Ka Editorial team 2022-2024
Editor: Sandra Ramsdam
Associate Editor: Allan W. Kharkongor
Dkhot: Banlum A.Khongsdam & Sairos Jyrwa
EDITORIAL
Ka jingkhublei iaphi baroh kiba pule ia kane ka Chronicle Magazine jong ka SCYO&C ha ka kyrteng U Jisu Khrist, u Nongpynim jongngi. Ainguh ia U Blei uba la ialam iangi ba ngin ioh ban pynmih pat sa ia kane ka issue jong u bnai June, 2023. Ngi sngewkmen ban iohpdiang ia ki jingthoh jong ki para samla na ki Jingiaseng Samla bapher bapher kiba la noh synniang sha kane ka thup jong ka Conference kum kawei na ki lad ban pynphriang ia ki jingthoh da ki poitri bad ki essay, kiba ngi ngeit kin long kiba ai mynsiem ia ki nongpule. Ngi da kyrmen ruh ba phin share ia kane ka link (Click Here) sha kiwei pat ki bym poi kynmaw ia kane ka online magazine.
Ha u bnai April ngi la pynmih ia ka Special issue kaba iadei bad ka Good Friday bad Easter Sunday, bad ha kane ka Quarter, kata April-June,2023, ngi don ka article ba iadei bad ka jingpynneh pynsah ia ka mariang kaba ngi ngeit kan long ka jingmyntoi bakhraw ia ki nongpule. Namar ba une u bnai ruh u dei u bnai ba ngi kynmaw ia ka jingwan u Thomas Jones bad ba ka sorkar Meghalaya ka la ithuh ia ka 22 tarik,Jylliew kum ka sngi ba kyrpang, ka Thomas Jones’ Day, ngi sngew dei ban puson khyndiat shaphang une u riewkhraw jong ka jingngeit Khristan uba la wan sha kine ki lum baieit jongngi. Ka lynti une u riewshlur ka long kaba eh bad kyllain, naduh ba u dang rit haduh ba un khreh ban wan trei kum u missionary, haba u hap ban mad ia ki jingeh shuwa ba un poi sha India lem bad ka lok jong u, ka Anne. Hapdeng jong u lapbah Sohra uba jur, baroh arngut ki la iuh kjat ha British headquarter ha Sohra ha ka 22 tarik u Jylliew,1841. Kane ka sngi kan long ka jingsahkynmaw ia ka jinglen lade une u shakri jong u Blei. Baroh ngi tip ia ka jingtrei ba radbah jong u, kat haduh ba ngi ki longdien ngi ioh ia ka ktien thoh lajong. Ka jingiohi jngai jong u Thomas Jones ka long ban wanrah ia ka ktien pdeng, kata, ka ktien Sohra kum ka ktien ban pyniatylli ia ki khun Khasi -khara ha kine ki lum baieit jong ngi, khlem da pyniapher ia ki Khasi, Pnar, Bhoi ne War.
Hapdeng jong ka jingiaid ka por, la i pynban kumba ngi la klet ban pyniar ia ka ktien ka thylliej lajong, da ka jingwan rung ki media bapher bapher. Ha ka jingshisha, ngi la dei ban bun bah ki kot khasi, pynban wat kiba ki khynnah pule ki donkam ruh, ym lah ban ioh kopi, namar ka jingpynmih ia ki kot khasi ka long kaba duna bha. Ka jingkhot ka long, to ngin nang pyniar bad pynkhlain ia la ka ktien lajong, khnang ban im ka jaidbynriew. To ngin nang pynmih ia ki jingthoh ba ki longdien jongngi kin bteng ban pynneh pynsah ia ka ktien ba U Blei hi u la pyrsad mynsiem lyngba u Thomas Jones bad ki longshuwa jong ngi.
U Blei un kyrkhu!
Sandra Ramsdam
Editor
Chronicle, SCYO&C
“KI KHRISTAN KI NONGSYNSHAR IAKA MARIANG”
Mr.L.Shabong
Vice Chairman, Jingiaseng Samla Balang Presbyterian Phudmuri
Para samla lyngba kane ka jingthoh nga kwah ban iasam iaki symboh pyrkhat halor ki katto katne ki jingshisha haka dur ki jingkylli ki ban pynsngewthuh iaka jingkitkhlieh kaba ngi don kum ki Nongsynshar iaka Mariang kaba U Blei Ula thaw haka jingjanai bad kiba long kiba bha suda ha kaba mynnyngkong kumba la thoh haka ktien U Blei haka Kitab Genesis 1:26-30.
- Kaei ka jinglong jongka Mariang bad ki sawdong sawkun mynta haka ri jongngi bad haka pyrthei baroh?
Haba phai sha kane ka jylla jongngi ki don katto katne ki jingshisha kiba don ka jingiadei kaba jan bha bad ka jingduh noh iaki spah mariang:
- Ka jingkiew stet haka jingbun briew naka 1Million ha u snem 1971 shaka 3 Million ei ei katkum ka census u snem 2011.
2.Ka jingdawa ka jingpynmih jingbam kala nang kiew bad shibun ki khlaw la hap pynkylla sha ki jaka rep ne ban pyndonkam dieng thang, rnga, shna ing bad pynmih dieng sawdong. Ka India State Forest Report 2019 ka ong ba ha Meghalaya tang hapdeng 2017-2019 kala don ka jinghiar ki khlaw da 27.21 Sq.Km.
3.Haka sample survey iaki 5000 tylli ki umpohliew daka Institute of Natural Resources, Meghalaya ka kdew ba palat 50% na ki umpohliew kila duna ka jingpynmih ka um (Discharge) bad kiba bun kim long shuh kiba bit ban pyndonkam iaki khlem da pynkhuid bha shwa ban pyndonkam iaki.
Ka daw ka long namar ka jingkylla um acid kaba jia haki jaka ba tih iaki mar poh khyndew kum u dewiong etc ka jingdon ki chemicals namar ka jingai dawai haki jaka rep bad ka jingdon ruh ki khniang kiba lah ban mih naki septic tank namar bala shna ing haki tyllong um lane ki catchment areas. Kane ka jia namar ka jingroi stet ki jaka sor (Rapid Urbanization) kiba ki kam pynroi ki jia haki jaka kiba long ki tyllong iaki um bad ki wah.
Kiwei pat ki daw kiba kongsan eh ba ki umpohliew kila duna ka jingpynmih um khamtam ha ki jaka sor ka long namar ba ka um slap kam iohlad shuh ban ngam shapoh niamra ban pyndap iaki jaka pynlang um(Aquifers) namar ki khlaw kim don shuh; ki phyllaw,ki nala la tap lut daka dewbilat ka um slap ka shu tuid beit sha nala ne sha wah.Bad dei kane haba don kita ki jakhlia (Pollutants) ruh ki sah hajuh;hynrei haba ka um slap ka iohlad ban ngam shapoh ka pynkhuid noh iaki jaboh ne ka pynmih noh iaki shabar.
4.Ka jingmih ki karkhana kum ka nuksa kawei ka karkhana dewbilat kaba pdeng ka jingpynmih dewbilat ka donkam haduh 1,500 cu.m ne 15.0 Lakh liter ka um shi sngi nalor ka jingpynmih iaka lyer bih.
Nalor kata, ka jylla jongngi ka pynmih ruh haduh 2.96 Million tonnes ka lyer bih Carbon Dioxide shisnem ha kaba 60% dei naki karkhana kiba pynmih tdem jaboh katkum ka Carbon Footprint Study bala lamkhmat daka Meghalaya Climate Change Centre ha u snem 2012-13. Ka jingpynmih iaka lyer bih bad ka jingduna ki dieng ki siej ki pynlong iaka jingshit ha sla pyrthei ban nang kiew.
II.Kiei ki jingma kiba mih naka jingpynjot pynpra iaka mariang?
1.Ka thma ban ioh iaka um: Namar bala pom iaki khlaw bad thang ne tih mar poh khyndew; ka jingdon ka um kaba bha ka la duna. Ki ri ka pyrthei ki iakhih halor ki um kum ka China bad India halor ka wah Brahmaputra; ka India bad Bangladesh halor ka wah Teesta; Ka Tamilnadu bad Karnataka halor ka wah Kaveri bad mynta lei lei wat ha kane ka ri jongngi ruh ki shnong ki ia knieh iaki tyllong ban ring um bam umdih bad kane kala wan rah iaka jingeh iaki shnong, iaka sorkar etc.Wat la ngi long ka jylla kaba ioh pahuh bha iaka um slap.
- Haba ka khyndew kam don jingkup sopti shuh haba shoh u slap ngi duh noh iaka dew sboh. Ka donkam 500 snem ei ei iaka mariang ban pynlong 1 cm ka syrtap khyndew hynrei haka shi khyllipmat ngi duh iaka haba iaki khlaw lapom ne la thang noh. Ka pynduh noh ruh iaki jaka shong (habitat) ki sim ki doh bad ki mrad khlaw. Lada ki sim kiba long ki nongbet ia ki symbai dieng lane soh kim don, kala eh than ia u briew ban leit thung hi iaki namar ka dawa iaka bor pisa kaba khraw. Ha kine ki sngi ngi iohi haki ri bala kham roi bad kham riewspah baki pyndonkam daki Drones ban thung dieng ne pynhap iaki symbai haki jaka baki thmu ban thung dieng; ka daw lehse ka long namar bym don shuh ki sim ne ki mrad kiba long ki nongrah bad ki nongbet ia u symbai haki met jongki (Seeds Dispersal by animals).
Ka khyndew kam long shuh ban rep ban riang namar kam sboh shuh bad hap ban shu ber dawai haki jaka jaka bad kane kala pynsniew iaka khyndew. Ka jingma kaba khraw eh ka long baki jingbam kiba ngi bam kim long shuh kiba bha bad ka wanrah pynban iaki jingpang ki jingshitom kiba bun jaid. Bad mynta ngi ia kren shaphang ka rep organic ne kata kaba rep tang daka sboh mariang naka bynta ban lait naki jingpang kiba sniew.
3.Ka jingkiew ka jingshit ka sla pyrthei: Mynta ki por ngi ia kren shaphang kata ka Climate Change ne ka jingkylla haka jinglong ka mariang kum ka jingkiew ka jingshit. Ka don ka jingkiew kaba 1.2-1.5 degree celcius bad kane kala pynlong iaki lum thah ban um noh bad kala don ka jingkiew ka sla um duriaw @ 3.3 mm shisnem. Shibun ki ri bad ki dew lynnong kiba khyndiat ka jingkynjang na sla duriaw kum ka Bangladeh kin shah tap shapoh duriaw bad kin sa don kita ki Environmental Refugees kiban wan phet rieh sha kine ki ri lum kum ka jongngi.
Ki Ngap (Bees) kiba long ki jingthaw kiba pynthikna ba ki syntiew ki skud kin phuh bad ba ki jingthung jingtep ki lah ban pyndep iaka life cycle jongki (Agents of pollination) ki iap daki hajar namar bala pyndap ia kane ka haw haw daki lyer bih suda. Ha ri China kala don ka jingpyrshang ia kata ka Artificial Pollination namar ka jingduna ki Ngap kiba long ki jingthaw kiba kordor U Blei.
Ka jingjur slap haki jaka ki bym ju ioh slap,ka jingrang tyrkhong;ki eriong ne Cyclone kiba jia khah khah bad namar kine kiei kiei baroh kin don ki jingthung ki ban duh jaid noh bad kin don ruh ki jingthung kiba sniew ki ban mih thymmai nalor ka jingkharoi ki jingpang kiba thymmai kum ka Ebola, Nipah,Covid 19 bad kiwei ki long khyndiat kiba la paw kynrei ha kine ki sngi kiba ngi im mynta.
Ka Jingialang bah ka Conference of Parties 21 jongki ri ka pyrthei kaba la long ha u bnai December 2015 ha La Borges Paris da kawei ka jingmut kila rai ban ialeh katba lah ban peit ba ka jingshit ha sla pyrthei kam dei ban kiew palat iaka 2 degree celcius namar kumba ka long mynta ka jingkiew haka jingshit kala poi hapdeng 1 haduh 1.5 degree haka shisnem.Bad lada kane kan bteng ban jia kan sa poi ka por ba kane ka pyrthei kaba ngi shong ngi sah kan ym long shuh ban im haka.
Nuksa u soh apple: Kane ka jingkiew haka jingshit ka pynlong iaki nongrep soh apple ban hap kiew kham shajrong sha ki jaka kiba kham khriat jongki kjat lum Himalaya namar mynta ka jaka kaba ki rep kala khluit palat.
III.Kaei ka bynta kaba kum ki Nongshong shnong ngi dei ban leh ban pynduna iaka jingpynjot iaka mariang?
Ka don ka jing ong ba Charity begins at Home “Kano kano ka kam babha kadei ban sdang shwa nala iing” lane “Think globally act locally” Pyrkhat naka bynta ka pyrthei da kaba sdang na la shnong.
- Haka jingrakhe ka jylla Meghalaya iaka World Environment Day jong u snem 2018 kala don ka jingsdang iaka campaign kaba ki ong One Citizen One Tree Campaign kaba mut ba man uwei pa kawei ki dei ban thung ne sumar bad pynheh pynsan uwei u dieng namar ka jingbthah ha kata ka campaign ka long ba ngi dei ban pynmih hi iaka lyer kaba ngi ring mynsiem. Lehse kadon ka jingshisha haka lada ngi baroh ngi iashim bynta bad kane kan iarap shibun ruh ha kaba pynduna iaki lyer bih kiba sdien haka haw haw bad kan iarap pynduna iaka jingkiew ka jingshit. Namar ki dieng ki kjit noh iaka lyer kaba sniew (CO2) bad ki pynmih iaka lyer kaba khuid( O2)
2.i.Pynim biang iaki umpohliew ne ki pung um da kaba pynshlur iaka rukom pynlang um slap(Water Harvesting) bad ailad iaka um slap ban ngam shapoh da kaba tih iaki thliew la ka long hapoh compound ing ne haki jaka tyllong um.
Haba shna ing dei ban ym siang dew bilat lut ia baroh ka phyllaw (compound) khnang ban ai lad iaka um slap ban ngam shapoh ban pyn riewspah iaki umpohliew bad ban pynduna iaka jingshit kaba mih naka madan dew bilat.
ii.Ki um baroh kiba mih na ing ne na shnong dei ban da pynkhuid shwa.Ha ki ri bala shai ki mana ban pyntuid um jaboh na ing sha bar bad lada pyntuid ruh hap ban siew ryngkat kabai pynkhuid khnang baka sorkar kan pynkhuid iaka.Kala dei ka por ba man la ka thliew ing la dei ban buh iaki jaka pynkhuid iaki um kiba mih na ing shetja, kamra sait bad sum (Grey water recycling unit) namar naka 100 litre ka um kaba ngi ioh ban pyndonkam; 20 litre ngi shet, ngi tiew bad ngi bam ngi dih hynrei kaba bun 80 litre ngi sait bad sum bad pyntuid noh shabar hadien bala pyndonkam. Bad haba ngi leh kumta ki nala, ki wah kiba don ha kane ka nongbah jongngi kila khuid lypa.
iii.Kane kan kham iahap haki jaka kiba tih dewiong ha kaba lah ban pynbha pat iaki um acid da kaba pyntuid ia kine ki um lyngba ki nala bala siang daki mawshun ne ki top pyllang um bala buh lang bad ki mawshun. Nangta da kaba ailad ia kine ki um kiba ladep pynkhuid daki mawshun ban lang haki jaka kiba don ki jingthung kum ki phlang vetiver, water cena etc kiba lah ban pynkhuid shuh shuh iaka um (Open Lime Canal/Incubation Tank bad wetlands using Phyto-remediation).
iv.Pyrshang ban rep da kaba pyndonkam iaki sboh mariang ne sboh niut khlem da ai iaki dawai namar kane ka ktah iaka khyndew,ki um bad iaka koit ka khiah.
v.Pynshlur ban pyndonkam iaki bor (Green Energy) kiba ngi ioh ei naka mariang kum ka um (Hydro Energy), ka sngi (Solar Energy) bad ka lyer (Wind Energy).
vi.Pyrshang ban pynduna (Reduce) lane ban ym pyndonkam shuh iaki plastic namar kine ki dei ki tiar ki bym pyut shuh bad dei ki plastic kiba pynjaboh iaki nala um, ki wah, ki pung bad ki duriaw ruh. Kala dei ka por ban pyndonkam daki tiar kiba pyut kum ki sla met ban song iaki kwai, doh, ja bad kiwei kiwei.
vii.Pyndonkam da kijuh ki pla ne ki tiar (Reuse) khnang ban pynduna iaka jingpynmih jaboh Nuksa ka Pla Iew.
viii.Pynmih da kiwei pat ki tiar balah ban pyndonkam (Recycle) nuksa ki bilor plastic bala pyndonkam lah ban pyndonkam ha kaba ai um syntiew ne thung ki syntiew barit haki ne pynlang ban die iaki shaki jaka ban pynmih ia kiwei pat ki tiar naki.
IV.AIU KA KTIEN U BLEI KA KREN IA NGI KIBA LONG KI NONGSYNSHAR HALOR KINE KI JINGPYNLONG JONG U:
Ka ktien U Blei haka Kitab Salm 8:3 ka kren shaphang ka Jingmaian ki jingpynlong u Blei kumne-“Haba nga pyrkhat iaki bneng jong me,ka kam ki shynriahti jong Me,u bnai ki khlur kiba me la buh”.
Shuh shuh u David haka Salm 24:1 u ong “ka khyndew ka long ka jong U Trai, bad ka jingdap jongka; ka pyrthei bad kiba shong haka.”
Haba iakren shaphang ka mariang lane ki jingpynlong U Blei hato ngi sngewthuh ne ngi iohi mo ba kita baroh ki long ki kam ki shynriahti U Blei.La ka long ka bneng bad ki jingdon jongka; ka khyndew lem bad ki briew, ki mrad, ki khniang, ki jingthung jingtep etc; ka duriaw lem bad ki jingdon jongka baroh.
Ka ktien ka jong U Blei haka Kitab Genesis 1:26 ka ong kumne- “U Blei Ula ong ruh, to ngin iathaw ia u briew haka dur jongngi, katba kum ka jingiasyriem jongngi hi;bad kin synshar halor ki dohkha ka duriaw,bad halor ki sim bneng,bad halor ki kynja mrad bad halor ka pyrthei baroh,bad halor kiei kiei ki kynja bapar baroh kiba par ha khyndew.” Bad
na kajuh ka Kitab Genesis 2:15 “ Bad U Trai Uba U Blei Ula shim ia uta u briew,bad Ula buh ia u haka kper Eden ia kaban trei bad ban sumar iaka.”
Ka bynta kaba kongsan kaba ngi dei ban puson bad sngewthuh ka long shaphang kane ka jingpynkupbor (Empowerment) ia ngi ban long “Ki Nongsynshar halor ka Mariang ne ki jingpynlong U Blei”.
U Blei Ula pynkup ka bor halor jongngi ban long Nongsynshar/Sordar halor ki jingpynlong jong U baroh. Ka jingkylli kaba mih mynta ka long Uei Uta U Nongsynshar/Sordar?
U Nongsynshar/Sordar u long u briew uba peit bad synshar ia kiei kiei ki bym dei ki jong u,hynrei jong kiwei pat;u long tang kum u nongkhmih uba dei ban ai jingkhein hala u kynrad.Kum ki Nongsynshar kiba U Blei Ula pynkup bor ban synshar iaki jingpynlong jong U;hato ngi la synshar hok halor ki jingpynlong baroh?Kaba sngew shyrkhei ka long ba u briew haba u donkam dohkha ban bam haka jaka ban shu tong ne khwai;mynta ki theh daki dawai ne ki shu pynbthei da ki bom ha kaba ki dohkha naduh kiba rit haduh kiba heh ruh ki duh jaid noh.Ki sim kiba bam iaki khniang kiba pynduh iaki jingthung jongngi, kiba long ruh ki nongbet symbai iaki dieng ki soh hynrei mangi pat ngi la pyniap noh iaki .Mano ban weng ne shim noh ia u khniang naki jingthung jongngi.Haba ym don shuh ki sim ki doh,ki jingthung jongngi ruh katno ki swai bad kim seisoh.Ka jingtim ka long ia ngi hi.
Kaba kum kaei ka jingsynshar ngi la synshar?U Blei u dawa nanga bad na phi ba ngi dei ban ai jingkhein.Ma ngi lei lei kum ka jaid bynriew Khasi Pnar U Blei Ula buh ia ngi halor kine ki lum kiba itynnad,ka jingthew lehse kan kham khia ia ngi namar ba Ula ai ia kaba bha tam napdeng kiwei pat ki jaid bynriew ka pyrthei.
Haba U Blei Ula buh ia u Adam bad ka Im haka kper Eden,kawei naka jingkit khlieh kaba Ula ai ka long ban trei bad sumar ruh iaka.Genesis 2:15.Ka long kaba donkam ban ngin trei ngin ktah iaka mariang,hynrei ha kajuh ka por ka donkam ia ngi ruh ban sumar iaka.Katno kala pynmong ia U Blei Uba shisien Ula thaw itynnad iaka.Hynrei katno kan pynkmen ruh ia U,haba ki khun jong U kiba long ka kti U Blei hi ki mih shakhmat ban pynbha pat iaka mariang.
Ka pharshi shaphang ki talent ka pynshisha ba U Trai jongngi ha kata ka sngi Un pan jingkhein na nga bad na phi kaei kaba ngi la leh ia kane ka mariang kaba Ula ai hangi.Hato ka long mo kaba bit kaba biang ban pynphai sha ki longdien jongngi ne kala jot kala pra bad kam long shuh kat haduh ba kan long syriem iaka jingkren ka ktien U Blei ba kita ki ba bymman haba ki khun kin pan kpu kin ai da u maw,haba kin pan dohkha kin ai da u bsein.Kata ka long ka jingshisha lada ngim ri bad sumar iaka mariang kaba bsa kaba pjiah iangi.
Lada ngi la pynroi ngin ioh iaka jingkyrkhu bad pynksan na U Blei, hynrei lada ngi la tep bad pynduh ngin ioh pynban iaka jingpynrem na khmat U Trai jong ngi.
Ka ktien ka jong U Blei haka kitab Due 20:19 ka pynkynmaw iaki khun Israel kumne-“Haba men kerkut iaka nongbah,haba ialehthma ban jop iaka,me wat pynduh noh iaki dieng jongka,da kaba pom iaki da ka wait;naba me lah ban bam naki,to wat pom te iaki;namar hato u dieng ka lyngkha u long u briew ba men leit kerkut ia u”.
Ka mariang ka long ka Jingpynlong ba maian U Blei bad ka long ka jingpynpaw iaka jingiadei ba kynja mynsiem hapdeng u briew bad U Blei.Lada u briew u sngewthuh ba kine ki long ki jingpynlong U Blei, kata kamut ba ka jinglong ba kynja mynsiem bad ka jingiatiplem ka don bad u;hynrei lada kata ka jingiatiplem kam don shuh ha u kata kamut ka jinglong mynsiem hi kala iap.Bad haba la iap ka jinglong mynsiem kam don shuh ka jingniew burom shuh iaki jingpynlong U Blei baroh.
Balei u nongpyniap briew u nud ban pyniap iala u para briew uba long u jingthaw uba kordor jong U Blei; kadaw ka long namar bala iap ka jingiatiplem. Kumjuh ruh iaka mariang bad ki jingpynlong jong U Blei haba laduh ka jingiatiplem la nud ban pynjot naphang.
Lehse ka daw ka long ka jingrhah ban ioh iaka spah kaba long ruh ka daw ban pynjngai ia u na U Blei.U briew um hun haka jingpyndap U Blei.Para samla kaei kaba nga mut ban ong hangne ka long baka jingsuk kam shong haka spah kaba ngi ia rhah haduh ban pynjot iaka mariang shaba palat liam hynrei ka jingsuk kaba janai ka shong haka jingkoit jingkhiah haba ka mariang bad ki sawdong sawkun jongngi ki dang khuid dang suba.
Ngi sngewnguh iaki longshwa jongngi kiba la ai ha ngi ia ka mariang kaba dap pura bad ka jingkylli mynta ka long, “Kaba kum kano ka mariang ngin pynphai sha ki khun ki ksiew lane ki longdien jongngi?”.
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Why am I here?
By:
Mr. Eboton Kharkongor
B. Com, B.D.
Jingiaseng Samla Balang Presbyterian Madanrting (96150 42351)
There are two important days in our life. Firstly, the day we were born and secondly, the day we know why were we born. Many of us don’t know why we are here on earth. We are like wanderers in this life without any purpose and meaning in life. We are like a ship in an ocean, tossing where the waves take us. Let us not be fools thinking that this world is what we only have, rather this world (as the Bible says) as a temporary place and we ought to fix our eyes on the eternal things (II Corinthians 4:18).
Now, how do we know why we are here or why am I here? (on earth) Let me cite an analogy: If Iba (name given for reference) bakes a cake and place it in front of us, we already know the size of the cake as we can see it, know the flavour of the cake by tasting it, know how the cake is made by reading or watching someone bake it. However, we can never know why Iba baked the cake (i.e. The Purpose). May be she baked it for a birthday party or an anniversary or to sell or to gift it. We can know the purpose, only and only by asking her about it. The same is with us. We can never know our purpose by looking at our own physique, character, background but only and only by asking our Creator – the Almighty God about it. The Bible says that God saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace (II Timothy 1:9). The closer we get to God the more we will understand as to why he made us.
One of God’s purposes is to seek Him and glorify Him. To glorify Him is to praise Him, to proclaim His greatness and also to accomplish His will. God accomplished his purpose of demonstrating faith through Abraham, building the ark through Noah, proclaiming the coming of the Messiah through His Prophets and John the Baptist and above all, to save the world through Jesus Christ. God has a purpose for us too. Even though we may walk in the midst of trials, problems and sufferings, even through all this, there is a meaning beyond our human comprehension. God has a plan, a purpose for us, and He gives meaning to our lives. What is important is to believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour – hence our existence here on earth becomes meaningful and worth living.
Augustine of Hippo sums up our purpose and deep desire in his book – Confessions: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee”
Seek God and trust Him, for God’s purpose can never be thwarted (Job 42:2).
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Host the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).
Mrs. Armenia Kharkongor
(JINGIASENG SAMLA BALANG LABAN)
Our aim and goal in life as a Christian should be two fold.
- To know God by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the fellowship and communion with the Holy
- To share about Jesus his revelation and work manifestation on
The Spirit needs a host to manifest it’s work, just as in the Bible when it came down to Jesus at the river Jordan. God said to John the Baptist, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit’ (John 1:32-33).The emphasis and repetition in these verses of the Spirit remaining upon Him I think testifies to the uniqueness of this moment as John witnessed it. I believe that in the Lord Jesus the Spirit found someone not just upon whom He could come for a special reason or specific purpose, but someone upon whom He could rest and remain. Just as the dove was hunting for a place to rest, the Holy Spirit is looking for somewhere to rest on earth, and that can only be the people of God. But first of all, just as sin had to be dealt with in Noah’s day, so the Holy Spirit cannot rest upon a people who have not been taken out of their sinful ways. And just as the dove found a token of dry land coming, the freshly picked olive leaf, so the Holy Spirit first came to rest upon the Lord Jesus, the one without sin, the one who was the ‘firstborn among many brethren’ (Romans 8:29).
Jesus didn’t make disciples just so they could go to heaven. He made disciples to become witnesses of him on this earth, and to manifest his work. To heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils and raise the dead.
That is what the disciple needed then, as we also need the Holy Spirit. Through the anointing of the Holy Spirit it gives us the power to overcome the kingdom of darkness
— to destroy the devil’s works by breaking his power and set the captives free.
This is why we have to be like Mary (sister of Martha) to learn the art of hosting the presence of God. We need to prioritize our time to something that is more valuable in life. Spending time and meditating with the Almighty and soaking in His presence is a good practice to inculcate. (Luke 10:38-42)
Now I want to speak about three main aspects of hosting the Holy Spirits presence.
- Make room- This phrase means, to do whatever is necessary to make a place for someone or To move things around, or to discard things, or even add on extra space for someone to come.
- Give place- This is different from make room, but this can’t happen without making room first. To give place means to yield to, and submit to, by extension it means to want or to desire— and to give liberty and freedom of
- Accommodate-This even goes further than the first It means to make comfortable, to seek to please, having a desire to please by creating a favorable environment.
The Good attributes about the Holy Spirit is this, He is a perfect gentleman, He will only come where He is invited, and He will empower anyone when we give Him the freedom and the liberty to work on us. “2Corinthians- 3:17-18-Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
For the Glory of God AMEN.
The Law
Mr. Hunbit Rymbai
Balang Presbyterian Lumpyngngad
Introduction
After years and years of slavery, the Israelites were free at last. God had delivered them from Pharaoh with a mighty hand. Now God led them to a mountain in the desert and Moses was ordered to climb it. There he would receive God’s laws for the people. God said to the Israelites:
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”Exodus 19:5-6
God wanted them to live differently from the nations surrounding them. He also wanted them to be a blessing to the nations around them – these nations would see how God cared for his people. Remember the promise Abraham received: ‘You will be a blessing (…) In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed’.
The Ten Commandments
These commandments are not meant to make life miserable, but to put a safe fence around it. God wanted the Israelites to respect him and respect each other. God wrote the commandments on two stone tablets. The first part of the Law deals with man’s relationship to God. The second part deals with man’s relationship to his fellow men. We find the Ten Commandments in (Exodus 20:3-17).
Commandments about man’s relationship with God
- You shall have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
- You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Commandments about man’s relationship with others
- Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
8.You shall not steal.
9.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.
The first four commandments can be summarized as follows:
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
And the other commandments all come down to:
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
Because if you love your neighbor as yourself, you will not want to do him any harm.
*****
The Lover of Barabbases
-Zereeda Y. Nengnong
JS Balang Presbyterian Phudmuri
True Love unravelled,
Breaking chasms.
True Love, born of purity
Renounced absolution.
What is this Love
That loves me at my weakest?
As my sin pierced this Love with a thousand nails,
This same Love took the place of a thousand Barabbases.
Love is patient, Love is kind;
Love that promises to never leave one sheep behind.
I am, because You are
faithful, true and everlasting.
Gavelled me to freedom,
And speaks to me in the only language I now know of.
The Angels among Men
By
Lurshaphrang Shongwan
JS Balang Presbyterian Phudmuri
Thou hast heard the heroes on earth, who scratched the dirty dirt,
The historians winched up the veils to narrate their valorous tales.
Thou hast seen many heroes on screen shaping a million dreams,
Their gallant deeds run through our veins, pledging long-term gains.
But someone said that wars are won by countless bullets and guns.
With armoured tanks and a million men, failure is in the den.
But misery tales persist to this day after the Hiroshima tale,
For battles are fought and wars are won not only by fiery guns.
There are countless souls working on earth without a tetchy word,
Like angles of God, they guard us all from sinful, treacherous dirt;
Some with shields, others with veils, yet their valorous acts prevailed,
Like the “Light Brigade,” they charged the guns, leaving their lovely ones.
Without a drop to quench their thirst, they ensure a mellow dream,
The beeping tunes and exhaling sounds puzzled their thoughts around;
More than a thousand times, they observed the line to ensure a pleasant time,
“For men may come and men may go,” but angels guard the line.
Days and nights with dreadful scars, they crossed all the limited bars,
Through thick and thin, without despair, they nursed with love and care;
Thousands were down without a sound, but they held their solid ground,
Like Alfred said “There is no reason why, but to do and die”.
Some have plunged to the darkest depths, but they did so without regret.
A warrior’s death is what they dreamed rather than a cowardly scream;
Though in silence they left without a grief, thy love will never leave,
For in history sheets, thy lovely deeds will be reckoned as we read.
*****