Daniel and the Dream

Daniel and the Dream

Daniel was a Jewish boy from Jerusalem.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon declared war and destroyed Jerusalem.

He brought all the captives back from Jerusalem to live in Babylon.

He gave the captives land and allowed them to build homes and worship as they pleased.

The people of Babylon believed in 4000 gods.

They worshiped idols.

King Nebuchadnezzar brought 4 young men to live in the palace.

They were Daniel, Meshach, Shadrack, and Abednego.

They studied well.

God gave them great ability to learn and soon they were the wisest men in all Babylon.

God also gave Daniel the ability to understand dreams.

One night, King Nebuchadnezzar had a horrible dream.

He awoke from his dream just terrified.

But no sooner had he awakened then he forgot what he dreamed.

He was still scared.

He quickly got dressed and then he called all the magicians, sorcerers and astrologers.

"I had a horrible dream," he said, "but I cant remember what it was.  Tell me what it was that I dreamed!"

The sorcerers said, "Sir, please tell us the dream and then we can tell you what it means."

They said, "Sir, there is no one alive that can tell you what you dreamed."

The king was furious!

He immediately sent orders to round up all the wise men and get rid of them.

The king's men left immediately to gather up all wise men in Babylon.

They got Daniel because he was the wisest man.

Daniel asked, "Why is the king so angry?"

The kings men told him what happened.

Daniel asked to see the king.

"Please give me tonight.  I will tell you what you dreamed tomorrow," he said.

The king agreed.

Daniel went home.

He and three of his companions prayed to God for the answer.

While Daniel slept, God told Daniel what the king had dreamed.

The next day, Daniel went to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel told him that none of his astrologers or magicians or the false gods in Babylon could know the dream.

"There is one true God in heaven that knows everything.  I asked Him what the dream was and He told me,"  Daniel said.

Daniel told him what he had dreamed and the meaning of the dream.

King Nebuchadnezzar was so happy.

"Truly Your God is the God of gods, Ruler of kings and the Revealer of mysteries," said the king.

He made Daniel the ruler over Babylon.

He made Daniel the chief of all the wise men.

Daniel praised God.

MALAYATTOOR CHURCH

MALAYATTOOR CHURCH

Malayattoor church is one of the famous churches in India. This prominent Christian pilgrimage is located in the Ernakulam district of the state of Kerala in India. St. Thomas the Apostle was the one who started Christianity teachings in south India. He built this church in the Cochin region of Kerala. This church is also very old, it date backs nearly to 52 AD. This church is located at a hill top nearly 10 KM away from Kalady. Malayattoor church has been declared as the international pilgrimage spot by the Vatican. This Shrine was promoted to Archdiocesan status by Archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil on 4th September, 1998.

History of the Church

Malayattoor is a village in the North Eastern corner of Ernakulam District in the stae of Kerala in South India. The name ‘Malayattoor’ is an amalgamation of three small words. Mala (Mountain) Arr (River) Oore (Place). This is to say, Malayattoor is a meeting place of mountain, river and land.

Kurisumudy is a mountain at Maiayattoor, 1269 feet above sea level.Kurisumudy has its fame as a place visited by St. Thomas, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave a mandate to his Apostles to go out to the whole world and to proclaim the Good News. Taking upon himself this commandment, Thomas set out to India and landed at Kodungalloor in AD 52. He spent 20 years in India and travelled through different parts of this great country of spirituality. He founded seven communities of believers which were Kodungailoor, Palayoor, Kottakavu, Kokkamangalam, Chayal, Kollam, and Niranam.

Upon his visit to India, St. Thomas visited Kurisumudy too. His missionary expeditions took him far and wide and while travelling through the famous caravan route from Kodugalioor to Madras, St. Thomas came to Malayattoor. A hostile reception was in store and his life was in danger. He was forced to flee to the top of the mountain and he spent days together in prayer. According to the ‘Ramban Paattu’ , St. Thomas went up the mountain to converse with the Lord. In deep anguish and agony, St. Thomas prayed to the Lord and he made a sign of the cross on the rock . The Mother Of Our Lord, Blessed Mary, appeared to console and strengthen him. He descended from the top hill. His zeal for the Lord took him to Mylapore in Chennai and later died a martyr's death in AD 72.

The locals began a practice of lighting an oil lamp and whenever the lamp gave in for the wind, a herd of goats came down wailing and people used to climb the mountain and light the lamp again. Pilgrims, who climb the mountain, even today carry with them seasamum seeds to feed the goats, even though goats are a rare sight.

There are two churches in Malayattoor dedicated to St. Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ - one on top of the hillock (Kurishumudi) and the other below.

Malayattoor St. Thomas Parish Church or Thazathe Palli (the church below) was built in AD 900.

Significance of the Church

The church facade has the traditional Roman architecture but the altar is typically Greek in style. Behind the central altar there are carved designs and paintings including the five stations of joyful mysteries of Lord Jesus Christ. The church is divided into three wings which have separate facilities for confession and adoration. There is an ancient baptismal pond and a traditional pulpit which are of historical relevance.

The pilgrimage to Malayattoor traces back its origin to the visit of the saint to Kerala in AD 52. It is believed that it was St. Thomas who brought Christianity to Kerala. According to the legends, when the saint first came to Malayatoor he had to face a very hostile reception and was forced to flee to the top of the mountain. There he prayed intensely for days together making sign of the cross on the rock. It is believed that Mother Mary appeared to console and strengthen him. Later at this spot on the rock, a golden cross was found. Thus the hillock came to be known as 'Ponnin Kurishumudi' (hill of the golden cross). Nearby the saints footprints and marks of his knees were also found on the rock.

Kurishumudi is located 2km south from Malayattoor St. Thomas Parish Church or Thazathe Palli. The church on top of Kurishumudi was built in 1893 over the golden cross, at 1269 feet above sea level and can be reached only on foot.
Near the Golden cross, a little below there are the footprints (Kaalpadam) of the great saint embedded in the hard rock. The footprints are protected in a glass encasing. Pilgrims pray here to receive favors and miracle cures from the saint.
Towards the east the ruins (a wall )of an ancient chapel (Aana Kuthiya Palli) still remains, but one can find the bearings of the tuskers who tried to demolish it when the place was used to be surrounded by thick jungle.

Rules and Rituals of the temples

Nearby tourist places to Malayattoor Church Calicut,  Munnar,  Thrissur  Wayanad
The Feast at Kurisumudy is on the first Sunday after Easter and the Octave on the following Sunday. People visit this pilgrim centre all through the year but they come in large groups during Lenten season. The number of pilgrims go up during the holy week especially on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.A lot of devotees come to the shrine carrying crosses and walking hundreds of Kilometers. Some of the crosses weight more than 75 Kilograms. When the pilgrims climb the mountain they chant "Ponnin Kurisu Mala Muthappo Ponmalakayattam" that has almost become a manthra of those who climb. As reparation for their sins pilgrims climb the hill with prayers on their lips. To climb the hill is not an easy task. It is 1269 ft. high from the sea level  The climbing is done as a vow. They come after fasting and penance. As a part of their pilgrimage there are various rituals that a pilgrim can attend.

Difference of religion, caste and creed are not a bar when they come to the rituals. This center is noted for inter-religious harmony and ecumenism. Groups of pilgrims climb the hill praying the Way of the Cross with lighted candles in their hands. During the Lenten season the whole atmosphere echos the songs and prayers of the Stations of the Cross. There are women who carry brooms with them when they climb the hill. It is believed that by doing so they grow their hair long and thick. They pray for the abundance of physical and spiritual well being. Pilgrims carrying stones on their heads as they climb the mountain, is a usual seen. They place it near the Fourteenth station at the completion of the Way of the Cross. It is done for the relief of their chronic headaches.


The miraculous water spring

A well, situated near the ancient chapel at the top of the mount is believed to be the spot from where St. Thomas quenched his thirst during his time of prayer. Feeling thirsty, he struck the rock from which fresh water started flowing. Pilgrims consider the water in the well to possess divine power to heal ailments.

With its recent recognition by Vatican as an international pilgrim centre, this famous shrine at Malayattoor dedicated to St. Thomas would be extending its healing touch and spiritual bliss to more visitors and for those who come to enjoy its serenity.

BASILICA OF BOM JESUS

                                                   BASILICA OF BOM JESUS
   

Location

   
One of the most popular churches in Goa is the Basilica of Bom Jesus truly deserves to be given the status of a World Heritage Site. It is located in Old Goa which was the capital city during the Portugal rule. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is famous for the preserved mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. He was the member of Society of Jesus and came to India to spread Christianity with the Portuguese. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is India's first minor cathedral and is supposed to be the best example of decorative architecture in India.

Significance of the Church

The name of the Church, Bom Jesus basically means "Good Jesus" and is used for Jesus when he was an infant. The Bom Jesus church was constructed around 1695 and it became an important milestone in the historical legacy of Christianity. St. Francis Xavier was a member of the Society of Jesus who preached the enlightening teachings of Christianity when he came to India along with the Portuguese. While on a voyage to China from India, he died on the ship on 2nd December, 1552.

St. Francis Xavier boarded the ship of Santiago from the port of Lisbon and reached Goa on May 06, 1541. Serving at the Holy Spirit Hospital in Goa for six months, he would go through the streets ringing a little bell and inviting the children to hear the word of God. When he had gathered a considerable number, he would take them to a church to explain Catechism to them. He then shifted his attentions to the pearl fisheries of the extreme southern coast of the peninsula devoting three years to preaching and converting many. In his endeavor, he reached the Island of Ceylon   

St. Xavier's quest took him to Malacca and then the Molucca Islands, Amboyna, Ternate, Baranura, and the island of Mindanao, Philippines. He met a Japanese man called Anger and baptized him in Goa. He arrived in Japan in 1549 and began preaching. After three years, he returned to Goa. Thereafter, St. Xavier left for China where he fell ill en- route. With his aggravated condition, he was offloaded at Sancian where a make shift hut had been built to shelter him. Here, he breathed his last.

It is said that the following year when the body of the saint was being transferred to Goa as per his wishes, the people were shocked to find his body fresh as ever. This was claimed to be a miracle and his body was preserved in an air tight coffin made of glass and placed inside a silver casket. Every year thousands of devotees visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus on 2nd December to see the mortal remains of the saint that is displayed publicly. Now, the practice has been stopped to prevent the body from deterioration.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the richest churches in Goa and also all over India and a renowned pilgrimage site of Christians. It is covered with marble flooring and inlaid with precious stones. Except for the elaborately gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The church houses paintings of St. Francis Xavier. In fact the Tomb of St. Francis Xavier (1696) was the gift of the last of the Medicis, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Carved by a 17th century Florentine sculptor, named Giovanni Batista Foggini, it took 10 years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every 10 years on the anniversary of his death.
   
The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is held on the 3rd of December at Velha in Old Goa, which witnesses thousands of pilgrims and a special mass held here. The embalmed body of the saint, Francis Xavier, in honor of which the festival is held, is enshrined in a silver casket, in the Basilica of Bom Jesus built in 1605 by the Jesuits. It is exposed to public homage every 10 years and thousands of pilgrims come from all over the world to pay their tributes to the departed saint.

Architecture of the Church

A fine specimen of Jesuit architecture, the design of Basilica De Bom Jesus was inspired by the Church of St. Paul, which is now in ruins. Built of laterite, the church is cruciform on plan having a tiled roof. The exterior of the church, excepting the facade was lime plastered which was subsequently removed. The three-storeyed facade of Basilica De Bom Jesus, with delicately carved basalt embellishments is one of the richest in Goa.

The facade serves as a visual delight for your eyes and its Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns depict the fine use of classical orders, in the Renaissance style. At the top of the facade you can see an intricately carved basalt medallion which depicts the emblem of the society of Jesus. As the facade follows the Baroque style, the layout of the basilica with its single rectangular nave follows the Renaissance style. In the ground floor of the basilica you will see three portals, on the first floor there are three corresponding long windows while on the second floors are three circular windows.

One of the most popular churches in Goa is the Basilica of Bom Jesus truly deserves to be given the status of a World Heritage Site. It is located in Old Goa which was the capital city during the Portugal rule. 

JONAH AND THE BIG FISH

Jonah and the Big Fish

God said to Jonah, "Go to Ninevah and tell the people there that I am not happy with them.  Tell them to change their ways."

Jonah heard God but he disobeyed God.
He was afraid to go to Ninevah.
Instead of doing as God had asked, Jonah chose to hide from God.

Jonah got on a big ship and sailed off.
The ship was going to a far away place.

In the middle of the ocean, there started a storm.
The waves were getting bigger and bigger.
The wind was blowing harder and harder.
The sailors were afraid and all of them began praying to God.

Jonah was in the bottom of the boat hiding from God.
The captain went to him and asked him to pray with the rest of the men.
Jonah told them the storm was his fault.
He told them that he hadn't done what God asked him to do.
He said to them, "Throw me in the sea.  The seas will be quiet and it will save you."

The men didn't want to throw Jonah in the sea.
Jonah insisted.
The storm was getting worse.
The waves were higher.
The wind blew fiercely.
Finally the men agreed and threw Jonah in the sea.

Suddenly the storm stopped.
Everything was quiet.
There were no waves,
no wind,
no storm.
The men were happy for this miracle and they thanked God.

God had a huge fish swallow Jonah to keep him from drowning.
Jonah stayed in the fish for three days and three nights.
He prayed to the Lord from inside the fish.
He asked God to forgive him.
He thanked God for His mercy
From the bottom of sea,
God heard every prayer.

God spoke to the huge fish and the fish put Jonah on the beach.
God reminded Jonah to go to Ninevah.
This time Jonah went.

He warned the people that God was not happy for the way they were acting.
God would destroy the city if they did not change.
"You have forty days and Ninevah will be destroyed if you don't change", he said.
He walked the streets for three days telling the people.

The people understood the message from God.
They changed their ways.
For this God was happy.
He didn't destroy their city.
Everyone was pleased except Jonah.

Jonah went out sulking.
He sat alone in the sun.
God made a beautiful plant that grew up so tall and provided shade for Jonah.
Then God made the plant wither away.
"Why did you do that?" Jonah asked.
"You felt pity for a plant but you had none for a city full of people?" God answered.  "That city was full of people that repented when they knew I was offended.  That made me very happy."
Jonah finally understood.
God is wise and merciful and forgiving.
 

Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran

 Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran

Childhood

Bro. Duraisamy Geoffery Samuel Dhinakaran was born on July 1, 1935, in a village called Surandai of Tirunelveli in South Tamil Nadu, India.  He was an obedient son his parents, and his parents were very fond of him, being their only child.

His father Duraisamy was a school teacher. He loved to wear white at all times. Bro.Dhinakaran fondly remembers those unforgettable days when he would be playing in the soil as his dad returns back from the school after a tiresome day of teaching. He recollects the love with which his father would hug him unmindful of the dirt all over his body and unmindful of his clothes getting spoilt.

His mother Hepsibah was a housewife. She used to take great care of him, though she was an epileptic patient. Bro.Dhinakaran often remembers the agony that she used to undergo as she would be tormented by the fits which left her only at her old age when the Lord graciously touched and healed her with His miraculous hand.


Salvation

In the year 1955, Bro. Dhinakaran's life was heading on to a point of no return. The pressures that were upon him at that point of time was too much for him to handle. He had to provide for a sick mother, find ways through closed doors for an employment opportunity and above all, his studies were heading nowhere. He took a look at his life and decided that these problems have no solution and that there would be no light at the end of the tunnel. Suicide seemed to be the only solution.

On February 11, 1955, after taking a long last loving glimpse of his beloved mother, knowing that he would see her no more, he walked towards the railway track so that the oncoming express train should take away his life and crush him beyond identification.

En-route to the track, he ran into his uncle, a Police Officer, through whom the Lord spoke in a way that would change his very outlook on life. He explained the immeasurable love and compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ, of His supreme sacrifice on the cross, and he pointed out to that the Lord Jesus was the only solution there ever was and is, to any problem that a man would be having or would ever have to face in future.

Bro. Dhinakaran asked him three simple questions:
"Can God heal my mother? Can He help me in my studies? Can he help me find a job?"
His uncle gave a "Yes" to all of these questions.
Then he sincerely asked him, "what should I do?"
All he said was to kneel and cry out to the Lord Jesus.

He returned home, and quickly entered his room, shut the door, dropped on to his knees and cried out to the Lord. The Lord, in His mercy, descended and revealed to him, as in a movie, the life that he had led for the past 20 years.

Tears welled up in his eyes and he began to cry uncontrollably. Then he begged the Lord for forgiveness and pleaded with Him for a cleansing. He asked Jesus to take charge of his life.

From that moment, his life spun around. Every night, Lord Jesus would come down and sit beside him and help him with his lessons; The Lord Himself would write his exams and gain him success. He granted an employment opportunity with the State Bank of India, India's largest banking network.

Thus, that one encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ had turned his life that was heading on to suicide towards a greatly successful one.


After his first encounter with Christ, he overcame all the failures in his life. He got a job in the State Bank of India and was appointed in Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu) and later transferred to various branches of the Bank in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Career

Ever since Bro. D.G.S. Dhinakaran surrendered his life to our gracious Lord Jesus on February 11, 1955, he begins each day reading several chapters from the Bible and meditating upon them. Whenever he reads the miracles recorded in the Bible, he prays that he should also be granted the divine power that was manifest in Jesus. He is encouraged in this by the following verse:

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38)

On October 9, 1962, he tarried at the feet of the Lord Jesus in prayer till midnight. He pleaded persistently: "Lord! Hear my prayer and now grant me Your power! Or else, slay me! I don't want to live as a powerless and phony Christian!".

Next day dawned. October 10, 1962!
After exacting work in the bank, he returned home at 9.30 in the night. After supper, he joined the family prayer. There arose in him the usual longing for the blessed vision of Jesus. The very next moment, a divine Presence descended on him! He was thrown into an ecstasy of joy. As he wondered from where this flood of joy was overflowing into him, the Lord opened his spiritual eyes. He saw a divine form standing before him with a radiant face, addressing him with a smile.

"My beloved son, I am Christ! Because you have been seeking Me diligently, I have come seeking you, to bless you."

That day, his seven years of longing was rewarded. He received the anointing of the Holy Spirit by which he set forth to fulfill the divine commission that he received from Christ.

Having received the fire in him, he passes on the fire to all those who wish to do the Lord's work by conducting the Institute of Power Ministry, which was instituted according to the Lord's will for this purpose.

Bro. Dhinakaran knows the importance of the anointing and is always filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the secret of the power in his ministry.

He passed C.A.I.I.B. exams adding a professional degree to his account. He became a great success in life as he climbed up the corporate ladder from an ordinary Junior Typist to the top-most ranking Officer in the whole Southern Division of the bank.


Having accomplished his ambition in his banking career, he resigned his job to concentrate full time in service to the people when the Lord told him to do that.

Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Passed Away

Well-known evangelist Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran passed away Wednesday 20th February 2008 at the age of 73. The long-time friend of The Christian Broadcasting Network and Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson is known for huge evangelistic crusades along with his Jesus Calls Ministry.

Dhinakaran, considered by many of his peers as the "apostle of this age to India", was known for holding powerful prayer rallies guided by the Holy Spirit, where he'd call out the names of people who were in the crowd, reveal their exact needs, and minister directly to them.

Dhinakaran was joined by Robertson at one rally not long after the beginning of the new millenium in Hyderabad, India, where they ministered to 500,000 people. He also worked closely with Robertson through the years in establishing CBN ministries in India.

The Indian evangelist's biography tells of a 20-year-old young man caught in poverty and unemployment at the point of taking his life. On his way to throw himself in front of a speeding train, he was stopped by his uncle who introduced him to Jesus Christ. He said an immediate peace overwhelmed him, and he went home with hope and a new purpose for his life.

The young Dhinakaran worked at a bank and ended up becoming a top executive for the company. Yet he had a heart for ministry that compelled him to start the Jesus Calls Ministry. Later, he had a vision of the Lord Jesus appearing to him, asking him to train lay people like himself to reach the people of his nation and other parts of Asia with the good news of the Gospel.

Later he started radio and television ministries across India. He also started other ministries related to Jesus Calls ministry, wrote books, and influenced many people in all walks of life for God.

GOOD SAMARITAN

 Good Samaritan

“There once was a man walking from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was alone and the road he followed was rocky, with many twists and turns. Suddenly, the robbers jumped out of nowhere. They attacked the man, beat him up and stole everything he had, even his clothes.

“The man lay bleeding to death on the side of the road and along came a priest. When he saw the man, he was so shocked, he stood and stared. The man could barely raise his head to beg for help but the priest only backed away. He tried not to look as he passed him as quickly as he could.

“The man lay in the dirt, moaning until a religious leader came along, one who preached the laws of Moses. He saw the man, all covered in blood and dirt and making funny noises in the ditch. He thought, ‘Oh, he looks terrible. I wouldn’t ever want to touch him. Besides, I’m sure he’s no one I know.’ And he passed him by as well.

“Then a Samaritan came walking along the road. The man who lay in the dirt was a Jew. Samaritans and Jews had been enemies for hundreds of years. Yet, the Samaritan came over to him. Very gently, he lifted the man’s head and brushed the dust out of his mouth. He took some water and cleaned the man’s eyes and gave him something to drink. He put wine on his wounds to clean them and make them heal quickly. Then, he carried the man and put him onto his donkey and brought him into town.

“There, the Samaritan gave some money to an innkeeper. He said. Put him in a clean bed and spend what ever you need to take good care of him until he is strong again.’ ”

“Now tell me,” Jesus added, “which of these three men was a true neighbor to the man who was robbed?”

The expert in Jewish law did not need to think very long. He said, “The one who helped him of course.”

Jesus then told him. “Then go and do just the same.”

Those who heard Jesus tell this story knew which people Jesus wanted His followers to love. The “others” were not just friends. Jesus wants His followers to love everybody, especially strangers and those in need.

Christianity: Bro.Bakht Singh

Christianity: Bro.Bakht Singh: Bakht Singh Chabra (1903-2000) is considered one of the most exceptional preacher, bible teacher and evangelist from India. He is also one ...

Bro.Bakht Singh

Bakht Singh Chabra (1903-2000) is considered one of the most exceptional preacher, bible teacher and evangelist from India. He is also one of the pioneers of Indigenous Church planting movement and contextualization of gospel of Jesus Christ to Indian culture.  Born in 1903 to a religious Sikh parents in Punjab (now a part of Pakistan), Bakht Singh became follower of Jesus Christ during his visit to England and Canada for higher studies. This life testimony offers glimpse into life of Bakht singh (known as Brother Bakht Singh).

His Childhood years

Brother Bakht Singh was educated in a Christian missionary school. But since then he had resentment towards Christians. He lived in a boarding home for 5 years. On one side of this boarding home, the Hindu students lived and on the other side the Muslims lived. He talked to everyone except Christians. Deep from within, he was very bitter towards Christianity and Christian people. He was very orthodox in his own religion and spent many hours in the Sikh temples observing all the religious rites. Sikhs are very well known for their social service to the people in society. So he also took an active part in such work but he could not find real joy in observing such rites or doing such service. When he passed his school he was given a leather bound Bible, which he tore into pieces. He kept the leather cover as it was beautiful.

A Strange Dream

During his school days, he used to have a dream. The Dream was that he was climbing a high and steep hill. With great difficulty and struggle he would reach the top but as soon as he reached there, somebody would come along and hurl him down. As he fell, the sharp points of the rocks would dig into his ribs. Thus he would be in great pain, so much so that he would cry out in his dream. But in the end he would find himself lying on a bed.
Life in England:

Bakht Singh testimony Bakht Singh A Life Testimony

After his college years he had an ambition to go to England to study. His father was a wealthy man and wanted him to join his business. He has six brothers but Bakth was the favorite of his mother. His mother said to him one day, “I will help you to go to England but promise me that you will not change your religion.” Bakth Singh was a proud Sikh man, and he promised his mother that he will never do that. His father too, agreed to send him with all the money he needed and he also promised to live economically. In September 1926, he reached England and joined Mechanical Engineering in the Engineering College of London.

Slowly he adapted into the Western world. He did not relish the food so much but he learnt to use the forks and spoons. He slowly also shaved his hair which a conservative Sikh would never do. He travelled all over Europe and England, visited museums, art galleries, worn expensive clothes; had eaten grand meals; had made friends with rich and poor, high and low; had taken part in social functions, indulged in amusements; had acquired as much education as he wanted; yet he was unhappy. He also tried smoking expensive cigars and alcohol just so that he could be just like his other English friends.

Then he thought perhaps it was not happy due to the fact that he was not fully civilized! So he asked his English friends, professor and fellow students. But none of them were really happy. He thought if India had the education and sanitation it would become like a heaven, but then he saw England which had all that but still there were greater evils  in the society, he did not understand. He concluded the world is filled with “vanity of vanities”.

A trip to Canada:

In 1928, a group of students were going to Canada and so he too decided to join them. On the 10th of August, he saw a notice showing that a church service would be held in the first-class dining saloon, at noon. He thought he should also go along with his friends but he was afraid, as he had never been to a church before. He thought to himself he has been to so many places, so a Church will do no harm to him. And so he tagged along. At the end of the service he saw people kneeling down and praying. He thought “These people do not know anything about religion. They have exploited my country and I have seen them eating and drinking. What do they know? After all my religion is the best religion.”

But he found one man kneeling on the right and another on the left and he thought it would not be right to disturb them. He began to say, “I have been to mosques and Hindu temples. I have taken off my shoes and washed my feet to show respect for those places. I must honor this place too out of courtesy.” So breaking his national pride, he knelt down.

This was the first time Bakht Singh was attending a Christian service. He had never read the Bible before nor had anyone spoken to me about salvation. When he knelt down he felt a great change coming over him. His whole body was trembling. He could feel divine power entering into him and lifting him up. The first change that he noticed was, that a great joy was flooding his soul. Then he realized that he was repeating the name of Jesus Christ. He began to say, “Oh, Lord Jesus, blessed be Thy name, blessed be Thy name.” The name Jesus became very sweet to him.

After this experience in Canada, Bakth Singh started going to churches on week days when they were empty and sat there. He felt the calmness, joy and peace in his heart. One year passed by, but he never told anyone about his  Christian experience, nor did he have the courage to do so, but the desire of smoking and drinking was all gone. In 1929, he came back to Canada to finish a course in Agricultural Engineering. There on 14th Dec. 1929, he asked a friend to give him a Bible. This friend was surprised but gave him a pocket New Testament (which Bakht singh kept with him for the rest of his life).

The next day when he was reading the Gospel of John, in chapter 3 the words “Verily Verily I say unto you” convicted him. He for the first time learned that he was the greatest sinner and his heart was filthy. He felt remorse for the blasphemous words he used for Jesus and Christians. Tears started to flow, As he was crying, the Voice said to him, “This is my body broken for you; this is my bloodshed for the remission of your sins.” He knew that the blood of Jesus only could wash away his sins But he did not know exactly how. There on that day, he accepted Jesus as his Savior and God, an unexplainable joy and peace came to his soul. He felt a real assurance that all his sins were washed away. He continued worship Jesus. In the next 2 days he received Bible (Old and New Testaments) as a Christmas gift. He engrossed himself reading this Book for hours, sometimes 14 hours in a stretch. He also read the New Testament many times.

On 4th February, 1932, Bakht Singh was baptized in Vancouver, Canada. After his baptism, he wrote a letter to his father about the conversion. It was a long letter with many Bible references. Just during that time his father had met a missionary who was talking to him about the Christ and the Bible. So the missionary gave an Urdu Bible to his father. He read the letter and the Bible references and was convinced that his son has a real conversion and that he too started believing in Jesus Christ.

Ministry in India

He returned back to Mumbai, India in 1933, where he was not well received by his family members. His parents would only accept him, if he could keep his ‘newly found faith’  a secret. Upon his denial, his family deserted him. Suddenly he bacame homeless, but the joy and love of Christ was too much to contain. He started preaching on the street of Mumbai. Soon, he started attracting thousands of people all around India. Large crowd gathered around wherever he went. His revival meetings were always followed with Signs, Wonders, Healings. He went on to plant many churches in all over India. Later on, his family also accepted him, many of whom also became followers of Jesus Christ.

Noah and the Ark

                                  Noah and the Ark




Soon there were many people on the earth.
They had forgotten all about God.
They were very bad.
All the people were bad except for Noah.

Noah pleased God.
Noah tied to live his life in God's way.
Noah taught his children to live according to God.
He taught them not to lie.
He taught them not to cheat.
He taught them not to steal.

One day God said to Noah, "A huge flood is coming. You must build a big boat, an ark, then bring two of every animal to the ark.  Your family and the animals will be safe from the flood"
God told Noah how big to make the ark and then Noah and his three sons began working on the ark.

Noah built it exactly as God told him.
It took many years to build the ark.
It was finally finished.

Noah put a ramp up to the opened doors
He could see that the animals were coming from all over to get on the ark.
The elephants stomped up the ramp.
The birds flew in the opened doors.
The cats quietly leapt.

Then the rains came.
Noah and his wife, their three children and their wives, got on the ark.
They were getting ready for the flood.
After the last of the animals had gotten on the ark, God closed the doors and they were safe and warm and dry from the flood.



Then after the forty days, it stopped raining.
Water covered the earth for 150 days.
God didn't forget about Noah.
He sent a warm wind to blow and the water began disappearing.

The ark settled on top of the mountains of Ararat.
Three months later, other mountain tops appeared as the water continued going down.

Forty days later, Noah sent a dove to find dry land.
The bird came back.
There was no dry ground yet.

A week later, he sent the dove again.
This time the dove returned with an olive branch.
Noah knew there was some dry land out there.

Another week went by and he released another dove.
This time the dove didn't return.

Noah knew it wouldn't be long, now.
Twenty-nine days later, Noah opened the door and the water was gone.
Eight weeks later the earth was dry.
God told Noah to let the animals go and wander over the earth.

When Noah came out of the ark, one of the first things he did was build an altar on the mountain side.
He gave an offering to God.

When Noah looked up he saw a beautiful sight.
God had placed a rainbow of beautiful colors in the sky.

"I will never again send flood waters to cover the earth," God promised. "Whenever you look up and see a rainbow in the sky it will remind you of my promise."
                                    

David and Goliath

                                                             David and Goliath


David was a boy.

He lived in Bethlehem.

He was the youngest and the smallest of eight brothers.

David would tend his fathers sheep.

He would soothe them by making beautiful music on his lyre.

All the people of Bethlehem loved to him play.

One day a man came to David.

He said, " King Saul sent me.  He is very sad and asks if you will play your sweet music for him."

"Of course, I will come", replied David.

David left that same day and rode a donkey to the king's house.

He played and sang his songs for the king.

Soon, King Saul was happy again and asked David to remain with him and cheer him with his wonderful music.

David agreed and stayed with the king for many months.

Soon King Saul got word that an army was marching toward Israel.

He had to leave and lead his soldiers in battle.

He sent David home.

One day, David went to find his brothers.

When he got there, he saw two armies standing across a field from each other.

In the middle of the field some men were talking to a huge man.

He was the biggest man David had ever seen.

He was a giant.

The giant roared, "Send out your best warrior and I, Goliath, will defeat him!"

David ran to the king and told him what he had seen and heard.

He said that he would fight the giant

The king said, "No one will fight Goliath.  You are just a boy.  You haven't a chance against the giant."

"When I was tending my sheep", ' David said, "the lions would come.  God would protect me from them. He will protect me from this giant, too."

The king finally agreed to let David fight Goliath.

David left to meet Goliath.

On his way, he stopped to pick up some stones for his sling.

Goliath was still standing in the middle of the field.

He was dressed in his finest armor and ready for battle.

David was dressed in his simple clothes.

Goliath was ready to fight David.

David took out a stone and placed it in the sling.

He spun the sling round and round.

With all his might, he sent the stone sailing.

The stone hit Goliath.

The giant came crashing to the ground.

David knew that God had helped him.

He thanked God.

The Creation of the GOD

The Bible begins with the creation of the universe: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" his single verse describes the actual makeover of invisible energy into all of the fundamental physical matter that forms into stars, planets and everything - including us. Scientists now estimate that the great event took place. 

 We all realize that God was Creator, but how often do we consider what was involved in that creation? God was a chemist, a physicist, an astronomer, a biologist. He was most certainly an artist, a maker of all of our world's beauty. He was the lawmaker of all of the unseen forces that make "nature" orderly and predictable.

Versus from Book of Moses

• In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 
• And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.   
• And God said, Let there be light:  and there was light And God said, Let there be light:  and there was light. 
• And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
•  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
•  And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
•  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
•  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
•  And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
•  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 
•  And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
•  And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
•  And the evening and the morning were the third day.
•  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
•  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
•  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
•  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
•  And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
•  And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
•  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
•  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
•  And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
•  And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
•  And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
•  And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
•  And God said, Let us make man in our image,  after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
• So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
•  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
•  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 
•  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

The beliefs of Christianity

                                                    Beliefs of Christianity

We believe:

That the following beliefs of Christianity have been brought down through the ages as follows:

The Bible is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative written Word of God, penned by man with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Christians believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His personal, future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years.

The blessed hope in the rapture of the Church at Christ's coming. The Church is all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

The only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ. Good works alone will not get you into heaven, although good works should follow those who believe.

We believe in water baptism by immersion. This is a public display of the authenticity of your repentance.

Spiritual healing and deliverance comes by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. Isaiah 53:5b says, "By His wounds we are healed."

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to all believers at the moment of salvation. God desires us to have a personal relationship with Him and through His Holy Spirit, we communicate with Him.

Christians believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit's indwelling. The Christian can live a holy life.

The beliefs of Christianity state the resurrection of the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation. Then Jesus will establish His eternal kingdom.

What Bible Means?

                                                           What is the Bible

Our word Bible comes from the Greek word biblia, meaning "book." The Greeks got this word from the name Byblos, a port city in what we now call Lebanon where papyrus for making books was produced.

The Bible tells the story of God, God's people, and God's creation and reveals God's will for humanity. The Bible is about the human condition, our tendency to sin, God's willingness to forgive, and the promise of eternal life with God. Societies and writing styles have changed since the first books of the Bible were written. Most of us are not sheep farmers and have never seen a mustard seed. Yet the Bible still speaks to us in our world of high-speed Internet and on-demand movies. The story of God's unconditional love for us does not expire.

An introduction to the Bible:

• The Protestant Christian Bible contains 66 books, from Genesis to Revelation. The Catholic Christian Bible contains the same 66 books and an extra 7 books. Those extra 7 books are mostly historical accounts of events that took place before the time of Jesus.

• The Christian Bible is divided into two parts - the Old Testament and the New Testament.

• The books of the Bible were written by about 40 different people, including prophets, poets and historians.

• The Old Testament books of the Bible were composed  during a period of time that lasted about 1000 years. That period of time began with Moses, who lived about 3400 years ago. It ended about 2400 years ago, which is about the time that the prophet Malachi lived.

• The New Testament books of the Bible were written sometime from about 50 AD to about 95 AD (that's about 1950 years ago to about 1900 years ago). Jesus was crucified by the Romans in about 30 AD.

• The New Testament contains the "four Gospels," which refers to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It also contains "epistles" or "letters" that were written by Peter, Paul, James and other followers of Jesus. It also contains the book of Revelation.

The Old Testament:

Books 1-5: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

These books were written perhaps as long ago as 3400 years ago, by Moses. These five books are sometimes called the Pentateuch or the Torah.
Books 6-16: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah.

These books explain the history of Israel from the time that the nation was established about 3400 years ago. It includes information about the time when the nation was conquered by the Assyrians about 2700 years ago, and when it was conquered by the Babylonians about 2600 years ago. The Assyrians and Babylonians forced many Jews out of their homeland. But, many Jews returned during the next few centuries, shortly before the time of Jesus.

Books 17-22: Ester, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.
These books are sometimes called the books of Writings, or the books of Poetry, or the books of Wisdom.

Books 23-27: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel.

These books contain prophecies that were delivered by prophets named Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. These prophets lived about 2700 to 2500 years ago. Some of their prophecies found fulfillment more than 2500 years ago. Christians believe that many of the prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus about 2000 years ago. And many of their prophecies have found fulfillment during the past 200 years.

Books 28-39: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
These books are sometimes called the books of the "minor" prophets. They are called "minor" because their books are short in length.

The New Testament:

Books 1-4: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

These four books are sometimes called the Gospel, or the Gospels. They were written about 2000 years ago by the followers of Jesus. These books contain details about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Books 5-26: Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude.
These 22 books are sometimes called Letters or Epistles. They were written by followers of Jesus. They often were sent to other people to help explain Christianity. Sometimes they were written to counter heresy, or wrongful interpretations of the teachings of Jesus.

Book 27: Revelation.

This book was written by John about 1900 years ago. He was shown visions of the future by Jesus. This book contains many prophecies about the End Times, or the Apocalypse.

What is Christianity and what do Christians believe

 The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was resurrected, and thereby offers salvation to all who will receive Him in faith. Unique among all other faiths, Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of “do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Beyond these core beliefs, there are many other items that are, or at least should be, indicative of what Christianity is and what Christianity believes. Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired, “God-breathed” Word of God and that its teaching is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Christians believe in one God that exists in three persons—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from God (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11), and died on the cross. Christians believe that after His death, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for the believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). Christianity proclaims that Jesus’ death on the cross was sufficient to completely pay the sin debt owed by all men and this is what restores the broken relationship between God and man (Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:10; Romans 5:8; 6:23).

Christianity teaches that in order to be saved and be granted entrance into heaven after death, one must place one’s faith entirely in the finished work of Christ on the cross. If we believe that Christ died in our place and paid the price of our own sins, and rose again, then we are saved. There is nothing that anyone can do to earn salvation. We cannot be “good enough” to please God on our own, because we are all sinners (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6-7). There is nothing more to be done, because Christ has done all the work! When He was on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), meaning that the work of redemption was completed.

According to Christianity, salvation is freedom from the old sin nature and freedom to pursue a right relationship with God. Where we were once slaves to sin, we are now slaves to Christ (Romans 6:15-22). As long as believers live on this earth in their sinful bodies, they will engage in a constant struggle with sin. However, Christians can have victory in the struggle with sin by studying and applying God’s Word in their lives and being controlled by the Holy Spirit—that is, submitting to the Spirit’s leading in everyday circumstances.

So, while many religious systems require that a person do or not do certain things, Christianity is about believing that Christ died on the cross as payment for our own sins and rose again. Our sin debt is paid and we can have fellowship with God. We can have victory over our sin nature and walk in fellowship and obedience with God. That is true biblical Christianity.