Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Last Lecture
Every Christian's dream is to be in the Kingdom of God.Well in case I make it to that great great place, I have a whole list of people to see.It starts with Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, Elijah, John the Baptist, and ... Randy Pausch.Yes, he is an Computer Science professor who died recently because of pancreatic cancer.The lecture which he gave at the verge of his terminal-illness inspired thousands. He lived as a role-model and spoke with authority on money, relationship and love.This man seemed so confident on his philosophies and unlike others he lived upto what he preached.He left behind three children and an ailing wife.
His lecture on : Achieving childhood dreams has been a hit among the youtube users and it seems 5 million people have watched it so far.It is all about life and what to get out of it.
Randy Pausch's last lecture at Carnegie mellon university on Sept,2007
This video shows his surprise visit to the graduation ceremony in May'08
The Professor I like..
Imagine yourself sitting in Satyam with popcorn at your left and a girl at your right! I bet you can get this feeling in Prof.Ganesh Madan's class.To put it the better way, his classes are intellectually stimulating ; not to mention his witty sense of humour.
He is an impromptu speaker - you name it - bessel function - optical communication - maxwells equation or even better... a sleeping student.He stuns you with interesting anecdotes and witty sentences to explain complex phenomena.He has the capability to rise the dead back to life with his lectures. :)
I can't still figure out how he learnt so much in this short span of academecia - upto date in his field and technology.The way he guides students amidst his administrative work(over)load simply puts one on their heels.He offered an elective last semester "Opto electronics" and I now realise that I am one of the less fortunate for having missed his classes.But still by God's grace, he's handling Optical Communication for us.Some of his views which he shared in class:
He is an impromptu speaker - you name it - bessel function - optical communication - maxwells equation or even better... a sleeping student.He stuns you with interesting anecdotes and witty sentences to explain complex phenomena.He has the capability to rise the dead back to life with his lectures. :)
I can't still figure out how he learnt so much in this short span of academecia - upto date in his field and technology.The way he guides students amidst his administrative work(over)load simply puts one on their heels.He offered an elective last semester "Opto electronics" and I now realise that I am one of the less fortunate for having missed his classes.But still by God's grace, he's handling Optical Communication for us.Some of his views which he shared in class:
- He expects us to know the limits of a function and have some idea about the solution about the problem we are working at.He often narrates about a student who arrived at an answer of 10^6 Ampere for an 10V circuit.
- The Bottom-up pyramid : if the foundation is not strong, it means the pyramid was built the other way - it was very obvious - The Abdul "Kalam" days are all gone and its now "Kalm" days for MIT - its true! its true!.
- The mathematical assumptions of infinity for solving numerical problems.He often comments on it and says that they are for our understanding.
More to come.I have just attended 7-8 classes and he has left an lasting impression in my heart.Though I don't understand much of the stuff which he talks about, I take that on myself for having a inverted-pyramid structure.I know I can reconstruct - geeez!!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Its raining movies! - Watch Freedom Writers
I refrained from watching movies sometime for now.Thanks to programs which run for hours and my room mate who left to his home town - I had a spare computer to watch movies besides my computer crunching numbers at the other end.Bravo ! I watched three movies together back to back ; one of them inspired me very much - Freedom Writers.The other two movies are Kungfu Panda and Forbidden Kingdom.They both deserve an applause for the "special special" effects and -- thanks to Kungfu(Master Oogway hehe).
Freedom Writers(2007) starring Hillary Swanks is a movie based on "The Freedom Writer's Diary" by Erin Gruewell(American teacher) and her class students.This movie is based on the gang wars and racism thats holding America(and other countries) by its neck.It is a must watch movie and I wish I had someone like Erin Gruewell(as a teacher!!).
Bottomline: Please watch it.Its worth spending two hours!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Secrets of Heaven
I will start off with the verse of this week's(20.07.08) Yabes:
Matthew 16:19
19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
If God can give us the key to heaven -- we can say that the door to Heaven has a lock.The keys referred here are the power and authority given to those who pray fervently.Elijah(old testament prophet) prayed and he opened the sky to shower rain.What are the power and authority which God has promised us? Well its secret - its upto us to pray and get to know about them directly from Him.Some of the following are God's gift through the Holy Spirit to multitudes:
Pastor Teju quoted three essential qualities which one should possess before one gets access to the authority or Gifts of God:
1.Spirit of Christ:
It refers to the attitude one should possess.Once John and James accompanied Jesus to a village where Samaritans lived.The people resisted Jesus by not allowing him into their town.Suddenly James and John grew angry and wanted to burn the village with the fire from heaven.But Jesus had all the authority one can imagine of.But he never wanted it.He asked John and James whether they wanted this in the right spirit ? Jesus was tortured, battered and insulted but he never cursed anyone for all their misdeeds against him.Instead he prayed to God even before his death to forgive all those who sinned against him.Such is his great Spirit.
2.Mind of Christ:
This speaks about the sufferings which he underwent.He found pleasure in doing God's(Fathers) will.Readiness to suffer for the sake of God is discussed here:
Mark 4:35-37
35 On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." ... 37 Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the winds began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water. 38 Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with hsi head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?"
39 Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, "Be Quiet!" and he said to the waves, "Be still!" The wind died down, and there was a great calm. 40 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Why are you frightened? Have you still have no faith?"
41 But they were terribly afraid and said to one another, "Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Then Mark 5 says that Jesus healed a man who was possessed with demons and returned to his place.
The crux of this scripture is that Jesus obeyed God's will to sail across river to heal a man off-shore.He could have stayed in his usual place preaching and building the faith of thousands of people.Instead he did what pleased his Father.God will have a different plan and his plans cannot be understood.This point is stressed in Matthew 7:21-23 (Click to see it)
and the last point is
3.Character of Christ:
These were few topics discussed by Pastor Teju in this week's worship.
It happens at The Pentecostal Mission at Tambaram.
Matthew 16:19
19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
If God can give us the key to heaven -- we can say that the door to Heaven has a lock.The keys referred here are the power and authority given to those who pray fervently.Elijah(old testament prophet) prayed and he opened the sky to shower rain.What are the power and authority which God has promised us? Well its secret - its upto us to pray and get to know about them directly from Him.Some of the following are God's gift through the Holy Spirit to multitudes:
- Gift of tongues
- Gift of driving out demons
- Performing miracles
- Healing the sick and countless others
Pastor Teju quoted three essential qualities which one should possess before one gets access to the authority or Gifts of God:
1.Spirit of Christ:
It refers to the attitude one should possess.Once John and James accompanied Jesus to a village where Samaritans lived.The people resisted Jesus by not allowing him into their town.Suddenly James and John grew angry and wanted to burn the village with the fire from heaven.But Jesus had all the authority one can imagine of.But he never wanted it.He asked John and James whether they wanted this in the right spirit ? Jesus was tortured, battered and insulted but he never cursed anyone for all their misdeeds against him.Instead he prayed to God even before his death to forgive all those who sinned against him.Such is his great Spirit.
2.Mind of Christ:
This speaks about the sufferings which he underwent.He found pleasure in doing God's(Fathers) will.Readiness to suffer for the sake of God is discussed here:
Mark 4:35-37
35 On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." ... 37 Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the winds began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water. 38 Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with hsi head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?"
39 Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, "Be Quiet!" and he said to the waves, "Be still!" The wind died down, and there was a great calm. 40 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Why are you frightened? Have you still have no faith?"
41 But they were terribly afraid and said to one another, "Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Then Mark 5 says that Jesus healed a man who was possessed with demons and returned to his place.
The crux of this scripture is that Jesus obeyed God's will to sail across river to heal a man off-shore.He could have stayed in his usual place preaching and building the faith of thousands of people.Instead he did what pleased his Father.God will have a different plan and his plans cannot be understood.This point is stressed in Matthew 7:21-23 (Click to see it)
and the last point is
3.Character of Christ:
These were few topics discussed by Pastor Teju in this week's worship.
It happens at The Pentecostal Mission at Tambaram.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Isaiah 41: 14-16 -- These verses needs a great depth of understanding
The LORD says,
"14 Small and weak as you are, Israel, don't be afraid; I will help you.I, the holy God of Israel, am the one who saves you.15 I will make you a threshing-board, with spikes that are new and sharp.You will thresh mountains and destroy them; hills will crumble into dust. 16 You will toss them in the air; the wind will carry them off, and they will be scattered by the storm. Then you will be happy because I am your God; you will praise me, the Holy God of Israel."
The interpretation of the God's words by Pastor Teju was outstanding.He described the mountains as the shortcomings of this world.He started with worldliness, lust, gossip and had a list which ran into pages.He discussed a select few elaborately and gave interesting anecdotes as usual.
The point here is that the Lord not only gives us the threshing-board(an instrument to crush stones) but also bless it with new and sharp spikes.It implies how the Lord will pour his Holy spirit to those who ask him; the mountains mentioned here are the devils/satanic temptations in the world.After crushing them into powder, he will give the power to toss them in the air.Hallelujah!!
These were the verses meditated on our Sunday Worship 'Yabes.'
"14 Small and weak as you are, Israel, don't be afraid; I will help you.I, the holy God of Israel, am the one who saves you.15 I will make you a threshing-board, with spikes that are new and sharp.You will thresh mountains and destroy them; hills will crumble into dust. 16 You will toss them in the air; the wind will carry them off, and they will be scattered by the storm. Then you will be happy because I am your God; you will praise me, the Holy God of Israel."
The interpretation of the God's words by Pastor Teju was outstanding.He described the mountains as the shortcomings of this world.He started with worldliness, lust, gossip and had a list which ran into pages.He discussed a select few elaborately and gave interesting anecdotes as usual.
The point here is that the Lord not only gives us the threshing-board(an instrument to crush stones) but also bless it with new and sharp spikes.It implies how the Lord will pour his Holy spirit to those who ask him; the mountains mentioned here are the devils/satanic temptations in the world.After crushing them into powder, he will give the power to toss them in the air.Hallelujah!!
These were the verses meditated on our Sunday Worship 'Yabes.'
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Fear and Love
This is the day which I have been waiting for.My friend took me to a place of worship at Tambaram.The atmosphere was so alive and filled with the grace of God.I had the opportunity to listen to a sermon given by that church Pastor.It was all about Fear and Love.
The bottomline is Love overcomes Fear , but how and when?
'Fear' , I am talking about is fear to spread God's word.To make the world know about the man who died for all our sins , two thousand years ago! The Pastor narrated several anecdotes to explain how 'Love overcomes Fear?'.I have compiled some of the verses recited by him from the Bible.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
These words must ring in our ears forever.We should instill fear in fear itself because we are all servants of the only Holy God of Jacob.Nothing can shake us.Let us see what Bible says about the weapon carried by the army of Christ.
Hebrews 4:12
The spoken Word of God is like a living, powerful sword in our mouths.
This verse can help us cement our faith in Christ :
Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
The Lord cares for us and see how he expresses it :
Matthew 10:29-31
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
There are several quotations to understand that 'Perfect Love(for God) casts out fear'.We become oblivious of whats happening around and turn our ears to Christ alone.
The bottomline is Love overcomes Fear , but how and when?
'Fear' , I am talking about is fear to spread God's word.To make the world know about the man who died for all our sins , two thousand years ago! The Pastor narrated several anecdotes to explain how 'Love overcomes Fear?'.I have compiled some of the verses recited by him from the Bible.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
These words must ring in our ears forever.We should instill fear in fear itself because we are all servants of the only Holy God of Jacob.Nothing can shake us.Let us see what Bible says about the weapon carried by the army of Christ.
Hebrews 4:12
The spoken Word of God is like a living, powerful sword in our mouths.
This verse can help us cement our faith in Christ :
Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
The Lord cares for us and see how he expresses it :
Matthew 10:29-31
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
There are several quotations to understand that 'Perfect Love(for God) casts out fear'.We become oblivious of whats happening around and turn our ears to Christ alone.
Certain links which are worth a read:
- http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-fear.html
- http://christianity.about.com/od/prayersverses/qt/couragebiblever.htm
- http://www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org/controlling-emotions.html
- http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/overcoming-fear-faq.htm
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