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issue 15 december 2013
TALENTS Christian Magazine
discovering talents for gods’ kingdom
Vinay Madhukar Mohod
To Celebrate or not to Celebrate By George Powell
www.5talentsMAG.com
A star from Down Under - Vanny Bourne
Contents Table In Pursuit of Kingdom Business - For the purpose of honouring and serving God
4 A Star... From Down Under
By George Powell
Rev. Peggy I. Kennedy
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~ Vanny Bourne
To Celebrate or not to Celebrate...
People of the Plan
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5Talent Magazine is a webzine published monthly. MISSION: - Promote the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - Impact the character of individuals in the ’Body of Christ’ based on the word of God - Advertise programs and ventures that fulfills ‘The Great Commission’ for the end time purposes 5Talents Magazine grants permission for any original article to be quoted provided 5Talents Magazine is indicated to be the source. For use of an entire article permission must be granted.
PUBLISHER Deepakshi Kolia EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Premasis Satman EDITOR Elveera Redwood CREATIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth Clayton PHOTOGRAPHY Soumya Susan
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“God with us”
“I
mmanuel” - The name, which Matthew refers to in his Gospel (Matthew 1:23), was first given to Jesus by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before His birth (Isaiah 7:14). This very special Christmas name, as Matthew tells us, means “God with us.” Jesus Christ is Immanuel, “God with us,” and I’d like to share why this is so meaningful at Christmas time.
or visit the prisoners, give drink to the thirsty, you have done it for me.
God is with us, all the different times of our life. Be it happy moments or the saddest and lowest parts of it. He is with us to protect us and guide us. How does He dwell in us? His word tells us that are three ways how He does this.
Let us always listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey it. Let us help the needy, the downtrodden and the poor because we are doing it as unto our Lord Immanuel, “God with us”, Jesus Christ, our Immanuel.
Firstly, it says that we are a part of the ‘Body of Christ’ Eph. 5:2930 says, ‘He feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church, for we are members of His body. Secondly, the Holy Spirit lives in us. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 says your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We therefore, have to always carefully consider, not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, He pours out His love and compassion in with us that compels us to help needy people as He would have done. Matthew 25:35-40 says when you help a naked or sick person
These are clearly the three most important ways of how God dwells in us. This Christmas, I want it to be a reminder to ourselves, what our responsibility is towards keeping ourselves pure and live righteously to be a member of His body.
Only He can undo what we have done. Only the One who created us in the first place can restore us again. Only our Creator can break down the wall of sin that separates His children from Him. Only He can give our lives the meaning and completeness we are supposed to have. Only “God with us” can rescue us from the oblivion that we are heading toward. Immanuel is the one and only name, and everything humanity needs. The entire plan of God’s salvation is subsumed. How blessed we are, that Jesus Christ became Immanuel, God with us.
Premasis Satman Executive Director
In Pursuit of Kingdom Business
- For the purpose of honouring and serving God
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inay Mohod arrived in Malaysia on August 12, 2008, with the vision and desire of being used by the Lord; this included being able to bless ministries in his home country of India. He started by providing support to missionaries from his salary but the needs were great while his salary was limited. Vinay states the very first Scripture that he had read in this foreign land was Eccl. 11:1, “Ship your grain across the sea …”(NIV). This verse didn’t make any sense to me he said because he thought that he had come there to be employed by a company, to support his family and some missionaries back home in India. At first he thought, “It’s not possible!” but continued to contribute to various ministries in India in his limited capacity, but God had different plans. Though the Lord had spoken, Vinay was not responding. In 2012, Vinay began to respond to this call by introducing businesses to Indian ministries with the goal of making them self-sustaining. And as part of His plan, God brought John Angappan into his life. Vinay said “This man understood 4
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Vinay Madhukar Mohod Chief Operating Officer More Life Inc. Malaysia this vision, encouraged and challenged me and also financially supported my ideas.” John had previously received a prophecy that ‘unknown men would come into his life ….. to make a difference in his life’s ministry’. He believed that Suhas Wakode from India, and Vinay Mohod were two of these men. As a result of prayerfully seeking the Lord, they decided to give 70% of their profits to ministries in India. Then, there was a divine connection with Mr. Teo, who is also a man of God, and the Managing Director of ‘Power Up’, who was willing to support them in every way in this divine mission. In His awesome manner, God brought Suhas to Malaysia but did not reveal exactly what He was going to accomplish. Then one day, as Vinay states, they were going to the beach, the car ’s oil level was too low so they filled it up with ‘Power Up’ engine oil. It was at this point, on this day - 12 Feb 2013 – that they were convicted that God wanted them to start this particular venture. It was then that Suhas accepted this challenge w w w . 5 Ta l e n t s M A G . c o m
by undertaking ministry in an unconventional way. Despite obstacles and hindrances, Suhas and the team never gave up on this mission of establishing a ‘Kingdom’ business. God was active in the unseen realm as He organized all these divine appointments in order to see that His plans were being fulfilled. On April 3, 2013, their prophetic destiny, ‘More Life Incorporated’, a company authorized to import petroleum products into India, came into existence. On Aug. 27, 2013 the first shipment reached Mumbai’s port and was cleared by the customs department. Finally their first shipment arrived in Nagpur in September of 2013. God’s grace was evident! Most of the team were not familiar with the requirements of conducting business in international trade nor did they have any experience, but God was in control and had ordained all aspects of this endeavour. They always experienced His favour at every stage of the business just as He had promised in Psalm 102:13. “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favour her, yes, the set time has come.” More Life Inc. is a profitable company which was established by three followers of Christ that model His teachings with the goal of bringing transformation into the lives of individuals,
John Angappan Managing Director More Life Inc. Malaysia
communities and nations. This company is not only committed to a double or triple bottom line, but includes spiritual transformation as a part of how it measures success. It has a two dimensional goal. More Life Incorporated’s operating mandate: “We trust God for a second exodus experience that encompasses sociological, economical, and spiritual freedom. Our vision is bold! It is to have a Kingdom business that empowers an economically depressed community. Our model confronts felt needs and advocates finding solutions to meet real requirements. We place considerable demands upon the missionary, as an agent of change, to relate to the total solutions – economic, social, political, and religious. We also place significant demands upon the local people as they identify local problems, mobilize local resources, seek local solutions and modify local customs. While engaging in this business, we don’t want to lose sight of the topmost value in the project – a restored community of God living out the covenant”. They will continue to promote local leaders, delegate authority, and later recognize them for their accomplishments. More Life Inc., will research the problems, consult with authorities, seek funding from outside sources (if needed), and provide local leadership. Their mandate is to address and relate to the struggles of the
Suhas Wakode Director More Life Inc. Nagpur, India 5Talents Magazine
Dec 2013
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hurting people while refusing to profit at the expense of the local people, and together work through the problems until completion. They are a team who believes like Nehemiah did. “Come, let’s build the wall and suffer this indignity no longer.” Their response to His call is: “Let’s start. Let’s build!” They have a powerful and bold vision as they work; to bring the people’s full potential into operation. They are a team who carry a strong sense of being on a God-appointed mission. Luke 8:30 says, “….Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Mary found God’s favor as she stepped into prophetic destiny boldly but with risk. So does More Life Inc. (Psalm 102:13)! Mary’s prophetic destiny
was achieved in birthing Jesus who seemed as ordinary a baby as any other. But, as a result of fulfilling her prophetic destiny, her son Jesus, carried transformational power which was invisible at the time of His birth and during His early years. In the same way, “Our prophetic destiny in More Life Inc., presently, as a nascent organization, not as yet, a remarkable or a Fortune 500 company, but we do believe that it does have the capacity to transform many lives in India”. This Christmas we invite all of you to dare to walk, to experience and to enjoy this prophetic destiny with us and the people in India. Merry Christmas and enjoy this Christmas season. – By E. Swarna
A note from Michael Brian - Founder We at Business Seva, the Indian affiliate of Partners Worldwide, are focused towards empowering Christian businessmen, creating sustainable jobs, developing communities and eradicating poverty. Our businessmen are called to use their business to uplift the poor, the oppressed and marginalized. On 13 to 15 November, we had organized our 2nd annual Branch Managers’ Training Program. Thirty three participants, including Branch Managers from Sri Lanka and Myanmar, had an enriching experience learning from each other and from eminent resource personnel. They were encouraged to reinforce their calling to have life and to have it abundantly and to serve their communities. The sessions were focused on how God, in the Bible, had used one person such as Adam, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Daniel and Esther to impact their nation or community. The participants were challenged to be that one person whom God can use to impact the nation, their community or their domain of influence. Finally they were commissioned by pastors and leaders to accomplish greater exploits for God. Your prayer and financial support is needed. We need to raise $55,000 to accomplish our goals. Our goal, for 2013-2014, is to create 982 jobs, to sustain 7993 jobs, to build 4 new chapters and to impact the countries India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 6
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A Star... From Down Under
~ Vanny Bourne
V
anny Bourne is undeniable exceptional. What grabs me is how easy her music is to listen to. More impressive is how she reaches across so many genres and yields a pleasant sound.
Her first cover single was recorded, just for her passion for singing , but it was the way in which her talent was embraced by her Anglo Indian community which really inspired her to move on, to where she is today.
As an inimitable song stylist, she recently made her debut into the music business and with this bold Kangaroo leap, now there’s no turning back. Born to Indian parents in Madras, Vanny emigrated to Australia when she was 17 years old, and now calls Australia home. She was raised in an Anglo Indian home and always had a desire to contribute to the community.
In this short span of time Vanny has had several radio interviews in Perth, and a few of her songs are now being aired around the world. Her desire to give back is clearly seen when she makes her contribution to charitable organizations from her financial success.
I have heard her say that I am an AngloIndian and proud to announce it to the world. She had a passion and love for singing, inspiration came later, that propelled her dream, and turned it into a reality. When the odds were stacked against her, it made her try harder and believe in herself. Deep down, there was this undying belief and confidence that she could sing.
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She prays and thanks God each day for all that He is doing in her life and more so, using her God given talent and channelizing it for His kingdom and glory. Vanny has great hopes and gets tremendous encouragement from her ever-increasing fan club that seems to grow in the social media. She thanks each and every one of them for their love, support and kind thoughts appreciating her talent all the way. Vanny says, “I always knew as a community we w w w . 5 Ta l e n t s . i n
have a big heart’, and I want them to know that I feel their love for me through their loyal support and tons of encouragement. Through my music I promise that I will make them proud”. Her message to all her fans in India, “to me, a song in any language, sung from the heart will always be heard and felt, I hope my heart will connect with you on December 23rd night when I sing especially for you. My testimony to all will be that when you see and hear me, it is only to testify, that dreams do come true and God is real. Do pursue your dream, and don’t let anyone steal it from you. Accept that God is in it, for with ‘God all things are possible’. She prays that her music will be a little patch of heaven, and gives God all the glory. A few of the favourite artists that inspire Vanny include - Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Kitty wells. Vanny Bourne will be in Hyderabad and will be performing live on December 23rd at the Railway Institute, Secundrabad. 5Talents Magazine
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To Celebrate or not to Celebrate... By George Powell
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ell, it’s Christmas time again . . . a time centuries. But then, Christians love to debate of celebrating, exchanging gifts, and things, so this is nothing new. And I’m sure there are equally committed Christ followers on both spending time with family and friends. sides of the issue. I have so many fond memories from my childhood So let’s think about it . . . why do some who follow that surround this time of the year . . . Jesus choose not celebrate Christmas? The silver tree with the color wheel . . . some of you might have to Google that to know what I’m Here are the top reasons I hear expressed: talking about. • The traditions surrounding Christmas have their roots in paganism. Shaking senseless the gifts under the tree trying to figure out what they were before opening them. • The Bible doesn’t instruct us to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Our entire family . . . aunts, uncles, cousins . . . everybody . . . people we hadn’t seen all year, • The Bible forbids bringing a tree into coming together for a great dinner and gift your house. exchange. • The “world” celebrates Christmas, so it should be something we avoid.
So, so many fond memories!
Now some of you might be thinking . . . is it right for us to even celebrate Christmas? Isn’t that a Here is my response to these objections. pagan holiday? The Bible doesn’t instruct us to First off, finding reliable information on the topic celebrate the birth of Jesus. of our Christmas traditions having their roots in To be sure, the debate among Christians over paganism are difficult because the origins of many celebrating Christmas has been going on for of our traditions are so vague that the sources 10
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that sources often contradict one another.
For me personally, I see this beautiful season of the year as an amazing opportunity to set aside a Sure, the use of candles, holly, and other items are time of the year to specifically focus on the birth mentioned in the history of pagan worship, but to of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. use them in your home and celebrations doesn’t mean you’re a pagan worshipper. For me, it offers a very relevant way to bring to the minds of the people in my world the most While there may be pagan roots in some traditions, remarkable truth of Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child there are many more traditions associated with is born, Unto us a Son is given . . . And His name the real meaning of the season – the birth of the will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Savior of the world. Bells ring out the joyful news Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” . . . lights remind us of the Light of the world . . . stars remind us of the Star of Bethlehem . . . gifts Ultimately, to celebrate or not to celebrate, is a remind us of the Magi and their gifts to Jesus and personal decision and whatever position you hold, God’s most amazing gift to us. should neither be used as a club to beat others down nor as a badge of honor lift yourself above Secondly, while the Bible doesn’t specifically others. instruct us to celebrate Jesus’ birth, neither does it forbid the celebration. Just because the Bible So remember, Jesus is the true reason for the season. doesn’t give us the specific date of Jesus’ birth Were it not for Jesus, we would have nothing to is not justification to avoid its celebration. The celebrate . . . not even your own birthday. Because opposite could be true as well. One could also without Jesus, life has no meaning and nothing argue, the Bible’s silence on the issue is unspoken else matters! approval. Merry Christmas! Thirdly, the passage typically referenced instructing us not to bring a tree into the house is Jeremiah 10:1-16. Like most erroneous beliefs people adhere to come from the misinterpretation of scripture, here is a perfect example. The context of these verses refers to cutting down a tree and fashioning it into an idol and then decorating it for the purpose of bowing down to worship it. Personally, the only bowing down I do to the tree in our house is to water the dang thing so it doesn’t catch fire. Which is one reason we are getting a fake tree this year! You simply cannot take this passage out of its context and use it to make a legitimate argument against having a Christmas tree in your home. And finally, the reality is, more and more the world is not celebrating Christmas . . . they are celebrating “the holidays.”
Dear Readers,
This is the same argument made by false religious groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny the deity of Jesus altogether. I prefer not to take my cues from them or similar groups.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2014. 5Talents Team 5Talents Magazine
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“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” -- Henry Miller Every one of us is born with curiosity to discover, a want to see more, experience and cherish those memories for the rest of our lives. Travelling satisfies this curiosity with new locations and people, food, colour and culture to name a few.
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The most remarkable trophy Yatri Holiday holds today is its customer base built purely out of service and no advertising. We grow only because our customers At Yatri Holiday, we are devoted to make are happy with Yatri Holiday services and they help in bring other customers with your travel experience memorable and customized according to your preference. nothing but smiles. This encourages us We believe in “Airport to Airport” planning to provide travelling solutions by working closely with customers. which means from the time you’ve stepped out for your holiday till the Our Success, in large part, has been time you get back home, Yatri Holiday based on a business philosophy that stands by you. Our deep understanding values quality services, commitment and of your travelling requirements, gives long-term customer relationship. us the ability to meet complicated and pinpointed journey needs. How do we Our team, is well experienced with do this you ask? As Yatri Holiday, we are in-depth knowledge and excellent travelers ourselves! managerial skills assuring the best Our journey began in 2006; an idea let to services to the clients at any given time. We look forward to a long term and the birth of Yatri Holiday and is now the preferred one-stop- destination for many mutually beneficial relation. happy families, friends, travelers and
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PEOPLE OF THE PLAN “B
Rev. Peggy I. Kennedy
A
As soon as you say the word, “Christmas”, most people begin to think of decorations, gifts, festive foods, and carols. The beloved annual celebration is well-detailed in both the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. However, these scriptures are about more—much more— than seasonal pageantry. Here are the dynamics for how the Christ will be revealed. These chapters could be entitled: “People of the Plan”
Luke 1 Zacharias is faithfully performing the same religious ritual that has been performed for hundreds of years. However, his service unto the Lord in the Temple (note it was at the time of prayer) was gloriously interrupted by an angelic visitor. Zacharias just could not believe that he and Elizabeth were about to become personally involved with the God of the past. He had faithfully anticipated God’s promises but had likely dismissed himself as part of that plan.
In whatever walk of life you are serving, you are first of all called to be part of that plan to reveal Christ to our world. The same dynamics are in place today. Let me share four of them with you. First of all, God is revealed as a God of plans. Many think of God as the God of past endeavors. Others consider Him as one Who will unfold a dramatic plan at some future date. However, when God is revealed to us as a God Who has dynamic plans, He is setting the stage for our participation. In
Secondly, when God gets ready to reveal the Christ to a city, to a nation, to nations, He begins to tell people His plans. Both Luke 1 and 2 and Matthew 2 give the account of heaven’s messenger, the angel Gabriel, being dispatched to announce heaven’s plans. This gives way to the third dynamic of how God works: He begins to call people into the plan! In any Christmas pageant there are many characters: there’s a Mary and a Joseph, there are angels, there’s an
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innkeeper, there are shepherds and there are wisemen. God’s plans today for nations will include many, many people. You are a part of that plan! There’s no professional cast. Rather, the Lord intends to use many in diverse walks of life. And, that includes you! The final dynamic to be observed in these chapters is that when the Christ is to be revealed, the Lord will begin to bring people together into relationship with each other in the plan! It was the angel Gabriel that announced to Mary that Elizabeth, her cousin, was also “pregnant with the plan of God”! That relationship would be vital to confirm to Mary that she had really heard from God. Our relationships with each are initiated by the Lord! This is more—much more—than just “networking”. These relationships will all find their place in the big picture of God! You are a part. You are one of His chosen “people of the plan”.
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