BLESSING / July 2020 2 · 2020. 7. 7. · Ahab, incited by his wife Jezebel killed the prophets of...

2 BLESSING / July 2020 BLESSING / July 2020

Dear Remnant,Greetings to you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

We are passing through unprecedented and very diffi cult times in our life. But our Lord is ever present, suffi cient and Almighty. He protects us when we pass through the waters, the rivers, and the fi re (Is 43:2). He is the same God yesterday and today and forever. He never changes. He is helping and strengthening us in these times of crisis. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 84:5-6 says, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. They pass through the valley of Baca, make it a spring. The rain also covers it with pools.” The life that we live is fi lled with ups and downs. We have our own valley times - times of loneliness, discouragement, fi nancial crisis, doubts, sickness, fear of the unknown, etc., The good news about a valley is that it is nested between two mountains. So, we will surely have good times again.

In Psalm 23:4 we read, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me”. So we need not be afraid of the valley of death. For, our Lord God is with us and He will see us through. As we pass through the valley, we need to remember not to be stuck in it or get distracted by the worldly commotion. Let us fi x our eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith and keep moving forward (Heb 12:2).

Paul used his time in the prison to write several epistles. He speaks about glorifying God in tribulation. Let us use these testing times to praise the Lord who comforts us in all situations so that we can comfort those who are in any trouble (2 Cor 1:4).

Further, I would like to tell you that the prospect of eternal life and eternal happiness should keep us from fainting. What we are facing is just a ‘light affl iction’. Let us remember the verse, “Our light affl iction which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:17-18). Our Lord is faithful. He will certainly fulfi l all of His promises to us, His children.

Always remember that God’s plan for us are eternal and not temporary. He is with us for a long haul and He will see us through. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Ps 30:5). Let us seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Let us set our mind on things above, not on things of the earth (Col 3 :1-2). Let not the cares of the world choke us from fruit bearing (Lk 8:14).

Yours in His Service,A. LionelGeneral Overseer

3 BLESSING / July 2020

Mrs. Rose was very active in ministry years back. But she was overwhelmed by her son’s broken marriage. She was discouraged. Gradually she withdrew herself from spiritual friends. Her perspective grew more inward and she started to develop self-pity. Finally, she slipped into depression.

Discouragement affects all ages - from school going toddler to an elderly person. A working professional is no better than a homemaker nor is a seasoned minister better than a new believer. We all have our share of discouragement. No one is immune to discouragement. Even spiritual giants faced discouragements in their life. Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Whyte, John Henry Jowett, Andrew Bonar, and G. Campbell Morgan all admitted to times of serious discouragement (Warren, Wiersbe, ‘Walking With the Giants’).The Bible calls this condition as a faint spirit (Isa 61:3) or a crushed spirit (Psa 17:22).

If discouragement is not dealt properly, and if it falls into the hands of the enemy, it could prove to be fatal. Untreated discouragement can lead to depression and even to suicidal tendencies. We may loose our focus and may be side-tracked. As a child of God, you and I need to know how to handle discouragement in our lives.

We shall look at a great man of God who was greatly discouraged and was slipping into depression. But God in His mercy pulled him out from this dark pit.

Overcoming DiscouragementJason, Missionary, Blessing Youth Mission

Elijah the Man for the HourElijah was chosen by God during the

darkest hour of the history of Israel. The kingdom forsook the true living God. King Ahab, incited by his wife Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord and fi lled the land of Israel with the worship of Baal.

Elijah ministered in such a time. He had no friends or fellowships. He acted alone under the direction of the Lord.

He challenged king Ahab and told that he had the keys for rain in the kingdom. He summoned the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel and brought fi re from high. He slaughtered the prophets of Baal. He prayed for rain and rain came down. For a period of time one man controlled the climatic conditions of the nation of Israel.

Truly, Elijah was a great man of God. In fact, he was a prophet of fi re. His words and deeds were fi ery. We read about all these things in the Biblical chapters of 1 Ki 17, 18 &19.

But he was discouraged. If Elijah could be discouraged, then you and I surely could. This is what exactly James wrote,

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours (with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings)” (Jas 5:17 AMP).

If Elijah could be discouraged, then you and I surely could.


Let us meditate on the reasons for discouragement from the life of Elijah and the ways to overcome it.

1) Overwork Without A Break Can Discourage Us

Elijah was very active in the kingdom of God. He was very zealous for the Lord. He had a strong spirit. God gave a great victory to him on Mount Carmel. He prayed to God for rain and it rained. He killed 450 prophets of Baal. In fact, the work was phenomenal.

But soon after this incident, Elijah could not face the threat of Jezebel. He was afraid and ran for his life. This can happen to anyone of us whether we are in secular job or in ministerial service. Continuous work without physical rest and relaxation may take a toll on one’s mental well being.

The Sabbatical rest was instituted by God Himself. Even God rested on the seventh day. God’s direction is that we take a day of rest from our regular labour and rest at His feet. Sadly, for many of us Sunday is a hectic day. We run here and there to entertain ourselves only to return home weak and tired. God has also required Sabbatical year rests from us. I personally believe we might need to take a break once in six years of active service. For many who are in professional life, this suggestion may not be practically possible. But this is how it works. I know people who went for two year studies after twelve years of active service. I strongly believe, this is very much needed for those of us who are in ministry. These years of rest will enable us to rejuvenate ourselves, and get fresh directions from the Lord.

We see that God gave Elijah the much needed rest.

1Ki 19:5 – “And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”

1Ki 19:7 – “And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.”

We fi nd Elijah was twice asked to eat. What a loving God we have! He exactly knows what we need. Many a times in our life, our need is not a revival or a revelation. We simply need to rest in the feet of the Lord. Beloved of God, do not be hard on yourself. In our life, there will be mountain top experiences. These exhilarating experiences are exciting and encouraging. But there will be lows of life as well. We may pass through the valley of shadow of death. There is no excitement there.

We experience darkness and we do not ‘feel’ the presence of the Lord. Life becomes dry and gloomy. Well, this may be because we have not fed ourselves with proper balanced diet and have not given our physical bodies the needed rest.

Sleep is one of the gifts from God. Note the following verses:Psa 3:5 - “I lay down and slept.” Psa 4:8 - “I will both lie down and sleep.” Psa 127:2 - “He gives to His beloved sleep.”

All though overs leep ing i s condemned by the Bible (Pro 6:9,11


20:13), we should not overwork. Medical professionals suggest a minimum of 7 hours of deep sleep for our well-being.

Today, too many are discouraged simply because they do not get adequate rest. Good sleep and good food are a prerequisite for a sound mind. When we are physically worn out and mentally upset, we tend to say weird things and take crazy decisions. These are our vulnerable moments. We should never forget that the devil is waiting for a chance to attack us. Hence, take adequate rest and spend time with the Lord.

2) Low Self Esteem Can Discourage Us‘I am not worthy’, ‘I am not

experienced’, ‘I am not educated’, ‘I am not fit’ - Have you uttered these statements? Then welcome to the low self-esteem club! Moses complained about his lack of eloquence (Exo 4:10) and we fi nd Elijah too singing a similar song.

“It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my father’s” (1 Ki 19:4).

We are born and brought up in different situations and circumstances. During our childhood, people might have verbally abused us. Our friends would have made fun of us. We would have failed in exams or sports. All these negative experiences cause a dent in our personality, creating a low self-image.

This mental baggage may be strapped on us even after we become a believer and continue to hang there even when we serve the Lord. On the outside, Elijah was a fi ery

prophet. But in the inside, he was a man just like us with all the weaknesses and struggles (Jas 5:17).

This low self-esteem coupled with a sense of defeat can cripple us in our work or ministry. A small failure can discourage us to the core. When something happens contrary to our plans, we might be tempted to abandon the cause altogether.

That is why God focuses on the inner transformation of our being. The old self is being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We are becoming more and more like Jesus. In Christ, God has loved us and accepted us.

Even though Elijah performed mighty miracles, he felt that he was defeated. Jezebel could not be dislodged from the throne, nor was she humbled. This created an illusion of defeat which is actually not the case. Though Jezebel could not be subdued, the prophets of Baal were slaughtered. The faithful remnant of Israel would have been overjoyed. The remaining prophets of God would have seen a ray of hope dawning in Israel. Elijah was gaining grounds. In fact, he had written its fi rst chapter. But in God’s plan, there were other people who would fi nish that.

Obedience alone matters. God doesn’t measure achievements as we do. Our so called concept of success and failure is entirely different from God’s.

Our so called concept of success and failure is entirely different from God’s.

Our failure can be God’s success.


Our failure can be God’s success. So, as children of the Most High and His servants, let us listen to His voice and obey Him. We are never called to be successful but faithful. Hence let us focus on Jesus Christ and continue to do His bidding.

This makes us good and faithful servants of the Master.

3) Lack of Justice and Fairness Can Discourage Us

It is natural to expect fair treatment in this world. But we should not forget that we live in a fallen world. Sometimes we are treated fairly and other times not. Sometimes justice is possible and at other times it is not. But the God of Justice will judge everyone in His time.

Whether we are in a secular organization or a spiritual one, expecting a perfect system may lead us to discouragement. I fi nd people jumping from one company to other because they

are not treated fairly. In a similar way, people jump from one church to another, one organization to another. But I wonder whether they would be treated fairly in the next place. It is the same story in marriage as well. Many expect a fair treatment and are discouraged.

We all have a sense of justice. This is a gift from God. But to expect fairness in all aspects of life is merely utopic. We are living in a fallen world and we build

organizations with limitations. There are no perfect systems or organizations in this world. Every institution has its own positives and negatives.

Some people of God look at a ‘great man’ of God and admire him. But when that ‘great man’ commits a sin, they are shaken to the core and are disillusioned and discouraged.

If God puts you in a situation where you face inequality and injustice, ask God for His guidance as to what you need to do. History is full of people who worked within the systems and brought-in organizational changes and institutional reforms. So instead of pointing fi ngers at the present things and persons, pray and proceed on as what you can contribute for the people around you.

Elijah was sailing in the same boat. He did not like what he heard and witnessed. He prayed for a revival and God started to work. But here is the catch. Elijah wanted God to work in a certain way, his way. He wanted Jezebel to be punished in his life time. Elijah slightly ran before God.

Is this not the case with many of us? We expect God to work in a particular way, and when that doesn’t happen, we are discouraged.

Beloved, even with the best intentions and motives, we may miss God’s timing and leading. Our impatience can lead us to discouragements.

Nobody is perfect in this world. We were born into this imperfect world alongside imperfect people and when we die, we would leave behind an imperfect

Nobody is perfect in this world. We were born into this imperfect world alongside imperfect people and when we die, we

would leave behind an imperfect world.


world. The only satisfaction that we gain is having fulfi lled God’s calling in our lives, bringing hope and comfort to the needy. When perfection comes, all the imperfection will go away. Let us fi x our eyes toward Heaven and fi nish the race that is before us.

4) Loneliness Can Discourage Us1Ki 19:10 - “...and I, even I only, am

left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” Loneliness can set the stage for

discouragement to play. Some want to be lonely in life while others are forced into loneliness. In either case, there is a high probability that we might be discouraged.

God basically created humans as relational ones. The fi rst and foremost is, our relationship with God. Then comes the earthly relationships of mother, father, brother, sister, friend, spouse, children and relatives. We also relate with the nature. But when Sin came into this world, all these relations got complicated, and now we are in a total mess.

It is only through Jesus we can now relate to the Father and to our fellow human beings. Nevertheless, at times we may face loneliness staring at us.

We need to understand the difference between loneliness and ‘delusional loneliness.’ Delusional loneliness is when we feel lonely although we are not alone. We forget that there are so many people who love us and cherish us. They may not be physically near us but we are close to their hearts.

Elijah suffered from this delusion. He acted alone. He felt lonely. But God

had kept others like him in different places and positions - 7000 people still had not bowed down to Baal (1 Ki 19:18); Obadiah served in the king’s court (1 Ki 18:3) and there were hundred other prophets (1 Ki 18:4). Not aware of this, Elijah started to withdraw from the scene.

I n s t e a d o f d e a l i n g w i t h discouragement, too many of us withdraw ourselves from the situation making it more complex. In spite of our discouragements, we should make ourselves useful to others especially the needy ones.

A small gesture of love, a word of hope, a note of thanks will do tons of miracles for people. Relating to pet animals, birds, plants (if we can afford) is another way to deal with loneliness.

Above all, we should never forget the fact that we are never alone at any given point of time. Jehovah Shammah has promised to be with us even to the end of this age. What a great comfort! People may come and go, but God always remains. He is the Rock of Ages! Amen! Alleluia!

5) People’s Misbehavior Can Discourage Us

1Ki 19:2 -“ Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.”

All of us, at some point in our life have to face the hatred of the world. Jesus foretold this: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (Jn 15:18).


Hence, we should not to be surprised by it. It is human nature to seek acceptance from people. We expect dignity and respect. We want acceptance. We want love. But it is not possible at all times from all people. People may talk against us. They may disrespect us. They may criticize us. They may hate us.

We cannot allow ourselves to be discouraged by every word that is spoken against us. Let us listen to the wise counsel of king Solomon:

“Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you”(Ecc 7:21).

If you start listening to all the things that people say about you, you will be constantly discouraged. We cannot please everyone and cannot expect praise from everyone. If everybody praises a person, then it may be that they were forced to or he is a false prophet.

Lk 6:26 - “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

Hence let us not worry about what people say, but let us set right our relationship with God. He will cleanse us and purify us. What God says about us is more important than what people say.6) Deferred Hope Can Discourage Us

We all live with expectations. Our expectations become our hopes.

Hope is a beautiful thing. The Bible says that Love, Hope and Faith are three great things (1 Cor 13:13). Hope sustains human beings. We all hope for something. We hope for a new job, our children’s

marriage, settlement, good ministry, promotions, so on and so forth. This hope for tomorrow becomes our driving force of life. When a person looses hope, then discouragement sets in and this might even lead to depression.

Some develop high hopes with regard to their business or children or ministry. But when that hope is dashed, they get discouraged. Some people used to say, ‘ I have this one hope.’ Or ‘I can count on him/her’ or even ‘This is my only hope’ or ‘My last hope.’

When we have certain things or people in our lives, which can qualify for our ‘only hope’ then we are setting

ourselves in a place where we can be discouraged to the core. I believe Elijah too had this mentality. According to him, Mount Carmel was the last thing Israel could see. He thought fi re from Heaven could change everything. He pinned all his hopes on that one event. But when that event did not bring out what he expected, he was disillusioned and prayed for death.

1Ki 19:4 - “And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life,..”

Have you prayed such prayers – “It is enough Lord. Oh! I have faced a lot of discouragement. Everybody left me. People whom I trusted betrayed me. I have no one to turn to. Everything seems mundane. I do not want to live. It is enough Lord. Take my life”?

Praise be to God that He does not answer all our prayers.


Beloved, take heart. Elijah went through the same experience. See how a great prophet developed suicidal tendencies. God had plans to take him to Heaven even without his physical death. But he prayed to the contrary. Moses too once prayed like this (Num 11:15) and so did Jonah (Jon 4:8). Praise be to God that He does not answer all our prayers.

What we need during such trying times is Rest and Refocus. Beloved, this is my spiritual suggestion to overcome the fi ery darts of discouragements. Rest in the Lord and refocus on the task ahead. Even when all our hopes are lost, we still can hope in the Lord. Jesus is our only hope. Let us turn to God and His Word. We should learn to run to Him, wait on Him and get directions from Him.

Elijah did the same. He ran to Horeb the mountain of God (1 Ki 19:8). He knew only God can understand him and can deal with the situation.

“Whom I have in Heaven except you” says the Psalmist (Psa 73:25).

God is our refuge in times of trouble. Let us run to Him. He will protect us from the fi ery darts of discouragement. The God who guided Elijah and gave him a new direction and jobs, will guide us through (I Ki 19:15-18).

Hence my beloved, let us not be discouraged. Even when we walk through the path of discouragement, let us learn to take rest in His presence and seek His guidance. May God strengthen us and use us according to His plan and purpose.

Amen.

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Coronavirus is spreading fast these days. Fear and anxiety is mounting in the hearts of each and every one on this planet, from poor to the rich, from country men to the urbane, from illiterate to the elite, from common subject to the country’s President. All are panic stricken. Daily statistics are shocking as to what tomorrow would bring! Institutions, industries, schools and shops are all closed down because of “Lockdown”. Economy of nations is under threat. Things have come to a grinding halt.

On the other hand, there is a blame game going on internationally, as to who could be the cause of this pandemic. To my understanding, it is we, as the citizens of the world, are to be blamed. We have corrupted the world that God had prepared for us to live, with violence, immorality and misuse of the planet. In other words, man has fi lled the world with sin. Sin is another virus that spreads faster than Corona, more powerful and more dangerous. World may have a question as to why should a God of love hurt us with this plague. But it is for our good. Suppose we have a hernia problem, the surgeon has to cut open our belly to cure us. It hurts us, but eventually, gets cured. Sovereign God has allowed this for the world to realize and redirect its ways toward God.

The fi rst man Adam was alienated from God because of sin. This sin virus got into his DNA. Now the whole human race, being Adam’s offspring, has this sin virus infected into our DNAs.

“Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12).

Although scientists struggle in laboratories, no remedy or preventive vaccine could be discovered for Coronavirus. But God in His love and mercy, has provided a vaccine for our sin-virus.

Do you know how was smallpox eradicated? It was with a vaccine from the smallpox virus itself. The virus of the smallpox was injected to calves. Then crisscross incisions were made on the belly skin of the animal. After a set time, the virus caused boils to erupt on the belly. Then the puss of those boils was scraped out, sent to the laboratory and the vaccine was made. To deliver us from smallpox, the animal had to go through the pain and suffering taking the virus on its body, on our behalf. Are you able to see the similitude of this truth in Christ who died on the cross taking the sin-virus upon Himself on our behalf?

“He (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor 5:21).

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross expelled the entire sin-virus of the world. When there is no vaccine found for Coronavirus, this vaccine, the Blood of Jesus was made available 2000 years ago. Now, His virus-free blood is available

Corona And The GospelMr. John Thomas, Senior Missionary, Vizianagram, AP


for everyone to be freed from sin-virus. It is priceless because it cost the life of God Himself. This vaccine is available at anytime, anywhere and to anybody, rich or poor. This is the Good News of God. This is the GOSPEL. All those who claim this vaccine by believing the Gospel are freed from sin virus. The Gospel also is like a virus. It spreads from person to person, covering the whole world (Psa 147:15). Sin-virus brings suffering and death, but the Gospel virus brings peace, joy and prosperity. Having been freed from sin virus through the vaccine, that is, the Blood of Jesus Christ, we Christians have a great responsibility to help the world, suffering with this sin-virus.

Let us see how to proceed with this rescue-mission. 1) Agonising Prayer (Matt 9:36-38)

Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw people straying from the way. They were like sheep without shepherd. The fi rst thing that Jesus told His disciples was to “Pray to the Lord of Harvest.” When we see the sin-sick world and its consequences, we come to realize that we are powerless to do anything. The only way out is to fall before the One who alone can help us. Pray to God before preaching to the people. Prayer is fi rst priority in the Lord’s service. Leonard Ravenhill, in his book, Revival Praying says, “I would appeal for more preparation for the pulpit, particularly the preparation of prayer.”

During these days, we organize fasting prayers, all-night prayers, chain-prayers and so on (even through online). We carefully and sincerely prepare prayer

plans and prayer points. It is all fine. But that is not enough. We also need to agonise. When Jesus saw Jerusalem, “He wept over the city.” He agonized over people’s sin and sickness. Do we experience the same?

Ravi Zechariah, an apologetic preacher said, “Unless you feel the pinch of others pain in your own heart, you cannot lift an inch of the burden of their soul.”

This is done in prayer. Look at Apostle Paul’s burden for Israel: “great sorrow and continual pain!” (Rom 9:1; 10:1). Moses, Hannah, Nehemiah, Jeremiah and a host of others had this experience. We need more of agonizing prayer than an organized prayer. Jesus agonized in prayer in such a way, that His sweat became like drops of blood. As I pen this, I realize how I lack such a prayer! Lord, help me!

“It is my solemn conviction that the Lord put the Church to groan in the groaning creation (Rom 8:26) that she might reach millions who would otherwise groan for eons(eternity) in a devil’s hell”- Heart Breathings by Leonard Ravenhill.2) Power from Above (Lk 24:49; Act 1:8)

After the resurrection, Jesus did not tell His disciples to go straight away to preach. But, He gave His disciples another important assignment. He commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit. True oneness in the body of Christ is wrought not by human efforts. It is purely the work of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:3). That is why He asked them to wait for the Holy Spirit that their


nature may be transformed in terms of unity. Jesus knew that His disciples have a competitive spirit. He knew that after His departure, they will struggle for position and power. Even in His high priestly prayer, He prayed fi ve times for oneness (Jn 17:11,21,22,23).

That became an occasion for change among His disciples. Those ten days of waiting must have been a great time of reconciliation between them! It was on the day of Pentecost, when they were all in one accord in one place; the Holy Spirit came upon them. The immediate result was, when Peter preached the Gospel, all the other eleven apostles stood with him to affi rm his message (Act 2:14). No more competition, but they all stood together. Again, Peter and John who were of different personalities went up together to the Temple (Act 3:1). When the members of the Sanhedrin opposed both of them, they answered the Sanhedrin boldly with one voice, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God” (Act 4:19). Their oneness displayed the power of the Holy Spirit that their enemies could not resist. That was the real witness of their unity after they received the Holy Spirit. Oneness that the Holy Spirit brings is the power to face any adversity. An old axiom goes, “United we stand; divided we fall.”

The phrase in the oft repeated benediction, “Fellowship of the Holy Spirit” is belittled. In fact, it carries a very important sense of unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:1-6).This benediction is pronounced when we depart from a place of gathering. It signifi es that we continue to enjoy the

fellowship with one another in the Spirit. Wherever we are, we can have fellowship in the Spirit through prayer, exhortation, encouragement, comfort, counsel and correction. In the wake of Coronavirus, we have learnt this lesson of having such fellowship. We started using Phone calls, SMS, on-line media more than ever to fellowship with others.

During the days of the Apostle Paul, there were no such facilities. He was in lockdown many a time. During those times, although he couldn’t preach, he was having fellowship in the Spirit with saints. He prayed for them and communicated with them by letter. These letters have become a great blessing to the body of Christ. A blessing in disguise! The virus has brought ‘Social Distancing’, but the Holy Spirit brought a closer fellowship among the believers through social media which otherwise will not be accepted by conservatives! We have learnt this lesson, the hard way. This is the method of fellowship followed in countries where there is no freedom of religion. Praise God for the Holy Spirit who brings the unity of the Spirit for the Body of Christ (Eph 4:3-6).3) Passionate Preaching (Matt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15)

I would like to bring to light two things as to how the medical staff serve the COVID-19 patients. First of all, they take care of themselves. They have their Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) to cover themselves completely. It has a lesson for us who venture out to rescue the perishing souls with the Gospel. We also have a PPE. When we accepted


Christ as personal Savior, God has given us a gift. That is the robe of righteousness (Isa 61:10). God covers us with His holiness and righteousness. When we want to preach the Gospel to the world, there is always a danger of the sin virus infecting us. Corruption, violence, sex perversions, idolatry etc., can infect us. We need to guard ourselves from all evils of the world; the lust of the fl esh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life which are a kind of viruses that can catch us unawares! As a Church, we have failed to infl uence the world because of the sin which is inside the Church. There are disunity, groupism, partiality, enmity, hatred, power laundering, greed, covetousness, grabbing church properties, court cases and so on. Because of this, we become a stumbling block to others. People who hear the Gospel from us should see our holy life and our righteous acts.

That is why Jesus prayed, “I do not pray that you should, take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also send them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctifi ed by the truth” ( Jn 17:15-19).

Secondly I would like to say that the medical staff serve with a great sacrifi ce. In this hour of crisis, they sacrifi ce their family and give their time, skill, strength, etc., The Lord has given each of us a great salvation and also gifts and talents. How much time do we as Christians, give for the Lord and how much time do we give

for our own livelihood? If Heaven has to be populated with people of every nation, tribe and tongue as we see in the book of Revelation, is it not our responsibility to pour out our time and talents in reaching out to every people group? Many young people want to display their skills and knowledge inside the four walls of the church and in public crusades. In churches, the pulpit is fi ery, but mostly the pew is cold. It is like what Jesus said, “To what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying,’ we played the fl ute for you, and you did not dance…” (Lk 7:31,32). Pastors should not hold back talented youth within the local church. They should send them as missionaries to the unreached peoples of our land. Why not a tribal village be blessed with their music, preaching skill and their talents?

Like the above mentioned medical staff, young people in the churches must make sacrifices for the cause of the Gospel. Jesus said that the Gospel must be preached to all nations. Our Gospel is also viral in nature. It spread from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, to Antioch, to Rome and on and on. Then again it spread from Kerala, to Tamil Nadu, to Andhra Pradesh and now it has to reach the nooks and corners of North India. Will not the evangelized, take up the challenge to reach the unevangelised! When the PM of India spoke, we all listened intently and followed his commands for lockdown social distancing, clapping hands, lighting a candle, sanitation etc., But how serious have we taken the great commission of our Lord?


Silence Kills!John Pandian, Missionary, Uttar Pradesh, BYM

The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were grave and the outcry against the city was great (Gen 18: 20). God wanted to punish them. But He didn’t want to keep it from Abraham, His friend. God told Abraham about the impending judgement reserved for Sodom and Gomorrah. This disturbed Abraham and he started to beseech the Lord (v22).

He asked the Lord whether He would destroy the city if there were 50 righteous men in it. The Lord replied that He wouldn’t. With great humility, Abraham continued to beseech the Lord reducing the number each time. From 50, he went down to 45, then 40, 30, 20 and 10. He stopped at 10. The Lord too agreed, that for the sake of a mere 10 people, He would not destroy the whole city. Why did Abraham stop at 10?

He believed that his nephew Lot who was in that city would have preached about sin and holiness, righteousness and unrighteousness to a few people and at least 50 would have become righteous. What if 50 were not there? So he continued to gradually reduce the fi gure to 10. He believed that Lot being there, he would have at least led 10 people to righteousness.

But leave alone leading anybody to righteousness, Lot did not even preach! That is why God had to destroy the city. Was Lot blind to the wickedness prevalent in the city? No! He was tormented in his righteous soul because of their lawlessness (2 Pet 2:8). Yet it seems that he had not shared about righteousness to any of them. He couldn’t even win his own wife and daughters, leave alone his sons-in-law to be!

Though he was righteous, he was unlike Noah and Enoch who lived before him. Noah obeyed God and built an ark to save his family. But he did not refrain himself from preaching righteousness to the people (2 Pet 2:5). Enoch too prophesied about the Lord’s judgement (Jd 14,15). But we do not see Lot preaching to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Today, we have the whole Bible in our hands. It means, we have the complete revelation of the Lord’s will. We are aware that the world will be destroyed with fi re (2 Pet 3:7). Have we shared the Gospel to at least one person? The sins of the people were not the only reason for the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah. They might have left their wicked ways if Lot had preached to them. If he could have won a mere 10 people to righteousness, the city would have been saved. One man’s silence caused the downfall of a city! He alone was saved.

Dearly beloved, it is our responsibility to preach the Good News to those around us - at home, at work, at school… (Eze 3: 17-21). The Lord has kept us in this Nation so that we will share about God’s love and His righteousness to the people around us. We have been chosen to proclaim the praises of our Lord who has called us from the darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9). What are we going to do? Are we going to gear up and share about the Lord and try to save the perishing souls or are we going to live in our comfortable zone undisturbed by the future fate of the souls to whom we have not shared the Gospel?


Bible Study Corner - Study 5Keys of Victorious Christian Living

C. Suthakar, Mudalur1. Consecrating Ourselves

➢ Repentance is crucial to the soul. We need to keep asking for forgiveness for the sins that we commit each day - Matt 3:2, Mk 1:15, Rev 3: 3,5,16,19.

➢ Do not sit and cry when you fall. Rush to the Lord. Ask for His forgiveness. He will give you grace to fi ght - 1 Cor 10:13.

➢ The Blood of Christ and His Word cleanse us - Rev 1:5, 1 Jn 1:7, Jn 17:17, Ps 119:9. ➢ Believe that we are justifi ed through faith - Rom 5:1, Heb 10:38.

2. Communion With God ➢ Spend quality and quantity time with God - Heb 4:16, Ps 91:1. ➢ Maintain a humble attitude in order to receive His grace - 1 Pet 5:5. ➢ Try to wake up early in the morning (which implies that you go to bed early).

Freshen up and sit at His Feet. His mercies are new every morning - Lam 3:23. ➢ Walk with the Spirit - Gal 5:16.

3. Conforming To His Image ➢ Keep reminding yourself that you are crucifi ed with Christ. Always think ‘What

Would Jesus Do?’ (WWJD) - Rom 6:6,7,11,12 ➢ The more you yield to the Holy Spirit, the more holier you will become -

Rom 8:9, 10, 13-154. Consumed By The Burden for Souls

➢ The Holy Spirit was given to witness - Acts 1:8 ➢ Apostle Paul was burning with passion for souls - Rom 1:15, 1 Cor 9:22 ➢ The Samaritan woman shared immediately - Jn 4:39 ➢ We can share the Gospel to our friends and relatives. We can involve ourselves in

village outreaches and also visit Mission fi elds. 5. Companionship with God’s People

➢ Fellowship strengthens us in the Lord - Heb 10:24,25; Acts 4:32,33. ➢ A threefold cord is not easily broken - Ecc 4:12. ➢ Daniel and his friends were a closely knit small group - Dan 2:17.

Some practical suggestions include:1. Read good Christian books.2. Have the habit of taking notes in a diary.3. Be actively involved with a small praying group or start one.4. Above all, do not forget your personal Bible meditation and prayer time.


Ever since God burdened some of the lay leaders of Blessing Youth Mission to repair and rebuild the Mission Quarters, Children’s Homes and Missionary Quarters all over India, God has been leading us in a marvelous way. Thanks for the response to the appeal that we gave in Blessing Magazine a year ago.

By the grace of God, we fi rst started to work in Ramagiri Mission Station in Odisha. We could repair the roof and build an additional shed on the fi rst fl oor of the Boys’ home. We renovated 12 toilets in the campus and the fl ooring in the clinic hall was also replaced. The entire Ramagiri campus was repainted. Presently a new kitchen along with a dining facility is under construction.

Then we proceeded to Pungamaduvu, in Tamil Nadu where we have a beautiful campus with a church inside. As there was no proper fencing, we decided to go for a barbed wire fencing and a new iron gate. We could also renovate toilets in the missionary quarters in two other fi elds.

“Joshua Home” is a place dedicated for the missionaries to rest and rejuvenate themselves in the prime locality of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. It is beautifully renovated with paver blocks, false roofi ng with additional toilet facilities. We could also renovate the Care-taker’s quarters and added a kitchen facility in the campus.

The Rebuild team also visited Madhya Pradesh and drafted a plan for that State. We also have plans to renovate the Alnavar Campus in Karnataka where we run a Boys’ Home. We will be starting the toilet work at Dhanpur Campus in Odisha shortly.

We thank all the partners who donated for this cause in spite of their personal needs and commitments. We use the best quality materials for Rebuild and we try to maintain professional workmanship in all that we do. We have just started. And we need to proceed further. We request your prayers and continued support for this project.To donate for this need, call or email us:

P. Ramana, Director,Blessing Youth Mission+91 8770048378, +91 9841573650 +91 416 2242943, [email protected] / [email protected] Ramagiri Boys’ Home Kitchen

Pungamaduvu Fencing

Joshua Home

Report on Rebuild 2020


Pray for MaharashtraCapital : MumbaiDistricts : 36Villages : 44,198Population : 11,23,72,972People Groups : 851

Maharashtra lies in the Western region of India. It is the second most populous State after Uttar Pradesh and the third largest State by area. Maharastra is one of the wealthiest States in India. Maharashtra means “ State of Larger Territory.”Prayer Points

➢ Mumbai is the economic and cultural powerhouse of India, home of the Stock Exchange and the hugely infl uential fi lm industry. Pray that the eyes of the people in this great city may be opened.

➢ Inadequate basic needs and suffering in Mumbai are great. There are 2,00,000 victims of the sex trade, over 1,00,000 street children and nearly 3,00,000 HIV+ patients. Pray for effective ministries to reach these people.

➢ Major Church growth and revivals are blocked by caste barriers. Pray that these barriers be broken.

➢ Our missionaries are involved in Church planting ministries in the Southern parts of the State. Pray for more fruits.

➢ Pray for the responsive Vasai people group near Mumbai where our missionaries are working.

➢ Pray for God’s mercy on this State as it has been most affected by the Coronavirus. Pray for God’s grace and protection.

Pray for Madhya PradeshCapital : BhopalDistricts : 51Villages : 55,429Population : 7,26,26,809People Groups : 697

Madhya Pradesh is a State in central India, nicknamed as the “Heart of India” due to its geographical location. Madhya Pradesh is home to a large tribal population, who have been largely cut-off from the mainstream development. Prayer Points

➢ Pray for a revival in the mainline Churches in Madhya Pradesh. The largest denominations are Catholic, CNI and Lutheran. Pray for all the Missions and Denominations who are working in the State.

➢ Pray that unity among Christians may increase and be a platform for outreach and effective ministry.

➢ Pray that the unreached people groups in Madhya Pradesh may come to the knowledge of Christ.

➢ Our missionaries are involved in Youth and Revival work in Jabalpur,Sagar, Satna, Indore and Itarsi. Pray for a breakthrough.

➢ They are also involved in Church planting ministries in Shahgarh, Banda and Badamalera. Pray for more fruits.

➢ Pray for those people who oppose the work of the Lord. Pray that their eyes may be opened so that they may know God.

➢ Pray for the governing people that God may grant them wisdom to deal with the present crisis.

field fragrance!(Owing to the present situation we have given the

general prayer points for fi ve States and one Union Territory)


Pray for GujaratCapital : GandhinagarDistricts : 33Villages : 18,676Population : 6,04,39,692People Groups : 653 Gujarat is considered as the ‘Jewel of Western India.’ It has Pakistan on one of its sides as a border. One part of the State is dry and the other part is fertile. The ancient culture of Sindhu fl ourished here. Prayer Points

➢ The Jain community is present in large numbers. Pray for meaningful ministry among them.

➢ Pray that the anti-conversion bill be revoked and there might be open doors for God’s work.

➢ There is a large chunk of believers in the Southern part of Gujarat. Pray for a revival among them.

➢ Pray also for the revival in the mainline Churches like CNI, Mennonite, Methodist and Baptist. Pray for unity and coordination among them.

➢ Our missionaries are placed in Nadiad, and in some parts of North Gujarat. Pray for a mighty move of the Spirit.

➢ The Saurashtra and Kutch regions are still unreached. Pray for meaningful ministries among them.

➢ Pray for the rich merchants in this State that they too must know the love of the Saviour.

➢ There are around 20 major tribal groups in this State. Pray for a coordinated effort to reach them with the Gospel.

➢ Pray for peace among various communities that live in this State.

➢ Pray for the ‘Parsis’ community people who are found in this State.

Pray for RajasthanCapital : JaipurDistricts : 33Villages : 44,981Population : 6,85,48,437People Groups : 555 Rajasthan is called as the place of kings. The climatic conditions are extreme with very high temperatures during summer and very low temperatures during winter. India’s desert region is found here. Prayer Points

➢ Our missionaries work among Bhils and other people groups based at Nimkathana, Singhana and Banswara. Pray for a breakthrough among them.

➢ Work among the young people at Jaipur and other cities is proceeding well. Pray that many more young hearts be reached through the youth work.

➢ Pray for the unreached people group in this State.

➢ Pray for ministries among Rajputs and Jats.

➢ There are many tourists who come here. Pray that they might be reached with the Gospel of Christ.

➢ Kota is a city where there are many coaching centres. Pray that the young people fi nd the real meaning of success.

➢ Pray for the mainline churches in this State so that there might be a revival among them.

➢ Many people are in darkness and in the clutches of evil spirits. Pray for deliverance.

➢ Pray that many lay people may come forward for active evangelism.

➢ Pray that caste bondages may be broken so that people may come to Christ.

➢ Gujjars are another major people. Pray for meaningful ministries among them.


Pray for Arunachal PradeshCapital : ItanagarDistricts : 23Villages : 5589Population :13,83,727People Groups : 238 This State lies in the North Eastern part bordering China, Bhutan and Myanmar. It is a hilly State with a lot of local dialects being spoken. Praise God for the efforts of various Mission agencies because of which Gospel is making indoors. Prayer Points

➢ Pray for the anti-conversion bill which is in this State. Pray that it be revoked and God’s work to proceed without any hindrance.

➢ There are many Missions from Nagaland who are working here. Pray for oneness and a coordinated effort.

➢ Pray for the new believers to grow in the Lord and not be deceived by false teachings.

➢ Pray for missionary vision among the mainline Churches in this State.

➢ Pray for the unreached people groups. ➢ Pray for deliverance for the people who

are in the clutches of evil spirits. ➢ Pray for the political leadership in

this State that they may be endowed with wisdom to serve the people in a Godly way.

➢ There is a move of the Holy Spirit among many tribal groups in this State. Pray that this movement be sustained and is strengthened in the days to come.

➢ There is a border problem with China. Pray for peace in the border regions.

➢ Pray for development in this State. Since many regions are hilly, many of the welfare schemes of the Government does not reach the interior.

Pray for Jammu and KashmirCapital : SrinagarDistricts : 20Villages : 6768Population : 1,22,58,433People Groups : 289 It lies in the northern most part of India. Last year it was declared as a Union territory (UT). Prayer Points

➢ Pray for peace in the borders of this UT. Since this region shares the border with Pakistan, there is always tension.

➢ Pray for the protection of soldiers who are based there.

➢ There is always internal problems in this UT. Pray for God’s intervention.

➢ There is also a lack of development when compared to the other parts of India. Pray that the Government schemes might reach the lower strata of the society.

➢ Pray for the mainline churches so that they get a fresh vision of the unreached people groups.

➢ Only few missions operate. Pray for open doors for the Gospel.

➢ There are many holy places visited by people, from all over India. Pray that their eyes may be opened to see the One and the True Living God.

➢ Sometimes there are communal tensions within various communities. Pray for understanding and peace.

➢ There are several Mission schools and hospitals in this region ministering to the needy. Pray that their needs be met.

➢ Pray for the terrorist groups who foment anti-India feelings, destabilizing the region.

➢ Pray for the publication of ample Christian literature in Urdu.

BLESSING / July 2020 2 · 2020. 7. 7. · Ahab, incited by his wife Jezebel killed the prophets of...

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