Single Copy Rs.5/- | A nnualSubscription Rs.

50/-

4 Youth w ith a V ision! 8 PrayerA s V astA s G od! 15 Tongue ofFire!

Lilian Stanley Leonard Ravenhill W alter Sundersingh

Y ou th w ith a V ision !
From the General Overseer...

2008 - YEAR OF YOUTH!

Dearly beloved,

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ!

We thank God for the bygone “Year of Faith”

in which I am sure all of us grew one foot in faith.
Our programmes in Madhya Pradesh, Assam,
Gujarat, West Bengal and other States were very
fruitful and continue to bear fruits till today. BYM
has completed thirty years of ministry in Karnataka
and is triumphantly marching into the fourth
decade. We had a three day Celebration Camp
at Hubli from November 8 to 10 in which our
missionaries, present and former, partners and
the public participated joyfully. It was a joy to
see the former missionaries, 200 Siddi Tribal
Christians and 200 other believers from our new
congregations. Their testimonies were the
highlights of the camp.
The National Leaders Restoration Camp was
conducted in Chennai from November 22 to 25 in
which the State Coordinators, Regional
Coordinators, Administrative Committee Members,
Board Members and the other leaders participated,
75 in all. Some of the leaders were given new
responsibilities for this year. The promise God gave
for the Camp was, “The little one shall become a
thousand and a small one a strong Nation and the
Lord will hasten it in its time” (Isa 60:22). The
theme was, “Arise and Build!” It was a moving
experience to see the young leaders (two were
less than 30) take up the baton from old hands.
The year 2008 is declared as the “Year of
Youth.” The theme text is, “I will pour out
My Spirit on all flesh.... Your young
men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). In the
world, youth are gradually moving from invisibility
to visibility. The vision of BYM is revival among
Youth and Evangelism through Youth. This has
lost emphasis over the years. This year we will
be turning our headlights on the youth. They will
be encouraged and given more opportunities to
BLESSING/ January 2008
use their talents for God. 50% of the population in
India is youth and it is essential to tap their
resources. The youth are longing for love, care
and concern. “The young children ask for bread
but no one breaks it for them” (Lam 4:4).
Saul, like a fire-breathing dragon, was
threatening to kill and persecute the disciples of
the Lord Jesus Christ. While Stephen was stoned
to death the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet
of the young man Saul. But on his way to
Damascus he was struck down by the power of
God and he committed his life to the Will of God.
Scales fell off his eyes. His whole life was
transformed by that vision and he went to work
for God. Most of the New Testament Epistles were
written by him and several churches were
established through him.
We don’t appreciate the youth, trust them, give
them responsibilities and encouragement and train
them. Rather we despise and marginalise them.
All these scales and many more need to fall off
our eyes if we need to rope in the youth and use
their full potential. Let youth be our focus this year.
Similarly the Prophet Isaiah, after he had a
vision of the Lord, cried saying, “Woe to me for I
am a man of unclean lips.” He heard the voice of
the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send and who will
2
go for Us?” Isaiah responded to the call. Our
vision should be to challenge the youth for
reaching the unreached and encourage them to
go as Missionaries.
We had our National Youth Consultation Meet
at Jabalpur on the 9th and 10th November 2007,
chaired by Bro. Victor P. S. Kumar, ACM (Youth)
in which the activities in various States for the
year 2008 were planned.
The brief details are furnished below—
1. Three day camps will be conducted for the
youth in the following places—
North : Sathal, Uthranchal
South : Kodaikanal/ Ooty/Kothagiri
East : Darjeeling
West : Pune / Goa
2. Programmes designed to propel youth in
personal evangelism will be planned.
3. Youth of various churches will be revived
through programmes specially planned for
them.
4. A Bible Quiz will be conducted in each State
for youth. There will also be a National level
quiz programme.
5. Special meetings will be conducted for parents
of youth. There will also be counseling sessions
for them.
6. Two Training programmes will be conducted
this year, one in Jabalpur and another in Jaipur
to develop Youth Speakers in Hindi.
7. An exclusive Web Site will be developed for
our youth ministry.
8. Mobilizing prayer force for youth will be top
most in the agenda of this year.
My heart is thrilled even now to think of the
great things the Lord is going to do in and through
the youth.
Your brother,
A. LIONEL
BLESSING/ January 2008
Lotus in a Dirty Pond!
Around 2 pm one day my husband and I
finished lunch and sat at home, chit-chatting. I
heard the creaking of the front gate and peeped
outside to see who it was. Our opposite house
uncle entered in and told us that some work was
going on in his house and he had brought a man to
sit in our verandah and work. My husband told
him that by all means he could do so.
The man by name Sundaram sat there quietly
and worked. I sat in the steps and struck a
conversation with him. It was then that I realized
that he was fully drunk. I asked him why he drank
and he told me his sad story as follows: “I have a
loving and virtuous wife. We were living happily.
But our life was thrown out of gear when my wife
was found to suffer from cancer of the uterus. To
escape my sorrow I took to drinking.”
I introduced to him the Great Physician Jesus.
When I told him that He could without fail heal
his wife, hope glittered in his eyes. “Can I bring
my wife to your church?” he enquired. Gladly I
gave him the address and service timings.
The next day morning when we went to the
church we found Sundaram and his wife Kokila
waiting for us. Sundaram said he had some
important business and slipped away but Kokila
eagerly sat in a corner. I introduced her to our
pastor at the end of the service. The congregation
along with the pastor prayed for her. Without fail
Kokila showed up every Sunday. She was saved
and was baptized. Her health improved. She
received the Holy Spirit.
She started coming with us for ministry and
would share her testimony enthusiastically. She
invited the oureach team to her house. When the
group of ladies visited her we understood the kind
of life the women folk there led. In the front portion
of the house they baked rice cakes and sold them.
The back portion was to brew liquor. Kokila was
a lotus in a dirty pond!
She started to pray that the place would be
transformed. In answer to her prayers the new
police officer who came on transfer to our area
closed down all the liquor sales. God proved
Himself Almighty. Though she is not on earth today
to witness this miracle one day she will receive
the reward of her labour.
—Esther Rani Ebenezer, Chennai.
3
 Youth with a Vision!
Vision!
Dr. Mrs. Lilian Stanley
More than 2000 years ago Peter
quoted Joel’s prophecy: “It shall
come to pass in the last days,
says God, that I will pour out of
My Spirit on all flesh; your sons
and your daughters shall
prophesy, your young men
shall see visions, your old men
shall dream dreams. And on my
men servants and on My
maidservants I will pour out My
Spirit in those days; and they
shall prophesy...And it shall
come to pass that whosoever
calls on the name of the Lord
shall be saved” (Acts 2:17-21).
True to the quotation of Peter, an
outpouring of the Holy Spirit followed
and people were converted in droves.
The remarkable outcome of the
‘prophecies’ and ‘ visions’ and
‘dreams’ was the ingathering of
souls . Those who were anointed
spread out with bold authority to
proclaim salvation through the name
of Jesus.
Many have ideas that ‘vision’ means
seeing just red horses and white
horses or making up and down trips to
heaven. Before the Scripture was
completely written, God spoke to His
people through mystical visions, pro-
phecies or revelations. These mystical
experiences of seeing the supernatural
as if with the eyes were given to
persons chosen by God who then
interpreted it for the people.
But after the Scripture was complete
the Word of God took precedence over
these to become the main guidance for
God’s people. God has put down in
BLESSING/ January 2008
black and white whatever we need to
know about the past, present and
future. “God, who at various times and
in various ways spoke in the past to
the fathers by the prophets has in these
last days spoken to us by His Son” (Heb
1:1,2). Even today God gives super-
natural visions but very rarely. We
don’t need to seek after them.
So, what does ‘vision’ mean to us,
who live on the other side of Calvary?
‘Vision’ literally means the faculty of
sight. When stretched, it means an
unusual competence in discernment
or perception or to put it simply:
intelligent God-given foresight.
This is what Solomon meant when
he wrote, “Where there is no vision
the people perish. But happy is he who
obeys the law” (Prov 29:18). When
people cannot discern the mind of God
they will stumble. In other words, it is
the ability to clearly understand what
God reveals to you as His Will. It is
discovering what God wants you to do
with your life. If you are not clear about
that, you will be wasting your life. A
man or woman with a vision is
one who has clear foresight of
what God wants him/her to
accomplish on this earth.
Young people are confused these
days, because they are misguided.
Each person’s vision may be different.
It may not be very clear in the begin-
ning. But as you take God’s hand
and walk step by step with His
guidance to accomplish the
dream that is churning inside,
your vision will gradually
unfold on your path as a carpet
that is unfurled.
4
 The Bible records many young
people who had a vision and accom-
plished the mission:
JOSHUA was a youth with a vision
to possess the land of Canaan. He was
Moses’ trusted servant. He never
sought to succeed Moses. But God
chose Him. Moses would just command
him to go fight Amalek. Joshua would
finish the job and come and stand
before Moses (Ex 17:9,10). God took
notice of him (Ex 17:14). Moses would
speak to God in the tabernacle and
return to the camp; but his servant
Joshua would not leave the tabernacle
(Ex 33:11). He was chosen to be one
among the twelve who went to spy
Canaan. Seeing his faithfulness God
gave him the vision of Canaan and the
mantle of Moses fell on him.
RUTH was a youth with a vision to
stick it out with the new God she had
found. To follow that vision she
sacrificed her own family and country.
She never ever imagined that a cozy
home at Bethlehem was not the end
of her vision. The place she thought
was where her vision ended was where
it started all over again. It was here
that Obed was born, to whom Jesse
was born, to whom David was born. It
was here that a Rod came forth from
the stem of Jesse and a Branch grew
out of his roots (Ruth 4:17; Isa 11:1).
Did it end there? It still continues in
the offspring of the woman who obey
the com-mandments of God and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev
12:17). Ruth never thought light
of her vision but put heart and
soul to stay on the road to the
end.
DAVID was a youth with a vision that
all the earth might know that there
was a God in Israel (1 Sam 17:46). God
BLESSING/ January 2008
looked at his
h e a r t and the
longing in his
heart and paved
a way for him to
fulfil his vision.
He was the youn-
gest son and sent
to keep the sheep.
There in the
jungles he was
quietly strengthening his muscles in
faith. His father didn’t think much
about him, neither did his brothers.
Even Saul had no confidence in him.
But the day he cut off the head of
Goliath all the earth knew that there
was a God in Israel.
JOSIAH was a youth with a vision
to purge Judah and Jerusalem of all
idolatry and bring his subjects back to
God (2 Chr 34:3). He repaired and
restored the house of God (34:10). He
read the Book of the Covenant to the
people and made a covenant before the
Lord, to obey His commandments with
all his heart and all his soul (34:30,31).
God blessed his projects. He met with
a tragic end because he could not, at
a point, discern the will of God.
ESTHER was a youth with a vision
to save her people. She realized that if
she did not step in, God will use
someone in her place. She threw her
life to fulfil her vision and the
crisis ended in a celebration.
ZECHARIAH was a youth with a
vision to strengthen the hands of the
people and leaders to restore the
dilapitated temple of God. The result
was that the disheartened people and
leaders rose up as one man and the
job was done in a jiffy (Zech).
5
 JOHN was a youth with a vision to
prepare the way of the Lord. He paid
for it with his head.
MARY and JOSEPH were youths
with a vision to bring up the Messiah
as His heavenly Father would. They
had no other goal in life. They neither
performed miracles nor attain any
status. Yet their vision was more than
fulfilled because they were dedicated
to the task.
JESUS was a youth with a vision to
glorify His Father by fulfilling His Will,
which was to seek and save what was
lost. Like a slave He humbled Himself
and obeyed to the point of death by
crucifixion. Therefore God exalted Him
highly and gave Him the name above
every name. Satan’s offers to Him to
give up His vision, to enjoy the glories
of the world by worshipping him were
tempting. But Jesus overcame him and
obeyed His Father to the utmost.
SAUL was a youth with a hellish
vision to bind men and women who
were of the Way and bring them to
Jerusalem to torture and murder
them. But God gave him a heavenly
vision to declare repentance, first to
his own brothers and then to the
Gentiles, turn them to God and teach
them to do works befitting repentance.
He was not disobedient to that reve-
lation of God (Acts 26:19,20). He laid
down his life for his vision.
MARK was a youth with a vision to
be a missionary. May be the prayer
meeting his mother conducted at home
influenced him (Acts 12:12). He joined
the ministerial team of Barnabas and
Paul (12:25). In the contention between
them he polarized towards Barnabas
(15:37). Later on he became profitable
to Paul (2 Tim 4:11). Though he
BLESSING/ January 2008
floundered along
the way, his wri-
ting of the gospel
according to Mark,
more than made
up for all the losses
due to his insta-
bility.
God created two
youths, Adam and
Eve and blessed them with a vision to
rule the earth. But satan sold them
the wrong dream to become like God.
They traded the God-given vision to the
one satan offered and defeated the
purposes of God. Samson was a youth
with a vision to put down the Philistines.
The Spirit of the Lord moved upon him
and he started with bright eyes and
clear vision. He was going right till his
flesh took over and he fell for women
of easy virtue. He lost the Spirit and
His power and ended up a man without
vision, without sight (Judg 14-16).
Absalom had a vision to pluck the
kingdom from his father’s hand and
rule Israel. God was nowhere in the
picture. He was cruelly murdered (2
Sam 18). Rehoboam was a visionless
youth footballed by his own
indecisiveness and the dictates of his
young friends. His life was a total
failure (2 Chro 10:10). A nameless
youth with a vision to attain eternal
life met Jesus. But he was struggling
to serve two masters—God and money.
The end result was sorrow (Mt 19:16-
23). Hitler’s vision was to exterminate
the Jews. Nero’s vision was to wipe out
Christians off the face of the earth.
We know their ends.
What is your vision dear young man,
young woman? What are you doing
about it? Life is short; but if you
live with a vision and accomplish
a mission, that’s enough! U
6
 Gujarat—What
Gujarat—What’ss happening there?
Robin Sam & Esther, Missionaries
We joined the BYM as youths and married.
For some years we worked in Rajasthan. It was
a day of small beginning when we with our two
small children Esme and Lionel were asked to shift
our base from Rajasthan to the State of Gujarat.
Place, people, language everything was new. With
our small feet we had to take big steps. But by
the grace of God we have got a foothold and the
ministry is promising.
Nadiad SFJ Prayer Cell Students ministering
Mr. Peter’s visit from Mudaloor in October
was a big bang to us and our partners here. He
brought God’s message in the Partners Meet,
Prayer cell students gathering and monthly staff
meeting in Nadiad. He also addressed our partners
Youth Meeting, Muktipur
at the evening prayer meeting in Vadodara. The
fifty participants decided to support missionary
work by contributing every month. Again in the
night meeting at Samarpada village he presented
the gospel powerfully to the 150 villagers who
gathered. 70 committed their lives to Christ. Praise
God for the hard work of our native workers Mr.
Narpath and Mr. Samuel who did all the ground
work.
BLESSING/ January 2008
We conducted Revival Meetings for two days
in the Municipal High School ground in Nadiad in
November. The 500 participants were revived by
missionaries Deena and Elisha’s messages. 25
received the Holy Spirit. Nadiad prayer cell
students led the worship. Elisha and Deena shared
the Word in the Youth and Ladies meetings. 30
youths and 40 ladies decided to lead a God pleasing
life. Mr. Bekabhai obeyed the Lord and received
the Holy Spirit. He wants to bring many to the
Lord.
Village Meeting
God has opened the doors for us in Marapur,
Attakandi, Muktipur and Rajpipla villages. In
Rajpipla 10 obeyed the Lord and joined the church.
Five of them received the Holy Spirit. 12 joined
the church in Samarpada. Mr. Kailash and Mrs.
Meena Kailash have joined the Vadodara field to
rev up the Revival ministry there.
Samarpada new believers
Dear young people, we joined the Mission
trusting the Lord in blind faith. There were
problems, pressures, persecutions. But God never
let us down. It is a great joy to work in God’s field
and bring in the sheaves. Today we do not regret
our decision to give away our lives for God’s
service.
You don’t lack when you throw away your life
for God. Rather goodness and mercy will follow
you all the days of your life. U
7
 Prayer As Vast As God!
Leonard Ravenhill
God-gripped prophets of old had a sensitive
awareness of the enormity and unpopularity
of their task. By pleading their own inefficiency
and inadequacy, these care-bowed men sought
to escape the delivering of their burdened
souls. Moses, for instance, sought to evade a
nationwide commitment by pleading a stammering
tongue. Yet note how God evaded his evasion
by supplying a spokesman in Aaron. Jeremiah,
too, reasoned that he was but a child. Yet in
Jeremiah’s case (as in Moses’), the human
objection was not sustained. For men of divine
selection were not sent to the council chambers
of human wisdom—to get their personalities
polished or their knowledge edged. But God
somehow trapped His man and closeted him
with Himself.
If according to Oliver Wendell Holmes, a
man’s mind, stretched with a new idea, can
never go back to its original dimensions, then
what shall we say of a soul that has heard
the whisper of the Eternal Voice? “The words
that I (the Lord) speak to you, they are spirit,
and they are life” (Jn 6:63). Our preaching is
much diseased today by borrowed thoughts
from the brains of dead men rather than from
the Lord. Books are good when they are
guides, but bad when they are our chains.
Just as in atomic energy, modern scientists
have touched a new dimension of power, so
the Church has to rediscover the unlimited
power of the Holy Spirit. To smite the iniquity
of this sin-soaked age and shatter the
complacency of slumbering saints, something
is really needed. Vital preaching and victorious
living must “come out of ” sustained watches,
in the prayer chamber. Someone says, “We
must pray if we want to live a holy life!”
Yes, but conversely, we must live a holy life
if we want to pray. According to David,
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
He that has clean hands, and a pure heart”
(Psa 24:3,4).
BLESSING/ January 2008
The secret of praying is praying in secret.
Books on prayer are good, but not enough.
As books on cooking are good but hopeless
unless there is food to work on, so with
prayer. One can read a library of prayer
books and not be one whit more powerful in
prayer. We must learn to pray, and we must
pray to learn to pray. While sitting in a chair
reading the finest book in the world on physical
health, one may waste away. So one may
read about prayer, marvel at the endurance
of Moses, or stagger at the weeping, groaning
Jeremiah, and yet not be able to stammer the
ABC’s of intercessory prayer. As the bullet
unspent bags no game, so the prayer-heart
unburdened gathers no spoil.
“In God’s name, I beseech you, let prayer
nourish your soul as meals nourish your body!”
said the faithful Fenelon. Henry Martyn spake
thus: “My present deadness I attribute to
want of sufficient time and tranquility for
private devotion. Oh that I might be a man of
prayer!” A writer of old said, “Much of our
praying is like the boy who rings the door
bell, but then runs away before the door is
opened.” Of this we are sure: The greatest
undiscovered area in the resources of God is
the place of prayer.
Who can tell the measure of God's power?
One might estimate the weight of the world,
tell the size of the Celestial City, count the
stars of heaven, measure the speed of lightning,
and tell the time of the rising and setting of
the sun—but you cannot estimate prayer power.
Prayer is as vast as God because He is
behind it. Prayer is as mighty as God because
He has committed Himself to answer it. God
pity us that in this noblest of all employments
for the tongue and for the spirit, we stammer
so. If God does not illuminate us in the
closet, we walk in darkness. At the judgment
seat the most embarrassing thing the believer
will face will be the smallness of his praying.
8
 Here is a majestic passage from the venerated
Chrysostom: “The potency of prayer has subdued
the strength of fire; it has bridled the rage of
lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished
wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons,
burst the chains of death, expanded the gates
of heaven, assuaged disease, repelled frauds,
rescued cities from destruction, stayed the
sun in its course, and arrested the progress
of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-sufficient
panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine which
is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by
clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is
the root, the fountain, the mother, of a thousand
blessings.” Are Chrysostom’s words mere rhetoric,
to make a commonplace thing look superlative?
The Bible knows nothing of such cunning.
Elijah was a man skilled in the art of
prayer, who altered the course of nature,
strangled the economy of a nation, prayed
and fire fell, prayed and people fell, prayed
and rain fell. We need rain, rain! The churches
are so parched that seed cannot germinate.
Our altars are dry, with no hot tears of
penitents. Oh for an Elijah! When Israel
cried for water, a man smote a rock, and that
flinty fortress became a womb out of which
a life-giving stream was born. “Is anything
too hard for the Lord?” God, send us a man
that can smite the rock!
Of this let us be sure, the prayer closet is
not a place merely to hand to the Lord a list
of urgent requests. Does “prayer change
things?” Yes, but prayer changes men. Prayer
not only took away the reproach of Hannah,
but it changed her—changed her from a
barren woman to a fruitful one, from mourning
to rejoicing (1 Sam 1:10; 2:1), yes, changed
her “mourning into dancing” (Psa 30:11).
Perhaps we are praying that we might dance
when we have never yet mourned. We choose
the garment of praise while God says, (Isa
61:3), “To them that mourn (I give) the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” If we
would reap, the same order is true, for “He
who goes forth and weeps bearing precious
seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa 126:6).
BLESSING/ January 2008
It took a heartbroken, mourning Moses to
cry, “Oh this people have sinned a great
sin...Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—
and if not, blot me, I pray, out of the book
which You have written” (Ex 32:31,32)! It
took a burdened, pain-gripped Paul to say, “I
have great heaviness and continual sorrow in
my heart. For I could wish that myself were
accursed from Christ for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom 9:2,3).
If John Knox had prayed, “Give me success!”
we would never have heard of him; but he
prayed a self-purged prayer— “Give me Scotland,
or I die!”—and his prayer scored the pages
of history. If David Livingstone had prayed
that he might split Africa wide open, as proof
of his indomitable spirit and skill with the
sextant, his prayer would have died with the
wind of the forest; but he prayed, “Lord,
when will the wound of this world’s sin be
healed?” Livingstone lived in prayer, and literally
died upon his knees in prayer.
For this sin-hungry age we need a prayer-
hungry Church. We need to explore again the
“exceeding great and precious promises of
God.” In “that great day,” the fire of judgment
is going to test the sort, not the size of the
work we have done. That which is born in
prayer will survive the test. Prayer does
business with God. Prayer creates hunger for
souls; hunger for souls creates prayer. The
understanding soul prays; the praying soul
gets understanding. To the soul who prays in
self-owned weakness, the Lord gives His
strength. Oh that we were men of like prayer
as Elijah—a man subject to like passions as
we are! Lord, let us pray!
(The above article is taken from the author’s
book, Why Revival Tarries? You will experience
deep stirrings in your soul as you read this
Revival classic. This book of 128 pages, as well
as its sequel, Revival God’s Way, 140 pages, are
available at Rs. 50/- each from Blessing Literature
Centre, 21/11 West Coovam Road, Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002. Please add Rs. 10/- for postage
for each.) U
9
 LATEST BLESSINGS!
Dear Friends who carry the missionaries in
your heart,
There is a question lingering in the hearts of
many as the leaders of BYM grow older and older,
“Is Blessing Youth Mission becoming a Blessing
Oldies Mission?” Aroma 2007 dispelled such
fears from us all. The younger generation ruled
the stage and over 1000 girls were blessed through
their anointed messages. In every area of ministry
we see the older servants of God handing over
the baton to the young and energetic. You will see
the same story repeated in Halo 2008. Pray
specially for this programme as over 1500 bundles
of energy will be shut up in God’s presence for 3
days during Pongal Holidays up in Sitteri Hills.
This being the Year of Youth our concentration
throughout the year will be on the younger
generation.
With the nation basking in the glory of the
Twenty 20 World Cup victory and subsequent
smash ups, it’s time to put our chins up and stand
tall. Aren’t you proud to be an Indian? Let’s rejoice
with our nation. We thank God for all that the
government is doing to keep abreast with
advanced nations. Let’s pray that our leaders will
find peaceful solutions to the problems rocking the
nation.
The Writing Contest has handpicked hidden
gems. It is exciting that a new generation of writers
is wriggling to the top. We are sure in the coming
days the expanding religious market will be blessed
with their life changing pens. The opportunities
for Christian writing are huge with unlimited
possibilities for publication. The field of Christian
writing is burgeoning but writers are desperately
needed today. Writers care about others. They
want to help people by sharing God’s voice to
human need. A word fitly spoken can turn around
a life. We thank God for the noble group of writers
He has given us, that has transmitted to humanity
its legacy of thought. We want more of you to join
this group by using your writing skill for God.
Recently when a missionary complemented me
on my sari, I replied, “This was given by so and
so. Nowadays I don’t buy any clothes. People
BLESSING/ January 2008
give me.” Without missing a beat she said, “I too
don’t buy. For me too people give.” Oh, how my
heart jumped! You are really taking care of us
very well. We thank every one of you who blessed
missionary families with a portion of your
Christmas Cheer that they too may celebrate the
blessed day with new clothes. I remembered the
verse, “Our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured
in palace style” (Psa 144:12). All the missionaries
received their portion
Early missionaries never enjoyed such
privileges. They literally poured their sweat in the
fields trusting the Lord. The Mission said a sweet
‘Goodbye’ to them when they retired. Many
joined as youths. They retired with a meagre bank
balance, not even a small plot to build a little house
or a good amount to get their children married or
an LIC policy to ensure health care. Those days
the mission’s resources did not permit a decent
salary or even a modest pension. Now the leaders
feel it is injustice to extract labour when they are
strong and send them off with ‘Thanks’ when they
become weak. They must be honoured because
they laid the foundation. So the leaders have
introduced a “Missionary Old Age Assistance
Scheme (MOAAS) by which the already retired
missionary will get an MOAA according to the
number of years of service in the Mission. This
will raise the total monthly expenditure of the
Mission by 70 thousand. We need to build up a
Pension Fund towards this cause to the tune of 70
lakhs. What shall we do for this amount? Again,
as always, we look to you for help. You know the
cost of living and the need of the day. You may
donate one tenth of your property or put aside all
the 5 Rupee coins that come in your hand and
send them once in six months or think what you
can do about it. Like Naomi we now relax saying,
“Wait, my daughter, until you find out what
happens. For the man will not rest until the matter
is settled today” (Ruth 3:18). The pension scheme
for the present missionaries is under planning.
There will be an Annual Camp this year
focussed on Youth. The details will be announced
later but start praying.
A Young Editorial Team is formed in
Chennai which will help us do the magazine to the
10
taste of youth. This month’s first page was
designed by them.
The need to reach out to the Siddis is pressing.
So we are engaging 10 Siddi Tribal volunteers in
the outreach ministry of Karnataka. The Tippapani
church in Orissa was completed and dedicated
last December. God bless the sponsor Mr. Victor
P. Lawrence, Madurai. Fortyfive more congre-
gations are waiting for a place of worship to be
built so that they can worship the Living God.
Bro.A. Lionel has come forward to sponsor the
Janakpuri Worship Hall in Umerkote area and
Bro.D. Samraj the Pipalapadar Worship Hall in
Umerkote area. 43 more will be waiting as we
comfortably worship God in our mosaic churches.
We thank Mr.A.P. Berry and family (Neyyoor)
and Mr.A.K. Narayanan and family (Sultanate of
Oman) for coming forward to support a missionary
family each. We bless the Missions Fellowship
Australia for volunteering to support the Neymalai
work in our Pungamaduvu station.
Mrs. Stella Johnson is doing medical ministry
In Tamilnadu... in the Sitteri Hills, Tamilnadu. She is treating skin
diseases, scabies, wounds, allergy, dysentery,
About 200 key persons of our mission in
Tamilnadu gathered on the 10th and 11th of peptic ulcers, ear-ache, viral fever etc. She
November in Madurai to pray and plan the State conducted two deliveries recently. The believer’s
ministry for this year. 35 of our women leaders baby was fine. The unbeliever’s baby was very
from 11 districts of Tamilnadu gathered for a day sick. When the baby recovered with treatment
in October to plan Women’s Ministries. and prayer the mother and relatives accepted the
Lord Jesus as their Saviour.
Our tribal children up there need toys. If your
children have outgrown their tricycles and dolls,
shoes and clothes please pack them and send to
us. Your junk will become jewels for them.
In Orissa...
A girl named Shanti lost her senses. She was
violent and tried to kill herself. Temples and witch
Students Bible Study Programme was doctors could not help. When she was brought to
conducted in Kovilpatti, Trichy and Vellore in our missionary Tinku Baroi she was delivered by
October. Around 100 students in each centre prayer. Now the mother and daughter come
absorbed the teachings like sponges. regularly for prayer.

Penngal Kalakkal Thiruvizha in Ramanatha- A lady came to our missioanry Subarnalatha

puram was a hit. 265 girls participated. Mrs. Baby Korada depressed that her husband deserted her
Raja showed them the way to salvation and Mrs. and his whereabouts were not known since four
Monica answered their questions. months. After prayer when her husband came
BLESSING/ January 2008 11
back she believed on the Lord and joined the
church. Soon he also accepted the Lord and
obeyed the Lord. They started a petty shop. The
Lord blessed it and they are very happy now.
Anita, a Rajput girl of sixteen years was
mentally unsound. Since the witch doctors could
not help she was brought to the church. Noticing
some improvement they came regularly. In six
months time she was totally healed.
Gangaram and his wife were terrified when
their three year old daughter took seriously ill.
Earlier they lost three children, all at the age of
three. Fearing it could be due to witchcraft they
spent a huge sum to ward off evil powers. When
nothing helped they came to missionary
Daneswar’s hut. Since he was away his wife
Mary prayed for them. Immediately there was
improvement. The parents begged to stay with
them till complete healing. Though their residence
was a small hut, Mary allowed them to stay. After
7 days the child was completely normal and they
left embracing Christ as their God.
30 year old Mruthyanjoy was dying due to
cerebral malaria. Three people approched our
missionaries for help. Though the husband was
away Manjula Pal accompanied them and prayed
for him and treatment was given. The next day
they came and informed her that the boy was
completely alright.
At Kormari, Sanmoth was practicing black
magic but he himself was sick and going through
family problems. He started attending church.
Now he testifies that he has found peace and
health. Now he attends church with his family.
In Madhya Pradesh...
Blesso 2007, a Revival Camp was conducted
in Indore, in October. Around 150 attended the
day time Seminar and 900 the evening meetings.
18 youngsters committed their lives to serve the
Lord fulltime.
Mrs. Lalitha Mathansingh is arranging an MKs
Mela 2008 for the BYM Missionary Kids, above
14 years, married or unmarried, working or
studying, in the Scripture Union camp centre,
Mahabalipuram, 12-14 this month. The last Mks
gettogether was in 1993, 14 years ago. 50 of our
BLESSING/ January 2008
children have already booked their travel. The
theme is Celebrate His Faithfulness. Pray that our
kids will be rejuvenated. Pray for the need of Rs.
1,50,000/-.
Dr. Subhash Waghmare and Suchita are
blessed with a baby girl.
Please pray for Mehala Daniel, our lay leader
who is admitted with severe anaemia and is getting
blood transfusion.
If we are standing tall today, it’s because God
has blessed this mission with people like you to
uphold us. There were times of exhilaration and
times of exhaution; times of joy and times of jeer;
times of accomplishment and times of annoyance.
We have come sailing through them all unscathed
to set foot on a brand New Year! May our good
Lord guide you throughout this year.
Best Wishes,
Lilian Stanley
A YOUTH A DAY!
DAY!
Being the Year of Youth,
share the Gospel atleast to one
youth personally per day and get
his address in capital letters &
Phone/Mobile Number and follow
him/her. (Male-to-Male & Female
-to-female—no crossing of boun-
dry). Keep a separate note book
for this in your home and send
those addresses to us immedia-
tely after the month is over. We
will also follow them by our
encouraging letters. You are
going to win “366” youth for our
Lord! You will also get attractive
prizes every month and a big
bumper prize after 2008!
Details:
Blessing Youth Mission
Youth Ministry
Church Colony, Vellore 632006
Tel: 0416-2242943, 2248943,
2241803, 2248170, 098945 62350,
098283 78411
<bym@sancharnet.in>
<eben_usha@,yahoo.co.in>
<allen_blessing@yahoo.com>
12
 THE OR
ORIIGIN OF DAILY L
DA LIIGHT!
The origin of DAILY LIGHT is so closely
bound up with the family of Bagster and the
publishing firm of that name, that the proper
background of the compilation of this most
popular of all daily devotional books necessarily
included some account of Samuel Bagster,
his antecedents and life.
Samuel Bagster was born on December
26, 1772, the second son of George and
Mary Bagster of a Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire,
family. Samuel Bagster's father, George Bagster,
was a member of the congregation which
assembled for worship under the pastorship
of Dr. Andrew Gifford, a Baptist minister,
notable antiquarian and assistant librarian at
the British Museum. It was at these prayer
meetings that George Bagster met his friend
Mr. John Birch, whose daughter, Eunice Birch,
became Samuel Bagster’s wife.
When Samuel Bagster was seven years
of age, his father sent him to school with the
Rev. John Ryland, a Baptist minister who
was the father of the well known Dr. Ryland,
of Bristol. From his parents and from Rev.
John Ryland, Samuel Bagster learned the
precepts and practice of a devout Christian
which sustained him throughout his life and
which in turn he passed on to his children.
Samuel Bagster was indentured to a
bookseller in the Strand and on completion of
his apprenticeship he opened his own bookshop
at No. 81 Strand, London, on April 19, 1794,
when twenty-one years of age. As one might
expect from a high principled and religious-
minded man, he made it a rule that he would
never sell any book which might be considered
questionable in taste or subject—an attitude
of mind by no means common in those days.
Samuel Bagster and Eunice Birch were
married at the Parish Church of St. Giles in
the Field on December 19, 1797. She was a
brave woman of high principles and steadfast
faith, a real help meet to her husband throughout
their long married life. She died the day
before her hundredth birthday on August 22,
1877, a few months after she had been
BLESSING/ January 2008
honoured by a personal visit from Queen
Victoria, who, it is said, knelt at Mrs. Bagster’s
bedside to receive the blessing of this, her
revered and venerable subject.
Samuel and Eunice Bagster were blessed
with twelve children, and it was Jonathan,
their tenth child, who was mainly responsible
for the idea and for the method by which
DAILY LIGHT was compiled. He was the
Editor-in-Chief, and his daughter Ann was
his chief assistant.
The practice of corporate daily worship
had always been followed in the family, and
it was the daily text that Jonathan Bagster
selected that the family, joined together in
prayer, were asked to illustrate by further
applicable texts. The resultant Scripture quotations
were then carefully considered, discussed
and arranged by common consent of all those
present, after which the manuscript would be
laid aside for prayer and meditation to see if
there would be any guidance for its further
improvement. Sometimes it was weeks before
it was felt that the reading for a particular
day could not be improved and then that page
would be sent to the printer to be set in type.
Later it would be read and corrected and all
the references would be verified. Each day
for over two years the readings were compiled,
corrected and improved in this way until the
whole book was ready for publication in two
volumes, one of the Morning readings and
the other of the Evening readings.
Robert Bagster, one of Jonathan’s sons,
who as a 1ad was present with the family at
these daily prayers, wrote these words many
years after: “Few are able to appreciate the
heart-searching care with which every text
was selected, the days, nay the weeks, of
changes, alterations and improvements, until
at last each page was passed to the printer.
It has been said that each page was prayed
over. This is true enough, but far less than
the fact that portions were left over for
weeks to see if any further guidance came.
So this book stands today quite unrivalled,
with not one word altered since those devoted
13
people put it forth to the world. It has struck
me as a wonderful thought that hundreds of thœéaš és¡f ntjhfk«
thousands of Christians throughout the world,
to its remotest corners, are each day reading
the same page with its message of comfort
and help.”
The truth of this last statement is amply
borne out by the many letters that are still
received which tell of the help that DAILY
LIGHT has been, and still is, to the Missionaries
from the frozen wastes of Canada and Alaska
to the steaming heat of the jungles of Assam, gÂ¥ghÁça®:
Burma and tropical Africa and every climate Dr. Mš~¥u£ njtjhr‹, M.Phil., Phd.
between these extremes.
¥ ntj¤Â‹ ngU©ikfis m¿ªJbfhŸ
Thus the spirit of God-fearing devotion, sΫ, njt‹ éU«ò»wgo thHΫ,
passed down through successive generations, njtD¡F Cêa« brŒaΫ têfh£o
bears fruit which increases year by year and ahf cŸsJ.
spreads to the very ends of the earth. The ¥ ntjhfk¤Â‹ x›bthU g¡f¤ÂY«
parable of the grain of mustard seed was és¡f¡ F¿¥òfŸ, trd§fS¡nf‰w
never so aptly illustrated as by the story of és¡f§fŸ, b#g¡ F¿¥òfŸ, JÂ¥gj‰
DAILY LIGHT. U fhd F¿¥òfŸ, Ïiwæaš F¿¥òfŸ,
ntj¤ Âahd¡ F¿¥òfŸ, r_f be¿fŸ,
thœ¡if¥ gaÜ£L¡ F¿¥òfŸ k‰W«
NEW YEAR brašgLtj‰fhd MnyhridfŸ.
FASTING PRAYER ¥ Ku©ghLfshf njh‹Wtd k‰W«
(5 & 6 January 2008 òçªJbfhŸtj‰F¡ fodkhd gFÂ
Saturday & Sunday) fS¡fhd és¡f§fŸ.
¥ ntj¤Â‹ x›bthU g¡f¤ÂY« ika¥
We sincerely request all our gFÂæš x¤j th¡»a§fŸ ju¥g£
Friends, Lay Leaders, State Co- LŸsd.
ordinators and Regional Coordi- ¥ gy ntjhfk kåj®fë‹ thœ¡if
nators to arrange two days of tuyh‰W¡ F¿¥òfŸ: mt®fë‹ e‰g©ò
fasting prayer locally or regionally fŸ, bt‰¿fŸ, gyÅd§fŸ, njhšéfŸ,
at your convenience on 5 & 6 of Ïd¤jh® k‰W« mt®fis¥ g‰¿¡
January 2008 (Saturday & Sunday). F¿¥ÃL« ntj¥ gFÂfŸ ju¥g£LŸsd.
This will be a nationwide Fasting
Prayer to intercede for a mighty ¥ thœ¡if¥ gaÜ£L¡ f£Liufëš
intervention of the Holy Ghost in Ïšyw thœ¡if, ghèaš ght§fŸ,
the New Year Ministry and in all nk‹id ghuh£Ljš Ï‹D« gy...
of our personal lives and family. ¥ Á¿a x¤j th¡»a mfuhÂ, Ï‹D« gy...
Leather Bound Rs. 950/-;
“If My people, who are called by
Hard Board Rs. 650/- Postage Rs. 100/-
My Name, will humble themselves
and pray and seek My face and Order, with payment, from
turn from their wicked ways, then Blessing Literature Centre
will I hear from heaven and will 21/ 11 West Coovam Road,
forgive their sin and will heal their Chintadripet, Chennai 600 002, India
land” (2 Chr 7:14). Tel: 044-28450411,<bymliterature@vsnl.net>

BLESSING/ January 2008 14

 Tongue of Fire!
Rev. S. J. Walter Sundersingh, Ranipet
Of all the organs God has kept in our body
the tongue is truly made of fire as James
rightly puts it (Js 3:6). One of the ten
commandments God gave to Moses was
regarding the tongue (Ex 20:16). Man’s sinful
tongue can be a sanctified tongue to become
a sharing tongue if it is surrendered to God.
The Sinful Tongue
The Bible lists out the sins of the tongue in
many places. Backbiting, lying, boasting,
cursing are a few examples to quote. Countless
are the couples who have gone to the extent
of divorce because of arguments. We know
of young women sweet talked into pregnancy
by their lovers. Thousands are hurt and
humiliated everyday by their friends.
“The tongue is a little member and boasts
great things. See how great a forest a little
fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world
of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our
members that it defiles the whole body, and
sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set
on fire by hell” (Js 3:5,6). Proverbs 6:17 speaks
about the lying tongue; verse 24 of the same
chapter describes the flattering tongue; and
Psalm 52:2 marks the deceitful tongue. If not
handed over to the divine Master for taming
and tempering, our tongue remains evil.
The Sanctified Tongue
No man can tame the tongue, but with God
nothing is impossible (Js 3:8; Lk 1:37). God
alone is mighty enough to purify our sinful
tongue. When the prophet Isaiah envisioned
the Holy God, his first thought was about his
unholy mouth. “Woe is me, for I am undone,
because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell
in the midst of a people of unclean lips” was
his shocked cry (Isa 6:5). When this confession
was made, God sent a seraphim to sanctify
him with a live coal (vv 6,7).
If you are beaten by a cruel tongue my
friend, bend your knees and intercede to the
God of Heaven for a mighty intervention to
tackle your tongue. God is able!
It was the time when Saint Augustine was
just converted. As he was walking along a
street, a familiar call girl cooed on seeing him.
BLESSING/ January 2008
On seeing her, Augustine
quickened his pace in
another direction. She
was not a quitter. Augus-
tine took to his heels. “Oh
Augustine” called out the
confused lady, “Darling,
you used to come running
to my bosom. You used to call me by so many
pet names. Today why are you fleeing away
from me?” Augustine shouted, “Very true. The
Augustine who was drawn to you like a
magnet is not alive anymore. Each organ of
the Augustine you now stare at is surrendered
to God and sanctified” and disappeared.
A sanctified tongue can no more be a sinful
tongue; God has touched it with fire.
The Sharing Tongue
What is the purpose of the sanctified
tongue? It is to share about the Holy God to
unholy sinners. Yes, God wants us to be his
spokes persons. In the Old Testament God’s
devotees like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Hosea
revealed His will and purpose to people of
their generation. God used their tongues to
convey His message to His people. We read
about how God used the tongue of Philip for
the growth of the Ethiopian church in Acts
Chapter 8. “Then Philip opened his mouth,
and beginning at this Scripture, preached
Jesus to him.”
Oh, people of God let us never be ashamed
to share the goodnews to people. It is our
bounden duty. Our fiery tongue can slay
souls for God.
To conclude, “Be careful with your tongue;
it is in a wet place and can slip easily” said a
servant of God. So let’s be careful as if we are
walking on wet mosaic! Death and Life are in
the power of the tongue. This little organ is
fire, it can either warm us or destroy us. May
God sanctify our sinful tongue so that we
can share God’s message of love to one and
all.
(The author, a theological graduate, and his
wife Hepzibah, a Staff Nurse, lead the Fishing
For Christ ministries. They are blessed with a
boy and two girls.) U
15
Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/139/06-08
for India under No. 30302/76 Licensed to post without prepayment
WPP No.TN/CCN/23/06-08 (Inland)
Published on 28th of every month 189 (Foreign) 06-08

Unlocking the Bible

A unique overview
of the whole Bible,
book by book,
by
J. David Pawson
One of the Church’s most highly regarded leaders
and provocative Bible Teachers from England

Available as a pack of 44 DVDs or 11 MP3 CDs

Duration: Totally 65 hours
Available as a Book also with 1343 pages

Q Ideal for personal & group study Q

Q More than a 3-year Bible College Course Q

Q A valuable gift for any occasion Q

Now available in India at an affordable cost.

DVD Pack: Rs. 2000/- MP3 Pack: Rs. 750/- Book: Rs. 750/-
Forwarding cost: Rs. 100/- for each

Order, with payment, from

Blessing Literature Centre
21/ 11 West Coovam Road, Chintadripet, Chennai 600 002, India
Tel: 044-28450411 <bymliterature@vsnl.net>

This Magazine presents the Subscription :

message and the ministry of Single Copy : Rs. 5/-
Blessing Youth Mission, an Annual Subscription: Rs. 50/-
interdenominational Christian The Life Subscribers will receive not only the
Magazine but also the books published by BYM
organisation, dedicated to Church from the date of their enrolment.
Revival and Missionary Evan-
Other Language Editions :
gelism, functioning since 1971.
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada,
Founder: R. Stanley, B.E., M.Tech. Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil and Telugu.

Address for Correspondence & Contributions:

BLESSING YOUTH MISSION
CHURCH COLONY, VELLORE 632 006, INDIA (TEL: 0416-2242943, 2248943) <bym@sancharnet.in>
Printed by Paul Aravamuthan at M/S Bapuji Printers, 5 Kurban Ali Street, Woods Road, Mount Road, Chennai 600002 and Published by
V.Ashok Immanuel on behalf of Blessing Ministries, No.21 West Coovam River Road, Chitadripet, Chennai 600002. Editor: Dr. M. Arthur John