Blesso - ஆசீர்வாதம் - ආශීර්වාද - 2019

Christ Jesus centered Thought Conditioners

Dear all, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13 Word of God: Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Psalms 43: 3 Keep your conscience clear. 1 Peter 3: 16 You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. Psalms 65: 11-13 A couple of thoughts: • God’s clock doesn’t function like a man’s clock. • Never underestimate the resurrected power of Christ Jesus in you. Retain the promises of God in your consciousness. This will give the strength to overcome every difficulty you are facing in this faith journey. • Be brave in Christ Jesus. Ask God to fill your heart with the confidence in Christ Jesus. • How often do we pour out our heart to God? How often do you give him a specific request to answer? • True faith in Christ Jesus transforms our conduct, attitude, character, speech pattern, motives and actions. • Motives are just as important as actions. • Quiet convictions often earn long term respect. • God’s opinion is important. • Remembering God’s faithfulness is worth a pause for reflection. • Don’t stop trusting God just as you are ready to reach your goal. • Be corrected by God and become who God intended. Train your tongue to speak well! • No matter what the cost, let us follow the footprints of Jesus. Stand firm in Christ

One Man's Amazing Fruit

One Man's Amazing Fruit Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit(John 15:5).

Dear friends: It is utterly amazing what God can do through one person's obedience, and how He can supernaturally multiply our efforts and giving, just as He did with the loaves and fishes. Several years ago I met a young man of modest means who had heard about our Here's Life World strategy at the time to help fulfill the Great Commission. This young man felt impressed to "adopt" the country of Thailand. We needed about $75,000 for the Here's Life campaign in Thailand. This man proceeded to sell a piece of property, for which he received almost that amount. Even though this gift represented most of his savings, he felt impressed of God to pick up the entire cost for that country with the money from the sale. This enabled volunteers of the Here's Life campaign in Thailand to take the gospel to cities, villages and hamlets throughout the country. Sometime later I was went on a speaking tour of several Asian countries, including Thailand. While there I was able to see firsthand the results of that earlier campaign. I was privileged to speak at the dedication service of 258 Thais who had committed themselves to further take the gospel to millions of their countrymen. They were showing the "JESUS" film throughout their country of 48 million people. This all began through the obedient stewardship and sacrificial giving of one American who helped launch Here's Life, Thailand. God used this story of dedication to inspire several men to give to help fulfill the Great Commission in other countries through Here's Life World. Equally important, the young man's investment had, by 1989, helped to introduce more than 1,300,000 people to Christ, set up more than 18,000 New Life Groups in homes and start 3,338 churches. No doubt, since 1989, the tally would be many times that. It is probable that apart from that young man's original investment, much of the spiritual harvest now taking place in Asia would not have been possible. "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten" (John 6:9-11, NIV). Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns, Bill Bright The late Dr. Bill Bright was Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization which began as a campus ministry in 1951 and now has more than 27,000 full-time staff and up to 500,000 trained volunteer staff in 196 countries in areas representing 99.6 percent of the world's population. In the past 50 years, Campus Crusade for Christ has seen approximately 6 billion exposures to the gospel worldwide. The film, "JESUS," which Bright conceived and funded through Campus Crusade for Christ, is the most widely translated and viewed film of any type ever produced. Since its use began in 1980, the film has been translated into 839 languages and viewed or listened to by over 5.7 billion people in 228 countries. Dr. Bright was also the author of more than fifty books. Visitcampuscrusade.comfor more details Copyright (c) 2003, Bill Bright. All rights reserved. However, readers may copy and distribute this message as desired, without restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered. Forwarding this e-mail to friends is encouraged. For many evangelistic and spiritual growth materials, visit the Campus Crusade for Christ Web site atccci.org. Seecampuscrusade.comfor Bill Bright's own materials.

Casting down the strong holds in Jesus name

Casting down the strong holds in Jesus name Strong holds are defined as “something” that hold you back from your walk with the LORD Jesus Christ. What is holding you back from receiving spiritual, emotional or physical blessings? According to the Word of God, it is possible to cast down the strongholds in Jesus’ name. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, Let us do some self-analysis in the presence of God and make wise choices in our walk with the LORD. Whether we like it or not we are in the battle (Ephesians 6). Let us put on the full armor of God and fight the good fight. Hebrews 12: 1-3, says that, therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. “Fix your eyes on Jesus” - In any race there will be two important persons among many other people. Firstly, the starter - the person who says on your mark, set, go and then the referee – the person who receives you at the finish line and gives the first place, second place or third place cards. Remember in our Christian run LORD Jesus is running with us and He knows how to carry us through the storm. We need faith and faith can move the mountains. Be still - Psalms 46: 10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” There are times when we need to be quite in the presence of the LORD by the power of Holy Spirit in order to receive the promises of God according to His time table. Stand still - Exodus 14: 13 – 14 says, But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.14 The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” – If God has promised you some special promise, no matter what, He will give you the ability to achieve it for His glory. Sit still – Ruth 3: 18 says, Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.” God had decided to raise Ruth as mother of Kings and He accomplished his plan. If you have some strong holds in your walk with the LORD, today pray about this and receive the delivering power from the mighty hands of God in the name of Jesus – Amen. May God bless you and keep you in His grace and make you as a channel of blessings

THE INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE ON INDIA’S HISTORY - Dr Daniel Sathiaraj

THE INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE ON INDIA’S HISTORY Dr Daniel Sathiaraj Abstract The Bible is God’s gift to mankind. It is God’s word. God spoke to people like Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses and prophets. He asked persons such as Moses to write down what He has revealed. That is how we have got the Bible. In it God has revealed who He is and how we may be free from our sins’ punishment and power. God says to the judges, "you do not judge for man but for the LORD ... let the fear of the LORD be upon you; … no partiality, nor taking bribes." People of our country will be blessed if judges and all others holding high positions honour the Creator and obey Him. In all aspects, we are to follow this revealed God and Jesus. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” The Bible has greatly influenced India’s history. Social evils such as sati, child marriages, temple prostitution, child sacrifices to the river Ganges, female infanticide, and human sacrifices were very prevalent in our country. They can be removed completely, only when our people follow the one true God. Our God is a missionary God. We have seen and heard how persons such as William Carey, Amy Carmichael, Pandita Ramabai and Ida Scudder have brought about real transformation in India. Modern missions in India work for the welfare of our people and the transformation of India. Key words: sati, widow burning, devadasi, temple prostitution, Bible translation, history Dr Daniel Sathiaraj secured his doctorate degree from IIT Kanpur and is motivated by the verse: the earth will be fulfilled by the knowledge of the glory of the LORD. The Influence of the Bible on India’s history INTRODUCTION We read about God’s concern for the people of Israel who were slaves in Egypt: The LORD said [to Moses], “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt… and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land — the home of the Canaanites, … and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” [1] Our God is concerned about the people of India. So we ought to be concerned about them. Our ethics and morality must come from God. We are to become like God in whose image we have been made. The Bible says, “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long …. For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.” People such as William Carey and Ida Scudder knew the one true God and Jesus Christ personally and so they were concerned about Indians. They desired our people to know Him and go to heaven to be with Him forever. They loved Indians to experience the peace of God and to become the salt of the earth and the light of the world. They gave their lives for the transformation of India’s history. They wanted to remove superstitions from the minds of Indians, and meaningless traditions from their practices, because most of our people do not know the one true God. They worked toward the abolition of child marriage, and devadasi system; they uplifted the women and the poor in society. Knowing God personally will make our people saints in Christ and help them become like Jesus and wonderful citizens of India. There is only one Mission of God, i.e. reconciling human beings with God. Missions are born out of God. The Bible is the basis of God’s mission. In the Bible, our God is a missionary God. He spoke to the prophets, and sent them to people of Israel and His Son Jesus to the entire world. Jesus gave His life for us all so that we may be redeemed and become His people. It is God who has been sending missionaries to India and from India. “THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. “CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.” The first Bible to be Translated in India The history of Bible translation into Tamil begins with the arrival of Bartholomew Ziegenbalg at the Danish settlement of Tranquebar in 1706. He had a remarkable gift for languages. He completed the translation of the New Testament within five years of his arrival in India; it was published in 1714, and by 1719, the year of his death, he had finished the Old Testament up to the Book of Ruth. The remaining work was completed by another German missionary, Benjamin Schultze, and published in Tranquebar in 1728. [2] Wiliam Carey (1761-1834) played significant role in abolishing sati Sati had been a traditional Hindu practice, in India, of a widow immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre. The abolishing of sati system is one of the greatest contributions of Christian missionaries in India. December 4 marks that day in 1829 when sati system was banned across the country. Along with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, William Carey questioned the practice. It was Carey's continuous battle against sati for 25 years which finally led to the famous Edict in 1829 banning widow burning. The cobbler turned missionary was also the first man who led the campaign for a humane treatment for leprosy and ended the practice of burning the lepers alive. "When Carey witnessed sati, he was horrified and dismayed," says Dr. Lalchungnunga, the Principal of Serampore College, the oldest organisation in India, founded by missionaries Joshua Marshman, William Carey and William Ward in 1827. Carey found that nearly 300 widows were burnt alive around Calcutta and 10,000 all over India within a short span of time. Once Carey documented 33 wives of one man burned alive at his funeral. This practice made children orphaned without both father and mother. Carey fought against such practices, publishing articles and books. Both Carey and William Wilberforce later persuaded the then governor Lord William Bentinck to carry a regulation on 4 December 1829 declaring sati as illegal and criminal. Carey also protested against other cultural institutions that oppressed women like polygamy, female infanticide, child marriage, and forced female illiteracy. Carey also built a system of elementary schools with over a hundred such separate schools for girls. (Samuel, 2009) When Carey died at 73, he had seen the Scriptures translated and printed into forty languages. He had been a college professor. He had seen India open its doors to missionaries. He made disciples of Jesus. On his deathbed Carey called out to a missionary friend, "Dr. Duff! You have been speaking about Dr. Carey; when I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey — speak about Dr. Carey's God." First Indian School for Girls Missionaries are the first to start schools for girls in India. Such schools were established in as early as 1810. The missionaries started many schools for girls in Bengal region. [3] Pandita Ramabai (1858-1922) A life committed to Christ has nothing to fear, nothing to lose, nothing to regret - Pandita Ramabai Ramabai is an Indian social reformer and a pioneer in education who made a lasting impact on India. She lived during the times in India, when women were not allowed to study or work and were also considered lower than men. Child marriages were widespread and the child widows were left to abuse and slavery from the family and society. They were considered “curse” and they often lived terrible lives filled with agony and pain. Ramabai spoke at meetings and wrote the book Morals for Women, to help women in their daily lives. She saw the sad lives of her fellow Indian women and she helped them. One day she found a frightened, unhappy girl standing before her at the door. She was about twelve years old, her hair all shaved off and she was wearing the white sari of a widow. The woman who was with her told Ramabai her story. When she was only five years old this child had been married to a little boy, but the boy died the day after the wedding and the blame for this fell on the poor little wife, for Hindus believe that the death of young husband is a punishment on his wife for some sin she has committed in her former life. Her mother-in-law would not look at her, and said she was a demon who had eaten up her son. For the next seven years she had been made into a household slave. Ramabai took her to live with her. (Underhill, 1984) Ramabai got a scholarship to study in the UK and while she was in England her search for spiritual reality led her to Christianity. She went to the US from the UK and started educating the West about the conditions of women in India. American women offered to help her to start the home for widows and they formed Ramabai Association. Ramabai returned to India after spending six years in the UK and the USA to start the home of her vision. She started Sharada Home (Home of Learning) in 1889 in Mumbai. She lost all her faith in Hinduism and longed for something better. She read in John 4 the story of Jesus Christ meeting the Samaritan woman and realized that Christ was truly the Divine Saviour. She heard of the infinite love of Christ for sinners and that Jesus came to save them. She had never read or heard anything like this in the books of Hinduism. Only Jesus ‘could transform and uplift the downtrodden womanhood of India and of every land.’ She wrote, “I was hungry for something better than what the Hindu Shastras gave”. Finding Christ Ramabai read portions of the Bible and realized that she needed Christ Jesus and not merely His religion. She found a religion which gave its privileges equally to men and women. She surrendered herself to the Saviour and asked Him to be merciful to her and to become her Righteousness and Redemption, and to take away all her sins. When she made an unconditional surrender, she knew she was accepted as a child of God by adoption in Christ Jesus her Saviour. The Lord showed her the sinfulness of sin and the awful danger she was in, of hell fire and the great love of God with which He sent His Son Jesus to be the propitiation for her sin. Ramabai writes: How very different the truth of God was from the false idea that I had entertained from my earliest childhood. That was that I must have merit to earn present or future happiness, the pleasure of Svarga, or face the utterly inconceivable loss of Moksha or liberation. This I could never hope for, since a woman, as a woman, has no hope of Moksha according to Hindu religion. The Brahmin priests have tried to deceive the women and the Shudras and other low-caste people into the belief that they have some hope. But when we study for ourselves the books of the religious law and enquire from the higher authorities we find that there is nothing, no nothing whatever for us. They say that women and Shudras and other low-caste people can gain Svarga by serving the husband and the Brahman. But the happiness of Svarga does not last long. The final blessed state to which the Brahman is entitled is not for women and low-caste people. But here this blessed Book, the Christians’ Bible says: 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4 (Ramabai, 1907) Ramabai received the Lord Jesus as her personal Saviour and had the joy of sweet communion with Him. Her life was full of joy and she felt that she must tell others what great things Jesus had done for her. In 1891, she moved to Pune. She started a home with 26 widows and 13 non-widowed young women and children. As the work flourished she bought land in Kedgaon 35 kms from Pune and shifted Sharada Home in 1895. Mukti Mission represented essentially secure, Christian homes for destitute women and children where they found love, care and acceptance regardless of their backgrounds. For some, it was the first ever home they had in their lives. She rescued hundreds of children and women from famine affected areas in Eastern India, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. She cared for these women like a mother. Ramabai was also translating the Bible into Marathi, her mother tongue from the original Hebrew and Greek. In 1913, she completed the New Testament and printed it in her own press with the help of the residents whom she had trained. The Old Testament was finished few days before her death. She was a pioneer in many ways. She was the first to introduce kindergarten training. Braille system was introduced for the blind and a blind school was started in Mukti. For twenty years Ramabai took care of and worked for her big family. She went to be with Jesus on 5 April 1922. Many decades have passed since Ramabai started the Mukti Mission. Today hundreds of women find new life at Mukti Mission. Awards and honors "Pandita" and "Saraswati" at Bengal, recognizing her skills in Sanskrit. On 26 October 1989, in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of Indian women, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp. In 1919, the king of England conferred on her the Kaiser–i–Hind award; one of the highest awards an Indian could receive during the period of the British Raj. The Times of India described her as 'one of the makers of modern India'. In appreciation of the work of Pandita Ramabai for Indian women, the Government of India named her the ‘woman of the millennium’.[4] Who are devadasis? The word devadasi comes from two Sanskrit words: ‘deva’ meaning god and ‘dasi’ meaning a female servant. Girls are married off to gods in the temples and they are not allowed to marry anyone else. Devadasis lead miserable lives. They fulfil the sexual desires of the priests and the worshippers who come to the temple. We shall look at the life of Amy Carmichael, a missionary to India, who hated the devadasi system and delivered devadasis in Tamil Nadu. Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) Amy Carmichael originally felt God’s call to come to India to share the good news of Jesus and she settled in Dohnavur, in Tamil Nadu, thirty miles from Kanyakumari. She established a mission called Dohnavur Fellowship. It exists even today. Amy Carmichael One day a small girl named Preena was brought to Amy. She was a temple child who ran away from the temple a second time. The first time she went to her mother, who handed the little girl back to the temple. Preena was punished for running away by placing iron rods on her palms. She was only seven years old. Amy took her for the night. Talking to her slowly Amy realised the cruelty that Preena went through in the temple. The temple authorities found out where Preena was and came to take her back. But Amy was very firm and said she would not let the little girl go. God told Amy to save such children, and others who had no one to care for them or were being abused. She was to make a home for them and to bring them up to know Jesus. In those days, poor girls were forced to become devadasis. Preena was the first one of the girls in 1901 who started staying with Amy. Preena's story made such an impact on Amy that she became actively involved in rescuing temple children and in three months’ time she had four girls living with her. She not only rescued temple children, but also neglected, illegitimate, and ill-treated children. Many considered girl children as bad omens and would just leave them on road sides or near waste bins. Women were also saved from forced prostitution. Amy with the rescued temple girls. Amy was accused of using witchcraft to take these children from temples. There was protest and violence when more and more children joined her shelter and came to the Christian faith. Amy arranged marriages for the girls when they came of age. Through her untiring and courageous efforts, Amy brought international attention to the plight of many devadasis. Eventually her efforts were rewarded when giving children to the temples or marrying them to the gods was made illegal. Amy Carmichael lived in our country for fifty-five years without going back to her home town in Ireland even once. In 1931 she was badly injured in a fall which left her bed ridden much of the time till her death. She wrote thirty-six spiritual books. India outlawed temple prostitution in 1948. Amy went to be with Jesus in 1951. Devadasi System Still Continues in India The Government of India in 1988 made the devadasi system illegal. But it is deplorable that this system exists even today in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. Actually, devadasis do not serve the one true God or Jesus Christ. It is true that no god is God. So these prostitutes cannot be married to the one true God. People should know the truth about God. Through a religion, one cannot know Him personally. Many Indians do not follow the true God and so social evils continue to exist in our country. India’s first women’s College Isabella Thoburn started the first women’s college in India, the Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow in 1886. Her example was followed in Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, by Sarah Tucker enabling a school to be upgraded as a college for women in 1895.[5] Ida Scudder and Christian Medical College In 1890, a twenty-year-old American named Ida traveled to India to be with her mother, and experienced a life-changing event. One night, three men, a Muslim and two Hindus, arrived at her family’s home seeking emergency help for their wives who were having labor complications. The husbands refused the assistance of Ida’s father, who was a Christian missionary doctor, because of prevailing caste and gender customs. Without any medical training, Ida was powerless to help. The next day she discovered that all three women had died. Ida felt that God was calling her to serve the women of India. She returned to the U.S. and became a doctor. Returning to India in 1900, Dr. Ida Scudder opened a one-bed clinic giving medical assistance to local women. Ida’s vision was that women should have the same access to quality and compassionate healthcare that men did, regardless of religion or the ability to pay for it. That clinic has grown into the top-quality medical and educational institution, the Christian Medical College, Vellore (CMC), which serves over two million patients and trains thousands of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals each year. Individuals come from all over India, South Asia and the rest of the world in search of the best care, delivered with compassion and integrity. Today, CMC’s excellence continues with advances in research and a continually evolving curriculum aimed at transforming India’s promising medical students into creative and compassionate healthcare providers. Historical firsts CMC’s outreach and commitment to the poor is complemented by its record of clinical excellence including many firsts in India (and in some cases, the world). First college of nursing in India in 1946 First reconstructive surgery on leprosy patients in the world in 1948 First neurological sciences department in South Asia also in 1948 First successful open heart surgery in India in 1961 First middle-ear microsurgery in India in 1961 First rehabilitation institute in India in 1966 First kidney transplant in India in 1971 First bone marrow transplant in 1986 First carotid bifurcation stenting procedure in India in 1996 First trans-septal carotid stenting procedure in the world in 1996 First trans-jugular mitral valvuloplasty procedure in the world in 1996 First successful ABO incompatible renal transplant in India in 2009 Ranked the #1 private medical hospital in India in 2013 (India Today) Consistently ranked the #1 hospital in India by consumers (shareranks.com) [6] How modern missions in India transform India There are more than 200 missions which are members of India Missions Association. Indian missionaries serve God and society, and are involved in His mission. We give below two examples of Indian missions. 1. Maharashtra Village Ministries (MVM) MVM has completed 34 years of ministry in uplifting the people of Maharashtra. They have 180 workers serving among the rural people. The state of Maharashtra has 43,722 villages and 305 people groups. MVM works among 40 people groups, such as Kolam, Gond, Banjara, Pardhi, Mahar, Varli, Teli, Kunbi, Madgi and Korku. MVM is involved in community development with Self Help Groups and various income generation projects. They have 3 English medium schools for the rural poor, and have built 3 Happy Homes to provide lodging and good education facilities to the children of their workers. They have 300 Prarthana Bhavans (Prayer Houses). There is opposition from political groups, militant Hindu people and especially from the rural business community that exploits the villagers, since the community started to learn and read. Once followers of Jesus become missionaries, they do bachelor’s or master’s course. MVM follows CBTE curriculum of BILD and equips them in the way of Christ Jesus. They become good citizens of India and part of the salt and the light of Maharashtra. (Kulothungan, 2016) 2. Operation Agape Agape means God’s love. Operation Agape is a mission serving in North India. Formal and non-formal schools for the poor Now there are thousands of children particularly in Northern India who cannot afford to have basic education. To address the needs of this big challenge, they are supporting children in schools (both formal and non-formal). In about 8 places they also provide mid-day meals. Empowering women through vocational training programs The mission launched two projects under Ashirwad Self Help Group for the parents of Compassion Project children for income generation by providing skill training in bag making and T-shirt making. All the women who enrolled for the training are from very poor families. Here is a transformation story of Anita: My name is Anita. I am 35. I am married and have six children. I used to be a rag picker and it was very difficult to run the house. I completed my advanced course of bag making at the Operation Agape’s training centre. By the grace of God, now I am in production team where I am making bags and getting support. That's how God blessed me through Ashirwad Self Help Group. Providing Clean water through Shallow wells Contaminated drinking water is a major cause of all infectious diseases and high mortality among children. Every aspect of life is affected by the water crisis. The Shallow Well project has brought relief to several communities in unreached areas of North India who lack access to clean drinking water by providing hundreds of tube wells. Service to the Scripture-less people Operation Agape started Scripture Translation ministry in 2009 by crafting Bible Stories in 14 Bible-less languages in North West India. They have experienced the power of God's Word to transform lives as these Bible stories were shared through various media including Audio Bibles, SD Cards and Bible Story Fellowships. The churches requested for more of God's word in their languages. That led to the translation of New Testament in 54 Bible-less languages. The goal is to have a believer, a bible and a worshipping group in every language in India. Shyam is from a Brahmin family in Himachal Pradesh. His father suddenly became seriously ill. They prayed to many gods to heal him, but within a month's time his father died. The family was in a financial crisis, and their relatives and friends left them. Shyam became very depressed. One day, Pastor Sharma told him about Jesus. Shyam decided to follow Jesus. His life was transformed. Later he committed his life to serve the Lord. After undergoing a Bible School training course, he established 3 house churches. He was married to Kamlesh, and they together are involved in Bible Translation. Shyam and his team have translated the New Testament into Kulvi Outer Seraji language and Kamlesh to Baghlayani language. The story of Surjeet Kaur "Surjeet Kaur is from a Sikh family in Punjab. She heard the Gospel. She prayed for the salvation of her family. God answered her prayers and now her whole family came to the Lord. She underwent New Believers Training. Later they shifted to another village where there were no believers. Surjeet began to share her faith with the villagers. She started a Children's club and through the children she reached out to their parents. Many of them believed in Christ. She is illiterate but she was able to share her faith with the people through the Orality training. Today she trains women." Story of Pastor Madan Lal Born in an extremely poor Hindu family, Madan only studied up to 2nd grade. At 12, Jesus healed him in his death-bed and transformed his life. God called him to the ministry at the age of 20 in 1991 and he joined Operation Agape. Later he started his own church. Now he has trained several leaders. 4000 people have joined the Church. Reaching an Unreached People Group of North India The Tarkhan people group, with a population of 2.5 million, live in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat. Operation Agape began working among the Tarkhan four years ago with 12 workers. This team is also involved in translating New Testament and Bible stories in the Dogri language, a language spoken by the Tarkhan. There are now about 1000 believers among them. [7] Transformation of people because of Missions Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB) started working among the Vasava people in Maharashtra in 1979. The Vasava people did not know how to save their hard-earned money. They used to hide it in the barn. Sometimes the white ants devoured them. The missionaries taught them how to save their savings in banks and post-offices. Once the sick people were treated by witch doctors or Baghats. They used to pierce the stomach with red-hot iron to reduce the stomach ache. Now the sick are treated by trained medical doctors. The Vasava people used to drink liquor and it was generally thought they would never change. But the message of Jesus redeemed them from all their bondages. When they followed Jesus, He changed their lives.[8] Jesus brought about changes through FMPB, among the Malto people of Bihar. Once the business people used to sell them articles such as soap and food items at exorbitant rates. Because of missionaries, they were educated and they can read Maximum Retail Price of articles. So the business people now cannot cheat them anymore. The Bible is the first book written in many of the languages in India. Conclusion The need of the hour is that our people should know the one true God. There are thousands of followers of Jesus Christ in India. They are the missionaries who uplift our people. There is hope for all Indians only in Jesus. The Bible has truly influenced India’s history and people. References Kulothangan, IMA’s Missions News, January 2016 Ramabai, Pandita, My story, March 1907 in Genesis Books. Samuel, Dibin, 4 December 2009. http://www.christiantoday.co.in/article/wiliam.carey.played.significant.role.in.abolishing.sati.system/4906.htm Underhill, Barbara, Pandita Ramabai – Pioneer, Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission, 1984 [1] Exodus 3: 7-10 [2] http://www.bsind.org/tamil_bible_translations.html [3] http://hubpages.com/education [4] Testimonies of Indian Women, Aug. 13, 2010. http://www.jeevanmarg.com/testimonies/pandita-ramabai-founder-of-mukti-mission/ Emily Jacob, Pandita Ramabai in Tortured for Christ, January 2016 [5] http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/madrass-first-womens-college/article5617593.ece [6] https://www.vellorecmc.org [7] Source: Operation Agape’s e-newsletters in the years 2014 to 2016. [8] Source: The Vasava Church: History with signs and wonders, Published by Research and Development, FMPB, May 2005.

Is Strategic Planning Biblical?

Is Strategic Planning Biblical? Looking at leaders from scripture. Mark Marshall Top of Form Bottom of Form You know your church needs to rethink its strategy. You know there is no real sense of how to accomplish the work that God has called your church to do. You look at your church, and it seems that every year is simply a repeat of the past year. There is nothing intentional about what you do. But you wonder if strategic planning is biblical. First, you wrestle with this in your own mind. Then you realize some of the lay leadership in your church are asking the same questions. Is there a biblical basis for strategic planning? Do we have a biblical foundation for the concept of strategic planning, or is it something we have taken from the secular business model and applied to our churches? Does God honor the process of strategic planning? By principle and by example, God's Word establishes strategic planning as one of the ways He works in and through His people. There are a number of leaders in Scripture who thought and acted strategically. Yes, strategic planning is found in Scripture. Moses We see clearly in Scripture that Moses was a strategic thinker—or at least he learned to be. Moses was struggling as a leader soon after he led the nation of Israel out of Egypt. His father-in-law, Jethro, came to see him after hearing the incredible things God had been doing. Jethro observed that Moses was overwhelmed with the burdens of leadership and shared with him a God-given plan—a strategy—for dealing with the issue. Jethro taught Moses how to set up a strategic plan by delegating the work so that the load would be spread among many. As a result, the manpower resources were used more effectively and the ministry was accomplished. Moses was also thinking strategically when he sent spies to the land of Canaan. Joshua Joshua, the protégé of Moses, also demonstrated strategic leadership. In Joshua 6God gave Joshua a little lesson on strategic thinking. As Joshua was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, they were facing the first enemy in the land. It just so happened to be the strong city of Jericho. God gave Joshua a strategy. He could have simply reached down from heaven and zapped the city, but God chose to work through a strategy that involved His people. God continues to work through His people today. Nehemiah Nehemiah was a God-appointed leader who used a strategy. When God laid it on his heart to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah began to establish and then work through a well-planned strategy to accomplish the vision God had given. He assessed the damage. He secured the resources. He established leaders and distributed the assignments among them. Anyone who has ever built a structure, from a doghouse to a three-bedroom house, will acknowledge Nehemiah's need for some kind of drawn-out plan for the reconstruction of the walls. David David was a strategic thinker from boyhood. He did not defeat Goliath with his might or strong armor. He defeated Goliath using a God-given strategy that pinpointed the weakness of his enemy. Later, as a leader of soldiers, David used strategy in battle. David needed men who could think and plan strategically, and God gave him the men of Issachar (1 Chron. 12:32). Jesus The Old Testament is filled with examples of leaders who established strategic plans and carried them through. What about the New Testament? We can point to Jesus Christ as a great example of one who had a strategy. He began by recruiting His leadership, developing them, then sending them "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8, NIV).His strategy included some public teaching and miracle working. Ultimately, His strategy took Him all the way to the cross, the grave, and the resurrection. Jesus Christ knew the plan to provide redemption for all of mankind long before leaving heaven to carry it through. Paul The apostle Paul, a key player in establishing the early church, had a strategy. It is obvious in reading the accounts of his missionary journeys that Paul chose key cities in which to establish beachheads for ministry. He chose cities where he might have the greatest influence on the largest number of people. Ephesus, for example, was the gateway to Asia Minor. Accomplish God's purposes through strategic planning. Proverbs 19:21says, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." God's purpose is the element in strategic planning for the church that is vastly different from the secular strategic planning models. We see setting our hearts and minds on God as the beginning of the strategic planning process. Without question, it is God's plan we want, not our own.God obviously expects us to plan. He has given to us a number of clear principles along with some great examples. He makes it clear that we are not to trust our own plans and strategies and ignore the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is only after we seek the heart of God and His direction that we can establish plans that are pleasing to Him and plans that will succeed. Strategic planning is not only a biblical concept, it is a biblical mandate. It is God's chosen method of working to establish how you and your church intend to carry out the Great Commission. Don't just repeat last year. Be intentional in getting God's heart and knowing how you will accomplish His mission in your setting. Proverbs Speaks The book of Proverbs has a number of clear practical principles regarding strategy and planning. 1. Proverbs 14:15: "A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. 2. Proverbs 15:22: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. 3. Proverbs 16:3: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. 4. Proverbs 16:9: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. 5. Proverbs 20:18: "Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. Mark Marshall is regional manager for Georgia and Florida with LifeWay Church Resources in Nashville, Tennessee. Arpit S Khristmukti, Secretary, Org. P&E Dept. (OPED) UESI, Contact number 08407951711 UESI's Vision: "Transformed students impacting the campuses and the nation as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ"

God hates the way of Balaam – “Beware of Present day’s Balaam’s teachings.”

God hates the way of Balaam – “Beware of Present day’s Balaam’s teachings.” Keep yourself pure II Tim 2: 21 – 26 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A21-&version=NLT;ERV-TA A Tamil cinema or an Indian cinema glorifies sexual lusts and all unholy pleasures of this world. The teachings of a cine movie works in the opposite to the teachings of the Holy Bible. Holy Bible condemns licentiousness (immorality), lasciviousness (1 Peter 4:3) and fornication. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+4%3A+3&version=NLT;ERV-TA But cinema incites its viewer to promote these things. According to Holy Scriptures, a Christian has to abstain from all form of evil; he has to flee youthful lusts; a Christian is a temple of Holy Spirit. A temple of God cannot sit before a cine movie and enjoy in her/his heart the lustful scenes. Jesus Christ says that whoever looks lustfully at a woman/man, has already committed adultery with her/him. If anyone still says, "Seeing cine movie is not sin", he/she is glorifying his/her father devil. When it is so, the leading and crowd pulling evangelists of Tamilnadu glorify cinema and cine stars. We see today in Christian televisions that these evangelists are praying for Tamil cinema industry to thrive and the cine stars to get more chances and become prosperous in cine industry. Some cine directors and actors are also appearing in Christian Televisions with their testimonies. One director said recently that Holy Spirit helped him to arrange the scenes of his movie which ran 100 days; one actress said that she could act and dance well because Jesus helped her through the prayers of the evangelists and another actor said that he was getting more chances in cinema because he became a Christian. Beloved Bro. Mohan C Lazarus is the leading one who preaches and encourages the way of Balaam said in Rev 2:14. I abhor and reject these testimonies and such ministry done by the crowd pulling evangelists. Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are not for this unholy business to thrive. They have to quit this cine profession if Jesus Christ is in them. Their testimonies are only encouraging the youth to see the lustful cinemas. If they belong to Christ, they must crucify the flesh with its passions and lusts. Certainly these evangelists are the Balaam of this modern age caught in the hands of devil to destroy God's people. Balaam was also a prophet. He even prophesied the birth of Jesus, however he advised Balak (King of Moab) to send Moabite women into the men of Israel so that the holy men would commit adultery and invite wrath of God upon them. I exhort the Christians to be aware of this evil trend being promoted by the so called giant evangelists and prophets; keep yourselves away from the way of Balaam, for our goal is to enter into the Promised Land. Be holy as our God is holy – Author. Ezekiel 33: 7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2033%3A7&version=KJV;ERV-TA