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contents eDITORIAL Pastor Dr. John K. Mathew
Commitment as a Kingdom Servant Pastor P. T. Thomas
COMMITMENT IN WITNESSING CHRIST Dr. Laji Paul
Commitment for Financial Stewardship Major V. I. Luke
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Apostle Paul A Paradigm for Commitment to God’s Call and Ministry Dr. Jose L.
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Why God Used K. E. Abraham?
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Committed to prayer and the Word of God
Pastor Dr. T. Valson Abraham
Rev. Sam C. Samuel
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QUIZ
Vol. 11
Issue No. 7 July 2018
A magazine that will enrich and renew your spiritual life and give Christian perspective on current events. e-mail : revivemegod@gmail.com igotoibc@gmail.com visit us : www.revivemegod.org CHAIRMAN PASTOR Dr.T. VALSON ABRAHAM MEMBERS BRO. JACOB THOMAS BRO. SUNNY KODUMTHARA EDITOR PASTOR DR. JOHN K. MATHEW ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR PASTOR SAJU JOSEPH ASSOCIATE EDITOR MRS. STARLA LUKOSE MANAGER PASTOR T. J. ABRAHAM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JUNE THOMAS ANN ABRAHAM PUBLISHER & PRINTER MAJOR V. I. LUKOSE (Retired) HEBRON, KUMBANAD, PATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA for K. E. Abraham Foundation PRINTED AT VIANI PRINTINGS, LISSIE JN., ERNAKULAM, KERALA PLACE OF PUBLICATION KUMBANAD, PATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA - 689 547 DESIGN Beam Design S2dio Ph: 93870 73135 beamfine@gmail.com
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The views and ideas expressed in each article are those of the writer. - Editor
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Letters
The Essence of Christian Unity
Dear revive, It is the amazing grace of God which helps the writers of revive to bring out very relevant issues every month. All writers are very sincere in their presentation of the topic in a very in-depth manner. Just one minute, editorial, and all the articles are well written. Rev. Dr. Valson Abraham in his Just one minute, writes on the Chrisitian unity. Very insightful information is imparted by the writer. He states well that Christian unity is the life we share with one another through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This life began and has come down to us through the preaching of the apostles who were with Jesus that night He prayed. This life is activated through the Holy Spirit. Whatever our differences in time, background and experience, we all share the permanent presence of God in our lives because of the cross. We all have the same Holy Spirit. We all have the opportunity to grow and mature in Christ and express it through the fruit of His Spirit. What an amazing experience and example before the world! May God strengthen us to practice it while we live on this earth. James Jose V., Chennai
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Pillar and Foundation of Truth Dear revive, In the editorial Dr. John K. Mathew mainly tries to establish the church as the foundation of truth. The Church has to be the spokesperson for the truth in this world of falsehood and corruption. If church is not standing for the truth then who will have truth in this world? It is very true when the writer pus it like this that first and foremost, the church has to be the pillar and foundation of the truth. If the church doesn't stand for the truth, then the truth can be found nowhere. It is in the church we exalt Jesus Christ, the embodiment of truth. There will be no holiness without the truth. The relationship between truth and holiness is similar to that between light and vision. Light cannot create an eye or give a blind eye vision, but it is essential to see. Wherever light penetrates, it dissipates darkness and brings everything into view. These are very touching and meaningful statements which everyone should follow without fail. May God help us all for the same. T. C. Georgekutty, Mumbai
Foundation is Jesus Dear Editor, Thank God for the June issue of revive magazine. Through the articles, it was well established by all the writers that the head, leader and the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ. P. J. Daniel emphasizes in his article the truth of Jesus as the foundation and the chief cornerstone of the church. Every other stone was laid in relationship to the cornerstone. Clearly this position belongs to Jesus. But if Jesus is the foundation, then in what sense is it the foundation "of the apostles and prophets." Some claim, this means the prophets are the foundation, but such a view would directly contradict the fact
of Jesus as the foundation. It simply means belonging to or pertaining to the apostles and prophets. It does not say the apostles and prophets are the foundation, but simply that the foundation in some way pertains or relates to them. The apostles only revealed the gospel message which made known to the world about Jesus as the foundation of the church. Thank God again for revealing this truth. Let’s be rooted in the word of God and be not wavered by the winds of false teachings. Thomas Kurien, Muscat
Church life and Mental Health Dear revive, Dr. K.P. Saji has written a very important aspect of church life in the June issue of revive. Mind and consciousness are very important in the life of every human being. The church has great responsibility for understanding the mental state of the people. The writer presents the role of the church in enhancing the mental life health of its members. Just as the writer suggests, this must be done to the church members, church leaders and church workers to increase understanding of psychological issues people struggle with and also to tackle these by the learning of helping stalks and also by the dependence of the Holy Spirit. Churches must identify ways in which we can provide welcoming and supportive environment for people in distress. This allows people to reflect on their own experience of mental health issues and how this relates to their Christian faith. This promotes prayer for healing too. Resources like the service of efficient care givers in the church, the meditation and devotional times etc. must be made use to take psychological issues faced by people. If all churches understand this, the members will be more blessed spiritually and mentally. Jose Mathew, Coimbatore
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Pastor Dr. John K. Mathew
John Izzo is a bestselling author who holds advanced degrees in religion and psychology. In his
COMMITMENT
book, "The Five Secrets You Discover Before You Die" he has interviewed over 200 people, ages 60 -106, each of whom was identified by friends and acquaintances as 'the one person they knew who had found happiness and meaning'. From town barbers to Holocaust survivors, from aboriginal chiefs to CEOs. All of these people had over 18,000 years of life experience put together. From his study, he presents five secrets of a contented life - 'be true to yourself', 'leave no regrets', 'become love', 'live the moment' and 'give more than you take'. 64 year old Ken is small town barber in Iowa. Let's read the interview that Izzo has transcribed in Ken's in his own words." What I have discovered is the greatest happiness you find in life is always from what you give not what you get. These people who come into my barbershop live hard lives - working the soil. For a half hour, I get to serve them, help them relax, and do something for them. But the best thing about being a barber has been getting involved in people's lives. Being a barber is like being a priest: people come in and tell you about their lives. It might be a teenager having problems with his parents, or a husband having a problem at home. You listen, and some way you try to help. The greatest pleasure in life is seeing that you make something better". Jesus is telling us that every fiber of our being and every facet of our lives must be committed to serve and love others. He said, "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (Matt:5:41,42). Onesiphorus is the best example of commitment in the Scriptures. In the words of Apostle Paul, " May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.(2 Tim.1:16-18). It has to be viewed in its context to understand its depth and width. In the eyes of the state, Paul was a notorious criminal and everyone in the province of Asia had deserted him. Many people were ashamed of his chains. But Onesiphorus earnestly searched for Paul, found him and comforted him. 'Refresh' means to cool again. Onesiphorus' presence was like a cool cloth on the burning spirit of Paul. What a pleasant ministry! This is possible for all of us. All it takes is commitment. Commitment is what transforms an idea into reality. In Psalm 37, David says, "Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in him, and he will
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secrets of a contented life - 'be true to yourself', 'leave no regrets', 'become love', 'live the moment' and 'give more than you take'. do this." Please remember at the close of life the question will not be, 'How much have you got? but how much have you given? Not how much have you won? but how much have you done? Let me conclude with another finding of Izzo. "There are two great tasks of a human life: to find ourselves and lose ourselves. We find ourselves by discovering our destiny and being true to ourselves. Yet is not enough to find ourselves, we also must lose ourselves". July 2018
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Pastor P. T. Thomas Writer & Bible Teacher, Kerala
Commitment as a Kingdom Servant
Jesus gave more importance to teaching rather than in doing
miracles. The subject of His teaching was the Kingdom of God. Even after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples “over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). The resurrected Jesus did not change the subject of His teaching. This highlights the importance of the topic.
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The Lone Worthy King At Jesus’ birth, a special star proclaimed Him as the ‘born King of the Jews’. During His ministry, people realized His unique worthiness as the ideal King and they wanted to have Him as their king (John 6:15). The main charge His opponents laid against Him was that He claimed to be the king. During the trial, Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered “Yes, it is as you say” (Matt.27:11). Even on the cross, hung the inscription: “Jesus of Nazareth’, King of the Jews” (John 19:19). The halo of kingship hovered around Him all through His life. He had a royal burial too. His tomb was secured by the Roman imperial seal with the soldiers standing guard over it. He is truly king in all aspects of ideal kingship. Kingdom and kingship was the main topic of Jesus’ teaching. His disciples are truly kingdom servants. All that Jesus taught about discipleship are true of kingdom servanthood too.
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The Rule of Love Jesus declared before Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Neither are the servants of His kingdom worldly people. They are re-born spiritual peoples, separated from the world and worldliness. The kingdoms of this world run on rigid laws enforced by the brute force of the state. But the kingdom of God in based on love. This is no scope for force in a love relationship. Voluntary commitment in what makes one a kingdom servant or a disciple of Jesus Christ. How far should be our commitment to our heavenly king? God wants our commitment to be absolute and exclusive. When large multitudes were following Jesus, He turned around and said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father or mother, his wife and children his brother and sister–yes even his own life–he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:25-26). God does not allow our loyalty and commitment to be shared with anything or anyone else. Jesus has called for this exclusive commitment in absolute terms. All other relationships and attachments are to be hated when placed alongside one’s commitment in the Lord. God has the greatest claim on everyone of us. He is our creator, sustainer and master. All the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional faculties we enjoy are God-given gifts. Though He can, God won’t take anything forcefully from us but calls for our absolute commitment in love.
Kingdom Parables In order to drive home the importance of such an absolute and exclusive commitment, Jesus taught many parables, generally known as kingdom parables. Evangelist Matthew has compiled many of them in clusters. In the 13th chapter of his Gospel we see several of them arranged as beads on a string. In verses 44 and 45 we see the kingdom presented in two picturesque and pithy parables. They emphasize the absolute commitment required from a kingdom servant.
The Hidden Treasure A man while strolling along the countryside stumbled upon a treasure hidden in a field. He is overjoyed at the finding and hid it. He decided to take possession of it somehow. It is obvious that the treasure in of such large volume and high value lured him no end that he had to buy the whole field to take possession of it. Its cost was so high that the he had to sell off all that he had. He was to have nothing else once the deal was made. Nevertheless, he joyfully parted with all that he had because he knew that the treasure was worth the sacrifice. The absolute and exclusive commitment of one who is worthy of the kingdom of God is highlighted here. He did not hold back anything in the deal. Such should be our commitment to the Lord. No area of our life could be exempt from our submission of our body, soul and spirit.
The Precious Pearl While the man in the above parable stumbled upon the hidden treasure, here in this, a merchant goes around seeking for precious pearls. He finds one unique priceless pearl. He realized that he had to part with all that he had, if he was to get the pearl. Naturally, he had many things that he held in high value and dear to his heart. He did not hesitate to part with all those valid things to get the special pearl. Willingly did he give off all those things because he knew that he was no loser in the deal. In that exchange he was getting richer by far and he joyfully bartered many things for that one thing– the special, priceless pearl. Here is another example for absolute commitment. Only one who willingly and voluntarily submits everything in every avenue of life is worthy of the kingdom of God. One has to give himself over with all that he thinks he has to be a kingdom servant.
The Parable of the Leaven A small quality of leaven, mixed into a large amount of flour works so thoroughly and absolutely that no part of the dough will he left unleavened. The kingdom of God is like this. No area of one’s life remains unaffected by one’s commitment to
the Lord. A true kingdom servant would join apostle Paul in saying: “To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21) A thoroughly renewed way of life is the sure mark of one’s discipleship and kingdom servanthood. The parable of the leaven also highlights the influence a kingdom servant exists in the society he lives. He is like a small lump of leaven. He silently exerts his benevolent influence into the life of all around him.
God
does not allow our loyalty and commitment to be shared with anything or anyone else. Jesus has called for this exclusive commitment in absolute terms. All other relationships and attachments are to be hated when placed alongside one’s commitment in the Lord.
In everything Jesus Christ is our role-model and guide. The King of the kingdom of God gave Himself over to the subjects. Even the last drop of His hold blood was paid for our ransom. The King has given us an example to emulate. May our commitment to our sovereign king be absolute and exclusive. Nothing short of it will make us worthy of the eternal kingdom to come. July 2018
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Dr. Laji Paul Bible Teacher, Missionary New Delhi
COMMITMENT IN WITNESSING CHRIST Wardell Stephen Curry II
is an American professional basketball player for theGolden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Many players andanalysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. According to Stephen, "l try to use every game as an opportunity to witness... BE A WITNESS FORCHRIST. When I step on the floor, people should know who I represent, who Ibelieve in." It is encouraging to see Stephen leveraging his influence in terms of commitment inwitnessing Christ. All of us no matter where God has placed us carry an influence. Our primary responsibility is to be committed to witnessing about what we believe inand whom we represent. This article is to highlight our priority as disciples of Christ to be committed inwit-
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nessing Christ through our lives. We will briefly deal with the meaning of witnessing, the rationale behind it and the scope of witnessing. Two Biblical examples will be dealt with. To begin with we need to have clarity on what is witnessing.
What is witnessing? A witness in the court of law is required to describe what that person saw and personally experienced. Anything other than personal experience would be hear say and not acceptable legally. Confessing our sins, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The human spirit dead in trespasses is brought back to a living relationship with God. This followed by witnessing the Lord in water. Baptism rather than a onetime event is symbolic of a life long process of immersion and absorption of the life of Jesus. The result is a radical life transformation. Such a life experience is each disciple's testimony which cannot be refuted. This is what we need to keep in mind. Commitment to being witness is not a task to be performed rather than a lifestyle to be lived out on a daily basis. A lifestyle of witnessing comes by cultivating intimacy with Lord Jesus through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditating the word and fellowship with the saints. To help us in these spiritual disciplines, the Lord has given us his Holy Spirit. Jesus gave his disciples the promise that the Holy Spirit will keep transforming their lives to confirm to the image and likeness of Jesus and make us his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Having dealt with what witnessing is all about, we also need to address the questionas to why should we witness.
Why witness? An encounter with the risen Christ, through his revealed word will compel us to sharethe Gospel which is the only message of hope for the fallen humanity. Entering the Kingdom of God through faith in the finished work of the cross will impregnate us with the Kingdom DNA which is contagious. By Kingdom DNA I mean an absolute conviction that the Kingdom of God is the only lasting entity. As disciples of Christ we are gripped and driven with the passion to see the Kingdom advancing. The Kingdom of God is God's reign that has broken into our world in and through Jesus. lt is God's desire through Jesus to reclaim what Adam lost to Satan. Although the Kingdom has been inaugurated in this evil age it is yet to come in its fullness. Hence we must continue to be witnesses about the gospel that God has triumphed over the three enemies that have ruined people throughout history: Satan, sin and death. Our proclamation should be reflected in our lifestyle. Words if not backed by a corresponding lifestyle will lack conviction. As a community we need to shift from a Church-centered to a Kingdom-centered paradigm. This will help us to be the radical counter cultural force in the world the Lord has placed us in. Ed Silvoso in his book Ekklesia states that it is the Church which is God's instrument for global transformation. ln the midst of the darkness and hopelessness around us, the Church because of its commitment to witnessing can become a radical counter cultural force of Kingdom influencers. Thus bringing the righteousness, peace andjoy of the Kingdom into the world (Rom 14:17). The implication in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-19, is that as disciples of Christ, whether as pioneers, students, housewives and those in the market place, wherever we go we are committed to be witnesses of Christ so as to make disciples of each and every people, language, urban and geographical groups. lt is interesting
to read in the book of Acts. "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. (Acts 11:19-20). In my opinion persecution is missional if we are committed to witnessing Christ wherever we go.
Baptism
rather than a onetime event is symbolic of a life long process of immersion andabsorption of the life of Jesus. The result is a radical life transformation. If our commitment is not to this crucial and fundamental task, it means we are focusing our time on the non-essentials. On the query of his disciples on when he would restore the Kingdom to Israel Jesus answered, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." We see the same parallel today in Christ's disciples obsessed with the fulfilment of eschatological events and similar non-issues but not giving priority to the task ofbeing committed to be his witnesses. While an understanding July 2018
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of eschatology is necessary we should not forget that it has tremendous implications on our presentday living here and now as disciples of Christ. We need to be intentional in embracing both the Great commandment and the Great commission. Let me reiterate that witnessing is not an event but a life style to be embraced. Having understood it we need to grasp how to witness.
Apostle Paul
places an emphasis on God's word to dwell in our hearts while writing to the believers in Colosse, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col. 3:16).
How to witness Francis of Assisi who was an Italian Catholic friar deeply committed to the proclamation and embodiment of the gospel has said, "It is no use walking any where to preach unless our walking is our preaching." Charles H. Kraft in his book Communication Theory for Chris-
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tian Witness, states that Christian message is a life message, not simply a word message....if the message islife, only life is an adequate vehicle for its transmission. We need to keep in mind that that what we proclaim is a relational message; it is nota non-relational message. ln which case, we are not simply the channel of messagebut part of the message. So then the primary aim of Christian communication is related to behaviour and not simply knowledge. The Christ we proclaim verbally and the Christ we present visually should match. It means we take up an incarnation model of witnessing which should be reflected in a life of service, humility and simple life style. Failing which we are only presenting aset of rules and regulations which is not going to appeal to people who are alreadyburdened with religion. This means we need to be aligned to God's word. God's word reflects his characterand the world need to see Jesus not a religion. ln the book of Deuteronomy, which is a repetition of God's law to his people we read, " See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."(Deut. 4:5-6) Apostle Paul places an emphasis on God's word to dwell in our hearts while writing to the believers in Colosse, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col. 3:16). This is the basis for renewal of our mind about which Paul writes, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."(Rom. 12:1-2). lf we are allowing God's word to change our lives, then it follows that our life will be a witness and our words will carry legitimacy and authority. Similarly, when Paul talked about his motivation for sharing the Word of God withothers, he said he was compelled by God's love - "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died"(2 Cor. 5:14). Itwas this love that was his motivation for a lifestyle which backed his message - "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia (Acts 20:18) and again in 1 Corinthians 11 :1 , he says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." Our prayer should be to grow in this love so that this love becomes our motivation tobe committed in witnessing Christ. Witnessing as a duty to be performed becomes a stressful but if springing out of our love for the Lord it is spontaneous and joyful. This is what we see in the life of Jesus. He was an embodiment of love. That is the reason that unlike the religious leaders of his time, his life was a powerful witness ofthe Father's love to the hurting, broken and needy. Having looked at what, why and how of witnessing it will be good to look up some examples of God's people who were committed to witnessing.
Biblical Examples The Bible provides us with several examples of godly people committed to witnessing irrespective of the situations they were in. I will deal only with two examples which always fascinates me.
Daniel Prophet Daniel is one such witness. ln spite of being taken captive and surroundedby beliefs contrary to his faith, he remained committed to God. His commitment
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to be a witness is revealed in his conviction to stand firm for the God he believed in and served. Throughout the first six chapters of Daniel, we learn about how Daniel ran into several trying situations that may have caused him to lose faith or give up his beliefs, but Daniel remained a faithful witness in all circumstances. His witness was in one ofthe most corrupt culture of his time, full of occult and wrong practices. God's wisdom and prophetic insight helped him to witness before three kings. Hewas possessed with a spirit of excellence (Daniel 6:3) and was made an advisor whom the kings sought after. The key to Daniel's commitment to witnessing is seen as a result of his dedication toa life of prayer and God's word (Daniel 6:10, 9:1-3). His life of integrity and loyalty to those he served did not lead him to compromise his faith in God. He took no credit in his success; instead he gave credit to God. His life and commitment to witness is truly an inspiration for us.
Paul Another example is that of Apostle Paul a committed witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are several lessons we can learn from his life but the one importanttruth of this witness was his commitment to be a witness in every circumstance. Although in prison for two years in Caesarea, he was committed to witnessing somuch so that everybody was hearing the gospel through him. "As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am inchains for Christ." (Phil. 1:13; 4.22). Again in Acts we read that even under house arrest, for two years Paul staying in a rented house was a committed witness about God's Kingdom. (Acts.28:30-31) We live at a time when there is a tremendous pressure to quiet our witness through intimidation, threats and persecution. This should be our prayer that no circumstances or situation will be a hindrance in our commitment to witnessing. Praise God for several of our fellow believers imprisoned for the sake of the gospel yet firmly committed to be a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of the hostility and adverse circumstances. For me the one important take away about Apostle Paul as a witness was his Kingdom-centred life. For him in was not his life that mattered but no matter where he was and what he had, he was committed to witnessing Christ because his passion was to see the Kingdom advancing.
Conclusion Implications of being committed witnesses is that Christ's return is dependent on thefact that each and every people group is given an opportunity to respond to the testimony of the gospel (Mal.24:14). ln fact this link or close connection is seen between this truth as found in Matthew 24:14 and the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Both these verses emphasizes on worldwide evangelization until the Second coming of Jesus. God is holding this part of history open so that people, language, urban orgeographical group is not denied the opportunity of responding to the testimony of thegospel. Our obedience to be faithful witnesses is crucial. Since the return of Jesus is dependent on proclaiming the gospel to all peoples, we refuse to get intimidated with evil and despair around us, instead proactively propagate and live out the truth that God's Kingdom has entered into this Evil Age. Satan sin and death are always at work to discourage us and destroy our faith. However the power of God's Kingdom is greater and will prevail. King Jesus our Lordand Master calls us to be his witnesses. Are we busy acquiring security and selfmade
prestige? We are called to bless the nations by being committed witnesses ofthe Kingdom. Stephen Curry's desire is to use every opportunity to witness and to help those coming into contact with him know who he represents and what he believes in. How about us?
Satan
sin and death are always at work to discourage us and destroy our faith.However the power of God's Kingdom is greater and will prevail. King Jesus our Lordand Master calls us to be his witnesses. Are we busy acquiring security and selfmade prestige? We are called to bless the nations by being committed witnesses of the Kingdom.
The King is coming to establish his Kingdom and what a joy it will be to hear his words, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master'shappiness!" (The writer acknowledges the use of select bibliography in compiling this article) July 2018
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Major V. I. Luke Vice -President (Development) India Bible College and Seminary Kumbanad
Commitment for Financial
Stewardship The day
a person accepts Jesus as his personal Savior, hehas made a commitment to serve Him, thereby denying the attractions of the world. It is far more special and sacred than a covenant relationship between man and woman who take an oath of commitment to be faithful and loyal to one another in a holy matrimony. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away and behold all things have become new in his life (II Cor 5:17).He becomes bonded to the Lord, having been released of his bondage with Satan and attractions of the world. The commitment is between him and God. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate
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the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. One cannot serve God and mammon at the same time” (Luke 16:13) We read from I Tim 6:10 that, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many arrows”. God wants us to be faithful stewards of His financial resources. A believer who understands that wealth and financial resources truly belong to God will be faithful and committed to God in all dealings with money. This understanding of stewardship leads to contentment with life. Simply stated, stewardship is how we manage something placed within our responsibility. A steward must be someone who can be trusted to care for the things that are important or dear to the Master. Greediness and covetousness disappears. We have come to this world empty handed and can carrynothing back. Hence, one of the most profound verses in the Bible says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” - I Tim 6:6. A godly person is always at peace with God and with himself. He stays blessed and content with whatever God has given him. He neither complains, nor is grumpy, nor is he envious or jealous of others. He remains thankful to God for all of his possessions, which he considers as a gift from God. Money is not a sin, but love of money is the root of all evil. Abraham was rich and so was Job. Yet they were neither slaves to their wealth nor haughty in their trust in the uncertain riches that they possessed. Instead they loved and feared God and remained committed to Him till the end, despite being wealthy. When we study the examples of Abraham and his nephew, Lot - the contrast in their commitment to financial stewardship is clearly revealed. In Gen.13:2 we understand that Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold, on departing from Egypt. Yet, he was not proud of his riches because he knew that it was God who was with him and blessed him with all the wealth he possessed. He was committed to takingcare and being a faithful steward of God’s wealth and provisions. God loved his attitude and therefore continued to bless him materially. Not so with Lot who was greedy of his wealth and possessions. He believed in his own strength or capabilities. He tried to possess and grab more; did not care much for God, the Giver of all good things. When the two of them with their possessions travelled south from Egypt, there was strife over the livestock between the herdsmen of Abramand Lot - as their wealth increased and Abram realized that they couldnot live together. Hence he decided that they separate and he left it for Lot to choose the best of the land. Lot surveyed the land in front of him and found the plains of Jordan to be well watered, green and prosperous. Hence, being greedy to possess the best and become wealthier, he chose to move toward east as far as Sodom. Little did he realize that God was in control and He chose to bless and honor Abram with Canaan. Abram built an altar to the Lord and gave priority to worshipping Him. Here we see Abram's commitment to financial stewardship in handling God given resources. His attitude and actions clearly speak that he was not greedy or jealous of what others possessed. He was content with what he had since he considered it all as from God. God, therefore, honored his choice and blessed the land of Canaan for the sake of Abram and made him and his people more prosperous than ever before. The above fact is further emphasized by Abram’s attitude of taking the risk of going with just 318 of his well trained warriors to the rescue of Lot and his people from Sodom, to rescue those plundered and taken as captives by Chedorlaomer, the king of Elam and three other kings with him. God gave Abram the victory and honored his attitude- with bread and wine by Melchizedek, the King of Salem (king of righteousness andpeace) when he returned victorious from the battle and slaughter of the heathen kings. Melchizedek is also known as the “mystery king”, without any mention of
father or mother, genealogy, having neither the beginning of days nor end of life, made like the Son of God, who remains continually the Priest of God Most High(Gen 14:18;Heb.7:3) andJesus himself is referred to as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Heb.7:1-17). To him Abram gave a tithe of all he got from the plunder and spoils from the battle; because only to Abram did God reveal the real identity of Melchizedek, the 'mystery king'. Abram perceived that his victory with a mere 318 of his men of war
God
wants us to be faithful stewards of His financial resources. A believer who understands that wealth and financial resources truly belong to God will be faithful and committed to God in all dealings with money. against the four strong heathen kings and their armies of mighty warriors, was from God and he was honoring God by offering the tithe to Melchizedek, the King of Salem. Abram did not desire any of the riches, from the plunder of the kings in the rescue of Lot from Sodom, even when offered to him by the king of Sodom (Gen.14:17; 21-23). Heconsidered himself the servant of God Most High. He did not want the heathen king July 2018
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of Sodom to take any glory for making him wealthy - Abram was totally committed as the steward of his incomparable God the Almighty! Genuine commitment to financial stewardship is proven when we do not take credit or grab what does not belong to us rightfully. Abram demonstrated this well before God and man! Abram could have otherwise taken possession of all the plundered wealth from the battle and did not have to wait
We should also keep in mind that He is the ultimate source of all wisdom and provision. When we sacrificially give, God makes up the difference in providing for our needs as well as the wisdom to be good stewards.
for the king of Sodom to offer them as gift-both of which he anyway refused. Abram’s loyalty and faithfulness shown to God was indeed highly honorable and pleasing to God! Job was a wealthy, content man who loved and feared God, and shunned evil (Job1:1). He was known as the greatest and wealthiest in the entire eastern hemisphere in his time, (which today includes most of Africa, about half of Antarctica, all of Asia and Australia/Oceania and much of Europe!) Yet when he was deprived of all his wealth and
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possessions to the point where his own wife tried to disown him, he never uttered a single word against God his Maker! He ever remained grateful to God by expressing, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Here we see yet another demonstration of commitment to financial stewardship of God’s wealth. Job's commitment to pleasing God during his grief and loss far outweighed the loss of his wealth and fame. As believers, our attitude towards our treasure, possessions, time and talents reveal much about ourselves. Sharing our God given material blessing with those in need creates a fertile relationship to share the message of Christ. Wise management of our limited time and resources demonstrates our loveand commitment toward Him. (2 Tim. 2:1-10; 1 John 4:19). In 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 we are taught how stewardship and willingness to give should come from our heart, and not be pressurized by others to give. We should also keep in mind that He is the ultimate source of all wisdom and provision. When we sacrificially give, God makes up the difference in providing for our needs as well as the wisdom to be good stewards. Finally, nowhere in scripture do we find that giving should be motivated by what we will receive in return. Therefore, exercising faithful stewardship demonstrates our love for God and our neighbor. Stewardship is what we do to manage something that has been placed under our responsibility, care and trust. Stewardship includes wise management of our treasure, time, and talents so that we can use these things in the service of the Lord for the benefit of others. Exercising faithful stewardship demonstrates our love for God and our neighbor. Even in our jobs - be it secular or in Christian ministry, managing time, money and human resources without wastage or pilferage is displaying commitment in financial stewardship. While serving in the Field Area during my service in the Indian Army, I was once in charge of a large fleet of vehicles, fuel and supplies including free railway warrants. Being in a Field Area, there was no internal or external audit for all this equipment. Hence, as an officer, I am made responsible to be the custodian of all equipments and stores etc., whose value ran into several crores of rupees. For instance, a blank railway warrant serves as an open return-journey train ticket in First Class AC coach between two places that are farthest apart in our country. There have been situations in the Army, where my integrity could have been questioned, due to the huge responsibility I was entrusted. In all of those circumstances, the Lord, in His grace, did not permit me to succumb to pressure, or cause any loss to the national exchequer by engaging in matters not ethical or proper. I was conscious of being accountable to my Master who was watching over me! I had to be more committed to Him in handling the resources under my command as His honest and faithful steward. When the rubber hits the road, it is on occasions such as these that our faithfulness and commitment to financial stewardship is tested by our Lord. As Christian stewards, upholding integrity, honor and Christian values even while handling seemingly insignificant responsibilities is of utmost importance. That is when He will entrust us with larger responsibilities – Luke 16:10, says, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much ...”. God desires to see us as faithful stewards of His resources. For that He puts us through certain tests that could be both demanding and demeaning. Joseph was entrusted with the full charge Continued on page 18 of Potiphar’s household (Gen 39:2-6).
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Dr. Jose L. New Testament Faculty IBC and Seminary, Kumbanad
Apostle Paul
A Paradigm for Commitment to God’s Call and Ministry Paul
is regarded as the greatest missionary unparalleled in Christian history. He is an example of commitment to God’s call to preach the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles. He was committed to the Jewish traditions before he was called and commissioned by the risen Lord. After his call and commission, he displayed a passionate zeal to preach the gospel of Christ, planting churches, safeguarding the ecclesia from heresies, serving fellow Christians and trying to bring unity in the body of Christ. Paul’s commitment was to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ who gave him a special task of preaching the gospel specifically to the Gentiles. He established a number of churches and Christian communities in and around the Greco-Roman world. The commitment to the call helped him break the rigid traditions of Judaism and bring liberation to humanity through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is Paul’s commitment
and undivided loyalty to Christ that stands tall in his Christian life and ministry.
Paul’s Commitment to Christ: His Call and Commission Paul’s commitment to Christ starts with the call and commission, widely designated 0as the ‘Damascus Christophany’ July 2018
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that changed the course of history (Rom.1:1-5; Gal.1:11-16; 2:6-8; 1Cor.9:1; 15:8). It was a personal call/commission by the risen Christ on the way to Damascus (Phil.3:4-17; Gal.1:1516; 1Tim.1:12-16; Ac.9:1-20; 22:1-21 26:2-23). Before this encounter, he was committed to exterminate the Jesus movement by assaulting the infant church with great violence (Ac.7:58; 9:1-2; 1Cor.15:9; Gal.1:13, 23; Phil.3:6). It included imprisonment and
Paul
uses the body imagery to point out the significance of unity of the church. Paul emphasises the church unity and reiterates the importance of the believers’ part in maintaining unity which would help the church to grow to maturity (Eph.4:1-16).
torturing the minority Christians (Ac. 8:3; 22:4; 26:6) in the centres of Jewish diaspora where the members of Jesus movement had fled in order to escape the persecution (Ac.8:1; 11:1). The divine revelation of the risen Lord made Paul to proclaim the gospel of God’s Son to the Gentiles (Rom.1:5). Through the Damascus Christophany, the persecutor of the early Christian
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movement became the persecuted for the cause of the gospel. This call/commission is similar to the theophanies of the prophetic calls of Isaiah and Jeremiah who were chosen by God for a specific task even before they were born (Isa.49:1,5; Jer.1:5). ‘But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being’ (Gal.1:15-16). This revelation by God of his Son Jesus Christ resulted in a radical transformation of Paul’s values and commitments. Paul’s call was to create a new humanity in Christ include both the Gentiles and Jews. The Damascus Christophany and the subsequent commitment to Christ moved Paul passionately to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Commitment to Preach the Gospel of Christ Paul received a deep sense of obligation to preach the gospel both to Jews and Gentiles as part of the revelatory experience and commission (Rom.1:14-15). Paul says ‘woe to me if I do not preach the gospel’ (1Cor.9:16). His missionary motivation develops from the sense of responsibility to preach the gospel of Christ and he frequently employs the words ‘obligation,’ ‘debt’ or ‘debtor’ in this regard (Rom.1:14). He considers himself to be an ‘ambassador for Christ’ who is committed to make his appeal through us (2 Cor.5:20). Paul’s former advantages were considered as so punyin the light of the new revelation in Christ (Phil.3:7-8). The commitment to be an ambassador of Christ to the Gentiles makes a universal dimension (Rom.1:5) which signifies the importance of the calling. The proclamation of the gospel was the starting point of Paul’s missionary task. Paul was committed to preach the simple and pure gospel of Jesus Christ ‘because it is the power of God for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles’ (Rom.1:16). For Paul, to preach the gospel (Gal.1:11) is to preach Christ (Gal.1:16). Through the gospel, God revealed his righteousness, that is, God’s righteousness is gained by faith alone (Rom.1:17). It is through the agency of Christ that God effected His salvation. The fourfold qualification of the gospel is about God’s sovereignty, the historical culmination of God’s promises through the prophets, the message about God’s Son, and the universal scope (Rom.1:1-4) (William J. Larkin Jr. and Joel F. Williams (eds.), Mission in the NT. An Evangelical Approach (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002, 67). Paul became the champion of the universal law-free gospel of forgiveness through the crucified and exalted Son. The proclamation of the gospel is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom.1:14; 15:20; 16:25; 1Cor.1:18, 23; 15:1-4; Gal.1:89,16; Eph.3:8; Phil.1:15-18; Col.1:28). This message appeals to responding in faith and repentance (Rom.2:4; 2Cor. 7:9-10; 12:21). The gospel Paul preached was salvation that is inclusive of both Jews and Gentiles. This passionate commitment to preach the gospel resulted in the formation of communities.
Paul’s Commitment and the Formation of Churches in the Greco-Roman World There was a phase in which the ministry of the disciples of Jesus were limited to the Jewish world. It was primarily Paul, who broke such boundaries and made the gospel available to the Gentile world. Even though Paul did not have the credentials like the twelve disciples turned apostles, he earned the credentials from the risen Christas a result of the Damascus Christophany and planted many churches in the Gentile world. Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (Rom.1:1; 1 Cor.1:1; 2 Cor.1:1; Gal.1:1; Eph.1:1; Col.1:1). Similar to the authoritative commission of Jesus to his disciples, Paul’s apostolic commission also has the elements of authority, proclamation and universality.’ (Mission in the NT: An Evangelical Approach, 69). Through the three noteworthy missionary journeys, Paul could establish many churches in the eastern part and later to the western part of the Mediterranean world. The challenge to his apostleship (2 Cor.10:1-33) did not deter his zeal for the proclamation of the gospel rather he fervently holds on to the position of his call.
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His work is proved not by the title but by the work he committed for the Lord. The ecclesial formation in Galatia, Asia Minor (Ephesus, Colossae), Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica), Achaia (Corinth) are concrete evidences of the fidelity to his missionary call and commitment. As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul is a pioneer evangelist. He did not go to the places the gospel was already preached (Rom.15:20-21). Further, he was conscious of his geographical pattern in his missionary career and he says that ‘from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I fully preached the gospel of Christ’ (Rom.15:19). This statement explains the expansion of the ministry from the heart of Judaism (Jerusalem) to the western side of the Greco-Roman Gentile world. Then, he proceeds to Rome and later to Spain (Rom.15:24, 28). Travel to Rome is probably a satisfactory note of his mission to the end of the world because in the first century this was the capital of the empire. Thus reaching Rome would geographically bring Paul to the centre of the world.
Paul’s Pastoral Commitment to the Individual Churches Paul’s commitment to the individual churches is expressed in his prayers for their fidelity and perseverance (1 Cor.1:4-9; Phil.2:14; 1Thess.3:5, 12-13; 5:23-24). He felt personal responsibility for the communities he had planted and thus wrote individual letters to them as a clear direction in their spiritual journey. His pastoral commitment is clearly displayed through dispatching at least four letters to the troubled church at Corinth (1Cor.5:9; 2Cor.2:3, 4,7,9; 7:8,12). Further, he personally visited the church at Corinth to settle the matters (2Cor.2:1;12:14,21; 13:1-2). He undertook two to three years of extended residential missions in Corinth (Ac.18:11) and Ephesus (Ac.19:8,10; 20:31). Paul is considered to be a committed pastor who took care of the churches. He fed the flock through teaching and preaching. In his absence he appointed co-workers, Timothy and Titus to look after the churches. His commitment regarded him as the founding father to the churches in Corinth, Philippi and Thessalonica (1Cor.4:15; 2Cor.6:13; 12:14; Phil.2:22; 1Thess.2:11). His love for the individual churches explain his deep commitment for their spiritual growth (2 Cor.2:4; Phil.4:1,7; 2 Thess.2:17). Moreover, his constant prayer also portrays his sincere love for them (Phil.1:4-6; 1 Thess.3:10).
Paul’s Commitment to Serve the Fellow Christians Paul claims his apostolic authority based on preaching the gospel and not on receiving financial support. He gives the reasons for his rejection of financial support (1 Cor.9:12, 15-19; 2 Cor.11:7-15; 2 Cor.12:13-18) i.e., ‘he serves only the gospel and not his own financial interests’ (J.M. Everts, “Financial Support” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 296). However, while refusing financial support for his mission from the Corinthian church, Paul was requesting money from them for the cause of the poor and the needy (1Cor.16:1-4; 2Cor.8-9; Rom.15:26-32; Gal.2:9-10). He encourages the Corinthian church to give generously to the poverty stricken church in Jerusalem through which they will glorify God (2Cor.8 and 9). He points out the enthusiastic participation of the Macedonians (2Cor.8:1-15) as a model they also should follow (1 Cor.16:1-4). The collection for the poor in Jerusalem is reported to the Galatian believers (Gal.2:10) and then to the Roman believers (Rom.15:25-32) show Paul’s commitment to the fellow Christians. Paul emphasises the contribution of the Macedonian and Achaian believers as a grateful response for the spiritual blessing they have received. Paul’s commitment for the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ is the major significance of the collection of money.
Paul’s Commitment to Unity in the Body of Christ One of Paul’s aims in mission was not only founding churches but also nurturing Christian communities in the Greco-Roman world. For this purpose, he regularly
revisited the churches and wrote letters to them. The Pauline letters are the best example of demonstrating his commitment to nurture the newly founded churches in the bond of love. Moreover, through warning and teaching he wants everyone to become mature in Christ (Col.1:28). He also emphasises the corporate nature of Christian existence. Paul uses the body imagery to point out the significance of unity of the church. Paul reiterates the importance of the believers’ part in maintaining unity which would help the church to grow to maturity (Eph.4:1-16). It is only through the love the ecclesia will be able to achieve the unity (Eph.4:2,15,16). Paul admonishes the believers for the unity of Jew and Gentile by incorporating them into one body, the universal church (Eph.2:16; 3:6).Paul admonishes to avoid lying, anger, and destructive and unwholesome words that endanger harmonious relationships (Eph.4:25-5:2). The body imagery is used by Paul “one body, many members” to point out the diversity within unity (1 Cor.12:12-13; Eph.4:716). Paul says there is a diversity of gifts and graces given to the church for the common good similar to the body is a unit with many parts contributing the organic whole. In the church there is a multiplicity of members and their functions (1 Cor.12:1416) providing connections between the various parts. Paul admonishes the strong members of the body to consider the weaker members because they are indispensable for a proper corporate growth (1Cor.12:2224). However, this body imagery is used to emphasise the mutual relationships and obligation of believers one to another and their union with Christ. This relationshipis necessary for the growth of the body, i.e., the July 2018
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church (1 Cor.12:21; Eph.4:16). The letter to the Colossians also identifies the body of Christ as the church (Col.1:24) and Christ is identified as the head of the body (Col.1:18). The mutual dependence is necessary for the growth of the church by holding fast to the head of the body i.e., the Christ (cf.Col.2:19). They also must relate to one another making his/her contribution according to the measure of its gifts and function (Eph.4:16). The mutual relationship between the body parts and to the head will result in the growth of the church. Paul’s commitment for the corporate health of the churches spreads to bring the well-being of individuals. Paul greets twentyseven people in the church at Rome signifies his commitment go deeper to the persons individually (Rom.16:3-16). He asks the church in Thessalonica to “admonish the idlers, encourages the faint-hearted, help the weak” (1Thess.5:14).
Paul’s Commitment to Safeguard the Ecclesia from Heresies Paul expresses his anxiety for the perseverance of the local churches in 2 Cor.11:28. Paul’s commitment to God’s mission made him to be strong in his obligation to safeguard the doctrine of the church against the intruders in the churches of Galatia (Gal.1:6-9; 5:10, 12). As a committed pastor, Paul is instructing his co-workers (Titus in Crete and Timothy in Ephesus) in the context of increasing danger of counter mission by the Judaising-gnostic preachers (1Tim.1:3-7, 19-20; 4:1-2; 6;20; 2Tim.4:3-4; Tit.1:1016). He entrusts them to appoint various church officers with qualifications so that the church would stand on the pillar and foundation of the truth (1Tim.2:15). No wonder, Paul could be treated as a paradigm for Christian commitment.
Implication for the Readers Just like Paul is called to be an apostle to the Gentiles, we are also called by God to preach the gospel to everyone. God’s call is personal just like Jesus called the disciples to follow him. Behind the call there is a purpose to be fulfilled. The call is purely by God’s grace and there is no credit on our part. From the time of his call we must be fully committed to the task for which he called. The commitment to proclaim the gospel is through our life and ministry. The false apostles and the challenges from fellow Christians should not deter us from the obligation God laid on us. Just like Paul was committed to the unity in the body of Christ, we also must strive for the unity of the church in the context of division based on caste, colour, region, and creed etc. The imagery of the body is the best example to teach our churches forunity in diversity. The Indian church must consider the weaker members because they are indispensable for proper corporate growth of the church. The Indian church also must know that finance is not the basis for the proclamation of the gospel but the gospel is about God’s sovereignty, the message of God’s Son, and its universal scope.
Commitment for Financial Stewardship Continued from page 14 Joseph feared God and was committed to handling faithfully all that was in his care. Potiphar, the captain of the Egyptian guard, found Joseph faithful and made him responsible for all his financial resources. When put to test to lie with Potiphar’s wife, Joseph demonstrated his true character by fleeing from her by saying, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” The seemingly endless woes that Joseph thereafter had to bear were beyond what anyone of us can handle. Yet his great fear and respect towardGod,endeared
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him to follow the stringentpath of righteousness that he preferred to choose. His commitment to financial stewardship of the resources entrusted to him by his boss, Potiphar, especially being a Hebrew slave that he was; is something worth reckoning. As a matter of fact, God blessed Potiphar and helped him prosper just because of Joseph’s testimony of being committed to serving God in a foreign land among strange people. Joseph was soon rewarded for his stewardship and ultimately landed as the Secondin-command or the Prime Minister of Egypt. He was honored and respected for his principles, stewardship and faithfulness over the vast riches of the most powerful kingdom of the then world ruled by Pharaoh. The story of Joseph unwinds as one of the best success stories in the Bible – simply because he demonstrated his commitment as a good steward and as a good servant of God. May the Lord allow each of us to follow the good examples around us, emulate qualities of Christian commitment and display excellent financial stewardship - for the glory of our God Almighty!
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Pastor Dr. T. Valson Abraham President, IBC and Seminary, Kumbanad
Why God Used K. E. Abraham? Itpattern is athroughout fact that God uses men and women to accomplish His purposes. This is the the scriptures and church history. Some people think that this
simply "happens," or that some are "special," but others are not. This is not so. Rather, there are specific reasons why God uses some but not others, and that these reasons boil down to the choices that we make, often early in life. Our choices determine whether we become good clay in the Potter's hands. As an example of this, I mention my own paternal grandfather, Pastor K.E. Abraham. Many of my readers know his name, life and history. Church historians and members of other denominations recognize him as founder and chief architect of the Indian Pentecostal Church. To those who want to learn more about his life and ministry, I refer them to numerous books and seminary dissertations, a biography, and his own autobiography. All those who have studied Pastor K.E. Abraham’s life agree that he was truly a man of God. I want to suggest some reasons why God used K.E. Abraham. As we understand these reasons, we may also understand better how God can also use you and me July 2018
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more effectively and fruitfully. I know that others who read this have known him far longer than I. When he died in December 1974, I was only a very young man. But as a grandson who knew him intimately, I find certain things that can tell us, not only why God used K.E. Abraham but also why He uses anybody willing for God to use him.
K.E. Abraham
wanted nothing to distract him from God's call over his life. He knew that a focused life is a powerful life, like the focused light of a laser beam. He was a teacher, but he surrendered his job, his future, and everything he had to whatever God would do in his life.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever" (chap. 13:7-8). This writer tells us to remember what kind of lives our leaders have lived, and try to have faith like theirs. Since Jesus Christ never changes, what He did for them, He will do for us.
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God shapes a leader over a lifetime. Some leaders finish well, others do not. A recent study of Old Testament leaders by a well-known Bible scholar indicates that only one of three leaders finished well. We all want to finish well. How do we do that? What are the ingredients of a well lived life, used effectively by God? What can we learn from Pastor K.E. Abraham that we might experience the life that God uses for His glory and for the blessing of others?
RECOGNITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS MOST IMPORTANT From the beginning, K.E. Abraham knew that he could never live an effective Christian life apart from the power of the Holy Spirit. Christian life is not a matter of self-effort, religious temperament, or anything else. First and foremost, it is the life of the Holy Spirit working through him in every facet of life. He recognized early that Christianity is a supernatural power.
AN UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE TO LIVE BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT A person can recognize the importance of the Holy Spirit without a desire for power of the Holy Spirit. K.E. Abraham allowed that desire to consume his days and nights. In his prayers, he searched for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. He spent seven years in diligent study of the scriptures to understand the importance of the Holy Spirit. He even walked 100 miles from his hometown to spend time with a godly man.
A STRONG SENSE OF CONVICTION K.E. Abraham would not waver in his desire to seek God's truth or do His will. Knowing that God is faithful, he was willing to pay the price, whatever the cost. When he took a stand, he stood by principle regardless of where it led. That is the sign of a leader, in contrast to the politician who is influenced by polls before he makes his decision. A desire for truth is not always understood by others, especially those who don't seek it. K.E. Abraham found himself in the minority. Others misunderstood him. He endured criticism and insult from others who did not understand what he was doing. Even his own church cast him out and reviled him, but he passionately continued to search for the truth, knowing that God would vindicate him. For six months, these events forced him to worship God alone. In the end, when a cobra snake bit one of his neighbors, God worked through him to bring healing and demonstrate the truth that God revealed to him.
FULLY SURRENDERED, TOTALLY FOCUSED K.E. Abraham wanted nothing to distract him from God's call over his life. He knew that a focused life is a powerful life, like the focused light of a laser beam. He was a teacher, but he surrendered his job, his future, and everything he had to whatever God would do in his life. He gave all to God. He did not believe he was perfect, but he knew what was best, namely the Lord Jesus Christ and His work. He treasured it above all else and was willing to give whatever he had to get it. As Henry Varley once said, "The world has yet to see what God will do with a man who is totally dedicated to him." Like Dwight L. Moody before him, K.E. Abraham said, 'I will be that man’.
A SIMPLE LIFE K.E. Abraham's focus on one thing kept him from distractions. He travelled light, not giving himself to trivial or extraneous matters. He did not clutter his mind with worries and complications stemming from a lot of baggage. He placed no value upon possessions apart from their relationship to the kingdom of God. That freed his spirit so that people could become more important to him than possessions. His simplicity was a conscious choice, a discipline he followed. But his simplicity was not merely a philosophy of renunciation. People knew him as man of joy. He always dressed neatly,
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being neither shabby nor ostentatious. He found himself at home among rich and poor alike because their possessions meant nothing to him. With no need to impress people with material things, he impressed people instead with his life.
A STUDENT OF GOD’S WORD From the beginning, K.E. Abraham recognized that for God to use him, he must have the mind of Christ. This meant that he must hide the Word of God in his heart, to meditate on it constantly. Even when he was only eight or nine, he marked his Bible. As a young boy, he knelt, prayed, and studied the word. Only this foundation made possible the unforgettable sermons that moved so many people or trained the many outstanding teachers who followed him. This emphasis kept the Indian Pentecostal Church balanced and free from extremes.
A MAN OF PRAYER A person who prays knows his strength comes from God. God uses the praying person most effectively for His purposes. K.E. Abraham knew how to spend days in fasting and prayer. Even as a young boy, he began to develop a prayer habit. He took all manner of things to God. He closed himself off from others and from food to prevent any distractions. When he married a couple, he spent a day in prayer for them. He learned to trust God completely for his needs, not even telling family members, so he could watch the Lord consistently bless.
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT TO GODLY VISION K.E. Abraham’s commitment to God’s truth through the Holy Spirit, the Word, and prayer developed in him a godly vision for the World. This godly vision gave him a lifelong task from which he did not waver. As he depended upon God for strength, God gave him the strength to remain faithful in his task. K.E. Abraham’s vision was to reproduce people for the ministry through personal mentoring, and through them build dynamic churches. Because of his commitment to godly vision, he produced people with a similar vision, willing to die if necessary for its fulfillment.
REGARD FOR MONEY AS A TOOL ONLY As a person dependent upon God for all his needs, K.E. Abraham did not let the love of money or material gain consume him. He saw money as a tool to further God’s kingdom, not the dominant goal of a person’s life. He gave generously and with compassion to those in need. When he died, his account showed a balance of only 5 rupees.
GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR As a person dependent upon God through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and prayer, K.E. Abraham was a man at peace with God and himself. This gave him freedom to smile at life. It also provided apt humorous illustrations for talks and sermons. He had a remarkable sense of humor and a playful spirit that attracted him to children and grandchildren.
A HUMBLE AND NATURAL SPIRIT As he came before the Lord, K E Abraham met him in different ways that changed his life. Recognizing his dependence upon God, he put aside dependence upon his own strength, social class or his own spirituality. Therefore those who met him recognized genuine humility. He put on no spiritual airs. Nor did he adopt artificial means to appear either richer or poorer than others to elicit sympathy or respect. He did not dress either rich or poor. He did not put himself above or below others whom he knew that God loved as himself. He discouraged all artificiality in others.
AN ABILITY TO SEE VALUE IN EVERY PERSON K. E. Abraham SAW God at work in all people regardless of age, class or caste.
He realized that God does not set up barriers to separate us from another. Where others made distinctions, K. E. Abraham saw people as equals to himself, as potential partners in ministry and fellowship. He instilled in people a sense of dignity. Therefore, he could influence multitudes of people from different walks of life.
God
uses the praying person most effectively for His purposes. K.E. Abraham knew how to spend days in fasting and prayer. Even as a young boy, he began to develop a prayer habit. He took all manner of things to God. He closed himself off from others and from food to prevent any distractions.
A TRAINER OF PEOPLE With his dependence upon God and His Word, he recognized the willingness as Jesus Christ to teach people. Because he could value all persons regardless of background, he developed an ability to mentor and train others from every level of life to position of leadership. He recognized the potential in all kinds of people, no matter what their background. As a result, he prepared thousands of July 2018
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K. E. Abraham
provided free education to hun- dreds of lower classes to uplift them. His home became a shelter and place for training. He and his wife raised and taught orphans as if they were their own children. Also he was not satisfied to teach, but to go out to different places and personally establish churches.
leaders and helped found hundreds of churches. Every person was always a potential person for him to help, teach, and develop God- given abilities. Wherever he went, he took someone along to encourage them, to give them sense of belonging and significance. In the end, many of his assistants became great leaders who made important contributions to the Indian Pentecostal church and cause of Jesus Christ in India.
A PRACTICAL SPIRIT K. E. Abraham saw God work in the lives of people in practical ways. This became his goal as well. He was a man who knew how to organize and give himself to detail. We see this in the way he started schools for disenfranchised people. In his day, only the wealthy and high caste people had a place in Indian society, while the poor and powerless had little chance. In practical ways, K. E. Abraham provided free education to hun- dreds of lower classes to uplift them. His home became a shelter and place for training. He and his wife raised and taught orphans as if they were their own children. Also he was not satisfied to teach, but to go out to different places and personally establish churches. Like all of us K. E Abraham was a sinner saved by grace. There was nothing special about his background, but with God’s help, he made the right choices. He began, as we all must, at the foot of the cross. What separated K E Abraham from others was that he remained at the foot of the cross. God desires to work through each of us, even as He worked through K.E. Abraham, to do something significant for His Kingdom. May each of us learn from his life that we may also become men and women of God.
Just one Minute Continued from cover 2 Who else can match God in who He is? With God, commitment means relationship with Him, and relationship with God is like no other. There are no good substitutes. Everything else falls short and falls flat. We were made for that relationship. What good reason do we have to deprive ourselves of a relationship with Him who will not let us go? Commitment to God does not mean we achieve perfection in this life. Billy Graham, one of the most committed of Christians of our time, said he had to confess his sins before the Lord every day. He readily admitted making many mistakes over his lifetime.
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Billy Graham’s commitment to God was an honest and open one, involving a sharing of the good and bad in his life. He developed a friendship with God making it possible for God, in spite of Billy Graham’s weaknesses and sins, to raise him up from an obscure farm boy into the world’s foremost evangelist. Hundreds of millions from many nations and continents were blessed through the ministry of this sinner who fully committed his life into the hands of God. God wants to do wonderful things through each of us, more than we can imagine. Each person has more to contribute to the glory of God and the blessing of others than he knows, whatever his background. Indeed, if God can work such extraordinary things through an ordinary man like Billy Graham, He can do it through you and me. His plan for each of us exceeds any plan we make for ourselves. His plan is what we were made for. He will work in our lives to glorify Him, bless us and bless others in ways we cannot imagine. When we make our highest commitment to God, and lose ourselves in Him, we find ourselves. *** Father God, thank you for committing yourself to me, long before you created the world. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ into the world when I was still a sinner to save me from sin and from myself. I can never match what you have done for me, but help me to better commit myself to you with my whole heart, soul, strength and mind, and to my neighbor as myself. In Jesus’ Name.
renewing and enriching life
Rev. Sam C. Samuel
Committed to prayer and the
Word of God Communication systems have made rapid advances in our day - Internet, wifi, social media to name a few. It has become vital even for our survival. In war or
peace communication system plays a key role in the life of a nation. In Christian life, prayer and the Word of God play the same role. In prayer we stay in touch with God. God communicates His voice, purpose and plan for our life when we spend time reading and meditating His Word. Prayer is like our breath. We cease to live when we stop breathing. So is the Word of God. Jesus said; man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of His mouth. We should be committed to both these spiritual disciplines if we want to maintain our Christian identity.
Prayer Let me consider prayer first. There are two levels in prayer life. The primary prayer goal is to Know God. In Hebrew the word Know is ‘yada’ which means ‘intimacy’ that exists in the husband-wife relationship. Prayer helps us develop this love relationship with God. The greatest commandment in the Bible is to love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our spirit and all our strength. Intimacy will be developed over a longtime as in a friendship. Only when we are committed to this discipline, intimacy with God becomes a reality. Let me give an illustration. When I am on my way to the airport, sometimes I like to spend 15 minutes with a bosom friend of mine. After the conversation, I look at my watch, Alas! One hour is gone. Let me change the scene. I July 2018
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am in prayer. I want to spend an hour in prayer. Finally I look at my watch.But only 15 minutes have passed. What contributed the difference! The love factor. Because I love my friend one hour has gone like 15 minutes. Because I consider my time with God as a duty 15 minutes went like an hour.
Only Jesus
blood can wash us clean and qualify us to enter his throne of grace. Then follows a season of thanksgiving, giving thanks for all the blessings, benefits received from Him. Then we bring our personal needs and needs of our fellow men which we call intercession. Paul calls this praying always with all kinds of prayers. In prayer we pour out our heart to God. In praise and worship we are reflecting on who God is and what He is: His various attributes. The psalmist says about God as one who inhabits in the praises of Israel. Then we switch over to confess as we draw to a holy God. Only Jesus’ blood can wash us clean and qualify us to enter his throne of grace. Then follows a season of thanksgiving, giving thanks for all the blessings and benefits received from Him. Then we bring our personal needs and
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needs of our fellow men which we call intercession. Paul calls this praying always with all kinds of prayers. The second level is to put it in the words of John R. Rice ‘Prayer is asking and receiving.’ Jesus also emphasized this in his sermon on the mount. Ask and it shall be given to you. It is in continuous tense. We have to keep on asking until it shall be given to you. But in his first epistle John puts a condition. If you ask anything according to His will He will give to us 1 Jn. 5:14. In Mt. 6:33 we read,“seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these will be added unto you”. Jesus is our example. A great while before the day he used to go out to a solitary place and spent time in prayer. He was totally dependent on His father for everything he said or did. Jesus said,“without me you can do nothing” John 15. All the men whom God used were those who gave their first hours to hearing from God and communicating with Him. John Wesley and Martin Luther are examples among many.
The Word of God God communicates His will for our lives,when we spend time reading and meditating upon the Word. Heb.4:12explains what it does. “For the word of God is powerful and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart”. It brings regeneration and we are born again through the Word by the Holy Spirit. So Peter says that a new born baby desires for the sincere milk of the Word of God that you may grow thereby. (1 Pet. 2:1,2) The Word helps us to grow in salvation. But when we become mature in Christ the same word turns out of be the strong meal (Heb. 5:12, 13). Jesus emphasizes the abiding nature of the Word of God. “The heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away” Jesus while concluding His sermonon the Mount said,“therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Mt. 7:24) Jesus said ‘My sheep hear my voice’. It is a still small voice. In the stillness of the early morning hours we have to wait upon the Lord with the open Bible.While reading and meditating upon His word we will be able to hear our Master’s voice. The Word will keep you from sin or if there is sin in your life you will have no interest or hunger to feed on His word. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11). The word of God will keep you holy Ps. 119:9. How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.Psalm 119tells all about the virtues of God’s word. The word of God will make your prayer life a successful one as you appropriate God’s promises in your prayer. Paul says in Colossians 3:16. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”. He uses the word ‘wisdom’ which means that it is not enough you memorize God’s Word but you should be able to use it in the right way at the right time. Then only it becomes useful. Both these disciplines are the communication system in the life of a Christian. Now very many people find little time for the Word of God and prayer. Most of the time they spend in WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube. The devil is very cunning to steal our precious time. In our fight against the enemy we are too weak to resist and the result is a defeated Christian life. We need commitment to keep these two spiritual disciplines going. May the Lord help us to be committed to keep our communication system alive and vibrant.
renewing and enriching life
population of 1.32 billion, had the highest levels of social hostilities involving religion. – christian post
news Hostility to religion rising globally, Christians targeted in 144 nations : Pew study U.S., June 22, 2018: New research reveals that religious hostility is on the rise globally, as government-sponsored restrictions and non-state actor assaults on religious practice have grown for the second year in a row. The Pew Research Center’s ninth annual study, which was released Thursday, on restrictions on religion around the world charted the direction of religious freedom in 198 countries in 2016, and found a notable overall increase from 2015. Whether from government decrees hostile to religious faith or terror groups committing atrocities against religious minorities in their societies, antagonism toward people because of their religion is trending upward. “More than a quarter (28%) of countries had ‘high’ or ‘very high’ levels of government restrictions on religion in 2016, an increase from 25% the year before. This is the largest share of countries in these categories since 2013,” the report reads. In approximately 10 percent of countries where growing religious hostility and restrictions could be found, the sponsors of it employed overtly nationalist rhetoric, where one’s religion was regarded as somehow detrimental to the nation as a whole. The most targeted religious groups for harassment by government or social groups were Christians and Muslims, the two largest religious groups in the world. Christians faced an uptick in overall social hostility and governemt restrictions in 144 nations in 2016, Muslims in 142 countries. Egypt, Russia, India, Indonesia and Turkey had the highest overall levels of religious restrictions among the 25 most populous nations on earth. China, which as of 2016 is home to approximately 1.38 billion people, had the highest levels of government restrictions on religion. India, which has a
South Korea bans sending Bibles in balloons to North Korea due to Kim Jong Un peace talks South Korea, June 26, 2018: One consequence of the ongoing peace initiatives between South Korea and the U.S. with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been the ban on balloon launches for Christian ministries, who used the tactic to send leaflets and Gospel messages to North Koreans. Eric Foley with Voice of the Martyrs Korea explained that despite 12 years of efforts launching balloons into North Korea, the South Korean government has now banned ministries from continuing with such efforts. Foley told Mission Network News on Monday that essentially, South Korea does not want to upset its northern neighbor and endanger the peace talks. “For many years in our work the government has said ‘not now, wait, don’t do anything to bother North Korea.’ And now, unfortunately, the international community is kind of supporting that rationale,” he added. The Korea Times also reported that government officials have been banning private citizens and groups from launching balloons into North Korea, which beside Bible messages also typically contain USB sticks and leaflets with information about the outside world. Some defectors, such as Park Sang-hak and his Fighters for Free North Korea group, have maintained that North Korean citizens remain in the dark about the realities of the world, having been exposed only to North Korean propaganda. “If we the North Korean defectors can write letters, phone our relatives or family in the North or contact them via the internet, we would not have to send the messages and small gifts in the balloons,” Park said. Different ministries and organizations have participated in balloon launches to North Korea over the years, some using GPS technology to track the success rate of the efforts. “How come none of that is happening in North Korea? The reason is simple: Because the country’s such a closedoff country, information-wise. People don’t know that the situation they’re in is truly a terrible one. … We want to break that ignorance.” – christian post July 2018
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QUIZ–63 GOING TO EXTREMES 1. Who was the youngest king mentioned in the Bible? 2. What was the largest army assembled? 3. What king of Judah had the longest reign? 4. What king of Israel had the shortest reign? 5. What is the shortest prayer in the Bible? 6. What are the two shortest verses in the Bible? 7. What is the longest verse in the Bible? 8. What is the longest prayer in the Bible? 9. What is the biggest animal mentioned in the Bible? 10. What is the smallest animal mentioned in the Bible? 11. What is the longest book in the Bible?
The ABC of becoming a Christian
Admit that you are in
need of someone to save you from guilt, shame and bondage or addictions. Admit that you have violated God’s Laws.
Answers for Quiz - 62 SPEAKING OF CHURCHES 1. Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29) 2. Antioch (Acts 11:30) 3. Crete (Titus 1:5) 4. Laodicea (Revelation 3:20) 5. Jerusalem (Acts 2:44–45) 6. Philippi (Philippians 2:25) 7. Antioch (Acts 13:2) 8. Lystra (Acts 16:1) 9. Peter (Matthew 16:18) 10. Jerusalem (Acts 15:13)
Believe that Jesus Christ is the
only One who is able to save you and to bring deliverence and offer forgiveness of sins. Believe that Jesus is the only One to conquer death and is the risen Saviour.
Confess with your
mouth that Jesus is your Lord and submit to His rulership in your life.
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