Who is the Antichrist and how to identify him?
Children Who Got New School Bags Say ‘Thank You!’
8 war-room verses for when you don’t feel good enough
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER INDIA’S EVANGELICAL NEWS MAGAZINE Vol. 15, No. 4 | AUGUST, 2018 | Rs.20/-
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50 Things That Make the Life of a Servant of God Exemplary
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200 Schoolchildren Say ‘Thank You!’
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Yes, 200 schoolchildren belonging to two villages in Madhya Pradesh, Hosur in Tamil Nadu and a slum in Chennai received school bags as gifts just in time for their new academic year. They have 200 reasons to praise God and thank you! We wanted to share the gift of school bags with 500 children, but could only manage to give them to 200 this time. Messenger Missions thanks all those who supported this endeavor through their offerings. May God our Lord Himself bless you according to 2 Corinthians 9:8. To read a Life Transformation Story from one of our mission fields, turn to page 15. 2
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The purpose of the news magazine is to report newsworthy religious events and activities within the local community, nationwide and around the world, to increase the awareness and activism of believers regarding the moral issues of today, to provide thought-provoking commentary, and to provide an effective advertising vehicle for Christian ministries and organizations, events and businesses that want to reach the Christian community. - Editor
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COVER FEATURE
50 Things That Make the Life of a Servant of God Exemplary
7. He will be zealous about the Name and glory of God and fight His battles (1:18). 8. He will be a man of prayer. He will pray for all (2:2). 9. He will know the importance of a quiet and peaceable life marked by godliness and dignity (2:2). 10. He will be free from anger and any sort of controversy (2:8). 11. His life will be above the reproach of men (3:1). 12. If married, he will be faithful to his wife (3:2). 13. He will have self-control, live wisely and have a good reputation (3:2). 14. He will be glad to host people at his home (3:2). 15. He will be a teacher (3:2). 16. He will abstain from alcohol and violence (3:3). 17. He will have a gentle demeanour, not quarrel and not love money (3:3). 18. He will manage his family well (3:4) 19. He will teach his children to respect and obey him (3:4). 20. He will be a seasoned believer (3:6).
BY ROBIN SAM F you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed (1 Timothy 4:7). What is the mark of a good minister of God? What are his attributes? How would be his heart condition? What should he focus on in his preaching? Let’s find out. Gleaned from Apostle Paul’s 1st epistle to Timothy. 1. He will be a man who would zealously guard the true doctrine of the Bible (1:3; 4:7). 2. He will strictly avoid profane and idle babblings the world vainly calls knowledge (1:4; 6:20). 3. He will have a pure heart, a clear conscience and a genuine faith (1:5). 4. He knows God gives him the strength to do his work and will always be ready to serve Him (1:12). 5. He will know the purpose of Christ's birth and be saved from sin (1:15). 6. He will be man of peace and be a prime example of God’s patience with sinners (1:16).
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21. Even those who are not believers will speak well of him (3:7). 22. He will be known for his integrity (3:8). 23. He will be committed to the faith (3:9). 24. He knows how to consecrate things by the Word of God and prayer (4:5). 25. Although he is a teacher, he himself will be nourished by the message of faith and good teaching (4:6). 26. He knows the importance of training in godliness as it promises benefits in this world and the world to come (4:8). 27. His hope is not in men but in the living God, the Saviour of all people (4:10). 28. He will be a teacher who insists his brethren learn the spiritual disciplines (4:11; 6:2). 29. He will not let anyone despise his youth (4:12). 30. His life, his love, his faith and his purity will be examples to others (4:12). 31. He will give himself over to reading the Bible, teaching and encouraging believers (4:13). 32. He will not neglect his spiritual gift (4:14). 33. He will constantly examine his life and his doctrine (4:16). 34. He will be true to what is right because of his salvation and that of the others (4:16). 35. He will not speak harshly to an older man but deal with him respectfully (5:1). 36. He will treat older women as he would his own
mother (5:2). 37. He will treat younger women like they were his own sisters (5:2). 38. He will take care of widows who are destitute (5:3). 39. He will not be quick to judge others without evidence and witnesses (5:19). 40. He will deal openly and sternly with those who sin in the church (5:20). 41. He will take time to appoint leaders in the church (5:22). 42. He knows true godliness with contentment is great wealth (6:6). 43. He will run away (like Joseph) from evil things (6:11). 44. He will pursue righteousness and a godly life along with faith, love, perseverance and gentleness (6:11). 45. He will fight the good fight for the true faith (6:12). 46. He will obey God’s command without wavering (6:14). 47. He will live so no one can find fault with him (6:14). 48. He will teach the rich not to rely on their riches (6:17). 49. He will tell the rich to employ their wealth to do good works (6:18). 50. He will guard what has been entrusted to him (6:20).
Here’s how to obey God’s commandments! BY PETER KENNEDY “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts” – 1 Corinthians 7:19. In his sermon entitled “Obeying the Commandments – 1 John 2,” Pastor Rick Ezell wrote the following about obedience: “I read of a housekeeper that went to work for a bachelor. Each day when the man would leave for work, he would leave a list of projects for the housekeeper to complete. In time, the two fell in love and became married. Upon arriving at work, following their wedding, his buddies asked if he left her the list. He said, ‘No.’ ‘Well,’ they said, ‘she will watch television all day and do nothing.’ The newlywed replied, ‘No. She will do all those tasks and more, not because she has to but because she wants. She will do it for love.’” May your love for Jesus shine through you in all that you do! Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
Today in prayer, seek to follow Jesus Christ in everything you do. “Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.” – John Brown God’s Word: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” – 1 John 2:3-6. 5
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END TIMES WATCH
Who is the Anti-Christ and how to identify him? BY ROBIN SAM A very familiar passage in the Bible that talks about the anti-Christ is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Writing to the believers in Thessalonica, Apostle Paul wrote thus about the anti-Christ: ‘Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ There are four things that are told about the anti-Christ in these two verses: That he is the man of sin, the son of perdition, he exalts himself above God and shows himself to be God. There are four things that are told about He is the man of sin the anti-Christ in these two verses: That The anti-Christ is called the man of sin because he he is the man of sin, the son of will be the personification of evilness and lawlessness. That’s a satanic trait. In verses 8 and 9, perdition, he exalts himself above God he is called the lawless one. and shows himself to be God. He is the man of perdition The Cambridge dictionary amplifies the meaning of perdition as ‘a state of punishment that goes on for ever…to be suffered by evil people after death.’ Matthew 25:41 tells us that 'hell is everlasting fire and it is ‘prepared for the devil and his angels.’ Not ANNA NAGAR only Satan and his angels, anyone who rebels against God and sells his soul to the devil will be called a Graded lessons in Western Classical, man of perdition. Anyone who does not receive the Choral and all contemporary love of the truth and believes in it will perish, says music styles. the Bible (verses 9-12 in 2 Thessalonians). ® He is a man PIANO The anti-Christ is a man because the Bible says he ® KEYBOARD will be killed. He will be killed in the battle of GUITAR Armageddon by Christ. Daniel 7:11 talks about the ® beast that will be slain and its body destroyed and ® VIOLIN given to the burning flame. ® DRUMS He will be a deceiver Daniel 8:25 says: ‘Through his cunning he shall ® SAXOFONE cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall ® VOCAL exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in THEORY OF MUSIC their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince ® of princes; but he shall be broken without human means.’ He is a deceiver because he will go back on Plot No. 1118, 19th St, G Block, Anna Nagar, Chennai - 40. (Opp. to Chinmaya Vidyalaya School Office Gate) his word given to the Jews. ‘Then he shall confirm a For more details, call: 044 - 26261500 / 9941920500 covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and DON’T LET GO THE OPPORTUNITY offering’ (Daniel 9:27). Also read Matthew 24:5, 24. TO LEARN MUSIC
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FROM THE PULPIT
Beware of the breaches in your life protect him. In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus talks about a demon that brings with it seven more unclean spirits into a house. The reason: Although the house is swept clean, evil that resided there earlier had not yet been replaced by good. Again in Matthew 26:41 Jesus asks His disciples to watch and pray lest they fall into temptations. Prayerlessness is a breach in a believer’s life. Breaches, we must remember, won’t disappear on their own. We have to take time to repair them. In Nehemiah 13, we see an incensed man of God putting out the belongings of Tobiah who had occupied a place in the house of God in his absence. Thereafter, Nehemiah cleanses the chambers. Has anything other than God taken primacy in your life? Take care to examine yourself and weed out those things that have encroached the place that belongs to God. Anything that takes up the place meant for God in your life is a breach that can bring in a satanic attack. 2. Breaches are points of drainage In Haggai 1:6 and Jeremiah 2:13 we read of a people who sow much but bring in little, who earn much only to put the earnings in a bag of holes. They hold broken cisterns that can hold no water. Are there breaches in your life? If you are wondering why there is not enough in your life to meet your needs, remember perhaps there may be breaches in your life.
BY ABRAHAM THOMAS In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old (Amos 9:11). THIS verse is quoted in Acts 15:16 by James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Before rebuilding the tabernacle, our God wants to repair the breaches found in it. Rebuilding starts with repair. In a building while doorways and openings are designed, breaches simply happen due to various reasons. Breaches can happen anywhere. They can happen in a city as it is mentioned in Ezekiel 26:10.They can happen in a house as mentioned in Amos 6:11. Or they can happen in a tent as we see in Amos 9:11. No matter, where the breaches occur our God wants to repair them today. Praise Him for that. There are at least three reasons why God wants to repair the breaches in our lives. 1. Breaches are entry points for the enemy The enemy brings with him agony and despair. We read in Nehemiah 6:1 that Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of Israel’s enemies, heard that Nehemiah had built the wall, and that there was no breach in it. The enemy wants a breach in your life so he can gain entry into it and have his way. In Daniel 5, we see a king whose power was taken away from him despite having a strong fortress to THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w AUGUST 2018
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A wrong relationship that the mighty warrior Samson got into was the breach in his life that drained all his strength (Judges 16:17). In Hosea 7:8,9 we see that Ephraim’s strength is being wasted even without his knowledge. Are there breaches in your life? Take time to consider if your priorities are right. The church at Corinth had nine gifts yet there was a breach that drained their blessings (2 Corinthians 12:20,21). Despite possessing grace in abundant measure, the church was warned by the writer of Hebrews to rid of its spirit of bitterness lest troubles were caused and people were defiled (Hebrews 12:15). 3. Breaches can be entry points of God’s wrath When Israel camped at Shittim, the people joined forces with the Moabites and prostrated themselves before their gods. God’s wrath was so furious that it would have wiped out the whole of the chosen nation had not Phinehas intervened. The javelin of Phinehas, we read in Numbers 25:5, abated the fury of God. King Solomon was diligent in repairing the breaches of the city of David, but he ignored to repair the breaches in his own life. During Nehemiah’s time, all the eight doors of the fortress had breaches. However, the man of God took time to repair each one of them and rebuild the wall.
What must you do to repair the breaches? 1. Beware of the foxes that attack your garden. They may be ‘little foxes’ (Song of Solomon 2:15), appear to be insignificant or having little or no impact on our lives. But remember these attackers are after our tender grapes. One day, they may be in a position to completely ruin our spiritual life. Let your fountain be protected and your garden be fenced and well-hedged (Song of Solomon 4:12). 2. Don’t be a well without water (2 Peter 2:17). Beware of the words that come out of your mouth. Let them not be vain or boastful but let them be truthful glorifying God and edifying the faith of others. Remember we will have to give account for every word that came out of our mouth. 3. Earn the name ‘Repairer of the breach’ (Isaiah 58:12). Strive to restore your relationship with God first. Then, stand in the gap and plead for the salvation of the world like Moses did. ‘Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy (them).’ (Psalm 106:23). Above all, like Nehemiah let us have no truck with the enemy. Let us have no compromise with the devil and his agents. (Nehemiah 6:1-3). The writer is the senior pastor at Assembly of God Church in Anna Nagar, Chennai, India.
International United Christian Organisation INTERNATIONAL BISHOPS COUNSEL OF ASIA (An Autonomous Institution of Advanced Theological Education) Affiliated to United Theological Research University, Hyderabad, Accredited by University of Berkeley U.S.A. & Recognized by Christian Leadership University & Seminary, New York USA. Regd. by A.P. & T.S. Govt. No. 2642 / 1988. Registered Under Minorities Act. Address: Plot No. 125, Road No. 7, T.M.C. Mahendra Hills, East Marredpally, Secunderabad – TS. 500 026. Website: www.utrusr.com E-mail: lankafrancis60@rediffmail.com, deepakfrancis20@gmail.com Contact: 040-2773 0494, 0-98490 62508, 94902 62508, 98490 62058, 94900 62058
ORDINATION NOTIFICATION Ordination Date: 12th November 2018
Place: Secunderabad, T.S. India
We are happy to announce a special ordination service to all the Christian Belivers as Deacons, Evangelists, Pastors, Reverends, Bishops, Archbishop and The Messenger of God (MOG), The Man of God, (MOG) The Prophet of Jesus (POJ) & Priesthood.
Any denominational Christians can apply for the Ordinations. Those who are willingly interested to be a part of Gods Ministry can apply. Immediately by sending Rs.300/- M.O. for the application & Prospectus on or before 20th Oct 2018.
The ordination Certificate will be issued on the same day. Please Note: 1) You are eligible for any selected ordination division as mentioned above. 2) You are eligible basing on your age, service for the Lord as an Independent or from any Christian denomination or running your own church in a village or in the town or in the city etc. You can make use of our bank accounts: 1.Oriental Bank of Commerce, Marredpally Branch, Secunderabad for Dr. Fredrick Francis A/c. No. 1058201106005 2. State Bank of India, Patny Centre Branch, Secunderabad for Dr. Fredrick Francis A/c. No. 10725270312 / IFSC Code: SBIN 000916 Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
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INDIA REPORTS
Kerala best governed state in India: Think tank KERALA stands as the best governed state in the country said the Public Affairs Index 2018 released by the think tank Public Affairs Centre (PAC) in Bengaluru. “Kerala has topped the Public Affairs Index (PAI) for 2018 as the best governed state for the third consecutive year since 2016 among large states,” said Bengaluru-based PAC at an event last month to release its third annual PAI. Released annually since 2016, the index examines governance performance in the states through a databased framework, ranking them on social and economic development they are able to provide. Founded in 1994 by renowned Indian economist and scholar late Samuel Paul, the think tank works to mobilise a demand for better governance in the country. Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat followed Kerala among the top five states delivering good governance, according to the report. Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar ranked the lowest on the PAI, indicating higher social and economic inequalities in the states. Among smaller states (with population less than two crore), Himachal Pradesh topped the list, followed by Goa, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura which figured among the top five states with good governance. Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya were ranked at the bottom of the index among small states. As a young country with growing population, India needs to assess and address its developmental challenges, said the Chairman of PAC, K Kasturirangan, on the occasion. “The PAI 2018 is one example of a data-based framework that provides some basis, even if rudimentary, to assess the performance of states in India,” added Kasturirangan, the former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The think tank has undertaken the study across all the Indian states considering them across 10 themes such as essential infrastructure, support to human development, social protection, women and children as well as law and order. “The index provides a multi-dimensional and comprehensive matrix that attempts to capture the complexities of governing the plural and diverse people of this sub-continent,” added Senior Fellow at PAC CK Mathew. The states were divided into two categories — large and small — on the basis of their population. States with more than two crore population were considered large. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar ranked the lowest on the PAI, indicating higher social and economic inequalities in the states. A total of 30 focus subjects and 100 indicators were measured to derive the PAI, relying solely upon government data. The PAC said it was not keen to access private data sources that may be interpreted as “biased”. This year’s PAI also included a separate index on the children of India, giving a measure of how childfriendly each of the states are. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram topped the index on being the states to provide better living conditions for all children. The former chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Shantha Sinha, who was present on the occasion, delivered the Samuel Paul Memorial Lecture, drawing attention to children’s rights in the country. “Children growing up in poverty cannot be blamed for their situation and it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that they are provided with opportunities for a better living,” Sinha said.
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GOSPEL MELA 2018 24-Hour Chain Prayer
15 Specific Prayer Points For a 30-Minute Intercession And, I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none (Ezekiel 22:30).
Praying with one accord for 2,234 people groups spread across 1.2 billion people in 29 states and 7 UTs in one nation. Every nation, every tribe, every people and every tongue shall say: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10). 1. Newspapers come up with reports of how powers of darkness lead to incidents of witchcraft and superstition raising their ugly heads in India. Last June, there was an attempt to bury alive a twomonth-old girl child. Police surmise it could have been an attempt to sacrifice the child (The Hindu, June 27, 2018). Pray that the works of the devil, superstitious beliefs and powers of darkness will lose their grip on the nation. 2. Let’s submit into God’s hands all evangelistic works that are under way in Jharkhand. One of the least develop states of India, there are several villages in Jharkhand where neither the police nor other government machinery can enter. Over 200 villages in four districts of the state (Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum) practice Pathalgadi, a tribal practice where the writ of the Gram Sabha is final. The village elders or tribal leaders pass laws and prevent government officers and strangers from entering their village. They do not send their children to government schools. Pray that this practice changes and the tribals participate in the development activities of the government and come to the main stream. 3. A poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation has found India to be the most dangerous country in the world for women. The survey says instances of sexual violence against women, domestic, physical and mental abuse, human trafficking and the continuation of cultural practices including child marriage, genital mutilation and acid attacks are on the rise in India. Afghanistan and Syria rank second and third in the survey. Pakistan does not feature in the list. Pray that this shame on the nation is removed and central and state governments take steps to implement safety of women on war footing. 4. Pray for the people of Indonesia. Out of the 17,500 islands, as many as 6,000 are inhabited. The population of the Muslim nation is 23 crore. Although 15 percent of the population is Christian, only 5.6% of them are interested in evangelical THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w AUGUST 2018
Gospel Mela Prayer in a Church near Chennai activities. Although Bahasa is the common language 722 other languages are also spoken in the country. It is estimated that as many as 100 million people in Indonesia have not heard the Gospel. There are 128 people groups living here. Out of the 76,000, as may as 46,000 do not have even a single church. Pray this situation changes for the better and violence against Christians comes down. 5. Pray for Oman and its capital city Muscat. Population: 48 lakh. Eighty-eight percent of the population follow Islam. Christians constitute only 2.76 percent of the population. However, several Omanis are coming to the Lord as a result of the evangelistic works under way. Even as we praise God for this, pray that the government restrictions on religious practices are relaxed. 6. Pray for Kuwait. Sandwiched between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the population of Kuwait is 40 lakh. Out of the 29 people groups living here, 38 percent has not heard about Jesus Christ. The Christian population is estimated to be 14 percent. Pray for the Arabs, Bidoons and Asians in Kuwait. 7. Pray for Ghana in the African continent. Population is 2.8 crore. Out of the 109 people groups living here, 18 percent have not heard about Jesus Christ. Although Ghana is considered to be a Christian nation, there are several Muslims here. Pray for the Catholic-run educational institutions in 12
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Ghana. Pray that problems such as shortage of water, sanitation, corruption and unemployment are sorted out even as the Gospel ministries proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ grows and thrives. 8. Pray for Honduras, a Latin American country. Pray especially for the Turkish people living in Honduras. Pray that evangelistic works among Muslims are put on top gear and the problems facing the nation such as corruption, police atrocities, sexual violence and food shortage are sorted out. 9. Pray for Croatia. Romanians live in large numbers here. Other people groups living in Croatia include Albanians, Slovenes, Italians and Germans. Pray that a new vigour grips those who are involved in winning souls for Christ among these people groups. Although 91 percent of Croatia is said to be Christian, the number of evangelical Christians is less than 1 percent. 10. Pray for Canada, the second largest country in the world. Christians constitute 72 percent of the population. Out of the 156 people groups living here, 10 percent have no idea who Jesus Christ is. Pray for the 45,000 people of Bengali origin in Canada. Pray that evangelistic efforts under way in 300 educational institutions bear fruit. 11. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be’ (Matthew 24:37. ‘I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8). Pray that we should have faith and holiness in the coming of Jesus Christ. ‘Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14). 12. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good’ (2 Thessalonians 3:13). ‘And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart’ (Galatians 6:9). Pray that we do good to everyone especially to those in the family of the faith. 13. Let us pray for the leaders of our nation and Government servants. We are called to intercede for the kings and all who are in authority so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ‘Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men’ (1 Timothy 2:1, 2). 14. Pray for the churches, leaders of the churches, missionary organizations, full time servants of God whom God has appointed in our churches and Christian organizations. Pray that the Gospel is spread and people are delivered from sins and bondages and the powers of darkness. Pray that God would show signs and miracles wherever the Gospel is preached. Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
15. Pray for Messenger Missions ministry. That the Gospel is preached wherever we do His work, and that our work goes on unhindered and that multitudes of people become disciples of Jesus Christ. Take time to pray for The Christian Messenger ministries, leaders of the organization and the lives of the office staff and mission field workers.
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Ntjj;jpy; ,Ue;J> fh;j;jhpd; nrl;ilapd; fPo; fpilf;Fk; 5 MrPh;thjq;fisf; Fwpj;J jpahdpg;Nghkh?
1. milf;fyk; ~vdf;F ,uq;Fk;> NjtNd> vdf;F ,uq;Fk;@ ck;ik vd; Mj;Jkh mz;bf;nfhs;SfpwJ@ tpf;fpdq;fs; fle;JNghFkl;Lk; ckJ nrl;ilfspd; epoypNy te;J milNtd;| (rq;fPjk; 57:1).
2. jpUg;jp ~NjtNd> ck;Kila fpUig vt;tsT mUikahdJ! mjpdhy; kDGj;jpuh; ckJ nrl;ilfspd; epoypNy te;jilfpwhh;fs;. ckJ Myaj;jpYs;s rk;G+uzj;jpdhy; jpUg;jpailthh;fs;@ ckJ Nghpd;g ejpapdhy; mth;fs; jhfj;ijj; jPh;f;fpwPh;| (rq;fPjk; 36:7-8).
3. ngyd; kw;Wk; kfpo;r;rp ~ePh; vdf;Fj; JizahapUe;jjpdhy;> ckJ nrl;ilfspd; epoypNy fsp$UfpNwd;| (rq;fPjk; 63:7).
4. ghJfhg;G ~mth; jkJ rpwFfshNy cd;id %Lthh;@ mth; nrl;ilfspd; fPNo milf;fyk; GFtha;@ mtUila rj;jpak; cdf;Fg; ghpirAk; NflfKkhFk;| (rq;fPjk; 91:4).
5. MNuhf;fpak; ~MdhYk; vd; ehkj;Jf;Fg; gae;jpUf;fpw cq;fs;Nky; ePjpapd; #hpad; cjpf;Fk;@ mjpd; nrl;ilfspd; fPo; MNuhf;fpak; ,Uf;Fk;@ ePq;fs; ntspNa Gwg;gl;Lg;Ngha;> nfhOj;j fd;Wfisg;Nghy tsUtPh;fs;| (ky;fpah 4:2).
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AUGUST 2018 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
B.Th.
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DURATION : 3 YEARS ELIGIBILITY: 10+2 PASS
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ยง Residential ยง Distance ยง Day Scholar option available
Address - Survey No. 131/2, B/4 Off Jijamata Chowk, Gurudwara Chowk - Walhekarwadi Road, Behind Bijlinagar PCMC Water Tank, Chinchwad, Bijlinagar, Akurdi, Pune, Maharashtra 411 033
THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w AUGUST 2018
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Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
LIFE TRANSFORMATION STORIES
From nightmares to peace of mind MY name is Sheela Neware. I am from a village in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. Before accepting Christ, I was living a life without any peace in my heart. My life was full of sins and problems. Born into a Hindu family, I was worshipping many gods and goddesses. When I was 17 years old, my father’s younger brother died. After my uncle’s death, I always had bad dreams and nightmares. I dreamt of my uncle appearing in my dreams. Terrified to see a dead person in my dreams, I used to get up and cry in the middle of the night. I dreaded sleeping in the night. I changed the place but to no avail. When I went to college, acquired a new life and friends the same problem continued. I was not able to concentrate on my studies. My family took me to many Hindu babas and priests, but they could not relieve me of this mental agony. Sometimes, I contemplated suicide. One day, a classmate asked me what was bothering me. I shared all my woes with her. She was a Christian and she briefly told me about Jesus Christ. She took me to her church. That was the first time I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After attending the church, I felt alright. I continued going to the church and in a few days the problem was gone. Jesus Christ healed me completely. I worship the Lord at the Messenger Missions Church in Madhya Pradesh. My pastor’s name is Sanjay Udaypure. I want to take baptism although my parents are not believers and oppose my going to the church. Please pray for me and my family especially for my parents to come to the Lord.
‘Jesus Christ healed me completely. I continued going to the church.’
Help us complete church construction work in MP Messenger Missions Church pastored by Sanjay Udaypure meets in a small hall. The church is growing and there is not enough space to accommodate the new believers. We have been working in MP in Balaghat district of the state for the past 4 years. We have four mission fields and two Gospel workers here at the moment. One of our churches is under construction. The pastor and his family stays in the ground floor. The first floor walls have been constructed. The total area of the church is 800 sq. ft. The roof needs to be laid before the monsoon rains. The other works include plastering of the walls, installing doors and windows, electrification, laying fans and lights etc. The estimated amount required to complete the building work and move the church to the 1st floor is Rs.1,50,000/Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
A/C Name : Messenger Missions A/C No : 913020055473409 Account Type: Current Bank Name : Axis Bank Branch/Code : Mogappair, Chennai (345) IFS code : UTIB0000345 Swift code : AXISINBB016 15
AUGUST 2018 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
WORKPLACE WARRIOR
Employee walks 32 km to get to work on Day 1, CEO gifts him car
“Proud to have encountered this young man,” the police department said in a Twitter post. “He certainly made an impact on us!” WHEN Jenny Lamey and her husband woke up at 5:45 am, the last thing they expected to see was a police officer at their doorstep. The couple were moving to another residence that day and were waiting for their movers to arrive. Instead a police officer rang their door and told them a student named Walter Carr had just walked more than 20 miles overnight to arrive on time for work. It was his first day as a mover for Bellhops Moving Company that day, and he decided to make the long trek to their house from Homewood to Pelham Alabama on foot after his car broke down the day before. “He left Homewood at MIDNIGHT and started walking to Pelham on 280. He WALKED ALL NIGHT to get from Homewood to Pelham. Because he needed to get to work,” Lamey wrote in a Twitter post. The police officer said they spotted Carr walking early in the morning and picked him up. They took him to breakfast and then drove him the rest of the way to the Lamey residence. “You could tell how the officer told us this story that he had complete admiration for Walter and by my reaction he could tell I did too,” she added in her post. When Mrs. Lamey asked Carr if he wanted to take a nap before the rest of the moving crew arrived, he refused and got right to work. “I asked him if he was tired from all that walking and he said replied that he wasn't and that he had a THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w AUGUST 2018
four-hour nap before he left at midnight,” Lamey continued in her post. “He wore black Nike joggers which he commented that he intentionally wore because he knew he had to walk thru some pretty high grass on his middle-of-the-night trek.” Carr, who served in the Marines, said he and his mother lost everything when Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans. Before long, he and the eight other movers packed up the Lamey house and helped them move. Most of the boys were students and some of them were studying engineering. Even though Carr was just doing his job, he left quite the positive impression on the Lameys and the Pelham Police Department. “Proud to have encountered this young man,” the police department said in a Twitter post. “He certainly made an impact on us!” Meanwhile, Mrs. Lamey set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to fix Carr’s car. Hundreds of people have donated more than $10,000 to the young man. And Luke Marklin, the CEO of Bellhops Moving, was so impressed by Carr’s dedication, he has even given him his own car. “This is an incredible story,” Marklin writes on Twitter. “The grit and heart Walter showed defines Bellhops’ culture precisely. I’m really proud to be on the same team as Walter… we set a high bar on service and he just raised it.”
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Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
MISSIONS OUTREACH
Wycliffe plans Bible translation centre in Papua New Guinea WYCLIFFE Associates, an international organization involving people in the advancement of Bible translation, announces plans to establish a national Bible translation training center in Papua New Guinea, in the capital city of Port Moresby. Occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea in the South Pacific, Papua New Guinea is home to approximately 12 percent of the world’s total languages. There are currently 841 living languages in Papua New Guinea, which comprises an area slightly larger than California. Only about one-fifth of the nation’s population of 6.9 million lives in urban areas. “We’ve worked so hard in this country for so Messenger Missions supports Bible many years,” said Bruce Smith, President and CEO translations in three indigenous languages of Wycliffe Associates. “But it’s a land with spoken in India - Rathwi, Inner Seraji extremely difficult geography. People are living in and Ranglong. If you would like to incredibly remote areas. It can take days to reach support Bible translation work in these some of them.” languages, get in touch with us today at For more than 50 years, Wycliffe Associates has been building Bible translation centers around the 72990 63345 or 72990 63347. world, which provide technology and space for mother-tongue translators to safely undergo training Email: missions@christianmessenger.in in Bible translation methods and work “Until now, Bible translators in Papua New collaboratively to translate the Scriptures for their Guinea have lived and worked in very remote own language groups. locations,” said Smith. “Progress has been steady, but it's been slow.” Mini Hall & Seminar Room More than 200 language groups in Papua New Guinea are without a single word of the Bible in their at Anna Nagar language. Wycliffe Associates wants to change that Use our space for meetings, trainings, with a national Bible translation training center and get-together, birthdays, etc. plans to launch 20 new language projects immediately—followed by 200 more language projects. Facilities: Many Papua New Guineans engage in ancestor Air-conditioned Hall, LCD projector, worship and demonic rituals, and live in fear of black P/A system, Wi-fi, 5.1 surround sound magic. One longtime church leader in Papua New Guinea said, “We are tired of watching our people walk into Other highlights: To Seat: eternity without knowing the Word of God.” Multi-cuisine Kitchen, Wycliffe Associates is currently raising $75,000 Cross Fitness, 50, 25 & 15 for the training center building, as well funds for Table Tennis and more... launching 20 Bible translation projects at a cost of $19,500 each. “Now, for the first time,” Smith says, “we can JN RESOURCE CENTRE network with all the national church groups in a single location, equip them to launch Bible Plot No.1118, 19th St, G Block, translation projects with their own congregations, Anna Nagar, Chennai - 40. and accelerate Bible translation more dramatically (Google Maps: Olives Café) than ever before.” Of the 7,097 languages currently spoken in the world, there are at least 2,758 languages that still need a Bible translation project started.
For bookings, call: 0-94455 69695
Website: www.christianmessenger.in Email: contact@christianmessenger.in
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AUGUST 2018 w THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER
LAMP TO MY FEET
8 War-Room Verses for When You Don’t Feel Good Enough BY ROSALIND JUKIC HAVE you ever grabbed your Bible and prayer notebook, sat down and suddenly felt you weren’t good enough to pray? Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve really prayed or read your Bible. A good long while. Maybe just yesterday you blew it and did something you know offended God, and now you feel totally unworthy to talk to Him. Maybe you ran into someone at church who has been walking with God for a long time, and you look at yourself, compared to her, and you just don’t feel like you measure up. This week in our Good Morning Girls’ study through Psalms 1-50, we read this passage: Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Ps. 24:3-4). We read that and think, “Yep, I knew it. I’m not good enough to enter God’s presence because I have broken so many of God’s laws!” Can I tell you a secret? So have I. So have all of us! James 2:10 says that if you break even one of God’s laws, you’re guilty of them all, because they’re not individual laws, they are one law. You’re guilty of breaking the whole law. And that could be so discouraging—because literally no one on Planet Earth has any hope of ever being good enough to enter God’s presence. None of us has clean hands. The concept of clean hands is a legal term meaning that you stand before the court completely innocent. There is no wrongdoing that the court can accuse you of. No matter how good we are, we will never be that good. None of us has a clean heart. So when you don’t feel good enough, begin meditating on the eight war-room verses below to remind yourself that the blood of Jesus makes you good enough! And, those 8 war-room verses: 1. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me” (Isa. 49:15-16). 2. “I am confident of this very thing, that He who
began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). 3. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). 4. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love; He predestined us to adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will, o the praise of the glory of His grace which He graciously bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:3-6). 5. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:16-17). 6. “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34c). 7. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). 8. “Look at the birds of the air, for they do not sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26). The writer is a missionary living in Croatia.
Owned and published by Elsy Robin from 329/4, Poonga Apartments, HIG Flats, II Avenue, Anna Nagar, Chennai 600 040. Printed by L Cyril Sagayaraj at VS Printograph Pvt Ltd., No. 15, Natesan Colony, Sri Ram Avenue, 1st Street, Kottivakkam, Chennai 600 041. Editor: Elsy Robin THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER w AUGUST 2018
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Report and photos from our mission fields As many as 62 children were gifted school bags in our mission field in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The children, most of whom are from underprivileged sections of the society, were delighted to receive the school bags.
42 children belonging to two mission field churches of Messenger Missions in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh received school bags as gifts at the beginning of this academic year.
Another photo of VBS from Himachal Pradesh. Our missionary worker in Punjab Br. Pradeep Paul co-ordinated the VBS ministries.
VBS in Punjab is usually held in the month of June as the schools are closed then in the state. A VBS scene from one of our mission fields in Punjab.
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