stephen-on-bible

Most of us pay lip service to condemn dowry as a contemporary social evil, however, this ancient Indian custom continues to destroy families in our present age as well. Before bringing up this issue to the whole world, I believe that this must first be addressed to the professed people of God who are called to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). It is for Christians to confront this issue and explore fully to know whether dowry is acceptable or despicable . Let us reason, examine and find out - Is demanding dowry a perverted practice? Do we have any biblical proofs in order to come to this conclusion? Is requiring dowry in marriage unbiblical , or to say further, an anti-biblical practice ? This message might be offensive and discomforting to many money-loving readers. However, the fact remains – truth is bitter but makes our lives better . Therefore, I encourage you to read this message with an open mind and a humble attitude. What is Dowry? Dowry is a kind of gift given by the br...

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). The above exhortation by James is unfortunately one of the most neglected practices of Christians today. The term true “religion” should not be understood here in the same way as the world defines various religions. It could also be translated as, “true piety or true devotion.” So, what is the true religion or devotion that the word of God describes? True Devotion Many suppose true devotion to be prayer, fasting, worship, studying and knowing the Holy Bible, attending church activities and witnessing to people. These are no doubt good practices but without following what James has exhorted we are still a long way from true spirituality. Some even believe that true devotion is just about living an ethical and moral life. Make no mistake: piety and charity are inseparable in living the Christian life. S...

“Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples (Luke 8:25). Imagine a person in crisis who kept on praying the whole night, worried and troubled about what may happen. The other person, stuck in the same situation, didn’t even say a word but just kept silent, trusting the Sovereign One and knowing that his Redeemer lives. We who are often carried away by the outward appearances may appreciate the one who prayed the whole night and despise the seemingly prayerless person who didn’t even utter a word. But whom do you think God really commends? The one who prayed with fear, worry and unbelief or the one who sat quietly trusting in the Lord? What did Jesus reply when the disciples fervently prayed to Him amidst furious storm? He asked, “Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25) Now I am going to make a thoughtful statement. I haven’t found anywhere in the Holy Bible where God appreciated just prayer. But I do know surplus evidences where God commended faith in Him. To share a few,...

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them” (Ps. 34:17). I used to believe that the secret of the power of prayer lies in protracted prayer. The more I pray the more blessing I receive. Did not Jesus pray for long hours, sometimes the whole night (Lu. 6:12)? Also, I believed the secret of the power of prayer lies in fasting. Did not Jesus say, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting?” (Mk. 9:29) I read numerous books on prayer and some on fasting and my conviction grew even more. Hence, my prime focus was either on protracted prayer or fasting prayer. I suppose there are many fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord who believe the same. Not until later did I learn that I was wrong. Of course, there is a significant room for protracted and fasting prayer, but there is an important prerequisite for a prayer, protracted prayer or even fasting prayer to be effective! What then is the secret of the power of prayer? It is written, “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samu...

“And now I will show you the most excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). Ever since I became a Christian, I often heard five important steps on how to grow in spiritual life. It has been emphasized that this is how one can excel towards spiritual maturity. The five steps are – prayer, bible study, church fellowship, tithing and witnessing. However, it was later I happened to learn that one could practice all these things and yet live an unspiritual and immature life. As important as they are, nowhere in the Holy Scripture do we find that these are the signs of spiritual maturity. What then is the sign of spiritual maturity? The Important Ingredient These days the Lord has been drawing my attention to ponder over the most significant ingredient of my life and ministry. It is something without which I cannot become spiritually mature. He has shown me how greatly I am missing and neglecting it in my life. I was convicted that my Christian life is shallow, my spirituality is a sham, my preaching i...

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy” (Hebrews 12:14). No one is immune from conflicts in relationships. Virtually all of us have experienced the hurt that often causes intense pain within interpersonal relationships. Needless to say, living in unity with others is not an easy issue. Remember, there is a price to be paid to live at peace with others. Healthy relationships are not built automatically but with great effort. The Lord once taught me a wonderful lesson regarding the price I have to pay for preserving peace in relationships. When my wife was pregnant with our first child, one day, I hurriedly got on the bed to sleep. Before going further, I must say that my wife is known for cleanliness. She usually surprises the guests with her neatest house. Because my wife was carrying the child, she could not do much of the house work as she was physically weak. That was the time I was disciplined to become a family man. So when I got on the bed, my wife reques...

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." (Rom. 15:7) I am grateful to God for constantly changing a worst person like me to be conformed into the likeness of Christ. I am glad to have Christ as my Lord who is patient enough to deal with my failings. One of the worst weaknesses of mine is to give up a person or dissolve from a relationship when I'm confronted with interpersonal conflicts. Not so long ago I was annoyed with a person whom I constantly sought to encourage and eventually resolved to give him up due to his lame excuses to evade responsibilities. As I was reflecting on a passage in the book of Romans, I was led to a Scripture which captivated my attention and convicted my heart. The Lord clearly spoke to me from Romans 15:7, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." In the first verse of the chapter it is written, "We who are strong ought to bear with ...