Fear, persecution remain high in Orissa, one year later

Manini, who continues to be under medical care, is doing somephysiotherapy exercises to regain strength in her right arm. Photocourtesy: Voice of the Martyrs

MANINI Digal knows thewrath of fundamentalists in India.

Manini, 17, from a poor family,was caught by fundamentalistslast August during the outbreakof anti-Christian violence inOrissa.

They tore off her clothes andattempted to rape her. Then theypoured kerosene over her and sether on fire. Her body was severelyburned. Manini arrived at ahospital in critical condition.

Open Doors co-workerscovered her medical expensesduring her recovery and alsoprayed with her. She is nowpraising God for His protectionand recovery.

August 23 marked the one-yearanniversary of the violence inOrissa, which was started whenVHP leader SwamiLaxmanananda was murdered.Fundamentalists wrongfullyblamed it on Christians and used

his murder as an excuse to attackthem. Church leaderscommemorated the anniversarywith 'Peace Day' includingmarches, fasting and prayer vigilson Aug 23.

Since the outbreak of violencelast year, at least 120 people havebeen murdered, 250 churchesdestroyed and over 50,000individuals displaced. It has beenclaimed that this was the worstcase of religious persecution inIndia since the partition ofPakistan and India in 1947.

More than 4,000 Christians inOrissa are currently seekingrefuge in relief camps and areunable to return to their villagesfor fear of death or forcibleconversion to Hinduism. Recentreports state that Christiansremain targets of violence andpersecution by Hindu extremists.

According to Compass DirectNews, a reign of terror continues

in the area as the former Hindurioters are issuing death threats towitnesses during trials. Of themore than 750 cases filed invarious police stations in

Kandhamal district andneighboring Gajapati district,only six people have beenconvicted in two cases. Some ofthe witnesses are running away to

save their lives after receivingdeath threats.

This year India jumped fromNo. 30 to No. 22 on Open Doors'World Watch List of countrieswhere Christians suffer the mostsevere persecution.

Last month, the USCommission on InternationalReligious Freedom placed Indiaon its watch list for frequentoutbreaks of violence againstminorities, especially Christians.

The report sharply criticizedthe Indian government for failureto protect the rights of religiousminorities. Eight states in thecountry have passed anti-conversion laws although onlyfive states are currentlyimplementing the law.

Anti-conversion laws aredesigned to prevent Hindus fromconverting to Christianity, anOpen Doors release said.Christian Newswire

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A young Christian wrote: I aman evangelist and have a friendwho has many contacts. One ofthem is a person who is wellknown and talented with multi-faceted skills. He is in theministry, knows many languagesand people. He told me he wasplanning to send aspiringevangelists for training to theUnited Kingdom. Aftercompletion of the training, hesaid he would send us onplacement to different countriessuch as Mexico, Africa, Italy,Europe and the United Kingdom.Five of us believed in him andgave him about seven lakh rupeesin all. After a few days, I realizedthat we had been cheated by himand I have lost all my hard-earned money. I am shocked bythis incident and cannot acceptthe fact of being cheated in thismanner. We could not take anyaction against him. What do I do?

WE live in a world where lying,cheating and extortion hasbecome a common practice andmany of us do not even talk ofsuch things as it has becomecommon place. Such incidentsusually take place in the secularworld, but when it happens in theChristian world, it is time to wake

up and take note. More surprisingwas the fact that this incidenthappened to some evangelists!

The Bible says in Matthew7:15-16, “Beware of falseprophets, who will come to youin sheep’s clothing, but inwardlythey are ravenous wolves. Youwill know them by their fruits.”

In 1Timothy 6:10 says, “Forthe love of money is a root of allkinds of evil, for which some havestrayed from the faith in theirgreediness, and piercedthemselves through with manysorrows.”

In 2 Timothy 3:1- 5 the Wordsays, “But know this, that in thelast days perilous times willcome: For men will be lovers ofthemselves, lovers of money,boasters, proud, blasphemous,disobedient to parents,unthankful, unholy, unloving,unforgiving, slanderers withoutself-control, brutal, despisers ofgood, traitors, headstrong,haughty, lovers of pleasure thanlovers of God, having a form ofgodliness, but denying its power.And from such people turn away.”

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 reads,“Do you not know that theungodly will not inherit thekingdom of God? Do not bedeceived. Neither fornicators, noridolaters, not adulterers, norhomosexuals, nor sodomites, northieves, nor covetous, nor

drunkards, nor revilers, norextortioners will inherit the willinherit the kingdom of God.”

In Revelation 21: 8 and 27 it iswritten, “But the cowardly,unbelieving, abominable,murderers, sexually immoral,sorcerers, Idolaters, and all liarsshall have their part in the lakewhich burns with fire andbrimstone, which is the seconddeath.”

Verse 27 reads, “But there shallby no means enter it (heaven)anything that defiles, or causes anabomination or a lie, but onlythose who are written in theLamb’s Book of Life.” So we seehere in these verses that all liarsand thieves will never inherit thekingdom of God and will be cutoff.

In Galatians 6:7 says, “Do notbe deceived, God is not mocked;for whatever a man sows, that hewill also reap”. These are serious

warnings from the Word of God.However, in Matthew 10:29,

the Bible says, “Are not twosparrows sold for a copper coin?And not one of them falls to theground apart from your Father’swill.” So you must understandwhy this misfortune fell on you.What is the Lord trying to tell youor teach you, or rather, are thereany lessons to be learnt from thisunfortunate incident? Ask God togive you the Spirit ofdiscernment, so that you willknow people and will not be ledaside by their lies.

You need to take some practicalsteps and try to get back yourmoney. In Jeremiah 32:27 Godasks, “Behold, I am the Lord Godof all flesh. Is there anything toohard for Me?” The first thing youneed to do is pray. Then ifpossible meet this person togetherwith the others who have beenduped by him and request him toreturn your money. Give him areasonable time for this. If thisman keeps his word, and returnsyour money, Praise God!Otherwise, hand him over to theauthorities concerned lest he goeson cheating others.

You must understandwhy this misfortune

fell on you. What is theLord trying to tell youor teach you, or rather,are there any lessons to

be learnt from thisunfortunate incident?Ask God to give you

the Spirit ofdiscernment.

Page 3 | September, 2009 Website: www.christianmessenger.inTHE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER

“Hi, we’d like to talk to youabout Jesus Christ!”

Standing tall, two young andwell-dressed American boys atmy door broke the iceinstantaneously. Happy to seethem, I said that we wereChristians too. What happenednext, however, took me bysurprise and left me scramblingfor words. Stating that they weremembers of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints, theysaid they wanted to talk about aprophet and a book given to theprophet by God. Though a littleshaken, I refused to hear theirideologies — they left only toreturn another day in a bid to coaxme.

In today’s world, cults are verymuch a reality. Cults are widelyprevalent in our country, in ourcity too. An unexpectedencounter with cult members canleave us disturbed. As Jesuswarned, during the last days, therewill be many people proclaimingdifferent ideologies in His name.It is our duty to be vigilant andstrong in faith. God’s Word saysthat many deceptive spirits willbe on the loose, waiting toswallow the unaware. So do weknow how to discern deceptions?We may know that their claimsdo not align with God’s Word, wemay even understand that theirbelief is not the Truth – but howdo we handle encounters with cultmembers? How do we prepareourselves to face the challengesof the last days? One way is to beaware of the different cults andto understand their approach.

Take the case of Mormons.Mormonism and polygamy gohand in hand - an attractiveproposition for today’s world.‘Mormonism’ has a good numberof followers in the US and severalother parts of the world. But theMormons have been in Chennaias well for nearly a decade nowand have slowly yet steadilyincreased in numerical strength.

A conversation based on suchbeliefs can perturb anybody,especially if we are not prepared.

THE CHRISTIANMESSENGER spoke to a cross-section of senior church leaders,who threw light on how we couldtackle such encounters. Each ofthem shared valuable insights onhow to be prepared always, howto answer cult members, and howto watch and pray.

Pastor P Vijayaraghavan of theApostolic Church said, “I knowthat the Mormons have beenaround in Chennai for about 10years. They’ve grown a lot andthat wouldn’t be possible but fortheir polygamous behavior.” Heagreed that as believers, we

How to tell the cult group from the church? Know the Truth!BY SHEBA DEVARAJ

Ask any officers in the ReserveBank of India about how theyidentify counterfeit or fakecurrency notes in circulation inthe country. You will get thestandard reply that since theyknow the real one so well, it isactually easy to identify the fakenotes. However, they don’t justgo by their gut feeling. Theyhave guidelines and stipulationsthat are scrupulously followed indetecting and weeding out fakecurrency. Almost all cult groupsdiscourage independent thinking.They claim what their governingbodies say concerning anyscriptural passage should be thelast word on the subject. This isin direct opposition to Paul’sadmonition to Timothy (and toall believers) to study to beapproved by God, so that weneed not be ashamed as wecorrectly handle the Word ofGod. This admonition, found in2 Timothy 2:15, is a clearinstruction from God to each ofHis children to be like theBerean Christians (Acts 17:10-12), who searched the Scripturesdaily to see if the things theywere being taught lined up withthe Word.

How to identify cultgroups!

Mormons believe in their ownbook of Mormon (which theybelieve was given by God to aprophet), some doctrines thatare derived from the Bible, afew other books, and theteachings of their leaders.Interestingly, they claim tobelieve in Christ as well as thebook of Mormon as the word ofGod. What is disturbing,however, is that none of theirbeliefs reflects God’s Word. Forinstance, they believe that weall are ‘elsewhere’ before weare born and that we go‘somewhere’ other than heavenor hell when we die. But whatdoes the Bible say? Whoeverbelieves in the Son has eternallife, but whoever rejects theSon will not see life, for God’swrath remains on him” (John3:36). For unbelievers, life afterdeath is eternity in the lake offire. Jesus said, “I am theresurrection and the life. Hewho believes in me will live,even though he dies; andwhoever lives and believes inme will never die...” (John11:25-26).

What do Mormonsbelieve in?

The sect known today as the Jehovah’s Witnesses started out in Penn-sylvania in 1870 as a Bible class led by Charles Taze Russell. Russellnamed his group the ‘Millennial Dawn Bible Study.’ Charles T. Russellbegan writing a series of books he called ‘The Millennial Dawn’, whichstretched to six volumes before his death and contained much of thetheology Jehovah’s Witnesses now hold. After Russell’s death in 1916,Judge J. F. Rutherford, Russell's friend and successor, wrote the sev-enth and final volume of the ‘Millennial Dawn’ series, ‘The FinishedMystery’, in 1917. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society wasfounded in 1886 and quickly became the vehicle through which the‘Millennial Dawn’ movement began distributing their views to others.The group was known as the ‘Russellites’ until 1931 when, due to asplit in the organization, it was renamed the ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses.’The group from which it split became known as the ‘Bible students.’

Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Jehovah’s Witnesses believeJesus is Michael the archangel,the highest created being. Thiscontradicts many Scriptureswhich clearly declare Jesus to beGod (John 1:1,14, 8:58, 10:30).Jehovah’s Witnesses believesalvation is obtained by acombination of faith, goodworks, and obedience. Thiscontradicts countless scriptureswhich declare salvation to bereceived by grace through faith(John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9;Titus 3:5). Jehovah’s Witnessesreject the Trinity, believing Jesusto be a created being and theHoly Spirit to essentially be theinanimate power of God.Jehovah’s Witnesses reject theconcept of Christ’s substitution-ary atonement and instead hold toa ransom theory, that Jesus’ deathwas a ransom payment forAdam’s sin.

What do Jehovah’sWitnesses believe in?

The history of Mormonpolygamy begins with beliefthat Mormonism founderJoseph Smith received arevelation from God on July 17,1831 that some Mormon menwould be allowed to practice‘plural marriage’. This was laterset down in the Doctrine andCovenants by the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-daySaints (LDS Church). When alarge number of its membersobjected to it, some splintergroups left the Mormon churchto practice polygamy.Polygamist Mormon churchesin the US are referred to as‘Mormon fundamentalist.’

Mormons & polygamy ‘Some groupspropagate

polygamy andimmoral

relationships.’

Pastor Arthur Devadoss

should know Christian truth wellenough to be able to deciphercults.

“Cult groups have somethingnovel to offer to people andespecially exploit their gulliblenature,” said he said.

Pastor Arthur Devadoss ofHosanna Ministries had aninteresting anecdote to share.

“The Mormons gave me theirbook sometime ago and I didn’teven bother to read it. They cameback for the book and fought withme,” he said.

However, Pastor Devadoss isworried about another newchurch group.

“There is a new group calledthe Indian Church of Christ thatapproaches people with visitingcards; they worry me the most.They speak the local languageand lure youngsters to join them.They, too, propagate polygamyand immoral relationships,” hesaid.

He has briefed hiscongregation well about suchcults and has asked them to standup for their beliefs. In case theyare unable to do so, he asks themto just invite the cult followers totheir church or refer them to thepastor. “They’ll never trouble youagain,” Devadoss affirmed.

Pastor Jayakaran Emmanuel ofPower House Church echoes thisview.

“It’s better for you not toentertain them. Since we knowtheir beliefs are misleading anduntrue, don’t encourage them andthey won’t approach you further,”he said. Is there anything else thata believer needs to be aware of totackle these cultists?

Rev. D.C. Premraj, Presbyterof St. George’s Cathedral, said:“There are just a few things thatwe should watch out for. First, weshould be strong in our beliefs.We must make an effort tounderstand what we believe in.Second, as our faith and beliefgrow, we must be grounded

Biblically. Our foundation mustbe clear and strong in God’sWord. Third, during any suchencounters, check for Biblicalcontext. Anyone can quote fromthe Bible, but we must know howrelevant and contextual it is.”

Confirmation classes and Biblestudies conducted by churches are

aimed at making the believers’steadfast in their faith, Rev.Premraj added.

Pastor JagadeesanKalyanakumar of HarvestChristian Assembly quotedEphesians 4:16: “Then we willno longer be infants, tossed backand forth by the waves, and blownhere and there by every wind ofteaching and by the cunning andcraftiness of men in their deceitfulscheming.” He added: “The ruleof thumb is that if you know theoriginal, you can identify thecounterfeit. And the more familiaryou are with God’s Word, thebetter you can discern andsafeguard yourself fromdeceptive doctrines.”

In all this, the Bible is the finalauthority to check any doctrine.Sola Scriptura, meaning the Biblealone, is the key theme in thechurch’s reformation of the 16thcentury.

The Jehovah Witnesses, forinstance, proclaim Jesus to be anangel with extraordinary powers.But the Bible very clearly saysthat He is the Messiah, the onlybegotten Son of God whorevealed God and his love tohumanity (John: 3:16). Anotherexample, the Mormons’ scriptureincludes the Bible, the Book ofMormon, the Doctrine andCovenants, and the Pearl of GreatPrice.

As Christians, Pastor JoshuaJeyaseelan, Tamil Baptist Church,said: “We have one revealedWord of God which is the HolyScripture (II Timothy 3:16). Soany new doctrine or cult has tobe analyzed and understood in thelight of the Scripture.”

Pastor Vijayaraghavan said,“We must know how to identify acult and that’s by knowing whatthey are. Cults are majordeviations from orthodoxChristianity relative to the Bible’scardinal doctrines such as theTrinity, the deity of Jesus Christ,the second coming, millennialreign, and salvation by the graceof Jesus Christ.”

It is our responsibility tounderstand our beliefs, our stand.Just like the wise man that builthis house on the Rock, if ourfoundation is strong and built onJesus, it will not be shaken.

Today, it was I who met withthe Mormons, tomorrow it couldbe you. Let us watch and pray forthe salvation of cult members andfor God to grant us the wisdomto stand strong in His Word.

‘Cult groupsexploit

people’sgulliblenature.’

Pastor P Vijayaraghavan

Pastor JagadeesanKalyanakumar

If youknow theoriginal,you can

identify thecounterfeit.

‘Don’tentertain orencourage

them.’

Pastor JeyakaranEmmanuel

Page 4 | September, 2009 Website: www.christianmessenger.inTHE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER

Sept 1: Pray for rains in thecountry. Parched agriculturalgrounds, reports of suicidesamong farmers, proposed 30% cutin water supply to Mumbaikarsand other woes have risen due toshortage of water in India. PrayGod will supply all our needs.

Sept 2: Nearly 1.7 lakhundertrials are languishing inIndian jails for years despite beingbooked for petty offences. Praythat the judiciary takes urgentsteps to secure their release astheir period of detention due toslow pace of justice deliverysystem has overshot the sentencethat would have been awarded hadthey been convicted.

Sept 3: Pray for The ChristianMessenger’s newest book in print,‘The Journey of a Christian JobSeeker’, written by Agnes Amos.Pray that He who gave us theWord will bless the book andmake it a blessing to thousands ofreaders all over the country.

Sept 4: Pray justice is deliveredto Alka’s family. Alka died onMay 6 after consuming pesticidesin front of the IGP’s office inHaryana after police did not arrestany of her five rapists. Herchildren Nishita (8) andHimanshu (7) have been campingat the DCP’s office after policearrested her husband for her death.The Lord is known by thejudgment He executes, says Psalm9:16.

Sept 5: Pray for Manini Digalin Orissa. The 17-year-old girl wasbeaten up before her assailantstried to rape her and burn her aliveduring last year’s anti-Christianriots. She survived the ordeal andis now recuperating from thephysical and mental pain andtrauma.

Sept 6: Pray for overcrowdingin Indian jails to ease. The countryhas 1,500 jails with a capacity tolodge 2.5 lakh prisoners.However, they house 3.5 lakhinmates. Seventy percent of themare undertrials.

Sept 7: Cult groups are on therise in India. Several people havejoined their fold not knowing theyteach a different doctrine and leadtheir members to perdition. Praythat the church stands rooted in theWord and is able to resist the wilesof the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

Sept 8: Pray for DS. The 46-year-old woman wants to lead aholy life but she is unable to doso because of her alcoholichusband. Their maritalrelationship is strained. Pray thatthe Lord rebukes the enemy, thedevourer of peace and prosperityin families (Malachi 3:11).

Sept 9: Every hour 13 peopledie in road accidents in India.According to a recent report, 1.14lakh people lost their lives in roadmishaps in India in 2007. Ourcountry now has the dubiousdistinction of leading the world inroad deaths. Fifty percent of thedeaths are of pedestrians, cyclistsand bikers. Pray for road safety to

improve in our country. Be aresponsible driver and road user.

Sept 10: Pray for India’s peacewith her neighbors, especiallyChina, Pakistan, Bangladesh,Nepal and Sri Lanka. China is saidto be increasing its presence instrategic ports around our coaststo gain an upper hand in the eventof a war with India. May Godspoil the evil designs of the enemy.

Sept 11: Pray for Fellowship ofGlobal Christian Job Seekers, anon-profit organization that isbeing formed across severalnations in the world. The bodywill be registered in the US buthave chapters across the world.Pray that God-intended missionand vision of the organizationcome to pass.

Sept 12: Pray for The ChristianMessenger media ministry. Prayfor the newest book being broughtout by us, ‘The Journey of theChristian Job Seeker’. Pray thatthe book becomes a source ofdivine inspiration and guidance tomillions of unemployed people allover the world.

Sept 13: Pray for your pastor.That God will give him moregrace (James 4:6), spiritualrevelation through the Holy Spirit(John 14:26), anointing (Isaiah10:27) and holiness (1 Peter1:15,16).

Sept 14: Pray for your church.Pray for your pastor, the worshipleaders, the choir, the Sundayschool teachers and the ushers.Pray that the Lord will add newbelievers to the church as He didin Acts 2:47.

Sept 15: According to anestimate, one woman is rapedevery 30 minutes in India.Commit all the women you knowinto the Lord’s hands. Ask LordJesus to cover them with Hisblood.

Sept 16: JK, a retired bankemployee, desires to build a houseon a piece of land. He has beenclaiming a promise given to himby God that he will indeed buildhis own house. Pray that Godopens doors for him this year.

Sept 17: Pray for the institutionof marriage between man and

woman founded by God. Pray forlive-in couples, homosexuals andlesbians who try to distort theholiness associated with marriage.

Sept 18: Pray for God’sprotection over our families fromswine flu. As many as 160countries have been hit by the newvirus. Pray for the Lord’sprotection over the family. Praythat no ‘terror, wasting disease andfever shall consume us and causesorrow of heart’ (Leviticus 26:16).

Sept 19: Colleges have openedafter summer vacation. Pray thatcollege authorities initiatefoolproof anti-ragging measures.Pray that believers’ children whoare entering college for the firsttime this year are protected fromthe evil designs of others.

Sept 20: Pray for KB. The 63-year-old widow is fighting a courtcase over her land in Kerala. Anenvious neighbor is intent oncreating a pathway through herland even though he has anapproach road to his field. Pray tothe One who sits on the thronejudging in righteousness (Psalm9:4).

Sept 21: Pray for the leaderswho rule the nation. Apostle Paulmakes a case for praying for kingsand all those who are in authorityin 1 Timothy 2:2. The reason istwo-fold: 1) That we may lead aquiet and peaceable life in allgodliness and reverence. 2) It isgood and acceptable in the sightof the Lord.

Sept 22: Pray for S. His fatherabandoned his family when hewas very young. He works in aChristian organization, has heardthe gospel and believes in JesusChrist. Pray that this year he willcommit his life to the Lord and bebaptized.

Sept 23: Pray for K. The 40-year old man is unmarried becausehis younger sister, aged 36, is stilla spinster. Pray they come to theLord as a family. Pray that ourGod will break all hindrances intheir lives and make them ablessing to others.

Sept 24: Pray for newly-married couples B and his wifeand S and her husband. Pray thatthe instructions of our God

through Ephesians 5:22-23concerning marriage is followedin every Christian home. Pray thatChristians impact their children’slives positively and are able topoint to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sept 25: Pray for SJ. The 47-year-old man who works abroadis addicted to liquor. He is adiabetic too. Pray that the Lordwho makes all things new (Rev21:5) turns him into a new beingin Christ and uses him mightilyfor His kingdom.

Sept 26: Pray for S. He hasbeen jobless for almost 6 months.Prospective employers cite his age(he is 42) as an issue. He is unableto relocate to other cities as heowns a house in Chennai and hisdaughters study there. Pray for abreakthrough in his career.

Sept 27: Pray for RS. Erodinggum in his lower jaw has exposedthe base of two of his teeth. Praythat Jehovah Rapha heals him andmakes him a testimony to others.

Sept 28: Pray for Albania today.Majority of Albanians do notparticipate in religious servicesAccording to a US Governmentdata, most of them are non-religious. As many as 70.12% ofthem call themselves as eitheratheists or agnostics. OrthodoxChristians constitute 10.33%,Roman Catholics 8.09% andProtestants 0.6%.

Sept 29: Even as drought andfood scarcity loom large over thecountry, Punjab is losing astaggering 18 lakh metric tonnesof wheat to wastage due to callousgovernment attitude. It’s aquantity that can feed 15 lakhfamilies for 365 days, or theweight of entire wheat producedin Australia in a year. Pray thatauthorities realize the need to actand save food grains from rotting.

Sept 30: Thank God forbringing us to the end of themonth. Praise Him for the graceand guidance with which Hewalked us all through the ninemonths, this year.

Pray for the Lord’s SecondComing – that He will count usworthy to be with Him when theLord Himself descends fromheaven with a shout (1Thessalonians 4:16).

PRAY for Christian missionaries around the world who preachthe gospel during these testing times. If God brings to your mindany missionary, uphold him/her in your prayers. Pray that the Lordstrengthens them to proclaim the gospel boldly (Psalm 27:14), meetstheir needs (Philippians 4:19), encourages them in their ministry(Deut 3:8), comforts them in their grief (Psalm 94:19) and helpsthem press on for the eternal prize (Philippians 3:14).

Pray for a missionary you know. Keep him/her in your family prayers all throughthe month. Seek God's guidance in supporting a missionary either directly or

through the organization that he/she represents. Photo courtesy: GFA

Pray for Christian missionariesaround the world

A Vacation Bible School thatwas in session was disrupted andthe local pastor threatened bysome activists of the RashtriyaSwayamsevak Sangh (RSS), afundamentalist Hinduorganization, in Tamil Nadu inMay this year, it has emergednow.

Around 90 children were inattendance in the VBS on May 12when three persons, whoidentified themselves as activistsof the RSS, barged into the classthat was being held in a school inTheni district of Tamil Nadu.

One of them hit a girl and askedthe children to run out of theschool while another man tore thepages of some books, part of theVBS literature. They threatenedPastor S Immanuel, who was in-charge of the VBS, and asked himto stop ‘conversions.’

When the pastor clarified thatno conversions were being donethere, the activists argued withhim saying children retain whatis taught to them at a young agelong after the classes are over.

“During the argument, theactivists tried to beat me up,”Pastor Immanuel of Peace PrayerHouse told The ChristianMessenger.

“We tried explaining to themthat what is being taught at theVBS were some songs and storieswith good morals but they wouldnot listen to me,” he said. TheRSS activists even tried to cowdown the school building owner.

RSS disruptsVBS, threatens

pastor in TN

Therefore let him who thinkshe stands take heed lest he fall.

No temptation has overtakenyou except such as is common toman; but God is faithful who willnot allow you to be temptedbeyond what you are able, butwith the temptation will alsomake the way of escape, that youmay be able to bear it. (1Corinthians 10:12,13)

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Page 5 | September, 2009 Website: www.christianmessenger.in

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THE classic passage from theBible that answers this questionis John 3:1-21. The Lord JesusChrist is talking to Nicodemus, aprominent Pharisee and memberof the Sanhedrin (a ruler of theJews). Nicodemus had come toJesus at night. Nicodemus hadquestions to ask Jesus.

As Jesus talked withNicodemus, He said, “I tell youthe truth, no one can see thekingdom of God unless he is bornagain.”

“How can a man be born whenhe is old,” Nicodemus asked.“Surely he cannot enter a secondtime into his mother’s womb tobe born!” Jesus answered, “I tellyou the truth, no one can enter thekingdom of God unless he is bornof water and the Spirit. Fleshgives birth to flesh, but the Spiritgives birth to spirit. You shouldnot be surprised at my saying,‘You must be born again’” (John3:3-7).

The phrase ‘born again’literally means ‘born from above.’Nicodemus had a real need. Heneeded a change of his heart—aspiritual transformation. Newbirth, being born again, is an actof God whereby eternal life isimparted to the person whobelieves (2 Corinthians 5:17;Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John

2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John1:12,13 indicates that ‘born again’also carries the idea ‘to becomechildren of God’ through trust inthe name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes,“Why does a person need to beborn again?” The Apostle Paul inEphesians 2:1 says, “And you Hemade alive, who were dead intrespasses and sins...” (NKJV).To the Romans in Romans 3:23,the Apostle wrote, “For all havesinned and fall short of the gloryof God.” So, a person needs tobe born again in order to havetheir sins forgiven and have arelationship with God.

How does that come to be?Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it isby grace you have been saved,through faith—and this not fromyourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one canboast.”

When one is ‘saved’, he/she hasbeen born again, spirituallyrenewed, and is now a child ofGod by right of new birth.Trusting in Jesus Christ, the Onewho paid the penalty of sin whenHe died on the cross, is what itmeans to be ‘born again’spiritually. “Therefore, if anyoneis in Christ, he is a new creation:the old has gone, the new hascome!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If you have never trusted in theLord Jesus Christ as your Savior,will you consider the promptingof the Holy Spirit as He speaksto your heart? You need to beborn again. Will you pray theprayer of repentance and becomea new creation in Christ today?“Yet to all who received him, tothose who believed in his name,he gave the right to becomechildren of God— children bornnot of natural descent, nor ofhuman decision or a husband’swill, but born of God” (John1:12-13).

If you want to accept JesusChrist as your Savior and be bornagain, here is a sample prayer.Remember, saying this prayer orany other prayer will not saveyou. It is only trusting in Christthat can save you from sin. Thisprayer is simply a way to expressto God your faith in Him andthank Him for providing for yoursalvation.

“God, I know that I have sinnedagainst you and am deserving ofpunishment. But Jesus Christtook the punishment that Ideserve so that through faith inHim I could be forgiven. I placemy trust in You for salvation.Thank You for Your wonderfulgrace and forgiveness—the gift ofeternal life! Amen!”

What does it mean to be a born again Christian?GUIDE TO SALVATION

How to stay close to the Lord!THE key, each day, is your daily time with the Lord.I suggest that you start the day even if it means getting up 30 minutes

early, and spending time in prayer and the Bible. It strengthens yourpersonal relationship with Christ. It is the best way possible to start anew day. It gives you strength and focus throughout the day. It is alsoa spiritual insurance policy. During your busy day, you will face manychallenges. You will be making many decisions. Having that dailytime with the Lord first thing in the morning, will help you meet thechallenges of life in His strength, not yours, and help you make wiseGodly decisions. BILL KELLER

Page 6 | September, 2009 Website: www.christianmessenger.inTHE CHRISTIAN MESSENGERSept 1: ‘…The effective, fervent

prayer of a righteous man availsmuch.’ James 5:16.

Job was a righteous man alright –he was blameless and upright, hefeared God and shunned evil. Whenhe fell into bad times, God did notautomatically restore everythingback to him. Verse 10 in Job 42 saysGod restored Job’s losses when heprayed for his friends. The Lord gavehim twice as much as he had before.How can you be a righteous man?Learn from Job. He was not onlyGod-fearing but eschewed evil aswell. But listen, even the righteousman abhorred himself and repentedin dust and ashes when he saw themagnificence of God Almighty(verse 6). James 5:16 asks believersto confess our trespasses to oneanother and pray for one another thatyou may be healed. Job knew thesecret to wholesome healing. Thatis, repent of your sins, confess yourtrespasses and with a clearconscience intercede and pray forothers. Have you learned it today?Bible reading: 1 Kings 1, Ezek 1-2.

Sept 2: ‘…Put on tender mercies,kindness, humbleness of mind,meekness, longsuffering;’Colossians 3:13.

In explaining about the characterof the new man one becomes afterhe is in Christ, Paul says the elect ofGod will be holy and beloved.Without holiness no one will seeGod (Hebrews 12:14). God’schildren will be known by theirvirtues and actions – they doeverything with love (1 Corinthians16:14). They are thankful to God andthe peace of God rules in their hearts.Have you known someone like that?That person reflects the image ofGod. They are kind, meek andhumble to one another. However,this is not a phony image. If you andI try to emulate these virtues in ourown strength, one day our bluff willbe called; but if we die to the worldand remember that it is not we wholive but Christ in us (2 Corinthians5:14) then it becomes easy to carrythe yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:29& 30). Bible reading: 1Kings 2,Ezek 3-4.

Sept 3: ‘By this all will know thatyou are My disciples, if you havelove for one another.’ John 13:35.

A house divided will not stand.How does the church stand unitedin these divisive times? Only bybrotherly love displayed by itsmembers will it be possible. Jesusset the mark of identity of Hisfollowers in the above verse. Howwill your family, neighbors, friendsand colleagues know you followJesus? By the love that you displayfor your brethren! A church whosemembers do not care for each otheris in serious trouble of losing itsidentity in Christ. Why is love soimportant? The Bible says it isimpossible to love the unseen Godwithout first loving the brotherwhom he has seen (1 John 4:20).Those who love their brethren haveovercome death to life. He who doesnot love his brother abides in death(1 John 3:15). If bitterness has filledyour heart so much that you cannotsee some eye to eye, remember youare no better than the rest of theworld. Be known as a follower ofJesus. Bible reading: 1 Kings 3,

Ezek 5-6.

Sept 4: For we do not have a HighPriest who cannot sympathize withour weaknesses, but was in all pointstempted as we are, yet without sin.Hebrews 4:15.

The Merriam-Webster dictionarydefines the word ‘coterie’ as anintimate group of persons with aunifying common interest orpurpose. In recent times, however,the word has a negative connotationbecause of its usage with respect tosome corrupt politicians’ innercircle. One aspect of a coterie is thatall members ‘feel for each other.’That comes from an intimateknowledge of each other and issuesthat affect them. Christian groups arealso coteries in that our High Priest(Jesus Christ) knows us intimately.He understands our weaknessesbecause He Himself was temptedwhile He was on earth. However,this sympathy for our weaknessesdoes not allow Him to compromisewith sins associated with them. Forthat would be so unlike of God, theHoly One of Israel! Hebrews 2:17tells us why Jesus was made like usin all things. Because of Him, wehave become the righteousness ofGod in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).This high priest is holy andundefiled and exalted above theheavens (Hebrews 7:26). Biblereading: 1 Kings 4, Ezek 7-8.

Sept 5: “For My thoughts are notyour thoughts, nor are your ways Myways,” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8.

David the shepherd boy had noteven in his wildest dreams imaginedhe’d be king of Israel. When Godanointed him and promised toestablish His covenant with him,David knew one thing for sure: Goddoes not think or act like him, a meremortal (2 Samuel 7:19). In Psalm25:10, David said: ‘All the paths ofthe Lord are mercy and truth.’ Thequalifier is ‘...to such as keep Hiscovenant and His testimonies.’While our thoughts are limited bywhat we know (and our knowledgeis really finite), God in all His glory,looks beyond our life as we know itand into eternity. He has promisedto show great and mighty things thatwe do not know to those who callHim (Jeremiah 33:3). He knows alland there is nothing too hard for Him(Jeremiah 32:17). Surrender yourways to Lord Jesus Christ today. Hehas a better plan for your life! Biblereading: 1 Kings 5, Ezek 9-10.

Sept 6: ‘Let your light so shinebefore men, that they may see yourgood works and glorify your Fatherin heaven.’ Matthew 5:16.

Isaiah 60:1-7 lists out things thatwill happen in the lives of thechildren of God on whom the gloryof God has risen. Verse 3 saysgentiles and kings will come to themseeing and seeking their light. Thishappens because the path of the justis like the shining sun (Proverbs4:18). Light dispels darkness andbrings in new revelation. ApostlePeter cautions the church to conductitself honorably among the Gentilesso that by observing the good worksof the body of Christ, they willglorify God. Do our thoughts, words

and actions bring glory to our Fatherin Heaven? Do they find Christ-likeness in us? If not, let us seek tobury ourselves with Him by baptisminto death that just as Christ wasraised from the death by the gloryof the Father, even so we also shouldwalk in newness of life (Romans6:4). This new life will make theglory of God to shine on us. Biblereading: 1 Kings 6:1-25, Ezek 11-12.

Sept 7: …that you may beblameless in the day of our LordJesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:8.

Do you believe in the secondcoming of Jesus Christ? Perhaps yousaid, ‘Yes, I’m saved and baptizedin the name of Jesus Christ.’ It’sgood to be saved and baptized inChrist. But do you really believe inthe second coming of the Lord? Doyou believe it like you know andbelieve that Tuesday followsMonday? Christ’s second coming isno mumbo-jumbo. It’s for real. It’sthe axis on which the faith of theChurch hangs. Paul made aninteresting point about this fact in 1Corinthians 1. The church at Corinthwas enriched in the knowledge of theLord so much so that they wereeagerly waiting for the revelation ofJesus Christ. To believe is to act onwhat you believe. That’s what theCorinthians did. To them, therevelation of Jesus Christ was notan empty doctrine. They believed itand were eager to see it happen. Tosuch is the promise today: They’dbe blameless when the Lord appearson the judgment seat. Bible reading:1 Kings 6:26-38, Ezek 13-14.

Sept 8: If you, then, being evil,know how to give good gifts to yourchildren, how much more will yourFather who is in heaven give goodthings to those who ask Him.Matthew 7:11.

Psalms 53:2 says God finds thereis none who does good, not even oneon the earth. We are evil by natureand none of us can boast of beingotherwise. However, God findssome good things in us, too. Liketending and caring for our childrenfor instance. None of us would liketo be a bad parent. God knows thatand acknowledges our efforts inbeing good to our offspring. Thepoint, Jesus is making here, is thatGod the Holy One of Israel is willingto give good things to us, Hischildren. He is the best parent onecan ever get on both sides of eternity.We only need to ask. Why does Godwant us to ask? Doesn’t He knowour needs even before we raise themwith Him? Yes, but God delights inHis children who come to His throneof grace for every need in life.What’s your need today? Go to yourHeavenly Father. Bible reading: 1Kings 7, Ezek 15.

Sept 9: I have become all thingsto all men, that I might by all meanssave some. 1 Corinthians 9:22.

To whom do you proclaim theGospel of Jesus Christ? Do youreach out to the lost and the hurtingworld or are you happy to contain itwithin yourself? If the joy ofsalvation is full in you, you cannotbut let it flow. Paul says he went out

of the way to preach the Gospel. Headapted himself to various people.‘To the Jews I became as a Jew, thatI might win Jews….to the weak Ibecame as weak…’ That’s the modelwe need to follow today. We need toadapt ourselves to preach the Gospelbased on the people we are targeting.The message does not need anyalteration or adaptation. The Wordof God is unchanging and does notneed any embellishments. It’s uswho needs to change to reflect thelove of Christ. Whom do you wantto win for Jesus today? Is it yourneighbor, colleague or someone inyour own family? Remember Paul’smodel of evangelism. Biblereading: 1 Kings 8, Ezek 16-17.

Sept 10: In the day of prosperitybe joyful, but in the day of adversityconsider: Surely God has appointedthe one as well as the other, so thatman can find nothing that willhappen after him. Ecclesiastes 7:14.

Someone once said ‘Everythingis wrong until God sets it right.’ Howtrue! Everything that we know islimited by our intellect, distorted byour understanding and colored byour experiences. While satan wouldwant you to believe that you are themaster of your destiny, the truth isfar from it. The truth, according tothe Bible, is God determineseverything that happens on the earth.Of course, we are responsible for ourattitudes and actions, our responsesto happenings around us. God in Hissupreme wisdom has made both theday of prosperity and the day ofadversity. What is our attitude in thedays of prosperity? Do we think weare prosperous because we deserveit or we earned it through our works?When we are in bad times, what isour response? Do we blameourselves for the misery and thestrait path? Psalm 104:24 says: ‘OLord, how manifold are Your works!In wisdom You have made them all.’When we know how limited ourlives are, how can we not praise Godwhose years have no end (Psalm102:27).Bible reading: 1 Kings 9, Ezek 18-19.

Sept 11: …God has chosen thefoolish things of the world to put toshame the wise, and God has chosenthe weak things of the world to putto shame the things which aremighty. 1 Corinthians 1:27.

Goliath the giant had enormousphysical strength. He wasaccomplished in battles and knewhow to instill fear in his opponentsby his stature, war cry and bravado.But one sling shot was all it took tofell the giant. Who was the victor?David, a mere shepherd boy. Whydid God allow this? Goliath defiedthe living God. Solomon wasdeemed as the wisest man who livedon the earth. He spoke 3,000proverbs and sang 1005 songs (1Kings 4:32). Royalty like Queen ofSheba visited his palace to test hisknowledge (1 Kings 10:1). Yet,Solomon’s lifestyle is not cited as amodel for a believer. Why? Becauseof Solomon’s sins in taking manywives, going against God’scommand in marrying and living toplease his idolatrous wives. God is

not attracted by man’s strength,power, wisdom or other ‘goodqualities’. What He seeks in us is abroken spirit and a contrite heart(Psalm 51:17). He will revive yourspirit today (Isaiah 57:15).Bible reading: 1 Kings 10, Ezek 20-21.

Sept 12: Even so the Lord hascommanded that those who preachthe gospel should live from thegospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14.

Oftentimes, we find there is someconfusion regarding this verse. Overthe next few days, we will try toexamine some of the questionssurrounding this issue. Firstly, didour Lord really say this? If weexamine Luke 10, we see Jesusappointing 70 people besides the 12disciples He had selected. Thesewere to go into cities and places thatJesus Himself was planning to visit.However, these were notreconnaissance trips. Verse 9 sayswhat they ought to do. They had apreaching and healing ministry. Inverse 7, he addressed a key questionon the minds of the 70 people. Whatwere they to do to supportthemselves? Since a laborer wasworthy of his wages, they were tolodge in the house of those who werewilling to support them. However,Jesus was careful to lay down a fewrules: Do not go from house tohouse. They were to eat whateverwas set before them. In other words,they were not to make any demandsor expect any special concessions tothem. Bible reading: 1 Kings 11,Ezek 22-23.

Sept 13: ‘Carry neither moneybag, sack, nor sandals; and greet noone along the road.’ Luke 10:4.

Jesus’ directive to the 70 peopleappointed to spread the gospel wasdetailed. Verses 2 to 10 are full ofinstructions to the ministers of theWord. We will examine a few ofthose instructions. 1) They were topray for laborers into the Lord’sharvest. No pastor or evangelist cansee another co-worker in the Lord’sVineyard as a rival or a competitor.They all work for the same Master.2) They were not to carry provisionsfor their journey. Their mission tripwas faith-based. 3) They were notto greet any one along the road. Iwonder what Jesus meant by thispiece of instruction. He was perhapsteaching them to depend on Himrather on people they may encounteralong the way. They were to walkby faith not by sight. The Lord’sinstructions to those called into theLord’s harvest are still the same:They ought to pray to God to callmore ministers into the vineyard.Their life and mission will be faith-based and their mission will bepeople-oriented but God-centered.Bible reading: 1 Kings 12, Ezek 24-25.

Sept 14: ‘…for a worker isworthy of his food.’ Matthew10:10.

Even when Jesus sent out His 12disciples on their first mission trip,He had a set of instructions for them.A good chunk of them dealt withhow they were to walk by faith andnot by sight. Besides thoseinstructions on whom to share thegospel with, the Lord also instructedthem on how they ought not storeanything for their journey. Neithergold, nor silver, nor copper coins inthe wallets. Today’s ministers of Godtoday may or may not be following

(Monthly Devotional for September, 2009)THE WORD TODAY

Page 7 | September, 2009 Website: www.christianmessenger.inTHE CHRISTIAN MESSENGERthese instructions down to the lastword, but the body of Christ has anobligation to support those fromwhom they receive the Lord’s Word.Paul renounced this right for tworeasons: 1) He did not want to hinderthe gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians9:12) 2) He believed a rewardawaited him for his tent-makingefforts to meet his needs and thoseof his companions. There are a fewchurches that follow the Paulinemodel. But by and large, mostchurches and organizations live byJesus’ assertion found in Matthew10:10. What’s the message to thebody of Christ? Read James 4:17.Bible reading: 1 Kings 13, Ezek 26-29.

Sept 15: ‘But these are the onessown on good ground, those whohear the word, accept it, and bearfruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty,and some a hundred.’ Mark 4:20.

As a child, I often heard mymother use Jesus’ words (thirtyfold,sixty and hundred) when she askedfor God’s blessings on us, herchildren. To a child’s mind, thenumbers were magical – thequantum of increase wasstupendous. Bearing fruit is ablessed experience. No man canhope to lead a fruitful life beforeGod by deciding to not walk withHim. John 15:4 says without Jesuswe can do nothing leave aloneproducing fruit. How fruitful do youwant your life to be? Do you want30 or 60 or a 100-fold increase inyour life? Turn to Jesus. Today’sverse says you must hear the Wordand accept it to bear fruit. Thefruitfulness of our lives depends onhow deeply rooted we are in Christ.How do we measure the depth of ourroots in Christ? Examine yourself:Is the Bible everything to us? Do weseek God’s counsel in every area ofour life? Do we allow Him to beLord over all things in our lives? Ifnot, our roots are pretty shallow.Bible reading: 1 Kings 14, Ezek 30.

Sept 16: Incline my heart to Yourtestimonies, and not tocovetousness. Psalm 119:36.

Psalm 119 is a remarkable chapterthat lists out the excellencies of theWord of God. Those who havechosen the way of the truth will clingto God’s Word. For them, God’sstatutes and precepts are above all.It is not as if we chose to follow Godunder duress. The psalmists says:‘Make me walk in the path of Yourcommandments, for I delight in it.’Yes, it is a delight to follow Jesus.For His yoke easy and His burden islight (Matthew 11:30). A man whodecides to follow Christ should notrely on his own strength. ‘Oh, thatmy ways were directed to keep Yourstatutes.’ Such a man, who looks upto Jesus will not be put to shame.Will you decide to follow Jesus andcommit all your ways to Him today?Bible reading: 1 Kings 15, Ezek 31-32.

Sept 17: ‘He who believes in Me,believes not in Me but in Him whosent Me.’ John 12:44.

How do you challenge those whoquestion the deity of Jesus Christ ordeny the truth of trinity? By theWord, of course. The Bible has allthe answers every skeptic, atheistand agnostic would ever need.Today’s verse is a direct challengeto those who deny the deity of Jesus.There are some cult groups who

claim Jesus is only an angel sent byJehovah God. Nothing could befarther from the truth that iscontained in the Bible. Examine theverse. Those who believe in thelordship of Jesus Christ believe inGod the Father, who sent Him to theworld. It’s that simple. In Matthew10:40, Jesus’ words are recordedthus: ‘He who receives you receivesMe, and he who receives Mereceives Him who sent Me.’ Thosewho believe in Lord Jesus Christ andhears His word is assured of eternallife. We are called to be not justhearers but doers of the Word (James1:22). Bible reading: 1 Kings 16,Ezek 33-34.

Sept 18: ‘If anyone loves Me, hewill keep My word; and My Fatherwill love him, and We will come tohim and make Our home with him.’John 14:23.

This is another place where Jesusgave us sufficient support in theBible to challenge the cultists whodeny the deity of Christ. Thequestion that we need to throw tothe cult groups is how they claim tohave known the Father withoutknowing who the Son really is. InJohn 14:15 he said: ‘If you love Me,keep My commandments.’ Someversions say ‘If you love Me, youwill keep my commandments.’ It isboth as much an instruction to us asit is His expectation of us. There’sno other way to know the Father. In1 John 2:5, we read: ‘…He whoeverkeeps His word, truly the love ofGod is perfected in him. By this weknow that we are in Him.’ Can we,like the psalmist say, ‘You are myportion, O Lord. I have said that Iwould keep Your words.’ Psalm119:57. Bible reading: 1 Kings 17,Ezek 35-36.

Sept 19: ‘Beloved, do not believeevery spirit, but test the spirits,whether they are of God...’ 1 John4:1.

What do you when cultistsconfront you with their claim thatthey are the true church? The Bibleasks us to test the spirits to seewhether they are of God. Childrenof God need to know what to believeand what not to believe. The Bibletells us that we ought to test thespirits to know whether they are ofGod. In Acts 8, we read of Simonthe Sorcerer. He astonished peoplearound him with his sorceries for along time. It is possible for Satan toperform miracles too. The magiciansin Egypt also performed miracles tocounter those God performedthrough Moses. But eventually, Godwon. How do we test the spirits?Simple. ‘Every spirit that confessesthat Jesus Christ has come in theflesh is of God.’ (verse 3). Darknesshas no fellowship with light. Satancannot profess Jesus to be the Lord.Bible reading: 1 Kings 18, Ezek 37-38.

Sept 20: ‘…You do not have Hisword abiding in you, because whomHe sent, Him you do not believe.’Matthew 5:38.

At one time, the Jews were madat Jesus because He healed a manwith a certain infirmity for 38 years.When they tried to find fault withHim for he had done it on a Sabbathday, Jesus equated Himself with theHeavenly Father. This infuriated theJews no end. Matthew 5:17 to 47offer an excellent commentary onhow Jesus views sectarian groups

that deny His deity. It’s as if He isaddressing the cultists directly inverses 38 to 43. Though He wasessentially talking to the Jews whorefused to accept Him as theMessiah, he could have beenspeaking to some separatists today.The Word does not abide in them,who deny that Jesus is Lord. Thecultists search the Scriptures butonly to twist the verses out ofcontext to suit their claims. Thedeath knell to such groups issounded when Jesus says in verse42: ‘But I know you, that you do nothave the love of God in you.’ Whatfellowship can such people claim tohave? Isn’t all of their devotion,sermons and charity null and void ifthe love of God is absent in them?Bible reading: 1 Kings 19, Ezek 39-40.

Sept 21: I will speak of Yourtestimonies also before kings, andwill not be ashamed. Psalm 119:46.

In Matthew 10:18, Jesus warnedHis disciples that they will bebrought before those who are inpower for His sake as a testimony tothem and to the gentiles. Whatwould happen when that actuallytakes place in our lives today?Would we disown the gospel andshame our Lord Jesus Christ? Orbravely testify to His saving power!The psalmist is determined that hewill not be put to shame before kingsbecause of God’s testimonies. WhenPaul was produced before KingAgrippa, the apostle did not turnweak in his knees. Paul used theopportunity to testify to the king thecircumstances in which he found thelove of Jesus. His testimony was sopowerful that Agrippa conceded‘You almost persuade me to becomea Christian’ (verse 28). Who ispersuaded to become a follower ofJesus today by our actions, wordsand behavior? If not even our ownhousehold sees the change in usbecause Jesus is within us, it’s timeto examine ourselves andreprioritize things in our lives. ‘Seekye first the kingdom of God’(Matthew 6:33). Bible reading: 1Kings 20-21, Ezek 41-43.

Sept 22: I thought about myways, and turned my feet to Yourtestimonies. Psalm 119:59.

One of the first things that happento a believer who repents of his sinsand accepts Jesus as his savior is anintense desire for a change. Proverbs1:7 says the fear of the Lord is thebeginning of knowledge. When wecome to accept Jesus’ Lordship,knowledge begins. This knowledgeinstructs us and teaches us the wayin which we should walk. The newbeliever decides not to walk in thecounsel of the ungodly, nor stand inthe path of sinners nor sits on theseat of the scornful. He, however,delights in the law of the Lord andmeditates it day and night (Psalm1:1,2). And the way of the righteous,Psalm 1:6 says, the Lord knows.How blessed to be in the knowledgeof the Lord. Bible reading: 1 Kings22, Ezek 44-45.

Sept 23: ‘For many are called, butfew are chosen.’ Matthew 22:14.

Hell is described as a place ofouter darkness where there isweeping and gnashing of teeth inMatthew 22:13. It must be a placefit for those rejected by the King. Butwhy does the King reject those Hecalled for the wedding? He was the

One who called them in the firstplace. Now, why does He reject themand choose only a few? Indeed, theKing had invited the good and thebad. But in order for them to enjoythe proceedings, they must have thewedding garment – the sanctificationof the Holy Spirit. Those who lackit will not make it. Hebrews 12:14describes holiness as an essentialcharacter without which no one willsee the Lord. To be among thechosen, we need to be holy for theLord our God is holy. (1 Peter 1:15)Bible reading: 2 Kings 1-2, Ezek46-48.

Sept 24: ‘There’s a way whichseems right to a man, but its end isthe way of death.’ Proverbs 14:12.

Human heart, by nature, isdeceitful. It likes to believe infalsities, is conceited and generallydoes not love rebuke. Despite this,all human beings, left to themselves,like to consider themselves as fair.But God, who weighs our hearts,knows the truth. So, if we can’t trustour own judgment how do we ensurewe are on the right path? The Biblesays the righteous man delights inHis law. He meditates it day andnight (Psalm 1). The Word of Godis the only yardstick which canmeasure our righteousness and holda mirror to us. Bible reading: 2Kings 3-4.

Sept 25: ‘Heaven and earth willpass away, but My words will by nomeans pass away.’ Matthew 24:35.

These are days when people seemto be finally realizing the futility ofclinging on to worldly treasures,possessions and comforts. Whenglobal banks go bust, industriesflounder, stock markets tank andpink-slipping seems to be the orderof the day, the full import of whatJesus told his disciples in a privateconversation is coming alive. Jesuswas telling them about the end ofthis age as we know it. He summedit up by saying that in this world ofimpermanence, the only one thingthat will remain is His words. TheSavior is coming again. Are weready? Bible reading: 2 Kings 5-7.

Sept 26: But the fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, longsuffering,kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control. Againstsuch there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.

The Spirit bears fruit in one’s lifeonly when he or she completelyoffers himself or herself to do thewill of God. When we stop resistingthe Holy Spirit and yield ourselvesto Him, He takes control of ourlives.The love that it produces isagape or the selfless love. The fruitof the Spirit leads one to get closerto God. Our God has allowed us tolive for one more year in the hopethat we will bear fruit. Do we bearthe right fruit in our lives? Biblereading: 2 Kings 8-11.

Sept 27: ‘God is Spirit, and thosewho worship Him must worship inspirit and truth.’ John 4:24.

What did Jesus mean when Hesaid these words to an ordinarySamaritan woman? He was not onlyteaching that woman and futuregeneration of believers about howto worship God but revealing aboutHimself too. What did Jesus meanwhen he said those who worshipHim (God) must worship in spiritand truth? To understand the

meaning, look at the first part of theverse. Jesus reveals a basiccharacteristic of God, the Father –He is Spirit. And in John 14:6, Jesustalked about Himself when He said:‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’Believers are supposed to worshipGod, the Spirit and God the Truthas well. Bible reading: 2 Kings 12-15.

Sept 28: ‘If you love Me, keepMy commandments.’ John 14:15.

True love makes us do somethingfor our beloved. Love looks for waysto demonstrate itself to its object ofveneration. We tend to seek a stampof approval from our loved onesover our plans and actions. How canwe show God that He is our objectof love? Jesus gives a very simpleanswer in this verse. Love calls foraction. If you want to keep that love,you need to keep Hiscommandments. Proverbs 8:36 says‘All those who hate me love death.’The corollary of that verse would be‘All those who love Him love life.’This life is eternal. That’s promisedto only those who demonstrate theirlove to Him by keeping Hiscommandments. That’s the only waywe can prove ourselves to Him.Bible reading: 2 Kings 16-18.

Sept 29: You shall teach themdiligently to your children, and shalltalk of them when you sit in yourhouse, when you walk by the way,when you lie down, and when yourise up. Deuteronomy 6:7.

One of the greatest things we canteach our children is to learn thingsfrom God Himself. He is the greatestteacher ever. Let the Holy Spirit betheir guide (Psalm 32:8). Let themlearn to listen to the still, small voiceof God (1 Kings 19:12). Let HisWord be a lamp to their feet and alight to their path (Psalm 119:105).Children will never learn thesethings on their own. That’s why Godput parents on earth. The Bible hasa command to parents: ‘Train up achild in the way he should go, andwhen he is old he will not departfrom it.’ Proverbs 22:6. God alsowants parents to walk in His way sothe children have a model to workon themselves. Joshua asked his mento pick up 12 stones from the Jordanto be set up as memorial in Gilgal.Those stones were to tell theirchildren of the amazing act of Godthat made them cross the river(Joshua 4:21-24). Bible reading: 2Kings 19-21.

Sept 30: Hatred stirs up strife; butlove covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12

Is there hurt in your relationshipswith others? Are you unable toforgive others for what they did toyou? Look within yourself andyou’ll discover that the fountain oflove in you has dried up. Lack oflove leads to fears and insecuritiesthat make you imagine the worst inyour relationship with others. Loveis the greatest, says Paul. Love isgreater than faith and hope. Whenyou find love lacking in you, wherewill you go for a fresh, new refill?Go to Jesus, He will give you livingwater. And when your heart is filledwith His love, you cannot butforgive the trespasses of thosearound you. Bible reading: 2 Kings22-25.

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SHERINE Kingsly is adynamic and a godly woman, aDirector of the Chennai-basedBiblical Counselling Ministries.Founded by David Meengs in1997, Biblical Counsellingreaches out to people from allwalks of life. Attending one oftheir programmes in CounsellingTraining 11 years ago, Sherinewas drawn to this unique ministryand became a part of it. THECHRISTIAN MESSENGERspoke to Sherine to find abouthow she has been managing theministry for the past 11 years andwhat biblical counselling is allabout.

What exactly is BiblicalCounselling Ministries about?

The main focus of BiblicalCounselling Ministries is to offercounselling based on the Bible.It could be for any problem – wecounsel people based on theWord of God. We have acounselling manual called Self-Confrontation that is completelybased on Bible principles.

How does biblicalcounselling vary from what isoffered by psychiatrists anddoctors?

While doctors prescribemedicines and psychiatrists offer

theories, we offer guidance fromthe Bible about how to changeyour own life. In many cases, wehave seen that when a personchanges himself, applying God’sWord to his lifestyle, problemsseem to vanish automatically,because God blesses theirobedience. Our counselling isbased on Matthew 7:1-5. Wegently guide the person to followChrist’s way of handlingsituations. Biblical counsellingdeals with practical solutions.

Who comes in forcounselling and how is it done?

We have had people fromChristian and non-Christianbackgrounds walking into ouroffice and seeking help. For non-Christians, we present ourcounselling in the same way aswe do for the rest and hope thatthey will see the need for Christin their lives.

If they do, we also guide theminto salvation. We mainly havepeople coming in for marriagecounselling and family problems,teenagers with troubles, oldpeople who cannot cope alone,and so on.

We generally try to have atleast two to three face-to-facesessions depending on theproblem. We follow up with themand give them biblical solutions

time and again. We have seen thiswork positively in so many cases!

What are the benefits of suchcounselling?

The benefits are numerous. Forone, counselling offers hope thatthings will change. It gives achance for people to talk freelyand express themselves and seetheir problems with a clearperspective.

Biblical counselling also givesthem a chance to change theirlives and start afresh. With suchcounselling, we can preventunnecessary suicidal deaths anddepression.

What else does BiblicalCounselling Ministries offer?We send out a free magazine

every month called the BiblicalCounsellor in which we addressdifferent problems from aBiblical perspective. Themagazine comes out in English,Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Thereare also several books authoredby David Meengs that areavailable in Christian bookstores.Bible colleges use these books intheir courses. We have anorphanage with around 25 kidsfrom broken families. We alsohave a tailoring school forwidows and destitute women tohelp them get back on their feet.We counsel them and gentlyguide them to a life of hope.

What are the outreachprogrammes that you haveplanned for the future?

Biblical CounsellingMinistries is already conductingseminars and sessions all overIndia and offering courses incounselling for pastors,evangelists, and anyone who isinterested in the counsellingministry.

Soon, we would like to reachout further and touch colleges,schools, and other Christiangroups also.

We want people to be awarethat such a ministry exists andthat it can offer hope for all theirproblems in Christ.

You are handling so manydifferent kinds of work. Whichdo you enjoy the most?

I enjoy admin/HR work.Working with people isinteresting because each personis different. Handling employeesitself is a form of discipleship.

I also enjoy counsellingbecause we suggest practicalways in which the Bible appliesto a person’s problem orsituation. Often, people return totell us how they benefited fromthe counselling. Seeing how Godhas changed their lives gives meimmense satisfaction.

How do you balance homeand work?

I think with good planning, awoman can manage both well. Ihave no guilt about being aworking woman despite havingtwo bubbly girls who need a lotof attention. I feel satisfied that Iam doing justice to my familyand my work.

How can people who areinterested in biblicalcounselling reach you?

Our address is BiblicalCounselling Bookshop, PlotNo.1, Muthumari Amman KoilStreet, Madhavaram, Chennai –600 060. Our phone numbers are:044 – 25581496, 25583446. Wecan also be reached by e-mail:bcti@vsnl.com (ArtCorner)

‘Biblical counselling calls for practical solutions’BY ANITHA BENNETT

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Can you go to all these places with the Word?* Udaipur, Rajasthan* Imphal, Manipur* Mapusa, Goa* Tehari, Uttaranchal* Jharsuguda, Orissa* Satna, Madhya Pradesh* Darjeeling, West Bengal* Chilakalapudi, Andhra Pradesh* Pune, Maharashtra* Dimapur, Nagaland* Darrang, BAC, Assam* Eraviperoor, Kerala* Raipur, Chattisgarh* Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh* Bagepalli, Karnataka* Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

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Sherine Kingsly,Director, Biblical

Counselling Ministries