EDITORIAL
In an Uncertain A
World
nother year dawns with its promises and hopes. When the year is eagerly welcomed uncertainty too looms large in the air. Economic downturns and political uncertainties have become perennial problems. The recent past has been witness to increase of savagery in humans. Cruelty to women and children has become the order of the day. Anything passes the test of spirituality. These symptoms of moral sickness are likely to aggravate only than to abate. In times like these a believer is expected to be the ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’, making a difference in the lives of some. What else should be the purpose of a believer, worth his salt, in the New Year! It is the divine help that makes transitory human life purposeful. The awareness of lives’ brevity and appropriation of God’s provisions give beauty to it. So Moses prayed, “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps.90.12).
carrying royal letters and dispatches throughout the kingdom. They mounted on swift horses. They changed horses along the way so as to move as rapidly as possible and made incredible time. In the ancient time the swiftest thing on land was the runner. Next, Job compares life to ‘swift ships’. Perhaps Job had seen a sailboat appear on the horizon in the evening, and the next morning they had disappeared on the other horizon. Life, said Job, is like that. This was the fastest on the water. Then he caught sight of ‘an eagle swooping on its prey’- the fastest in the air. Job said, ‘Life is like that’. It is as a runner, a swift ship and an eagle plummeting on its prey. Job was choosing the swiftest on the land, sea and air to portray the swiftness of life on earth. If life is so brief there is no time for dillydallying around petty things. It must be lived with all its seriousness.
precept as the key to success. He said, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Josh.1.8). In any age adherence to the Law is the assurance for success. Thirdly, He promised a future in the land. Assuring this prospect the Lord said, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses” (1.3).These promises are for all His children, all the time. These are the factors that make life, though transitory and brief, significant.
For a believer to experience and enjoy promises of God’s presence, precept and prospect, unflinching trust and commitment to Him are essential. One writer has rightly termed believers as the ‘Company For making this brief life worth of the committed’. The term fits the living God provides His presence, believers well as they began their precept and prospect. These were spiritual journey with commitment Time and again the Bible declares the safeguards of Joshua as he to the Lord. The problem now is the transitory nature of human life. began a new epoch in His life. He This fact was acknowledged and not a lack of commitment but over was servant to Moses. But when stated by the ancients like Job, commitment to myriad of things. Moses left the scene Joshua had to Their priorities are skewed. Only a Moses, David, Hezekiah and many others like them. The most ancient slip his feet into the shoes of Moses. fresh commitment to the Lord and In order to strengthen the of these, Job, says, “Now my days commensurate action would make are swifter than a runner; they flee neophyte the Lord interposed with life profitable. This only shall away, they see no good. They pass His promises. Promising His translate resolves to reality in the by like swift ships, like an eagle presence the Lord said, “As I was New Year. swooping on its prey” (Job.9.25, with Moses, so I will be with you. I 26). Job uses three metaphors here will not leave you nor forsake you” to picture the brevity of human life. (Josh.1.5). Then, He gave His Guest Editor First, ‘a runner’- it is a sprinter
Thomson B Thomas
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DEVOTIONAL
Dwell together in Unity
Sycamine Tree
– Deepak Jariwala Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? …. 2 Kings 10:15
T
his was the question asked by Jehu to Jehonadab. Jehonadab answered “It is”. Then Jehu said to him “If it be, give me thine hand.” And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. Jehu and Jehonadab were NOW in the same chariot. Their hearts were right with each other. When a third person would look at them, they would be seen standing close to each other; not only so but they were also of one heart. Amongst many a believers, though they may be seen physically together in the same fellowship and even serve the Lord together; yet their hearts 4
may not be right with each other. There is a distance separating their hearts. Many a times envy is the reason because we do not take time in the presence of the Lord to review our calling. Peter exhorts “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” 2Pet 1:10. Sometimes, what one speaks to us in an offensive way, we cannot forget but continue to harbor a bitter and unforgiving spirit towards that brother or sister. We may even seek an opportunity to retaliate. Being NT believers we throw 'wordy' stones at each other, in spite of the Spirit of God continuously warning us “But if ye
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bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” (Gal 5:15). Luk 17:3-4: “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” While it is difficult to forgive even ONCE a brother who has sinned against you or offended you, the Lord raises the standard that even if he sins against you 7 times in a day and 7 times repents , you ought to forgive him. This is surely not possible for a mortal man.
When the Lord said in John 14:12 Cross has to completely uproot “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He these feeling from deep within that believeth on me, the works else the bitter , unforgiving that I do shall he do also; and spirit keeps on raising its head greater works than these shall he again and again do; because I go unto my Father.” 2. The wood of the Sycamine Tree the apostles never said anything was used to make coffins for about their lack of faith but when the dead. How true that malice the Lord instructed them to towards our fellow believers forgive a brother 7 times in a day, kills our peace, our joy and our the apostles realized their own growing spiritual life. weakness and said unto the Lord,” 3. Even where there is lack of rain Increase our Faith” and water, this tree survives. And the Lord gave a soul When we are not walking searching reply, something which closely with the Lord ( being sets our hearts and minds right if blessed by the Dew from we understand the meaning Heaven ) our lives our dry and correctly. Luke 17:6 .. “ And the barren and bitterness Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain overtakes us and rules over us. of mustard seed, ye might say 4. The Sycamine tree produces a unto this sycamine tree, Be thou fruit which is bitter and plucked up by the root, and be pungent in taste. The person thou planted in the sea; and it eating it nibbles slowly and is should obey you”. not able to eat it quickly Why did the Lord use the example because of the strong taste. of a Sycamine Tree? Rick Reener Similarly, an offended person brings out some very interesting who is unable to forgive and facts about this tree .. forget keeps nibbling (meditating) on his offense and 1. This tree has very large and keeps self-pitying. This leads to deep roots. The roots go deep depression at times. to seek any water current under the ground. These trees Many of us may be guilty of such unforgiving spirit, though we are found in Palestine area. It seems that there was one such may be standing as tree just at the place where the misunderstood and accused and victimized inspite of our sincere Lord was speaking to the and honest clarifications. The apostles and so the Lord says Son of God who has set us free “this Sycamine tree”. This tree is not easily destroyed. Even if from the bondage of sin can free the trunk is cut just at ground us in this area as well. The Lord has the solution for this. And He level, the tree grows back again. It must be uprooted for tell us .. “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say complete destruction. unto this sycamine tree, Be thou Similarly, bitterness against a plucked up by the root, and be fellow believer(s) has to go thou planted in the sea; and it away in the same way. It has to should obey you”. So indeed we be rooted out. It cannot be need to 'say/command' this dealt superficially or just on the surface. The Power of The Sycamine Tree in our life to be
uprooted and be cast into the sea. A little faith is required that God will accomplish His Word if we really desire to be free from such a situation. Have you spent time in the Lord's presence searching your heart and pleading before Him “Lord, create in me a clean heart; renew a right spirit within me”.(Ps.51:10) The Lord indeed tested the faith of Job in this matter I wonder how Job could have prayed for his friends. His friends were sorrowful in his sorrows for 7 days .. Job 2:13 “So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. ”. But after that they started accusing him of hidden sins and many other accusations. Bildad the Shuhite said .. Job 8:4 “If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; ” ( Job's 10 children had died in one day ) Job 8:6 “If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. ” Zophar the Naamathite said Job 11:3 “Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? ” Job 32:2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Facing The Challenges of 2014 In Confidence And Commitment – V. Sambob
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hile we remain grateful to the Lord for the privilege He has given us to enter into this New Year 2014 – a new year with several challenges, in another sense “there is nothing new under the sun”, Ecclesiastes 1:9. (That which has been is that which will be.”) This world with all its attractions is like a “vanity fair” to the worldly man. The spiritual man however, draws his strength by looking above the sun and finds the conclusion of fearing God and following His commands, Ecclesiastes 12:13.
faithful two, Caleb and Joshua, in Numbers 14 and Joshua 14. These two were companions right from the time described in Exodus 1214, having been delivered from Egypt and the power of Pharaoh. They were likeminded and they followed the Lord wholly, that is, without any deviation and in singleness of heart. What a pair! What a partnership! They were both witnesses and warriors, and of course, good worshippers too.
into two sections:1. The spies who were afraid of the Anakim/Nephilim, Numbers 13:33 2. The spies who saw the Lord in their difficulties, Numbers 14:8-9
Consider the confidence and courage of Joshua and Caleb in these statements: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we will surely overcome it. If the LORD is pleased with us, then he will First of all let us consider the challenges before Caleb, Numbers bring us into this land, and give it us; The LORD is with us.” 13:28-33. All the twelve spies Let us take encouragement from a went together to spy out the Let us know our times with all brief statement made by Caleb of Promised Land; all of them their difficulties and challenges; brought the fruit together and old, of the tribe of Judah, in yet let us learn to trust our dear reported well of the pleasant and Lord who is a very present help Joshua 14:11: “I am still strong fruitful land. When it came to the and the Rock of our salvation. Let today as I was in the day Moses subject of conquering the land, sent me.” The Spirit of God has us not be like grasshoppers but the twelve divided themselves left us a clear record of the let us grow in our faith like the 6
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POEM giants of faith. Let us face any challenge before us in faith.
conquered the land and were moving into their respective portions, Caleb makes a special Secondly, let us consider the plea that Hebron be allotted to confidence of Caleb in his old age. He was 40 years old when he was him according to the word of the Lord and their former leader, sent from the wilderness of Moses. Caleb was a man of Paran, Numbers 13. Now having continued vigour and strength. crossed the river Jordan and having gained victory over enemy “Give me this hill country” was forces for nearly five years, Caleb his cry, Joshua 14:12, knowing that there were the Anakim in it. was 85 years old. But he says, “I Joshua blessed him and gave him am still strong today.” Most of us Hebron for an inheritance. The cannot say so. Our strength fails place was formerly called Kirjathas the years pass by, Deuteronomy 33:25. “As the man Arba (city of Arba). Caleb was committed in the matter of is, so is his strength”, Jud 8:21. driving out the three sons of Forty-five years ago when the other ten said, “we are not able to Arba, called Sheshai, Ahiman and possess that land”, Caleb said, “we Talmai, Joshua 15:14. Arba was the father of Anak and these are well able”, Numbers 13:30. three were the sons of Anak. This is the strength of his faith. Caleb conquered these three. We need to get strengthened in our inner man, Ephesians 3:16. Dear ones, in our daily struggle, we come across three Anakim: We get strengthened as we the lust of the eyes, the lust of the • Rejoice in the Lord, Nehemiah flesh and the pride of life. We 8:10 have a continuous battle; we need to overcome these three daily. • Pray, Ephesians 3:14 • Receive His word, 1 John 2:14 Dear readers, there may be many challenges before us in 2014. Let • Wait for the Lord in hope, us continue to exercise Isaiah 40:31 confidence in our Lord and be • Enjoy His grace in our ministry, strong in our inner man. Let us be 2 Timothy 2:1 • Walk upright, 2 Chronicles 16:9 men and women of clean convictions and commitment, Shall we:driving out our enemy forces • Go from strength to strength, daily. Can we:Psalm 84:7 • Face these challenges of 2014? • Grow from faith to faith, • Have confidence in Him and be Romans 1:17 strong? • Go from glory to glory, 2 Corinthians 3:18 Let us look up to Him daily and get renewed in our inner man. Finally, let us consider the commitment of Caleb. The scene of Numbers 13 and 14 is different from that of Joshua 14. Now that the people of Israel had
• Be committed to drive out Anakim daily? “Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes it meaningful.” V. Sambob, Kadapa, AP, Editor, Assembly Mail
THE GREAT ANATOMY “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Ps. 139:14
Have you stopped and thought Of how your body fought The battle to keep you alive in this world where germs thrive? A little embryo were you More insignificant than dew Yet,by some divine miracle You were formed, fully impeccable From the millions of cells, too many to count To the glands that secrete in right amount From your heart that beats without a rest To your stomach that churns to help you digest. Numerous things could all go wrong And yet you’re sustained all along. Each organ performs with utmost precision To keep homeostasis in every occasion No earthly mind could ever conceive A structure so perfect,its hard to believe! It is indeed a great mystery How God thought of our anatomy -Rebecca Rajan
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PROPHECY
Daniel's Seventy Weeks – Part 3: Messiah the Prince
– Johnny Varghese
Golden Gate
The present road from Mt Olives to Jerusalem almost coincides with the road that existed in the first century. Our Lord may have entered Jerusalem at a point near the “golden gate”, visible at a distance on the city wall.
Daniel 9:25-26a reads as follows: “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” Here is a stupendous prediction. Speaking in 538 BC, Gabriel the angel predicts that there will be a time interval of exactly 69 8
1
weeks between two events: 1. The going forth of the commandment to restore Jerusalem 2
2. Messiah the Prince
Question 2: Which event in the life of the Messiah is referred to as “Messiah the Prince”? Answer: Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem recorded in Matthew 21.
As discussed in the Part 2 of this series, the first of these events took We come to this conclusion based place on March 14, 445 BC – nearly on the following considerations: a century after Gabriel spoke. No 1. Prior to the triumphal entry, the book in the world contains such a Lord Jesus shunned publicity as bold prediction, so we must the Messiah (Mark 8:30, Mark investigate the details! 1:34, etc.) but welcomed it at Question 1: Who is this “Messiah the triumphal entry (Matthew the Prince”? 21:15-16); this means he intended his triumphal entry Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ.
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(which took place shortly before Passover, when all the Jews would go to Jerusalem) to be his presentation to the nation of Israel as their Messiah. 2. Addressing Israel, the Lord Jesus referred to the day of his triumphal entry as “this thy day” and “the time of your visitation” that Israel should have known (Luke 19:42-44) 3. The gospel writers testify3 that the triumphal entry fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 – the very passage which speaks of Israel’s Messiah coming to her Question 3: What was the date on which the Lord Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly? Answer: This can be ascertained as follows: 1. Jesus was born during the days of Herod (Matthew 2:1) and Cyrenius (Luke 2:2). Since 4 Herod died in April 3 BC and 5 Cyrenius started reigning in April 4 BC, it follows that Jesus was born sometime between these two dates. Hence Jesus definitely turned 31 before April 6 29 AD . 2. Luke 3:1 tells us that Jesus started his public ministry during the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar (20th August, 28 AD to 19th August, 29 AD7) and that Jesus was “about thirty years” old. Thus Jesus started his public ministry between 20th August, 28 AD and April, 29 AD. 3. During his ministry, Jesus went 8 to Jerusalem for the Passover : 29 AD (John 2:1), 30 AD (John 5:1), 31 AD (John 6:4) 4. Hence his last visit to Jerusalem (John 12:1) would have been March-April (Nisan) 32 AD. 5. The Lord Jesus died on the Passover (Luke 22:7, 22:11) which was (see Exodus 12:6) the 14th of Nisan9.
6. Counting backwards from the Passover, we find that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem 10 was on the 10th of Nisan 0032 AD 11
7. This date was 6th April 32 Ad . Thus we have the two events mentioned by angel Gabriel: 1. The going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem: 14th March 445 BC 2. Messiah the Prince – The triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus to Jerusalem: 6th April 32 AD What is the time interval between the two events? Calculation step
Result
Find the number of years To get the number of days, multiply by 365 Add extra days for leap years Add the extra days from March 14th to April 6th Total number of days between the events
173,740 116 24 173,880
There was an interval of 173,880 days between the two events. Now we have 173,880 days and is exactly 69 weeks, each week consisting of 7 years of 360 days each! Thus, the angel Gabriel predicted the time interval between two events centuries ahead, accurate to the day! No other book in the world contains such a prediction, and this by itself is sufficient proof that the Bible is of divine origin! We must not only ponder great facts like this but also display this greatness of God’s word for those outside God’s kingdom so that they also may come to believe the Bible. Gabriel tells Daniel that the time period from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem to Messiah the Prince
would be sixty nine weeks. He splits this into seven weeks plus sixty two weeks. Seven weeks from the start (445 BC) is 397 BC. The angel does not specify the significance of this date, but it is worth noting that it coincides with the completion of the Old Testament. 1 As discussed in Part 1 of this series, a week refers to seven years of 360 days each. 2 The Hebrew word rendered “prince” does not mean “Son of a king”but a governor or captain. 3 Matthew 21:3-4, John 12:14-15 4 Herod the Great is described at length by the first century Jewish historian Josephus. 5 Most secular historians find fault with Luke because it is well known that Cyrenius started his governorship in about 6 AD. However, Robert Anderson in his book The Coming Prince cites a German scholar called Dr Zumpt who, in a work entitled Das Geburtsjahr Christi provides ample circumstantial evidence for Cyrenius being governor of Syria twice. Cyrenius’ first tenure was from 4 BC to 1 BC. 6 Note that there is no year 0.1 BC was followed by 1 AD, so the duration from 3 BC to 29 AD is not 32, but 31 years. 7 The Roman historian Tacitus provides this and other information about Tiberius Caesar. 8 The Passover is held in the first month of the Jewish religious calendar (Exodus 12:1). This month was called Abib (Exodus 13:4) in Hebrew but after the captivity, the Jews started using the Aramaic term for it: Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1, Esther 3:7). This month occurs during our March/April. 9 The Passover (14th of Nisan) would be from the sunset of that day to the sunset of the next day (That’s how the Jews counted days – this began with the “evening and morning” of Genesis 1. Even today, modern Israelis keep the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset). The Lord Jesus died the afternoon following the “last supper”. 10 We work backward with the “two days” of Matthew 26:2, the “morning” when Peter saw the withered fig tree (Mark 11:20), and the “morning” after the triumphal entry when the Lord Jesus looked for figs (Mark 11:1213) 11 This is the date offered by Robert Anderson in his book The Coming Prince. Online Hebrew calendars give 8th April, based on calculations. Anderson’s date cannot be ruled out because in ancient times, the Jews did not calculate the moon’s position, but relied on actual sighting. In the table, I have used Anderson’s date and have included the first and last days. If we use the date provided by the online calculators, we obtain the same result (that is, exactly 69 weeks) if we exclude the first and last days. Johnny Varghese is an IIT alumnus and lives in Thane.
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– Christina Durham "Behold, I make all things new" Rev: 21.5. “
R
exuberance is a tonic to jaded spirits, and, together with the replacement of the old calendar by a new date sequence, deceives the recipient of the greeting into "A new heart also will I give you, imagining himself as the and a new spirit will I put within possessor of a new dispensation you; and I will take away the of time. For a brief period he stony heart out of your flesh, and continues the pleasant deception I will give you an heart of flesh, by a new layout of self imposed and I will put my spirit within restrictions and good resolutions, you, and cause you to walk in my only to find, as day succeeds statutes, and ye shall keep my today, that the quality of time and judgements and do them." Ezek. his own temperament, have 36: 26-27. remained unchanged, and there "If any man be in Christ, let him is, in reality, nothing new, except be a new creature'; old things are the calendar! passed away; behold all things There is also another side. The are become new" 2 Cor. 5:17. entrance into a New Year is, for (marg.) most of us, attended with a There is something infectious in superstitious sense of impending the exuberance with which the misfortune. How the fact of a new old but ever new greeting is date sequence can compel the exchanged in the early hours of inclusion of that misfortune the New Year. The very within that sequence, is hard to emember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing" (Isa. 43 : 18-19).
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decide, but such are the vagaries of human nature!
T
he other day a friend said to me "I feel that something cataclysmic is going to happen this year, either international or local", basing his prophetic urge on general international unrest, the amazing advances in nuclear research, and the usual uncertainties of daily life. On such a basis, the prophecy holds good for any year, month, week, or day even; but, for some strange reason, the human mind finds a perverse comfort in the contemplation of impending doom. Perhaps this is provoked by the despair which is the aftermath of the futility of efforts after self improvement. Be that as it may, it is a fact that regretful retrospection is often another
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FAMILY
Importance of Family and Marriage in God's Plan
– John Kurian
-IX
where his own needs can be met without caring for the needs of his partner.
The roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives Men and women were created by God with distinct abilities to fulfill their roles in marriage. God has given us these roles in His instruction manual, the Bible. Sin degraded these roles and everyone got occupied with what they can get out of marriage.
During the last few decades our culture has redefined the meaning and responsibilities of man and woman in society and in the home. The significant social changes brought about by the women's liberation movement have added to the trouble. It is in the very nature of fallen man to seek his own and be selfish. Therefore he would look at relationships also as an avenue
As Christians, we are not to enter marriage just to meet our own needs, but to meet the needs of our partner. “Marriage is two people mutually agreeing to lay down their own rights to benefit the other. Self rights are forgotten – each one thinks of the other.” Giving up our right is a voluntary decision made in obedience to the Lord and not the spouse. When you give yourself, you can experience the joy of giving. Pursuit of one's own happiness and fulfillment will result in failure and disappointment only. “Meet the need of your partner and your need will automatically be met” is the golden rule in marriage. God is a God of order and He has instituted an order in the family too, assigning different roles to husbands and wives. It's important for us to look clearly at what the Bible says on this subject. Some of the things that the
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Scripture says about our responsibilities in marriage won't be what we hear at our workplace, or on television, or from our friends in the society. But we should never let the world tell us how to behave in our family; The Bible alone should be our guidebook.
The Role of Husbands Husband's first responsibility is to leave His father and mother and cleave to his wife. This is clearly stated in Gen.2:24. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh�. This verse is quoted 3 times in the New Testament making it one of the most quoted verses in the whole of the Bible. Leaving takes place at the point of marriage when a public commitment is made to his partner. Unless both the man and his wife leave their parents, they cannot be closely united to each other. This primarily involves an emotional detachment with the parents when the emotional umbilical cord is cut. Leaving means that you leave the dependence, comfort, and security of your parents' authority. (The woman also should be weaned from her parents emotionally, realizing that she has been given away by her parents to live the rest of her life with her husband). In the physical sense, it can mean the newlywed husband and wife moving out for separate living. If it is not possible to move, the newly married should function as a separate family unit under the same roof. A deliberate leaving of parental headship is essential for the smooth functioning of the new family unit. 12
Another thing that should happen is a shift of priorities. Wife should take priority over all other relationships. She should become the most important person in life. She must be consulted in everything and her interests taken in to consideration. There should be a change in man's relationship with parents. A new relationship should give way to another.
proper teaching should be given in the churches about these things. In –law problem is a major problem in the Indian society. If both the parties do not understand these principles, relationships can be strained and unnecessary problems created.
The next thing we read in Gen.2:24 is to 'cleave'. This means 'to be glued' or 'joined'. This From this point on, the newly speaks of a permanent union married should cease to go to between two people, never to their parents for everything. separate again. The result of Husband and wife should learn to leaving and cleaving is becoming make decisions of their own, one flesh. This teaches that they prayerfully. Thus they begin to are to be one in everything function independent of their maintaining intimate and close parents. relationship. There is a biological To 'leave' our fathers and mothers unity also here- the exploration does not mean we must cut off all and development of a fulfilling relationship to them or abandon sex life together. It bonds the two them. We should continue to together, strengthening the relate to them, honor them and marriage like no other thing can. care for them. This is our It is to be noted that in many Christian obligation. Even after passages in scripture the word marriage it will be good to go to 'know' is used to refer to the parents for advice in important physical union between and a matters; but the final decision man and wife in the context of should be taken by the couples marriage (Gen 4:1,16,25; and not their parents. Matt.1:25). The most intimate The act of leaving parents will be and total knowledge of each other difficult for many. But it's is what is meant. important to obey the biblical So wonderful and so complete is command. It will surely help in the oneness between husband the process of growing up and and wife that it is compared to the establishing your own home. unity of Christ and Church It may be difficult for the parents (Eph.5:32) also to let their son or daughter It should be mentioned here that go. Parents should make the marriage is complete even if deliberate attempts not to the partners have no children. interfere with the affairs of their When a man leaves his father and children. Children should be mother and cleaves to his wife, encouraged to make their own they become one and find decisions rather than to come to fulfillment in life. them for every little thing. Parents should not act as 'remote John Kurian is an evangelist, Bible controls'. Many Christian parents teacher and preacher based in Kerala. are ignorant of these truths and
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BIOGRAPHY
Anthony Norris Groves (1795-1853)
First Brethren missionary to India – Koshy Mathew
A
great spiritual awakening took place in Europe and the British Isles during the early nineteenth century. This revival produced what is known today as the Modern Missionary Movement. It was this moving of the Spirit of God in the hearts of His people that caused William Carey, an ordinary cobbler, to come to India in the year 1793. He became the father of the Modern Missionary Movement. Many young people committed their lives to the Lord for the proclamation of the Gospel in Africa, India and China. The need to print the Bible in the language of the people of these lands motivated them to study the word of God. It was during this time that a group of people moved by the Spirit of God decided to follow the New Testament Church principles and practices. This divine movement, which later came to be known as the 'Brethren Movement', started in the year 1825, in Dublin, Ireland. Anthony Norris Groves was one among the early brethren from the Dublin fellowship. It was he who initiated a great movement in the mission history of the Church called the Faith Missionary Movement and became identified as the Father of Faith Missions.
Early life and education Anthony was born on 1st February 1795 as the third child of Anthony and Lydia Groves, in Newton
Thomas Hitchins and first professed himself "a disciple of Christ". In the year 1823, Norris Groves gained a fuller assurance of his personal salvation; as a result of his association with Bessie Paget.
Call to missionary work
Valence, Hampshire, England and was the only son in a family of six. His father, Anthony Groves was an Anglican businessman attending church in Fulham. In 1808, while Anthony was a school boy in Fulham, he heard John Owen speak about missionary work in India. The idea of overseas missionary service came to him again and again as he grew up. Having trained as a dentist in London, he set up practice in Plymouth at the age of 19. Two years later he married Mary Bethia Thompson, and moved to Exeter. In1816 at the age of twenty-one he was influenced by the evangelical clergymen Joseph Richards and
In 1826, while continuing his dentistry in Exeter, he enrolled as an external student of theology at Trinity College, Dublin, with a view to get ordination in the Church of England and to an appointment with the Church Missionary Society (CMS). His study of the New Testament led him to believe that the practices of the early churches should be considered a model for every age and culture, and this caused him to consider withdrawing from Trinity College,and from the CMS. His wife advised him to also withdraw from the Anglican Communion. As Groves and his wife grew in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, they also grew in their love for and commitment to him and his work. They began by giving 10% of their income for God's work. This then became 25%, and then Groves realized that all he had belonged to God, so he adopted a simple lifestyle and gave away all his surplus income and savings for the Lord's work. He met with other Christian believers in private homes for the
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study of the apostles' doctrine, and for fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, as was the custom of the early church (Acts 2:42), without requiring the presence of any ordained minister. It was here that he met J N Darby and others who were later to become prominent leaders in the Plymouth Brethren movement. One of Groves' friends, Cronin, writes about these meetings: “Oh the blessed seasons with my soul, which John Parnell, William Stokes and others knew, while moving the furniture aside and laying the simple table with its bread and wine on Saturday evenings, seasons of joy, never to be forgotten, for surely we had the Master's smile and sanction in the beginning of such a movement as this was!” As the years passed, he became increasingly concerned with the drift of the Plymouth Brethren towards sectarianism under the leadership of Darby and aligned himself with George Müller when the brethren split in 1848 to form the Open Brethren and the Exclusive Brethren.
Lord as he is would keep me in the scenes which these countries do exhibit, and I feel assured will, till the Lord has finished His judgments on them for the contempt of the name, nature and offices of the Son of God; yet I linger in the hope that He has a remnant even among them, for whose return these convulsions are preparing the way.... The Lord has stopped the water just at the top of our street by a little ledge of high ground, so that as yet we are dry; and all free from the sword of the destroying angel.”
Missionary work in India In 1833, a revised charter granted to the East India Company opened the way for unrestricted Christian missionary work in India. On invitation from Colonel Arthur Cotton, in 1833, Groves visited widely among missionaries in India, and found open doors for the gospel in many parts of the country. In 1834 he accompanied the Scottish missionary educator Alexander Duff from Calcutta to Scotland, nursing him slowly back to health. Duff probably owed his life to Groves' attentions, as indeed did Arthur Cotton on an earlier occasion.
Obedience to a heavenly vision Groves preached and practiced the New Testament principles of living by faith and of seeking guidance and provision from God alone. That is, he wouldn't be a salaried worker on someone's payroll, but since he was the Lord's servant, each of his needs would be met by God in answer to prayer. Conversely, no one else could dictate his movements – they would be carried out in response to God's guidance alone. In the year 1825, shortly after his conversation, being influenced by the sermon on the Mount Groves wrote a small book titled " Christian Devotedness". It was a 'bomb shell' in the 'mission field'. In it he wrote "The Christian motto should beLabour hard, consume little, give much and all to Christ"
Groves advocated the adoption of the New Testament as a manual of missionary methods. One of Groves' Indian disciples was John Arulappan who adopted his principles. As a full-time evangelist, Missionary work at Baghdad Arulappan lived "by faith" and In 1829 Groves and his wife Mary facilitated the creation of a network set out for Baghdad, together with of indigenous Indian fellowships. their two young sons, Henry and Groves' ideas were later taken up in Frank, accompanied by several India and abroad by many. George Christian friends, one of whom was During this time in Britain, Groves Muller, one of Groves' brothers-inremarried Harriet Baynes. She John Kitto. A second party set out law was influenced by this accompanied Groves when he to join them the following year, scriptural principle and fed including Francis William Newman returned to India in 1836 the thousands of orphans daily – he second time. Groves was and John Vesey Parnell. In March never solicited funds but only accompanied by John Kitto, Edward 1831 Baghdad entered upon a year relied on answers to prayer. Cronin and John V Parnel. Rejoined of intense misery, with civil war, Hudson Taylor, C T Studd, William by his sons and others from plague, floods and famine, in which MacDonald, George Verwer Baghdad, he established a Groves suffered the death of his (founder of Operation wife Mary and a recently born baby missionary team in Madras Mobilization), Watchman Née, Amy daughter. In the midst of his trials, supported largely through his Carmichael, Wilfred Durham, dentistry, and later a farm and Groves wrote: “The Lord has Bakht Singh and Professor Enoch mission settlement in Chittoor. He allowed us great peace, and (founder of UESI), are some wellrecruited a number of missionaries assured confidence in His loving known Christian workers who to assist existing efforts in several care, and in the truth of His believed in these principles. Faith parts of India, and to start new promise, that our bread and our Mission has perhaps been the ventures, notably in the Godavari water shall be sure; but certainly Delta and Tamil Nadu. nothing but the service of such a 26 14
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CHALLENGERS
An Interview with Andi Eicher (Part 1)
– Johnny Varghese Andi Eicher is in charge of Jeevan Sahara Kendra (JSK), a Christian ministry in Thane, Maharashtra, for people with HIV/AIDS. Johnny Varghese interviewed him on behalf of Harvest Times. This is the first part. JV: Could you tell us something about your family background?
He was adopted by my grandfather because he was the son of an unmarried couple of British origin who went to a mission hospital in Miraj and gave him up for adoption. Dad and mom worked with Operation Mobilization. They helped start it 50 years ago with their colleagues including Brother George Verver.
came to India to study God's Word at the Hindustan Bible Institute and Calcutta Bible College while at the same time starting some of the women's work. So they met here in India & got married in 1967. I have a younger brother Stephan and a younger sister Pramila who is adopted from Mukti mission.
AI: My great grandfather came to India in 1904 as a missionary with the Christian Missionary Alliance and my grandfather was born that year in Mumbai. My father was born in 1941 in Miraj.
I was born in 1969 in Mumbai. My mom is from East Germany. She came to the Lord in Spain through the work of OM and immediately joined OM and then went to Turkey for some years. She then
JV: How did you come to know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? AI: I have been blessed to hear the gospel even before I can
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remember. When I was four years old, we as a family were in the U.S a year when my father was on furlough. My mother was concerned about my salvation and so she expressed this to a friend of hers. And her friend was praying specifically for my salvation. An older boy and his sisters took a VBS for the children who were in that area of which I must have been one. I remember him telling me about Jesus, about the need to be saved. I don't remember the sinner's prayer, but I know I prayed it because my mother tells me that I rushed in and told her in German, “I became a Christian”. So that was the start of my walk with the Lord, my salvation experience. When I was about 9, baptism class was going on in our church. I specifically said that I wanted to be baptized. Thus I testified by taking baptism at a young age. But a deepening of God's work started towards the end of my 10th standard. I was able to start afresh in my 11th standard. I went to a boarding in North India and didn't know anyone there. I was with people of my own age who love the Lord but I also had to stand for my faith; these two aspects really helped me mature. JV: You have had the opportunity to live in a developed country and have a lucrative career there; what motivated you to leave all that and serve HIV infected people in India? AI: I'm an Indian by birth and by choice. My mother was a German citizen and she got me a German passport when I was a young man. But at 18, I chose to renounce my German citizenship and keep my Indian citizenship. I 16
did this because God touched me – I realized that I was made Indian for a purpose. Until 1984, commonwealth citizens were able to be here for long periods of time as part of OM; then the Government of India changed that. So many people who served here for years (many of them were my parents' colleagues) had to pack up and go. I remember that as a young man, I realized that one thing I wanted in my life was to die happy. Part of my purpose in life was my identity as an Indian citizen, as a person that God has placed in this country. So with this in mind I did go abroad. I did my graduation at an excellent Christian college called Taylor University in America and studied forestry and public health at Yale University. So why did I come back to India? Firstly, it is here that you can make a maximum impact. Having done my Masters in public health at Yale University, I could have been a director of public health for a U.S city. I would monitor water quality and may be once in 3 years there will be a diarrheal outbreak and 3 or 4 people would get diarrhea. On the other hand, here any input to people has impact into destinies – and that for generations. Secondly, the U.S and other places are full of Christian ministries and the vast majority of Christian ministries are concentrated in these places. But large parts of our country still do not have a functional local church. Of all the signs that the Lord gave for his second coming in Matthew 24, most of them were present when the Lord Jesus was here except for the statement that the gospel would
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be preached to the nations. Operation World says that there are about 640 unreached people groups; that is, groups of population over 10,000 without a visible Christian witness among them. 76% of these unreached people groups are in India. So we are the cause of the delay in the Lord's return. JV: What do you say to a lot of Indian Christian young people today who are looking westward with longing eyes? AI: I say: first ask the Lord, “What do you want me to do with my life? I offer my life 100% to you. Wherever you take me, I will be 100% your child. If you take me to Yale University then I will be your witness in its halls. If you take me to Ambedkarwadi, I will be your witness in the slums of that place but wherever you take me I will go.” And I challenge young people to either put up or shut up. You can't sing “Lord I offer my life to you” and not do it. If you are not going to obey the Lord, step out of your church and don't put on a sham. But the Lord is coming soon and He wants fruitful followers. He wants our lives to be full of His joy. Your parents have invested heavily on you; now is the chance to pay back but not just in a fat salary. That shouldn't be the main aim, nor should leisure or a comfortable lifestyle. These may or may not come. But the real question is: “Is my career a career to the gospel or a barrier to the gospel? How can I use my career for God?” Why don't you think of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan – Muslim countries that will welcome Indians to teach software, basic literacy,
management skills, etc.? Use what you are learning and put it into practice in a place where real impact for God's kingdom can take place. Tell your church elders that you want to be used by God. I would especially challenge any Indian young person to say, “Lord, touch my heart for my own country, for the 140 million Indian Muslims who don't know you, for the upper caste people who have no gospel testimony. I know some of them in my college or in my work place. How can I see real life change take place? Lord, open my eyes and give me divine opportunities, help me to be your channel of peace and truth. Help me to be sensitive to what you are already doing in their lives, to be bold and not just a shaking violet – someone who is a nice person at the office but never speaks about Jesus but in the assembly/Church is all about the Bible.” So don't live a split life. Live a consistent God-ordained, Godpleasing, Christ-honoring life. Jesus said: “Seek ye first the Kingdom and all will be added”. I have seen the truth of this in my parents' life. They have given themselves completely for the gospel and the Lord has been so faithful to them. They are living today in a beautiful place which the richest people in India cannot access. So it's all God's grace that they are living a life that is so fulfilled and that's my challenge for each one of us and for myself as well – to not give in to our lethargy and the inertia we easily fall into, but to be sharp and to be obedient to what the Lord has for us.
JV: How serious is AIDS in Maharashtra in particular and in India at large? AI: A South African doctor of Indian origin visited us a few years ago. He told us that in a space of six to seven years, he had hired five ladies to help clean his house. The reason he had kept hiring is because they kept dying. We are not seeing that kind of an absolute catastrophe in India; nevertheless it's very damaging here. According to government figures, 0.3-0.4% of the adult Indian population has HIV. That's about 23 lac people in the country. Percentage wise, the U.S has more AIDS than India does. But India has a lot of people so we keep seeing people with HIV in our work and we don't see any slackening in the numbers of people we come in contact with. This trend is likely to continue in the next generation. If things don't radically change, we can expect an ongoing set of broken lives that need help, comfort and the love of God to really change them. It is serious but not catastrophic. So we have to address it in an appropriate way that the Lord calls us to. When AIDS hits a family it destroys their dreams and hopes. It leaves behind orphans and parents who don't have children to care for them. All of this is cloaked in the shame and the secrecy of the disease. So for those who have the disease, it's a catastrophe. JV: What makes AIDS different from other diseases?
1. The horror of death: HIV was discovered in 1981 so we are now 32 years into the epidemic. Even after 32 years of scientific advancement there is still no cure. Some diseases like diabetes are incurable but they can be controlled. So people aren't horrified by them. But HIV still has that primal horror linked with it as something that will defy our modern medicines and kill the infected person. 2. Sexual spread: When we hear that a person is infected with HIV, the first thing that comes to your mind is that this person has been sexually promiscuous. He or she has been unfaithful to their partner. So that deep shame, the deep disgrace that it brings, is something that makes HIV unique. We had a volunteer doctor here who heard that his father might have cancer. Seconds later, he was on the phone, telling people to pray for his father. It was catastrophic news but he immediately reached out to seek support. Now, if he and I were sitting and if I got a message from my dad saying that he was HIV positive, I could not do that. Because as soon as I do it, people will say: “your father is a missionary, he's a big fake, he has been cheating people, etc.” So that linkage of the disease with our morality and especially with our sexuality is very deep. So it is very hard to talk about HIV; people feel so uncomfortable about it. Sexual spread is by far the largest driver of the disease. We estimate something like 90% of people in India contract HIV sexually – either from their unfaithful
AI: AIDS is different from other diseases for 2 main reasons: Harvest Times for Your Family January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
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WWJDSharing Gospel
R
achel was extremely excited and looking forward to go to the church on Sunday morning. It was the last Sunday of the month and all church members from her assembly went for outreach. They distributed the Bibles, tracts & leaflets to the passers-by. Children were not allowed to accompany the elders for outreach and they had to stay back in the church with Mrs. Glory and learn from God's word. However, on special request from the children they were allowed only for this 18
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Tabbsum Roy Paes
month to accompany the elders and distribute the material. As pastor uncle said the closing prayer and announced with a smile that all of them would proceed towards their destination for outreach. Rachel and her friends jumped with thrill. Pastor smiled at their enthusiasm and wondered what they would be expecting it to be. As they reached the entrance of the city mall and began to stop and offer the Bibles and
tracts to people,they received different responses from different people. There were young couples, college students, families, foreigners & a lot of children. Rachel & her friends began to distribute the material one by one. Children were happy to receive the beautiful Christmas books. Pastor Uncle spoke from Mark 10:14-15, “"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." and praised & thanked God for bringing little children to them. Rachel and her friends were more excited now and began to approach the elders passing by. Some people took the tracts but threw them without a pause either into the dustbin or on the road, a few of them smiled and said No, Thank you. Some were open to hear, ask questions, took the bible, kept in their bags and moved on. There was a gentleman who appreciated Rachel & asked her a few questions. Then he told that he was a Christian. Few people offered money for the Bibles which Rachel & her friends humbly denied. Until a middle aged lady approached Rachel, almost
fuming, she asked, “Where are your parents? You appear to be from a decent family. Do your parents know what you are doing here? The lady didn't allow Rachel to answer and kept saying whatever came to her mind. Pastor heard the shouting and came to her rescue but it was a little bit late. Rachel's ears had turned red. Looked liked she had fever.
Peanuts? He replied, “How can I go empty handed to meet God?”
As she reached home, she burst out in tears. She could still recollect the incident and how passers-by looked at her as if she was a culprit. She calmed down after a few days. Soon the month got over and Pastor Uncle invited all the children for Christmas outreach. Rachel refused straight away and began to cry. She could still picture the incident in her mind. No one could change her mind this time. Not even Mrs. Glory. Pastor Uncle, Mummy & Daddy one and all tried hard and decided to leave Rachel behind with a sad heart.
Mark 16:15 states, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” This is what we are expected to do.
At that time, Mrs. Glory's daughter Preethi came forward and said that she wants to share an experience of her Sunday School from their Home Town. A small boy on deathbed desperately wanted handful of peanuts as death was approaching him. When asked why do you want
This was a little boy. Don't we know our purpose on Earth? Surely, we can't take peanuts or anything else but certainly our contribution to the expansion of kingdom of God. Can we be so greedy to keep the grace of our God to us and not share it with those in need?
Rachel was once again challenged by God's words. Tears came rolling down her cheeks. She was no more thinking of her friends who might see her in the similar situation like earlier again. What would Jesus do? Definitely, he will never give up. He did not; rather he gave his precious life for us to fulfill God's will. Aren't we supposed to follow the steps of our Lord left as an example for us? Each one of us has to be an imitator of Christ. Dear Children, What is your outlook on God's purpose in your life? Do you allow the world around you to hinder your actions or allow your love for God to win? Tabbsum Roy Paes is a writer and lives in Gurgaon.
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EXPLORERS
You can't but you can! – Cynthia John
I
“
just can't do it!” Mala said, kicking a stone as she walked alongside Nina Aunty. Nina Aunty was her teacher at a Bible Summer Camp.
Nina Aunty stopped and looked at her. “Can't do what?” she asked, realising that Mala had offered to help carry her books because she wanted to confide to her alone. “I can't be good. I can't do what is right though I want to. I have tried obeying my parents so many times, but I just keep failing,” Mala said. Nina Aunty had talked about being a God's child and obeying Him, but Mala didn't believe it would work for her. “You are right. You can't,” Nina Aunty said. Now it was Mala's turn to be surprised. She had not expected an answer like that. “But again, you can, in a different way,” Nina Aunty continued, with a twinkle in her eye. “I don't understand, Aunty. What are you saying?” Mala asked. 20
“Look, Mala, none of us has the power to be good. That's why we are not fit to go to heaven. But that is also why God sent Jesus to die for us. He took our punishment so that our sins can be wiped out. When we believe in Him, we get something new. We get the goodness and righteousness of Jesus. It's like being given new clothes to wear. It was not ours but now it's ours, because it's a gift from Jesus. When we ask God to forgive our sins through Jesus, he gives us a new heart, and He Himself lives “ in our hearts. So we have His power to do what is right, and to be good.” “Can I have it too?” Mala asked. “It sounds too good to be true.” “If you really believe that Jesus died for you, and really want to turn away from your sins and live for Jesus, just talk to God. He will forgive you and live inside you.”
have your old 'self' nature inside and you could be tempted. But when you do sin, God's spirit will talk to your conscience and tell you that you are wrong. Then you can ask God for forgiveness and help you to stop doing the wrong thing. Now that you have started loving God, you will want to obey Him. So you will not only ask for His power to help you obey, but you will try too.” “Okay, Aunty. I will definitely pray today. I know God will help me.” Nina Aunty looked happy. “Come, let's join the others for lunch,” she said, pointing to the queue at the biriyani counter. Can you obey God?
Mala thought about it. “Does that mean I will never sin again?”
Mala got the same answer but rephrased. 'You can't but you can!' You can't do it by your own strength, but when you trust Jesus and ask Him to come into your heart, you can fight temptation with His power.
Nina Aunty smiled. “No. You still
Can you fight temptation?
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Does it seem hard to fight confesses and renounces them temptation? Does it seem like you finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 keep doing the same wrong thing When we really feel bad about over and over again? our sin and ask for forgiveness, Here are some things you can do God forgives us. That means, we now have a clean slate. We need to fight temptation: to keep it clean. 1. Accept your mistakes 2. Ask for God's help Often, we may not acknowledge It's impossible to keep fighting our sin. For example, you might our sins by ourselves, so ask for be wasting a lot of study time God's power, guidance and help. doing nothing, but claim to be His presence in your heart keeps taking a break, though you know your conscience active, so that it's more than a short break. you feel guilty when you are Admitting that you are wasting about to sin, or have sinned. Not the time God has given you and only can He help us, He can also the opportunity He has given you understand our temptation. to study is the first step towards Hebrews 2:18 says, “Because he overcoming that temptation. God himself suffered when he was tells us to confess our sins, so we tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” need to accept and confess them to Him on a daily basis. “Whoever 3. Work for victory conceals their sins does not There are several things you can prosper, but the one who do to overcome temptation. You
could stay away from it. For example, if seeing your friend's new toys makes you feel like stealing one, avoid visiting the friend for a while. You could read and memorise verses that talk about why a particular action is wrong. If you are often tempted to speak angry words, read verses about why God does not want us to tempted so. When you really want to overcome a sin, you will be able to figure out ways to avoid it. And you can do it in the power of God. Read this verse: “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4. So, trust in God, and overcome sin. You'll taste the joy of victory! Cynthia John is the author of several books, mostly for Children's Bible Schools and Sunday School.
Positions open at GLS Gospel Literature Service (GLS) is a Public Charitable Trust devoted to the Lord's work, the spread of the Gospel and other charitable activities since 1946. Editor/Assistant Editor: A born again Christian. Graduate/Post Graduate in English Literature with about 3-4 years experience in publishing field. Additional qualification in journalism or mass media will be added advantage. Sound biblical knowledge is essential. He/she should have ability to do editing and proofreading of various manuscripts/articles for magazine, online content, and catalogue. Able to write copy for publishing /promotional materials. Age: 25-30 Years. Finance Manager: A born again Christian. Post Graduate in commerce /CA inter with 5 years of experience in Financial and Management Accounting. He/she should be able to finalize the books of account and balance sheet independently. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft suit, working efficiency in Tally ERP, Sales Tax, Income Tax and FCRA knowledge preferred. Maximum Age: 45 Years. Publishing Manager: A born again Christian Graduate/ Post Graduate in marketing with 3-5 years experience in publishing, marketing and sales in a publishing enterprise. The candidate must have ability to manage the entire publishing process, ability to develop and execute sales/marketing/promotional strategies. He/she must have strong interpersonal, networking communication skill and should be familiar with various social media platforms, knowledge of e-book and other technology platforms and distribution systems. Maximum Age: 40 Years. Apply to: Info@glsindia.com GLS Publishing, 250-D, Udyog Bhavan, Worli Colony, Mumbai- 400 030. Tel: 022-24930116/66627243 Harvest Times for Your Family January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
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Dwell together in Unity Eliphaz the Temanite said Job 22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? Job was so discouraged that he was compelled to say once Job 13:4 “But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. ” and another time in Job 16:2 “ I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. ” But God wanted Job to get rid of these ill feelings and that he pray for them out of a pure heart. Job 42:7- 10 “And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these
contd. from Page No 5
words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
An Interview with Andi Eicher spouse or from a partner other than their spouse. JV: Could you give us an overview of what JSK is doing? AI: Jeevan Sahara Kendra is a ministry that seeks to reach out to people and families who are infected and affected by HIV. In 2002, when Dr. Stephen Alfred went to the U.S for a conference called “prescription for hope”, he came back challenged with the idea that if Christ were alive today, he would be ministering to people with HIV; so he challenged local churches to become involved. We were already involved in some HIV work but we started helping out here. Then this became our primary call. JSK meets people with HIV in their homes. We want this to take place entirely through a local church but we also realize that for a person who doesn't know a church member, there is a lot of 22
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. So dear believer , “Is your heart right, as my heart is with thy heart ” Deepak Jariwala is Regional Manager (South East Asia) at Spectral Dynamics Inc-USA.
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trust that needs to be built, so we serve as an intermediary. We work as Christian social work professionals. We have a clinic, a testing centre, and an in-patient facility as well. But our main aim is to link people with HIV to local churches and to have a foundational change take place in their lives. We know that medicines can help, and that social activities are beneficial and needed. But it's the gospel that changes lives. We often are speechless at the problems that people have but we serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords. So we have to cry out to Jesus Christ to help us out. We see God touching lives and we are very grateful to be part of that.
an upper middle class housing society. I know only three people there who came to Christ, and all three have HIV. All three came to Christ because our team had some contact with them. They came looking for us. We were able to follow them up and they gave their life to the Lord. One has passed away so we believe he is with the Lord. He came to Christ just before he died. But the other two are still there and attending a local church. The deceitfulness of life and the pursuit of pleasure choke the Word of God in the lives of most successful people and blind them to the need they have for Jesus. But HIV bashes them to pieces and many people, having come to grips with the reality of their own mortality and felt JV: On an average, are people hopeless as a result are so much with AIDS more receptive to the more willing to trust in the Lord gospel than others? than others. AI: Far more. Jesus said that the last shall be first. I once lived in
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[To be continued]
HER CORNER
Virtuous Woman Part 4
– Mercy Sambob
P
roverbs 31 presents a virtuous woman in detail.
For our study, let us expand as to how she is virtuous towards her work and also sketch the mode of her work from the teaching of Bathsheba to her son in Proverbs 31.
She knows the pathway of her work.
merchant.” We see the woman at her work, that of spinning. The women of Israel are good in Vs13 “She seeketh wool, and flax spinning. "All the women who are and worketh willingly with her wise hearted did spin with their hands.” Vs19 “She layeth her hands and brought that which hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.” Vs24 “She they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of maketh fine linen, and selleth it; fine linen. And all the women and delivers girdles unto the Harvest Times for Your Family January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
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whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair." (Exo.35:25-26). That is one of their trades or occupations. The materials she uses for spinning are wool and flax. Working with wool and flax is a difficult job. Yet this virtuous woman seeks them, finds them and works with them. Both wool and flax represent the purity, holiness and righteousness. (Isa.1:18; Rev.19:8). When she finds the wool, she cuts it, makes it clean and makes the tangled part clear. Then she applies different colours and spins to make clothes.
made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin : that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor 5:21). We were sinners, not righteous. But He is righteous. Pilate's wife sent a cautionary note to Pilate, “have thou nothing to do with that Just Man.” (Mt 27:19). Judas Iscariot said, 'I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood, the righteous blood.” (Mt 27:3). Yes, He is the just God and the righteous God while we have imputed our righteousness from Him by His Grace and through our faith in Him.
Adam and Eve had covered themselves with leaves. We too had covered ourselves with filthy rags of unrighteousness or self righteousness. The Lord God clothed Adam and Eve with the coats of skin. They are the type of “Christ, made unto us By such clothes, she exhibits the righteousness” – divinely holiness that God gives. It is not provided garments, that we might only she, but all her household be made fit for God's presence. are clothed with the same. The Our Lord God covered us with His holy life she attained from the righteousness. It is written – “He Lord, she passes it on to her hath covered me with the robe of household. Further, she lets out righteousness” (Isa 61:10). Paul the holy life that she enjoys in her says,– 'I'm not having my own and in her household – to others, righteousness, which is of the law, who are outside the house. but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which Fine linen clothes are made out is of God by faith:” (Phi 3:9). In 1 of flax. Fine linen represents the righteousness that we get Cor 1:30 “He is made unto us through Christ. It is written (Rev righteousness. 19:8) “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine So, we see the virtuous woman working willingly on holiness and linen, clean and white: for the righteousness. She does not fine linen is the righteousness of depend on any one for her work saints”. that she can accomplish by We were unrighteous before the herself. She does not ask servants righteous God. But “He hath or some other sister to complete Wool signifies holiness(Isa.1:18). Searching for a life of holiness is a tall attempt. When she finds it, she adopts it. She knows how to use them. That means she works upon holiness. She owns the holy life and covets for it.
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Harvest Times for Your Family January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
her work. She commits her own self to work with enthusiasm wholeheartedly. In Vs16 “She considereth a field and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” “She considereth a field” – clarifies she is a woman of discernment. Without weighing all pros and cons she will not buy the field. She considers whether the field is good or bad; is it fruitful or barren; is there water facility or not. Is it black soil or red soil? She gathers information about the temperature and seasonal changes in the area, where the field is. She considers all. She considers which type of crop can be cultivated in it. In other words she evaluates the irrigation prospects from all angles. Yes, we too need the discernment in the ministry that the Lord has committed into our hands. In Lk 14:18 we see a man who said “I have bought a piece of ground, I must needs go and see it.” What a foolish thing it is! But we see virtuous woman considers it first and then buys it. In Vs17 “She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” In Vs25 we see “strength is her clothing.” There is no weakness in her to do the work. There is no tiresomeness. She is not pale, weak, and hopeless. Her loins are strong and her arms are strong. There is no lack of vitality. She girdeth her loins, shows that she is ever ready to do any work. She never says that she can't do any work offered to her.. Whatever work – heavy or light and at any time, she is ever
ready to do that work with all her strength recouped. In Eccl 9:10 we see “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest”.
about the unavailability of water. In Pro 6:8 it's written “Ant provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Ruth (in second chapter) is seen gleaning and gathering after the reapers, among the sheaves.
Vs 31“…And let her own works praise her in the gates.” Her work is praise worthy. She did tremendous work willingly, with discernment….
Vs16 “…with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard”, which means that – she planteth a vineyard with the money she saved. She shall not worry about her future,as in Vs 25 “She shall rejoice in time to come”. She shall not waste her money. She uses her money diligently to satisfy her needs. She shall not worry about her future because she saves money. She shall not worry about the education of her children, about marriage alliances, about the expenses of her family. She shall not worry even if a house had to be made or for any unforeseen expenditure.
Vs27 “She eateth not the bread if idleness.” In other words she does not eat without working. She concentrates on the work. Work is more important than food. If she does not work she will not eat. Some do not have any work. They neither work at home nor in the office nor in the assembly but just keep on wasting time. Yet they are present at the dining table, regularly. But this virtuous woman does not eat without working. In 2 Thess 3:10 Paul exhorts us “if any would not work, neither should he eat.”
She passed away. She went into glory. But still her work remained, it's seen at the gate. Her husband is seen at the gate, but she is not seen. But her works are seen at the gate, and they praise her. We may be transferred from one place to another, but our life, our work must leave a lasting impression where we live, work. Concerning the woman, who anointed the head of the Lord, before His crucifixion, the Lord said, it shall be for a memorial. Whatever we do out of love and gratitude will be a memorial.
me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
So the mode of the work of the Vs31 “Give her of the fruit of her virtuous woman: hands.” Her work deserves We too should have fore thought. reward. She will get the fruit of 1. She works willingly. her works. She will receive the We should pre-plan what we 2. She works with her strength. should do. If we store up the word wages for her work 3. She works with discernment. of God in our hearts we need not 4. Sheworks with fore thought. worry for at a later date when we It is not important as to how much work we do, but what is 5. She works with concentration. may not be able to read, or may more important is the motive, the 6. She works that get rewarded. not have Bible with us. There may purpose, the intention behind our not be preachers or at some 7. She works that speaks even work. Then the Lord will reward places there may not be after her entering into glory. us. Our labor will not go in vain. fellowship of believers. If the He will reward us. The Lord says word of God is stored up in our in Rev 22:12 “Behold, I come – Mercy Sambob, is a house wife, hearts it gives us much comfort ministering among sisters and residing at and courage to our souls in times quickly; and my reward is with Kadapa, AP. of trouble, perplexities and weakness and diseases. It corrects us when we go astray. It Non Receipt of HT edifies, exhorts, when we need. Subscribers may please note that, we regularly post HT on 1st Let us look at camels. They store or 2nd of every month. In case you have not received HT water in their bodies. They drink gallons of water at a time and please contact us by email to admin@glsindia.com so that we store. So when they travel in can send you another copy. deserts, they are not concerned Harvest Times for Your Family January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
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All Things New
contd. from Page No 10
hindrance to the possible fulfillment of the New Year benediction.
for, dead in Him to its affections and lusts, that we can begin to know as a fact that utterly desirable, but humanly speaking Only in Christ can man hope for equally unattainable, newness of anything new, or any real attitude. At the Cross only can happiness, and it is the light of that stony heart be melted, those this hope that makes that dark flinty bits of pride (personal or background appear even darker. racial), those harsh criticisms, It is an obvious deduction that that hidden hate, that jealousy only by complete re-creation can “ and envy, and desire for preanything really new in man be eminence. Is it possible that the hoped for, and this is just what is heart can be cleansed of these promised in Christ. "Ye must be things? that the hardness can be born anew," He said to the changed into softness and disillusioned seeker after the yieldedness and the love that truth, and even apart from what sees only the best, and excuse all that statement infers as to the fault? In Christ alone it is entrance of the life of God it is gloriously possible, and not only only as man is emptied of all that so, He has promised its goes to make up that integer fulfillment and the infilling of His which is himself, and begins again own Spirit as the enabling power with the innocent trust of a newof a life henceforth obedient only born babe, that he can even hope to His commands. Ezek. 36. 27. for that "fresh start" that inspires his good resolutions. The New Year can only be truly a happy New Year, if it includes this But the power for that new matter of spiritually getting to beginning is entirely outside grips with eternal realities and of ourselves. The new heart and bringing the heart and will into spirit are something that God captivity to the obedience of alone can impart, and it is only as Christ. we find our way to the foot of the Cross, and impale there, in Christ, If any man be in Christ let him be the old life and all that it stands a new creature. Let him realize
Anthony Norris Groves greatest contribution of the Brethren Movement to missions; it works even in the twenty first century.
Home call Groves died in 1853 at the age of fifty-eight in Bristol, England, at the home of his sister Mary and her 26 Harvest Times for Your Family
that the old has passed away, and that all things are become new. It is easy to drift back into old ways if the change is a matter of good resolutions only, but in Christ the change is a vital Iiving thing which cannot but be manifest where He is in full control, and where unbroken communion with Him is maintained. With God on the throne, universally and in the heart, what is there to fear? International situations cannot appal, nor local uncertainties drive to despair. Even time sequence loses its value for each new transaction with God is the beginning of a new phase of life-life in its highest fullest sense, because it has found its true Centre, where He alone is Master and Lord. Then is the mouth truly full of a new song or praise to Him and a new love one to another. Let us then walk in this newness of life by His strength. Behold I make all things new. (Republished from The Balance of Truth, January 1958) The late Christina Durham was the cofounder of GLS. She was an avid writer and poet.
contd. from Page No 14
husband George Muller. Although he considered his own missionary career a failure, Groves lived long enough to witness the success of his most promising Indian disciple, John Arulappan, who created an expanding network of indigenous Christian fellowships in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
January 2014/Volume 11 Issue 01
This indigenous work which imbibed Groves' distinct principles stands out as the truest fulfillment of his vision in his own life time and even today. Koshy Mathew is an itinerant Bible Teacher based in Mumbai.