EDITORIAL
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ave you wondered how skillful and successful we are in burying the worst-known fears deep into our sub-conscious terrain? Fears lie there all piled up for ever. We do not want to face our fears, simply because we are afraid! Afraid of our own fears. Let us raise this question: Are we as Christians set free completely from the grip of fear? The answer is both a resounding “yes” and ”No.” Most of our songs that over-emphasize the phrase, “I am not afraid,” seem to betray us. For we are truly afraid in spite of the fact we sing in order to allay our fears. Do we know when exactly did fear enter human kind? It was soon after the beginning of creation. The first man Adam replied His Creator God in this way: “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”( Gen.3:10). Ever since, it had been the story of man covering himself up with fig leaves! We are afraid, therefore we cover up. Perhaps, Adam and Eve enjoyed the company of God in the cool of the day. Soon, something happened and fear gripped them. Since then, we are not accustomed to gaze into the beauty of who God is. This was the If only we knew God in longing of David which he expresses it in Psalm 27: 4b ”… that I may gaze upon the beauty of intimate terms as a loving the Lord and seek him in his temple.” If only Father, then there would be we knew God in intimate terms as a loving no untoward fear about the Father, then there would be no untoward fear God who is a consuming about the God who is a consuming fire. fire. Unfortunately, God had to be feared in the wrong sense all through the ages. For God placed Cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen3:24). Intimacy with God provides man with due information about who God is. This is to say that man begins to understand the heart of God. In other words, we call this spiritual knowledge. Man is created in the image of God and therefore he is a spiritual being. The knowledge of God on the basis of one’s faith removes unnecessary fear from the heart of man. Christian Thought Series
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The biggest problem that human race faces today is the fear of the unknown. Fear of holocaust, nuclear war, financial melt-down, epidemicand most of all, the fear of God’s judgment! Who among us is without fear? Fear can paralyze normal people useless and unproductive. Fear is an abnormal symptom. It begins at the mind – where imaginations go wild. A lady dreaded of almost every disease she had heard of and greatly feared which one of the diseases might befall her and thought she would suffer from any one of them. But in reality, in few years time, she died not because of one disease – but a multiple of diseases! Fear originated in Eden, but not out of God. Devil invented it! God, on the other hand If evolutionists deny God’s provided man freedom – to enjoy, to control, to Creation, they must also be be fruitful, to increase and to rule! But the first able to explain as to how man was found to be afraid of something that fear entered all mankind. he was unable to explain or express. Today, we Was it just an accidentshare Adam’s DNA – which goes on from simply evolved? generation to generation. If evolutionists deny God’s Creation, they must also be able to explain as to how fear entered all mankind. Was it just an accident- simply evolved? How accurate it is one does not know, but there is a saying that there are about 365 “Fear Not’s” in the Bible – one promise for each day! People everywhere are stricken with fear. Instead of pointing them to dispense the right dose of antidote for fear from God’s Word, more and more trickster-evangelists are manipulating people’s fear to their own advantage. David was forthright in confessing to God: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. (Ps.56:3). It was way back in 1975, a movie was released called the “Fear Over The City” It was a suspense thriller depicting a serial killer stalking women who were considered very free due to their emancipation. Nearly 40 years later, don’t we see this fear in our own cities? Young women are afraid to live and work in bigger cities. Child molestation, rape and murder has become a kind of terror to all the city-dwellers. Fear has its root in sin. Sin and Fear are connected. Where there is sin, there exists fear. When fear resides in us, it is always connected to some form or manifestation of sin. Christian Thought Series
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Fear of Rejection - Fear of darkness – Fear of future – Fear of financial insecurity – Fear of the loss of loved ones – the list is endless. Now simply let us ask ourselves: Where is God in all this? When there is the loss of perfect love for God, fear creeps in. Believers are no exception. I had been more than once afraid, seeing believers caught up in the grip of fear! Paul reminded Timothy: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Tim.1:7). Timidity means lacking in confidence and courage. Healthy fear is helpful. “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom” “The man who fears the Lord will be blessed.” There are not many people who are used to this kind of positive, reverential and holy fear. There is one thing we should be afraid about. And that is, never to hurt the heart of God who is a loving Father. If we call ourselves believers and caught up endlessly in the web called fear, then it is probable that we are hurting God. There can be no other reason for oneself to be fearful all the time. They may be those who pray, sing, go to church, participate in all the Christian activities. But they are the most joy-less, fearful people. They may those who call God as “Lord, Lord” but have failed to do the will of Him Who is in Heaven. If a believer is constantly found to be out of the will of God- religious on the outside and rebellious to the ways of God on the inside, it may be, that person is said to be all the time stricken with some kind of fear. What are you afraid about right now – at this point of time? Is your employment at stake? Or, your marriage is falling apart? Your children going astray in spite of prayer and upbringing? Deep hurt inflicted by friends or family? - A sin that is bothering you – and that you are unable to come out of it? Let us also get this right: Being in the will of God and obeying Him also does not mean that we would be completely free from fear. As God’s people, we know there are times when we are afraid. Conflicts within and troubles without tend to control us. But we must see that fear does not linger on over our heads. It is as if to say in Martin Luther’s words: “We cannot avoid birds from flying over our heads, but we can definitely stop them from building their nests over there!” I have seen cowardly-godly men in my ministry. They are fearful about almost everything – their positional security, possible loss of their income, reputation and so on. I read somewhere that cowards are not wanted in heaven! There are men and women who are supposedly godly (by the way, Christian Thought Series
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the previous issue covered the subject on Sin and Fear are Godliness!), but are fearful. I know of a always connected. supposedly godly and prayerful lady who used A sinful mind is often capable of to suffer with bouts of fear. At nights, she was bringing out trash known to wake up screaming with the slightest from the subjerk on her body. I met scores of counselees conscious level . who have had problems in their very thinking that they imagined fearful things. For example, that their spouse will elope with another man or woman, and the worst that I have heard was the fear of a spouse who would murder her! Do we see the point? Sin and Fear are always connected. A sinful mind is often capable of bringing out trash from the sub-conscious level. There are some very godly men who are deeply worried and being fearful about their ministry. Some of them built up a church or a ministry without a proper leadership to follow later on. The worry about how the work would be carried on after their demise is the greatest worry that some of them possess. This only shows that they have built for themselves a citadel in the name of the ministry – rather than building the Kingdom of God. John Wesley said: God changes His workmen, but His work goes on! Are there not TV channels that induce unhealthy fear about the Coming Of Our Lord? There must be joyful anticipation and godly preparation instead of fear. A man has built up a business house. He finds his health failing all of a sudden. He is unable to pass on the baton to a suitable person. He suffers financial loss. He is afraid. An elderly lady left to fend for herself by her children – simply worried and at times afraid about her future. The causes for worry and fear are endless. We might not be able to evade any of these issues that are real. What is the way out of our threatening situations? Here is David’s answer to this question: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging. (Ps.46:1,2). This should be a tonic for our weary souls – and our fearful minds. -Joshua Dhanabalan Christian Thought Series
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EFFECTS OF FEAR I will fear no evil Ps.23:4
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hen was the last time did you recognize that fear is no more a stranger but taking hold of you on many counts? Unless rooted out, sooner or later fear would destabilize what is otherwise a normal, and joyful life of a Christian. Fear can bound a believer in what may be called a prolonged preoccupied state of anxiety. Such a Christian would soon become unproductive and inactive and spiritual matters would make no sense to him or her. Thoughtless Conduct: Believers are admonished to experience the “renewal of their minds” (Rom.12:1,2). This is when they enjoy spiritual transformation. Henceforth, they would apply their minds to adopt, accept, reject, remove, understand or discern things that may please or displease God. Are there Christians who are thoughtless and unimaginative? Even the people of the world with whatever light remains with them are better off than many believers in their general conduct. If one has not surrendered his or her mind to the Lordship of Christ, then there is every Fear destabilizes possibility that the mind getting corrupt by effectiveness in the course worldly thinking which is largely dominated by of one’s normal activity. the prince of this world. Such a mind is always A fearful person cannot confused and experiences conflict of different think rationally. kinds. There are people all around us who are restless and they attempt doing things in haste. Behind restlessness and haste lurks fear. Aren’t we familiar with some people who rush in and out in Railway stations and Airports? Look at their faces. They are pale and fearful. With sweaty faces and parched throats they are seen pitifully dragging their luggage. Co-passengers either take pity or poke at them. But these are people who have not over come fear. Fear destabilizes effectiveness in the course of one’s normal activity. A fearful person cannot think rationally. It alters his/her thinking. The Bible declares: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. (Isa. 26:3)”. Panicking: The result of this kind of fear is that it makes a person lose his control in a given situation. Such people make rash and foolish Christian Thought Series
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decisions without prior thought. This kind of behavior found in a believer would result in a prolonged and catastrophic effect on him and to those who are associated with him. Believers who make undue claims about their visions and dreams must ensure if such things originated from God. It is one thing to talk about spiritual experience or about “Rebirth.” What is of vital importance to a Christian is when these things form the basis for every other decision made on the direction of God and His Word. When the enemies were in hot pursuit after David, he did not fear or panic. Instead, he sought the counsel of God and strengthened Himself in the Lord. When fear takes over, it blinds our eye and for a while, we do not think. We seldom pray. We do not relax. We tend to do things in a huff. God’s Word encourages us in this way: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isa. 30:15). The fact of salvation experience is that we do not just receive forgiveness of sins, but also rest and quietness. Believers going through a ‘topsy-turvy’ kind of life indicates their lack of perfect peace. Psycho-somatic Disorders: Fear can cause syndromes both in the body and mind. In India, mostly among the rural masses, children are given into unhealthy fear by parents telling them about ‘ghost’ under a tree or in the dark store-room. Who on earth invented stories where ghosts appear in the dead of the night, right at 12 o’ clock? It is not uncommon to Where did these superstitious stories emerge find Christians having from? Unfortunately, in the interior villages, been possessed by the evil-spirit wanderings are real – for most of demonic spirits even after the claim of their these places are barren and uninhabited. “salvation and SpiritAgain, the temples and their worship places are f illed-Anointing” considered to be places for demons’ habitation experience! – for they are being invoked and worshipped there. When a believer gets converted from a background such as this, he or she tends to bring along this mind-set which had been deeply imprinted in their psyche. It is not uncommon to find Christians having been possessed by demonic spirits even after the claim of their “salvation and Spirit-filled-Anointing” experience! In fact, they are not set free in their body and mind. Those of us who share the good news of Jesus Christ must make sure that we spell clearly the truth of the gospel and what it does to those who believe, so that the deliverance Christ offers is complete and real. As I have already quoted elsewhere in the previous issue of these columns, that some years ago in my ministry, I had encountered a demonChristian Thought Series
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possessed woman who suddenly became unconscious and fell into the baptism tank , just when I uttered, “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…” The local pastor in that village had brought men and women to be baptized and I was asked to baptize all of them! There are again cases where people are stricken with diseases and no proper diagnosis is available at hand. It is fear that paralyzes them and the devil takes hold of their body and mind in such cases. Multiple-Disorder: Fear can inflict pain of different sorts. First, when the mind is not able to think clearly, the body also gets affected in due course of time. The cognitive failure at the awareness level affects the body also. For example, there are so many people suffering from various kinds of pain which are in fact imaginary! But they are real too. They are induced by constant suggestion. There are people who invent diseases and pains which become real to them. A thorough study would reveal that they are “afraid” to come out of their pain. For many, pain is their comfort zone. As long as they are unwell, they get all the attention and sympathy. Just think of anyone whom you know who suffers like this. It is hard for them to come out of it. They are on constant medication. When one ailment goes away, another one is ushered in. It is a form of curse that people have invited to themselves. Jesus said: “I came that they may have life – life in its abundance ( John 10: 10)”. This is the reason why we also need to pray for the sick in our churches – for there is a promise in the Word that says the “prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.. (James 5:15). A thoughtfully planned “Healing Service” once in a month in our churches could be a blessed effort. The church must be the catalyst that brings about deliverance from such disorders. Fear Factors: Fear raises its ugly head in so many forms. Christian believers are not exempt from these. Do you know of people suffering from mood swing, panic attacks, anxiety disorder, autophobia (Fear of isolation), claustrophobia (fear of being The more a person wanders shut in, say in an elevator etc.), away from God, the greater his trypanophobia (fear of needle pricks), panic attacks! hydrophobia (abnormal fear of water)? Are you suffering from any one of these? There are more and more phoebic disorders in this modern world. Isn’t it true that the devil holds countless number of people as captives? More mental asylums and greater need for psychiatric medical care is required than ever before. There is a paradox. Intelligent people who are brilliant in the career are bound by Christian Thought Series
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irrational fears. Most people who have not known the Creator God are fearful about death. The more a person wanders away from God, the greater his panic attacks! Men and women tend to seek remedy from medical science. Medical science may provide relief, but it can never liberate a soul from the slavery of sin – from where comes every other form of fear. “Fear Not! – for I am with you…” It is not just a magical wand through which we operate our lives. When Christ says, “Come to Me..” we need to respond to His call through humble obedience by offering ourselves before Him. Christ’s call and our response and commitment to Him work together. Any Christian who enjoys this relationship and communion with Christ would not be controlled by many of the fears that exist in this world. J.D. Friends, neighbours and relatives upon meeting one another may make general enquiries such as: “Have you married off your son or daughter?,” Or, Have been able to purchase a house, a car or the latest electronic system?” Never would any ask: “Have you grown in the Lord over the years?” We are not matured enough to think on those lines yet! Do people discuss subjects such as: “Why does God take us through strange and mysterious ways?” “What is the outcome of this pain and perplexity?” “Why does God permit suffering in a believer’s life?” None of the above things would interest an average Christian. J.D.
One of the pains of living is to see people who were made in the image of God wasting their time in trivial pursuits. It is especially sad to see Christians prostituting their strength and talents on something that does not matter. Corrie Ten Boom wrote: “When a house is on fire and you know there are people in it, it is a sin to straighten the picture in that house. When the world about you is in great danger, works that in themselves are not sinful can be quite wrong.” (William MacDonald: My Heart, My Life, My all, p133) Christian Thought Series
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PERSUADING PEOPLE TO CHRIST (Seven Suggestions of Persuation) Rev.Dr. John Paul (Continued from last Issue. The first Two Suggestions covered earlier)
3. APPROACH: I heard a story of a very zealous Christian witnessing. He was by profession a barber in the older days when they used to lather the foam by a hand brush, sharpen the razor on the thick leather piece that would be hanging on the wall before they begin shaving the customer’s face. This Christian barber was constantly and faithfully witnessing to everyone who came to be served by him. Once he applied the lather (soap) on the cheeks of the customer, then turned to the wall to give a sharpening touch for the razor in the leather piece that was hanging on the wall. As he was moving up and down the razor on the leather sharpener, he said to the customer: “Sir, where will you spend eternity, if you die today?” The customer startled and was frightened by the question as he was looking in the mirror that was in front of him and noticed the barber sharpening the razor. He ran out of the shop as fast as could without a word spoken! Here is this case the man was very sincere but the method he used was not persuasive but frightening. But when we look at the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, the prince of personal worker, G. Campbell Morgan writing in the Great Physician, that Jesus “Not only viewed individual individually, He viewed humanity generically. He knew that what was in man. Reverently we may say in this connection, like God. He even remembered that man is dust, and equally like God. He knew that man was infinitely more than dust. That was the basis of His approach, and of course, finally interprets His leading power, his ability to deal with all sort of condition of men.” (Campbell Morgan, The Great Physician, Fleming H, Revell Company, Old Tappan, New Jersey P4-5). Therefore our approach is based upon universal recognition of man’s need. a) No excess baggage: Self righteousness, “holier than thou” attitude, leaving the security of blankets at home in order “to develop an attitude of a redemptive person most persuasive and what it takes to facilitate and encourage those attitudes
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b) No Pretence: When our pretension of success of happiness are superfluous, we become open and vulnerable to those we are approaching. c) No control: The agenda implying our approach must be one of not to control, to possess or dominate. d) Not Telling God: God is sovereign and He is a God of surprises too. God uses men through varied methods. Methods are tools. Let God work whatever the tool we use. There is no stereo type method we may use. Methods vary as meetings are made possible by God engineering people and circumstances for His glory. God uses emptiness of life, as in the case of Samaritan woman to seek water that never dries up, or it may be the religious life as per rule of law but not obeying the supreme law – loving God – as it was the case of the rich young ruler (Mark 10), or a learned teacher of the law like Nicodemus who had to experience a rude shock by what Jesus said in John 3 or creating hope in the hopeless like the sick man at the pool of Bethesda. Being an evangelist myself for over 50 years, I leave it to God to work in His sovereign way and be willing to do my best, even a bit of social concern to care for the needy individual in my endeavour in evangelization as a means to an end. 4. Apolegetics: According to R.C Sproul “The test or science of Christian apologetics is primarily concerned with providing an intellectual defence of the truth claims of faith. The term apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia, which literally means “a reasoned statement or verbal defence.” Scripture contained 1 Peter 3:14-16, written in the context of dispersed Hellenistic Christian and those from Judaism, admonishes thus, “Have no fear of them…” Christianity was viewed by the Roman empire as a subject or sect of Judaism, before the destruction of Jerusalem. Later Christianity was charged with sedition, traitors of the empire – undermining its authenticity. By the 29 B.C, emperor worship had emerged – Kaisar Kurios (Ceasar is Lord). Since the believers in Christ refused to worship the pantheon of Roman gods, they were considered atheists. Plycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and Justin Martyr were murdered during Marcus Aurelius reign. Again their meetings in catacombs for love feasts Christian Thought Series
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and Holy Communion attesting their union with Christ sent out rumours of incest and sexual perversion. Finally, the very practice of Eucharist itself brought upon the believers the allegation to be charged with cannibalism. Hence, the admonition of 1 Peter 3 to defend, answer, explain and even exhibit the true meaning of our faith and practice to impress upon those who accuse falsely. 5. Application To Life: Evangelism is a way of life. All the cultures of this world of race of people have as their hub belief system that makes the wheel of culture as reflected in their life, habits, religious practices, family life, sickness and death. Therefore, if any man is in Christ is a new creation. Hence is a cultural transformation, not cultural transportation (West to the East) or cultural annihilation which is not what we are supposed to expect. So it is essential or the part of the witness to cultivate a way of revealing the universality of God’s character through a particular everyday living that involves both lip and life. 1. Open pages of life Spurgeon once said something like this: “My life is open secret written in the sky that all can see. Paul wrote; “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men.” 2. Penetrating Perfume Perfume by-passing intellect captures the heart. Aesthetically pleasing, silently attractive, markedly distinctive standing out from other aromas of the world. Paul, again uses this picture in 2 Cor. 2:15:”For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those are perishing.” 3. Silent Influence Like Salt “You are the salt of the earth”- Matt. 5:13. Salt maintains flavor while maintaining contact. That is how a believer in Christ must be – to make impact must have contact and contact should not contaminate the believer to compromise and thus lose flavor. 4. Shining Lights “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13). Jesus said I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but have light of life (John 8:12). The radiance released from the light guides, exposes, shines to be of service. Compromise with darkness will cover the light out of use. Christian Thought Series
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6 . ADMONITION FOR RETRIEVING FROM FALSEHOOD A fence at the top of the precipice is far better than an ambulance at the bottom of it. “They may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil (2 Tim. 2:26). Here are some preventive approach suggestion a) Avoid foolish question (2 Tim. 2:23) – Keep the main theme b) Don’t strive (v.24) Don’t argue continuously c) Be gentle (v.24) Even to those who oppose or insult us. d) Must be apt to teach; not merely apt to talk e) Be patient (v.24) Forbearing with those who are too bewitched or too headstrong f) Must exhibit meekness (v.25) any semblance of pride in us will beget prejudice in them. g) Must be real instruction from the word – not mere human opinion. 7. ACCEPT DIVINE DYNAMICS – ACCEPT HUMBLY THE DIVINE DYNAMICS “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil.2:13). Jesus answered and said to them “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). I am strongly convinced that God’ sovereignty is in action to fulfill His will. Salvation of such is His will that is why He sent His Son (John 3:16, 5:24). As we seek to depend entirely on the power of God, power of His Word, power of the blood of the Cross and the power of His Holy Spirit – we will recognize the divine dynamics at work. I remember in 1980 or so I was in Bangkok to speak in a conference organized by a ministry of the Gospel from Taipei, Formosa, Republic of China. After I gave the message, a brother invited me to come to Taipei to speak at the university students camp he was organizing. So I went to Taipei. The gentlemen met me at the Air Port. Checked me into YMCA guesthouse. On the next day , he took me over a seaside camp with a group of young, bright, intelligent men and women. They were all Buddhists and were never exposed to the Gospel. I was at that time not quite acquainted with the predicament of a pluralist! I knew something of Buddhist Nirvana and God not being at the centre of their religion. Somehow I prayed for wisdom, words and way to communicate the unchanging universal message of the cross of Christ, submitting myself to the sovereign work of Christian Thought Series
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God. In the end it was God who worked both to will and had done of His good pleasure! Several received the Saviour. We must submit to the authority and sovereignty as we endeavour to make Christ known. In the communication of the gospel, there is divine activity. The dynamics of conversion is the dynamic of the Holy Spirit. (Rev. Dr. John Paul can be contact through email : js-paul@usa.net)
Readers write / Calls through phone: ** I have sent my subscription. Please enroll me in the mailing list. I have been blessed reading Christian Thought Series. Mr. Gabby Pinto, Fort Cochin. ** I have just read through one of your issues titled: Truth Vs Error. I am using your material in my sermons. We are planning to have you for a spiritual meeting in our church. Rev. Paul Francis. Chennai. ** Please Increase the number of copies of CTS (other booklets) you send to our book-shop. We would like to send our payments soon . Mr. Manab, CLC Book-Centre,Guwahati. ** I have found a copy of CTS somewhere and felt the reading spiritually beneficial. Please send me older issues as well. I shall be sending a contribution to the magazine soon. Mr. Relton, Trichy. ** I am using your materials in my teaching at the Bible College. identifying myself with some of the articles/testimonies in CTS.
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Mr. Rajesh, Tiruvalla. ** The Article: Ungodly Acts (Ministry Motives)- August issue was a challenge to me as I lay in my sick-bed. It is a reminder and warning to many of us who are in full-time Christian service. Some of my friends have left behind their call to serve Christ and had gone into the corporate world to earn a better income. There is a temptation for younger men to utilize ministry for money. You decided to stay on in serving Christ against all the temptations and lucrative gains the world had to offer you‌ Lalit Kumar Bardhan, Vizag. Christian Thought Series
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**I am praying for this magazine ministry. It helps me spiritually. Please continue to send this to my new address. V.S. John Babu. W.G. Dist. A.P. **Thank you for the Manna I receive electronically…. Ms. Thelma Majela, South Africa. wwwwwwww v
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To The Kind Attention of our Readers……. It is with an endeavour to teach, admonish and edify Christian believers, Christian Thought Series is published and had been sent free mostly across the country. There is also an-email version available on-line. Please provide your e-mail ID so you could receive it and pass it on easily to friends and relatives staying far away from you . With the rising costs in printing and related expenditure, we make an earnest plea to our readers to considerer supporting this work through your prayers and free-will offerings. General Readers who receive regular issue of the magazine are requested to renew their subscription of Rs.100/Please find details of the ministry of Disciples For Christ at the back page. Your prayers and participation would encourage us. Seminaries/ Book-stores may kindly renew their subscription for uninterrupted supply. Your contributions may be sent to: Disciples For Christ State Bank of India, kellys Branch, Chennai 10. Savings Bank A/c No.32694836912. IFSC:SBINOO11736/ Branch Code 11736.
All our thoughts and actions on the issues of ethics and morality without reference to God and our failure to rightly understand His character will end up in self-righteousness. J.D.
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The Silence of God Our understanding of theology based on faith is that God is One who speaks to His people. He communicates His mind, His heart and His will. Nevertheless, there comes a point in Christian life when a Christian moves beyond this basic knowledge of faith. It is a stage when a believer who once enjoyed the presence of God begins to experience the silence of God. David laments: “Lord why are you silent?” He further cries out to God in his anguish: “I cry out to you during the night. My heart is perplexed. Why do you stand afar when trouble comes?” God’s people who talk about the imminence of God must also know to talk about His transcendence. At times we wait to hear God speak to us. His word does not seem to come through. Morning after morning we come before Him and sit before His Word. There are times we simply close the pages of the Bible – as if nothing really had impacted in our heart or mind. Our time of meditation does not seem to yield any fruit. For some it lingers on for days – even months. The danger is that many succumb to this condition and become spiritually barren in due course. “What is the point of going any further? My readings and prayer had brought me no blessing!” is how many have concluded. To those who struggle with such perplexity – the question is: How does God work though the day when we are not so conscious about his presence? Apart from the routine devotional time, has God said things which we had failed to register in our mind? Look for God’s interruption…… There are of course, dull moments in Christian life – when thoughts are scattered and mind distracted. Perhaps, it may have to do with some physical, financial or emotional need that is clouding our mind. At such moments the joy and vigour of seeking the living Christ is absent. It is a real phase in a Christians’s faith life. If people come and bring down judgment or condemnation, do not bother. Normally, such people do not offer the “counsel of God” which is a timely balm to the weary soul. They judge according to their own “measure of faith.” We need to just make sure that the cycle of “spiritual depression” is over and we are back once again into our normal loving relationship with the triune God. J.D Christian Thought Series
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FEAR AS I SEE IT
(By Mr. Ignatius Manickam)
We are living in times where humanity is constantly gripped with various kinds of fears. Young or old, poor or rich, educated or unnumbered, sick and the healthy, weak and the strong, meek and the proud, none ever dared to face the dread called fear. There are many people who suffer from Despite technological the fear of heights, fear of darkness and fear of innovations, verbal quibbles of the what the future would hold for them. Some politicians, false have fear for life itself and eventually commit promises and the suicide. As the rupee is crumbling down under soothing messages of the the planning of the policy makers, most of us prosperity-preachers, the are living in fear not knowing how to cope with spirit of man is very life’s demands. Despite technological much vulnerable to this fear-factor. innovations, verbal quibbles of the politicians, false promises and the soothing messages of the prosperity-preachers, the spirit of man is very much vulnerable to this fear-factor. What causes fear? It is almost considered an acceptable basic human instinct to fear for our own safety, well being and concern regarding the future of our own family members. These cause all anxieties, resulting in fear. To all those who have fear, the comforting words of Jesus is: “Fear not, for I am with you”. Everyone faces adversities and challenges in life. But we find encouraging word in the book of prophet Jeremiah 17:7, 8 – Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not FEAR when heat comes. But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. All God’s promises and blessings are preconditioned. If you trust and hope in the Lord and obey His commands, then you will live in the land without fear. SAUL – HIS ANXIETIES AND FEARS Saul was anointed as the first king over Israel by the prophet Samuel. There are lessons we learn from his Christian Thought Series
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follies. Prophet Samuel instructed Saul to wait until he arrived so that the man of God could come down to Gilgal to offer burnt offering before Saul could go for battle (1Sam 10:8). Saul waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. His patience was running out. The Israel’s army was garrisoned by the Philistines’ army whose soldiers outnumbered the Israelites. People were scattered from Saul. All these factors culminated in fear in Saul. Why this fear? The simple reason is that he had LACK OF UNDERSTANDING (WRONG PERCEPTION AND PRESUMPTION) OF GOD’S WORDS/COMMANDS given by Prophet Samuel. Being impatient, people were deserting him; Saul wanted to engage in a battle first sacrificing to God. Saul was overcome by circumstances as time was running out. Therefore, he decided to handle the holy things of God by his own hands. This is utter disobedience to the instructions given by the Lord. This is the fundamental reason why men are gripped with fear. Jesus says: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is one who loves me”( Jn 14:21) and also in verse 23, “Jesus answered and said-if anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. These are the two major problems with many of us like Saul. How can we love Jesus Christ unless we know His words? How can we obey Him unless we know His words? Many of us have little or no time to read the scripture in our busy world. People have the luxury of spending time watching TV, glued to the computer, conversing hours together through their mobile phones and texting countless messages of trash. But for the reading of the scriptures or meditating upon it, they shrink back. Medical science is struggling to find out new names for new phobias. Unless we know what lies at the root of this disease called fear (instead of looking at the symptoms only), we cannot be cured of this malady. WHERE ARE YOU? Fear started with the first man Adam. Here, Adam was commanded not to eat the forbidden fruit. In the Garden of Eden, Satan enticed Eve to eat the fruit which God told not to touch. She saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom. She took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it. The eyes of both of them were opened and they Christian Thought Series
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realized they were naked. They sewed fig leaves and covered their nakedness (Once they were covered with the garment of righteousness). Their new attire was absolutely and completely inadequate, and they were in a very embarrassing position before God. Now in the cool of the day the voice of God was calling, “Adam, where are you?” Adam was not answering God’s question of “where” but “why are you hiding?” Look at his reply. “I heard you in the garden, and I was AFRAID…… because I was naked; so I hid”. As usual God wanted to have fellowship with him. But there was a breach in that relationship. That was replaced with FEAR when they ate the fruit. Dear brothers and sisters, the effect of sin is always fear, shame (self-consciousness) and a tendency to hide ourselves away from God’s presence. At times, we also want to hide ourselves from others. Please notice again how Adam replied. He said that he was afraid. He did not mean to say that he was afraid of God’s punishment, but he was afraid to know that he was naked. Something had gone drastically wrong here. We read in the scripture in Gen 2:17: “…For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die…” In Gen 3:3 Eve quoted the instructions adding that you must not touch it, or you will die. As for Adam’s part, he committed the sin of disobedience. When some fruit was offered by his beloved Eve, he should have seen the change in her. Ignoring, (willful disobedience), with the full knowledge of what he was doing, Adam defied the Word of God by eating the fruit. When sin entered this way, fear engulfed both of them. Sin separated them from God and it does the same with us too. Now, to them God was no longer a loving God, but a fearful God. Fear always separates us from the presence of God. As the word of God says in Heb 4:13: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account”. God is not interested in reason or information but confession; confession of a God is not interested in humble heart and contrite spirit in the first reason or information but place. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and confession; confession of a just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from humble heart and contrite all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9. God gives you spirit in the first place. and me an opportunity to repent then and there like Adam. We are all prone to pass the buck like Adam and shirk our responsibility; do we accept humbly our faults when God confronts us? Christian Thought Series
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Strangely, Adam was at the verge of trying to blame God too…(Gen 3:12). Think for a moment. Why humanity is constantly being suffocated by various fears? It is all because of SIN. Sin brought fear; all kinds of fears. God asks the same question to us. Where are you? This is to give us the knowledge that we are eternally lost. Lost our way to eternity. The way back to God should be restored. It was restored indeed by God Himself by sending forth his only begotten son Jesus Christ. He humbled himself even until the cross of Calvary for our sake ( Phil. 2:8). He gave His life for us. Once the way to the tree of life was shut and guarded by the cherubim with the flaming sword flashing back and forth. Now the way is opened for us (Heb 10:19). If we have a lenient view about the written instructions of God, the Bible will remain in our shelves as a mere printed book. But we are repeatedly exhorted by God and by the holy men that we need to read His Word to have a personal encounters with Him. We are to meditate it day and night; apply it in every area of our lives we are dealing with. If anyone wants to lead a life of fearlessness, fearlessly read the scriptures and apply it in your life. Read Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 10:27; 14:26. Lastly, there is a positive fear King Solomon is talking about in the book of Ecclesiastes 12:13- “…now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter. Fear God and obey his words; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing whether it is good or evil”. This is a fear which is healthy and positive! The fear of God dispels the fear of every other thing in this world. In fact, the Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7). By fearing God the Creator, you will escape from every fear and anxiety. Take time to read the Scriptures. Pray and ask God so the Holy Spirit will guide you understand them. Apply the truths of God in your everyday life; assimilate them in your entire being. May God bless us as we fear Him! (Mr. Ignatius can be contacted through e-mail :mail2ignatius@gmail.com) Christian Thought Series
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WATCH WHAT YOU FEAR Is there a positive reverence and holy fear of God, (which brings wisdom, understanding and discernment)? Or, Do you fear of every inconceivable thing – when leaves fall, when there’s a splatter, a crackling of the window, a moving image in the dark and so on. People are more conscious and fearful about the devil. The Bible says: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 Jn.4:4). Do people have an unhealthy curiosity to dwell on occult realm of the spirit world? There is definite command given by God in the Old Testament to Israel forbidding them to enter into the spirit world? “Do not practice divination or sorcery. Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.” (Lev. 19:26, 31). In some parts of Southern most Tamil Nadu and in Kerala people are notoriously engaged in witchcraft or black-magic. A friend of mine confided that he was taken by his aunt to a witch-doctor as there was an urgent cure needed for someone in the family. His aunt belonged to a family of a pastor! God’s word declares: Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. (James 5:14). A man desperately called me to say that his son was vomiting out nails, rubber-bands and other objects. He said it was the diabolical act of his relatives who were Church- going Christians. It is no wonder that some Christians are well-versed with occult practices. There are those who are bound by times and days -that are believed to be good and bad. The Bible says:” My times are in your hand.” “This is the day which the Lord has made – we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps.31:15;Ps.118:24). Sadly, but truly such people are found to be keen members of the Christian churches as well. They pay their offerings, attend the church and serve through leadership positions. They hear the messages delivered in their churches. In all seriousness, they seem to be reading their Bibles too. Unfortunately, their minds are blinded by the devil and the light of the knowledge of the glory of the gospel is veiled to them (2 Cor.4:4). Too many Christians are bound by fear induced by the devil. He is a liar, deceiver and destroyer. Much of our fears are rooted on what the devil Christian Thought Series
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Too many Christians are bound by fear induced by the devil. He is a liar, deceiver and destroyer.
might do to us than that of God ‘s mighty power. Again, we must never underestimate the power of the devil. For he is the prince of the power of darkness. He possesses power that should never be equated with God. Christians tend to equate God as against the devil. Satan and all the devils are the fallen angels created by God. He was in the presence of God and enjoyed privileges before the throne of God. He was called as the morning star. Here is a prophetic allusion of how Satan was cast out from the presence of God. All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worm cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. (Isa.14:11-14 See also Ezek.28:13-17). Since the time of his expulsion from heaven, the devil had been determined to frustrate God’s purposes. One of his chief aims is to cause havoc on mankind – man being the crown of creation who was created in the image of God. Satan caused sin and rebellion to destroy humankind in so many ways. He held men and women as captives. But when Christ came, the sting of sin The devil is capable was removed by the shed-blood of Jesus Christ on of inflicting pain, the cross. By faith and humble obedience and suffering and response to God’s saving grace, all those men and destruction even on women are redeemed. Such people are said to be the saints of God. without fear – of all that the devil would bring. No doubt, they are pushed to extremes, tempted by the devil. The devil is capable of inflicting pain, suffering and destruction even on the saints of God. We have this wonderful story of Job in the Bible who out of untold suffering emerged victorious after all the catastrophe. Paul declares: “…In all these things we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ….” (Rom.8:37). He further states: What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God be for us, who can be against us? And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose. (v.31 & 28). J.D. Christian Thought Series
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FEAR NOT! 4 Of rumours, or some bad news. 4 Fear before you attempt to do something for God. 4 Discouragement. 4 What if it fails? What’d happen if I attempt it? 4 Either a spouse at home, children or a friend in the office will be quick enough to put a stop to your earnest initiative just because they fear the inevitable. 4 People who fear rumours are weak on facts. 4 Most people just believe in anything – a hearsay. They do not study facts. 4 Fear caused by a pagan, godless society – taboo, superstitious practices etc, 4 Fear of losing a false reputation. We fear that once the reputation is lost, people will fail to regard or respect us. In order to keep our recognition of people from going, we do every other godless thing – displease God – so as to please men. Fear is at the root of all this. 4 We fear our churches, Pastors, Bishops or Christian community just for self-acceptance. We must possess positive fear of God. 4 Men and women of God who stood the ground for godly values were denied, doubted, mocked or scandalized. 4 For social acceptance, we bow to culture’s moral standards. J.D. James Dobson writes about a valuable lesson through the game of Monopoly: Recently my family played Monopoly, which was the first time I’ve played it in fifteen years. Before long, a bit of the old excitement and enthusiasm came back, especially as I began to win. Everything went my way, and I became master of the board. I owned Boardwalk and Park Palace, and I had houses and hotels all over the place. My family was squirming and I was stuffing $500 bills into my pockets and under the board and seat. Suddenly the game was over. I had won. hirley and the kids went to bed, and I began putting everything back into the box. Then I was struck by an empty feeling. All of the excitement I had experienced earlier was unfounded. I didn’t own any more than those whom I had defeated. It all had to go back into the box! Christian Thought Series
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The Lord showed me that there was a lesson to be learned beyond the game of Monopoly. I recognized that I was also the game of life. We struggle and accumulate and buy and own and possess and refinance and suddenly we come to the end of life and have to put it all back into the box! We can ‘t take a cent with us! There are no trailers that accompany us through the Valley of the Shadow. Quoted in Decision, Dec. 1981,p12. Anyone taking seriously the counsel of the world might put up on the wall the following texts: “Above all else, to your own dear self be true.” “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” “If it feels good, just do it.” “You only live once.” “The one who dies with the most toys wins.” “There is no absolute truth: everything is relative.” “We have all evolved from primordial slime.” “Immorality and other so-called deviant behavior are not sin but sickness”. “Law-breakers are not criminals, they are victims” Christians on the other hand are called to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This involves our speech, dress, music and entire conduct of life based on a new revolutionary mind-set. Our attitude toward other people, wealth, success, or politics and sexuality will be fashioned on the basis of how God thinks. One of the ways by which Satan frustrates God’s work is by creating a counter-productive reaction. For example, the Bible says that God created man and woman – male and female. But the devil created a third gender – calls it transgender! This is not God’s creation, but a perversion of God’s order of things. J.D. “The curse of the Church has been her apathy to truth....She has nothing to fear from truth; but she has everything to fear and she has already suffered nearly everything from ignorance”. Benjamin B. Warfield Christian Thought Series
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THE FOLLOWING ARE THE LIST OF THINGS A CHRISTIAN IS PREVENTED FROM ACTION DUE TO FEAR 1. Reluctance to Speaking boldly – testifying Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour 2. Turning a blind eye when faced with exploitation and injustice in the society. 3. Preaching which tend to satisfy everyone – so one finds acceptance with all. 4. Ungodliness among Christians is taken for granted –afraid of checking it. 5. One’s power and privileges are regarded more than the cause of Jesus Christ. 6. Having a different name and religion in the work place. Name/Religion not changed even after baptism. 7. Behaving only as a Christian on a Sunday worship. 8. Associating with ungodly people to earn earthly favour . 9. Creating division and forming groups to protect personal interests 10. Lying - the only weapon we constantly wield to cover up who we are. J.D.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
In his book The Hidden Life, Adolf Saphir had a special appeal to young people: Let not your biography be summed up: “He turned to God in his youth, he then became lukewarm, being engrossed in the cares and the business and the social demands of the world, and a short time before his death, he saw his mistake, and felt that one thing was needful. For years his spiritual life was barely sustained by the prayers of friends and the weekly services of the sanctuary. He might have been a pillar in the Church, but he was only a weight.” Christian Thought Series
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