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8/13/2019 Apr'12.pdf - BYM magazine

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BLESSING/April 2012 2

Why is it a GOOD News?R. Stanley

A messenger will be void of enthusiasm

if he is not excited about the message hecarries. The very word Gospel excitedApostle Paul to his innermost: He calls itthe gospel of the gloryof Christ! (2 Cor4:4). He says its a message that shines!He writes to the Christians in Rome, Iam not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ!(Rom 1:16). In other words he was proudof the message of the Gospel.

The word Gospel comes from theGreek word Evangelion which meansGood News. The root word is Godspell

which is an Anglo Saxon word meaningthe Story of God. Thats the Glad Tidings!

All that glitters is not gold. All that ispreached from Christian pulpits is not theGospel. There is so much of adulterationand dilution in most modern preaching inthe theologians attempt to contextualizethe Gospel. While preparing to preach tothe students of Cambridge University, Godimpressed on Billy Graham to preach thesame message he preached a few weeksprior to it to the tribespeople in Africa! He

obeyed and hundreds of intellectuals wereconverted as they believed the simpleGospel.

Someone said, The world has manyreligions but only one Gospel! The reasonis that the Gospel has the Cross at itscentre. How do we communicate theGospel with power and effect in thismaterialistic, scientific, rebellious, secular,immoral, humanistic age? Here is Paulsanswer: I preach Christ and Himcrucified, not with the excellence of speech

or wisdom but in the power of God(2 Cor 2:1-5).

Jesus Christ is Gods Evangelist andwhat He spoke from the Cross of Calvarycovers all the aspects of the Gospel. Eachof His sayings from the Cross emphasisesone particular aspect of the message of

the Gospel. The Gospel is a Good News,

because it is

1. A Message of Forgiveness

Father, forgive them, for they do notknow what they do (Lk 23:34).

The Gospel is the message of Godsforgiveness. Thats what Jesus commis-sioned His disciples to preach. Repentanceand remission of sins should be preachedin His name to all nations (Lk 24:47).

Gods forgiveness is superlative. God

primarily forgives the sinner, and hissins are automatically taken care of. Weare not sinners because we sin. We aresinners, so we sin! God primarily dealswith the root and the cause, not with theeffect. Before the younger son completedhis sin confession the father forgave himand accepted him! We are totally forgivenand accepted in the Beloved! (Eph 1:6).

No Christian is ever called in the Biblea forgiven sinner. Calling ourselves so isfalse humility. God calls us saints. We

are not saints because we are saintly. Weare saints, so we should walk saintly. Eventhe Corinthian believers were called saints!(1 Cor 1:2).

When Christ was hanging on the Crossbetween two thieves, between Heaven andearth, between God and man, He paid thepenalty for all our sins. Sins of the past,present and future. No more sacrifice. Oursins are so remitted as if they were nevercommitted. Total justification.

We were not even born when Christ diedand how do we say He bore all our sins?

Though in history He died 2000 years ago,in eternal reality He was slain for us beforethe foundation of the world. And we werechosen in Him before the foundation ofthe world as well (Rev 13:8; Eph 1:4).


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If we sin today we have Christadvocating for us before the Father. Butwe are to walk in the light. That is, wemust walk in all openness and trans-parency before God, acknowledging oursinfulness. The Blood of the Lamb willkeep cleansing us. Like a perennial riverrunning over the pebbles, we are underthe cleansing stream of Immanuels blood(1 Jn 1:7-2:1). Our sins of omission aremore in number than those of commission.Never a moment outside the Blood!

Billy Graham said: In these days ofguilt complexes, perhaps the most gloriousword in the English language is

forgiveness. Why, in all the languages itis so! There are more prisoners outside

than inside the prison. Prisoners of guilt.The Gospel rings forgiveness and freedom!Truly its a Good News.

2. A Message of Assurance

Assuredly, I say to you, today you willbe with Me in Paradise (Lk 23:43).

Jesus spoke these words of certainityand assurance to one of the thieves, tothe one on the right or the left we dontknow. The thief was there underpunishment but in a moment he had hisentry to Paradise assured. Assuredly!Will be!

There are skeptics who say we cannotknow for sure today that we are saved.And several folks are puzzled with thequestion, Can I be sure of my salvation?Yes, thousand times yes, because the Biblesays so as Christ has provided for it.

The Lord added to the church dailythose who were being saved (Acts 2:47).Heres the definition of the Church: No

unsaved member inside and no savedoutside!

If we receive the witness of men, thewitness of God is greater; this is the witnessof God which He has testified of His Son.He who believes in the Son of God HASthe witness in himself.... And this is the

testimony: that God HAS GIVEN us eternallife...He who has the Son HAS life... Thesethings I have written to you... that youmay KNOW that you HAVE eternal life(1 Jn 5:9-13). Can words be clearer?

One of the reasons why people disputeover the possibility of present assuranceof salvation is that they fail to understandsalvation in three tenses. Salvation past isdeliverance from the penalty of sin,salvation present is deliverance from the

power of sin, and salvation future isdeliverance from the verypresenceof sin.Respectively they are called Justification,Sanctification and Glorification. The firstone is a crisis experience, the next one is

a process, and the last one is a crisis again,which will take place at a moment. Weare already saved from the penalty of sin,and we are being saved, moment bymoment, from the power of sin. Butremoval of the presence of sin is still inthe future.

Our assurance may be shaken up aswe walk through trials, tribulations andtemptations. During the sufferings of thispresent time, the Spirit Himself bearswitness with our spirit that we are children

of God (Rom 8:16,18). Here on this earthwe have a triple witnessthe witness ofthe Spirit, the Word and the Blood! (1 Jn5:8). Fanny Crosby sang

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!O what a foretaste of glory divine!Heir of salvation, purchase of God,Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

3. A Message for the Family

He said to His mother, Woman, beholdyour son! Then He said to the disciple,

Behold your mother! (Jn 19:26,27).

A sufferer will only seek sympathy. Buthere we find the suffering Saviour caringand providing for others. When Jesusspoke to His mother from the Cross, Ibelieve, He was reflecting Gods greatestconcern for each family.


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Family is Gods basic unit in creation.Family is Gods eternal idea. The Churchis called a family. In Heaven also we willbe called a familywith the Father, theBridegroom and the Helper!

That God is interested in the salvationof the entire family when one of itsmembers believes on Him is seen allthrough the Scriptures. God saved Noahwith his household. God spared bothRahab and her family in judgment. At thedoorstep of Zacchaeus house Jesusdeclared, Today salvation has come tothis house. The Philippian jailor askedthe question in singular. What must I doto be saved? The answer was in theplural. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

and you will be saved and your family.The Gospel is undoubtedly a Good Newsfor families.

This does not mean that individuals arenot directly accountable to God. Prophe-sying about the New Covenant, Jeremiahsaid, In those days they shall say no more:

The fathers have eaten sour grapes, andthe childrens teeth are set on edge. Buteveryone shall die for his own iniquity(Jer 31:29,30). Prophet Ezekiel echoes thesame truth and continues, Behold, all

souls are mine; the soul of the father aswell as the soul of the son is mine; thesoul which sins shall die (Ezek 18:1-4).All souls have equal privilege andresponsibility. When an individual believeson Christ, he has all the promises of Godto claim as a child of God for the blessingof his entire family. He must do all thatspossible to bring the entire family to theCross. The family is his first congregation.

Then God will fulfil Acts 16:31 for him.

Both the parents have equal

responsibility in leading the children toChrist. In fact, the responsibility is moreon fathers! My son, hear the instructionof your father, and do not forsake the lawof your mother (Prov 1:8). Note that thefather comes first! Gods great commen-dation about Abraham was, I have knownhim, in order that he may command his

children and his household after him, thatthey keep the way of the Lord (Gen18:19). He was a good father at home andso God promoted him to be the father ofall those who believe!

4. A Message of Fellowship

My God, My God, why have Youforsaken Me? (Mt 27:46).

This is the central cry from the Cross.Christ was forsaken for a moment thatwe might never be forsaken!

The knowledge of sin came by the Law,

and sin separated us from God. Isaiah

cried, Your iniquities have separated you

from your God; and your sins have hiddenHis face from you (Isa 59:2). On the Cross

when all our sins came on Jesus, the

Father, whose eyes are too pure to behold

sin, hid His face from His Son.

When the body of Christ was broken,

the middle wall of division was brokendown. We were once without Christ,

being aliens from the commonwealth of

Israel and strangers from the covenants

of promise, having no hope and withoutGod in the world (Eph 2:11,12). Nowthrough the Blood we are brought near.We are no longer strangers and foreigners,but fellow citizens with the saints andmembers of the family of God (v l9).

The veil at the altar of the Temple wastorn. The earth quaked and cracked. Somegraves were opened. No more obstaclesand hurdles. The Way into the Holiest isopen and we have bold access to the

Throne. All because of the Cross (Heb

10:19-22).

We dont feel the presence of God alikeat all times, but we dont need to dependon our changing and fluctuating feelings.

The fact is Immanuel! God with us! JohnWesley said, The greatest of all is thatGod is with us! What a fellowship!


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The Epistle of John is a book offellowhip. Apostle John begins it saying,Truly our fellowhip is with the Fatherand with His Son Jesus Christ (v 3). Toknow that we are not alone in this worldbut God is with us and Jesus is for usis the greatest of all blessings. Here inthis earthly life God is with us, and therein eternity we will be with Him!

Speaking of this fellowship, MartinLuther said, A dungeon with Christ isa throne and a throne without Christ ahell. Another testified, Communionwith God is the beginning of Heaven.Praise God for the Cross which has thusgiven us days of Heaven on earth. What

a Good News the message of the Crossis!

5. A Message of Satisfaction

I thirst! (Jn 19:28).

Again, Christ thirsted that we maynever thirst again. He was wounded forus so He may become an open fountain(Zech 13:1). The Shepherd was struckbut He didnt run away from the sheep.He leads them to still waters andsatisfies them with goodness andmercy (Zech 13:7; Psa 23).

Jesus not only gives us water but alsoplants a spring within us (Jn 4:14). Thegreatest problem of people without Christis that nothing satisfies them. They trymoney but it fails. Money is like seawater. The more one drinks it the thirstierhe becomes. Then they try sex,pornography and all kinds of perversion.Nothing satisfies. They only become moremiserable. Then they start worshipping

their achievements. They say to the workof their hands, You are our gods (Hos14:3). But before long they are leftdisillusioned. Their chasing of wind stopsonly at the Cross. The Cross is Godsplus sign. Man is satisfied there. Theearthly pleasures and treasures becomeworthless before the Old Rugged Cross.

So Ill cherish the old rugged CrossTill my trophies at last I lay down.I will cling to the old rugged CrossAnd exchange it someday for a crown.

On the Cross Christ gave awayeverything so we may have everythingin Him. Every spiritual blessing is ourstoday (Eph 1:3). And all our need issupplied (Phil 4:19). Even in the midstof trials and tears, deep beneath in ourhearts there will be peace and satisfactionthat passes all understanding. And a daywill come when even our natural hungerfor food will be removed. They shallneither hunger nor thirst anymore; thesun shall not strike them, nor any heat;

for the lamb will shepherd them and leadthem to living fountains of waters (Rev7:16,17).

Oh, what blessing because the Lambof God was slain!

6. A Message of Finished Work

It is finished (Jn 19:30).

All the demands of a holy andrighteous God were perfectly satisfied

when Christ offered His body without

any blemish and shed His blood withoutany spot. His was the perfect offering.

There is nothing we can add to it.

Salvation comes to us as a free gift

because of the finished work on the

Cross. A gift cannot be earned, it must

only be received. On Gods side salvation

is all of grace, and on our side it is all

of faith. We are not saved by worksbut for works. Boasting is totally out.

(Eph 2:8-10). The Gospel is a GoodNews for those who have done their bestbut failed!

The problem of the natural man withhuman reasoning is in understandinghow the greatest of all gifts can bereceived by simple faith. In his pride and


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prestige he wants to do something andmerit it. But God declares done! Themessage of the Cross is simply profoundand profoundly simple. Thats where thereligionist stumbles.

When certain teachers from Judeaurged the early believers to be circumcisedbesides their faith in Christ, Paul andBarnabas had no small dissension anddispute with them (Acts 15:1,2). Yes, theyviolently reacted to adding anything to theCross.

In Galatia the believers wanted to addLaw to Grace. Paul said this very attemptwas their fall from grace! (Gal 5:4). Healso said that Christ had to be formed in

them again! (4:19). Law and grace cannotexist together. lshmael and Isaac cannotdwell together. To be on the safer sidelets do that also! This sounds good butis opposed to the Cross wherefrom Christcried, Its finished.

Read Pauls epistles again and again tounderstand the meaning of salvation bygrace. We are what we are by the grace ofGod. We shall be what we should be bythe grace of God. John Newton rightlysang

Twas grace that taught my heart to fearAnd grace my fears relieved;Twas grace that brought me safe thus far,And grace will lead me home.

7. A Message of Security

Father, into Your hands I commend MySpirit (Lk 23:46).

We dont need to fear about tomorrow.Christ is the same yesterday, today andforever. He is the One who was, who is

and who is to come. He is the Alpha andOmega.

Jesus said, I give them eternal life andthey shall never perish; neither shallanyone snatch them out of My hand. MyFather, who has given them to Me, isgreater than all; and no one is able to

snatch them out of My Fathers hand (Jn10:28,29). In the hand of Jesus! And inthe hand of the Father! What a safety!

So Paul declared, I know whom I have

believed and am persuaded that He is ableto keep what I have committed to Himuntil that Day (2 Tim 1:12). Jude con-firmed, He is able to keep us fromstumbling and present us faultless beforethe presence of His glory (Jude 24).

Then there comes the question: Oncesaved, always safe? Can a person lose hissalvation?

On one side we have the Calvinists andon the other the Armenians. The first group

emphasises what God does and the secondwhat man should do. Put both togetherand you get the balanced Biblical truth.God is able and willing to keep. The devilcannot snatch me from God. I must bewilling to hold on to His hand. Withoutme God will not!Without God I cannot!

Good News indeed!

There have been those who opposedand criticized the Gospel all over the worldin all the centuries. But, as John Calvin

said, The Gospel is an anvil that hasbroken many a hammer and will breakmany hammers yet! Dear Christian, goand spell the Gospel everywhere withoutfear or favour. It is a Good News for thisbad world. It is the message for this message!

Good News

The contents of the above article presented

as a 30-minute TV Talk, English-Tamil,addressing non-Christians, is available on

a DVD titled Good News. Price Rs. 50/-;Forwarding Rs.15/- Order for your non-Christian friends.

Blessing Literature Centre

21/11 West Coovam Road

Chintadripet, Chennai 600 002, India

Tel: 044 28450411


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FFFFFeed Odishaeed Odishaeed Odishaeed Odishaeed OdishaAn update by B.N. Samal, Bargarh

he long awaited Surgery Camp was

drawing closer, making everyone run on

their toes. The Feed Odisha staff

penetrated villages announcing the free Surgery

Camp. Around 100 very poor patients with

surgical problems were selected. Most of them

were daily wage labourers who had sought

medical help but returned home disappointed

when they were demanded Rs. 15,000 to 25,000

for hernia, hydrocoele, contracture or for

hysterectomy. They had pulled on with life with

their disease, working in the fields or driving their

cycle rickshaws. Women were desperate. The

news of the Surgery Camp was as if the gates of

prison opened to let them out.

A 15 member team of doctors, anaesthetists,

nurses and other paramedics travelled by train

from Nagercoil to Bargarh (about 1000 kms).

All were from Medivision. Their dedication and

love for the poor were seen in the way they gently

dealt with each poor with great concern. Mr.

Pushparaj organised everything. As they arrived

in Diptipur CNI Hospital, patients were streamingin from all over Bargarh District. 82 patients were

operated on. There was not a single complication.

Each patient left the hospital with a big smile on

the face and a grateful heart. The labour of the

local team was commendable.

God supplied all the needs. All bills were paid.

We thank the Diptipur CNI Mission Hospital staff

for their cooperation. We did not have to beg

you for money. When we just wrote about the

camp in the Newsletter, you so willingly opened

your purses and pressed us to accept your

contributions as if you were obliged to us. God

will receive you with a smile and hug as you enter

heaven because you relieved the suffering of His

brothers and sisters (Mt 25:40). Next time we

should have an Eye Camp. There are so many

blind blind due to cataract! Can you believe

that in this 21st century people lead a dark life

due to cataract? Lets give them light. Start

praying.

We are sure you are aware of the HAPPY

HOMEwhere we are accomodating 20 very poor

boys and sending them to school. The owner of

the plot wants to sell it for 10 lakhs and we feel

we should go ahead with the purchase. Actually

it is worth more but the owner being a missionary

himself and a well-wisher of BYM is offering the

land to us for a lesser price. Please pray as wego ahead with the deal.

All the other ministries under the project are

going on in full speed. You will be happy to know

that the Newsletter is now being published in

Hindi, albeit once in three or four months. The

response is very encouraging. This month we will

be releasing our first Odiya Newsletter. Let us

know if any of your Hindi or Odiya friends would

like to receive the same. The English and Tamil

Newsletters are sent bimonthly. Please let us

know if you are interested in receiving the same.

Let us give God the praises and glory and not

forget to give ourselves a pat on the back for this

great achievement. Have a grand dinner today in

celebration of the Surgery Camp. As many poor

hearts rejoice, lets us rejoice with them!


8/18


NEHUSHTAA lovely queenin a lowly dungeon!

She might have found a proud place in

the records of Jesus genealogy, had she

heeded the voice of the servants of God!

Hidden in the niches of the Bible is a girl called

Nehushta. Her story is piecemeal scattered

over in Second Kings, First & Second

Chronicles and Jeremiah. I have tried to pick up

the pieces and stitch them together. I have used

my imagination to bring her to life. Awesome it

is, in full shape!

Bible lovers around the world have studied

the revival that broke out under the famous King

Josiah, the father-in-law of

Nehushta. With the men of Judah and

the people of Jerusalem, King Josiah

went to the temple and made a

covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow

Him and keep His commands with all his heart

and all his soul. Then all the people pledged

themselves to the covenant (2Ki 23:3). Josiah

was 8 years old when he became king and 20

when he started the reformation which continued

for 19 years (2 Chr 34:1-3). His four sons, who

must have been ten and under at the time of the

covenant and commitment, grew up in the revival

showers. We have no record about the first son

Johanan (Jehovah has been gracious) but the

other three grew up as wicked young men.How

it must have pained the heart of the revivalist to

see his own sons rejecting God, when hordes

were blessed by his revival campaigns! Well,

nobody can be forced into a revival! How

hopefully he had given godly names to his sons!

There was another family in Jerusalem

untouched by the revival that swept across the

nation under Josiah. The head of the family was

Elnathan. Elnathan used to hear from his great

grandfather and grandfather how when they were

children they were taken to Nehushtan by their

parents and how King Hezekiah, the great

grandfather of their present king Josiah, broke

into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made.

Upto the time Israelites had been burning incence

to it (2Ki 18:4). Elnathan grew up,

married and had a lovely daughter. He

still felt what Hezekiah had done was

wrong and thought Nehushtan had

miracle power. He chose to name his daughterNehushta and at heart worshiped the old serpent.

When the people of Jerusalem went to the

temple, heard the Word of God and made the

covenant, probably Elnathan, Nehushtas father

did not go or may be did not pledge to the

covenant wholeheartedly as the others did (2Ki

23:2,3). He saw the grand passover,

unprecedented in Judahs history when the whole

of Jerusalem was stirred up (2Ki 23:22). Josiah

threw out all the household gods in Jerusalem

and Elnathans gods were out too (2Ki 23:24).

But that did not change his heart. Thus the

paganism continued in his family. Nehushta was

not a common name in Israel those days. That

shows how Elnathan carefully chose the name of

his god for his little daughter.

Lilian Stanley


9/18


When Nehushta was a nubile girl of may be

14-16, the eyes of the second son of Josiah,

Jehoiakim (Jehovah sets up) fell on this beautiful

maiden and, as the kings son, he got what he

wanted. Elnathan, Im sure was delighted to give

his daughter to a young prince who was as

godless as himself (2Ki 24:8). Now for some

mathematics Jehoiakim was 25 years old

when he became king, ruled for 11 years and

died at 36. His son Jehoiachin was 18 when he

was made king. That means Jehoiakim married

at the age of may be 17. So Nehushta must have

been 14-16. What a tender age to easily come

to God!

King Josiah was turning the kingdom upside

down. Was Nehushta fascinated by what her

father-in-law did? Far from it. Though she was

in an impressionable age, the poisonous seeds

planted by her parents had taken deep roots.

But as anybody else she could have turned to

the living God. But she was as stubborn as her

husband.

Even though Josiahs father Amon and

grandfather Manasseh were terribly wicked,Josiah chose to follow God and obey His

precepts, from the tender age of eight when he

was crowned king. He died an untimely death at

the age of 39. People bypassed the second son

Jehoiakim and made the forth son Jehoahaz

(Jehovah has grasped) as king (2 Chr 36:1-4).

How did Nehushta feel about it? Was she

jealous?

His fathers love for God had not touched

Jehoahaz. He reigned only three months inJerusalem. Pharaoh Neco deported him to Egypt

where he died. He is also known as Shallum.

As luck would have it, Jehoiakim, the second

son of Josiah was made king (2Ki 23:31-37).

The queens crown was placed on Nehushtas

head. Was she happy or was she terrified at all

the invasions she was seeing? That was yet

another opportunity for her to turn to the Lord,

but she still resisted. Her brother in-laws fate

was not a warning to her.

As soon as Jehoiakim sat on the throne, the

cabinet changed. Godly officials of his father

were kicked out and the wicked took their place.

Jehoiakim made Elnathan, his father-in-law as a

palace official (Jer 36:11). Thus started his evil

rule. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied boldly to

the king and queen Nehushta, saying, Thus says

the Lord, concerning Jehoiakim, the son of

Josiah, king of Judah: They shall not lament for

him,saying: Alas my brother or alas my sister

(Jer 22:18). Jeremiah took a leading part in her

father-in-laws funeral (2 Chr 35:25). His

prophetic warnings had no effect on her.

The prophet Uriah warned King Jehoiakim.

When Jehoiakim sought to kill him, Uriah fled to

Egypt. However Jehoiakim sent Elnathan along

with others, who caught Uriah in Egypt and

brought him to Jehoiakim who had him struck

down with a sword. Thus father-in-law and son-in-law worked hand-in-glove against the Lord

(Jer 26:20-23).

Jeremiah even quoted his father Josiah saying,

He did what was right and just, so all went well

with him. He defended the cause of the poor and

needy and so all went well. Is that not what it

means to know Me? declares the Lord. But your

eyes and your heart are set on dishonest gain, on

shedding innocent blood and on oppression and

extortion (Jer 22:15-17).

Lying prophets gave Jehoiakim and Nehushta

false hope (Jer 23:16,17). They said, The Lord

says: You will have peace. And to all who follow

the stubbornness of their hearts they say, No

harm will come to you.


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During her tenure as queen, Babylonian,

Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders came

against Judah. What a tumultous and stressful life

she had! (2Ki 24:2).

Even at the height of Jehoiakims wickedness

God told Jeremiah to write a warning, so that if

people turned from their wicked ways, God could

forgive them. So Jeremiah wrote in a scroll and

sent it through Baruch. When Baruch read it to

the people, the palace officials, including

Elnathan sent for Baruch and listened to the

scroll. For the first time we see some fear in the

face of Elnathan. May be the wars and defeats

had shaken him up. The scroll was read out to

Jehoiakim who cut it off to pieces and threw inthe fire. May be Nehushta was sitting by his side.

Even though the palace officials, including

Elnathan urged him not to incinerate the scroll,

Jehoiakim did not listen to them. He was angry

that Jeremiah prophesied that the King of Babylon

would come and destroy the land. So Gods

word came to Jeremiah again and he prophesied

against the king that his body would be thrown

out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost

by night (Jer 36:30). Nobody paid any attention

to Jeremiahs words (Jer 37:2).

Jeremiahs prophecy came true. Nebuchad-

nezzar, king of Babylon, invaded the land,

attacked Jerusalem, bound Nehushtas husband

with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon

(2 Chr 36:6). There he died with no one

mourning for him. He had the burial of a

donkeydragged away and thrown outside the

gates of Jerusalem at the age of 36 (in Babylon),

(Jer 22:18-21).

So Nehushta, his wife and queen mother

became a widow. She could not even weep over

her husbands body. Of all the wives of the king,

the mother of the crown prince was honoured as

the queen mother and enjoyed a special status

(Jer 29:1). May be Nehushta consoled herself

that her son was king. She still was unrepentant

and failed to instil the fear of God in her son

Jehoiachin, for he was no less wicked than his

father. Her teenage son was 18 when he was

made king. Nehushta was still a beautiful young

widow, hardly 34.

Jeremiah was proclaiming the Lords message

powerfully. Nehushtas sad demise was

predicted by him (Jer 22:21-27). I will hurl you

(Jehoiachin) and the mother who gave you birth,

into another country, where neither of you was

born, and there you both will die. You will never

come back to the land you long to return to. To

Jeremiahs warning their reply was, We will not

listen (Jer 22:21).

Just three months after her sons coronation

Nebuchadnezzar raided Jerusalem. Nehushta,

her son, the king, his attendants, his nobles and

his officials surrendered to him (2Ki 24:8-15).

Her heart was still stubborn and unrep-

entant.Nebuchadnezzar took away all the

treasures from the royal palace. How did

Nehushta feel when her precious jewels and

crown were taken away from her?Then Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin, his

mother Nehushta, his wives along with many

others as captives to Babylon. In all probability

Elnathan also joined the bandwagon. Esther and

Mordecai were also there (Esth 2:6,7). Did they

try to put some sense into Nehushtas head?

Usually captives were taken by walk,barefoot,

naked or half-naked and chained. So queen

mother Nehushta took the long rugged walk with

her own subjects, shameful. The reasonsheflaunted all the opportunities God gave her. So

she found herself thrown against the cold

forbidding walls of a prison cell in Babylon!

After Nehushta had gone into exile from

Babylon, Jeremiah sent a letter to all the exiles


11/18


(Jer 29). He gave them the Lords words: When

seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will

come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to

bring you back to this place. For I know the plans

I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to

harm you, plans to give you hope and a

future...(V 11) Alas! Nehushta did not live to

see the promise fulfilled!

We read about all the four sons of Josiah

(1 Chr 3:15) Johanan probably died early,

Jehoiakim (2Ki 23:34), Zedekia (Jehovah is

righteous) (Jer 27:1) and Shallum also known as

Jehoahaz (2Ki 23:30; Jer 22:11). All the three

were made kings, all were wicked and died as

captives in foreign lands.

I imagine myself sitting in Nehushtas cell in

Babylon, listening to her. She weeps about her

childhood, her wrong decision to marry a

wayward man, her stubbornness to her in-laws

pleas and Jeremiahs warnings. She has ample

time in the Babylonian dungeon to reflect on all

that had happened and understand that God did

not speak to the false prophets she listened to

(Jer 23:20,21).I ask her a final question, Would you like to

say something to our ladies? Yes, she says,

her tear drops falling on her prison garments.

Amidst sobs and sniffles she manages to speak:

Urge your young girls never to marry a man for

money or looks. Jewels and money have wings.

They will fly away. Tell them to listen to Gods

Word and obey it. Tell your ladies to be wary of

false prophets who mislead them rather go by

the Word of God. Let them not run neck to neckwith wicked husbands but be sensible and be a

good influence to them. Tell them to dedicate their

lives for the upbringing of their children in the

fear of God. Nothing is more important in life.

Let none of your ladies suffer like me. God has

chosen them to bring Jesus to the world. Tell them

to walk worthy of it. I put my arms around her

and tell her that its never too late to repent.

I feel sorry for her. How long Nehushta wasin the Babylonian dungeon, we do not know, but

we know one thing she longed for Jerusalem

but died without seeing it again. Her son

Jehoiachin (also mentioned as Coniah or Jeconiah

by Jeremiah and Jeconiah in Matthew 1:11) was

released from the prison around the age of 55

and the Babylonian King Evilmerodach, son of

Nebuchadnezzar gave him a seat of honour and

he ate with the king to the end of his life (2 Ki

25:21-30). May be he repented and told his sonsto obey God for his son (or grandson) was

Sheatiel and his grandson (or great grandson),

Zerubbabel! (Mt 1:12). His mother Nehushta

might have died before this with the swan song

on her lips, I wish I had listened to Jeremiah.

Did the innocent die a sorry death? Was God

unfair? No. God gave them a fair chance to know

Him. They were the son, daughter-in-law and

grandson of Josiah and heard more than enough

of the true and living God.

Thus the curtain comes down on the lovely queen

in a lowly dungeon. God had chosen her to be a

foremother of Jesus. If she had given heed to the

Word of God, like Rahab, her name might have

found a place in the records of the genealogy of

Jesus! (Mt 1:11)

TTTTThe May issue of thishe May issue of thishe May issue of thishe May issue of thishe May issue of thismagazine will be sentmagazine will be sentmagazine will be sentmagazine will be sentmagazine will be sent

only to the full-timeonly to the full-timeonly to the full-timeonly to the full-timeonly to the full-time

staff of the Mission.staff of the Mission.staff of the Mission.staff of the Mission.staff of the Mission.

Please bear with us.Please bear with us.Please bear with us.Please bear with us.Please bear with us.


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When the music fades...!When the music fades...!When the music fades...!When the music fades...!When the music fades...!B. Bersiya Grace, Chennai

ilence speakseven teaches

better than words. But it is not everpleasant. With our God, in the long

journey, not every morning as we kneeldown, the heavens come down to lift up ourspirits. The music fades and theexcitements cool down. We pray but thevoice seems not to go beyond the ceilingand the pages of the living Word seem justprints of black in white. At times, it is hardto kneel and pray; we tend to leaveoff reading Bible, because we

dont feel Him as before.

Many in the Bible too wentthrough the same path like us.Looking at how they sustained infaith will help us go through such periodsof silence.

JOB We know that God allowedsatan to test Jobs faith by taking everythinghe had.But he was tested by SILENCE,above all. In his great loss, God didnt speak

Job comfort. What he heard werecriticisms from his wife and friends! Onlyat the end, God answered. How could heovercome the discouragements whichcould easily creep in and pull him down, inthe long period of silence? The secret is,he knew that it was a test of his faith, forJob declares:

When He has tested me, I shall comeforth as gold (23:10).

The time of silence is to test the qualityof our faith. He tests if we can trust Himwithout doubts, even when He keeps Hissilence. As we go through this test patientlywith hope, like gold refined, our faith growshigher, where neither death nor life.... northings present nor things to come... shall

be able to separate us from the love of God

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom8:38,39).

Next is DAVID Do not be silent tome lest if you are silent to me, I becomelike those who go down to the pit (Psa28:1). Do not keep silent, O God of mypraise! (Psa 109:1).

These cries of David are not strange toour hearts, for our hearts havecried many times. Like us, he had

wondered whether God waslistening or not, when he cried,Hear my cry, O God; attend tomy prayer (Psa 61:1). But the

tone of despair turns to confidence in verse4 of the same chapter: I will trust in theshelter of your wings. From where didthis sudden boost of faith come? The magiclies in the third verse, where he LOOKSBACK to the past. For you have been ashelter for me; a strong tower from the

enemy. In silent times, our hearts can befilled with faith and praise as we look backto count the past blessings. It is even goodto keep a diary to record our walk with God,so that we can look back on Godsfaithfulness in hard times of tests.

Finally the DISCIPLES Between thedeath and resurrection of Jesus, a hushprevailed. Their Messiah was dead andburied. Promises faded! No signs of hope!

The music of their life had died down. Theywere in the verge of giving up. But Goddidnt leave them in the silence. After thethird day, He appeared to them, rebukedthem, and encouraged them (Mk 16:14,15;Lk 24:25). He doesnt test us beyond whatwe can bear. He is just there to pick us up


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and revive us, when we fall.

When He ascended to heaven, onceagain Jesus left them physically. But thistime they would not do the same mistake

of unbelief. They prayed together, praisedtogether and waited together for theFathers promise (Acts 1:14; 2:1; Lk24:53). Now they knew how to wait with hope and rejoicing! That is when Godpoured out His Spirit unlimitedly upon thethirsty (Acts 2) and their strength renewedto mount up with wings like eagles (Is40:31), to stand up for God everywhere!

Not all times God stops speaking.Sometimes God speaks but our hearts are

too heavily dumped to listen to His voice.For instance, in Psalm 73, Asaphs heart istroubled, when preoccupied about the evilones flourishing and eventually hestumbles. But then, he decides to leave thisconfusion aside and takes time to go to thesanctuary where God heals his stormy mindto understand His ways. Similarly, when ourmind is confused, focused on problems, orpreoccupied with heaps of works to do(even Gods work), the voice of God is

hindered. Leave them aside and take timeto be still at His feet where you can knowthat He is God (Psa 46:10). But its hard toshift the focus. Its better to ask for Godsstrength, genuinely accepting our inabilityto focus.

On the other hand, our EFFORTS tocommune with God is also important.When it is hard to concentrate in prayer, apsalm or a song can become our prayer.Many times, the song Draw me close

to You has been my prayer. Sometimes aletter to God too! When the music fades,many have slipped away from faith. But ifwe look from a higher ground, it is the verytime of preparation and introspectionbefore a great revival in our relationshipwith God. If you are going through such a

Dear Readers,

A page is open for you to share your

views on Good Deeds. You may express

your ideas in paper, handwritten, 4

pages. If someone has done a good

deed to you that has helped you up in

life or if you have been a benefactor of

such a Good Work, let us know aboutit. Let us know about even small acts

of kindness. If you are working among

lepers, AIDS patients, widows,

beggars, prisoners, blind, orphans ...

the list is endless ... we would love to

hear your story. Write with your name,

address, mobile number and email id.

May our other

readers be inspired

by your writ e-up

and glorify ourFather God in

heaven. May them

be spurred to action

through your

testimony.

wilderness, remember even if you dont seeHis footsteps, He is with you; because Hehas promised not to leave you, and Hes nota man to relent from His Words. So cling

on to His Words. One day you can lookback and thank God like the Psalmist:

It is good for me, that I have beenafflicted that I may learn Your statutes (Psa119:71).

(The author is an MA Literaturestudent in Madras Christian College,Chennai.Mob: 7502050650)

Hello!


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FIELD FRAGRANCE!

he word Fields conjures up visionsof vast stretches of crops and greeneryand it is not difficult to understand why

the Lord Jesus referred to humanity incomparison with this agricultural term. Not onlyhave people crossed the 7 billion mark andare continuing to multiply rapidly, but most ofthem are also ready for the harvest, be itbecause of their advanced years, accidents,sickness, natural calamities or any other such

contingent. Missionaries are people who labourin these fields of the Lord and when they putforth their requests for prayers and help forthe people they are caring for, we are dutybound to uphold them to the throne of graceand give them the support they need, since weare not able to be bodily present with them.Let us work by their side at least spiritually.

taff fasting prayers were conducted atNadiad GUJARAT and Bro.Y.PaulDhinakaran gave a timely message. He

also spoke at the revival meeting where 100people gathered and rededicated their livesin preparation for the Second Coming of theLord Jesus Christ. Praise God for the NewBlessing Book LITTLE FOXESGujaratiedition which was released in January. Praythat the book will bring great revival amongGujarati Christians. Blessing readers meetingwas conducted in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, in

which Bro. Y. Paul Dhinakaran shared the wordof God. 75 people were blessed.

Monthly Bible study for youth was startedat Mr. Royals residence at Vadodara fromJanuary. Eight students participated in the first

meeting.Pray that more youth will be capturedby the love of the Lord Jesus. Praise God fora family from Vadodara that has come forwardto sponsor a missionary child.Monthly

intercessory prayer meeting was started in thevillage church at Bedacompany.

The Gujarat missionaries plan to conduct aSOFT (Staff Orientation & FoundationalTraining Programme) for Gujarat andMaharashtra staff. Please pray that all the staffwill be well equipped by the word of God throughthe programme. They also plan to conductExamGoers Meetingat Nadiad and Anand. Pray thatmany new students will be contacted through

the meetings.ARNATAKA missionaries have beenbusy-bees as usual. Praise God for

Ganapathi of Bachanahalli who has given a pieceof land for the construction of a Church. Prayfor the required funds to construct. Pray forGods provision in the renovation of YellapurChurch roof and Bhilki missionary quarters.

Now, imagine conducting a culturalprogramme in the premises of a jail and beingallowed to preach the gospel there! Well, that is

exactly what happened in the Central jail,Dharwad. On the eve of the Republic day about300 inmates heard the Gospel of Jesus Christthrough the gospel songs, choreography andmessage shared by Pastor Stephen. Theprisoners were deeply convicted and one of themeven sang a song on his own life which broughttears to the eyes of the prisoners who longed for


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danced and taught them songs. Praise God for

his missionary vision. Mr. Masilamani shared the

Word and Mr.Henry Basinger led the music team.

Missionary Saroja Prakash writes that three

made a covenant with the Lord in Gadagatta

village and two in Kurichi. In Raighar field

Kopena church, 60 elders were blessed by the

Elders Meeting. Chaitan was a magician in

Kurichi village. All his children are believers.

Missionaries were praying for the parents.

Recently his disciple was caught by people while

he was stealing a skull from a grave for magic

purposes. He betrayed his master and Chaitan

also was caught. They were fined and warned.Ashamed that his magical power which was

supposed to protect him had put him to trouble,

Chaitan was longing for deliverance from these

powers. At the right time missionaries met him

and led him to Christ. He and his wife threw away

all their magical appendages and idols and made

a covenant with the Lord and became members

of the church on the 21st of January. Hallelujah!

he recently started prayer cell in Amity

University, RAJASTHANis going onnicely because of the sincere efforts and

interest of Pranjali and Esther. However,

successors are required to continue the ministry

in Amity as both Pranjali and Esther will be

finishing their B.Tech and MBA respectively thisApril. Pray that God may send the right students

forward to support our Mission monthly. Exam

Goers meet was conducted in Jabalpur. Mr.

Shathish Soni, a lay leader shared Gods word

and missionary Jeyaraj led the students in prayer.

All the 150 students were very encouraged byGods word and prayed for their studies andfuture.

Fasting prayer for the local women and theMP men staff at Shahgarh were powerful. Prayfor MP Ladies Staff Fasting Prayer to be held atBanda which will be the first for this year.

Missionaries Jeyajothi & Sumangali will deliverGods word in this fasting prayer. Pray for Gods

anointing. Katni Home boys parents meeting willbe held at Banda. Pray that this meeting will

foster good understanding among Homechildrens parents.

Missionaries Rupesh Masihi, Daniel Masihi

and Anoop Kumar went to the Madkudeep Melaat Bilaspur with literature. Rs. 1,00,000/- worth

of literature went into the hands of people.Mumbai friends contributed for a borewell for

the Kanduwa church and it was done.

230 fasted and prayed in 3 places. Five

accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and openly

declared their faith in Madavara village.

issionary Daisy Dhanraj writes about the

visit to a Hostel cum Home in Miraj,

MAHARASHTRA, for HIV/AIDS

children and people, called DILASA

BHAVAN. It is a Catholic Institution and the

Director, Mr. Shabu Matthew permitted them to

speak to the inmates. After sharing the

Goodnews, clothes were distributed. When the

team asked the inmates when they should visit

next, they unanimously shouted, Dont go. Bewith us here. Further visits are planned.

t is a privilege for ODISHAChristians,to have the Christian maestro singer,Mr.Jollee Abraham visit them. There was

a huge gathering of Umerkote believers in theASISHO MAHA SABHA where he sang,


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to carry on the work. Also pray that both ofthem may get good jobs in Jaipur itself as theydesire to continue to be involved in the ministryfor 2 more years.

The long pending prayer cell leaders gettogether was conducted in the second half of lastmonth. Except for 2 members all the other leadersfrom 7 prayer cells joined the meeting. On thetopic Victory upon Victory, the leaders wereencouraged to soar to greater heights. Theministry was reviewed and strategies worked outfor the spiritual upliftment of the cell membersand for the numerical growth of the cell. Someof our youth leaders have attained marriageableage and there is great pressure from their parents

to get married soon. Pray that God may helpthem find their better halves as per their choiceat the appropriate time.

Lord willing, it is planned to arrange aShepherds Training Programme in the nearfuture at Jaipur. Although it is exam time for many,the need for this camp is deeply sensed and thepositive response from all the 15 candidates forthis program has given a moral boost to go aheadwith the proceedings. Kindly pray for this allimportant camp which is going to play a veryvital role in the expansion of ministry among youthacross Rajasthan.

God moved the heart of Monica Singh, oneof our partners to revive the weekly ladies prayer.Since last two months 3 ladies are gathering topray for spiritual blessings to descend upon thenation. Pray that a prayer movement may beignited which will pave the way for a mightyrevival to sweep across our country. Vinod, Raviand Pragesh are appearing for their 10 Stdexamination after 5 years gap. Bindya, a teacherby profession from Sharma community is showing

good interest in the Lord. Although there is notmuch support from the family she is regularlyattending the Church and meeting with thebelievers every week. Pray that God mayenlighten her heart to experience salvation anddeliver her from the various problems in whichher family is entangled since last 4 years.

22 member team from Chennai visited 25villages of Sitteri Hills, TAMIL NADUand proclaimed the Goodnews with

filmshow. Puppet Show attracted a crowd ofchildren.

We were praying much for road facility forPalamalai Hills. Thank God, the ForestDepartment has granted permission to lay downa road. Five were brought to our clinic inPalamalai after attempted suicide. Two survived,three died. Pray for the spirit of suicide to berooted out. In and around our Arnoothu Hills field,there are 44 temples, more than 38 temple priestsand more than 12 magicians. Missionaries havetaken up the challenge. Pray!

n Naxalbari, WEST BENGAL, a youthprayer cell has been started. 20 youthgather every Monday. 45 believers

attended the two-day Discipleship TrainingCamp in Siliguri. 20 attended the ChurchLeaders Get-together.Missionary Peter Luiswas the resource person with his rich experiencewith the Warli Tribe. See photos at the backcover.

Worship shed construction is going on inKhoriajote. Johnson Gwite from Jorhat hasjoined the missionary team. 70 participated inthe Retreat for women in Jorhat. Revivalprogrammes are planned for Cooch Bihar and

Allipurduwar.erusha, D/o retired missionary Ebenezerand Usha gave birth to a baby boy onthe 12th of February. Congrats!

Bro. Jesudoss (65), our close partner formany years in Nilgris departed to the bosom ofAbraham on the 6th of February. Pray for thebereaved family.

o you remember readingREHOBOTHa place of Restin the February Blessing,by Zoraida Samuel? Zoraida is excited to

tell us that many people called her over phone toenquire about the Home, some visited from farand near and some have sent donations. Howwonderful! We are thrilled to know that you takewhat we write seriously and dont set aside thismagazine without even opening it. We bless allour readers who put into action what they read.God bless!


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