EL-BETHEL ENDTIME MISSIONS
Sathyavani
The Voice of Truth
‘A million a month pass into Christless graves’ Life of John & Betty Stam
True Conversion!
A Sinner - a friend of Jesus For Private Circulation Only
EL-BETHEL ENDTIME MISSIONS “We can preach the gospel in the regions far beyond you without boasting about things already accomplished by someone else.” 2 Corinthians 10:16
About Us El-Bethel Endtime Missions was started in the year 2000 in obedience to God’s divine mandate to plant churches and raise leaders all over India. In the last fourteen years, the Lord has enabled us to make mission trips to various parts of North India especially the states of Bihar, Jharkand, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Andaman Islands, Meghalaya and also our neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Srilanka. These visits have truly been a catalyst for us to take the Gospel to the unreached.
FOUNDER - PRESIDENT R. Christopher Arulanand FOUNDER - DIRECTOR Dr. Santha Christopher EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR M. Sheridon Vedhavinod OVERSEER - MISSIONS B. Paul Deepak (West) Charles Aaron (South)
We are involved in training missionaries, planting churches, establishing Bible College learning centres, releasing Gospel CDs and publishing Magazine and literatures.
NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR Santhosh Kumar OVERSEER - EVANGELISM & MISSIONARY TRAINING Jones Sukumar D. MANAGER - OPERATIONS H. Dinesh ASSOCIATE - OPERATIONS Franklin Jayaraj C0-0RDINATOR - FACILITIES Jude Almeida C0-0RDINATOR - MEDIA Ashwin Christopher ADVISORY CONSULTANT Ajit Christopher
OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Goal of El-Bethel Endtime Missions is to plant churches among various ethnic groups in India by pioneering into virgin territories, especially in the Northern parts of India where mission work has been impervious. We raise and equip leaders to preach the truth and prepare the church for the coming of the Lord Jesus. ‘Sathyavani’ is a quarterly magazine published by Grace & Joy Media.
Cover Photo: Bang Saen Beach, Thailand by Ashwin Christopher Photo Credits: Ashwin Christopher Proof Reading: Benny Sathish Design: Aswini Moorthy Volume 2, Issue 1
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CONTENTS (January to March 2015)
6 If God Had a Voice Mail
Word for the Season Are You Behind Closed Doors?
10
Please stay on the line.
16 Oh God! Deliver Me Testimony of Jones Sukumar
19
4
18
5
18
8
20
9
20
Founder Director’s Desk Missions Statement (EBEM) Missions Trail Afraid?
10
True Conversion
Real Life Anecdote Pray for India Story Power Cerebrating Thought Provoking Quotes
21
Trumpet Call
11
22
15
22
Missions Report Strange But True
“The Do-it-all Woman”
Health Tips National News
15
Poem of the Sower
Sathyavani
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From the Founder Director’s Desk Dear Beloved in Christ. Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. It is indisputable that we are very much at the end of the end times. In Matthew 24, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the Signs of Times and the End of Age. Every day the reports of inhuman activities in the media makes us stand on nerves end. We see wickedness increasing tremendously and the love of many growing cold as foretold by Jesus. But we, as children of God, should take heart and gear up to be prepared for anything. The Lord did not promise us a life of comfort but of tribulation and we are called to be overcomers. He also spoke about the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. They all had the knowledge of the bridegroom’s arrival but only five were actively waiting to receive the bridegroom. Are we actively waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus? Let us be prepared always, “rejoice in hope, be patient and steadfast in tribulation, constant in prayer” and receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. ‘May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.’ - 1 Peter 5:10. In His Service, Dr. Santha Christopher. El-Bethel Endtime Missions is a registered trust. Contact Details: Dr. Santha Christopher Phone : +91 44 42081327, Mobile : +91 9840785048 E-mail : elbethelfire@hotmail.com M. Sheridon Vedhavinod Phone : +91 44 25982924, Mobile : +91 9840482232 E-mail : elbethelmissions@gmail.com Volume 2, Issue 1
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EL-BETHEL ENDTIME MISSIONS (EBEM)
Our Focus 1. Missionary Training – Pastors & Mission Leaders. Our Missionary Training Centre started at the EBEM Head Office in Chennai is involved in training Pastors, Evangelists and Mission Leaders. Those who have a passion for ministry are thoroughly equipped to serve God in line with their calling. Devotions are conducted every day and preaching techniques are taught in the Great Commission Lab – a training program providing preaching guidelines to equip the trainees to be engaging and powerful preachers/teachers of the Word. As a part of their training program, trainees are posted in one of our developed churches at the mission fields (North India/South India) to assist the leaders and have a practical experience on Evangelism and Witnessing. After a period of time, the trainees are sent as missionaries to their respective mission fields where the Holy Spirit leads them to start the pioneering work of planting churches.
2. King of Glory Sanctuaries – Church Planting Movement. Our Goal is to penetrate into virgin territories and plant churches all over India. So far the Lord has enabled us to plant 10 churches across various states of India - West Bengal, Goa, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
3. El-Bethel Bible College – Conducting Diploma Courses. Our Goal is to establish learning centres and teach the Word of God to both laymen and ministry inclined students. The Lord has opened doors for us to set up 12 Bible College learning centres across India since its inception in 2001. So far 429 students have successfully graduated from our Bible College from 18 regular batches and 5 distance learning batches. Presently, we have 7 ongoing batches with 193 students studying in our learning centres established in Chennai, Kangayam, Coimbatore and Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, and Ribandar in Goa.
4. Grace & Joy Media – Gospel Media
& Literature Ministry. Our Goal is to develop and publish books, CDs and DVDs to communicate the Gospel. The Sathyavani Magazine is also published by Grace and Joy Media. Sathyavani
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Are You Behind Closed Doors?
Word for the Season
W
hen Genghis Khan, the Mongol Emperor died, he did not want anyone to know how he died or where he was burried. So soldiers in his burial party butchered anyone they saw on their way to his tomb. Then they killed the people who built the monument. Finally, they killed themselves to preserve the secrecy of his death. Who knows whether this tale is true but even today, 800 years after the death of one of the world’s great conquerors, the location of his tomb remains unknown. In contrast, the Bible tells us about the greatest conqueror of all, whose tomb has been left open for the last 2000 years. A carpenter from Nazareth, whose story transformed millions of lives and made them discover true faith. History only stands to reason that the followers of Genghis Khan were commanded to wipe out every witness to his death but the followers of Jesus Christ were commissioned to be a true witness to His life, death and resurrection. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb one early Sunday morning and said that He will soon meet His disciples at Galilee. Peter himself stepped into the tomb that day and saw the shroud and the handkerchief that had been around Jesus’ head, folded up and lying on the side. The same evening when the doors were shut and the disciples were hiding for the fear of Jews, Jesus walked in and greeted His followers. For those who had seen His disfigured and pain-racked body helplessly hanging on a tree three days back, it was a miracle of their lifetime. His first words were, “Peace be still”. The same reassuring words which they had heard so often in the midst of danger should have lifted their spirits to believe that Jesus was in control. “I am sending you even as the Father has sent Me”, reaffirmed that their calling was certain and the time had now come to get ready for work at hand.
“I am
sending you even as the Father has sent Me.”
It only seemed that Jesus had a three-day sabbatical and was now back to business, resuming from where He left. He breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. This marked the beginning of the end of His earthly mission and the baton has been successfully passed on. All this happened on that same day when Volume 2, Issue 1
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Jesus rose again, what we call as ‘Easter Sunday’. The disciples had encountered the most powerful event in history that was about to change the destiny of mankind – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ! However, what followed after this glorious resurrection was unbelievable and is recorded sequentially from John 20:26, “And after eight days His disciples were again inside…. Jesus came the doors being shut.” It’s quite baffling to see that for the next eight days the disciples were still hiding behind closed doors. The empty tomb, resurrection factor and Jesus’ visitation hadn’t changed much Are You of their spiritual outlook. It only further led to an anticlimax Behind with a staggering display of cowardice and apostasy. The Closed leader of the group, Peter, went back fishing and the others joined him without a second thought. They unanimously Doors? abandoned the mission which Jesus had entrusted them and returned to their worldly profession. What Christ has done for us is powerful enough to change our lives; however, our hearts can still become cold and lose its fervour. It is possible to have witnessed the glory of His Resurrection and yet walk away like Peter from the empty tomb untouched by its power. The fear of this hostile world can keep us behind closed doors with closed lips. We might have miserably failed in our responsibility to share what Jesus has done for us to those who are outside. Perhaps like all the disciples, we probably thought that the task is too great for God to accomplish through us. Hence, in unbelief we resigned that it’s impractical to serve God. Many who once had a spectacular encounter with Jesus have also become disillusioned and sadly returned to normalcy. Perhaps our weak faith and callous hearts have crippled our conviction. The Lord wants to remind that He has chosen us and nothing can ever alter or change what He has planned to accomplish through us. But we need to get started by getting out of closed doors to tell the world that Jesus is alive and He can change lives. “This Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses” - Acts 2:32
Sheridon Vedhavinod is a software professional who obeyed the call of God in his life to enter God’s ministry in 2003. He is a gifted Bible teacher, gospel singer and Pastor of King of Glory Sanctuary, Chennai. He serves as Executive Director in El-Bethel Endtime Missions. He is also a member of the gospel quartet - The New Covenant Singers. Sathyavani
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Missions Trail
Life of John & Betty Stam
T
by Jude Almeida
he United States of America reeling from the Great Depression in the 1930’s and the rise of Communism in China destroyed all missionary endeavours. Still, God was preparing His faithful servants John and Betty to heed to the clarion call of reaching the lost. John Stam, a Dutch immigrant, had a burden for China and he vehemently said, ‘a million a month pass into Christless graves.’ Betty Stam, on the other hand, was the daughter of missionary parents to China and was well versed with the Oriental language and culture. John and Betty met each other in a prayer service at the Moody Bible Institute in Illinois. They were married on October 25, 1933 and a year later, they were blessed with a baby girl - Helen Priscilla. The happy family then ventured to their mission post at Jingde in the southern Anhui Province. Just when the Stams began to settle in with their mission work, the Communist government takeover became imminent. On December 6, 1934, the city was surrounded by the Red Army and soon the Stams were taken as prisoners. The loud cries of baby Helen annoyed the soldiers and a fellow prisoner who was just released, overheard their cruel intentions. When he protested, they accused him of being a Christian and sought his life in exchange for the baby. John and Betty, stripped to their inner garments, were paraded through the streets as they were mocked and cursed by all. The hour arrived as John knelt before his executioners and while he spoke under his breath, the sword severed his head. Betty trembled and without a tear saw the same fate. As recorded by one biographer, ‘John and Betty were one in life and one in death and one in a martyr’s testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Twenty four hours later, the two month old baby, Helen was found in a house in Miaoshou, covered in a blanket along with a ten dollar bill in the baby’s clothing. Helen Priscilla Stam was named by the media as ‘the miracle baby’. The gruesome death of John and Betty caused many to rise up as missionaries to China and the Gospel continued to touch lives. Betty’s colleague testified that, “a life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to do one-hundredth of the work for Christ which the Stams have done in a day.” Source: 1. http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/betty-and-john-stam-martyred-11630759.html, 2. http://www.actsamerica.org/biographies/2010-08-John-Betty-Stam.html, 3. http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/s/stam-elisabeth-betty-alden-scott.php. Images Downloaded From: 1. http://www.executedtoday.com/images/The_Stams.jpg, 2. http://www.jxwmw.cn/pic/0/10/05/99/10059956_158376.jpg
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Afraid? Of what? To feel the spirit’s glad release? To pass from pain to perfect peace? The strife and strain of life to cease? Afraid?—of that? Afraid? Of what? Afraid to see the Saviour’s face? To hear His welcome, and to trace The glory gleam from wounds of grace? Afraid?—of that?
A “ fraid?”
- E.H. Hamilton
Afraid? Of what? To enter into Heaven’s rest, And yet to serve the Master blessed? From service good to service best? Afraid? Of that? Afraid? Of what? To do by death what life could not— Baptize with blood a stony plot, Till souls shall blossom from the spot? Afraid? Of that?
Afraid? Of what? A flash—a crash—a pierced heart; Darkness—light—O heaven’s art! A wound of his counterpart! Afraid? Of that? The above poem was written by E.H. Hamilton, a Presbyterian missionary. The poem drew its inspiration from the life of his friend J.W. Vinson, a missionary to China who was martyred by a Chinese rebel. This poem was also used by John Stam in a letter to his father which reached him on the day John was martyred.
If God Had a Voice Mail Thank you for calling heaven. I am sorry, all our angels and saints are busy helping other believers right now. However, your prayer is important to us and we will answer it in the order it was received. Please stay on the line. If you would like to speak to: God, press 1. Jesus, press 2. The Holy Spirit, press 3. If you would like to hear King David sing a Psalm while you are holding, press 4. To find a loved one who has been assigned to Heaven, press 5, then enter his or her social security number followed by the pound sign. (If you get a negative response, please hang up and try area code 666.) For reservations in heaven, please enter J-O-H-N 3:16 For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth, life on other planets and where Noah’s Ark is, please wait until you arrive. If you are calling after hours and need emergency assistance, please call your local Pastor. Author: Unknown Sathyavani
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TRUE CONVERSION !
T
he conversion of Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector from Jericho is one real life narrative that finds a special place in my heart (Luke 19:1-9). Hated by his countrymen for his profession and position in the Roman government, he was considered equal to a traitor. His insatiable greed to amass wealth through unjust extortion of taxes, turned out to be a good reason why the citizens loved to hate him. He was so determined to see Jesus that he did not mind running before the crowd and even climbing a tree to have a glimpse of Him. Jesus who sees the heart of all men did not bypass Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus probably overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus in his home didn’t need any preaching to be convicted of his sins. ‘I will return half my goods to the poor and restore four fold to those whom I have defrauded’, said Zacchaeus. Taking the story a little further and assuming Zacchaeus executed the bonanza offer to his tax payers, we need to ask ourselves an important question. How would the recipients of the money respond about the visit of Jesus to Zacchaeus’ home? May be with joy, many would have said, ‘thank God that Jesus visited Zacchaeus’ – that we are blessed!
Do we see or get to hear of such conversions today? A conversion backed up His encounter with Jesus on that Jericho by true repentance will have the world road led to Jesus inviting Himself to stay respond in similar fashion. in his house for the night.
∫
In Jewish culture, only a friend could invite himself for a stay over and this truly shocked the audience. How could Jesus consider Zacchaeus a friend when he’s a sinner - the crowd thought?
Ps. R. Christopher Arulanand
Think Aloud!
If India had witnessed such conversions during the time of Gandhiji it would not have prompted him to make this statement, ‘had Christians lived like Christians there would not have been any Hindus or Muslims’. Image Downloaded from: http://www.ellenwhite.info/images/chapt-illus/DA/RH-JesusAndZacheus_12.jpg
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MINISTRY REPORT WEST BENGAL Fresh Start after the Storm The Church in West Bengal is currently going through a tough time. There has been an internal divide caused by a young man who recently quit the ministry. His revolt against the local pastor stemmed from the church discipline that was enforced on him. Being a local from the same village Basatpur, he was able to influence some of the church members and turned them against the Pastor. We felt that the time was ripe to move out of the village since the members who opened their house for worship were no longer favourable to us. As the crisis heightened without a place to continue the worship, the Lord miraculously helped us to rent a much bigger place in Bhardman, in a hospital premises, only on Sundays. With 10 members attending the Sunday service in this new place, the Lord has graciously paved the way for a fresh start. Please continue to pray for the church, and also for those who have left us as a result of this conflict, that the Lord would be merciful in restoring the relationship.
PUDUCHERRY
Stepping into another field Puducherry has an international township called Auroville. Here people from many parts of the world practice transcendental meditation inside a gold plated concentration dome in search of inner peace and higher level of awareness. It is also reported that flesh trade has been flourishing in Puducherry with the crime levels on the rise. The wide gap in liquor prices between Puducherry and other states attracts a large number of habitual drinkers and tourists every day. It was way back in 2000, the state of Puducherry struck a chord in our hearts the very first time we visited. Subsequently, in the year 2005, a team headed by Debbie West from Dallas, Texas did the spade work and compiled a thorough religious survey of the land. After all these years, in the month of February 2015, the Lord made a way for Johnson and Moses to move to Puducherry as our first missionaries. They have started a weekly fellowship sharing the gospel to the unbelievers. Please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance from the Lord as they pioneer the work there. Sathyavani
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ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Ernakulum, Cochin The El-Bethel Endtime Missions Annual Conference was conducted at YMCA Centre, Ernakulum, Cochin from 20th to 22nd January. The staff and family from all over India were present at the conference to discuss the challenges faced in their mission fields and the changes need to be implemented to augment the prospects of growth for the current year 2015. The Leaders from each field presented their ministry reports for the year 2014 and the goals to be achieved in the first six months of 2015.
Reports from the mission fields Goa Ps. Deepak from Goa lamented over the misfortune of losing ground on the work started in Parra. He was able to lead four families to the Lord with a total of 22 souls being baptized. However, the new family members who joined them insisted the service to be in Konkani, as they found it difficult to understand English. Since Ps. Deepak lacked fluency in Konkani, all the 22 members joined another local church. It was an agonizing moment for us that inspite of all the hard work, we were not able to enjoy the fruit of our labour.
Kangayam Ps. Charles and Ps. Anandan who are pastoring in Kangayam reported that the new programs they have started in the church have been spiritually uplifting, attracting about 25 new souls in the last couple of months. Recently, four members affirmed their faith in the Lord Jesus by obeying the waters of Baptism.
Puducherry Bro. Johnson and Bro. Moses have started a Sunday school ministry with 15 children gathering to learn spiritual lessons in the evenings. It’s the first breakthrough after moving into Puducherry. Volume 2, Issue 1
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Thiruvarur The Church in Thiruvarur is slowly growing with 15 members attending the service every Sunday. Ps. Thangappan who is in charge of the missions work has faced persecutions. Bringing Christ into these rural areas has always been a challenge because of the loyalty of these villagers to their ancestral faith. As part of a new strategy, we have decided to relocate the church inorder to make it easier for the church members and other members of the society to attend regularly.
El-Bethel Bible College Graduation Our 18th Bible College Graduation was conducted on February 1st, 2015 at King of Glory Sanctuary, Royapuram. The Chief guest Rev. Premkumar delivered the graduation speech and his wife Cynthia Premkumar distributed the diploma certificates to 15 students who successfully completed the course.
Inauguration The 22nd Regular batch was inaugurated on February 22nd, 2015 at Vepery in which 18 students enrolled for the Diploma course in English. Book of Daniel Ps. Sheridon conducted a one day seminar on the ‘Book of Daniel’ at the King of Glory Sanctuary in Kangayam on February 21st. This was a free seminar and many people turned up to learn about the life of Daniel and all the historic events contained in the book.
Church History Bro. Jude Almeida was one of the resource persons for the Church history seminar which was conducted at Vepery on January 3rd. It involved a comprehensive study of the events that shaped the history of the church spanning from the birth of the church to the modern era. Sathyavani
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Endtimes & Eternal Judgment Ps. Santhosh conducted a one day seminar on the Endtimes at the Grace of God Church, Thiruvarur on March 7th. He explained the timeline of future events in a sequence with the help of a prophetic chart and urged the people to get ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus.
KING OF GLORY SANCTUARIES The church should recognize the importance of reaching out to the common man in the community and this can be achieved only through effective evangelism. We have started house group meetings to reach out to the unbelievers in our vicinity. These meetings organized in the houses of the believers, serve as a rather friendly atmosphere to communicate the gospel and pray for all the individuals who participate in the gathering. We have seen many people from other faith being open to the gospel and some of them even transformed through these meetings. February 6 and March 6 2015, cottage prayer meetings were * On conducted at Neelankarai and Kolathur respectively. th
th
are also conducted in Velachery every sunday evening and * Meetings twice a month in Saidapet. A Special Service in tamil is conducted every sunday at 11:30 am at KOG Royapuram, for about 15 government hostel students who are from other faiths.
Youth Ministry On Saturday March 7, 2015, the KOG Youth team visited Friend-in-Need Society (FINS), a home for the aged. The team shared their testimonies and encouraged the elderly with a message of hope and love of God and also provided some of their needs.
Staff News Ps. Anandan and his wife Mallika were blessed with a baby girl, Deborah on March 13th, 2015. Volume 2, Issue 1
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Strange But True
I
n 2006, a woman from Atala village of Orissa Khurda District was married to a snake as per the Hindu marital rituals. When the woman approached the elders of the community about her marriage proposal, they welcomed the idea as it would bring good fortune to the land.
LO BL VE IS IN D?
The thirty year old bride decked up with a silk saree, sat in the center of the mandap in front of the fire area, while the priest chanted through the mantras for an hour to complete the marriage ceremony. Nevertheless, the snake was not present: instead a brass replica of the serpent was the groom for the day. A great feast was offered to the 2000 attendees of the ceremonial occasion. ‘Though snakes cannot speak nor understand, we communicate in a peculiar way. Whenever I put milk near the ant hill where the Cobra lives, it (the snake) always comes out to drink. I always get to see it every time I go near the ant hill. It has never harmed me,’ the bride claimed. Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Orissa-woman-marries-snake/articleshow/1609295.cms
POEM OF THE SOWER!
“Once I the farmer, went out to sow, I scattered the seeds but didn’t really know, That the ones by the wayside wouldn’t ever grow, Yes, soon enough they were eaten by the crow.”
“Well, I threw another handful of seeds, But O my, they fell among the weeds, They hastily grew, but got choked by the thorns; Ignorance never knew, weeds were devils with horns.” “Some seeds jumped up onto the stone, But out came the sun and soon they were worn, The soil wasn’t deep, they couldn’t stand the heat. Oh how they now weep, as they sink in defeat.”
“Very few seeds fell on good ground, Their hearts were tender, their doctrine was sound, Deep roots growing downwards And green leaves shooting upwards. The Perfect Christian produced a 100 fold Always obedient doing what the Bible told Producing fruit so juicy and sweet That makes me rejoice and jump to my feet. - Nathaniel Frederick
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“The Do-it-all Woman” Meet Mrs. Smith. She is a godly woman who is married
and has two kids. She is a gentle and submissive wife, as well as a caring and nurturing mother. She maintains a neat and orderly house and makes nutritious meals every day for her family. She works full-time in the church office and co-leads the youth ministry with her husband. In addition to all of that, she is an active member of her children’s school board, attends all of their extra-curricular activities, and volunteers regularly in the community. In her personal life, she is sure to spend at least an hour in daily devotions and prays regularly for unbelievers.1 I’m sure that you can identify with many of the things on Mrs. Smith’s to-do list, as do I. As a married woman with a full-time job, pursuing a Master’s Degree, serving at church, and still trying to manage a household, I often find myself struggling to balance my daily tasks and wondering at the end of the day if I really accomplished what was most important. I am not claiming to have all of the answers, but I can share four principles that God has taught me thus far about balancing my time. 1. Use the Two-Letter Word In my discipleship class, we have been discussing some of the key factors involved in church growth. After establishing a vision, it is essential to let go of everything that does not line up with that vision. In our Christian culture, as demonstrated by Mrs. Smith, there is no shortage of good causes to be involved in. We have Bible studies, evangelistic outreaches, children’s programs, homeless ministries, and hospitality and worship teams galore! Thus our problem lies not so much in finding a good cause, but in finding the right good cause and saying ‘no’ to all the rest. Matthew 5:37 says that we should “let [our] ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and [our]‘No,’ ‘No.” In other words, we need to be honest about what we can and cannot do. A failure to say “no” to the good things that we don’t need to do hinders us from saying “yes” to the good things that we do need to do.
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2. Keep First Things First In Titus chapter two, God clearly outlines His priorities for young, married women: “…love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:4-5). We can see that first on this list is investing into our familial relationships, then cultivating godly character, managing our homes, and finally following God’s divine order in our marriages. These are the essentials that God has laid out for us as young, married women, regardless of our calling. This is not to say that God does not value other pursuits (such as careers, education, and hobbies), but it does mean that we should not neglect our God-given responsibilities in order to pursue them. 3. Live Within Your Limits In today’s materialistic society, the more money we make, the more we tend to spend it on things we do not actually need. In the same manner, we can mistakenly apply this lens to our use of time. When we think we have a lot of time, we can easily waste it, whether on our own pursuits or on good causes we do not really have time for. We must realize that our time on this earth is limited and that we are held accountable for how we use it. Because God has given us many responsibilities and limited time, we must learn to steward all areas of our life well. 4. Ask God to Use Others to Do What You Cannot Do We see this final principle demonstrated with Jesus in Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus has just been healing and teaching in many places and now He encounters another crowd. Instead of ministering to them, He teaches His disciples to ask the Father for more laborers in His harvest. From this story, we see that even Jesus, the Son of God, knew when to delegate kingdom responsibilities. I am not sure what God is working on in your life, but one thing is certain. No matter how hard we try, we were never created to be ‘do-it-all’ women. In fact, God is more interested in us being women who ‘pursue-His-call’. May God give us the grace to be those women! About the Author Katie Christopher is currently pursuing her Masters in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship at Moody Theological Seminary. She is also a full-time employee in the Practical Christian Ministries department in the Undergraduate School. She also holds a bachelors degree in Spanish and Psychology from Western Michigan University. She is married to Ajit Christopher and resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is passionate about teaching other women and children the truths she has learnt from the Bible and also interested in learning new languages and cultures. Foot Note: 1. DeMoss, Nancy Leigh (2001). Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free (pp. 119-120). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers. Image Downloaded From: http://makingitallfit.com/wp-content/uploads/multitasking-woman.jpg
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Real Life Anecdote
R
ev. J Alexander Clark, a Scottish missionary to Africa, narrated a real life incident during his service in Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly called Zaire. One day he witnessed an African man getting mauled by a lioness; he drew out his rifle and killed the predator. Thereafter, he nursed the wounds of the injured till he recovered to his feet. Three months later, one evening while Alexander was sitting on his porch, he heard the loud sound of cows, sheep, dogs etc. Looking out from his portico he saw a group of people and herd of cattle moving towards his direction. Lo and behold, the leader of the pack stepped forward to introduce himself as the one whom Alexander rescued from the jaws of death. He said to Clark, “By the law of the African forest, the redeemed belongs to the redeemer. I was dead, but I am alive. I am now yours. I belong to you. Here are my six wives, my children and my cattle. We all belong to you. Do with us whatever you will.” Do we as Christians acknowledge that we the redeemed, belong to the Redeemer (Christ), completely and unconditionally? Can He do whatever He wants with us?
Pray For India
Source: https://meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/my-rights/ Image Downloaded From: http://www.carimali.com/images/pages/world-map-africa.jpg
discrimination, an evil embedded in the minds of the masses is still preva* Caste lent in Churches. In south India, reports have stated that there are two pulpits in
churches, one for the preacher that hails from the upper caste and the other for the preacher from the lower order of society. Therefore, let us pray that the Lord will remove these evil ideologies from the Church and renew the minds of the believers to embrace God’s Truth rather than adhering to ungodly traditional beliefs.
January 30, 2015, 10 Christians renounced their faith and reconverted (Ghar * On Wapsi) to Hinduism. One family said they were lured into accepting Christianity
due to the immense pressure from their landlord. The other converts went back to their Hindu beliefs, as they were disowned by their family members for accepting Christ. The ceremony was conducted by a Hindutva outfit, operative in the State of Tamil Nadu and has vowed to conduct many such ceremonies. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/11-christians-reconvert-at-chennai-ghar-wapsi-event/article1-1312207.aspx
Volume 2, Issue 1
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Life Changer R
JESUS IS REAL
The Testimony of Jones Sukumar
aised in an orthodox Roman Catholic family, I was under the spell of witchcraft that was masterminded by my relatives at a very young age. It was a tormenting experience as I would hear audible voices that pushed me to end my life. My parents noticed my weird behavior and consulted the best of psychiatrists in the city, priests of other faiths and many witch doctors too: yet I did not get any relief. Then I went on a pilgrimage to Basilica Shrine in Velankanni – Lady of health and walked on my knees in the hope of finding a remedy. Frustrated and angered with the outcome, I resorted to a life of sin and self-indulgence. At this juncture, I was introduced to a man of God in El-Bethel who shared the gospel to me. We had an intense discussion and he challenged me to read the Bible. I readily agreed to the challenge only because I wanted to disprove the Scriptures. One night, I jumped out of bed screaming and running around the house violently and injuring myself for which I was taken to the psychiatrist. While we waited to see him, I saw the reality of a psychotic at the clinic. Fearing a similar fate, I ran out crying, “Should there be a God out there, deliver me from this ordeal”. The psychiatrist stated that I suffered from auditory hallucination which was highly suicidal. I was put on medication to keep me calm and avoid these traumatic outbursts. Incidentally, I overheard the conversation of my parents that their only son was a madman which left me frustrated, unloved and utterly crushed. Later, certain Scriptural references flashed across my mind of how the brothers of Jesus called Him a lunatic while the spiritual gurus called Him demon possessed when He made the exclusive claim of being the Messiah. I realized Jesus’ flawless character amidst these accusations which led me to embrace Him as the Lord and Saviour of my life. Moreover, in that miraculous encounter (Mark 5:1-10), where Jesus delivered the man possessed by a legion, gave me strength to trust Him to deliver me too. That very same day by faith I threw out the medicines as I believed that I was healed and life had never been the same. Twelve years have gone by and now I have become an ardent student of the Bible and firmly testify that it wasn’t Science or Medicine or any power of this world that cured me but the power of Jesus my Lord. All Glory to His Name. Sathyavani
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Story Power
The Roman Emperor Antonius asked
Rabbi Judah the Prince, “On the day of Judgment, the soul and body will stand before the Heavenly Judge, and the body will say: It is the soul, not I who sinned; for without the soul I am as lifeless as a JUSTICE ON stone. And the soul will say, “how canst JUDGMENT DAY thou impute sin to me? It is the body that dragged me down’… what do you say to that? The Rabbi Judah answered: “A King once had a garden of wonderful fruits and put two men to guard over it – a blind man and a lame man. One day, the lame man said, “I see some luscious fruits, but can-not reach it”. “Then get on my back”, said the blind man. “I can carry you there, then you can stand on my shoulder, and we shall both enjoy plenteous fruit”. When the King discovered the fruit gone, he hauled both men before him. The lame one said, “I could not have been the thief; I cannot walk! The blind man said, “I could not have been the thief, I cannot see a thing! But the King was very wise and asked the lame man to climb on the shoulders of the blind man – and sentenced them both to death. “In the same way, your Majesty, the Divine Judge of the Universe will mete out judgment – to the body and soul together!” Souce: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112279/jewish/Rabbi-Judah-the-Prince.htm Image downloaded from: http://emblems.arts.gla.ac.uk/alciato/images/pic_m/A67a047.jpg
CEREBRATING THOUGHT PROVOKING QUOTES * God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him – Jim Elliot. * It is a shame when the church itself is like a cemetery, where the living sleeps above the ground, as the dead do beneath – Thomas Fuller * Jesus invited us not to a picnic but to a pilgrimage, not to a frolic but to a fight. – Billy Graham. Volume 2, Issue 1
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Tr u m p
et
- Revelations 6:10, 11.
ll Ca
“They cried out with a loud voice, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? ............. …….. Until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete”
It is evident that we are in the last days and that God’s Judgment will be enforced upon the inhabitants of the earth. Yet this end will occur only when the death toll of the martyrs of Christ reaches its fulfilled number.
In Matthew 24, when the disciples posed a pivotal question to Jesus, ‘what will be the sign of Your coming at the end of the age?’ Jesus highlighted that one of the signs would be “We (Christians) will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death before the end of the age occurred”. On August 8, 2014, Time magazine reported that the martyrdom of Christians has been doubling, averaging around 8000 to 10000 in a year. Christians in Egypt, Syria, Libya and Iraq were tortured and martyred, carried out by the terrorist outfit called ISIS. These captured Christians were either beheaded or crucified and the horrific event videographed was later sent out for public viewing. The death toll has been on a tremendous rise and there appears to be no answer to these rising atrocities. As mentioned in the Bible, before the coming of our Lord Jesus, the antichrist must appear to establish his rule on the earth. He will cause many Christians to be persecuted as they will refuse to take the mark of the beast (666) on their bodies only to be martyred. Until these numbers of martyrdom reaches its pinnacle, we will not see the close of the age. Through these occurrences we can be sure that the Lord’s Coming is imminent and the prophetic utterances on Christian martyrdom will soon be fulfilled. Upon this awareness, are we prepared for His return?
About the Author Santhosh Kumar is the Pastor of King of Glory Sanctuary in Royapuram, Chennai. He is the National Co-Ordinator of El-Bethel Endtime Missions and also teaches in El-Bethel Bible College.
Sathyavani
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Health Tips with Dr. Eswaramoorthy MD
Seasonal influenza is an acute viral infection caused by influenza virus (types A,B,C). The present epidemic in India is by type A (H1N1).
The virus spreads from person to person by aerosol droplets during coughing, sneezing and contaminated hands. Peak season : December to March. People at risk : It can affect all but complications occur in children less than 2 years, adults > 65 yrs, pregnant women, people with other medical diseases like diabeties, renal and heart problems. Clinical features : Sudden onset of high fever (101- 102°F), sore H1N1- Influenza Virus throat, running nose, muscle pain, dry cough, and severe malaise. Complications : If the fever does not subside in 5 days, patient may deteriorate with breathlessness, shock and death. Treatment : Mild illness : Patient to be isolated and monitored with symptomatic care. Moderate to severe illness : Tamiflu (dose as per weight ). Prevention : General measures like washing hands, covering mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing and avoiding crowded places. Vaccination is available for high risk population. Source:: http://www.searo.who.int/entity/emerging_diseases/topics/h1n1/en/ Image Downloaded From: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ f0/H1N1_influenza_virus.jpg
National News *According to a UN Report, India has 3 of the top ten megacities in the world.
The second largest urban agglomeration is Delhi which is just behind Tokyo. Whereas Mumbai is ranked 7th and Calcutta 10th. There are 6 other cities in India which are in the UN top 100 urban agglomeration - Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune and Surat. The provision of basic amenities and pollution control are still a great cause of concern across the metropolitan cities in India. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25881705
*An under-construction church in Kaimri village near Hisar in Haryana
was vandalised by a group. The cross was fragmented and replaced with an idol of Hanuman, triggering tension in the area. Aggressively defending the demolition of a church in Haryana’s Hisar, VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad) asked whether Christians would allow construction of a Hanuman temple in the Vatican City. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Volume 2, Issue 1
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R. Christopher Arulanand, a Chemical Engineer by profession is also a songwriter, singer and preacher serving the Lord Jesus Christ in full time Christian ministry for the last twenty years. He is the leader of the New Covenant Singers, a gospel quartet.
His passion in proclaiming the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world is evident in his 3 albums – “Your Grace in my life”, “Jesus, Call Him anytime” and “The Greatest Lover of all.
His prime objective is to promote the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and he sincerely strives to preach the message of truth with his lip and life. To order your copies Contact H. Dinesh Mob No: +91 9840599784, Ph No: 044 2598 2924 Sathyavani
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EL-BETHEL
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