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Contents

4

Rev. Barney Kinard21

Dr. Jon Marshall

6 Digging DeeperDr. Alexander Kurian

9

Friends Suffering Together for the Gospel

Launa Stan19

Pr. Mike Harrison

Dr. David H Mills

7

13 Prof. Paula E. Benson

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The Amazing Psalms

Undercover Christian

A Helpful Hand

The Gift of Choice

Leadership Development Pt 4 Godliness of the Leader

Dr.C.V.VadavanaFounder & Chairman, Sathyam Service Trust

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A COMPLETE CHRISTIAN FAMILY MAGAZINEVolume 3 Issue 6 2012June

“Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone who is the truth hears My voice. “Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” John 18:37-38 (NASB)

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3June 2012

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Dear Readers,

This verse is spoken from God directly to Joshua. Moses had just died and Joshua found that he was now the leader of God's people Israel. Joshua was the one who would lead them into the Promised Land and fulfill their destiny. This was a big task. But Joshua was not alone. God himself encouraged Joshua and promised him that God would always be with him.

These words are meant to encourage us as well. You and I are often in the middle of difficulties in our lives as Christians. Many of us have faced rejection, persecution or suffering. We are no strangers to the hardships that can be part of a life lived for Jesus.

Yet it is important for us to remember that God does not leave us. He has promised to be with us wherever we go. Wherever we go. Always.

God also encourages Joshua to be strong and courageous. This is very important. It tells us that we have a responsibility as believers. We have a mission and a calling to share the love of God and the message of Christ with those around us. This is not always easy. But it is necessary. God has given his message to us. We are the ones He is equipping to spread the Word.

As you read through this issue of Truth Alive you will find many words of encouragement. You will find thoughts that challenge you to learn more about yourself and about God. You will also find a call to be bold, to be confident, and to live your life in strength and in truth.

What is God telling you to do? Who are the people around you that need the love of Christ? How are you being led to serve God and to serve others? How are you being called into a deeper relationship with God? Think about these questions as you read. Then pray and respond to God's mission for you.

And now as God encouraged Joshua, I also encourage you…

Be strong and courageous.

4 June 2012

Dr. David H Mills

Leadership Development Pt 4

Godliness of the Leader“Godliness is more important than giftedness.” Andy Stanley

n 2 Peter 1:5-9, Peter is showing leaders the path to developing and becoming fruitful. Every leader starts when his/her faith is energized to step out in I

courage and obey what God has shown them to do. Then they begin to passionately pursue the course which leads them into the world of knowledge and of gaining insights to better accomplish this mission from God. This knowledge is mastered as they discipline themselves and are tested by challenges and trials. They must discipline themselves to persevere and stay focused on the vision through all that they are experiencing in life. As a result of doing this they now enter the next phase of growth and development, which is summed up in the word “godliness”.

What is the first word you think of when you hear the word “godliness”, or hear the compliment that someone is “godly”? What face comes to mind? Do you think of the Puritans or the stern and pure men of the past centuries? Or do you think of someone separated from society, or someone who refrains from the frivolous things of the world? Maybe you picture someone who is serious and careful, they know their Bible, and they spend hours in prayer?! We certainly know that each of these descriptions is a part of the description of a “godly” person. Let’s examine this word, “godliness”. The original word is, “eusebia”, which means, “to be focused on God’s presence and approval.” i.e. this person concentrates on what pleases God and on what nourishes their relationship with God as the primary reason for how they act. They are not as concerned with what people think or may criticize. Their focus is on what God says and thinks. They are full of the presence of God, or as I call it, they are “God-conscious.”

What are the marks of someone who is conscious of God’s presence and lives primarily to please God? One word the Bible points to in describing godliness may

surprise you, it is the word, “joy”! Psalm 16:11 “In Your presence is the fullness of joy.” Someone has wisely stated, “Joy is the flag that tells others Jesus is on the throne.” This delightful spirit of genuine joy, internal happiness, and a deep satisfaction is the atmosphere that a godly leader brings when they come into the room. This leader makes learning a joy (see Prov. 15:2 it translated “a wise teacher makes learning a joy or even fun” ) The leader’s greatest success comes in the positive atmosphere of joy, i.e. when there is a positive atmosphere people learn faster and change their lives more easily. Contrast that to the stern and stifling legalistic attitude of the Pharisees. Their condemnation and criticism were killing the people who were under their leadership. Then see the contrast, as the cheerful and radiant Jesus comes, lifting hearts and hopes with His smile and words of encouragement. Virtually anyone can create a negative learning environment, but it takes a godly person, with great character, to create a fun filled and enjoyable environment. One leader noted, “If it is truly spiritual it will be fun as well.”

Another aspect we see in a godly leader will be his or her “confidence”, or “boldness.” Acts 5:13 “They observed the confidence of Peter and John… they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” The self-centered Jewish rulers saw the leadership of the apostles and noted the difference in their confidence. They were secure with themselves and what they were doing. They were not nervous or trembling because of what others thought. They were not cowering under the pressure of their critics but standing resolutely in what Jesus had taught them. That is godliness! The spirit of confidence and assurance. We know we are right with God even when things go wrong. We know that God loves us and that He hears our prayers even when the evidence is contrary. We have been tested enough and seen God come through eventually. We are confident

June 2012 5

K n o w Y o u r B i b l e

continued in page 8

I King

that He causes all things to work out for our good. The confidence of Romans 8 is astounding. Read it when you get a chance… and revel in it!

Another descriptive term for “godliness”, is “restfu-lness”, or “a relaxed attitude assured that God is in control”. Matt. 11:28 “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am humble and meek in heart and you will find rest for your souls, for My burden is light and My yoke is easy.” Godly people are not strained or overly intense. They may be passionate but not frantic. There is a peaceful air surrounding a godly person that denotes the very presence of God. Even God is noted as being seated on His throne; He is not standing on it, jumping up and down in protest, frustrated with all the sinful actions and attitudes that exist on this planet. He is resting in His own sovereignty. He teaches us to do the same. We rest in His great wisdom, power, love, and mercy. J. Hudson Taylor’s favorite hymn has become one of mine as well, “Jesus, I am resting resting in the joy of what You are, I am finding out the greatness of Your loving heart.” John Wesley called this “being easy to get along with.” It is a spirit of reasonableness and fairness to listen to the other’s side with a relaxed stance. We can even consider heresies with an “even attitude”, listening carefully and calmly in order to truly hear what the heretic is saying, instead of closing

our heart to them and shutting them down before we have even heard them. Patience and kindness also fit into this very well (1 Cor. 13:4 Love is Patient and kind, or, easy to drink down). Jesus refuted error and redirected His disciples constantly with a patient and tender spirit. He was a calming influence whenever He came onto the scene and so are we when we are under His influence.

The last quality of godliness I will mention is that of having a wisdom, or a skill level which makes the job of the leader appear as being “easy”. Prov. 1:7 “The fear of the LORD (our loving reverence in our relationship with God, i.e. a godly spirit) is the beginning of wisdom.” (see also Prov. 24:3-5 the wisdom of the leader fills the house with all kinds of precious gifts, and strengthens his followers in every way). Godliness trains the mind and heart to discern the good from the bad. After years of enduring trials and hardships the leader is made into a skillful worker who quickly detects the error or the problem and then takes the necessary steps to heal the hurt and/or solve the problem. After it is over, the followers often say, “Wow! That was easy!” And they actually believe that it is easy, until they are the leader who is leading through the trial, themselves! They then realize that many things can

Author : Jeremiah [It is commonly believed that Prophet Jeremiah must have written / compiled this book by making use of the writings of prophets Nathan and Gad (See 1 Chr. 29:29-30)].Date of writing : Around BC 586Purposes :

(1) To mark the partition of the kingdom as well as to record the history of the people of Israel and Judah (divided kingdom) under the reign of different kings.

(2) To compare and contrast the lives of the kings of both the kingdoms who were God-fearing and keeping the commandments of God and who were not so.

Key verse:1 Kings 9:5Key chapter: 1 Kings 12Key word :Partition (of the kingdom)Key people: David, Solomon, Jezebel, Prophet Elijah

Brief SummaryThe book begins with the story of the people of

Gad in the united kingdom of Israel but ends with that

of the divided kingdoms. It records the last days of king David and portrays the enthronement of Solomon to be the new king of the people of God. The book throws ample light on the failure of king Solomon, the wisest man who lived on the planet earth, and the circumstances that led to the partition of the kingdom and the Southern kingdom (Judah with 2 tribes). It also shows the fact that the success of any king, and of the nation as a whole, depended on the measure of his allegiance to God’s law. Failure resulted in decline and captivity.

Outline

1. The last days of king David and the beginning of Solomon’s reign (chs. 1-2).

2. God appears to Solomon; the construction of the temple and of the royal palace (chs. 5-9).

3. Visitation of Queen Sheba (ch. 10)4. Fall of Solomon and his last days (ch. 11)5. Partition of the kingdom (ch. 12)6. Kings of Israel and Judah (chs. 13-22)7. Ministry of Elijah, the prophet (ch. 17-19).

June 20126

Dr.Alexander Kurian

Digging DeeperTHE GOSPEL OF GOD Romans 2 (Exposition)

God Judges the Jews Who Break the Law (2:17-29)

In the passage before us Paul is responding to the Jewish objections to what he has written earlier in relation to God's judgment. It is possible that the Jews may object to Paul that he cannot treat the Jews as if they were no different from Gentiles. The Jews are given three special privileges – the law, the covenant and the circumcision(the sign of the covenant of God). How can God overlook these peculiar and exclusive blessings and judge them?

In response to these questions Paul writes about the law in verses 17-24 and about circumcision in verses 25-29. Paul shatters the idea of false spiritual security the Jews had in their heritage, in their knowledge, and in their rituals.

2:17-24: The Jews are indicted for failing to practice what they preach. God judges the Jews who break the law. The Scribes and Pharisees would have thought of themselves in the very language Paul used here. They had a very high impression of their piety and religiosity (Matt.23:2-7). “There is no surer path to spiritual degeneracy than spiritual pride” (Moule).

The verb “being instructed” is literally “being cate-chized.”

In regard to the Jews' knowledge of the law, the apostle mentions four aspects: what they learned about the law (17-18), what they taught about it (19-20), what they did in the light of it (21-22), and what they caused by breaking it (23-24) [MacArthur, Romans 1-8, 151-152]. They forgot the fundamental truth of the Gospel – no merit of one's own, but total dependence on the grace of God. Instead of boasting in the law, they needed to look carefully at whether they themselves measured up to its stringent requirements.

In verses 21-24, Paul is not accusing all Jews of stealing, committing adultery, and robbing temples. Paul is speaking in terms of Jewish disobedience, citing

glaring examples to illustrate the principle of transgression. They transgress the very law they treasure and teach. Verse 24 is a quotation from Ezek.36:20; Isa.52:5). Because they violated the law, the Jews were exiled by God and were reviled by the Gentiles. The prophets recorded the Israelites' failure to live as good testimonies for the Lord Jehovah.

2:25-29: The symbolic ceremonies and rituals in Judaism (like circumcision) is of value only if they obey the law and live in accordance with the will of God. An uncircumcised person who keeps the moral norms of the law will be counted as circumcised (as a member of the covenant community). And those uncircumcised gentiles who keep the law will stand at the Judgment and condemn the Jews who had the covenantal blessings of the law.

Verses 28-29 strike a terrible blow to the Jewish beliefs of Paul's day. True Jewishness and genuine circumcision are not physical, ethnic, or outward matters. These are matters of the heart and are produced as a result of the work of the Spirit of God. Salvation does not come through religion or ceremonies, but through the Spirit of God working in a person's life, leading him to the Savior.

In redefining who is a real Jew, Paul draws a fourfold contrast:

1.The essence of being a true Jew is not something outward and visible, but inward and invisible.

2.True circumcision is not in the flesh, but in the heart.

3.It is effected by the Spirit, not the law.

4.It wins the approval of God rather than human beings.

Religion always moves the focus from inward to the outward, from the Spirit to the letter, from obedience to formality.

June 2012 7

Dr. Jon Marshall

Friends Suffering To gether for the Gospel

A Monthly Commentary on Philippians

Philippians 3:12-21

hile I was at university, I carried bags for guests at a five-star, five-diamond resort Whotel in southern California. The hotel was

filled with the rich and famous and surrounded by extravagant homes.

My co-workers knew I was a Christian. So you can imagine how embarrassed I was when a certain “Christian celebrity” came in on a regular basis. The man is a famous preacher on “Christian” television, yet he regularly came into our hotel, lived in one of the extravagant neighborhoods, and drove fancy cars with lots of security guards to protect him. He would eat lavish meals in our restaurant before heading off to an event where he’d preach “the gospel.” What kind of “gospel” do you expect from a person who lives in utter luxury? How will he communicate the message of a crucified God who sacrifices everything for the sake of others when he eats the finest foods and drives the most expensive cars surrounded by the protection of security guards?

When a preacher, pastor, evangelist, or teacher lives so lavishly, it infuriates Paul, and my modern-day hero John Piper. The “health and wealth gospel” drains the gospel of all its meaning. You cannot communicate what God is like to people when you live like that. Piper says that suffering is not a bi-product or a result or an obstacle of the gospel, it is “God’s design” for spreading the gospel. Suffering is the core of gospel proclamation because the cross is the center of the gospel message. Living in luxury communicates the opposite of the gospel.

Read 3:12-16. Paul turns to get a little more practical by making some clarifications. He has not yet achieved everything he’s working for. He hasn’t been resurrected; he hasn’t been made completely perfect; because he hasn’t come to know Christ as fully as possible. His goal in life is to know Christ. You know Christ by suffering with him. For example, my wife was required to stutter multiple times in public as a project for a class on stuttering. The point was to

experience what they experience so that you can know what they’re going through. Your experience of suffering like Jesus helps you understand him more. You understand his feelings, outlook on life, and motivations better as you go through what he went through.

But you also know him by rising from the dead. Experiencing the resurrection will help you understand him, too. So far Paul hasn’t gone through complete suffering or complete resurrection. But he has suffered some and experienced the resurrection power of Christ some, so he’s learned some about Christ. Christ Jesus has made Paul his own; he belongs to Jesus. This means that by faith they’re united; and if they’re united Paul will suffer with him and rise again with him. “I’m not there yet, but I’m working hard to get there.” A desire to know Christ motivates Paul to drop everything, leave it all behind, and move toward Jesus. The route of religion, self-achievement, and man-centered spirituality is worthless so he abandons it. He won’t pay attention to his past; yes, it’s still all true but it’s pointless, it doesn’t define him, and it won’t help him get where he wants to go. He’s working toward a goal. That goal is perfect unity with Jesus, the prize. At the finish line Paul sees the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” the heavenly relationship with God through Christ. To be united with the one he loves and honors and lives for energizes Paul and compels him to forget everything else.

Paul wants them all to be on the same page with the big picture, even if they disagree about some details. Every Christian has the same calling to suffer like Christ as a servant who is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Mature Christians think this way. That is, Christian people who know the Gospel know that we must embody the gospel in our lives. We need to live out our faith by suffering with tremendous hope and power.

Read 3:17-21. If you suffer with hope, if problems don’t weigh you down because the Holy Spirit

continued in page 10..

June 20128

(and will) go wrong, but the godly leader seems to know just what to do and when to do it! He leads in such a way that people trust him and have confidence in his leadership.

Are you godly? Have you been shaped and ham-mered into this word “godliness”? Keep walking and trusting that God will develop this high quality in you.

Father, Your agenda is to develop us through Your disciplines, until we partake of the peaceful fruit of holiness. Develop in us the understanding and the will to follow Your clear direction. May we be a calming influence, reminding others of Your presence and Your power, ultimately leading them to accomplishing Your purpose. In Jesus Name. Amen.

continued from page 5

Leadership Development Pt 4

June 2012 9

Pr. Mike Harrison

f anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to I

sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 3:21-22)

The Lord Jesus is looking for anyone to open the door and dine with Him. Christ is always looking for one person to fellowship with. Change always begins with a single individual. Revival starts with you and me. The impact one man or woman who is zealous for the Living God can have is beyond measure. The Bible is replete with such stories (just read Hebrews chapter 11).

For him who overcomes there is a place in heaven provided by the One who already overcame. The lukewarm Laodiceans had a choice; they could live for this world now, or they could reign with Him on earth for all of eternity then. James 4:4 states flatly, “Friendship with the world is enmity (war) with God.” If we choose, He will give us the power to overcome, to like Paul, fight the good fight of faith, to finish the race, to keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Our loving Lord will also allow us to choose the path of another man listed in the second letter to Timothy and the fourth chapter, one who did not overcome; “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” Choice is one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed upon man by God. Choice is freedom. Choice is privilege. But choice also comes with a high

The Gift of Choiceresponsibility attached; for choice holds within itself both temporal and eternal implications.

When Paul wrote to the Colossian church about choice, he exhorted them in this manner, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you

lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:1-10).

Moses challenged the children of Israel to make a correct choice. In his last address to them, he implored them, “Choose life, that…you… may live” (Duet. 30:19). The Lord Jesus Christ beckons to you and me in the same manner today.

The choice is ours. What will we choose? Will it be lukewarm life, or abundant life; overcomer, or defeated one; compromiser, or conqueror?

June 201210

empowers you, then you imitate Paul and people like him. Paul thinks highly of imitation. Talking about truth helps some people, but seeing the truth “in the flesh” gives you a great picture. Jesus didn’t just talk about love, sacrifice, and resurrection, he did it. He loved us in his body by sacrificing and coming back to life. Likewise our mentors don’t just talk, they live. Paul commands us to imitate people who live a cross-centered, resurrection-empowered life.

There are people who hate this message. They walk as enemies of the cross. Putting it generically helps a little bit: some people hate suffering and think that real spirituality shouldn’t involve any suffering. Paul strongly disagrees. To push suffering away like that is to be “earthly-minded.” The real God revealed himself most clearly at the cross, therefore only a fake god would shun suffering. Food is the gateway to earthly appetites which control people. They don’t literally worship their stomachs, but they let their physical cravings, their appetites, their desires control their lives. They submit to whatever their bodies want. They change their schedules, arrange their lives, spend their money, devote their attention, and give their hearts to whatever bodily appetite makes itself known. It could be food, sex, adrenaline, romance, money, comfort, alcohol, escape, or any number of things. People “glory in their shame.” Things that should embarrass them they take pride in. People focus on their appetites and flaunt their indulgence in them because they think this world is all there is. If this is all there is then whoever indulges in its pleasures to the most extreme extent must be “winning.” But Paul says they’re headed for destruction.

Christians will get plenty of physical pleasure, but not until the resurrection (20-21). If you shun the cross now, then you don’t get the resurrection. If you’re dedicated to pleasure now, you won’t get that ultimate pleasure then. If you worship the god of pleasure (eating, sex, adrenaline, escape, money, stuff, candy, etc.) and not the God of the cross then you get the god who’ll be destroyed and not the God who resurrects. Our citizenship is in heaven not on earth. Therefore our hope of pleasure is in heaven not on earth. From heaven we await the Lord Jesus who’ll rescue us from troubles and suffering and he’ll transform our bodies. That is, he’ll give us resurrection bodies. If you think your current body can have a lot of fun and experience a lot of pleasure, just wait until your body is resurrected. Our ability to experience joy and fun and laughter and thrills is limited by our energy levels, our physical strength, our brain’s ability to process what it takes in, and our emotional power. To put it lightly, we’re a bunch of pleasure weaklings right now. We can’t take in too much. But at the resurrection we’ll have boundless energy, super-human strength, high-functioning brains, and intense emotional power. Our ability to enjoy will go through the roof. In that way, and many others, we’ll be like Jesus. If we suffer with him now and get to know God by being what he’s like (a servant of others), then we’ll enjoy resurrection life with him later and get to know God by being what he’s like (resurrected authority over all of life). By the resurrection Jesus has authority to be served and worshiped by all things. He will take that power and use it for our resurrection, if we suffer like him on earth.

continued from page 7Friends Suffering Together for the Gospel

June 2012 11

12 June 2012

Cross Word - Books of the Bible

Across

1. A Court without these can never make the final decision

2. The shortest Gospel6. A short book of three chapters written to a

Greek pastor who was left by Paul in Crete to set things in order

Down

3. So-called as it is about the census of the Israelites.

4. She was the Jewish queen of a foreign king who reigned from India to Ethiopia.

5. “The Lord of Hosts speaks through the prophet in the second year of king Darius.

1

3

5

4

2

6

Answers on page 18

June 2012

Prof. Paula E. Benson

13

The Amazing Psalmshere is perhaps no Biblical book that expresses the realities of human experience and the Tknowledge of God better than the book of

Psalms. This book is a fascinating collection of 150 poems and songs, which express a wide range of human emotions and experiences.

The title Psalms comes from the Hebrew meaning ‘songs of praise’. Each psalm contains three important elements:

1 – each is a poem or song written to God or to the congregation

2 – each was meant to be used in the temple or in religious ceremonies

3 – each was sung when it was used (many still contain musical notations)

The book of Psalms served as the temple hymnbook and as the main prayer book for God’s people for centuries. The Psalms were not primarily written to address personal experiences. Instead they were intended to express the experiences of the people of God. Throughout the centuries, the Psalms have been used in this way – and still continue to be used in collective worship settings. Jesus himself would have used the Psalms as his prayer book and hymnbook. He also used the Psalms in his teachings (Mark 12:10-11 & Mark 12:36). And he quoted them during his temp-tation by Satan (Luke 4:10-11) and just before he died on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

When looked at as a comprehensive collection of 150 songs, we can see that the writers of the Psalms had a vast knowledge of God. They were writing about a God that they knew personally – a God who is all-knowing and ever-present. Their writing expresses their deep faith, as well as their understanding of the complexity of God’s nature. This can be seen in the many descriptions of God and the names for God found throughout the Psalms.

In the Psalms the writers praise God endlessly. They petition God for all their needs. They express their faith in his provision and his care. They find

refuge from sickness, from want, from pestilence, and their enemies. We see their obedience and their intimacy with God. We feel their desire to offer him their life and their praise no matter what their situation might be. And every Psalm ends with the writer declaring hope in the Lord and praise to God.

Read through the Psalms and you will find praise for the majesty of God’s creation. You will see God as the Ruler of the world, the King of Kings, as Lawgiver, as Judge, as Vindicator of the oppressed and as Savior. You will see God as merciful, faithful, just and righteous. You will meet a holy God who reveals himself to his people and who shelters and cares for those who love him.

I encourage you to spend some extra time reading in the book of Psalms. While originally intended for use by a congregation, the Psalms are also a wonderful source of personal devotions and prayer. Find a Psalm that expresses what is on your heart and mind, and then use it as a prayer to God. Perhaps even read it out loud. You will discover countless ways to approach God in prayer. Countless ways to describe God. And countless ways to offer God thanksgiving and praise.

I leave you with one of my favorite praise Psalms. May you be greatly blessed and may you discover a deeper knowledge of God through your study of the Psalms.

Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

14 June 2012

15June 2012

16 June 2012

Question TimeQ:What is the Bible?

Ans: The Books of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration from God, containing everything which we are to believe and do, that our souls may be saved and God served.

1. A Bible is a collection of books - a library.

(a) The Old Testament is made up of the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the Book of Psalms (Luke 24:44).

(b) What we call historical books the Jews reckoned among their prophetic or inspired writings: “the Psalms’’, as the first and longest item, was a way of referring to the final section of these inspired “Writings”. The historical books record the dealings of God with His people, and provide the contemporary background of the prophets’ ministries.

(c) The New Testament is made up of the four gospels, which record the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the establishment and growth of the early Church, the epistles which reveal the teaching of the apostles to the early churches, and the Book of the Revelation (sometimes called “the Apocalypse” meaning “an unveiling”) which is a prophetic book, looking very much into the future.

(d) The Books of the Bible should be read as books rather than as collections of verses or texts.

(e) The Books of the Bible have come together from a variety of backgrounds:

(i) They were written by kings (e.g. David wrote many of the Psalms), prophets (e.g. Isaiah), apostles (e.g. Paul), historians (e.g. The Books of Kings), and others (e.g. Luke and his gospel and the Acts).

2. The books of the Bible have to do with either the Old or the New Covenant, or Testament.

(a) The books of the Old Testament may be said to have to do in general with the covenant God made with the children Israel in the wilderness before they entered the promised land.

(b) The essential message of the Old Testament, if we

have in mind the demand the covenant made for obedience, was “This do and thou shalt live”(Lev. 18:5; Luke 10:28)- although this manner of expressing it is a limited simplification.

(c) The book of the New Testament may be said to deal with the new covenant promised in the Old Testament(Jer. 31:31-34) and fulfilled in Christ (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 13:20).

(d) The essential message of the New Testament is “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

3. The Books of the Old and New Testament share a common inspiration-the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

(a) The New Testament speaks often of the Scriptures as a product of the creative activity of the Spirit of God. He is their primary author (II Pet. 1:21; II Tim. 36:16).

4. The inspiration of the Bible by the Holy Spirit accounts for the authority it is recognised to have.

5. Everything which God requires us to believe is found in the Bible (Acts 8:26-38; I Cor. 15:1-4; John 5:39). It words are not to be added to or impaired (Deut. 4:2, Rev. 22:18, 19).

6. Every principle which is to govern our life and conduct is to be found in the Bible(e.g. The Sermon on the Mound, Matt. 5:1-7, 29; Paul’s practical instructions to the Thessalonians, I Thess. 4:1-12; 5:12-22).

7. Through the good news of Christ which the Bible contains, our souls may be saved (John 5:39; II Tim. 3:15; John 20:31).

8. By means of the Bible’s instructions a man may be perfectly equipped for God’s service (Ps. 19:7,8; II Tim. 3:16,17).

17June 2012

Dr. C.V. Vadavana

GOD HAS NO HANDS BUT OURS

f you are a regular reader of the newspaper, you will notice that every day in different parts of India women are burnt to death or they commit suicide I

due to the problem of dowry. In India, the people rejoice at the birth of a baby boy but with the birth of a baby girl there is grumbling and dissatisfaction. People express their unhappiness at the birth of a girl not because they do not like the child but because they need to pay a large amount as dowry at the time of the girl’s wedding.

One of the evils prevailing in the Indian society is the

dowry system. In many families, the girl is considered a

burden right from her birth. At the time of their

daughter’s wedding, the family needs to pay a huge

amount of money (varying from place to place) to the

groom’s parents. I do not call this a gift because a gift is

something you give voluntarily but in this case it is

demanded. And the bride’s parents have to give

whatever amount the groom or his parents demand. If

they fail to give the amount within the stipulated time

the innocent girl is harassed and tortured both

physically and mentally. Many families are in tears

because they are not able to get their daughters married

off since they are not able to meet the dowry demand. I

was disturbed when I saw the plight of so many families

and the Lord enabled the Sathyam Ministries to give

financial aid to a number of families, irrespective of

their caste or religion and thus get their daughters

married.

Gift boxes and love buckets were distributed to the

victims of chikungunia and their family. In January

2001, our teams had also participated in the relief work

in the earth quake affected areas of Gujarat.

Some of our members visited the schools in the

village school in Vijayanagara and other places, where

they distributed several gift boxes and love buckets.

The gift boxes brought smile and happiness onto the

face of the children, which in turn brightened our souls.

28 September 2009 shone a black day on the people

residing in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra

and Goa. The normal rain took a cruel face, a torrential

rainfall which eventually led to a grave flood. The

Government has described this deluge as the most

awful in many decades in Southern India, which killed

more than 280 people. Thousands were left without a

roof over their head and deprived of food and clothing.

The weather officials said that a depression in the

Bay of Bengal led to the heavy rains in the region. This

ultimately led to the death of about 169 in Karnataka,

while the neighboring state Andhra Pradesh witnessed

50 deaths and 21 in Maharashtra.

Our Sathyam Ministry Relief Centre workers were

sent to Andhra Pradesh. They were on their toe to help

the people, who have been deprived of shelter, food,

clothing and other necessities, recoup.

Through charitable works we were sharing the love

of God. We proved that we were “created in Christ

Jesus, for good works” (Ephesians 2: 10).

As we live in this dark world, St. Francis of Assisi

prayers to the Lord,

Make me an instrument of your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

18 June 2012

Advt.

Cross Word Ans.

J

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G

E

S

B

M

E

R

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A

A

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I T U S

1

3

5

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2

6

2 E= Mc was known that there were such things as radio-active elements, and that they gave off energy as they changed to other elements. This came into

2favor with Einstein’s formula, E=mc , where E is the energy in ergs, m the mass of in grams, and c the velocity of light in centimeters per second.

10In this formula c equals approximately 3x10 cm/

2 20sec., or c equals 9x10 or 9 followed by 20 zeros. Thus a small amount of mass produces a tremendous amount of energy.

This formula not only supposes that matter can be changed into energy, produced but shows the exact amount of energy produced by a given amount of mass. From this formula the astronomer computed that the sun must be losing about 4200,000 tons of mass per second in producing the heat which it gives off. This Explains the source of the tremendous amount of heat coming off the sun continuously.

June 2012 19

Launa Stan

continued in page 22..

Undercover ChristianNow there was a man of the Pharisees name Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know “

that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” “Jesus answered and said unto him, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3

On a recent trip to India, I asked a pastor’s wife when she became a Christian. In other words, I was inquiring as to what time in her life that she had been “born again” as Jesus taught. She told me she had been born a Christian. I have to admit, my mouth probably hung open at her unexpected response. I asked many people thereafter and found that since Christianity had been in India for hundreds of years, many believe that they are born into the Christian faith. Not so. Unlike being born into a Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist family, a person must make an active choice to follow Christ and before they can call themselves, “a Christian.” Jesus made it clear that, “that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit.” We come into this world in the natural body as infants, but to be reborn spiritually, a person must make that commitment at some juncture of their life to enter the Kingdom of God. It is wonderful to be born in a home with parents who trust the Lord, but you have to make that surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ yourself!

Another trend that disturbed me greatly was the discovery that many people are secretly believing in Jesus, but are afraid to come out into the open with their families. The aforementioned verse talks about Nicodemus, a very religious man during the days of Jesus who came to Him at night. He didn’t want his fellow Pharisees to see that he was being swayed by the teachings of this newly proclaimed Messiah. Jesus made it clear in His response that a decision had to be made and that His followers would have to step out and

suffer persecution because of that act. If you have made a sincere decision for Christ, are you an “undercover Christian?” Are you living in fear about making your belief in Jesus known to your family members and to your community? Are you saying to yourself that this is your culture, so it is acceptable to be a secret believer in India?

Let me share a few passages of scripture that addresses this issue. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” “He who has found his life will lose it and he who has lost his life, for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37, 38

Matthew 10:33, “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Some of the believing Jews in our Lord’s day, began to see that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be but they were frightened of the Jewish religious leadership. They didn’t want to be kicked out of the temple by these powerful men. John’s gospel says that, “They loved the approval of man rather than the approval of God.” (John 12:43)

Are you more concerned about what your spouse might say or your parents? Are you afraid of being ostracized or kicked out of your home? As you read this article, you might be saying to yourself , “You are a Christian in American, how could you truly understand being shunned by your family or being cruelly expelled by your community?” It doesn’t matter what country you hail from or what culture you were born into, Jesus said to take up your cross and follow Him. Personally speaking, I have been cut out of familial relationships and friendships because of my testimony of Jesus Christ. I have two brothers who won’t speak to me. Yes, it happens even in America, the “Christian country.”

June 201220

21June 2012

Rev. Barney Kinard

A Helpful Handhere is something special about offering someone your hand. It is symbolic of presence, or not doing something alone. To extend a T

helpful hand is something every children's leader can do. Find a child! Come along side them and offer them your hand of assistance. Every kid, no matter how good his parents are, needs the support from other nurturing adults. What better choice for that than a children's leader who offers a welcoming outstretched hand?

We find this illustrated in the Scriptures. The Lord said, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10)

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” (Isa. 41:13)

And Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey every thing I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19, 20)

Giving someone your hand is, not necessarily, giving them a “hand out!” It is not really about money, but offering a hand that helps. Giving a hand is not the privilege for the rich and famous. It is reserved for all who love others, as Jesus did. I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can offer others is your helpful hand. Reach out and touch someone!

We need good adults who remember how helpful someone was to them. Then they can return the favor to those less fortunate than themselves. This will render assistance, especially if you ask God to lead you to help others in need. You cannot help everybody, but you can help someone.

There is someone you can help. Why not be more intentional about it? If you have been helped, return the favor. You have been left an example, so you could be helpful like someone was to you in your need.

Challenge:

Why not be there for children? You might just be the friend that will help them succeed with their lives.

If you want friends, you have to show yourself friendly. Extend your helping hand. You might find that this, act of friendship, is really imitating God. Be sure that you do not neglect to give children a hand in knowing about Jesus. You might be a real Kid Helper too.

“Here, take my hand. I will assist you through this. I will go with you, so you will not be alone. I think you could use my help. It will be OK. We will face this together. We can do this. Stay close, so you will not wander off. When you are afraid, I will be here—right by your side. Hold on, we are going for a ride. I will be your friend. I will be right here, by your side.” — Your new traveling companion.

22 June 2012

September 2011

Sathyam MinistriesWE CARE FOR BODY & SOUL

facebook.com/sathyam.india twitter.com/sathyam_india

www.sathyam.org

People all over the world take their stand for Jesus and they have since the very first century. The first martyr was Stephen; he was stoned because he preached the gospel of Christ faithfully and without compromise. James the son of Zebedee was beheaded; Andrew was crucified on an X shaped cross. Peter and Paul were tortured and executed in Rome. The esteemed missionary to Indian, Thomas was thrust through with a sword, by pagan priests. During the days of the early church, Christians were covered in tar and lit on fire to create streetlights for those who wanted to stroll in the evenings. Many like Ignatius were food for lions in the Colosseum of Rome, simply for entertainment sake.

An important book to read is Fox’s Book of Martyrs. In you, you will find the stories of many who made their stand for Christ without shame and without excuses. Reading this may also cause you to feel empowered to become bold in your faith in Jesus Christ! In this compelling historical account, you can read about Acquitain of France, a female who was broiled on a gridiron, then beheaded. Felicitas and Perpetua, two more courageous women, who were stripped and thrown to a mad bull. When they were not quite dead from that attack, they were finished off by the sword. A saint named Polycarp would not deny Christ and was tied to a stake at the local marketplace

and burned before his community. William Tyndale, a man who illegally translated the Bible into English was choked, impaled on a stake, then burned also.

In modern times, three pastors were beheaded in Nigeria in 2009 and another one was shot and killed in Columbia. In Iraq, terrorists massacred 52 Christians as they were worshiping in church. (I could go on listing example after example, but then this article would fill the magazine completely.) It is said that an average of 160,000 believers have been murdered annually for their faith in Algeria, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sudan since 1990. North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Laos, Bangladesh, Egypt, Uganda, Columbia, Iran and many other nations too numerous to mention are abusing and killing Christians daily. In the twentieth century alone, more than 45 million have been martyred for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

It is natural to be frightened, but not faithful to stay hidden. If you take a stand for Jesus; you are not alone in the difficulty of persecution! There is no such thing as an undercover Christian. If you are a legitimate believer, stand up and say so. If you are that silent believer today, please, pray for the strength and fortitude to come into the open with your faith today. Leave the consequences of your unfettered faith and unabashed action into the Lord’s capable hands. Even when we are unfaithful, He is faithful!

continued from page 19..

Undercover Christian

23June 2012

ven though God’s name is not explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther, the Ep r o v i d e n t i a l

guidance of Lord is marvelously attested t h r o u g h o u t a l l t e n chapters, from beginning to end. No time was more fraught with peril for the Jewish nation; for it was then that Haman, the prime minister of Persia, undertook to have the entire population of the Hebrew captivity wiped ou t i n a genoc ida l massacre. To thwart this evil purpose, God raised up a woman- a very beautiful, intelligent and courageous woman-who made herself totally available for the deliver-ance of her people. The only way she could achieve this goal was by presenting herself before the king as a candidate in the beauty contest held in the royal palace.

Whether Esther actually volunteered to participate, or whether she was compelled by the king’s agents to join with the other contestants, we have no way of

knowing. Esther 2:8 simply says, “Esther was taken to the king’s palace” (NASB). This could well imply that she had no freedom to refuse, At any rate, there can be

no doubt that she was to serve as God’s instrument to frustrate the purpose of the vengeful premier, Haman, and to entangle him in a web of guilt as one who plotted the death of Xerxes’ new queen. Because of all the special factors, we may say with assurance that in this particular case Esther acted completely within the will of God. She was willing to risk her life for the sake of her people, saying, “If I perish, I perish”(4:16).

Yet on other hand, this remarkable adventure of queen Esther can hardly be said to offer a precedent for young Christian women to follow at the level of a modern beauty contest. It is true that God used Esther’s beauty to deliver His c h o s e n f r o m t o t a l destruction. No such issues,

however, are at stake in beauty contests as we know them in our modern civilization; and young believers are well advised to avoid them.

Courtesy : Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties

Do you know

“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”(Isaiah 59:21)

24 June 2012

Phone: 9447126182

SATHYAM SERVICE TRUSTWANTED

1. OFFICE SECRETARY (2): He/she should have good command

over English with good knowledge of computers. Candidate must

have Christian mission commitment and dynamic attitude with the

ability to correspond independently.2. ACCOUNTANTS (2): Ability to work on accounting programs

especially tally.3. EDITORS (2): Experience with English language editing for our

Christian Magazine.4. SOCIAL WORKERS (3): with MSW & experience.5. MANAGER(3): HR & Marketing with MBA6. DRIVERS (2): with licence of heavy & light vehicles7. SALES PERSONS (3) 8. SPECIAL TEACHERS (3)9. CARE TAKERS (2) 10. SPEECH THERAPIST(1)11.PHYSIOTHERAPIST(1) 12. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST(1)

SATHYAM MINISTRIES THOTTABHAGOM P.O., THIRUVALLA-689 541, KERALA, INDIA.

Tel: 0469 - 2619209, 2619005, Mobile: 0-9447178230E-mail: satyam_india@yahoo.com, web: www.sathyam.org

BOTH FRESHERS AND EXPERIENCED CAN APPLY FOR THE POST.ALL CANDIDATES SHOULD DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO THE CHRISTIAN MISSION AND DISPLAY A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

Interested candidates are kindly requested to respond with their detailed Curriculum Vitae along with a recent passport size photograph to satyam_india@yahoo.com. Alternatively, we can be contacted at the following address:

25June 2012

fulfilled and believers will be observers of the final judgment against the evil forces of this world. God’s promise is eschatological, concerned with the final destiny of human kind. This does not mean that God will not protect us in this life. In fact, the majority of the Psalm is a promise of God’s faithful protection.

The greatest promise found in Psalm 91 is that God’s caring protection accompanies us in ALL circumstances of life. He supports and defends us from eternal harm by providing us the ability to overcome the most difficult of situations. It is this security that enabled Jesus to endure the agony of the cross saying, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” A continuing relationship with God is stressed in verses 14-16. “He who loves me…I will rescue him…I will protect him…he knows my name…he will call on me…I will answer…I will be with him…I will deliver him…honor him…satisfy him.” These words are echoed in Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.” God’s promise of eternal life and salvation is the bedrock of our security of faith. 1 John 5:4-5 puts it this way, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is a security that the world can neither give nor take away.

The power of our God in whom we trust

Who is this God in whom we put our trust? The Psalms give us a glimpse of His attributes. The Lord is good; the enemy is not. God’s love endures forever. He is our helper. His name has power to triumph over the enemy. He is righteous and all-powerful. He has done and continues to do mighty things. He is the maker of heaven and earth. He is a deliverer, a provider, a healer and a powerful protector. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point: Our God is GREATER than any calamity, any disaster, any decease, any evil. Nothing is impossible for Him.

Our response to these realities

What does God expect in return? A response that sounds something like Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil for you are with me.” Therefore, this encourages me to testify to my friends who are struggling with cancer, and to you, “Beloved, be assured that God will protect you from dangers of every kind, real or imagined. All such dangers are robbed of their destructive power because you are encircled within God’s protecting power. God has put you on a high place and is pouring over you grace upon grace. From this place Satan cannot take you out – not as long as you put our trust in God and rely on the security of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

continued from page 26Security of Faith

Most of us in our passage through life, whether we are religious or not, experience what Beatrice Webb called “a yearning for the mental security of a spiritual home.” We need the inner resources that give hope, strength, and peace of soul. We need a spiritual Philosophy to help us to meet the problems of life, to see us through the dark hours that inevitably come to us all.

“Man must be arched and buttressed from within, else the temple wavers to the dust,” wrote Marcus Aurelius eighteen hundred years ago.

With faith a man is never alone, never forsaken. In illness, trouble, danger, despair, he is not alone. Faith gives him help and guidance; faith gives him comfort an peace.

“Every sort of energy and endurance, of cou rage and capac i ty fo r handling life’s evils is set free in those who have religious f a i t h , ” s a i d William James.

“Without Faith a man can do nothing ; with it all things are possible.” Sir William Osler

Thought of the Month

Here you will find beautiful and inspiring expressions of faith words of comfort,guidance, and Help from men and women whose lives were invested with deep spiritual values.

Courtesy: Light from many Lamps

26 June 2012

Ines S. Franklin

Reflection

Security of Faiths I write this, I am thinking of two dear friends who are currently battling stage 4 cancer. They are facing danger, sickness, pain, darkness and A

potential disaster. They are threatened with at best the reality of painful recovery and at worst the possibility of an untimely death. My mind is filled with questions: Why is this happening to them? Where will they turn for security? How will they maintain hope? Whom will they trust? Will their faith wane? My prayers provide only one answer: Their security is found through faith in God. Of this the writer of Psalm 91 is a witness. The Psalmist testifies of a deeply personal faith. In the midst of great danger, his (or her) life is entrusted confidently to God.

Psalm 91 teaches us that we must encourage each other to experience a faith revival – again and again – through the Word of God because of three key realities: 1) the danger of the world, 2) the promise we have been given, and 3) the power of our God in whom we trust.

The danger of this world

The human experience is filled with life-threatening and destructive forces. Psalm 91 identifies the key dangers we face. Deadly deceases, violence, irrational fears, demonic forces, loneliness, deception, false pride and disasters plague us. Newspapers and TV shows specialize in capturing this reality for our consumption. This daily diet of trauma, sickness, disaster, warnings, despair and terror, results in our being weighed down with growing fears. Even the Bible teaches that trusting God does not mean we will not experience dangerous circumstances. Most of us know other Christians who have lost their life, jobs, children, marriages, and even their faith. Therefore, we live in constant fear even when things are going well. Have you head someone – or maybe yourself – say, “things are great, but I am sure something bad is going to happen any time soon.” Fear

is a crippling pestilence. No wonder our faith needs constant revival. In fact, it is fear, not doubt, which is the opposite of faith.

The promise we have been given

Let’s tackle the most difficult part of this passage. Verse 7 says, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” Many read this passage as a promise that nothing bad will happen in their life if they put their trust in God. This is a lie from Satan himself. Consider the devil’s conversation with Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. Notice that the devil quotes the Scriptures! He arrogantly quotes Psalm 91:11-12. But, Jesus responds by quoting Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:16) with humble trust, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Yes, God has made us a promise to protect, rescue, shield and save us. However, his promise is often misunderstood with “prosperity” in this life. His promise is an eternal prosperity, where verse 7 will be

continued in page 25..

00 January 2011

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