Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Lord, Teach Us

2. How Lives Are Built

3. A New Commandment

4. As I Have Done

5. Nothing of My Own

6. In the Vine

7. Promise

Copyright

About the Authour

About Believers Eastern Church

More Resources of Believers Eastern Church

More Books by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said . ”

St Matthew 4:19, NIV

Introduction

One of the responsibilities I feel the Lord has given me is to continually remind and encourage my brothers and sisters in living a life of Christlike character. Through the years, I have learned that the best way to help others do this is not in a classroom full of methods and rules, but rather as Jesus taught—through everyday life events.

Through these pages, it is my desire to walk together with you and point out the ways Jesus responded to the situations and the people He met while on this earth. From His love and humility to His power and obedience, I pray that the message of this booklet would encourage you to continue your journey with Jesus, no matter what comes your way. For it is as we see Jesus in every moment of our lives that we not only learn from Him, but come to mirror Him as well, reflecting His character to everyone around us. In doing so, we bring glory to our God the Father. This is the desire of my heart, and I believe it is the desire of your heart as well.

CHAPTER ONE

Lord, Teach Us

In this day and age, when a person desires to learn something new or become skilled in a particular field, that person will seek some form of educational institution, be it a college or technical school, master’s program or certification. Years are spent, reports are written and book after book are studied, all to gain the desired knowledge.

But in ancient times, a different form of learning took place. Students lived with their teachers/masters, learning directly from watching their lives, pulling valuable lessons and asking necessary questions from daily events. Classrooms were replaced by homes, textbooks traded in for a living example. In the Asian culture, the same learning system exists, the guru-shisya system—that of learning from one’s master. The students submit themselves to their master and follow the instruction given, learning by observation and example rather than through textbooks and exams.

We can see by the way Jesus taught His disciples that He, too, knew the value of learning by example. All throughout the Gospels we find Jesus showing what the Father God was like through everyday events. Whatever came His way that day became His teaching material—a child’s illness, a crowd of hungry people, the woman caught in adultery, the disciples’ dusty feet and a confrontation by the high priest’s troops. Jesus used all these events and circumstances to show God’s character. But His teaching didn’t stop there. Jesus wasn’t merely showing us what God was like for the sake of knowledge, but so that we, through seeing Him, could become like Him and respond to the events of our lives just like Christ.

Imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples, spending your days with Him and seeing each moment of His life. For three years, you’ve watched Jesus as He called forth the dead, healed the sick, cast out the demons and fed the multitudes. After seeing such incredible things, how could you not be changed? Would you not hunger to know how He did these things—and even desire to do them yourself? In the Gospel according to St Luke, we catch a glimpse of the disciples’ desire to become like Jesus. It says, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray . . .’ ” (St Luke 11:1, NIV). And Jesus taught them!

In St Mark we also read of the account in which Jesus sent out His disciples to do all that they had watched Him do:

“Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (St Mark 6:7, 12–13, NIV).

Until this point, all the disciples had known were fishing nets and village life. Yet Jesus sent them out to do His works. And we see that they came back rejoicing because even demons submitted to them (see St Luke 10). We are all familiar with the lives of the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension as recorded in the book of Acts. They went on to evangelise their entire world, suffering great persecution yet enduring until the end. Think of where they began. How were they able to do what they did and make such an incredible impact on their world? Only because they saw Jesus.

They walked with Him. They watched His life. They saw His passion. They saw His humility and His great love, portrayed in so many ways, time and time again. And they were changed by what they saw. Changed forever.

Jesus desires the same for us today. We are given the accounts of Jesus’ life not just for the sake of knowing how He lived, but so that we, in seeing Him, might be changed—changed into the very image of Christ. Then we, like the disciples, can go and live for Him, suffer for Him and make a lasting difference on our world.

CHAPTER TWO

How Lives Are Built

A good portion of my time is often spent with younger leaders who are experiencing some sort of difficult situation in their life or ministry. I try to help these brothers grow through these adverse circumstances of life to become more effective in their work for the Lord and to become even better leaders. The only way I can do this, though, is by showing them Jesus.

For example, several months ago one of our leaders called to tell me about a problem he was dealing with. This particular leader had spent several years training two brothers, discipling and entrusting them with a great amount of responsibility in the work. One day these brothers suddenly walked away from the work and joined with another organisation. Not only being upset over the situation, this leader was also very discouraged, having two close brothers just get up and leave. As I was speaking with him over the phone he said, “I wish they at least would have told me a few weeks earlier so that I could make arrangements for others to take over their responsibility. It is terribly unfair and unkind for this other organisation to not even attempt to make one telephone call to check with me about these brothers.” He continued to express his disappointment with a saddened heart. I asked him if he knew the reason why these brothers left. He said, “The truth of the matter is this other organisation offered them a lot of money and material benefits and that became the reason for them leaving.”

Of course, the whole reason this leader called me in the first place was to hear what I thought his next step should be. Instead of telling him “do this” or “do that,” I asked him to think with me about how Jesus would respond had He been in this situation. Together we recalled certain passages of Scripture, remembering that it was Jesus who said, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back” (St Luke 6: 28–30, niv).

It was soon clear how Jesus would respond. So this leader decided to write a letter to the head of the organisation the men joined and say all the good things he could about the two brothers who left him. He blessed that ministry and the tw brothers, promising to pray for them as they continued to serve the Lord.

It is in responding like this, in a way that mirrors Christ, that lives are built and leaders made. We all desire to become mature Christians and to be used by God. And we all have difficulties in our life as well. What we must see is that the two—maturity and difficulty—are linked by God to produce good in us, to the praise of the Father!

Just as Jesus used the events that surrounded His life on earth to teach and prepare His disciples, so too He desires for us to receive His teaching and become like Him through the events of our lives. As God brings various circumstances and we learn to respond as Jesus would, we are transformed into the image of Christ.

We must keep in mind that this is a continual, daily process; none of us is fashioned into the image of Christ overnight. It takes years and many situations, but as you continue to choose to reflect Jesus in every situation, He will transform you to live this life pleasing to Him, bringing Him glory.

Ever wonder why you are not transported into heaven immediately after you receive Christ? It is because growth and maturity do not occur in a vacuum. They do not happen in a totally sterile and completely peaceful and happy environment where we always get what we want. No. Christian maturity— Christ likeness—happens only as we live like Him in this fallen world. As we see Jesus

in the midst of our daily lives, just as the disciples did, our lives are shaped and we are made into His image.

As Jesus’ ministry on this earth was soon coming to an end, He prayed for the disciples and for all those who would come to believe on His name some day. It is interesting what He prayed: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (St John 17:15). Jesus left us in the world, not to become a part of it but to learn more of Him through each trial and tribulation. We are in the world to be changed into His likeness and to reflect His character and glory in every situation. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus “learned obedience by the things which

He suffered.” If the Son of God learned obedience through the things He experienced on the earth, then the same should be true for us.

Think about Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Gideon, St Peter or Apostle Paul. Read about the lives of modern-day saints like Sadhu Sundar Singh, Pandita Ramabai, John Hyde, George Muller or Gladys Aylward. These people were made and shaped into those whom we esteem today by the difficulties and hardships they endured. They allowed themselves to be taught by God in each situation.

In each event we face in life, we have the confident hope that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:28–29).

It is His grace that allows us to respond in this life as He would. It is His strength that carries us along this journey to learn from Him and become like Him. Jesus still calls to us today saying, “Come to Me . . . and learn from Me . . . ” (St Matthew 11:28–29, emphasis added). Please, I urge you, open your Bible and step into your own journey with Jesus.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see Jesus and to learn how what you read within those pages applies to your life and your situations today. Just like the disciples, it is only as we see Jesus that we become like Him and make a difference in our generation.

CHAPTER THREE

A New Commandment

In St John 13:34–35 (NIV), Jesus said to His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We’ve all had times in our lives when we have been hurt, perhaps by someone we know very well or someone we know just casually, and it is difficult to love. There are times in life when we are bound to experience difficult circumstances that cause much pain. Jesus experienced these same things as He walked this earth. How do we respond in those times? Our answer is found in seeing Jesus.

Imagine the topic of conversation among the disciples after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. I’m sure their minds strained to remember each event and how it related to what came to pass, recalling their times with the Lord, the days leading up to the crucifixion, and the dramatic and prophetic unfolding of every moment. Perhaps they recalled their own Judas, remembering how he left right in the middle of the Last Supper. By this time, the disciples knew that Judas was the one who had betrayed the Lord and how he had hung himself from the guilt of it. I can just hear one of the disciples saying, “I can’t believe Jesus didn’t just throw Judas out from the start! He had to have known all along that he was stealing money. And certainly He knew that Judas was the one who would betray Him in the end. Why did He let him stick around? At least Jesus could have told us that he was the one who was going to betray Him so that we could know to stay away from him.”

And then I can hear someone like St Peter speaking up, saying, “Well, I’m not surprised at the way Jesus treated Judas. Jesus loved us till the very end and that includes him. I betrayed Jesus as well; I denied Him—and not just once, but three times. With His own eyes He saw me turn my back on Him.

Yet when He rose again, He specifically called out my name and said, ‘Go and tell Peter.’ When He found me I was ashamed, discouraged and backslidden. But when I first saw Him after the resurrection, all I saw was His love and His mercy. Not once did He bring up my turning away or reprimand me and tell me how wrong I was. He simply came close and asked, ‘Do you love Me?’ ”

“No, I’m not surprised He loved Judas. He loved each one of us. And we must never forget what He told us: that we must love one another as He loved us.”

The disciples’ lives were completely transformed by what they saw in Jesus. They watched Him respond to beggars, hold little children and heal the blind. But what impacted the disciples even more was what they saw in Him after the resurrection—the forgiveness and love after the betrayal and turning away, the joy as He shows them the scars in His hands and side (see St Luke 24:39) and the camaraderie displayed as He cooks breakfast for them on the beach after a long night of toil (see St John 21:9).

I believe that the only reason the disciples were able to impact their world in such a great way and endure such intense persecution was because of the unfailing love they saw in Jesus. And it was because of this love that Stephen was able to suffer and die for the Lord in Acts 7, crying out for his persecutors just as Jesus did, saying, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:60). Love covers a multitude of sins.

Only as we behold Christ, aware of His presence and remembering the ultimate love He always displayed, can we begin to reflect His love to those around us.

The story is told that when the apostle John was a very old man who could hardly walk, the believers would carry him and sit him before the congregation to share. It is said that the only thing he could say was repeatedly the phrase, “Love one another. Love one another.”

As we see in St John 13, Jesus demonstrated to His disciples the importance of loving one another by His willingness to wash their feet. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (St John 13: 34). Up until this point, the disciples had only seen how Christ loved them and those around them. This is the first time that Jesus directly speaks to His disciples about loving one another. The Lord was essentially saying to them, “I’m just about to leave now. But I want you to understand this one thing—love each other. Love has been the foundation of everything I have done. So too it must be with each of you.”

Love was the bedrock of Jesus’ life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (St John 3:16, emphasis added). Therefore, love must be the bedrock of our lives. No matter what good we do in life, it all must flow from the spring of Christ’s love within our hearts.

Yet even in the familiarity of Bible verses, we still find it difficult to love one another. Why is that? One of the reasons is because we do not want to pay the price. You see, love is always costly. St John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave. ” (emphasis added). Gave what? What was the price of God’s love? His Son, Jesus. The cross was the price paid because of God’s love for us.

And we can ask, what is the price of our love? Put your name in that verse, “For __________ so loved that he/she gave. ” Gave what? The price of love will differ in form for each one of us, but God will always bring us opportunities to display His love to others. But remember, the price will always be costly—it will always involve saying “no” to self in some way. It could be quietly suffering and not defending yourself. It could be going the extra mile and taking the slack when somebody else didn’t do the job.

But whatever it is, God has brought these situations into our lives to make us like His Son, enabling us to display His love through our lives.

One of our missionaries in Nepal showed his love for a man in a remarkable way. While working in a particular village for a couple of years, this missionary was continually opposed by one certain man. This individual would adamantly hinder the missionary as he preached the Gospel and won people to Christ, even gathering groups of people to destroy the Christian literature and beat up the believers in the village.

One day, the man who opposed our missionary and the local church had a horrible accident in which both of his legs were broken. Deserted by all his friends, the man lay in his hut, penniless and without help.

When our missionary found out about this man’s accident, he didn’t let out a sigh of relief, glad that this man could no longer oppose him in his work of the Gospel.

Instead, our missionary decided to seize this opportunity to show the love of Christ to the very one who opposed him. He called together the believers in the village, and each donated a few rupees to pay for the man’s hospital visit. Then our missionary visited the man in his hut and carried him on his back for seven kilometers to the main road, where they caught a Jeep to the hospital.

After a month, the injured man fully recovered from his accident. The first thing he said when he saw the missionary was, “I cannot persist. I cannot oppose you any more. Jesus and His love, which I have seen and experienced through you and your church members, are so real. Thank you so much for loving me even when I hated you and hated Christ.” This, my friends, is the love of Christ in action. Remember, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Could you love like this? Could you love the one who has hurt you deeply? Could you love the one who is opposing you? When you feel that doing so is just simply impossible, remember Christ. Look to Him and allow Him to take you by the hand and show you how to love like Him. We can only love others because He first loved us (see 1 John 4:19). Genuine love comes from Him; as we stand in His presence, it can flow from us as well.

CHAPTER FOUR

As I Have Done

In St John 13, we see the beautiful place of humility the Son of God took before His own disciples. The passage reads,

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (St John 13:1, 4–5, 12–15, NIV).

In the Asian culture, it is difficult to even grasp this kind of event taking place! A master stooping down to wash his servants’ feet?! Only slaves do that! Yet, here we see the Creator of the universe, the Lord of lords and the King of kings who became the Son of Man, bending down to wash the feet of His disciples.

Everywhere you travel across this world, you will find people driven to exalt themselves, some in a blatant manner and some in subtle ways, but all somehow driven to be recognised and known. But in Gospel according to St John 13, we see the exact opposite happening. The one who, above all else, should be exalted, here is stooping low. And not low before powerful kings and rulers, but before ordinary men— His own disciples—to wash their dusty feet. All for one reason: “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (St John 13:15, emphasis added).

In the early years of my serving the Lord, I struggled with this inner desire to be recognised and esteemed, as I’m sure many of us do, even in Christian service. However, this should really have no place in the life of the child of God. When we behold Christ and realise the example He has given us, our lives and our pride should immediately bow—not just because of what has been done, but because of who has done it! If the Son of God could humble Himself before His disciples, how can I not humble myself in dealing with my brothers and sisters? Every situation that comes in our lives in which we feel that inner urge to fight for our way needs to be seen as an instrument of God to shape us into a humble servant. As we choose to bow low, just like Jesus, we begin to mirror Him. And each day becomes more and more, “He must increase . . . I must decrease” (St John 3:30).

In 1 Peter 5:5–6 (niv), we are told to clothe ourselves with humility. “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Oftentimes when we read this verse, we think the part that says, “He will lift you up” automatically means positions, titles, degrees or recognition. But this is far from what Christ meant. Humility cannot be mistaken for personal promotion. It is a dangerous thing for those in the Lord’s service to be living with the secret desire to be recognised, feel important, “climb the ladder” or be esteemed and rewarded by men.

Humility allows Christ’s life to be perfected in us. But pride, the opposite of humility, works death in us. To be exalted, honoured and recognised was the desire of Lucifer. He was not content with what God had chosen for him so he decided to exalt himself: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” (Isaiah 14: 13). Because of this Lucifer fell, rejected by God because of the pride in his heart. All sin originated in pride and self-exaltation. But our salvation originated in Christ humbling Himself in His death on the Cross.

Philippians 2:3–4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” How does that translate into our lives? We can say with our lips, “I am small,” but in our minds we are big. We have our education, our position and our possessions. We can look at someone and say, “This person is more important than I am” all we want. But we must live that out, demonstrating humility, if we are to be changed. In dealing with others, it helps if we realise that we could be in another’s situation. If it weren’t for the grace of God, that beggar on the street could be me.

In the late 1960s when I was in Rajasthan, we would hire three-wheel rickshaw taxis to get us around. The passengers would sit on the back seat with their luggage, while the rickshaw driver would sit on the front seat and peddle. For two hours of peddling, a driver would commonly receive about Rs.10 (equivalent to about 20 U.S. cents).

One day, I was riding in a rickshaw on my way to a meeting. It was the middle of summer, and the heat was overwhelming.

As I sat in the back seat of the rickshaw, I watched my driver. He was an old man, all skin and bones, the veins in his neck bulging from the strain and the heat. He had no shirt on and sweat poured down his body. “This is terrible!” I thought to myself. Here was this old man peddling hard to get me up this huge hill, in the middle of the summer heat. Certainly I had much more strength than he. I said to myself, “If it were not for the grace of God, I would be doing this job.”

So I told the driver to stop the rickshaw. He quit peddling, and concerned he had done something wrong, asked, “What happened?” I said, “Nothing is wrong. I just want you to give me the handlebars and you go and sit on the back.” He couldn’t believe it! I got on the front seat of that rickshaw and peddled the rest of the way. When I got to my destination, I gave him a Gospel tract and paid him more money than he deserved. The man was blown away by what he had witnessed and experienced.

Truth is, I never could have done something like that if I thought I was better than that man. It is only in seeing Christ’s humility and esteeming others better than myself that I am able to love my fellow man and walk humbly with him. As we embrace these opportunities, the sweet love of Jesus flows out of our lives, drawing all men to Him. Again and again, as the disciples traveled with Jesus, they saw His humility, His tears and His gentleness. Anyone could approach Him; there was no high-mindedness in His response to anyone. From the worst in the society to the most refined in the community, all could approach Him. He who knew their every sin and flaw still embraced them. Each was treated with dignity and compassion. This is the humility of Christ. And He did this so that we might do as He has done.

CHAPTER FIVE

Nothing of My Own

How many times must the disciples have heard Jesus say, “I do nothing of my own. I do only what My Father tells Me” (paraphrase; see St John 5:19, 8:28)? One of the many examples of this is found in St John 11. Lazarus, the man Jesus loved dearly, is terribly sick. His sisters send word to Jesus to come quickly to their aid. Because Jesus was fully human, I am certain that many emotions were stirred in His heart when He heard about the situation. Just imagine how you would feel if your closest and dearest friend was terribly sick and dying in the hospital. Would you not rush to your friend’s aid, laying aside your plans and agendas just to be with him in his time of need?

Jesus was fully God and fully man, so I am sure that He very much wanted to make the trip immediately, to go and touch His friend Lazarus and raise him up. But this is not what happened. Instead, “When Jesus heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick,

He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (St John 11:4–6, emphasis added). The place Jesus heard about Lazarus’s sickness was about 30 miles away from the town Lazarus lived in. So why isn’t Jesus rushing to go to His friend? Surely it would take at least two days just to walk to where Lazarus is. Why is Jesus planning on staying right where He’s at for two more days?!

Later in the chapter we read of Jesus finally arriving at the tomb of Lazarus, who had already been dead for four days. Both Mary and Martha cried to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, [our] brother would not have died” (St John 11:21).

Why was Jesus not there sooner? Why didn’t He go before Lazarus died? The answer is found in St John 5:19, “The Son can do nothing of Himself.” The moment Jesus heard the news about Lazarus, He looked up and asked His Father what He must do. The Father must have told Him, “Son, it is not the time. Wait.” And so Christ waited, demonstrating absolute submission to His Father’s will.

And again, in the last few minutes of Jesus’ life, before going to the cross, the disciples witnessed Christ kneeling and talking to His Father, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (St Luke 22:42). It was the Father’s will for the Son to drink the cup that He gave Him. And the Son, even though inside He pleaded for it to be taken from Him, yielded to the will of His Father. In life and in death, Christ showed how He submitted Himself to His Father’s will and authority, leaving this as an example for His disciples, and us, to follow.

Jesus was not only referring to submitting to spiritual authority either. He submitted to the governing authorities of His day as well, subject to the decisions of Herod and Pontius Pilate. If Christ, the one who rules the nations and sits at the right-hand throne of God, came to this earth and submitted to the leaders of His day, how much more should we?

How does Jesus’ example apply to our lives? Sometimes the leadership God places in our lives may be younger than we or perhaps less able or wise in our eyes. We must recognise that God is the one who placed those individuals over us. Romans 13:1–2 (NIV) says, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” We cannot break God’s order.

Jesus recognised in the garden of Gethsemane, as the Roman soldiers came to take Him away, that they “could have no power at all against [Him] unless it had been given [them] from above” (St John 19:11). And we must recognise the same in our lives, allowing each circumstance to be used as the tool to produce in us the submission and humility of Christ.

In Judges 7, we find the story of Gideon and his army. First starting at 32,000 men, Gideon’s army was quickly reduced to 10,000, and again until only 300 men, chosen by God, marched with him. That’s less than 1 percent of what he started with!

But Gideon didn’t need a large army— only a small one that would simply follow instructions. According to simple math and logic, the men in his army were incredibly outnumbered and doomed to die by the massive, opposing army. But according to the plan and instructions of the Lord, Gideon readied his men, giving each a clay pot containing a torch inside (see Judges 7: 16). He then turned to his army and said, “Look at me and do likewise; watch, and when I come to the edge of the camp you shall do as I do” (Judges 7:17). Gideon had his men surround the enemy, holding these clay pots in their hands. When he gave them the go-ahead, the men were to break the pots and cause the light to shine out (see Judges 7). They followed Gideon’s command and defeated their enemy that day.

These 300 men were totally committed to following Gideon’s instruction regardless of how logical it seemed. They had no opinion of their own or suggestions for Gideon on how to win the battle. Their attitude was “whatever you say, we will do.” Their submission to the authority of their leader was complete. And so it must be in our lives—total submission to God our Father and the leaders He places over us.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Apostle Paul writes, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” But unless we come to the place of giving up our stubborn will, our own ambitions and our way of doing things, the light of Christ will never shine out from us, the earthen vessels.

A.W. Tozer once said, “God cannot use a man greatly until He has broken him deeply.” I believe this is true. If Jesus had not submitted and listened to the Father concerning Lazarus, the glory and power of God would not have been displayed through his resurrection. If Gideon’s men decided their leader was foolish and therefore did not submit and follow his command, the battle never would have been won, nor the victory given to God. Jesus has set before us His submission as an example that we might do exactly as He has done. Second Corinthians 4:2 says, “Now the most important thing about a servant is that he does just what his master tells him to” (TLB). Let us press on to live this kind of life pleasing to Jesus, sustained by the submission, humility and love that we see in Him.

CHAPTER SIX

In the Vine

After living a perfect, sinless life for 30 years, Jesus would begin His ministry, but not before He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. And for all those who witnessed the baptism of the Lord Jesus as the Holy Spirit descended as a dove and rested on Him, I am sure it was a major event that marked their lives as well.

This same act was repeated before the disciples entered into their ministry after the resurrection of Christ. In Acts 1:8–9, we find Jesus speaking with His disciples, commanding them “not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which . . . you have heard from Me; for John truly baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. [And] you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ ”

Whatever theory or doctrine you hold on the Holy Spirit, there is one point on which we all can agree—that we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 exhorts us to not be filled with wine, which causes our ruin, but rather to “be filled with the Spirit.” And we are encouraged to be continually filled, just as the disciples were in Acts 13:52—“And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (NASB).

In the early days of my Christian work, I was very busy preaching and teaching in North India. Every night I was teaching or speaking somewhere, to some group of people. But inside I felt so dry and so empty. I desperately wished that somebody else would do the job.

But I’ll never forget one day in Jammu when everything changed. An evening meeting was scheduled, and a very large crowd was expected to attend. A few hours before the event started I was in my room. I remember kneeling beside my bed and crying out to God. My life had been a day-after-day struggle to spiritually stay alive as I served the Lord. And that night it was the same. I was so empty. I had my message. I had my outlines. I had my illustrations. I had everything together and ready to go, but still I was empty. I prayed like I never had prayed before, saying, “Lord, I don’t know what to tell You. I am so dry, so empty. There is nothing in me. It’s all in my head, but there is nothing in my heart. I have been going on week after week, pushing myself. Lord, I read in your Word about this thing called ‘the power of the Holy Spirit.’ I don’t know what I must do, but I ask You, would You please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and give me the power to minister tonight in Your name?”

That night the most incredible thing happened. Without going into all the details, between the time I prayed and when the meeting started, it was like I had grabbed hold of 100,000 watts of electricity. I was changed that night. Honestly, I don’t even know all that happened, but I was never the same and the meeting was like no other. Hundreds of people wept and came forward to receive Christ. I didn’t even preach from my outline because the Lord stepped in and my plans went out the window. That was one of the most significant moments in my entire life of serving the Lord.

So much of our daily life becomes a struggle because we live without the power of the Holy Spirit. Our lives often resemble the hand pumps along the roadsides in north India; if you want any water, you must continually crank the handle, sometimes just to get a single drop. As soon as you stop pumping the handle, everything stops. This is not the kind of life that was intended for us. Jesus promised, “ ‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (St John 7:38–39, NIV, emphasis added).

Over and over again, Jesus told His disciples how He does nothing of Himself (see St John 5:19) and neither can they. In St John 15:4–5 (NIV), Jesus says, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” The disciples repeatedly witnessed the incredible miracles Jesus performed—all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Think about the time when the man possessed with the evil spirit Legion was set free. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus commanded those demons to come out. Think about the time when Jesus spoke to the raging waters to be still and they obeyed. The disciples experienced the reality of the power of the Holy Spirit working through Jesus on a daily basis. Miracle after miracle, throughout the four Gospels, were done in the power of the Holy Spirit, and each incident reinforced in the hearts of the disciples their own need to be filled with the Spirit.

So when Jesus told His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, I’m sure they had a solid understanding of why they were told to do this as they remembered Jesus’ words: “You can do nothing without Me.” The only way for them to do greater works than Jesus, as promised (see St John 14:12), was through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Whatever your interpretation of Scripture is on this point, please listen. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. The reason for this is because serving God is not like working for a company or a political party. It is not accomplished merely by using money and plans. With enough skills, drive and money, anybody can do that kind of work. But building something supernatural—that lasts for eternity—can only be done by supernatural power from the living God. So much of “Christian” work is one day going to be burned into a pinch of ash simply because it was a work of the flesh, not a work of the Spirit.

When I studied the book of Acts in college, it was all history and Greek and geography. But the book of Acts was not written so that we could study and get a degree out of it. It was written in order that we could know today, just like in biblical times, that we can be led by the Spirit of God and live this life by His power. Just like the early church, we are meant to experience a life in which the Holy Spirit speaks to us, leads us and guides us today and every day.

So I encourage you to come before the Lord and ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Read about A.B. Simpson, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer, Andrew Murray or any of the saints like them. Each one had their own experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and it was a distinct experience, separate from salvation. It’s the promise He has given you. If you will but ask and yield, He will fill you with His streams of living water and they will flow out of you to a thirsty and dying world, enabling you to live and serve in His power. But “without [Him] you can do nothing” (St John 15:5).

CHAPTER SEVEN

Promise

If Jesus showed His disciples how to walk in love, in humility, in submission and in the power of the Holy Spirit through the events of life, He desires to show each of us the same lessons through the events of our lives. Think about certain situations you are dealing with right now. What can you learn from them? How do you think Christ would handle your circumstances today? If you will embrace the hand of Jesus and walk with Him through this life, He will show Himself to you, and you, in turn, will be changed by what you see in Him.

In the last chapter of St Matthew, right before Jesus ascends into heaven, He leaves His disciples with one last comment, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (St Matthew 28:20, KJV). He has given that same promise to you. When we grasp hold of the reality that He is with us and calling us to learn from Him in all things, no individual is too hard to love, no situation too difficult to humble ourselves, no leader we cannot submit to or no task too great for the Holy Spirit, because we realise we are on this journey with Jesus.

I want to give you an example of laying hold of the presence of Christ from the life of Apostle Paul. Unlike the 12 disciples, Apostle Paul never walked with Jesus when He was on the earth. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, Apostle Paul (then known as Saul) opposed Jesus and the other disciples. Therefore, Apostle Paul never had the precious memories and stories to reflect back on like the 12 disciples had.

In Acts 27, we find the Apostle Paul taken as a prisoner of the Gospel and on his way by ship to stand before Caesar. The shiphe has been aboard for many weeks, along with others, has suffered an awful storm, with winds of hurricane force. The storm has continued for days, and for fear the ship would sink, all cargo has been tossed overboard. But still, things were not looking good; the storm continued to rage on. In Acts 27:20, (NIV), it says, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” This is when Apostle Paul stands before everyone and says,

“Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” (Acts 27:21–25, NIV, emphasis added).

The NKJV says “the God to whom I belong and whom I serve.” And it is that statement which has such incredible strength. It’s as if Apostle Paul doesn’t realise what they had been experiencing for the past week, being tossed all around by this storm and things getting worse each moment. How could Apostle Paul have the nerve to stand before these men, who have given up all hope of being saved, and basically say, “Don’t worry about it guys. My God told me it’s gonna be alright”? This sounds ridiculous! But within that statement “the God to whom I belong and whom I serve” we find the reason for Apostle Paul’s assurance, the strength of his testimony: his constant awareness of the unseen Christ.

Apostle Paul’s statement is powerful; it tells us where the authority and confidence behind his words come from. They speak of the basis for all of Apostle Paul’s life—he had such an awareness of the unseen Christ with him, that no matter what situation he faced, he was confident the Lord was with him. That awareness changes everything. It becomes a filter through which everything that happens in life passes.

In spite of the situation and the raging storm, Apostle Paul’s assurance was steadfast, immovable and confident. Apostle Paul knew he was not his own—“the God to whom I belong.” Therefore, what happened in his life did not matter; it was not in his hands. And it’s because of this strong belief that Apostle Paul was able to so boldly proclaim what God had told him because his honour was not at stake.

God said everyone would live through the storm, and Apostle Paul believed it would be “just as it was told [him].” The fact that he belonged to God and his life was given to serve God settled every issue and circumstance that confronted him.

And so it must be in our lives. Like Apostle Paul, we have never physically walked with our Savior. We don’t have quite the same experience as His disciples had as they walked with Jesus and learned from watching His life. But we, like Apostle Paul, can have that same constant awareness of the presence of God in each event of life by realizing we are not our own. When we live with that mindset, it doesn’t matter what happens to us—“the God whom [you] serve and to whom [you] belong” is with you, for He said He will be “with you always, even to the end of the age.” And when you look up at Him, you see His love. In turn, you are able to love. When you see Him, you see His humility and are able to humble yourself and submit to what the Lord has chosen for your life. When you remember Him, you understand that everything He did was done in the power of the Holy Spirit. So must your life be.

If this booklet has been a blessing to you, I would really like to hear from you. You may write to: Believers Eastern Church Publications Synod Secretariat, St Thomas Community, Kuttapuzha P.O., Thiruvalla-689103, Kerala India. Please send an email to publications@bec.org.

Copyright

Journey with Jesus

© 2003 by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

All rights reserved.

No portion of this booklet may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® . Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United S tates Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires permission of the International Bible Society.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version Bible. Public Domain.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible® , Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, Copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version Bible. Public Domain.

Published by Believers Eastern Church Publications
Synod Secretariat, St. Thomas Community, Kuttapuzha P.O., Thiruvalla - 689103, Kerala, India.

For information about other materials, visit our website: www.bec.org.

H.H Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I is Metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church. He has authoured more than 250 books. And is an internationally known speaker.

You can follow him on social media at facebook.com/drkpyohannan

Believers Eastern Church

Believers Eastern Church has its faith and practices rooted in God's Word, the apostolic doctrines, the Nicene Creed, and holy traditions of the ancient church. We are thoroughly evangelical in nature, eastern in worship, democratic in function and episcopal in governance.

Our church represents more than three-hundred languages, ministering inter-culturally, near-culturally and cross-culturally. We represent the orthodox faith in a relevant way, never compromising with the culture, but actively bringing Christ's love to all of humanity in word and deed, regardless of caste, creed or religion.

We follow the liturgical tradition of worship established by the church fathers, with Holy Communion as the central rite of regular worship. Worship should be Spiritfilled and personal. Simultaneously, the Spirit breathes life into the rites of community worship and unites us to worship Jesus as one Body. Believers Eastern Church believes that the sacraments are a means to receiving grace and are essential to the spiritual growth of God's people.

We are episcopal in governance, which means we affirm the ancient and traditional form of church leadership of episcopas, priests (presbyters) and deacons as demonstrated in the Book of Acts and brought to maturity by the church fathers.

For more information, visit www.bec.org

BELIEVERS EASTERN CHURCH

Faith And Tradition Series

A Journey with Jesus to the Cross

Season of Lent is a journey to spiritual growth, renewal and an opportunity to know the Lord Jesus more intimately and closely. We must hear the Lord speaking to us all along the way as the journey continues so that our heart-attitude will become more like His. The way to attain this is by deliberately choosing an attitude of confession, denying of self, fasting, meditation, prayer and supplication. And, the life is enriched with humility of Christ and service to others. This daily devotional will do just that: bringing the focus upon Jesus and enabling spiritual renewal in our walk with the Lord.

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Believers Eastern Church

We live in a synthetic world of make believe and pretense. We long for reality, but lack of authentic information often leaves us confused. With tens of thousands of christian denominations, one wonders which one is authentic and represents the truth that we all seek. Is there a plumb line, a touchstone that will help us find what is real? The authour of this booklet believes that there is an answer to our dilemma. He explains where we may find guidance, and why that guidance is sure and true.

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Bible Reading Calendar

Reading and meditating on God’s Word is like oxygen for our spiritual life. Accordingly, this must become a daily habit for each individual and family. This Bible reading calendar will help you read through the entire Bible in a year, and be your guide on your journey through the seasons of the church year.

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Celibacy and Church Leadership

Why some eastern churches mandate celibacy for their bishops? It is a reasonable question to ask since ‘Believers Eastern Church’ adheres to the Eastern ‘lineage of the church’, and in most of these churches, bishops are required to be celibate (that is, they don’t marry). Another question is regarding the official ceremonial outfit that bishops were, specifically the skull cap or masanapsa. Is it connected to this mandate of celibacy? What does the Bible say about bishops’ celibacy? Is there a holy tradition of the church to support this view?

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Censing in Worship

Why do some churches use incense during their worship service? Are we just copying what other religions do or are we just following the Old Testament pattern? If we are following the Old Testament pattern, is it still relevant today? Do we have any proof that the historical church used it? I’m sure when you read the title Censing in Worship, some if not all of these questions came up in your mind. Maybe you’ve asked these questions and received no answers or never been satisfied with the answers you received. In this book, not only will you get answers to these questions, but you will be taken on a journey; one in which you will come to appreciate the deep meaning of the use of incense, the relevance of it in our lives today and get a glimpse of what the orthodox fathers called “beautiful worship.”

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Core Values

This booklet outlines the Core Values of Believers Eastern Church worldwide. Included with each core value is an explanation and practical application for godly transformation. In the measure in which each member of our church becomes devoted to Christ, they become godly in their life. And as they change more and more in the image of Christ, they will become more effective as living witness to the Lord Jesus. For this reason, we have developed the ten core values that are based on the Word of God and the teaching of the holy traditions of the ancient church.

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Death of God

“Death of God” is a phrase coined by German atheistic philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. He used this phrase to express his belief that the enlightenment era had made man smart enough that there was no need for any God to govern human affairs. The truth is, God did die. Some 2,000 years ago, God who became a man, the Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified by Roman soldiers on the hill of Golgotha in Jerusalem. We can say for sure God died. He was buried, but on the third day He rose again. The question is, can God die? We believe that God became man for the purpose of being sacrificed and to shed His sinless, pure holy blood for the healing of mans’ sin. But why did this almighty creator God have to become a man? Why did God have to offer Himself as a sacrifice to save mankind? Since Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, who like us, was part of the sinful human race, how could He have remained without sin? Jesus was born without a human father and the Scripture says He was born of God. How is that possible? I’m sure questions like these have often come to our minds. In this booklet, the authour answers these tough questions while addressing the all-important question of how we, as humans, can live a life of freedom over sin and death.

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Don’t Call Any Man Father

Is it wrong to use titles like Father, Priest, Vicar, Episcopa etc. who are leaders of the Holy Church? Some people are vehemently against using titles for church leaders such as Father, Priest, Reverend, Clergy, Metropolitan, Catholicos, Pope, Holy Father, Vicar General, Archbishop and so on. They insist that using these terms to refer to people is the same as taking God’s name for them. They have an argument against each title. Even calling somebody a priest, they say, is to live under the Old Covenant. But we read in St Matthew 23:9 that Jesus said “Do not call any man your Father” (NIV). What does it mean? Is it wrong to call our biological parents ‘father’ or our instructors in school and college 'teacher?' In this booklet we discuss the background and the meaning of Christ’s statement.

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Eucharist

Eucharist is one of the sacraments of the Holy Church that the Lord Jesus told us to do. The sacrament of Eucharist is the most important sacrament. Known as the crown of sacraments, Holy Communion is one of the holy mysteries of the apostolic church, which was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ. In this booklet, we will explain this unexplainable and awesome mystery to the extent that we can understand it.

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Guiding Principles

Two harsh realities we must recon with. One - western Christians must come to grips with the harsh reality that they are living in the post-christian era. “Today” as Rod Dreher, the authour of the book ‘The Benedict Option’ says, “a new post-christian barbarism reigns. Many believers are blind to it and their churches are too weak to resist.” Is there any hope for recovery? Two – eastern nations are in the pre-christian era. The Himalaya size challenge is, how are we going to fulfil the Great Commission among these nations? Yet, the timeless, unchanging promise of Christ remains firm – “I will build my church” – not by human methods or strategy, but by the Holy Spirit and the suffering of His people. This is the true orthodox faith of the ancient church and the Fathers who taught us…if only we will obey. In this book, the authour explains timeless principles that will help us to find our way out of this maze we are in and become part of the 'one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic church.'

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Head Coverings

This book is for every sister who has ever been asked, “why do you wear that thing on your head?” and for everyone who has ever asked this question. In this simple yet informative booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan addresses the topic of head covering for the church today. In an era in which we are encouraged to question everything, he provides compelling answers from the Scriptures, showing how this long-standing symbol means much more than it seems.

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Holy Unction

There are times in our life when we need God’s help desperately. The Holy Unction is one of the sacraments meant to meet our needs during times of sickness, to bring hope and healing for body, soul and spirit through prayer and through anointing with holy oil.

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Hours of Prayer

The faith and holy traditions of the Believers Eastern Church go back to the directions and rituals that the apostles handed down to the church fathers, and the church fathers to us. The hours of prayer is one of the most significant aspects of the personal and co-operative spiritual lives of the people of God. This booklet explains the significance of the Hours of Prayer and how we can become part of this beautiful journey year after year.

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Thablitha

The symbols and godly traditions of our holy faith help us to retain our identity, which is based on the One Holy Church. The Thablitha is an important symbol and component of the celebration of the Eucharist, which speaks of the Cross of Christ and His eternal sacrifice for our redemption.

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Theosis

TIf I ask you, “Do you want to become godly,” I’m sure your answer will be a resounding “yes!” But how do you become someone who understands God’s ways and experiences Him in your life? Is there a road map for it? What should you do or which way should you go? How does God desire for us to know Him and what is your role in it? If you look through the teachings of the early Church Fathers, they taught that we can “partake of the divine nature” and that by one choice, our very nature and behavior can be fully controlled by the eternal life of God which is placed in us by the Holy Spirit. They called this ‘theosis’ and in this book, let me seek to explain the road map to experience it in your life.

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The Plumb Line

Our faith is based solely on the Word of God. While the Nicene Creed is not part of the Holy Bible. Its importance is second only to that of the Holy Bible itself. Every believer should endeavour to be able to recite it from memory. The Nicene Creed is a short and condensed one-page version of the Holy Scriptures. This creed contains the non-negotiable fundamental truths and doctrines of the bible, and it covers God’s revelation from eternity past to eternity future. This book gives a brief explanation of the importance of the Nicene Creed and the meaning behind each its statements. It is important to understand the background and uniqueness of this creed for the sake of our faith, both individually and as a body of believers.

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The Seasons of Lent

What is Lent? Why does the church observe Lent? How do we benefit by adhering to the Lenten faith? Are there practical guidelines for observing Lent? Questions like these and many more, find their answers in this booklet.

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The Sign of the Cross

In the history of the world, there is one event that stands above all others. That event is the crucifixion of Christ. He gave His life for our salvation. From the beginning of the church, the sign of the cross has been the symbol of Christian faith and hope. Making the sign of the cross is a ritual that binds us together as people of God. In this booklet, you learn the depth of meaning behind this symbol, and how this ritual can bring you blessing and hope.

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The Worship of the Church

The break-up of the church is one of the darker aspects of the Protestant Reformation during 1500 under Martin Luther of Germany. Now there are fourty-two thousand denominations, each of which claims to be the true and authentic church in their faith and practice! In this brief booklet, the authour tries to help the reader travel back in time to the first five-hundred years of the early orthodox faith of the church, to help us answer questions about a crisis of the modern-day church. The booklet explores how man has become the centre of worship instead of God, who should be the audience in our worship, and the follies of this new way..

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BELIEVERS EASTERN CHURCH

More Books by Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan

Crisis in Leadership

No one is completely immune to insecurity. Everyone faces it, regardless of education, family background, age or godliness. But it is in leadership that insecurity has the greatest potential to cause harm. Left unchecked, it can damage our lives and hinder the work of the Lord. This crisis is only compounded by the fact that many suffering from insecurity do not even realise it. But there is hope in Christ. Join Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan as he explores this present crisis in leadership and unearths the reasons why it manifests itself. This booklet is a beacon of light in the midst of the storm.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/crisis-in-leadership-ebook

Dependence Upon the Lord

Do you see yourself in light of all your qualifications and certifications and talents? Are all these clouding the God of impossibilities, of great wonders, who seeks to manifest Himself through your life and ministry? In order for your life and ministry to make a lasting impact, it must be maintained, kept and motivated by dependence upon the Lord Himself.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/dependence-upon-the-lord-ebook

Discouragement: Reasons and Answers

When faced with discouragement, these are the questions we ask ourselves. In these times, it’s difficult to see the road ahead of us, much less know the next step. However, it is absolutely possible for us to go beyond our self-focused world and leave discouragement behind us. We can be set free. In this honest and engaging booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan offers us clear and practical steps to defeat discouragement and move on. One by one, he resolves the issues that balloon in front of us. You will find renewed courage and the inner strength to experience an overcoming life. There is a clear highway to victory. The choice is yours!

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/discouragement-reasons-and-answers-ebook

Hell in Your Mouth

It can break up the strongest of relationships; its poison can hurt you more than a scorpions sting; it can cut deeper than the sharpest sword; it can cause you to give up hope and drive you to desperation and taking your own life. I’m talking about gossip, talebearing, malicious talk—the horrible destructive power of our words. What the Japanese proverb says is true. “The tongue is only three inches long but it can kill a man who is six feet tall.” In this book, I take a deeper look at gossip—the reasons behind why someone gossips, how the enemy of our soul uses it to cause destruction, how to detect and evil report before it defiles you and in case you are already defiled, how to be cleansed. Kill gossip and you will live.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/hell-in-your-mouth-ebook

Principles in Maintaining a Godly Organisation

Perhaps you recall your enthusiasm to serve one another. It might have been the love and family atmosphere you enjoyed, or your unity amidst great diversity. Whatever blessings you one had, they all seem to have vanished lately; and you are in danger of becoming “just another organization.” But it doesn’t have to happen! In this booklet, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan takes you back to the Scriptures and shows you how God called people and empowered them. You will learn valuable lessons from their lives through both their successes and their failures. And you will gain insights on keeping the original vision the Lord gave you and maintaining vibrancy, life and joy within your ministry.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/principles-in-maintaining-a-godly-organisation-ebook

Seeing Him

Jesus. A name that evokes thoughts of peace, mercy and love that can compare to no other. In Him are life and hope. He is the reason for everything. Yet how easily, even in the midst of Christian service, we can lose sight of the Lord. As a result, our lives become one daily struggle of striving to live on our own. But there is hope. Just as Jesus restored the blind man’s eyes in St John 9:6, so too can He restore your sight. In Seeing Him, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan tenderly shows the signs of living apart from seeing Christ and takes you down the road of restoration, where Jesus becomes your everything.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/seeing-him-ebook

Stay Encouraged

Have you ever been discouraged? For most of us, it doesn’t take much to get discouraged – just one look or one word, someone’s silence or a telephone call that never came. Unfulfilled expectations and emotions can quickly slow our step and darken our skies. With understanding and truth, Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan shares how we can live in victory and stay encouraged as we learn to recognise God’s hand at work in each moment of our lives.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/stay-encouraged-ebook

The Lord’s Work Done in the Lord’s Way

Do your life and ministry flow out of love and simple obedience to your King? Or are you motivated deep within by the needs around you, the expectations of others, or by what seems good in your own eyes? Do you find yourself continually running dry, even in the midst of the ministry? It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, God intended for His streams of living water to flow unhindered out of your life, no matter what He has called you to do. Yet it is only when we do the Lord’s work in the Lord’s way that this can happen. Come and be refreshed as Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan teaches from the lessons he has learned in over thirty-five years of ministry. Allow the Lord to renew your love for Him and your role in the kingdom. Then you will know the freedom and simplicity of serving your first love, the Lord Jesus.

Download this book for free at www.bec.org/store/the-lords-work-done-in-the-lords-way-ebook