Marbaniang, Domenic

An Unforgettable Boat Ride He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. (Psa 107:29 NIV) One day, the Bible tells us in Luke 8:22, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples. There were many times that Jesus chose to have a boat ride along with His disciples. If you have been on a boat sometime, you may remember it as a very pleasurable experience. But, for those who have travelled in a boat many times, almost everyday, the ride is as common as going to school in a school van, car, or an autorickshaw. But, this was a ride that the disciples could never forget. How do we know that? Because they spoke about it again and again, and we read about what they spoke in the Bible. You never speak about your everyday walk or ride to school in general. But, if you had some unusual or very different experience, you would surely tell. And, in case you had an unforgettable experience, you might even want to write about it. So, what was this experience that the disciples of Jesu...

Forthcoming in ChristianTrends The answer, obviously, is “No!” God is not the author of sin. However, it is not an answer as easily agreed upon as stated. Answering the Calvinist The extreme Calvinists that are committed to the once-saved-forever-saved doctrine of eternal security, for instance, maintain that it was God Himself who ordained the sin and fall of Adam. In his The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (1932), Loraine Boettner wrote: “Even the fall of Adam, and through him the fall of the race, was not by chance or accident, but was so ordained in the secret counsels of God.” And again, “we hold that God fore-planned and fore-saw the fall; that it in no sense came as a surprise to Him.” Likewise, Edwin H. Palmer, in his The Five Points of Calvinism, argued: “Even sin - the fall of the devil from heaven, the fall of Adam, and every evil thought, word, and deed in all of history, including the worst sin of all, Judas’ betrayal of Christ - is included in the eternal decree of...

Why do the stones disappear when I try to place my foot on them and walk? Why when I raise my sails, the winds suddenly, unhesitatingly stop? Why do I find out I am late, when I am excited that time hasn't been lost? Why is there such painful silence, when all I want to hear is a voice? Why is the heaven above so stony cold when I want to feel its heart? Why is the fire of hell so bold as a fiery, piercing dart? Why can't the Savior be seen anywhere when the going seems so hard? Why, O why, I ask while doubts assail my solitary thoughts. But, dark as it seems the coldest hour of the night, I know He is there though invisible to my sight; The thoughts of His mind, I may not ever see, But He sees me; that's enough, I see light!

Jesus didn’t just make claims like “I am the Bread of Life” (Jn.6:48), “I am the Light of the world”(Jn.8:12), “I am the Gate” (Jn.10:9), “I am the Good Shepherd” (Jn.10:11), “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn.11:25), and “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn.14:6); Jesus also invited examination of His claims. He called upon men to examine the logic of His teaching and to evaluate what He said by what He did (Jn.10:38). There are a few characteristics of the testimony of Christ that we need to note: 1. The Testimony of Christ is Not Dependent upon the Testimony of Man. When Jesus was at Jerusalem and many people believed in Him because of the miraculous signs that He did, we are told that He would not entrust Himself to them for He knew all men and He did not need the testimony of man about man as well, for He knew what was in a man (Jn.2:25). Regarding the testimony of John the Baptist, Jesus said, “I do not receive testimony from man” (Jn.5:34). The reason, of course, wa...

We usually judge things when we choose to buy or buy again. We look at reviews of products before we buy and have an opinion about products after we have used them. Suppose someone asked me the question, "How do you know that this dictionary is better than the other?" I would not reply that I don't consider any dictionary authoritative or true because it is compiled by humans; I would not question, "Why should any human tell me what is the meaning of a word?" I know the quality and the veracity of a dictionary by using it. If a dictionary is a standard and reliable one, i.e. it is authoritative, then it will help me to make sense of language every time I come across a word that I cannot make sense of. Similarly, a scripture that deals with spiritual reality can only be authoritative and genuine when it helps me make a meaningful and right sense of the universe and my experiences in the world. Suppose, it is filled with unintelligible words or with stuff that can...

There are many reasons that a man may give for believing in God. But, I think one of the most personal is the rationale of meaningfulness. Belief in God helps us to make a right sense of the world and helps us to live life better. Now, this may not appeal to all; but, it is true. Somebody said that God is like the sun; you cannot look at it, but without it you cannot look at anything else. We may take the example of a man who has sight problems and tries different lenses before he finally understands which lens helps him to read the letters properly. He may use the lens of deism and it fails short of divine involvement in the universe; he may use the lens of polytheism and it fails short of divine infinitude and sovereignty; he may use the lens of atheism and it fails short of meaningfulness and moral value; but, only in the Trinitarian view of belief in God does one find an answer to the meaning of life; for it talks of divine infinitude, divine unity, divine relation in community, di...

Right or wrong? How many times We ask the question throughout the day. Right or wrong? We all know why We long to know what to say, To do, to choose; when to stop, When to go, where to stay. Right or wrong? It's an easy question, But, answers aren't as easy always; So, we look to friends for suggestion, But, find them often themselves at bay To know, to advice, to perceive What can go, what must stay. Right or wrong? The tree has no answer That opened the eyes of mother Eve. Right or wrong? I look to the answer In the eyes of my Savior King, In what He loves, what He affirms, In what He shows, what He gives.

"The reality... is found in Christ" (Col.2:17) Generations come and generations go, swift as a fleeting cloud; thoughts rise and thoughts fall, unstable as the crest and the trough... Hurricane years, shadowy fortunes, dimming light, waning strength: all void, pitiful, and meaningless unless anchored in the Reality of the Crucified Christ. When I think of Love, I think of Him; when I think of Hope, I think of Him; when I think of forgiveness, I think of Him; when I think of a new start, I think of Him; when I think of justice, I think of Him; when I think of compassion, I think of Him; when I think of the earth, I think of Him; when I think of heaven, I think of Him... He is central to all. The reality is found in Christ!

Prov 10:17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. Prov 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. Prov 13:18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. Prov 15:5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. Prov 15:32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. Prov 23:23 Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. Dicipline by hearing the voice of the Lord Deut 4:36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Prov 1:2-3 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair Ps 94:12 Blessed is the man you discipli...

LIGHT in Darkness 1. Darkness of Sin (Ep.5:11,12) Condition of the unbelievers (Eph.4:18,19) Jesus. Zech 4:2: SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Eph.5:8 - You are Light 2. Darkness of the World Controlled by Devil (Eph.6:12; 1Jn.5:9) -Devil blinds minds (2Cor.4:4) -Devil oppresses people (Acts 10:38) Jesus: Prince of the kingdom of Light (Col.1:12-13) 3. Darkness of Foolish Imagination Rom.1:21-23 Rev.3:17 Jesus: Amen the Faithful and True Witness (Rev.3:14) 4. Darkness of Death Job 10:21,22; Ps.23:4; Jn.8:12; Hb.2:14,15; Ps.18:28; 112:4 CHRIST Light of Life Light of Understanding Light of Good Light of Fearlessness

1. The Invisible Made Visible -General Revelation (1Tim.1:17) -Specific Revelation (Jn.1:18) Heb.1:3; Col.1:15 2. The Distant Brought Near -Immanuel - God with us -Jn.1:14 - "dwelt among us" Acts 17:27,28 3. The Unknown Made Known Acts 17:23. To the Unknown God Jn.1:18; Jn.17:6-8 Jn.14:7 4. The Hidden Revealed Job 23:8-9 Psalm 18:11

CUT C OVENANT U NION T YPE 1. Marriage is a COVENANT of Love. The saying, "Love is blind" is often quoted. But, the saying is not biblical. It was Shakespeare who in, Two Gentlemen of Verona stated "Love is blind." Bible doesn’t call love blind but hatred as blind. (1Jo 2:9-11 NKJ) 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. But, lust is blind… as in all sinful violation of love.. carnal romance, adultery... Young people don’t be misguided by the songs that adulterers and fornicators write. Our present world has become so duped that it is lesbians and gays who are now writing the songs of love. What wickedness! They are not songs of true love. These are not models of love, but of those wh...