VBC Cornucopia Project - Vol 1 - Number 3 - May - June

VBC Cornucopia Project Volume 1, Number 3 -

VBC Cornucopia Project The Official Journal of the Vision Bible College Support Society

Naktiguda Village, Kalahandi District, Orissa, India

Volume 1: Number 3 - May – June Copyright, by VBCSS, June 15, 2015

© MMXV, All rights Reserved

Seeking and Finding Our Daily Bread

In Genesis 6: 14 – 22, the Lord instructs Noah to build an Ark. Although the dimensions and other instructions were given at that time, the many, many other details of this construction project are not recorded in scripture. Biblical scholars have often speculated about how long it took for Noah to complete the construction, and some estimates range from 50 to 75 years.

It is difficult to know for certain, but it seems unrealistic to presume that every moment of Noah’s work days during these years was spent on the physical labor of cutting and preparing the wood that was used: fashioning the joints and fitting all of this together: preparing the sealing resins and glues, the fasteners and other hardware, and building the rigging for such a vessel.

Perhaps the more realistic perspective is to understand that Noah undoubtedly spent a lot of this time in prayer and direct, reverent communion with the Lord, listening carefully for the step-by-step instructions on how to do this work from start to finish on a day-to-day basis and have it come out right according to God’s design.

Consider the major limitation that Noah faced. He did not have access to a reference library or the internet where he could go look up and study the plans for building a ship. Such knowledge did not exist at the time. In fact, the concept of navigation did not exist in

the absence of standing or flowing bodies of water because there was no purpose for flotation or navigation; there was no example in nature from which to draw an image of such a thing as an Ark.

It is clear that what Noah knew about what he

was doing was the direct result of Divine inspiration, even if the innovative adaptation of existing construction methods played a role in the actual work. So it is also evident that regular, if not constant communication with God was the essential key to keeping this all in order and on track on a daily basis, . . . , for possibly 75 years.

At Matthew 6:33, and also Luke 12:31, Jesus tells us, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [that we need] shall be added unto you.” [Or the provisions that we need for daily living will be given to us]. And to be certain of this, (Phil 4:19) “But my God shall supply all [the provisions for] your need

according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

The broader context of what Jesus is saying at Matt 6:33, based in the verses from 25 – 34, is that to worry over the details of how to obtain provisions and what needs to be done days, weeks, months, and years in advance has no real purpose. After all, (James 4:13-16), 13“Look here, you people who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ 14How do

Matt 6:9-13 9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be

done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11

Give us this day our daily bread. 12

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13

And

lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

KJV

Gustave Doré: Noah Building the Ark. Cir, 1870


you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog — it's here a little while, then it's gone. 15What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ 16Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.” And Jesus’ conclusion is this, (Matt 6:34) 34“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Allowing our imaginations to drift under the influence of worry usually results in taking action in the absence of God’s providence and direction to secure for ourselves the things that we imagine we need. To be certain, this is leaning on our own understanding, and the prophetic word regarding this rings true, (Prov 3:5-6) 5Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And He will direct thy paths.”

In such a detached frame of mind, detached from the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, people become subject to the advice and influence of other people and worldly conventions to tell them what they need to acquire and what to do with their time. Soon enough they become surrounded by and hemmed in by a stockpile of earthly treasures that are destined only to corrupt and decay: (Matt 6:19) 19“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: . . . ” And the work of preserving and protecting the stockpile becomes an excessive burden. More-overly, time and mental focus are consumed by worldly schemes so that if God did come with a calling to do a certain thing the response would inevitably be along these lines, “Not right now Lord: I’m busy. I have to make certain that my provisions are in order first.”

Just imagine where we would all be if Noah had taken the advice of his friends and those who came around to criticize his work. What if he had chosen to follow the conventions of society in order to “fit in” to the acceptable and expected pattern rather than to be obedient to God’s calling? What if Noah had been preoccupied with the pursuit of his own provisions and stockpile of “stuff?” It is not hard to imagine that the Ark would never have been built.

When Noah began to build the Ark was it necessary for him to begin with the roof, the rudder, or the hatch? No, the first thing to do was to set the keel, and next to form the ribs and the hull. If these members had not been properly built at the first, along with a

multitude of other important details in a progressive order along the way, there would not have been a place or functional purpose for a roof, a rudder, or a hatch.

What Noah had to do on a daily basis for a period of, perhaps, 75 years was to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that the provisions of knowledge of what work he was to accomplish each day would be given to him. Noah’s next responsibility was to accomplish the work of the day according to God’s provision of plans and resources so that there would be a proper place to put or begin the next day’s work. What Noah had to obtain on a daily basis was “Manna” for the day. And God’s Manna for His people is not only the bread we eat for our daily meals, but also His guidance by wisdom, inspiration, and the vision of what and how to do works according to our callings: works that God has prepared for us, (Eph 2:10) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.”

Give us this day our daily bread;

Give us provisions of nourishing food for the

strength of our bodies. Give us wisdom to know your calling for us to

accomplish in our work this day. Bring into us the resources and soundness of

mind to accomplish this work according to your will.

Feed into our spirits and souls – our hearts and

minds – the nourishment of your Holy Word by the Scriptures of the Bible, by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, and through fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

(Matt 7:7-8) 7“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

(James 1:5) “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

G. A. Lane


SAVIOR – SOUL WINNER

A Message from VBC Senior Pastor, Sikandar Singh

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our Lord Jesus Christ is a Soul Winner. His heart is always to win the lost soul. He came to this World to seek and save the lost. (John 10:10-11) 10”. . . I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” In other words we can say that Jesus came to this world as a Soul winner. The Bible speaks that the Basic calling of each Individual person is to be a Soul winner. (Mark 16:15) “And he said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.’”

While Jesus Christ was in the World His fame spread out fast and the multitudes flocked to Him and followed Him as He ministered to them. But His love for the individuals remained the same. He never failed to realize the worth of each man and women as an individual person. For an example, at the time of their calling as disciples Jesus meet personally with Peter, Philip and Nathanael, already knowing them as individuals and what amazing miracles they would witness, ( John 1:41-51). Jesus also spent time at the wedding of Cana with the servants (John 2:9). He had long conversations with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) and with the Samaritan Women at the well (John 4:7-28) to tell them about the Kingdom of Heaven. Many questioned if Jesus should even associate with Levi the publican, but He spent time with this man in his home to teach him the Good News of Salvation (Luke 5:27-32). Even at the Cross in the last moments of His ministry on earth, Jesus was winning a person for Paradise (Luke 23:39-43).

The Bible says in (Luke 19:10) that Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost, and (1Tim 1:15) says that Christ came down from heaven to the world to meet sinners. Jesus was meeting sinners right there whether they were in the villages and on the street, in festivals and funerals, on the sea shores or on the mountain. As believers we must do as Jesus did and go to the sinners where they are instead of expecting sinners to come to us.

Jesus primary order to His disciple is to go; (Mark 16:15) “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” Nothing will happen until we go to people to win their souls. The Apostle Paul says to the weak, “I become as weak that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all man that I might by all means save them,” (1Cor.9:22). Jesus Christ is a Savior and His desire is that not any one should be lost. He wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4). For this purpose Jesus Christ was born as a man of the flesh. He humbled Himself and become obedient to the point of death, even the death of Cross (Phil 2:8). (2 Cor 5:21) “Him who knew no sin He made (to be) sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus shed His most Holy precious blood on the rugged Cross for the sin of the whole world (1 Jn 2:2).

We Christians are saved by God’s grace, so being Christians we should fill our own Nation with the Doctrine of Christ, the Gospel of Salvation, just as the Apostles filled Jerusalem with this Good News to win souls (Act 5:28). They also turned the world upside down (Act 17:6) only for the purpose of winning souls. We are children of God to make others Children of God. We believe in God to make others believe our only Triune God. We are saved to save others. We are reading Bibles to make others Bible readers. We are praying in the name of Jesus to make others to pray our Lord. We are filled with the Spirit to lead others to baptism in the Spirit. We who are God’s children have the calling and commission to bring others into God’s family. We are the Church to the unreached and we are going to Heaven. We cannot meet our Lord with empty hands. (Jas 5:20) “You can be sure that the one who brings the sinner back from the error of his ways will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.”

(Matt 18:12-14) 12"If a shepherd has one hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one? 13And if he finds it, he will surely rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away! 14“In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.”


My dear Brothers and sisters in the Lord, a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood pleading with him saying; “come over to Macedonia and help us” (Act 16:9). Similarly, there are many lost souls in this world, and they are appealing for us to save their soul. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry. There is a calling and a purpose for each of us. Wait for the vision because it will surely come. It will not tarry (Heb 2:3)

Above all, the Bible says one is wise who is winning souls, and the reward is that they will shine like a star forever. (Daniel 12 :3) “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

It is my humble request to everyone who reads this article please try to win at least one soul during your lifetime and save the person from eternal death. May God Bless You. With Prayer Pastor Sikandar Singh

Teaching Evangelist Students in the “Dynamic Christian Foundations” Class at Vision Bible College. Nov. 2014.

The Revelation Which God Speaks to Me Through Prayer

Dr. Magdalene Messiah Singh

Repent Your Sin

During prayer I saw a Big Hand coming towards

a man who was praying and between the man and the Big

Hand there was a small partition. Because of the small

partition the Big Hand was not able to touch the man

who was praying.

God gave me the revelation of this picture. The

Big Hand is God’s blessing hand. The partition is sin.

And the man who is praying is a Believer.

There are many believers who pray to God to

bless them. God’s hand is always trying to bless those

who pray, but as the people pray they forget to repent

and leave their sin. This is the reason why the hand of

God is not able to reach them to bless them. Often in

that case, we say that God is not hearing our prayer. But

what God says is the truth; “But, your iniquities have

separated you from your God: Your sins have hidden his

face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2).

The clarity of this revelation is that God is

always ready to bless us, but it is we the receivers who are

not able to remove sin from our lives. So, the correction

that removes the partition is to remove sin from our lives

and allow God to bless us as He is always prepared and

desiring to do. (1 John 2:1-2) “My dear children, I am

writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do

sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father.

He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. 2 He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only

our sins but the sins of all the world. “

God bless everyone who is going to read this

revelation.

With prayer

Evangelist Magdalene


Our Mid-Term News

It was a blessing to report in the previous March – April Issue of the VBC Cornucopia Project on the graduation of the “Christian Life” Class and to show photographs of the commencement ceremony. These are very happy students to attend Vision Bible College and they are enthusiastic to be going forward to accomplish their mission and calling as Evangelists in the local communities of Kalahandi District. To be certain, their blessings are our blessings. However, the end of the semester is not the end of regular business for VBC and the Governing Body of the Vision Bible College Support Society. It is only a time available to attend to specific and important administrative tasks pending the start of a new “Dynamic Christian Foundations” Class after June 15. And this is soon to begin. Vision Bible College Support Society is now an officially registered Charitable Society in India. With this status also comes the responsibility to meet the expectations of the local Municipal Office in Naktiguda Village and the Kalahandi District Collectorate in Bhawanipatna that we perform according to the objectives of our Mission Statement and demonstrate a service to the community that improves the quality and standards of livelihood among the residents. An important part of this is fulfilled as the regular classes are in session. Also the outreach ministry of the Evangelists who distribute essential aide and commodities, as well as teaching, in the rural communities cooperates in this objective. But there are also several basic routine administrative duties that constitute our compliance. Two primary tasks of the Governing Body – President, Treasurer, & Secretary – are to maintain the records of financial activity in a proper ledger, and secondly to keep a comparable record of the Society’s business and curricular activities on a regular basis. The VBC Cornucopia Project Journal provides a part of this record, and the Secretary’s records fill this out. These are provided for review by the Municipal Office on a periodic basis and a full annual report is also required at the end of each fiscal year. In addition to the time required to obtain our official registration as a Charitable Society, – about four months to process the paperwork for review and

approval, – it has also been a long process to open a bank account that is authorized for the receipt of financial resources from foreign sources. But this important objective is also coming to pass. Having such an authorized account is important because in India the receipt of funding from foreign sources is strictly regulated according to the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act – 2010. And so besides just having the account opened it is also a necessary objective to begin preparing our application for a “Certificate of Permission” to receive foreign contributions according to the stipulations of the FCRA – 2010. That is a process that requires three years of review of our periodical and annual reports by the Municipal Office and the District Collectorate. It is possible to actually file the application after these three years of review are completed successfully. In the meantime, after the review of our first year of activity is completed, which will happen sooner than we can shake a stick, it is then possible for the Society to apply for a Section 80G – Tax Exempt Status (which is comparable to IRS Code 501(c)(3) status in the U.S.).

Of course, this is all standard procedure for properly organized and operating Charitable Societies. The applications processes represent a special effort, but the regular maintenance of the records and reviews with the Municipal Office, which also depends on the performance of activities, is an ongoing process of administrative business for the Governing Body. For the students who participate in this business in addition to the regular classes, as an internship of sorts, this is a supplementary educational experience that will greatly enhance the capacity to do their work in the future.

One thing that the Municipal Office of Naktiguda Village includes in its periodic reviews is an inspection of our College classroom facility. Necessarily, as a College operating in the municipality of Naktiguda, we must be certain that our facility is providing adequate public safety and access to proper sanitation facilities. Our current facility, although it is a humble place with two rooms for classes and office, is sufficient and available for this purpose for the present time. However, at the most recent review the Municipal Office recommendation is that we move the College to a “Dedicated Facility” at the first possible opportunity. Naturally, Vision Bible College Support


Society is in complete agreement with this recommendation and the reasons for it.

The move to a Dedicated Facility will be an advantage in many ways. First to consider that this will provide much more space for the classroom(s), allowing for more than one course in progress during the semesters. Also, there will be specific and separate office space for the administrative work. A second advantage regards the structural maintenance and water / sanitation access for public safety. And the third main consideration is that the College should develop as a recognizable place within the community for productive educational and social activity. When you see the College, then this is what you should see.

Naktuguda is a rural village, but it is not remote. There is a diversity of income and occupation present there such as you would not see in the remote tribal communities that are dependant entirely on agriculture and hunting for subsistence. Alongside the dwellings of impoverished residents there are seen also established industrial facilities and businesses, an active market place, as well as nice residences and buildings with secure and attractive architecture.

We do not have a photograph of a selected building (probably a nice looking house) for the new location of the College to display at this time because there are several locations under consideration. However, based on the rental price of the various possibilities we are able to anticipate a rate of around $175.00 / month – or $2100.00 for the annual rental. Naturally, Vision Bible College Support Society is seeking financial support to meet the challenge of making this move into a Dedicated Facility. Even a contribution to help meet the monthly rental cost is greatly appreciated. And please note that we do have the assistance of another organization with an established registered office in India to ensure that the funding for this facility rental is applied in complete compliance with the FCRA-2010 stipulations. We are certainly in no way ashamed of our current humble classroom space. But together with the Municipal Office we have a vision for a more established presence in the community at Naktiguda Village.

The Current Vision Bible College Facility

Outside and Inside Views

Some Views Around Naktiguda


Other Academic Planning

The text books, Dynamic Christian Foundations & Christian Life, which constitute the first year of curriculum at Vision Bible College are available through Internet Bible College / Vision International College of Minton (near Sidney), Australia. http://internetbiblecollege.com/index.html. These are excellent studies for introducing students to the work of Evangelic Ministry.

Our challenge is that these texts and other materials used in our classes are written in English, and our students nearly exclusively study and conduct their field work in the local Oriya language. Necessarily, these lessons are translated / interpreted during the course lectures to provide a primarily oral presentation of the subject to the students. With the permission and blessings of Rev. Dr. Ken Chant – VCC Founder and author of many of the texts, and Rev. Dr. Denis Plant – CEO of Vision Colleges Australia, a special effort will be made during the upcoming class session to transcribe these translations so that the Dynamic Christian Foundations and Christian Life texts will be available in Oriya.

A part of the overall challenge of making these translations is that the Oriya language has 126 alphabetic characters. Typesetting Oriya text is extremely difficult even with modern computer equipment and software. To facilitate this work a special “Calligraphy Group” among the students is being organized to study the technique of drafting pages of text by hand so that these are both properly translated and also artistically rendered. These pages can then be scanned into PDF format for digital access and also just copied to provide texts for future students. Organizing this group of scribes will go a long way to improve the students’ study habits and skills for working in the field locally. This also helps establish our publications department for future work. (Ex 18:15-27; & Acts 6:3).

Campus Development Project Progress

A primary focus of our extracurricular activity is the development of a permanent campus facility for Vision Bible College. This is a long range agenda that anticipates an estimated three years of planning and work in order to make a significantly demonstrable show of progress. Of course, the fund raising effort to assemble the budget for the purchase of land and the construction costs is a big part of this activity. Another work currently in progress is the organizing of the construction plans and architectural designs of the campus.

We have chosen to arrange these plans into a series of booklets that address various specific elements of the Campus infrastructure and overall design. At present the plans for the initial utility water supply, a Hand Dug Well to support the remaining construction work, is nearly completed. When the costs of materials and tools available locally in Naktiguda / Bhawanipatna are all collected the Summary with a total estimated project cost will be completed and the booklet will be made available in Hard-Copy format.

The next booklet in the series will focus on the storage of this ground water supply, the treatment of the water as a potable supplement to the Rainwater Harvest System that will eventually supply the Campus needs, and the methods of moving the water around by various pumping and gravity-flow systems. Other booklets will discuss the Monsoon Friendly Septic Tank System, the Rainwater Harvest System, The Horticultural Workshop Gardens, and the structures of the Academic & Residential Buildings. Although we would like to be applying financial resources directly toward the permanent Campus facility, the timeframe for this development is such that it is necessary for the time being to establish the Dedicated Facility for the Campus in Naktiguda Village and manage the regular business and activities of the College there while the Campus Development Project is in progress. Taking one – or maybe two – steps at a time!

http://internetbiblecollege.com/index.html


The Fund Raising Policy of Vision Bible College Support Society We do not directly solicit donations from individuals or other ministry programs except where it is announced that such support is available and invitations to apply for or request this assistance are circulated.

We do announce our agendas and the related financial needs. Also, we post notice that contributions are sincerely appreciated. But we consider that it must be the contributor’s choice to give according to the wisdom of (2 Cor 9:7-8);

7"(Let) each man (do) according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:”

In no manner do we intend to convey in these announcements any coercive or suggestive solicitations that would promote feelings of guilt and irresponsibility for not giving.

We recognize that the competent stewards of most ministry programs and charitable organizations as well as the laity understand the meaning and importance of the scriptures like Malachi 3:10-11, 2 Cor 9:7-8, Luke 6:38, and many others that deal with tithes, offerings, and contributory gifts to individuals and other ministry activities. We also recognize that various ministry programs have callings by God that are equally important among them and each of them has a certain financial need to accomplish the work of the calling. Individuals also make choices according to their own inspirations and callings to support various causes, and to be truly obedient to the callings of God, that is where their support must be given. Because of this, VBCSS does not submit letters of request for contributions directly to programs or individuals that do not announce that they are ordained or called to provide this type of support.

Now, if a ministry or individual within a ministry is genuinely moved to make a contribution in response to our published agenda, then we count this as a particular blessing. But we must sincerely remind such supporters to not rob Peter in order to pay Paul.

* * * * * * * * Vision Bible College does have several areas of need for support. Contributions to participate in any of these are sincerely welcomed and appreciated. To list a few; For each class of 12 students it is our goal to supply them with a set of Oriya and English translation Bibles and

also a good quality School Bag / Book Pack for their field work and studies. The cost to purchase the Bibles (both translations as a set – total of 24 books) is around $200.00.

We now have an objective to secure the $175.00 / month - $2100.00 annual rental of the Dedicated Facility. Providing food, clothing, shoes, and other aide to residents in the outreach ministry is an open fund and all

contributions make a tremendous, positive difference in the work of spreading the Gospel of Christ. The ongoing admistrative tasks also require an open fund for successful management. The purchase of the land for the Campus Development Project is a specific amount at $15,000.00. Additional

construction costs will become specified as the planning progresses.

Please Contact Us For More Information About Contributions and Partnerships

Sincerely In Christ

Postal Correspondence via: Dr. Magdalene Messiah Singh Anchor Person / Director, Vision Bible College

At - Naktiguda, Po- Bhawanipatna, Dist -Kalahandi State - Orissa, Pin- 766001, India

*********

George A. Lane (Andy)

Chairman, VBCSS Advisory Board

Project Manager,

VBC Campus Development

e-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Magdalene Messiah Singh

Anchor Person / Director,

Vision Bible College

President, VBCSS Governing Body

e-mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

VBC Cornucopia Project - Vol 1 - Number 3 - May - June

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