More Precious Than Jewels

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised" (Pr 31:30).

Everytime I connect my laptop to Internet, the home page of the company that offers Internet automatically pops up. I generally ignore viewing it, but recently, when I was about to close the home page, my eyes fell on the title, “Celebs without Make-up.”

Being curious to know how they would appear, I clicked the link and saw the pictures of the top admired Indian actresses who makes hearts flutter. To my surprise, I found a world of difference in how these celebrities looked with and without make-up. I realized, much of their beauty projected in movies and ads is superficial.

Granted that the beauty of these women is authentic, but does it not still fade away over the years? Are you aware of the beauty which is genuine and that which never fades off but shines even brighter?

Physical beauty comes and fades away, just like the flower which blossoms and withers. But the inner beauty of a woman, that godly character, is far more attractive and lasts forever, just like gold that does not fade or lose its lustre.

It is good to witness the advancement of women today. Unlike the past, the modern woman is more educated, more talented, got into more top positions, earns more money, has more freedom and proven more accomplished. However, women who are more beautiful in their inner character, manifesting that gentle and gracious spirit as mentioned in 1Peter 3:1-6, are rarely found.

It is to motivate such unfading beauty in women, Mrs. Clarice Joy David has written a book “More Precious Than Jewels: A Wise Woman In Building Her Home.” Based on biblical foundations, she wrote how a wise woman could cultivate beautiful character, which is more precious than jewels and more lasting than a beautiful flower, resulting in being a blessing to husband, children and others around.

Well, I love reading biographies and I read them in two ways: one by reading books and the other by watching live examples. I know Mrs. Clarice in person, whom I call ‘aunty’, and have the privilege of being close to her family. After years of observing her life, I think I can fairly make this statement—what she has written in the book is very much in consistent with how she lives.

In order to testify what God’s amazing grace can accomplish in a person, I would like to share for your encouragement few things about Mrs. Clarice.

A Woman of Hospitality: When I think of Mrs. Clarice, the very first thought that comes into my mind is her spirit of hospitality. How joyfully she invites people to her home, how varieties of dishes she prepares and how kindly she serves people!

And what a blessing she is to women, particularly to young girls! Many of them would testify of how often they have been invited to her house and how gladly she served them good food, cared for them and discipled them.

Now you need to know she is not that young and energetic to manifest such hospitality. She is 65 years old and still serves people with great enthusiasm. My family had been to her house many times and we can admit of being blessed by her love and hospitality, both in our body and spirit.

Do we find the young women of our day having that heart and patience to serve people?

A Woman of Encouragement: Another character I can think of Mrs. Clarice is her spirit of encouragement. She is not only an encouragement to those outside but also to her own family. Since her husband, Mr. Joy David, is a missionary, traveling to various places and ministering to people, she took time to teach and encourage her children to walk in the ways of God. Her labor in the grace of God has reaped life-changing results in her children. Today, they all love the Lord and have blessed families.

How many women do we observe these days who are deeply devoted to pray and bring up their children in the fear of God?

Let me point out that Mrs. Clarice is not a preacher or teacher. She is a simple house wife. But she is a great encouragement to her husband. What a delight to watch her encouraging her husband in prayer, in evangelism and in ministry to people! Her presence is such an encouragement to people that Mr. Joy David himself testifies that when they go together for ministry, people crowd her more than him.

O, how many husbands lack such encouraging wives and what great things they might have achieved had they had such encouragement from their wives!

I think, Mr. Joy David would not hesitate for a moment to confess—had it not been for her support and encouragement, which is God’s gracious providence to him, it would have been quite hard for his ministry to have had a wider influence on people.

A Woman who loves Jesus: I know Mrs. Clarice is what she is only because of Jesus who saved her. And because He loves her, she loves her Lord passionately. Because she has tasted the goodness of the Lord, she manifests that goodness to others. People are touched by her life because she is in constant touch with her heavenly Father.

Anyone who comes in contact with her will not take long to see her burning heart for God. Her passion for Jesus is quite noticeable.

She loves to talk with her Lord, even standing in the gap and interceding for people. She loves to hear her Lord through His unchanging Word. She loves worshiping her Savior. In this short life lived on earth, she loves to live a fruitful life for the glory of God. And because she has consecrated herself to the Lord, she has been a blessing to many people.

In my talk with Mr. Joy David, I candidly asked him, “Uncle, did you ever regret in your marital life about not getting a better wife, wishing in your heart for a better woman?” He replied that in their 38 years of life together, he never regretted for marrying Mrs. Clarice and never thought, “I wish I had a better wife.” 

What a blessed testimony! But this does not mean she is a perfect woman, expressed Mr. Joy David, and desired for her to constantly improve her godly qualities.

Finally, because of her rich experience in the Lord and godly example, I suppose, a woman would be richly benefited to read and apply the principles Mrs. Clarice shares in her book “More Precious Than Jewels.”

“More Precious Than Jewels” is published by Authentic Books and can be ordered online at a very low price: http://christianstore.in/product.php?productid=20868&cat=0&hm=BK

You may also write to the following e-mail address for a copy:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Liberation from Pornography

Introductory words: It is no exaggeration to say that we are living in an age of sensuality. Starting from television and movies to mobile phones and Internet, we are constantly bombarded with sexual content, be it partial or explicit. It has now become only a matter of touch on remote control, on enter button or a click on mouse to indulge oneself in sexual immorality.

There are so many folks in our day, including the nice and sincere ones, living a life of bondage to pornography. There are untold people who are secretly addicted to porn. Sadly, they suppose there is no hope of deliverance from this addiction. Thus, the following interview is posted with a hope that such hopeless people will find hope. May be you are one among them and this message is for you.

Note: The following interview was done using open-ended questions. I put it in writing, edited myself and sent it to Prem for his final approval. Also, the actual name of the interviewee has been changed to Prem Raj for the sake of confidentiality.

CSD: Prem, I have learned you have been once an addict to porn and now walk in complete freedom from this bondage. Would you please explain how your addiction to porn began?

PR: I was first introduced to porn through an adult magazine. When I saw it, which actually belonged to my friend, my curiosity aroused and my sensual feelings went wild. Like a hungry dog for bones, I indulged myself in it. That later led me to look out for novels with explicit sexual content. As the days went by, my craving to watch and read such obscene things became intense.

I was desperately searching for porn material, particularly in second-hand book sales, for by now I became familiar with authors who write on this subject matter. I was willing to go to any extreme, pay any cost, just to satisfy my sensual hunger. As I watched and read them, I also got addicted to masturbation and immersed myself in a world of sexual fantasy.

CSD: How did things go further as you went along in life the following years?

PR: After finishing my basic studies, I worked for six months. Despite the fact of being a slave to porn, on the other hand, I had a bit of God’s fear in my heart, wanting to know God’s word and serve Him. So, I got into a Bible college. This training had somehow helped me, yet I did not completely give up watching porn. Regretfully, even while studying in a Bible college, I was watching erotic stuff once in a while and masturbating.

Incidentally, in all these years of addiction, none knew my secret struggle and addiction to porn. I was a pious guy before others. I did think of sharing it with someone, but I couldn’t do so for fear of rejection.

Then came a major breakthrough in technology—the Internet world was introduced in India. This was a great opportunity to gratify my lustful passions. It became easy for me to watch porn, going simply to Internet cafés and enjoy watching and reading sexual content. I also borrowed CDs and watched porn films.

Finally, I got a laptop with internet connection. You can imagine how my addiction escalated. Pornography was now available to me anytime I wanted to watch. I used to download all sexual stuff and secretly scan them at my convenience. Day by day, I became sensually wild and immoral in my thoughts and sight. I eventually found myself in a situation I could not live without watching porn.

CSD: You said that you have done Bible College with a desire to do ministry. How were you handling porn when you got into ministry?

PR: After completing my training in Bible College, I went for other trainings and got involved in ministry. I was ministering to various people, went around preaching and even giving counseling to others. I even became a youth leader in my church. Yet, in secret, I was helplessly living an immoral life, watching porn and masturbating. I was living a hypocritical life. And I lived this double life in a way nobody could doubt me. I left no trace of detection.

CSD: How were your feelings when you watched porn? Were you satisfied and living a happy life?

PR: The more I watched porn, the more I became miserable. Watching porn never satisfied me. If it did, it is only for a moment. In actual fact, it made me even worse, hungering for more and more. Even though I appeared to others as a jolly and nice guy, deep inside my heart I was empty, lonely, sinful and dismayed.

CSD: What about your feelings of guilt? Did you feel sorry for the way you lived?

PR: This was what had happened every time I watched porn. Once I finished watching porn and masturbating, feelings of guilt would overtake me. I used to ask God for forgiveness, cried and wept before Him. The remorse was so strong that at times I tore my clothes, fell on the floor and writhed in agony. I could not face anyone. I lost genuine connection with God and people around me. I despised myself and hated to look at my own face.

Sometimes, I cancelled my preaching, for I was filled with remorse for watching and soaking in dirty stuff. I knew what I was doing was sin. It is something I shouldn’t be doing as a child of God. But, I was helpless, addicted and became a slave to lust.

Then after feelings of sorrow and repentance, my lustful passions would rise and I felt desperate to watch again. I couldn’t control myself and gave myself over to indulge in porn. In short, I fell into a cyclical process—watching porn, feeling sorry, asking God for forgiveness and again returning to my own vomit, watching porn.

CSD: How did you eventually find liberation from porn?

PR: My deliverance from this addiction was not immediate, but progressive. After years of struggling with this sin, God mercifully revealed Himself to me. The healing actually began with an exposure to the majesty of God. For the first time, my eyes were opened to the glory and goodness of God.

Earlier, I had mere head knowledge of God. But I began to see for the first time the beauty of God. I was astounded to read about how great God is as found in Job 38-41. How He created the whole universe by His wisdom and power, how He is sovereign and above all things, how He is sustaining the entire earth and how everything exists because of Him. And, yet, He has His eye over me, a tiny creature before the Most High God.

When I started to know God’s excellencies, explored His majesty and tasted godly pleasures, the lustful passions began to lose its power over me. As I experienced God, who in His rich mercy had forgiven me and showed His glory in my life, I found great joy and satisfaction. I discovered lasting pleasures in Him. I fell in love with Jesus and that freed me from the love of sensuality.

I now know God and I love Him and want to please Him. I even love my wife and I seek to find my physical satisfaction in my wife alone and not in anything else. 

CSD: Well, Prem, thank you so much for honestly sharing your heart. Finally, what is the message you want to pass on to those whose lives are ruled by lust and pornography?

PR: First, I want to mention that watching porn is a choice. You cannot blame anybody or anything. It is you who make a choice to click, to touch, to see, to entertain and to fantasize the forbidden things. So, ultimately, you are completely responsible for the choices you make in your life.

Second, addictions are not easy to overcome. You cannot get out of it on your own. You require divine help. Not just help from God but God Himself. Although your prayers may not be answered immediately, don’t give up. Don’t get disappointed and dejected. Keep seeking God, keep asking for His help, keep studying His word, keep looking for opportunities to know more of Him and keep pouring your heart before the Throne of Grace to reveal Himself to you. These words are forever true, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)

Third, share with someone. Don’t live a life of secrecy. One reason for me to continue in this sin for years is due to withholding myself from opening to someone who could help me. And when you share with that person, make it a strict accountability. You may fall again, but still keep yourself accountable. You may even be rebuked and seriously corrected for watching porn, but still keep yourself accountable. Don’t let your pride ruin the help others could offer you. Whether you are addicted to porn or may be on your way towards addiction, rise up and seek help right away.

At last, I want to express—I have wasted a lot of my life and time by living in lust. For more than ten years, I was a secret addict to porn. Thankfully, I am now free from this sin, not just recently but long back. This does not mean I don’t face temptation at all. By God’s grace, I overcome it. I don’t watch porn constantly. I don’t watch porn once in a while. I don’t watch porn at all. I now enjoy the freedom of purity. I want to tell that there is no lasting satisfaction and happiness in porn. True joy and contentment is found only in Jesus, the one who loved us and gave Himself for us.

CSD: I am thankful to God for liberating Prem from this addiction to porn. I know him quite well personally and find his testimony trustworthy. Prem is now having a wonderful family and is doing a great ministry. God is using him to be a tremendous blessing to many. He now walks in freedom from pornography and enjoys his life in Christ.

Friend, if you think you are lost in lust and have no hope of deliverance from pornography, remember, you would never reach a situation in your life wherein you find yourself having no hope in God. There is always hope in Jesus. He died for our sins. He rose again from the dead to give us victory over sin. So, cling to the feet of Christ with a broken and contrite spirit. Know Jesus and love Him, for He is the most beautiful and wonderful person in whose presence sin loses all its power of enticement. 

Of course, accountability to others, confession of sin, repentance and exercising self-control—all these things are important to overcome lust and pornography. But the most important element is seeing and savoring the glory of God.

When we draw closer to God, irrespective of our weaknesses and failures, and start seeking His holy face, study about Him, pray to Him, know Him and experience Him, we find displeasure in the pleasures sin offers. Knowing God more frees us from habitual sins. Living a life in His glorious presence is so pleasurable that even all the pleasures of sin fall short of it. Finding our utmost satisfaction in God liberates us from addiction to temporal, sinful pleasures. Falling in love with Jesus uplifts us from the mire of sin.

“Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11).

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Feel free to contact us for any assistance:

cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Fathers, Our Children Need Us

One day during this week, I went to pick up my children from school. As I sat on a cement bench, waiting for my children to come, a cute little girl came and sat beside me.

Now I cannot endure myself to stay silent for a long time, except with a book before me or in mode of prayer or when I review the Scriptures that I memorized. I wasn’t engaged in any of these, so I turned and started conversing with her.

I learned she is in third class, perhaps 9 years old, one year elder than Joy, my eldest son.

As I was asking questions and getting answers from her, I casually asked her, “What’s your dad doing?” Her voice went low and responded, "I don’t know."

I was a bit surprised and asked her again. She replied the same.

This time, not being casual, I questioned, "Don’t you talk to your dad?" She replied with all innocence manifesting on her face, "No."

My curiosity became intense and I asked, "Is your dad always serious?" She said with sadness, "Yes."

I again questioned, "Is he not friendly?" She said, "No."

After asking questions and listening to this little girl, my heart left that place with sadness.

Giving Ourselves to Children

Fathers, do we talk to our children? Are we friendly with them? Do they know us well and vice versa? Do we have fun time with them? 

Of course, there is room for stern discipline and serious exhortation, but that’s not always required. I believe, a father ought to be both a teacher and a friend. Sadly, many children miss such fathers.

I am afraid at the advancement of our world, for it is robbing many fathers from their families. It is giving all the comforts in the sense of material things but stealing dads from giving their valuable time to their growing children.

I have learned that more than what we give to them, more than what we earn and store for them, more than what we claim of doing for them, what our children need is "us" (our presence and our conversation with them). There is no gift as great as giving ourselves to our children.

Children Desperately Need Us

I understand we men are so busy. There is always a lot for us to do. We have so many burdens to carry. There is so much we have to do for our family. However, don’t you think, our children are more important than the work we do and the money we earn? 

Remember, we may lose job and get another one. We may lose money and earn again. But the time lost in spending with our growing children can never be retrieved.

We think, what our children always need is toys, television and electronic gadgets. The reason, I suppose, they seek for such things is because there is none to converse with them. The more we talk and spend time with children, the less they are drawn to such things.

Yes, our children need us. They desire us. They want our time. They love to talk to us and hear from us. They long to be hugged by us. Again, I emphasize, they need us, desperately. Can we give ourselves to them?

If we have been neglecting our children, having become too busy with our work and in daily activities, why can’t we take some time and talk to them today? We will make a difference in their lives, you bet!

My Decision

Well, the next day when I went to school, I abruptly met this cute little girl on the way. I stopped my vehicle by her side. She was surprised to see me again. I smiled and gave her a chocolate. Her excitement was shining all over her face. 

I decided, I never want to see my children suffering from having a father who doesn’t take time to talk and walk with them.

What have you decided with your children?

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ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to

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How to Keep Your Fire Burning for the LORD?

The last weekend, the Lord has given me the privilege to minister to the young folks in Mumbai. During the Q&A session, someone asked, “How to stay steadfast in my devotion to God?” 

Don’t you suppose this is an intense struggle many of us often pass through?

Enlarging Ordinary Devotions
There are many who disappointedly ask, “I went to numerous seminars, camps and church meetings. I heard powerful messages, was set on fire for God and made great commitments to change. However, just after few days, the fire subsided and I returned to the same pathetic condition. I lost hope to change. How can I have my heart continuously burning for the Lord?”

In fifteen years of my Christian life, after experiencing many such topsy-turvy moments, I have learned a secret, or rather a fact—the way to keep fanning our inner flame for God, the means to steadfastly maintain and enhance our spiritual fervency, is through consistent private devotions.

The seventeenth-century Anglican, Jeremy Taylor, well counseled, “If thou meanest to enlarge thy religion, do it rather by enlarging thine ordinary devotions than thy extraordinary.” In other words, “If you think about enlarging your spiritual life, do it rather by cultivating your daily ordinary devotions than by extending your extraordinary meetings.”

Too many of us think of going here and there for special meetings and seminars to get our hearts set on fire for God. However important they are, such fire dies soon if we neglect our daily devotional time with the Lord, for it is here that our spiritual fervency is preserved and boosted.

Fanning through Spiritual Disciplines
We live by eating our daily bread at home, not by occasional appetizing food in the restaurants. Likewise, we live by our personal daily quiet time [not short and hurried but sufficient time] before the Lord, not by occasional spiritual meetings and conferences. The latter is only a supplement, not a substitute.

Nothing can take the place of private devotions to guard and stir up our spiritual fervency in the Lord. It is through this private time with the Father, our Lord Jesus, during His earthly ministry, kept the fire increasingly burning within Him to fulfill the will of God [see Mark 1:35ff; Lu. 4:42ff].

Few days ago, our family went to visit my in-laws. Since the climate was too cold, I sat outside with my children, warming ourselves before the wood fire. Whenever the fire kept going down, we kept putting the wood in the fire and enjoyed the warmth as the fire kept rising from declining into a smoke.

I think, it is the same with our spiritual fervency—whenever the fire goes down, we daily put the wood of prayer and meditation of God’s word in order to keep burning for the Lord.  To burn continuously for God we need to keep ourselves close to God through the means of spiritual disciplines.

Fight for Secret Devotions
By God’s grace, we need to fight daily against all the distractions and business for the private and adequate meeting with the Lord every morning.

I have observed this in my life more than hundred times—whenever I neglected my devotional time with the Lord, my heart turned from burning as a fire into a stench of smoke; I lost passion for God, sensitivity towards the Spirit, joy of the Lord and zeal to serve and encourage people.

Therefore, I fight daily, by God’s efficient grace, to discipline my personal devotional time before the Lord, spending more than two hours early in the morning, meditating on God's word, praying and worshiping, so that the fire on my altar would keep burning for God. C.H. Spurgeon rightly said, "Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion."

Of course, this fight is a delightful battle and not drudgery, for the fruit of private devotions is increased spiritual fervency and overwhelming joy in the Lord. And this devotional time is not confined to the early morning; this definite time of devotion should enable our walk with God and sharpen our consciousness of Him throughout the day.

Yes, there are times of dryness, but I have learned not to give up at such moments; by God’s gracious help, I get restored to the Fountain of Life and daily get that fuel from the Lord, my Rock, to keep burning for His glory.

Caution: Spiritual disciplines are only the means to grow in Christ; the source of all fruit is Christ and Christ alone.

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ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to

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Radical

Last month, a wonderful brother in the Lord gifted me a book Radical by David Platt. It is one of the few books in my life that I read in its entirety with great earnestness, even planning to read again. 

As I read through the pages, I was deeply convicted and challenged to live a different life as a disciple of Christ Jesus. O, how I wished in my heart to buy as many copies of this book and give to as many Christians as possible, so that they would read and learn to live a crucified Christian life in this self-indulgent world!

Well, when we look at the contemporary Christianity, don’t you suppose many of us who claim to be disciples of Christ seem to live a self-elevated rather than self-denial life, comfort zone rather than crucified life, earthly-minded rather than heavenly-focused life, world-like rather than Christ-like life and religious rather than radical Christian life?

The aim of many who claim to believe in Christ appears to be this—earn a nice educational degree, find a great job or business, get married, have children and settle on earth with family by acquiring material things and possessions and dream to live with all the comforts of life. And to help us fulfill our ambitions, we seek God as if He exists to serve us as our guardian.

Besides, because of what Christ had done on the cross and the eternal life He earned for us, we think of doing little favors to God by going to church once in a week, give little time for prayer and study of God’s word, donate small amount of money to church and occasionally worship Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon us.

Is this what Christian life is all about?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, makes it quite obvious—“And He [Christ] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” [2Cor. 5:15].

Honestly, do you suppose many of us are living for Christ? Are we studying, working and living our life on earth for Christ and for His kingdom? If we think we are, then, are we passionate to know Christ more and more? Do we hunger and thirst for His holiness and love? Do we long for Christ’s second coming? Are we living our brief earthly life in light of eternity?

Further, are we burdened to spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus? Are we compassionate towards poor and needy? Are we concerned for God's revival in the churches? Do we possess the consuming desire to spread the glory of God among all nations? Are we living a sacrificial life, giving up our comforts in order to bless others? Are our prayers marked with this cry, “Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”?

I am afraid we lack the above qualities, not in iota but in tons. O, how much joy we miss in living a life for ourselves rather than for Christ and for the glory of God! Therefore, shall we ask God, believingly and persistently, to bring revival in our lives, so that we would live a Christ-centered and kingdom-minded life on earth and impact the lives around us for God's glory?

Let me leave you with this following excerpt from the last paragraph of the book Radical:

You and I have an average of about seventy or eighty years on this earth. During these years we are bombarded with the temporary. Make money. Get stuff. Be comfortable. Live well. Have fun. In the middle of it all, we get blinded to the eternal. But it’s there. You and I stand on the porch of eternity. Both of us will soon stand before God to give an account for our stewardship of the time, the resources, the gifts, and ultimately the gospel he has entrusted to us. When that day comes, we are convinced we will not wish we had given more of ourselves to living the American Dream. We will not wish we had made more money, acquired more stuff, lived more comfortably, taken more vacations, watched more television, pursued greater retirement, or been more successful in the eyes of this world. Instead we will wish we had given more of ourselves to living for the day when every nation, tribe, people, and language will bow around the throne and sing the praises of the Savior who delights in radical obedience and the God who deserves eternal worship.

Are you ready to live for that dream? Let’s not waver any longer.

Click here to order Radical from Flipkart [India].

Click here to order Radical from Amazon [International].

_______________________________

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Losers for the Gospel

Few days ago, after many years, my brothers and sisters and all our families had the privilege of meeting together for a time of fellowship. Wondering when we would meet this way again, I arranged a photographer for snapping photos of our families together.

Wow, I thought, everything went on well! 

But when we got the pictures in print, we were disappointed to see them as they came out with a very poor quality, like a mobile’s VGA camera. My younger brother was angry, went to the studio and yelled at the photographer for his crappy work.

When I learned about my brother’s reaction, since the studio person knew that we are Christians, I felt concerned about the gospel and wondered—what would happen to the saltiness of our Christian testimony? Will our reaction become a stumbling block for these unsaved people to the receptivity of the gospel? What kind of message are we giving to the unbelievers through our conduct?

Convicted by these questions, I immediately called the photographer on phone and apologized to him for the harsh behavior of my younger brother. Although I was unhappy with this photographer’s work, I told him that we are Christians and we want to be at peace and his relationship is important to us. After hearing my words, he was overwhelmingly humbled.

Yes, we were at loss, but don’t you think it is worth the loss for the gospel than react in a way that would mar the message of the gospel? If we cannot make little sacrifices and control our short-tempers, how can we lose our life itself, as Christ said, for the gospel? (Mk. 8:35)

Disgraceful Behavior
Now do not suppose this is how I conduct myself every time I face disappointed situations. Regretfully, many times I reacted to unbelievers in a way that was shameful. I brought much disgrace to the name of God and to the gospel because of my unchristian behavior.

I am learning now to be more careful about how I talk and act when I confront odd behavior from unbelievers.

There were times that I behaved in such a way with customer service executives that when they asked my name to resolve the problem, I was ashamed to say it [Stephen David], for they would know that I am a Christian.

I remember how wildly I reacted in a gas station when the fuel was not filled in my bike according to the exact amount. After leaving that place, the Holy Spirit convicted me, "Stephen, if you go back and share the gospel with him, would he be willing to listen to you?" Would he not hate my message?

When I was discussing about such behavioral issues with my elder brother, he expressed it right, "We pray to God for the lost souls and then ruin the work of the gospel through our behavior." We preach the gospel to the unbelievers and then behave rudely with them when things go wrong. Would they be impressed with our gospel in this way?

Don’t you suppose such behavior is unfitting for God’s children and Christ’s ambassadors who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? (Matt. 5:13-16) Were we not exhorted from God’s word, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity?" (Col. 4:5) Are we not commanded to live our daily life in such a way that it would win the respect of outsiders? (1Thess. 4:12)

Losing to Gain
Remember, when we love material things and our own ambitions more than the gospel and the lost souls, we become quick-tempered, displaying folly and unchristian behavior. I am afraid this is what the non-Christians are witnessing in us in workplaces, on streets, in shopping malls, in our neighborhood and as they pass by our homes?

So, I suppose, it is better to become losers than react in a way that would disrepute the message of the gospel. Don’t you think—when we lose our patience, we may lose a soul too? 

Now this does not mean we have to always let others to step on us like a doormat and we have to simply lay silent. When misbehavior is manifested or when injustice is done, we can confront the offensive person or raise our voice towards injustice, but this is done not as the worldly people generally do—yelling, threatening and behaving violent. It should be done with appropriate Christian behavior and biblical standards.

As we live in a crooked world where things do not occur according to our expectations, we must be careful about how we speak and behave with the worldly people. As much as possible, we ought to be kind and gentle. And, yes, I don’t deny the fact of facing certain situations where we may have to be firm but without being fierce, bold but without being blunt and hard but without being harsh.

I have learned that when things go wrong, my response should be such that I should not be ashamed to preach the gospel later, although I fail at times and repent.

Carrying the Ark of the Gospel
Remember, folks, we carry the ark of the gospel wherever we go. Make sure we do not let it be disgraced by our ill conduct. Because we exist in this world, not for our desires and their fulfillment sake but for the glory of God, we need to know that our lifestyle has a stake in the spread of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Therefore, let us be different and make a difference, even if it costs us to become losers for the sake of the gospel of Christ. And, I believe, we cannot become radical losers unless our passion grows and conforms to the passion of Paul who passionately said:

"I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." (Acts 20:24)

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (1Cor. 9:22)

"Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God--even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." (1Cor. 10:32-33)

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 cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org

Your Salvation - Biblical or Self-Induced?

One of the worst deceptions of the devil is to make people believe they are Christians when they are not, to make people believe they are saved when they are not, to make people believe they are going to heaven when they are not. And there so many people in Christian homes and churches without having biblical salvation. Hence, this message is to help people understand the meaning and significance of biblical salvation in contrast to self-induced salvation.

 

ENQUIRIES:

Feel free to write your comments below (or) write to
E-mail: cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) stephen@tents-india.org