31st January: Reading for the Death Anniversary of Charles Haddon Spurgeon

128 years ago today, Spurgeon went Heaven. I'm sure there will be lots of articles and blog posts about him by the end of the day. Here are some of the past/older posts which are still refreshing as we think through the work of God in Spurgeon's life and ministry:

1.     This Day In History: The Death of Charles Spurgeon by Michael Reeves. "When you see my coffin carried to the silent grave, I should like every one of you, whether converted or not, to be constrained to say, ‘He did earnestly urge us, in plain and simple language, not to put off the consideration of eternal things. He did entreat us to look to Christ.’”

2.     Four Reasons Spurgeon Died Poor. Charles Spurgeon could have been one of the richest millionaires in London. Instead, he died poor. Why????

3.     The Secret of Spurgeon's Success by Clint Archer. His success was obvious, but the reason for his success was not as obvious, except to those who knew him well . . . 

4.     Anniversary of the Death of Spurgeon by John Piper. There are 7 characteristics that qualify Spurgeon as a helpful guide to preachers who need strength to preach through adversity

Sure, there will be no another Spurgeon, but let us pray that God will grant us to see Him raising up godly men like him in our lifetime!

The late Mr C H Spurgeon, viewing the Coffin in the Metropolitan Tabernacle, 9 February 1892. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 13 February 1892.

Image Scripture: Amos 4:7-8; 5:4-6

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

RAVKALUM LINGH NI KIH KALUM THUYLAK E THEI... (If You Struggle To Pray)

Ravkalummei hei peyna gay e twmei meiguayna rui thay e. Ntay-tazuanghmei, ravmaengc kalummei (idol worshippers) guay rui na sinic, aniu Ravsuay ta kahao chuy pui tuang the. Tikih aniu Ravkalummei hei aliauh pui ganv nai e. Kalum ni kih kalum thuy lak, twmei ganv ni nai e. Kum tina Baibal ruina aniw ta ‘Ravkalum lingh o’ tuna sa katup hak na sa bam e. Heizaeng rui, nang ai Ravkalum linghmaih, heihmaih, gaymaih, thuihmaih khang, mihei hy lou pui tuang e. Ravkalum lingh ni ki kalum thuy lak e thei:

1. Ravkai (Church) ku tat tio. Namphu kalum tou puni the, meicguayna kalum bam timei tho. Rakai khou, nangrana khang ni, meiramc meikhang ni, phwamgling khang ni, kalum raph rap the. Ravguangc tanih thuanh pui ravsuai suaic the.

2. Tingzin key e thei, meic geihtho kai khou bam pui ganv the. “Family Worship nai dikho” tuna karianh tio. Nang aliauh maih bam si, mei guay na kalum nchamc e thei, kalum chuy dat kan tuang e. Family swna lungh mak ge thei, bam ncham mei guay lev na kalum khang kabai tho. Kaigei kaining mei ta sinic karianh ti doc.

3. Nang tuang phone contact list zaocna, Whatsapp khou ny, Message khou ny, Call su tuang ni tuna, "Kumh Kumh mei khang Ravkalum tou lou o to nang khang?" twna than geic tio. Text message rui gay hian the, kazaeng tho, text tha meipu nic, type subam khou rui, kalum nimei ravsuay dam (prayer items) ta kakhanh minc na type sw e. Nang nic meicdyng khou ta pac na kalum lou nuh the. 

4. Church khou, ramh lam peyna khang kalum tow geic the, aniu ning tow zat mak mei khang sinic. Church Intercessory Prayer ganv khou guang namv khang Ravkai guang zaic o, kaengc nei (2nd bell) key mak mei hu khou rui. 

5. Ravkalum lou o twna sasmei nai e thei, WhatsApp khou ny, Message khou ny, nang tuang Ravsuay short summary, text swna tha lou tio. Kumna type swbam khou, nang Ravkalum nu the!

6. Meicram meidaeng tho taray tat na (visiting), kadow cha mei zaocna "Ravkalum khotoh/ni?" tuna sa tio.

7. Nangkhang suangc rianra/nsuan maihmei/ nnaumei/ guay ta pary rac ncham tio. Nzian mei lung ning pat na Ravkalum ni kan tuang e. Kaniu pary nking pu khou, kaniu ni neihlaa (glad), nang ni nang zaeng gay, Ravguangc ruini kwnlou  (pleasing to God) punic.

8. Ravchap tatmei guay thei ni lay tat tio. Kaniu thiak zaocna lungning thao hak pu ni. ‘Nsuan mei guay rih-ngam kho thei (victory), tanhmei (strong) nunc thei liangh khang e’ tu e.

9. Lwm nuhmei (trustworthy) hamhethei nchaan dianghmei (close friends) khat-kanei phuna, prayer partner swna, haptac pum (weekly) (tingmik pum sw ngam mak se), kalum nchamc o. Kabamv baic na bam e thei, khuangh ganv daek pat na (fix the timing), kalum pui dam saa karina, kalum tio.

10. Kalumnimei dam (Prayer routine/schedule) kasiamhna table khou hamhethei, dam-ngaengh (wall) khou nap lou tio. Photo kaap na phone khou ni lou tio.

11. Paapc, thay tangkhaanvna, taanc taanc bam sinih (even after a deliberate sin), ‘Ravguangc khiu nthan lou ngam e’ tw mei thayna Ravguangc mav khou, kuaklou khang khatnic, huaynei khang, nang liw keyna (in humility/penitence) kalum o. Kalingna sa pwkhou, aniw paapc khou bow key lou puy ganv khou the, Ravguangc ta kage nai liang mei.

Kumh-Kumh mei sahaap lou dat nuh bo, meic tangh khou ruina? Kazaeng tho, Ravkalummei (prayer) twmei hei aniw kathiak kathiak swna meicrana meicta nthiam (discipline) ni na e. Comment section khou, sahaap lou niimei nai e thei, salou nuh e. Khat khat thaymei saana katiu kary kho. 🙏

BAIBAL PAC NI KIH PAC THUYLAK E TA (If You Struggle To Read The Bible)

Meicguay Na Ta Karianh Ne...

Tingkwm pum Baibal pacluai lou tanh tan ethei gayhak puni dyng e twna, aniu meicguayna ning bam meita gay changh e. Rongmei Baibal khang suangc tho English Bible ruina pac katum gay tap tap dyng e. Kaluan nic nthuih maih, gianc nic tac gay hian e.

Meicguayna Rongmei Baibal bampu English version bampu, aseikwm nec/mu/namu pacluai khang karamc geic dat dihkho. READING PLAN meickhang khang kasiamh khang, kaganv rii mak he, tingkwm kahouh tuang na dihe. Ainic aseikwm khang mei haptac khourui kahou tuang dihe!

Reading Plan kasiamh khang ningkungc ethei tho, akhou bampu meicramc meikhou bampu thanv tho. Internet khounic naigeic de. Mi blog khou nic blogpost kathumh nai e. Link khou click/tap sw lou nuh e. Reymei article the heic rui. Kaneimei rui heic the, Kathumhmei rui heicnic zauclou nuh e.

Pacluai luai meiguay khang PRIZE/Reward (swan) kumcna Christmas gift ti kari kho December guang pu khou (tingkwm luai pu khou). Pacluai ngam mak mei ruina khap (fine) dih  kho to, kumhbo?

BAIBAL PAC NI KIH PAC THUYLAK LAK E TA:

1. Nang zamh Baibal gay changh timak na khwang e, Baibal gaymei, kamanv kunghmei, kalwn gaymei, machu gaymei, kahiak gaymei how nthan thiak thiak mei Baibal kathanc la dat tho (buy a new Bible). Aniu Baibal cha raph rap mei sin timak pui zaeng rui, Baibal nic pac nliauh tuang e. (Tabui Baibal gaybo twmei thay ni e thei, mi Article khou click/tap swlou nuh e)

2. Nang tuang Reading Plan lamhian maih (impractical) tina khwang e. Ramhbamv khat khou tat khang GPS tracking swna tat thau lana, chaeng tat laacn e ta, reposition swna tat dat kumcna, Reading Plan, reset sw dat tio.

3. Baibal-Kathaimei twmei lev Baibal-Pahmei twmei khak langc thay o. Pahmei tho, gianc tacnih tahmaknih paraph twkhang nade. Matak tak tho, gianc khatse tah makna se kum pac raph bo, discipline khang e!

4. Ting mik pum pah khang kungc e ta, haptac khou pacliang heicju khang twmei tamh mei (plan) nai tio.

5. Baibal kaduan duanc swna pactio. Book by book, chapter by chapter, paragraph by paragraph pac tio. Phaek pat pat mei khou, Asoka kanuk (ludo game) kumcna pac ta rio.

6. Baibal kazaat geicna nai tio. Daih mei, nthyam mei, nsu mei, mpu mei, saengh mei, dui mei, etc. Khatnic phone khou Bible Apps, hamh mecthei, audio Bible nic nai tio. Taanv bam khou (workplace) Baibal dangv puanc si e thei, Bible apps phone khou pac nuh e. Zip phaihna (in recliner) pah khang Baibal nthyam mei sin gay hian punic. Nthyam langv dat re thei, kahiak nthyam punic; kumethei, how pat si hakna pac zih punic. Heiczaeng rui, phurit-pheybaan (dresses) kazaat geidou aniw nai mei kumc, Baibal zaat nic nai geic kho.

7. Social media khou (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) khou haptac pum (weekly) Baibal lev mari nai mei, Baibal verse bampuc, reflection bampuc share/upload sw khang karamc tio. Kum ethei, nang khang nic gay, meicramc mei khang nic gay, meic guay ruina nic nang ta how karuh (respect) lou punic.

Kumh Kumhmei  sahap lou dat nuh bo, mei tangv khou ruina? Comment section khou, sahap lou nimei nai e thei, salou nuh e. Khat khat thay mei sana katiu kari kho. 🙏

Odd, odder, or Not

God's Sovereignty

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!