Gospel for Asia

When I was younger, I promised myself that I would never sit around and bore people about my increasing aches and pains. Now that I am older, I am naturally more empathetic to my age-set’s varying degrees of ills. Not that I make evidence of my own physical decline a subject for conversation, but ailments, aches and pains are part of the way our bodies remind us that there is an eventual life terminus in the offing. Such as this is, I am learning that ailments are a useful gift for the elderly (and for those of any age, actually) as a prod to intercede for the suffering church worldwide. How can this be? I confess that it is all too easy for me to forget to pray for those who are struggling physically. I confess that I am often negligent in my intercession for those who are ill . So at the risk of breaking my own vow not to bore others with discussions of personal physical ailments, let me nevertheless share about the wrestling match I had with my digestive system one whole night (...

On Feb. 14, a day that should have been marked by the celebration of love, hundreds of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, fled the raging bullets of a 19-year-old gunman. For some, the deaths of 17 innocent people—14 of them high school students—on Valentine’s Day will become just another sad news story in the days to come. But for 17 families grieving in South Florida today, it is the end of a story of hope, love and the promise of a bright future. It is the beginning of a story of grief that may last a lifetime. This is a time for mourning—the first step in the process of healing. We may not be able to understand the depth of their pain, but however deep and dark it is, we can pray for their healing . At our morning prayer meeting the day after this horrific event, a Gospel for Asia staff member who grew up near Parkland, Florida, where the school shooting happened, shared prayer requests for the people affected. Visibly shaken, she told...

I have the privilege to be part of the team at Gospel for Asia that teaches School of Discipleship (SD) students how to share their faith. But it seems like it was just a little while ago that I was a student in the program going through those classes for the first time. When I was a School of Discipleship student I remember waking up each day and praying, “God, today I will interact with so many people that you love and sent your Son to save. Please use me to pour out your blessings on them. Please fill me with the blessings you want them to receive today and I will give them. Help me to love them well for your Name’s sake.” The habit of thinking about my day and the people that God wants to bless through me started back then, and it has drastically changed the way I go through my average day. Now, my life is much more about how I can bless others than it was before. When I read that God’s love had been poured out into my heart (see Romans 5), and that I was created fo...

Gospel for Asia (GFA) Report, Wills Point, Texas You know that awkward moment when you’re stopped at a red light, and you can feel the presence right outside your window. You study the road in front of you, trying, unconvincingly, to look casual and nonchalant. Before, when you slowed down for this stop light, you saw the panhandler standing at the corner. You knew you were going to end up idling right next to him. You quickly think to yourself, What do I do? Do you smile and look away? Do you give him money? What are the chances it won’t go straight to the liquor store till? His sign says he has a family. Does he really? Will they see a cent of any money you give him? What about if you give him a gospel tract? Isn’t that really his greatest need: Jesus? I have often wrestled through these questions and settled on one of the actions above, but never with complete satisfaction that it was the best way to help or exactly what Jesus would have done. Usually, when Jesus was a...

Good morning, Father You are my God. I love You I thank You I am Yours. Another day what a gift Thank You! Tell me Your plan for today I want to be a part of it It is going to be great. Again I want to say thank You! In Jesus’ name Amen. Read more of Dr. KP Yohannan’s poems in his book Dance Not for Time . ===== Click here , to read more articles by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, or visit Patheos . Go here to know more about Dr. KP Yohannan: SourceWatch | Wiki | Flickr

If you haven’t read The Benedict Option   by Rod Dreher, I encourage you to pick up a copy. It’s one of the best books out there about the state of Christianity in this culture and era we’re living in. It points out things that are so important for us to keep in mind if we want to survive and live for the Lord as we journey further into these last days . According to Dreher, we are now living in a post-Christian era. This is something I myself have been saying for the last decade. We have become so removed from Biblical culture. Life is not the same as it was 50 or 60 years ago. We cannot simply live in the mainstream of Western society and expect our faith and the faith of our families to survive. As Dreher says , we “ have to choose to make a decisive leap into a truly countercultural way of living Christianity. ” He continues, saying, “I f we want to survive, we have to return to the roots of our faith, both in thought and in practice . We are going to have to...

Nothing stays the same! Just one look at your car will confirm this. The tire tread is wearing thin, the muffler is rusting out and the engine will only go so many miles. Our houses are limited by the same principle. The paint peels off, the roof leaks after a few storms and the tile and carpet don’t seem to stay clean for more than a couple of days. In the kitchen, the milk goes sour, the bread molds and the peach that looked so delicious three days ago starts to rot. Even things we leave completely alone, like the pictures on the wall or the books on the shelf, collect dust, change color and become old. Half our time is spent washing clothes, cleaning the house and repairing things that break down. We do this because we know that unless we continually work on maintaining our possessions, we surely will lose them to deterioration. Exactly the same is true for our spiritual lives. Look at your life and your ambitions today. Look at the ones you had when you first understood th...

Bucket full water was cold to take a bath I was freezing. Opened the red tap hot water came in a few seconds cold turned warm. One smile one kind word a loving touch will give warmth to others. Read more of Dr. KP Yohannan’s poems in his book Dance Not for Time ===== Click here , to read more articles by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, or visit Patheos . Go here to know more about Dr. KP Yohannan: Facebook | Twitter | Book

When the Lord calls us to serve Him, our hearts are overjoyed. We are excited and eager to do our best. Eventually , our excitement can get worn away by the daily grind— irritations when things don’t go our way , disappointments with setbacks and problems , and conflicts with friends and coworkers . If we are not careful, w e can get to a point where we feel like we can’t take it anymore . W ithout a change within us, w e either start fighting for our rights , or we quietly walk away hurt and disillusioned . If we began with willing and sincere hearts, how do we arrive at a place where we are ready to walk away? Could it be that we failed to arm ourselves correctly for the spiritual battle we entered, as Paul describes in Ephesians? If our answer is yes, what are we still missing? I believe our answer is found in 1 Peter 4:1 . “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind” (1 Peter 4:1). He speaks of ...

Don’t forget the words of kindness others have spoken to you; Don’t forget those in need of kindness; speak kindly to them. Don’t forget the many who helped you in your time of need; Don’t forget to help the one who is in need that you know. Don’t forget the prayers of concern someone offered for you; Don’t forget to pray for those you know who are in need. Don’t forget— life is short, it will soon be gone; Don’t forget to live for Christ as this may be the last day you have. Read more of Dr. K . P . Yohannan’s poems in his book  Dance Not for Time . ===== Click here , to read more articles by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, or visit Patheos . Go here to know more about Dr. KP Yohannan: About KPYohannan | Integrity | Facebook

When Jesus was choosing His disciples, He chose 12 normal, insignificant men . They were not famous people or great theologians. Most of them did not have a lot of education . He didn’t call them to follow Him because He needed them but because He wanted them to be part of what He was doing, to understand Him and participate in His nature. He wanted them to start thinking. He was training them to go and change the world after He would leave. They must have His life, His heart. T he Gospel of John chapter 6 says , “J esus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘ Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’” (John 6:5). We know from the Scripture that Jesus was saying this to test him. “Philip answered Him, ‘ Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a li ttle’” (John 6:7). In other words, Philip was saying, “Hey, I don’t know what to do! Count me out.” But then...

“I look forward to death with great anticipation, to meeting God face to face.” —Billy Graham The Bible says that God will wipe away all tears in heaven. For the many who have wondered why there would ever be tears there, the answer may have come this morning when Billy Graham entered into God’s presence and heard the Lord say the words Dr. Graham had so often said that he longed to hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:21). There had to be tears of joy flowing from Billy’s eyes. Tears that only the Lord God could wipe away. Early this morning, February 21, 2018, Dr. Billy Graham finished the course, having fought the good fight, having always kept the faith (see 2 Timothy 4:7). Graham will be remembered as “America’s Pastor,” an eponym bestowed upon him by President George H.W. Bush. The label was appropriate for a man whose spiritual advice was sought by 12 American presidents. When his integrity was questi...