Marbaniang, Domenic

Talents are the responsibilities handed over to you. Unless you are faithful in these, you can't be trusted for greater ones. In this parable recorded in Matthew 25, the talents (bags full of gold) may appear to be very big responsibilities in our sight, but to these servants they were not so, having been trained in the administration of such business for long. They were given talents according to their ability and not beyond that. Two of them were faithful; the last one, sadly, wasted the time that could be put to multiply the talent -- and time lost is lost forever, of course; in addition, he may have only been living out of the master's store, or being paid for being a servant during this time of idleness that he spent. He only added loss to his master. I've heard of people who, when they applied for higher jobs, were first put to little jobs such as cleaning the toilets as test of their faithfulness. If one can't be faithful in the least that he is asked to do, he i...

...continued from part 1 Eternal Priesthood The significance of Christ’s Incarnation is paramount to an understanding of the possibility and effectualness of prayer. His eternal and mediatory priesthood is the ultimate foundation of prayer. Therefore, the New Testament prescribes all prayer to be done in the Name of Jesus Christ (Jn.14:13,14; 16:23,24,26). The essence of this truth is captured in the declaration of Christ Himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn.14:6). This understanding is important since the statement is trans-temporal, it applies to both Pre-Fall and Post-Fall situations alike. There was never that Christ was not the way. He did not become the way. He eternally exists as the way, the truth, and the life – the eternal “I am”, immutable and absolute. Through Him were the worlds created, and for Him (Col.1:15). All things begin in Him and return to Him, who is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End (Rev....

Published in Basileia , April 2010 as "Encountering God in Prayer". At half-past four in the morning, the little neighborhood in Kolkata resounds with chirps of birds, radio music, and early voices of shopkeepers, vegetable vendors, paperboys, school kids, and a miscellany of others rolling into their day. Dominating these are the sounds of bells and sacred chants ( mantras ) from a nearby Temple, a Prayer Call ( adhan ) by a muezzin from a Mosque nearby, and hymns from Christian homes around. Religion, certainly, is an interwoven fiber of our society. Prayer is its distinctive feature. From homes and neighborhoods to schools, universities, and working places; from market places to river banks, vales, and mountain tops, we are incessantly surrounded by sights, symbols, and sounds of prayer. The experiences are varied; the commodities, not few. We, of course, talk of flowers, incense sticks, coconuts, and nectar; we also know a bit about prayer wheels, prayer mats, prayer shaw...

Divine sovereignty does not preclude human freewill. For God to be sovereign doesn't mean that He has to charter the course of every action on earth according to His will -- to stay, allow, or carry out everything on His own. In that case, "sovereignty" itself would be emptied of meaning, since it can only apply to that which can be ruled, particularly in a political sense. For instance, we call India a "Sovereign Republic"; it doesn't mean that all Indians are devoid of freewill. But, all Indians certainly are called to submit to the Law of the State. That is sovereignty. If the world were what it is in history because of divine predetermination, then freedom of will wouldn't exist; meaning, that the world would be like a big machine that an operator is operating; the machine has no will of its own and so can submit to none by its own free choice; it is amoral. But the human world is not so; it is governed on ethical and socio-political laws that call o...

Genealogy of Jesus according to Luke God Adam Seth Enosh Cainain Mahalalel Jared Enoch Methuselah Lamech Noah Shem Arphaxad Cainan Shelah Eber Peleg Reu Serug Nahor Terah Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Pharez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David Nathan Mattatha Menna Melea Eliakim Jonam Joseph Judah Simeon Levi Matthat Jorim Eliezer Joshua Er Elmadam Cosam Addi Melchi Neri Shealtiel Zerubbabel Rhesa Joanan Joda Josech Semein Mattathias Mahath Naggai Hesli Nahum Amos Mattathias Joseph Jannai Melchi Levi Matthat Heli Mary & Joseph Jesus Genealogy of Jesus according to Matthew Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah & Tamar Pharez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon & Rahab Boaz & Ruth Obed Jesse David & Wife of Uriah Solomon Rehoboam Abijam Asa Jebahdiah Jehoram Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jeconiah Shealtiel Zerubbabel Abiud Eliakim Azor Zadok Achim Eliud Eleazar Matthan Jacob Joseph & Mary Jesus The discrepancies between the genealogy of Je...

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13,14) There are two kinds of living: intelligent living and unintelligent living. Intelligent living is a life governed by purpose and design; unintelligent living is a life which is ungoverned and reckless. If you have seen a man committed to a cause and living his entire life for that end, we have here an example of intelligent living. On the other hand, if you see a man waste his life shifting jobs of various kinds, having no clear purpose in mind, and chiefly concerned only about his immediate needs, this is an example of unintelligent living. Many people only live for the present. That hardly distinguishes them from animals; for animals also live only for their present. I heard of a tribe in the Amazon called Piraha whos...

Wickedness is when you can do something wrong and feel nothing guilty about it. Hyper-wickedness is when you are able to give an explanation for it. If you can fall easily into a sin, you are its slave; what God says will matter less, practically speaking. You must be touched by the world, but not moved by it: you must touch the world and change it. If you wish to be truly satisfied, dive into the river of God's life.

The misty envelop has now dissolved, A close shave from a nasty snare. Amidst wildest wars unresolved, Salvation from the raving rage. The doubtful dilemma of deceptive distractions Has taken up wings and flown away, The world has expressed its final disapproval, It can't accept God's brand anyway. My soul takes wings of the eagle And flies across the open sky, It beholds the world of humanity entangled In lusts of flesh and lusts of eyes. Also, pride haunts the heart of humans, Nay, say hunts them on the deadly trail. It pounces and falls on the souls of such persons That turn away, misled, into the path of hades. But, save these from the fire, Mark this as your cause, Seek first God's chief desire, And you shall suffer no loss. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6.33 Domenic Marbaniang, March 8, 2011

You may conquer the galaxies and reign over the stars, Then, after that, what yet? You may receive adulation of all that are born, Then, after that, what yet? You may have all the riches that riches can contain, Then, after that, what yet? Does space have a border; is there to heights an end? You move upwards, downwards, and sidewards; Yet, farther recedes space (Distraught by time); You never reach 'Cos the world is not your end. I will show you your destiny, O man, woman, or child, whoever! This world is a train, don't just walk in it, 'Cos the train is not the end. Get your maps ready, chart your course right, Here is your destiny, beyond space and time: Eternity... This world is a little game, with spectators all around, The game seems all reality when you're playing in the ground. But, sooner the game will be over; then, there's a world beyond... Each fragment of life is a game with its rules, a perspective, an angle; Don't be so lost in it, that you forget...