~ EVERY single DAY is a GIFT from GOD ~

Pair of EYES

2009-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

God is always with His people

2009-04-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 43: 1-7

Now this is what the Lord says. He created you, people of Jacob; He formed you, people of Israel.
He says,
"Don't be afraid, because I have saved you. I have called you by name, and you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
When you cross rivers, you will not drown.
When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flames hurt you.
This is because I, the Lord, am your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt to pay for you, and I gave Cush and Seba to make you mine.
Because you are precious to me, because I give you honor and love you,
I will give other people in your place;
I will give other nations to save your life.

Don't be afraid, because I am with you.
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
I will tell the north: Give my people to me.
I will tell the south: Don't keep my people in prison.
Bring my sons from far away and my daughters from faraway places.
Bring to me all the people who are mine,
whom I made for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

A Prayer for Friends

2009-04-17T04:50:00.000-07:00

Father, I ask You to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy.

Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, patience and strength as they learn submission to Your leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage.

Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend’s life.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them.

Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it, for Jesus already defeated it.

I ask You to do these things in Jesus’ name.

In His Love,
Your friend.

Prayer for Compassion, for those In Need

2009-04-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

Heaven Father,

We praise and lift Your name on high because You are the Lord God Almighty. You cared for us and loved us even before we are formed. You had a plan for us, to give us a future and a hope. (Jer 29: 11) Even when we did not know You, You came to die for us and to save us. You did all this because You love us and we want to love Your people with the same compassion that You have for us. For You are gracious and full of compassion. (Psalm 111: 4)

Father, we come before You and ask, O Lord for You to give us a heart of compassion. The same compassion when Jesus had when He was on earth, we ask that You fill our hearts with.

Father, let us be moved with the compassion for the needy, for the poor, for the fatherless, for the lost and for those that are lost. Let our hearts be tender to those that are in need. Father, we know that as we give onto them, we will collect for us treasures in heaven. (Mark 10: 24) (Luke 14: 13-14)

Lord, You said that when we see those that are hungry and feed them, clothe those that are needy, take strangers in, visit those that are sick or in prison, we are doing it for You. (Matt 25: 24-40)

So Lord, we come before You, with a humble heart that You will lift the fire of compassion in us that wherever we go, we will bring Your compassion to those that are in need. And when people see us, they will know You because we carry Your love to them!

In Jesus name we pray, AMEN!

Prayer for Mombassa Faith Ministry International (MFMI)

2009-04-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Father in heaven,

We want to lift up Mombassa Faith Ministry International into Your might hand O Lord. We give thanks to You o Father for Your wonderful works in this ministry through the leader, Peter and His fellow companions that established this ministry and also for their faith that has been spoken all around the world.

Lord, we want to commit our brother Peter into Your hands O Lord. I pray for God’s wisdom, understanding and guidance into his life while leading this ministry and also seek Your will in doing every good works that are well pleasing in Your sight o Lord. I pray that o Lord that whatever Peter do and speak does not come out from his own understanding but from God’s will. Let no one look down on him because he is young but be an example to the believers in word, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity. I pray that o Lord that Peter shall take joy in facing trials of much kind and persevere for joy of the Lord is his streght and for with God nothing is impossible. Lord, give him more hunger to seek Your kingdom and righteousness and all these things shall be given to Him. I thank you o Lord for the confidence that Peter has in You through faith in Jesus Christ. I also pray for steps of baldness and obedience in Peter in preaching the gospel to the people. May You also grant him the compassion that Jesus has for the poor, needy and those who are in slavery.

We also want to lift up Peter’s intercessor team into Your hands o Lord. Grant them the non stop hunger to seek Your beautiful kingdom and to understand Your will in meeting the peoples’ needs. Give them the compassion in those who are lost. I pray that they will be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the works of evangelist and fulfill your ministry. May You give them the desire for the gifts of Holy Spirit, to sue all these gifts to glorify You o Lord. I thank You o Lord for the submissive heart that they have in Jesus Christ and also in Your ministry. May they continue to seek You, standing as the gate of heaven to reach out to more people in the world. I pray for spirit of ones and love of God binding this intercessor team together as a family. Strengthen their faith in you o Lord.

We just want to commit finance of this ministry into Your mighty hand. Father, You are our Provider, our ultimate source. Without You we run dry. I thank You o Lord for giving the ability to this ministry to prosper not only financially but also spiritually. Thank You for Your heavenly blessing o Lord.

MFMI is having evangelistic conference on this coming 18th of Nov. Lord, use this opportunity to pour out Your spirit on those who attends this meeting. May Your sweet spirit of love touch their hearts and bring them into Your kingdom. I pray that every world that Peter speaks to the people is not out of his understanding but from Holy Spirit inside him. Lord, protect Peter, his team, the congregation and their family members with Your power that nothing will harm them. I thank You Lord for Jesus is Lord over MFMI. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.

Do you love GOD?

2009-04-14T03:58:00.000-07:00

As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to Me, even if it was just a few words, asking My opinion or thanking Me for something good that happened in your life yesterday. But I noticed you were too busy, trying to find the right outfit to wear.

When you ran around the room getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello but you were too busy. At one point you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except to sit in a chair. Then I saw you spring to your feet.

I thought you wanted to talk to Me, but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip instead. I watched patiently all day long. With all your activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to Me. I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to Me, that is why you did not bow your head.

You glanced three or four tables and you noticed some of your friends talking to Me briefly before they ate, but you did not. That is okay… There is still some time left, and I hope that you will talk to Me yet. You went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do.

After a few of them were done, you turned on the TV. I do not know if you like the TV or not, just about anything goes there and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it not thinking about anything, just enjoying the show. I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, but again you did not talk to Me.

Bedtime I guess you felt too tired. After you said goodbye to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. That is ok because you may not realized that I am always there for you…. I have got patience, more than you will ever know. I even want to teach you to be patient with others as well.

I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, a prayer or thought, or a thankful part of your heart. It is had to have a one-sided conversation. Well you are getting up once again. Once again I will wait, with nothing but love for you.
Hoping that today you will give me some time.

Have a nice day!

Your friend,
JESUS.

Do you love God? Is He your source of existence and Saviour? He longs for you each and everyday.
Without Him, we will be nothing.
Without Him, we are nothing, but

With him we can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. (Phil 4: 13)

He is passionately pursuing us. ARE YOU?

Prayer for Wisdom

2009-04-13T03:42:00.000-07:00

Wise and Loving God,
You know how busy my life can be.
There are so many opportunities and distractions, commitment and obligations.
Relationships and personal interests that are part of each day.

Remind me in the busyness that I cannot do everything.
I cannot be all things to people.

My days filled with things to do quickly fly by and I risk merely existing rather than living.

Above all else, I want to be all Yours, Father.
I want my life to be a reflection of Your life.
To be a person of love, care and integrity.
I want to know that my life matters and that I can make a difference.

So, God, as I face today, help me make wise choices.

May what I do with this today show what truly matters to me and what I believe and what I truly value.

As I learn and live, I want to gain wisdom, not just knowledge.
A life and not just a living.
Blessed days and not just busy ones.
With Your help, dear Father, I trust and believe that I can become a person pleasing to both of us.

Give me a wise heart, to know and follow Your will and Your ways and live Your word.

This I pray in Jesus’ name, my good and living teacher.

Prayer of Salvation

2009-04-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

Oh God, I am a sinner, I have said things, thought things, and done things that were contrary to You and offensive to You. By Your law, the 10 commandments, I see that I am not acceptable to You and I do not deserve to go to heaven.

But from Your Word, I see that You sent Your son to take my place, to take all that was in me that offended you and to take my punishment for it.

He died in my place, He went to hell for me, and He paid the full price for me. Then You raised Him from the dead totally free of my sin. I was raised with Him and I accept Him right now as my Savior. I declare that satan is no longer lord of my life, Jesus is now my Lord. I am now born from above, I am now born again. I am now a new creation in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away and all things are new. I am now saved. When I die, I will go to heaven.

God, now You are more than my God, you are my heavenly Father, and You love me more than any earthly father. I will serve You all the rest of my days.

Prayer for WCCI

2009-04-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today we come before You with a thankful heart to present our prayer and petition to You in the name of Jesus and Your peace which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. (Phi 4: 6-7) Father God, we thank You for Your favor upon every s ingle child of Yours in WCCI. We have been favored and blessed in every aspects of our life because of You, our mighty God who is awesome, wonderful, lovely, merciful and glorious.

For the coming new semester, we WCCI as the body of Christ, the bride of Jesus would want to come before You in unity and in love to cry out for more intimacy with You. I pray for every single members of WCCI to live a life worthy of the calling that we have received. Father, we know that unity in the church attracts Your favor. I pray that we will make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. For these is one body and one spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph 4: 1, 3-6)

Father, I also pray for extreme hunger for more of Your Words. For Your Words is our source of life and this life brought light to mankind (John 1: 4). As every day as we spend time reading Your Words, I pray that You reveal Your wills through Holy Spirit into our life. (1 Cor 2: 10). We want Your wills to become our wills.

For this coming year, we WCCI also hungry for more supernatural to manifest in Kursk. Father God, we cry out to You for healing, deliverance and miracles. We cry out for Your mercy and love outpouring in this place. We receive baldness in the name of Jesus to pray for the sick. For You have give us the authority to lay hand on sick people and they will get well. (Mark 16: 18) I pray that O Lord that we are doing all this because we love You. I pray for compassion to be enrooted in our heart especially to the sick and poor. (Matt 9: 36).

We call out for Your mercy and healing power ot be release out in people having cancer, AIDS and arthritis. You are their healer O God. We want to see manifestation of Your glory in WCCI and in Kursk. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. We want to see Your power. So that our faith do not rest on our wisdom but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2: 5).

We commit our prayer to You Jesus and we believe that all of them are answered. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Fully depend on You

2009-04-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Oh Father Lord, God,

I thank You, O Father for this opportunity to pray for the move of the gifts of the spirit. Thank You for Your manifested presence in this place.

Father, I want to commit each person here into Your Mighty hands. Father, fill u s with Your anointing (1 John 2: 27) and move hunger for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I thank You for a right standing relationship with You, that we are availed to let You work and move in and through us.

Give us a heart that thirst, hungers and desires for more of You, for more of the gifts to be manifested in our daily lives. (1 Cor 12: 31, Luke 6: 21). Fill us with a reckless passion, willingness and obedience to let You use us more (II Cor 8: 11, Romans 9:16)

Let our hearts be filled with desperation to totally, fully depend on You and the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Psalms 25:1-2) for He looks for obedient and willing hears, a humble heard for Him to reveal more of His Kingdom to us (Prov 11:2).

Father, we commit all that we are, all that we have to You, release us from all the bondages, yolks and burdens that we have (Romans 8: 21, Psalms 62: 8). Free us from our mindsets and limitations that we have on how You are going to move. Give us a fresh, renewed mind on the gifts of Your Spirit. You say, O Lord that all receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and that all will move in the gifts of the Spirit (Acts 2: 38). Let us remove al thoughts and take them captive, all thought that restrict the move of Your Spirit Gifts. Give us Your revelation, let us see with Your eyes into the spiritual realm (Col 1: 9) we want You to work to the maximum, let us hunger for more time spent with You and more in Your word, so that our faith will increase. Lord, that we will have the boldness to step out in obedience to let the Gifts of the Spirit move (Acts 4: 29, Phil 1: 28). That we know it is the leading of the Holy Spirit to perform Your signs, miracle and wonders through these gifts.

Lord, we want higher expectation of what You can do. We want Your full manifestation (Heb 2: 4). We want to speak Your words of wisdom, words of knowledge, we want supernatural faith, perform healings and miracles, having gifts of prophesy and to be able to discern spirits, speak in diverse tongues and give Holy Spirit interpretation (I Cor 12: 8-10). Lord, we want to see all these gifts manifested not just here but every day in our life. We do not want to be seeker friendly church but a spirit filled church. We want to let You perform signs, miracle and wonders through us.

Show us O Lord what we need to change, what we need to do, to reach that level with You. We want that encounter with You. Let this manifestation and gifts be a testimony to the people, a witness of how awesome You are. Let it be a light unto them to see that they need a savior and where light is darkness cannot be (Ps 97: 1).

All of this Father, we know that You have heard us and it is sealed and done in the might name of Jesus. Thank you Father and we give You all glory and honor, in Jesus most previous name I pray, Amen!

A Prayer for the Innocence

2009-04-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Heavenly Father,
My heart cries out for all innocence in Kursk. They never knew that they are living in darkness. They’ve been hurt deeply and they live in bitterness. They do not know the way to happiness, which is in Christ.

Jesus, reach out to them. Save them from the corruption of this world. Deliver them from sickness, pain, hurt, poverty, troubles, hopelessness.

Outpour on this land, Holy Spirit. Jesus, turn Kursk, this barren land into a land flowing with honey and milk. Let His spirit of purity overflow and all kind of ungodliness have to give way to the move of God.

Behold the glory of God on this land. Now is the season of harvest. Now revival is taking place. Let us walk in expectation to see God move in and through us to reach out to Russians.

Father, we are the carrier of your glory. We want to realize and release your presence everywhere and claim this land for your glory!!

To you all the glory, honor and praise.

In Jesus’ most glorious name we pray. AMEN!

LOVE… the best way

2009-03-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 13: 1-13
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance… Love will last forever!.

Day after day, thousands of Jesus’ followers toil in foreign lands to bring relief and the love of Christ to the severely afflicted and to the poorest of the poor. Through the context of their work, many of these laborers witness brutalities and suffering beyond huan comprehension.

In Africa, many people I meet are devoted to coming alongside the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40). They tell me they were moved to action by a pastor or speaker they heard, literature they read, or the lyrics of a song that opened their hearts and minds to the struggles people around the world face.

Upon entering the lands of the oppressed and the impoverished, these laborers testify that they are sustained by private devotion and corporate prayer. Worship music of deep spiritual truth also inspires these compassionate men and women to press on in their efforts to extend God’s justice and provisions to those who suffer. First Corinthians 13: 7-8, however, beautifully describes the best motivation of all for serving the needy – love. These verses aptly say, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance….Love will last forever!”

It’s possible you have heart 1 Corinthians 13 applied only to marriage. Today, consider how you might also apply this verse to loving the destitute. For example, how might you:
-protect someone who is experiencing a form of abuse?
-Trust God to meet your financial needs when you continue to give generously to the poor?
-Display hope as you spend time with someone who is suffering?
-Persevere in serving even when you’re feeling weary?
-Show love – unfailingly, even to someone whom you find difficult to like?

Prayerfully consider how you might display these forms of love to someone you encounter today. – Roxanne Robbins

The GOOD things

2009-02-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

Carol, Fred and Tom had planned an evening packed with fun. The trunk of Tom’s Honda was loaded with toilet paper and flashlights – the supplies they’d need to “t.p.” Tanya’s house in honor of her sixteenth birthday.

But first they went to the school parking lot for some fun with the car. Carol and Fred jumped on the hood, and Tom steered in wild, squealing circles. It was as fun as a roller coaster – until Carol lost her grip and flew off the hood. The tires screeched and swerved, barely missing Carol, who awas lying on the ground. Her jeans were ripped, and one leg was bleeding.

“You okay?” Tom asked as he rushed out of the car.
“I think so,” Carol responded, holding her leg. “Just shook up.”

The three friends pulled themselves together, stunned by what had happened – and could have happened. Their original plans forgotten, they cautiously drove to Carol’s house to explain to her parents the stupid thing they had done.

After Carol had bandaged her scrapes and changed clothes, the three friends drove to the Wayside Restaurant to think and talk. For three hours, they sipped on chocolate malts and reflected on what had happened.

“I cant believe I was that close to … you know,” Carol said softly.
“Yeah, and I was behind the wheel,” Tom added.
“I know one thing,” Fred said resolutely. “I’m not going to take life for granted. I enjoy being here too much to let a crazy game take it away.”

It took a scary event for Carol, Fred and Tom to realize how valuable and good life is. When God ceated the world and saw it for the first time, He also celebrated how good and valuable life is. Read about the goodness of life and the world in Genesis 1: 1-31

-How is the teenagers’ new perspective on life like verse 31: “God looked at everything He had made, and it was very good”?

-What has happened to you that reminded you of the goodness and value of the life God has given you?

Consider
-rereading the passage and underlining in green every reference to life or living things. Praise God for the gift of life
-giving a flower or small houseplant or doing a chore for someone who is valuable to you. Include a note that celebrates how he or she makes your life better.

For more, see
-Genesis 2: 4-17
-Psalm 104: 1-32
-John 10:7-18

Love like YOU love, even when it hurts

2008-11-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

November 30

Dear heavenly Father,
while I am on this journey through life,
I pray that I may always listen for Your voice, whether it is for praise or discipline.

Please, please may I always know Your presence,
especially if I am to journey through life’s valleys.

When I am weak fill me with Your strength, and help me to love like You love,
even when it hurts.

May nothing matter to me more than becoming the person You want me to be.
Amen

-Dianne Parsons-

FiLLed with FERVOR

2008-11-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

November 29

O Lord, enable me to live the life of saints and angels.
Take me out of the irritability, the sensitiveness, in which my soul lies,
and fill it with Thy fullness.

Breathe on me with that Breath which infuses energy and kindles fervor.
In asking for fervor, I ask for all that I can need,
and all that Thou canst give.

In asking for fervor, I am asking for faith, hope and charity,
in their most heavenly exercise;

I am asking for perception of duty,
I am asking for sanctity, peace and joy, all at once.

Nothing would be a trouble to me,
nothing a difficulty, had I but a fervor of soul.

Lord, in asking for fervor, I am asking for Thyself,
for nothing short of Thee, O my God.

Enter my heart, and fill it with fervor by filling it with Thee.
Amen.

-John Henry Newman-

Serving YOU

2008-11-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

November 28

Loving heavenly Father,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thou art from everlasting to everlasting,
the Father of my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and
one with the Holy Spirit in the blessed Trinity.

I come boldly but reverently into Your holy presence in the name of Jesus.
I come to You washed in the blood of the Lamb and
knowing that I am holy and blameless in Your sight,
O God, by Your altogether lovely Lord Jesus.

I love You with all my heart, soul and mind.
I am unworthy of Your love, mercy and long-suffering.
You have been generous to my family and me.

Grant, I beseech, every gift of the Holy Spirit according to Your sovereign will
that I may lift up the name of Jesus for His glory alone.
I confess I have sinned in word, thought, and deed,
that I have been unfaithful in the face of Your faithfulness to me.
Wash me in the blood of the Lamb for I am truly sorry for my sins.
Renew in me the joy of my salvation.
Grant me wisdom according to Your promise, integrity, and compassion
that I may be fitted to serve You in the fulfillment of the Great Commission
until Jesus comes to calls me home.

All this I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

- Graham F. Lacey-

To be like YOU

2008-11-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

November 27

Father, I want to be like You.
I want my heart to be as big as Yours.

As far as revival is concerned,
I ask You to find those who will be guileless and
entrust them with the wonderful treasures of Your power and Your presence.

Please don’t hide from us because our hearts are divided.
Make us one big family rejoicing Your love.

Lord, I hunger for Your Word,
but I don’t believe that knowing You is only about memorizing Scripture
or learning about how You’ve moved in the past.

Knowing all that is valuable only if I can trust You like a little child.

I’m so glad, Father,
that loving You with a childlike spirit is all that is necessary to please You,
and knowing that makes me love You more.

-John Arnott-

Lord,
live so completely within me
that all my life will be the natural outpouring of the
divine power- the consequence of an indwelling
Spirit of purity and truth.

-Walter James-

Truth in LOVE; Gifts of GRACE

2008-11-26T13:47:00.000-08:00

November 26

Lord Jesus Christ,
grant me Your special grace to speak Your Truth in love
and to challenge every way that would exclude Love from Truth or Truth from Love.

You who are both Truth and Love,
enter my poor heart and mind afresh to bring forth this
miracle of Truthful Love and Loving Truth for which
I pray in Your most worthy Name. Amen.

-Michael Cassidy-

Come, Holy Spirit,
and daily increase in us Thy manifold gifts of grace;
the spirit of wisdom and understanding;
the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength;
the spirit of knowledge and true godliness,
and fill us with the spirit of Thy holy fear, now and for ever.
Amen

-Gelasian Sacramentary-

Lead our life according to Thy good pleasure...

2008-11-25T13:43:00.000-08:00

November 25

Grant, O heavenly Father,
that we so faithfully believe in Thee,
and so fervently love one another, always living in Thy fear,
and in the obedience of Thy holy law and blessed will,
that we, being fruitful in all good works,
may lead our life according to Thy good pleasure in this world and,
after this frail and short life, obtain the true and immortal life,
where Thou livest and reignest, world without end. Amen

-Thomas Becon –

O merciful Lord, of Thy bountiful goodness,
receive us evermore into Thy protection,
maintaining and increasing from day to day Thy grace and goodness towards us,
until Thou hast brought us unto the full and perfect unity of Thy Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, who is he true light of our souls.

-Liturgy of Geneva-

Fix upon Thyself..

2008-11-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

November 24

O Light eternal, transcending all created suns,
cause Thy bright beams to shine into our hearts.
Purify, warm, enlighten, and quicken our souls with all their powers:
so that they may find their rest, their joy, in Thee.

The days of this present life are short and evil,
full of troubles and sorrows:
when wilt Thou bring the reign of Satan to an end:
and grant to us to walk at liberty,
without trials or temptations,
seeing Thy face, and wearing Thy likeness?

Until then, preserve us, O Thou eternal Truth;
come unto us, O heavenly Love;
draw our affections away from earthly things,
and fix them upon Thyself.

Blessed are they, O Lord,
whom Thou choosest, and whom Thou causest to approach unto Thee.

-Thomas A Kempis-

Glory to HIM

2008-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

November 23

Glory to our ascended Lord that He is with us always.

Glory to the Word of God, going forth with His armies conquering and to conquer.

Glory to Him who has led captivity captive and given gifts for the perfecting of His saints.

Glory to Him who has gone before to prepare a place in His Father’s home fo us.

Glory to the Author and Finisher of our faith;

That God in all things maybe glorified through Jesus Christ,

To whom be all worship and praise, dominion,

And glory;

Now and forever and ever. Amen

-Sursum Corda –

Does truth still work?

2008-11-10T15:57:00.001-08:00

When I attended a Christian college back in the Paleolithic Era, one of the key maxims that was drummed into our shaggy heads was this:
All truth is God’s truth. In other words, anything that is true and dependable is from God. God is truth, and therefore the essence of what is factual and knowable and truthful stems from Him alone.

For instance, marriage is a foundation of society because God originated it in Genesis between a man and a woman. Later, Jesus honored it with His presence at a wedding. Clearly, God presents marriage as a basic bulding block of a righteous society. Marriage is good because God says it is.

Or this: Lying is wrong. God included this teaching in codification of His rules in Exodus 20. And He repeatedly had Scripture writers tell us that lying is wrong. God says lying is wrong, so there is no question that it is.

Some people think this kind of thinking doesn’t work anymore. Postmodernists refuse to consider something to be true just because God said it is. They want truth to be whatever a person finds truth to be.

If you tell a lie and it gets you a promotion, and no one finds out, then it’s okay – if worked. If you can get your accountant to cheat on your audit – and the authorities don’t find out – you’ve earned some extramoney.

It doesn’t take a degree in philosophy to recognize that this create-your-own-truth world is a dangerous place. No set boundaries, no moral restrictions, and no basis for an organized society. And most dangerous of all-no need of God.

Look for the truth. It’s another way of seeing that God is there, and He is at work in the world.

-Dave Branon- [taken from ODJ 2008]

Read Psalm 40:9~12
Let Your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me (v.11)

MORE~
Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor You. - Psalm 86:11 –

Strengthen US

2008-10-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

OcTOber 11

Preserve us, O most holy LORD God,
from the cares of this life, that our feet be not entangled by them;
and deliver us from spiritual hindrances and temptations, that we be not wearied and cast down;
let not the world and the things of the world deceive us:
keep us from the power and malice of the devil.

Rather than all this world's allurements, give us the blessed unction of Thy Holy Spirit;
and drive from our hearts the love of worldly things,
by pouring into them the love of Thy holy name.

Confirm us in Thy ways, O Lord, by the grace of Thy Holy Spirit.
Strengthen us with might so that no trouble or temptation may draw us away from Thee.

-Thomas A Kempis -

Know that I am blest

2008-10-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

OCtober 10

It is not that I feel less weak, but Thou
Wilt be my strength; it is not that I see
Less sin; but more of pardoning love with hee,
And all-sufficient grace. Enough! And now
All flutering thought is stilled; I only rest,
And feel that Thou art near, and know that I am blest.

- Frances Ridley Havergal -

We beseech THee, Almighty God, to behold our prayers,
and to pour out upon us Thy loving tenderness;
that we who are afflicted by reason of our sins, maybe refreshed by the coming of our Savior; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-Gelasian Sacramentary -

The Victories

2008-10-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

October 9

Through death immortality has come to all,
and through the incarnation of the Word
God’s universal providence has been made known.

God the Word revealed Himself through a body
that we might receive an idea of the unseen Father;
and He endured humiliation at men’s hands that we might inherit incorruption.

In Himself He was in no way injured,
for He is impassible and incorruptible, the very Word and God;
but He endured these things for the sake of suffering men,
and through His own impassability He preserved and saved them.

In short, the victories achieved by the Savior through His incarnation are so great and so many
that, if one wished to describe them,
it would be like gazing across the open sea and trying to count the waves.

- St. Athanasius -

Hosanna in the highest!

2008-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

October 8

Hosanna in the highest!

Remember me, O Lord,
with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people.

O visit me with Thy salvation;
that I may see the felicity of Thy chosen,
and rejoice in the gladness of Thy people,
and give thanks with Thine inheritance.

There is glory which shall be revealed;
for when the Judge cometh some shall see Thy face cheerful,
and shall be placed on the right,
and shall hear those most welcome words,

“Come, ye blessed.”
They shall be caught up in clouds to meet the Lord;
they shall enter into gladness,
they shall enjoy the sight of Him,
they shall be ever with Him.

- Lancelot Andrewes -

Feb 17 and Oct 7

2008-10-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

February 17

O God, I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for help that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

- A Confederate Soldier -

October 7
O LORD, take us into Thy care and keeping;
lest our cruel enemy gain the advantage over us.
We fight under Thy banner, that our enemy may know that our confidence is
in Thy aid, in Thy strength and wisdom.

Where Thou art,
O LORD is the land of lierty, and of everlasting blessedness.
Give quietness to our minds, and grant that we may have some
taste of the everlasting joys of Thy heavenly kingdom;
whereby those worldly things which
we so earnestly seek and so eagerly embrace shall seem loathsome and defiled.
So shall we refuse them as bitter and worthless things,
and fervently desire the blessedness of Thy heavenly kingdom,
where there are pleasures for evermore.
And unto Thee, LORD Jesus, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

- Thomas Cranmer -

STRENGTH for your DAY

2008-10-07T14:27:00.001-07:00

STRENGTH for your DAY, a prayer book from my mum.

I will try my best to post up every prayer inside this book.

First of all, let me post up the foreword of this book.

There are three stages in prayer. The first is basically "God bless me, Mommy, and Daddy," with a shopping list to a God who is there to deliver our wishes. The second is once we have come alive to the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. The Holy Spirit brings us into a personal relationship and prayer normally moves into worship, conversation, sharing and desiring God's will, although remnants of the first srot of praying can sadly linger and confuse. The thrid is when we begin to hunger and thrist for God, to become like St. Paul when he longs to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. Here paryer starts to explore the deep wonders of God in devotion and worship as well as in far more comprehensive intercession. This is where this marvelous book takes us.

When Louise Kendall talked about her exploration into the prayers of Christians across the centuries, her passion, excitement, and deepened devotion to God glowed from her heart. She had been ready to explore the prayers of saints who had different Christian affiliations and found the throb of her own heart matching theirs. Although extempore prayer is still integral to her prayer life, she discovered that in written prayers there could be gathered expressions of deep devotion, phrases with profound insight, and a range of confession, worship and intercession that left much extempore praying in the fading shadows.

That Louise and RT have now turned that great discovery into this book is a gift to the whole church. Not all the prayers will ring bells with us, but most will strike an inner chord and will come to be part of our own prayer life in years to come. We move over the centuries with prayers from Augustine, Corrie ten Boom, Newman, Campolo, Luther, Chaike, Lancelot Andrewes (who blew my prayer life into new orbits), and so many others. Our hearts are warmed by Timothy Dudley-Smith’s beautifully poetic yet insightful prayers, with glorious phrases like “the choir of stars.” I am so glad that the prayer (February 17) of the Confederate soldier just before he died in the battle of Richmond is here, as I use it frequently. Whenever I quote it everyone wants a copy… it is penetratingly moving. You will want t mark the prayers that stand out for you as you use the book across a year and then return to embrace them as part of your own devotion. It will help us all to move deeper into true prayer to our glorious Lord. For all the passion, research and hard work that has goneinto this gem of a book we are all in the debt of two very special people....
Louise and R. T. Kendall.

-Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael S. Baughen
Bishop of Chester, 1982-1996
Rector of All Souls, Langham Place,
London, 1970-1982 –

This prayers book has 365 days of prayers. Every single day comes with different prayers.
Since today is 7th of October 2008, I will start with the prayers for October 7.

Besides, I will also post up the February 17 prayer, the prayer which Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael frequently used.

Till then, stay tune with my 365 timeless prayers and conversations with GOD!

My promise

2008-09-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hi guys… it has been long time since I write the last post of this blog….
Now I got to put up all my energy, to continue this blog…
I will post up my daily devotion, hope I can post it up daily, so that I can keep myself spending time with God……

So , that’s it.... daily devotional time with God and most importantly, daily prayer…..

Hope you guys can get something from my blog…

Exam!!! Exam season now!!

2008-05-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

yo yo! Long time didnt update blog! Sorry!! Hahaha...
Busy preparing for my finals exam now! Here, i want to share a verse which is very useful for exam! here it is!

Proverbs 3: 5~6
Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding.
Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.

Well, Gambate to myself!! hehe... =)

A steadfast STILLNESS….

2008-05-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Psalm 37: 7 ~ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil device!

The typhoon was massive. It slammed into the eastern coast of China, the eye-wall brushing past the small village and the underground church where we were bound.

Our plane was grounded, so we decided to go over land. We arrive 24 hours late, discovering to our amazement that members of the small church had waited for us, singing songs through the night. The original congregation of 40 had grown to over 600.

On the way out of the service, as all gathered their homemade wooden folding chairs, an elderly woman in an impeccably clean blue flowered blouse took me by the hand. She pressed it to her heart and through the translator said, “You don’t have to leave. Why don’t you just stay with us?”

Though most of her teeth were gone, her smile was radiant. She placed her gnarled hand on my head, and we laughed together at my baldness. When we approached the van and it became clear that I was not free to stay and enjoy her hospitality, a calm settled over her that is impossible to describe. As she became still, her smile transformed. The deep wrinkles still formed the pattern of her smile, but her eyes, no less bright, looked away. I became aware that this was the moment I had come to China to experience. “This is the face of lament,” a voice inside my heart spoke.

I have had the privilege to know perhaps a dozen believers who have suffered for their faith. They have come from all walks of life, rich and poor and from every corner of the world. Yet they all had this in common, that same quality – a steadfast stillness.

Grief resolved through lament settles deep in our souls. There, like the ballast in a ship, it keeps us upright in the midst of life’s typhoons. It is an accomplishment earned through simple acceptance of the Word that speaks “Be still” (Mark 4: 39)

The storms, the brokenness, the pain, the confusion, the disappointment that comes when someone drops into your life for a little while and is then suddenly swept away, all can be transformed, transfigured, clamed into a peace and a stillness that is “righting” and steadying and steadfast.

-Suffering can have a calming effect on our souls-

Daily devotional from “Our Journey”

A little HOPE

2008-05-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Jimmy O’Neill, fifteen, has a lot to worry about. Born with cystic fibrosis, an inherited lung disease, he has been hospitalized five or six times a year since age six. Every day he takes twenty-five pills and spends twenty minutes in physical therapy.

Whenever he ahs a cold, he has to receive intravenous medication to fight off the infection. And if he feels a little sick, he immediately has to go to the hospital to see what’s wrong. “ My body is sort of like a car that everyone wants to keep in tip-top shape,” he explains. As a result, he often misses fifty to sixty days of school each year.

Jimmy also has a future to worry about. “I have to realize that, no matter what, I’ll never be totally independent,” he says. “There’s always going to have to be someone there for me.”

Yet Jimmy doesn’t worry. “There are some things in life you have choices about and there are things you don’t” he explains. “God will take care of whatever is going to happen.”

So instead of worrying, Jimmy has hope and faith in God. “You always have to have a little hope,” he says, “because if you run out of that, there’s nothing worth anything. You might as well give up right then and there.”

Jimmy O’Neill has learned how faith helps overcome worries. In contrast, the Istraelites in the desert worried about how to find food.

Read Exodus 16: 2-15 to learn how God took care of their worries.

Where’s your focus?

2008-05-29T07:56:00.001-07:00

Gary Richards was appalled when he saw the tapes in his friend Tim Fellman’s car. “How can you listen tothis trash?” he asked as he read the sexually explicit and raunchy song titles.

“Give it a rest,” Tim shot back. “These groups know music. Who cares about the words? Stop being a crusader.”

The conversation came back to haunt Tim that Wednesday night in Bible study. The group read the Bible and tried to apply its principles to their lives. They focused on how being a Christian shapes your priorities and interests in life and how it affects everything you do.

Tim was challenged by the discussion and wanted to talk about it with Gary. On the way home from the Bible study, they talked about friendships and being honest. Then Gary asked. “What does all this say about your music, Tim? Can you listen t raunchy songs and read your Bible at the same time?”

Tim was steamed, “Sure I can!” he shouted, hoping Gary would back off. Which he did. They rode in silence until Tim dropped off Gary at home.

Two weeks later Gary found a note stuffed through the slot in his school locker. “You were right,” it smply said. “The songs I liked and God’s word don’t mix. I have changed to more positive music. Thanks.”

Tim had discovered how focusing on God’s word can change your values and priorities. God gave Joshua the same advice, and it guided him to be successful as God’s leader.

Read the advice in Joshua 1: 6-9

Where’s your focus?

2008-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Stephen

2008-05-15T22:07:00.001-07:00

Had learn a lot from yesterday discipleship.
Finished study of the book of Roman.

Studied chapter 6 and 7 of Acts which is about Stephen, a man full of faith. He did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. However there are opposition arose, they produced false witnesses and accused Stephen. At the end, Stephen was stoned to death. But the most interesting part is the last verse of chapter 7 saying “Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell ASLEEP.
So, Stephen didn’t died because of the severe injuries and pain caused by stoning, but he just feel asleep without feeling any pain.

Give and You'll receive

2008-05-11T00:38:00.000-07:00

Yay! I had gave my 10% tithe to God. I had earned my 1000usd this few month and 100usd was given to God as tithe. Thanks to Him for blessing me so much! I believe the amount I given is much more smaller than what God wanted to bless me!

In bible said, give and you will receive. So, if you want to receive more, give as God want you to give. Dont forget to pay your tithe to God. You will be given more in return! BUt of course you dont give because you want to receive more.. You give because you LOVE~

Hiatus?

2008-05-05T21:56:00.001-07:00

What a long break of not posting anything here.. That doesnt mean that, GOD didnt favor me all this while.... He is still very faithful and loves much more than I do... even though I had done so many things which disappointed him.

He is still the same today, yesterday and forever.. Only I had became lazier to write my testimony here. Argh! Hate myself like this! Got to fuel myself up!! Spend time with GOD!!

Let me give a new testimony here...
Yesterday, was interviewing a patient. Thank GOd that I got more information from here than the day before yesterday... Because of not bringing the translation (english-russian) question, I didnt ask much on that day, so yesterday I went with the translation paper and got to get more information. hehe..THank GOD....

Got the permission for extraclass on Wednesday....Permission was easily gotten... At first we all thought that it might be quite hard but it came out differently.

Learn a lot from the business class yesterday. Praise GOd...

Finished Clinical pharmaco CYCLE!!

2008-04-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

Wee!! Had finished my clinical pharmaco cycle!! It wasnt a hectic cycle though... haha...

Went to renew my fix deposit which had expired last week! Thank God the process was very fast.. not like last time, it took me so long, around 3 hours to finish everything.... Today only took about 45 minutes.... hahaha....

Starting a new cycle tomorrow, Tropical Biology... Pray that, I can do well in this cycle...
^_^

I found it~

2008-04-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Thank God... was looking for an envelope of money.... kept on praying that I could found it... and yea..! I found it today!! Thank God!

Receive this mail from a pastor of my Church here.... share it with you all!

Dear Beloved of God, WCCI Leaders!
Here are some notes on an important point that the church often
misses. I feel the Lord wants you to know about it...
Let's read,

I Cor 3:16, " Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

I Cor 6:19 amp, "Do you not know that your body is the temple - the
very sanctuary - of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you
have received as a Gift from God? .."

2 Cor 6:16, "What agreement can there be between a temple of God and
idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I
will dwell in and with and among them, and I will be their God and
they shall be My people."

Ephesians 2:19-22 amp, "Therefore, you are no longer outsiders
excluded from the rights of citizens, but you now share citizenship
with the saints [God's own people, consecrated and set apart for
Himself], and you belong to God's own household. You are built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus
Himself the chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is joined &
welded together harmoniously and it continues to rise & grow into a
holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and
sacred to the presence of the Lord]. In Him and in fellowship with
one another you yourselves also are being built up into this structure
with the rest, to form a fixed abode [dwelling place] of God in &
through the Spirit."

SO...?
1. When we come together in the Podfak or any other gathering place,
we are not in the house of God. You read correctly, we are not IN the
"House of God". We cannot be IN the house of God, because we actually
ARE the house of God. It is two different things. Re-read Eph above
and you'll notice that together we ARE the house of God. It goes
with Nic's teaching Saturday. We are 'being built up into this
structure...' WOW. WE are the house of God!! Say it, "I AM THE HOUSE
OF GOD! Not some building, but ME!" Many Christians have theology
based more on Old Testament rather than the New and they don't know
it. In Pre-Jesus times the Presence of God was in a room. NOW, we
are the dwelling place, the presence of God. HALLELUIA! Meditate on
these scriptures until they become a reality to you and you end up
jumping up and down in excitement for what God has done in you. [I
did!]

2a. For us to say, "Welcome to the house of God", we're saying we can
only find God's Presence in a building. By using inaccurate words,
we -accidentally- deny that God lives within each of us, saying that
He dwells in the Podfak (or whatever building we call the House of
God). I know that each of you know He dwells within you. Sometimes
we use phrases we've heard others say and we need to check them by the
Word. His Holy sanctuary [us together] is becoming more beautiful and
more glorious as we walk more in holiness and unity day by day.
THAT'S the House of God=all of us together, any day, any time, any
where and everywhere believers are!!

2b. You ask, "Ok, Pamela, what do I say to start church service?"
Remember James said we'd receive Wisdom if we ask? Let's all ask!
God is saying it's TIME for us to go WAY HIGHER in our opening
statements!! He told me that I was to tell you this one thing AND
THEN challenge you to reach much higher for vision of what the service
is all about, then set the tone for it by the opening statement! If
you need it, here are 3 starters ... Use them as a starting point to
BE MORE RADICAL FOR HIM AND SET THE TONE FOR THAT SERVICE... -oooh,
makes whoever opens responsible to have vision!!! Yea!

"Welcome to Word of Christ Church International, a part of the
Generation that is winning the World for Jesus!"

"Welcome to a gathering of sold-out, radical, lovers-of-the-Most-High
God, where Jesus Is Lord, Love Reigns, and Miracles Prevail!"

"Welcome to where a PART of the House of God is gathering. This part
is called WCCI and we're blessed by your presence!"

Remember, don't be held back if God gives you a Word that pushes
further with HIM! Ever notice when God gives correction, more vision
& revelation follows?
I Love ya all, have a blessed week with HIM!
Pamela

"Seek the FACE of God, Seek His Heart, and everything else falls in line."

TRANSFORMATION

2008-04-18T15:23:00.001-07:00

Hey Guys!

I had decided to change this technology blog into a blog which reflects God's glory, His favor, everything He had done in my life...my daily life.... to REMIND myself that
I need HIM ...
I should depend on HIM in whatever I do....
I should put HIM as my first priority...
I should commits everything to HIM...
I should PRAY whenever I met PROBLEMS...
I should give THANKS in everything....
I should LOVE HIM as much as HE loves ME!

Thus, I will write about my testimonies here.... Everyday, there must be
something God had did for you,
something God had tought you,
something God had done to show His love to you,
something God had bless you!

So, hope I can have the will, STRONG will, STRONG determination to maintain this blog of my TESTIMONIES....

YEAH!

Sound monitors protect premature babies

2008-03-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

INDIANAPOLIS - Warning lights hover over the snoozing patients in Riley Hospital for Children's neonatal intensive care unit, ready to flash whenever sound levels creep beyond normal conversation.

As decibels rise, the colors on the new monitoring system change from green to yellow to red, hushing chatty parents or doctors so the babies get the rest they need to develop.

Noise louder than roughly the level of conversation can cause premature or sick babies' hearts to beat too fast or too slowly, said Dr. William Engle, a neonatologist at Riley. And interfering with babies' vital signs or sleep can slow development and healing because their bodies do most of that work while they sleep.

"The function of babies is to grow and develop, and in between they eat," he said.

Preemies also need quiet so they can learn their mother's voice and their brains can figure out how to process sound, things that normally happen in the last trimester before birth.

"It's definitely a great idea," Dr. Bob White, a neonatologist at South Bend's Memorial Hospital, said of the monitoring system in Riley's neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.

White, who is not involved in creating or distributing the system, helped write national noise standards for NICUs that have been adopted by the American Institute of Architects and are used in most hospital design.

Inventor Chris Smith hopes doctors around the country agree with White. He has sold his Sonicu system to several Indiana hospitals and wants to expand nationally.

Smith, 43, had no training as a sound engineer and no plans to become an entrepreneur when his son Sean was born five weeks premature in 2000. But he noticed Sean flinch in response to bright light in the NICU of St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital, and he wound up designing a system to soften the unit's lighting.

Then the nurses asked him what he could do about sound.

"That's really when I realized that there was no good way out there to measure sound, other than your standard, hand-held meter," he said.

Babies born too soon lose the muffling effect of the womb before their ears can filter sound, White said.

"The sounds ... come from all different directions and all different sources, and they're often associated with unpleasant sensations for the baby," White said.

NICUs are rife with noise pollution created by employees, equipment and excited family members.

"There's no good way for the nurses or doctors to walk up to a parent, tap them on the shoulder and say, 'You're being too loud,'" Smith said. "That's confrontational."

The former car mechanic filled hours of spare time in the evenings and on weekends researching sound standards and building a system.

Smith, who tinkered in radio and TV electronics in high school, hired an acoustical engineer to help. They created a ceiling-mounted system of microphones that picked up sound and funneled data back to a large control panel.

"There was a lot of wiring, a lot of labor, a lot of programming," he said.

St. Vincent paid around $100,000 for the system, which it installed about five years ago. Smith had no interest in shopping his invention to other hospitals because the work took so much time.

Then Riley Hospital, also in Indianapolis, called a few months later.

"They basically said, 'I want that,'" he said.

The latest version of Sonicu can feed a stream of both sound and light data digitally to a computer. It offers the cone-shaped warning lights and can quickly dim the lighting in a room that gets too noisy. It also can make lighting mimic the sun by brightening toward noon and then fading, which also helps babies sleep well.

White, the neonatologist who helped write the national standards, said he knows of no other NICU monitoring system that sophisticated.

Smith has sold systems to a handful of Indiana hospitals, so far to good reviews. He said the systems can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $400,000, depending on each hospital's needs.

The monitors have taught hospital staff to limit the number of groups making rounds at the same time because having more than one group in a room raises noise levels dramatically.

Most NICUs are filled with noise that can't be helped, White said. Fans in the heating and ventilation system have to operate almost constantly, and the monitors need to beep.

The Sonicu system reins in the main noise maker that can be controlled.

"People think, 'Oh gosh, I didn't realize, I'll go over here so I won't have to talk so loud,'" White said. "It really is something that addresses the human factors that we do have some control over."

Judge OKs class action lawsuit vs. Microsoft

2008-03-07T16:54:00.001-08:00

A federal judge in Seattle said on Friday consumers may continue a class action lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. because of how it advertised computers loaded with Windows XP as capable of running the Vista operating system.

The lawsuit claimed Microsoft's labeling of some PCs as "Windows Vista Capable" was misleading because many of those computers were not powerful enough to run all of Vista's features, including the "Aero" user interface.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman certified the class action suit but scaled down its scope to focus primarily on whether Microsoft's "Vista Capable" labels created artificial demand for computers during the 2006 holiday shopping season, and inflated prices for computers that couldn't be upgraded to the full-featured version of Vista, which was released at the end of January 2007.

Neither of the two people who filed the original lawsuit participated in a program Microsoft devised to help people who bought new computers before Vista's launch upgrade later to the new operating system, but they argued nonetheless that people who bought "Vista Capable" computers were harmed because they could only run a basic version of Vista.

The judge said if they added a named plaintiff who did take part in Microsoft's "Express Upgrade" program, they could pursue that claim as well.

Microsoft said it was reviewing the ruling.

Program uses Google to find website flaws

2007-12-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

A program named "Goolag Scanner" enbales people to use Google to scan websites for security flaws, media reported Monday.

Infamous computer hacker group Cult of the Dead Cow (CDC) said the software tool based on work done by a hacker using the name "Johnny I Hack Stuff" is available for free download at its website.

The tool lets people with fundamental programming skills check websites or Internet domains for weaknesses that could be exploited by hackers, according to CDC.

The group said it uncovered "some pretty scary holes" through random tests of the tool in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

CDC advised website operators to use the tool to find and patch vulnerabilities before hackers use it for crime or mischief.

"If I were a government, a large corporation, or anyone with a large web site, I'd be downloading this beast and aiming it at my site yesterday," CDC spokesman Oxblood Ruffin said.

Judge OKs class action lawsuit vs. Microsoft

2007-12-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

Microsoft to stop making HD DVD players

2007-12-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

Microsoft said it will stop making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 video game system and said the move won't have a material impact on its video game business, media reported Monday.

Toshiba Corp. ceded the high-definition video format battle to Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray. Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida last week estimated about 300,000 people own the Microsoft video player, sold as a separate 130 U.S. dollars add-on for the Xbox 360.

Microsoft said it would continue to provide standard warranty support for its HD DVD players and is looking at how the HD DVD technology it has developed, such as HDi, which adds interactive features to HD DVDs, and its VC-1 video encoding technology, can be applied to other platforms.

"HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own," Blair Westlake, a corporate vice president of Microsoft's media and entertainment group, said in a written statement.

Microsoft was one of HD DVD's main backers, along with Intel Corp. and Japanese electronics maker NEC Corp., and its support for the format was seen as a big win for Toshiba's format.

But support for the HD DVD waned as major movie studios — Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Co., News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros. Entertainment — picked blue-ray to distribute high-def DVDs.

Battery of Samsung laptop P10 model melts

2007-12-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

A battery in a Samsung notebook computer P10 model melted in South Korea's capital Seoul, but no people were injured or killed, media repored Monday

"After being used for about three and a half hours on a pillow on Sunday, the laptop battery emitted smoke," a fire department official in Seoul said. "The battery burned a bed and a floor a bit, but did not cause a big fire."

A Samsung's spokesman James Chung said the notebook was the P10 model, which was produced in 2002 but did not give further details such as a producer of the battery.

"We are checking details of the incident," said James Chung.

Last month, a battery pack in a LG Electronics Inc's notebook computer exploded while in the sleeping mode.

China's major websites pledge to boycott 4 categories of Internet unpleasantness

2007-12-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

China's eight leading online media officially sanctioned to publish news signed the "Chinese Pact on the Self-discipline on Visual-Audio Programs and Services of the Internet" Friday, urging all domestic websites to spread positive, healthy programs and boycott corrupt, outdated ones.

It urges all the signers to abide by the country's laws, regulations and policies on the development and management of the Internet culture and boycott programs, including films, teleplays and cartoons that advocate elements in the catch-all categories of violence, pornography, gambling and terror.

It also calls for respecting and protecting the legal rights and interests of the copyright holders and service providers of visual-audio programs. An information-sharing and mutual assistance mechanism should be set up for visual-audio programs online, it says.

The pact is open to all domestic service providers of on-line visual-audio programs as all of them can apply for its entry, if they accept the conditions set by the pact.

The eight signers are the official websites of Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, the State Council Press Office, China Radio International, China Central Television, China Youth Daily, China Economic Daily, and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

In recent years, the Authorities have taken a series of measure to deal with pornographic and illegal activities on line, and many domestic websites have been closed down for involvement in illegal publications or services.

Microsoft to offer community-created games on Xbox 360

2007-11-27T16:49:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday that it will offer games developed by hobbyist game developers on the Xbox Live online network.

Seven games, created using XNA Game Studio 2.0, will be available immediately for Xbox 360 users to download from the Xbox Live marketplace. New community-created games will soon be playable by Microsoft's 10 million Xbox Live members.

The games, expected to exceed 1,000 by the end of 2008, would double the size of the Xbox 360's game library.

To distribute a game on the Xbox Live service, game creators must use Microsoft's XNA Game Studio software, which requires a 99 U.S. dollar per-year subscription, or be an XNA Creators Club member. Each game will be vetted for quality and appropriateness by the online community itself.

In addition, Microsoft announced that game developers also will be able to build games for the software maker's Zune digital media players.

The announcement heralds a new push by Microsoft to bring the community closer to the development process. Neither Nintendo nor Sony has announced a similar program for their respective next generation consoles.

Toshiba officially quits HD DVDs, concedes defeat

2007-11-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

Japan's Toshiba Corp. on Tuesday officially announced it will give up on its HD DVD format, conceding defeat to rival Sony in a long-running DVD format war.

"This was a very difficult decision to make ... but when we thought about the trouble we would cause to consumers and our partners, we decided it was not right for us to keep going with such a small presence," Toshiba Chief Executive Atsutoshi Nishida told a news conference in Tokyo.

The electronics maker said it would stop selling its HD DVD machines by the end of March. But it will continue to provide after-sales support for people who have already bought its next-generation DVD players and recorders.

The decision ends the battle with a consortium led by Sony over who would set the standard for the next generation of discs, a fight that confused shoppers and stalled a move to the new technology in the 24 billion U.S. dollar home DVD market.

Analysts say the end of the format war will reduce consumer confusion and should encourage the Hollywood studios to bring out more movies on Blu-ray.

Blu-ray and HD DVD both offer cinematic-quality images and multimedia features, but the movie studios were eager to see the emergence of just one standard, while many consumers had been reluctant to buy a machine that might become nearly useless.

The death knell for HD DVD was the last month's decision by Warner Bros. Entertainment to drop the format and release only Blu-ray discs and DVDs.

"That had tremendous impact," Nishida said. "If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win."

Warner joined Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Co. and News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox in shunning the HD DVD, leaving Universal and Paramount Studios in the HD DVD camp. Universal on Tuesday said it would "focus" on releasing Blu-ray discs, but did not say if it would cease putting out HD DVDs.

Toshiba has sold 700,000 HD DVD players globally, while 300,000 more HD DVD drives have been sold for Microsoft's next-generation Xbox 360 video game console. Many more have been put into laptop computers.

Microsoft to offer community-created games on Xbox 360

2007-11-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

Battery of Samsung laptop P10 model melts

2007-10-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Program uses Google to find website flaws

2007-10-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

YouTube banned in Turkey second time

2007-09-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

One of the world's most popular video websites YouTube has been banned in Turkey for the second time because it allegedly insulted Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, according to media reports Monday.

On Friday, internet users in Turkey found the website replaced by a notice saying: "Access to this web site has been suspended in accordance with decision no: 2008/55 of T.R. Ankara 12th Criminal Court of Peace."

It still remains unclear which video exactly is to blame, but some media sources say that a problem video compared Ataturk with a monkey.

It is illegal in Turkey to insult the revered figure, whose portrait still hangs in nearly all government offices nearly 70 years after his death.

It is not clear how long the current ban would last. The state-run Anatolia said YouTube officials issued a statement saying the company hoped access would be re-established quickly.

In March 2007, YouTube was banned for the same reason for two days until offending videos were removed from the website.

Turkey is not the first country to block YouTube however. In 2007, the Thai government blocked access to the popular site for 4 months because of clips the government deemed "offensive" towards the Thai monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Microsoft discloses virtualization move

2007-09-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, Monday disclosed its plans to allow more versions of the desktop OS to be virtualized in order to become a major player in a hot field called virtualization.

Microsoft has purchased a start-up called Calista Technologies, which was founded in 2006 and is based in San Jose, California, for an undisclosed sum. It also expanded its partnership with Citrix Systems, according to media reports.

"This is Microsoft coming out and staking the claim that they are serious about virtualization," said Forrester Research analyst Natalie Lambert. "When you think of VMware, you think virtualization. That is going to be a hurdle for Microsoft."

Virtualization is one of the most important developments in the software industry, because it disrupts the traditional business model, which marries one machine to one piece of software, such as an operating system.

The technology allows companies to save on hardware costs by running existing equipment more efficiently, while allowing companies to deploy applications faster without worrying that certain pieces of software will clash with one another.

Microsoft is also relaxing some of its licensing policies to allow use of virtualization software with more versions of its Windows Vista operating system and lowering some fees associated with using the technology.

Yahoo looks to launch free MP3 download service

2007-09-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Yahoo Inc., is continuing discussions with major record labels over offering unprotected MP3s either for sale or for free as part of an ad-supported service, and hopes to launch the service this year, two record company executives familiar with the talks said Wednesday.

The talks, held as recently as last month, were preliminary because Yahoo is still working out the details, said the executives, who requested anonymity because of the discussions were confidential.

Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp., and EMI Group PLC have in recent months begun licensing their music for sale as MP3 files online through retailers like Amazon.com.

Unlike music files that come with copy protections embedded, MP3 files are compatible with most portable music devices, including Apple Inc.'s market-leading iPod media players, Microsoft Corp.'s Zune and mobile phones that play music.

Carrie Davis, a spokeswoman for Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo, said the company has often said it wants to offer music without copy protections and the subject has been part of its ongoing talks with record labels.

But Davis denied that discussions with record labels on the matter have stepped up in recent weeks or that anything is imminent.

Representatives for the labels declined to comment.

All YouTube videos available on cellphones

2007-09-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Google-owned YouTube on Thursday began making all of its videos available on the latest-generation cellphones, hoping to widen its sway on pop culture.

YouTube began making videos available to "smart phones" in 2006, but only a small portion of its huge trove of user-contributed material could be viewed on the devices.

YouTube for Mobile lets people view any of the popular website's videos, provided their cellphones can stream the data and are linked to a 3G network that incorporates high-speed internet access.

"Creating the best possible mobile video experience for users involves allowing the community to engage with YouTube whenever they want, wherever they are," YouTube said in a written release.

"The latest enhancements to YouTube for Mobile will give users access to the largest repository of mobile video content available, on over 100 million devices worldwide, and more tools to personalize their experience."

YouTube's mobile service, reachable at http://m.youtube.com, is being offered in 16 other countries and regions besides the United States and 10 other languages besides English.

The other languages are: Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Chinese, German and Russian.

Google opposes Microsoft's bid to buy Yahoo

2007-09-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

Internet search giant Google Inc. Sunday voiced opposition to Microsoft's bid to buy Yahoo Inc.

"Microsoft's hostile bid for Yahoo raises troubling questions," David Drummond, Google's chief legal officer, said in remarks posted online.

Microsoft has offered 44.6 billion U.S. dollars to buy Yahoo Inc. in a bid to gain ground on Google in the Internet's booming search and advertising markets.

If the acquisition materializes, Microsoft and Yahoo would have about 16 percent of the worldwide Internet search market - still far behind Google's 62 percent share, according to comScore Media Metrix.

"This is about more than simply a financial transaction, one company taking over another. It's about preserving the underlying principles of the Internet: openness and innovation."

This was Google's first official reaction to Microsoft's acquisition bid. Google views the possible acquisition as Microsoft's attempt to gain illegal control over the Internet.

"Could Microsoft now attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the Internet that it did with the PC?" Drummond wrote.

He was referring to Microsoft's previous practice of using Windows to help extend the reach of its web browser and other applications - a strategy that triggered a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit alleging that the software maker illegally used its operating system to stifle competition. The dispute ended with a 2002 settlement that required Microsoft to abandon some of its past practices.

Drummond's remarks underscored the online search leader's worries about its two biggest rivals teaming up.

Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, tried to justify the proposed acquisition, saying that preventing Microsoft from buying Yahoo would undermine competition by allowing Google to become even more dominant than it already is on the Internet.

"Microsoft is committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy on the Internet," Smith said. "We believe that the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo will advance these goals," he said.