Kletos

The word of God

2010-07-15T10:54:00.002+03:00

The power of meditation:

The word of God richly available in The Holy Bible is often heard by us from various sources. We listen to them and get inspired or feel good or our hope is renewed. After that? The same old fear, anxiety, worries taunt us until we hear them again. Then again we feel...PAUSE. Why did that same old stuff come creeping into our head? How do we avoid that?
Meditate on the word of God. The Psalmist says a whole lot on how the word of God and God's testimonies helped him when he was in trouble and danger, how hiding the word in his heart enabled him to follow God's commandments and how can a person stay pure (by mediating on the word of God). Note that the Psalmist did not say that he listened to the word of God, but he meditated on it.

We meditate on both conditions, while we worry and while we pray. Most of our time worrying can turn into time of deep truth and satisfaction when we meditate on the word of God.

How do we meditate?
Let the scripture or verse dwell in our heart as we read our daily portion. Think about what the scripture says,the words contained in the scripture, it's context, what does it mean to you in your current situation or similar situation. Read that scripture/verse again and see that if the holy spirit reveals more truth about it. Do pray even before you read the scripture for holy spirit to open the eyes of our heart. Share it with your fellow friends or the people in our house on what is their take on that scripture. Tell it to others how it has blessed.

The word of God is powerful. Meditate upon it to receive its power in your life. It will change your life entirely

Testing your trust?

2010-07-07T16:40:00.004+03:00

"yes, God did help me before, but this one looks more harder than the previous one! I'm worried about how i will get around this.I need to do something about it...."

It is easy to get carried away by the enormousness of our problems or difficulty forgetting what God has done to us in the past. Our excuse for not believing whether God will help us through this time is the context of the situation.

Don't we sound similar to the ancient Israelites when they came out of Egypt? In spite of seeing an ocean split into two before their eyes to make way for them to pass through, the complained every time they got thirsty! Won't the same God who opened the sea, will provide them water to drink?

The Psalmist says in Psalms 106 that their forefathers tested God in the wilderness. We don't test God when we don't trust him. No matter how big the situation or how impossible it sounds, God will perform his miracle if we put our trust in God and not in our ability. Reading these verse convicted me of the times when I tested God. How horrible it feels to know that I was testing God! That is the last thing I want to do, but every time I lean on my own understanding, try to figure out ways and means to get things done and make decisions based on my needs, I've tested God!

Thanks to God for this conviction, I will no longer test God,but will trust more.

Rest and rejunevation

2010-06-12T10:35:00.003+03:00

Wishing ya'll a wonderful summer vacation! God bless your vacation plans adundantly. During this time of relaxing, allow God to work in your lives as you be still.

Even during this holidays, as you are planning on visitng different places and doing new things, let us have a deep into our relationship with God. Areas that we need to submit to God to take full control, habits and behaviours that is not pleasing to God, our prayer habit. Let us be in prayer and meditation and let the peace that passeth all understanding fill our souls and nourish our spirits.

Side view mirrors

2010-05-21T09:23:00.005+03:00

How much do you trust them while driving? Isn't this the only thing that you can trust?

While driving your vehicle called life, is God your source of trust?

Focus

2010-05-21T08:12:00.004+03:00

If you were put in a place with food and water given to you everyday with nothing to do to get them. Were will your focus be? Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus...were are taken to the wilderness (desert) and their foucs grew crisper and sharper. Does is have to do anything with the geographical location?

Intel corp, in it's race to make the fastest microchip mentioned that 'human brains stays in focus only for one half second'! Wow!

Our focus should be on loving God and loving our neighbour. A lot of things gets into our path and we stay distracted, confused and worried. Paul says that "I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing christ...." these things include the blessings recieved from God. God gives and takes away. The things not known are more greater than the things which have already happened.

In the story of Jesus visitng Mary and Martha's home, Jesus saw that Martha was busy of the things of the world,whereas Mary choose the thing more important than that. Are we focused on the things of this world or on God? Are we doing what it takes to stay focus on God?

Boat Cruise'10

2010-05-03T22:55:00.001+03:00

An annual tradition for the kletos ministry! It is a time for fun, fellowship and reaching out. This happens every year before we wind up for summer.

This will happen on the 20th of May, 2010 for this year. All you need to do is to bring yourself and your friends along. Don't miss out these details:

DATE: 20th May, 2010

Time: 1900-2100hrs

Gathering point: The Sultan Center Restaurant, Gulf road

Cost: 4Kd/person (liable to decrease)

Anyone above 18 years of age are welcomed!

True View

2010-05-03T08:59:00.006+03:00

Where did our ideas about relationship, basic manners and a lot of things orient from? Partly from our home (watching our parents or whomever we grew up with) and partly the media.

Media has a very powerful influence in human beings. Our brain stores the 'videotape' we see more than what our ears listen or our hands write. The hard thing is that these tapes cannot be erased.
Movies now have three main components in them. They are 1.violence, 2. nudity and 3. objectionable language. Movies which does not have these content does not sell. Women are depicted as toys on media. Women are forced to think that is the only way to a man's heart (to make herself look desirable).

Below is a clip in which a couple discuss how pornography ate their marriage and how it eats up all marriages

Media has changed a lot of things. It does a lot of good to us, but when unchecked it goes bad.

God's love

2010-04-24T11:18:00.004+03:00

How easy can it is to glorify and praise God when everything is going fine in our lives, but so hard and bitter when we are uncertain about things?During these uncertain moments, things that we do trying to help ourselves only leads us into a web of complication.

Inspite of going through similar uncertain situations before, we tend to help ourselves again. Were did our trust in God go?

God loves us even though we make ourselves miserable during such uncertain situation. He patiently watches us try to untangle ourselves, wanting us to ask his help in the situation we are in. In this imperfect world, we will get into a lot of situations knowingly or unknowingly. God still loves us.

How guilty it feels when we get stuck in a mess and run to God for help! God waits for us with his warms wide open to embrace and help us. All we have to do is to lead a life of worship and honoring God. It sounds very unnatural to fall into mesiness when we lead a life and honor and worship. But it does happen. Nothing happens without God's permission

Communication

2010-04-10T12:41:00.003+03:00

We communicate to people in a lot different ways. Technology has made distance dust and reaching people isn't harder. The flip side is , it has changed the dynamics of communication. Trust was something which couldn't be broken so easily before the mobile phone days. Now, an unreplied text message or an unattended call can be so costly to relationship.

Think about this; What if a person whom you love you so say that they will speak to you only for a particular hour/time in a day slot (24 hrs) and during that slot only they speak and do not give time for you to respond?

We put in a lot of emotions, expectations and hopes (which is natural and good) when we speak to different people, but what about God? Is our way of communication to God just like the above mentioned scenario?

Prayer (which is nothing but talking to God) isn't something hard at all! God loves to have that intimate relationship with you, God loves to listen to you. God cries when you cry and he laughs along with you. You are God's friend and he longs to have a deep relationship with you. It takes only time and your dedication to that relationship.

Do watch this beautiful clip on how a child who is infected with a dangerous disease communicates with God

In the desert

2010-03-30T10:21:00.004+03:00

The road trip to wafra is remarkable. Wilderness on both sides with camels, goats and sheeps (usually with the sheperds) loiter around here. As we were heading to our destination (which is 35 km from the road exit), Aaron had an interesting thought:

The plants here in the desert are all by themselves and are alone, unlike how you see in a country side where the grow collectively. The plant does look like it has nothing to feed on. But God does take care of that plant and supplies what it needs. Until the plant withers, it is taken care by God.

We too, many a times pass through life with lonliness and doubt about what God is doing in our lives. We think that we are no less important than other people out there and we demote ourselves quite often.

But God does take care of us and supplies it according to his riches in glory. Even as we go through our daily lives with different challenges and with the different things we have to face, let us remember that God is watching over us. His eyes never batters or feels tired, his heart is ever generous and his love is indescribable. His hand reaches out to us and he grabs our hand, leading us to the path which we should go.

Thanks to Todd and Louise

2010-03-26T08:42:00.004+03:00

Two years. Each and every meetings, talks, discussions were insighful and thought provoking. It was really great to have Todd and Lousie minister us in Kuwait. Not only did they minister us in meetings, but their very lifestyle spoke of it.The did bring us into light and empowered us. Even as they go on with their calling, memories of them will stay fresh.

These camels are untamed, wild ones!

Todd Clark is married to Louise and they have three kids. Their passion (Todd, Louise and the kids) for the middle east is great and they have lived in three continents!The kids did like their stay in the middle east. We wish you success and blessings as you go forth

Todd is very much a small group discussion person, but it was the balance between having a discussion session and giving a sermon that striked the most. Blending theology into practice. His ideas in having creative sessions for the youth and young adults was simply awesone.

Even though their stay here was for two years, their inspiration will last long.

Progress and Change

2010-03-18T13:03:00.005+03:00

Is it easier for us to accept change? Do we feel the need to justifiy for the things that we did, which does not happen in a similar manner now? Do we see the progress happening around us? How do we react to it?

Progress is happening and it is happening at a rate faster than we can think or imagine. Similar to a raft flowing down a river. We are confined to a raft all while doing the things that we usually do; eating three times a day, sleeping 8 times, working 6 times and so on. We hardly notice the different form or the course the river takes. It gets deeper, faster, wider until finally it plunges.

Such change causes stress. We are not sure what to do, we get easily worried, we get defensive if people tell us that we did isn't they way it is anymore! We have to make a fine choice between high stress and low stress life. While drinking water, we wouldn't want to drink it from an eye dropper. Neither do we want to drink it from a fire hose.

Establishing stability zone is a key to well being during times of progress and change. Our stability zone is in the word of God. Hebrews 13: 8-9 tellds were our foundation is. So do Ephesians 4:14.

Another important thing in going through change and progress depends on our reaction to it. We do know that Event + Respone = Outcome. We have no control(probably some) over the event happening. But we do have full control over our response. That response is going to alter our outcomes.

Margin

2010-03-14T12:22:00.003+03:00

Society did change a lot around us. Previously if we needed a tool for publishing what is going on in an organization or gathering we had newpapers, journals, tabloids, etc as the available option. Now, we have blogs, social networking, webpages,you name it. These things sure does help, but it left us with a problem. Overload.

People are exhausted. They rush through various activites in their life, juggle between events, leave no time for themselves or for any relationship and at the end of the day the fall tired in the bed and sleep, just to get up the next day and go through the same thing all over.

"Maximize everything" is the axiom for most of us. We love to have more of everything and do more of everything; which ultimately leads us to another problem; we overload ourselves and get burntout.

Margin is the space that once existed between our load and our limits. Margin is the space between vitality and exhaustion. It is our breathing room, our reserves, our leeway. Margin is the opposite of overload, and the antidote for various vexatious condition. We need to know our limits and work in according to them. Here's a new axiom: Leave a margin.

God is the creator of limits, and God has it for us for our protection. It is not our ability to get everything done. God is our creator and we are his creation. We exhibit lack of faith in God if we assume that we need to do it in order to get things done.

It is also dishonoring God if we don't treat God as God. Overloading is often what we do when we forget who God is.

Overnight camp

2010-03-14T09:40:00.004+03:00

Feel the busyness eating you down? Needed time away from your beepers, remainders, messages, TV, the kuwait roads and the weekend madness?

Do join us in this overnight camp hosted by the youth and the young adults ministry of the Lighthouse Church. We'll be camping out in a farmhouse of one of our chruch member who is good friend of the youth pastor! :) It is a secure location with toilet facitiles, seperate for the men and women. There will be barbeque, singing and worship with fun activites around a camp fire, fellowhship and a time to relax!

You'll need to bring your own toileteries, sleeping bag, rugs, pillows, towels, etc. Water facitiles are also available.

There'll be transport to and from from the camp, but if you would like to come by your own transport, do so! We are going to a desert and there would be sand drifts, camels and animals along the road, so drive carefully! I believe you know that only off road vehicles can handle the desert sand, but if you feel that your sedan is upto the mark, it should be fine!

More details are on it's way. Stay tuned for more updates.

Encounter God retreat

2010-03-14T08:10:00.002+03:00

What an amazing evening! I could image what it felt when Peter said to Jesus that he will set up shelters to stay up here itself in the mountain of transfiguration!wow!

The sessions went amazingly well were youth and young adults from various walks of life met together to experience and see what God has in store for them. We were challenged with what our beliefs, upbringing, idealogies that has been passed to us down from generations.

The sessions brought out truths, realisation, repentance, forgiveness and inner healing. People left the retreat challenged, refreshed and spiritually strong!

Seperated and filled

2010-03-04T16:39:00.003+03:00

A container is washed before pouring anything valuable into it. Similarly, God cleanses in from the impurity of what sin did to us, so that we can be sanctified for his glory.

Sanctification implies that we are seperated (not only from sin, but also from the things of this world) for God so that his holiness can be imparted unto us. This was God's glorious aim in redeeming us from our sins and reconciling us to God.

Jesus's sancitificaton enabled his shed blood to break the curse of the law, redeem us from our sins and reconcile us back to God. Jesus didn't submit to his will (inspite of being tempted in the garden of Gethsemane). He submitted himself and his will to the will of the father.

Sanctificaton does not happen without our will. Unlike grace and salvation, sancitifaction happens purely by our efffort. We submit ourself to God and allow God to take control of our lives. God alone should be sole possesor. It cannot be God and something/someone else.

In doing so, it should be in our eagerness to know what the will of our father is and allow it to happen in our lives. We submit ourselves daily unto God no matter what! Temptation will come along, but knowing that this blood cleanses us continously enables us to walk over tempatation and not allow it to dwell in us.

God's holiness should take roots and penetrate deep down our lives. This is the reason why the blood was shed for us.

Kletos talent night

2010-03-02T01:31:00.004+03:00

The theme for this talent night is 'God's love'. Based on this theme, anyone who is interested in exhibiting their talents can do so.

Whatever it is, and if you feel like doing more than one, you are very much welcomed to do so! Have a talent which is outdoor? Record the event in a video format and bring it, it will be displayed!

Details for this event;

Date: 31st March,2010.
Venue: Neck compound, Upper room.
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm

For more details, reply to this post and we will get back to you

Encounter God retreat

2010-02-20T01:42:00.007+03:00

Before describing what this retreat is all about, We would like to tell you what an encounter with God isn't;

An encounter is not just praying to God. An encounter may happen, but it is infinitely more
An encounter is not just meeting God for your daily quiet time
An encounter is not a place where you worship God, such as a Church, or at the altar during a special meeting
An encounter is not just an anointing on a service
An encounter is not just insightful results from a bible study.

However, an encounter will happen at some location, you will be anointed because of it, and you will receive great insights from it.

An encounter retreat exclusively for the youth and young adults. Do experience the transformation of an encounter in knowing what God has in store for you even as you go out to meet the challenges, expectation and surprises of this phase in life! Details of this encounter:

Date: 11th, 12th and 13th March, 2010.
Venue: Vision Center, Mubarak Al-Kabeer
Timings: Thursday, March 11 (6pm - 10pm), Friday, March 12 (4pm - 10pm) and Saturday, March 13 (8:30am - 5pm)

Cost: 10 KD per person (KD 5 for registration before the end of friday, 5th March)

If you've already been through an encounter retreat and would like to volunter for this confrence,do email us (found in the 'about us' page on top of this blog) and we will get back to you.

For more info do email or leave a comment at the end of this post and we will get back to you.

Fiery eyes and Stream that cleanses

2010-02-18T09:42:00.005+03:00

We stay out of sin or try not to commit sin, parlty because it affects us. Sin does have a two fold effect. It effects man and God. It is the effect that it has on God which is more serious.

Sin is a contempt of God's glory. Sin takes the place of God and it dethrones God of his honor. This ignites God's wrath. Redemption is to get us back from sin, but the sin needs to be dealt with.

God is an ever loving God and his love for us is always the same, yet the guilt for this sin has to be dealt with. Jesus's shed blood was the way how God's holy love and holy wrath can be quenched. Jesus was sent as a representative of mankind on earth, paid the price for their sins.

Reconciliation deals with the guilt of sin. Cleansing deals with the impurity caused by the sin. Guilt is being dealt by Jesus, and cleansing follows reconciliation. Cleansing is that which happens with our soul and our mind. The impurtiy of sin is completely removed by the cleansing power of the blood.

A good example of precieving cleansing (given by our member during the discussion) is; this happend to him when he was small. Being a small kid, he was playing in a wet pool of mud which got him dirty all over. His mother seeing him, pulled him out of that pool, took him under the shower and cleaned him. Pulling him out of the mud pool is synonmous to the reconciling and getting him under the shower is to the cleansing.

We often precieve that the blood of Christ is available, and when we commit sin the blood is there to get us right. But, the blood is an ever flowing stream, cleansing us from the impurity. It is by faith we walk being always under the stream knowing that it cleanses us. Temptations will come and go by, but our being and walking under that stream cleanses us constanlty.

Getting you back

2010-02-14T15:00:00.004+03:00

"Redeem your gifts" coupoun gets us excited, partly because we can get the money(some of it) spent on shopping. Something which is ours, but taken away from us and given it back to us with a prize paid for it. God had to redeem us from sin, which took us away from God.

The sacrifice of animals(shedding animal's blood) didn't serve the cause in pulling out the sin. Animal's blood was just a covering. Just like the prison term doesn't really make a prisoner a better person, so was the animal sacrifice. Jesus had to die for us so that the sin is completely dealt with and we are redeemed from sin. The blood of Jesus carried his life in it, and shedding his blood in holy obdience to his father's will removed the curse of the law. Here is the catch; why did Jesus had to die for our redemption? We cannot fathom God's way, as to why Jesus had to die, but this was the message behiend the sacrifice on the cross:

People need not sacrifice anymore, but accept the sacrifice

It was God's way (shedding of blood) of dealing with sin

The death of Jesus (living as a human being on this earth like us) shows us how to die to self.

The blood is to redeem human beings back from sin. It is for everyone, and anyone who accepts the sacrifice. It was the prize paid for our sins.

Ever feel like something is going wrong in our life because of something which happened in the past? Feel like the sin can never let go of you? Do you doubt that the blessings which once happened will again happen?
The blood redeems you from whatever you've been in. The blood can do amazing and wonderful thing in your life and transforms you completely, all you have to do is to accept it.

The blood

2010-02-13T23:57:00.003+03:00

The whole bedrock on which Christianity stands. The blood which washes us as white as snow and which cleanses and sanctifies us. The blood of Christ.

It was through blood that God covered Adam and Eve after they've sinned. It was the blood that pleased God in Abel's offering more than Cain's. It was the blood that kept the Israelites safe when the death curse was going through Egypt. Noah entered into the new earth by offering a blood sacrifice.

Every time a major event takes place, blood is being sprinkled. God has a unique way of redeeming sinners and reconciling to his through his people through the blood. For that reason, God sent his son to die on the cross so that we can be connected back to God.

A wonderful study looking on how the blood redeems us, reconciles, cleanses and sanctifies us. It was only through blood. This study will provoke our minds and understanding in a level never seen of. Why blood? Because it carries our life in it.

One roof, various Culture

2010-01-31T15:25:00.003+03:00

A great night witnessing various cultures with clothes and delicacies. The album is at the right side column of this blog

God has put us in various communities, yet gave us a standard by which we should live.

A Multicultural night

2010-01-25T17:12:00.003+03:00

Get ready to celebrate the difference! A multicultural night with food, costumes, praise and worship!

For more details, click on this link (needs facebook account, it is a facebook event page).

Worldview Series

2010-01-24T08:27:00.003+03:00

The worldview series ended up with a though provoking question. Is Christianity a religion or a relationship.

Is following a set of rules and pleasing others make you a good Chrisitan? Or, by just faith and not good works? It is a balance between faith and good works (James 2:14-16). Often we expect Christians to be all loving, less quarrelsome and you name it. If people are good, loving, perfect in understanding others or in hospitality, we say that they are good and don't need to amend their religion. Yes, they wouldn't need to amend their religion, but their relationship with God.

There is liberty is Christ and we are not bonded by any religious practice. Well, Why are you a Christian? It was easy for some non-christians by birth to say that Christianity has a lot more value to a human being and so I chose to be a Christian, but Christians by birth were still guessing why we are Christians! Are you still guessing why you are a Christian?

Authority-you need and don't need it

2010-01-17T10:35:00.005+03:00

What image do you associate with the word 'authority'? Being in a land were the natives of the land is less in population that the non-natives, the natives would do anything it takes to see that they are not overpowered by the expats. Let's face it. The people here need just our talent and work. They pay us in return. Nothing more than that. No wonder the expats aren't treated like their native peers in tearms of payment, government and health care servies.

Culture also dictates lot of authority in the community. People with a bigger house or veicheles or income are treated better than the ones who don't. A person is given lot of respect for what he has, more than for who he is.

This video includes a slide show of what God meant when God says authority. It is interesting to know that The Bible doesn't say anything about dealing with abusive authority! How would you deal with an abusive authority?

Two best thing that can be done with abusive authority is that we must avoid complying with the evil and avoid the mistake of rejecting authority altogether.

Your View?

2010-01-11T13:57:00.004+03:00

A place of worship/prayer. A holy book. A blessing. A curse. Do they ring any bells?

If you noticed, these are the components of a religion. All religion have them. By going to a place of worship, reading the holy book and obeying god's command makes you follow a religion. So, how does that differ in Christianity? Saying to a non-christian that you go to church, read The Bible and obey God's command doesn't make you different from them!

We have been studying on Apologetics seeing on what is there, what is do we know and what is good. On whether do we really need a god and why do we need a God, what is the truth, what is a religion.

The study was divided into sessions namely God, humanity, Salvation, time and authority. We started it in Sept'09 and went till Dec'09-with the last weeks of Dec being a Christmas break, the study went up till Jan'10 and we will be looking a the last session of this study-authority.

The Mission Statement

2010-01-10T16:31:00.005+03:00

Here is our mission statement and a little information on the young adults in Kuwait. Kletos is the young adults ministry of The Lighthouse Church, Kuwait. Being in the middle east, the church atendees are people from various cultural and ethnical background.

The young adults of Kuwait comprises mostly of working or employed individuals; except for the native population were the young adults attend college or Universities. The population of the natives is less than the expats in Kuwait and expat young adults comprises mainly of people who are in jobs. Hence, the young adults on a majority who meet at kletos would have already finished their college or university, years before coming to Kuwait.

As young adults, our focus is living a life pleasing to God. period. No strings attached. God said to Joshua to only obey what God commanded to do through Moses(not to add or substract from it); and to be bold and of good courage. Living a life pleasing to God will be our aim.

Mission Statement: A Generation for Christ

The evening with YWAM-South Korea

2010-01-07T17:01:00.008+03:00

YWAM(Youth With A Mission)-South korea is on a visit to Kuwait and we were glad to have them meet us this week! A team of six; the youth leader,a teacher and three students from the University of Seoul was touring the Arabian gulf region with their first stop in Dubai, second Kuwait followed by Qatar.

The speechless skit was a wonderful presentation and the dance was something hard to forget easily!

Kletos

The word of God

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Testing your trust?

Rest and rejunevation

Side view mirrors

Focus

Boat Cruise'10

True View

God's love

Communication

In the desert

Thanks to Todd and Louise

Progress and Change

Margin

Overnight camp

Encounter God retreat

Seperated and filled

Kletos talent night

Encounter God retreat

Fiery eyes and Stream that cleanses

Getting you back

The blood

One roof, various Culture

A Multicultural night

Worldview Series

Authority-you need and don't need it

Your View?

The Mission Statement

The evening with YWAM-South Korea