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Thursday 17 July 2014

History of King Solomon


Solomon had the unique and distinctive privilege and opportunity to be king over 12 united tribes of Israel at its zenith, the short-lived glory days of Israel. Early in his reign, the Lord asked Solomon in a dream, “What shall I give you?” Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge God' people, wisdom and knowledge, and the ability to discern between good and evil.

God blessed Solomon with wisdom and understanding, and exalted him in the sight of Israel. His wisdom quickly became known worldwide and his wealth exceeded all the kings in the world. Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs, wrote 1,005 songs, the book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. He accumulated knowledge of trees, animals, birds, fish and more. Men came from all nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

In his fourth year, King Solomon began building the temple of the Lord according to the blueprints that God revealed to David. It was constructed in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. The temple was approximately 90 feet long by 30 feet wide, and three stories high. David had contributed his personal wealth and extensive amounts of timber, stone, iron, bronze, silver and gold. Solomon, too, personally purchased imported lumber and stone. Almost 200,000 of his own people labored to transport materials to Jerusalem.The interior of the temple was decorated with detailed carvings and plated with over 20 tons of gold. It took seven years to construct, but when it was finished, it was one of a kind.

Solomon invited everyone in the kingdom to the dedication of the temple. A grand procession conducted the Ark of the Covenant to its location in the temple's inner chamber, the Holy of Holies. When the Ark was positioned, the glory of the Lord in the form of a cloud filled the temple. It was so intense the priests had to go outside.

On an elevated scaffold made especially for the occasion, Solomon prayed on his knees with his hands held high. When Solomon had finished praying, the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed all the offerings and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the Lord shining bright, they fell to their knees and face down, worshiped and praised the Lord. There was a great celebration that lasted three weeks. When the dedication festivities ended, everyone went home joyful for God's blessings on Solomon and all of Israel.

The Lord appeared again to Solomon, assuring him that his prayer had been heard. God said that He would abundantly bless and dwell with Israel, if they kept Him first, and that He would be with Solomon, “If you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.” But God included a stern warning that there would be severe consequences if Solomon and the people of Israel turned away from Him and worshipped idols. “I will uproot them from My land which I have given them, and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight.”

The queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, and came to Jerusalem. Solomon answered all her questions. nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain it to her. The queen of Sheba was impressed beyond words. Seeing how marvelously he lived, and everyone in Jerusalem, she told him that everything she had heard was true, and more. “Indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard.” She not only complimented Solomon but praised God for His goodness to Israel. She and Solomon exchanged an abundance of gifts before her departure. King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

Although God had forbidden marriages between Israelites and people of other nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-4) and had warned against having many wives, and becoming overly wealthy (Deuteronomy 17:17), in Solomon's latter years, he did all these things. He built places of worship for the gods of his foreign wives, and they turned his heart from the true God. He even participated in their rituals. This displeased God and He said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”

This was soon to be fulfilled with Jeroboam, and Solomon's son, Rehoboam. Solomon reigned 40 years until his death, ending the golden years of Israel. (2 Samuel 12:24; 1 Kings 1:10-11:43; 1 Chronicles 22:6-29:28; 2 Chronicles 1:1-9:31) 

Friday 11 July 2014

Bible verse for the day 11th July 2014


Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, Declares the Lord, Plans to Propose you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future"

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Bible Verse for the day 8th July 2014


"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"



Monday 7 July 2014

How to recite the Holy Rosary


The purpose of the rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise god for them. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the rosary, and these are divided into the five joyful mysteries, the five luminous mysteries, the five sorrowful mysteries, and the five glorious mysteries. You may also wish to pray the rosary online, with others or by yourself. as suggested by the blessed pope john paul ii the joyful mysteries are said on monday and saturday, the luminous on thursday, the sorrowful on tuesday and friday, and the glorious on wednesday and sunday (with this exception: sundays of christmas season - the joyful; sundays of lent - sorrowful).

  1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the"Apostles' Creed."
  2. Say the "Our Father."
  3. Say three "Hail Marys."
  4. Say the "Glory be to the Father."
  5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father."
  6. Say ten "Hail Marys," while meditating on the Mystery.
  7. Say the "Glory be to the Father."
  8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father." Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner.
After the Rosary:

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O GOD, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

After each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."

Bible Verse for the day - 7th July 2014


No, the father himself loves you because you have loved me 
"and"
have believed that I came from God

Friday 4 July 2014

5 Things You May Not Know About Jesus



1. Time has no meaning to Jesus


According to Colossians 1, when God created the world, He created it by, through, and in Christ. This means that all time, space, and matter are all in Him. Thus Jesus is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, all at the same moment. Consequently, the crossing of the Red Sea and the consummation of the ages are all “now” for Jesus. He not only sees the end from the beginning, but He stands at the end and the beginning at the same moment. What an awesome Lord!

2. Jesus sang on the cross


First-century Jews always sang the Psalms and they were sung in their entirety. Jesus is found quoting the Psalms during His darkest hours on Calvary. In the book, we demonstrate that Jesus sang the Psalm on the cross.

3. His 12 disciples were teenagers

In the first century, when a boy reached his early teens, he became a man. Women married at around age 13. In our chapter on why Jesus chose the twelve disciples and what their purpose was, we cite renowned scholar Craig Keener, who argues that the twelve disciples were most likely in their late teens.

4. Jesus completed the story of Israel

Most Christians are aware that Jesus fulfilled certain prophecies in the Old Testament. But the fact is that Jesus not only completed the story of Israel, but He re-played it down to the details. For instance, Jesus was tested in the wilderness for 40 days just as Israel was tested in the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus experienced the exact temptations that Israel experienced in the wilderness.  In fact, what Jesus said to Satan on three occasions were direct quotes from Moses to Israel during Israel’s wilderness temptation. Jesus chose twelve disciples, which represented the twelve tribes of Israel. And on and on.


5. Accepting Him is a political statement



First-century Jews believed that the Messiah (which is translated “Christ”) was to rule the entire world and save them from their enemies. First-century Gentiles knew that Caesar was Lord (or Emperor) of world. He was also regarded as the Savior of the people who brought peace to the empire. Whenever a new Emperor took the throne, the Emperor’s emissaries heralded the news of the new Caesar. The word they used for this news was “gospel.” When the early Christians preached to the Jews, they announced the “gospel” that Jesus was the Messiah – meaning, He was the Ruler and Savior of the world. When the early Christians preached to the Gentiles, they proclaimed the “gospel” that Jesus was the new Lord of the world who was also the Savior who would bring peace.  So saying that Jesus is Christ and Lord in the first century were high-octane political statements that resulted in riots and persecution to those who claimed

Bible Verse for the day 4th July 2014



"WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE"

Thursday 3 July 2014

A short history of Our Lady of Mount Carmel


According to the most ancient Carmelite chronicles, the Order has its origins with the disciples of the prophets Elias and Eliseus. They lived in caves on Mount Carmel. They honored the Queen of Heaven as the Virgin who is to give birth to the Saviour. 
     
When the reality replaced the symbol, the pious ascetics of Carmel were converted to the Christian Faith. In the 12th century, many pilgrims from Europe who had followed the Crusaders came to join the solitaries. A rule was established and the Order began to spread to Europe. Amid the many persecutions raised against the Order of Mount Carmel, newly arrived in Europe, Saint Simon Stock, General of the Order, turned with filial confidence to the Blessed Mother of God. As he knelt in prayer on July 16, 1251, in the White Friars' convent at Cambridge, She appeared before him and presented him with the well-known brown scapular, a loose sleeveless garment destined for the Order of Carmel, reaching from the shoulders to the knees. It was given as an assurance, for all who died wearing it, of Her heavenly protection from eternal death. An extraordinary promise indeed, but one requiring a life of prayer and sacrifice. Devotion to the blessed habit spread quickly throughout the Christian world. Pope after Pope enriched it with indulgences, and innumerable miracles put their seal upon its efficacy. 


The first of them was worked at Winchester on a man dying in despair, who when the scapular was laid upon him by Saint Simon Stock at once asked for the Sacraments. In the year 1636, a certain gentleman, member of a cavalry regiment, was mortally wounded at the battle of Tehin, a bullet having lodged near his heart. He was then in a state of grievous sin, but he had time to make his confession. Afterwards a surgeon probed his wound, and the bullet was found to have driven his scapular into his heart. When it had been withdrawn he soon expired, making profound acts of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin who had prolonged his life miraculously, thereby preserving him from the irremediable death of his soul. At Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin chose to make Her last apparition on July 16th, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the day the Church commemorates Her apparition to Saint Simon Stock. And at Fatima on October 13, 1917, it is as Our Lady of Mount Carmel that Mary appeared when She said farewell to the three children. Throughout the ages, the Queen of Carmel has always kept a faithful watch over the destinies of Her cherished children on earth.




Bible Verse for the day July 3rd 2014



Look to the Lord and his strength;
 seek his presence continually.

Wednesday 2 July 2014

A brief history of St.Thomas - The Apostle


As we prepare ourselves for the feast of St.Thomas let us recall who he is and why do we celebrate his feast on the 3rd July of every year. 

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle on July 3 every year. He is best known in religious accounts as “Doubting Thomas” because of his initial unwillingness to believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Catholic faithful are familiar with the Biblical story of the apostle’s later encounter with the Risen Christ, who asked him to place his finger at the mark of the nails on His pierced hands and side. St. Thomas then turned from his doubt and embraced the truth of the resurrection.
On September 27, 2006, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said that Apostle Thomas’ case is important for three reasons: “First, it comforts us in our insecurity; second, it shows us that every doubt can lead to an outcome brighter than any uncertainty; and third, the words that Jesus addressed to him remind us of the true meaning of mature faith and encourage us to persevere, despite the difficulty, along our journey of adhesion to him.”
St. Thomas was one of fishermen on the Lake of Galilee who Jesus Christ called to be His Apostles. He became a dedicated follower of Christ. After the Pentecost, when the apostles went their separate ways, he set off on missionary work and, according to tradition, he preached the Good News to the Parthians, Persians, and Medes, until he reached India, where he evangelized and built with his bare hands a house of God at the Malabar coast, which today boasts of a large native population who call themselves 

St. Thomas Christians or Nasranis. After his martyrdom in 72 AD, he was buried near the site of his death, and a grand church that still stands today was built to house his tomb.St. Thomas’ relics were enshrined in Mesopotamia in the 3rd century, and later moved to various places. In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Abruzzo in Ortona, Italy, where they were venerated in the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle. He is regarded as patron saint of India and patron saint of architects and builders as well.
When the feast of St. Thomas was included in the Roman calendar in the 9th century, it was assigned to December 21, the date of his martyrdom. The “Martyrology of St. Jerome” mentioned the apostle on July 3, the date to which the Roman celebration was transferred in 1969, so that it would no longer interfere with the days of Advent. July 3 was the day on which his relics were transferred from Mylapore on the coast of Chennai (Madras) in India, to the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia.


Bible verse for the day July 2nd 2014

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Nitya Sahaya Mathave - Malayalam Christian Devotional Song with Lyrics




Lyrics:

Nithya sahaya mathave loka mathave- (2)
Nithya dukhaghal than kaalvari kunnil
Shoshanna pukkal vidarthename ennum
Shoshanna pukkal vidarthename

Nithya.....

Azhalintte paazhmaru bhoomiyil nin manam
Kulir maari choriyename -- (2)
Erulintte radhamodum paathayil nin karam
Ponnoli vitharename ennum ponnoli vitharename

Nithya............

Daahichu kezhunna paithaghal njaghalil
Sneham churathunna snehamathe- (2)
Nin kaaladi puki aswasam thedunnu
Nin sthuthi geethaghal paadi ennum
Nin avadhaanaghal vaazhthi


Nithya............

Bible Verse for the day


"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
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