PRAY FOR CHILD LABOUR

CHILD LABOUR – GLOBAL STATISTICS

· 246 million children are child laborers.

· There are 2.5 million working children in the developed countries, and another 2.5 million in Eastern European countries.

· The largest number – 127 million – of working children age 14 and under are in the Asia-Pacific region.

· The highest proportion of working children is in Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly one third of children age 14 and under (48 million children) are in the labour force.

· 73 million working children are less than 10 years old.

· Every year, 22,000 children die in work-related accidents.

CHILD LABOUR – THE WORK

· 70% are in agriculture, commercial hunting and fishing or forestry;

· 8% are in manufacturing. (Factories, making carpets, clothes, glass, matches, fireworks, Brick quarries, Mines etc.)

· 8% are in wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotels. Street Vending and Garbage dumps, collecting items to sell.

· 7% are in community, social and personal service, such as domestic work. (It is estimated that 20-60% of all working children are girls in domestic service. Because these girls work out of sight within private households they are extremely vulnerable to physical, mental and sexual abuse)

· 8.4 million children are trapped in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage, Soldiers, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities.

· 1.2 million of these children have been trafficked.

CHILD LABOUR – HOW TO COMBAT?

· Reduce poverty so there is less need for children to work.

· Increase adults' wages so there is less need for children to work. Adults need a living wage.

· Improve working conditions so that children's health and safety are ensured.

· Shorten children's working hours so they can attend school.

· Ban hazardous and exploitative work such as bonded labour, sex work, military conscription, mining and all work that exposes children to toxic substances or extreme temperatures.

· Make education more attractive and relevant to children's needs.

WITH CHRIST I AM A HERO

WITH CHRIST I AM A HERO

“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves but our competence comes from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5)

Many people, even believers suffer of severe inferiority complex and are unable to overcome it. The first step that a believer should do for overcoming his/her inferiority complex is to realize that he/she is in Christ. There is absolutely nothing inferior about Christ. Since we are in Him and He in us, it follows that there can be nothing inferior about us! When we have the assurance that Christ lives in us, then we will overcome the inferiority complex by the awareness – “ I no longer live but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). The Bible is full of numerous promises which are meant for us to claim whenever we fall low in spirit. Let us confess these promises in faith. Let us speak positively of our position in Christ. Colossians 3:3 says, “Your life is now hidden with Christ in God”. So let us declare and confess boldly, our fellowship with Jesus. A wrong confession will imprison us, but a right confession will set us free from the bondage of low self esteem.

When we are weak, let us declare, “Let the weak say, „I am strong‟” (Joel 3:10). When we feel defeated let us say, “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). When satan puts a doubt in us that we have failed as Christians, then let us confess, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). When we are afraid, let us declare, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8: 31). Let us say with apostle Paul, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37) and “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Dear friends, when the Lord leads us to do something for Him, let us not be immersed in our inferiority complex, but step out fearlessly, trusting that He will give us the ability to do what has been assigned to us. If we do so, we will certainly excel in our job far better than our counter parts. Amen.

PRAYER: Loving Father, give me the courage to come out of my shell of fear and low self esteem. Help me to remember that it is not my own ability that I am relying upon to achieve something but it is Christ within me. I am always more than a conqueror. In Jesus‟ name I pray. Amen

GIVER OF GOOD GIFTS...

GIVER OF GOOD GIFTS...

One of my favorite Scripture passages is Matthews 7: 9-11. It says, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread will give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.” We come to understand two important things through these verses. Firstly, we understand that our Lord is a loving Father. The love He has for us is incomparable. And secondly, we understand that He always gives us only the good and the best.

OUR GOD - A LOVING FATHER:

Imagine a small child hungry and impoverished standing in front of his father with an empty plate or a bowl asking him for a piece of bread...! Will the father in his good sense throw a stone in the plate and threaten him to eat? Or imagine a child asking eagerly his father for a piece of fried fish...! Will the father have the mind to give him a fried snake? Not even the most brutal and inhuman father would do so. God has put into the hearts of parents a compassionate inclination to provide for their children. Even those that have little conscience of duty will have some tenderness for their own flesh and blood. How then, will our heavenly Father who is rich in mercy and full of love give harmful things to His children? The Bible compares the loving kindness of our heavenly Father to that of earthly parents. Psalm 103:13 says, “As a father has compassion on his children so the Lord has compasssion on those who fear Him..” In Isaiah 66:13 the Lord says, “As a mother comforts her child so will I comfort you.” In Isaiah 49:15 the Lord says, “Can a mother forget a baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget I will not forget you.” Our heavenly Father’s love, tenderness and goodness far excel those of all earthly parents. His love has no comparison. His thoughts are far above their thoughts. If all the compassion and kindness of the most loving fathers in the world were crowded in a container yet compared to the tender mercies of the Lord they would be but a candle to the sun or a drop of water in the ocean. Our earthly fathers have taken care of us and we in turn have taken care of our children. Much more than all these God takes care of His children.

OUR GOD - GIVES ONLY WHAT IS GOOD FOR US:

Secondly, God always gives us what is good. The earthly fathers are evil - the degenerate seed of fallen Adam. Yet, they give good gifts to their children according to their needs. Whereas our heavenly Father is all knowing, He is ever loving, and ever living. He is wise, and He knows better what we need, what we desire, and what is fit for us. Psalm 84:11 says, “Nothing does He withhold from those who walk blameless. And Psalm 85: 12 says, “The Lord will indeed give what is good.” We do not know what is good for us, but He knows. Sometimes in our foolishness we ask for something that may be harmful for us. It is good for a child to ask for bread that is necessary for his life, and fish that is nutritious for his well being. But, if he in his childishness asks for a stone or a snake or a sharp knife to play with, or wants to touch a flame the father, though kind, denies his request right away. For he knows these are disastrous things. It is so with our heavenly Father too. When we ask that which will do us harm He bluntly refuses to give us what we desire.

OUR GOD - THE ONLY SOURCE OF GOOD THINGS:

In our daily lives, we are confused about many things. We indeed pray to God for His guidance before taking major decisions - before choosing a life partner, before accepting a new job, before getting admission for our children in a school, before fixing up an appointment with our physician for the treatment of a disease... but even after prayerfully receiving all these, we get confused whether we are on the right track. How strongly the verse encourages us while we are in such situations! When we have asked our heavenly Father for fish or bread how then can we become anxious that He may give us snake or stone? James 1: 17 says, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.” So once we pray for His guidance and blessings, let us steadfastly put our trust in our loving Father and rest assured that He will give us those things that are best suited to us in every single detail. Amen.

WILL YOU PRAY FOR US ONCE A DAY? WE WILL BE THANKFUL IF YOU CAN, FOR WITHOUT PRAYER SUPPORT, WE WILL BE BIRDS WITH JUST ONE WING!

Something Special...

Dear in Christ...

Praise to JESUS...

I have Good news to you that God has blessed us with Beautiful daughter BENSI DEBORAH.

Thank God... by God's grace one new member joined in our family on 12-12-2010 at 8.57pm... So these days are the one of the happiest days in our lives. Due to her entry we all become old. I pray God should protect the baby in this world...

Thank you for your prayers. May God bless you.
with love and prayer,
Pastor T. Benjamin & Hepsi Benjamin

GIVE THANKS

GIVE THANKS Psalms 107: 1-2

Today is Thanksgiving Sunday. It is good to give thanks to the Lord. The first person to teach the people to give thanks was Moses. He is the first person / man of God to teach his people how to sacrifice. He taught the way God taught him.

The Christian songs that we sing in church has always something to thank God for. The very little thank you that we do for God must be performed and said with a heart of gratitude. Leviticus 22:29 - When you sacrifice a thank offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.It is not by force but it must be done with a free will heart.

In a spirit filled church, we can preach / listen to the Word of God. Some are seen to be on fire during praise and worship. But behind it all, it must be done with a gratified heart. When we offer praises to God, we are actually building an alter of offering, an alter of sacrifice, an alter of thanksgiving. Our altar should get bigger and bigger each day. We are to grow in our thanksgiving because each day our gratitude becomes greater to Jesus. We have so much in accumulation to thank Him for His goodness.

On this day of Thanksgiving, many have placed gifts at the altar. God will surely reward you for your gratitude. No matter how much we spend for God, God will give us double fold because He is the provider and richer than any of the richest man in the world. Your gifts and sacrifices He appreciates. He is not a man to forget what you have said or done for Him. People may forget your 'thank you's but not Jesus. Yet Jesus looks at your heart. He studies the sincerity of your "thank you"s to Him.

Psalms 107:22 - Today remember all those little sickness that Jesus healed. You may have taken medicine from the doctor but it was the prayer that healed you. Medicine too have no power, if Jesus did not will it to work. There are many who fall sick and never see a daylight. But when you ate medicine, you were healed - THATS JESUS! You have so much to thank Him for His works in your life. Psalm 69:30-31

In John 11:41, before Jesus healed Lazarus, He gave thanks to the Father first. It is so important to say thank you - to be gratified. If you had a friend who never said thank you, or remembered your kindness, or never appreciated you for all that you have done, would you want to do much for him / her? instead you would be glad to give as much as you can for someone who thanks you from his/her heart for a small gift that you have presented. It is the same with God. The relationship between man to man and man to God does not defer much. Our feelings are the same as God's. In Genesis it is said that God created man in His own image. We are like God in feelings.

Exodus 23:25-26 - Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

In Psalm 6:5, King David says "No one remembers You when he is dead. Who praises You from the grave?" Only when you are alive you can praise God. Only living things praise God. You are God's handmade. So praise Jesus when you are alive and still have the time. Use the time you have today to praise God and receive His unmatchable blessing.

May God bless you...

The Goliath In Your Life

The Goliath In Your Life

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 17 - David & Goliath

David was a good looking Shepherd boy. His brothers were in the army. His father Jesse sent David to bring him good news from the dispute of Goliath and his people. Goliath was large and strong in stature and ability. Every day Goliath was challenging the children of God to battle with him. He was not challenging the people of God but he was mocking God. When we have a problem, it is also God's problem. God takes up our case.

Today God wants to speak three things to His people. If you read throughout the Bible, we read in many places, that there was always a challenge between God's people and the uncircumcised. The same was happening here in this text. for example 1 King 18 Elijah faced his challenge with Baal. Who is greater in this world than our God? He is living and none can stand before Him. Know the Lord to know who you are. If you know who God is, then you will not be afraid of any challenges. Surely the Living God is great.

1). Who can stand against the 'Philistines'? Someone who is for the Lord. Someone who doesn't fight for himself but for God. David did not fight for himself. He wanted to do it for God. Young people want to enjoy their youth and prefer coming to God at an old age. They slack in coming to church and doing ministry. If Christians cannot be discipline then how can non-believers come to God and be disciplined? 1 Timothy 4:12 - Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Young people, be joyful to serve the Lord. You won’t regret this in your old age.

2). If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:36 No one can stand against people of God. People can come against and challenge us, but they won’t last long as His people. God's people are survivors. They know that God is with them. They are strong and wait for the Lord. They know that God will act for them. Are there anyone in your office, school or home challenging you? They won’t last long. If you are a walking with Jesus, they won’t last long. They will be removed.

3).We must be cheerful and encourage one another. Satan sometimes puts criticism about others to us. We may criticize others and others will do the same to us. But God says encourage one another. People criticized David when he wanted to fight against Goliath. People didn’t notice the God that is with David. Humans tendency is to look low upon people. If someone criticizes you, look to God.

4) Lastly God promises to place a crown on those who are victorious. For those who stand for God till the end, they will be rewarded. David not only struck Goliath but he also used the giant's weapon to cut off his head. David must be a strong boy at a young age, to carry the weapon belonging to Goliath and to hit the giant hard enough WITH ONE STONE to kill him. It is not an ordinary feet. It is not an ordinary strength but the supernatural strength of God was with David.

Romans 8:37 - We are more than Conquerors. Children of God, will you stand for Jesus? You will be crowned.

Being a Christian

Being a Christian

Of late, God has been placing the burden in my heart to speak these messages to the people of God.

1) Never Look Back.

Luke 9:62 - Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Once you have started to accept the Lord and worship Him, once you have already placed your feet in the ministry or into the church, God is saying not to look back at your past. He will lead you step by step to His Kingdom. He knows it is hard to live a holy life on earth. He has promised not to forsake you but you must do your past. Are you living as if you do not know where you are going? After coming to the Lord, do you believe everything you see - the other gods and witchcraft? Are you amazed by other gods' magic and works? Sometimes sin can make you fall, it does not matter. Simply pick yourself up and keep going for the Lord. Jesus will not mock or laugh at you when you 'fall'.

Apostle Paul advices us to run the good race. 1 Corinthians 9:24 - Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Apostle is talking about looking forward to a present and medal. Let us look at the one thing to run our race and life. Your eyes must be set on Him. At times we are looking at 'she', 'he', friends, situation etc. At times we are falling and fail to look towards Jesus.

This is a spiritual church. We can’t be perfect and that is the face of life. However we must try to be as holy as we can every passing second. Let us not come to church and continue to live ignorantly and in sin.

2) We must decide to live for Christ.

Some people do good in the church, but when they leave the church, they are back to the worldly ways. When they are out of God's presence they live like their ungodly friends. Some Christians live a life that others don't even know that you are in the Lord. Our lifestyle must show Jesus. Our life must be a witness to others. Openly declare Jesus when you speak to people. Don't be shy. Jesus wasn't shy to carry the cross for you or love you when you were a sinner. We must be proud of Him.

3) The third message God kept telling me is on the coming together as one body of Christ to His Church. Hebrews 10:25 - Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Jesus is saying this because there are Christians who have failed to go to church at that time and He is telling His people today not to be like them. Jesus has given you the pre-warning that He is sending you in the midst of wolves and they will devour you. Satan is only to eager to make God's people fall. Jesus is saying that we are in a place where the devil is. Your protection is within the Church. We are not fighting with flesh and blood but with spirits. Our church has Him the Holy Spirit. There is nothing more important than God in this world. We have to set aside even our family time for God if we have to go to Church. We can put anything to hold but not God, His time and Church

4) Take Baptism.

If anyone here in the church has not taken baptism, please be persistent to ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. There is one baptism which is the water baptism to wash you away from your past sins and it makes you a new born baby in Christ. The second baptism only God can give you when you are ready and you are so eager to receive it. Holy Spirit will not fill you if you do not want Him. This baptism is very important. You will see vision, prophesy, and many other fruits and gifts follow upon receiving this Gift. This Gift is very important. You receive a peace and strength. You will feel new and fresh when you obtain this gift.

People of God, I am getting worried looking at my church. We must live the way God has called us to. If we Christians cannot follow what God is telling us to do, how can the people outside be saved. If God cannot change the church, how can others change? God is speaking these words again and again to me. Be watchful of how we live our life as children of the Light.

God Bless You.