Christian Reflection and Prayer

A recent study reporting on "Spirituality and Well-being
in Australia" claims that the drift towards a more secular
mindset among its citizens has been detrimental to their
health -- and happiness.

The report suggests that in some important areas, those
with a more secular outlook have lower levels of well-being
than those with a spiritual orientation. According to the
study, those with spiritual grounding "tend to have a greater
sense of purpose in life, a greater openness to personal
growth, and more optimism about life in general."

Perhaps not surprisingly, the study also found that those
with a spiritual orientation are more likely to contribute to
others -- whether informally in daily life, or more formally --
giving money to charities or doing voluntary service with
community groups. These findings indicate that the link
between spirituality and wellbeing may be important to a
healthy society.

Said one of the researchers, "it appears that religion and
spirituality provide important anchors for life." -2

When we are firmly anchored in God our Father -- in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ -- we can achieve our best
"spiritual condition." But apart from God, there is no
possibility of genuine growth, genuine happiness, genuine
peace, genuine security. Apart from God we lose the
ultimate anchor for our lives. In the Apostle Paul's words,
"“May the God of Peace make you perfect and holy; and
may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and
body for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has
called you and He will not fail you"” (1 Thes. 5:23-24).

(excerpts from Sunday Sermons Online)

“As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her
mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.”—Psalm 123:2

In Psalms 123, the psalmist writes: “As the eyes of
slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of
a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our
eyes look to the LORD our God …” With these words,
the psalmist expresses his complete dependence on
God – and only God. Like a slave looks to his master
as the only person in the world who can provide for him,
protect him, and determine his fate, so too, do we look
upon God. Only God can help us, only He can save us,
and our destiny – both in this world and in the next –
lies in His hands.

It has been said that, “He who fears One, fears none,
but he who fears many, fears any.” When we are slaves
to God and fear only Him, we have nothing to fear – not
even an entire army of men. But when we are slaves to
many people and things, we will fear even the smallest
threat from a lowly individual.

Say these verses, and feel strengthened and empowered.
With God’s help, you can stand up to the greatest of
bullies and rest with the peace of mind that comes from
knowing that our only Master is God. It is He alone who
we serve and He alone who determines our destiny.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

"If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him
renounce himself and take up his cross every day
and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).

In the words of one of the worlds's greatest
psychologists of the 20th century, "Whoever insists
on safety and security as primary conditions of life
cannot have faith."-1 Time and again, and in many
different ways, Jesus said, "You will recognize by
their fruits the persons whose faith and trust in God's
ways brings them into His Kingdom." You will know
them, He said, by the difference this faith and trust
has made in the way they live. And because their
faith and trust in God has made a difference in the
way they live, they are blest, they are happy.

ARE YOU HAPPY?