Serving God's Purposes in Our Generation (Acts 13:36b)

Who Am I Voting For?

While I was in Argentina, one of the topics others asked me was about my opinion on American politics and whether I'm republican or democrat. I'm neither. I registered myself as an independent voter. I am not too happy with either of the main political parties. I have another understanding of American politics when I participated in my university's student government as a senator. As a side note, it's been a good experience but sometimes it can be frustrating and sometimes we can get on each others nerves. It was a good experience and I learned a lot so I…

Our Only Fault Is That We Worship Jesus Christ

FOX 11 News covers Orissa Christian Persecution:Fox 11 LA, the division of FOX TV Saturday night aired This Documentary and the same will be aired today on Sunday focusing on the Attacks on the Christians in Orissa. In what some are calling genocide, dozens of Christians were killed in a series of attacks in India. Now thousands have fled their homes in fear of more violence. Carlos Amezcua has more in this video report: Attacks on Christians in India Continue, Thousands Flee 'Our Only Fault is that we Worship Jesus Christ' Hindustan Times reports: It was an arduous journey for…

Heroic Faith of the Indian Martyrs of Orissa

Revolutionaries are uncompromising men and women. They are unafraid to stand for their conviction. They may give up their life but not their conviction. They do not dilute their stand to please men or to avoid dangers ahead. If such are the characteristics of a revolutionary, then surely Christian revolutionaries are born in Orissa. They were uncompromising men and women. They stood unafraid for their conviction even in the face of sure death. They did not swing the sword of men but sang the song from the Word of God. They were revolutionaries of a different God. They did not take a sword, they did not take a trishul, they did not take a gun but they took their cross. They are revolutionaries of the God who took the cross.
 

Just Dig A Hole

Most miracles don't just happen. We usually have to take the first step of faith to set the miracle into motion. In 1968 Oral Roberts University was growing so fast that we outgrew our original dining hall. But we had no money to build a new one. Then I had a strong leading that I recognized as being from God. He said, "Dig the hole." The faculty, student body, and the board of regents gathered around that huge hole, and we all joined hands and prayed. We said, "God, we've dug the hole. Now we're asking You to fill it…

Digital Addiction – Importance of Family

We live in a world of emails, cell phones, instant messages, Blackberry and what not. Life without them almost seem impossible. In Jan issue of Fast Company, I found this article to be interesting - all these technology tools are aimed at helping us become more productive, right? Wrong! “A Day-timers survey confirmed that instant-communication technology is making it harder, not easier, to get things done. The number of people who report feeling very productive has dropped from 83% in 1994 to 51% today.” When we are driven by these tools and we fail to define clear-cut boundaries, these tools can…

Dating, Relationships, Love, Marriage – Importance of Family

I'm going to write a few blogs about that. I am never going to post specifics about a particular guy. If I'm in a relationship, I'll not talk details about it to everyone. I don't like drama. I feel that would be disrespectful towards the both of us. I'll discuss generalities. I'm discovering the true meaning of love. As a young adult, one of the things I think about is marriage. Occasionally, I dream about waking up in the arms of my significant other instead of an empty bed. Mom cracks me up. After coming home from Priya's wedding she…

Actress Nagma Is A Christian And Christ Follower

POPULAR actress Nagma  opened up about her faith and mission in her life for the first time to the media in an exclusive interview  with The Christian Messenger. This newspaper’s founding editor Robin Sam spoke to her for close to five hours in an exhaustive interview concerning her faith, the recent issue over her testimony at Nalumavadi in Tamil Nadu, the rising violence against Christians, her personal life and plans for the future. Excerpts:  When did you come to realize the saving power of Jesus Christ?  I was born on Christmas to a Muslim mother and a Hindu father. I went to a convent school from childhood. I was exposed to Christianity from a young age. I went to Mount Mary Convent School in Bandra, Mumbai. There, Mass was a routine feature. I always thought I am very special to God because I was born on Dec 25th - perhaps because the world celebrated the day.

Global Financial Crisis: Theology for History

I was thinking Whole nations, at least the entire world of finance and investment, are presently watching the unraveling of money—the “only critical ingredient of life!” No one knows what to do. Politicians are acting without integrity—but that is not new. Large banks are having to assert their liquidity, and the louder the assertions, the harder it is to believe them! No one wants to acknowledge that we have reached the limits of intellectual ability. We constantly run to history to guide us. And yet, the valuable lessons of history seem to be irrelevant to an entirely new hyper-global reality.…

Be Ready For Persecution

For more than 30 years I have preached that we must prepare Christians in India to face persecution for their faith. Finally, those days have begun. I want to offer FOUR commands of our Lord as advice for these days: 1. 'Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves' (Matt.10:16). We must not be foolish in our witnessing. The day for public preaching on the streets in India and for house-to-house evangelism in India may be slowly getting over. We have to be more wise in our witnessing from now on. Our lives must speak for Christ now, where we live…

The Third Fire

I. Introductiona. The Bible teaches that fire is a metaphor describing three types of purging people can experience:• The fires of testing• The fires of evaluation• The fires of damnationb. The third fire is for anyone who refuses to allow themselves to go through the first two fires.c. This is not a popular message that is preached often in today’s pulpits.d. The justice of God must be satisfied before sinners can come into His presence.e. Romans 3:19-26.f. For example, if I was to ask 100 Christians why Jesus died on the cross for them, many would say because He loves…

Importance of Family – Children Of Immigrants

I read this distrubing story on children of immigrants in  Chicago Tribune. Most of the stories covered were from lower socio-economic class and people south of the US border. But I concur with the struggles of immigrant children and see many similiar trend among Asian Indian community as well. There is no doubt that immigrant life is hard. But life for the children is even harder. For the later it is social, psychological and spiritual. Being a adolescent has never been easy and it is harder now than ever has been. For immigrant communities, the challenges are multiplied. Need for…

Another Approach

In recent months, I've been hearing only one word in response to every desire I have for my life, and that is a sharp, determined, unyielding "NO!" So in the last few days, I've been thinking, pondering, meditating upon, and re-thinking the following: Am I crazy? I re-read some favorite portions of Scripture, old stuff I'd written, journal entries from years ago, notes from sermons and messages that impacted my life significantly, etc. And all of that just seemed like confirmation. But confirmation doesn't help me. It only makes me all the more determined and my mom all the more…

Vision Night

This past Saturday, we had a Vision Night for people who had expressed interest in 7 Mile Road and wanted to hear more.  The night was great.  First we sat around chomping down on appetizers and home-made calzones.  Eating together will be a regular and important part of life at 7 Mile Road.  It was great to see people sharing a meal, talking, and laughing as they met each other for the first time.  My mind’s eye saw the embryo of what could be a beautiful community.  After dinner, we shifted our attention to talking about this brand new church…

India's Reputation Wounded By Religious Killings

Anti-Christian violence, which began in a remote district of India's tribal belt in the eastern state of Orissa in late August, has become an international embarrassment for India's secular Congress-led government. It has spread to four more states, including Karnataka, the home of the subcontinent's information technology hub in Bangalore. On the sidelines of the signing of an Indo-French nuclear deal this week, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president and current European Union president, said he had conveyed to Manmohan Singh, India's prime minister, the EU's "serious concerns" over "massacres of Christians". Mr Singh has condemned the violence and asked state…

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

When you are around kids, you'll always hear about the video games, TV shows, movies, music and books they read. I don't get the popular music and trends with kids. Seriously, stir-up leggings are coming back? There is this book, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" that seems to be pretty popular with 10-13 year olds. Even the kids that refuse to open a book are excited to read this. Out of curiosity, I picked up a copy. To be honest, I didn't really get why it's so popular. I tried to think like a 12-year-old and can somewhat see how…

Archbishops, The Financial System, And The FT

In its Comment ("Canterbury tales", September 25), the Financial Times criticises Archbishops Sentamu and Williams for not having "a proper grasp of how modern finance works". Read article hereAs readers of my Blog will know, Archbishops are hardly my favourite characters. However, to the degree they may not have such a grasp, the FT is right to excuse them - for the reasons it gives. But I notice that the FT defends the current system by saying that "Everything from home-ownership to old age pensions relies on a successful and sophisticated financial sector". What reasons or excuses should be adduced…

Anbe Sivam – Love In God

The God debate is inescapable. Some believe in God. Some disbelieve in the idea of God (There are reasons but no excuses). Some cling on to the belief in God because they don’t want to accept defeat (which is pitiable). Some pride themselves in being atheists (which sometimes borders on arrogance). Who (or may be what) is God? Events, experiences and Pain evokes questions about the existence of God. In the face of evil, pain and suffering we are unable to make sense of the divine. The idea (and belief) of God who is good, loving and all powerful simply…

The GOD Factor In Our Present Economic Upheaval

I believe the current economic shakeup is part of the wider adjustment God has been doing for the past two and a half years in all facets of society (just look at all the scandals in the church, politics, sports, celebrities, etc.)  Although there has been a shake-up across the board, the Bible teaches us that “judgment must begin first with the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). As we look at Scriptural references to visitations from God, we see that His visits not only result in revival and renewal but also judgment and adjustments (read Exodus 13:19; Amos 5:18; Luke 21:20-22)! The church and the world will eventually learn that God not only functions as a masseuse but also as a chiropractor! That is to say, sometimes, in order for long-term health, He has to adjust His body and even crack some bones!

Divinely Connected To My Creator, Master, and True Living God

My name is Inder Mohan Singh. I had a foot-and-a-half long beard, had long hair and tied a turban till about 1996. I was born into a Sikh family of very devout and religious people, made up mostly of physicians and Army officers. I was the youngest, fattest and most spoiled of four children, three male and a female! My two older brothers and eldest sister had not studied in private schools (called public schools in India!) but my father, a retired Army officer who had spent 42 months in Italy and Egypt during the Second World War, was determined that I be educated in an English-medium school . . . . We used to be taken to the Sikh temple regularly and we read the Sikh scriptures off and on (a copy of which was kept ritualistically ‘adorned’ at our home)!

Say No to the Status Quo

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 Status quo is Latin for "the mess we're in." Leaders see what is, but they also have a vision for what could be. They are never content with things as they are. To be leading, by definition, is to be in front, breaking new ground, conquering new worlds, moving away from the status quo. Dissatisfaction with the status quo does not mean having a negative attitude or grumbling. It has to do with a willingness…