Esau sold his birthright for a pot of pottage. The devil seems to have been in the pottage industry ever since th...
God Holds Our Future - The Story of 3 Trees
A great story that I saw this morning:God’s Waysby Dr. Shaily Bhashanjaly(Value Education - VIII, Holy Faith International)Life is a mixed bag of joys and sorrows, success and failures. It is in difficult times that your inner strength, perseverance and, most importantly, your faith are tested. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. But just know His ways are not our ways, but his ways are always the best. Remember to place your unwavering faith and trust in God. You will receive untold blessings.Once there were three trees on a hill...
The Paradox of a Sinful Mind
One paradoxical condition of the sinful mind is that it doesn't know itself as sinful -- except for the grace of God, mankind would be bereft of the consciousness of sin, judgment, and repentance (Tit.2:11,12; 2Tim.2:25,26). The Spirit shakes us to our senses and brings life through the soul-rifting word of the Cro...
The Cross is the Mission
My Lord is there and He’ll show meThe cross to take, the path to go.The cross is the mission that He gives me,The meaning of life He lets me kn...
Denying Self and Following Christ (Matt 16:24) - Sermon
Text: Matthew 16:24 Sanjaynagar, Sunday, July 17Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Matt.16:24)The first requisite for one to be a follower of Jesus Christ is denying oneself, then taking up one's own cross and following Him.A little while ago, Jesus had asked what his disciples thought of Him. Peter answered, "You are Christ, the Son of the Living God," and Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jona, for flesh and blood [meaning man] has...
Everything Beautiful in Its Time (Eccl. 3:11) - Sermon
Text: Ecclesiastes 3:11 Sanjaynagar, Friday, July 15."He has made everything beautiful in its time." (Eccl.3:11)If you have been wondering if life has any meaning or purpose, remember this, that you are beautiful, not because of how you feel or what people say, but because the Word of God declares that He has made you beautiful in your time.Some people give up very soon thinking it's all over and nothing's gonna work out. Remember Job's wife, how she came to him and said "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" But, Job knew...
Knowing God's Will in Life (Rom.12:2) - Sermon
Text: Romans 12:2Wednesday, July 13.And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2)Knowing God's will is important. It is not an option, but a necessity.Jesus walked according to His Father's will. "Not as I will, but as You will" He prayed in the Garden of Gethsamane. He was led by the Holy Spirit and worked and taught by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1,2; 10:38). He has given us the Spirit so that we may walk...
The Ultimate End of Man - Fichte and the New Testament Compared
Fichte, The Vocation of the Scholar"To subject all irrational nature to himself, to rule over it unreservedly and according to his own laws, is the ultimate end of man; which ultimate end is perfectly unattainable, and must continue to be so, unless he were to cease to be man, and become God. It is a part of the idea of man that his ultimate end must be unattainable; the way to it endless. Hence it is not the vocation of man to attain this end. But he may and should constantly approach nearer to it; and thus the unceasing approximation to this...
Fichte on 18th Century Christianity and Christian Ministry of Europe
Of a project for engaging him in the ministry, he thus writes -- "I know my opinions. I am neither of the Lutheran nor Reformed Church, but of the Christian ; and were I compelled to choose, I should (since no purely Christian community now exists) attach myself to that community in which there is most freedom of thought and charity of life ; and that is not the Lutheran, I think. . . . . . I have given up these hopes in my fatherland entirely. There is indeed a degree of enlightenment and rational religious knowledge existing among the younger...
By the Gate Called Beautiful - Poem
THERE'S A BEGGAR sitting by the gate called Beautiful,And he needs more than just silver and gold;The priests scoff by,The rich walk by,The people throng by,The children ask whyThis beggar's sitting by the gate called Beautiful.There's a preacher coming to the gate called Beautiful,And he ain't got any silver or gold;But, he won't lie,And, he won't shy;For, he's the kinda guyWho'll just stop byThis beggar sitting by the gate called Beautiful.A priest gnarls by,"Wretched beggars defacing the Temple!"A vendor calls by,"Come, you fella! Got any change...
Shepherd of my soul (with Hindi Translation)
Shepherd of my soulShepherd of my soul I give you full control,Wherever You may lead I will foll-ow.I have made the choice to listen for Your vo-vo-ice,Wherever You may lead I will go.Be it in a quiet pasture or by a gentle stream,The Shepherd of my soul is by my side.Should I face a mighty mountain or a valley dark and deep,The Shepherd of my soul will be my guide.मेरा चरवाहामेरा चरवाहा मेरा प्रभु महान जहा भी ले जाएं मै चलूंगा मेरा यह निर्णय तेरी आवाज सुनूं जहा भी ले जाएं मै चलूं चाहे हो ये ठंडी छां,झरनों के पास मेरा चरवाहा मेरा प्रभु ये पहाड़...
7 Ghastly Sins of Ministry (Micah 3)
Text: Micah 31. Hatred of Good and Love of Evil (Mic 3:2)A. Values that are Self-Centered, Not Christ-CenteredB. Values that are Self-Defined, Not Spirit-DefinedC. Values that are Self-Glorifying, Not God-GlorifyingA confused value-system that honors culture, man, and the world rather than the Law of GodLuke16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.2. Exploitation of the Sheep (Mic 3:2)A. Manipulating People...
An Eternally Caring God (Deut.33:27)
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27, NIV)THE ETERNALITY of God demonstrates His unfailing power of self-existence and self-sustenance. He is both invincible and indestructible. Therefore, He is our best refuge. Earthly shelters and shields have their bounds against bruises but God is a sure refuge of all those who trust in Him. The promise of the Scripture not only tells us that God is our refuge but also that this security is undergirded by His everlasting arms, which speak of at least three...
Truth & Reality: Epistemology & Ontology
From Marbaniang, Domenic. Epistemics of Divine Reality © 2007. p.31EPISTEMOLOGY is related to knowledge while Ontology is related to reality. Epistemology seeks to understand the nature, sources, and scope of knowledge; Ontology, to understand the nature of reality. Epistemology deals with the meaning of Truth; Ontology deals with the meaning of reality. True or false is predicated of statements only. Real or unreal is predicated of existence. Therefore, logic and semantics are important issues in the study of truth. Truth is mental;...
Imagination: Productive, Reproductive, and Creative
Imagination is the faculty of forming mental images or concepts.There are three kinds of imagination:Productive Imagination. Also, referred to by Kant as transcendental imagination, whose function is to synthesize, by means of the a priori categories, the manifold experience. It is spontaneous and a priori. By the help of this faculty one is able to experience the world of senses in a meaningful way.Reproductive Imagination. It is the power of reproducing images stored in the memory under the suggestion of associated images. (Random Dictionary)Creative...
Time will test
Time will test both friends and enemies,The ones who war, the ones who make peace;Don't watch the stars, don't divine by any breeze,Time itself will tell the friends from the enem...
Zeno's Arguments for the Irrationality of Plurality and the Rationalityof Monism
From Marbaniang, Domenic. Epistemics of Divine Reality © 2007.To the attacks of the pluralists, Zeno of Elea, disciple of Parmenides offered several arguments in form of paradoxes that demonstrated the utter absurdity of commonsense realism. Since absurdity is a sign of falsity, it is false that reality is many. Hence, Zeno argues that reality must be one. It may be noted that the paradox may also mean, contrary to Zeno’s contention, that reason...
Faith as Substance - Hebrews 1:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)From Explorations of Faith, 2009.Secondly, faith is “the substance of things hoped for.” In other words, the things that we hope for are, at present, composed of and given to us as faith. Therefore, whenever we have faith we also have the things we hope for in the form of faith now. That is why Jesus said “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mk. 11:24). He doesn’t ask them to believe...
Faith as Ground or Foundation - Hebrews 1:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)From Explorations of Faith, 2009.The Greek word for “substance” used here is hupostasis (υπόστασις), from which is derived our English word “hypostasis”, which means, in metaphysics, “essential nature or underlying reality.” Literally, it meant “that which is placed under”, that is the ground beneath something on which the thing gains a firm foothold. It is in this sense that the Septuagint (LXX) uses it for “standing” in Psalm 69:2, where the psalmist...
Plato on God and the Problem of Evil: Is God the Author of Evil?
From The RepublicAnd no good thing is hurtful?No, indeed.And that which is not hurtful hurts not?Certainly not.And that which hurts not does no evil?No.And can that which does no evil be a cause of evil?Impossible.And the good is advantageous?Yes.And therefore the cause of well-being?Yes.It follows therefore that the good is not the cause of all things, but of the good only?Assuredly.Then God, if he be good, is not the author of all things, as the many assert, but he is the cause of a few things only, and not of most things that occur to men. ...
On Work, Time, and Vocation - Plato
From The RepublicI am myself reminded that we are not all alike; there are diversities of natures among us which are adapted to different occupations.Very true.And will you have a work better done when the workman has many occupations, or when he has only one?When he has only one.Further, there can be no doubt that a work is spoilt when not done at the right time?No doubt.For business is not disposed to wait until the doer of the business is at leisure; but the doer must follow up what he is doing, and make the business his first object.He must.And...
On Sin, Hope, and the Fear of Death - Cephalus to Socrates
Cephalus to Socrates in Plato's The Republic ... let me tell you, Socrates, that when a man thinks himself to be near death, fears and cares enter into his mind which he never had before; the tales of a world below and the punishment which is exacted there of deeds done here were once a laughing matter to him, but now he is tormented with the thought that they may be true: either from the weakness of age, or because he is now drawing nearer to that...
Pastor Karamchand Hans, Miracles at Sanjaynagar (Convention, October 1992)
From Marbaniang, Domenic. The Story of Prarthana Bhavan of Sanjay Koyala Nagar, 2005, pp.7-9.THE FIRST Christian Convention of any kind in Sanjay Koyala Nagar was organized during October 8 – 10, 1992. Pastor Karamchand Hans arrived with his son Pastor Rajinder Hans and a disciple on October 7th. They were lodged at the Guest House of Sanjay Koyala Nagar.Pamphlets advertising the healing services had already been circulated. On the evening of October 8th, a huge crowd gathered at the Durga Ground, the site of the Convention. People were anxiously...
Faith Births Miracles (John 6:1-14)
Text: John 6:1-14 (The Feeding of the Five Thousand)After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He...
विश्वास के आश्चर्यकर्म (यूहुन्ना 6: 1-14)
पाठ: यूहुन्ना 6: 1-14Joh 6:1 इन बातोंके बाद यीशु गलील की झील अर्थात तिबिरियास की झील के पास गया।Joh 6:2 और एक बड़ी भीड़ उसके पीछे हो ली कयोंकि जो आश्चर्य कर्म वह बीमारोंपर दिखाता या वे उन को देखते थे।Joh 6:3 तब यीशु पहाड़ पर चढ़कर अपके चेलोंके साय वहां बैठा।Joh 6:4 और यहूदियोंके फसह के पर्ब्ब निकट या।Joh 6:5 तब यीशु ने अपनी आंखे उठाकर एक बड़ी भीड़ को अपके पास आते देखा, और फिलप्पुस से कहा, कि हम इन के भोजन के लिये कहां से रोटी मोल लाएंJoh 6:6 परन्तु उस ने यह बात उसे परखने के लिये कही? क्योंकि वह आप जानता था कि मैं क्या करूंगा।Joh 6:7 फिलप्पुस...
