Domenic Marbaniang

"Then they will heed your voice...." (Exo 3:18) Moses' second question also includes the concern about the "How" of doing this mission. Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them,`The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me,`What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" (Exo 3:13) He is already calculating the possible problems aforehand, which is not bad. Moses' question button turns on God's light on His plan of redemption. God tells him what he has to tell the elders and what they should do, how they should meet the Pharaoh, how he would refuse to let the people of Israel go, and then how God would bring them out. Usually, the man or woman called to divine mission knows what the mission really is all about. However, not all of us have an idea of the divine plan. Sometimes, God shows us the entire plan at a glimpse. Sometimes, He leads us step by step. But, nevertheless, ...

DEAR SAVIOR, Protect children from the chill-hands of winter! Protect families from accidents on foggy routes! Provide for the homeless clothes, food, and shelter! Fill hearts with warmness of love full of good fruits! May eyes blinded by hatred find healing in Your love That they may love and forgive and restore and build! May hearts stiffened by indifference find life in Your love That they may beat for the helpless and keep beating still. May broken homes, sad and sorrowful, find a Visitor Friend-- You, O Lord, come to these homes, and may all sadness end! For, times and seasons span our lives so short Till Eternity takes us into Your Celestial Court! Protect Your children, Lord, according to Your Promise: "No evil shall befall you nor shall any plague come near your dwelling". (Psalm 91:10)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psa 23:1) You are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Col 2:10) Covetousness is the desire-call of false and godless vacuum. Covetousness never desires God to fill its emptiness, boredom, greed, or desire because its hunger is false and godless. Covetousness looks for something more, something different, something other and is easily deceived into taking the unreal for real. There are at least 3 kinds of vacuums: 1. Original Vacuum. This is the vacuum of infinity within the human spirit (Eccl.3:11). It can only be resolved by faith in the Infinite God and loving devotion to Him. A life without Truth, without God is a bottomless pit, infinitely empty, and that is hell. This vacuum manifests as meaninglessness, purposelessness, hopelessness. People try to cover it up by a false belief in either the immortality of personal soul or a recourse to nihilism (or nothingness, absurdity, meaninglessness, pointlessness). 2. ...

Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them,`The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me,`What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" (Exo 3:13) "So, who are You?" Moses asks the Lord. In response, God gives to Moses a three-fold revelation of Himself. 1. He IS that He IS. The FINAL Authority of Mission.  He replies, "I AM WHO I AM."..."Thus you shall say to the children of Israel,`I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exo 3:14). This reveals the ESSENTIAL IDENTITY of God. He cannot be identified with any definition because His existence is not dependent on anything outside Himself. My existence is dependent on many factors. So, if someone asks me who I am, I would reply saying, "I am the son of so and so, I live in such and such place, and I do such and such job or work for so and so...." This would still be only one aspect of the many things that makes me who I am. The...

Since the Early Period of Christian history, the world has presented an almost inescapable allurement of dry logic or fake glory to divine faith. The world challenges faith to fight with it on its worldly ground, the ground of space-time reason (which apologists, sadly, find very compelling). On the one hand are the contextualists who try to localize revelation in terms of contexts, which attempts, most of which, have certainly been quite helpful, though some idolatrously inclusive. But, nothing has been more devastating to the cause of theological education than the allurement of the secular "university" system in modern times. In 1520, Martin Luther talked about the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. The Protestant Church soon forgot the lesson as it continued to be enamored with the gods of the surrounding nations, the gods of Enlightenment, Scientism, and Modernism. The chief warriors who fell to this honey-trap were theological professors who wished to appear as intelle...

Exodus 3 and 4 record God's call of Moses to deliver the people of Israel and lead them into the Promised Land. Background Hebrews 11:23 tells us that the parents of Moses were strong believers. Hebrews 11:24-26 tells us that when the time came for Moses to choose, he "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. (Heb 11:24-26) In other words, Moses was a person who made a honest choice to follow Christ and His path of suffering. It is wrong to imagine that if Moses would have been patient and not killed the Egyptian he would have become the next Pharaoh. The Bible says that He actually made the choice to refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. It seems that Egyptian politics was deeply tied with their polytheistic religion that in a way also de...

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice. (Isaiah 32:1) Psalm 96:10; 103:17; 2Pet 3:13 A. He is Righteous and True and Just in His Character (Mal.4:2; Jer.23:5) B. He is All-knowing and Nothing is Hid from His Blazing Eyes (Heb.4: 13; Jer.23:24) C. He is All-powerful and No Wicked Can Stand Before His Power (2Thess.1:6-9; Jude 1:14-15) He is Coming Soon. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." (Prov.18:17) The Opposition is a vital part of modern democracy. It ensures that the government elected by the people is working on behalf of the people and fulfilling the goals it set before them. It also ensures that the ruling party practices transparency and accountability. The Opposition has the right to question the actions of the government and demand an account or rationale for its actions. It may be wrong in its assumptions, but it has the right to voice its questions, without which democracy will be annihilated. To try to silence the voice of the Opposition by any means whatsoever is to kill the soul of the nation which is liberty, unity, fraternity, and justice; for where the right to freedom is exterminated, democracy is dead. A government that labels the Opposition as traitor for questioning its actions is against the people. The Opposition provides an opportunity for the ...

"All of You, none of me," Is all I pray to Thee. A clay pot filled with divine treasure Of power and truth beyond measure Is all I want to be.

"Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." (Ecc 11:1) One should not fear taking risks. All work of production calculates risks. Risk-taking is key to farming, business, banking. In the Parable of Talents, the boss commended the two workers who went and took risks to do business with the money they received, doubling it by the time their boss returned. However, he was very unhappy with the worker who went and hid the capital depriving the boss of even the interest from the use of it. He rebuked him saying that he should have given the money to bankers if he was afraid of taking risks, for bankers (risk-takers themselves) assure of a set interest amount. Risk-taking must be accompanied by good counsel, calculation, wisdom, and diligent hard-work that explores various avenues of investment. Risk-taking investments forgo the present disuse or use of something for sake of future returns. For instance, the farmer sows the grain instead of eating...

The Lord of the Universe watches from above, He looks at the oppressed with eyes of love. He feels their agony, their cries He hears. He'll give them justice and wipe their tears.

And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."(Exo 16:3) People in general detest to go through the pain of transition though they immensely desire the Promised Land--they give in to intense complaining, wishing to go back to their previous state of misery, instead of walking through the ordeal of the uncomfortable journey. They, then, begin to despise authority and speak evil of dignitaries (2Pet.2:10), when they are called to cooperate with them, knowing the fear of the Lord (Rom.13:1; Tit.3:1). To citizens of various respective countries, if your government stands in rebellion against the express Moral Law of Heaven, resist it (Acts 4:19; 5:29); but, if it is on the side of righteousness and good governance with a vision to lead the nation to well-being , b...

Positional Sanctification: Sanctified by Faith in Christ (Acts 26:18) by His Blood (Heb.10:29) Progressive Sanctification:  Dedication to God, Partaking of His Holiness, Pursuit of Holiness, Sanctified Living, Offering Bodies as Living Sacrifice, Walking in the Spirit, Sanctifying Christ in Hearts, Daily Cleansing, Walking in the Light, Avoiding all Appearance of Evil, Having Purity of Conscience, Purity of Faith, Purity of Love, Striving Against Sin, Fleeing Lusts, Disciplining Body, Pursuit of God in Hope, Putting off old man, Putting on new man (Heb.12:10,14; 1Pet.1:15; Rom.12:1,2; Gal.5:22-25; 2Cor.7:1; 1Jn.1:7-9; Rom.12:9; Heb.12:3; 1Cor.9:27; 1Tim.1:5; 6:11; 1Jn.3:3; Eph.4:22-25). Note : Progressive doesn't mean one is less holy today and becomes holier later. One is either holy or unholy; clean or unclean. In the NT, there is no gradation of Holy and Most Holy. Progressive means daily walk of holiness with Christ in the Spirit. No man can say he is immune to temptation while...

There are different models of Leadership: 1. Pyramid Leadership (Military, Hierarchial) 2. Functional Leadership (Team Playing) 3. Situational Leadership (Rising for the Situation) 4. Servant Leadership (Focuses on Serving) 5. Shepherd Leadership (Focuses on Leading, Protecting, Providing, Teaching) 6. Family Leadership (Leadership in the Father-Son Model) Jesus gave us a picture of Family Leadership when He spoke about ministry and mission in the Divine Family. It was not a King who sent an Ambassador, but the Father who gave His only begotten Son. The Son learnt from the Father and obeyed His will. We also find an example of Family Leadership in Paul's mentoring of Timothy. Paul was not a boss, or a teacher, or a team-leader, or even a senior pastor to Timothy; he was a spiritual father to him. The modern cry of the youth is for true spiritual fathers who can set an example, who can teach and also correct with authority, who can mentor them. The cry is not for celebrity figures a...

Usury is the money charged for the use of money. What is understood as usury in the negative sense usually, is considered as interest in the positive or neutral sense. Old Testament law discouraged practice of usury against fellow brethren. But, the Israelites were permitted to lend on interest to foreigners. Jesus mentions in His Parable of Talents that the servant with one talent should have deposited the money with bankers rather than hide it in the ground so that the Master could get back his amount along with interest. However, Aquinas considered the application of this suggestion in spiritual terms. For many centuries, usury was forbidden by the church (though Luther observes that many of the clergy did wickedly practice it). The Jews who practiced (or were marginalized to this trade) often became victims of persecution. A great example of the evil of usury is exemplified in Shakespeare's play, "Merchant of Venice", the usurer personified as the evil Shylock the Jew...

Denmark ranks as the 1st among the world's least corrupt countries. Singapore ranks 8th. India ranks 65th. North Korea and Somalia rank 149th. A study of these systems reveal the following facts. 1. An Anti-corruption agency, independent of the police and executive is crucial to check corruption. Countries having multiple anti-corruption agencies don't seem to have much success. One cannot remove dirt with dirt; one has to use an agent that is intrinsically anti-dirt (soap-water). Singapore's "anti-corruption agency, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), is well resourced and independent. It is empowered to investigate any person, even police officers and ministers, and conducts public outreach to raise public awareness and shape social norms." (Lee Hsien Loong) 2. In countries like Singapore, the high-level officials are paid well and corruption is kept at bay at that level. The idea is that anti-corruption begins from top to bottom. "There is a...

The Bible celebrates the fact that God is Good (Psalm 135:3). To state that God is good is to also acknowledge at the same time that God is the summum bonum, the Highest Good. His goodness is absolute in Himself, for He is perfect. His goodness is also towards us, in relation. God is Good in His Being God is Good in His Character God is Good in His Acts To the rich young ruler, Jesus declared that only God is good (Matt.19:17), i.e. in the sense of being the absolute good and perfect Teacher who alone can absolutely declare the truth that leads to eternal life. Sadly, the rich young ruler could not accept Jesus as the Good Master, refusing to follow Him. In his eyes, the world and its possessions were the more immediate good. There are at least four crisis-situations in relation to our attitude towards God's goodness. 1. Doubt Regarding the Selflessness of God's Goodness This was the situation that Eve faced in the garden of Eden when the devil deceived her to doubt that God...

The Enlightenment thinkers felt that reason had come to age and elevated it above faith. But, mathematics is not the book of life. It is impossible to expel faith. As the wise sage Pascal observed, reason has to be find support on something, and that something can't be reason itself, to avoid circular reasoning. Reason is also based upon faith. Again, he showed that reason cannot irrefutably prove God, but it can neither disprove His existence. It proves nothing. Spiritual skepticism is the willingness to concede that our minds cannot have certainty alone by themselves. This is not to deny certain certainties that are axiomatic and undeniable. For instance, one can't contradict the law of non-contradiction. However, it certainly means that one has no confidence in his own reasoning and wisdom. Only this form of skepticism regarding self can truly set us free to find our fullness and certainty only in Him.

Four Purposes 1. To recognize but not appoint the persons of God's choice 2. To set apart a person for a particular task or ministry 3. To endorse a person with authority 4. To equip, that is to transmit the spiritual gift or spiritual authority or whatever else is needed by the person to carry out his God-appointed task

Everything in the world, including feelings and thoughts, are caused, except divine love. Love is uncaused and causeless, so it is not possible to causally or pragmatically explain the love of God. It is wrong to ask why God loves us. Therefore, when we speak of divine love, we also know that God is Love. And, this love among us is a sign that we are His disciples. A man can be slave to his passions, but is liberated by love (is not slave nor causally determined in his acts anymore). Therefore, there is a difference between those who seek to fulfill the law and those who are led by the Spirit of God. The latter are sons of God, free from the corruption that is in the world, and will be manifest at His Coming. All godly decisions and actions in the world are the acts of love.

1. Charm is deceitful (Pro.31:30) 2. The heart is deceitful (Jer.17:9) 3. Riches are deceitful (Mat.13:22) 4. Sin is deceitful (Heb.3: 13)

"But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." (Rom 5:20) ----------------------------------------------------- SUBTLETY OF SIN - Creeps undetected - Convinces of being received - Controls our thoughts, feelings, attitude - Cuts off our relationship with God GENEROSITY OF GRACE - Abounds much more than our sin - Accepts us as we are - Administers unto us abundant gifts of forgiveness, healing, eternal life, ministry, enablements, strength, the Holy Spirit - Available always at the Throne of His Grace. He calls us to Draw near, Humble self, Submit, Receive.

Send Your fire, light this wet, Damp and lifeless altar! Motivate, inspire! Help us get To where we will not falter. Sprinkle sparks, fan the flame, Heat us hotter, slay our shame. Take our treasures, grant us grace To walk in wisdom, to run this race.

'When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?.... Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there..." (Gen.42:1,2) Oftentimes, God uses circumstances to guide us. But, He always guides to only the good, never into evil. In this incident, Jacob is being constrained towards the only logical and practical option left. But, this constraint was what God actually used to get them to Egypt according to His plan. When we trust in divine sovereignty, we can give thanks to God in everything. If we feel confused about some decision, we can ask, "What is the good, practical and God-pleasing final option or solution to this issue?" We don't need to just stand looking for some answer or for someone to do something. Just take a decision.

Joseph applied the principle of proper saving when he advised the Pharaoh to save before they spent. Saving for the bad times is not a bad idea. One must save or reserve something for the future from the surplus one has today. The Foolish Virgins were foolish because they didn't take extra oil with them. But, the Wise were really wise because they not only took the extra oil, but they also did not surrender their wisdom to the folly of the foolish. When the foolish asked for help, they refused. Refusing somebody is not callous when the request itself is foolish. Compassion is not irrational. Compassion doesn't encourage irresponsibility. Compassion calculates value. Jesus said that before a man constructs anything, he must first calculate the cost. Calculating and Planning are not unspiritual. The Spiritual don't just jump into the water by blind faith; the spiritual calculate the cost and know what they are doing and risking.

Meaninglessness is a condition in which the soul has a loss of purpose. A meaningful existence has three ingredients: 1. Purpose 2. Prudence 3. Pursuit One can also look these as 1. Worth - What one considers worth living for 2. Wisdom - What one knows about how to pursue what's worth for 3. Work - What one does in order to gain what's worth gaining Also, 1. Love - Love is the strongest compeller. 2. Leading - Direction 3. Labor - Action Again, 1. Motivation 2. Means and Methods 3. Ministry

"Familiarity breeds contempt," I have heard them often say. It's wise to not be too frequent, It's important for one to have his own space. But, frequency is not the same as familiarity; Familiarity and family go together. True friends see each other's weaknesses, And, they help each other grow strong. These fig leaves that hide false shame Will not remain for very long. The desire for human honor Only tears humans apart. But, He gave us garments Washed in His blood. He came and lives in us, We are the sons of God. The closer I draw to Him, The deeper grows my love. The closer He draws to me, The greater He shows His love.

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:7 NKJ) The peace of God and the faith of God belong together. Peace keeps us constant while the winds and waves of doubts try to assail from without. Peace helps us walk on water though everything looks contrary to it. The Spirit witnesses with the spirit and reveals the things of God. He is the Spirit of wisdom and the fear of the Lord. The Spirit raises a banner of peace when floods come against us. The peace of God is the agreement of the Spirit with our spirit. The flesh disagrees and tries to be violent and aggressive. The carnal mind involves in carnal, godless rationalizations. The spiritual mind agrees with and submits to the Law of God. Discernment is important in all this. The Spirit gives us discernment. The Spirit forbids and our spirits are not peaceful. The Spirit is the spirit of fearlessness, of courage, of love, of power, and of a sound mind. Peacelessness...

The general rule is that one must not preach what one doesn’t practice and one can’t know in order to share something unless one experiences it. But, especially, if someone knows the truth and preaches it but doesn't practice it, not because he can't but because he doesn't want to, that constitutes rebellion. However, this doesn’t mean that if a person doesn’t practice what he preaches, one must reject what he says. Jesus warned us against this. Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. (Mat 23:1-3 NLT) Certainly, whether one practices or does not, truth is still truth. Principles never change. However, Jesus also made it clear that only those who really seek to obey God will be able to know the will of God and recognize the revelation...

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127:1) We do not go to someone having no training and experience in construction to get a building project done. We hire trained professionals for it. When the time came for the making of the Tabernacle, God chose skilled workmen for the job. Similarly, He expects us to be skilled workmen in the ministry of the Word. But, it is vain to rely just on knowledge, training, and experience. Unless the Lord builds, all labour is in vain. Similarly, a man with a heart problem is expected to go to a cardiologist and not to a dentist. However, unless the Lord heals, the doctors labour but in vain. Paul tells Timothy about the training of a soldier. An untrained soldier is not expected to be sent into battle. Similarly, an untrained athlete is unqualified for any competition. The Bible encourages wisdom, understanding, and skill, but it caps it ...

*He REMINDS , brings to our mind, remembrance, the things we heard or saw. *He helps us REALIZE , helps us come to our senses, brings conviction, gives understanding. *He REVEALS . Romans 8:12-17 . Matthew 16:16ff Being LED by the Spirit means: +To put to death by Him the works of flesh. Deny self. Take up cross. +To pray in the Spirit in accordance to His witness with, and utterance, beyond utterance He gives to our spirits. Follow Christ. Listen to the Son. ......Help in weakness ......Prayer according to will of God ......Strength. Grace ......Listening ......Obeying 2Corinthians 3-4 Openness to Scripture, the veil removed. God spoke face to face with Moses, but he had to keep a veil. The veil is still on the eyes of unrepentant people when they read the Scripture, but is removed when one turns to Jesus. A believer is open faced. So, we with open faces, looking as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit ...

In deep sleep at night, When the body is at rest, The soul still has sight In dreams it must test, Whether they be from God Or from the soul unrest; For God often speaks When our thoughts are quiet, And the soul that truly seeks Will surely have light.

ELISHA’S MIRACLES OF FOOD 2 KGS 4:38 MIRACLE 1: 1. WHO GETS THE ORDER AND WHO GOES? BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ENTRUST A WORK TO. DO YOUR WORK AND PUT RIGHT PERSONS IN RIGHT PLACES. DON’T APPOINT UNTESTED WORKERS TO TASKS WHERE LIVES ARE AT RISK. 2. EXTREMITIES CAN OFTEN MAKE ONE RECKLESS. TO LIVE, DON’T JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU FEEL GOOD OR NICE ABOUT. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, KEEP QUIET. DON’T MISTAKE IMAGINATION FOR TRUTH. 3. FLOUR IN STEW, STEW IN POISONED STEW. THE POWER OF GOD IS GREATER TO HEAL. THE POWER OF LIFE IS GREATER THAN THE POWER OF DEATH. BIGGEST ENEMY: FEAR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FEAR: ----IT MAKES YOU BELIEVE IT IS RIGHT, AND THE ONLY OPTION. -----IT MAKES YOU BELIEVE GOD IS NOT ALL-POWERFUL AND ALL IN CONTROL. -----IT MAKES YOU BELIEVE GOD IS NOT ALL-CARING AND DOUBTS THE LOVE OF GOD. -----IT MAKES YOU BELIEVE SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FAITH: -----IT BELIEVES THAT GOD’S WORD IS TRUE AND UNCHANGING. -----IT BELIEVES...

परमेश्वर बाईबल हमें सिखाती है कि परमेश्‍वर जगत का सृष्टिकर्ता हैं (उत्‍प.1:1)। सृष्टिकर्ता के रूप में वह सृष्टि के समान नही हैं – अर्थात वह अजन्‍म, अनादी, एवं अनंत हैं (निर्ग.15:18; व...