THE CALL November 2019
You
shall love your neighbour as yourself.… Mark 12:31
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THE CALL
Transforming Peoples to Transform Nations
Contents
From Bihar With Love Bro. D. Augustine Jebakumar
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Area Convention in Jharkhand
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Missionary Sis. Prabhavati Entered – God’s Glory
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Camp for Missionary Kids
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Rally for the Homes Children
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Published for 11, 13th Cross Street, New colony Chromkpet, Chennai - 44 Ph. : 044-22386031, 044-22380295
Published by GEMS Educational Media Services 14, Jeba Nagar, Vasanthapuram south, Near Vijaya Garden, Tirunelveli 627005 Ph. : 9488771655 Field office GEMS, Sikaria, Indrapuri - 821308 Rohtas Dist., Bihar , Ph. : 06184 - 234567 (Railway station & courier centre : Dehri on Sone) Website : www.gemsbihar.org
Gospel Echoing Missionary Society is a Christian mission organization that serves to bring about wholesome transformation in all the lives that it touches staying true to its motto ‘Transforming peoples to transform nations’. It touches the hearts of the people through the gospel of Jesus Christ and serves as a beacon of love and hope to the deprived, disadvantaged, exploited, destitute and homeless thousands fulfilling this vision through Spiritual, Educational, Medical and Humanitarian Services primarily in Bihar, other Northern States of India and beyond since 1972.
E-mail : gems@gemsbihar.org
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Beloved Prayer Partners in Christ Jesus, Greetings in the name of the Father who made us His children by lavishing great love on us From,
Bihar with Love
(1John 3: 1). The Bible says that the Father expects from us the love that He lavished on us. This is a clarion call both in the Old and the New Testaments. The Lord who said, ‘‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength’’ (Deut 6: 5; Matt 22: 37; Mark 12: 30) also made an equivalent second commandment: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself ’ (Mark 12: 31). By saying these, the Lord has shown us ways by which we can exhibit our love for the Lord. How do we know we love God? We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. The Word of God says that anyone who does not love remains in death and that we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3: 14 – 16). The Bible does not deter from asking “For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4: 20). It also says that “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer” (1 John 3: 15). What enables us to love inspite of sufferings? “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the The Call
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Holy Spirit” (Rom 5: 5). The Holy Spirit gives us the needed strength to fulfil this. During the times of the Old Testament, when a slave(one who was bought for money) has done his time and is to be freed, if he wants to show his love for his master then his master must take him before the judges and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life (Exo 21: 5). Likewise, we were bought by the blood of Jesus. Therefore,as a sign of our love for God, we have the choice to freely commit our lives to the Lord (1 Cor 6: 20). In the Old Testament, it is said that the Lord tested His people to find out whether they lovedHim with all their heart and with all their soul. ‘‘If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your “God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul’’ (Deut 13:1-3). Even if other gods are not mentioned, there are enough false preachers that come to you and preach a Jesus other than the Jesus in the Bible (2 Cor 11: 4), and through miracles turn you away from the truth. This will be a good way to test our love for God.“Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honour’’ (Isa 26: 13). This is a testament to the Israelites’ change of heart. Will it not be good if the people who run behind signs and miracles analyse all this? Any deed which neither leads to devotion to God nor praise God alone cannot have been The Call
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from God! ‘‘The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved’’ (2 Thes 2: 9, 10). Even Jesus warned that: “false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matt 24: 24). Today there is an abundance of miracles that claim to turn water into wine, increase in bank balances, gold dust, so on and so forth. Any sign that turns us away from our faith is a force that turns us away from worship of God. If it works against our love for God, then, like in the past when God tested the people’s love, He will do so now as well. So, “test them all; hold on to what is good” (1 Thes 5: 21). What does God’s love demand? Love demands love. “If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned” (Song 8: 7). Yet, the one who had to neglect her vineyard in order to take care of another’s, tanned by the sun, forgotten in anger, and ostracised was loved (Song 1: 5, 6), given life, made queen of the palace and given a banquet (Song 2: 4). But when the loved one who gave her a luxurious life came and knocked, with myrrh and incense adorning her bed, she was hesitant in answering the door: “I have taken off my robe, must I put it on again? I have washed my feet - must I soil them again?” Beatings and bruises were all that she was left with, in the end (Song 5: 3 - 7). Hosea compares the church to the woman who has been unfaithful and has given away the Lord’s blessings to The Call
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other gods (Hos 2: 8). Even then, it is amazing to see the love of God yearning for even that unfaithful woman. “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them” (Hos 14: 4). Aren’t these words of love? Won’t it seek our love! Worldly friendships can turn us away from loving God. This is why the loving disciple John writes: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them” (1 John 2: 15). He also does not forget to mention that “They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood” (1 John 4: 5, 6). Once, Paul had introduced Demas as his fellow worker (Philemon 1: 24); yet as the days passed, Demas, because he so loved the world, deserted Paul (2 Tim 4: 10). Even a strong worker of God can be isolated from God by devious worldly friendships. “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15: 19; 17: 14). By analysing our thoughts, words and deeds we can find what our heart yearns and is attracted to. James mentions that: “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4: 4). Peter says that it is the faithful people who have been able to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing The Call
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our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”He compares them to dogs and pigs (2 Peter 1: 4; 2: 20 – 22). Love for money is just the first step. Jesus clearly states that: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16: 13). Paul confirms: “If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed!’’ (1 Cor 16: 22). Yet, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceivedthe things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2: 9). How do we demonstrate our love for God? We can express our love for God only on the people amongst us. Lifting up people that fall due to worldly desires, going in search of the lost ones, helping the destitute, shedding a tear for the one who is drifting towards hell are ways in which we can express this love.This must be why the Bible states: “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3: 18). The people said this about the Centurion: “he loves our nation and has built our synagogue” (Luke 7: 5). Jesus longs for the same from us. He is expecting the love we had for him at first (Rev 2: 4). If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (1 John 3: 17). Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4: 8). The Call
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Praise be to God for giving us the grace for many to say: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Rom 8: 35). Is it not a blessing that we can say: “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( (Rom 8: 38, 39)? If it is true that Christ’s love compels us (2 Cor 5: 14), then we cannot be without action. We cannot be without showing His love to the world. If our love for God is true, then we will ring a death bell to the love for self since that is an iron fortress that blocks our expression of God’s love. If the self grows, thoughts in flesh will also grow; this will separate us from the Lord. A man separated from God, runs into darkness and shatters all the love, grace and forgiveness that God offered him. This is why we must carry the cross to deny ourselves daily (Luke 9: 23). As this was abundant in the early church, the message of the gospel had great impact then. Let us also grow in strength to enable us to love our God, have compassion for others, care for the ones that seek us and uplift the troubled.
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In His Vineyard, D. Augustine Jebakumar
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Facing Your Gia nts
MK Teens Cam p
Facing
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GEMS Area Convention was conducted at Bansari in which 350 believers attended and Equipment Ceases but were encouraged to live and build God’s kingdom. not the Enthusiasm of Believers
in Jharkhand Meeting
PEACE 1 Zone Area Convention was conducted at the GEMS House of Prayer in Bansari in the theme ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ from 4th to 6th Oct 2019. Though it was a season of rains, there was no disturbance during the meetings. On the first day, right during the praise and worship time, the amplifier and speakers failed and ceased working. In the first session Bro. Stephen (Karwandiya) shared the message without the mic. People participated enthusiastically in the worship and earnestly listened to the word of God. In the other sessions Bro. Victor Immanuel (Eastern Regional Director), Sis. Sudha Stephen, Bro. Soyamber and Bro. Philip ministered God’s word.
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Bro. Saravanan (Zonal Leader, PEACE 1 Zone) organized the
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convention. People committed to the word of God. Skits and cultural programs were also conducted. The Call
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Pray for all the people who participated in the Bansari Area Convention. Pray for the believers to grow in God’s word and to walk according to it. Pray for them to build God’s kingdom by fulfilling God’s purpose through their lives.
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GEMS Missionary Sis. Prabhavati (Bihiya, Bihar – PEACE Sister Prabhavati Entered 2 Zone) w/o Bro. Glory Philipose(Nathuni Prasad) went to be with the Lord on 3rd November 2019. GEMS family bereaves the demise of Sis. Prabhavati.
God’s
7 Jan 1967-3 Nov 2019
Sis. Prabhavati (52 years) was being treated for Nasal Cancer and passed away at 2:00 AM on 3rd November (Sunday). The funeral service was conducted the same day at the Methodist Church in Arrah, Bihar. Sis. Prabhavati came to the Lord in the February of 1995 and she went through discipleship & ministry training at GEMS
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Girls Training Centre (GTC). As a family they were serving in Jagdishpur field for 10 years and have been serving at Bihiya for 8 years. Sis. Prabhavati is survived by her husband and four children (3 girls and 1 boy). Two girls and the boy are married and all are in ministry, serving the Lord. Her life is a testimony of not only serving the Lord faithfully, but in raising up her own children to serve the Lord
in missions. Pray for Bro. Philipose and his children, grandchildren and family & church members to receive God’s comfort.
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Children of Missionaries Camp for the Prepared to Face Spiritual GEMS MKs was conducted in Bihar through which 135 Challenges in their Life teen MKs learnt to overcome challenges to their spiritual and relationship areas of life. A Teens camp was conducted for the Missionary Kids in the theme ‘Facing Your Giants’ from 4th to 7th Oct 2019. The sessions were led by Bro. George Ebenezer and team of Beyond Barriers, Bangalore. 135 children participated in this camp which was organized by the GEMS MK Department under the leadership of its Coordinator Sis. BanuDionel.
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GEMS Polytechnic College and GEMS English School, Aurangabad staff helped as volunteers and also counselled the MKs and help lead the group discussions. Many activities and games were conducted on all the three days through which the children learnt many truths and also enjoyed. The camp was based on Teen relationship and the MKs leant how to keep themselves pure through the word of God. Bro. George The Call
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openly shared the problems of teenage regarding relationship with the opposite gender, sexual issues, etc. Children signed a Purity Pledge based on 1 Thessalonians 4:3&4 on the last day. The teens also shared their problems to Bro. George and he gave them personal counselling. During connection time the children recommitted their lives to the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord spoke to each and every one personally.
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They were also encouraged to go home without the fear of falling again. As per the promise “I will break their yoke from your neck� (Nahum 1:13) deliverance was witnessed in the lives of MKs from different yokes and bondages. Many MKs shared their testimony. They went home freely and happily with a new life and new strength. Pray for all the MKs who participated in the Teens Camp. Pray that they may remember the learnings and remind themselves constantly on the commitments they made. Pray for them to live in Christ and to be an example to other teens and to overcome every barrier.
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Rally for the children growing up in various GEMS Homes was conducted in which 732 children participated.
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Children Motivated to be the Aroma that Spreads the Fragrance of Christ
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GEMS Homes Rally was organized in the theme “AROMA – Fragrance” from 8-10 Oct 2019 at GEMS Auditorium in Sikaria, Bihar. 732 children participated enthusiastically.
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The children were divided according to their age. The children below the age of twelve had separate sessions with puppets and storytelling. The children above the age of twelve had separate sessions.
The rally started with the encouraging message by Bro. Rajesh Duthie, the Executive Director, GEMS. He shared the message based on 2 Corinthians 2:14. He also shared the story of the little girl who was The Call
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in Naaman’s house who spread the fragrance of love. Bro. Victor Alfred, PRO, GEMS shared the history of GEMS homes. This gave an understanding on what is the driving force behind the homes. Bro. Emerson, Associate Director, GEMS (Training) and Bro. Rakesh, Associate Director, GEMS (CP) shared in the morning devotions.
The theme was brought to the children through songs, skits and through various creative presentations. The Call
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Bro. Suresh Dhanakumar (Jamshedpur) shared the messages in three sessions. The teaching was on salvation, leading a life of victory over the temptations and the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit. Many children committed their life to Christ. Bro. D. Augustine Jebakumar, General secretary, GEMS taught the children 3 T’s – Thanksgiving, Transparency, Trust in God. The message was fruitful for the children.
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The children were divided in smaller groups and had group discussions on various practical issues they face in the current changing scenario. There were singing competition and talent shows in which all the children participated. Prizes were distributed for the memory verse and storytelling competitions. Every child enjoyed the rally to the fullest and were greatly blessed. GEMS Homes: GEMS Humanitarian Services continues to serve as a beacon of Love and Hope for the hopeless, deprived, disadvantaged, exploited, destitute and homeless thousand under its care. 778 children are cared for in fifty GEMS Homes; children who are orphan, semi-orphan, poor and less-privileged, tribal, polio affected and missionary kids. They are nurtured physically (food, clothes & shelter), medically, educationally, socially and spiritually. Pray for all the children cared for in various GEMS Homes that they may continue to grow in the Lord and to excel in every area of life. Pray for the children who participated in the Homes Rally to truly reflect Christ through their character. Pray for all the Home In-Charges and Home Parents to nurture the children with Christ-like love and care.
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