Building God's Church as Co-workers by Bro. Uday Mustafi

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"Jesus Fills Emptiness at Wedding of Cana" by Rev. Binoy John at PCG, IT...

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Building The Church of Christ as Co-workers

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:5-15

This church was most powerful and charismatic yet sinful. Along with the work of God work of devil was also evident. Paul in his two letters talks about the works of God.

In this passage Paul says everything in church belongs to God. Ministry, believers, church, pastors, leaders everything is God's belonging. God is the creator.

This text could be divided into two.

There are two metaphor and one picture. First five verses addressed to leader of coworkers. Coworkers with one single purpose. When we understand that purpose of single we understand why Paul is writing.

Verse 5 its immaturity in the part of coworkers...!!! Leaders are mere labours in God's wine yard. First metaphor is from Isaiah 5 about wine yard.

Paul planted Appolos watered, all mere coworkers for one single purpose.

Verse 7 you just worked in God's, God gives the growth not you. Even Paul himself says he is nothing. Plants need to be taken care of until the day of the fruit. Water,  manures, sunlight etc is required.

Church leaders today think themselves to be the kings. They forget King of kings. They twist the rules so that they can have great crowd of followers. This kind of leadership is worldly leadership. Followers political parties don't care whether one leader is good or bad, moral or immoral, many simply for personal gain follow them blindly.

In subsequent verses Paul says all will get reward only after it has been tested with fire. Now metaphor of architect, farmer comes in the scene.

He talks about building as collective work not individual work.

Verse 16. You are the temple of God. It's not singular pronoun in original language but plural pronoun CHURCH IS THE TEMPLE OF GOD NOT INDIVIDUALS.

Verse10. He changes the tone to warnings and caution. Which foundation do all use today to build this building. It's only Jesus.

Six materials Paul mentions here:

Gold, silver, precious stones

Wood, hey, stubble

These two groups would be put to fire which comes out will be rewarded. Second group will never come out as same but as ashes. But first group will come out same.

You are the leaders for the future make sure what kind of leadership are you building within you today. If you don't fill  yourself with the word of God tomorrow you won't be able to stand in your church to defend anything significant. 

God will reward us in His day. What kind of disciple are becoming or making. Let's be mature when it comes to building Christ's church.

Source: A sermon Preached at CITS by Mr. Uday Mustafi

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Works of the Word of God

Text: Hebrew 4:12

Bible has different meaning for the the word of God. God made everything by word of God, Bible is word of God. So are these both same. The first one is God's power and second one is scripture. John 1:1 Jesus is also word of God. Gospel is also said to be the word of God.
Hebrew 2:2 talks about the result of not hearing the word of God.

1. Quick - Word of God is quick
The Word of God is quick in effect. The moment you read, the moment you meditate, the moment you believe it quickly brings results in your life. We live in a world that is very fast. From newspaper to jet planes everything is getting faster and faster. More than all these word of God is swift.

2. Powerful- word of God is powerful
John 5 a man sitting to get healed for last 38 years. Word of had power, the moment it reaches you, you get healing and strength in your bones. It can break anything and can make anything.

3. Sharper- word of God is sharp
The Sword that Romans used was very sharp, it would not even let the man know the pain who is being decapitated. Similarly, word of God is very sharp...it works in your life just as the sharp sword.

We must use this word to live a successful Christian life. Read, mediated and apply this word into your life to experience radical change in your life.



Source: A message preached at CITS by Rev. Binoy John

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PRINCIPLES FOR TAKING WISE DECISIONS IN OUR LIFE

Text: Acts 1:1-26

Book of Acts tells the story of the church. Chapter 12 talks about PETER imprisonment and church’s prayer for his deliverance. Today also we see church is going through such persecutions. And we need to pray for our churches. When angel came and delivered but he also had another mission along with this…chapter 12:23 to kill Herod, who persecuted church.

Jesus always demanded obedience from disciples. Disciples never thought that Jesus would ever die. Multiple times Jesus informed them about his demise and resurrection. After death of Jesus they went to their own works. Jesus had told them to wait for the HOLY SPIRIT. Later they waited in the Jerusalem for the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. It is only through prayer that you can get the power. We heard many promises, prophecies and words of blessings but they all come to pass only through prayers.

Though they has Jesus’ promise and prophecy but prayed in unity. To receive great things from God we must be in one accord. We see Mary and disciples praying together. Mary from the beginning knew about Jesus’ divinity but His brothers didn’t believe in Him. V.15 120 people along with Mary and her sons gathered in the upper room of Mark.

v.16-26 PRINCIPLES FOR TAKING WISE DECISIONS IN OUR LIFE

In our life decision are very significant. Decisions affect our life greatly. You have taken decisions and as the results of those decisions you are here. This 120 people had to take an important decision. Judas was also disciple of Jesus Christ. Though he was a thief but people thought of him as most faithful. Later Judas ministry, because he was a thief, discontinued. 2 Cor. 7:2, 9 what Paul didn’t do he mentions? …wronged no man and no corruption, didn’t cheat anyone neither damaged anyone.

1. We must remember the desire of Jesus Christ when we take

    decision.

(Jesus selected twelve disciples). Peter was among 120…he tells to fill the place of Judas. Therefore, he says we must be 12.

2. We must follow scripture in all our decisions.

v. 20 Peter quotes Psalms 69:25; 109:8. We must prioritise Word of God in our life,especially  when we take decisions.

3. We must share our visions with those who are spiritually

     mature.

Peter sharing his vision with others. (that disciples must be 12)Today we don’t have to depend upon customs and traditions but we must solely depend on HOLY SPIRIT. In following chapter, HOLY SPIRIT came upon them. Remember this principles whenever you come to the place of taking vital decisions of your life.

   

      Sourse: A messaged shared at PCG, ITARSI by Pastor Binoy John

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The “WHY” and “HOW” God has Directed and Dealt with me through the years by Dr. Daryl Merrill, Sr. at ITARSI

1. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S KEEPING POWER!

परमेश्वर की सुरक्षा देने वाली सामर्थ

KEEP STANDING --- Don’t quit!हार ना माने!

Ephesians 6:13-14“…and having done all to Stand, STAND!”

Jude 1:24“Now unto Him who is able to KEEP YOU FROM FALLING...”

2. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS!

परमेश्वर की विश्वासयोग्यता

Psalms 37:25
“I have been YOUNG, and now I am OLD; yet I have never seen the Righteous Forsaken nor His Children Begging Bread!”

GOD NEVER FAILS – Joshua’s Promise:
“…I will be with thee; I WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOT FORSAKE THEE.”

Remember what Jesus told Peter:
”I have Prayed for thee that thy FAITH FAIL NOT;”
And Jesus “ever lives to make INTERCESSION for us!” (Hebrews 7:25)

3. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE!

परमेश्वर की दया एवं अनुग्रह

 Ephesians 2:4 and 8 & 9

4. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S CARE –

Personally to me!

परमेश्वर की हिफाजत-व्यक्तिगतरूप से

1 Peter 5:7
“He careth for you!”

Psalms 119:11
“Thy Word have I hid in my Heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”

5. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S PROVISION

परमेश्वर का प्रबंधन

Philippians 4:19
“But MY GOD shall supply ALL your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”

6. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S GOODNESS

परमेश्वर की भलाई

Psalms 107 (5 times)
“Oh, that men would Praise the Lord for His Goodness; and for His wonderful works for the Children of Men.”

Psalms 150
1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you!”

“MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER, BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT INTO….”

7. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S TRUTH – HIS WORD!

परमेश्वर की सच्चाई- उसका वचन

WHAT IS TRUTH? यीशु मसीह

John 17:17
“Thy word is Truth!” तेरा वचन सत्य है

John 14:6
“I AM the Truth…” –Jesus मैं

8. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S ANOINTING AND INSPIRATION!

परमेश्वर का अभिषेक एवं प्रेरणा

John 14:16
Jesus said, “ I will PRAY the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.”

John 16:7
“It is expedient that I go away: …If I depart, I will send the Holy Spirit to you.”

9. I want to Testify to:

GOD’S CONTINUAL PRESENCE!

परमेश्वर की नित्य उपस्थिति

Psalms 51:11
“TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME.”

2 FOUNDATIONAL VERSES FOR MINISTRY:

सेवकाई के लिऐ बुनियादी आयतें:

1. Psalms 127:1 (our perspective of priorities)
“Except the Lord build the house, we labor in vain.”
“Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

2. Acts 15:28 (our method of operation)
“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”

10. I want to Testify to:

THE PRIORITY OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S PLAN!

परमेश्वर के योजना के अंतर्गत

आज्ञाकरिता के प्रति प्राथमिकता

My Life Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6
5 “TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART; AND DO NO DEPEND ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.”
6 “IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATH!”

Source: A MESSAGE SHARED AT PCG, ITARSI, MP, INDIA

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Book Review: Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson

Regnery Gateway Publication 

Year-1991

Place –Washington (USA)

Pages -188, index

Phillip Johnson is a professor at the University of California's prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law. His book has attracted a lot of attention, reportedly selling 40,000 hard-back copies. Darwin on Trial is an antievolution book, not a scientific creationism book; this book certainly establishes his credentials. It complements the anti-evolutionism of the scientific creationists, and provides fuel for those who want to get evolution out of school classrooms.

The second chapter is talking about the natural selection through which the evolution has accrued. And third and fourth chapters are talking mutations and fossils. The fifth chapter is about evolution. Vertebrate sequence is talked in fifth chapter. The molecular evidence is discussed in chapter seven. Chapter eight is about pre -biological evolution. The rules of science and Darwinism are explained in the next chapters.

The author considers Evolution as naturalism.  Therefore Darwinism is fully naturalistic evolution, involving chance mechanisms guided by natural selection. In naturalistic evolution God’s intervention is excluded. He claims that Darwinian evolution is based not upon any incontrovertible empirical evidence, but upon a highly controversial philosophical presupposition”.  Johnson argues that naturalistic evolution is not scientific but is rather a dogmatic belief system held in place by the authority of a scientific realm

As for Darwin that the species came out naturally and from one species another came. But for john there is no evidence about what Darwin says. Because, over the whole millennia no new species have been born. The comparative study of sera, haemoglobins, blood proteins, and interfertility show that natural selection can never happen. There still is no satisfactory detailed mechanism for producing large enough, non-lethal variation of the DNA to produce a new species in a single attempt, and it remains an act of faith on the part of evolutionists that there is some way for it to have happened bit by bit.

 Johnson says that Evolution is a naturalistic theory that denies  any supernatural intervention.  The scientific  evidence  for evolution  is  weak but   the   philosophical    assumption   of  Naturalism   dogmatically   disallows consideration  of the Creationist's  alternative  explanation  of the  biological  world. Therefore,  if divine  interventions  were  not ruled out  of court,  Creationism  would win over evolution .Johnson  says that theory  of naturalistic  evolution,  which...  absolutely  rules  out  any  miraculous  or supernatural  intervention  at  any  point.  Everything  is  conclusively  presumed  to  have happened  through  purely  material   mechanisms  that  are  in  principle  accessible  to scientific investigation,  whether  they  have yet been  discovered or not .

First, Johnson defines evolution as if it were an ideology: evolutionism

Evolutionism to him is a philosophy that excludes the possibility of divine intervention occurring during evolution. Therefore evolution itself is an incorrect explanation of the history of the universe.
One of the main arguments that Johnson brings is fossil. According to the fossil collection that we have, there is no possibility of evolution. Because Macro-evolution suggests that it is very gradual and one species comes from other. But fossils that we have have no connection as the evolution describe. According to the evolution there must be connection between each fossil. Even when the old species disappear it is pretty same as they were. It is also true with the new species, which appears in well-formed form. So now the evolutionist should provide the fossils for their theory to be proved. Since it is not possible for them to provide the proof it is obvious that the evolution is not possible.so there must be a power which could have created the all the beings in its kind with purpose. Therefore we have the evidence to the creation according to the bible but not to the evolution.

His goal, of course, is to discredit his version of Darwinism, which stresses slow, gradual evolution Johnson wants to prove that Darwinism is not science but an outgrowth of materialist philosophy. He does not recognize theistic evolution as a common compromise between the facts of science and the desire to retain a religious perspective.
Darwin on Trial attacks evolution by natural selection in an attempt to bolster a theology based on a personal God who created humankind for a reason, and gave us a purpose. It does this by trying to convince the reader that evolution did not occur, and that Darwinism, as a mechanism, is inadequate to explain how descent with modification could have occurred. The arguments are recycled arguments from the discredited "scientific" creationists, although they are presented with great style and persuasiveness.
Johnson worries greatly that children will learn evolutionism rather than "just" evolution, and then lose their faith in there being a purpose for life. Johnson reflects the anguish expressed by many traditional Christians who fear impact of evolution when it will be proved as true,

Johnson thinks that Christian children are being taught evolutionism rather than just science. But there are no good data showings that the college or high school teacher goes along with the teaching of evolution occurred, and here's how it happened  with therefore you must give up your belief in God. My personal experience is that this is rare; Johnson's worry is that dominates.

Johnson is concerned with the implications of evolution. Although he states in his book that theistic evolution (evolution that is God-directed) is possible. He accepts that the earth is old, but rejects evolution, thus he is perhaps describable as an old-earth creationist. His concern with evolution is primarily religious: if evolution by natural selection (Darwinism) really happened, then it is not possible for life to have purpose and for the universe and Earth to have been designed by an omnipotent, personal God. He feels that life would have no meaning, and moral and ethical systems would have no foundation.

Thus his goal in Darwin on Trial is to demonstrate that Darwinian natural selection is impossible; therefore evolution didn't take place; therefore his theological views are preserved. He stresses that Darwinism is inherently an atheistic, naturalistic philosophy.

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THREE MEN WITH WEAKNESSES TO BE VICTORS

Have you ever questioned, “How could God use someone like me?” Perhaps you are consumed with guilt over sin and failure. You may suffer with the wounds of your family history or individual circumstantial realities. Perhaps you have physical difficulties and weakness. Maybe you have struggle accepting yourself and bear the burden of a deprived self-image. Maybe you feel inadequate due to a lack of education, skills, or spiritual gifts. Here is the story of three weaknesses, WHO turned out to be victors of their time.

TEXT: JUDGES 3:7–31 

7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. 14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit[a] in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. 17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. 21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the porch[b] and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.
24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.” 25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor.
26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. 28 And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. 29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.

1. STORY ONE: OTHNIEL

A MAN WITH INFERIORITY (A GENTILE, SOCIALLY WEAK)

Gentile becoming first Judge of Israel…He turned his anonymity into his availability…accomplished God’s plan for Israel. Our first story in 3:7–11 begins on an ominous note. “The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot [abandoned] the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth [female Canaanite deities…Baal’s girlfriends]” (3:7). The opening phrase “the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” is repeated throughout Judges (3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). Othniel is a man of ANONYMITY. People didn’t know much about him. But what is clear is that Othniel was a KENIZZITE a gentile. This serves as an example that background should not limit your service to Christ. Regardless of your family of origin, ethnicity, or nationality, God wants to use you powerfully with the same power of the HOLY SPIRIT. Your AVAILIBILTY is response to God’s ability.

2. STORY TWO: EHUD

A MAN WITH INABILITY (A LEFT-HANDED, PHYSICALLY WEAK)

A man with physical debilitation destined to destroy enemy.

Our second story is found in 3:12–30, and it begins just like the first account. “Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek;25 and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees.

In 3:15, we come across a very important verse. “But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, EHUD the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.” The Lord raises up EHUD to take on King Eglon and deliver Israel. The narrator states that Ehud is LEFT-HANDED.

In Hebrew, being left-handed is described as “restricted in his right hand.”

Ehud is a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin, a name that means “son of my right hand.” Perhaps you’re still not convinced of the significance of this narrative insertion. Let me explain.

People were encouraged to correct their left-handed children. Being left-handed was even seen by some as being a sign of evil! Language seems to bear out this meaning. A man who is awkward is called GAUCHE, a French word meaning left-handed. Something that is wicked or evil we call SINISTER, the Latin word for the left-handed. At the very least, being left-handed was considered unnatural and peculiar in antiquity. Ehud could have been devastated by this problem.Ehud turned a physical disability into a possibility because he depended on the Lord by recognizing weakness and finding God’s strength.

3. STORY THREE: SHAMGAR

A MAN WITH INADEQUACY (AN OX-GOAD, MILITARILY WEAK)

Our third and final story is a “one-verse wonder” a mere sound bite. Check out this amazing and unorthodox story in 3:31: “After him [Ehud] came SHAMGAR the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.” I love this name Shamgar.

Shamgar is a man with INADEQUATE WEAPONS. Nevertheless, he is a man who obeys God and defeats the enemy even though his resources are limited. Instead of complaining about not possessing a sword or spear, Shamgar gives what he has to the Lord, and the Lord uses it. God makes His power obvious in human weakness. So give your education, experience, and talents to Him. Give whatever tools you have to the Lord, stand your ground courageously, and trust God to use what’s in your hand to accomplish great things for His glory.”

Image:https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTfyLgVFg8AzvMLpBylqV9J6IGJLmJfNSXkN-EbCArnHOVY18nx

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Book Review: John W. Creswell. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed)

John W. Creswell is a Professor of Educational Psychology and teaches courses and writes about qualitative methodology and mixed methods research. He has been at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln for 30 years and has authored 11 books many of which focus on research design, qualitative research, and mixed methods research and are translated into many languages and used around the world.

This is a brilliant instructional book written for students and experienced field researchers. If anyone has little or no understanding of choosing a research approach to probe into his/her topic, Creswell comes to rescue.

Overview of the chapters;

This book is divided into two parts. Part I consist of steps that researchers need to reflect on before they expand their proposals or plans for research. Part II discusses the various sections of a proposal.

A selection of a research Design: In this chapter, author begins by defining quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods as research designs. These designs are plans for a study, and they include three significant elements: philosophical assumptions, strategies of inquiry, and specific research methods.

Review of the Literature: It is vital to comprehensively review the literature on topic before one designs proposal. Thus one needs to start with a researchable topic and then investigate the literature using the steps developed in this chapter.

Writing Strategies and Ethical Considerations: Finally, in the first part, the author turns to ethical issues and discuss these not as abstract ideas, but as considerations that need to be anticipated in all segments of the research progression.

In Part II, I turn to the components of designing the research proposal. Chapters 5 through 10 address steps in this process.

The Introduction: This introduction comprises the notion identifying the research problem or issue, enclosing this problem within the existing literature, pointing out insufficiencies in the literature and aiming the study for a specific audience. This chapter offers an efficient method for designing a scholarly introduction to a proposal or study.

The Purpose Statement: In this chapter, researcher learns how to write this statement for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies. Readers can find scripts that help in designing and writing these statements.

Research Questions and Hypotheses: In this chapter, the reader learns how to write both qualitative and quantitative research questions and hypotheses. And also discovers how to utilize both forms in writing mixed methods questions and hypotheses.

Quantitative Methods: Quantitative methods involve the procedure of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the outcome of a study. In this chapter, the reader learns the specific procedures for designing survey or experimental methods that need to go into a research proposal. Checklists provided in the chapter help to ensure that all vital steps are incorporated.

Qualitative Procedures: Purposeful sampling, collection of open-ended data, analysis of text or pictures, representation of information in figures and tables, and personal interpretation of the findings all inform qualitative procedures. This chapter advances steps in designing qualitative procedures into a research proposal. Moreover it also contains a checklist for making sure that you cover all essential procedures.

Mixed Methods: Six types of mixed methods designs are stressed along with a discussion about criteria for selecting one of them based on timing, weight, mixing, and the use of theory. Figures are offered that suggest visuals that the proposal developer can design and include in a proposal.

Researchers find a sort detail to learn mixed methods research as practiced today and the types of designs that might be used in a research proposal.

This book is an excellent introduction to research design for qualitative, quantitative and mixed- methods designs. It explains all the aspects of a research design and takes reader through each one, including the literature review, research question and hypotheses. Also, the first chapter goes through the multiple theoretical viewpoints from which research proceeds, therefore the readers come to know different paradigms. It also has lots of models, examples and exercises to work through.

This book can be effectively useful in many ways. The author goes to enormous lengths to offer illustrations from real studies to exemplify the concepts which are very useful; he also does a decent job promoting mixed methods research within the context of its recent history.

Interspersed throughout the pages are tables, suggested writing activities, examples, and informative step-by- step sidebars pertinent to specific topics. Each chapter is recapitulated and additional suggested readings to investigate are listed.

In short, it is strongly recommended for any student who is engaged in research work or anyone interested in putting together a good proposal, or an instructor who wants a well-written foundational text. In addition, this book is an excellent resource to field researchers who have experience in one research approach but not in the other two. Therefore, it is highly recommend for both inexperienced and experienced researchers.

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Da' Truth and Dr. Ravi Zacharias its Complicated

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{II Corinthians 12} -Power of Weakness-

I pray for God to strengthen me. Over and over I implore for Him to make me sturdier and better able to accomplish the missions He has on my life.

But I fail. And fail. And fail. I pray one last time, strengthen me.

Then it struck me. I’m praying for the wrong thing. Instead of imploring for Him to strengthen me, I need to pray for Him to be my strength.

But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’

Therefore, hereon I will boast all the more joyfully of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Now I am contented with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9 – 12:10)

What a radical move. Instead of asking God to remove the difficulties of life maybe all this time I should have been praying for Him to be my strength in all these things.

Stop asking for Him to make me different than I am. Stop demanding to be something I am not. Stop pleading for Him to take away these “THORNS”.

I have had it all the wrong way. I am inadequate, but His grace makes me adequate. I am weak and His power is made perfect in that weakness.

I wanna hide my flaws, mend them and delight in my victories. Instead, I am to boast joyfully of my weakness. Trying to make myself tough only leads to exhaustion, yet Christ’s endless power overshadows me. I am dissatisfied with my weakness and problems but I can decide to have satisfaction knowing He has a plan for it.

Lord let me be weak, so that You might be my strength.

Source: http://www.actuary.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/InterviewQuestionWhatAreYourWeaknesses.jpg 

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