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The Story Behind the Song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”

A hymn that I have heard innumerable times like many Christians and have memorized the lyrics  very well as a kid and understood its meaning as a teen but actually understood the in-depth meaning of each word when I went through various life-experiences; it’s a shame that I learnt the story behind this meaningful   lyrics just recently!! This is an Indian-origin song! (I didn’t know that!) from Meghalaya, then known as Assam.          This story is from the book  Why God, Why?  by Dr. Peramangalam Job.  Dr. Job (1945-2012) was an internationally known evangelist.  He has been called the “Billy Graham of India.”        About 150 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales, England.  As a result of this, many missionaries came from England to northeast India to spread the Gospel.  The region was known as Assam and comprised hundreds of tribes.  The tribal communities were qu...

PIT TO PALACE

        Genesis 39:23 says  “ …., because the  Lord  was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” But just above this verse;  v20 says ' Joseph  was put in prison’?! So that means ,there, in the prison, he had success?! Success and prison!?         Now we don’t associate success with prison. How can a person be successful if he lands up in a punishment facility.  Success and prison is a contradiction! That is a oxymoron!       Similarily Matthew 5:1-12 talks about ‘The Beatitudes’ which is derived from the latin word ‘beatus’ meaning ‘blessed’.This passage is filled with contradictory ideas: blessed are all those who mourn, blessed are all those who are persecuted or insulted ! How can you rejoice and be glad about persecutions and insults !(Matthew 5:12)       God says in Luke 6:38,Matthew 6:1-34,proverbs 11:24-25, Acts 20:35,etc  inorde...

Growing In The Dark!

     1John 3:9 tells us we have ‘God’s seed in us’.This was beautifully explained by a teacher of the word by using a plant-seed!          Imagine a seed. This seed already has the embryo in it to transform into a tree, but then for it to be a huge, fruitful, leafy tree it has to go through processes.          First of all , the seed should no longer want to be a seed but would want to be a tree i.e. it has to die to itself! Then it has to be buried, in the ground,into the darkness with dirt clothing it. The dirt , the soil covering it is actually supplying the needed nutrients to the seed. This seed remains dormant,as if asleep till  the right conditions and moisture levels are present. And then it bursts !        It bursts and small roots start popping. These roots  [i am also imparting botanical knowledge]  grow down  and deep and push the plant to grow above the soil. The r...

WE live By FAITH and not BY SIGHT!

      Luke 18:43 "-.....when all people saw it,they Also praised God."  ..the word that caught my attention here was "SAW" -the people  saw  the blind man being healed and they  praised  God.       People need to see something in order to believe! They argue about God not existing because they can't see him. It seems difficult for humans to believe that God is a spirit and so then people get creative and make different colorful idols of various shapes and forms for themselves to worship and call as God!.     Then there are these age-old questions; if God exists, why do Christians have health diseases, why do they suffer,why do people die of accidents, why is there evil in this world, why is this and that happening? I always feel that most people …not all but most people who will ask you ‘why and what’ don’t want to actually believe in the truth because like I said in my previous quiet time study Christianity I...

Being JoyFul in HOPE!

      When I was reading about ‘Love' ,today in the morning,in Romans 12, I came across verse 12 and got stuck there; “ Be joyful in hope ,patient in affliction , faithful in prayer.” This verse tell us to do three things that will help us attain or increase our peace. I tried studying the ‘Be joyful in hope’ part in detail.        Now ‘Hope’ is defined as a feeling of expectation that something will happen and it is usually associated with a positive expectation. Nobody hopes for a bad or negative thing to happen, atleast to themselves! So this verse just simply means to be joyful in that expectation that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel; a Hope that no matter what your circumstances and situations are screaming and telling you today…you have a bright tomorrow!!  We have faith in God and that faith leads us to a confidence and reliance i.e. a trust in God which produces hope and which in turn gives us an assurance for ...

Citizen Way - I Will (Official Lyric Video)

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Each and Every word speaks to me, Reassures me ,Srengthens me, gives me Immense Peace and Hope that "He Will"!! I know you’re feeling overwhelmed Before the day even begins But I can see beyond the now This is not how your story ends And when you’re at your weakest Oh I’ve never been more strong So let me be the one you’re leaning on..... ..I will dry your eyes I will calm your fears I will show you how you’re beautiful beautiful I will walk with you On the raging sea And I will never leave..

Christianity Is A Lifestyle!!

Being a Christian, a serious Christian  i.e. living a Christ-centered life is an every-day work . Right from the time we open our eyes in the morning till we hit the bed at night we need his wisdom to not act foolish! This is exactly why we need to meditate his word ‘ everyday’ , not for him ;he already knows the bible, remember he gave it to us(2 timothy 3:16)!! But it is for us,for our benefit, so that we don’t act carnal: earthly or worldly;so that we become eligible citizens of heaven, representatives of Christ on earth! Now,Every-day work means what , we might ask..but every-day work for us involves and revolves around the deliberate “ Put-on's ” i.e purposely , even if we don’t feel like loving we should Put-On love(Colossians 3:14), should be watchful and careful with our mouth, our thoughts, our actions,our conduct so that we don’t slip away, should be thankful and grateful, should clothe ourselves with godly virtues(Colossians 3:12-14), should rid-oursel...