Passionate for Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16

Summarize in a Word: Passion for Gospel

Key Principle: Gospel is the, and only means of Salvation

Key Application: We must Communicate Gospel Passionately

Main point of the Passage: Understanding the reality of the Gospel would make us passionate to reach the unreached.

Illustration: Tiny seed in a good soil grows into a big fruit-bearing tree

Exhortation: Proclaim with Preparation, Passion, and much Prayer.

According to the Joshua Project, there are over 7040 unreached groups in the world even after 2000 years of Church existent. Are we, Christian understanding the reality of Gospel? Why is Gospel spreading so slow even in this day of modern technology?

Apostle Paul had completed his missionary work in the east and was longing to go west when he penned Romans. In this verse, we see why he was so passionate about preaching Gospel to the whole world. He understood what Gospel exactly is. Gospel is the, and only means for Salvation. He knew the urgency of Gospel because of God’s wrath, the effectiveness of Gospel because it is God’s power. He knew Gospel saves, but only when it is preached and the hearer holds fast to it (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2). The word “believes” is not a one-time belief or confession; it is an ongoing, continuous exercise of faith.

People are often ashamed or afraid of Gospel because they underestimate the effectiveness of Gospel. Yes, Gospel is a tiny seed, but a tiny seed that grows in a good soil into a big fruit-bearing tree. It is a small jerk, which wakes you up from the deep slumber of sin. It is a small door, which leads you to the celestial city.

However, Gospel is not Salvation; it is the means for Salvation. We are responsible for how and what we preach, and God is responsible for Salvation. Gospel is not a mere recitation of historical fact. Proclaim with Preparation, Passion, and much Prayer. The learned spirit-filled Paul asked Ephesian to pray for him in order to preach Gospel passionately (Ephesians 6:19). Do you understand the reality of Gospel and pray?

Image Scripture: Luke 21.33

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Satan v/s God

Satan works all the time. (He works outside)

When I was praying, he was not intimidated

When I was resting, he did not give up

When I was sleeping, he was not complacent

When I was sinning, he was not contented

I tell you he is the busiest and most diligent being;

Because he knows, his time is near.

He is roaming to and fro to devour anyone!

      God works greater all the time. (He works in me)

When I was not, He made me

When I was dead in sin, He made me alive

When I was rebellious, He reconciled me

When I was sinning, He convicted me

When I walk with Him, He directs me

God’s grace is greater than my sins.

His grace is greater than the schemes of Satan.

His grace is greater than life itself.

He made life, gives life and renews life.

Though you fail, He remains faithful!

Facing a Giant

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” – 1 Samuel 17:45 (ESV)

Summarize in a Word: Facing a Giant

Key Principle: Those who live for God’s glory shall be victorious

Key Application: We must rely on the power of God

Main point of the Passage (Devotion): No matter what our trouble is, in Christ, we are more than a conqueror.

Illustration: The zeal and the death of Christ and Apostles.

Exhortation: Trust in the Lord and Live courageously. Call upon the name of the Lord!

Have you encountered a situation like that of David vs Goliath, facing a giant – may be your troubles, or even sin? We find difficult to withstand even with our size, right? How could David have faced Goliath?

David was God-conscious and not self-conscious. He refused to rely on human’s strategy by denying Saul’s armour, but trusted in God to deliver him from Goliath. His walk with God had delivered him from a lion and a bear even when he was young. He saw the presence of God clearly in this trouble too.

Also, David saw the honor of God and not the weapons of the Enemy. His fight was motivated by defiance of Goliath against the living God. His zeal for God’s honor consumed him, as it was for Christ our Lord when He cleansed the temple (John 2:13-17).

Moreover, David understood that a wicked sinner is in the hands of an angry God (Psalm 7:11-17). David pronounced a judgment upon Goliath that he had defied the living God, and now he could not do anything but die in the hands of living God.

Christian, are you looking to yourself or to the power of God? In Christ, we are more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37). Are you zealous for truth and glory of God, or are you intimidated by your troubles? Christ nor Apostles were not, they witnessed truth to their death. Trust in the Lord and Live courageously.

Reader, have you not known Christ spiritually? You are in danger of God’s wrath! Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved! (Rom 10:13)

Kai Han Guangmei (Homecoming)

Meibnbaengmei lat (English) khouna Poem hibam nimak khena, akai nRuanglat khou hi chada tuang e. nRuangmeina su bam se nRuanglat ncham thao tou timak na tho, khatni English school khou rana kutimeitho, nRuanglat hi khang peina kung mei naithe.

New Orthography le Syllabification thai mak pukhou, Poem hei hi thai dat mak khe. Rhyming words, Alliteration, Rhyme schemes, meter, assonance hei kasiam thai dat mak khe. Poem tho hiloumei nai gei e ki, kalun kasiam ngam makpui zaeng rui (sa kanmei problem theilaina) post sulou khang meizak e!

KAI HAN GUANGMEI

31^st July, 2008 kum hi loumei poem e. 
(JNV, Bishnupur, Class room khou)

Chaeng manna tat kanmei

Aseih hei kai han guang dat the

Neihlahna lalou kho, zianna lalou kho

Aman kanmei lauziu kum mei

Lung ncham datkhang guang dat the

Champan thiu niu neihlahna bam kho

Heikum meihei zaozian pan rui e

Kagan asaek ntam kan mei

Chana puna ramgai thai makna

Aseih hei lungncham mei ramgai

Thaidat lana guang dat the

Zangailuh suanna neihla na lalou kho

Manseih panti hei, mi kum tuang e

Kagan asaek hei niu manna bam puni

Han guang dat pui gan ni naipuni

Mi gan khoutei niu ramthai hian puni

Aniu neihlana lalou kho,

Sangaipuimei kiu lalou pui mei e.

What to Pray for when we Pray for others

How wonderful it is to see people in earnest prayer! We love to read what Mary, Queen of Scots said about the prayer of John Knox. Prayers are powerful because we have a sovereign God who answers prayers. We often say, “Pray for me,” and “Will pray for you,” and often neglect to pray earnestly. When there are specific prayer points to pray for we pray more spontaneously, but we do not want to pray only after hearing or learning bad news or tragedies, do we? How do we pray for one another and regularly even if we do not get bad news or possibly good news?

Is Your Life Worth Living?

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.” – Psalm 63:3 (ESV)

Summarize in a Word: Lovingkindness

Key Principle: God’s Love is Gracious.

Key Application: We must Praise God with all our breath.

Main point of the Passage: Neither Life’s distress nor Life’s pleasure should stop us to live and praise God.

Illustration: David and Paul

Exhortation: Recognize the loving kindness of God.

David made this wonderfully stunning statement when he was in the wilderness of Judah, running away because of Absalom’s treachery. Yet he always recognized the faithfulness of God towards him. For David the lovingkindness of God he realized surpassed all troubles and enmities surrounding him.

This lovingkindness was not the material blessing. In fact, he lost all. He was a combat hero, a decorated military warrior, and a King. He was loved, honored, and revered by his people. For David, even such a glorious life that only a few human can ever achieve looked pale compared to the lovingkindness of God.

David would not slip into depression for his lost or for such a treason against him. He was not like the reluctant Jonah who wanted to die. For him, whatever life brings, if God’s faithfulness he sees, he will rejoice. He was like Apostle Paul who says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Neither Life’s distress nor Life’s pleasure would stop him to live and praise God.

Is your life worth living? Yes, because of God’s love. He gives your life and sustains you. And if you would confess Christ, He would give you eternal life, and immeasurable spiritual riches of Him. Are you bogged down by failure? Are you discouraged? Or, are you distracted by the status of the world? Recognize the loving kindness of God. He has demonstrated His Love unprecedentedly when Christ died for us 2000 years ago. Would you live for Him who died for you? Would you Praise God with all your breath?

Image Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31 (ESV and NKJV)

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV Version

Just About Prayer

Someone asked me to compile about prayer with Scripture references, and this is what I gathered from Reference Bibles. I took help from ThomsonChain-Reference Bible and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook. They are good books for scripture references.

Genuine Christian

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." – John 1:12-13 (ESV)

Summarize in a Word: Genuine Christian

Key Principle: Salvation is of God

Key Application: You must be born again

Main point of the Passage: God grants Salvation to whoever believes Christ

Illustration: The learned and religious Nicodemus

Exhortation: Put your trust in the Person and Work of Christ, for behold! Now is the Time!

Years ago, on my seminary break, I had the opportunity to travel from Goa to Manipur. I asked many people on my way home why they think they were going to Heaven when they die. I also asked them why they think they were Christians. And I got lots of clever answers, but unfortunately not biblical.

Some people think they are Christian because they grow up in a Christian family. And some people do not care because they think they are going to heaven because God should be good enough to let them in. There are other groups of people who think they can become Christian sometime later. And unfortunately, there are also people who think God is responsible for all our sins and destiny to hell.

This magnificent passage refutes all such thoughts and arguments. Apostle John describes three ways you can never become Christian – not by Christian upbringing, not by your will, not by your parent’s or pastor’s or priest’s will. Also, no man can convert you. Even you too cannot decide to become Christian. To be Christian You must be born of God. As Christ said to Nicodemus in John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Have you received Christ? Or in other words, Have you wholly put your trust in Him and His work that He has accomplished on the cross? If you are, God has justified you and declared you as His Child. Apostle Paul says, “Behold now is the favorable time; Behold now is the day of Salvation!” Would you believe in Jesus, the Christ?