He once had a group of friends which he called ‘The Elite Circle’ where only a person from a rich family is allowed to join. They have a common denominator, they don’t care for others, and they think that they are the most important people in the world. That without them this world will perish.

Not until one day, his parents came to him saying, “We are going to declare bankruptcy, we don’t have money now. All we have are endless debts.” These are the words that broke him as a person. It seems that all his dreams are already gone. This changed his view in life. Before, he thought that life is easy and all he has to do is enjoy it.

He thought that money is everything and that it would complete him. He proved himself wrong because after that incident he really felt empty. He started asking himself, “Who am I? Why am I here?” questions that seems so easy to answer but in reality many people find it hard to answer.  That very moment he started remembering things he had done in the past. And in dismay all he can do is cry. That event really changed his life. Before he doesn’t mind things, he’s always busy going out with his friends to have a good time. But now, he has to work to earn a living and buy food for the family.

It was his usual day when someone approached him. An elderly woman dressed in a not so expensive brand of clothes. “What do you need from me?” my friend asked the woman, but was so shocked with the elderly woman’s answer, “I don’t need anything from you, you are the one who’s in need.”

My friend was confused and a bit uncomfortable at first but later on, he found himself telling the elderly woman everything that had happened to him. Afterwards the elderly woman just smiled and told him, “Friend you need Jesus.” Not a single word came out of my friend’s mouth that moment. His mind was just wandering if God can still accept him? He was nothing but a poor guy who doesn’t even know where to go. And the woman continued telling him all the things God did for him. And he can’t help it, tears were running down from his eyes realizing that even he tend to forget about Him during those prosperous days God still loved him, and He still will accept him.

How about you, what’s your story? Maybe you have different situation. But one thing is for sure my friend, you need Jesus. You need His love and His freedom. Don’t worry because you don’t have to be like Mother Theresa for Him to accept you, because He said, “Come as you are.” All He need is your acceptance to His invitation. John 1:12 tells one of His promises to us, “and to us many who believed Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe on His name. He already finished everything for you when He died on the cross. All you have to do is to accept and make Him your Lord and Savior. Live for Him and I can tell and prove He is more than enough.

I am not accusing here. Let’s try remembering some of the famous inventions. The Chinese invented the manual calculator also known as ‘Abacus’ they need that to perform calculations faster and easier. As time goes by, numbers just got so large that an ‘abacus is no longer enough to us as a calculating device. People invented the ‘Digital Calculator’ then we invented Computers. What’s next? The reason actually is because we always thirst for something else.

Let’s make it more personal. On our everyday lives it is a usual thing for us to have many options. From the color of our clothes, style of our hair and many other things. We are indeed often discontented about things, always wanting and in search for something.

For once I’ve been a victim of this circumstance. I once lived a life whose purpose is to get all that I can get, whose thirst for things doesn’t have an end. Not until one day, the day when it led to a situation where everything left for me was nothing. I am empty handed despite of my craving for things. That was the time I realized, I need something which will stay forever.

I remember a friend of mine came to me; actually I didn’t expect him to come that day. He told me a story about a woman who has five husbands. I laughed at him sarcastically, but instead of getting irritated on my manner, he told I must listen first then afterwards I can laugh at him if I want to. As he was telling me about this certain woman who’s got five husbands I actually thought maybe she is not contented with just one, that’s why she collected five. One day the woman went to the well to fetch some water. It so happened that a Man was sitting by the well as if waiting for someone. He asked the woman to give Him a drink, but instead of giving Him a drink the woman just questioned Him about customs and traditions. So the Man answered her that if she just gave Him a drink, he would have given her living water. Water if taken, you will never thirst again.

Oh! I forgot to tell you that the Man’s name was Jesus. This is the story of Samaritan Woman found on the book of John 4:7-14. As he finished telling me the story he told me if I would like to laugh. But I was in deep tears, that it is hard for me even just to talk. And that was the day I accepted the living water offered to me by the Lord Jesus Christ. From that moment I am always happy whatever comes my way.

Friend, this is not an accident why you are reading this article. This is the time Jesus is offering you the living water only Him can give. Don’t worry this is for free. Actually the salvation He is offering you is priceless because He paid it by His own life. John 3:16 says that, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believed on Him will not perish, but will have eternal life.” Just accept Him and live for Him. Trust me you will never thirst again.

Throughout Jesus‘ life, he preformed numerous miracles, such as changing water into wine, feeding multitudes of people with only two fish and five loaves of bread, and bringing back people from the dead. However, the most amazing and unbelievable miracles were that of healing the sick. He healed on the blind, disabled, paralyzed and a lot more. He manifested to everyone and almost everyone living those days can testify to that. But what is special in this particular scripture is that a woman was healed by merely touching Jesus’ clothes. There had no physical contact and Jesus had not even seen the woman.

The scripture has given emphasis not on how Jesus healed the people or the woman in particular, however, but on her faith. It was the intense burst of her deep-rooted faith in Jesus’ power and love for His people that cured her. It was so strong that unknown to Jesus, made His healing power released and flow into her body and stop the flowing of blood. The scripture describes the effect of her thus: “Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”.

The woman’s faith is absolute. The Scripture clearly recognizes differently between the crowd’s pressing hard upon Jesus and this woman’s mere touching His clothes. In addition to that, the act of touching the cloth is a far less noteworthy than touching the very person. Even though the crowd virtually pressed on to his body, nothing remarkable resulted from it while the woman’s mere touch on Jesus’ clothes yielded one of the biggest miracles Jesus has manifested.

“Daughter, your faith has saved you… be cured of your affliction”-these words of Jesus is an exceptional testimony to the uniqueness of her faith. The scripture inspires and makes us believe that even the poorest of the poor can have the grace of Jesus. No academic standing or fat bank accounts can dictate who or what should be healed. It is the faith that counts. Do you want to have that kind of faith? His power is always available for anyone who asks. Jesus has the power to forgive, to save, to heal, to bless, and to transform. All you need to do is come to Jesus just as you are. Believe that He is all you need, and make Him your personal Lord and Savior today. Open the door of your heart and let Him in, will you?

These are all vanities, things which cause us to live the different way. Different from the way our grandparents used to live before. These are the things that cause us to become different not only in our way of life but also in the way we look at ourselves.

Vanity sets the standard of what is beautiful. It sets the standard of what is good and what is bad. It sets the standard of living. Let me tell you this, all these things will only lead you to frustrations, never ending frustrations. Why? Simple, ’cause these things doesn’t offer everlasting happiness. Sad to think but that’s the ugly truth behind the so called ‘beauty.’

May I tell you this; you can live a different life if you choose to do so. It’s your decision how you want to live your life here on this planet. Happiness always depends on how satisfied you are not on how beautiful you or your clothes are.

We can only find this happiness when we have a genuine satisfaction, which we can only get from one source. And that is Jesus. His love, His comfort, His hope and His power are the only source of everlasting happiness, happiness which is not only enough but more than enough. This happiness is not just sufficient here in this life but also after this. You don’t need those expensive vanities; all you need is Jesus. Just Him no more, no less. Friend this is for free. You don’t have to pay for this because He already paid this when he died on the cross. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that anyone who will believe in Him will not perish but will have an eternal life.(John 3:16)

Just give your life to Him. And He will make you the happiest man alive on this planet. Just trust Him and He will never fail you.

– Matthew 6:25-34 TMSG

I really appreciate this version of the bible, The Message – the bible in modern language.  Its translation of God’s word really make it more comprehensive for us.  Moreover, I love the way it presents these verses.  I believe it’s a very timely message.  Facing the world-wide crisis, the recession and the daily hard situations, we tend to worry much about what to eat and wear and where to get the money to pay the rents and the loans and the bills.  It’s interesting to know that the concerns that we have today were the same as with those who are in the times of Jesus on earth.  And Jesus taught them how to deal with this life’s concerns – something which is applicable in these present times.
He taught us to worry less and look to what God is doing right now.  Face the reality that God is also, and much more concerned about us.  If we will just give him our attention and more than that, trust, we will find all our human concerns will be met.  It’s about time we stop struggling and doing things our way and trust him….