beth couldn’t contain her glee as she almost rapped.

Beth really love the frankincense mama, “ Grace tried to explain, to their mother didn’t seem to understand what Beth was trying to say.

Their mother couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright then girls, we shall see what happens in a few days”

A week passed by all too fast.

The clothes which were in the box were put on, and washed and dried and put back into the box more then once.
And all of a sudden there was a wailing sob.
“What has happened? What’s wrong?” their mother came into their room hearing the call of distress.

“Mama! The frankincense is no more on the clothes! Its all gone!” , Beth, the eight year old girl, didn’t expect this to happen. She wished it could stay much longer.

“My dear child, even you too spend you Sunday school classes and church meetings… does the fragrance of Jesus stay with you after you leave the church? Obeying His commandments and abiding in Jesus even in the smallest things you do?”
Beth’s mother asked.

“But- mama”, Beth tried to make a sentence but she faltered. She realized how true what mother said.

So that’s what our memory verse was, oh! , exclaimed Grace

2 Corinth 2 :15
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

The Only Hope

In the midst of trouble,
You give me comfort.
You are greater than tall peaks,
And the tall trees.
In my sadness and my happiness,
Never will you leave me to be.
Every step I take, giving me strength,
To keep going no matter what it takes.
You guide me, and I follow,
Blinded by the dark, into the hallow,
I am grateful that you are with me,
Now that I am sharing your wonders in this poem.

An Eternal Friendship

Throughout our lives we make relationships starting with family all the way to friends. We learn to trust and love and care for people. However, while we spend whole lives perfecting and exploring our relationships with people, we neglect the one that was created with sacrifice, unconditional love and solely for our benefit.

The Google definition for prayer is as follows – a solemn request for help or expression of thanks.Gratitude and thankfulness are the most deeply felt emotions. Gratitude for the things you have and for knowing God can change one’s perspective on life. We convey our gratitude, love, worries and sorrows through prayer. Prayer is often mistaken for a ritual or a ceremonial monotone activity that one must complete in order to appease God, when in reality it is a manner by which we vent our feelings and worries and happiness. Every emotion under the sun can be communicated to God through prayer, for he is the one who created all things and no other could fully grasp the extent of them like he would.

If we want to draw near to God and build a normal relationship with God, the most crucial step is to quiet ourselves before God and pray to Him with a concentrated heart. Because we will encounter all kinds of people outside, matters and things every day that often disturb and occupy our hearts, and quite often our prayers just cling to rules and are just spoken as a formality without really meaning any of it.

We could be talking to God all the time, not just before bed and in the morning. When we drive to work or go to school, when we’re cooking in the kitchen and we’re taking a shower. All the time is as good a time as any to be talking to our father and creator. Just as we would tell a close friend about the details and the minor things in our life, and maybe even more, we can always talk to God.

Just as prayer is how we communicate with God, the word of God – the Bible – is how God talks to us. The Bible truly has all the answers if we only read and listen with patience and an open heart. We may not always like things in the bible but the truth does not alter itself to our liking, it is eternal and never changing. Meditating and understanding his word and viewing it from different perspectives is always the way to go when listening for God’s advice to us.

Sometimes when we feel the most burdened is when a certain verse speaks to us, a miracle, a comforting and uplifting hand from God. It’s also good to know that the burden and the weight we feel from the pressures of life is not always a bad thing. It’s important to sharpen the burden, the pain and worry, it keeps us grounded and closer to God. In comfort is where sin thrives.

John 15 verses 15 to 17 say: No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

Just as we would share good news with our friends and partake in their joys, we can share the joy we have found in Christ and the friendship we have with him. It is certainly possible to be respectful about other people’s beliefs while sharing our own. Nevertheless, even then we may be rejected and treated outcasts because of our friendship with God. In John 15:18 – 20 it says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you. If they keep My word,
they will keep yours also.”

Like any friendship or relationship, there may be hurdles and obstacles. There may be times of doubt when your faith in God is tested. That is when you will taste the true goodness of God, because while worldly friendships may fail you, God never will, even when you don’t see the purpose he has for you. God will never give up on you or reject you, he will always await your companionship and love while showering you with his. It’s up to us to receive it.

Perseverance & Determination

It is all about Perseverance & Determination – Boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes was aware of his humble situation, and so he preserved it till the end. He must have thought how small and worthless possession he had in that multitude of many prominent personalities and famous preachers… still he never hesistated to throw his gift or conceal it on call…

He stood up with what he had upon the call of His master and that made the difference… Heaven’s maths worked !! 5 loaves of bread + 2 fishes = 5000+ meals !!


Be ready to stand-up with your gifts upon call of your master!! And the rest will be a marvel miracle!!

Basketball

A Basketball player repeatedly dribbles the ball before he scores… As the ball hits the floor repeatedly, neither does it depress itself nor does it give away…the ball knows for sure that it is well controlled and directed by the player and that it will be used by its master to score !!

In our life we may be hit down or even re-directed from our own plans… But as long as our Master controls us, we need not quit or give up… Our Master is sure to destine us to hit the eternal score…

Joel Shaji Mathew – Young lad with a great zeal for God’s Kingdom

Joel Shaji Mathew

Born as the third child of Mr. Shaji Mathew & Mrs Sheela Mathew, Joel was a member of IPC Philadelphia Church Dubai since his birth in 1998. He grew up in Dubai and did his schooling at Our Own English High School.

He was trained in the Word of God at home and in Sunday School which he attended regularly. Even from a young age, Joel exhibited a talent and passion for music and trained himself on a variety of musical instruments like the keyboard, violin, guitar, cello etc. He was part of the Church music team and never shied away from giving assistance with all preparations well ahead of the commencement of service.

From a tender age of 10 years, Joel started writing songs, composing the tune and singing them. During PYPA sessions, he displayed his talent and dexterity at playing instruments. His violin renditions had a touch of genius. He had a great zeal of God’s kingdom and aspired to be Christ like in all his dealings with people.

A soft-spoken young lad with a face ever resplendent with a heart-warming smile, Joel touched many lives with his affable manners and compassion. God in His infinite wisdom chose a better place for Joel and called him to his Eternal Home on 12 th March 2020.

we have included some excerpts from Joel’s collection and you can watch it under our video page and you can read few songs written by him under our “poems” Page ……..to cherish and treasure …….

Let’s always be thankful

Let’s all always praise God (3)
For Jesus our Lord
Hallelujah let’s praise our God, Glory to Jesus coz he is always great (2)
Let’s always love God (3)
For Jesus our Lord
For He loves us
Hallelujah let’s praise our God
Glory to Jesus for he is always great
Hallelujah let’s praise our God
Let’s always give thanks (3)
For let’s praise God
Hallelujah let’s Praise our God Glory to Jesus coz He is always Great (2)
Transpose
Hallelujah let’s Praise our God Glory to Jesus coz He is always Great (2)

I am thankful

Therefore I am thankful to God
In trouble you help me
In trouble you help me
God you are the Mighty of Gods
In trouble you help me (2)
God you are the Mighty of Gods
In trouble you help me (2)
When I sing & shout to the Lord
In trouble you help me
In trouble you help me
When I sing and shout to the Lord
In trouble you help me (2)
When I lift my hands to the Lord
In trouble you help me (2)
When I lift my hands to the Lord
In trouble He helps me
In trouble He helps me
In trouble He helps me
In trouble He He helps me

My Lord and friend whom I love

My Lord and friend whom I love
The almighty king Himself who made
He died on the cross and paid for my sins
He is the one whom I call Jesus (2)
Father in heaven stronger than man
Everlasting Father Almighty King
He sits on the throne
He watches over us, he is the one whom I call Jesus
He is the one whom I call Jesus
My close friend and more than brother
In whom I put my trust & faith at all times
He died on the cross and paid for my sins
He is the one whom I call Jesus
Father in heaven stronger than man
Everlasting Father Almighty King
He sits on the throne and watches over us,
He is the one whom I call Jesus (2)

Prayer

When we pray to God, He answers to our prayers
When we have problems, God removes it away
The Lord is mighty & powerful, He is wonderful & Glorious to us
When we cry to God, He answers our cry
When we walk with God, He shows the right path
The Lord is mighty and powerful, He is wonderful & Glorious to us.