Main Entry: re-li-gion
Pronunciation: ri-'li-j I have given my life for you." He saw the man's hands, pierced by nails.
Amazed that his vision had taken the unexpected form of Jesus, Sundar was convinced in his heart that Jesus was the true Savior, and that He was alive. Sundar fell on his knees before Him and experienced an astonishing peacefulness which he had never felt before. The vision disappeared, but peace and joy lingered within him.
Despite his family's pleas, bribes, and threats, Sundar wanted to be baptized in the Christian faith. After his father spoke words of official rejection over him, Sundar became an outcast from his people. He cut off the hair he had worn long like every Sikh man. Against great opposition, he was baptized on his birthday in 1905, in an English church in Simla.
Conventional Indian churches were willing to grant him a pulpit, but their rules were foreign to his spirit. Indeed, he felt that a key reason the gospel was not accepted in India was because it came in a garb foreign to Indians. He decided to become a sadhu, so that he could dedicate himself to the Lord Jesus. He was convinced that this was the best way to introduce the Gospel to his people since it was the only way which his people were accustomed to. As a sadhu, he wore a yellow robe, lived on the charity of others, abandoned all possession and maintained celibacy. In this lifestyle, he was free to devote himself to the Lord. Dressed in his thin yellow robe, Sundar Singh took to the road and began a life of spreading the simple message of love and peace and rebirth through Jesus. He carried no money or other possessions, only a New Testament.
Sundar journeyed much. He traveled all over India and Ceylon. Between 1918-1919, he visited Malaysia, Japan and China. Between 1920-1922 he went to Western Europe, Australia and Israel. He preached in many cities; Jerusalem, Lima, Berlin and Amsterdam among others. Despite his growing fame, Sundar retained a modest nature, desiring only to follow Jesus' example: to repay evil with kindness and to win over his enemies by love.
He was quite independent of outward Church authority in all his religious life, thought, and work. He dropped out of a Christian seminary that he briefly attended. Neither did he attach much importance to public worship because in his experience the heart prays better in solitude than in a congregation.
He traveled in India and Tibet, as well as the rest of the world, with the message that the modern interpretation of Jesus was sadly watered down. Sundar visited Tibet every summer and in 1929, he visited there and was never seen again.
*see HOTC:I have Decided to Follow Jesus in Hmong and Spanish too, from youtube.com

more..GoodnewsEverybody.com: Asian- Indian of India, Hindi

Native Latin American Indian in Mexico Comes to Christ

Manuel Arenas started a school where young Totoanc students could be taught a series of practical skills coupled with an academic and Bible school curriculum. All this to equip Totonacs to minister spiritually and practically among their own people. Loacted in the village of Zapotitlan de Mendez, Puebla, MEXICO.

In July 1986, Manuel spoke as a delegate to Amsterdam 86' to a youth club in Switzerland. A young man from this club who was invited by his wife came to Manuel after attendees expressed their happiness that the Totonacs had the New Testament in their own Bible.

Youth: �In your talk you said you were glad this Bible translator had come to your village; that if he hadn�t come, you probably would never have heard about Jesus Christ.�

Manuel: �Yes, that�s true, the man�s name is Mr. Aschmann and-�

Youth: �That�s very nice, but what I would like to know is why you gave up your religion in favor of this Western religion. Why is it so important for the Totonac people to know about Jesus Christ and Christianity? It�s my opinion that if Western man wants to believe this sort of thing, it�s okay. But the Totonac people have their own religion. It�s just as good as Chrisitianity-maybe even better. Why do you want your Totonac friends to believe like you? I�m sorry, but I just can�t believe Christianity is better than your Totonac religion.�

Manuel: �Tell me, do you know what Totonacs believe? Have you lived in a Totonac house to see how our household gods are worshipped?�

Youth: �Well, no, not exactly. But I have read some books-�

Manuel: �And I have also read books. Books that descibe what our people look like and what they wear, how we build our houses and how weddings and funerals are conducted. These books also tell others what we believe, but what these books can never tell is how we feel down deep inside. We may look happy on the outside and we may laugh, but inside we are a people who have deep churnings, and nervousness and mistrust of others. And many have a great fear of the gods and spirits that live in special trees and rocks and streams.�

Youth: �But that�s just harmless superstition.�

Manuel: �Let me give you an example of what it is like to live with what you call �harmless superstion� (anting-anting). When you are thirsty, you take a drink of water whenever you want. But in my village, if you are thirsty at high noon, you must wait. You must wait because the people believe the lords of the water and the nearby stream take away the spirit of the person who drinks water at high noon. (Mom: Don�t take a bath everyday or on Fridays) If they do happen to take a drink of water at that time, the person become sick. The witch doctors are called, candles are lit and special flowers and spices are spread around the sick person. (Mom: Would pat our backs with a thick heavy duty knife and meditate/pray)-[God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that eeven handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them�-Acts 19:11; Acts 5:12-16] A chicken is sacrificed and the blood poured out on the ground. Maybe the witch doctor will come four or five times and, after about a week, he will tell the sick person that his spirit has returned and he is better. All this is paid for by the sick person�s family.

I grew up fearing the many evil spirits of the forest, of the stream, the earth and trees. I saw how strong they were and how they bullied those who sacrificed to them. But when the New Testament Scriptures were translated into our language and Totonacs began to believe and accept [Romans 10:9] Jesus Christ into their lives, I saw those fears gradually disappear. This is why I want all Totonacs and everyone to become true believers in Jesus Christ Only He can take away fear and give hope and peace, for this life and for the true life to come.�

�And so Manuel and the young man talked. Manuel carefully and enthusiastically explained the personal benefits [John 10:10] he had received since accepting Jesus Christ into his life. But beyond the personal enrichment of spirit, the maturity and growth and an enlarged world view, Manuel emphasized that authentic Chrisitianity had little to do with religion, traditions or moralizing (Romans 3:23). Rather, he stressed that Chrisitianity had to do with compassion and love-love of God and his Son, Jesus Christ. A love so strong and full of integrity that it allows the true Chrisitan to treat his neighbor as he himself would like to be treated.�

Steven, Hugh. �The Continuing Story: Manuel� Credo Publishing Corporation. @1987. (pp 41-pp 43)

Other Related Resources:
Latin American Indian Ministries, history of Manuel Arenas's work

>Good Works?

Many religions require you to do "good works" in order for you to be "accepted". There is that "Golden Rule"...

Jesus actually said this in Matthew 7:12.There are many religions in the world today, which a lot derived from one another due to different personal perspectives:

"NO other gods before me"

"You shall have no other gods before [1] me."-Exodus 20:3

As you take a look back in history, there has been many religions that has gone past and influence the currrent religions today. As you check out the sites I found down below, see if you can find any similarities on the influeces of todays status on religion:

-Africa
Gods of Ancient Egypt

-Asia
God in Hindu in South Asia

-Europe
Ancient Gods, from Greek ancient times

-South America
Acoyauh, gods from the Aztec times

-Bible (gods mentioned)

Baal

"22 Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!" Then they called on the name of Baal all morning, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no reply of any kind."-1 Kings 18

Myth of Baal

Remphan
"To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for [as for] this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices [by the space of] forty years in the wilderness?
Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon."-Acts 7:39-7:43

Related Sites:
Christian Answers
"the name of a false god - see Acts 7:43; R.V., "Rephan"In Amos 5:26 the Hebrew Chiun (q.v.) is rendered by the LXX. "Rephan," and this name is adopted by Luke in his narrative of the Acts. These names represent the star-god Saturn or Moloch."
Evil Symbols, from nazarite.net
"MAGEN DAVID - Also known as Solomon's Seal or the Star of David. This symbol used by Yahweh's chosen race (Debarim/Deuteronomy 7:14) is often confused with the hexagram by those not familiar with symbology but the Magen David lacks the all too familiar circle associated with most other popular occultic symbols. Magen is the Hebrew word for shield, this is why it is sometimes called the Shield of David. Legend has it that King David's shield was shaped as such. It is more likely to be associated to King Solomon than with King David as the symbol appears on the handle of King Solomon's Sword.
Some critics claim that the Magen David is the Star of Kiyyan (also: Kijun, Kiyuhn, Rephan, Remphan, or Rhemphan) warned of in Scripture (Amos 5:25-27 , , , and . It is part of a quotation from Amos 5 verse 26 where the Septuagint's reading raiphan or rephan stands the Hebrew Chuin or Kewan. The Greek forms are probably simple mistakes for the Hebrew, k (qoppa) having been replaced by r (resh) and ph substituted for v (yod). Kewan is probably the Old Babylonian Kayawanu, the planet Saturn, another (the Akkadian) name for which is Sakkut, which appears as Siccuth in the earlier part of the verse."
Six Pointed Star: Mark of the Beast-Part 2
"The 6-pointed star is not a Jewish symbol, but an Egyptian symbol which Israel adopted in the wilderness due to their apostasy"...
The six pointed star is associated with the worship of Saturn. Therefore, the beast is Saturn (Satan) and his mark is the 6-pointed star.

BARBER SHOP CONVERSATION

The Bible says to have an answer for why you believe to those who ask you.This is a good example of an answer to one of the most common reasons people give for ignoring God and His goodness.

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair andhis beard cut as always. He began to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

Suddenly, they touched on the subject of God. The barber said:

"Look man, I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist. Oh, tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God exists, therewould be no suffering nor pain. I can't think of loving a God who permits all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but he didn't respond because he did not want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barber shop, he saw a manin the street with long hair and a beard. It was very long, and a long time since he had his hair cut and he looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say they don't exist?" asked the surprised barber. " I am here and I am a barber. Why I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who is outside."
"Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God does exist.
What happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

If you think God exists, send this to other people--If you think God does not exist, delete it!

Stories in the Bible where Kings believe who really God is

-Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (present day Iraq)
... 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"
... 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery."
48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel's request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.-Daniel 2

"14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"-Romans 10:14-15

Stories of People Calling Upon a "Higher" One

Up and Then DownThe lives of elevators.by Nick Paumgarten (newyorker.com) April 21, 2008
"..When White finished his cigarette, he returned to the lobby and, waved along by a janitor buffing the terrazzo floors, got into Car No. 30 and pressed the button marked 43. The car accelerated. It was an express elevator, with no stops below the thirty-ninth floor, and the building was deserted. But after a moment White felt a jolt. The lights went out and immediately flashed on again. And then the elevator stopped...
..He used his shoes for a pillow and laid his wallet, unfolded, over his eyes to keep out the light. It wasn�t hot, yet he was sweating. His wallet was damp. Maybe a day had passed. He drifted in and out of sleep, awakening each time to the grim recognition that his elevator confinement had not been a dream. His thirst was overpowering. The alarm was playing more aural tricks on him, so he decided to turn it off. Then he tried doing some Morse code with it. He yelled some more. He tried to pick away at the cinder-block wall...
..And then he gave up. The time passed in a kind of degraded fever dream. On the videotape, he lies motionless for hours at a time, face down on the floor.
A voice woke him up: �Is there someone in there?�
�Yes.�
�What are you doing in there?�
(*Note: in Good Morning America (Monday, April 21st 08'), Nick stated that this voice could've been a "Higher Power"...)
White tried to explain; the voice in the intercom seemed to assume that he was an intruder. �Get me the *#@! out of here!� White shrieked. Duly persuaded, the guard asked him if he wanted anything. White, who had been planning to join a few friends at a bar on Friday evening, asked for a beer...
White never went back to work at the magazine. Caught up in media attention (which he shunned but thrilled to), prodded by friends, and perhaps provoked by overly solicitous overtures from McGraw-Hill, White fell under the sway of renown and grievance, and then that of the legal establishment...

Man Trapped in Elevator for 41 HoursNicholas White Went Out for a Cigarette but Got Caught in Elevator With No Food, WaterBy RICH McHUGH and JONANN BRADYApril 21, 2008 (ABCNEWS-Good Morning America)
"..Not a religious man, White prayed for help. On Sunday at 4 p.m., White, who was nearly delirious from thirst, heard a voice on the intercom asking if anyone was there. Finally, he was rescued."

Man Trapped In Elevator For 41 Hours