How often have we trusted in ourselves more than God and the voice of others who sounded more logical and practical?. Let me share with you a recent incident that happened with me. The procedure of acquiring a passport is becoming difficult by the day with so many new procedures introduced. I had applied for passport for my kids and never before was there a police verification (their passport has to be renewed every 5 years).

So, I got a call from the police station asking me the location of my house as the police constable was somewhere there. Since I was not in my house at that time, I was asked to bring my kids to the station for their finger prints, the next day. The immediate reaction to this from the people around me –‘it is for the obvious!!! J ’.

So, I have a dilemma now.  Should I believe the people around me (who have narrated all that they had gone through in such situations and with advices plenty and practical) or should I leave it to the Lord?. My only aim was that I should not do anything which was not right, not that I cannot afford it, but it was uncomfortable to me.

As I was driving home at that night – 2 options – should I count on people to get me out of this situation – without parting away with anything and also without my kids having to visit the place?.

OR should I leave it to the Lord to achieve these two objectives of mine?.

My contacts flashed before me – Should I reach out to my retired DIG uncle and ask him whether he knew anyone there (looks very relevant isn’t it?) or can he give me some contacts, etc…etc..I prayed about it and left it to the Lord. I was not going to reach any human!!

The next day, I tried reaching the police constable, who wanted me to give a ring and come, couldn’t reach him and I left alone to the station. I met him there and by God’s grace, he didn’t ask for the kids to come there and instead he asked me to fill the form and get their finger prints. Praise God, one hurdle over.

After filling up the form, I went back and gave it to him, very anxious, he went through the forms and said it is all fine and that is it!!!. My heart leapt for joy, the second hurdle also over as I liked it to be, I came back praising the Lord, who made it possible, when I trusted in Him. Amen!!.

As it is mentioned in the below verses,

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."   Psalm 118:8 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD."   Jeremiah 17:7

whatever may be your situation, leave it to the Lord’s hands and let Him be your confidence and not man. Even though the situation may look tough, but we have a God, who is bigger than all the problems and situations of our life.

From the day I became a Christian, I have always pondered over one question – ‘What is my purpose in life?’. The more I thought about this, the more discouraged I became. What could a person like me offer to GOD?

I loved praise and worship and was always drawn to music since childhood, I could strum the guitar a bit, and manage a little on the keyboard; I did not have a great voice and was not the first choice to lead worship in church or in prayer meetings. To top it all I was extremely shy and timid. Frail as I was and with the little that I had, there was nothing I could do… absolutely nothing.

Many days and nights I cried to the Lord, looking up in prayer I would weep and ask God – ‘Father, will you use me, I don’t have much to offer…”But praise GOD – The one who fed 5000 people when a little boy offered his tiny lunch box with 5 loaves of bread and 2 little fish, is still alive today – Amen

One morning as I was worshipping God, I could literally hear a heavenly tune. I said – “Lord if this is from you, give me a song.” And immediately I opened the bible and my eyes fell on the verse “The Lord is good and his mercy endures forever” and my first song “karthar nallavar” was birthed.

After this, it became a regular affair. Each morning I would be in God’s studio and would walk out with a song. My work place is far from home, and being in the IT industry I work long hours but even when I was hard pressed for time and extremely stressed, God was always waiting for me with a song. Many of these songs were the Lords words for my own life, given to me in my valley of tears, hopelessness and rejection.

As I waited on the Lord, He miraculously led people to encourage me and to helped me in putting these songs together as a gospel album with 11 songs.

I have titled this album – ‘En Nesare – En ulagame neer thaane’. After a small prayer of dedication at my church, my album was released on 19^th October 2008.

God has brought 2 of my colleagues also feature as first time singers in the gospel music arena. Looking back at my past, I don’t really understand how a person like me could release a music album. I’m humbled at what the Lord has done.

As said in 1 Cor 1:27 – He delights to use the foolish and weak things of the world. I know that I was one of them …

Glory to the Lord

Amen

–Ditto Moses

(Pl. mail to [email protected] for CD copies)

The smart man of the family aged 58 years faced a crisis of having a paralytic attack on 8th September 2010 due to hemorrhage in his left brain. Bleeding was increasing in such a way that his right brain was about to be spoiled and he was almost nearing his last minutes of his life.  Doctors told that they had not seen an unusual case like this in their 30 years of service, and they also told us that every hour for my dad who was unconscious in the ICU is a bonus given to him by God and the chances of losing him was increasing.

Our family was in a condition where my mom had just retired and my wedding was proposed to be held in near future and the elder sister had just delivered a baby.  We lost all hope in medicines, doctor and treatment and started clinging on to Jesus Christ, waiting for His only grace to save appa thanking Him with faith that He had already given back my dad’s life.

The whole family started praying fervently night and day. It was marvelous how our Loving Lord immediately opened a way. We heard news from a Doctor from the biggest hospital, stating that a risky Angio may block the bleed but we might have to lose our dad on the table if risk occurs. Anyways Jesus has opened a way where there seemed to be no way.  So, we fixed the date on 24th Sep and then we made up our minds to let Jesus look after dad in the hospital, and we sat at home together as family and called on His Mighty name. We all prayed as a big family with fasting from 11 to 6 in the evening.

There came a call to prove that we had really worshipped the only living God Jesus Christ for the whole day. We heard from the doctor over phone stating that the point of bleeding or what they call as (Aneurysm) medically had disappeared completely from my Dad’s brain. There was no sign of any bleed or irregularity in my dad’s brain. Everything was normal and better than before! The doctors found no need to touch my dad’s body, because Jesus Christ had touched and healed it. God’s word rightly says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you” – Psalm 50:15. Our prayers that we took from home were looked upon and the awesome miracle occurred in the hospital. How loving and merciful our Jesus Christ is.

The doctor proclaimed with her own mouth that “The God whom you have worshipped has delivered your Dad”. This clearly depicts that what is Impossible with man, is possible with Jesus. Next day morning, when we saw Dad, we could feel God’s presence on his face and he was back to normal. He was discharged from the hospital very soon after that and finally DAVID WAS BACK HOME by His grace.

I am sharing this testimony with you because we tasted our Lord Jesus Christ day by day and we wanted you to also experience the same.  If His Grace is not with us, we would have been lost.  PRAISE AND ALL GLORY BE TO THE ONLY LIVING GOD JESUS CHRIST.  HE HAS CRUSHED THE ENEMY UNDER HIS FEET AND DOES WONDERS FOR HIS OWN PEOPLE.  HOW PRIVELEGED WE ARE!!!!!!!!!!!

(This testimony is from a software professional working in one of the MNCs in Chennai )

Testimony of Mr. Thomas Uledar – How God saved him and 100s of other in Cama Hospital when Terrorists attacked Mumbai on 26^th November, 2008.

The Bible says “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty GOD – Psalm 91:1 And “God  is our refuge and strength, A very present help in the times of trouble”

My name is Thomas Uledar, I am a believer, Jesus saved me 12 years ago. He saved my life then and now He’s given me a new meaning to my life. I am involved in Children Ministry and also run classes where we teach English. On 31^st October 2008, I got married to a girl who is a believer and has the same calling i.e. involved in Children Ministry.

I have been preaching and teaching the Word of GOD since many years, however this was the first time I experienced this reality in my own life. I used to think of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego how GOD saved them miraculously, however the LORD helped me and my friends to experience this in our lives.

This is how God saved me from the hands of terrorists on 26th Nov 2008 in Mumbai.

My sister was admitted in Cama Hospital just adjacent to Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus). She delivered a baby girl on 25^th November 2008, but her baby had slight complications due to which she was kept in incubator.

On 26^th November 2008 myself, my Mom, elder brother, elder sister, aunty, cousin brother, two brother in-laws and two of my believer friends (totaling 10) went to visit her. It was quite late about 9.30 pm that we decided to go back home. We wanted to leave in two groups. Five left earlier and the rest of us were also leaving the Hospital. Suddenly after 15 minutes, the 5 who left earlier came running into the Hospital asking us to run and shouting that terrorists were firing bullets in the CST station.

We all started running back into the Hospital as we saw 2 terrorists entering into the building premises. They shot dead two security guards at the entrance.

We, the 10 of us are all believers in Jesus and were cautioning people to hide in the hospital room and wherever they could. They all responded well and went to hide. My mother and Aunty went into the 2^nd floor where my new born niece was, in an ICU. Rest of us ran to the 5^th floor to be with my sister. There were many other ladies in the Ward (Hospital General Ward). We tried to secure the doors but could not as there was no lock inside. Hence we tied the gate outside the doors with a piece of cloth and switched off all the lights in the Ward.

After few minutes I noticed that a tube light at the corridor was on and so I went out of the room to switch it off  and my younger brother-in-law (Timmesh Chinakar) and one of my friend (Soumen Ghosh) followed me. I could not locate the switch, when I turned back to head for the ward, I saw the 2 terrorists coming up the stairway and they were armed with AK 47 assault rifles & guns. As I saw them I was stunned, at this time I prayed in my heart  “Father I am coming Home, receive me” because I felt there was no way of escape. However there was no fear at all in me because the Word of GOD says “The LORD has not given us the spirit of fear, but of Power, of Love and of a Sound Mind” (II Timothy 1:7), further one of them (Ajmal Qasab) came directly towards me and pointed the rifle at my chest and asked “Where are the other people”? I replied “I don’t know as I came running up the stairs”.

At this time they saw my brother-in-law they caught hold of him too and then they asked me what is this? I replied “This is a hospital sir people are already half dead here” he looked at me in anger and took us inside the ward. In the meantime my friend (Soumen) was hiding under the Nurse’s desk holding the scissor in his hand thinking of attacking the other terrorist (Abu) but LORD gave him the wisdom not to use the scissor because the Word of GOD says “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword” suddenly the terrorist (Abu) saw my friend and asked him to stand with us he stood with us quietly. Abu told us if we have mobile phones to throw on the floor, so we did accordingly. They then told the 3 of us to lie down on our stomachs and then started loading their rifles, after loading their riffles we were asked to stand with our hands up. However there was hope in us according to Romans 15:13. Then Abu started looking around for people in the ward like a hungry lion. But the LORD took control of each and everything. The most incredible thing was that there were many newborn babies and some ladies who had undergone operation just few hours back but nobody made any kind of noise. I believe the Holy Spirit took control over the little babies and all were protected and kept them unharmed.

Suddenly Abu saw my elder brother (Vasu) who was lying near the bed GOD gave him the wisdom to pretend as if he was dead. Abu saw him very closely he wanted to be sure if he is dead so he kicked him on the sides but he rolled down and fell as if he was dead. The LORD confounded their (Abu and Qasab’s) minds and made them blind as HE did with Syrians in the time of Elisha. As he heard the noise of firing by policemen down the building he stood on my brothers thighs and started firing from the window. Then they told us to go inside the bathroom and Qasab followed us, there were four latrine rooms inside, in first room my elder bro-in-law and my friend were there which had no latch, in second room my cousin and a one more person was there, in third room my sister who had delivered the baby and my elder sister were there and the fourth room was empty. When Qasab came in he kicked the second and the third door but the LORD did not allow him to kick the first door which had no latch otherwise it would have opened easily. Qasab pointed the gun towards my brother-in-law and asked him to call the people out. The LORD gave wisdom to my bro-in-law and he called out in HINDI “Come out” and then in Telugu (language spoken in Andhra Pradesh) “Don’t come out” . The terrorists could not understand this language. The Word of GOD says “A thousand may fall to your side and a ten thousand to your right hand but it shall not come near you”. Qasab asked us to stand facing the wall we obeyed him, he was trying to shoot us but he was unable to do so as the Word says “The weapons formed against you shall not prosper”(Isa-54:17). As Abu was searching in the ward he found an elderly man (Harischandra Shrivardhankar-56 yrs old). He was asked to stand with us but he refused and kept pleading with him” Don’t kill me in the bathroom, kill me here itself”. So they caught him by his hair and pinned him on the ground. They told him say “Allah” and shot him on the shoulder (we later found that the bullet went through his body and had hit the floor) and stabbed him on his back.

We were praying in our hearts “LORD save him” knowing that next is our turn. But the Word of GOD says “I will satisfy you with long life” and “Call ME in the times of trouble and I will rescue you and you shall glorify ME”.

Abu found one more person in the corner of the ward, who was an employee of the hospital. And made him stand with us in a queue. Both of them (Abu & Qasab) were trying to shoot us but were unable to do so because I believe that the LORD sent HIS angels to save us.

We were just waiting for them to shoot at us and suddenly they stepped backwards and went out of the bathroom and locked us from outside. However inside there was no latch to keep ourselves safe. Through this the LORD was showing that “I AM the Redeemer and battle is MINE”. Later my brother told me that when he was lying on the floor they (Abu & Qasab) stood in the ward for around ten minutes quietly. In the meantime few policemen went on the sixth floor searching for them. Abu & Qasab followed the policemen on the sixth floor and shot two of them dead and left others injured. The LORD confused them to such an extent that they wasted their arms & ammunitions by exploding 4 Hand Grenades and firing 100s of bullets on the walls, ceilings and empty elevators (we could hear the gunshots). (I visited this floor a week later and photographed the walls.)

Meanwhile we were praying and interceding inside the bathroom and the HOLY SPIRIT led us in prayer, we wereconfessing the Word of GOD, binding the spirit of terrorism and death simultaneously releasing the Spirit of Life. No one came till 2 hours, then 10 policemen came and opened the door. When the doors were opened we saw the old man who was shot, lying on the ground, my brother who was unharmed and other people injured on the floor. We helped to take the injured to G.T. Hospital. I would also like to share that I used to faint at the sight of blood but the LORD strengthened and enabled me to help the injured people. We came back to Cama Hospital, we opened the doors of the Consulting rooms and other room where the people were hiding to tell them that they are now safe.

I had asked the Lord “Why did you allow 10 of us believers to be trapped by terrorists in the Hospital”? The LORD GOD answered me “Because of your presence other people were saved”. My mind went to the book of Genesis where Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah & God promised him “If I find 10 righteous people I will save the city”.

I had prayed “LORD I don’t want to die now, and I want to serve you. Nevertheless, I leave it into Your Hands, if I die so be it”. The LORD saved not only me but also hundreds of people in CAMA hospital.

Praise be to the LORD for this great miracle. I urge you my friends share this testimony wherever you get chance to share that the name of our LORD be glorified through this testimony. And forward this mail to as many as you know.

Now I really want to use this New Life for Jesus.

Thank GOD.

Whenever a trouble comes, I used to say that God is going to add yet another testimony in my life. But this testimony is not the outcome of trouble, but instead to exemplify a tinge of HIS extravagant love. I am proud to share about HIS faithfulness in my life. I am thankful for this revelation that HE has given me -“HIS love can change my life upside down and He can do anything for me because He loves me”. This one revelation has carried me through the times of wilderness and times of joy easily in my life. I would like to write scene by scene and day by day of HIS works in my life. This might make the reader to skip the contents but I would like to write for the aroma of HIS love. By faith it is written as part1 and I am sure there is part2 too.

Testimony from Brisbane: Part1

Whenever an aircraft flew above my head I used to say ‘Lord give me an opportunity to fly in the air’. He answered me. Actually I was recruited for a particular group but this group for which I was recruited was not yet formed and also to prove my confidence level in skill set I was assigned to another group in the same domain. This new group had an onsite opportunity. Even before completing a month, I was asked to travel to Brisbane alone. Although I nodded my head for the onsite assignment I was not dare enough to go alone. On that particular week I got a devotion mail which was written as “Are you afraid to face your new job, new manager and new country, God can have different plans for you in the next minute” (it’s my new job, new manager joined and travelling to a new country). I was not completely ok after I read this devotion because I don’t know about the place I was about to travel, which also included a day’s stay in Bangkok. I was clueless and I was trying to reach my friend who is Melbourne for information but my effort was in vain. I worried a lot and I was not prepared in prayer. But God promised me that “He already appointed the angels in the place wherever help is required for me”. Dear people of God, it was amazing to experience the arrangements HE had done for me. Although many of you might have seen his works in your travel but I can say that GOD arranged this trip is for my RELAXATION!!!

Since I couldn’t reach my friend, the information regarding the city (Brisbane), what to buy & carry for my travel was unknown. It kindled my fear. At that time my friend received a fwd mail from her friend, the originator of the mail id is the FIRST ANGEL as said by God. This Angel doesn’t have the habit of fwd’ing a mail. Praise God she did it on that day.

The Airlines booked a four star hotel in Bangkok, I was not bold enough to go out and apply the transit visa. A man, SECOND ANGEL, who was sitting next to me was flying to Vietnam took me to the immigration point and filled the application form for me and dropped me in the line, said that ‘I can’t come with you beyond this’. My friend, I didn’t share anything with him because he slept as soon as he boarded. I prayed that “Lord I would like to stay in hotel and be in prayer with fasting and I don’t have courage to go out or do something in an unknown country”. HE answered and I spent that stay in prayer.

As a new joinee, I don’t know my colleagues. But they helped me voluntarily .One of my colleague gave his Melbourne sim card and before I started my travel, another colleague who returned from Brisbane told about the THIRD ANGEL. I contacted her before my journey. My Sim card was recharged by first angel before my travel. It helped me a lot to contact the local people as soon as I reached.

When I reached the hotel, FOURTH ANGEL who received me said that “You are tired, we prepared lunch for you” join with us for lunch .Dear reader, he is my colleague who stayed in the same hotel, I didn’t know much about him.  But a very good Indian lunch in Brisbane on DAY1. It still continues by ANGEL3.

I encountered another problem – the adapter which I brought was not an aussie one. I couldn’t work with my laptop. One of the client gave me a UK to aussie converter. In office he is an appointed angel to help me in times of emergency – ANGEL FIVE.  The laptop which I carried over was insufficient in memory for my work. When 6 of my colleagues were upgrading their laptop after through several processes and approvals, I was given a desktop to work immediately and was not allowed to go through the painful process.

FIRST ANGEL’s family called me for a daily prayer although I knew them only by name. We three of us had a good time in the Lord through phone. Second Angel, used to bring me my meal and take me to church and outside the city.

“HE will send His angels to charge over me, Jehovah Jireh Cares for me, For me”

For TWO weeks, the entire team was busy with their assigned work so they couldn’t arrange for my training. When my friends were loaded with work, I was relaxed, and visited as many places as I can. When I was in India, I used to wait for a good morning mail from my friend, although it doesn’t carry anything else, I value it a lot. Due to time difference, I couldn’t receive the same now but now I receive a mail every day morning saying “How are you. Have you had a good sleep last night?” Dear reader, my wishes, desires and childish thoughts are all fulfilled by this Great GOD for the very reason that He loves me.

I don’t have much grocery items to cook, but today my kitchen is loaded with all the items which I need and I didn’t buy them.

On the third day, Lord was asking me “How do you feel about my arrangements?”.

By seeing all these things, my colleagues in Brisbane used to say “you are a lucky girl, lucky face”. But it is nothing but the Hand of God.

Dear people of God, He loves us and he can do anything for us because he loves us. We shall boast in the name of the Lord.