Orissa: This is what Happened Yesterday! (Aug 30, 08)

http://www.morungexpress.com/national/2699.html

Please continue your prayers, till their days of terror are brought to an end. Pray earnestly. While we find our abode still intact, may in Orissa are searching theirs in ashes.

Orissa: Who will Vouch for them!!!

Orissa is burning! If latest news and reports are any indication, the persecution against Christians are not ending soon. But PRAYER can, and this is what we are trying to solicit. They are not asking for money, new buildings or any form of luxury. Instead they are pleading us to offer our EARNEST prayers to our Father in Heaven. So that their days of persecution may be shortened and the Holy Spirit my instill boldness in them.

Where will they run to when Law enforcement and the government which is called to protect its citizenry is in neglect of its duty, thereby playing into the hand of the persecutors. As Churches are burning along with its parishioners, and human body mutilated with shape objects, let us not be like Nero playing the fiddle and engaged in our day to day oddities

Let us arouse all godly passion and intercede for the Church in Orissa

Here are some links -

1. http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-08-27-voa14.cfm
2. http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=25c54a9f-489d-48a2-bd2a-9581e13ded56&ParentID=4a6d2eeb-0b2d-4ae6-a448-11610adc1e1d&&Headline=Orissa+tense%2c+more+churches+burnt

An Orphanage

Video: Who is this Fourth Man?

What a glorious pedigree!

Podpost: Jesus Among Other Gods

In the interest of making the blog more gospel oriented, please find posts with the title "podpost". These are podcast in the form of blog post. These posts will certainly contain audio which can be heard at your leisure.

This posting is a message from Ravi Zacharias. He explains why he believes in Christ. In many of his messages he poses questions and gives answers which can be a useful tool when evangelizing to your friends who are still in the realm of material darkness. Moreover it gives us a comprehensive understanding of what and why we believe in what we believe.

Jesus Among other Gods (1 of 4)

Jesus Among other Gods (2 of 4)

Jesus Among other Gods (3 of 4)

Jesus Among other Gods (4 of 4)

Video: Pilgrim's Progress - Old is Gold

After the bible, "Pilgrims Progress" - the book stands the most read in the world. Now watch this 400 years old story in the movie "Pilgrims Progress - Journey to heaven".

This allegory illustrates the gospel and christian life and burns a lasting image in our mind.

It also illustrates some of the foundational doctrines of our faith. It is worth buying for your library. Video below.

Here is How a Typical Christian Students Conferences Concluded in the 1800s!

This account is taken from Mr R. A Torry's description of D. L Moody in the book "Why God Used D. L Moody". To read the complete account please refer http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/dasc/WGUDLM.HTM

What is illuminated in this post is a description of how Mr. Moody concluded one of his Christian Conferences. In those days, preaching was always followed by the real work of Holy Spirit. You will see an ocean of difference between now and then!

"It was the closing day of the Northfield Students' Conference--the gathering of the students from the eastern colleges. Mr. Moody had asked me to preach on Saturday night and Sunday morning on the baptism with the Holy Ghost. On Saturday night I had spoken about, "The Baptism with the Holy Ghost, What it is, What it does, the Need of it and the Possibility of it." On Sunday morning I spoke on "The Baptism with the Holy Spirit, How to Get It."

It was just exactly twelve o'clock when I finished my morning sermon, and I took out my watch and said: "Mr. Moody has invited us all to go up to the mountain at three o'clock this afternoon to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit. It is three hours to three o'clock. Some of you cannot wait three hours. You do not need to wait. Go to your rooms, go out into the woods, go to your tent, go anywhere where you can get alone with God and have this matter out with Him."

At three o'clock we all gathered in front of Mr. Moody's mother's house (she was then still living), and then began to pass down the lane, through the gate, up on the mountainside. There were four hundred and fifty-six of us in all; I know the number because Paul Moody counted us as we passed through the gate.

After a while Mr. Moody said: "I don't think we need to go any further; let us sit down here." We sat down on stumps and logs and on the ground. Mr. Moody said: "Have any of you students anything to say?" I think about seventy-five of them arose, one after the other, and said: "Mr. Moody, I could not wait till three o'clock; I have been alone with God since the morning service, and I believe I have a right to say that I have been baptized with the Holy Spirit." When these testimonies were over, Mr. Moody said: "Young men, I can't see any reason why we shouldn't kneel down here right now and ask God that the Holy Ghost may fall upon us just as definitely as He fell upon the apostles on the Day of Pentecost. Let us pray." And we did pray, there on the mountainside.

As we had gone up the mountainside heavy clouds had been gathering, and just as we began to pray those clouds broke and the raindrops began to fall through the overhanging pines. But there was another cloud that had been gathering over Northfield for ten days, a cloud big with the mercy and grace and power of God, and as we began to pray our prayers seemed to pierce that cloud and the Holy Ghost fell upon us. Men and women, that is what we all need--the Baptism with the Holy Ghost." R. A. Torrey

The faith of this man and the students is profound. Imagine the effect if 1% of present day conferences were any practical or palpable as this?

Regular Dispatch: Are You called Lazy!

“But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” Ex 5:8, 9

Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' Ex 5:17

There are supreme truths in these verses. So deep are its implications that it murmurs wisdom even in this present age. Work in any form has been the prime need of man if he or she were to survive in this world. Being a depraved and fallen creature, the urge to control and lord-over another is inherent in every human being. In history the strong and mighty took advantage of this fallen state of mankind. Thus came to practice the evil of slavery.

Though we pride in the abolition of slavery, its remnants still exist in different forms in many societies – even in ours.

The subtle truth here is this – if the adversary is not happy with your work when you are a slave, how can he be happy when you are salaried? The moment you dedicate more time for God and his purposes, you will hear from your manager and co-workers. With the passage of time you will be labeled lazy! [Ex 5:8, 9, 17]

If we understand what the Pharaoh (our employer or friends) wants, we will clearly understand what our Lord wants. There is and will not be any agreement between both.

1. The Pharaoh would like you to slave for him and die in Egypt but God want you to live for him, worship Him in freedom and be a light to the Nations.
2. The Pharaoh will call you lazy, because he considers worship a desperate act by the poor to escape. But God is unequivocal when he demands that you are saved from slavery to “HIMSELF” [Ex 19:4]

I am not discouraging hard work. For as long as we live on this earth, this is our portion. “Work” in the grand scheme of things has its place and purpose. But when the divine comes calling, ask the mighty Lord to smite (drown) the Pharaoh so that you can get to Mount Sinai to hear Him (our Lord) speak.

There will be no balance, peace or compromise between our “work” and the “work of His Kingdom.” In executing our worldly responsibilities do we ignore our heavenly calling? The righteous will give priority to the “Work of His Kingdom”. This is where the lasting reward lay. [Ph 3:7, 8]

How will we deal with the following?

1. “Surely if I take this job I will have more financial stability but because of the added responsibility I am unable to be active in Church or His Kingdom.”


2. “Man! My promotion is coming up. This time I have a chance to lead a small team.” In taking a decision to assume this new position, does your Christian calling to spread the message and growth in Christ come into consideration at all?


3. Am I starting a business so that I will have the freedom to choose my own schedule (hence find time to progress the kingdom) and spend money for the expansion of the Kingdom?


4. Will you downgrade to a low paying job (or a part-time job) because you can spend more time for the Kingdom or will you do it for leisure?


5. “Hey man, I am struggling to decide whether to use my vacation on a cruise or a mission trip”


6. The disciples waited in prayer for 10 days before the Holy Spirit came down in power. Realizing this can we say “I would like to use this year’s vacation on a tarry meeting”.


7. There are 168 hours in a week. Forget worship; how much time did we spend working for the Kingdom – Intercessory prayer, preaching the gospel to the lost, praying for the sick, helping your fellow brothers and sisters, visiting the nearby orphanage or hospitals, distributing gospel tracts, being in fasting and prayer for Austin or your fellow believers …..

But off course, we are too wise and civilized. How could we think like this? If we are not fanatic for Christ, how can we follow Christ who was fanatic about his Father!