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CSI Good News
(Church of South India Good News)
Vol. 4 / Issue 13 / May 9 2002
Contents of this issue
Editorial
Middle East Crisis Is God caught by surprise
On going Conflict
Prayer Request
Regional Conference 2002
Annual Family and Youth Conference
News Items (Common to all issues) :
Through the Valley of Death & other Books
Download Articles in Handheld Computers
Kids Page - Free Tutorials
Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online
Your Spam Folder
Your Feedback
Editorial
By Sherly Isaac
Isaiah 49:15-16, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
God says in above verses that, can a mother forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? And further the same verse answers the question, that surely she may forget her child but God will not forget you. That's the love of God. A mother can forget her child but God will not. God cares for us and knows our substance.
We are going to celebrate mother's day on 12th May. My Church pastor always says that, "Mother is the sweetest name in the whole world." But for me it was totally opposite. This was the bitterest name for me. If anything went wrong, I was blamed for. If someone did some mistakes, the very first name used to come in their minds was mine. Not only in my school but also in my home I was called as fool. No one ever thought that I would ever excel in my life. I grew up in this type of a broken home. It added nothing but layers after layers of bitterness, anger and rejection lay in my heart. Many a times I thought of committing suicide but the only one thing kept me away of doing this was "fear".
But one day Jesus came into our lives and it changed our whole life. We all accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. When Jesus came into our lives He changed our lives and filled our hearts with love for each other. He removed our bitterness and anger. Gave us peace that passes all understandings.
My dear friend, you may be in this situation today. You may be treated as second-class citizen in your own home. You may be thinking my mother and father has rejected me and there is no one who can show me any love. But I want to tell you that there is a God who loves you so much that He gave Himself to die for you. He did not die for Himself but for you and for me so that we may come out of our miserable condition and live a peaceful and happy life.
He says, "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me." When you shed tears, when you go through pain and sufferings and when He looks in His palms, He sees the image of your face in the midst of His nail pierced hands. He remembers His agony and pain on the cruel cross. He knows the pain and sufferings you are going through. And He wants to wipe away all your tears. He wants to become your Father and Mother today. Will you invite Him in your life today? Will you ask Him to come into your life and make you happy?
Middle East Crisis Is God caught by surprise
By Vinod Isaac
Israel word has appeared 2567 times in Bible that is the highest number of mention about a nation in Bible. Philistine and Philistines combined appears only 241 times in whole Bible.
Question arises what God has written so much about Israel? Does God know all about what is happening today?
Deuteronomy 32:9 says “He kept him as the apple of His eye.”
Zechariah 2:8 says Jerusalem is apple of God’s eyes. He who touches Jerusalem touches the apple of God’s eyes.
Let me take you back into history of what God did for Israel then we will look into what Bible has to say about present day events and what God has promised for Israel in the future
Gen 15:13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
Gen 15:14 "And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
God gave a promise to Abraham that his descendents will live in a land that is not theirs for four hundred years. After that God will judge the nation where they will be living and bring them out of that land. Israel and his descendents went into Egypt and 400 years later when they were in slavery without hope. It looked as if God has forgotten about them. It looked as if they are the people without future. Suddenly God sends Moses for their rescue. All the sufferings Israelis were going through didn’t go unnoticed from the sight of God. In fact God had said it all to Abraham even before 400 years.
Now Moses is leading Israelites out of the land of Egypt. They got their freedom at the price of 10 plagues and worst of all the tenth plague “all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died”. Let me remind you that when God makes a promise He fulfills it at any cost.
Where were the Israelites going? Answer is to Promised Land.
Gen 15:18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates;
The same day God told Abraham that He is going to bring his descendents from Egypt. He also said that He has given this land to them. The owner of the Land the Creator of the universe has given the land to Israel but the land that belongs to Israel at present is not the full land that is described in Genesis 15:18. The Land God has given ownership to Israel includes Gaza Strip, West Bank and territory from few other surrounding countries.
Promise No. 1 Bringing back after 400 years,
Promise No. 2 The Promised Land
While Israelites were on their way back Amalekites attacked them. We can read about it in Exodus 17. God took it seriously and Let me remind you God sent 10 plagues in Egypt and now when Amalekites are coming against God’s plan and promises. God Announced His decree against Amalek that He is going to blot out the remembrance of Amalek.
Exo 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."
Deu 25:17 "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 25:18 "how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. 25:19 "Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.
Let us give some breathing room to Liberal Theologians and assume that it was just the anger of Moses. God is a loving God He will not do something Like that. But when we look into Numbers 24:20 that assumption slips away very fast.
Balaam was called to curse Israel. He came to curse Israel for money and here is what Balaam has to say.
Num 24:20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: "Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes."
Instead of cursing he says Amalek will perish. God confirmed His decree once again.
Time passed by Israel came to the Promised land. People might have forgotten what Amalek did to Israel. Generations have passed by. Israel now have a King. Every thing seems to be going fine. But God has not forgotten. He asks Samuel to go and give a message to Saul the first King of Israel.
1 Sam 15:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.
1 Sam 15:3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
We all know the story. Saul went to destroy but he spared few things. God’s wrath kindled against Saul and Saul was removed from being King and David replaced him.
Zechariah 2:8-9 says that whoever messes up with Israel becomes spoil.
Zec 2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
Zec 2:9 "For surely I will shake my hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.
What we have seen so far is a literal fulfillment of the promises God had given to Israel.
What does Bible say about present time?
Zechariah 12:2-3 says that Jerusalem will be a heavy stone and a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding people.
Zec 12:2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
Zec 12:3 "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
If you recall all the conflict is over Jerusalem. Arafat wants to have Jerusalem as capital of Philistine. That is exactly what Zechariah 12:2-3 says. So God is not taken by surprise but He knew that it is going to happen. And when it happens this is what God will do.
Zec 12:6 "In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place; Jerusalem.
Israel will devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left.
Zec 12:8 "In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them.
Lord will defend Jerusalem. But soon a bigger army will come to fight against Israel. Israel will not have strength to fight back and Israel will get a divine intervention from the Lord.
Zec 12:9 "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
He will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
In Zechariah 14 Bible describes the second coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah. In that time all the nations will come against Jerusalem to fight. And Lord Jesus will come back. He will descend on Mount of Olives with a big army and the Mount of Olives will split in two.
Zec 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. 14:2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 14:3 Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 14:4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
That is exactly what is described in Rev 19:11 onwards
Jesus will come on white horse. He comes to judge and make war. He is coming with armies in heaven all clothed in fine linen white and clean. Kings of the earth and the Beast make war against Jesus and His army. All who fight against the King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ are killed.
Rev 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Rev 19:13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
Rev 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
God fulfilled his promises made to Abraham. He fulfilled the prophecy spoken by Moses, Balaam, Samuel. He is going to fulfill the promises and prophecies spoken for Israel. Any body stands against Israel is fighting against the Lord Jesus Himself. Soon He is going to come to Judge. Whose side you will be?
Will you be found faithful and righteous when Jesus comes back? If not this is the time to repent and turn to Jesus. Just say to Him: Lord Jesus, I have sinned against you. Please forgive me of my sins. Please wash me with your blood that you shed on the Calvary. Please make me a new person. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
On going Conflict
By Sherly Isaac
Last week I got several mails. I appreciate your feedback. In this article, I will clarify few things.
Yesterday again suicide bombing took place in Israel. Sixteen people died and many are injured. Not only it happened in Israel but also in Pakistan. Philippine, Malaysia, Sudan and other parts of the world have the similar type of problems. Why? Palestinian people say that it is because of the oppression and occupation of Israelites. If it is true then why Pakistani suicide bomber is bombing in Pakistan, India and in Kashmir? No one is oppressing them. And what about the other parts of the world?
I do not think that it is because of oppression or occupation but the fact is, it is the sinful nature that makes them to hate others and kill. Main reasons behind the killings by Muslims is they are thinking that they will reach heaven as promised in Quran and Hadith. Some Muslims wrote that there is no such thing in Quran or Hadith but reality is far far from it. Quran contains many references of killing pagans, Jews and Christians and they are promised great rewards in heaven by Allah for Mujahidin. Quran says in Sura 52:20. They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and We shall join them to Companions, with beautiful big and lustrous eyes.
One Christian brother wrote like this:
I went through this above mentioned editorial (Suicide Bombing - way to heaven???) and I was finding the bitterness of the writer towards the God of Muslim religion and rather assumed this religion as satanic.
Actually it was not Editorial but still I will reply. Well, the God of the Bible and Allah both are different Gods. God of the Bible gave ten commandments to Moses in which it was made clear that, killing, stealing, murdering, adultery, coveting other's wife or other's thing is sin. But if you read the Quran, you will find that Mohammed the founder of Islam said that it is lawful to marry your adopted son's wife. We read in The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces Sura 33:37 Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour: "Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear Allah." But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah's command must be fulfilled."
Quran says for a man that he can marry four wives and as keep as many as concubines while the Bible calls it adultery. In fact the Quran denies the very basic laws of God which was given to Moses. If both are not agreeing with each other then how we can say that God of the Bible and Allah are same ONE God?
Further he writes:
My questions to editor :
1. Did you read their holy book completely to know what the mentioned verses mean.(Don’t you think Bible also has reference of having sex between father and daughter-only underlining those verses without understanding the whole context gives you a different meaning )
Yes, I read both Quran and Hadith and I talked to many Muslims on Internet and all have the same opinion about Jihad or holy war. Of course the Bible says about fall of human being and people who did wrong things but does it mean that God gave permission to do these kinds of atrocities? Of course not! God never gave permission to people in the Bible for sinning. It was the sinful or fallen nature of human being that makes them to sin but we can come out of our sins by the blood of Jesus.
2. Their religion believes in Moses and Abraham as we do and the difference of calling the names of God is: they call Jesus as Prophet and Almighty God as Allah and Prophet Mohammad has written rules of religion according the situation present at that time of his year at his location. How you can call their religion satanic when they call Jesus as Prophet.
If their God and our God is same then why Allah sent a different message and different type of prophet(Mohammed) who had no qualities of prophet in his life? They believe that Jesus is a mere prophet while Jesus is the almighty God with whom Moses and Abraham spoke and walked with Him as a friend. Jesus is the same Yahweh God of the Bible who came down in the form of a man. But Quran denies these things. Quran says, Jesus is not God and Jesus did not die while the whole Bible tells us about the coming of the Messiah and His death and sufferings on the cruel cross. Bible very clearly talks about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ without which no one can be saved. If someone is denying the very essence of the Bible then how he/she is the prophet of God? And just because Mohammed called Jesus a prophet, does not make Mohammed prophet. Bible says in James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble!"
No matter which time Mohammed lived in this world and no matter what was his situation but I am sure that God will never give a commandment of sinning against Him and breaking the laws of God.
3. They are religious fanatics (I agree) but don’t you think their religion has some plus points: like regulations, systems: Pray as many as times as you want but’ should’ pray 5 times after cleaning yourselves. See ourselves ; each day there are new sects propping up in the name of Jesus and they claim they are the purest and only they will go to heaven.
Plus points cannot give us a place in heaven. God has nothing to do with our good works or rituals. The Bible says that, "our good works are filthy rags before God." Our good works or rituals cannot save us from our sins and sinful nature. That is the reason why Jesus came in this world to die for us. Unless a person confesses Jesus as his/her Lord and Savior he/she is heading to hellfire. Unless a person recognizes that Jesus died for our sins and Jesus Christ completed the work of our salvation on the cruel cross, he/she cannot enter into heaven. Unless a person recognize himself/herself as sinner and repent from their sins and get forgiveness of their sins, they are not going to heaven.
But the greatest problem of our Churches is that we have stopped reading the Bible. We are relaying on our Pastors, scholars and other people who tell us what is in the Bible. Whatever they told us, we swallow it as God's message. We do not have time to go and read Bible ourselves. We do not have time to think about our creator. Few days back one man told me that, "God's curse is on Jews because they killed our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God has replaced Jews with Christians." But how pathetic it is that we do not know the basic things of the Bible. Jesus said in John 10:17-18, "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Jews did not kill Jesus bit Jesus laid His life Himself.
Yes, it is high time to return to the basics. It is high time to return to the Bible and find out what is true and what is not so that we may not be in dark but walk in the day light.
Prayer Request
Please pray for all the businesses of the world because they are made up of the people of the world. Please pray for all the hospitals of the world for they care for the people of the world. Please pray for each person in the world for we belong to God. Please pray for sin to cease by instruction and love for God taking place in each of our lives. Please pray for the beautiful people of India - They are God's hope to future generations of children in India - What you leave behind becomes their's - good or bad. Please pray for people to love God in their hearts and their motives to be pure in seeking Him and reading His word. Please pray for the elderly for they brought us into the world and cared for us when we were young and little. Please pray that all men look at women in a loving way - not in lust. Please pray for our government leaders they will be held responsible by God for their actions and they are there to care for the needs and good and peace of the people. Please pray for my mother to enjoy life while she is alive and to love God deeply in her heart and with her mind. Please pray for me - that I stop sinning. I ask God's blessings for each of you in your church and in your country. God bless you millions of times - a googleplex number of times! So many googleplexes that even Srinivasa Ramanujan would have a hard time imagining so many many in his mind. I am thinking of you always - I amazed at your Church's organizations. You needs are great I pray to God to meet everyone of them. Bless you.
Christopher Stang
Hello I have a prayer request. I would like to have you pray for a young girl who is about 9 years old. Her name
is Courtney. She has a Tumor pressing on a nerve in her I have a prayer request. I would like you to pray for this
girl who is in our Youth Department. Her name is Stephanie Sprinkle. She is 15 years old and she has been going through Depression for about a year. She has attempted to kill herself two-three times. She just needs everyone to pray for her everyday. Thankyou so much for your prayers for Stephanie.
Meredith
I was looking for a job from the past 6 months and haven't got anything yet.I request you to please remember me
throughout your prayers. thanking You
Nibu Jacob
Dallas
Regional Conference 2002
Regional conference will be held at the beautiful campus of Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti Michigan.
Hosted by
FIRST C.S.I CONGREGATION OF MICHIGAN
19476 CASCADE DR.,
BROWNSTOWN, MI 48192
Date: May 17-19, 2002
Theme: "Jesus Christ is our Peace" Eph. 2:14"
For more details please contact:
Rev. Itty Mathews, Vicar & President
(734)479-4945
Email: ittymathews@hotmail.com
Mathew Oommen, convenor
(248)649-5458
Annual Family and Youth Conference
XVI Annual CSI Family and Youth Conference, Hosted by Emmanuel CSI Church, Philadelphia
Friends,
This years Family and Youth Conference will be held at the Pocono Manor Inn, Pocono Manor PA 18349, from July 4th - 7th.
The Moderator Most Rev. Dr KJ Samuel will preside. The new Bishop of Central Kerala Diocese Rt Rev. Thomas Samuel will also be a leader. The main speaker is Rev Valson Thampu of St Stephen's College Delhi a well known author and preacher of Maramon Convention fame. Pastor Robbie Sortino and Scott Armstrong will lead the Youth sessions. Many dignitaries and officers of the CSI are also expected to attend.
The program will be mostly interactive and there will be a special revival meeting on Saturday night. There will be a Talent show on Friday night. The program will allow for plenty of time to socialize or to go sight seeing.
The venue is panoramic, scenic and relaxing. The accommodation is comfortable and the cuisine tasteful. The room availability now is limited as we have been receiving good response to our early registration drive. Registrations will close on April 14th due to limited space at the hotel.
Please visit our website www.emmanuelcsi.com or download and print the registration form from www.2002conference.csichurch.org/
For details call Convener Koshy Ittyeipe at 610 363 3967 or e- mail: koshy@libertynet.org
We look forward to seeing you there
Koshy Ittyeipe
Convener
Through the Valley of Death & other Books
As many of you know that in the year 2005, our dad was very sick even unto death. God miraculously healed him. We have compiled it in a book form. I sure believe that it will inspire you and encourage you greatly.
This book is available for purchase at JasmineCorp Store
Also read these two books by Sherly Isaac "Allah and Elohim - Are they the same God" Available at JasmineCorp Store, and "Is Jesus God?" Available at JasmineCorp Store,
Both books compares the Bible and the Quran and read eye opening facts about Jesus, God of the Bible, Allah and Islamic faith. I am sure that you want to read this.
Download Articles in Handheld Computers
You can now download articles in Palm Doc format for your palm handheld computer. It will work with any devise that has Palm OS and Palm Doc Reader installed. To download click on the link named "Palm Doc Format" i.e. at the top of this page by the side of each articles.
Kids Page - Free Tutorials
Now you can learn Graphics and web designing online at Kid's page. These tutorials are free for kids who subscribe for CSI Kids Newsletter. Currently tutorials for Paint Shop Pro, HTML and Dreamweaver are available.
So please enroll your kids by going to http://kids.csinewsletter.org/member/join.asp
And visit CSI Kid's page at http://kids.csinewsletter.org
Hindi / Malayalam/Tamil Bible Online
Now you can read Bible in Hindi online at http://www.hindibible.org
in Malayalam online at http://www.malayalambible.org
in Tamil online at http://www.hindibible.org?ver=tamil
Your Spam Folder
If you are getting this newsletter in your bulk/junk/Spam folder please hit the "not junk" or "not spam" button so that you could receive it in your mailbox. Also adding news@csinewsletter.com email address into your contact list can avoid this email from ending up in your bulk folder.
Your Feedback
Your feedback and comments are Welcome. Please send your Parish news & articles to Editor (Sherly N. Isaac) at this address News@csinewsletter.comThe messages submitted will be checked whether they are correct according to the word of God. Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit the messages. The writers are responsible for the contents of their writings.
 
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