We had a good Study Circle Meet at GCI Centre, Kottayam. Merry, Cherian Zachariah, Deepak, Presty and John Z attended. We listened to the Audio speech by Lewis Gregory on  “Grow Up”. Then we started afresh the study the Handbook to Happiness. We covered only the Poem “Heart to Heart” of Chuck, Forward by Stephen F. Olford and the Preface by Chuck. The interaction was very profitable especially for Deepak. 

The main discussion was on integration of psychology in the Christian Counseling system based on the statement of Chuck in paragraph two of the Preface on” integrationist movement”, The question  was whether or not in Spirituotherapy also we integrate Psychology in the Christian Counseling system. We came to the following conclusions:

“There is nothing wrong in using psychology in the analysis of the issues facing the counselee. But the solution to the problem of man is purely Biblical and based on the understanding that the real issue is still spiritual even though the manifestations of the issues are in the psychological and physical dimensions. Some of the terminologies on the present day psychology may be helpful  for purposes of analysis. Since there are various contradictory theories of psychology based on assumptions and understanding of different philosophers (we mean Psychology is a philosophy based on certain statistical data and not a science), in Bible-based Counseling we adopt only the theories which are not contrary to the teachings of the Word of God . We have nothing to fear about the use of psychology as long as we adapt only those which support the Biblical teachings. Psychology and counseling are not something new of the last two centuries but they were there even from the beginning of human race and used in dealing with issues and people in the Scriptures. 

Also the message of the cross and teachings on Exchange Life are never something new in these centuries but were there in the Scriptures in the writings of the Apostles. Expository writings on these were done in recent centuries by men of God like Hudson Taylor and Watchman Nee. Dr. Charles Solomon has used these teachings in wisdom in the Counseling system he has adopted.

So a statement like the following may make our stand clear:

GCI/GFI system of counseling is Bible-based, Christ-centered, Cross-centered and Spirit-empowered. We adopt the findings of modern psychology for our analysis purposes, the philosophies or theories which are not contrary to but are in compromise/congruent with the teachings of the Word of God.”

Dr. Alex Mathew

When I say I am in love
I mean I am in Love.
Smart? Hear the rest of it please.

God is Love; I mean it in that sense
And I am in love with Love
In an abiding sense that be.

As He has offered me, let me
Abide in Love and Love in me
That is my power you see
My identity with Him for sure
Being in love with Love
What do I need any more?

The greatest power holds me
I am right in that very source
Of that power that is Love.
I am able to do more
Simply because I am in Love
The invitation is “Come
And your burdens to me give”

Come to me all of you who
Are powerless and tired too,
Lo, I will take you straight to
The very source of the flow
Of power, Love, Life and Truth too.
Certainly you need to know
Who the source is before you dare to go

I feel the exhilaration all over
Of victory, being in Love as ever
One who is in Love is the gainer
Love led me to be victor
Things happen to me over and over
Good, bad, sad, glad and more
Yet I remain in everything a victor.

I remain victor always
Because Love never changes
Love does not lend itself to changes
Therefore remains my state too changeless
Love is the same yesterday
Today, tomorrow and everyday
Time cannot alter or bind Love; nay!

Are you in Love?
In Love you come to have grace
Victory, Power, Joy, Peace
Gentleness in you is filled by Love
No longer afraid to be humble
You with ease turn compassionate
And turn a blessing to many in time 

Be in Love and learn doing good.
Learn to bless all around!
At every turn do good
Keep doing good even as it pains
And be blessed in turn!
Be transformed anew at every turn.
And to all, be a ‘Blessing Being’

GOD BLESS YOU.

Abundant Life Seminar from 2013 September 6 – 8.
Our prayer was answered in God giving 10 participants to be discipled and comforted to go out with a sense of purpose in being effective People-helpers “with the Mind of Christ’ – the title of a book I read in 1979,  COUNSELING WITH THE MIND OF CHRIST which gave me the orientation for my retired life. Praise God for the developments since then.
PPT

Report: The participants of Abundant Life Seminar from shared as follows:

• A new understanding about Abundant Life and what my role in attaining it, the  areas of correction needed;  Need to die to self to have Christ as my life.
• Realization of the Rejection experiences helped to understand how we can come out of it through the acceptance we have in Christ and also helped to understand others with sympathy and care rather than critical about them.
• The study of the Word of God is basic to the walk in the newness of life.
• Abundant life was never a subject of concern so far in my Christian life. I never had any idea of it. I want to live in His perfect will in the life ahead.
• We are drawn to accept counseling ministry for our future life after experiencing the exchanged life in this seminar.
• The personal experience shared by Dr. Alex Mathew exposed the message of Rom.8:28 as real in my life. We see only limited and the present whereas God knows the end at the beginning. His ways are mysterious. So we can trust Him even when we may feel that the present situations are not appreciable or even hard.
• I am no more to live for Christ but allow Christ to live and work through me for His glory.
• Many of my decisions were self-centered. Now I realize that Christ-centered decisions will lead me to abundant life. I need to crucify my flesh to be in His will. Decided to exchange self-life for Christ-life. Decided to break away a relationship in my life I found to be from my FLESH in the context of my rejection experiences. I want God to intervene in my life when I fail and Him to take control of my life when I happen to take it from Him.
• God has brought me here for a special purpose; though I had no definite goal in attending the seminar. Love is for giving it to others as Jesus gave us and never to expect return from the recipients.
• I have now great faith that God wants me to have abundant life. Identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrections was new to my understanding.
• Problems and difficulties in life are meant for deeper Christian life. I received a better perspective about Christian life. I dedicated to live in His will for the rest of my life. I want to be filled with the grace of God for my life ahead.
• Self-affirmation of God refining us through problems. I am reminded of justification by grace
• Special prayer needs: 
  • Philip: My 2 sons who need to have an encounter with Jesus; God’s grace for my new job
  • Edwin:  I want to study the Word of God deeply to know my God closely. Decided to live in close fellowship with GCI 
    For me to live in His perfect will
  • Regular study of the Word of God and to seek God’s will in everything I want to do.
  • Total surrender of the whole family of one of the participants

Testimony of Edwin shared as sms with his mentor:

     “Sir, I experienced a wonderful seminar abut Abundant Life that God provides for us. Thank you for your prayers. I hope to live the rest of my life as the slave of the Lord Jesus Christ and to do the things He wishes me to do”.

Then he wrote to me:

  “ Thank you very much sir for all the classes and advises. I really wanted to have a spiritual life  ahead. Job is not a matter for me from now onward but only wanted to be the slave of God by   crucifying my ‘self’. I wish to get trained (in counseling) and become a part of GCI to have a meaningful life ahead. Thank you for your blessings and prayer”

John Zachariah

From P. P. Thomas (85).

I am aware that I may not know all of you nor most of you know me personally. I am associated UESI since 1959 and actively since 1969.  Now my hearing is poor; memory is poorer. Travel is minimal. But I have bags of time to study the Bible, facilitate a couple of Bible Study Groups, fellowship with visitors, tele-fellowship by e-mail and SMS and give company to my partner who is physically weaker than I am. I have sacks of time for prayer and also for reading.

I shall pray for you if you send your prayer concerns
I read all materials by post, e-mails and websites related to UESI. EMFI and other ministries.in addition to reading life-changing books and articles, especially on Exchanged Life/Abundant Life/Abiding Life of various authors and ministries like Grace Fellowship International, Abiding Life International, David Kuykendall Ministries, Source Ministries International of Lewis Gregory. The leaders of GFI and ALMI are personal friends and associates including Dr. Charles Solomon & Sue, (late) Dr. Michael Wells and Betty Wells. You too can be benefited as I have been by visiting their websites in addition to collecting a few books published by Grace Counseling India. We have a good collection of books in our Library, for your use, a huge part of them contributed by personal friend Annette Jones of East-West Ministries.

GCI: During the last three decades, many of my friends have known me as associated with Grace Counseling India. GCI could of some blessing in helping believers to be mature in their Christian lives, and training hundreds of the ministers of our constituencies and also some churches and other member missions of IMA like WVI, FMPB, BYM, YWAM, Maharashtra Mission through programs across the country. In 2000 God established for GCI the Head Quarters and Training Centre at Kottayam from where we were operating under His grace, guidance and provisions.

GCI Centre: Sorry to recollect that due to conditions beyond human control, GCI was almost in a dormant stage for some three years. The main reason has been the lack of a family to stay within the campus near the Medical College, Kottayam. As a result of much waiting and prayer, God put us in touch with a family through a mutual friend. A few weeks ago Deepak and Nisha with their two tiny, sweet daughters moved into GCI Centre. They are zealous for the Lord and are making friendship with the neighbors and conducting Fellowship meetings at GCIC.

Contact us: For more information about the GCI ministry, potentials and needs, how God could use us for any of my readers, and how they can help the ministry, please visit
Contact Executive Secretary Prof. John Zachariah
E-mail: <cfgcijz@gmail.com> or <gcikottayam@gmail.com>

I leave to your imagination the other items that you may include in your prayer. You are free to contact me by e-mail or SMS.

Thanking you
In His Grace,
PPT.   fgcippt@gmail.com

ABUNDANT LIFE SEMINAR

Friday the 6th September evening to Sunday the 8th afternoon 2013
At GCI Centre, Gandhi Nagar, Kottayam
Specially for Professional students and young graduates
Maximum participants 15 to 20 

Jesus offered Life Abundant (Jn. 10: 10),
Peace beyond understanding,
Freed from anxiety and care (Jn. 14:27; Phil.4:6; 1 Pet.5:7) and
from the works of the flesh,
Filled with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-24).
Who can enjoy this life? Enter into His rest? How?
If we are restless and worried, why?
A close understanding what we were without Christ,
What we are in Christ
and how to experience the content life constantly
Based on Gal.2:20

Come and See!
For more details and Registration Contact:
E-mails: gcikottayam@gmail.com; cfgcijz@gmail.com
Web: www.gracecounselor.org
Contact: GCI at: +91 956 759 8745/828 153 9526/944 774 7785

Dear members and prayer partners of Grace Counseling India,

Greetings to you in the gracious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I write this from Calgary, Canada on a North American visit with my wife. Let me update the GCI ministry for your information, praise, prayers and support.

For the last few years GCI activities were minimal due to none to stay and look after the Head Quarters and the lack of funds. After three years of prayers and search for suitable person, God is guiding us to revive the ministry of Counseling and Counselor Training (long term and short term) at the base. Thank God for His miraculous methods of working.

Resident Staff at GCI Centre, Kottayam: Mr. Deepak Ranganathan who was working lately with Missionaries Uplift Trust and Nisha (formerly, UESI Kerala staff worker) with their two little children have joined GCI ministry on 15th June 2013 as Resident Staff on training and probation for one year based at GCI Centre, Kottayam. Let us praise His great name and prayerfully extend our support to them. Former UESI staff Premkumar M.P. was instrumental in getting this couple for GCI. Thank you for the prayers for the GCI ministry.

Literature Ministry: We plan to re-start the literature ministry and preparation of materials including the publication of the “Grace Counselor”, with Cherian Zachariah as its Editor, appreciated by many across the world.

Tax exemption: God is at work in favour of our getting Panchayat Tax exemption for the buildings for which we were after the Govt. for the last 12 years. Continue to pray.

Visit to GFI: While I was in US, I had the privilege to be guest with Sue and Dr. Charles Solomon at the GFI home base in Tennessee. It was good to renew fellowship with GFI and discuss the needs and opportunities of GCI. Our web site was just republished with the help of John Woodward.
GCI Web: http://www.gracecounselor.org
GFI Web :http://www.gracefellowshipintl.com

Pray for the officials, other Board members, the planning of future programs and the financial needs. Your contributions may be sent in favour of “Grace Counseling India” to the undersigned in the address below.
All glory and honor be to Him.
In His grace

Prof. John Zachariah
Executive Secretary
Grace Counseling India,
Muvattupuzha – 686 661, Kerala

John has had three days of fellowship and planning with Charles Solomon, John Woodward and team.