The God of the Bible is a Triune God who revealed Himself to mankind through His Son – Jesus Christ. Our Triune God is a relational God; that is why we often say that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God.
In our right relationship with God, He reveals His plans for us by His Word – plans which are far beyond our comprehension (1 Corinthians 2:9). God reminds us that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so His thoughts and plans are higher than our thoughts and plans (Isaiah 55:9).
As we have left behind 2013, and stepped into 2014 to face various challenges and opportunities, let us seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that God’s higher plans and purposes for our lives will be fulfilled in and through us. For us it is a new year in life but it is not new for our Lord Jesus Christ. He knows all the days of our lives (Psalm 139:16) and He is here to guide us in 2014 by His Holy Spirit.
We must always remember that most of the people around us are busy in their various activities. Non-Christians often don’t pay much attention to the glorious light of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, when a Christian’s individual life which is the epistle of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:3) shines brightly (Matthew 5:16) for His glory, non-Christians cannot neglect it. Let us be effective ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ and let our light shine in this dark world.
We must tell the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), because our Lord has said: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). In this dark and dying world, people need to know the Truth and need to be guided by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. In the world of “relative truth” people resist “the Truth” – the truth of the Gospel. The apostle Paul talks about people who resist the truth as ‘men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith’ (2 Timothy 3:8). Such people want to ‘follow their pernicious ways’ and speak evil about the way of Truth.
In 1 Timothy 3:15, the Word of God declares that Christians – the Church of the living God – is the pillar and ground of the Truth. Let us love people wherever God places us – not only in words but in deeds and in truth also (1 John 3:8). Let God lead and guide us by His Holy Spirit to help people come out of darkness to enter into the glorious Kingdom of God.
King George VI said in his 1939 Christmas speech:
‘And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” ‘And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”’
2013 Highlights:
In Australia we have been conducting seminars, teaching in Bible Colleges, preaching in various churches and training various individuals and groups for evangelism among Muslims in Brisbane, Tweed Heads, Townsville, Kyogle, Sydney, Port Macquarie, and Melbourne.
God gave us opportunities to minister in Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Britain, China, Hong King, various states of the USA, Canada, Trinidad, and Guyana. Many believers have been blessed, equipped and encouraged to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ among Muslims around them. Ministry opportunities included also speaking to senior politicians in Canada and Britain on Qur’anic theological foundations for persecution of Christians in Islamic countries.
Through the generosity of Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), 3,000 copies of Share the Gospel with Muslims were printed for IMI. With generous financial support of Mr. Stephen Marshall, we were able to print 5,000 copies of the Critique: Learning from One Another – Bringing Muslim Perspective in Australian Schools.
By God’s grace our family is growing – in November 2013, the Lord blessed us with our fifth grand-child. Now we have two grand-daughters and three grand-sons.
2014 – Opportunities and Challenges:
We will be busy in teaching & training, research and writing, and hope to print at least 3 more books, two of which are already completed but need final editing. Another new book is in process of compilation on the topic of Sin and Salvation: According to Christianity and Islam. The teaching & training schedule will be confirmed soon.
One major project of recording documentary style lectures on various topics is in line, which will be useful to broadcast on TV as well as for teaching sessions in a class room setting. In the near future the project proposal will be sent out to raise funds for this huge project.
For IMI’s publication and recording projects, we will greatly appreciate your prayer and financial support so that we can equip many more believers around the globe to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
