TruthAlive | October 2015

Volume 5

Issue 10 October 2015

40

A TRUTH MINISTRIES PUBLICATION

Social Networking Behaviour of Adolescents - Ancy Joe Abraham

The Uniqueness of Jesus - Albert Daniel

From the Editor

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“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed�

(Heb. 12:12,13)

or many years, Sathyam Service Trust has been working in the field of social welfare but a key focus was in activities surrounding the disabled. It was this focus that led to the creation of the Sathyam Research Institute and Disability Center in Tiruvalla, Kerala. The mission of SRIDC is to expose and develop the hidden skills and abilities of a person with disability; to provide education and training for betterment in the life of a differently abled person; to remove social, cultural, economic barriers from the differently abled; to organize and implement a comprehensive, integrate programs of research and training; and to achieve their own goals by leading healthy and independent life. Disability can become a condition of dependence but this can be alleviated through proper guidance and training. God is calling all of us to be part of His great mission.

We must always be willing to accept the Lord's charge despite our own lack of knowledge or foresight of His ultimate goal. In this issue, Joni and friends teach us that if we humble ourselves before God, He will have no need of humbling us before others. Our fear of the unknown can deter us from following the call of God. Sometimes our desire for total knowledge and understanding can lead us to forget that some of the greatest things are accomplished due to the courage to take risk and the faith to always look to God. In the new column, counselling; Ancy Joe, the counselling Psychologist has focused on the influence of social media on the adolescent behaviour. She has put stress on the vital need to study the relationship between parenting and social networking behaviour of adolescent in India.

In this issue we have also included various articles on the love of God, trust and the real importance of prayer.

God bless you and happy reading.

Dr. C.V. Vadavana

facebook.com/cvadavana linkedin.com/drcvvadavana vadavana.blogspot.com

BOARD OF TRUSTEES A.V. JOHN JOJI A. MATHEWS SAM C. VADAVANA DR C.V. VADAVANA FENCY A. JOHNSON EDITORIAL BOARD DR THOMAS KULANJIYIL DR SUNNY EZHUMATTOOR CHIEF EDITOR DR. C.V. VADAVANA

The Love of God..............................................4 Dr. Billy Graham A Historical Overview of the Brethren Movement.......................................................7

PUBLISHED BY MARYKUTTY P J MANAGING EDITOR ISSAC VADAVANA PUBLIC RELATIONS MARK GREGORY

Dr. Alexander Kurian Praying for a Breakthrough......................11 John Bloom

Fearless Battles.............................................13 Annie George

Counselling....................................................19 Ancy Joe Abraham

OPERATIONS MANAGER ANNIE GEORGE DESIGN SATHYAM DTP TEAM CORPORATE OFFICE: TRUTH ALIVE NEAR CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AGARA-HORAMAVU MAIN ROAD BENGALURU-560043 CELL# 9731051360, 9446026182

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The Uniqueness of Jesus..............................25 Albert Daniel

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hen we break a natural law, we pay a price. When we abuse the environment, we pay a price. And when we break God's moral and spiritual law, we pay a price. That price is death. God sees all; He knows all. And He's keeping a set of books.

The Bible calls them “the books,” and in those books He has your name. Everything that you've ever said, everything you've ever done, everything you've ever thought is in those

“the love of god” (contd...)

Dr. Billy Graham

books. And everyone whose name is found in those books is going to be judged.

But there's another book. It's called “the Book of Life.” The moment you receive Christ, the moment you repent of your sins, the moment you turn to Christ, your name is blotted out of “the books” and is printed in the Lamb's Book of Life. (See Revelation 20:11-15.)

Today I know that my name is in the Lamb's Book of Life. Not because of Billy Graham.

I'm not any different than you. You say, “Well, you've read the Bible and preached to all those people all over the world. Don't you think that God takes account of October 2015 that?” Yes, but He doesn't save me because of that.

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He saves me exactly the way He does you through Christ! There's no other way of salvation except through Jesus, but there's no hiding place on this earth. He has appointed a day in which He will judge us all.

But the Bible also teaches that God is a God of love. He loves you. He loves every one of us, and He loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross. And when Jesus Christ was dying on the cross and shedding His blood, He was doing it for you. He took every dirty thought that you've ever had, every evil intent that you've ever had, every bad thing you've ever done - He took it on Himself on the cross.

That's the reason that God created man to start with, because God loves us. He wanted some other creatures in the universe who were made in His image to love Him back. And God loved us, but He wants love returned.

The meaning of your life and the purpose of your life is to glorify God, to fellowship with God, to be made in the image of Christ. As you come to Him, He comes into your heart by the Holy Spirit and makes you into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. And someday you're going to spend eternity with Him because of that cross where He died for us.

You see, when He created us, He put us in a garden, a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden. There, man and God had fellowship together. But God said, “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, don't eat it, because in the day that you eat it, you're going to begin to die.” And man began to eat that fruit that was forbidden by God. He rebelled and sinned against God. He said, “I'm not going to go God's way. I'm going to go my own way. I'm going to build my own world, and I don't need God.” (See Genesis 1-3.)

The Bible teaches that all of us have broken God's law. We have a terminal disease. It's called sin. The Bible says, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). And we see iniquity working everywhere.

We see the divorce courts are filled, families are breaking up. We see the drugs. We see the homelessness, and we hear leaders say that they can't get places for them to go because people don't want them. And God looks down upon us and says, “Repent. Judgment is coming.”

God said, “All flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” (Genesis 6:12). Have you ever broken one of the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever cheated in school?

The Bible says that if we break one, we are guilty of all (see James 2:10). We're all guilty.

And I'm guilty of breaking every one of those Ten Commandments. I deserve to be lost. I deserve judgment. I deserve hell. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Because of my sin and your sin, we're alienated from God. We're separated from Him.

We're all going to die. A hundred years from now, your body will be dead. Your soul, your spirit—many of you—your spirit will be dead because it's dead toward God now.

Death has three dimensions. There's natural death. That's the reason you should decide for Christ here and now. You may never have another moment like this as long as you live, when you can come to Christ. You can come to Christ right now and have it settled, if you put your faith in Him. You never know when your time is coming. You never know when death is going to come. God has not told us the day or the hour that we're going to die, but you're going to die. “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).

Then there's spiritual death. Many of you are spiritually dead. That means your soul, your spirit, is dead toward God. You don't have fellowship with Christ. You don't walk with Him. You might go to church. You've been baptized. You might take communion. But deep down in your heart, you know that Christ is not there, or you're not sure. You're not sure that your sins are forgiven. You can make sure by coming to Christ.

And we become lonely. You're not lonely for the companionship of someone else. You're lonely for God. You were made in God's image for fellowship with God. You can be at the most wonderful party ever, and all of a sudden there comes a sense of loneliness. What is it? It's loneliness for God. And until you come to know God personally, you will continue to have this loneliness.

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). That can be yours. You can be a new person, a new man, a new woman, if you put your faith in Him.

But, more than that, there's hell to come. You say, “Why would you say that there's a hell? Do you believe in hell?” Yes, the Bible says there's a hell. I'm not going to describe it to you as they did in the Middle Ages. I'm not going to tell you the devil is there with a pitchfork, because he's not in hell. He's never been there, but he's going to go someday. And you will, too, if you follow him and don't follow Christ!

God loves you. He wants to forgive you, if you will let Him come into your heart. The Bible says, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Will you do that? Will you open your heart and let October 2015 Him in? m m 5

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A Historical Overview of the Brethren Movement Dr. Alexander Kurian

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zech.4:6).

A Revival Movement Nothing is more thrilling than to read the stories of great revivals. Revival is a special season of spiritual refreshing and renewal when many believers simultaneously experience a deep moving of the Spirit of God in their hearts. One such revival took place in Britain early in the 19th century (around the year 1825) which is commonly known as the “Brethren Movement.”

The story of the Brethren Movement is not about the “sleeping” many, but of the “waking” few. Even in the world’s deepest “midnight”, there have been always children of the “light” and of the “day.” In the midst of a slumbering world, they were “awake”. God’s voice had reached them, His mighty power had raised them, and His holy Word had liberated them.

John Nelson Darby, Edward Cronin, John Gifford Bellet, Francis Hutchinson, William Stokes, Edward Wilson, Anthony Norris Groves, George Muller and several others along with them, were wide “awake” among “sleepers”; the “living” among the “dead.”

These gifted and well-educated men had deep spiritual convictions. They disregarded all denominational barriers and came together for Christian fellowship, Bible study and to “break bread.” Eventually they were separated from all ecclesiastical (denominational) systems and came together “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The spiritual dynamism of these young “Brethren” significantly altered the th image of the 19 century Christendom and

made a profound impact on Christian believers all over the world.

It was a time in which many Christians in the British Isles had become dissatisfied by dead orthodoxy and authoritarian clericalism in their denominations. Into this desperate situation came the “Brethren” with their simpler and Scriptural church principles. They believed that all true believers in Christ belonged to the church (unity of the Body of Christ) and that human ordination was not required by the Scripture to preach the Gospel. They taught that more than one man per church had been gifted by the Holy Spirit for ministry. The new found Scriptural freedom to gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to “break bread” and remember (“Do this in remembrance of Me”) Him without a presiding clergy, was an exciting truth for them. They could not feel at home in the denominational churches to which they originally belonged (mainly Anglican). Many like-minded Christians found their fellowship and meetings infused by the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ.

Beginnings The little flock of the first “Brethren” (brethren is the archaic plural form of brothers) gathered in homes and halls for Bible study, fellowship and breaking of bread. Most of these young men were in their mid or late twenties and were associated with Trinity College, Dublin. In 1826, Edward October 2015 (continued on page 22...)

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A Lesson in Humiliation “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” -1 Peter 5:5 Several disabled people in our workshop complained about the insensitive, ignorant comments able-bodied people seemed to repeat to them. Rana, my co-leader, suggested, “If you keep getting the same comments, why don’t you memorize a short, to-the-point response you can give without giving it a second thought.”

That’s when my mother, sitting in the third row, raised her hand. “I want you all to know,” she said, “that Joni has a pat reply she always uses.”

Panic clutched my throat. What was she going to say? “Sometimes people stop Joni to ask for her autograph—at the most inconvenient times! So rather than say an outright ‘No,’ she says, ‘I’m sorry, I must sign holding my special pen between my teeth. And I don’t think I have my pen with me. Bother!’ And there are times when she really does have her pen with her!”

The class belly-laughed as I died a thousand deaths.

They read the situation well. A mother had just embarrassed her daughter in front of a lot of people.

It’s just like Mother to do that. And it’s just like God. He steps into our tightlymanaged public persona and says, “Pardon me, everyone, I have something to reveal about this person.” He brushes aside our smooth talk and cultivated image. He boldly intrudes into our sin, naming it for what it is. It’s called humiliation, and we need it. If we remain unaware of our sin and hypocrisy, it will become a barrier in our relationship with God… and with one another.

If we humble ourselves before God, he will have no need of humbling us before others.

Follow Peter’s advice today, and “Humble yourselves… under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

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October 2015

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Praying for a Breakthrough John Bloom

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breakthrough is a military concept.

When one army is able to weaken its enemy’s forces to the point of collapse, a breakthrough occurs allowing that army to invade and take its enemy’s territory.

But in war a breakthrough only really matters if it occurs at a strategic location. And the evidence that a location is strategic is almost always revealed by the amount of enemy forces amassed to protect it. An enemy led by skilled generals plans to ferociously protect what it prizes highly.

This means that an invading army can expect its attempt to achieve a breakthrough to be met by a barrier of fierce enemy opposition.

Increasingly intense fighting always precedes strategic breakthroughs. Strategic ground is not yielded easily.

Our Breakthroughs Are Opposed by Powerful Forces This is as true for spiritual warfare as it is for terrestrial warfare. In the spiritual realm, as opposed to the terrestrial, the church is an invading force. Though we can easily slip into a defensive, circle-the-wagons mind set, Jesus clearly intends for us to be aggressors, not merely defenders. The Great Commission is to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In a world that “lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), that’s militant language. Our mission: to liberate those the devil has taken captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26).

Daniel 10:12–14 gives us a brief glimpse of what’s happening. Daniel had been praying and

partially fasting for 21 days to gain greater insight into the revelations he had received (Daniel 10:3) when an angelic being finally showed up with an answer to his prayers. This messenger said that he had been trying to get to Daniel for those 21 days, but had been detained by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia.” The chief angel Michael had to come and free him.

This experience of Daniel is an example to us.

It is an example of what is taking place outside of our sight. God does not want us to know more about the angelic realm than what he has revealed in Scripture, otherwise Scripture would have revealed more. But he clearly wants us to know that there is more going on than we see so that we will pray to him and fast until he gives us an answer.

When God Moves, Satan Responds The consistent pattern throughout the Bible is that every significant move of God is preceded by a season of increasingly difficult, discouraging opposition. And if we take Ephesians 6, Daniel 10, and other warfare texts seriously, we can understand why: God is invading what Satan considers his territory.

God’s kingdom is breaking through the lines of the domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13).

If we are not encountering opposition, it’s likely we are not attacking a strategic location. But if we are, we are on to something. Where the enemy is fortifying his forces is where we must focus our assault.

And where the enemy is fortified, there is going to

October 2015

(continued on page 12...)

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JUDGE YOURSELVES THAT YOU BE NOT JUDGED Jacob Mathew “Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting” Daniel 5:27 It is well frequently to weigh ourselves in the scale of God’s word. You will find it a holy exercise to read some psalm of David, and, as you meditate upon each verse, to ask yourself, “Can I say this? Have I felt as David felt? Has my heart ever been broken on account of sin, as his was when he penned his penitential psalms? Has my soul been full of true confidence in the hour of difficulty as his was when he sang of God’s mercies in the cave of Adullam, or in the holds of Engedi? Do I take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord? Then turn to the life of Christ, and as you read, ask yourselves how far you are conformed to His likeness. Endeavour to discover whether you have the meekness, the humility, the lovely spirit which He constantly inculcated and displayed. Take, then, the epistles, and see whether you can go with the apostle in what he said of his experience. Have you ever cried out as he did --- “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death”? Have you ever felt his self-abasement? Have you seemed to yourself the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints? Could you join with him and say, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”? If we thus read God’s Word as a test of our spiritual condition, we shall have good reason to stop many a time and say, “Lord, I feel I have never yet been here, O bring me here! give me true penitence, such as this I read of.

Give me real faith; give me warmer zeal; inflame me with more fervent love; grant me the grace of meekness; make me more like Jesus. Let me no longer be FOUND WANTING, when weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, lest I be found wanting in the scale of judgment.”

“Judge yourselves that ye be not judged.” continued from page 11

be a fierce fight if we are going to achieve a breakthrough. We are going to receive volleys of flaming darts (Ephesians 6:16). We are going to be attacked on the rear. There will be spies in the camp. There will be jeering and intimidation and accusations. There will be efforts to destroy our morale and determination.

So this is a call for holy determination. Keep praying and don’t lose heart (Luke 18:1). Just like in any large-scale war, there are many battles. Some breakthroughs are achieved relatively quickly; October 2015 others require long, persevering endurance.

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But either way, breakthroughs require a determination to keep up the assault.

So if you’re praying for a breakthrough and not seeing it, and in fact experiencing more temptations to discouragement, frustration, weariness, doubt, and cynicism than before, do not give up. Increasingly intense fighting always precedes strategic breakthroughs. Strategic ground is not yielded easily. You’re up against more than you know. But “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

He has overcome the world (John 16:33) and he will give you justice (Luke 18:8).

Don’t lose heart. Grow determined. There’s a breakthrough ahead. m m

ithout exception, regardless of our situation, following Jesus requires all of us to repeatedly exercise courage, because God frequently calls us to face or do things we’re afraid of. Our progress in becoming like Jesus (Romans 8:29), as well as the progress of the kingdom work the Lord calls us to, is often slow and difficult, much like Israel’s taking of the Promised Land. Each battle and each foe is different. If we learn not to fear one foe, it’s no guarantee that we won’t have to overcome fear when facing another.

And some foes will always stir up fear in us.

Each encounter calls for new strength and courage.

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This need not discourage us. It is the Lord’s design. Faith is what pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) and it is his desire that we grow strong in faith (Romans 4:20). And since it is the “constant practice” of exercising faith that produces strong, mature faith in us (Hebrews 5:14), it should not surprise us (1 Peter 4:12) that he frequently tests our faith by making us face things we fear (James 1:3).

So when fear attacks, rather than surrendering to or fleeing from it, let it remind us that our call is to conquer fear — no, more than conquer it through him who loved us (Romans 8:37) — by being “strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9). It is only through repeatedly having to muster the strength to remember God’s promises and the courage to act on them that we learn to not fear anything that is frightening (1 Peter 3:6).

“What seems good to the LORD” is rooted in his unfailing faithfulness to fulfill his promises, whether Israel wins every single battle or not.

“What seems good to the LORD” is that the house of David will be made sure forever and there will one day be a king on the throne of Israel whose reign will know no boundaries and have no end—King Jesus, the Christ.

Fearless Battles Annie George

This is the kind of courage we need: not a blind fearlessness that comes from self-confidence, but a boldness that flows from being overcome by the reality of the gospel and the faithfulness of our God. One of the totally awesome things about God is He doesn’t just roll with us, but He rolls in us.

We’re not left alone to take on the enemy. Let’s take a look at what is one of my favorite verses in the Holy Bible…

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Of course we all know who is in the world. In fact, Satan is known as the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). If we sit back and think about it, is this really saying much? What does this world have that is greater than the gift of salvation and a ticket to spend eternity with our Lord?

Absolutely nothing!

Friends, if you have Jesus, you can be fearless in battle. The enemy can’t take anything from you that God can’t give back and multiply. Because of this, I would encourage you to share His precious word with others and not be intimidated by the enemy and his pathetic schemes. For those who may not know the Lord, I would encourage you to start a personal relationship with Him today. This is what He wants for all of us, and you can have it too.

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that the fighting in Syria has displaced millions.

Christian Aid Mission is currently working with 16 indigenous groups in Syria and nearby countries.

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People from all Faiths Offer up Prayers in 9/11 Remembrance U.S.A.: As we remember Septeth mber 11 the day that shook America and the larger global community, world commemorate those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones.

The Huffington Post Religion offered a list of commemorative prayers from all faiths, in the hopes of bringing comfort, healing, and peace to a nation that is still feeling the effects of the September 11 tragedy.

In a Christian prayer by Bishop T.D. Jakes says, “Dear God: We seek your grace to strengthen us as we commemorate the lives of loved ones who have been lost on this day of anguish for our country and our world. Lord, teach your children to love each other as much as they profess to love you.”

Refugee Crisis is Opportunity to Share Christ’s Love - Christian Aid Mission Syria: Christian Aid Mission says that the millions of refugees in Syria are a chance for Christians to show love to others. Steve Van Valkenburg, Christian Aid Mission’s area director for October 2015 the Middle East, told The Christian Post this week 14

Seven years after deadly anti-Christian attacks in India, a call for justice Bhubanesw a r, I n d i a : Victims say that they are still waiting for justice, seven years after some of the most violent anti-Christian attacks in India’s recent history. “After knocking on every door within the state government, we found no one willing to come forward to secure justice for the victims of Kandhamal.” Following the August 2008 fundamentalists attacked the Christian minority in Kandhamal district of Odisha.

Fr. Singh’s group said that although more than 3,000 complaints have been submitted, only 827 of them were registered by the police, with 237 having been dismissed for a lack of evidence because many witnesses are still afraid to come forward with their stories.

Music Cafe in Bengaluru Bengaluru: Truth Ministries, an organisation that share the love of Christ throu g h va r i o u s humanitarian, educ-ational and evangelical activities, hosted Christian ‘Music Cafe’ on 25th & 26th September at the Sathyam Publications office Compound, Agara. The Sowers Band from Cameroon and Congo, Africa took control of the musical evening. Pr. Bertin Kenfack and Dr. C V Vadavana were the distinguished speakers in the program session .The entry to the

program was absolutely free. Truth Ministries is an organization dedicated in transforming the lives of people and communities by showing God’s love and care for individuals for more than 2 decades.

although the case is still pending in the Orissa High Court.

Recently, several high-profile journalists were released by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah alSisi, but Boulos was kept imprisoned.

Christian Missionaries Told to Leave Nepal Nepal: An extremist group in Nepal has told Christian missionaries to leave the country.

According to Christian Today, the group has said that “Christians have corrupted the country.” Despite anti-christian group’s efforts to make Christian missionaries leave the country, including distributing leaflets threatening them, the missionaries remain committed to their cause. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has accused Nepal of violating international treaties with the enactment of the anti-conversion clause. The CSW worries that recent bomb attacks on two churches are a precursor to more violence against Christians in the future.

Release International believes that Boulos’s prolonged imprisonment is due to his conversion to Christianity, despite the fact that Egypt has said it protects religious freedom.

Many Churches Torched Tanzania: Many churches have been burnt down in northwest Tanzania within the past week.

Justice system delays survivors of antiChristian riot Odisha: In this October, an Indian Christian family returns to their house, which was damaged during riot in Odisha.

In September, churches were torched – the Living Waters International Church, Buyekera Pentecostal Assemblies of God, and Evangelical Assemblies of God Tanzania churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kitundu Roman Catholic Church and Katoro Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church. All are located in the Katoro region of western Bukoba.

Egyptian Christian Held in Prison Egypt: An Egyptian Christian who reported attacks on Christians and Christian churches continues to be held in prison.

Bishoy Boulos who converted to Christianity.

Christian Today reports that he was arrested in 2013 for “harming the national interests of the state.”

Sapna* is a victim of a horrific sexual attack.

She was gang raped during anti-Christian violence in 2008 in Kandhamal district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha, formerly known as Orissa.

Though Maoists claimed responsibility for the killings, activists blamed Christians and unleashed a wave of deadly violence against the community.

However, seven years later, nobody has been convicted in connection with the gang rape

“The people woke up on 27th Sep to find their sanctuaries burnt down,” an anonymous source told World Watch Monitor. “The scenarios are the same; unknown people broke in, piled things onto the altar, poured petrol over it and set it alight. They fled before anyone could respond and so remain unknown.”

The secretary of the local pastors’ organisation, the Bukoba Pastors Fellowship, said there have been October 2015 many arson attacks in the Kagera area since 2013.

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October 2015

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YOUTH Y o u t h

Encounter sweeter than honey Becky

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’m not used to working a Monday through Friday, 8-hour schedule. I’m used to my three 12-hour shifts and four glorious days off. But I recently transferred to the Operating Room and had to say goodbye to my 12s. The most difficult adjustment has been in the spiritual arena. All of a sudden, I no longer have my four days off to pray and study Scripture.

Nowadays, I’m lucky if I can even get 10 minutes to myself to start my day off with my Jesus. Needless to say, it’s been a little rough.

There simply aren’t enough hours in a day. So what do I do? What do we do? - Because I know I’m not the only one in this boat.

Some days, I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above the water. There’s just too much to do. And most of it is necessary stuff, good stuff, God-glorifying stuff. And yet I feel drained.

Monday comes around and I’m already looking forward to 3PM Friday. The weekends just whiz by. Usually, life is even more packed on the weekends than during the week.

HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN? Could it be that I’m not getting the necessary nutrients to keep me going? Most certainly, YES. I need carbs. I need an overdose of extraordinary proportions. I know all of the health nuts out there are shaking their heads and wondering why I’m giving such terrible dietary advice.

THE BREAD OF LIFE. - THAT’S WHAT I NEED.

I need REAL sustenance. I need a hearty meal. I need the Word of God. But the hustle and bustle of everyday life keeps me distracted. It keeps me prioritizing convenience. It keeps me prioritizing self.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. | Psalm 19:7-11 How good and profitable the Word of God is! What October 2015 promises and assurances 17

we have in these few words! And yet, do we recognize it as such? When life is packed, what’s the first thing to go? For most of us, it’s the studying of His Word. We may maintain our prayer lives by a thread, but spending time in the Word usually gets cut first. Why? Because it takes time. Because it takes undivided attention.

Both of which we don’t have.

OR DO WE? Are we being good stewards of the time and energy that have been entrusted to us? The time and energy we possess don’t come from ourselves or from a power outlet. They come from HIM. How are we using that which He has entrusted to us?

I’D WAGER TO SAY THAT HE WOULD BE MORE PLEASED, AND WE WOULD BE MORE BLESSED, IF WE SPENT ALL FOR HIM. So here’s what I’m thinking: I need to carve out time for Him and trust Him to check off my todo list as HE sees fit. Maybe I don’t actually need to learn all 500 surgical instruments today.

Maybe I don’t need to be an overachiever and get ahead on homework or work-work. Maybe I just need to give to the Lord that which is His and then trust Him to work out the rest. Maybe I need to rest.

Our instinct is to finish first the things that are due first. Our instinct is to knock out our to-do list so that we can spend time with the Lord, undistracted. Usually, that ends up with us just not spending time with Him (or rushing through it to get to bed or falling asleep through it).

Here’s a fresh new perspective: PICK HIM FIRST. Pray away the distractions and then trust Him to do away with January 2015 October them. Reading the Bible every day is kind of like 18

starting a new book. Sometimes it takes a while for us to get into it. But once we’re in, once we’re focused, we’re hooked. When I’m consistently studying the Word, I am full of joy and energy and a desire to study all the more. The second I start putting my study time off, I’ve allowed a 50-foot wall to drop in between me and the Lord. Not that it’s actually there, but that just looking at the wall deters me from even trying to get to the other side.

In Psalm 19, David gives us seven assurances followed by five tangible blessings that come from the recognition of these truths. These assurances are concrete. They are ALWAYS true. And thus, the blessings that follow are as well. The Word of God refreshes us, matures us, brings us joy, provides clarity, lasts forever, and is altogether good – in its entirety. Why? Because It is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true.

Why would we remove something like that from our lives? Why would willingly give up that which provides such blessing, such profit to us?

Shouldn’t this be our priority for each day, even before our daily to-do lists? Looking at it this way, anything else just seems foolish.

Life is always going to be full. That’s never going to change. We will always, always find something to do with our time. We humans have a knack for that. But where we spend our time is of utmost importance.

David saw the value of investing time with the Lord by studying His Word. He refers to Scripture as more precious than gold, as sweeter than honey. Gold provides for needs, honey satisfies desires, but the Word of God rises above both. What a testament to the power of His Word to sustain us, to meet our every need, to meet our every desire!

SO PICK HIM FIRST. HE WON’T DISAPPOINT.

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Parenting Styles and Social Networking Behaviour of Adolescents Ancy Joe Abraham

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dolescence is a major transitional period. It is the starting point of physical, sexual, mental, emotional, social and legal maturity and it is also the fastest physical, intellectual and psychological changeperiod in the lives of children.

Social media can be a major source of frustration and strained relationship between adolescents and parents. Often adolescents get addicted to networking through social media thereby making them non-social in real life.

They seem to develop a sense of superiority to their parents, since most parents are not as wellinformed as the new generation with respect to the networking sites. Moreover, the influence from these sites makes them less dependent on parents leading to less interaction with them and with society in general. Overprotected and over disciplined children will seek to use the social networking media as an avenue for exploring new found freedom and satisfying their curiosity. They also resist parental supervision or control in these interactions.

Hence social networking does not necessarily bridge the generation gap but rather, makes it wider.

Adolescents who overuse media and technology are more prone to anxiety, depression and other psychological disorders.

There are cases of adolescents who have committed suicide due to cyber bullying.

In this context, there is a vital need to study the relationship between parenting and social networking behaviour of adolescents in India.

Parental styles play a significant role in the psychological development of adolescents.

Hence a study was undertaken on parenting styles and use of social media by adolescents.

For this study, three major dimensions of perceived parenting styles as hypothesized by Roe namely, acceptance, concentration and avoidance have been used. Social integration and emotional connection, and integration into social routines are the measuring scales used to measure social networking behaviour of adolescents.

According to Roe, parental attitudes such as acceptance, concentration and avoidance can be defined as follows: Acceptance means that the parents give the child the status of a mature member of the family who needs a certain level of independence and who has the ability to shoulder responsibilities. Such parents neither put undue attention on their children nor overlook them completely. Rather they encourage children to fulfil their potential as best as they can.

Concentration refers to the attitude of parents who give an uneven amount of their time and energy to the overseeing and regulation of their children. They over-protect them through unnecessary boundaries and put margins upon their creativity to explore the settings.

They force children to perform October 2015 beyond their abilities and to achieve big goals.

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Avoidance depicts the outlook of parents who either disregard or discard the child. They disengage when their children ask for affection and love. They spend negligible time with their children. Instead of satisfying the child’s physical needs, they openly mistreat them. In essence, they express no positive interest in their children and their activities.

Sixty adolescents- male and female, between the ages 13-16yrs, from five different schools in Bangalore (ICSE, CBSE, IGSCE and State Syllabus) participated in the survey. The main objective of the study was to find out whether there is any significant relationship between parenting styles and use of social media by adolescents and also whether parental acceptance, concentration and avoidance have any relationship on their social networking behaviour.

The overall parenting styles were calculated by the Family Relationship Inventory Scale. It was found to have a positive correlation. This clarifies that there is a significant relationship between parenting styles and use of social media by adolescents.

It was found that parental attitudes significantly accompany the developmental process of adolescents. Parental attitude marked by acceptance, concentration and avoidant parenting was seen to be associated with social media use of adolescents. The study proves that with greater parental acceptance, there is a decrease in the use of social media by adolescents, but greater the parental concentration and avoidance, the greater the use of social media.

Eugster writes that the results of parental acceptance are that the child will develop a strong self-esteem and positive selfimage, the child will consider October 2015 the parent as a reliable supporter and mentor, 20

the child will be secure enough to talk to the parent about his/her issues, and the child’s negative feelings will decrease when he/she finds that the parent understands it.

According to Kevin Leman an overprotecting parenting style destroys the freedom and vitality of adolescents. It can also make them dependent on their peers. Besides, it also puts a lid on their self-confidence in facing challenges.

Parents need to know how to work out the balance between holding them and freeing them.

Tim Elmore states that when parents find it hard to understand adolescents and fail to bring proper leadership, it works negatively on their children’s self-identity. They may think that either the parents are not interested in them or they are clueless of the modern world they live in.

References: S. Kumar: Emotional Maturity of Adolescent Students in Relation to Their Family Relationship, Facts for families: Children and Social Networking. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, O’Keeffe & Pearson: The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families, Tim Elmore: 12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid, Kevin Leman: Adolescence isn’t terminal. Eugster: Parental Acceptance, Helping Your Child Develop a Positive Sense of Self.

(This article is taken from the dissertation titled “Parenting Styles and Social Networking Behaviour of Adolescents”done by Ancy Joe Abraham, Counselling Psychologist, Bangalore in 2015 January )

[Ancy Joe helps her clients live their best life. She has done her M.Sc. (Counselling Psychology) from Martin Luther University and B. Pharm from Bangalore University. She is married to Joe Abraham, a Leadership Coach and a Certified Member of the John Maxwell Team (U.S.A). Her professional website www.ancyjoe.com] m m

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October 2015 Mob. 9731051360, 9446026182. Email:truthalive@sathyam.org 21

From a Torn Leaf

War Over A Bucket

A clergyman in England asked a dying Christian woman where she found the Saviour; and she gave him a piece of paper torn from an American journal containing part of one of C.H. Spurgeon’s sermons.

The scrap had been wrapped around a package that came to her from Australia.

The words of Spurgeon were read by her and were the means of leading her to Christ.

Commenting on this incident, a writer says, “Think of it; a sermon preached in England, printed in America, in some way coming to Australia, a part of it used as wrapping paper there, coming back to England, was the means of converting this woman.’’

It was in the days when the great cities of Italy enjoyed perfectly independent status.

In 1249 a soldier serving in the army of the city of Bologna deserted to Modena and took with him an old broken bucket used as a water trough for army horses. Bologna waived her rights to the fugitive but she insisted upon the return of the bucket.

Proud Modena refused and a sanguinary war ensured. The conflict lasted twenty-two years. Although it was started by an old horse pail, the bloodshed and the atrocities were real enough. The bucket that caused all the trouble is still under the possession of Modena and is exhibited in the basement of the Ghirlandina Tower.

Historical Overview of the Brethren Movement

suggested to Bellet that they break bread together. This they did in Bellet’s home (the weekly “remembrance meeting” “to break bread” became the most cherished distinctive of the Brethren).It was around this time that John Nelson Darby, one of the most prominent among the early Brethren, observed the simple kind of communion service for the first time. Many historians identify him as the “founder” of the Brethren movement and the developer of systematic Dispensational Premillennial Theology. He was a man of unusual strength of intellect and personality, who had graduated from Trinity College as classical gold medalist. Although he was selected to the Irish Chancery Bar in 1822, he gave up a career in law to enter church ministry.

Darby was ordained as a deacon in 1825 and as a priest in the Church of England in 1826. But he chose to come out of all ecclesiastical ritual and hierarchy, and set apart his life to the ministry of the Gospel, to strengthen the fellowship of the saints who “gathered simply unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” and awaited the Lord’s imminent return to rapture His own (prophetic themes, especially the hope of the church- the rapture- was a prominent theme among the early Brethren). (to be contd...)

continued from page 7

Croninand Edward Wilson began meeting together each Lord’s Day morning for the breaking of bread, worship, and study of the Word in Edward Wilson’s house in Dublin (Wilson was a church deacon and Bible Society secretary at that time). Shortly after this, they moved to Cronin’s house and were joined by others (Cronin, who was a medical student and was actively involved in his church, was excommunicated for his views).

There were no ordained leaders, ministers or clergy in their gatherings. Their meetings were open and spontaneous, and spiritual exercises were prompted and guided by the Holy Spirit, though at times one of them also coordinated some of the activities in the services. Other groups with similar convictions started meetings of their own. In November 1829 in Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Square, two groups started meeting together in a large room belonging to Hutchinson.

October 2015

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In 1827 when Anthony Norris Groves from England visited Dublin, he

sP ’ n e Wom

ctiv e p s r e

e

praYer is so much more than asking gOD for things Stormie Omartian

uring the first couple of years I walked with the Lord, my prayers went something like

D

this: “God, help me to get that job.”

“Jesus, please heal my throat.”

“Lord, send enough money to pay these bills.”

“Father, take away my fear.”

It took me a while to realize that those spur-of-the-moment prayers were not accomplishing much. I guess I thought the idea was to do the best I could on my own, and then if I needed a lifeline from God, I grabbed for it.

The only problem was I needed a lifeline every other minute.

I loved the Scripture that says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7). I took God at his Word and was asking, seeking, and knocking on a pray-as-you-go basis. I also took to heart the Scripture that says, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2).

Great! I can easily remedy that, I thought, and I proceeded to ask for everything. But I was still not happy, and I didn’t see the kind of answered prayer I desired.

One day my eyes were opened to the next verse, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Could it be that the “God give me this, do that, wave your magic wand here, get me out of this mess” kind of praying was not what God desired for my prayer life? In utter frustration I said, “Lord, teach me how I’m supposed to pray.”

He did exactly that!

I came to understand that prayer is not just asking for things—although that certainly is part of it. Far more importantly, prayer is talking with God. It’s getting close to and spending time with the one you love. It’s seeking him first, touching him, getting to know him better, being with him, and waiting in his presence. It’s acknowledging him as the source of power upon whom you can depend. It’s taking the time to say, Speak to my heart, Lord, and tell me what I need to hear. It is partnering with him. It is aligning our spirit with his to see that his perfect will is done. It is establishing ourselves and our lives as being connected to God. We can’t receive God’s best for our lives, and we can’t push back the things that were never God’s will for us, except through prayer. We can’t leave our life to chance. We have to pray about everything all the time, not just when things go wrong. We have to pray over anything that concerns us, no matter how big—”With God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37)—or how small—”The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30).

Without reducing prayer to a formula in the book 7 Prayers That Will Change Your Life Forever, I have outlined seven basic types of prayers that can bring lasting peace and positive change to your life: confession, salvation, release, submission, praise, promise, and blessing. But October 2015 please don’t be inhibited (continued on page 24...)

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Trust Trust with a child-like dependence upon God, and you shall fear no evil, for be assured that even “if the enemy comes in like a flood’’ the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. While at that dread hour, when the world cannot help you, when all the powers of nature are in vain, yea, when your heart and your flesh shall fail you, you will be enabled still to rely with peace upon Him who has said, “I will be the strength of thy heart and thy portion.’’ - Blunt Commit yourself then to God! He will be your guide. He Himself will travel with you, as we are told He did with the Israelites, to bring them step by step across the desert to the Promised land. Ah! what will be your blessedness, if you will but surrender yourself into the hands of God, permitting Him to do whatever He will, not according to your desires, but according to His own good pleasure? - Fenelon We come, in our trust, unto God, and the moment we so embrace Him, by committing our total being and eternity to Him, we find everything is transformed. There is life in us from God; a kind of Christ-consciousness is opened in us, testifying with the apostle, Christ liveth in me. Bushnell My trust is not that I am holy, but holy, but that, being unholy, Christ died for me. My rest is here, not in what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is and must be, in what Christ did and is still doing as He stands before yonder throne of glory. - Spurgeon Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust; cause me to know the way where in I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. - Psalm 143:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. - Psalm 118:8,9 In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. - Psalm 56:11

continued from page 23

by these categories. They are just that: categories and suggestions.

And don’t be concerned about prayer talk or church talk. The Bible tells us the basic qualification for prayer: “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those October 2015 who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

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The more you pray, the more you will find to pray about, and the more you’ll be led to pray for others. Don’t allow discouragement over unanswered prayer to cause you to doubt that God has heard you. If you have received Jesus and are praying in his name, God hears you, and something is happening whether you see it manifested in your life now or not. In fact, every time you pray, you’re advancing God’s purposes for you. Without prayer, the full purpose God has for you can’t happen.

The Uniqueness of Jesus Albert Daniel

(contd...)

Ø By the birth of the promised Messiah, our omnipotent, omniscient, and

omnipresent God worked through all of the events of history to fulfill His promise of salvation Ø Jesus came to fulfill the God’s promise of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles Ø Jesus came to fulfill the Law Ø Jesus came to fulfill prophecies Ø Through Jesus God introduces a new covenant which is better than the old legalistic covenant (law). This fulfilled God’s promise of salvation through His mercy. Ø The Law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus. Ø Jesus came to do the will of the Father to take away the first (covenant of the Law) and establish the second, (covenant of salvation through Grace) through His sacrifice once and for all. He paid for our sin-debt on the cross that redeems us.

Redemption and forgiveness of sins Ø “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Reconciliation with God Ø We were reconciled to God through the death of His son through Jesus.

We shall be saved by His life.

Justification Ø We have been justified by His blood. We shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Isa 49:6 Isa 42:6 Matt 5:17 Luke 4:21 Heb 8:12-13

John 1:17 Gal 5:4 Heb 10:5-10

Eph 1:7

Rom 5:10 Col 1:20

Rom 5:9

Sanctification Ø “…that He might sanctify the people with His own blood…”

Heb 10:10

Power to forgive sins Ø “…Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins…”

Mark 2:10

Mediator of the New Covenant Ø “He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (to be contd...)

Heb 9:15 October 2015

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October 2015

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