PUT YOUR SANDAL OFF

Prayer    : A high standard of principality, Confidence, even eloquence is not enough to instill your holy words in the minds of your people. It is not adequate neither correctness nor perfectness to achieve transcendental satisfaction. Your Holy Spirit alone which is the source of our nourishment that searched all things, even the deep things, is the one we need at this very moment. Thank you so much Lord for your mercy and for your unfailing promise that comes true through the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank you so much for your presence among us.
As we meditate upon your holy words, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in thy side; O Lord our rock and redeemer. AMEN!
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The chosen text for our meditation is taken from Exo 3: 1-10. In this text we found - the encounter between God and Moses, the burning bush, and the call received by Moses, etc.
Therefore, basing on the theme – “PUT YOUR SANDAL OFF” we will contemplate God’s purpose in our life and how to give an appropriate response to it (that purpose).

So, as we proceed on, let me highlight the account of an event (Exo 3:1ff) through which we can make significant reflections in a more meaningful  way:

In this particular text, we can see;
-    Moses, who fled far away to the land of Median from Egypt, was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro.

-    Then when he came to Horeb, the mountain of God; there the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the bush.

-    And as having seen the burning bush, he realized that the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

-    So he decided to turn aside and look at this burning bush; and then little later, he received the call of God out of the burning bush.

-    And the voice he received says, “Come no closer, remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground”

This are some of the points how we can recollect the summary of an event found in Exo 3:1ff

When God called Moses from the burning bush, the first thing God told him was, “Take your sandals off.” And the same has happened after some 40 years later when God appeared to Joshua, As the Israelite besieged Jericho, God said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot” (Joshua 5:15).

However, these two accounts have resulted two important questions to be asked that may further require appropriate answer –
1)    What was God’s purpose in this incident?
2)    Why would God tell Moses to take off his sandals?

The first answer we can give, as mentioned in the same text is – The place on which Moses was standing is a holy ground. We may further say that – the ground becomes holy only because it has become the presence of God.

And in addition, another appropriate answer we may give is –
When people were to approach God, they must approach Him with solemnity and humility. Taking off sandals expressed an inward reverence through an outward behavior.

Some Eastern religions today, including south Indian tradition still require bare feet when entering their temples or worshiping places. Likewise, in ancient Greeks, the worship of Diana and Jupiter required worshipers to take off their shoes. And a common custom in the Orient and in many parts of India and North America is to take off their shoes when entering a person’s home.

Therefore, when Moses received a profound calling from God, he has to do something before God as being instructed – a sign of reverence and respect; a token of submission, obedience, and humility, etc.

This sign, in response to God’s call is extremely important because;
As found from the following verses –

-    God had observed the misery of his people who are in Egypt.

-    And he heard their cry on account of their taskmasters and their sufferings.

-    Moreover, God has a greater deliberate purpose for his people i.e., to deliver them from the Egyptians, out of the bondage and from their sufferings and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

-    And in addition, we also can recollect how God revealed himself to Moses – who he was, how powerful he was, how he has done something mightily, etc.

If Moses does not willing to do as to what God has given an authoritative instruction; all these things – God’s Purpose in him as well as God’s purpose for the people of Israel may not be made known to Moses and at the same time, may not be taken place. Even more, Moses could never become God’s useful instrument to deliver the people of Israel. And he neither would not receive nor has experience God extended revelation in his life.

Just before we move on to the next section, I would like to share with you my personal experience that I have come across during the year 2014 that may illustrate what has been mentioned.

When I joint this college in the year 2013; during the first 3 years, i was given 6 more subjects which were totally new for me apart from 2 communication subjects which I considered as mandatory for a communication teacher. So, all together I had been taken up 8 subjects until 2016. However, in spite of all my weaknesses I have decided to take up whatever responsibilities given to me. So, as this decision compels me to offer more time, more deliberation, hard working with sincerity; I was working very hard to manage myself and to get the things done.

But when I spent maximum 8 hours per day by keeping myself remain seated on a chair, preparing for my new subjects; as a result of this heavy work load, my ‘piles problem’ which i had in the past 3 years has out again. Since my teaching load did not permit me to stop from my regular work, then my problem becomes worsens, and in addition we also found that there was tumour developed inside it. So, after so many consultations, my doctor advised me to go for surgery.

Therefore, (in short) I was admitted in CMRI Hospital, Kolkata. Then the day when I was pushed in inside the surgical room; the first instruction i received from the nurse presented there was – to remove my dress. So, I removed it as being instructed. Then again, the nurse said to me, saying – “Remove your underwear too”. You know what the thing will appear before two or three persons presented in a room, if I remove my underwear. Something which may look ugly or may look good will surely be appeared without any cover!

This is something I don’t like, and one of the reasons why I do not want to undergo any surgery. It is not easy to expose what we do not want to expose in public. For a moment, a strong hesitation has stopped me; because it was not easy to stand still naked in front of people whom I never talk with. But if I want to become free from my problem; I have to follow whatever advice and instruction they have given to me. So, I removed my underwear and stand naked before them. This is mandatory not only for me, but for all, who supposed to undergo this kind of surgery.

Although I did not receive the total healing or removal of my problem till now; putting apart and hanging on my two legs, totally naked before the three doctors during incision or the operation was something I have gone through during this process. I have gone through only because I want to get healed; I was willing to do what I never ever expected to do before because I know that this difficult decision will give me a relieve from my problem.

This may or may not illustrate well enough the reason why God tells Moses to take off his sandals. But I am sure; it will help us to understand – the purpose of taking off sandals and the messages behind.

According to my own understanding and as I believed - After Moses bare feet hit the ground, his life would never be the same again.

This was how God called Moses into his ministry. God had been working with Moses and after this barefooted moment; Moses becomes the greatest leader in the Old Testament. Until Jesus came, no one arose in Israel to match Moses. God used Moses to bring Israel to himself. He led the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and through the 40 years of wilderness wanderings to the boarder of the promised land of Canaan. He also received from God all the laws that would govern them until Jesus came. And moreover, God has made his covenantal relationship with Israel through Moses. In short, his entire ministry all began as he stood barefooted before the Lord on that ground.

How important - submission, willingness, and obedience are ….
-    Submission for the almighty and to his sovereignty to rule over us in all our walk of lives.
-    Willingness to his plans and purposes.
-    Obedience to all his commands, even at the cost of suffering and pain.

Sometimes we often create a comfortable environment for ourselves where we separate ourselves from the things of God and are shielded from the sharp points of pain and suffering around us forgetting about the desire or plan what God has in us.

Sometimes we also expected God’s intervention in our life, in our ministry, in our academic life, etc. forgetting about a token of action what we ought to do.

As time pass, a time may also fall on us when we are asked and when we need to — keep silence, to bend a little more down, when we need to put a little more step, when we need to render little more extra time and even more sacrifice; etc. to make peace, to bring more comfortable and healthy environment, to get relief or to provide healing for others, to bring salvation for people around us, to put into a right direction which is not right, to walk with God, and to be filled with the Holly Spirit, etc. Needless to say is — all these required a token of action – i.e. willingness to put off our sandals. Our sandals that protect us, that cover us from various harms; and the sandal that make us proud, that makes us free from shame and dishonor, a sandal of self-centeredness, a sandal of pride, a sandal of self-promotion, a sandal of hypocrisy, etc.

Therefore, if we're supposed to move forward to a far reaching in the Lord’s vineyard, and if we are going to submerge ourselves to a grater extend to be a sign, symbol and instrument of the kingdom of God here on earth and for other God’s creations… obedience, submission to the will of God; willingness to put off our sandals is something that can bring us to a right direction.

A very simple thing, yet which required humility to make us empty, to put us little down; and to make us naked is something that often creates impediments and obstruction in our spiritual journey, and to do a great things for God and to establish the kingdom of God here on earth.

Put your sandals off … so that God will work in you, he also will show you something great for your friends, for your family, for your community and lastly, for his glory.

HEI HI I CHITUH RAH A NI

(Kum 45 zet min hrui thlengtu Lalpa hnena lawmthu sawina leh, birthday lawmna chi khat atana ka ziah)

A chunga thupui ka tarlan hmang hian, tun hnaite a testimony angreng deuh, ka tana ‘harh tharna chi khat’ tarlan ka tum a. Hun eng emaw chen ziak chhuak lova ka in up deuh vang vang hnuin, a hnuai ami ang hian ka’n share dawn a ni.

Kan fate hi naupang duhawm leh harh tak an ni:
Kan fate harh zia sawi chhuah hian, an leikan deuh hunah, zahpuiin min dem mai ang tih ka vengthawng hle a. A tha ang nge tha lovang tih rilrua awm rauh rauh chungin, a hnuai ami ang hian kan sawi zel mai ang a. Amaherawh chu, mahni mawng hlim deuhrohte a ngaih dawn avangin, hreh tak chungin; ‘tuemawin hlawkna kawng khat tal a lo char phahna a nih hlauh takah’ tiin ka ziak hram hram a ni ber.

Kan fapa upa ber a pian hian kan lawm ve hle a. Kei phei chu, lawm tehchiam lo emaw ka intih laiin, ka lo lawm hle a nih dawn kha(?) ‘lawmzia tihlanna tha ber chu Lalpa, tling lo chunga a rawng kan bawl thin chung ngeia tihlan hmasak’ kha niin ka hria a. Inzaina room atanga ‘mipa a ni e’ tih an sawi ka hriat rual rualin damdawiin ka chhuahsan a. Ngawi rengin a hnai ber tura ka rin, BCM Office-ah han kalin kha tih laia Account Officer, Pu Dinga ka han hmu a. Bible Society-ah ka fapa piang hlim chu Life Member ka han nih tir hmawk hmawk a. Pu Dinga hi BSI lama mi thawhhlawk tak, Lunglei Branch tan pawha campaigner tha leh BSI hruaitu hna pawh lo chelh fo tawh a ni.

Certificate kan inhlan zawh leh naute ‘mipa a ni’ tih ka hriat inkar hi minute 45 emaw chauh a ni a. A hming hi a pian hma atanga ka phuah lawk tawh vangin, tuna a hming ang diak diak lo deuhin JAIRA KHIANGTE tiin ka ziak lut ta a. Jaira tih hi ‘LALPA CHHUNEN’ tihna a ni. A pian hma deuh a Thlarau Thianghlim pawlna danglam tak ka chan zara ka dawn veah ka ngai a ni.

Kan fapa chu kum khat awrh a nihin ka nupui chuan nau a pai leh ta mai a. Tichuan, a kum leh maiah mipa bawk nau kan nei leh ta a. A nau zawk hi, a U nena khaikhin ralah chuan a fel hle a, kan fate pathum zinga ‘pawm nuam ber’ tiin kan sawi fo thin. Mahse a U hi namen lova  harh a nih vangin, a nau zawk pawh hian a u harh zar hi a zo ta a ni ber.

An lo leikang deuh khan, an unau vil reng reng khan kan hmanhlel thin a. An vanglai tak tak chuan kan inawm hi kan ri ve laih laih thin. An ‘harh lawmawm zia’ hi point pe meuhin kan tarlang ang a;

i)    Tum khat chu Bungtlang S a kan awm laiin a Pi leh Pu an lo zin a, ni khat emaw lek hnua a Pi-in comment a pek dan chu, “In fapa hian ( a upa ber ni ta) ‘nau panga’ a hen a nih ber hi” a ti.

ii)    Naupang thil lawm (Toys) chi kha leina kan neih loh chu thuhran, thingtlang ngang kha a nih avangin lei tur pawh a awm lo hrim hrim a. Zin chhuah changa ka hawn tlemte leh, nu hoin bur ruak tinreng an khawn khawm sak kha, nitin an khal thin. He an Toys rem that hi hna hautak zet mai, mi nazawng tlin rual loh tur a tih theih hial ang. Tuk tin hian, a tlem berah, vawi sawmhnih hi chu remtha reng ang kan ni. Kan awmna hi Pastor quarters a nih miau avangin, a khat mawi tawkin lut-chhuak an awm tuktin a, inlengte hmuha chhuat lo hnawk rum kha, ka nupui remtih zawng a nih loh avangin, extra work kha kan ngah thin hle a. Ka Nupui leh kan hnena awm ‘kan nau-te’ thawhrimna kha chhuanawm tak a ni.

iii)    Bungtlang S atang hian Bungtlang N, bial hawn thar turah kan insawn ta a. Pastor Quarters ala ruah mai loh avangin, thenawma kan U-te inah, kan thlen zan hian kan riak a. A u zawk kum 4, a nau zawk kum 3 an ni ve tawh a. Kan chauh deuh vangin zingah chuan kan fate harh rualin kan tho lawk thei lova. Thlen inte an thawh tawh tho avangin, kan tel lovin an tho a. ‘Rin aiin an reh rei’ kan tih rilruk mek lai chuan – verandaah, kan thlen inte ar vulh, an lak hlim, takte te chu a bawm atanga la chhuakin, a bawm bula khawnvartui bottle an hun chu lain, khawnvartui chuan an lo bual chu niin…he thil zet hi chuan Bungtlang mai ni lo, Serchhip leh a chhehvel a deng chhuak a ni ber e.

iv)    Tum khat chu ka nupui (chhungkaw nu a nih vangin ‘kan nu’ tih mai hi a rem zawk chang a tam a) bulah, “An Nu leh Pa-te hian Pathian kan tih a ni tih an hriat theih nan, chhungkaw tawngtai kan neih apiangin thingthiin i tawngtai tawh teh ang” tiin rawtna ka siam a. Intawngtai chhawk thin kan ni a, ka Nupui pawhin tha a tih zawng tak a lo ni ve a. Mahse, kan fate harh lutuk vangin he kan thil chin thar hi kan tirei lo kher mai. Tawngtaia kan han thingthi kha; a U zawk chu hnung lamah lo lawnin koki ah hian a lo thu ta thin a, a nau zawkin chu chu thikin, a rem lai laiah a lo bet bawk a. Kan thingthitna chhuat a ruh bawk nen, tawngtai chhung hian naupang pahnih delh chung chuan khup a lo na hma viau mai a. Then tlawk tlawk chunga kan tlingtlak chang pawh a awm nual a ni. “Aaa kan tlin ngang lo a ni e, an leikan deuh hunah kan chhunzawm leh mai dawn nia” tiin kan bansan leh ta a ni.

Dawhtheih loh chang ka ngah thin:
Maduraiah kum hnih M.Th ka zir chhunzawm vangin kan awm a. Kan quarters luah lai bang, an ban phak chin zawng chu - pen, pencil leh rawng chi hrang hranga thai ran loh lai pawh an nei lo. Kan hrilh lo a ni lo, kan hrilhin kan khap, mahse ven sen loh hi a tam a ni. Kan chhuah hmain rawng ka lei a, ka hnawih thar leh ta ngawt a nih kha. Tichuan, kum hnih hnuah Serampore-ah College a thawk turin kan insawn leh a. Tuna kan quarters luah meka kan insawn hlim phei chuan Principal-in min kova, “In fate hi in khap deuh a tha ang, zirlai inkhawmna hnaivai takah in awm si a” min ti a, ‘patling thurawn inpek nana thu ho lutuk a’ ka ngaih tlat vangin rei fe chu ka lawm lo viau nghe nghe a ni.

Kum 10 an pelh hnuah chuan an lo zia ta deuh a. Mahse, fel tak tura ka ngaih tawh hnuin; mut dawnah an unauin ‘te rawng rawng’ khawpa inchhaih an ching leh ta a. Tin, an awm dun hi ‘thate te a awm dun’ an ni ngai meuh lo. Mi dang tana ninawm leh huatthlala zawnga thiltih hi an peih hle thin. Na taka khapna an dawng a nih loh chuan, an awm dan hi an tawp mai thin lo hi a buaithlak lai ber a ni a. Heng avang hian insum thei lova kut thlak chang ka nei ta fo mai. Play-kid takmeuh an nih avangin inchhungkhurah hian an zalenin an infiam bawrh bawrh tur a ni. Mahse, kan awmna hi - hnam dang kar, vai ramah lehnghal; naupang te ruai ruai hriat ngai reng reng lohnaah kan awm a. Thenawm mai chu sawi loh, kan quarters luah lai atanga hmun hla taka mite hriat theih khawp a zan dar 11-12 vel a an te chiam chiam thin hi, mi min ngaih dan tur kan dawnin, a rukin hrehawm kan ti a, khap daih kan tum thin a. Tin, an unau hian a inti rak zawng kher hian infiam thin lo se tih kan duh bawk.

Zan dar 8:00PM velah chaw kan ei a, inpeih chhuah hun, an lehkha zir hun hi a tlangpuiin zan dar 9:00PM atanga dar 11:00PM a ni. Tihsual vanga 12:00PM an thlen chang pawh a tam bawk. An school routine, an tihdanglam hma phei chuan, zing dar 7:00PM ah kaihthawh a, breakfast ei tir sawk sawk a, dar 8:30AM a sikul kal tura buatsaih vek an ngai a. Heng avang hian a tuk lam hisap sak thlap a, chhungkaw hun vawn a ngaih avangin, khap ngei an ngai a ni. Eng emaw chang chuan, ‘chhungkaw hun vawn dan hi tidanglam deuh i la, kan zia ang’ te kan ti a, mahse kan awmnaa mi tam zawk khawsak mila khawsak a ngaih si avangin, kan tidanglam thei mai thin lo. Hun mumal tak neia inenkawl kan nih avangin, an hmalam hun hisap a, ruahmanna siampui an tul a, a hun loa an ninhlei khawtlai hian chu chu a nghawng thin avangin, thunun an ngai a ni. An ninhlei lutuk leh rak bengchhang kan ngaih theih loh vang a khap thin hi chu kan ni vek bik lo awm e.

Tichuan, kut meuh han thawh zauh zauh takah chuan min hlau hle a. Ka nupui hian a khap mai theih loh thin avangin, ka chet a ngai leh thin. Kut thawh meuha inenkawl hi erawh, an chunga ka thil tihsual lian em em, Pathian rawngbawltu tan phei chuan, sawi pawh inthlahrunawm tak a ni. Chhungkaw hun vawn dan a nghawng vang te, mi mitmei kan ven luat vang te, dawhtheihna leh hriatthiamna ka tlakchham vangtea ka fate chunga kut ka lek hian an nun atha zawnga danglamna a thlen eih lo zia hi ka hmu chiang ta a. A U zawk phei chu – mahni inkiltawih ching, mi zinga kimki tlat mi, bawl mai theih, inrinzawhna reng reng nei lo, adt. angin kan lo siam hman der hi a ni a. Self-esteem a neih leh theih nana nasa taka kan puih tak dante hi sawi tur a tam a. An laka ka thiltihsual hi nasa tak a ni.

An mizia danglam tak avang hian an bulah; pathian mi, rawngbawltu nuna nun hi thil har tak a ni a. Mahse, insum zawh loh changa kut ka lek hi erawh, keimaha thlarau awm hian a remti lo a ni ber ang chu, inthiam lohnain ka khat leh thin. Hei mai hi a ni lo; an chunga ka thiltih chuan keimah min vaw let fo a, an mahni aia nasa a tuar chang pawh ka nei fo thin. An bulahte kalin pathian hnena ngaihdam dil tur leh a puihna dila kan tawngtai chang hi a tam viau a ni.

Naupang thenkhat chu; thutha hrilh a, awih nghal mai emaw, tawngkam tha emaw, vin deuh paha ‘han khak a’ zuai nghal thei mai an awm a. Nu leh Pa ten ‘hei hi chu tih loh tur’, ‘hei hi chutiang chuan i ti tawh dawn nia’ emaw ‘a tawk tawh e’ adt. han tih a, thu zawm awlsam tak an awm. Kan fate hi erawh chu Pastor fa e ti lovin an tette atangin chutiang mi chu an ni reng reng lo. Kut thawhin han thunun deuh pawh ni i la, hlauhna avangin khap lai chauh hian an reh a, a hnu lawkah a ngaite ang bawkin an awm a, naupang zawng zawng hi huang khata dah chi rual an lo ni lo.

Dem erawh ka remti hauh lo:
He tiang mizia leh nun phung an nei hi, an pianpui mizia a bet; nu leh pa, a bik takin keima mizia dik tak an chhawm a ni tih hi rilruin ka hre reng. Ka naupan laia ka harh zia leh luhlul zia hi ka la hre ruai ruai thei. ‘Ti tawh suh’ nu leh pa ten an tih hian ka nunah awmzia a nei tlem viau thinin ka hria. Ka tana thil pawi tur pawh ni se, na taka ‘a sawhkhawk’ ka chunga a thlen phawt loh chuan ‘nu leh pa thutha sawi emaw hlauhna’ hian min thunun tlem viau thin. Heng avang hi a ni awm e; ka ke hmawr lamah hian ‘mi nazawng min hmuhpui atana pawh a ka duh loh’ ser nung lian tak, intih kan avanga ka neih a awm a. Kum 45 ka pelh fel tawh hnu hian ka khup tawn tawnah hian ser nung 10 tling lo deuh a la awm a. Inrel atang hian vawi tam ka tla a. Tum khat phei chu beng thi vek khawpin Pu Lianchhunga te insak, a chuat an phah tawh, inhnuai chhuk nana an rehpawhah hian ka tla a, ka thi lo kha ka vannei takzet a ni. Thingkung atang hian thidang khawpin ka tla tawh a. Kan rualpui hmeichhia, ka zuam zawngte kal tha lai, an pen ruala, an ke phah hnuaiah, hnung lam atanga lo chhuih saka, duh ai thui pen tir ka chin ziate kha, ka la hre phak ruai ruai ruai thei. Ka lo va harhin ka lo va chimawm dawn em.

Kan unau hi mipa vek pali kan ni a. Unau inngeih leh chhungkaw hlim thei deuh kan ni. Kan tleirawl hma ‘harh vanglai’ tak tak chuan inchhungah hian kan inum kawi zawr zawr a, kan ri buan buan a, kan nui khek chiam chiam a, venthawn tur awm ve hek lo. Kan thawm atang khan chhungkaw hrilsel leh hlim tak kan ni tih hi ral atang pawha hriat theih a ni. Chhungkuaa a kan hlim thin em em zia tak kha aw. Aaa, sawi sen rual a ni lo. Khi tiang mi khian ‘fapa’ ka nei ve ta a, dawnsawn kawngah ka zo leh si lo a, kan khawsakna avang leh, mi dang mitmei ven luatah kan fate chunga ‘ka tih loh tur hi’ Pathian rawngbawltu ka nih hre chang lo ang maiin, ka ti-ka ti ta mai a ni.

He tiang ang mi an nih avang hian tunlai mipa naupang ‘tha pangngai’ ang lo takin an sual fal tihna erawh a ni lo. Mak angreng deuh chu, inkhawmna hmunah hian hnawksakin an awm ngai lova, kan hmuh phak lohna hmun Sunday sikul-ah pawh mi dang tana hnawksak leh khap ngaiin an awm ngai lo. Hnam dang kara silul kal an ni a. Sikulahte hian ‘an classmate dangte entawn tur a’ an hotute fakna dawng fo thin an ni a. An pawl a la sang lo bawk a, an zirlai pawh hi an tichhe ngai lo. A u zawk hian tum khat a kut ruh a tihtliah tumin 78% a lo hmu a, chu chu sikul an kal chhung zawnga a tih chhiat ber tum a la ni. A nau zawk phei hi chu 90% hnuaiah a la awm ngai lo hrim hrim a, 98% te hi a hmu thleng ve fo thin. Computer games hi atchilh emaw tih mai tur khawpin an tuipui a, mahse, games khela an hun hman dan tur ka duan sak hi an zawm mai thin. A nuin tawngtai dan a zirtir thin a, mut dawnah an tawngtai thlap a, a nau zawk phei chu thingthi ngata tawngtai thin a ni (sawi tur a tam mai, duh tawk mai ang).

Kut ka thlak leh ta:
Kha zan thil thleng kha, ka  tan theihnghilh a har tawh ngawtin ka ring. Ni 27th, May, 2018, Pathianni zan, dar sawm pahnih leh dar khat inkar a ni. Eng vanga zan dang aia tlema mu tlai deuh nge kan nih (?) erawh ka hre thei ta chiah lo. Kan mu tur chu – a ngaite ang bawkin, khuma an lawn tawh hnuin, an inchhaih leh ta a. Naupang  infiam tih takah, an sa rak leh ta chiam chiam a. Zan a tlai tawh si, an rak ring nasa mai si; a chang phei chuan ral atanga lo hretute tan ‘thi tur rak’ a ngaih theih tur a rak bengchhen chang pawh an nei fo thin. Khuma ka mu zal tawh chu ka nupui chuan, “Naupang hi khap i tum lo lutuk ( keima inngaih dan chuan ka dawh thin a ni), zan a tlai tawh si, a zahthlak zozai lutuk” a’n tih zauh takah chuan, Pathian mi ka nihna reng reng ka hrechang leh ta lo. Ka thawk lawk a, an room-ah lutin, “In va ninawm zozai tak em, vawi engzat nge kan khap dawn che u” tih leh an mawngtama chum ka rual ta a. Tuntum hi ka duh aiin ka ti-na deuh nge ni dawn? An tawp satliah mai lo, an insut ta hlawp hlawp mai a.

Hun danga kan thil tawn aiin, he mi tuma kan thil tawn hi a danglam tlat a ni. Minute hnih khat em pawh a ral hman lovang tihin, ka fete chunga ka thiltih ‘vuak letna’ ka chungah a lo thleng leh ta a. Ka na lutuk chu mu chi rual ka ni lo. Ka nupui hnenah chuan, ‘Tunah chuan an reh ta a, an tap chu han ngaithla teh; lungngai taka anni an awm laia engthawl taka mut kha i thei chiah ang maw?… I fate kut ka thlak avang leh an rilru kan hliam laia lo mut kha nuam i ti dawn em ni?’ tiin ka nupui thiamloh chantir luih tum pahin, ka ang zui buan buan bawk a.

Kan khum tlangah rei tak ka thu a. Ka fate rilru ka hliamnaah chuan a rukin keimah chawpin ka na takzet a ni. Rei tak ka thut hnuin, a tawpah chuan ka fate bula tawngtai duhna ka nei ta a. Chutah chiah chuan a ni, harh kawkna tur thu ka dawn tak chu.

“Hei hi tisaa i chituh rah a ni”:
Kan fate hi lo harh deuhin, nun phung tha ziktluak lo deuin lo khawsa thin pawh ni se, demna tur reng reng an awm lo. Mipa naupang, hrisel leh unau inkawmngeih tak, infiam buan buan a, an chet nat chang a inti tap leh rak chiam chiam thin mai kha an ni a. Play-kid takmeuh an nih vangin awm hle hle tura thunun phei chu an chunga ‘thil sual lian tak’ tihna a ni. Thunun an har a nih pawhin, an mizia 90% zet hi chu Nu leh Pa zir leh zir loh thila innghat a ni ang (?). ‘Thatna leh dawhtheihna ni lovin, tharum hmangin’ an tet zual lai atang tawhin thunun kan tum thin a. Chu chu an laka kan tihsual lian em em a ni. Kut thlak khawpa thunun kan lo tum phei kha chu ‘kan fate bikah’ chuan a fuh lo takzet a. ‘Na taka thungrulhna’ khan an mizia a ti danglam zo lo chiang hle. Fate thunun chungchangah hian, “I fate chu thunun fel la chawlhna a pe ang che” tih te, “tiangin vaw mah la, a thi dawn si lo” tihte pawh Bible-ah kan hmu a. Mahse, an nun leh mizia tidanglam pha lo ‘thununna reng reng’ hi chu kan chelek a nih pawhin thlak zung zung tur a lo ni.

Tawngtai tura an lam ka pan lai chuan, “Hei hi tisa a i chituh rah a ni, thlarau chi an Nuna tuh hmasa lovin eng tin nge thil tha hlir an hnen atangin i beisei theih ang?” tih hian min rawn deng dawt ta mai a. Gal 6: 7 -8 a, “Miin a theh apiang, chu mi vek chu a seng bawk dawn si a. mahni tisa lama thehtu chuan tisa ami chhiatna a seng ang a; Thlarau lama thehtu erawh chuan, Thlaraua mi, chatuana nunna a seng dawn a ni” tia Paula sawi ang deuh chiah kha a ni.

Tuna, an nun dan hriatthiam har kan tih, dawh harsa tak, luhlul leh tih-mawh, adt. kan tih zawng zawng; khap beh tum a, an laka kut hial ka thawh phah fona hi an duh avang reng a an neih a ni lo. “Sial rangin sial rang a hring…” tih ang deuh a, keini Nu leh Pa hnen atang a an chhawm leh, an pianpui chiah kha a ni. Chu chu, ngaithei lo leh hrethiam lovin kan awm thin a, kan lo tisual chhiava a ni. Tuna an mizia a bet zawng zawng hi, ka naupan laia ka mizia vek kha a ni a. Tisa a ka chi tuh rah chu ‘tuna an mizia zawng zawng, ka hriatthiam theih loh’ hi a ni.

India danpui hnuaiah hian ‘kum tling lote’ humhalhna hi a lo tha viau mai a. Thil an tisual a nih pawhin, an chungah ‘puitling’ angin dan lek a rem vek lo. Chumi awmzia chu ‘an nun dan leh mizia avanga an thiltih zawng zawng hi India dan chuan ‘thu tling lovah’ a ngai vek?” tihna a ni. Dan-in ‘thu tling lova a ngaih’ chu ‘thil tisual leh fel lohna thiltiha ngaih theih loh’ a ni a. Dan-in an chunga ro a rel theih hma chu, an thiltih zawng zawng hi ‘thu tling lo, engmah lo vek’ a ni.

Khawvel dan atang pawhin an nun dan leh mizia ‘khing let ang ziazang a’ kan lo ‘hrim’ vak vak thin leh, thiamloh chantira kan lo hrem deuhthawh mai zel hi a dik lo phawt a. An duh vang renga an rochung thil pawh ni lo, an pianpui mizia a bet, nu leh pate hnen atanga an chhawm ‘an khawsa zia’ kut hial thawh a hrem phah nana kan hmang phei chu a dik lo lehzual a ni. Tisa a kan chituhrah dik tak lo lang chhuak a ni a. A ven hna leh nun phung dik an neih theih nana enkawl chu kan mawhphurhna a ni tehmeuh mai. Mahse, ‘thiamlohna zawng zawng deuhthaw bel a, kan mizie hnaisai lo hrikthlak nana fate hman hi’ kan tih loh tawp tur a ni.

Ka tawngtai thawm avang chuan ka nupui pawh awm hle hle thei lovin ngawi rengin kan zingah a lo thu a. Pathian hmaah chuan ‘kan fate kan enkawl dan fel ziktluak lo’ avangin kan tap tlawk tlawk a ni ber. Kum 11 leh kum 12 an ni tawh a, hei lehchen hi an nunah ‘THLARAU CHI’ tuh mumal lova kan lo awm reng chuan min vaw na hle a ni. Ka fate hian thiamlohna eng thil emaw an lo nei a nih pawhin, Pathian hmaah chuan ‘a thim lo zawk’ ka ni tho tho-in ka inhria. An tet zual lai atang tawhin an nunah ‘thlarau chi’ hi lo tuh ‘dik’ emaw ‘fuh’ ni ila chuan, he tiang em em hian thunun ngai leh kut thlak ngaiin an awm bik hauh lovang. Chuvang chuan an laka ‘nu leh pa nihna ang a, tih tur’ ti-lotu chu keimah hi ka ni a. Ka fate thiam loh ni hauh lovah, keima thiam loh vang liau liauin, an lakah vung takin ka lo che thin a ni.

Thlarau chi chu engtin nge ka tuh tak ang?:
Kan tawngtai zawh chuan rei tak an khum tlangah thuin thil tam tak ka ngaihtuah chhunzawm a. Zing lam dar hnih a ni tawh nain, mut zai han rel mai chi ziazang ka la ni lo. An muhil tawh maithei tih awm velah chuan ka study roomah lutin note bu ka la chhuak a. A hnuai ami hi ka ziak ta a ni.

KA FATE NUNAH THLARAU CHI TUHIN KA THAWK ANG.
KA BEI ANG A, A MAN KA PE BAWK TUR A NI.

(GALATIA 6: 7-8)
KA TIHTUR BUL TANNA:
(Lalpan bul tanna tur min pein ka hria a, a bak pawh min la pe zel ang tih ka ring)

1.    ZAN TIN AN MUT HMUNAH KA TAWNGTAI SAK THIN ANG.

Tiin, ka signature leh date leh time (Dt. 27.05.2018 Sun; 2:10 AM – 28.05.2018?) ka ziak bawk a. Tichuan, May ni 28 zan atang chuan, hlah hauh lovin, an lehkha zir zawh, zan dar sawm pakhat leh sawm pahnih inkarah kan pafa za chuan kan tawngtai ho thin ta a ni.

An ninhlei leh an inti rak thin hi a reh nghal vek lo. Mahse, nasa takin hma an sawn a. A hma angin an lo awm leh zauh a nih pawhin, LALPA HMAA KA THUTIAM avang hian, in hrawk leh na taka inkhak kha ka bansan ta a. TAWNGTAINA hi ralthuam-ah ka hmang thung ta zawk a ni. “Lalpa, tuna an mizia leh nun phung zawng zawng hi, tisa a kan chituhrah chu a ni. Tunah chuan THLARAU CHI an nuna tuh a nih theih nan, i lam kan lo hawi ta e. Nangmah atanga chhuak chi nung dik tak chu tuh thei turin min pui la, a nih loh pawhin nangmah zawkin min tuh sak ang che. Duhawm takin lo tiak se la, lo thang lianin lo puitling ngei rawh se. An mahni leh he chhungkua tan chauh ni lo, mi tamtak tana RAH DUHAWM chhuahtu an lo nih hial theihna turin i malsawmna kan dil e” kan ti ta a ni.

Heng bakah hian, dinner kan ei zawh hnu, lehkha an zir dawn apiangin, dar riat leh dar kua inkar-ah ka nupuiin tawngtaisakna nen bul a tanpui ve ta a. Tin, an puitlin thleng a, pathian thutak a an nun kaihruaitu atan, chawlhkar khat chhung atana an thuvawn tur, Pathian thu chang khat tal vawn tir an ni ta bawk. Sikul an kal theih hlim atangin, sikul kal tura an chhuah dawn apiangin tawngtaiin kan thlah ziah thin a (ka nupui hi tawngtaitu ber a ni zawk mah a, kum 6 zet chu a ni ve ta). Tuk tin an pual liau liauin vawi thum emaw chu kan tawngtai sak ve tihna a nih chu. Fate tana ralven hna thawk tur leh an nun siam puitling tura kan inpekna hi a la beitham hle a mai.

Tawngtaina hian rah tha a chhuah ngei ang tih ka ring:
A chunga kan tarlan thu hi, Pathian mi tan sawi lan ngai awm pawha lang lo a ni. Mahse tawngtai thiltihtheihna hi kan rinhlelh loh nan leh, ‘kan fate chunga kan rawng bawlna beithamte hian rah duhawm a la chhuah ngei ang’ tih rin theihna tur, ka chunga thil thleng ngei kan ziak zel ang e.

Ka nuapan lai mizia, a chunga tlemte ka tarlan tawh ang khian, 1990 hma lam, 80’s bawr chho vel khan tuna ka fate ang rual vel hi ka ni. Ka Nu leh pa hi Pathian tih satliah lo tak, rawngbawlna tui chilh takmeuh, thlarau mi, kut hna thawka eizawng an ni. Tun huna fate kan enkawl ang hian min enkawl hman lo nain; inkhawm, sunday sikul kai, chhungkaw tawngtai, etc leh a dang, kan tel ngeina awm chia min hmuh loh chuan, kan khaw chhung mail 2 vel huam chin pawh, min zawng a, dap chhuak vek peih an ni.

80’s bawr chho vel hi thingtang lamah chuan TV leh VIDEO lar chhoh lai kha a ni a. Kan khuaah hian video hall pathum lai a awm a. Ticket leina kan nei zo lo a nih pawhin bang awng atang tala bih peih hun lai kha a ni. Video chhuah a lo hun tawh chuan kan thinlungah hian a khat liam a. Enna tur neih loh pawhin, eng tin tin emaw luh theih beiseiin hall bulah tal kan lo awm hram thin. Pathian ni-ah (Sunday) chuan zan lam nen vawi 3 show a awm ziah a, a bak ni dang zawngah chuan, zan tin dar ruk velah an chhuah tan thin.

Inkhawm lo leh sunday sikul kai lova kal hi kan tan chuan ‘phal loh bur’ a ni a. Zan lamah pawh chu ti bawk. Mahse, min khap eng ang mahse, a hun a lo thlen tawh hi chuan hall pathum zinga a eng ber emaw bulah hian kan lo awm ve leh hman ziah thin a. A mi hipna kha a na lutuk nge, ka luhlul uchuak ve hrim hrim ni ang? An thu ka zawm hleihtheih loh vanga vawi tam min hrem tawh hnu pawhin ‘a ngaite ang tho’ ka ni leh thin. Hei hi entirna pakhat ang chauh a ni a. A bak, thil dangah pawh, ka rilruin a duh tawh chinah chuan ‘hrem leh vuak hlauhna’ hian min thunun lo chiang viau thin a ni.

Tum khat chu, zan mut reh vek tawh hnu, an mahni pawhin min zawn beidawn tawh hnuin, hawna tur dang awm ta lo chu, mahni inah bawk a haw loh theih lova, in ka thlen chuan kawngka a lo inkalh tlat mai a. Ka thawm hriain ka Pa chuan, chhung lam atang hian thinrim em em-in, “Ngaihdam min dil loh chuan kawngka hi ka hawn dawn lo che” a ti a. Naupang kum 12 emaw rual lek tan pawn thima riah thu awm suh, tap teuh chunga ngaihdam ka dil leh kawngka min hawn hnu a, hremna ka dawn zui tho dante kha ka la hre chhuak thei a ni.

Hemi bak, tuna ka sawi tur hi, ka lo theihnghilh lek lek tawh hnu, tun hnua ‘ka naupan laia ka luhlul zia’ kan sawi chhuah tuma, ka Nu min hrilh a ni. Ka Nu-in a sawi takah chuan, a then lai-lai ka la hre ruai ruai thei a. A chung ami ang deuh bawk khian, tum khat chu ka video en ru haw chu thinrim eng-phiarin ka pa chuan min kai lut leh ta a. He tianga ka Pa a thinrim zual hle hi chuan; min zawng  hrep tawh a, beidawnga haw a nih thin tawh vang a ni.

He mi tum hian vuak ka tawk leh ngai dawn tih ringin, ka Nu pawh kan bulah a lo lang nghal a. ka Pa hnen-ah chuan, “Mama Pa (kan unau zinga upa ber hi Mama tiin kan ko vek), he ti khawpa kan hrem chung pawha a nun kan ti-danglam zo lo a nih chuan, Nu leh Pate hian thiltih dik tawk lo kan nei a ni maithei, chuvang chuan; tuntum chu a lu chungah nangin i kut nghat la, keiin a ke ka vuan ang a, i tawngtai sak teh ang” tiin rawtna a siam ta a. Ka Nu leh Pa min tawngtai sakna kha tun hnun thleng a ka nun pumpui ti-danglam vektu a lo ni ta a ni. Ka lu leh kea kut nghata an tawngtai chu, namen lovin Lalpa hmaah an tap a. An tih theih hauh loh, an beidawn pui tawh; naupang luhlul, kum sawm pahnih emaw vel chauh nun ti danglam tura Lalpa Pathian tap chunga an au chuan keipawh min vel nasain, an mangan an thlenna Lalpa chuan, ka nun a kuai her chiang ta hle a ni.

A hnu, kum thum hnu; kum sawm panga ka nih kumin paintharna tak tak ka chang chauh nain, he mi tuma ka Nu leh Pa min tawngtai sakna atang hian ‘ka Nu min hrilh leh danin’ ka nun hi a inlet chiang takzet a. Piantharna la hre tak tak si lo khan, biak in hi ka hlatsan ngai ta reng reng lo a ni. Eng inkhawm pawh ni se (mipa pawl, nu ho pawl, thlai pawl, edt) naupang thutna tlarah hian naupang dang tumah inkhawm awm ve lo pawh ni se, mahniin ka thu ve ran thin. He mi hnu hian, an thu zawng zawng hi a kip-a-kawiin ka zawm vek hauh lovang. Mahse, an tana manganthlak khawpin ka Nu leh Pa thu hi ka hnialin ka hnar leh ngai ta lo reng reng a. Ka nu leh pa tawngtaina khan (Lalpa hnathawh a ni zawk reng nain) ka nun kha ti danglam lo ni se; ka seilenna khawvelah khan, ka nun kha a ngaihtuahawm hle ang a, tun hun hi ka thleng zo hauh lovang.

Belhchhahna…………….

Naupang thanlen nana thil pawimawh pathum:
Psychologist-te chuan naupang nun siamtu hi thil pawimawh tak tak pathum a awm an ti a. Chungte chu;
1)    Family (chhungkua)
2)    Environment (an chhehvel thil awm)
3)    Peers group ( an rualpui, thenrualte)

An painpui mizia a bet tlat bakah hian an seilenna – chhungkua, an chhehvel leh, an thian kawmte hi an puitlin hun atana an mizia siamtute an ni a. Chuvang chuan heng a chunga kan sawite hi ‘harhfim tak chunga’ kan ngaihvenpui reng a ngai a ni. Naupang seilenna ‘chhungkua’ hian a zir chuan ‘chhungkaw tha’ a piang dawn tihna a ni a, chhungkua a that a, a hrisel bawk chuan, chu chhungkaw tha chuan society tha, khawtlangah a siam thei dawn tihna a ni. Heng avang hian mi tamtak chuan ‘I inah haw rawh’ tia infuihin ‘chhungkaw hlamchhiah deuhthawa rawngbawlna kalpui’ thinte hi an ei lo viau bawk.

He mi chungchang a ka dinna (principle) hi a tawpah tarlan ka tum a. A enga pawh chu ni se, inchhungkhura kan fate kan treat dan hian an nunah nasa takin, kan rin ai nasain, nghawng a nei a ni tih hi pawm phawt tur a ni. Amaherawh chu, pianna leh sei lenna hmunin a zir ngang loh vanga naupang vanduaite tan heng a chunga kan sawi mek hian 'a chhe lam zawng' tih lovah chuan awmzia a nei tehchiam lo. Tin, chhungkaw zahawm leh khawsak pangngai tak atanga chawr chhuak, Nu leh Pa ten an theihna zawng zawng an sawr chhuak chung pawha hlawhchham, fate enkawl chungchanga beidawng tawha inngai hial tawh, adt mi tam tak an awm bawk. ‘Naupang thanlen nana thil pawimawh’ kan tarlante-a beisei tur nei tawh lo an ni a. He tiang mi, hlawhchhama inngai tawhte tana THIL THA BER, BEISEI TUR INNGHAHNA TLAK la awm cheu chanchin hi; kan ziak ta sa sa, kan thuziak tlang kawm nan i lo hmang law law teh ang.

Thil tha ber - beisei tur innghahna tlak:
Fa enkawl chungchang-ah bul kan tan ve ek ek dawn chauh a ni a, chutih laia mi dang tana ‘thurawn angreng deuh’ siam hi thil awlsam a ni hauh lo. Mahse, ‘beidawng thelh thelha inhre tawh’ ten beiseina chhete tal an lo neih phahna a nih hlauh chuan a hlu dawn em asin.

Pathian thu kan luhchilh hlek dawn avangin, lo hnual lo la, ‘fate enkawl chungchang a kal ngaihna hre tawh mang lo, tih lehchuan tur pawh hre tawh lote’ zingah  i awm chiah lo a nih pawhin, chutiang mite tanpui kawnga ‘thurawn tha ber’ i pek theih nan chhiar chhuah ngei erawh a ngai ang.

Joshua 23:10-11 thu hi lo tarlang lawk I la - “In zinga mi pakhatin mi sangkhat a um ang. In hnena a lo sawi tawh angin, Lalpa in Pathian hian a ni do sak thin che u ni. Chutichuan Lalpa in Pathian chu hmangaih turin fimkhur tha ha hle rawh u”

Joshua hian ‘Pathian hmangaihna nen’ Israel mipui sang tamtakte hi a enkawl a, RAMTIAM hi a thlenpui ta kan ti maithei ang em? Pathian a hmangaih zia tarlanna chiang fekfawk hi hmuh tur a vang hle a, tin han sawi belh chiam tur pawh ka hre bik lo. Mahse Lalpa Pathian hi hmangaih lo ni se ‘Pathian hruaina leh a hliahkhuhna duhawm lutuk’ a chan zozaite hi a chang lo maithei. Amah ngeiin ‘Pathian hmangaih tlatna’ hi kawng tinrenga  HIMNA atan a lo hman tawh a vangin, a mipui sang tam takte hnenah a zirtir hial kan ti thei ang.

Hei hian enge kan tan tangkaina leh awmzia a neih?
Chhungkua leh fate enkawl dan chungchang leh a bak thil dangah pawh, kan dinhmunin a zir emaw zir lo emaw, mi tinte hi ‘vanduaina’ tawk thei vek kan ni. A tuate mai pawh hi – chak lohna nei, hlawhchham thin, beidawng thei, adt kan ni. Chutiang hunah tak chuan; hmalak lehchuan ngaihna hre lovin mi tam tak kan awm thin a. Tihngaihna reng kan hriat loh ‘thil’ min hmachhawnpuitu ‘innghahna tlak’ mamawhin kan awm thin. Chutiang mi zawng zawngte tan - ‘Lalpa Pathian hi innghahna tlak a ni e’ tih hi uar taka tarlan thar leh ka duh a ni.

Kan Pathian hi amite lama tang tlat, amah hmangaihtute ensan ngai lo Pathian a ni a. Hmelma ang hial kan nih lai maha a fapa neih chhun min pe duh khawp a, hmangaihtu Pathian a nih chuan, amah hmangaihtute manganna leh rum thawmah hian Lapa hi a va inrawlh duh dawn nasa em.

Chhungkaw tha leh mi ngaih pawha ‘chhungkaw duhawm’ nei tur hian kan mizia leh nun dan hian a zir vek lo maithei. Mi ten an fate chunga an tih ang zawng zawng ti tur pawhin kan hriatna leh theihna hian a tlin vek lo thei bawk. Zirna avang leh hnathawh avangtein mi thenkhat chuan loh theih lohna avangin kan fate kan kalsanin, min awm bo san bawk a. Heng bak thil dang tamtak avang pawhin, thu tha infah tur a kan khawsakin leirem a rah theih loh hun a awm bawk. Tuman fate nungchang hloh kan duh lo va, amaerawh chu, kan thinlungin a pawmzam theih lohna lama an petek mai theihna chance hi a tamin, nu leh pate tan pawha vensen rual loh hun paltlang an ngah hle a ni. Chutiang chu phat rual lohva kan dinhmun dik tak a nih avangin, miin Lalpa a hmangaih a, a vawn tlat chuan…Amah hmangaihtute tih theih loh ti tur leh an hmachhawn theih hauh loh nen lama hmachhawn sak tur hian Lalpa hi a hnaiin, a inkau reng ang tih hi a rinawm em em a ni.

Mi thenkhat Pathian rawngbawltu zingah leh, inchhungkhur ngaihsak hman mang lo khawpa rawngbawlna thila tul, mahse fa sual nei, inchhungkhur leh khawtlang huap pawha manganpui khawp ‘fa nei’ an awm ve leh nawlh thin. Hemi avanga, mi thenkhat rilrua zawhna lian tak awm thin pakhat chu – Rawngbawlna leh inpekna hian rah tha a chhuah vek lo em ni? tih hi a ni. An chhan thiam mai loh he zawhna avang hian ‘Pathian belh’ hlawkna hi an ringhlel fo a. Rawngbawlna leh inpekna dah pawimawh fal vak a, thil dang hlamchhiah deuhthaw hi him tawk lovin an hre thin.  An fate, an chhungkua thatpui khawpin miin Lalpa hi a hmangaih tawk loh vangin heng a chunga kan tarlan ang mi hi Pathian tana inpe leh rawngbawltute zingah hian an awm thin pawh a lo ni thei e. Mahse, miin Pathian lungawina khawpin Lalpa hi hmangaih ngat ni se, rawngbawlna leh inpekna eng chin pawh hian rah tha a chhuah ang tih hi a rinawm em em a. Chuvang chuan Lalpa hmangaih hi miin a thlang dawn a nih chuan hlawk tham laih tura hmangaih law aw tur a ni.

“Lalpa in Pathian hian a ni do sak thin che u ni.” Joshua’n a ti a. Min do sak chauh ni lovin, a tihngaihna kan hriat loh kan fate nun tidanglam vek theitu pawh Lalpa Pathian bawk a ni. Kan lo hmangaih tawk lo emaw, kan lo hangaih zo lo a nih pawhin ‘Lalpa hmangaih hi thlang tharin, Pathian hmangaih turin kan nun hi i fimkhurpui hle mai ang u. Pathian hmangaihna hian ‘change’ a thlen thei a. Pathian hmangaih tlatna hi kan chhungkaw damna thlentu a ni thei takmeuh a ni. Sam 145:20-ah, “Lalpa chuan amah hmangaihtute zawng zawng chu a vawng tha thin” a ti a. Tin, Deu 5: 10-ah, “Mi hmangaih a, ka thupekte pawmtu mi sang tamtakte chunga khawngaihna lantir thin ka ni” tiin kan hmu bawk.

Misual kan nih lai pawhin Pathian chuan a mi hmangaihna chu fak tlakin a lantir a. Amah hmangaih nachang kan hriat hnu leh hmangaih let thei dinhmuna kan din hnu lek phei chuan, Amah hmangaihtute tana din sak hi ava huam nasa lehzual dawn em. Amah hmangaihtute chunga khawngaihna lantir a, vawng tha a, enzui thintu hian kan manganna leh rum thawm hi a hre lovang em ni? Kan chhungkua nun siam tha tur leh kan fate nun dan thlak danglam tura Lalpa hi kar che zo lova kan inhria a nih chuan, emaw Lalpa Pathian hi kan chhungkua hian thatpui zo lo nia kan hria a nih chuan, Nu leh Pa, mimal tinte hian ‘Pathian nena kan inkar’ hi kan en ngun a tul ngei ang.

Thinlung chhungril tak atanga Pathian hmangaih hi erawh thil awlsam a ni hauh lo. Amaherawh chu, duhna thinlung thuk tak neite hianThlarau Thianghlim puinain Lalpa hi an hmangaih thei a. Lalpa hi kan damna, kan natna leh kan phurritte min chhawk a, kan paltlang zawh loh leh kan hmachhawn rual loh min hmachhawnpui theitu a ni. Beidawnna ruama tlu lut tawhte pawh beiseina thar pe theitu a nih avangin, kan khawsak rualrem lo siam dik leh tur hian ‘Pathian hmangaih burna’ tluka REMEDY tha zawk; kan mamawh chhanna tur tha zawk a awm thei ngai lovang. Lalpa hmangaih hi lo thlang ve la, duhna thuk tak leh amah a i tuihalna chuan Thlarau Thianghlim puihnain hmangih lo thei lovin a la siam ngei ang che. Chu miah chuan, mihring nunin harsatna a hmachhawn zawng zawng chhanna leh chinfelna i hmu tawh ang.
_________________________

FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

(Delivered on 22nd, July,2018 at Holy Communion Service, Mission Church, Serampore)

Basing on this theme, we will mention some biblical records about God’s faithfulness including few clarifications to prove that ‘God is faithful’, theological significances, and then, if time permits us, my latest experience - at the end, etc. And when we talk about – the faithfulness of God, the term – Lord, God and Jesus will be used interchangeably.

PRAYER: “I will make known your faithfulness to all generation” says your psalmist. As I am standing here before your people, help me to make known your faithfulness in order that we may have life as to what you have something desire in us.

May the words of my mouth and meditation of our hearts be acceptable in thy side, O Lord our rock and our redeemer.

**One unquestionable reality that every individual may notice is - Unfaithfulness is one of the most outstanding sins of these days. In the political realm, in commercial business, in religion, in our marriage bonds, in individual personal lives, even in our relationship between God, and within ourselves, etc. almost everywhere we experienced and have come across unexpected wrong doings of a person who refused to put the cloths of faithfulness.

However, there is one man in the Bible, outside of the Lord, who is called faithful. In Nehe 7:2.  The name ‘Hananiah’ is mentioned. And the Bible says he was a faithful man and feared God more than many in his generation.

In reference to God, the scripture has recorded number of accounts about the faithfulness of God in various ways;

For example;

-          Heb 3:2 says, "He is faithful to Him who appointed Him as a priest."

-          1 Cor 1:9 - “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”

-          1 Cor 10:13 - “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”

-          2 Thes 3:3 - “The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

-          2 Tim 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

Therefore, if we believe and are faithful to the scripture, we cannot deny the fact that God is faithful; for the bible has numerous records about his faithfulness. It is, indeed, by nature, he is faithful, and in other words, his very nature is faithfulness whether we believe it or not.

But this ascription or acknowledgement about God as ‘faithful God’ may require few more clarifications to prove that – God is faithful. Then, in what way we can explain God’s faithfulness/to prove that he is faithful?

There can be number of points that make validate the faithfulness of God; however, since the main emphasis is to be made on the following section, we will mention only some important points that can prove the faithfulness of God.

1.      From the book of Deuteronomy we can count on God to keep His words and promises concerning the nation of Israel, and why He chose them.

2.      His faithfulness is proven and made validated by how his prophecy has come true.

3.      His faithfulness is proven by how he got victory over the power of death and the tomb.

4.      His faithfulness is being proven by how he kept his covenant promises.

As already mentioned, since our time constraint does not permit us to elaborate more about the proof, we will leave behind and will move to the next section…

Theological significance: The importance of ‘making known the faithfulness of God’…and how far it has significant position for his created beings... Here, I have three underlining points in which each of them has very impressive hidden messages for everyone.


-          His faithfulness is greater than human sins and miseries
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, their sin destroyed the perfect communion they had enjoyed with God, for God is holy and He cannot have fellowship with unholy creatures. (2 Corinthians 6:14). Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2). At the very moment that Adam and Eve sinned, they “died spiritually” - that is, they were separated from God. Therefore, our very sinful nature with our sinful acts have alienated us from God; our sins have caused him to reject us. The condition that we inherit because of sin was very bad. Paul says (Rom 312ff) “they have become worthless, their throats are opened graves; they used their tongue to deceive, the venom of vipers is under their lips, their mouth are full of cursing and bitterness…ruin and misery are in their paths…”. And in addition, hopelessness, rebellious mind, disobedient attitude, and at the end, eternal punishment is their future end.

But in spite of all these sinful nature of human; Paul again mentioned (in Rom 3:3) “What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” Then the answer he gave was – “By no means!”

Although everyone had committed sins against God, even then, the faithfulness of God cannot be shaken. By his faithfulness he has made way to redeem us from sin as well as from the sinful nature of human. Though the power of human sin is powerful enough to separate us from God and at the same time may forcefully compel again and again to commit sins against God; his faithfulness towards his people, his faithfulness to his created being is remaining the same. Human sin can never nullify the faithfulness of God as long as we put ourselves to the right track.

Therefore, the point here is – yes, sin and its consequences of human miseries are powerful enough to separate us from God. And moreover can lead us to eternal condemnation. Yet, the faithfulness of God is still greater than this power of sin. For his faithfulness he has made way for us to embrace God, and to have a perfect communion with God.

-          His faithfulness is stronger than the power of suffering and death

Here, I would like to reflect upon the suffering and death of Jesus on his way to cross and on the cross. As recorded by the gospel writers, his mission on earth is ‘to fulfill the will of his father’. He said in John 4:34 – “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work”. Then, what is the culmination in the will of God - what Jesus wishes to fulfill? It is – to bring salvation for a sinner, it is to proclaim God’s forgiveness for a sinner, and it is also – to give a total freedom and ultimate healing to those wounded and to liberate people who are enslaved by the power of darkness. However, to make fulfill his work or mission is not easy as we believed because ‘to fulfill the will of God’ requires a long road to pass through which further requires several ruthless treatments – i.e. unbearable suffering and death on the cross.

During the time when Jesus and his disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane, we might know that how hard/ how difficult it was to fulfill the will of God. Mk 14:34-36 tell us – He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch”. And then going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And then he said, “Abba, father, all things is possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will”

It is not easy; it is not easy, even for Jesus - to fulfill the will of God. Even his imaginable agony could make his sweat to become like a great drop of blood, nothing can stop him; nothing even his outbursts emotion, his suffering on the cross, the pain and wounds he has to suffer, the shame and condemnation- he has to experience, and moreover the death on the cross, even the power of grave could not stop him.

This is the reason, why we emphatically can say – his faithfulness is stronger than the power of suffering and death.

Bob Fitts says through his song - I see the cross and the price you had to pay, I see the blood that washed my sins away, in the midst of the storm through the wind and the wave, you’ll still be faithful. When the star refuses to shine and time is no more, you’ll still be faithful, O Lord.

-          His faithfulness is bigger than our weaknesses and sorrows

We have already mentioned how greater and stronger his faithfulness is more even than our sins and human miseries, even than the power of suffering and death on the cross, etc.

Now, I would like to make little more emphasis on his faithfulness, on what ground i could make this emphasis or the factors that oblige us to say that His faithfulness is much bigger than our weaknesses and sorrows.

Needless to say is human life is full of sorrows for many, our weakness is also something that has a force to put us down. Many a time we also have faced different failures, disappointments for various reasons. Therefore, as a result of these; different weaknesses and sorrows might have engulfed our entire life – we also might have come across so many emotional forces and feelings that put us down, weak, hopeless, and exhausted, etc.

But here, what I am trying to say is that – in spite of what we are, God is still faithful. He is faithful enough to redeem us; to freely give us freedom, and a total healing from our emotional pains and sorrows. We may come across a dry valley and dark places where there is no hope, no strength, and no spirit to feed our desire and what we long for, etc. But even then, in his faithfulness he is willing to make himself available to help and relief us from all sorts of human sorrows and limitations.

We sometimes look and put our focus only on our limitations, and the problems that we experienced and have come across; forgetting about the faithfulness of God. In that situation our problems and weaknesses will become too big to bear with. As a result, we considered ourselves as a person who is unfortunate, trapped one; and furthermore, we also may see no hope for our near future for our dilemma, our problem becomes too big.

But now what I would like to remind you is – Our God who sustained 3 million people of the Israelite in the wilderness for 40 years is much bigger; his faithfulness to his people is much bigger/stronger  than our problems. This is not merely a historical fact that has happened in the past, that we are unable to experiance; but it is the living fact that has been manifested and to be manifested to his people from time to time.

Testimony: In order to prove that, his faithfulness is the living fact; I would like to share with you my own experience which I have come across only in the month of December, last year; during the time when you all have gone home for your Charismas vocation.

Therefore, one morning; I was made awaken by one song, which was very unfamiliar to me. I could learn and follow only a single line of the song of a chorus with its tone which the song says – Oh, yes, He cares, I know he cares (composed by - Frank E. Graeff and translated into mizo by Rev PD Sena). The song really touched my heart and I could not forget about it since it remains in my mind.

So, I search it from YouTube whether I could find it or not. Then, I have downloaded two songs uploaded by both female and male gospel singers who are very well known to every Mizos. I could not remember how many times i have repeated the song, probably more than 30 times in a single morning. Then, after when I took my seat for a lunch, my wife said - “I know this singer; I suppose she must be Betsy a gospel singer”. Although she was totally wrong; I could not tell who she was, who at that moment sung a song because of the inner force or touching of the Holy Spirit I have come across. Then, right after the female singer has finished her song, it was followed by a male singer, who has sung the same song. Then, when the singer came to the first line of the chorus, which says – Oh, yes, He cares, I know he cares. I could not keep myself up, and unable to resist something that bursts and pushed me up from deep within. So, I suddenly shouted out crying three times – hallelujah!. Birds and squirrels nearby started flying and running to and fro. All my children have run towards me and curiously asked “Daddy what was that?

It was something, the only single line in a song that touched my heart and totally filled my inner-self.

Then, in that moment when i experienced this unusual encounter through a song, the reason, why I could not control myself and why it was extremely important for me was – the song reminded me that God takes care of me. The Lord God who is above all, the creator of the universe and all things takes care of a person like me who has so many limitations and weaknesses. I felt so wonder and amazed because as my belief, there is no one, except my relatives who willingly can take up all responsibilities to take care of my entire life. If we ask president of U.S, P.M of India, C.M of W.B or any students among Serampore community, whether they are willing to take care of me, the same and obvious answer they must give and I should receive from them is ‘NO”. I don’t think, none of them, even a single person can say – “YES”; whereas God says, “YES”. It was truly amazing and marvelous for me.

And this is not the end…the confirmation that proved the faithfulness of God was about to come on a later day.

On Christmas day (2018), I was invited to preach in Kolkata where Mizo community supposed to organize there a Christmas celebration. Therefore, by the grace of God, i could fulfill and have delivered a new Christmas sermon with much enthusiasm. Then, the next day was the day we suppose to come back to Serampore. But as they urged us strongly to stay back, then we stayed there for another one more day, and we could make our return only after the following day. And it was on that night, before we left Kolkata; an engineer, who belongs to a ‘well to do’ mizo family, who was also staying with us in the same building and whose family was so good to us; said to his mother and to his wife – “Until now we haven’t given yet any Christmas present to our pastor family” then he pulled out his wallet from his back, and gave money to my wife despite, a strong refusal she has expressed. I saw the color of the cash handed to my wife, and I thought that he has given Rs. 2000/-.

But after, when we dispersed from the common room and went to our own room, my wife told me and said, “My dear, I felt like crying because the money he has given was too much” “How much it was” I asked. My wife said, “It was 14 thousand”.

After she said, I put myself down to bed and kept myself remain calm; I was counting and counting about – the faithfulness of God showered upon me and to my family. I came to realize when I was preparing a sermon for today; that the amount of money given to my wife was exactly the amount we have given away for contribution in the month of December and the following months.

And moreover, before we left for Christmas celebrations in Kolkata, I have made an estimate budget for our family expense for Christmas celebration. This was extremely important for my family because we had a pre-plan to go home in Mizoram in the month of March and April, for that we need more money, we have to have and set aside at least 50-60 thousand rupees. So, I kept aside Rs.12 thousand for Christmas celebration to be spent. But in his grace, God who is also rich in mercy want to repay back all the money we need and require.

I would say therefore - this experience has strongly approved that – his faithfulness is living.

By his wonderful work, he wanted us to remind that he is a faithful God who cares and knows everything we need including our limitations. Therefore, friends, for my exhortation what i also would like to remind you, at this moment is – God is remaining faithful, he is faithful for he knows us than we know ourselves. Let our minds be reminded….

   - His faithfulness is greater more; even, then the power of sins and human miseries

  - His faithfulness is stronger than the power of suffering and death; and we can say this because he has demonstrated his faithfulness to us on his way to cross and even at the point of death.

  - His faithfulness is even bigger than your weaknesses and sorrows.


As we all engaged in our life journey; some of us may feel unwanted. Some may get emotional or spiritual pains or sorrows for various reasons; we also may feel poor or see no hope due to insufficient financial resources. You may get failure in life. Some of us might also have come across circumstances that we/you alone cannot resolve it, etc. But this kind of situation is the moment where God make him-self available to console and heal us. Therefore, let us not forget to put our/your trust in the faithfulness of God. His faithfulness is living.

Let the ‘faithful God’ be revealed in you, in your life, throughout your theological journey, etc. in order that we may get more strength and to have a living hope in Him.

May the Lord God, bless us, through this sharing…,

I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU

The chosen text is taken from MK 16: 5 – 7; but the theme I have selected for this short reflection is taken from MT 26:31 – 35 which parallels with MK 16:5ff, where we found the phrase – “I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU TO GALILEE”

Prayer: 'He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it'....may His faithfulness be revealed in you, through Christ our Lord Jesus Christ i pray...AMEN!


Do not forget to take note that the theme chosen above …is the first message given on the resurrection day to untrustworthy persons who failed to keep their words.

Before the same message was given to the disciples after resurrection, Jesus foretold the same massage repeatedly to his disciple as found in MT 26:32/MK 14:28. Then after Resurrection, the same message becomes the first message given to his disciples and particularly to Peter.

So, these occurrences in various passages convince me to ask few questions like;
1)    Why does this message play a significant role in the life of disciples?
2)    What theological significance does this message has in the life of Peter?

Therefore in order to give appropriate answer to these questions, we need to ponder the chosen text carefully;

In MK16:7: when the message was given, the speaker has focus/addressed to a particular group of people as well as particular individual – i.e. disciples and Peter.

Therefore by examining both the life of entire members of disciple in general and the life of Peter in particular, we can clearly get to know the message behind this message. However this limited space does not permit us, so we will have a brief look only on the life of Peter.

PETER:
-    Mt 4:19 tells us that he is among disciples whom Jesus deliberately calls out from the crowd.

-    So, he becomes the main speaker among the inner circle.

-    Mt 16: 21-23 tells us how much Peter loves Jesus. When Jesus told them, what would happen to him in a short future, Peter replied, “May God forbids it, Lord! This must never happen to you” (V22).
-    Mt 26:31 – 35 & MK 14:29 here, Jesus foretold them that all of them would betray him. At this moment, Peter was the one who earnestly replied saying – “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you”.
-    But even though, Jesus is so important in the life of peter, and in spite of the affectionate behavior he repeatedly has shown towards Jesus; what we see in the last discourses and the moment when Jesus face trouble and is being arrested;

-    MK 14:50 says – All of them (including Peter) deserted him and fled away.

-    MK 14:54 says – Peter had followed him at a distance.

-    Mk 14: 66ff – here, he repeatedly denied Jesus (3 times, as foretold).

Therefore, one thing we need to take notice from this story is – from this time onward (after betrayal of Jesus until Resurrection) no record about the disciples is found.

From our imagination we may recollect what would happen during this time of crisis or uncertainty; the situation when no record about the disciples is found.

I would say – this is a time of self-reflection and doubtfulness for the disciples, particularly for Peter where and when he might have gone through the feeling of fear, distress, insecurity, doubtfulness, and certain kind of stressful situation, emotional and psychological crises, and in edition - dysfunctional problems within the inner circle, etc and many more.

He might also have the feeling of self-hatred for what he has done and what he has not done.
With all what he has done, do we think that Peter would freely or peacefully or eagerly would go back to the town of Galilee, the town from where he belongs?

We all rather may think that Peter would not return to Galilee for he has so many weaknesses, failure in life, disloyalty to his master,  etc, And in addition – people of his village/town may also put their blame on him for the crisis situation he has undergoing, if he return without Jesus.

But, the amazing fact is that – at this point or during the situation when he face difficult situation, the message given away on the resurrection day for him was – “He will go ahead of you to Galilee”

As already mentioned, Galilee may not be a beautiful place for Peter without Jesus, without his successful story. Galilee may not be a rightful place without getting what he expected in life. Rather it would be a place where he received unexpected, and a place which he does not like to visit anymore.

In the same way, when beautiful and handsome men and women engage themselves in God’s ministry and begun to start their theological journey; the same is likely to happen many a time to many. They usually come with high expectation or in another word – we often come with our own expectations thinking that men of God living together in a beautiful community will have produce every good thing, every upright one and blameless things.

But, when we see the reality and after experiencing the life of unexpected community where we may get and receive so many unexpected things, we rather think that – am I engage with the wrong one? They also may reconsider their near future thinking that – if I want to become a successful man and woman, this cannot be the rightful place/choice for me.

These are only few examples we are giving.

There will be a time when we need to go through certain  - difficulties, trial and temptations, health or financial crisis, emotional and psychological problems, failures, weaknesses, blame, emotional hurt, and many more difficult situations.

But, one thing I would like to tell you is that – don’t lose heart, do not be dismayed. The same and faithful God as Peter has is your God.

If he is faithful to a man of betrayal, promising that – I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU TO GALILEE, his promise to unfaithful man on the resurrection day will be still alive and powerful.

We may loose confidence on people/ ourselves for certain reasons, we may feel unwanted and forgotten by someone, we may meet and engage with a person whom we considered as a wrong one,  we may not receive the treatment we expected for, we also may become a loser in various circumstances, etc. But this point of time is the time and moment when we will receive and experience the faithfulness of God.

I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU… is the message given on the resurrection day for you and for me.

May the Lord God Bless....

KRISTA THUHRETU - KHAWVEL DANGLAM ZELAH

( BCM - Mahanaim, Lungsen chuan 2018 hian Centinary an lawm dawn a. Chumi puala Souvenir an buatsaihah thuziak thawh ve turin min lo sawm a ni. Tichuan, WITNESSING CHRIST IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-MODERN CULTURE tih Sermon Dt. 12.03.2018 a ka sawi behchhanin he article hi ka ziak ta a. Ennawn leh her danglam hlek a, KOHHRAN BENG-a chhuahte pawh ka rilruk a, chuvang chuan lakchhawn phal loh a ni).

Bul tanna:
Ni 12.03.2018 Pathiani tuk khan ‘Witnessing Christ in the context of post-modern culture’ tih thupui hmangin kan College ah thuchah ka sawi a. He thu behchhan bawk hian article hi ziah ka tum a ni. Saptawng a nih avangin a ngai ang ang a he thupui hi kan hman chuan chhiartu tam tak a hnar sain ka ring a. Tin, mizo tawng ngialngan a dahin a nalh fahran lova; chuvang chuan a thu awmzia hnaih thei ber tur ngaihtuahin KRISTA THUHRETU - KHAWVEL DANGLAM ZELAH ka han ti ta ngawt a ni.

Kan tunlai khawvel danglam chhoh dan chanchin hriat belh turin POST-MODENISM kan sawi fiah ang a. Tin, post-modernism thuken (ideology) sawi fiahin, post-modernism pawmtute ngaihdan leh khawvel thlir dan tharin culture thar (mihring khawsak leh sukthlek dan thar) a rawn thlente kan tarlang ang. Tichan, chutiang khawvel-ah chuan Krista thu hriatpuitu atana Pathianin leh a Ramin (Pathian ram) a mamawh em em chanchin kan sawi ang a; chu mi hmang chuan kan thuziak hi zial fel kan tum dawn a ni.

Post-modenism:
Tunhmain kohhranin Camping chungchang a relin, ‘a hma ni hnih thum vel hi pre-crusade in tan ni se’ kan ti thin a. Pre-crusade (a thu) hi hmang dik chiah lo mah i la, camp neih hma (pre-) a beihpui (crusade) tih hi kan hriatthiam dan a ni. A dik zawk tura ngaih ‘Pre-camp/ing’ tia vuah erawh inhmeh lo deuhin kan hria a ni awm e. Saptawng thumal hma lam a ‘Pre-‘ a awm chuan ‘hma/hma lam’ tihna a ni a, ‘Post-‘ a awm thung chuan ‘hnu/hnu lam’ tihna a ni. Tichuan, ‘Modern’ tih chu ‘tunlai’ tihna mai a ni a, ‘Post-modernism’ kan tih chuan ‘tunlai (moden) hnu lam’ chanchin sawina a ni ta a ni. Tunlai (moden) ni na-na-na ‘tunlai hnu lam’ a awm thei dawn em ni?

Historian te chun khawvel hun hi hlawm lian tak takin a hnuai ami ang hian an then a, an then dan erawh a inang vek lovang.
-    Ancient Period (hman lai hun)     B.C 60,000 – 600 AD
-    Medieval Period (hun laihawl)     AD 600 – 1500 AD
-    Reformation period (Siamthat hun)     AD 1500 – 1700 AD
-    Modern Period (Tunlai hun)     AD 1700 – 1980 AD
Tichuan historian thenkhat chuan ‘Modern period; AD 1700 vel atang a intan tawh kha AD 1980 bawl a lo nih khan a tawp a. Kum 1980 atanga tun hun inkar hi chu Modern period hnu lam POST-MODERN hun a ni ve tawh’ an ti a. Tichuan, history hunpui then nga-na atan;
-    Post-modern period (tunlai hun hnu lam) AD 1980 – 2018 AD  tiin tunlai khawvel kan tih hi ‘post-modem period’ a ni tawh an ti ta a ni.

Historian, a bikin social scientist te chuan ‘he hun thar (tunlai hnu – Post-modern period)  hian tun hma hun pui then hrang hangte ai khan danglamna nasa tak a nei’ an ti a. Entir nan; Modern period ( a bikin kum zabi 19-na leh kum zabi 20-na tir thleng) khan mihring ngaihdan leh thil thlir dan tlangpui chu;

i)    ‘Thudik tluantling (absolute truth) hi a awm ngei a, chu chu mihringin a zawn chuan a hmu chhuak thei’ an ti a.

ii)    ‘Science leh reasoning (mihring ngaihtuahna fing tak hmang a thutlukna siam thinna) hi mihring tan innghana tlak a ni’ an ti a.

iii)    ‘Sakhuana thil emaw, sakhuana pawn lam rin dan leh pawm dan eng thilah pawh mihringin thutlukna siam dawn se, tehfawng rintlaka a ngaih tlangpui chu – science, Bible/sakhaw thurin, tradition, kohhran hotu te thu chhuak(reformers/church father/leaders), communitarian values ( thawh hona tha, zalenna, tlawmngaihna, inpumkhatna, inhritthiamna, mi dang zahna, etc),adt. te a ni’ an ti bawk.

Tichuan heng thil (entirna thenkhat tlemte) hi modern period a khawvel mihring ten inang tlang a ‘mihring rilru kaihruaitu’ ngaihdan tlanglawn an pawm chu a ni.

Amaherawh chu, khawvel danglam zelin, ngaihdan leh thil thlir dan thar a pianpui zel a; chu thil inthlakthleng leh danglam zel chuan ‘Modern period’ kha titawpin ‘Post-modern’ hunah min hung ta a.  Thomas C.Oden-a, The Death of Modernity & Post-Modern Evangelism Spirituality tih lehkhabu ziaktu chuan – “Tunlai (Modern) hun kha a tawp tawh a, tun hnu lam (Post-modern) hunah kan awm tawh. He hun thar avang hian khawvel thlir dan thar nasa tak a chhuak tawh a, tunlai (modern) mi ten thil an ngaihtuah dan leh pawm dan hmang a khawvel mihring thununtu (dominate) ber kha a tawp fel tawh” tiin, post-modenism hrilfiahnaah a sawi a ni.

Tawngkam hnih khat mai a Post-modernism hi hrilfiah theih a ni lo va. He thu hman tan a nih dan phei chu Art leh architect lam a thil thlir dan thar chher chhuah atang a lo chhuak a ni. Discipline hran hran-ah hman a nih hnuin a huam chin, a thu ken, leh hrilfiah dan a dang hlek hlek zel a, chuvang chuan a hrilhfiahna tawngkam hnih khat a awm thei lo. Kil hrang hrang atanga thlir a post-modernism thuken leh ngaihdan (ideology) leh thil thlir dan (wordview) atangin he hunin thil a lo her chhuahpuite hi kan hriat belh zel dawn a ni.

Post-Modernism Thuken:
Tichuan he ‘thunlai hun hnu lam emaw khawvel thar’ (Post-modernism) lo inher chhuakin thir thlir dan, ngaihdan leh pawm dan a herchhuahpuite chu;

i)    ‘Thudik tluantling (absolute truth) a awm thei lo a, rational truth (chhan bul tha tak leh kawnghmang nei tak atanga thutlukna siam hnu a thudik a pawm thil) erawh a awm thei’ an ti.

He ngaihdan hi sakhuana leh thlarau lam thil tan thil hlauhawm tak, mi tam tak hmin a an ngaihtuahna thununtu a ni. Mite an rinna kawng atanga a hruai peng a, Pathian awm rin lohna hial neih tirtu a ni. Pathian thu dik lo thei lo (infallibility) chungchang  thuah mi tamtak ringhlel a awm tirtu a ni a. He ngaihdan pawm laklawh tawhte hi chu hneh let an har em em thin. Mihring hriatna leh khawvel thiamna hian an nunah zung a kaih thuk tawh avangin “Pathian hi a awm ngei tih, dik takin ka hria” ti pawh ni i la, heng ho chhanna chu “ I tan chu chu a dik maithei, ka tan erawh a dik lo” an ti a, chu tak chu Pathian awm leh awm loh chungchangah absolute truth a tling lo an tihchhan pawh  a ni.

ii)    ‘Thu dik leh thil tak tak’ (fact and truth) mihringin a tih hi  thlir dan tlanglawn leh kawng hmang nei tak (observation leh logic) hmang a teh a nih lohva, mihring ngaihruatna (assumption) mai atanga lo piang a nih chuan ‘a rintlak chuang loh’ an ti.

A chung ami ang thoin, sakhuana thilah he ngaihdan hi a tha lo hle a. Bible thu leh kristian thurinte a ‘thu dik leh a tak-tak’ (fact and truth) kan tih hi, ‘Tehna tlanglawn leh kawnghmang nei tak (observation and logic) hmang a thutawp siam theih loh, mihring ngahruatna (assumption) atang mai a lo zi chhuak a nih avangin rintlak a tling lo’ an ti a. Entir nan – Genesis a thilsiam thu te, mihring sual a a tluk chhiat dan te, adt leh Bible thu tam tak hi ‘mihring ngaihruatna atang a thu phuahchawp an ni a, observation leh logic hmang a a dik leh dik loh, thutawp siam dawl lo’ a ni an ti a ni.

iii)    ‘Vantlangin lungdum taka an pawm tlan thil a nih loh chuan mihring tan ‘nun dan’ (life style) dik leh dik lo a awm tawh lo’ an ti.

Post-modern period a awm tih takah, he ngaihdan hian tunlai thalaite hi a hneh takzet a. Tunah chuan mimal nun dan inkhak sak pawh hi hmun tam takah thil ngamawm a ni tawh lo. ‘It’s my life’ culture ah kan awm tawh avangin, nundan mawi leh mawi lo hian kan khawsak phung hi a thunun tlem tial tial tawh a ni.

iv)    Bible thudik (biblical truth) kan tih thin, mihring nun siamtha a, khalh ngil thintute kha post-modernism hnuaiah chuan – mihring nun phung nen a inhmuh rem theih loh chuan hnawl zel a ni.

He ngaihdan hrula nung hi kohhran huang chhungah, pathian rawngbawltute zingah leh tui taka rawngbawl hna thawktute zingah hian kan tam hlein a rinawm. Pathian thu lem nuam kan tih zawng hi chu kan lem duak duak a, mahse kan khawsak leh nun phung nen a inhne rem thei lo “PATHIAN THU’ kan dawng a nih thung chuan kan hnawl mek zel zawng a ni e.

v)    ‘Kristiante Pathian chauh ni lo, pathian dang leh culture dangte hian ‘thlamuanna tluantling (ultimate peace) min pe thei’ an ti.

He ngaihdan lo zi chhuak hi, Pathian ram leh kohhran mission tana hmelma lian berte zing ami - religious pluralism thurin leh zirtirna nen a inmil viau awm e.

vi)    Mimal zalenna leh dawhtheihna (freedom & tolerance) hi nasa taka chawi vul a ni.

Post-modernist te chuan mimal zalenna hi an ngai pawimawhin hmun sang takah an dah a. Bible thu, kohhran thuchhuak, sakhaw dan leh dun pawh ni se, chu thilin - human right emaw individual right leh freedom a khawih che ni a an hriat chuan; ‘mihring/mimal zalenna’ hum sak theihna tur changchawiin thil an ti vak a; freedom fighter nenau-ah an indah deuh nge ni dawn (?); tupawh, eng thil pawh, adt. do, sawisel leh hmachhawn hreh an nei ngai meuh lo. He mi hrulah hian, mihring zalenna an dah chungnun avangin ‘dawhtheihna’ pawh hian mihring nunah hmun pawimawh tak a luah ngei turah an ngai.

vii)    Mihring mihrinna (human sexuality) leh identity hi ngaih pawimawh a ni.

Sexuality leh identity ngaih pawimawh a nih dan hi, a chung a ngaihdan leh thil pawm dan hrang hrang kan tarlan tawhte hrin chhuah hi a nih duh hmel hle(?).  He tiang zirtirna leh thil thlir danin mihring nun a hneh deuh deuh avangte hi a ni ngei ang(?) Tunhma a kohhran leh hnamin a enliam mai theih loh LGBT (tuai/patil, mawngkawhur,etc) chungchang pawh, tunah chuan sakaw thenkhat leh ram tamtak chuan an lo pawm (compromise) ta reng mai.

viii)    Media/technological messiahnism.

Tunah chuan media leh khawl changkang (technology) chhuak zel hian a tuate mai pawh hi nasa takin min nghawng vek a ni ta a. A pawi zual ta chu –  kan ip lum luahtu leh nitin a kan ban phak, awlsamna min thlen a, min hual veltu atan a kan hman ‘rentin daih khawl’ (gadgets) te hi ‘mihring duhaisam leh thinlung mamawh zawng zawng thlentu ang hrim a kan ngai ta leh, a bawih a kan lut thuk lutuk ta hi’ a ni ang.  Eng pawh ti dawn i la khawl thil awlsamna a innghah vekna (technological dependency) hian min thunun ta a. Heng thil leh a chung a kan tarlan point hrang hrang ten, mihring nun leh kan rinna thleng a a nghawng dante hi tawite talin kan tarlan belh dawn a ni.

Post-modernism nghawng thenkhat:

i)    Kan rinna chungchang thu leh khawsak thil a tehna rintlak a kan ngaih (bible, kohhran/sakhaw thurin, tradition, adt) kha a lo inthlak tan ta a. Tunah chuan – mimal ngaihdan, individual right leh zalenna, adt hi mi tin deuhthaw hian kan dah lal ta viau mai. Mimal zalenna leh dikna ti derthawng a, nghawng tel thei thilah phei chuan inzah leh thil dang pawisak nachang hre lo ang hrimin kan sa chhuak phat phat zel tawh thin. Vantlang leh kohhran-in tehna rintlaka a ngaih aia kan nunin a dah pawimawh zawk thil hi a tam tawh avangin, Pathian thu, kohhran/sakhaw thurin leh chin dan (tradition), adt. hlutna hi kan hriat loh karin a tla hniam mek a ni.

ii)    Communitarian values (zonun ze mawi?) kan tih – tlawmngaihna, mi dang/ai upa zahna, mitmei inven tawnna, impumkhatna, thawhhona tha, inlungrualna boruak (spirit), adt ngaih hlutna hian mi tamtak nun a kaihruai nep ta hle.

iii)    Social media tuipuiah kan inchiah a. Kan hun hman dan, kan nitin khawsak phung, rual kan kawm dan, leh kan thil ngaihhlut zawng nen lam a danglam zo ta. Heng hian mimal nun tisa leh tlarau thilah nasa takin a nghawng a. Chhungkaw boruak, Nupa inkar, khawtlang, kohhran a kan inhman dan nen lam, adt. a nghawng a; tunhma zawng a kan thinlungin a pawm theih loh leh duh loh thilah min hnuk min hnuk ta mai niin a lang. II Tim 4: 3-4 a kan hmuh ang khan – Kan bengte hi THUTAK lamah chhut ngawnin a awm mek a. Thawnthu lam (media content) panin kan tleh hum hum ta a ni ber e.

iv)    Kan pathian thu khel leh ngaihthlak duhzawng pawh a inthlak mek a. Mimal hamthatna thlawp lam (prosperity theology?) kan lem duak duak laiin; mahni inphat leh ral zel lam (theology of self-denial?) erawh zawrh kal lo zing ami a ni tan ta reng mai. Kan nitin hun hman dan leh, kan thil chin thin nena inhne rem thei lo, Pathianthu leh kohhran program chu hnawksak kan ti tan a. Kan thil ngaihhlut zawng a inthlak danglam nasat tawh avangin Pathian tana kan inserh dan (devotional life), Pathian rawngbawlna leh Pathian rawngbawltute kan hmuh dan nen lam a inthlak danglam mek kan ti thei bawk ang.

Post-modern culture a Krista Thuhretu:

Post-modernism thuken leh a nghawngte hian khawthlang (west) rama awmte bak pel lo a ngai kan awm maithei. Heng thilte hian zoram kil tin hi a hawl ve mek a. Sakhaw huang chhung leh pawn lam thil chi hrang hrang kan hmuh leh thlir dante hi nasa takin a inthlak mek a ni. He tiang tak a kan nun a hneh a, nasa taka kan rinna nen lama a sawi chet lai hian, chutiang khawvelah chuan Krista thuhretu rintlak engtin nge kan nih zel theih ang? tih hi zawhna pawimawh kan chhan tur a ni ta a. ‘Chhanna’ tamtak awm thei zingah uar tak a tarlan duh bik thil pakhat ka nei a, chu chu – RINAWMNA hi a ni.

RINAWMNA

Rinawmna hi mi tin tana thil pawimawh em em a nih laiin, mi zawng zawng ngaihnawm tih leh bengkhawn zawng erawh niin a lang lo. Kohhran mipuite ngaimawh zawng a nih theih nan kohhran huang chhungah pawh, kan rawngbawltute emaw kan thlarau mite ‘thu tuipui ber’ pawl pawh a tling phak lo fo a. Chutiang chu ni mahse, khawvel danglam zel a – mimal, kohhran, khawtlang, ram leh hnam mamawh a nih avang leh; Kan rawngbawlna leh PATHIAN RAM hian a mamawh em avangin tawite tala tarlan ngei a tul a ni.

Kan bible-ah hian Pathian thu laimu bik deuh a ngaih ‘thu hlawm’ (theme) tha leh thuchah duhawm tak tak keng tel a awm nual a. Entir nan – hmangaihna tih te, simna te, ngaihdamna te, siam thar lehna te, Pathian Ram te, kross emaw khenbeh thu te, leh a dang tam tak kan nei a ni. Heng hi a pawimawh a; thlarau nun chawmtu leh thanlen nan a thil pawimawh ber ber an nih avangin a sawi pawh kan sawi zel tur a ni ang.

Amaherawh chu, heng Pathian thu laimu kan tih takte hi kan tuipui takzet lai a, miin RINAWMNA  a tlakchham hlauh thung chuan amah leh a thu tuipui ber chu ‘engmah lo vek-ah’ a chang thei tih kan hriat thar a tha hle mai. Bible-in thupek roprui ber a tih chu – ‘hmangaihna’ a ni a. ‘Dan zawng zawng khaikhawmtu’ ti hial a sawi leh zirtirna pawimawh a ni. Amaherawh chu, miin rinawmna a tlakchham hlauh chuan hmangaihna pawh hian awmzia a nei thui chuang lo. Chuvang chuan Pathian thu laimu dang tluk (zawng ai ni lovin) zetin ngai pawimawh i la; ‘thlarau mi’ kan tehna key pui berahte hian nei hial i la, khawvel danglam zel leh a tui fawn avang a kan nun sawi nghin a awm thin pawh hi ‘mi Pathian leh a hmanraw dang lak a a rinawm miau chuan’ awmzia a nei zual ngeiin a rinawm.

Pathian leh a thutakin hmun laili ber (centrality) a chan tlat thinna nun-ah hian rinawmna hi a awm a. Pathian tana mi rinawm chuan - “Khawvel mawinate lo vul mahse, Ka tan zawng i mawi ber lal Isu” a ti zel dawn a. Chutiang mi chu Post-modern culture-a Pathian leh a ram tulnain a mamawh, duapkai ve lo; khawvel danglam zel a Krista thu hretu atana Lalpa Pathianin a mit a len thinnate an ni.

WITNESSING CHRIST IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-MODERN CULTURE

{A sermon delivered by me on 12.03.2018 at Morning Worship Service, Serampore College (CLRC)}

Prayer:

Introduction:
When i was preparing a sermon for today, there are three important topics that occupied my mind; among those themes “Witnessing Christ in the context of Post-Modern Culture” is the theme that captured my inner thought and has remained in my mind. But the theme/phrase seems like too complicated for me, it is not simple as i believe to prepare a sermon for the concern is too vast and philosophical. But when I came to know the theme chosen by final year students in the first day of their creative worship which went along with mine, therefore, the chosen theme somehow encouraged me and then finally I also agreed and believed that God may also approve and may use it for his glory.

Therefore, “witnessing Christ in the context of postmodern culture” shall be our chosen theme for today.

However, to begin with this theme, I would like to mention a bit concept and understanding of post-modernism, including certain ideological concept and challenges posed by post-modernism. Then we will move on to the main focus by mentioning one area of concern through which one may find a suitable answer to become responsible Christian, for witnessing Christ in the context of post-modern world. However, the theme may require little further investigation of the present situation of our society; and this will also be done as we deal with certain ideological concepts and challenges posed by post modernism.

Therefore the area of concern I would like to bring forward to draw our attention and to take heed for this moment is/are;

- What challenges does post-modernism has brought to us?

 - As a theological student / being a disciple of Jesus, what responsible are we going to take-up to witness Christ in this context?

So, in order to give an appropriate answer to these questions, I think, we need to have a little more insight to the concept and understanding of post-modernism and various challenges posed by post-modernism which is one of the appealing challenges confronted by churches today as well as individual Christians.

Post-modernism: By the late 1960’s the term post-modernism began to appear in journals and magazines, but this was first used as a description of a new movement in art, particularly painting and architecture. But as time went on, the term was applied to describe changes in many other areas of human endeavor. The term, however, literally means “after modernism”. And it is used to philosophically describe the current era which came after the age of modernism. Therefore the term ‘Postmodernism’ indicates ‘the end of the modern period, which began with the enlightenment in the eighteenth century and extended into the latter half of the twentieth century, reckonings (by some) into the 1980s.

Thomas C. Oden, who wrote “The Death of Modernity and Postmodern Evangelical Spirituality, ” (in The Challenge of Postmodernism), makes a definite statement - He said – “By postmodern, we mean the course of actual history following the death of modernity. By modernity we mean the period, the ideology, and the malaise of the time from 1789 (i.e the year of awakening and great revolution) to 1989, from the Bastille to the Berlin Wall.”

That means, by this time frame, the postmodern era has already begun. And a new way of viewing the world has emerged. The “modern” way of thinking that dominated the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has become obsolete. Or in another words - the modern ideas are no longer relevant for all.

Therefore, as a result of this drastic change; great numbers of new concepts, worldviews, affirmations and claims holds by modernists have come up and were developed. For example - Philosophy of Postmodernism affirms that there is no objective or absolute truth, especially in matters of religion and spirituality. Therefore, when confronted with ‘a truth claim’ regarding the reality of God and religious practice; postmodernist may response saying - “that may be true for you, but not for me.” Therefore, this kind of mind-set is very dangerous when it is applied to reality because it confuses matters of opinion with matters of truth. And moreover, this further culminated in a philosophy of religious pluralism that says no faith or religion is objectively true and therefore no one can claim his or her religion is true and another is false.

Apart from what have been mentioned, there are also good numbers of examples that may characterize postmodernism. But for sure, since my knowledge is limited in this regards, I would like to mention only certain areas that may characterize the main feature of postmodernism. For example; Along with this new phenomenon, certain ideologies or new concept of understanding have emerged and Simultaneously convinced and deeply penetrated many people of this contemporary world;

Therefore, according to postmodernists;

1. Fact and truth are created by assumption not by observation and logic.

2. They strongly hold spiritual pluralism – which says all religions require assumptive reasoning and are therefore equal.

3. For them- there is no right or wrong lifestyle except those agreed upon. That means everyone has right to choose for his/her lifestyle. It is probable that because of this new affirmation, one of the sayings “It’s my life” is very common among the youth today.

4. Biblical truths are no longer relevant, and they dismissed whatever doesn’t feel compatible with personal journey. In this regards – some postmodernist celebrated what they called it – the death of God (God has no place in their lives, God does not own their life, it is meaningless for them).

5. They also believed that - other gods and culture can also produce ultimate ‘peace and oneness’ to their believers.

6. For them - there can be no moral absolutes. Freedom in all aspects of human life and tolerance is strongly adhered/ supported.

7. They also believe that humans are free to choose their own sexuality and identity. As a result the issue of LGBT becomes a social issue which is compromised and accepted by many people and nations.

8. Judgement of right and wrong is made upon agreed standard.

As a result of these new ways of thinking and perceptions/viewpoints:

- Christianity, the scripture, doctrine, church tradition and practices, etc which in the past strongly held by the church as the best standard for individual moral and spiritual life are no longer used for the best standard to judge and to make decisions on what is right and wrong, good or bad. As a result the best standard of living is now in danger.

- Individualism is promoted extensively, therefore as a result, certain communitarian values (unity, cooperation, participation, tlawmngaihna, respect for others/elders, etc) are no longer put valued in their minds of many people; therefore the ‘values’ become declined and deteriorated.

- People begun to misuse their individual rights and freedom, by overlooking or forgetting the beauty and significance of the same communitarian values.

- Technological messiahnism is spreading and rampant everywhere, as a result; laziness, slothfulness, easiness, too broad-mindedness, permissiveness, and many other negative mind-sets, etc. become our new way of life.

- Our value system and the way we perceive things become totally changed.

- And moreover, changes in our lifestyle are another consequence of this new phenomenon.

- Liberalism and Religious pluralism which according to me is one of the greatest threats and enemies for evangelism and mission of the church is promoted.

- Lastly, the danger of postmodernism is that – as already pointed out; it denies the very existence of truth. This core principle of postmodernism has been called a philosophical earthquake that is causing a radical shift in thinking about the world and reality.

In addition, many people now have put up the lens of postmodernism; they also clothed themselves with the new concepts and worldviews which they considered it as ‘more intellectual thinking and perception’ than anything else. But frankly speaking, the consequent result, we see is - many people now are turning away and have been blown away from the truth, from the sound believed and the core teachings of the scripture, etc for human minds are being controlled and governed by the spirit of materialism, liberalism, individualism, spiritual nominalism, intellectual reasoning and thinking, and other principalities including diverse form of forces.

Paul has rightly said in II TIM 4:3-4: "For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths."

Therefore, one of the undeniable facts, we can see now is - changes have been taken place not only in this temporal world, but in human minds, affecting our spiritual outlook. And this is the reality that the present society is facing or confronting.

Therefore, a part from what have been mentioned, another challenge which is more appealing for God’s people we still have is; - In what way we shall witness Christ in this scenario, in this context?

I would like to propose only one suggestion in and through which one may find the best quality of Christian life to help him/her strong and to witness Christ in this context. I.e FAITHFULNESS which is one of the key defining qualities of God's own character; which is so important to God as well as for man; for it is also listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in the scripture (Galatians 5).

According to me, Faithfulness is the best quality by which we should measure our spirituality. In academic and Christian circles as a whole; and in our scripture as well – we have seen so many important biblical themes without which our doctrine, our faith, our spiritual growth, as we believed, cannot be completed – for eg: love, transformation, being crucified in Christ, faith, praise, worship, etc and many more. No doubt, and fairly speaking – the themes we mentioned have their own significant importance for our spiritual and temporal life.

But despite of the fact that without ‘faithfulness’, such biblical themes which we considered as prerequisite for Christian living have no meaning at all. We may talk about ‘Love’ – which is one of the core teachings of the scripture, but without faithfulness love does not have meaning.

Therefore, what i mean here is; above all other biblical themes– the imperative and greatest quality that a person need to acquire and ought to emphasize is faithfulness.

However, faithfulness, what I would like to emphasize is – Faithfulness;
- To God, to ourselves, to the scripture, to the call in which we engage ourselves, to the small/smallest thing, Faithfulness in the midst of trails and temptations, Faithfulness which has dependable quality that cannot be broken /shaken even within as well as after crossing the boundary of our comfort zone. And lastly, a faithfulness that will endure/withstand under different pressures and circumstances.

Whenever I think of the term –faithfulness; one biblical figure that often occupied my mind was DANIEL whose charter is outstanding and has convincing power.

As we most often remember Daniel as the one who is in the lions' den, and a lot more to his life – like how they thrown into a furnace of blazing fire . Throughout the first six chapters, we learn about how to remain faithful in all circumstances. He ran into several trying situations that may have caused him to lose faith or bend from his beliefs, but Daniel stayed strong.

- His new environment along with the new culture, he (Daniel) experienced including different forces

- Trails and temptations

- Danger, Prison and other life threatening situations

- The decree of the Persian court

- Principalities and power

- Philosophy and intellectual thinking of his time, etc

All these things could not enable him to shake his loyalty to God and to his standard. He was remaining faithful all the time.

In Dan. 3:16-18 we find very convincing and powerful commitment of expression which say, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king; that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

His honesty and loyalty to his masters never led him to compromise his faith in the one true God. He remained steadfast in his commitment to God.

As already mentioned to us, he faced far more pressures and problems than we are ever likely to face. There were also many temptations, and opportunities for him to become proud or corrupt or to compromise, but he never did. He was remarkably faithful to God, to the Kings he worked for, and to everybody he ever met. Therefore not even his enemies could find any fault in him, even though they wanted to.

Of course/though, there are many positive sides or things that the world has brought in, but the world we live in on the other hand is no longer the world as we imagine – it is full of confrontations, doubtfulness, uncertainties, misleading/deceitful concepts and thoughts, liberalism, ungodliness, slackness/negligence, rebellious attitude, diverse forms of traps, and many more.

Many people now have been trapped and are being deceived by these powers and forces and are turned away from the truth, from the scripture, and from the sound doctrine, from the core principles and values of the kingdom of God. They totally fail to glorify God, neither were thankful to him, but become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Rom 1:21).

2Chro. 16:9 says – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Him-self strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Friends, God is looking for people whose heart is fully His and are loyal to Him. If we are faithful to God, He will show Himself strong toward us in all we do. Let’s search our hearts and make sure it is loyal and faithful to God. Let us remain faithful in the midst of different circumstances as we live and engage ourselves within and in the context of postmodernism.

Let this song be our new spiritual song through which we may publicly confess and re-affirm our stand for the living and only true God.

1. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather b0e His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land,
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

2. I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

3. Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today...