A Real Hard Day's Work

Breaking The Concrete Ditch

A few days ago, I saw some city workmen and a city work woman breaking up a drainage ditch near the ministry. So, as usual, I grabbed my camera and captured it.

It's really amazing to see that without the aid of a jackhammer, or gloves, two men and a woman broke up the whole ditch in a single afternoon's work. And even more so since it was pouring rain.

(UPDATE: I think the idea here was to replace the above ground sewage ditch with one that would run down the street below the surface of the road. And since the men were wearing construction hats (off and on), I have to assume the city government is responsible for the work.)

Give Me Jesus

I discovered this excellent music video by Fernando Ortega on Justin Taylor's blog a few days ago. It's Christ-centered and very well done!

On Vimeo's site, the description says,

"This music video was produced for the December 2007 Billy Graham Television Special in honor of Ruth Bell Graham."

[HT: JT]

A Tribute To YSR

A famous Telugu Christian artist recently wrote a song in tribute to our late chief minister, YS Rajasekhara Reddy. His team produced a video to go along with it.

By watching this video can get a sense of the ethos that has pervaded the nation during the last few weeks.

Treasuring Him

This video asks and gloriously answers the question;

How Does Paul Make Christ Look Great In His Life And Thus Not Waste It?

Before you watch another youtube video, watch this one.

Questions For Thinking

Adams Synchronological Chart or Map of History

by Joshua

Before going to work today, I consulted my copy of the Teacher's Guide for Adams time-line of history. In Appendix A, I discovered a table describing thinking skills that would be helpful for teachers who are looking to promote thinking in their students. The best part of the sheet is a list of questions to get things rolling.

There was also a brief reason why teachers should ask these kinds of questions;

"As teachers , we tend to ask question in the 'knowledge' category 80 to 90 percent of the time. These questions are not bad, but using them all the time is. Try to utilize higher-order level questions. These questions require more 'brain power' and a more extensive and elaborate answer. The chart shows the six question categories as defined by Bloom." Teachers Guide Pg 18

The Chart is more than 20 feet long

Sample Questions:

Knowledge:

• Who, What, Where, When, How ...?
• Describe

Comprehension:

• Retell ____.
• Summarize the main point, in the correct order.
• What was the problem - how was it solved?
• Predict how the story will end.

Application:

• How is ____ an example of ____?
• How is ____ related to ____?
• Why is ____ Significant?

Analysis:

• What are the parts or features of ____?
• Classify ____ according to ____.
• Outline/diagram ____.
• How does ____ compare/contrast with ____?
• What evidence can you list for ____?

Synthesis:

• What would you predict/infer from ____?
• What ideas can you add to ____?
• How would you create/design a new ____?
• What might happen if you combined ____?
• What solutions would you suggest for ____?

Evaluation:

• Do you agree ___?
• What do you think about ___?
• What is the most important ____?
• Place the following in the order of priority ____.
• How would you decide about ____?
• What criteria would you use to assess ____?

Of all these sample question categories, I think comprehension is my favorite. Take for example, the grand narrative of the bible.

How well can we,

A.) Retell the biblical narrative to others who need to know their origins, their sin, need of a savior, and the gospel?

B.) Summarize the main point of the biblical narrative, in the correct order?

C.) Say what was the main problem and how it was solved?


Soli Deo Gloria,

Josh

Reform your life and doctrine, meet with God in the text

One in Your essense, Three in Your Person

Posing for the camera at a village in Ghana

by Kwame Nyarko

[FYI: Kwame is a great friend of the family who hails from Ghana Africa and is studying for his doctorate in the US. He loves Jesus, excels in his studies, and really enjoys reading theology by old dead guys in his spare time (of which there isn't much.) I am very thankful that he was able to make time for this post. My desire is to demonstrate the unity we have in Christ by linking contributions from Africa, America, India and around the world right here on this blog. - Josh]

This is a modified version of an email I sent to my dear cousin Atsu. Atsu and I had been emailing about “Paul, a servant of God”. However, at the time of typing, I had Matthew 4:19 and Luke 14:26 on my mind and I was listening to John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. So I ask for your pardon for what may seem to be a scattered post.

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness. Titus 1:1

I started off today thinking about the gospel- thinking about the hope that it presents to us. I thought I would share that with you.

Completely outside of man’s power, doing or ability, God the Father draws us, via the working of the Spirit, giving us faith in Jesus Christ. This free gift of faith enables man to “see” the sufficiency of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. We then begin on the narrow road of treasuring our Lord above all things and setting our affections on things above. Those who are truly the Lord’s remain His forever since there is no one that can pluck them out of His hands. Putting it another way, Jesus Christ becomes the author of our faith as God provides grace and mercy (that we don’t deserve), and the Spirit quickens us to life (we were dead). Jesus Christ is the finisher of our faith because He cannot (and will not) lose anyone that the Father gives to Him, and He serves as our high priest on the right hand of God, interceding for us. The Father also keeps us because He elected us and He cannot lose us. I could add that He keeps us also through His love, reprimanding and guidance; and the Spirit is renewing and preserving us for eternity.

What perfect unity in the Trinity! In the Pilgrim’s progress, John Bunyan talks about how God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost all save us. Here is a little taste of a conversation between James and Prudence.

Prudence: Come James, canst thou tell me who made thee?
James: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost
Prudence: Good boy. And canst thou tell who saves thee?
James: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost
Prudence: Good boy still. But how doth God the Father save thee?
James: By His Grace
Prudence: How doth God the Son save thee?
James: By his Righteousness, Death, and Blood, and Life.
Prudence: And how doth God the Holy Ghost save thee?
James: By his Illumination, by his Renovation, and by his Preservation


They distinctly work together for their own glory alone!!


Concerning Titus 1:1, Matthew Henry comments:

“Here he (Paul) is described by his relation and office: A servant of God, not in the general sense only, as a man and a Christian, but especially as a minister, serving God in the gospel of his Son,….

Paul is described more especially as a chief minister, an apostle of Jesus Christ; one who had seen the Lord, and was immediately called and commissioned by him, and had his doctrine from him. Observe, the highest officers in the church are but servants.”

Would you agree that if I wanted to please you in some service to you, I would have to get to know you and know what pleases you? Also, to accurately tell other people about you, I have to know you and know what it is that you want me to tell about you. I don’t think this is any different from what we are to do with respect to the good news. Oh that we would in a way that pleases God, serve Him in the gospel of His Son. Let us ask and ask and ask for grace to dwell on the gospel, to continually etch the person of Christ into our hearts, to bleed bibline like the prince of preachers and to preach the gospel to ourselves daily.


To Joshua and to all who visit Focused on Christ, “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.”


Soli Deo Gloria


Kwame

Indian Children Artwork

"I have set before you life and death" Deu 30:19

On Saturday afternoon we held a type of art day for the Children's Home kids. About one hundred and sixty children drew scenes featuring Christian based themes and Indian landscapes.

It was a lot of fun watching the children diligently creating their drawings. Some of the smaller children created some surprisingly creative scenes.

I made this short video to commemorate the occasion. I guarantee it will be worth your time to watch it: (Also, more pictures below)



Mostly Original Artwork:

Using Portrait From School Book For Reference (8th Grade)

Indian Village Scene

Local Mountains, Sky, Birds, Trees and Housing Style

Local Fruit Tree and Bird (6th Grade Student)

It was a great afternoon. The children really put a lot of effort into their drawings. The took special care with every pen, marker, and pencil stroke. We will have to do it again.

Post 9/11 And The Social Media Revolution

WARNING! I may be out on a wire here

I think everyone can see that the world has changed quite a bit since 9/11; The social media revolution being one of the biggest changes. As far as I can tell, no where in the history of the world has global informational connectivity been as readily accessible as it is today.

The possibilities for Christians to make much of God on the Internet are endless.

The resurgence hosted this short clip a few days back.



Any thoughts?

[HT: RESURGENCE]

Reflections On The Second Month

Alive and Kicking By God's Grace

Amazing! The second month in India has passed! It's time once again to pause and reflect on God's providence and grace over the previous thirty days.

I will start by going over some of the events that have happened here in the ministry and in India as a nation.

In India:

1. Independence Day Celebrations, India celebrated it's 62nd year of Independence.
   
   
2. The fantastic trip to the Mountain church. I enjoyed spending some time with Indian pastors who are serving in remote villages. The vast mountain scenery was also beautiful.
   
   
3. More than 20 believers were baptized. This was the most recent on campus baptism since Palm Sunday.
   
   
4. Was privileged to attended a wedding at a nearby mountain tribe.
   
   
5. For the first time ever (In India) I have electric power 24/7. Unless you have lived here, there is no way of really explaining how wonderful this is. It has to be experienced.
   
   
6. Our honorable chief minister, Rajasekhara Reddy passed away in a tragic helicopter crash during a violent thunder storm last week. Though deeply saddened by the loss of perhaps the greatest Chief minister in Indian history, Indian Christians are praising God for His kindness in blessing the state and nation through him .

Divine Providence At Work:

By God's grace I have been able to blog fairly regularly, and the content has been decent. In a unique way the blog challenges me to preserve ideas on a daily basis by recording them online. Focusing on Christ has been crucial even in directing the types of truths I have selected for this site.

In bible study this morning, providentially we re-examined this text;

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:6


Prayer Requests:

Please,

• pray that I will not waste a day here in India
• pray that deep affections for God will be my primary motivation
• pray for growth
• pray for contagious joy
  
• praise God for keeping me physically healthy for an incredible amount of time

Thank you very much for all your prayers, emails, blog comments, and support. It's been an amazing two months.


Soli Deo Gloria,

Josh

Reform your life and doctrine, meet with God in the text

So How About Switching to Another Gospel?

Satan's Subtle Lie's

My evangelist friend emailed me a copy of an essay on false gospels by A.W. Pink. It's called "Another Gospel" you can see the whole thing here.

Pink does an especially good job showing how subtlety the other gospel counterfeits the one true gospel. He begins his essay by saying, "Satan is not an initiator but an imitator." Pink then contrasts the things which God initiates and Satan imitates. Since Satan is a proven arch-counterfeiter it easily follows that he has counterfeited the Gospel also. Consider Galatians 1:6,7.

God Initiated:

• Only begotten Son, Jesus Christ
• the children of God
• "mystery of godliness" (1Tim 3:16)
• By his angles seals his servants their foreheads (Rev 7:3)
• Christ performed miracles
• Christ's Church
  
• Christ is the light of the world
• Made apostles
• Gospel (Romans 1:16) [Added for emphasis]
  

Satan's Imitations:

• "son of perdition" (2Thess 2:3)
• "the children of the wicked one" (Mat 13:38)
• "mystery of iniquity" (2Thess 2:7)
• Puts a mark on the forehead of his devotees (Rev 13:16)
• Satan's servants perform miracles (2Thess 2:9)
• Synagogue of Satan (Rev 2:9)
• Satan transforms himself into an angel of light (2Cor 11:14)
• Made false apostles (2Cor 11:13)
• Another gospel (Gal 1:6,7) [Added for emphasis]

AW Pink: 1886 - 1952 Pastor, Writer, Preacher

There is much more to be said, but rather than tiring you with a lengthy post I will leave you with the original article.

When a Man's Ways Please the Lord

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy

You may have noticed in the news, a few days ago on September 2nd, a helicopter carrying the chief minister of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and a few of his key leaders crashed. (Rajasekhar Reddy was the chief minister of this state for the last four years.) For the first twenty-four hours officials were not able to determine exactly what had happened, whether they had crashed or made a forced landing. All that was known was that his helicopter had disappeared from radar over a remote mountain range.

He was on his way to a village to see how he could help them.


After a day of searching, and the largest scale man hunt in India history, they located the wreckage of the helicopter and recovered all the bodies. His pilot had crashed directly into a mountain side amid heavy rains.

This was not the death of an ordinary politician

Rajasekhara Reddy was a Christian, and it showed.

One of the many new IT centers

Under his four year watch the state of Andhra Pradesh experienced unprecedented economical growth. The poor found that they could move out of thatch-roofed huts into solid homes which they could own themselves. (It is projected that by 2020 nearly the entire population of the state will live in houses rather than huts) The middle class found they could upgrade from motorcycles to cars. And the rich found they could become even richer. From the poorest to the richest, opportunity abounded for all social classes more than it ever had in all of history.

I witnessed it myself.

Vintage Car Show Held in The State Capital This Year

Moreover, Indian believers were able to exercise their constitutional rights of sharing the gospel and ministering without the fear of persecution.

Signing a measure that gives 30kgs free rice for the starving and 9 hours of free power to farmers

I have been told, that whenever he was praised for his achievements, he would point upwards and say, "it's not me, it's God who has done it."

Perhaps the most amazing thing I saw in the wake of his passing was his fiercest political opponents weeping and recounting his many accomplishments. That was in addition to almost unprecedented mass public sorrow.

I was reminded of Proverbs 16:7

"When a man's ways please the LORD,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Rajasekhara Reddy was no ordinary politician. And his God was no ordinary god. He had won the admiration of the poor and the rich. Even his enemies couldn't help but honor him in his death. He worked hard, brought prosperity to his state amid fierce opposition; kept his integrity in a politically corrupt environment, was a model example of how a Chief Minister should run his state, died while serving his people, and gave the glory to God.

He is gone. India has lost one of its greatest leaders, and he will be remembered.

Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship

Gospel-Centered (Christ-Centered)

I recently read Jonathan Dodson's curiously titled book, Fight Clubs. Dodson is the pastor of Austin City Life Church. He has made his book free to download. Fight Clubs weighs in at a light 51 pages.

In Fight Clubs, Dodson briefly relates his personal experiences with accountability groups he was involved in and how he moved away from Legalistic-checklist-Keeping-the-rules-Duty-driven-accountability-groups to God-honoring-Motivated-by-holy-affection-for-God-sin-fighting-groups.

Dodson worked to create a practical, Christ-centered accountability/discipleship model that would;

"avoid legalism by promoting a Christ-Centered reading of the scriptures... [and] avoid license by taking seriously the fight of faith against the flesh... [and] promote lasting joy in Jesus."pg 50

How Gospel-Centered Discipleship Works:

"Gospel-centered discipleship focuses the heart's attention onto Jesus, beholding and becoming like him." pg 15

Dodson calls on Christians to start fighting sin in a Romans 8:13 way. And he defines the fight in great part as "a fight to believe that the image of Jesus is the best image to fight for" pg 16

Dodson asserts that discipleship is a community project and outlines a model he calls Fight Clubs.

"Disciples of Jesus are part of a community that fights the fight of faith. What we need are small fighting communities that are committed to gospel-centered discipleship."pg 36

Dodson describes these communities (fight clubs) as, small, simple groups of 2-3 who meet regularly to help one another beat the flesh and believe in the promises of God.

There are three rules to Dodson's Fight Club:

1.) Know Your Sin
2.) Fight Your Sin
3.) Trust Your Savior

"The greatest weapon against our opponents is Spirit-empowered faith in the promises of God that have been guaranteed by the death of Christ."

After pondering what I read, I found the Fight Club model to be great for accountability and fighting sin, but not entirely adequate for believers to plug into as the complete solution for discipleship and community assisted spiritual growth. Dodson has developed other outlets that focus on those particular goals more effectively. Before ironing out Fight Clubs, he developed City-groups. (small groups that impact the city as well as the believers)

"City groups are geographically-based, city-focused communities of people that gather throughout the week to share life and truth, love God and one another, and engage the social and spiritual needs of our city. They're awesome, a place where the church can be the church to one another and to the city."

Any thoughts?

The Dodson Family

Milton Friedman on Greed and Corruption

20th Century Economist Milton Friedman (Jul 31, 1912 - Nov 16, 2006)

An evangelist friend of mine shared this video with me today. The video serves as a good example of the global corruption of man as a result of the fall.