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DAILY PROMISE

Daily Blessing
Wednesday May 14, 2025

Today's Promise:
   God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

DAILY DEVOTION

C.H. Spurgeon's Evening Devotional
Wednesday May 14, 2025

"He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom."-Isaiah 40:11
    
    Who is He of whom such gracious words are spoken? He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Why doth He carry the lambs in His bosom? Because He hath a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts His heart. The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the little ones of His flock draw forth His compassion. It is His office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak. Besides, He purchased them with blood, they are His property: He must and will care for that which cost Him so dear. Then He is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant engagements not to lose one. Moreover, they are all a part of His glory and reward.
    
    But how may we understand the expression, "He will carry them"? Sometimes He carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial. Providence deals tenderly with them. Often they are "carried" by being filled with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they do know. Frequently He "carries" them by giving them a very simple faith, which takes the promise just as it stands, and believingly runs with every trouble straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.
    
    "He carries the lambs in His bosom." Here is boundless affection. Would He put them in His bosom if He did not love them much? Here is tender nearness: so near are they, that they could not possibly be nearer. Here is hallowed familiarity: there are precious love-passages between Christ and His weak ones. Here is perfect safety: in His bosom who can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first. Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!
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I am a christian

When I say ...'' I am a christian
I am not shouting '' I AM CLEAN LIVING''
I'M whispering '' i was lost''
Now I'M found and forgiven.

When I say ...'' I'M Christian''
I don't speak of this with pride
I 'M CONFESSING THAT I STUMBLE
and need christ to be my guide.

When I say ...'' I'M a christian"
I'M not trying to be strong
I'm professing that I'M WEAK
AND NEED HIS STRENGTH TO CARRY ON

When I say...'' I'M a christian"
I'M not bragging of success
I'M admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess

When I say...'' I'M a christian ''
I'm not claming to be perfect
My flows are too visible far
But,God believess I am worth it

When I say ...'' I'M a christian''
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
so I call upon His name

When I say...'' I'M a christian''
I 'M not holier than thou
I'M just a simple sinner
Who recieved God's good grace, SOMEHOW..

DAILY BIBLE STORY

Bible Stories
Today's Bible Story
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Joshua at Jericho
Numbers 27, Deuteronomy 34, Joshua 1 to Joshua 6
Jericho is captured after it's walls come tumbling down.
THE CHILDREN OF Israel had now only to cross the River Jordan to enter the promised land of Canaan.

    Moses, for his sin at Meribah, or the waters of strife, where he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as he was told, had been forbidden to enter it with them.

    He was only allowed to see it at a distance, from the top of mount Nebo. So, by God's command, he appointed Joshua to be their guide and leader into it. After Moses had done this, he died, a hundred and twenty years old.

    Then God bade Joshua prepare to pass over the Jordan into the land He had promised to the Israelites. But, before they did so, Joshua sent two spies to the city of Jericho, which was fortified against them on the other side of the river.

    The people of the city were very much afraid of the Israelites, for they had heard what God had done for them from the time they left Egypt. So, when the King of Jericho sent men to take these spies prisoners, a woman of the city, in whose house they had lodged, hid them; and then begged, as her reward, that when the city should be taken, her life, and the lives of all her family, might be saved.

    The spies promised this; so then,, as she lived on the town wall, she let them down by a cord through the window, and they returned to the camp.

    When the people were about to pass over Jordan, the ark, in which were two tables of stones, was carried before them by twelve priests; and, as soon as they entered the river, its waters were divided, and all the multitude went over on dry ground.

    Then they encamped at Gilgal, before Jericho; and there God commanded that the armed men of the Israelites, with the priests carrying the ark, should on seven days go round the city, with trumpets sounding; and He told them that on the seventh day the walls should fall down before them.

    So each day, for six days, as they had been bidden, they went once round the city; but on the seventh day they went round it seven times, as God had said; and at the seventh time, when the priest blew a loud blast with the trumpets, Joshua bade the people shout, for the city was theirs.

    Then they gave a great shout, and the walls of the city fell down flat before them, so that they marched straight into it, and burned it to the ground.

    But Joshua remembered the woman Rahab, who had hidden the spies, and he brought her and her family in safety out of Jericho into the camp of the Israelites.

Tomorrow: The Story of Gideon

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WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is basically talking with God. It is simply expressing your heart and spending time with Him. It is not a one way activity, God speaks, we listen, we speak and God listens to our hearts. Prayer can be exciting, powerful and fulfilling.

I am going to be focusing mostly on intercession, but I also wanted to provide an overview on other types of prayer that will hopefully inspire you to pursue your own personal study on this subject.

Types of Prayer

A. Thanksgiving
B. Petition
C. Prevailing
D. Intercession
A. Thanksgiving - Giving thanks to God for all things in your life. We are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances. Being thankful is being grateful for his protection, provision, blessing, and most of all for his Son.

B. Petition - We ask God for the specific things we need in our life. Give us our daily bread. Give us the things we need to survive, a roof over our heads, employment etc. Petitions are usually self orientated, presenting our personal needs to our Heavenly Father, in trust that He will provide. Be specific in your petitions, pray in details and not in generalities.

C. Prevailing Prayer - fervent consistent insistent prayer until a breakthrough takes place, whether in your personal life, or for someone else (intercession). Example Believing for emotional or physical healing.

Biblical Example: Luke 18:1-8.(NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, `Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, `Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

D Intercession - Love on its knees in prayer, for others. Pleading on behalf of the needs of someone else. Standing in the gap, that is, praying prayers of repentance, etc., identifying yourself with the sins of those for which you are in prayer.

Biblical Example: Nehemiah, a godly man, identified with the sins of his people, praying prayers of repentance, asking the Lord to forgive and to have mercy and to raise up once again the nation of Israel.

Confirmation of Conversion

Reading: John 3:1-16

"If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things

have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Cor 5:17)

Can we identify a genuine experience of salvation? Surely yes!

First of all, there will be the true peace and joy through the Holy Spirit in the heart! When we make peace with God we have the peace of God. Jesus called it the peace the world cannot give (Jn 14:27). The burden of sin is rolled away! Guilt is gone! The converted man is overflowing with gratitude to God. He shouts with exuberance, "Thank you, Lord, thank You!" If over one sinner who repents there is great joy among the angels "in Heaven," will the angels "on earth" around him stay unmoved (Lk 15:10)?

Secondly, the converted man begins to hate sin and the evil ways of the world. The sinful acts he was indulging in during the past so willingly appear obnoxious to him now. The joy of the Lord has replaced the silly pleasures of sin. This does not mean he will never ever commit any sin. Before getting saved he was like a pig; he would be wallowing in the mire! Now he is a lamb. Even if someone pushes the lamb into the mire, it will atonce jump out and not stay there. Have you understood the difference? A child of God will not "live" in sin!

Thirdly, the saved man begins to love Bible meditation, prayer and fellowship of God's children. It is no more the routine of reading the Bible for a few minutes as a religious custom, but a delightful desire to spend hours in meditating it (Psa 1:2). Prayer becomes his very breath. Earlier he had not known God. But now he knows God as his Father. Hence this longing to speak to Him! He begins to feel and appreciate the love of God who has redeemed him (1 Jn 3:1). Fellowship with saints is necessary to comprehend the width, length, depth and height of that love (Eph 3:18).

Fourthly, those who are saved will walk in love with others (1 Jn 3:14). They will restitute matters with the wronged (Mt 5:23,24). Loving the enemies, the persecutors and the opposers is a proof of our being children to a God of love (Mt 5:43-48).

Fifthly, the saved man will just be anxious to share his new-found joy with others (Jn 4:28,29; Mk 5:19). "Let the world get the joy I got!"- This will be his motto.

More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fullness see;

More of His love-who died for me!

(Eliza E. Hewitt, 1851-1920)

Letter From Hell. - Scary but true

Conversions: facts and figures

Below are some self-explanatory facts and figures that show the showing the alarming rate of conversions and missionary activity in some of the world's nations.

This is taken from a site which mainly expresses the aggresions caused by christians in the world. As a saying goes,

"Only Enemies know the strength of the mightiest"

Christian Population Statistics

China:
1950 - 1 Million 2003 - 100 Million

South Korea:
1945 - 2.2% Population 2003 – 49% Population

Papa New Guinea:
1950 - < src="http://www.christianaggression.org/images/arrow.gif" height="10" width="21"> 2003 - 97% Population

Africa:
1900 – 1.7% Population 2003 - 55% Population

Is India Next?
2003 - < src="http://www.christianaggression.org/images/arrow.gif" height="10" width="21"> 2060 - ???

Other Countries:

The below countries are traditionally non-Christian but are now majority Christian through aggressive missionary activity. Most, if not all of the countries below, have effectively been converted by the exploitation of their impoverished conditions by missionaries.

Angola - 90% Christian
Burundi - 78% Christian
Cameroon - 35% Christian
Central African Republic - 82% Christian
Chad - 33% Christian
Congo - 62% Christian
East Timor - 92% Christian
Ethiopia - 52% Christian
Equatorial Guinea - 94% Christian
Gabon - 79% Christian
Kenya - 25% Christian
Liberia - 68% Christian
Mozambique - 31% Christian
Nigeria - 52% Christian
Papa New Guinea - 97% Christian
Philippines - 84% Christian
Rwanda - 69% Christian
South Africa - 78% Christian
South Korea - 49% Christian
Sudan - 30% Christian
Tanzania - 20% Christian
Togo - 23% Christian
Uganda - 70% Christian
Zaire - 90% Christian

In India:

State Hindu % Christian %

1961 1991 1961 1991
Arun. Pradesh - - 37.0 - - 10. 2
Assam 71.3 67.1 2.4 3.3
MP 93.9 92.8 0.5 0.6
Manipur 61.6 57.6 19.4 34.1
Meghalaya 18.2 14.6 35.2 64.5
Nagaland 9.3 10.1 52.9 87.4
Orissa 97.5 94.6 1.1 2.1
Sikkim 66.6 68.3 1.7 3.3
Tamil Nadu 89.9 88.6 5.2 5.6
Tripura 76.0 86.5 0.8 1.6
Lakshadweep 1.0 4.5 0.2 1.1

Conversion Facts

  • Every year, churches around the world perform US $1.1 billion worth of research in 3,000 languages, covering 180 religious topics for conversion purposes.
  • Missionary literature in today's libraries number 175,000 different titles in 500 languages, increasing by 4 newly published every day.
  • From only 3 million in year 1500, Christians involved in missionary activities has grown to 648 million worldwide, 54% being Non-Whites (Showing the focus of training of indigenous missionaries).
  • There are only 818 ethno linguistic peoples or tribal groups which have never been targeted by any Christian agency.
  • Each day 10,000 Chinese are converted to Christianity .
  • Each year 3.5% of Africans (6 Million) convert to Christianity.
  • In 1972, there were 26 indigenous missionary agencies in India, as of 1997 there are more than 200.
  • In India, it is estimated that 5,000 people are converted to Christianity everyday. That's one person every 17.28 seconds!
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2 comments:

gifta said...

Hi jebaraj,
The facts are useful to know about the christian population... Its shocking India has only a small percentage.

12 April 2008 at 02:37
Anonymous said...

But I wonder, why is it given us "alarming rate of conversion".
The article is expressing concern about the conversions happening in Africa.
Making other people know about Jesus is the very duty of every christian and when a person accepts Jesus is its fullfilment I believe..

13 April 2008 at 11:38

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