Evening Prayer

“Sweet thing happens when we fellowship around the word of God”

(Recalling 1st December 2017. On this day, I sent this email message to some of my friends before I started to blog "With the Word")

I am not supposed to write and send anything tonight as I have already issued “With the Word” (through email). But, something sweet happened tonight, that I just cannot keep silent. What to do…! I am like that! Prone to tell Good news – gospel or personal news.

I have been conducting a family Bible Study in a home of one of our church members. Tonight was the end of that fellowship because we have completed the book of Ephesians, as well as I would be leaving Goa the coming Wednesday. We celebrate with bicycle ride, family games, and grand dinner. 

After everything is done, I decided to go back to my room. Then, I received this (look at the image). It is the best card I have ever received. I have been to many places and to many institutions. Thousands of people have bid me farewell already over the years. This one comes as the best! Look how beautiful my name looks, especially when it comes from just eleven years old kid, whose first language is not English. I bet you cannot come up better than that...! Can you?

I re-affirm again tonight that fellowship around the word of God produces surprising joy beyond measure. May we all continue to grow up in the fellowship of the word of God wherever we are!

Good Night!

Image Scripture: John 6:51

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

10 CREATIVE BIBLE READING PLANS

Meditating, Studying, Memorizing, and Reading are different things. Reading is the most basic, simple, easy, and ‘regular’ way to approach the word of God. The more we feed on God's word, the more it guides us in any moments of our life.

Some people have the habit/discipline of reading through the Bible at least once a year. But, even simple ‘regular’ (not necessarily daily) reading of the Bible looks boring to many of us. I myself have been forming the habit, but it's always a struggle and so, I've got to motivate myself through creativity!

If you want to read through the Bible, you've got to make a plan. Reading through the Bible is tougher than most people imagine. It's a thick book that requires 70-100 hours of reading.

If you want to form the habit of reading through every year, you've got to have a creative plan. We could easily get demotivated by the fact that we've read through once. Reading a new thick book looks more exciting than re-reading an old thick book.

Over The Years, I've Been Trying To Be Creative:

*#1. Read a different Bible version each year. There are over 200 English translations of the Bible. That's more than you can live and buy and read! (But if you are poor; if you don't know your Bible enough; and if Bible translations are not available, then you might want to restrict it to just 2-3 translations — ESV, NKJV, KJV, NASB, NIV, or TEV/GNB)

*#2. Read the books of the Bible chronologically. From the first book written to the last book written. Ask your Pastor or refer a Study-Bible for that information!

*#3. Read the events of the Bible chronologically. Refer a good Study-Bible or a Bible Handbook for that information.

*#4. Read through each book of the Bible in one or two sitting(s). That sounds a heavy-duty duty, but it's rewarding. This is really something to accomplish it, very motivating actually, isn't it?

*#5. Read the books of the Bible according to its genre. Ask your Pastor or refer a Study-Bible for the information. (History, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels, Laws, Epistles, etc.)

*#6. Read 3 Chapters of OT and 1 Chapter of NT every day. That will require you 15-20 minutes daily. If you read lesser, welcome to the next year! So try to read more actually! Do the math! (929+260 chapters in 365 days).

*#7. Read with a Practical Plan. I. Don't overestimate your habit/discipline, always read more. Everyone gets out of routine sometimes— sickness, laziness, busy works, etc. II. Prefer regular reading to daily reading. (For a heavy-duty reading, 5days of reading and 2 days to catch up in a week).

*#8. Read the Bible by the number of pages. Do the math. 5 pages? 10 pages? 50 pages? My Bible has 1095 pages. Each page has over 800-900 words.

*#9. Read the Bible Proportionately. This may not be applicable to most of us. If you read 30,000 words of a novel; if you read this and that pages of such and such book; if you spend such and such amount of time in reading newspapers; if you spend such and such amount of time in watching movies, entertainments, gyms, sports, and games, then what?

*#10. Read the Bible with Pen(s). Determine to circle or underline certain words, phrases, or themes before you read each book. Read a good introduction of each book to do that. Please don't frustrate yourself circling every "and." (Rather underline every "know" in the book of 1 John, for example). Sure, you might need a new Bible for this!

I'd love to know if you have discovered some other interesting ways to read through the Bible. And also, I'd love to know how you are reading your Bible.

May you continue to grow exceedingly in the grace and knowledge of God's word!

Lighten your sadness!

When circumstances tear your heart out,

When opportunities have passed you by,

Remember the song, “Pass me not,”

Sung by the blind Fanny Crosby,

Grace has not passed you by salvationally!

And to His chosen ones, His goodness

Endures forever and faithfully!

May that lighten your sadness!

God's Providence

4 Questions for all professing Christians

Three questions I usually ask a professing Christian:

1. Do you consider yourself to be a Christian? If yes

2. If calamity happens and if you die now, would you be in heaven or hell?

3. What would you reply if the Lord asks you, "Why should I let you enter My Kingdom?"

And it usually takes an hour to hear these through. Now, I've found a 4^th question to ask. And this I would ask only to those who are well-versed with the first 3 questions. So, the 4th question—

4. What makes you so desirous to enter the Kingdom?

(Btw, this 4th question is asked by Ms. Prudence to Mr. Christian, when he came all the way from the City of Destruction heading to the Celestial City in the book "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan)

If you want to hear his answer, buy Pilgrim's Progress and read it! 😀 Charles Spurgeon read it over a hundred times. I'm reading it for the 4th time, and shall not be the last!👍

Image Scripture Psalm 39:9

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Wretched vs Grace

"If I had become a Christian by my own will,

I would have renounced it many times!

(John 10:28-29; 1 John 2:19)

"If I had a chance to escape God,

I would have slammed the door a long time ago!"

(Psalm 139:7-12)

"If I had an opportunity to murder God,

I would have done it once and for all!"

(Romans 5:10; John.19:15)

This is the biblical anatomy of a wretched man saved by Grace!

DIAGNOSING TEMPTATION

All kinds of temptations fall under 3 categories mentioned in 1John 2:16. "Desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, pride of life!"

3 Temptations of Jesus corroborates that! (Matthew 4:1-11) Jesus won victoriously!

The temptations of Eve in the Garden of Eden is another elucidation! (Genesis 3:6) Eve failed miserably!

Many times the desires of the flesh are the desires of the heart! Because as Jeremiah said that the heart is deceitful above all things. It was right for Jesus to satisfy his hunger! His reply was "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

Our desires (ambitions, plans, pursuits), which look noble, blessed, great and morally sound could be just a temptation sometimes!

We live by every word of God, not just clinging to one verse of the Bible! Suffering, sorrows, failings, etc. are equally God's plan as victory, joy, and progressions are.