Spiritual Journey Insights

  Episode 18 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is " Travels & Storms " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/v25HKZxqYig

Episode 17 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is " Technology Addictions " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -   https://youtu.be/AJ7pyHkvD74

    I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church. YouTube Link -     https://youtu.be/CeslSnNAKn0 Main Points from the messages. Message Portion:- Philemon 1:19-25 Main Verse:- Phil. 1:21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.  Introduction Eph. 4:31-32 - 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Mathew 6:14 - “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Col. 3:13 - “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Mark 11:25 - “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you...

Episode 16 of Thriving Talk came out last week. The topic is " Struggles with Bi-Vocational Ministry . " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/MCln2gOsBQM

  I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church. YouTube Link -    https://youtu.be/PONXAa7jDGg Main Points from the messages. Main Verse :-  Philemon 1:11    Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. Introduction • “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ― C.S. Lewis • Forgiveness is not a matter of the heart but also requires actions Actions needed with Forgiveness  Receive (12)  Restoration(15) Restitution (18) Conclusion “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”  ― Corrie Ten Boom I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.  - Henry Ward Beecher

  Episode 15 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is " Temptation. " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/NSuijjv16_M

Episode 14 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is " Anger Management. " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/8pKrfGgkUtI

I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.  YouTube Link -    https://youtu.be/I6dZZ44ocpw Main Points from the messages. Main Verse:-  Philemon 1:7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. (NLT) Introduction • The letter is written to convince Philemon to forgive his runaway servant Onesimus and to accept him as a brother in the faith. • Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. - Hannah More • In the shadow of my hurt, forgiveness feel like a decision to reward my enemy. But in the shadow of the cross, forgiveness is merely a gift from one undeserving soul to another. – Andy Stanley, It Came from Within! Greetings (1:1-3) Paul was in prison, or he was under house arrest. Timothy was with him He considered Philemon as a co-worker Philemon was a wealthy member of the church ...

Growing up, I often heard this phrase: "Blood is thicker than water." It is a proverb in English, meaning that family bonds will always be more robust than other relationships. Honestly, I did not experience that it is valid in all circumstances. In my own life, others came to my help more often, and I also found some other relationships to be stronger.   Last year when I was battling with sickness, I did experience it again. I am not saying family members were not there or did not express concern, and I found that others were genuinely concerned about me. When I tried to think about it, I found the real reason. It is possible in my adoptive family. Few Bible verses- God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (Eph. 1:5) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as hi...

I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.  YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/enF5VF6LB70 Main Points from the messages. Main Verse:-   Rev. 20:15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Introduction There is g ood news and bad news. Some things are certain, and some things can be debated. THE FINAL JUDGEMENT from the Church website:  There will be a final Judgment in which the wicked dead will be judged according to their works. Whosoever is not in found in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast, and the false prophet will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Mt.25:46; Mark 9:42-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8). One certain thing is that one day we will stand in judgment. For Christians, the final judgment will be a time to receive the Goal of our Faith. - J. S. Gyimah De...

Episode 13 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is " Time Management. " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/Ut6-Mzm0AkE

I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.  YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/Xq1VGq9Xrls Main Points from the messages. Main Verse:- Luke 11:8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. (CSB) Introduction When compared to the time you spend on things of this world, how much time was spent in prayer? Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. He will never talk well and with real success to men for God who has not learned well how to talk to God for men.- E.M. Bounds Jesus was asked a question- "Teach us to pray" (Lk. 1:1) Lord's or Model Prayer (Lk 11:2-4) The Lord’s Prayer is commonly divided into two parts: A prayer directed toward God (Matt 6:9–10; Luke 11:2) A prayer for daily needs (Matt 6:11–13; Luke 11:3–4). Give us each day our daily bread - Give us each day th...

We all encounter the challenge of lack of time. We are busy and have more tasks to do than we can. We compromise on the time we should take out to relax and rest. Most of the time, we are catching up. This can lead to an experience in which our private life is not in order. I had been in a similar situation some time ago, and then I changed a few things, and it got better, but still, there was this hurry and busyness. When I got sick last year and spent most of my time in the hospital bed and recovery, everything I was doing came to a standstill. I was left with nothing much to do—no more preaching or taking the pressure of conducting meetings. No work, no more involvement in ministry and was free most of the time. It gave me time to reflect and think a lot. This led me to make many changes in my life, giving me many benefits. One significant advantage is that I am no more in a hurry or busy. People may not get it, but I am more organized and purposeful now. I am not worrying about...

Episode 12 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is " Tragedy and Hope . "  In this episode, I interview Pastor Sunil Korade from Odisha, India. He has experienced some personal loss in the family recently. In this interview, he shares his hope and the outcome of the difficult situation.    The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/ExOr8L040Rg

  We all grow in many areas of life with time. Our roles and responsibilities also change. We hear about people who started at the bottom of an organization and grew up to become top-level executives. In some cases, the changes are based on people’s desires, and circumstances and situations sometimes force them to transition to a different role. We have different seasons in spiritual life and ministry, and we may not always be given the same assignment. There will be changes and movements, and our role may change. I taught Sunday School for many years in different churches, and it is now more than ten years since I have taken a Sunday School class regularly. My first job was as a teacher. In a few years, I moved on to programming and, after some time, moved to another role. One area we see the change of role is leadership. Many people do not spend time training or equipping themselves as they transition to a new position and struggle, and they do not change their approach and s...

Episode 11 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is " Christians and Sports. " This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/s-GpaJzdW68

I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church.  Main Points from the messages. Main Vers e:- Daniel 2:17-18 17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. Introduction We all face crisis situations in life, and it is inevitable.  Crisis- a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. Question- what do we do, or what is our first response? Most Christians long to see miracles, but they don’t want to be put in a position where they will need one. - Rick Joyner Bible teaches us that one of the best responses is to go into corporate prayer. Some incidents from the Bible. Going to be killed - Daniel and friends Dan. 2:  17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He urged them to ask the...

Episode 10 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Good Habits." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ https://anchor.fm/gospel-link YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/Jpq4HeJ0sAk

I  want to share the sermon I preached last Sunday at my church. I spoke in Malayalam with translation to English.  Main Points from the messages. Main Verse:- Numbers 14:28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say.  അവരോടു പറവിൻ: ഞാൻ കേൾക്കെ നിങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ തന്നേ, എന്നാണ, ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളോടു ചെയ്യുമെന്നു യഹോവ അരുളിച്ചെയ്യുന്നു What do you say to yourself? - Do you say many negative things against what God has already told you.   What do you say to others? - Do you spread things that build faith or destroy faith. What do you say to God? - Do you tell everything to God?     “Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/lIzdSxjvSKE

It is claimed that Bible has around one thousand leaders listed. There is more data than just the name of about one hundred leaders. I heard that someone did a study and found that nearly one-third of these finished well while the rest failed. Most of those who failed encountered failure during the last half of their life.   It was a little surprising to me as I thought that the chances of failure are reduced as people mature and grow. I was wrong, and the critical issue I found is “mature and grow.” Do we stop growing after a point as we realize that we have figured out the formula to keep things stable while giving the impression to everyone that we are doing good in all areas of life? Are we growing or just going forward based on experience and our wisdom?  I heard a man of God say that “ Strong leaders have strong weaknesses. The key is allowing God to control our weaknesses. ” In my view, the life of leaders we find in the Bible and the recent history of leaders vali...

Discipleship is a key term we use and hear all the time in church and ministry. A few years ago, I was in a meeting where a person accused all the pastors who served his church that they never spoke or taught about discipleship. I was shocked to hear that since discipleship is core to Christian faith life. I just felt like this person was exaggerating, as I cannot comprehend how pastors can ignore discipleship without ignoring Jesus Christ itself. The mission statement of the church I pioneered and serve now is “Making disciples who will make disciples.” There are two aspects: those who make or train others to be disciples of Jesus and those who are being trained to be disciples of Jesus Christ. You cannot teach others to be disciples unless you are a disciple. I want to share a few things I noticed while going through some training. If you want to disciple someone, choose someone you know well enough to discern their weaknesses. Once you decide on someone, remember to focus on the...

Another episode of Thriving Talk is out. The topic this week is Christians and Missions.  Details about Thriving Talk Podcast -  On Gospel-Link.com website -  https://gospel-link.com/podcast-thriving-talk/ Links to different podcast platforms -  https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/7ojY9w8qTMY

 Sharing the sermon, I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.   YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/rjtPzHTVX8o Summary of the message Main Verse:- Luke 9:23 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.  Introduction The call of Jesus is one of daily commitment. If you do not plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't begin, for this is what Christianity is all about. It is a change of citizenship, a change of governments, a change of allegiance. If you have no intention of letting Christ rule your life, then forget Christianity; it is not for you. - Kay Arthur 1. Following is optional. Lk 9:23 - If any of you wants to be my follower There is no forced conversion, and it is unbiblical. We preach or share the message with an invitation, and people can accept it freely.  There i...

God created humans as relational beings. We are created with emotions; at any given moment, we can experience different emotions and behave and act based on what we feel. We could be feeling angry, anxious, ashamed, hopeless, lonely, concerned, disappointed, hurt, jealous, stressed, annoyed, bored, calm, confused, tired, curious, confident, excited, focused, happy, ambitious, determined, grateful, included, proud, etc. Many types of emotions are defined, and if we do not learn to understand and control ourselves, we could make decisions or actions we will regret later. There is a saying that broken glass can be taped together but will never be the same as old. You can try to repair the damages you caused due to your childish attitude or carelessness, but it won't be easy to regain trust. Thinking before you say or act in a particular way is better. The hurt you create may last your entire life. One of the common human reactions to show displeasure or protest is to withdraw or q...

Episode 8 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic is "Kingdom Vs. Individual View." This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.  The links mentioned in this episode are - Link to blog - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2018/05/individualistic-view-to-kingdom-view.html Link to paper - https://www.bethel.edu/seminary/about/initiatives/work-with-purpose/resources/tinku-thompson-colloquy.pdf Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html YouTube Link to the latest episode -  https://youtu.be/rT7Q0IeDpFs

Sharing the sermon, I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.   YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/aLSra4L7yas Summary of the message Main Verse:- Luke 6:45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. (CSB) Introduction • Keeping our hearts in check is very important. • How far we go in conversations, and talk determines our standard.  Purity and simplicity are the two wings with which man soars above the earth and all temporary nature. Simplicity is in the intention, purity in the affection; simplicity turns to God; purity unites with and enjoys him. - Thomas A Kempis 1. Do not judge others (Lk. 6:37) 2. Forgive others to be forgiven 3. Trying to correct others while ignoring our own needs (Lk. 6:41-42) 4. Tree and Fruits (Lk 6:43-44) 5. Overflow of Heart (Lk 6:45) Desires of our heart placeme...

Episode 7 of Thriving Talk is out. The topic this time is " Life Management ."  This is another Dad-Son edition in which Tim, my son, sits with me and asks questions about life, purpose, spirituality, faith, etc.   Details about Thriving Talk Podcast - https://tinkuthompson.blogspot.com/2022/08/thriving-talk-podcast-links.html YouTube Link to the latest episode - https://youtu.be/ZbAvrNG9EEs

“ The end or outcome justifies the means ” is a statement that many people use when you point out something that is not quite right or something fishy. People steal things, give them to the poor or needy, and may feel good. Recently I heard about someone who does things that are not legal, but he said he is doing a good thing as he helps others by doing what is illegal. When it comes to spiritual life, something similar exists. As long as I am blessed and have no problem, God is happy with everything I do and is in my favor. In Psalms 73, Asaph shares his concern about a similar matter. Ps. 73:3-8 (NLT) 3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. 4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. 5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. 6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. 7 These fat cats have everything their hear...

Sharing the  sermon I preached this Sunday at my church. It is in English.    YouTube Link -  https://youtu.be/Tq5A7Q5XtF8 Summary of the message Main  Verse:- Daniel 1:15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. (NLT) Introduction Faithfulness is a key principle in the Bible. To be faithful is to be reliable, steadfast, and unwavering. Faithfulness:  an attribute of God,  a positive characteristic of some people,  a characteristic that many people lack,  fruit of the Holy Spirit. Daniel and friends - Changes experienced  Geography/Location change - Jerusalem to Babylon Freedom - Now follow the instructions. Name change (1:7) New Learning - Language and Literature of Chaldeans (1:4) Circumstances change- 3 years of training Food change- Royal Food and Wine from King's provision (1:5) Daniel's Decision - Negotia...