The Technology Challenge and the gospel of Christ
By Hussain Andrayas | June 6, 2008
The start of the 21stcentury made our world a very tiny one. How much tiny? Just clicks away. The rise of the google map, MS virtual earth, the power of automation in the internet including the mobile browsing, satellite radio and tv etc. has things so much changed that even a person in a remote place of the earth such as deep Hazarajat of Afghanistan has full access to the white house in seconds.
What this means for Christians?
If you just look into what is being feed on the internet you will realize that Christians are way, way behind everyone else in MESSAGING the world.
While Christians hold and have the Power of God (Romans 1:16, 1 Corinth 1:18, Acts 1:8) the time has come for the followers of Jesus Christ to bring a huge change in themselves. To prove that there is more to Christianity then just focusing on beautiful doctrine, nice clothing, and erecting another so called church building.
The fact is that those Churches in the 1st century which did not have a building and were mostly on the run for their lives were a lot, lot more effective and more blessed. They enjoyed God’s fellowship and closeness. They enjoyed practically seeing Jesus Christ through their lives. I always think of a “not so body builder” Telemachus whose simple action of facing God brought a ban on gladiator fights and today’s giants who are confused on what God actually wants from them.
It is sad to even think about it but it is never late. HaleluYAH! today is the day of salvation!
It is very simple
If you command a Bible “GO therefore and be preached” trust me, the Bible will never move and there is none who could prove it otherwise. For God, He is the mirracle. For others it is the simple Faith (believing) in the True God, that causes mirracles and thus changing of history and even the destination of life.
In Matthews’ gospel the Lord said: GO YOU (Christians) therefore. I think it is time for Christians to wake up and shake their cloths on which the dust of laziness homed and be practical in bringing the life giving message of Jesus Christ to our World.
It is the Christians who must act as the walking and talking Bible to make mirracles come true. It is this reason that Jesus Christ said; “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12) Yes, you reading right, “not my words” but JESUS’.
So, What Would Jesus Do?
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God is Spirit (John 4:24)
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The Bible is Spirited (Theopnutos=God Breathed) (2 Tim 3:16)
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A Believer in Christ is born of the Spirit… is a spirit(John 3:6-8…)
And JESUS wants all of the three to work together. (1 Corinthians 3:9, Matthew 28:18-20, Psalm 119:11, 105…)
The first ONE being the Leader, the Second One being the Guide and the third one being the carrier.
It is very simple, either YOU GO, or YOU SEND! There is no other way that you can be an active Christian. Going to Church, singing songs, paying your dues, hearing a powerful message without implementing, these are all religious things and have nothing to do with Christianity.
If you SEND and don’t put your full heart into it (Be Passionate, Feel the Pain), your SENDING is mere self boast. So SENDING also require your full participation because God already is RICH.
To me, “why would a Christian even live on earth once SAVED?”
Because as Christ came into the world to save, we also have been sent by Him into the world (John 17:18) to bring other to Him to be saved.
Not only what we do is because WHAT we have (GOD) but we do thing because “what we are!” salt of the earth…light of the world. Matthew 5:13-16
Our purpose? to honor, praise and magnify Christ in the true worship.
Once a man in front of a Church asked me this question: “Why you have so many gadgets, one or two is not enough?” He even went further and said: “Don’t you think it is a waste of money?”
I looked at him and really did not know what to say. So opening my mouth and relying on God I asked him: “What kind of work do you do?” He said; “I am a painting contractor.” He pointed to his van full of tools and many brushes.
This is it. I asked him; “why don’t you use only one brush for the whole work you do, why you have in your van so many brushes and tools?”
Unfortunately he just looked at me with a smile only. Sometimes smiles could become a stumbling block for us.
Your servant is a simple man with simple words. Not the words of a highly educated person, neither a seminary graduate, nor the one who even can analyze this very writings. But simply putting my heart, which is right now crying out loud; “Where are you O Christian?
Let us be excited. Let us make a joyful noise to the Lord. Let us lift up holy hands. Let us impact the world for the glory of God. Open you Celphone and see what only a tiny thing in your hand is capable of to honor God with.
Don’t you hear what God is still asking you this simple question; “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
Let us pray and think…
Topics: Faith | 2 Comments »
A song of joy for you to enjoy…
By Hussain Andrayas | December 22, 2007
I am here tonight at the CompUSA where the Lord many times gave me the opportunities to share the gospel with people while shopping or window shopping. But like the old hymn goes:
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not abide with me
Yes, that’s so true. The compUSA that I used to shop is closing nationwide in the USA and it is sad because it was close to my home and also a place where I bought my first computer when we moved to the USA and also a place where I share God’s goodness many, many times both with the workers and others around.
I have been very busy but God’s goodness is always available. So I praise my dear Lord Jesus in whom I have all my hope.
As Jeremiah says:
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him,
to the one who seeks Him;
Now that another year is going bye bye, for those of us who trust in Jesus, there is eternity of life beyond, and that’s a great good news for everyone who wants to trust in Jesus as Lord.
Here is what God’s word says:
For God so loved the World that He gave His only and ONE Son, that who ever trust in Him will not die but have eternal life.
The question is: do you? My prayer from here in the COMPUSA and from everywhere is that you will decide to trust in Jesus because trusting Him is everything for us.
May the Lord so much bless you and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008 of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is now a song for you in the Dari language of Afghanistan. Enjoy and be blessed.
O Christ, Thank you for liberating me
Giving my sad heart a song of joy.
Hussain Andaryas, your fellow human being, saved by the grace of God through and in Jesus Christ.
Topics: Faith | 1 Comment »
I hate you - I love you
By Hussain Andrayas | March 29, 2007
On an average I get at least 10 hate emails from Muslims daily. Some wants to cut me into pieces, some just use the worst kind of language you possibly could imagine and some write a second time with a lower tone in response to my email. Most emails are responded by our wonderful team in Holland but there are those I have to respond sometime.
Take for example this one:
**** you kafir. You low life son of a *****. how dare you leave the noble and peaceful religion of Islam and give your *** up for $$$. Don’t you realize *********** that Islam is the only true religion? Stop the *******. Islam means peace and you lost that you *******. Email me so that I can teach you some lesson. …
Ok, I went too far to post here one of the probably worst and childish emails that surely some Muslims may not approve but let us look into that later. I really had to pray a lot before answering the above email. So finally I remembered my Lord on the cross calling; “Father forgive them for the they know not what they do.” And I also was confronted by the Holy Spirit through the pen of Paul: “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” Romans 10:2. So, I decided to prayerfully respond:
Dear brother ….(I don’t want to add his name here),
Thank you so much for your email. I totally can understand your frustration. In the bible we call this “sin.” It is a sickness that All human beings have as a heritage from our father Mr. Adam whose address used to be a beautiful garden called Eden. Now because of that the bible in Romans chapter 3 verse 23 says: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ describes this in the following three verses of Mark’s gospel (injil-e-Marqos) like this:
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” Mark 7: 21-23
But don’t worry my dear friend, There is a Way and a Cure for this sickness. Trust me, I am Cured myself. Though I did not use the kind of language you are using but I did have an equal measure of hatred filled in my heart toward, Pashtoons, Tajiks, Hindus, Jews, Christians and a lot more. But as you can make out from my writings and my testimony, “I am a changed man!” I was cured on the 14th of October 1990 when I heard the Injil (Good News) of Jesus Christ. I realized that I can never beat hate with hate. Here are the two bible verses or should I call pills that Cured me once in for ever:
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)
My dear friend, I can understand you, because I have been there. It is a hard life of hatered. Trust me, the night I decided to follow Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life, He changed my history, He changed my heart, He changed the tone of my language, He changed my everything 180 degree. I am not a doctor but I have experienced the touch of the Master’s hand. And this this same Master who is calling you today:
Come unto me all who are weary and burdened, I shall give you rest (Matt: 11:28).
I strongly recommend Him to you. He really does a good job and I think He is the Only solution because His Book of Health also says:“And there is salvation (Cure from sin) in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.
My dear friend, I advise you to read this wonderful Health Book called Injil. It has the complete Cure for you and by the way, since I know the Author personally, I will do a sefarish for you. Because He is a Faithful Friend of mine. He always tells me; ‘Give Me a call and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3.
So you see, I have prepared a sifarish. All you have to do is just go to Him. Although He knows everything ahead of time but you are most welcome to say; this guy Andaryas sent me to You :). Trust me, even if you go without my sifarish, He is full of grace and kindness to take your own words for it. May God bless you and may you be healed totally as I have been healed by Him.Know that I love you and pray for you.
Hussain Andaryas.
I am actually still waiting for his email. I don’t know if he will write or not but I pray that this post today will touch the hearts of many Muslim to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. As they cry out in the Qur’an “Ehde na sirat-al-mustaqim,” Jesus Christ is already calling them and saying: “I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one can come the the Father but by Me.” John 14:6
Topics: Faith | 6 Comments »
Work and Rest
By Hussain Andrayas | March 9, 2007
Blessings!
Today I had a lab test. My Doctor always tells me; “I want you to live a little longer.” He is kind. I was thinking on the way back about how much work I am doing. What came to me was; “how much rest I am getting?”
How much rest I am getting? I started calculating my life time. I know it was the Lord. He reminded me: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
I actually rest more! MORE? a lot, lot, lot more! My life because I have been redeemed is now the life measure of God. Because He lives! Yes because He lives! I live in Him and with Him and that’s for Eternity to come!
OK Lord, I am actually not working but resting. It is You who is at work! John 5:17 cp Gal. 2:20. What I do is live! Yes, I was dead and He gave me life and the work I am doing now, I would NOT be doing at all in the first place. And the work that I do now is nothing compared with the rest I will have in the very, very near future:
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:4-7
Suppose this Earth is my life (age), and in that life how much of it actually I work? NOT even like tiny piece of sand.
O dear Lord, thank you for the Life you gave me and for the rest of eternity with you. You are my Rest. May your name be praised!
Hussain Andaryas
Topics: Faith | 3 Comments »
Hello world! Blessings and Peace!
By Hussain Andrayas | March 8, 2007
For God so loved the World that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whoever beleives in Him may not die but live forever. John 3:16
Everyone on the Internet is netted through blogs and since I started Interneting since 1996, thought it is a good thing to speak my heart through an online journal. I know, my English is poor. It is because I never studied English. But I also know that you will understand my words and I will pray that God will help.
I thought of starting my blog with a Bible verse and it is so true and God loves each one of us even if we think that there is no God. God is gracious and He still blesses everyone, exactly like an Old servant of His said: “Great is Thy Faithfulness!”
Please do come again and read what is going on in my life and what new things God blesses me with. Trust me, I count everything including the suffering a blessing from God. This is what He said:
“”Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:12.
So you see I am blessed anyway.
If you are a beleiver in Jesus Christ, I urge you to please pray for me that what ever I share daily, will be directed by God and not of my own wisdom. Please pray that God will speak His Word to me and through me to those I make a connection.
The Lord be with you,
Hussain Andaryas
Topics: Faith | 7 Comments »