Yesterday, Keith called me to go with him and meet this Asian Guy who is the president of International Students...some association at the U. He recently got baptized in LDS church,, but sounded like he is not totally sure of what he is doing, so Keith wanted to have a talk with him. We had a great talk eventhough I couldn't give my full attention as I was being interrupted by my work simultaneously (I brought my work laptop and connected to the wireless network there).
He is one of those guys who go philosophical and caught up in the middle of many views that are offered by all the prominent religions in the world, and it was hard to talk to him. We 3 talked about 90 mins. Lot of talks, lot of assumptions, lot of IFs and BUTs, but no Scriptural reference to the Bible. But, I learnd stuff from Keith's answers and counter arguments. And, learned how to use Perspective Cards. (I love Campus Crusade's several cool methods and techniques to share Gospel or initiate a Spiritual conversation). I kept feeling prompted to share the Bridge illustration with him. So, in the end, when we were ready to leave, I drew the Bridge illustration and read the verses on what Jesus saved us from, how He saved us, and how we can have Salvation through Him. To the questions in the end, he confessed that God is knocking on the door of his heart and he heard the Gospel. But, he couldn't say it for sure that he received Him yet.
It is intersting to note that, in some religions, one does not need to truely accept and receive Jesus, but still can be baptized and considered saved. Few weeks ago, I was listening to a message on Ordinances and Sacraments, and on how some treat Ordinances as Sacraments and believe actions like Baptism would Save us. After all, changing the meaning and purpose of what Jesus did on Cross while using the same names and concepts.
In the end, I'm happy that I got to use the Bridge illustration which is one of my most favorites as a practice before I go to India.
I have a Prayer Request for today.
One of the good traditions in Indian culture is not to send guests back home with empty hands, so they are given a small gift while they are leaving when they attended a party or function in our home. All my Indian friends here always followed that tradition. But, we never followed that before.
But, today, they are throwing a Baby Shower for Autumn in one of our friends' houses. This time, I felt like we follow that tradition, and, along with a small gift, we place a Gospel Tracks and a DVD - "The HOPE" (The Story of God's Promise for All People) in the gift bags.
There are around 20 families that are attending the Baby Shower. So, we are literally going to hand out Gospels to 20 families to take them to their homes.
They all clearly know who we serve. I always raise the flag of "Jesus' follower", and try to talk to them about God from time to time in a very friendly way. They still love me, love us and even throwing a Baby Shower for us. So, I guess I'm not pushing too hard -:) We keep praying for their Salvation every week.
My request for you is to pray for today as we handout the dvd and the gospel track, that God works through those to start working in their hearts and to enable them to come to Him and to establish relationship with the true one living God.
Thank you for all your prayers. And, thank you for joining me in the Spirit in Christ.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Learning to be Strong in God
I can't express how glad and fortunate I am to have you willing to pray for me. All of you had a lot longer walk with Christ and a lot deeper relationship with God than I do. Realization of the fact that persons like you are supporting me in various ways on this mission keeps me grounded in Christ and makes me more humble in Him.
I have two prayer requests at this moment.
One -
1 Corinthians 1:27 - "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong"
We are joining a retreat that the Campus Crusade in Hyderabad is having during our Mission Trip. They asked me to share Word on a couple of topics. Without asking me to choose the topics, they chose topics for me and put me on schedule, and sent out the flyers -:). When I looked at the topics, first, I was little frightened and then laughed at myself in Christ. The topics they chose for me are: "Finances" and "Praying with Power".
If I had to list the areas that I'm week the most in, exactly, these two topics would be the top 2. You can verify that with my wife who knows me the best.
Yesterday, as I and Autumn were helping with kids in AC at K2, the memory verse for kids was,
Ephesians 6:10 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
I don't know about kids, but it spoke to me well -:).
When I started gathering material to prepare the Word on these topics, I realized that, more than anything else, God wanted to strengthen me in these areas.
How amazing it is to walk with Christ. I'm very glad that He is not the god whom I used to server and with whom all I had was a conditional give-and-take relationship, but He is the God with whom I could have an ever growing love relationship through which I will keep getting strengthened and become more and more like Him. What an amazing God we have and what an amazing gift we have through Jesus.
So, please pray for me that God guides me and leads me in preparing and delivering message on these two topics.
Two -
To confess one thing, in fact, if there is one group of people that I struggle to connect with, that is Indians. It would sound strange, but it is true. Please don't take me wrong, and I'm not trying to generalize it. But, it may be because, while growing up, I was surrounded by individuals who often talked down on others on their backs and who were culturally prideful and hypocrites, and, personally, me being one of them, it haunts me back now. I feel being judged and feel week in their presense. It is very evident whenever we go on a random evangelism on campus. I'm way comfortable in sharing Gospel to students from any country except India.
I do really struggle connecting with Indians in Christ. I'm serious. I shared this with few before. I always talked to Autumn about this.
When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and asked him to go, his response was
Judges 6:15 - "My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
Judges 6:16 - "The LORD answered, "I will be with you,"
So, please pray for me that God goes with me in this trip and, guides me, leads me and strengthens me in every step I take in this entire trip.
Again, it is my privilige and I'm so honored to be able to connect with you in Christ in Spirit. What an amazing relationship we have through becoming One in Him.
God bless,
Naveen
I have two prayer requests at this moment.
One -
1 Corinthians 1:27 - "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong"
We are joining a retreat that the Campus Crusade in Hyderabad is having during our Mission Trip. They asked me to share Word on a couple of topics. Without asking me to choose the topics, they chose topics for me and put me on schedule, and sent out the flyers -:). When I looked at the topics, first, I was little frightened and then laughed at myself in Christ. The topics they chose for me are: "Finances" and "Praying with Power".
If I had to list the areas that I'm week the most in, exactly, these two topics would be the top 2. You can verify that with my wife who knows me the best.
Yesterday, as I and Autumn were helping with kids in AC at K2, the memory verse for kids was,
Ephesians 6:10 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."
I don't know about kids, but it spoke to me well -:).
When I started gathering material to prepare the Word on these topics, I realized that, more than anything else, God wanted to strengthen me in these areas.
How amazing it is to walk with Christ. I'm very glad that He is not the god whom I used to server and with whom all I had was a conditional give-and-take relationship, but He is the God with whom I could have an ever growing love relationship through which I will keep getting strengthened and become more and more like Him. What an amazing God we have and what an amazing gift we have through Jesus.
So, please pray for me that God guides me and leads me in preparing and delivering message on these two topics.
Two -
To confess one thing, in fact, if there is one group of people that I struggle to connect with, that is Indians. It would sound strange, but it is true. Please don't take me wrong, and I'm not trying to generalize it. But, it may be because, while growing up, I was surrounded by individuals who often talked down on others on their backs and who were culturally prideful and hypocrites, and, personally, me being one of them, it haunts me back now. I feel being judged and feel week in their presense. It is very evident whenever we go on a random evangelism on campus. I'm way comfortable in sharing Gospel to students from any country except India.
I do really struggle connecting with Indians in Christ. I'm serious. I shared this with few before. I always talked to Autumn about this.
When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and asked him to go, his response was
Judges 6:15 - "My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
Judges 6:16 - "The LORD answered, "I will be with you,"
So, please pray for me that God goes with me in this trip and, guides me, leads me and strengthens me in every step I take in this entire trip.
Again, it is my privilige and I'm so honored to be able to connect with you in Christ in Spirit. What an amazing relationship we have through becoming One in Him.
God bless,
Naveen
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Getting ready in Prayers
For many of you who went on mission trips several times already, it might sound silly. But, for me, a lot of nervousness, fear and awkwardness on one side, and a lot of excitement and heart felt need to share Christ with others on the otherside are taking over me on this mission trip. I feel like I could use Prayers more than anyother time in my life right now.
Not long ago, just 5 years ago, I remember arguing against Christianity and defending Hinduism with believers at the Christ Community Church. And, at that time, I never thought that, in 5 years, I would not only accept Jesus Christ as the only way to God, but also establish an every growing relationship with Him deep enough to follow Him back home to bring others to Him.
Things that I want to get done before I leave are:
1. Recollecting all my memory verses that I memorized before in sharing Gospel.
2. Practicing Bridge illustration, Four Spiritual Laws, Gospel Tracks, and Selorium Cards techniques in initiating spiritual conversations. Also, may hit the campus for random evangelism a few times again with those.
3. Preparing a 3 minute Testimony again and practicing it over and over.
4. Spending more and more time in Prayers and in daily Devotional Quite Times with God.
It is nice that I and Autumn started a Bible study on Experiencing God with students on campus and also I got to be part of a deeper study on the Book of Isaiah with a couple of guys from our Church as it is helping me to tune myself to God and to be sensitive to any calls and prompings by the Holy Spirit.
Not long ago, just 5 years ago, I remember arguing against Christianity and defending Hinduism with believers at the Christ Community Church. And, at that time, I never thought that, in 5 years, I would not only accept Jesus Christ as the only way to God, but also establish an every growing relationship with Him deep enough to follow Him back home to bring others to Him.
Things that I want to get done before I leave are:
1. Recollecting all my memory verses that I memorized before in sharing Gospel.
2. Practicing Bridge illustration, Four Spiritual Laws, Gospel Tracks, and Selorium Cards techniques in initiating spiritual conversations. Also, may hit the campus for random evangelism a few times again with those.
3. Preparing a 3 minute Testimony again and practicing it over and over.
4. Spending more and more time in Prayers and in daily Devotional Quite Times with God.
It is nice that I and Autumn started a Bible study on Experiencing God with students on campus and also I got to be part of a deeper study on the Book of Isaiah with a couple of guys from our Church as it is helping me to tune myself to God and to be sensitive to any calls and prompings by the Holy Spirit.
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