Christians were given another chance live in a free country advance the Christian faith in America and around the world. It’s a matter of perspective-God’s perspective. And we ought to adopt God’s perspective.

If the past four years has taught us anything, it’s that Christians are not accustomed to adversity, and that needs to change, because while good times are here today, there is always tomorrow. In America, we are not accustomed to “bad times” eluding to a country where Christians are persecuted on a serious level. I find it amazing that God has blessed us repeatedly despite our moral decline and slow abandonment of Him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 is a productive and sober reminder that yes, God has once again to bless His people. If honest, we will admit that God it’s out of God love, that he allows pain, suffering, persecution and sometimes loss of earthly things that we hold onto too tightly. WHY? Because as C.S. Lewis says, “God whispers to us in our pleasure and screams to us in our pain”. In other words, when things are good, we don’t really listen all that closely to God. But when we are in times of trouble, we come close to God, pleading for his blessings, mercy, protection and provision.  This is how God draws us back to Him and tunes us up as “authentic”Christians. I have lived an incredible life experience having been born in NYC, raised in the Washington D.C. area and now having lived in Charlotte, NC for the past 25 years. The 2024 election was a great reprieve for Christians, but we are no way out of the woods of trials and persecution. In other words, we are wise not to get to get too comfortable. So, how should we respond?

FIRST: By thanking God for all the great good times, He has blessed us with.

SECOND: By praying for His will and guiding hand for us in this new anti-Christian world that has emerged.

THIRD: By preparing our children and grandchildren to do the same.

FOURTH AND LASTLY: By being joyful that God has chosen you and I to live during such a time in history whereby we can serve the Lord in such special times…despite the cost. This what God says about the matter through Solomon…

Ecclesiastes 7:14 ESV SAYS “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”

IN CONCLUSION:

Ecclesiastes makes clear that we as Christians have been given another chance to live in a free country advance the Christian faith in America and around the world. If the past four years has taught us anything, it’s that we as Christians are not accustomed to adversity, and that needs to change, because while good times are here today, there is always tomorrow.

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).

NOW LET’S GET TO WORK!! THANK YOU, LORD JESUS!

Are we called to not be direct with others? Is that bad, morally wrong, or just a reflection of our culture. TODAY, I am going to show you what the Bible says about giving an “APT REPLY” or being too direct.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines an APT REPLY as: “able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability.” The Collins Dictionary.com defines an apt reply as: “to the point and particularly appropriate.

People have called me direct and one who gives an apt reply at times. The bottom line is that some people don’t like an apt reply. Perhaps it's about accountabililty or not wanting to told anything). By anyone welse (an unteachable spirit).

The bottom line is that we are not to play loosly with words. If we speak truth we can speak and give an “apt reply” instead of some obscure encrypted sentence which is wrong. Some time back, I was sitting with some local folks that taught me that in the reigion, things often mean the opposite of what is literally stated. One gentleman asked the other gentleman if he “might-could consider” doing something. I thought it was a request until he elder gentleman turned to me and said I am going to tech you something about local culture, and went on to explain to me that a request as such if most often not a literal REQUEST but a command to do something. Despite the way in which his words were used, it was still an “apt reply”, and I can respect that. So, is giving an APT REPLY biblical?

PROVERBS 15:23 says “A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!”. 

So what does it mean to make an apt reply? To make an apt answer is to address a problem in someone's life according to Proverbs 15:23. Another version of Proverbs 15:23 says it this way: “TO MAKE AN APT ANSWER IS A JOY TO A MAN, AND A WORD IN SEASON, HOW GOOT IT IS!”

The  point is this: It should be a “JOY” to give an answer that is helpful to another person, even when it cuts to the core. To be clear, it’s just as important as to “HOW” we say something as to “THAT” we say something. So first, we must say it and then be mindful as to “HOW” we say that helpful truth. 

To be clear, there are times when there are right answer is not always appropriate, but it’s still good to give wisdom words to best help the other person make decisions for themself. On the flip side, it is a joy to give a helpful answer to a problem, but it must be spoken in the right time and in the right way. Timing is critical. We must make sure that we are not criticizing the other person out of anger. That would be wrong. 

Being a productive and effective parent or leader mandates being able to give an apt answer  and being disciplined in your speech; using your words for the benefit and encouragement as well as correction (when needed) of others. 

IN CLOSING I want to close with Proverbs 24:26 which says, “AN HONEST ANSWER IS LIKE A KiSS ON THE LIPS”. 

The ESV says it this way: “WHOEVER GIVES AN HONEST ANSWER KISSES THE LIPS”.

This saying compares giving “A RIGHT ANSWER” with kissing  “THE LIPS”. A right answer is a straightforward, honest response to an inquiry. And in the end, this is called giving an APT ANSWER because such words reflect LOVE, RESPECT, and INTIMACY towards the inquirer, much like a kiss on the lips. And, the greatest sign of affection and respect for another person is to tell the person the truth.

So to answer the question as to is it wrong or bad to give an “APT REPLY?” The answer in summary is a whopping “YES”. We are called biblically to be respectful but direct with others. That is not bad or morally wrong. WHY? Because the greatest sign of affection and respect for another person is to tell the person the truth-and that mandates giving an “apt reply”.

The Christian faith is EXPLODING in India. Today, I am going to share with you some stunning facts through an article titled “Massive Growth of Christianity Reported in India” by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson at RENEWAL HEART MINISTRIES. Then, I will add my commentary and show you how God sees things through His Word, the Bible. Let’s get started!

The article opens by stating: "Though the Christian church in India goes back to the time of St. Thomas the Apostle, church growth in India has been slow until now. India is predominately Hindu (74%), with some Muslims (20%) The truly exciting thing is that the percentage of Christians has increased substantially from 2.5% a decade ago to about 5.8% today."

That represents a huge increase in the growth rate. Something is happening!
Missiologist and church growth expert C. Peter Wagner has been receiving reports that the percentage may actually be 25% Christian — at least in parts of this large country — most of the growth coming in the past 10 to 15 years. And the growth may not all be in traditional churches. A substantial part may come from Jesus-follower groups within the Hindu culture.

In this huge and very diverse country, it's difficult to get accurate statistics regarding religion, but anecdotal stories indicate exciting changes. According to Christianity Today, Operation Mobilization, one of India's largest missionary groups, has grown to include 3,000 congregations in India, up from 300 in less than a decade. A hospital-based ministry in north India has seen 8,000 baptisms over the past five years after a decade of only a handful.

"Everybody knows about the massive scale of growth among Dalits," says Operation World's Jason Mandryk. Somewhere between 70% and 90% of Christians in India are Dalits, low-caste groups, so that many higher caste Hindus view Christianity as a low-class religion, worthy of contempt.
"Now we see signs of growth in the middling castes and among the under-35s," Mandryk says. "There's a new dynamic for the urban, educated generation. There's growth happening in upper castes as well."

Wagner writes, "It is becoming more and more common for whole villages or other people groups to all decide to follow Jesus Christ together at one time." There are reports of both new churches and traditional denominational churches seeing signs and wonders in the Spirit.
However, there is intense persecution from a radical Hindu movement that is afraid of the growth of Christianity. 

You hear of churches being burned, of pastors being persecuted — and occasionally killed. But, in a way, Hinduism is its own worst enemy. It is based on a caste system in which the top 15%  dominate the country. Christianity is beginning to declare that "the gospel is a message of deliverance, not just for heaven. It is a message of freedom. The truth is that God made man in his image." And that message of deliverance seems to be catching on across India.

The key to this growth seems to stem not from some charismatic leader, political change, a major scandal in Hinduism, or social upheaval, but from intercessory prayer! I encourage you to make India a personal prayer focus. Pray for congregations, for leaders, for evangelism, for disciplining new believers, for converts from both Islam and Hinduism. God is at work in India.

IN CONCLUSION: The truth of God is written on all men and women’s hearts. As we close, I want to leave you with a few passages that sum up WHY Christianity is exploding in India. Let’s take a look:

FIRST: 
Is Ezekiel 36:26 which tells us in the ESV…
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

How do you and I see others. As Christians, we can look at others, including the Hindu lowest Caste (class) called the Shudras as equal in that they too, you us, were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27). As Christianity spreads in India, God is increasing the number of new, clean, Christ centered hearts that is and will continue to change the landscape of India through the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

SECOND: 
Is Psalm 51:10 says:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” 

India’s Caste System consider’s the lowest class called the “SHUDRA” class or “CASTE” level to be so unclean that all other class Hindus are considered dirty if they simply fall into their shadow.

Hinduism does not allow for a clean heart by it’s very nature of being a man-centered class system; especially the distant they have for their Shudra-deplorable or the “unclean” lowest class. Everyone else is artificially elevated for no other reason that they were born into a lower class or “CASTE” level. 

But PROVERBS 21:2 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart”.

Simply put-God sees the hearts of the people of India, not their CASTE or CLASS level. And God doesn’t leave them there. He makes them great in their time of need through Jesus Christ.

THIRD AND LAST: 
Romans 2:14-16tells us:
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

In other words and in the end, the TRUTH of God is written on all human hearts; including the Hindus of India. True salvation for them is a matter of acceptance or rejection of the true God of the universe through Jesus Christ. 

If that sounds EXCLUSIVE to the Hindu-that is because, YES, Christianity is EXCLUSIVE not INCLUSIVE. God accepts the Hindu Shudra class. WHO are the Shudras? In India, the Shudras are the lowest ranking class of the caste system and typically function under the roles of laborers and artisans in Hindu society. It is stated in many ancient Hindu texts that the main function of the Shudras is to serve the other three higher castes. 

But Jesus tells us quite the opposite in Matthew 23:11, saying: “THE GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SEVANT”. And this is true for the very highest class to the lowest Shudra Caste - class of Hindu and all other human beings on earth.

It’s true in fact in that we are seeing massive growth and the spread of Christianity in .India”. While India is predominately Hindu (74%), with some Muslims (20%) It’s very exciting in that the percentage of Christians has increased substantially from 2.5% a decade ago to about 5.8% today. 

That represents a huge increase in the growth rate. And yes, something BIG is happening! And that thing is Jesus Christ is making Himself known all over India. And that’s why Christianity is spreading in India!

https://www.joyfulheart.com/misc/growth-of-christianity-in-india.htm