Luke 6: Give, and it will be given to you...

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgive. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke: 6: 37-38

The Little Children and Kingdom of God!

But Jesus called the children to him and said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 

Luke 18: 16-17


11 May

God is Exactly There

God is exactly there...Where you can no longer think, where you can no longer struggle....when you miserably turn off the mind!


Hannah

4 May, 2014

Rejoice in the Lord always!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4: 4-7

Love for Enemies!

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" Luke 6: 27-28




"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who re good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that." Luke 6: 32-33

God's Message

Sometimes while extremely trying to be happy with whatever you have, you suddenly come to the point that you don't even have any of you supposed you have... It seems to be God's message: No one and nothing deserves to give you happiness, except me!

Hannah

30 March, 2014

In the end, what does really matter....?

In the end, what does really matter...?

Yesterday I called an old friend to catch-up. To my surprise his nephew picked up the phone.

My friend does not talk anymore. He will never properly again. My friend had a stroke, which destroyed all brain areas that govern speech and hearing. He is now cared for, cleaned and fed. He never will be the same.

A couple month ago we met up, laughed and had a good time. We are still young, right? Nothing could hurt us, right?

Suddenly, boom, everything is different. We recognize how feeble we are. How even relatively small changes in our bodies can may our lives completely different. How desperately we are in need to reach out beyond us.

"What does it profit a man, if he wins the entire world and loses his own soul? For price could this man buy his own soul?" - Jesus asked this question the people of their times. What is my answer? What is your answer? And how will you take this thought into your company and apply to your leadership style?

Paul

5 March 2014

One of the most inspiring messages: Steve Job's Lecture

Hannah

One of the most inspiring messages I have ever heard was the one of Steve Jobs. It helps you reassess your career & life. It asks questions that guide you to the next mountain top.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_ptbiPoXM

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

 

 Paul 

 6 March 2014

 

Turning obstacles into opportunities: Nick Vujicic

Turning obstacles into opportunities:

How can a man born without arms an legs can have a positive impact on millions of people around the world  and be known by over 1 billion people on the planet?

The answer: "Never give up. Take even the little you have, apply it and generate value for others - and eventually you will have impact on your surroundings (and may be the world).

Meet Nick in this video and ask yourself what current obstacles in your work can you turn into opportunities.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P2nPI6CTlc

 Overcoming hopelessness: Nick Vujicic 


Paul 

6 March 2014

Nezami, Mattew 7: Judging Others

 Dear Paul

Yesterday while reading Scripture from Matthew, I remembered a beautiful poem about Christ and Judging Others:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eyes and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."    Matthew 7:1-5



'Withhold thy gaze from others' faults and defects,
But note the faults that thine own mirror reflects!
In all men much there is to praise and to blame:
The blame ignore; the praise then only proclaim!
The peacock's feathers gleam with colour and gold.
Its legs, which are uncomely, none need behold.
The Christ pursued on foot His usual way,
And through a market place He passed on that day.
Nearby a dog had died, and lay still and prone,
Its former beaut could no longer be shown.
Some casual bystanders saw with disgust
The corpse decaying and the hair full of dust.
Said one, 'This gruesome sight without any doubt
Is like the noxious smoke a snuffed light gives out.'
Another said,'This horror might cause in us
Poor vision or heart failure quite disastrous.'
Each one in turn invective cast, merciless;
Each scorned afresh the lifeless corpse, pitiless.
When came the turn of Jesus freely to speak,
Said He, 'The view of its wide mouth makes it clear
Its teeth than pearls are whiter, and so appear.'
Seek not others'faults, nor thy virtue extol;
Lament thine own defects, and poor self control.' 


Nezami, Persian Poet

دیده زعیب دگران کن فراز            صورت خود بین و در او عیب ساز

پای مسیحا که جهان می نبشت        بر سر بازارچه می گذشت

مرده سگی در گذر افتاده بود          یوسفش از چه به در افتاده بود

بر سر آن جیفه گروهی قطار          بر صفت کرکس مردارخوار

گفت یکی وحشت این در دماغ        تیرگی آرد چو نفس در چراغ

وان دگری گفت اگر حاصل است     کوری چشم است و بلای دل است

هر که از این پرده نوایی فزود        بر سر آن جیفه جفایی نمود

چون به سخن نوبت عیسی رسید     عیب رها کرد و به معنی رسید

گفت ز نقشی که در ایوان اوست     در بسفیدی نه چو دندان اوست

عیب کسان منگر و احسان خویش  دیده فرو بر به گریبان خویش

 نظامی

Hannah

4 April, 2014 


Source of translation:  http://www.farsinet.com/ChristInPersianPoetry/classical_poets2.html

We need to APPLY what it says.....

Hi Hanah,

Most Christians wonder why their lives are not more blessed. They read the Bible and try not to  sin. But often their lives remain or even become more miserable.

What Christians miss is that reading the Bible alone does not help us much. We need to APPLY what it says.

Many non-Christians are successful.  The reason is that unknowingly they apply Biblical principles and thus have success. The Biblical principles work for any person.

It is like with the laws of gravity. Just knowing about them, even theoretically fully comprehending them alone, does not help. We need apply them and protect ourselves in dangerous situations.

Yes, God always can bail us out, but he rather wants us to grow up and apply the Biblical principles.

The book of proverbs is an often studied book by Christians. But few really embrace the principals and put them into practice.

Reading without applying the Bible leads to a mere, fruitless and frustrating religion. It makes us discouraged about our lives and then angry with God.

I challenge you to APPLY the Bible on a daily basis.

The reason that I have not grown as much as I should have, is that I have not put the Bible always in practice.

I challenge you to be smarter and more successful than I.

Warm greetings, 

Paul, 10 Jan 2014

Hatef Esfehani: Silk will not three things be, though it appears Sometimes as satin, damask or brocade...

Dear Paul

Enclosed I send you a very nice Persian poem from a Persian Poet Hatef Esfehani; Here is also the translation:

'Once in a church I saw a Christian maid. 
'Thou who dost hold my heart in thrall!' I said. 
'Thou whose unraveled girdle is entwined 
With every hair of mine, and forms one braid! 

Till when from faith in Unity astray? 
Triune to call the One, art, not afraid? 
How can as Father, Son and Holy Ghost 
The one true God be fittingly arrayed?' 
Parting her lovely lips, sweet words she spoke, 
Smiling and laughing, answered undismayed, 
'If of God's Unity thou art assured, 
Call us not infidels, nor us upbraid! 
Iii triple mirrors God in endless love 
Has his resplendent countenance displayed. 
Silk will not three things be, though it appears 
Sometimes as satin, damask or brocade!' 

While thus in colloquy we were absorbed, 
This noble chant the church bell loudly played, 

'God is but one: there can no other be.

One is the Lord, and there is none but He.'

Hannah

 Source:  http://www.farsinet.com/ChristInPersianPoetry/classical_poets2.html

Rumi, Luke9: For whoever wants to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Dear Paul

Another beautiful sonnet from Rumi, which reminds me of this Holey Sentences:


"For whoever wants to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" Luke 9: 24-25


Rumi says: 

All your unrest is because you are looking for rest
Be a restless seeker, then you will find rest....

آن نفسی که با خودی یار چو خار آیدت

وآن نفسی که بی‌خودی یار چه کار آیدت؟!!

آن نفسی که با خودی خود توشکار پشه ای

وآن نفسی که بی‌خودی پیل شکار آیدت

آن نفسی که با خودی بسته‌ی ابر غصه ای

وآن نفسی که بی خودی مه به کنار آیدت

وآن نفسی که با خودی یار کناره می‌کند

وآن نفسی که بیخودی باده یار آیدت

آن نفسی که با خودی هم چو خزان فسرده ای

وان نفسی که بیخودی دی چو بهار آیدت

جمله بی قراریت از طلب قرار توست

طالب بی قرار شو تا که قرار آیدت

جمله ی نا گوارشت از طلب گوارشست

ترک گوارش ار کنی زهر گوار آیدت

جمله ی بی مرادیت از طلب مراد توست

ورنه همه مراد ها همچو نثار آیدت

عاشق جور یار شو عاشق مهر یار نی

تا که نگار نازگر عاشق زار آیدت

 خسرو شرق شمس دین از تبریز چون رسد

از مه  و  از  ستاره  والله  عار آیدت*

Hafez, Galatians 6: The one who sows to please Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life

Dear Paul

Imagine that how much satisfying can be reading Scriptures, remembering sonnets you always loved, and you have been reading for many years, from your childhood.... 

How many times teachers, parents, elders of family, have been reading these sonnets, to teach us divine laws of universe and we have been listening to them?!  

 We may never knew that they are Biblical Stories and Principles expressing in a profound Persian Literature...

 How many of us really apply these Divine Laws or Biblical Principles in their life?

Few nights ago I was passing through these scriptures, thinking that how much we do really sow to please Spirit? 

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers". Galatians 6: 7-10

I remembered one of beautiful sonnets of Hafez Shirazi (1325- 1389):

'In the garden sky I saw the new moon reaping 
And minded was I of my own life's field: 
What harvest wilt thou to the sickle yield 
When through thy fields the moon-shaped knife goes sweeping?...'

(Translation of first line of the sonnet, by R. Le Gallienne)

'If thou, like Christ, be pure and single-hearted, 
Who once ascended far beyond the sky, 
Thy life will shine with beams of light, whereby 
The sun will brighten by thy light imparted.'

 (Translation of third line of the sonnet, by Mr. Sharp)

     
مزرع سبز فلک دیدم و داس مه نو                 یادم از کشته خویش آمد و هنگام درو

گفتم ای بخت بخسبیدی و خورشید دمید           گفت با اینهمه از سابقه نومید مشو

گر روی پاک و منزه به مسیحا چو فلک          از فروغ تو به خورشید رسد صد پرتو

تکیه بر اختر شب دزد مکن کین عیار            تاج کاووس ببرد و کمر کیخسر

گوشوار زر و لعل ارچه گران دارد گوش        در خوبی گذران است نصیحت بشنو

چشم بد دور ز خال تو که در عرصه حسن      بیدقی راند که برد از مه و خورشید گرو

آسمان گو مفروش این عظمت، کاندر عشق     خرمن مه به جوی خوشه پروین به دو جو

آتش زهد و ریا خرمن دین خواهد سوخت       حافظ این خرمن پشمینه بینداز و برو

We have been to Hafez's tomb in Shiraz, do you remember? 

 I wish you knew Persian Language and you could enjoy the literature as well.

With my prayers

Hannah

27 March, 2014

Source of translation: http://www.farsinet.com/ChristInPersianPoetry/classical_poets2.html