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MORNING STAR
A Multimedia Christian Publication

P.O. Box 7755, Nashua, NH 03060
Phone: 603-883-4624 - Fax: 603-883-0466
INTERNET: mstarmac@aol.com


EDITOR IN CHIEF
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA

MANAGING EDITOR
Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA

SENIOR EDITORS
Janette Kragen - Roseville, CA
Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA
Pastor Russell Walden - Doniphan, MO
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Chuck Bennett - San Jose, CA
Bryan Dufelmeier - Springfield IL
Dr. Paul A. Kienel - Whittier, CA
Zola Levitt - Dallas, TX
Dennis R. Mallory - Albany, NY
Joseph A. Nigro - Oradell, NJ
Rick Riker - North Plainfield, NJ
Jeannine Robinson - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Moishe Rosen - San Francisco, CA
Ray & Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel
Dale Strand - Dublin, CA
Rick Thrasher - Santa Clara, CA
J.C. Trudel - Naples, FL
Terry White - Washington, DC


SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS and WINDOWS Editions
Steve Paulovich - Pembroke, NH

SENIOR PUBLISHER - MACINTOSH Edition
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

SENIOR PUBLISHER - Hard Copy Edition
Ray Reed - Beaumont, TX

HARD COPY COVER ARTIST
Donna Riker - North Plainfield, NJ

OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H.


ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION

DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION
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AMERICA ONLINE
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COMPUSERVE NETWORK
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA
Rick Riker - North Plainfield, NJ

GENIE NETWORK
Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA

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Rev. Vince Gonzalez - Naples, FL

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MORNING STAR is produced and published monthly, by a staff of
born again believers in Jesus, located across the United States
of America. Correspondence to MORNING STAR may be sent via the
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If you run a bulletin board system and would like for your BBS
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Editor's Letter
Editor's Letter
Welcome to Volume 4.1 of MORNING STAR! This issue marks the
beginning of our fourth year of publication - Praise God! As I
write this letter, I have learned that our magazine has just
found it's way into yet another country - Zimbabwe in Africa -
courtesy of an Electronic Bulletin Board link to our friends in
South Africa!

Besides the USA, the following TWENTY countries now have someone
receiving the magazine and sharing it with others...

Canada, Mexico, Norway, Finland, Sweden, England, Germany,
Belgium, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, Hong
Kong, Russia, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe,
and of course, Israel.

What a diverse audience! Who would have thought?

I always consider the Studies section of MORNING STAR to be the
"engine room" of the magazine. I believe this issue has as
strong a group of teachings as any we've ever done. Pastor
Geoff Kragen's series on Revelation concludes in this issue -
and the final segment on the letter to the church at Laodicea
ties in quite well with this month's "Aberrant Teachings" theme.
 The New in Christ, Messianic Studies, and Special Studies
columns also relate to the theme. (Funny how God seems to make
all this work out, eh?) These three columns are each the first
part of a series and will continue in next month's issue.

The Features section this month is also packed with great
teaching material. Enjoy this issue - you'll find there isn't a
lot of "fluff" in it. Many of these articles will certainly be
food for thought and should provoke lively Bible-study
discussion!

Until next month - Lord willing... be sure to rightly divide
the Word of Truth! (2 Tim 2:15)

Shalom,
Toby
Ministry Profile
Ministry Profile
ALT MAGAZINE

(Formerly KIDSTUFF)


When Editor Jeff Eaton turned 10 and started Kidstuff magazine
in August of 1987, it was aimed at readers between the ages of
eight and fifteen. He really didn't intend to use it as a
ministry at that time, but did start including reviews of
Christian books. Jeff was impressed with the messages in
certain books and began interviewing authors to give a platform
for the truths they were conveying. He began touching on issues
that weren't being addressed in regular "kids" magazines. Being
interested in these issues, he didn't want to fill up Kidstuff
with what he called "fluff." He wanted to give readers something
to chew on, something that mattered. At the same time he was
concerned about the messages which the secular media was giving
to kids and wanted to counteract the lies being taught. "In
every issue," he says, "I want the reader to come away knowing
they are special because God made them and loves them, and that
we can have hope in Him." 

It's been amazing to see how God has opened doors for the
magazine. In the summer of 1988, Stephen Strang, publisher of
Charisma Magazine, was in town for a writer's conference at the
local college. During that time, he saw a local newspaper
article about Jeff and Kidstuff. Mr. Strang found it interesting
because he had wanted to do the same thing when he was young.
What followed was an article highlighting Jeff and Kidstuff in
Charisma magazine. Moody's Kids Magazine followed up with
another. After that, several other publications featured
articles about it. Eventually the Family Channel, 700 Club, and
Children's Bible Hour did segments on it.

As Jeff has grown older and the magazine has evolved, it's
become apparent that it now appeals to an older audience.
Recently the name has been changed to ALT magazine to reflect
this. The magazine has grown to a 24 page quarterly publication. 
Alt stands for alternative. That's what the magazine seeks to be
- an alternative to the message the secular media is offering. 
In Jeff's words, "It seems that everywhere we turn, from
commercials, television, movies, and magazines, the message of
conditional love is being conveyed. If you have sparkling teeth,
wear the right designer jeans, have the latest athletic shoes,
and are popular with the 'in' crowd, then you can be accepted
and loved. If you are wanted, if your 'quality of life' is high
enough, if you are productive, and not too much of a burden,
then you have the right to take up precious space on our planet.
We are told there are no absolutes, that truth is relative, that
there is no right or wrong. Alt's purpose is to communicate that
each and every person is special and unique, because God made
us."

Jeff realizes that God has been using the magazine to minister
important truths to him as well as to the readers. It's given
him the opportunity to meet and talk with people who love the
Lord and are serving Him. Many of these people have had a
profound impact on him and have encouraged him to seek God's
purpose for his life. Brock and Bodie Thoene, authors of many
books including the Zion Chronicles, have been especially
encouraging. "One of the reasons I enjoy talking to the Thoenes,
both personally and for the magazine, is that they believe
strongly in the value of each individual person. They also
believe each person can make a difference in their world if they
obey God's calling for their life. This word is an encouragement
to me and I want to see it shared with others as well." That's
what the magazine is about. 

Jeff is looking into alternative methods of distribution for the
magazine. Electronic distribution, online services, and others
are being explored.

Those interested can contact ALT Magazine at:

ALT Magazine
PO Box 59396
Schaumburg, IL 60159-0396

For more information online, contact editor Jeff Eaton:
anthemsong@aol.com
The Bookworm
The Bookworm
With this column, we finish a special series from the New
Testament. This article is the seventh of seven focusing on the
"Letters to the Seven Churches" found in the book of Revelation.
During this series, the column has been called "New Testament
Studies." Future studies after this series will include Psalms
and books from both the Old and New Testaments.


THE LETTER TO LAODICEA
Revelation 3:14-22

By Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


This individual was found dead. He was unwashed, with long,
greasy hair and an unkempt beard. He died, as he lived: alone.
From his condition and his surroundings, you would never guess
he had been one of the richest men in the world. In life, Howard
Hughes was world famous. He had been a flyer, a film producer
and a major investor in RKO and TWA. He also had large interests
in Nevada real estate. But he paid a high price for his wealth
-- he lost his sanity, his health and finally, his life. In this
article, we will look at the cost of choosing the world's wealth
instead of the Lord's.

The letter to the Church at Laodicea is the last of the seven
letters from Christ to the Churches. As with the previous six,
we will look at the passage, and analyze it with the intent of
understanding it and applying it to our lives. 

The outline for this study follows the same pattern as used in
previous articles. First, we will take an overview of the
letter. Second, we will examine the text. And finally, we will
consider an application for ourselves. 

First, let take a general overview of the letter.

I How Christ is pictured: Christ is named as the AMEN. He is
God's final word to man. He is the final way of reconciliation.
"Amen" -- what is true. This is the only time it is used as a
proper name. The focus is on Christ as God's revealed truth and
who He is.

II Background: Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II (261-246
BC). He named the city after his wife Laodike. It was located on
one of the major trade routes of the day. The area is now modern
central Turkey. The city was about 40 miles east of Ephesus.

Laodicea was wealthy, having extensive commerce and heavily
influenced by the Greek culture. It was also a center of
science, literature and major financial institutions. Unlike
Sardis and Philadelphia, the city was not destroyed in the great
quake of 17 BC. Instead, it fell in the great quake of 60 AD.
Laodicea had wealth, so it didn't need to apply for financial
aid from the Roman Senate's Earthquake Relief Fund.
Nevertheless, the quakes led to the final demise of the city.

Laodicea was known as a source of glossy black wool used for
cloaks and carpets. Also located in the city was a medical
school and a major manufacturer of Phrygian powder, a famous eye
 and ear salve. This is the salve Christ alluded to in verse 18.
Thermal springs were also located near by. Because of the hot
springs and a lack of potable water, Laodicea was forced to be
dependent on its neighbors. In turn, this dependency probably
led to a compromise philosophy, deemed a political necessity for
survival. there were also many pagan temples situated near the
city.

Both the church and the city are thought to have existed as late
as the 14th century. Today there is nothing left in the area but
ruins. (1)

III Commendation: None.

IV Condemnation: 

1. Materialism. 
2. The members of the body were lukewarm.
3. They had wealth and knowledge, but were lacking in
everything else, being wretched, miserable, poor and blind.

V Counsel: They needed faith, works of righteousness and
forgiveness.

VI Challenge:

1. Love brings chastisement.
2. Christ stands at the door and knocks.
3. The overcomer will sit with Christ on His throne.

Verse 14: As with the previous letters, Christ directs this to
the representative of the local body. As seen in verse 22, it is
intended for all the members of that local church. By extension,
it is for all of Christ's body, through all the ages.

When Christ describes Himself, He doesn't go back to Chapter 1,
except peripherally. There He called Himself "the First and the
Last, the beginning and the end." Here, He first He talks of
Himself as "The Amen." The word means firm or established. It
relates to Him as the Faithful and True One. God refers to
Himself this way in Isaiah 65:16. Though the verse is usually
translated "the God of Truth," it should be: "Because he, who
is blessed in the earth, shall be blessed by the God of the
Amen."

Christ presents Himself to a church that functions without the
reality of His Sovereignty and Deity. It doesn't have any real
concern over who He is. Therefore, Christ pictures Himself as
the One who keeps his promises. He will fulfill all that He
promises. He will judge them for their rejection. "For as many
as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore
also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us" (2
Corinthians 1:20). 

Tenney puts it this way: "Christ is the Seal of God's revealed
truth, the finality of all that the father has spoken. Beyond
Him, God has nothing more to say to man." Christ Himself puts it
this way, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one
comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6). 

Christ is also "The faithful and true witness" in contrast to
the Laodiceans. Dr. McGee notes: "Christ alone is the one who
will reveal all and tell all." (2) Christ shows perfect
obedience and willingness to suffer. Conversely, this church is
typified by compromise and commitment to survival. The last
quality one could ascribe to them is faithfulness or a true
witness.

Christ, the Faithful, witness of Revelation 1:5, is the true
witness of 3:7 and 14. This role is a warning of the importance
and truth of the letter's text. He wants to make sure they
understand. He is the God of Creation. He is about to speak to
them, to warn them of the danger of their position.

Verse 15-16: Unlike the other churches, Laodicea will find no
commendation in their letter. Christ has nothing good to say
about this group. His statement concerning their works points
out that the church is neither hot nor cold. This is an allusion
to the cold mountain waters and hot springs of the area. The
waters which came down cold from the mountain were lukewarm when
they arrived. The mineral waters were to be drunk hot, for
health reasons. If they were allowed to grow tepid, they would
be nauseating, and would be spit out. The church tries to remain
neutral, neither for or against Christ, at least outwardly.
Christ will not accept this position from anyone, "He who is not
with Me is against Me..." (Matthew 12:30).

While their works may have been adequate, from a human
perspective, they were of no value to Christ. A cold church is
the church that has rejected God. A hot church is one that
fervently serves Him. The Laodicean Church may have had the form
of faith, but it had the heart of rejection. "Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" 
(2 Timothy 3:5). Their approach was compromise. They did not
want to offend and so were not willing to take a stand either
for or against the Lord.

Verse 17: This attitude of compromise can be seen in the value
structure of these people. Their priorities relate to
materialism. They believed they were rich. In actuality, they
were spiritually bankrupt. Their confidence was in their
prosperity and their position in the community. This is a
strange place to find one of the early churches, in a time that
was typified by persecution. 

The standards of success for this type of church are large
memberships and prominent members generating large amounts of
dollars, and ornate buildings. A church can have these things
without being lukewarm, if Christ is the object of worship and
serving him is the body's purpose. But for some churches the
outward trappings are the true sign of success. There were not
interested in helping new believers or providing the means to
insure spiritual growth in their members.

Christ tells these people they are actually poverty stricken,
not wealthy. The church is poor "For what does it profit a man
to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). It
is pitiable. The Church is blind, it doesn't understand the ways
of God. It is naked, that is not clothed in the white robes of
righteousness. There is no desire for Christ's righteousness.
How sad. Not only is the church in this condition, but even
worse, these individuals aren't even aware of it. They are so
far from God they don't even miss Him.

Verse 18: Even here, with a church Christ condemns, He still
gives them the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.
The church needed to treasure, the gifts of God not the values
of the world. These gifts include: that which is righteous,
represented by refined gold, the shed blood of Christ which
price paid for our sins. Also included were white garments,
speaking of Christ's righteousness. The Laodiceans, who had
ointment for physical blindness, needed to turn to Christ for
healing from their Spiritual blindness.

Verses 19-20: In spite of the condition of this church, the
Lord still offers an opportunity for repentance. He reproves and
chastens them out of love. Discipline is the sign of God's love
for His children. The believer who finds himself in the midst of
a system that rejects Christ must be prepared to hold fast to
the truth of Scripture. "And you have forgotten that word of
encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make
light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he
punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'... If you are not
disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons" (Hebrews 12:5,6, 8).

Christ waits outside the door calling for repentance. These
individuals must be willing to repent, to ask Christ in, to
become what they need to be: committed believers. The Lord will
not force Himself on those who do not want Him. This church must
become hot. If it doesn't, then it will be spewed out of the
Lord's mouth.

Verses 21-22: As we have noted, each time we have looked at a
letter, the overcomer is synonymous with the believer.
Therefore, there must have been a few individuals in this church
who were saved. This also points out there can be groups calling
themselves churches who are not part of the body of Christ. The
promise then is: the day will come when the believer will reign
with Christ. To those steadfast believers who had the misfortune
to be in this church, this promise of an eternity with Christ
and the hope of future service with Him must have been a great
comfort.

The letter is then closed with Christ's standard call to the
entire body to accept His words, depend on the Holy Spirit for
understanding, and apply them. 

As with previous letters, the most obvious applications deal
with the responsibilities of the local church for fervency in
obedience to the Lord. There are two additional areas that we
will consider. The first is the call to salvation for the
unbeliever. The second is for the believer. He must maintain the
proper priorities of life. He must be willing to stand firm for
God, that is, not to be identified with compromise. The
Laodicean church is weak. Christ has a specific message for
them. It is the same message that He has for the individual who
hasn't dealt with Him in his own life. 

The message to the unbeliever is: repent. Repentance means
turning 180 degrees from one's old life and turning to a new
one. The message to the unbeliever is, don't put your confidence
in what the world has to offer, but only in what Christ offers.
The cost of living by the world's standards and desiring the
world's wealth is too high. The cost is one's soul. 

Remember, as we already read, "For what does it profit a man to
gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). Even
with this church, it wasn't too late for the opportunity to have
true life with God. Christ stands at the door. He wants a
relationship with each of us, but the choice is ours. He wants
to make us His children. The God who is the creator of this
universe wants to be your Daddy, your Abba. Isn't now the time
to be born into His family? 

"For all who are being lead by the Spirit of God, these are sons
of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading
to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as
sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,..." 
(Romans 8: 14-16). 

And how is one saved? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4,
"Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached
to you, which also you received,... by which also you are saved
... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also
received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on
the third day according to the Scriptures,..." "... if you
confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."... For
the Scripture says, "whoever believes in Him will not be
disappointed" (Romans 10:9, 11).

While the primary message of this letter is for the unbeliever,
there is also a basic principle for us as believers. The warning
to us is the same: We too can end up by putting our confidence
in the values of the world. Living in this society, there is a
real danger that we will depend on the world's values for
security. For us the Cost of "Wealth" is also too high. The cost
is broken fellowship, and an inability to serve the Lord. (see
1 John 2:15-17) 

Young people, are you concerned what your friends will think of
you? The Lord tells us that we are to desire to please Him, and
not those around us. Paul speaking of himself sets an example
for us, "... but just as we have been approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but
God, who examines our hearts... .nor did we seek glory from men
..." (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 6). Your friends are more likely to
come to know and trust Jesus if they see Him reflected in your
life -- Stand Firm, be a faithful and true witness.

Parents, there is pressure to accept the world's values in
bringing up your children. The cost here can be their lives. We
are called to be responsible: "Bring up a child in the way he
should go,..." (Proverbs 22:6). "And these words, which I am
commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall
teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when
you lie down and when you rise up" (Exodus 6:6-7). As Christian
parents you can show the Lord's concern for children -- by
Standing Firm and being a faithful and true witness.

Wives, you are told that it is demeaning to "only" be a
housewife. Husbands, the world says the way we show love for our
family is by putting extra time at work. We must earn lots of
money so our families can have everything they want. In reality,
our marriages serve as a picture of the relationship between
Christ and the Church. They also can be examples to a hurting
world of what marriage should be. "Let marriage be held in
honor among all,..." (Hebrews 13: 4). -- Stand Firm, be a
faithful and true witness. 

As individuals, we are told to be consumers. The focus of our
life is to acquire of more and more material goods. As
Christians, our example must be one of sacrifice. Or as the Lord
puts it: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieved do not break
in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). -- Stand Firm, be a faithful and
true witness.

The letter to Laodicea calls the unbeliever to a life with
Christ. It calls us, as believers, to a walk with Him. The only
question left is: are we going to obey?

"And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His
Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in
him" (1 John 3:23-24).

The time has come for us to consider what the Lord expects of
us. We must ask whether we are willing to examine our lives to
see if we really are buying God's gold, or the world's? And,
having identified our problem areas, are we willing to obey God
and deal with them? We must make this commitment. I'm sure we
all have areas in our lives that need to be examined. Commit
them to the Lord. Remember, "The one who says, "I have come to
know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and
the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the
love of God has truly been perfected" (1 John 2:3-4). Let the
truth be in us.


1. McGee, Dr. J. Vernon, THRU THE BIBLE WITH J. VERNON MCGEE,
Vol. 5, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p. 920-21.

2. Ibid
Praise and Prayer (Part 1)
Praise and Prayer (Part 1)
PRAISE AND PRAYER is our international prayer link column. Send
your praise report or prayer request to MORNING STAR for
publication in our next issue. Call on your brothers and sisters
worldwide and together we will call on God!


PRAISE REPORTS

FLORIDA
Paul praises the Lord for a godly boss.

John thanks the Lord that after moving to a new area, they were
able to find a job and apartment within 10 days.

Denise praises the Lord that her 11 year old son accepted Jesus
as Savior and was baptized recently. Praise the Lord!

NEW JERSEY
Rick and Donna praise the Lord that their friend and new baby
girl are doing well. 

PENNSYLVANIA
Beverly and Dan of Pennsylvania thank the Lord for putting their
marriage back together again.

TEXAS
Mark thanks everyone for praying for Caleb, the little twin boy
who had to have an operation in his skull. He's recovered
wonderfully and God has healed him fully! Praise the Lord!

WASHINGTON
Bernard praises the Lord that his marriage has been restored.
Also, Janet's children have been returned to her. Thank the Lord
for answered prayer! 

OTHERS
Thank the Lord for answered prayers for Richard. After he took
more blood tests he found out there was nothing wrong with his
blood. Praise the Lord!

Bryan and wife praise the Lord and Savior that their children
have 
accepted Jesus as their personal Savior! Pray for Bryan's
family while he is away from home due to his job.

Pray for Swain who is having a lot of problems in his life. Pray
for his mom who is taking 6 subjects this semester in college. 


PRAYER REQUESTS 

CALIFORNIA
Pray for Curt and Donna of California. They are college students
working full time and want to get married.

Pray for Janette that the Lord will intervene in the
circumstances at her workplace.

Pray for William's nephew who caught a virus in Desert Storm
which ate most of his heart. His new-born son came home with a
cold which spread to the nephew, and his heart stopped. He is on
life support in a coma and needs a healing touch from the Lord.
 
Pray for Michele who is not married and expecting a child in a
few months. Pray for her and her mother, who is supporting her.

COLORADO
John and Diane ask prayer for her brother Mike in Denver. He has
a heart problem and needs a touch from the Lord.

Pray for salvation for Cheryl.

FLORIDA
Denise asks prayer for Tim. He did not pass his rifle test in
the Armed Forces and will be in training three more weeks. Pray
for her husband Paul concerning the rash on his feet.

Pray for the finances of the East Naples Baptist Church. 

Georgiann in Florida is ill and will not be able to live alone
much longer.

GEORGIA
Pray for Sean who is HIV+ and is in the final stages. 

ILLINOIS
Pray for Diane's mom. She is 73 and very active however she had
other problems after her gall bladder was removed. Pray for her
speedy recovery.

LOUISIANA
Robert asks prayer for his friend Rosilynn who has left for
Russia on Missions for the next ten days. Please keep her in
your prayers for safety and that God would use her to harvest
the flock.

MARYLAND
Pray for Trish who keeps fainting and is awaiting Cat Scan
tests. 

MINNESOTA
Carla asks prayer for salvation for her friend who just lost his
father. Pray the Lord will ease the pain and open his heart to
the Word.

Pray for the evangelistic dinner with former astronaut Charlie
Duke on Nov. 14 in Minneapolis.

NEVADA
Truman and Zack are searching for the truth and need to accept
Christ as Lord and Savior. Truman has lost his home, his
vehicle and almost his job. He is an alcoholic and addicted to
gambling. Zack is having marital problems. Pray that they will
seek the Lord's counsel in overcoming all their problems.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Pray that the Lord will guide the surgeon's hand when operating
on Toby's elbow.

Pray for Tammy who is going to the doctor for tests for cancer.
Pray also she stays faithful to the Lord with decisions in her
personal life.

NEW JERSEY
Pray for a new believer named Ben.

Pray for Cassie, a kindergarten student who has a hole in her
heart and will have surgery soon. 
 
Rich says that Eva, the maid on the estate where he works, gave
birth to a boy several weeks ago. Her husband has Hodgkins
disease. They are Polish immigrants and are trying to get her
mother here also. Pray for this family. Pray for Rich and his
wife Donna too. Pray the Lord will help Rich with the muscle
spasms he gets in his legs and that Donna's finger will heal
quickly to the Glory of God!

NEVADA
Truman and Zack are searching for the truth and need to accept
Christ as Lord and Savior. Truman has lost his home, his vehicle
and almost his job. He is an alcoholic and addicted to
gambling. Zack is having marital problems. Pray that they will
seek the Lord's counsel in overcoming all their problems.

NEW JERSEY
Pray for Tracey that the Lord will help her through school and
meet all her needs in every way.

Pray for salvation for Gene.

Pray for salvation for Jenny.

NEW YORK
Pray the Lord will bless Kathleen and her husband with a child
soon.

NORTH CAROLINA
Pray for salvation for Ken.

Pray for a job for Will and that the Lord will be with his wife
and new baby when he arrives.

OHIO
Pray for Tom that the Lord will open doors for a new job soon. 

OKLAHOMA
Pray for Junior in Oklahoma who has a drug problem.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Pray for salvation for Jackie's family.

Pray for the new work at the University Baptist Church.

Pray that the Lord will guide Terry in the type of work he is to
do.

Pray for the new Pastor and members of the Bethlehem United
Methodist Church.

TENNESSEE
Pray for traveling mercies for Pat and family. Also pray for
his Pastor who lost his grandfather to lung cancer. Pray for
Pat's close friends who lost a son in a a tragic auto accident.

TEXAS
Pray that the Lord will help Danny with his current job.

Pray for God's will in Mark's life. He wants to make a career
change.

Melissa has breast cancer and is having a rough time with the
chemo treatments.

WASHINGTON
Pray that Bernard will let Jesus have His way in his life
concerning his temper, eating, and smoking habits. Pray for
strength for his wife Cheryl also. 

OTHERS
Praise God for answered prayers on Mike's behalf. He was missing
and has returned home safe and sound. Thank the Lord! Keep this
young man and his family in your prayers. Pray Mike seeks the
Lord in all his ways. 

Pray for Charles who is having surgery for aneurysm of the aorta.

Pray for Mary with ovarian cancer that has spread to the liver.

Pray for Lucinda and family, that the Lord will have His way in
their lives. Pray especially for God's hedge of protection for
their daughter Katie.

Pray for salvation for Camie who is trying experimental cancer
treatments in Mexico. Pray the Lord will give her a healing
touch.
Praise and Prayer (Part 2)
Parise and Prayer (Part 2)
INTERNATIONAL REQUESTS

ANGOLA
Civil war continues. Pray that the Marxist lies taught to the
young are cleansed by the truth in Christ.

BANGLADESH
Pray for Eldon and Ruth; Ruth in language study and Eldon and
Zahir directing the Salam Training Ctr where young men learn
motorcycle mechanics and are discipled.

BENIN
Pray for Steve as he studies language to prepare for service.

BOLIVIA
Pray for the radio ministry to the Quechua speaking people.

Pray for support for Jonathan and Linda and for the feeding
program they wish to set up and Bible Clubs for children.

CANADA
Continue praying for salvation for Frank of Toronto. He is a
diabetic and is beginning dialysis treatments. He has a bleeding
ulcer and high blood pressure too. 

CHILE
Pray for the church Principe de Paz. 

Pray for Gail in her missions work.

CHINA
A key brother pleads for 100,000 Bibles and Christian
literature. 

Please pray for imprisoned pastor Pan Yi Yuah and house church
member Chen Zhuman. Chen's health is in danger as he has been
severely tortured.

COLOMBIA
Pray for the pastoral training seminars in the different
conflict areas. Pray for Helman as he organizes different
activities.

A 12-year old girl Helman O'Campo was kidnapped by a guerilla
group. Pray for her release and strength to endure.

COTE D'IVOIRE
Pray for Cork and Joan as they minister with teh Abijan FM radio
project.

ECUADOR
Pray for Dennis and Kate in their ministry.

Pray for the project to provide local pastors with needed
Biblical textbooks .

EGYPT
Pray for our Christian sister Hanaan Al-Safti . She is still
under house arrest. 

ETHIOPIA
Pray for the granting of a license to import medicines and other
needs to be negotiated with the government. Pray for the
Scheels as they need permission to open a clinic.

GHANA
Pray for Allison as she goes to the Kasena

Pray for Ray and Thomas as they strengthen the Kasenas.

GUINEA
Pray for Lancine, a new believer and Christina to do the Lord's
will.

IRAN
Pray for the release of Hassan Shahjamali who converted from
Islam, and other church leaders still imprisoned.

IRAQ
Pray for the safety of foreign Christian workers in northern
Iraq (Kurdistan). The regime of Sadddam Hussein has increased
the reward for killing foreigners to $38,000.

LIBERIA
Pray for a busines manager and other support personnel needed in
administrative positions .

Pray for God's leading for the Montserrado Evangelical
Fellowship.

MEXICO
Pray for Pablo Salazar, a Christian politician who represents
the state of Chiapas. He is a defender of our Christian
brethren who were forced to flee their homes because of the
conflict and are destitute refugees.

NEW ZEALAND
Pray for Florence as she prepares to go to Nepal.

NIGERIA
Pray for Judy, a doctor on home assignment to be refreshed
physically and emotionally.

Pray for Diane to not be frustrated in her evangelistic ministry.

NIGER
Pray for the Tamajaq gospel broadcasts and for the translation
of the Genesis and Jesus films into Tamajaq.

PARAGUAY
Pray for Meno as he participates in a training conference.

Pray for the Encuentro Cristiano in Asuncion in its fall
evangelistic outreaches

PERU
Pray for Percy and Carol in Lima with Bible studies. Pray that
the broadcasting permit will be granted soon.

Pray for Clemencia who recently accepted the Lord to grow strong
in Christ.

PHILIPPINES
Pray for Jack as he films throughout the country.

Sister Lali continues to minister the love of Christ among the
muslims despite persecution and the recent murder of her husband
by muslim extremists. Pray for her protection and that the
gospel will be boldly proclaimed.

RWANDA
Pray for the families of the victims of genocide which has taken
more than 500,000 lives.

SENEGAL
Pray for Bill and Tammy on home assignment.

SOUTH AFRICA
Pray for Marge for strength and the Lord's protection.

SUDAN
The atrocities committed by the government continue with
repeated rapes, selling of children, and exploitation of
impoverished Christians. Pray for all concerned.

Pray for Rich and Barbara as they adjust to Khartoum's heat and
minister to a large refugee resettlemnt project with the SIC
church.

TURKMENISTAN
Pray that the promise of authorities to allow the "Jesus" film
on state television becomes a reality and many people are
brought to the Lord through it.

UZBEKISTAN
Christian outreach to Uzbeks has upset Muslims and authorities. 
Pray for the limited freedom of religion to continue.

VIETNAM
Please pray for Brother Thao A. Tong who is a pastor among the
Hmong tribes has been recently imprisoned due to his stand for
Christ.

YEMEN
Pray for our Christian brethren to be strong while in the midst
of civil war.

MORE THAN EVER, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6a).
Resources
Resources
MINISTRY INFORMATION GUIDE - October, 1994

The MINISTRY INFORMATION guide is for the benefit of all
believers.
MORNING STAR does not charge for these advertisements.


AMMI MINISTRY
(Bringing the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles)
Director: Ron Elkin
P.O. Box 27576 
Philadelphia PA. 19118
(215) 843-7964
INTERNET: rone2@aol.com

BILL RUDGE MINISTRIES
(An international outreach challenging believers to reach their
maximum potential in Christ.) 
220 North Buhl Farm Drive
Hermitage, PA 16148-1718
(412) 983-1223

CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
Arrowhead Springs
San Bernardino, CA 92414
(714) 886-5224

CHI ALPHA CAMPUS MINISTRY
(Reaching the college campuses of this nation)
Division of Home Missions
1445 Boonville Avenue
Springfield, MO 65802-1894

CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES Inc.
(Reaching all Jews everywhere with the Gospel)
1300 Cross Beam Drive - Charlotte, NC 28217-2834
(704) 357-9000
CANADA: Box 4400, Sta. D - Hamilton, Ont. L8V4L8
(416) 545-9066

CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD INC.
(Drawing the body of Christ together using a healthy blend of
High-Tech and good old fashioned love)
P.O. Box 41503
Jacksonville, FL 32203
tel: (904) 783-3210
INTERNET: norbn@aol.com

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL
P.O. Box 1813
Jerusalem 91015 Israel
tel: 972-2-894-172 / 894-187
fax: 972-2-894-955
U.S Office: P.O. Box 19227
Charlotte, NC 28219-9277
tel: 704-357-1611
fax: 704-357-1612
INTERNET: 74111.552@cis

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT
17821 17th St. Suite 290
Tustin, CA 92680
tel: (800) 875-7560
fax: (714) 544-8153

DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN, INC.
(A Bible Study Group)
P.O. Box 5093 
Beaumont, TX 77726
(409) 755-3015
INTERNET: davidsmm@aol.com

DEREK PRINCE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
(Reaching the unreached and teaching the untaught through radio,
books, audio and video cassettes.)
P.O. Box 300
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33302
(305) 763-5202
CANADA: DPM-Canada
P.O. Box 8354
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3K 5M1

EXODUS INTERNATIONAL
(Global ex-gay Ministry - Write for free information)
PO Box 2121
San Rafael, CA 94912
Phone (415) 454-1017
Fax (415) 454-7826

FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY
3900 North Rodney Parham - Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72212
(501) 223-8663

FRIENDS OF ISRAEL GOSPEL MINISTRY
(Publishers of "Israel My Glory" magazine - $8 per year. 
Sponsor of the Institute of Biblical Studies.)
PO BOX 908
Bellwawr, NJ 08099
1-800-257-7843

INTERNATIONAL PRISON MINISTRY
P.O. BOX 63
Dallas TX 75221

JESUS CARES MINISTRIES
(Ministering to those in crisis pregnancy)
P.O. Box 371
Chandler, Arizona
85244
(602) 831-1737

JESUS FILM PROJECT
30012 Ivy Glenn Drive
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
FAX: 714/495-7383 

JESUS PEOPLE USA
(An excellent resource for tips and techniques on witnessing and
ministering to specific groups of people.)
939 W. Wilson Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640-5706

JEWISH VOICE BROADCASTS INC.
(Publishers of "Jewish Voice Prophetic Magazine". Annual cost
$20, published monthly)
P.O. Box 6
Phoenix, Arizona 85001

JEWS FOR JESUS
(Publishers of "The Jews for Jesus Newsletter" - no charge)
60 Haight St.
San Francisco CA.
94102-5895
Canadian Office: P.O Box 487, Station Z
Toronto, ON M5N2Z6
INTERNET: mitymo@aol.com

JOHN ANKERBERG MINISTRY
P.O. Box 8977
Chattanooga, TN 37441

KAIROS
(Christian support for AIDS-Caregivers)
114 Douglass Street
San Francisco, CA 94114-1921
(415) 861-0877

LEDERER MESSIANIC MINISTRIES
(Publishers of the "Jewish New Testament" by David Stern)
6204 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore MD 21215

LIFE IN JESUS MINISTRIES INC.
(Publishers of Christian Reference Materials for the Body of
Christ)
P. O. Box 60
Crandall, Indiana 47114-0060
tel: (812) 366-4558
fax: (812) 366-3905
INTERNET: lijm@aol.com

MESSIANIC JEWISH ALLIANCE OF AMERICA (MJAA)
(Serving American Messianic Jewry since 1915. A main resource
for ministering and witnessing to Jewish people everywhere. Call
for more information.)
P.O. Box 417
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(215) 896-5812
INTERNET: zevchik@aol.com

The MESSIANIC JEWISH MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL
"Jews and Gentiles Working Together for Israel+s Salvation!" 
USA: P.O. Box 30313, Bethesda, MD. 20824 
tel: (301) 656-7575
fax: (301) 949-6367 
CANADA: Box 2090, Prescott, ON. KOE 1TO
ARGENTINA: Casilla De Correo 20 (1706) Haedo, Buenos Aires
HOLLAND: Postbus 23053, 1100 DN Amsterdam
tel: (20) 696-0089 - fax: (20) 691-6841

MIDNIGHT CALL MINISTRY
(Publishers of "Midnight Call" magazine)
P.O. Box 4389
West Columbia, SC 29171-9949

MINIRTH-MEIER COUNSELING CLINICS
(Christian Mental Health Professionals)
Western Region 1-800-877-HOPE
Eastern Region 1-800-486-4673
Midwest Region 1-800-848-8872
Southern Region 1-800-229-3000

MOMS IN TOUCH INTERNATIONAL
(Calling moms to pray for our public schools)
P.O. Box 1120
Poway, CA 92074-1120
(619) 486-4065

NITELITE MINISTRIES
(Building the faith of the youth through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ using music)
16 Crockett Street
Irvine, CA 92720
(714) 559-0894
INTERNET: peterjac@aol.com

OPEN DOORS with Brother Andrew
(Information and events affecting Christians living under
persecution)
P.O. Box 27001
Santa Ana, CA 
92799-9961
(714) 531-6000

PARDONED MINISTRIES
(Ministry to jails and prisons)
PO BOX 50746-433
Phoenix AZ 85076

PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL
1470 N. 4th St.
SanJose, CA 95112
Tel: (408) 453-3800
FAX: (408) 437-9708

POINT MAN INTERNATIONAL
(Christian outreach for veterans by veterans)
820 Wayne St.
Washington PA 15301
(412) 228-5081

PRISON FELLOWSHIP
PO BOX 17500
Washington DC 20041-0500
(703) 478-0100

PROMISE KEEPERS
(Christian men who wants to make a serious impact for Christ in
America.)
P.O. Box 18376
Boulder, CO 80308-9806
INTERNET: markc88@aol.com
 
RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING
Word DMS - PO Box 10853
Des Moines IA 50336-0853

SEPHER MINISTRIES
(A church-based counseling/discipleship ministry)
C/O Foothill Bible Church
P. O. Box 236
Lincoln, CA 95648
INTERNET: pastor1@aol.com

STRAIGHT PATH MINISTRIES
(Jesus touching people so that they can touch others)
297-101 Kinderkamack Rd. #278 Oradell, NJ 07649
Phone: (201) 261-7654
Fax: (201) 261-4954
Prodigy: KGFS78A
INTERNET: straitpath@aol.com

TEEN CHALLENGE TRAINING CENTER INC.
P.O. Box 98
Rehrersburg, PA 19550
(717) 933-4181

TRANSPORT FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL 
(Winning truck drivers to Jesus Christ and establishing them in
their faith)
P.O. Box 303
Denver, Pennsylvania 17517-0303
Phone (215) 267-2444 
FAX (215) 267-4181
Canadian Address:
Box 2321
Clearbrook, BC V2T 4X2
Phone (Canada) (604) 856-8024

WHOLE COUNSEL MINISTRIES INC.
6113 River Road
Matoaca, VA 23803-8047
INTERNET: listener1@aol.com

ZION'S TRUMPET
(A FAX-ministry dedicated to bringing accurate news reports and
prayer needs from Israel to Christians around the world.)
For more information contact Larry Baker
Home FAX: 907-766-3342
Address: P.O. Box 1033 - Haines, Alaska, 99827.
INTERNET: 76570.671@cis

ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES INC.
(Publishers of the "Levitt Letter" (no charge) Producers of
"Zola Levitt Presents" television show)
P.O. Box 12268
Dallas Texas 75225
Behind the Screens
Behind the Screens
BEHIND THE SCREENS

By Bryan Dufelmeier


I'm really looking forward to writing this monthly column. I
have to say it's really a thrill to be writing for one of my
favorite magazines.

In this issue I want to review a program called GAP. God
Answer's Prayer. This unique shareware program is designed to
make tracking prayer requests and their answers easy. It allows
you to use the default entry fields of petitions, answers, or
journals. You can use the journal just like it sounds, to record
your private thoughts and observations.

If none of these field names meet your needs simply write in
another in its place. Thus the program can be tailored to meet a
wide array of specific uses. The entries are stored in a
database called a book. Each book can be password protected so
little brother or noisy Aunt Sally can't peek into your private
journals or very personal requests. The notepad section is where
you enter your text and it holds 1894 characters per note. You
can sort on keywords which can also be entered. You can search,
sort and display, print or output your results.

The program has some special features when it comes to prayer.
You can include a verse with your request, petition, or journal
entry and a number of them are provided arranged by such topics
as depression, anger, etc. Just follow the menus, read the
straightforward documentation and start taking control of your
prayer life in minutes.

There are plenty of options to control the display, windows,
colors, and other features of the program. For you windows
users, don't feel left out. The program runs under dos but has
a pif and icon so it will feel right at home in windows. Step
by step instructions for loading it in windows are given in the
documentation.

This program is both simple and packed with possibilities. Each
of us have numerous requests for prayer from freinds and family
to missionaries and local and world events. At $29.95 this
program is a great deal for taking charge of your prayer life. 
Since prayer is the most powerful tool we have along with the
Word of God, why not take the opportunity to augment your prayer
life. You can get the program by sending a note to:

Triple-t Software
P.O. Box 14932
Portland Oregon, 97214
(phone) 503-235-5969

Call for volume discounts, questions and problems, as well as
copyright and distribution information.


Bryan Dufelmeier can be reached via INTERNET Email at:
73617.251@compuserve.com
S.C.U.D. Warnings!
S.C.U.D. Warnings!
S piritual
C ounterfeits
U ndermining
D octrine 

W A R N I N G S 

By Jerry Johnson

 
BAYERVILLE FIRST CHURCH 

MEMO 


DATE: October 20, 1994

TO: All Church Members 

FROM: Pastor Orderly 

RE: An issue of grave concern 

***************************** 

Dear Parishioners: I have something to share with you that has
recently come to my attention and grieves me in a deeper way
than anything that has come across my desk in years. It is hard
for me to believe that this HERESY has been brought up by what I
thought were loyal members of the church. 

As you well know, Bayerville First Church has always been
committed to upholding the way and it distresses me deeply that
not only would this suggestion from ____ be brought up, but that
other members of the congregation would believe it to be a good
idea!! 

I find it hard to believe that the people I have poured my life
into for the last 15 years would be so susceptible to this
device of the devil. 

I am wholly committed to opposing this idea and I would like to
share with you my concerns: 

1) This is in total opposition to what our church has ever been
committed to; 

2) This type of alteration of accepted and supported church
methodology would be incredibly disruptive to worship services
as we currently experience them; 

3) If God would have wanted us to participate in such an
activity, don't you think he would have given that concept
directly to our church leadership years ago?; 

4) It would impinge on the time available to me, your shepherd,
to rightly divide the Word of truth; 

5) The people who suggest this idea obviously have no regard for
that which we hold dear. So in light of these concerns I
strongly urge you to join me in resisting this move of the devil
to get us to include singing the third verse of the hymns we
sing during worship! 

Your humble shepherd, 

Pastor Orderly

 
MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS 

I figure you already have a feel for what this column is about.
It's about churchianity. Not Christianity, churchianity. As I
have shared in other columns, I am a fourth generation believer
and my church was literally my second home. I grew up hopping
the pews. In the 41 years I've spent around churches I have
observed a real pattern. People keep falling into a style of
thinking that holds the cultural traditions they grew up with in
their particular church are actually biblical traditions. 

I remember that one time our pastor decided to try wafers
instead of crackers for communion. He was so concerned about a
negative reaction that he reversed the order of the bread and
the cup to put off the shock of the wafer until the last moment.
 I'm not sure which upset the church more; having the wafer or
reversing the communion order. Whichever it was, we never saw
the wafers again. 

Frankly, one of the best communion services I can ever recall
took place spontaneously at a cabin retreat. Because we hadn't
planned to have communion, we ended up with sourdough bread and
apple juice. And I know the Lord was greatly pleased because it
was done for His glory. 

I am currently in a position with my church where they are
having some difficulty with the way I've handled a couple of
situations. This is because I haven't done them in the manner
they were used to. 

I handled them biblically, but not in the way they were most
used to. So, now I'm a bit suspect. 

"To me you've always been suspect!" 

At one point one of the pastors was questioning me about a
Christian organization I am doing some work with. He asked me
what was their doctrinal stance. I shared that they were made up
of people from various denominations that commonly held to the
Apostles' Creed. 

He declared that wasn't good enough because when he had been a
youth in his church he had said the Creed and it hadn't meant a
thing to him. If I hadn't already been in so much trouble I
would have probably shared with him that the failure wasn't in
the Creed. It was in the fact he wouldn't commit to the truth it
shares. 

My wife and I come from different denominational backgrounds and
we have frankly never found a church of either denomination that
would accept the other of us. Because of that we have mainly
attended nondenominational churches. 

BUT, I have yet to attend a church that didn't hook into some
little way of doing something where they didn't believe they had
THE revealed will of God in that area. This was true whether it
was baptizing people by leaning them forward instead of back,
the way they do communion, when they hold their Sunday School
class or whatever. All this despite the fact that you couldn't
find anything in the Word that was as conclusive about their
chosen issue as they were. 

Frankly, that has always bugged me. 

It's like people all driving the same factory-produced car, and
then claiming one is better than the other because of the color
of the paint or because their upholstery had vertical instead of
horizontal stripes. The little stuff is neither the issue or all
that radically important. 

So why do we make this stuff so important? 

Maybe because the ego in us wants us to feel we're better than
the others. 

Maybe because we want to believe we're in THE church to be in. 

Maybe because it's easier to rely on a set form rather than
admit that God has plenty of room for variety in worship and
form when his people are committed to serving Him in spirit and
in truth. 

I'm confident that it grieves the Lord when we denigrate other
households of believers, for whatever reason. If you don't
believe me read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. 

As you probably know, I base this column on the need to keep
doctrine biblical and clear. It is not my goal to cast
dispersions on other believers but to, ideally, help them to
rethink positions that may compromise the strength and joy of
their faith. 

No person I have ever known has come to the Lord because of
churchianity. Quite the opposite, the nonbelievers I know have
frequently rejected the concept of attending a church because of
the churchianity they see. 

As important as right doctrine is, it is not the doctrine that
attracted the people to Jesus. His love drew them, then
transformed them and then his teachings directed them. If we are
to be like Christ, we need to keep the pattern of evangelism He
exemplified.
Commentary
Commentary
AM I HAPPY YET?

Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


I originally wrote this piece as a devotional for the local
Christian Association for Psychological Studies Chapter. It came
out of my frustrations dealing with a counseling practice in a
hedonistic, "feel-good" society. The call to feel good is one of
the most aberrant teachings in contemporary Christendom.

I began by saying to those present: I don't know about you, but
one of the problems I frequently encounter with my clients is
the expectation that when they have completed therapy, all their
significant problems will be solved. Oh sure, at an intellectual
level they know this isn't true. But... individuals come with
specific problems that are interfering with their lives. They
want their circumstances fixed. I suspect that most of us feel
this way sometimes. Their focus isn't on the work they need to
do on themselves, but on situations and on other people.

These individuals obviously don't want to hear that life won't
get any easier after they're "done." But, spiritual and
emotional health aren't based on having our circumstances fixed.
It depends on a growing conformity to the image of Christ. The
real answer to the stresses of life is to move closer to God.
Now this doesn't mean there aren't areas of circumstantial
difficulties that can't be helped, and part of our
responsibility as therapists is to help individuals deal with
changes that should be made. However, effective therapy doesn't
mean they'll have life under control when they are through.

The concern with striving to make life easier isn't limited to
our clients. Many of us struggle with the same issues. We live
in a culture that teaches personal comfort, happiness and the
absence of pain are life's most important goals. We'll only have
the right social relationships if we drink the right "adult
beverage," use the correct dandruff shampoo, and drive the
hottest car. Even the "Declaration of Independence" buys into
this when it gives us the right to "life, liberty, and the
pursuit of HAPPINESS." I know that these positions aren't true,
but emotionally I sometimes act as if they were. I want relief.

And unfortunately, there is also a movement within the Church
that teaches this basic fallacy. This approach propagates the
position that God intends us to be healthy, wealthy and wise.
Well, actually He does desire us to be wise. Is it any wonder
that many in the church struggle when God doesn't meet these
expectations? Imagine how believers throughout the world must
feel whose lives are continual struggles, including even the
possibility of martyrdom, just because they are believers. Then
they hear teachings from some western churches that God wants
them to be materially prosperous and totally healthy. They can
only respond by either thinking they failed somewhere, or
conclude that some teachers are totally nuts!

I often struggle with the reality that God's primary concern
isn't for my comfort, but for my spiritual maturity. Life
doesn't go the way I want it to. After all, I've given up so
much for the Lord that He now owes me one. I could do a more
effective job of ministry, if He'd just get the other problems
out of my way. And, of course, if I'd just win Publishers
Clearing House, or the Readers Digest contests, or for that
matter the Lottery, I wouldn't have any more problems.

There are times when emotionally I only want life to be easy.
I've had it. And in these times there are two basic truths that
have kept me from going over the edge. The first is that GOD
LOVES ME. There are times when I've told God: "If you really
loved me you'd..." But the fact is God does love me! "How great
is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1).
And that is what we are! This makes it very hard to believe the
"if God loved me" perspective. By definition He loves me. And
this truth can be very comforting in the midst of pain. I may
not feel He loves me, but I know He does. And the Holy Spirit
makes this truth real to me.

I want to make an aside here. There are times when I don't like
where God has placed me. I want to say: "If you loved me, then
... ." But, another passage has been a comfort in keeping
perspective. "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives,
and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said
to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He
withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and
prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet
not my will, but yours be done.' An angel from heaven appeared
to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed
more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to
the ground" (Luke 22:39-44).

If it is acceptable for Christ not to like where the Father has
Him, then it also must be acceptable for me. For Jesus the issue
wasn't the avoidance of pain, it was simply obedience to the
Father's will. And while we don't have ministering angels to
comfort us, we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

It also should be noted that obedience has a cost. Peter warned
us that we shouldn't be surprised when we suffer for obeying
Christ. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial
you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to
you" (1 Peter 4:12).

But, we also shouldn't be surprised when life in general is
difficult. We live in a fallen world and life isn't fair, at
least for now. "He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and
the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" 
(Matthew 5:45). This is when I have to go back to my two basic
truths. God loves me. And,...

GOD IS IN CONTROL. Listen to the words of the Poets. "I know
that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted" 
(Job 42:2). "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases
him" (Psalm 115:3). "The Lord does whatever pleases him, in
the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths" 
(Psalm 135:6). 

Now for some, this truth can make life more difficult. After
all: "If God is in control then He allowed this horrible thing
to happen!" Here again if we believe that God is primarily
concerned for our comfort, then this truth seems harsh. 

On the other hand, if we understand that God loves us and is
all- knowing, then we can trust Him to do that which is best for
us, without having to understand why it is. Like a loving
father, He desires that which is best for us. And, as little
children, we often have no way of knowing what that is.

This is why the following verse is often used as a cliche. But
it isn't, it's a truth. "And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). If God loves us, which
He does, and is in control, which He is, then we can depend on
Him in the midst of the storm.

These two truths have helped me keep my sanity. These truths
allow me to accept the way I am feeling emotionally. I can then
recognize that my emotions are not giving me an accurate picture
of reality, only the reality of my feelings. As I hold on to
these truths and meditate on them, the Holy Spirit moves them
from my mind into my heart. They become a true comfort as my
emotions align with God's truths.

These truths have been very helpful to my clients. But more
importantly, they have been life savers for me. May the Lord
always give us comfort with the facts: HE LOVES ME and HE IS IN
CONTROL. He is the Great God, whom we are given the privilege to
serve.

Features
We Must Judge !
We Must Judge !
WE MUST JUDGE!

By Pastor Geoff Kragen


Joan: "The Reverend I. M. Wright says you have to be baptized
in a 'Son Solar Hot Tub' at his church, The 'First Real Church,'
to be saved. John, how can you believe this stuff?"

John: "That specific teaching doesn't really matter. Rev.
Wright loves the Lord. He is doing is best. You're just being
judgmental. After all, Jesus said: "Do not judge, or you too
will be judged" (Matthew 7:1). What really matters is that the
Reverend is sincere, not if he's right."

Haven't you hear this before? It seems that every time we try to
question some teaching or other we are told we are being
judgmental. Then Matthew 7:1 is thrown at us as the proof that
we aren't to question this teaching. The problem is: First,
this passage is not a requirement to abstain from testing
someone's teaching. The command is to avoid a judgmental or
critical spirit. We are to be loving in our relationships with
our brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

Second, scripture clearly teaches that we are to test teachings,
to judge them. If someone teaches something contrary to
scripture, we are not only to judge it, but we are to reject it.

This issue of Morning Star deals with aberrant teaching. One of
the reasons this is such a serious problem within the church is
the false view that to question teachings is somehow
judgmental.--And Christians are never to judge.

There are some basic principles on the using the Word and the
testing teachings. In the Old Testament, God established
requirements for confirming the words of the prophets. 

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from
among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is
what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the
assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD
our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die." 

The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. I will raise up for
them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my
words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command
him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet
speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. But a
prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not
commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of
other gods, must be put to death." 

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has
not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the
name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a
message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken
presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him" (Deuteronomy 18:15-22).

Not only did God require that the prophet prove his words, but
failure to do so would bring result in the death penalty. The
Israelites were called to judge.

In the New Testament, we find an example of individuals who
judged the teachings of Paul and Silas. "As soon as it was
night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On
arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the
Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for
they received the message with great eagerness and examined the
Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of
the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women
and many Greek men" (Acts 17:10-12). 

Following the Old Testament injunction, these people made sure
that what Paul taught agreed with Scripture. Obviously, if they
had found it didn+t, they would have rejected Paul and his
teachings. The people of Berea judged.

Next, we see the Apostle John requires that believers test the
basic teachings of anyone purporting to speak for God. In 2 John
1:7-11 he says: "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus
Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any
such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that
you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be
rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in
the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in
the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to
you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your
house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his
wicked work" 

Now, this passage specifically relates to teachings on the
incarnation and the nature of Christ. But the general principle
requires that we judge the words of a teacher, and reject him
and his words if they are heretical. Even if his teaching is
judged wrong, but is not heretical, we must reject it. WE MUST
JUDGE!

If believers would hold to this truth, then many contemporary
teachers, who teach we are all gods and other heretical views
would be rejected out of hand. This would be the case,
regardless of their sincerity or the "success" of their
ministries. Some set dates for Christ's return in direct
disobedience to scripture. Others propagate different aberrant
teachings. So, their teachings should be rejected regardless of
their sincerity or the "success" of their ministries.

Christians can be lazy. It takes effort to be a Berean, to test
men's teachings against the scripture. And this call to test
includes testing the words of your pastor or Sunday school
teacher. We are responsible before God for an accurate
understanding of His word. He holds us to that because He
provides the Holy Spirit to give us that understanding. "As for
you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you
do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches
you about all things and as that anointing is real, not
counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him" (1 John
2:27).

I find it sad that frequently those who have a significant
awareness of the ministry of the Holy Spirit are also those who
are easily misled by aberrant doctrines and misguided teachers.

In Ephesian Paul talks about the importance of teachers and
sound teaching. He notes that knowledge is vital in maturing in
our walk. Then he identifies the dangers when lack of knowledge
and inadequate teaching is prevalent.

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets,
some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to
prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and
in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the
waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by
the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow
up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ" (Ephesians
4:10-15). 

Notice that where truth is given out in love, that we do not
fall prey to false teachers and "fad" doctrines. This again
requires that we test the teacher. WE MUST JUDGE!

John states that it does matter what a person teaches. If
someone rejects the basic tenets of orthodox, biblical,
Christianity, he comes in the spirit of Antichrist. "Dear
friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to
see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have
gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the
Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does
not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the
antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is
already in the world" (1 John 4:1-3). Both the false teacher
and his teachings need to be rejected. WE MUST JUDGE!

The church suffers from much aberrant teaching. If we would hold
to the requirement of scripture for testing the words of men
against the standard of the Bible, we would not have this
problem.

The touchstone for truth is God's word. And all of us as
individuals are responsible to hold to His word. We must reject
all that is false or poor regardless of its source or the
sincerity of its proponents. Let us resolve to cleanse the
sanctuary of the false teachings of men, lifting up the truths
of scripture.


"Your hands made me and formed me;
 give me understanding to learn your commands. 
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, 
 for I have put my hope in your word. 
I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, 
 and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 
May your unfailing love be my comfort, 
 according to your promise to your servant. 
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, 
 for your law is my delight. 
May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; 
 but I will meditate on your precepts. 
May those who fear you turn to me, 
 those who understand your statutes. 
May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, 
 that I may not be put to shame."

(Psalm 119:73-80)
Unholy Tolerance
Unholy Tolerance
UNHOLY TOLERANCE

By Moishe Rosen


One of the most frustrating conversations I ever had was with a
man whose name you would recognize because he is a high-profile
evangelical leader. At a missions conference we both attended he
told me, "There are people following their religions who are
absolutely sincere because they are loyal to their own people,
but they are not ready to hear the gospel."

The discussion was whether or not "good people" are lost. I
argued back that Jesus Christ was the only way of salvation.
Then the evangelical leader ended our conversation with, "I
cannot believe that a loving God would not plan some way of
salvation for those people."

I am writing about this because I feel the need to sound an
alarm for God's people. There is a substantial misunderstanding
today regarding the nature of salvation because there is a
substantial misunderstanding about human nature. Humans do not
naturally love God. They do not naturally seek him. It is not
normal for people to be saved. It is certainly not ordinary for
individuals to love the Lord with all their hearts, all their
souls and all their minds as Scripture commands.

Corpses do not dance. Bring the loudest and best orchestra to a
cemetery, announce a ball and invite the dead to join in and
dance. Will they respond and come to the gala affair arranged
for them?

While that scenario is ridiculous, it has its parallel in
reality. In the spiritual sense we all are stillborn. We have no
viable lives. The natural person is dead in trespasses and sins
and cannot respond to God's invitation. By the very substance of
our humanity we are ungodly and sinful, and any religion that we
might author would be corrupt and corrupting.

True Christians do not have a religion in the sense of other
creeds that are authorized by man. We follow a revelation from
God: the recorded Word of God (the Scriptures) and the Incarnate
Word of God (the Savior).

Our "religion" is a response to the Holy Spirit who moves about
and touches hearts, preparing people to be raised from their
dead existence to new life in Christ. Our salvation is not
merely a growth process. It is a creative process whereby the
power of God makes alive that which was dead. That is why
Scripture uses the metaphor of the new birth and we speak of
being born aain.

Colin Chapman, a professor at Trinity College in Bristol,
England, categorizes Christians into two groups: inclusivists
and exclusivists. Those who, like himself, believe that
non-Christians can be included to receive salvation by grace are
"inclusivists." Others who, like me, feel that non-Christians
have no salvation-no matter how sincere they might be-are
"exclusivists. (1)

The problem with this kind of categorizing is that our good will
or perspectives of people do not include or exclude them from
salvation. Individuals are included or excluded on the basis of
how God regards them; and the Bible states that there is no
other name given under heaven or earth whereby we must be saved
except the name of Jesus. Neither we nor our opinions dispense
salvation. God provides salvation, and he includes or excludes
whom he will.

To avoid the responsibility of obeying God, some use the common
device, "It's not that simple," or to quote from one of the
great American musicals, "It ain't necessarily so." I say that
if God said it, it is necessarily so.

The Bible does contain a number of discomforting truths, such as
the statement that only those who confess Christ are saved
(Romans 10:9,10). Conversely, those who do notare not saved. For
the sake of my parents, my ancestors, and the millions of others
who have gone into eternity without Christ, I wish there were
another truth. But the Scripture statements on how a person is
to be saved allow for no compromise.

The biblical religion presents itself in dichotomies or
statements which are diametrically opposed. There are right and
wrong, purity and impurity, godliness and ungodliness, obedience
and disobedience, truth and falsity, salvation and perdition.
These categories are in direct opposition to one another.

In an attempt to move toward moral and ethical relativism, the
world wants a big gray area between the true and the false, the
good and the bad. Today's society generally chooses this
approach over the biblical morality which says that good and
evil are diametrically opposed to one another. One cult even
maintains that Satan will be redeemed.

The civil "religion" of America is tolerance. Yet any group
which presents the gospel as "the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth" will be rejected out of hand for its
intolerance. Christians who claim, as the Bible teaches, that
Christ is the only way of salvation will be labeled intolerant,
because if they do not acknowledge "other ways of salvation"
they are mistakenly seen as withholding equal respect and status
from those who disagree with them.

Christian belief definitely has room for paradox, but there is
no room to question away God's categorical statements. Those who
explain away God's statements do violence to his Word.

There is such a thing as an unholy tolerance. Speaking to the
situation of pluralism in his book, "No Offense - Civil Religion
and Protestant Taste" (2), John Murray Cuddihy wrote,
"Self-definitions predicated on being 'the one true church'
or'the chosen people' are experienced in America as an unseemly
ostentation, as vulgar boasting, puffing, as ridiculous even.
Good taste, like St. Paul's 'charity,' flaunteth not itself, is
not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her
own."

Dr. Cuddihy says that those who assert a truth disbelieved by
others are considered arrogant. If so, it would be considered
socially unacceptable to believe anything very strongly -
particularly if one wanted to tell others about it and possibly
persuade them also to believe it.

Our modern society confuses good taste with true faith. It is
considered bad taste to imply that someone might be wrong while
declaring oneselfto be right. That, however, is not what
Christians do when they maintain that Christ is the only way to
salvation. When we proclaim Christ as the only Way, we do not
declare ourselves to be right. We declare Jesus to be right and
ourselves to be sinners in need of rescue.

Because of an overused and much abused sense of fair play and
openmindedness, some are speaking into the evangelical church
with statements on salvation so clever, sincere and kindly-yet
so false-that I wonder if this is not what the Scripture means
when it talks about the "doctrine of demons." The statements
have been uttered in missions conferences, from pulpits and put
into print. They deal with who is to be saved and how.

The doctrine is never taught; it is only implied. Clearly
stated, the proposition is that a person does not necessarily
need to believe in and confess Christ on this earth in order to
be saved.

I heard that implication from Colin Chapman, instructor at
Trinity College, Bristol, England. In a lecture on the
uniqueness of Christ he emphasized how difficult it was for
religious Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims to consider Christ. He
concluded with, "I think we must leave it up to God to judge."

When I heard Dr. Chapman say that, my somewhat sarcastic inner
response was, "How kind of you to allow the Judge of the
universe to be what he always has been." But according to John
3:18, he has already judged: "... he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God." Dr. Chapman is reluctant to let
us say that all religions other than what is revealed by God in
Scripture are merely human opinion. He insinuates that somehow
those other religions have some validity.

I say that if kindness to our fellow man means that we must
assign God's revelation to the status of just another human
opinion, we must eschew that brand of kindness.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not saying that Colin Chapman
is Satan, but I believe that this doctrine is one of Satan's
deceptions. Dr. Chapman is a kind, reasonable person. He is
greatly respected and well received in evangelical circles. But
he has adopted an all-too-convenient device of attributing valid
faith to those on whom he would bestow kindness. There is some
good in other religions, but they are not salvific. To imply
that they are destroys the true Christian faith.

Even to hint that there is some way of salvation other than
Christ trivializes the Passion of our Savior. It renders his
suffering and atoning death meaningless. Furthermore, it reduces
the entire missionary movement to no more than an exercise in
futility.

This Easter season is a good time to remember that no leader of
any world religion, however noble, ever rose bodily from the
dead - except Jesus! By his resurrection Jesus validated God's
revelation. By his resurrection he showed all other religions to
be less than true. As recipients of his truth, we must warn
those who are deluded into thinking they are safe when, in fact,
they are perishing. How can we find the eourage to say that in a
loving way?


1 Colin Chapman, "The Challenge of Other Religions," World
Evangelism, Jan. 1989.

2. John Murray Cuddihy, "No Offense - Civil Religion and
Protestant Taste" (New York: The Seabury Press, 1978)
Why Us ? Why Now ?
Why Us ? Why Now ?
There certainly seems to be a rise in aberrant teachings within
the modern church. The author of our SCUD Warnings column gives
some answers to the whys of this rise as he raises the questions:


WHY US? WHY NOW?

by Jerry Johnson


"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound
doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching
ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the
truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon
the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by
demons" (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

Most theologians believe that although the above verses have
probably been applicable in every generation of believers, they
are specifically referring to "the end times" and the
proliferation of false teaching, false messiahs and error that
will (has?) become epidemic.

Most Christians I know, heartily believe we are in the last
days. They hold that the vast majority of believers alive today
will be caught up with Christ rather than die. 

Ever since the State of Israel came back into existence in the
late forties after an absence of nearly 1900 years, believers
have been looking for the ever closer return of Christ. 

The scripture is clear on quite a few things that will be
happening in the end times including increased wars, famines and
earthquakes (see Matthew 7:6-7). We are all witness to these
occurrences, thanks to a nearly instantaneous media. 

Also among the signs discussed are the issues spoken of in the
verses above -- the increase of false teachings combined with
the decrease of commitment to truth. We have also witnessed
these problems

It doesn't take a graduate degree in church history to examine
what has been happening in Christianity in the last few decades.
Simply having a TV, reading the news or observing what churches
are actually saying can give anyone a clear overview. 

There are concepts bandied about in the name of Christ that have
been unheard of in two thousand years of church tradition. There
are "new" revelations and insights that no one in two thousand
years of church history had even considered. There are even
concepts that are occultic and/or humanistic in design and
nature that are being touted today. Leadership of major,
traditional denominations are seriously discussing the issue of
having an actively Gay clergy. The love of self is being
preached as a precursor to loving others. What Christ wants in
our lives is being altered by the month.

It is not the purpose of this article to explore all the various
aberrant teachings taking place today -- they are far too
numerous to explore in a few thousand words. Rather, it is to
ask WHY US? WHY NOW? 

Some things have occurred in the church in the last few decades
that have created an atmosphere in which an increasing number of
churches and believers are turning aside from sound doctrine and
a relationship with the biblically revealed Christ. What has
happened?

Again, the issues are too vast to explore in a short article.
But there have been some dominant trends in our society that,
through exposure and assimilation, have made this generation of
believers more susceptible to getting their ears tickled. "For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for
themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires" (2
Timothy 4:3 NASV).

1) COMFORT: In a word, our generation has it made. We have
conveniences and comforts that were literally inconceivable a
generation or two ago. We have central heat and air, microwaves,
fast food, instantaneous communications systems, computers that
can process incredible amounts of information from previously
unimagined resources in a matter of nanoseconds, medical
advances have drastically improved the quality of life, etc,
etc. In other words, we have it made like no society in history
has ever had it made.

And what has all this produced? A generation that is less
stressed and more appreciative of the blessings we have?

Hardly! We have a generation with less patience and a greater
drive for instant gratification than ever before. We get mad if
we have to wait in a fast food line for over two minutes. We
have supermarkets that will pull out extra cashiers if there are
more than two people in front of you in line. We have a
generation that swallows an incredible amount of drugs to make
us feel different than we're feeling. We have greater violence
than ever. We have a cavalier attitude about the value of human
life. We are raising a generation of children who are exposed to
more sex, drugs and violence at school than we are exposed to as
adults. And these same children express despair at the prospect
of their future. We have a mess.

Why would comfort create such a mess? In past generations
everyone understood that life would be tough. They realized
things wouldn't always go their way. They accepted that they had
to make the best of a bad situation. They pressed on knowing
there would be a better life after death. This is the first
generation that believes this life should be better than
eternity and things should be easy, convenient and guaranteed in
life.

Spiritually, this shows up as an unwillingness to go through the
often uncomfortable process of sanctification. "Sanctify them by
the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:17). There is a
rejection of correction and reproof. "All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16). And
discipline, never! "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
So be earnest, and repent" (Revelation 3:19). 

But these are necessary for us to develop a more Christ-like
character. Being used to comfort, we have come to think of it as
our natural state. We believe anything that creates emotional,
physical or spiritual discomfort must be wrong. Therefore, it is
best to be avoided -- REGARDLESS OF ITS SOURCE. The trouble is,
this goes directly against the work of the Holy Spirit to
conform us to the image of Christ.

2) ENTITLEMENT: This is the natural extension of living in a
comfortable society. "I've lived in comfort my whole life.
Therefore, I am entitled to continue to live this way regardless
of what I do." What in past societies has been a luxury of the
upper class has become the expectation of almost every class. 

It used to be assumed in America if you put your shoulder to the
grindstone and worked hard you could create something for
yourself in this world. Now we expect to be housed, fed and
taken care of medically regardless of our participation in the
process. We are entitled to the benefits without making the
investment. Does the term "they owe it to me" sound familiar?
What we have developed is the idea that we can have rights
without responsibilities.

Spiritually this most frequently shows up as the attitude that
because we do our Sunday church thing and "do our best," God
somehow owes us enough to make our life go comfortably. I
recently had a Christian brother, in full sincerity, state that
because he has poured ten years of his life into his small
church that God owes him a wife. This turns the core concept of
the Bible from: we are to live our lives to glorify God and
give him honor, to: "what's in it for me, God?" It shouldn't
be too surprising that a belief in entitlement would have people
collecting teachers that will tell them that they have been so
good God owes them a Mercedes, the house in the "right" part of
town and a winning ticket in the lottery.

3) ALIENATION: As it is, we live in America; the land of the
free, the home of the brave and the birthplace of John Wayne. We
put a high value on being independent, being free thinkers and
not letting anyone else tell us what to do. We also live in a
country where we have ATMs instead of bank tellers, "drive
thrus" and laser checkouts to ensure we can get through lines
faster. We have home entertainment systems that can provide
hundreds of channels of "entertainment." We have churches where
you walk in, sing three songs, listen to a sermon and leave. We
have homes that are so climate-controlled it makes more sense to
stay indoors than go out, etc. 

In other words, we are institutionalizing alienation as a way of
life in America. If you stand in long, slow lines, you might end
up talking with people. If you sit on your front porch you might
meet neighbors. If it took you a lot of time to get to church
you might hang around rather than leave right afterwards.

As we make it more convenient to be by ourselves, we feel less
of a need to interact with other people. Consequently, there is
less of a chance to practice forming relationships that are
stable and long lasting. It is a very common pattern in the
Christian world today for people to move from church to church.
They shop for what they like, leaving whenever something
displeases them. Again, if it becomes uncomfortable, move to
where it is more comfortable.

4) LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY: This is actually a result of the
combination of the previous trends. If we are into comfort, feel
we are entitled and, at the same time, feel independent and
alienated, it is highly unlikely we will submit to any form of
leadership. This is because we want to do our own thing and
submitting to someone else is a very vulnerable thing to do.
Vulnerability threatens comfort and is the opposite of both the
feeling of being entitled and independent. 

The trouble is, without being involved with others and being in
submission to someone, there is little to no chance for anyone
to express concerns or cautions about potential problems.

5) SPECTATOR MENTALITY: This is a generation of couch potatoes.
We have enough TV channels going at any one time to keep a
person "channel surfing" for the rest of their lives. When we
want stimulating conversation we turn on talk shows. When we
want excitement we go to movies. When we are bored we turn on
the TV. When we go to church we sit and listen. We are being
trained... titillated... having our itching ears tickled. We
are coming to watch life happen rather than participate in it.
We are used to being entertained very adept at being pleased. Is
it any wonder that attitude is making its way into the spiritual
life of the church?

Why do we prefer observing life rather than participating in it?
For one thing, it is much safer to watch a bungee jumper than to
bungee jump. Likewise, it is much tougher to actually work out
your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) than
to pick an easy, broader, meandering path. In choosing the
spectator/easy chair path to Christianity we will, perforce, be
committed to avoiding the challenges that God will bring into
our lives to change us.

6) A RESISTANCE TO APPLYING TRUTH: This is really quite
obvious. If we don't yield in obedience to God, to the truth he
has thus far revealed to us, we create a susceptibility to
denying further truth. And, thus, we open ourselves up to
deceptions, myths and things that tickle our ears.

This has not been, by any stretch of the imagination, a thorough
covering of the influences that have lead to a generation that
thinks they are gods and a church that accepts new doctrine by
the month. However, these trends may be dominate factors that
significantly contribute to the willful surrender to falsehood
that is becoming the norm in our society.
False Signs and Wonders... (Part 1)
False Signs and Wonders... (Part 1)
FALSE SIGNS AND WONDERS - DO NOT BE DECEIVED

By Bill Rudge


To show how far phenomena can go in the church today and still
be accepted as the Holy Spirit, let me quote some excerpts from
a book dealing with "signs and wonders among God's people":

The first time I encountered the phenomenon ["holy laughter"]
was in the notorious "Signs and Wonders" class at Fuller
Seminary in 1984. [John] Wimber had prayed that the Holy Spirit
would equip a number of pastors and missionaries for the work
God had called them to do. A South African pastor began to
giggle and couldn't stop...

"At times in public meetings people are seized with violent
shaking. Occasionally I have been astounded at the power and
violence of the shaking. Such people do not shake, but are
shaken, like rag dolls in the teeth of a terrier, their bodies
moving backward and forward or from side to side, and their arms
and sometimes even their legs flailing...

"John Wimber was at a prayer meeting. Wimber, who frequently
prays with his eyes open, began to pray and had got as far as
[the] word, 'Lord-' when he saw (in what seemed to be like slow
motion) a man lifted into the air. The man looked as though he
were being lifted and laid briefly on an invisible stretcher,
before sailing back to crash heavily into several chairs as he
screamed, 'Hallelujah'!

"Falls may be associated with further violent movements, with
headbanglng, tremors. movements suggestive of epilepsy, but
commonly with a total absence of movement. Subjects may have no
experience beyond a pleasant sense of calm, may experience
visions, or may feel that they are being crushed.

"John Strazosich attended the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, and
during the ministry time asked for 'more power.' Slowly,
beginning with one arm, a shaking took possession of his whole
body. Soon he was shaking violently and continued to shake for
two hours. Finally, he could stand no more, and asked God to
stop. His muscles ached for three days afterward.

"Some days later at a Christian camp he began to 'bounce up and
down' from a standing position. 'God told him' to start praying
for some of the young men around him. It was difficult to speak,
and he had difficulty in explaining his intentions, it not being
easy to speak coherently when bouncing. He prayed for three
young men, barely touching them before they fell to the ground.
A fourth boy shook. A fifth fellow was affected by laughter.
Eventually John himself was no longer able to remain standing,
and fell to the ground."

A friend of the ministry just brought me a video containing
footage of an August '94 regional Full Gospel Convention where
people are being 'slain in the Spirit" and receiving ' holy
laughter." This video, which is available to be seen at our
ministry center, reveals Christians and Christian leaders
involved in behavior that is obviously a mockery of Christ and
the Holy Spirit and a gross perversion of Scripture.


BIBLICAL BALANCE

Somewhere between the boring, lifeless church, and the church
that specializes in miracles and the supernatural, is the
'Biblically balanced" church. We need to allow God's Spirit to
move in a dynamic and exciting way. But we must remember, the
same Paul who demonstrated the exciting power of the resurrected
Christ also warned against false teachers, counterfeit miracles,
and the misuse of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Now there is nothing wrong with feelings, emotions, and
excitement, for these can be valid responses to the genuine
moving of God's Spirit. Besides, we are not to quench the Spirit
which desires to work in our lives in a real and special way.
The danger arises when people begin seeking experiences,
miracles, signs, and revelations more than they seek the Lord
and His Word, or allow unbiblical phenomena to occur.

I believe in the gifts of the Spirit. I believe in the gift of
healing - I have seen genuine healings through faith in Christ.
I believe in the gift of miracles - I have witnessed numerous
miracles as a result of God's intervention.

I've seen the genuine power and moving of God's Spirit. I've
also seen the imitation of flesh. And I've seen the demonic
counterfeit!

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the purpose of exalting
Christ and drawing people to Him, not to draw attention to the
people operating the gifts. A major purpose of miracles is to
confirm and validate the truth of the message being proclaimed.
Acts 14:3 says, "Therefore they spent a long time there speaking
boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was bearing witness to
the Word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done
by their hands."

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are also to exhort and strengthen
the body of Christ - not so believers can merely have a "good
time" enjoying exotic, bizarre, and often useless displays of
supernatural power.


POOR IMITATION OR COUNTERFEIT

When I read in Scripture the message Paul. Peter, and John
proclaimed, it is amazingly different from much of the message
being preached today. Many churches have replaced the message of
the Gospel with a show."

And one of the reasons that it's happening is because those in
leadership feel tremendous pressure to perform" to keep the
church growing and excited. As a result, many Christian leaders
succumb by turning to gimmicks, emotionalism, hype, and even
using New Age and occultic techniques to supposedly "create"
spiritual experiences and excitement.

The great revivals and outpourings of God's Spirit throughout
history were not the result of man's manipulation or leaders
showing off their supposed power and gifts, but God's sovereign
intervention in response to those who in humility and brokenness
sought the Lord with all their hearts.

To maintain integrity in the body of Christ, I must also say
that many of those bragging about having a healing ministry
today usually are merely doing psychosomatic healings.

If these healings were like Jesus and Paul manifested, then
someone with a severed hand or arm, missing an eye or blind from
birth, crippled from a severed spinal cord or degenerative
disease, would be healed.

Jesus and the apostles did not merely heal ' invisible" ailments
such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, back
pain, etc. They healed "visible" organic disease-blind eyes,
palsy, crippled legs, withered hands, etc., and they healed them
instantly and completely. They even raised the dead.

Those the Lord is really using in supernatural healings do very
little boasting about it. You won't find these people
advertising their gift in Christian magazines or on radio or
television.

Occult Connection You might say, Well, the atmosphere was so
positive and so exciting, everyone seemed so warm and friendly,
and I felt so great and close to the Lord, it had to be the Holy
Spirit." Well, I've been In occult and New Age meetings and
believe me, they are very positive and there Is electricity in
the air and there is a great excitement and expectancy of what
God is going to do.

But how you feel is not the Scriptural criterion for evaluating
phenomena and experiences.

So too, the phenomena that occur ("slain in the Spirit," holy
laughter," speaking in tongues, miracles, prophecies,
revelations, healings) do not impress me, because I've seen this
occur in various cult. occult, Eastern mystical, and New Age
groups.

Yet many Christians go to a meeting and because the Bible is
used or the name of Jesus is mentioned, they ignorantly accept
everything that happens as being from God. I am constantly
amazed by the lack of discernment and accompanying gullibility
of the average Christian. And as I talk to these Christians I am
appalled at how immature they are and how little they know about
the Word of God.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:20, "...you will know them by their
fruits,'-not by their gifts or power or miracles. Satan can
counterfeit the gifts of the Spirit, but he can't duplicate the
genuine fruit of the Spirit.

A lady called me for help for a man she knew. During our
conversation, she began to speak in tongues-which I discerned to
be a demonic counterfeit. She told me she was baptized in the
Spirit. I said, "You must really be hungry for God's Word and
reading it every day.' She said, "Oh, no I don't have time or
the need to read it any more. Jesus often appears and speaks
directly to me now!"

A man from Wisconsin recently called and informed me that his
pastor who is into "slain in the Spirit," holy laughter,"
personal prophecy, positive confession, etc. told him that the
revelations he receives from the Holy Spirit are more important
than the Word of God.
[Continued]
Signs and Wonders (Part 2)
Signs and Wonders (Part 2)
DEMONIC COUNTERFEIT

I am seeing an increasing "demonic connection" as more and more
supposed Christians are either experiencing or manifesting
demonic phenomena. And just as there are tragic consequences -
physically, mentally/emotionally, and spiritually - for those
who become involved in the occult- so too, I am seeing a pattern
of resulting tragedies manifest In the lives of many
"Christians" who are becoming involved - ignorantly or
purposely - in occultic/New Age techniques, practices, and
beliefs being taught in their churches.

A Full Gospel minister and researcher from Missouri recently
called to commend me on my "Holy Laughter" article. During our
conversation he said something most interesting: "Some of the
very people who are attempting to stop blatant occultism,
Eastern mysticism, and New Ageism from entering, Public schools,
are the very ones welcoming more subtle forms of these beliefs
and techniques into the Church under the guise of Christianity
by using Biblical terminology."

A man came into our ministry center last October requesting
information on Halloween. From the conversation I discovered
that he was in leadership in a church propagating many of the
techniques and beliefs I expose in my Beware... booklet. I asked
him, "How can you discern the spirit of occultism in Halloween,
but you cannot discern the spirit of occultism that has
infiltrated your church?" He had no answer.


DO NOT BE DECEIVED

Much of what is being said and written today seems so good on
the surface, sounds so Scriptural. and seems to exalt Jesus! But
we must remember the following Scriptural accounts:

1) In Luke 4:34 a demon possessed man cried out to Jesus, "... I
know who You are - the Holy One of God!"

2) During his temptation of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 4:1-11,
Satan quoted Scripture, but subtly twisted its meaning.

3) In Acts 16:16-18 we read an, account of a slave-girl who had
a spirit of divination. She followed after Paul and kept crying
out, "These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are
proclaiming to you the way of salvation." Paul's response was to
cast the spirit out.

II Kings 17:41 states, Even while these people were worshipping
the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their
children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did."

Revelation 13:14 states: And he [False Prophet] deceives those
who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given
him to perform in the presence of the beast [Antichrist].

Paul tells us about this in II Thessalonians 2:8,9 - "And then
that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord, will slay with
the breath of his mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of
His coming; that is. the one whose coming is in accord with the
activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders." 

We are living in a day of great deception, and Scripture
strongly indicates it is going to accelerate. I'm convinced that
many Christians who live by the experiential, who follow signs
and wonders, who lack discernment, and who don't rightly divide
the Word of truth are being deceived by the great delusion Paul
prophesied would overtake those who reject a love for the truth
(II Thessalonians 2: 10).


STARTLING SCRIPTURE

Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23 gives one of the most startling
concepts in Scripture: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the
will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that
day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your
name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM
ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS .'"

Jesus will not say, "I knew you because you prophesied in My
name," "because you cast out demons in My name," or "because you
did miracles in My name." No! If that's the basis of why you
think He should let you into His kingdom, then He will say to
you, Depart from Me, I never knew you."

The requirement is, "He who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven. What is really important is not the phenomena that go
on, but that you know the Jesus of the Bible in a real and
intimate way; He is truly Lord of your life; you are walking in
obedience to His will and His Word: you are being conformed to
His image; your heart's desire is to exalt and glorify Him; you
are bearing fruit for His glory; and the fruit of the Spirit
(love, joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, faith, goodness,
self-control, long-suffering,...) is being manifest in your
life!


Bill Ridge Ministries
P.O. Box 108
Sharon, PA 16146-0108
The Laodicean Lie
The Laodicean Lie
THE LAODICEAN LIE

By Robert Smith
High Point, North Carolina


An ominous danger is threatening the Church today. It is the
deception of what I call the Laodicean lie. I believe this
fallacy is ultimately fatal to all who embrace it, a delusion
leading to irreversible destruction. The Church of Laodicea was
the last of the seven assemblies addressed by Christ in
Revelation 2-3. Prophetically, some believe it represents the
last age of the Church world--the time in which we are living
today!

The Greek word Laodicea is made up of the words Laos, which
means "People," and dike, which means "rights." Literally,
Laodicean is "People of rights." And since Christ was speaking
to the Church there, He was addressing "the church of people's
rights!" 

Notice, then, that we are seeing in this final Church age prior
to the coming of the Lord, a form of Christianity which declares
itself "in need of nothing" and occupies itself in fighting for
its religious rights. The Laodicean lie causes a refocusing of
affection away from Jesus and toward self and personal "rights."
Christ condemned the Laodicean church because it was neither
cold nor hot and declared it had need of nothing. The penalty
was to be spewed out... discarded.

Were you aware that there is a strong movement in the church
world today that opposes the teaching of the imminent appearing
of the Lord to catch His saints away? The truth is that we who
believe in the soon return of Jesus are now in the Minority!

A TURNING TIDE?

A bestselling book THE TURNING TIDE, is subtitled, THE FALL OF
LIBERALISM and the RISE OF COMMON SENSE. The book's inside cover
says, "Today an army of Americans--more than eighty million
strong--is on the march, and they will not be denied.

Two questions come to mind when I read that statement--first,
where was this strong, militant army--80 million strong--on
election day when this country elected the most liberal leaders
in the history of America? 

Second, what is it that this force will not be denied? Sadly,
the answer seems to be, "They will not be denied their AMERICAN
CHRISTIAN RIGHTS!" The Laodicean Lie!

What is our agenda and plan of action? Will we preach the
gospel? Did Jesus say, "The politically aggressive who fight for
their rights shall inherit the earth."? Not in my Bible!

Do you, American Christian, love your country more than your
God? Do you love the U.S. Constitution more than you love the
cross of Christ? Do you love the Bill of Rights more than you
love your Bible? Are you a patriot of America more than a
disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you on fire with the flames of
revolution, but are neither cold nor hot toward the heart of
Christ?

Take inventory of your heart, today. Know what you believe and
where you stand. The Laodicean lie is very subtle and deceptive.
Be aware that it is possible to get so caught up in a
self-centered crusade that we think we are spiritually rich,
increased with goods, and in need of nothing. But in reality,
from God's perspective, we can be wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, and naked... and not even know it! Our purpose is not to
change society, government, and politics so that somehow we can
establish God's kingdom and bring people to Jesus. That's
exactly backwards. We must bring people to Jesus first, thereby
changing society!

There is a battle going on now--not for America or Conservatism,
but for the eternal souls of men, women, and children around
this planet. We must turn loose of our riches, our rights, our
fleshly plans and agendas, and show lost people the true Jesus!

Our primary goal must be to present Jesus so big and ourselves
so little that when people look at us, all they can see is
Jesus. God's News is that Jesus loves you and me and every
individual... and died to save us from our sins and for the
carrying out of His Great Commission.

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith..." 
(Revelation 2:11).
The Return of Christ
The Return of Christ
THE RETURN OF CHRIST


Since the early days of the Church, much has been written and
preached about Christ's return. Now, as we approach the end of
the twentieth century, there seems to be renewed interest in the
Second Coming. Some mystics would like to attach special
significance to the year 2000. Yet it may well turn out to be
merely another marker in time for human history.

Many have wrongly pinpointed Christ's return. In recent years,
someone thought that Jesus would return in 1988 and wrote a book
about it. Now another book has been written to say that Jesus
will return in 1994. Whether or not we agree with the author's
premise, only the close of 1994 will prove whether he is right
or wrong.

The fact remains that though some may think they have an inside
track" on the time of Christ's return, no one really knows. In
any case, we believers ought to think seriously about Y'shua's
return and be prepared for it. Let's look at what the Scriptures
reveal about this all-important event.

Jesus promised His followers that He would return.

"I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that
where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:2-3)

O 'You heard Me say, 'I am going away and coming back to you."'
(John 14:2X)

". . . be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do
not expect." (Luke 12:40)

Angels promised Y'shua's followers that He would return in the
same way, to the same place from where He left in a cloud from
heaven).

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said,
Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This
same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come
in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:10-11)

The Mount of Olives, a hill outside of Jerusalem that directly
faces the Temple Mount, will have a central role at Christ's
return. .After a major cataclysm in the Holy Land, the coming
King will physically appear on that very hill.

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall
be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley;
half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it
toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)

From that site facing Jerusalem, with a full view of the front
of the Temple, Jesus answered His disciples' questions about His
return.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him
privately, saying, "Tell us,... what will be the sign of Your
coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3)

In discussing the characteristics of His return, Jesus that
wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines will not be the
signs of His coming.

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars... all these
things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation
will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there
will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:6-8: see
also Mark 13:7-8 and Luke 21:9-11 )

The signs of Y'shua's return will be that the gospel will be
preached throughout the whole earth and then the anti-Christ
will be revealed.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the
world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will
come." (Matthew 24:14; see also Mark 13:10)

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him.... Let no one deceive you by
any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away
comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is
called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the
temple of God, showing himself that he is God.'' (2
Thessalonians 2:1-4)

We should not believe anyone who claims to know when Jesus
will return because He told His disciples that no one will know.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of
heaven, but My Father only." (Matthew 24:36; see also Matthew
24:42, 25:13 and Mark 13:32-35).

". . . they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said. . ., "It is not for
you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own
authority." (Acts 1:6-7)

Y'shua will come at a time when no one expects Him.

"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an
hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44; see also Luke 12:40)

Y'shua's return will he in conjunction with the Jewish people
living Jerusalem. There will also be a temple in existence where
the anti-Christ will set up the abomination of desolation
prophesied by Daniel.

". . . from the going forth of the command to restore and build
Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks
and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the
wall, even in troublesome times.

"And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not tor
Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with
a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in
the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and
offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes
desolate, even until the consummation which is determined, is
poured out on the desolate." (Daniel 9:25-27)

"And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the
sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily
sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation."
(Daniel 11:31 )

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation' spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever
reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea
flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:15-16; see also Mark 13:14)

The Messiah will come when all nations are gathered to make war
on Jerusalem.

"I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all
who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all
nations of the earth are gathered against it." (Zechariah 12:3)

"For I will gather all the nations to battle against
Jerusalem.... Then the LORD will go forth and fight against
those nations, as He fights in the day of battle." (Zechariah
14:2-3)

Many False messiahs will arise and lead many astray.

"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and
will deceive many." (Matthew 24:5; see also Matthew 24:23-24;
Mark 13:5-6, 21-22; Luke 21:8)

"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of
Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all
unrighteous deception among those who perish." (2 Thessalonians
2:9-10)

Before Y'shua's return, there will be an atmosphere of unbelief.
". . . when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on
the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

". . . scoffers will come in the last days... saying, 'Where
is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning of
creation."' (2 Peter 3:3-4)

The expectation of Y'shua's return should motivate us to godly
living.

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made
ruler over his household... ? Blessed is that servant whom
his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Asuredly. I say
to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods." (Matthew
24:45-47)

"And do this, knowing the time... tor now our salvation is
nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent. the
day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darknes.
and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:11-12)

"Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.
Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.' (2
Peter 3:11-12)

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all
men, teaching us that... we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
(Titus 2 13)

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will decend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the trumpet of God, And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we
shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another
with these words." ( 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)

Conclusion

Paul wrote to the believers at Rome: ''Now it is high time to
awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we
first believed" (Romans 13:11). If that was true in Paul s day,
how much closer is Y'shua's appearing now!

Jesus promised, "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward
is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and
the Last" (Revelation 22:12-13).

Let us give thanks for this promise, as Peter wrote: ' Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to
His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope...
kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:3-5). And let us say with
John, "Amen... Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:2()).


From THE JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER
Can Christians Practice Bigotry ?
Can Christians Practice Bigotry ?
In the environment of aberrant teaching we find other problems
can arise within the Christian's walk. Editor Mike Wilkinson
asks the question:


CAN CHRISTIANS PRACTICE BIGOTRY?

by Michael Wilkinson


"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but
only what is helpful for building others up according to their
needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling
and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in
Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:29-32).

When many people read about "unwholesome talk" in the first
verse above, they may think it is referring to the use of
profanity. That is what I was always taught. Yet this verse is
actually a warning to Christians not to say anything that is
truly offensive to other people.

Christians are not to speak with hatred, slander or malice
because these things grieve the Holy Spirit. Grieving the Holy
Spirit is a serious matter, for He is our Comforter, and assures
us that we dwell in Jesus Christ. "Those who keep His commands
dwell in Him and He dwells in them. And our certainty that He
dwells in us comes from the Spirit he has given us" (1 John
3:24).

Bigotry is a form of hatred, and can involve malice and slander.
It is a decision to judge other people based on appearance,
rather than conduct. It is contrary to God's view of man. "...
for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel
16:7). Bigotry is offensive, and comes from a heart that wants
to be free to offend others rather than love them as Christ does.

The early church faced the problem of believers eating food that
had been sacrificed to idols. The apostle Paul advised the
believers, "give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks
or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all
things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that
they may be saved" (1 Corinthians 10:32- 33). This principle
can be applied to any offensive thing we do, think or say. God
would have us seek the best for all, for that is how His kingdom
is established in the hearts of men. Christian freedom ends
where offense begins.

Some people have even tried to excuse bigotry, trying to use the
Bible to defend their actions. In Ezra 10:2, it says, "... we
have broken faith with our God in taking foreign wives from the
peoples of this land..." and in Nehemiah 13:27 it says, " Are
we then to follow your example and commit this grave offense,
breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?" I have
heard these verses used by Christians to "prove" that God does
not approve of interracial dating or marriages. These verses
have nothing to do with racial issues. God has only forbidden
marriage between believers and nonbelievers (see Exodus 34:15-16
and 2 Corinthians 6:14) because such marriages tend to draw the
believer away from Him. Those who try to make these verses apply
to race do not understand what God is really concerned with.

There were racial issues in the early church between the Jews
and the Samaritans, and between the Jews and the Gentiles. Yet
these racial problems were not allowed to continue. Jesus dealt
with both issues.

In John chapter 4, Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well near
the town of Sychar. He surprised her by not only speaking with
her, but promising her the "living water" of the gospel. Both
the woman and the disciples were surprised by this, for Jews and
Samaritans did not normally associate with one another. But
Jesus proved by His conduct that this was not His will. And, in
Acts 1:8 when Jesus sent His disciples out to evangelize the
whole world, He mentioned Samaria by name, indicating that it
was important for the disciples to put aside any old prejudices
and go to the Samaritans with the gospel.

Problems between the Jews and Gentiles were potentially worse
than the Jew/Samaritan situation because there were stronger
political and religious differences as well as racial ones. The
Greeks and Romans were seen as both political oppressors and
religious pagans. The Gentiles were annoyed by the Jewish claim
to be God's chosen people. And Jesus didn't change anything for
the better when He referred to the Jews as "children" and the
Gentiles as "dogs" in Matthew 15:26. But this was far from being
a racial statement. Remember, this occurred before the
crucifixion, when only the Jews were considered to be God's
natural children. It was not until the completion of the gospel
(through the cross and the resurrection) that the Gentiles could
be "joint heirs with the Jews" (Ephesians 3:6).

In fact, in His death on the cross, Jesus was not only
reconciling God and man, which was His main purpose, but He was
also joining both Jew and Gentile into one church. "For He is
himself our peace. Gentiles and Jews, He has made the two one,
and in His own body of flesh and blood has broken down the
barrier of enmity which separated them" (Ephesians 2:14). And
the change becomes evident beginning in Acts 9 when Jesus calls
Saul to be an apostle to the Gentiles (9:15 and 13:47), and when
God sends the apostle Peter to bring the gospel to Cornelius
(10:17-48). God showed Peter that when He cleanses the heart of
a non-Jewish person he should not be considered unclean. Because
God wants everyone, both Jews and Gentiles, to be clean before
Him, He has given His message of salvation to everyone, so that
by hearing and believing in Him all people can be made one in
Him. In this way, God broke down the walls of fellowship between
Jews and non-Jews.

During the Dark Ages the Church became a primarily Gentile
institution distinct from Judaism. As the Gospel spread, Gentile
conversions were common while Jewish ones were rare. As this
continued for generations, the Jewish voice in the Church went
silent, and anti-Semitic bigotry raised its ugly head. 

The Jews sometimes were called "Christ Killers," even though
Christ was actually killed by the Gentiles after being turned
over to them by the Jews (see Matthew 20:18-19). But anyone who
looks back to the first century to assign blame for the
crucifixion to any one group is missing the point anyway. For it
is written, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us
has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) He died because He was the
sacrifice for all our sins. No one is innocent of His death. He
died because He allowed humans to take His life. Only He had the
power to allow His life to be taken. "No one takes it from me,
but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it
down and authority to take it up again" (John 10:18).

Fearing that a Gentile church might despise the Jews, Paul
wrote, "For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild
by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated
olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches,
be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire,
brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you
should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has
happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come
in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The
Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away
ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When
I take away their sins'" (Romans 11:24-27). Therefore, Christ
is not finished with the Jews.

Today's churches need to be careful not to allow bigotry,
prejudice and favoritism. We have the scriptures and church
history to teach us how we ought to live and how the church has
sometimes failed in the past. Jesus said, "And when I am lifted
up from the Earth I shall draw everyone to myself" (John
12:32). Since everyone is called to believe in Him, how can the
members of His Church dare to distinguish between people? Out of
ignorance we are told that there is a "black church" in the
inner cities of this country. There is no "black church" and no
"white church" in Christ. In Him there is one church and He is
the foundation (see 1 Corinthians 3:11).

And we are all part of the Body of Christ. "Christ is like a
single body with its many limbs and organs, which, many as they
are, together make up one body; for in the one Spirit we were
all brought into one body by baptism, whether Jews or Greeks,
slaves or free; we were all given that one Spirit to drink" (1
Corinthians 12:12-13). Therefore we should all love one another
without regard to race or nationality because we are all joined
together as one in Christ.

Finally, our relationship with God depends upon us loving our
fellow Christians. "Whoever says, 'I am in the light,' but hates
his fellow Christian, is still in darkness. He who loves his
fellow Christian dwells in light; there is no cause of stumbling
in him. But anyone who hates his fellow is in darkness; he walks
in the dark and has no idea where he is going, because the
darkness has made him blind" (1 John 2:9-11). "Darkness" and
"light" in these verses represent sin and righteousness. Hating
someone is sin.

Instead, let us love other people, and replace prejudice with
understanding, patience, kindness, mercy and thoughtfulness.
"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near" 
(Philippians 4:5).
The Time Will Come...
The Time Will Come...
THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE

By William H. Brydge
From THE CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT


The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (II Timothy 4:3-4)

One of the most outspoken preachers of false teaching today is
an Episcopal Bishop, John Shelby Spong. Why do I suggest this?
Note the following direct quote from one of his books: 

"The Bible is one of those ambiguous symbols of authority that
history has overlaid with a fascinating mystique. For many, to
be able to quote the Bible in support of their opinion is to be
justified, vindicated, proud, and right. For some, the debate is
closed once it is clear that the Bible is on their side."

Spong goes on to say:

"Much of the influence of the revival preachers of yesterday and
the electronic preachers of today comes from the authority of
the open Bible in their hands and their assertion that in that
book is found the 'inerrant word of God' that answers every
question."

One can easily see that Bishop Spong does not give much credence
to those who hold the Word of God as absolute authority, and
who, over the centuries, have given their lives in response to
their faith in the Holy Word of God.

Bishop Spong does not believe that you can take the Bible
literally, nor does he believe it is the inerrant Word of God.

It is a day to lament when those who are religious authorities,
and are looked upon as such, cease to believe that the Bible is
the infallible, inerrant Word of God.

Thousands of Episcopal laity look to Spong as the foremost
modern day authority on Holy Scripture. How he interprets the
Scriptures becomes the gospel truth as far as the many disciples
of Bishop Spong are concerned.

There are many such teachers in the world of Christendom today.
The Bible warns about these false teachers. In II Peter 2:1 we
read, "But there were false prophets, also among the people even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought
them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

We are truly living in troubled times. Everything that we once
held dear is being unmercifully destroyed such as family values,
the home with a father and a mother raising their children in a
loving and caring atmosphere. The healthy, nurturing environment
of the two-parent family is becoming obsolete.

God placed a man and a woman together in the garden of Eden and
told them to be fruitful and multiply. The Creator instituted
marriage between man and woman, however, modern society with its
humanistic philosophy has tried to bring an end to biblical
marriage. Today it is succeeding at an alarming rate.

I believe that one of the main reasons why marriages are failing
and divorce is becoming the norm is that we have turned our
backs on biblical truths and have instead listened to the many
fables being spread today.

Paul gives strong warning in II Thessalonians when he said, "And
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might
be saved. And or this cause God shall send them strong delusion,
that they sould believe a lie: that they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
(II Thess. 2:10-12)

We have a grave responsibility to not only read, but to study
the Scriptures for ourselves and to ask the Lord for wisdom and
understanding of them. If a person really wants to know the
truth and is willing to search for it, they will find the truth.
In Jeremiah 29:13 we are encouraged by these words:

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me
with all your heart."

In the sermon the mount, Jesus admonished the multitudes by
telling them, "but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

As I said, if we truly want to know the truth we will find it.
But if we are lazy in our studies of God's Word, then we may be
deceived by whatever wind of doctrine comes our way.

Despite what some, like Bishop Spong, may say, there has to be a
returning to God's Word as our first and final authority. We
could listen to one hundred different modern day theologians and
hear one hundred different interpretations of the Scriptures.
Therefore, we must know what God's Word says for ourselves so
that we will be able to pick out the false interpretations.

Our major problem today is that other things tend to attract our
attention and our time. We set aside little or no time at all to
study the Scriptures. We may read three or four verses every day
and believe that is good enough. It isn't.

You see, false teachers know the Bible and use it to their
advantage. So, we also have to know the Bible and what it really
is saying. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we read,

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And as Christians we should be asking ourselves what it is that
we want. The answer should be to be more Christ like. Then we
should ask ourselves what we are doing to accomplish that goal?

Paul brings to our attention I Corinthians 9:25-27:

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight
I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body,
and bring it unto subjection: lest that by any means, when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

If indeed we want to be more Christ like so that our Heavenly
Father will be pleased with us as He was with His Son, then we
have a great challenge ahead of us; a worthwhile goal to strive
for. But we need to study and we need to prepare ourselves
spiritually so that we will be able to run the race and win. And
by winning we mean finishing the race. Paul at the end of his
life could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kpt the faith." (II Timothy 4:7)

It is a spiritual battle which we are in. We must, therefore,
attack in a spiritual manner. Christians are exhorted to "Put on
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armour of God, that ye maybe able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:11-13)

Brothers and sisters in the Lord, we are fast approaching the
end. We need to examine ourselves, our lifestyles, where we are
in relationship with our Lord. We need to get serious about our
Christianity and get down to business by doing what the Lord
wants us to do.

Ifwe are not building upon the Rock-Christ Jesus that solid
ground-we will be swept away by every wind of doctrine which
comes our way.

Paul gives a warning to believers in Colossians: "And this I
say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words...
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the
world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:4-8)

We have an obligation to search the Scriptures to know if the
words are after the traditions of men, or if they are after
Christ.

Studies
New In Christ
New In Christ
"New in Christ" is a regular MORNING STAR column written
primarily for people who wish to learn more about the basic
teachings of Biblical Christianity. The editorial staff at
MORNING STAR encourages all readers to use freely this
information to help new Christians grow in their walk with the
Lord.


CHRIST IS GOD
Part one of a three-part article

By Toby Trudel


There are many opinions in the world as to who Jesus Christ
really was/is. The most important question in my opinion would
be, "Is Jesus God?" There are churches and individuals today,
professing to be Christian, who don't believe Jesus is God - or
that the Bible teaches this, or that Jesus Himself said that He
is God.


WHAT DOES THE OLD TESTAMENT TEACH?

Looking back into the Tanach, (the Old Testament, which Jesus
claimed as the source of evidence for His Messiahship - Luke
24:27, John 5:39), we find that in it is written that the coming
Messiah (Jesus), would be called "MIGHTY GOD." (Isaiah 9:6) 
This is the same term and grammar used in Isaiah 10:21, where it
is written that the remnant of Jacob shall return to "the Mighty
God." As we don't have two Gods according to the same prophet,
(Isaiah 45:22), the Jehovah whom Isaiah and his people
worshipped and the Son-Child who would be born and called
"Mighty God" are the same. 

Proverbs 30:4 asks the question CONCERNING GOD; "... what is His
name, and what is His SON'S NAME?"

Another key verse in Isaiah is 7:14: "Behold the virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel". The
word "Immanuel" literally means "God with us", not any ordinary
man. This is confirmed in the New Testament in Matthew 1:21-23.

Moving on to Micah 5:2: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though
you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you
shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose
goings forth have been from old, from everlasting."

Micah here states clearly not only Christ's future birthplace,
but the fact that this "ruler in Israel", has shared the
counsels of God from eternity past. If only God has existed from
eternity past, and Jesus existed with Him, then Jesus has to be
God.

In the great Messianic (crucifixion) passage of Zechariah 12:10,
JEHOVAH SPEAKING, states, "When they look UPON ME whom they have
pierced." The New Testament writers made sure to remind us of
this important passage. (John 19:37, Revelation 1:7)

In another crucifixion passage (Isaiah 50:6) JEHOVAH SPEAKING,
states, "I gave my back to the smiters". JEHOVAH also says in
Isaiah that He "gave His cheeks to them that pluck off his hair"
and how He hid not his face "from shame and spitting."

When did JEHOVAH suffer all of these things? Only JESUS did.

Consider also Psalm 110:1 fulfilled by Jesus, "The Lord said
unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine
enemies thy footstool."

God talking to God? Perhaps the Psalmist was confused that day!


WHAT DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT REVEAL?

The Gospel of John's Gospel clearly sets the record straight:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All
things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made
that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of
men" (John 1:1-4).

In verse 1, as well as in John 1:14, 1st John 1:1 and Revelation
19:13, the term "Word" (Logos), refers specifically to Jesus.
John is clearly referring to Jesus in verse 1, as is seen in
verse 14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Re:
Immanuel). The term "In the beginning" to all in John's day
familiar with the scriptures clearly referred to what we now
call the book of Genesis, which was commonly referred to in
those days as "In the beginning." Any reader of John's Gospel
would automatically think of the creation record and its
assumption of God's eternality.

John writes, "The Word was with God". This establishes Jesus as
a distinct entity who had since "the beginning" had fellowship
with God the Father. John then states; "The Word was God". This
is it. A definite statement of Jesus' deity. Jesus is not "a
god" as some suggest. The term God (theos) appears here without
the definite article "the", but it also appears 282 times in the
New Testament as such, so there is no grammatical confusion
here. Besides, if John had used "the God" with reference to
Christ, he would have made Him alone to be God, omitting the
Father.

John goes on; "All things were made through Him." This fact is
verified in other New Testament verses:

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: FOR BY HIM WERE ALL THINGS CREATED, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all
things, AND BY HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST (Colossians 1:15-17).

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS;
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of
his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high: (Hebrews 1:2,3).

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 
(Hebrews 1:10)

These verses show that Jesus created everything. But according
to the Old Testament, it is GOD who created everything...

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis
1:1)

Bear in mind that the God of Genesis refers to Himself in the
plural in Hebrew: 

"Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness." (Genesis
1:26)
"And the Lord God said, behold the man is become as one of US. 
(Genesis 3:22)
"Go to, let US go down, and their confound their language..." 
(Genesis 11:7)

Then there is the monotheistic slogan upon which the entire
teaching of Judaism is based; 

"Sh'ma Isroel, Adonai Eloheynu, Adonai Echod"
"Behold Israel, the Lord your God is ONE"

The word "echod" (ONE) does not mean absolute unity, but rather
a COMPOSITE unity. It is the same word used to describe Adam and
Eve who became one. It is the same word used when the spies
returned from Canaan with a cluster of grapes (Eshol Echod). It
is the same word used when the "men of Judah stood up as one
man" (Ish Echod).

John is not the only one who believed Christ to be God. Paul was
explicit in his belief:

"Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh
Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen"
(Romans 9:5). There is no need to explain this verse. The
grammar is simple, Christ is God.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God:" (Philippians 2:5,6).
 
The word "FORM" in the first sentence is "morphe" in the Greek
and means the nature or essence, not in the abstract, but as
actually subsisting in the individual, and retained as long as
the individual itself exisits. The word "FASHION" is "schema" in
the Greek and refers only to that which shows outward and
appeals to the senses. Paul is clearly stating that Jesus had
always existed as God in His essential nature. He voluntarily
put this aside to become the God-man, (Re: Immanuel) the humble
servant, obedient to death. 

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 2:11 
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10,11). God does
NOT allow anyone other than Himself to be worshipped according
to the first commandment (Also stated in Matthew 4:10).

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory" (1st Timothy 3:16). This "God manifest
in the flesh, (Re: Immanuel), was Jesus, as He alone did what
the remainder of the verse said He did.

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). The
literal translation of this sentence indicates that Paul is
referring to only one person here: God the Son.

The Gospels give other proof that Christ was God. He had powers
that only God could possess:

"But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, BECAUSE HE KNEW ALL
MEN, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew
what was in man" (John 2:24,25).

"Now are we sure that THOU KNOWEST ALL THINGS, and needest not
that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou
camest forth from God" (John 16:30).


In the second part of this series next month, we will examine
what Jesus Himself has to say about this issue!
New Testament Studies
New Testament Studies
With this column, we finish a special series from the New
Testament. This article is the seventh of seven focusing on the
"Letters to the Seven Churches" found in the book of Revelation.
During this series, the column has been called "New Testament
Studies." Future studies after this series will include Psalms
and books from both the Old and New Testaments.


THE LETTER TO LAODICEA
Revelation 3:14-22

By Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


This individual was found dead. He was unwashed, with long,
greasy hair and an unkempt beard. He died, as he lived: alone.
From his condition and his surroundings, you would never guess
he had been one of the richest men in the world. In life, Howard
Hughes was world famous. He had been a flyer, a film producer
and a major investor in RKO and TWA. He also had large interests
in Nevada real estate. But he paid a high price for his wealth
-- he lost his sanity, his health and finally, his life. In this
article, we will look at the cost of choosing the world's wealth
instead of the Lord's.

The letter to the Church at Laodicea is the last of the seven
letters from Christ to the Churches. As with the previous six,
we will look at the passage, and analyze it with the intent of
understanding it and applying it to our lives. 

The outline for this study follows the same pattern as used in
previous articles. First, we will take an overview of the
letter. Second, we will examine the text. And finally, we will
consider an application for ourselves. 

First, let take a general overview of the letter.

I How Christ is pictured: Christ is named as the AMEN. He is
God's final word to man. He is the final way of reconciliation.
"Amen" -- what is true. This is the only time it is used as a
proper name. The focus is on Christ as God's revealed truth and
who He is.

II Background: Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II (261-246
BC). He named the city after his wife Laodike. It was located on
one of the major trade routes of the day. The area is now modern
central Turkey. The city was about 40 miles east of Ephesus.

Laodicea was wealthy, having extensive commerce and heavily
influenced by the Greek culture. It was also a center of
science, literature and major financial institutions. Unlike
Sardis and Philadelphia, the city was not destroyed in the great
quake of 17 BC. Instead, it fell in the great quake of 60 AD.
Laodicea had wealth, so it didn't need to apply for financial
aid from the Roman Senate's Earthquake Relief Fund.
Nevertheless, the quakes led to the final demise of the city.

Laodicea was known as a source of glossy black wool used for
cloaks and carpets. Also located in the city was a medical
school and a major manufacturer of Phrygian powder, a famous eye
 and ear salve. This is the salve Christ alluded to in verse 18.
Thermal springs were also located near by. Because of the hot
springs and a lack of potable water, Laodicea was forced to be
dependent on its neighbors. In turn, this dependency probably
led to a compromise philosophy, deemed a political necessity for
survival. there were also many pagan temples situated near the
city.

Both the church and the city are thought to have existed as late
as the 14th century. Today there is nothing left in the area but
ruins. (1)

III Commendation: None.

IV Condemnation: 

1. Materialism. 
2. The members of the body were lukewarm.
3. They had wealth and knowledge, but were lacking in
everything else, being wretched, miserable, poor and blind.

V Counsel: They needed faith, works of righteousness and
forgiveness.

VI Challenge:

1. Love brings chastisement.
2. Christ stands at the door and knocks.
3. The overcomer will sit with Christ on His throne.

Verse 14: As with the previous letters, Christ directs this to
the representative of the local body. As seen in verse 22, it is
intended for all the members of that local church. By extension,
it is for all of Christ's body, through all the ages.

When Christ describes Himself, He doesn't go back to Chapter 1,
except peripherally. There He called Himself "the First and the
Last, the beginning and the end." Here, He first He talks of
Himself as "The Amen." The word means firm or established. It
relates to Him as the Faithful and True One. God refers to
Himself this way in Isaiah 65:16. Though the verse is usually
translated "the God of Truth," it should be: "Because he, who
is blessed in the earth, shall be blessed by the God of the
Amen."

Christ presents Himself to a church that functions without the
reality of His Sovereignty and Deity. It doesn't have any real
concern over who He is. Therefore, Christ pictures Himself as
the One who keeps his promises. He will fulfill all that He
promises. He will judge them for their rejection. "For as many
as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore
also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us" (2
Corinthians 1:20). 

Tenney puts it this way: "Christ is the Seal of God's revealed
truth, the finality of all that the father has spoken. Beyond
Him, God has nothing more to say to man." Christ Himself puts it
this way, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one
comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6). 

Christ is also "The faithful and true witness" in contrast to
the Laodiceans. Dr. McGee notes: "Christ alone is the one who
will reveal all and tell all." (2) Christ shows perfect
obedience and willingness to suffer. Conversely, this church is
typified by compromise and commitment to survival. The last
quality one could ascribe to them is faithfulness or a true
witness.

Christ, the Faithful, witness of Revelation 1:5, is the true
witness of 3:7 and 14. This role is a warning of the importance
and truth of the letter's text. He wants to make sure they
understand. He is the God of Creation. He is about to speak to
them, to warn them of the danger of their position.

Verse 15-16: Unlike the other churches, Laodicea will find no
commendation in their letter. Christ has nothing good to say
about this group. His statement concerning their works points
out that the church is neither hot nor cold. This is an allusion
to the cold mountain waters and hot springs of the area. The
waters which came down cold from the mountain were lukewarm when
they arrived. The mineral waters were to be drunk hot, for
health reasons. If they were allowed to grow tepid, they would
be nauseating, and would be spit out. The church tries to remain
neutral, neither for or against Christ, at least outwardly.
Christ will not accept this position from anyone, "He who is not
with Me is against Me..." (Matthew 12:30).

While their works may have been adequate, from a human
perspective, they were of no value to Christ. A cold church is
the church that has rejected God. A hot church is one that
fervently serves Him. The Laodicean Church may have had the form
of faith, but it had the heart of rejection. "Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" 
(2 Timothy 3:5). Their approach was compromise. They did not
want to offend and so were not willing to take a stand either
for or against the Lord.

Verse 17: This attitude of compromise can be seen in the value
structure of these people. Their priorities relate to
materialism. They believed they were rich. In actuality, they
were spiritually bankrupt. Their confidence was in their
prosperity and their position in the community. This is a
strange place to find one of the early churches, in a time that
was typified by persecution. 

The standards of success for this type of church are large
memberships and prominent members generating large amounts of
dollars, and ornate buildings. A church can have these things
without being lukewarm, if Christ is the object of worship and
serving him is the body's purpose. But for some churches the
outward trappings are the true sign of success. There were not
interested in helping new believers or providing the means to
insure spiritual growth in their members.

Christ tells these people they are actually poverty stricken,
not wealthy. The church is poor "For what does it profit a man
to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). It
is pitiable. The Church is blind, it doesn't understand the ways
of God. It is naked, that is not clothed in the white robes of
righteousness. There is no desire for Christ's righteousness.
How sad. Not only is the church in this condition, but even
worse, these individuals aren't even aware of it. They are so
far from God they don't even miss Him.

Verse 18: Even here, with a church Christ condemns, He still
gives them the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.
The church needed to treasure, the gifts of God not the values
of the world. These gifts include: that which is righteous,
represented by refined gold, the shed blood of Christ which
price paid for our sins. Also included were white garments,
speaking of Christ's righteousness. The Laodiceans, who had
ointment for physical blindness, needed to turn to Christ for
healing from their Spiritual blindness.

Verses 19-20: In spite of the condition of this church, the
Lord still offers an opportunity for repentance. He reproves and
chastens them out of love. Discipline is the sign of God's love
for His children. The believer who finds himself in the midst of
a system that rejects Christ must be prepared to hold fast to
the truth of Scripture. "And you have forgotten that word of
encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make
light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he
punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'... If you are not
disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons" (Hebrews 12:5,6, 8).

Christ waits outside the door calling for repentance. These
individuals must be willing to repent, to ask Christ in, to
become what they need to be: committed believers. The Lord will
not force Himself on those who do not want Him. This church must
become hot. If it doesn't, then it will be spewed out of the
Lord's mouth.

Verses 21-22: As we have noted, each time we have looked at a
letter, the overcomer is synonymous with the believer.
Therefore, there must have been a few individuals in this church
who were saved. This also points out there can be groups calling
themselves churches who are not part of the body of Christ. The
promise then is: the day will come when the believer will reign
with Christ. To those steadfast believers who had the misfortune
to be in this church, this promise of an eternity with Christ
and the hope of future service with Him must have been a great
comfort.

The letter is then closed with Christ's standard call to the
entire body to accept His words, depend on the Holy Spirit for
understanding, and apply them. 

As with previous letters, the most obvious applications deal
with the responsibilities of the local church for fervency in
obedience to the Lord. There are two additional areas that we
will consider. The first is the call to salvation for the
unbeliever. The second is for the believer. He must maintain the
proper priorities of life. He must be willing to stand firm for
God, that is, not to be identified with compromise. The
Laodicean church is weak. Christ has a specific message for
them. It is the same message that He has for the individual who
hasn't dealt with Him in his own life. 

The message to the unbeliever is: repent. Repentance means
turning 180 degrees from one's old life and turning to a new
one. The message to the unbeliever is, don't put your confidence
in what the world has to offer, but only in what Christ offers.
The cost of living by the world's standards and desiring the
world's wealth is too high. The cost is one's soul. 

Remember, as we already read, "For what does it profit a man to
gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). Even
with this church, it wasn't too late for the opportunity to have
true life with God. Christ stands at the door. He wants a
relationship with each of us, but the choice is ours. He wants
to make us His children. The God who is the creator of this
universe wants to be your Daddy, your Abba. Isn't now the time
to be born into His family? 

"For all who are being lead by the Spirit of God, these are sons
of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading
to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as
sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,..." 
(Romans 8: 14-16). 

And how is one saved? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4,
"Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached
to you, which also you received,... by which also you are saved
... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also
received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on
the third day according to the Scriptures,..." "... if you
confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."... For
the Scripture says, "whoever believes in Him will not be
disappointed" (Romans 10:9, 11).

While the primary message of this letter is for the unbeliever,
there is also a basic principle for us as believers. The warning
to us is the same: We too can end up by putting our confidence
in the values of the world. Living in this society, there is a
real danger that we will depend on the world's values for
security. For us the Cost of "Wealth" is also too high. The cost
is broken fellowship, and an inability to serve the Lord. (see
1 John 2:15-17) 

Young people, are you concerned what your friends will think of
you? The Lord tells us that we are to desire to please Him, and
not those around us. Paul speaking of himself sets an example
for us, "... but just as we have been approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but
God, who examines our hearts... .nor did we seek glory from men
..." (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 6). Your friends are more likely to
come to know and trust Jesus if they see Him reflected in your
life -- Stand Firm, be a faithful and true witness.

Parents, there is pressure to accept the world's values in
bringing up your children. The cost here can be their lives. We
are called to be responsible: "Bring up a child in the way he
should go,..." (Proverbs 22:6). "And these words, which I am
commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall
teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when
you lie down and when you rise up" (Exodus 6:6-7). As Christian
parents you can show the Lord's concern for children -- by
Standing Firm and being a faithful and true witness.

Wives, you are told that it is demeaning to "only" be a
housewife. Husbands, the world says the way we show love for our
family is by putting extra time at work. We must earn lots of
money so our families can have everything they want. In reality,
our marriages serve as a picture of the relationship between
Christ and the Church. They also can be examples to a hurting
world of what marriage should be. "Let marriage be held in
honor among all,..." (Hebrews 13: 4). -- Stand Firm, be a
faithful and true witness. 

As individuals, we are told to be consumers. The focus of our
life is to acquire of more and more material goods. As
Christians, our example must be one of sacrifice. Or as the Lord
puts it: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieved do not break
in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). -- Stand Firm, be a faithful and
true witness.

The letter to Laodicea calls the unbeliever to a life with
Christ. It calls us, as believers, to a walk with Him. The only
question left is: are we going to obey?

"And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His
Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in
him" (1 John 3:23-24).

The time has come for us to consider what the Lord expects of
us. We must ask whether we are willing to examine our lives to
see if we really are buying God's gold, or the world's? And,
having identified our problem areas, are we willing to obey God
and deal with them? We must make this commitment. I'm sure we
all have areas in our lives that need to be examined. Commit
them to the Lord. Remember, "The one who says, "I have come to
know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and
the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the
love of God has truly been perfected" (1 John 2:3-4). Let the
truth be in us.


1. McGee, Dr. J. Vernon, THRU THE BIBLE WITH J. VERNON MCGEE,
Vol. 5, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p. 920-21.

2. Ibid
Messianic Studies (Part 1)
Messianic Studies (Part 1)
AN OVERVIEW OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
Part one of a two-part article

By S. Douglas Sorensen
Director of Christian Friends of Israel - USA


Introduction

Replacement Theology is a doctrinal system which holds that the
Church is the historical and spiritual continuation of ancient
Israel. Also known as "Covenant Theology," this doctrine claims
that Israel, the natural descendants of Jacob - commonly know as
the Jews - ceased to exist as a chosen nation of God's election
from the time that the Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah,
culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Church, born at
Pentecost, thus became the 'new Israel.'
 
Replacement theology seeks to establish that the Jews, because
of their unbelief, were forever rejected by God and that all the
promises pertaining to Israel are now transferred to the Church,
having replaced the natural Israel. As a result, the Jews are
now no different in God's plan than any other race of people.
 
A variation of Replacement Theology, as held by the Roman
Catholic Church, claims that Israel has always been the Church! 
That is, the Church has always existed, being established
through the patriarchs and prophets. When the Jews rejected
Jesus, the Church merely continued on in the apostles and
gentile believers. Therefore, the Roman church, which claims
that it is the true Church, sees merely an historical
continuation of true believers.
 
The early Church fathers and modern replacement theologians have
resorted to an elaborate system of allegorical interpretation of
Old Testament prophecies regarding the regathering and
restoration of Israel in the last days, since they could see no
place or justification for a 'literal' reading of these
scriptures. When the Jewish people began, toward the end of the
last century, to be restored to their land, highlighted by the
birth of the modern state of Israel in May, 1948 and the capture
of Jerusalem in June, 1967, many of the assumptions of
Replacement Theology were confronted with the stark realities of
modern history.
 

Who and What Are Israel?

In order to discuss reasonably whether it could be possible that
God rejected Israel and replaced her with the Church, or
alternately, whether the Church is Israel, it is necessary that
we understand how the Biblical record defines Israel. The first
occurrence of the word Israel is found in Genesis, chapter 32. 
This is the account of Jacob's encounter with the Angel of the
Lord. During this encounter the angel said to Jacob, "Let Me
go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go
unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He
said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called
Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men,
and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:26- 28) Here we see clearly
that Israel was the new name given by God to the patriarch
Jacob. 

A few verses later the Biblical account then refers to the
"children of Israel" as not taking for food a certain muscle in
acknowledgement of the injury sustained by Jacob when the angel
displaced his thigh. The children of Israel are obviously the
descendants of Jacob by blood.

In Genesis 46:8-26 the twelve sons of Jacob are specifically
listed, as they are in many other places in the Bible. The
offspring of Jacob's twelve sons became known as the twelve
tribes. One of the sons of Israel was Judah from whom king
David and then finally Messiah Jesus was descended. When Israel
(Jacob) was pronouncing his final blessing over his sons and
grandsons just prior to his death, he prophesied over Judah
saying, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver
from between his feet..." (Genesis 49:10) The term 'Jew' as
used today to describe, generally, all Israel or the Jewish
people is a contraction of 'Judah', Ye-hu-di in Hebrew. The use
of the name Ye-hu-di and its several forms as a name for all of
the people of Israel began during the Babylonian captivity under
Nebuchadnezzar.

Paul calls himself an "Israelite" based upon the fact that he is
a natural descendent of Abraham traced through the tribe of
Benjamin (one of the 12 sons of Jacob). I say then, has God
cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite,
of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1).

'Israel' also refers to the land given by God to Jacob as an
everlasting covenant. Genesis 35:9-12 records God's
reconfirmation of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram,
and blessed him. And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; your
name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your
name." So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: "I am
God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company
of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from
your body. "The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to
you; and to your descendants after you I give this land."

The term, "Land of Israel," occurs 31 times in the Bible and
always means the Land promised by God as their homeland. For
example, in Matthew 2:20, after the death of Herod the angel
said to Jesus' father Joseph, "Arise, take the young Child and
His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought
the young Child's life are dead."

In summary, the statistical evidence is compelling. Israel
occurs in the Bible 2,567 times and in every case refers either
to Jacob and his natural descendants or to the land promised by
God as their homeland. 'Sons of Israel', 'Children of Israel'
and 'People of Israel' together occur 659 times are always refer
to the natural descendants of Jacob. "Israelite" occurs 8 times
and again always refers to the people of Israel as a race.


The Covenants

Perhaps the greatest single source of error underlying the
tenets of Replacement Theology can be traced to the lack of
understanding of the different and unique covenants which God
made with Israel. There are many different covenants recorded in
the Biblical record. Here are some of the most significant
covenants made with Israel.


The Land Covenant
Genesis 15:7-10, 17-18

Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur
of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." And he
said, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?" So
He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a
three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove,
and a young pigeon." Then he brought all these to Him and cut
them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the
other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And it came to pass,
when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there
appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between
those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with
Abram, saying: "To your
descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to
the great river, the River Euphrates....


Covenant of Circumcision
Genesis 17:1-11

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram
and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be
blameless. "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and
will multiply you exceedingly. "Then Abram fell on his face, and
God talked with him, saying: "As for Me, behold, My covenant is
with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. "No longer
shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;
for I have made you a father of many nations. "I will make you
exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings
shall come from you. "And I will establish My covenant between
Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations,
for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your
descendants after you. "Also I give to you and your descendants
after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of
Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My
covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their
generations. "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between
Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child
among you shall be circumcised; "and you shall be circumcised in
the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the
covenant between Me and you."


Covenant of the Law (Torah)
Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:12-14; 5:1-4

'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My
covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all
people; for all the earth is Mine. 'And you shall be to Me a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation. "And the LORD spoke to you
out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words,
but saw no form; you only heard a voice. "So He declared to you
His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten
Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. "And
the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and
judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you
cross over to possess. And Moses called all Israel, and said to
them: "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak
in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to
observe them. "The LORD our God made a covenant with us in
Horeb. "The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers,
but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive.
"The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the
midst of the fire."
[Continued]
Messianic Studies (Part 2)
Messianic Studies (Part 2)
Covenant of David's Throne
Psalm 39:3-4, 28-29, 34-37

"I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My
servant David: 'Your seed I will establish forever, And build up
your throne to all generations.'" Selah. My mercy I will keep
for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him. His
seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the
days of heaven. My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word
that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, And his
throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever
like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky." Selah.


The New Covenant through Jesus
Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:6-10; 10:19-22

"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of Me.".... who also made us
sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives
life. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry,
inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was
established on better promises. For if that first covenant had
been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a
second. Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the
days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; "not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of
Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I
disregarded them, says the LORD. "For this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the
LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their
hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for
us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High
Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

It is vital to recognize that the new covenant by Jesus through
his blood, which is appropriated by faith is God's answer to the
inability of the Law to make us righteous. Concerning the new
covenant the writer of Hebrews as just quoted above says, "not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of
Egypt..." This covenant is the covenant of the Law (Torah)
given through Moses. It is this covenant which has been
superseded by the new covenant. The issue is salvation by faith
and sanctification through the blood of Jesus. The new covenant
opens the way for all to enter in to the way of righteousness,
both Jew and Gentile. However, God's covenants with the
natural descendants of Israel, that He will make them a great
nation, that they will possess the promised land, and that a
king will rule upon David's throne over them remain in effect
and unchanged.


Proof Texts Claimed By Replacement Theology

Replacement Theology points to several key Biblical texts which
are interpreted as proofs that the Church replaced Israel. In
nearly every case, the error of interpretation turns on two key
points. The first is a misunderstanding of the definitions of
who is a Jew, who is a gentile, or who is Israel? The second is
the failure to make a distinction between the of the covenant of
the Law of Moses on the one hand which was superseded by the new
covenant through the work of Jesus on the cross, and the other
covenants concerning the Land and people of Israel as described
above which remain unaffected. After we study the following two
"proof texts," I encourage you to apply these same tests to the
other references which follow.

Galatians 3:28-29: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither slave nor free there is neither male nor female; for you
are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you
are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Replacement Theology interprets this passage as proving that the
Jews are no longer a people of God; there is no longer any
distinction between them and the gentiles (Greeks). The Church
is now Abraham's seed through Christ and is the inheritor of the
promises given to Israel. This argument is a subtle one. What
is true is that concerning the remission of sins by salvation
through faith in Christ and the promise of righteous and eternal
life, any person, Jew or gentile, slave or free is one in
Christ. In other words, it is not necessary to be a Jew to be
saved. However, the great error is to twist the meaning to hold
that the Jews no longer are a chosen people before God with an
inheritance, by an irrevocable covenant with God in the promised
land.

Romans 2:28-29: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor
is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a
Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men
but from God.

This reference is interpreted as meaning that all believers (the
Church) are Jews, that those who are circumcised in their hearts
are the true Jews. However, Paul is in fact classifying Jews by
whether they have been circumcised in their hearts, that is,
whether they have a living faith in Messiah Jesus. All the Jews
of Paul's day were understood to have been circumcised eight
days after birth. Paul is making a distinction between all Jews
who are naturally circumcised, and a class of Jews he calls
"true Jews' who have faith in Jesus and are thereby circumcised
in their hearts. The status of non-Jews is not being discussed
here.

Romans 4:13-16: All who believe will inherit the whole world,
not the Jews.

Matthew 21:43: The Kingdom of God will be taken from the Jews
and given to another nation.
 
Acts 1:6-8: Jesus is seen to reject the Disciples' suggestion
that the earthly kingdom of Israel will ever be restored.

Romans 11:17-26: The olive tree is the Church, and Jews will
again be grafted back in.

2 Corinthians 1:20: All God's promises made throughout the
Tenach (Old Testament scriptures) are now applied to the Church.

Galatians 4:21-31: Paul teaches that the stories concerning
Israel in the Old Testament, including the prophets, are to be
taken allegorically and refer to the Church.

Galatians 6:14-16: God's true Israel is the new creation, the
Church.

Ephesians 2:18-22: The Church is the household of God, the home
of all true believers. 

Hebrews 12:28-24: There is no place for a physical Israel in the
purposes of God since the Temple, Zion and Jerusalem, and the
land of Israel are merely types concerning the true Church - the
heavenly Jerusalem. 


Next month we will continue our study of Replacement Theology
with a special focus on the following topics: The dangers
Replacement Theology poses to the Church; How Replacement
Theology interprets the Tenach - the Old Testament; The use of
the words Israel and Israelite in the New Testament; Is the
Church the Israel of God?; and, Did the apostles make a
distinction between believing Jews and believing gentiles? We
will then conclude our study with a Self Study Bible Test
helping the reader to discover for himself that throughout the
Bible Israel retains her own unique identity and calling.

Except where noted, all scripture quotations in this article are
taken from the New King James version of the Bible, copyright by
Thomas Nelson, publishers.


This article is taken from an instructional course series
entitled, "The Restoration of Israel," copyright 1994 by Douglas
Sorensen, used by permission of the author. No part of this
article, other than within the format of this issue of MORNING
STAR, may be copied, printed, transmitted over a data network,
posted on a computer bulletin board, or stored in an information
storage and retrieval system without the written permission of
the author.

Douglas Sorensen
Christian Friends of Israel
PO Box 19227
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Growing in Grace
Growing in Grace
The Growth in Grace column provides insights into basic issues
of Christian maturity. Growth is the nature of life. When growth
ceases, death is the result. Spiritual growth is a possibility,
and a necessity. Growth in Grace is every believer's privilege
and responsibility.


RECOVERING BIBLICAL SPIRITUALITY

By Pastor Russell Walden - Doniphan, MO


Recently I addressed a gathering of churches and ministers from
across the country convened in the Mid-west. As I stood before
them I knew what God wanted me to share with them, however I
didn't have a starting point for the message. As the singing
carried on I searched my heart for a point of reference whereby
the entire company could approach the important subject on my
heart. Walking up the steps to the platform the Holy Spirit gave
me the direction I needed. Putting my introductory remarks in
the form of a question I asked them, "Can the Church have
Revival?" Further I asked, "If the Church can have revival, how
may we as individuals, as leaders and church members assure our
participation in that revival?" 

Spiritual renewal is a concern of every Christian. We use
different terms for it depending on our background: Charismatic
Renewal; Revival; the next move of God; Restoration; Third Wave;
etc., etc. The manner in which Christians supposedly may assure
their participation in renewal is as diverse as the
terminologies coined to describe the hoped-for outpouring of the
Spirit of God on the Church. 

One viewpoint is that renewal will come as believers and
churches come into a structural unity, operating in some form of
loose association or fellowship. Another opinion is that unity
will come as we all join together in doctrinal agreement. Still
others believe that all doctrinal issues must be placed as a
secondary concern in order to achieve and attain unity. Each of
these schools of thought and others not mentioned are supported
with various scriptural pretexts and logical arguments. What is
the baseline of spiritual restoration? 

It is certain that God wants to restore his people, but does
that mean he wants to restore what we call Christianity, which
exists as a religious subculture in our society? Therefore in
speaking of renewal from a purist's standpoint, let us say that
while the Lord may not restore the structures and forms of
Christian religion, he is most definitely coming to restore his
people to BIBLICAL SPIRITUALITY. Biblical Spirituality is a term
coined to define what the Father considers the baseline
Christian experience, as compared to the combined average
experience of a given group of professing believers. Evangelist
Billy Graham was asked once, "Do you believe in the Christ of
Christianity?" His answer: "No. I believe in the Christ of the
Bible." It is along this vein that the distinction is made
between Christianity and Biblical Spirituality in this series. 

When we speak of renewal, we first must determine what it is
that God might wish to renew. To get his viewpoint on this we
can look back at the time of Jesus. Did Messiah come to renew or
restore the prevailing religious system? No, but HE DID COME TO
RESTORE HIS PEOPLE TO HIS PURPOSE. Where did he find those
people who he called forth to comprise the expression of His
revealed purpose in the earth? He found them within the flawed
religious system present in Israel at that time. By meditating
on how restoration was brought about in the first century we can
gain insight regarding God's restorative method in this century.

It is evident that the religious system of Jesus' day was not
going to reform itself. The ultimate answer to the ills of
religion in the first century was the coming of Messiah.
Likewise in this century the Second Coming of Messiah is the
ultimate answer to the ills of the Christian Religious System. 

There are amazing parallels between the Jewish Religious System
of Jesus' day and the Christian Religious System of this day.
The Jewish Religious System was rooted historically to the glory
of worship in Solomon's day. The first century Hebrew looked
back to Solomon's temple as the modern day Christian looks back
to the first century church. Both the Jewish Religious System of
Jesus' day and Christianity today were rife with sects, splinter
groups and suffered heavily from confusion of the role of
religion in the political realm. 

In Romans chapters 10 and 11, Paul draws comparisons between the
dealing of his people Israel with Christ and gives strong
warning to the Gentile church that they should learn by the
example set before them in first century Judaism. 

Romans chapter ten simultaneously contains some of the most
often AND least often quoted verses in the Bible. In fact verse
9 is the very foundation of the sinners prayer that almost every
new convert in the 20th century prays in the act of accepting
Jesus as personal savior:

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

What is the context of these well known verses? The context of
this passage includes this entire chapter (chapter 10) and also
chapter eleven. It is a part of an entire passage where the main
theme is not only saving faith, but predominately the Apostle
Paul's yearning toward his kinsman, the nation of Israel who he
acknowledges has rejected Jesus. 

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israel is, that they might be saved. 

Paul's burning desire is to see his people the Jews come to a
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In expressing that desire he
is making his readers aware that he is a member of a nation of
men, who at one time lived in the very center of God's blessing
but had strayed so far afield that but for the grace of God they
would be irrevocably lost. Out of this heart break he addresses
the Gentile church with a word of solemn warning.

Romans 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, [take
heed] lest he also spare not thee. 

In this series we will examine this warning of Paul's to the
Gentile church. As we come closer to the outpouring of the
Spirit afresh and in full force upon the nation of Israel in a
new way, the non-Jewish church is being brought to judgment. In
this day as in Jesus' day he is bringing a remnant out of the
prevailing, flawed religious system. This remnant will continue
in his purpose, if they learn the lessons from the scriptures.
It is imperative that modern-day Christianity learns from the
example of first century Judaism. If God did not withhold
judgment from the natural branches of the nation of Israel, it
is religious arrogance to assume Christianity will evade
judgment when it languishes in the same sin.

Next month we will consider the road to restoration, and examine
the wrong turns the religious leaders in Jesus day made and how
we can avoid the same mistakes.
The Roots of Our Faith
The Roots of Our Faith
THE ROOTS OF OUR FAITH

"... I worship the God of my fathers believing all things which
are written in the Law and the Prophets" (Acts 24:14).


BASIC DOCTRINES OF SALVATION - part 5

By Pastor Chuck Cohen
King of Kings Assembly
Jerusalem, Israel

Messianic terms used in this teaching:

Yeshua = Jesus
Messiah = Christ 
Tanach = Old Testament

(Unless stated otherwise, all scripture verses are from the New
King James Version)


All basic doctrines of the New Testament have roots deep in the
TANACH, so it is essential to a fuller understanding of these
doctrines that we dig into their Hebraic soil. Their scriptural
background permeated the hearts and mind of Yeshua and the New
Testament writers. Only by building on this foundation could
these men be used by the Spirit of God to explain the true
meaning of, or to "fulfill", the Law of God.


BEING BORN AGAIN

Some believers seem to have the unfortunate impression that God
required only outward works in the Tanach. They think that since
the implementation of the New Covenant, He is concerned only
with the condition of our hearts. But this view does not line
Up with the Word of God. In both the Tanach and the New
Testament, God's primary interest is the condition of the heart.
However, He also desires good works.

It is obvious that God wants our hearts to be right before Him.
One of the chief benefits of the "born aain" experience is that
God begins to purify our heart.s by faith (Acts 15;8,9; 1 Thes.
3:13). Here are some other scriptures from the New Testament
that describe the "heart" as the area God wants to change
through regeneration, the theological term for being born again.

Matt. 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
God." (Matt. 15:18)

Romans 10:8-10: "The word is near you, even in your mouth, and
in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that
if you confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and believe in
your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness..."
(Acts 8:37)

Ephesians 3:17 "... that Messiah may dwell in your hearts
through faith..."

Hebrews 3:12 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God."

The concept of being born again, or born from above, is so
central to our beliefs that Yeshua Himself said that if a person
is not born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John
3:5). Yeshua then stated very clearly, "You must be born again!"
(John 3:7). He was talking to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews,
who many scholars believe was the leading teacher in Israel at
that time (John 3:10). Nicodemus was surprised at Messiah's
statement, but Yeshua indicated that this concept should not
have taken him by surprise, asking, "Are you the teacher of
Israel, and do not know these things?" Therefore He was implying
that this crucial concept is found in the Tanach, Nicodemus'
bible.

In order to examine the roots of this concept, let us first
define "being born again". "Regeneration, or new birth, is an
inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious
sovereign act of the Holy Spirit... 'a radical and complete
transformation wrought in the soul'..." (1) A term that the
Scripture uses in both the Tanach and New Testament that
encompasses the inner nature or soul of man that must be born
again is the word "heart". Look at what "heart" means in the
original Hebrew and Greek.

Hebrew - "leb" - "the heart, the center, or the middle of
something... it is common to interpret the term (in the Tanach)
as the totality of man's inner or immaterial nature... ln the
Bible, the whole spectrum of human emotions is attributed to the
heart... Wisdom and understanding reside in the heart (I Kings
3:12; Proverbs 16:2.). It is almost a synonym for "mind" (2 Chr.
9:23) or perceptive nature (1 Kings. 3:12). However, it can be
deceived (Isaiah 44:20). The heart is the seat of the will
(Numbers 16:2 (in Hebrew, the "mind" of the KJV, and the "will"
in the NKIV is "leb", heart.); Judges 9:3;2 Chronicles 12:14).
To refuse to make the proper decision is to harden the heart
(Exodus 10:1; Joshua 11:20). The heart is the seat of moral evil
(Jeremiah 17:9)." (2)

Greek - "kardia" - "The Scriptures attributed to the heart
thoughts, reasonings, understanding, will, judgment, designs,
affections, love, hatred, fear, joy, sorrow, and anger...
Therefore, the heart is used for the mind in general (Matthew
12:34; John.13:2; Romans 2:15; 10:9.10; the understanding
(Luke3:15; Acts 28:26,27; Romans 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:6); the
will (Acts 11:23; 13:22); the memory (Luke. 1:66; 2:51); the
intention, affection or desire (Matthew 6:21; 18:35; Mark 7:6;
Luke 1:17; Acts 8:21); the conscience (1 John 3:20,21)." (3)

According to biblical usage then, it is obvious that the term
"heart" implies the totality of the inner man. In summarizing
the above definitions we can say that in Scripture the "heart"
represents the mind, emotions and will of man.

With this in mind, can we see the roots of the doctrine and
reality of "being born again" in the Tanach? The classic term
used is "heart circumcision". God addresses the "heart" issue in
our lives in other ways as well. "In (Tanach) prophecies,
regeneration is depicted as the work of God renovating,
circumcising, and softening Israelite hearts, writing His laws
Upon them, and thereby causing their owners to know, love, and
obey Him as never before (Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:31-34;
32:39,40; Ezekiel 11:19,20; 36:25-27). It is a sovereign work of
purification from sin's defilement (Ezekiel 36:25; cf. Psalm
51:10 ["Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me."])." (4)

The Tanach states very precisely the demands that our Lord makes
on those who desire to approach Him. one examplewould be Psalm
24:3,4, "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who may
stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart
..." The same criteria is found in Matt. 5:8 (see above).

The Tanach also clearly declares that all have sinned; all have
chronic and terminal heart disease. As early as Genesis 6:5 we
read, "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually." God cries out about the condition of the
human heart through the prophet Jeremiah, "The sin of Judah is
... engraved on the tablet of their heart... The heart is
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know
it?" (Jeremiah 17:1,9)

To give us an awareness of our need for heart surgery, i.e.,
circumcision, God challenges us to do it ourselves. He knows
that until we are convinced that we cannot do it without Him,
our pride will not allow us to humbly submit to Him. So through
Moses (Deuteronomy 10:15,16), the Lord says, "The LORD delighted
only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their
descendants after them, you above all peoples... therefore
circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no
longer." Moses then continues in Deuteronomy to preach about all
that God requires from us if we choose to live by our own
righteousness. Yet very often he talks about the heart as the
real issue (see vv.4:9, 29:5 5:29; 8:2,5; 9:4,5; 10:12; 17:17;
28:47; 30:14). Finally Moses prophecies about the new birth in
chapter 30:6, "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart
and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God
with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live."
Note that it is God who does the surgery on hard hearts; we are
saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8).

Our loving and faithful Father did not leave us without hope. He
began to nourish the Tanach roots of regeneration which the New
Testament would later explain and Yeshua would fulfill, the
divine invitation Yeshua's death on the cross gives us to be
"born again''.


RESULTS OF BEING BORN AGAIN

It is important in these days of a
''what-can-the-Lord-do-for-me" mentality that we pay attention
to why God saves us. He saves us so that we can love Him with
all that is in us. Yeshua says that to love Him means to obey
His commandments (John 14:15,21,23). John restates this in 1
John 2:3. This is exactly what God promised He would accomplish
through the new birth.

God has Jeremiah prophesy about the New Covenant (31:31-34).
These verses are quoted twice in the book of Hebrews (8:8-12;
10:16,17). The writer uses them to prove that what Yeshua bought
through His death was exactly what Jeremiah was referring to.
The Lord does not state either in Jeremiah or Hebrews that the
New Covenant would do away with His law, but that He would
sovereignly place His law in our minds and write it on our
hearts. In line with this, Paul says in Romans 8:4 that when we
are led by the Spirit we fulfill "the righteous requirement of
(God's) law". (Please remember that the word "law" in the
Hebrew, "Torah", means God's instructions, His way, and not just
a set of rigid commandments.)

Ezekiel also talks about the new birth. In 11:19, 20, the
prophet proclaims that God will give Israel one heart and put a
new spirit in them. Why? "... that they may walk in My statutes
and keep my judgements and do them." Through Ezekiel God states
this idea of obedience to His word even more strongly when He
says in 36:26-27, "I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit within you... I will put My Spirit within you and cause
you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and
do them."

Do we understand this is what our Lord Yeshua and the writers of
the New testament said as well? Yes, we are saved by grace
through faith. It is a gift of God that does not depend on
anything we do, so that we have no reason to boast (Ephesians
2:8,9). But how do we live after salvation? Can we claim to be
believers and do whatever we want, or are we commanded in the
New Testament to do good works?

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good
works and so glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I
will liken him to a wise man..." (Matt. 7:24).

"If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

Some might protest that these sayings of Yeshua were stated
before He died on the cross, and do not apply to Christians
after the cross, or that all these were statements to Jewish
believers and do not apply to gentiles in Messiah, but consider
the following:

"... looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our
great God and Saviior, Yeshua the Messiah, who gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify
for Himself His own sepcial people, zealous for good works. "
(Titus. 2:14)

"This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to
affirm consantly, that those who believe in God should be
careful to maintain good works... and1et our people also learn
to maintain good works..." (Titus 3:8,14)

"Wha does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith
but does not have wuorks? Can faith save him?... faith by
itself, if it does not have works, is dead... Show me your
faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. "
(James 2:14,17,18)

"Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua." (Revelation 14:12)

Now we recognize that from Genesis to Revelation, God appeals
constantly to the heart of man. Only He really knows our hearts.
When we know that no good thing dwells in us (Romans7:18), then
He can reveal our absolute need of Him. And after we receive
from our Father a new heart and new spirit, He expects the
fruit of our loving Him to be made visible before men in good
works that bring Him glory.

"Hear O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your might. And these words which I command you
today shall be in your heart..." Deuteronomy 6:4-6


1 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. p. 924, Walter A. Elwell,
editor.

2 Lexical aids to the Old Testament, The Hebrew-Greek Key Study
Bible, p. 1603, compiled and edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D)

3 Ibid, p. 1701, Zodhiates. 

4 Ibid. p. 925 Elwell
Special Studies
Special Studies
With this issue of Morning Star we bring back our Special
Studies column, but with a difference. We will use it to present
articles that while more technical than our usual fare, we
believe will benefit our readers.

The following article, which is in keeping with the theme of the
issue, is an example of what we hope to bring you in the future.


THE NEW DELIVERANCE MINISTRY -- A BIBLICAL CRITIQUE

By K. David Kragen
Bainbridge Island, Washington


1. Evangelical and orthodox Christians all hold to some basic
notion of spiritual warfare. "Put on the whole armor of God,"
Paul exhorts, "that you may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places" (Ephesians 6:11-12). Few would deny our continual
struggle against evil, or our need for reliance upon the work of
Christ and the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. But as to
the nature of this spiritual battle there has been both
disagreement and division within the church. Deliverance
Ministry is one recent, and controversial, approach to spiritual
warfare.
 
Disagreement in the church is not necessarily bad. However,
division in the church is (except in the defense of basic
truth). That is, Christians ought to avoid divisions over
speculative theology and non-essentials such as wine-drinking,
wearing a dress or suit to church, or being a Republican or a
pacifist or a pre-tribulationalist. These should not be grounds
for division in our churches, but rather for discussion, debate,
study--and always in love!
 
Actually, disagreement among Christians presents a great
opportunity to witness to the world of the love of Christ. For,
as Jesus commanded, we should love one another--even when it is
not easy!--and by this kind of love the world will know we are
His disciples (John 13:34-35; 15:12-17; see also The Mark of the
Christian, by Francis Schaeffer, Inter-Varsity, 1974).
 
As Christians we must continually work toward loving one another
in the midst of disagreements and struggles, as we work out our
salvation in fear and trembling.
 
But what is this "new" Deliverance Ministry? According to
deliverance theory, not only can Christians be demon-possessed,
but most Christians are and have been possessed by demons
throughout much of their lives! In "He Came to Set the Captives
Free," Rebecca Brown claims that even Paul was possessed by a
demon, his "thorn in the flesh!" (cf. 2 Corinthinas 12:7-10). (1)
 
Besides claiming that Christians can be demon-possessed,
deliverance ministers hold that demons must be "called out by
name." And where does one gain "knowledge" about the names of
demons or spirits? From other demons. A deliverance minister
learns, for example, about the spirits of 'the peace symbol',
'rock-&-roll', 'Dungeons & Dragons', 'tiredness', 'bed-wetting',
'obesity', 'epilepsy' or 'depression' not primarily from
scripture, but from "discerning the spirits," often learning
such names from demons themselves!


2. Two biblical texts are used to justify deliverance. 1
Thessalonians 5:23 (along with Hebrews 4:12) is used to support
a trichotomist view of human nature (tri-part: body, soul,
spirit). The trichotomist view of human nature is considered
theoretically necessary by deliverance theorists in supporting
their claim that Christians can be both demon possessed and
indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the same time. Second, Isaiah 61:1
(along with Luke 4:18) is used to support demon-possession of
Christians and their need for deliverance.

A. If human beings are made up of body, soul and spirit,
deliverance theorists argue, then a Christian can be
demon-possessed in their body and/or soul while at the same time
being indwelt by the Holy Spirit in their spirit; in this way
tricotomy can be seen as a necessary presupposition to
deliverance.
 
Deliverance theorists understand the Bible to speak of two
distinct parts of human nature over and above the material body:
 the soul (Hebrew nephesh, Greek psuche) and the spirit (Hebrew
ruach, Greek pneuma). Yet, "the fact that these terms are used
with great frequency in Scripture," explains theologian L.
Berkhof, "does not warrant the conclusion that they designate
[different] parts rather than [merely] different aspects of
human nature. A careful study of Scripture clearly shows that
it uses the words interchangeably." (2)
 
In "Pigs in the Parlor," by Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, one of
the earliest books espousing deliverance, the authors teach, "We
have taken the position in this writing that Christians can be
and are indwelt by demons. The explanation of how this is
possible is based primarily on a clear understanding of the
difference between soul and spirit [i.e., the trichotomist
theory of human nature]." (3) The writers adds, "From [John
5:11-12] we see that the Divine Spirit indwells the human spirit
at the time of salvation. Demon spirits are confined to the soul
and body of a believer. Demons afflict the emotions, the mind,
and the will and the physical body--not the spirit of a
Christian." (4)
 
In contrast, the more standard trichotomist views hold that the
spirit contains the mind, that which thinks and knows and is
God-conscious, while the soul contains the desires, emotions,
and volition or will; that the soul is more closely linked with
material reality rather than divine reality (though even here
there is no consensus of opinion). However, the Hammond's
analysis, as well as that of deliverance minister Ralph Gilbert,
differs from standard views in that the mind, emotions, and will
remain unaffected by regeneration (the sanctifying process which
renews one's mind and will after salvation)!
 
Theologian Robert L. Thomas, an exponent of the trichotomist
view of human nature, writes, "the spirit (pneuma) is the part
that enables man to perceive the divine.... The soul (psyche)
is the sphere of man's will and emotions." Yet even Thomas
cautions his readers, saying, "it must be confessed, much
unresolved mystery remains regarding the interrelationships
between man's different parts, including the body. How one
affects the other is fully understood only by Him who is the
Creator" (5) ( see also, J. I Marais, International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia, 1929, v. 4, p. 2,496).
 
Giving some historical background to the trichotomist theory, J.
L. Marais writes, "Under the influence of Platonic philosophy
trichotomy found favor in the early church [the Greek or
Alexandrian Fathers], but was discredited on account of the
Apollinarian heresy... [which explained] the mystery of
Christ's person by teaching that the Logos (the second person of
the Trinity) had taken the place of the rational soul in Christ,
so that the person of Christ on earth consisted of the Divine
Logos, a human body, and a soul (psuche) as the link between the
two." (6) The problem with Apollinaris' Christology is that
Jesus Christ is not both fully God and fully man, because he
lacks a human mind and intellect; rather, Jesus Christ is seen
as a divine being taking possession of a mindless human body--a
view contrary to both the New Testament and the Ecumenical
Councils.
 
After Augustine, the tricotomist view found little support until
the 19th century. "During the nineteenth century, trichotomy was
revived in some form or other by certain German and English
theologians, as Roos, Olshausen, Beck, Delitzsch, Auberlen,
Oehler, White, and Heard; but it did not meet with great favor
in the theological world. [Even] Beck and Oehler admit that the
Biblical representation of man is fundamentally dichotomic
[two-part, body and spirit." (7) Recent advocates of the theory
do not even agree on the nature of the psuche, nor the relation
in which it stands to the other elements of human nature.
 
Concerning the biblical evidence, Berkhof explains, "it is not
the soul but man that sins: it is not the body but man that
dies; and it is not merely the soul, but man, body and soul,
that is redeemed in Christ" (8) Even though humans are made up
of material and immaterial elements, the Bible stresses the
organic unity of human beings (Genesis 1:21, 24 and 30), a view
also consistent with Old Testament Jewish tradition.
 
In his critique of the cult 'Witness Lee and the Local Church',
which dogmatically espouses a trichotomist view of human nature,
Neil Duddy writes, "Scripture does not specifically identify the
locus of the indwelling Holy Spirit in an individual. Rather,
the complete activity of the Holy Spirit is beyond finite human
analysis or introspection. Necessarily then, any doctrine that
confines the Holy Spirit to introspective intuitions [i.e.,
feelings] presents a limited if not deformed view of
sanctification." (9)
 
1 Thessalonians 5:23 is the main proof-text used by
trichotomists. Now, biblical passages may be essentially
historical, didactic (teaching specific doctrine or truth),
poetical, proverbial, apocalyptic, credal (kenosis passage of
Philippians 2:5-11), or doxological or benedictory (the famous
doxology in Jude 24-25). 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is an example of
the last, a simple though wonderful benediction closing Paul's
letter to the church in Thessalonica. The passage is not
intended to impart new teaching on the metaphysics of human
nature. Rather, the emphasis of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is on the
whole person, that the God of peace may sanctify and preserve
you wholly (see also, Herman Ridderbos' Paul: An Outline of His
Theology, Grand Rapids, 1975, p. 121).
 
One point in favor of deliverance theorists is their handling of
Hebrews 4:12. Unlike the benediction in 1 Thessalonians 5:23,
Hebrews 4:12 is at least found within a larger didactic context.
However, the straightforward reading of this passage concerns
the separation--in both spirit and soul--between one's innermost
thoughts and one's intentions (or one's motives).
 
F. F. Bruce, in his highly respected commentary on Hebrews,
interprets 4:12 this way: "The words which follow--'piercing
even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and
marrow'--are to be understood as a 'rhetorical accumulation of
terms to express the whole mental nature of man on all its
sides'" (the entire section is helpful). (10)
 
Likewise, theologian Charles Hodges explains, "When in Hebrews
iv.12, the Apostle says that the word of God pierces so as to
penetrate soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, he does
not assume that soul and spirit are different substances. The
joints and morrow are not different substances. They are both
material; they are different forms of the same substance;
[likewise] soul and spirit are one and the same substance under
different aspects or relations. (11)
The WORD for Today
The WORD for Today
This month, we will continue the series on Communication in
Marriage. We intend to examine communication problems in
marriage from a biblical perspective. We will show how couples
can apply God's word to their marriage. The companion book to
this study is H. Norman Wright's COMMUNICATION: KEY TO YOUR
MARRIAGE. The book is published by Regal Books and should be
available from your Christian book store. This is the eighth of
ten articles inspired by a series given by Pastor Geoff Kragen
through Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln, California.


AM I STRESSED!

There have been several studies trying to identify the source of
anxiety in trying situations. How much of our struggle in life
is a product of circumstances? How much is a result of how we
handle them? Even in the most difficult situations, only 10 to
20 percent of our stress and pain is a product of the
circumstances themselves. The other 80 to 90% of our discomfort
is a direct product of how we handle the trials. Or as the great
Jewish philosopher, Woody Allen once said. "Eight-five percent
of life is just showing up."

Stress and anxiety are a normal part of life. Any change,
whether good or bad, can lead to stress and anxiety. Getting
married means a change. Adjusting your life to accommodate
another person means a change. Adding children to a marriage
brings change. These events should reflect good change.
Nevertheless, they also create stress and cause anxiety.

Not surprisingly, anxiety and stress can affect our ability to
communicate with our spouse. Often we communicate poorly because
we are too stressed to plan what we want to say. Our failure to
communicate effectively creates more stress between ourselves
and our spouse. This is often a "catch twenty-two" situation.
When we should be caring for each other, in difficult
circumstances, our response may make our spouse want to move
away.

One factor that can really cause us stress are the "helpful"
efforts of friends. Frequently, they are more than ready to
provide an instant fix with an appropriate scripture verse.
"Don't you know that you should be stressed? After all Jesus
said: "do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall
eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. For life is
more than food, and the body than clothing.... But seek for His
kingdom, and these things shall be added to you" (Luke
12:22-23, 31)." Although we know these verses are true, hearing
them often just increases our stress.

Norman Wright makes a very important observation about stress.
"Did you ever stop to think that worry has little to do with the
present--except to make it miserable?

Worry is almost exclusively concerned with the past or the
future." (1) Frequently, when dealing with major stress, we
are looking either backward or forward.

When we look backward we focus on our mistakes and sins, or what
we see someone else+s failures. We live in a society of victims.
many see their problems as results of past events. The problem
is: we can't change the past. We can, however, in dependency on
the Lord, change our response to these events. If we are saved,
our sins are forgiven. (It is wrong to carry guilt for that
which Christ has died.) Leave you forgiven sins with Him. "If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us
our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Past failures make us part of the human race. We can't undo past
failures, although we can sometimes correct some of their
results. We can, however, learn from past failures. This is why
we can leave the past in God's hands. "And we know that God
causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans
8:28). Today, we may not see how this applies to our present
situation, but someday we will.

You may be saying: "I'm not stressed by the past. I'm
legitimately stressed by the future. How am I going to pay the
bills? The kids will need to go to college." (Yes, but they're
only 3 and 5 years old.) "What about retirement?" Does this mean
that you shouldn't even think about these things? No! The Lord
wants us to plan for the future because we have a responsibility
to our families. But when we fret over the future, we are often
becoming anxious about situations over which we have no control.
This is why the Lord commands us not to be anxious. Anxiety
reflects a lack of faith in Him. We are to leave the future in
His hands.

Finally, we can do nothing to change the behavior of others,
whether in the past, the present or the future. We have to learn
to look to the Lord for He is the only one who will never fail
us. "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the
faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand
generations of those who love him and keep his commands" 
(Deuteronomy 7:9).

Why so much concern over stress? So often, as we are thrown by
the trials and tribulations of life, we are unable to talk to
our spouse because of our guilt over the past and the fears of
the future. The combination of our own stress, our lack of
communication and our negative reaction toward our spouse is
detrimental to our marriage. Worry also diminishes our resources
because of the emotional drain on our system. Reactions to worry
can result in a downward spiral, beginning with a withdrawal
from friends and family and culminating in various degrees of
depression. This is not how we should act or react.

There are two principles we can put into practice that will help
us deal with the worries, anxieties and stresses of life. First,
we must recognize who we are in our relationship to the Lord.
Second, we must be willing to express our concerns, first to
Him, and then to our family. We can then look for appropriate
solutions and where it is completely out of our hands, leave the
problem with the Lord. Often we can put our fears into
perspective by simply talking about them.

First, we need to recognize who we are before the Lord. We are
His children and He is our loving Father. This doesn't mean He
doesn't allow us to suffer. But, because He cares for us, He
carries us through our trials. He will bless us as we lean on
Him in the midst of them. "So then, just as you received Christ
Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in
him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
overflowing with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:6-7).

We know that Christ died for us so we could have an eternity to
share with Him. He loved us so much that He did not want us to
be lost. If we can trust Him for our eternal destiny, certainly
we ought to trust Him for our lives now. This means we must be
willing to trust that He knows what is best for us... and we
don't. We must give up the demand that He works out our life the
way we think He should. Then we can have peace in the midst of
the unknown. In Philippians 4:6, we saw that we are commanded
not to be anxious. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God." As we obey this command, we find that we
receive a great blessing: "And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

As we come to understand why we allow stress to overwhelm us,
then we can talk to the Lord. We can ask Him to give us His
perspective so ours will be a balanced one. And we also can
share our concerns with our spouse. As we discuss our fears,
they become smaller. Also, as we share with one another and care
for one another, together we may find some solutions. Believe it
or not husbands, God gives you your wife to help keep you on
track. She has wisdom and common sense; between the two of you,
a solution may turn up that you would have never thought of on
your own. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God" (Proverbs 31:26).

Let us use the stresses and anxieties of life as opportunities
to grow closer to God and to our spouse. Let us be willing to be
open and talk about what is bothering us. This is what it means
to communicate... and...

Remember: real communication is the key to your marriage.

If we can be of help, or if you have any questions about this
series, contact us here at Morning Star. And so until next
month, may the Lord bless your marriage.


Next time: "We're Christians. We Never Fight!"


1. Wright, H. Norman, COMMUNICATION: KEY TO YOUR MARRIAGE,
Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 1974, p. 118.

2. Ibid, 67-68.

3. Ibid.

Columns
Anee M'Amin
Anee M'Amin
FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED

The Testimony of Noah Garaway


My religious and cultural background and upbringing was one of
assimilation into mainstream American culture. I was born in
Brooklyn to secular Jewish parents and never received any
religious training.

Living in a Jewish neighborhood did, however, make me aware of
my cultural roots. I was aware of the holidays, but not their
religious significance. When I was seven years old my family
moved to Los Angeles, to a mixed neighborhood, so that I no
longer had much contact with traditional Jews.

At age 17 I began to have a yearning for things of a spiritual
nature. The Vietnam War was really beginning to escalate and my
friends and I started to think about life in a more real way.
Not having any religious roots it was easy for me to accept the
teachings of Timothy Leary and his belief that LSD was the key
for unlocking the mysteries of the soul and life.

My first LSD trip had a profound impact on my life. My eyes were
literally opened to the spiritual world. Prior to this
experience I considered myself a confirmed atheist.

The above experience set my path for the next nine years. Once I
realized that life was a creation, I spent all my time seeking
ways to discover and grow closer to the Creator. Since drugs
gave me this initial insight into the spiritual realm, I felt
that drugs were God's gift to mankind to use as a spiritual tool
and sacrament. By the time I was 18 years old I had become a
dealer in all sorts of mind expanding chemicals. My older
brother and I founded the Church of the Clear Light as a means
of establishing a community of like-minded people.

Things were going well until I was arrested for possession of
drugs and tax evasion. I was convicted and sentenced to seven
years in federal prison, of which I ended up serving one year.
During this time in prison I studied the Bible and attended the
prison church regularly. I knew this would help me get out of
prison sooner. In addition, I believed Jesus was one of the
enlightened ones, even if the Christian Church didn't understand
that there were many paths to God.

After I got out of prison, I spent the next five years living in
a spiritual commune in the mountains of the San Francisco Bay
area. At the end of these five years, not only was I
disillusioned about commune life, but life in general. In all
honesty, I knew that I had not grown any closer to God since day
one. Though I took drugs on a daily basis to maintain a
spiritual outlook, I knew I was at a dead end. Life had lost all
purpose and I was out of control.

At about this time, some Jesus "freaks" visited our commune to
share the Lord and invite the whole commune to a revival meeting
at a local spirit-filled church. Since I liked spiritual events
I decided to go.

After the meeting I was invited to spend the night with six
brothers-in-the Lord (three of the six were Jews). During a
get-together after the meeting they asked me if I wanted prayer
to be delivered from anything. I felt it was time to give up
drugs so I asked if they would pray for that. They said they
would if I prayed for God to reveal to me that Jesus was the Son
of God and the only way.

Since I had nothing to lose, I agreed. After much prayer and
laying on of hands, I still felt empty. However, the next
morning, the moment I awoke, God put a Scripture in my mind and
a revelation to go with it. I must have read this Scripture
while I was in prison five years before. Anyhow, I shared what I
was hearing in my mind with the brothers in the house and they
showed me where to find this Scripture in the Bible-Ephesians
2:8,9. This is what it said: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of
works, lest any man should boast."

God not only removed the scales from my eyes but revealed to me
the meaning of grace.

Since becoming a believer, my life has been transformed. God
freed me from all my addiction and filled the void with Himself.
I felt complete for the first time in my life. The biggest
blessing I received was that during the same revival that I got
saved so did my future wife-to-be. God not only provided us with
spiritual blessings but with material ones as well. When we left
the commune we literally had only the clothes on our backs. God
prospered us so abundantly over the next eight years that we
felt compelled to sell it all and go into full-time Christian
service. Through a series of events, God brought us face-to-face
with our Jewishness in Yeshua, and rather than joining Mission
Aviation Fellowship, we made Aliyah (immigrated to Israel).

Wherever God has placed us, we have served in some capacity in
the local body.

When we had our farm in northern California, we attended a
nontraditional Presbyterian Church where I was an elder and Gila
was the head of the missions committee.

In Israel, I was a deacon at the Peniel Fellowship in Tiberias.
In addition, I managed Galcom, a factory dedicated to making
communication equipment for spreading the Gospel.

Galcom produced tens of thousands of radios, preset to Gospel
stations, which have been distributed all over the globe. This
position provided me with the opportunity to speak all over the
world about the work that Galcom is doing.

In terms of personal ministry, when given the opportunity to
speak, generally the message God puts on my heart is one of
encouragement and exhortation.

God has been using my graduate studies to refine and fine tune
me for His work. God helps me daily through His Word, prayer,
and fellowship with other saints.


From JEWISH VOICE PROPHETIC MAGAZINE
Testimony
Testimony
GOD'S UNUSUAL TOOLS

By Robert F. O'Hearon 


"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, they that be
whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye
and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance" Matthew 9:12,13 (KJV). Robert's favorite
scripture.

As I write this testimony I am filled with a peace of mind and
the joy of having a love of Jesus in my heart. I'm now 56 years
of age and have only walked in the light of our Lord for 17
months.

I was born on October 5, 1937. I have very few happy memories of
my early childhood or adolescent years. I was made to go to
church and attend religious instruction while growing up. And at
a very early age I became rebellious and defiant to authority. I
can not remember prayer or Bible reading in my home in these
growing up years. So with my bad attitude and no real knowledge
of Jesus, I embarked on a very unconventional life. I will share
a small portion with you here.

I started using alcohol on a very regular basis at the age of
thirteen. My nicotine addiction began even earlier than that, at
about age nine or ten. My father was a construction worker and
we moved at least once a year, sometimes even more. So I never
had a lasting friendship. I never learned anything about having
roots and a loyalty to anybody or any place. I never thought of
myself as selfish, but I lusted after alcohol and nicotine.
Cussing, lying, and getting my wants fulfilled were the only
important things.

I wandered through life using alcohol and sex as my comforters
for many years. In 1970 I was introduced to a 12 step recovery
program that did give me a little understanding of God. I'm
grateful for that, however it was not what I really needed. From
that time until about 1982 it was up and down for me. I was
married, divorced, and remarried.

My wife and I had two daughters. We had been married ten years
and I had not had a drink in about seven. I thought I was doing
great and then the bottom fell out. My wife left and went home
to her mother.

It was not long, maybe three months later, that I was back on
the booze and racing down the road to destruction. I lived in
pure hell for the next nine years: in and out of jail, DUI's,
fist fights, gun battles, etc. My attitude was even worse than
before. I was an outlaw and an outcast from society. I was
emotionally, spiritually and psychologically dead. I did not
even have a desire left to live. I just did not have guts enough
to kill myself and I could not get anyone else to do the job for
me.

On June 27, 1991, I was arrested on some very serious criminal
charges and was facing a long prison term. I came to Dublin,
Georgia, to the Veterans Hospital and lied to get into a rehab
program - see, I knew that If I was in rehab, I could keep the
law at bay - I was running a con I thought. Anyway, through the
spirituality of that rehab program, I started to pray simple
prayers. I began to strive to find some honesty in my life. I
stayed there seven months and regained, or should I say, found a
little self-esteem. I actually finished something.

For the first time in my entire 53 years of life; I went to
work, lived in a rented room, and set about to find a piece of
land to set up housekeeping. That was my lucky day. In a shopper
I read an ad, "Land for Sale." That's where a man named Charlie
invited me to church. The only reason I went was to expedite
this land purchase. The name of the church was Rock Church in
Dublin, Georgia. They had some young people from Texas put on a
skit dealing with false gods, addictions, and bad relationships.
I said, "God, you put this church here for me." This was May
1992, and I kept going back every time the door was open. On
August 23, 1992, I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.

One week later, I got the letter to go to court - on the charges
facing 32 years of hard time.

I had a court appointed lawyer - I feel he and the DA were in
agreement - they just wanted to intimidate me into accepting
their plea bargain and have me out of the way. I prayed and the
Lord replied. He told me to plead guilty to what I was guilty of
and to plead not guilty to what I was not guilty of. Honesty was
never my strong trait. It wasn't wrong to lie to the law -
that's the code lawless people live by. I went to the lawyer and
told him to tell the DA he wasn't dealing with Bob anymore, that
the Lord was running the show now. The look I got told me he
thought I was crazy. He came back to me with another plea
bargain. I told him again what the Lord had told me and again
that same look. Anyway, I fired him.

Again, the Word of the Lord, telling me to go and hire him back
for wages. The Lord directed all of this and he guided me
through the trial. Here's the best part - as the jury was out
deliberating, I sat in the waiting room praying and a young man
asked me what I was there for. I told him I was waiting for the
jury to come back but that the Lord had already revealed to me
the outcome. He said he wanted faith like that and I explained
to him he could have it by accepting Jesus in his heart as
Savior. My pastor was there in the court room with me, and he
walked up the stairs right then. I turned the young man over to
him. Pastor Joe led this young fellow to Jesus right there in
the courthouse.

About that time the bailiff opened the door and said, "here
comes the jury back." I did not hurry into the courtroom but
kept talking to our new convert. He said, "Aren't you going in?"
My reply was, "There is no hurry. I already know the verdict."
He was amazed at my faith in knowing the verdict. I never had
any doubt. After two and one-half hours of deliberation, the
jury said not guilty six times - vindication on all counts.
Everyone was stunned. I knew then that God had saved me from
eternal hell and a living hell here on earth, to preach His Word.
 
God uses unusual tools sometimes. Today, I know my only purpose
on earth is to sow the seeds of salvation. I live to honor and
glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

I witness at prisons whenever the chance arises. I am studying
the Word, via correspondence course and look forward to becoming
ordained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I do street evangelism and distribute tracts on a daily basis. I
live only to serve and glorify Jesus. Salvation has met all my
needs and all my wants. I am a complete person. The Word says,
"Ask and you shall receive." I ask only for the humility to know
His will for me and the grace to carry it out. And Jesus always
gives that to me. There is much, much more that I would love to
relate, but space prohibits it. You and your ministry are in my
prayers. Stay close to Jesus and God Bless.


Reprinted with permission- Testimony Newsletter Vol. 3 Num. 6
September/October 1994.

For more information on newsletter subscriptions contact:
Testimony Newsletter
Dennis R. Mallory, Publisher
P.O. Box 14974
Albany, New York 12212-4974
Electronic Mail Address: 74152,125@cis
Education
Education
A BANNER YEAR FOR CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS!

By Dr. Paul A. Kienel
Executive Director
Association of Christian Schools International


A few nights ago I sat next to Marilyn Quayle, wife of former
Vice President Dan Quayle, at a fundraising banquet for Mariners
Christian School in Newport Beach, California. Mrs. Quayle was
the speaker of the evening. Before Mrs. Quayle's address school
administrator Mary Letterman explained to the 600 quests that
the number of students on Mariners Christian School's waiting
list was larger than the number of students enrolled in the
school! Reports like this are not uncommon these days. This
particular academic year has been a banner year for Christian
schools.

The Association of Christian Schools International has
experienced steady growth over the years but the percentage of
increase this past year was an all-time high - 16.8 percent! Our
overall student enrollment increased from 566,410 students to
662,350 students, an increase of 95,940! By comparison, our
increase the year before was 39,761 (an excellent increase) but
less than half the increase of this year. Understandably there
was a corresponding increase among teachers attending ACSI
teacher conventions from 31,861 to 35,228.

I have been asked by several reporters, "What is behind this
rapid growth?" As I see it there are several factors at work:

1) A liberal president in the White House causes many Christians
to feel the public schools are substantially less sensitive to
Christian concerns.

2) The current stable economy is a positive factor which makes
Christian school education affordable to more families.

3) The negative aspects of Outcome-Based Education adopted by
many public schools in several states has created a negative
reaction among Christians causing many Christian parents to seek
out Christian schools for their children.

There are other growth indicators which are encouraging. Large
evangelical groups which in the past have been "ho hum" about
Christian school education are now becoming strong Christian
school promoters. Two major church bodies are now recommending
to their constituencies that they establish Christian schools.
In a series of recommendations one group wrote:

1) We recommend that we: "Affirm the mission, role, value and
ministry opportunity of Christian teachers and administrators
serving Christian elementary and secondary schools."

2) We recommend that we: "Develop plans and resources to
strengthen the financial base of elementary and secondary
Christian schools in the context of a church ministry."

Their concluding words included this statement:

A fundamental change continues to take place in the role of
Judeo-Christian values in the public school context. Many
educators, parents and Christian leaders see the dominance of
secular humanism. Judeo-Christian values often are avoided in
public school curriculum. Prayer at public school meetings,
graduations, and athletic events has been suppressed through
court decisions. Many educators and public officials seek to
develop attitudes and tolerance for accepting and appreciating
lifestyle, morals and relationships that are contrary to
Biblical teaching.

An editor of another large evangelical body wrote the following
in his weekly editorial. Speaking of Christian schools he wrote:

I'll admit I haven't always been enthusiastic about this
approach. I've felt it resembled the greenhouse where plants
thrive under controlled conditions, but fail to survive in the
"real world." At that time I felt the need was for more
Christian teachers to go into the secular teaching field as
witnesses. While that need still exists - and I admire the many
teachers who consider the public schools their personal mission
field - nevertheless, the public educational system is more and
more centralized, with less local control of what is taught.

He quoted New York business executive, Peter Flanigan, who wrote:

American public education is organized exactly like Soviet
agriculture was organized. It is a bureaucratic, top-heavy
system with every decision directed from above. In every other
walk of life we choose how we will spend our resources and where
we will go to purchase services. Only in the first 12 years of
public education are we denied freedom of choice.

If we are trying to save kids who need an education and they are
in a system that doesn't educate, our efforts will fail, plain
and simple. The answer to this dilemma is equally simple: Let's
take students out of schools that don't teach and put them in
schools that do teach.

The editor concluded his editorial by stating, "We have a great
opportunity in (Christian) education to make changes that will
affect our world... It's something we owe to the future - and
to our Lord."

This strong support for Christian school education by major
religious bodies is encouraging and long overdue. But the main
source of momentum for Christian schools comes from ordinary
parents who simply care deeply about the education and training
of their children and are willing to sacrifice the necessary
tuition dollars to make it possible. Since most of my readers
are in that category I conclude my 25th year of writing this
small monthly publication by commending you for your strong
support of Christian school education. It is as dear to my heart
as it is to yours.
Prison Ministry
Prison Ministry
STEPS TO CHRISTIAN GROWTH
Prayer: Keeping the lines Open


Isn't it disappointing to place a phone call to someone and have
it ring with no answer or to get a busy signal? 

That never happens with God. He's always there. He's never busy,
on another line, or preoccupied. And He always is happy to hear
from us. 

That's what prayer is - communicating with God in our own words. 


NOT AN OPTION
 
Why should we pray? The most important reason is that God
commands us to do it. Read: 

* Ephesians 6:18 
* I Thessalonians 5:17 
* I Timothy 2:8 
* Psalm 29:1-2 

Jesus prayed continually throughout His life. Make a list of
hints on how to pray based on His example. Read Luke 3:21; Luke
9:29; Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 6:12; John 6:11;
Luke 22:31-32; Luke 23:34. The great "Lord's prayer" is in
Matthew 6:9-13. 


WHAT PRAYER IS NOT

* Fancy words. Your own language will do fine. 

* An attempt to push God around. He will do His will in His way. 

* A public exercise only. Scripture teaches praying in private,
also.

* Approaching God directly. Jesus, through the sacrifice of His
life, is now our "lawyer" through Whom we approach God. So we
pray "in the name of Jesus" or "in Jesus' name." See John
16:23-24. 

* Only asking for things. We're also instructed to praise God,
to confess our sins, to thank Him and to enjoy His presence. 

* Limited to kneeling with bowed head and closed eyes. In the
Bible, people prayed standing, lying down, on their knees, with
hands lifted.


SOME PRACTICAL TIPS

If you aren't in the habit of praying, it may seem strange at
first. Here are some ways to have a good experience praying:

1. Set time each day and be disciplined. Maybe 10 minutes when
you first wake up. Or at lights out. Or when you get alone in
the rec yard. But determine to pray regularly.

2. Pray using scripture. Take a verse like I John 1:9 and put
your own name in it. Instead of "If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins" say "If I
confess my sins, You are faithful and will forgive me my sins.
Lord I want to confess X and X and X and receive Your
forgiveness." 

3. Pray using hymns. Many hymns express wonderful prayers
directly to God. Copy some from the chapel hymnal or obtain a
personal hymnal to use. "Great Is 
Thy Faithfulness" and "I Need Thee Every Hour" are good to start
with. 

4. Keep a prayer journal. Part 1 may be prayers which you write
out to God. Part 2 could be a list of things you asked for, and
a record of when God answered them. Seeing this list grow will
strengthen your faith. 

5. Share prayers with another. Pray together. Pray for each
other. Don't go it alone. One good time is in the chow hall,
thanking God before each meal for His provision. Or pray
together through the mail, with a Christian pen pal. 


UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

There are a lot of things about prayer we don't understand. If
God knows everything, why does He want us to ask? If He really
wants what is best for us, why don't we get everything we ask
for? If He hears all our prayers as He promises, why do I
sometimes feel like He doesn't? Why would God want to hear from
me? 

We don't really know. Someday, when we see Him in heaven, we can
ask. Meanwhile, Scripture is rich in its teaching and examples
on prayer. 

The main thing is... get busy and do it. You will please God,
and you will grow in your Christian life.


A HANDY PRAYER FORMULA

A-C-T-S

Adore Him - Give God praise
Confess your sins - Be specific
Thank Him - Be grateful
Seek answers - Ask in His will


GREAT PRAYERS IN THE BIBLE 

Jacob, for God's protection- Genesis 32:1-12
Moses, for God's mercy- Numbers 14:1-20
Paul, for believers' strength- Ephesians 3:14-21
David, for forgiveness- Psalm 51
David, to thank and praise God- Psalm 30
Jesus, a model prayer- Luke 11:2-10
David, when lonely- Psalm 22


From INSIDE JOURNAL
A publication of PRISON FELLOWSHIP
PO Box 16429
Washington, DC
20041-6429
The Mystery of the Temple Mount
The Mystery of the Temple Mount
The Source - A Biblical Perspective 
The Mystery of the Temple Mount

Stan Goodenough 
Editor, Middle East Intelligence Digest 


Israel's peace initiative with King Hussein of Jordan, whereby
Israel agrees to recognize Hussein's special role as custodian
of the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock,, has moved the
Temple Mount to center stage. It is this site which, above all
others so central to God's prophesied purposes for Israel.

Like the lion and the young lion roaring on their pray + so
shall he LORD of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion and for
the hill thereof: (Isaiah 31:4,5)

For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His
habitation. "This is my resting place for ever; here I will
dwell for I have desired it. " (Psalm 132:13,14)

Even before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the
Promised Land, and before they knew that, one day, a city called
Jerusalem would be their capital, the Lord revealed that there
was a singularly unique site somewhere ahead to which He would
lead them.

After Israel had waged the coming battle for the land, the Lord
promised He would bring her to that place He had set aside, and
there the Jewish nation would worship her God. (1)


THAT SITE WAS THE TEMPLE MOUNT

Compared to the world's more magnificent mountains, the Mount
hardly seems worthy of the name. It is, in physical terms,
little more than a hill.

Nonetheless, this hill, according to God's Word, is the place on
earth, he place in Israel, and he place in Jerusalem, where the
Lord God chose to make His name abide, forever. (2)

As the heart of the land of Israel is Jerusalem, so too is the
heart of Jerusalem the Temple Mount.

When Solomon dedicated his magnificent temple to God, he
declared: "I have built the temple for the name of the Lord God
of Israel." (3) Kneeling before the assembled congregation of
Israel, and praying from his heart, Solomon consecrated his
temple, and his nation, to the Lord. The Jewish monarch also
asked God to hear the prayers of foreigners who came from
distant lands for the sake of His name, and prayed on the Temple
Mount . (4)

As Solomon ended his prayer, fire fell from heaven and the glory
of the Lord filled the sanctuary. To a man, the nation bowed in
the presence of the Mighty One of Israel, then burst into a
celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles unlike any that had gone
before. (5)

That night God appeared to Solomon and told him He had heard his
prayer, and had chosen and set apart the temple; that His name
would be there forever, and that His eyes and His heart would
always be there. (6)

So began the most glorious era the Jewish nation ever knew, with
Israel's borders extending further than at any other time in
history-encompassing Edom, Moab, and Damascus, and reaching all
the way to the River Euphrates.

Economically the nation thrived; new towns and cities sprang up
throughout the land; water resources were utilized to the full;
kings and leaders from around the world paid Israel tribute, and
the unrivalled armed forces upgraded by Solomon ensured that,
for as long as he remained in fear before the God of Israel,
peace would reign uninterrupted, in the Middle East-to the
benefit of all peoples of the region. (7) Every man lived at
peace under his vine and his fig tree. (8)

No more painful and tragic day of memories exists for Israel
than Tisha B'Av, when the nation mourns the destruction of its
temples on the Mount. The sorrow expressed on this anniversary
exceeds that of Holocaust Memorial Day, when the annihilation of
a third of all the world's Jews is remembered.

With the fall of Solomon's Temple, God's visible presence left
Israel. Ezekiel tells us how the cloud of the Lord's glory moved
up off the ark, hovered over the temple threshold, then left the
sanctuary and departed through the eastern gate. (9 ) The Jewish
nation went into exile, and only a remnant returned.

The demolition of the second Temple marked the end of Israel's
existence as a single physical entity for nearly 2000 years. The
Jews were driven out to begin centuries of wandering and
persecution at the hands of the Gentile nations. Their ranks
decimated by antisemitic tyranny in virtually every nation where
they sought refuge, the remnant of what could have been one of
the mightiest nations in history is today making its way back
home.

While the Jews were in exile in Babylon, God foretold that He
would one day restore them to the land of Israel to the city of
Jerusalem, and to the Temple Mount. (10) He too would return to
the city and the Mount. (11) A more glorious temple than
Solomon's would be built, (12) and, following her physical
restoration, Israel would be spiritually reunited with her God.
(13) He has promised that, as it departed, His glory will
finally return to the Mount. (14)

In 1948, Jewish dominion was restored to part of the land. Arab
wars of aggression led to the eventual extension of that
sovereignty over all Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights and
Gaza and, most importantly, all Jerusalem.

There, for some unfathomable reason, the Jews stopped. Although
the answer to their centuries of praying and longing was at last
within reach, they permitted the Temple Mount-to which they had
every legal light as victor-to remain in Muslim hands. Instead
of moving to begin rebuilding their temple, they limited
themselves to 27 years and more of praying at the ruined Western
Wall. What is being decided in Israel's political circles today,
is whether or not to entrench this status quo.

If, whether out of desperation or zeal to make peace with its
Arab neighbors, Israel voluntarily reinforces Islamic
sovereignty over the Temple Mount, then according to my
understanding, the Jewish nation will be moving in the opposite
direction from the final purpose God has ordained.

As the pain-filled march of Jewish history confirms, every step
the nation has taken in resistance to God's will has exacted a
heavy price. Of course, the Lord always has had, and always will
have, His way with His people. His love for Israel is
unquenchable, (15) and He cannot be thwarted by the plans of men.

God has ultimately promised to take the cup of His fury from
which Israel has drunk for so long out of her hands, and to
place it in the hands of those who have sought to destroy His
people. (16)

As Christians, we anticipate along with Israel a glorious future
rendezvous on the Tempie Mount. I therefore believe we should
pray that we will soon see the complete fulfilment of God's
promise to "again comfort Zion, and again choose Jerusalem".
(17) He has vowed that His temple will again be built. (18)

Only when this is done, and when Israel has been restored in her
relationship to her God, wlll the true peace that the Lord
brings reign in Israel, in the Middle East, and throughout the
world.

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of
the house of the LORD shall be esablished on the top of the
montains and it shall be exalted above the hills and peoples
shall stream towards it.

And many nations shall come and say, "Come let us go up to the
mounain of the LORD and to the house of the GOD of Jacob; and He
will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths."

For the Law shall go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between many peoples and
decide concerning strong nations afar off; and they shall beat
their swords in ploughshares and their spears into pruning
hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation nor shall
they learn war any more.

But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig
tree and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of he LORD
of hosts has spoken it. (19)

Furthermore, He who is the glory of Israel, does not lie or
change His mind, for He is not a man that He should change His
mind. (20)

For His own sake, He will do it. (21)

References:

[1] 2 Chronicles 7:16.
[2] Deuteronomy 12:10,11
[3] 2 Chronicles 6:10
[4] 2 Chronicles 6:32,33
[5] 2 Chronicles 7:1-10
[6] 2 Chronicles 7:16
[7] 1 Kings 4:20-34
[8] 1 Kings 4:25
[9] Ezekiel 10
[10] Ezekiel 37:21-28
[11] Zechariah 8:3
[12] Haggai2:9
[13] Ezekiel 11:17,19,20
[14] Ezekiel 43:1-5 
[15] Isaiah 49:14-16
[16] Isaiah 51:22,23
[17] Zechariah 1:17 
[18] Zechariah 1:16
[19] Micah 4:14
[20] 1 Samuel 15:29
[21] Isaiah 48:11
A Witnessing Report...
A Witnessing Report...
A witnessing report from ZVI in Israel...

From ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine


I often go to Mea Shearim, the ultra-Orthodox section of
Jerusalem, because I know how deeply into sin these people have
fallen, and the Word of God has charged me to warn them to come
to God before it is too late.

Recently I was walking along the street in that area when I
heard the voices of children singing a very old song, a song I
had not heard in more than 50 years. The singing was coming from
a group of students in a religious elementary school. Hearing
that song, my thoughts strayed back to 1938 and the children
with whom I sang it in Warsaw. Most of them are no longer
alive-they perished in the Nazi death camps during the
Holocaust. Yet the voices of these children sounded the same,
the melody was the same, the words were the same, and the voice
of the rabbi singing along with them was the same-it was as if
nothing had changed.

As I stood on the street listening, I mourned for the children
of my youth. They could be grandparents now, just as I am, but
they are all gone, and very few of us are left who even remember
them. I also felt great sorrow for the children who were singing
now because it is such a woeful song. The words are taken from
Psalm 44:23 and 24: "Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise,
cast us not off forever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and
forgettest our affliction and our oppression?" Jewish children
through the centuries have been taught to sing this song with a
special feeling of lament, and the more I listened, the less
peace I felt in my heart.

Finally I ventured into the school to speak with the rabbi. When
I entered, the children all stopped singing and stared at me as
if I were Tarzan in the middle of New York City. The rabbi said,
"Continue singing, children!" When they finished, he approached
me. He was a very old man and reminded me of a rabbi I had known
as a child in Poland. He asked, "Where are you from?" and I told
him that I had come in from the street because I heard the class
singing. I asked, "Why are you singing a song of such deep grief
and exile?" He replied, "Simply - because I like it." 

I then told him, "When I was the age of these children-in 1938,
before the Holocaust-I sang this song many times. But I don't
sing it anymore because I have believed in God, and now I know
that the Lord will never hide His face from me. Of course, we
have all hidden our faces from God, and then when He does not
answer our prayers we think it is His fault. But no! The fault
is ours. God is merciful, and people can come close to Him by
following what is written in Psalm 50:15, 'call upon me in the
day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Since the time I believed in the Lord I no longer have to ask
Him, 'Why do you hide your face from me and forget me?'" I
continued to read from the Psalms, praising God with joy in my
heart. I explained that I am free to ask the Lord to forgive my
iniquities and that He is always ready to do this.

As I spoke with the rabbi, the children were sitting quietly,
listening to our conversation. Watching them brought another
Scripture passage to my mind, and I read it to them: "Unto thee,
O Lord, do I lift up my soul... Remember not the sins of my
youth" (Ps. 25:1, 7).

At this point the rabbi asked the children, "What do you think?
Should we continue our lesson or listen to what this man has to
say?" There were about 40 children in the class, all boys with
long side curls. A few years ago I had an opportunity to speak
in an Orthodox school for girls, but in this school for boys I
felt as if I were in the lions' den. I silently prayed in my
heart, "O Lord, guide me, give me the words to say." At the same
time the rabbi called several other rabbis, all teachers, into
the lecture hall.

I then began to speak to them, first telling them about
myself-my life in Poland before the war, my experiences during
the Holocaust, how I lost my entire family in the Warsaw Ghetto,
my arrival in Israel and my participation in all the wars
through 1973. I went slowly, step by step, right up to the
present time. Then I began to tell them about my faith. 

Of course, I could not start by declaring that I believe in
Jesus Christ. I wanted them to mention His name first. I quoted
several passages from Isaiah, Micah, and other prophets about
the Messiah, all the while waiting for the outcry, the outburst
of temper, the threatenings when they realized I was speaking
about Jesus. I did not have to wait long. One of the teachers
quickly asked, "What books have you read?" I responded, "Do you
see what I have in my hand? It is the Holy Bible, the book I
love best and the only one I use. Is it a sin to love God's
Word?"

I continued to speak for about 35 minutes, and everyone-students
and teachers alike-listened carefully. When I finished they
began to ask questions. "Why did you come here?" one of the
students wanted to know. "Because of the sad song you were
singing," I replied. "I felt sorry for you, and I wanted you to
be able to rejoice with me in the Lord. The Jewish people have
lamented long enough. The time has come to turn to the Lord, the
one true God, and ask for His help. As I told you before, it is
written in Psalm 50:15, 'call upon me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' If you call upon
Him, you can say with Isaiah, 'we will be glad and rejoice in
his salvation' [Isa. 25:9]. " 

When the rabbis heard this, they looked at each other in
silence. It was as if someone had tied them up and put glue on
their lips.

Shortly thereafter I left the school with a very good feeling. I
believe that many of the ones I spoke to-students and
teachers-were seriously considering the things I told them about
the Lord. I trust that they will read the Bible passages for
themselves and see that the Lord alone can bring them out of
sorrow and into joy and peace if they will only trust Him as
their Messiah and Savior.
Chef's Corner
Chef's Corner
HARVEST TIME - WHAT'S COOKIN' DOWN ON THE FARM? 


SWEET/SOUR CABBAGE ROLLS- 1 large cabbage, 2 pounds ground beef,
1/2 tlbs. salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 can
tomato soup, 3 eggs, 1 handful uncooked rice, 1 large onion,
chopped and sauteed.

SAUCE - 1/2 can tomato soup, 1 8-oz. can crushed tomatoes, salt
and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tlbs. brown
sugar, 1 jar sauerkraut.

Remove cabbage leaves by peeling while holding under running
water. This aids in the removal without tearing leaves. Place
them in large bowl. Pour boiling hot water over leaves and set
aside to soften.

Combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 can
tomato soup, eggs, rice and sauteed onion; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the ingredients for the sauce, except the
sauerkraut. Bring to a boil and simmer until cabbage rolls are
ready.

In dutch oven or casserole place the cabbage rolls. Then pour
the sauce over the rolls. At this time add the sauerkraut and
stir gently to mix with the sauce. Cover and simmer for 2 hours
or until the rice is soft and plump. You will have to peek into
one of the rolls to check for doneness. If you prefer bake in
350 degrees oven for 2 hours covered and an additional hour
uncovered. If more liquid is required just add a little boiling
water as needed. It's even better the next day!

NOTE: Remove thick core at bottom of each leaf. Place about 2
tablespoons of meat on each leaf. (More or less according to
size rolls you want or size of leaf) Starting from bottom, roll
up and then sides over meat, then continue to roll until entire
leaf covers meat. Place folded side down in pan or secure with
tooth pick.


MOM'S CABBAGE-NOODLE BAKE - 1 pound noodles ( I prefer springs
type), 1 small head cabbage, 1 medium onion, grated, 3 stalks
celery, diced thin, salt and pepper to taste, 1 pound cottage
cheese or ricotta, 1 stick butter or margarine, and chopped
parsley.

Cook noodles and set aside. Shred cabbage and blanch with
boiling water. Drain well in colander while onions and celery
saute with butter in large skillet. Add drained cabbage and
combine well until well sauteed. Add cottage cheese and
seasoning and noodles. 


CUCUMBER AND POTATO SALAD - 6 to 8 small cucumbers, peeled and
sliced, 1 tsp. salt, olive oil, 2 to 3 large potatoes, boiled,
peeled and cubed, 1 large onion, minced, salt and pepper, and
white vinegar. 

Put cucumber slices in bowl and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon
salt. Let stand overnight or at least 3 hours. Rinse and squeeze
cucumbers and put in bowl. Add potatoes and onion. Use salt,
pepper, olive oil and white vinegar to taste. Refrigerate.


GRAM'S STEAK WITH RICE - Round steak, 1 sliced onion, 1 pkg. dry
onion soup, 1/3 cup flour, 3 cups water, 1 can cream of chicken
soup, 1 can drained mushrooms (optional), 1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and rice*.

Cut steak into 1 1/2-inch strips. Place in casserole dish, add
onion, soups, water, flour, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce,
salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1
1/2 to 2 hours. Serve over rice. 

(*For variation, serve over noodles or potatoes, which may be
added before casserole is done.)


STUFFED ZUCCHINI - 6 medium-size zucchini*, halved lengthwise,
1/2 pound hot sausage, 1 small onion, chopped, 1 clove garlic,
crushed, 1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
cheese, 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded.

Cook zucchini in boiling salted water in a large skillet for 10
minutes. Drain; scoop out insides, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
Mash insides; drain well. Put shells in a shallow baking dish.

Remove casings from sausage; break up meat. Cook sausage in same
skillet for 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender,
3 minutes. Stir in mashed zucchini and bread crumbs. Spoon
mixture into shells; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until piping-hot.

(*For variation use 6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, OR 1 large
eggplant (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), scooped out and drained.)


HOLIDAY SWEET POTATOES - 3 cups yams, cooked and mashed, 1/4 
cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup margarine, melted, 1 tsp.
vanilla, 2 eggs, beaten, 2/3 cup flaked coconut, 2/3 cup brown
sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup melted margarine, 2/3 cup pecans,
chopped.

Combine the first 6 ingredients, mixing well. Spoon into 8-inch
square baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over
potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until
golden.


DELICIOUS APPLE BREAD - 2 cups sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, 2 tlbs.
sour milk, 3 eggs, 3 1/2 cups flour, 3 cups pared and grated
apples, 1 cup oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 cup nuts, 1/4 tsp. baking
soda, 2 tsp. baking powder. 

In large mixing bowl combine sugar and oil. Add apples. Combine
soda and sour milk and stir into bowl, adding salt. Beat eggs
and fold in. Sift flour and baking powder, fold in and mix well.
Add nuts and mix again. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans
and bake in 350 degree oven for 60 minutes.


MURRAY'S CORN BREAD - 1 cup yellow corn meal, 3 tsp. baking
powder, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup salad oil, 1 cup
sour cream, 2 eggs, 1 8-oz. can cream corn, 1 small onion,
chopped finely.
Bake at 350 degrees in 12 inch cast iron skillet for 35 minutes.


ANNE'S CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE - 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup white
sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup cocoa, 3 eggs,
1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt, 1
tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. vanilla, 3 cups zucchini, peeled and
shredded, and 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk.

Combine ingredients and beat well. Pour in tube or bundt pan and
bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

GLAZE - When cool... melt 2 tablespoons margarine over low
heat, add 2 tablespoons cocoa and 2 tablespoons water. Stir
constantly until thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat, and
add 1 cup powder sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and beat until
smooth.
Potpourri
Potpourri
HIDDEN BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Look carefully at these sentences. A book of the Bible is
concealed in each one.

Example: Always tell the tRUTH. (Ruth)

1.  Pack a sandwich for those at work.

2.  The formica helped provide protection.

3.  The old hag gained trouble after trouble.

4.  If normal, a Chihuahua weighs about three pounds.

5.  The hero mans the lifeboat.

6.  He had a mosquito on his nose.

7.  The cleverest hermit crabs choose the best shells.

8.  Dinah umpired the entire ball game.

9.  Ralph came from Arkansas.

10. It was an acceptable format; the way we all preferred.

(ANSWERS BELOW)


"I'LL STAY WHERE YOU PUT ME"

I'll stay where you've put me; I will, dear Lord,
Though I wanted so badly to go;
I was eager to march with the rank and the file,
Yes, I wanted to lead them, you know.

I planned to keep in step with the music loud,
To cheer when the banner unfurled,
To stand in the midst of the fight, straight and proud,
But I'll stay where you've put me.

I'll stay where you've put me; I'll work, dear Lord,
Though the field be narrow and small,
And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick,
And there seems to be no life at all.
The field is thine own, only give me the seed,
I'll sow it with never a fear;
I'll till the dry soil where I wait for the rain,
And rejoice when the green blades appear;
I'll work where you've put me.

I'll stay where you've put me; I will, dear Lord,
I'll bear the days' burdens and heat,
Always trusting thee fully; when even' has come,
I'll lay heavy sheaves at thy feet.
Then, when my earth's work is ended and done,
In the light of eternity's glow,
Life's record all closed, I surely shall find,
It was better to stay than to go;
I'll stay where you've put me.

--Author unknown


ANSWERS TO HIDDEN BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

1.  Hosea
2.  Micah
3.  Haggai
4.  Malachi
5.  Romans
6.  Amos 
7.  Esther
8.  Nahum
9.  Mark
10. Matthew
Mission Field (Part 1)
Mission Field (Part 1)
WHAT DOES THE WORD "Word" MEAN?

By Richard Wurmbrand
From VOICE OF THE MARTYRS


Our beloved,

"The word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet" (Haggai 1:3).

The English language has 350,000 words, the Biblical Hebrew only
6,500. One Hebrew word can have many meanings. The King James
translators used up to 90 different English words to give the
sense of one Hebrew word!

The Hebrew expression "davar" has different meanings. It stands
for "word" but also for "matter" and "thing." In Hebrew, John
1:1 can also be understood as, "In the beginning was the real
thing, and the real thing was with God, and reality was God."

When a Hebrew gives you words, he is meant to give you real
things that can enrich you.

"To tell" in Hebrew is "lesapper". The root meaning of "sapper''
is "sapphire." When a Hebrew speaks. he is meant to give you
precious stones.

Another word for "to speak" is "leomer," which means "to elevate
to the highest branch.''

God not only spoke words with the prophets but gave them real
treasure. which words only hint at. We write our newsletters and
books with the same intention.


A WILD HOPE FULFILLED

We told you in our July newsletter about our missionary work
among the Jews in Northeast India, Northern Burma and Southern
China. In this so-called "Golden Triangle," the world center of
drug-smuggling and AIDS, a remnant of Jewry has been discovered.

In the eighth and seventh centuries before Christ, the 12 tribes
of Israel and Judah were deported to Assyria and Babylon. Only
two of them eventually returned to their own land. The others
were called by historians "the ten lost tribes." They must have
fled from slavery and mixed with other populations.

Israel has now recognized inhabitants of the "Golden Triangle"
as "descendants of the Manasseh tribe."

We carry on missionary work in that region, freely in India and
secretly in dictator-run Burma and China.

To what we reported about them last month, I can now add the
following:

One hundred fifty years ago, James Finn, British Consul in
Jerusalem and leader of a British Christian mission to Jew,
published a book, "Jews in China," based on 16th century reports
of Italian Catholic priests who were the first to discover Jews
and their synagogue in Kaifeng, Hunan province and later
information. He told his wild hope: that the Chinese Jews might
be brought to Christ and become God's chosen instruments for
guiding their pagan countrymen to the cross. He wrote, "The
Church of God may yet have the pleasure to behold thee Chinese
Jews disseminating a saving knowledge among thc heathen."


WE REPLY TO A 150-YEAR-OLD LETTER

After many endeavors to contact the Kaifeng Jews (the
authorities forbade any relations of the Chinese with
foreigners), Finn received through secret channels a letter from
their leader Chao.

The letter states that their synagogue has deteriorated. "Our
religion has been imperfectly transmitted. Although the
canonical writings are still extant, there are none who
understand so much as one Hebrew word. Only one woman of 70
remembers the principal tenets of the Jewish faith.

"Morning and night, with tears in our eyes and with offerings of
incense, we plead that our religion may again flourish. We have
deep sorrow. Our temple has long been without ministers. Daily,
with tears, we have called on the Holy Name. It is to be desired
that some person may soon be sent hither."

Not sooner than 25 years after his letter of inquiry, Finn had
received this reply in 1850. (There were no steamboats, cables,
phones, or faxes at that time, and it was very dangerous for
Chinese to communicate with foreigners.)

It took the universal Church another 150 years to reply to this
letter written with tears. Our mission is the answer!

The Jewish Chinese (among others) receive from us the complete
religion that God gave to the Jews, including the part revealed
by the Messiah Jesus. Many accept the message, among them the
Mongol-type Jews from Burma and Northeast India.

In Russia, Bro. Berins has brought thousands of Jews to Christ.
Today crowds of Jews decide openly for Him as never before since
the days of the apostles. Your gifts are used to provide him
with special literature in Russian, such as "Christ on the
Jewish Road" and "Proofs of God's Existence," much needed for
Jewish converts after 75 years of atheist brainwashing. 

You take part with us in historic events, remembering God's
promise that the return of the Jews will mean life from the dead
(Romans 11:15).


PASS FROM WORDS TO THE REAL THING

By going beyond "davar" as a mere cluster of letters to "the
real thing,'' one can do a great work for God or an equally
valuable small work. (What good is a big ear if the tiny inner
parts do not function well?) If you have "the real thing," you
have God living within you. Then your little pearl reflect the
splendor of all other pearls. Then your life reflects the beauty
of all saints of all times, because you are in reality a part of
the same body of Christ. Those who see you get a glimpse of the
Word, who is God, instead of hearing only tiresome religious
phrases.

Brother Wy-Foo was hanged upside down because of his work in
Burma and South China. Others are before court for bringing the
knowledge of God to the Jews (and others as well) in South
China. We have just received news that three more Christians,
working among the Chinese Jews, have been imprisoned. Please
pray for them.

Thus God fulfills through them, and you who support them, the
tear-dimmed prayer of 150 years ago.

Recently, 1500 American and other Messianic Jews rejoiced when I
reported about this activity at their gathering in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. Please rejoice with us !


DIVERSE ACTIVITIES

In Hong Kong, we have opened a literature center in which new
books and a newsletter like this are prepared for China. Books
in their simplified .script have already been printed.

The orphanage in Romania, for which we have labored with thc
support of your gifts, was consecrated last month. We begin with
100 children but hope to accommodate more. Another orphanage is
in preparation in Peru, where we are represented by our valiant
Bro. Zapata.

In Bulgaria, "Tortured for Christ" and "Answer to Moscow's
Bible;" in Russia and Czechoslovakia, "In God's Undergound;" and
other titles in many other languages (totaling 67) are being
printed, many at our press in India, which continually produces
for Asia and Africa Our .secret printing installations in places
with the worst persecution continue to produce at great risk. In
Romania, our press is in full swing.


CALLS FROM THE SKY

For 20 years we have engaged in a practice that drops the call
for salvation from the skies. After studying air currents, we
launch balloons inscribed with important Bible verses in the
languages of the countries we target.

In years past, we launched such balloons from Yugoslavia toward
Albania when it was Communist-controlled. The Reds placed some
of these In their Museum of Atheism to show "the perfidious
method of imperialist aggression."

Today we launch them from an unnamed place toward North Korea.
Some 20,000 arrived a very short time before the death of the
dictator Kim Sung. Surely this daring venture was sensational
enough to have been brought to the attention of this dictator,
who jailed and killed many innocents and also destroyed all
churches.

Before his death, he might very well have read that God is ready
to forgive him. (Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him.) If
indeed Kim Sung was shown the balloons, bought with your
contributions, he would have been reminded of what he had been
taught as a child. His parents were Christians.

We might find out in heaven-a place of many surprises-that these
words brought him to salvation in the last moments of his life.
One word, one good thought, one sigh of repentance is sufficient
if it is "davar," the real thing.

In South Africa, a place of interracial tension, an airplane
flew over the town of Soweto dropping tracts calling to the
peace of God which surpasses not only all understanding
(Philippians 4:7), but also all misunderstanding between races,
parties and religions. Our South African mission, led by Bro.
Henegan, participated in this action.

We have been involved in such ventures for many years. Our USA
Director, Bro. Tom White, had been sentenced to 24 years in Cuba
for dropping Gospels from a plane. The aerial missions ended
when mechanical difficulties obliged him and his pilot, Bro.
Bailey, to land on Cuban territory. Fortunately, God enabled us
to get them out of prison within several years.
[Continued]
Mission Field (Part 2)
Mission Field (Part 2)
SOME SEE JESUS BODILY

Those who know only Jesus' words would not be ready to die for
Him. This grace is reserved for those who know His reality, the
"davar" in the supreme sense. It sometimes happens that to them
Jesus appears visibly.

Our missions have been active on behalf of Pakistani believers
sentenced to death under false charges of blasphemy. Many
"blasphemy charges" are lies stemming from the economic jealousy
of a neighboring shopkeeper or farmer. Muslims consider every
critical word about the Koran, their holy book, as blasphemy.
Some of our supporters, following our advice, wrote to prisoners.

Now a Canadian sister, Jenice, has received a reply from Gul
Masih. We quote from it:

"First of all, I am thankful to you that you have encouraged me.
My Lord has come to me twice in my prison cell. One day, as I
was sitting in my cell thinking about this injustice in a sad
and hopeless mood, it was suddenly filled with light and my body
trembled. I saw my Lord. Four days after this, my Jesus came
again and overshadowed me by raising His hands and blessing me.

"From that day on, I have been happy and at peace. My Lord is
with me in jail. He doesn't leave me alone. Pray for me together
with your family. God will hear you, and I will be released.

"I am a poor Christian citizen of Pakistan who has been
condemned to death. I languish in death row in Sargodha district.

"We are five members in our family. We have a great love for
each other. I am very grateful to my Lord that He has blessed my
brother and enabled him to handle this case. He has fulfilled
all my needs in the best possible way. I am also thankful to you
and my other brothers and sisters who have supported me.

"I hope that by the grace of God we will see one another. Let us
not forget the power of prayer. My greetings and love for you.
Please keep in touch with me and let me know if you receive my
letter. Praise the Lord!"

You can write to Gul Masih at the following address: 

District Jail,
Jail Road
Sargodha, Pakistan

In Iran, Tateos Michaelian, president of the Council of
Protestant Pastors, and Rev. Mehdi Dibaj, a Pentecostal, were
killed last July.

The latter had been sentenced to death first for apostasy from
Islam. Then the punishment was reduced and he had been freed
last January after nine years in jail. Now he is dead.

Michaelian was shot, Dibaj stabbed after strangling. We are
reminded that in January, Pentecostal bishop Haik Hovsepian-Mehr
had been killed.

The presumed murderer is a lady, Farahnaz Anami, whom we
recommend for your prayers. Jesus prayed for those who crucified
Him.

In Turkey, the Kurd Sukru Tutus, a personality of the Syrian
Orthodox Church, died of a bullet wound in the neck. In 1900,
this church, one of the oldest in the world, had 230,0()0
members. Now only 3,000 remain. The others fled after severe
Muslim persecution.


A FORMER PRISONER REMEMBERS

The first to bring the Gospel to Romania was the apostle Andrew.
He was martyred in the Romanian province of Dobrajea. It is
recounted that when he was brought to the place of crucifixion,
he kissed the cross and said, "Blessed be you, cross, who brings
me to the One who died on the cross for me."

Many Romanian Christians retain this spirit. They bless their
daily crosses, such as illness and sufferings in family or
social life. Sorrows become a reason to sing when you see them
as a means to draw nearer to Christ. These Christians had proved
their readiness to suffer by accepting prison and death for
their faith.

Christian leader Justin Pirvu was imprisoned for 16 years. He
radiates joy that arises from the depths. He knows not only the
words of God but their reality too.

Now people wait in line to speak with him. Some are satisfied
just to see him. A silent light shines through his eyes. He
calls prison "the martyr factory," because holy martyrs are
fabricated there.

He says, "Because of advanced starvation, our feet, legs and
heads began to swell; our bodies were so weak they could no
longer eliminate the water." Sick himself, he had the joy of
caring for the spiritual life of others. Thus he became happier
than when he was free.

He preached by Morse code, an alphabet system tapped on the
walls between cells.

At one point, doctors had prescribed a tonic wine for a sick
prisoner. This was used for holy communion. The only meeting
place was the lavatory. By using Morse code, he communicated
this information to prisoners in nearby cells, and these in turn
passed the word to others. The message said where in the
lavatory one would find the bread soaked in wine, which had been
blessed to serve as a remembrance of Jesus' body and blood.

Easter was celebrated by singing 250 feet beneath the earth in a
coal mine.


TERROR IN TAJIKISTON

A Russian Baptist family was killed by another Muslim gang in
Dushaiube, capital of Tadjikistan. The victims are Vladimir
Limoriar, his four children between the ages of two and ten, the
mother-in-law, and her daughter.

The corpses reveal that they were mistreated before death.

A few days later, the corpse of an assassinated Orthodox priest
was found. He had been shot.

We tell Muslim terrorists, "You will never be able to kill our
love for you." Christian love overcame Communist cruelties .

A new booklet of ours, "Jesus-Friend of Terrorists," will be
printed in a number of languages. Please help us spread it.


THE DANGER OF FAT HEARTS

Bro. Futi-Luemba leads our work in Zaire. His main occupation is
to spread our literature and speak about the persecution in
churches and seminaries .

"Our land is very poor," he writes, "but we pray for all
missions and their workers.

"There are certain parts of Scripture which we Africans can
understand best. In Psalm 119:70, we read that certain hearts
have become fat like grease. In our country we have many
serpents. Many people are bitten, but never swine, because the
poison cannot get through their fat. Neither can the Gospel
penetrate fat hearts.

"We get the greatest opposition from pro-Communist pastors.
adherents of 'liberation theology.'"

Mosques are being built everywhere. Islamic states give
scholarships. Youngsters are invited to study there without
cost. Muslims are then given initial capital to start a
business. If the West does not help, Zaire will become Islamic.

Our mission does its best to counteract this tendency.


A PRISONER'S POEM

In Hong Kong, the Chinese Church Research Center published the
following poem:

"Silent Autumn night. I am imprisoned in a tiny cell.
Light from the waning moon and stars pierce through the cold
window.
Why am I, an ordinary girl, being treated as a prisoner?
Simply because I am a Christian.
The handcuffs make me sleepless, stirring up a feeling of self
pity.
But then before me appears the Savior, hanging on a cross.
He without sin was put together criminals.
The trifling humiliation I suffer is hardly worth mentioning."

The humiliations that we too endure in freedom should not count
either.

The poem arises out of unspeakable suffering, which includes not
only jail and torture, but also decades of famine.

A secret 1989 report of the Chinese Academy of Social Science,
only now published by the "International Herald Tribune" reveals
that in China 30 million men died of hunger in an interval of
only three years in the sixties. There are 63 documented cases
of cannibalism.

Thousands of Christian leaders in China refuse to join the
official church.

Some rare souls see Him physically, others see Him spiritually.
Everyone sees that 2 x 2 = 4, without having an image before
them. So these who penetrate beyond the veil of mere words see
the brightness of Jesus' glory.

We thank you for the love you show. May we all advance from the
knowledge of the words of God to the superior knowledge and
embrace of His reality.

Yours in Christ,
Richard Wurmbrand


The Voice of the Martyrs
PO Box 443
Batesville, OK 74005
(918) 337-8015
CFI Reports
CFI Reports
CFI REPORTS is our monthly column dedicated to the ministries of
CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL in Jerusalem. Our October, 1993
issue of MORNING STAR (Volume 3.1) presented a summary of the
various CFI ministries and explained the foundational principles
and objectives of CFI. In this month's column we present A
CHRISTIAN VOICE FOR SOVIET JEWRY a quarterly report from
Jerusalem.


A CHRISTIAN VOICE FOR SOVIET JEWRY

Third Quarter 1994 

"+ The LORD lives, who brought up and led the descendants of the
house of Israel from the north country... " (Jeremiah 23:8) 


New Hands and Feet in Jerusalem 

Autumn finds a new team of volunteers in place to serve at the
Distribution Center in Jerusalem. They're your representatives
to the people of Israel, the visible hands and feet of the Body
of Messiah here in His own land. What a sobering responsibility!
They need your support and your prayer.

The first face that a visitor will see at the Distribution
Center door is Dennis McLeod's-and his first words are quite
likely to be in Hebrew! Several months of language study have
equipped Dennis to be our main contact person, guiding the flow
of visitors in and out of the right departments, as well as
helping to supervise the general operation of the Center.

And inside the main clothing room, overseeing the reception of
new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is Dennis' wife
Penny. In complement to her husband, she's begun picking up a
few words of Russian. "It's the most logical thing," she likes
to quip. "Come to Israel to learn Russian!"

Logic, they're finding, has little to do with it when one leaves
his home and country to serve by faith in Israel. Dennis and
Penny arrived here from New Zealand in December 1992. He'd left
his position as an instructor of automotive engineering at a
technical institute; Penny had been working as a clerk in
various sections of the city works office. ("I started off down
the drains, then I was in water, and I finished up in rubbish!"
But the Lord rescued me from the rubbish and brought me to
Jerusalem!") They originally felt called to the Jewish people,
but found themselves instead working with blind and handicapped
Arabs in Bethlehem. "We were surprised to find that
Bethlehem-the city of David-was in the West Bank," says Dennis.
"But it gave us an opportunity to see the Arab world and the
need that they have as well." 

This summer the couple, both in their fifties, crossed the
"Green Line" into Israel proper. They've found that working with
CFI lines up with the vision they'd first received. "The more we
pray, the more we feel we'll be here more than a couple of
months," says Dennis. "The Lord is training us, refining us
through what we went through in Bethlehem, and now coming over
the Green Line. I'm in work situations with people I've never
been in before. Back home we were with people of the same walk
of life; now we're with so many different backgrounds and
cultures. A total refining time, we feel. We are learning to
wait and trust in the Lord. You find out how little you know,
when you thought you did know."

Dennis and Penny have four grown children and one granddaughter
back in New Zealand. "They're not happy about us leaving, but
they are happy about what we're doing," Dennis says. "We're not
yet yearning for home," adds Penny.

Penny has already begun to experience the little providences of
God's timing which have marked the work of the Center for years.
"We opened a Finnish box with winter jackets. A family arrived
just then with four boys, just a few weeks in the country. The
three school-age boys each found a coat that fitted them and
were very glad. If they'd come any later in the day the jackets
would already have been gone." Another woman gave Penny a big
kiss when she emerged from the back room with just the right
large-sized two-piece suit for her.

But there are also the frustrating times when not enough parcels
or finances come in to provide something appropriate for the
immigrants. More than once in recent weeks the very last
clothing box has been opened, with the next trip to the post
office still days away. And families just of the plane-who've
not yet had any sign of Christian concern in their lives-have
left the Center disappointed when told that there are no
finances to help with their essential needs. There is a feeling
that it would almost be better not to open at all, than to
invite people to come and then send them away empty-handed. "A
young man came in who had run away from his homeland with only a
suitcase," Penny recalls. "We gave him some things, but what he
really wanted was an electric kettle [which have been purchased
for distribution as finances allow]. They were all gone."

In this circumstance the staff feels keenly their relation with
the rest of the Body. Hands and feet by themselves can do
nothing. Under the direction of the Head, they can only
communicate the need to the other members. In that spirit, the
following note from Dennis:

In my short time at the CFI Distribution Center I have seen many
people in need and many of those needs meet. From the young girl
that receives a "new" dress to the elderly couple trying to
become established in the land receiving help. It warms the
heart to see them walk from the place so grateful for what they
have received.

However, there is one clothing area in which we are unable to
give the help required. This is children's shoes. We receive
very few shoes, and those we do are not in very good condition
(understandably, as children normally wear them out).

I would suggest donations designated for the purchase of
children's shoes, which would help those in need and also
support local industry. Shoes are so important as the school
year begins, and especially in a land with this type of ground.
We saw what happened in Bethlehem with kids running on thorns,
stones, and sharp objects.

Gifts to Project Open Gates are also used to provide the new
immigrants with furniture. baby items, textbooks, dental and
optical care.

Chicago's loss is CFI's gain with the arrival of another key
staffer, Helen Doll, who is now overseeing Project Doors of
Hope. In addition to serving Russian-speaking immigrants who
have been in the land over six months, this project also
includes Israelis, Arabs, local congregations, and volunteers in
Israel. Helen's story:

"I first heard of CFI through a trip to Israel. Ray and Sharon
Sanders came and spoke to my group. It touched my heart. God
just gave me a real love for the Jewish people and the land of
Israel.

"Back home I got involved in buying clothes, going to garage
sales and retail sales. I told my friends and they brought all
kinds of things to me. I'd wash and stitch as needed and then
send them off. In my basement I had boxes all subdivided by
boys, girls, and age group. At garage sales we'd buy suitcases
and send over with tour groups new things that couldn't be
shipped through the post. Later I started working in retail
myself and got tremendous buys.

"Three years ago I came again to Israel, and volunteered a few
days in the Distribution Center. I learned a little more about
what the people needed: large clothes, shoes, pants. I tried to
concentrate on these things once I was back home.

"Now the opportunity has presented itself for me to come and
work here full-time. It's something near and dear to my heart.
When I was 15 I read a book on the Holocaust... [Pause]... I
could almost cry. It gave me a soft heart for the Jews. I didn't
even know the Lord then.

"When I came to faith I understood from the Bible just how
relevant the land and the Jews are, how much He loves the Jewish
people. They are of utmost importance to the Lord. Christians
should understand what we've received from the Jewish people:
the Bible, the Messiah. Through their loss came our gain. We owe
them a great debt that' s never been paid.

"I'm committed to at least one year here. So far my impression
is that there is a lot of love and unity among the staff,
helping each other we enjoy our work.

"A little boy came in with no shoes, just slippers with a hole
in them. It made me very sad that all I could find for him was a
very old pair of shoes, not in good condition, and tight
fitting. But the father was very happy to have those. I think if
people came here and saw the needs, more people would want to
get involved in giving and support of CFI."

Daily ministry at the Distribution Center involves a team of
8-12 volunteers. Alongside Dennis, Penny, and Helen are
continuing veterans: Julie Gammon (featured in last quarter's
newsletter), responsible for the bridal department and Ethiopian
immigrants; Jonathan Miles, who interviews new immigrants and
provides general administration for the Center; and, worthy of
special mention, Marlena Avrotinsky and Lilya Sklyar, the
Center's long-standing, faithful, committed and talented
volunteer translators, themselves immigrants from the former
Soviet Union.

The two mainstays of the back room, Aldyth Jones and Lenny
Sweet, who've unpacked and sorted hundreds and hundreds of
parcels over the past months, have both fulfilled their
commitment and returned to their home countries. A place is now
open for other new team members at the Distribution Center in
Jerusalem. Is that the Lord speaking to you? Please contact our
Jerusalem office for more details.


Christian Friends of Israel
PO Box 1813, Jerusalem, 91015, ISRAEL
Tel: 972-2-894172/187
Fax: 972-2-894955

Christian Friends of Israel - USA
PO Box 19227
Charlotte, NC 28219-9227
Tel: 704-357-1611
Fax: 704-357-1612
INTERNET: 74111.552@cis