Letters Letter From the Editor Letter From the Editor Hello again and welcome to our 12th issue of Morning Star! Well folks, we actually made it through an entire year - Praise the Lord! In our next issue (Volume 2.1) we will have a detailed history of this "online ministry", but for now let me say it has exceeded anything we had dreamed of. The original intent of the staff was to produce a small magazine for the members our particular computer network. Within a few month's time however, Morning Star had made it all around the world to places as far away as Australia, England, Finland and Japan! The prophet Daniel wrote that in the last days knowledge would increase and people would travel to and fro ... it seems that the Lord is having knowledge itself travel to and fro! This issue of Morning Star has "Praise, Prayer and Worship" as a theme in the Feature area as well as some of the regular columns. If anyone wishes to make a literary contribution, future themes are: Vol 2.1 (Oct) 1990's Evangelism Vol 2.2 (Nov) Pastors & Ministers (testimonies, articles, stories) Vol 2.3 (Dec) Missions & Missionaries Vol 2.4 (Jan) Christian Men's Issues Vol 2.5 (Feb) Messianic Judaism - studies and stories We welcome suggestions for future themes as well as new column ideas. There is "something special" in the Ministry Information column of this issue! We have compiled a list of feature themes, article descriptions and their authors from Issues 1 through 11. You can use this to determine which back issues you want to download from a BBS or order direct from us. If ordering, write to the Post Office box for subscription information. Be specific as to which issues, what format and what disk size you need. Next month, the Ministry Information column will have an updated list of all electronic bulletin board systems (BBS) that carry Morning Star. If you are aware of such a BBS, please send us the following info: 1. BBS name 2. Phone number with area code 3. City and state (or country) 4. Name of Sysop 5. Do they run the MSDOOR program? Thank you all for your support over this last year. It is our hope that this magazine continues to help and encourage many people in the future. Don't forget, we are always looking to hear from our readers and publish your comments in our Letters section. Please write to us! In service to Jesus the Messiah, Toby Trudel MORNING STAR accepts literary contributions from believers wherever they may live. It is our policy to publish testimonies as they are originally submitted with minimal alteration of the text. Opinions stated in these testimonies do not necessarily reflect those of the MORNING STAR staff. The content of MORNING STAR does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any computer network. Your Letters Your Letters "Praise the Lord for His unfailing love and faithfulness to all who love and serve Him. It is a real blessing to be collectively serving the Lord for a common cause (the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.) It is also a joy to know that churches and even some Bible believers are now aware that the Morning Star is out in the world!" Roger Obe Philippines "We thoroughly enjoy Morning Star. It is such a blessing to us. We especially enjoy the Anee M'amin column. God bless you all." Mr. & Mrs. James Stewart Houston, Pennsylvania "Many thanks. I'd like to make the NewLife BBS Network a key player in getting this magazine out ... Thanks" Buggs Bugnon - Southern Maryland Christian Information Service (SMCIS) California, Maryland Commentary Commentary THE MIGHTY GOD The Seventies were the years of the Jesus Movement. Many good things resulted from the efforts of bringing the message of salvation to society's young people. They were exposed to God and the teachings of Christianity for the first time. Christ was made real and personal to a group of people who saw God as a distant being, someone who was not concerned with their needs. Many came to a saving knowledge of Christ. Today, many of these individuals are in active leadership in churches throughout the nation and the world. But a serious problem also came out of this movement. Jesus was turned from the Second Person of the God Head into believer's "best buddy." The emphasis in teaching the Scripture was primarily on the Gospels, Matthew through John. Attention was focused on the humanity of Christ. Unintentionally, He was frequently reduced to some kind of superman instead of God. As a result, much of the church's teachings no longer focused on the awesomeness of Christ. Christ's roles as Creator, King, and the world's judge were de-emphasized. And consequently, within much of Christianity, the ability to worship, pray and praise effectively was lost. Worship, prayer and praise flow from an understanding of who God is. We must return to the study of the entire Bible to have a clear understanding of all of God's qualities. Without a clear comprehension of His attributes, we cannot give Him the service He deserves. Yes, Jesus loves us. Yes, we are joint heirs with Christ. Yes, we are to call God Abba, Daddy. But we must never loose sight of the fact that He is the creator and we are His creations. He is the infinite being. We are finite ones. We are to praise. He will receive our praises. The Apostle John, was Jesus' closest friend during His ministry on earth. If anyone could have claimed Jesus as buddy, it would have been John. But what was John's response to meeting the resurrected Christ? "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead (Revelation 1:17). The result of overemphasizing the humanity of Christ versus His deity, is that we lose the ability to properly worship Him. I remember growing up in San Francisco. I would frequently go to the local planetarium and see the shows there. As the "sky" darkened and the stars appeared, I would be overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe. I would respond by praising the One Who held it all in place. Worship, praise, prayer--these were the life blood of the nation Israel. This was because they experienced the majesty of God in their lives. But if you are a believer so have you. You have experienced the greatest miracle of all. You have received the gift of salvation. You have become a new creature. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). So much of Christianity has become concerned with what God can give us. And, certainly we are given the right to come to God with our needs. Jesus told us, "I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and you joy will be complete" John 16:23-24). But we also need to be equally concerned with what we can give God. Peter called us a priesthood of believers. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God..." And what does Peter say we are to do as such? "...that you may DECLARE THE PRAISES of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9). The role of the priest was to offer up the sacrifice of prayer, to worship and praise the most Holy God, blessed be His name. Examine the Psalms, the praise book of Israel. In Psalms 146 through 150, each starts with the phrase, "Praise the Lord." What a blessing to be able to go to God in prayer whenever we desire to, not just to petition Him for needs, but to be able to offer Him our very best of worship and praise. Let us strive within our lives and the life of our church to regain the perspective of the awesomeness of God. Let us remember that our lives are acts of worship to Him. May we pray, praise and worship in a manner that is worthy of the God to whom we offer these gifts. Let us say with the Psalmist, Praise the LORD Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals, Let everything that has breath praise the LORD Praise the LORD. Psalm 150 Staff List Morning Star Staff STAFF LISTING EDITOR IN CHIEF Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH SENIOR EDITOR - Biblical Department Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA SENIOR EDITOR - Christian Life Department Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA FEATURES AREA EDITOR Dale Strand - Dublin, CA LITERARY EDITOR Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA Clark Stephens - Huntington Beach, CA J.C. Trudel - Naples Park, FL Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS and WINDOWS Editions Steve Paulovich - Derry, NH NETWORK DISTRIBUTION: AMERICA ONLINE Network: Jerry White - Germantown, MD COMPUSERVE Network: Jorge Lopez - Lubbock, TX GENIE Network: Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA DELPHI Network: Derrick Shipman - Greenville, SC DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION - USA Walter H. 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If you downloaded MORNING STAR from a network or BBS, we ask no money, but please help us out by sending us a postcard. Let us know where you live and what network or BBS you found this on! Please send us your comments and suggestions. Features Praise and Worship Praise and Worship by Ralph Rechnitz PRAISE AND WORSHIP By Pastor Ralph Rechnitz The Lord's Church Danville, CA Psalm 102:18 says, "This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created, may praise the Lord". (NKJV) To become God's instruments of praise, is to fulfill our destiny as the end-time body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. I Peter 2:9 says we are to "show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light." There is a move of the Holy Spirit that is coming to the Body of Christ which is so exciting, because it is bringing us into a new dimension and dynamic of God's awesome power, displayed in the area of praise and worship. We can experience new heights and depths of worship in the presence of God. How do we prepare for such an encounter? Surrender. Total, absolute surrender. Romans 12:1 says we are to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service (spiritual worship)". This is the truest act of worship. In the old testament, things that were sacrificed to God had to be killed. Today, God desires us to be LIVING sacrifices. This means that as we live unto Him, our own selfish ambitions and wills must die in order for us to become a "sacrifice". This attitude of the heart is what brings us into the area of worshipping in truth. "Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth". (John 4:24 NKJV) As we surrender ourselves in this way, I believe God will unfold new forms of praise and worship in the Church. We'll hear new kinds of music used to glorify God. There will be a diversity of talents, gifts and styles that will spill out of the four walls of the Church and literally invade every culture and people group. Nations will be touched by this move of God and we'll see the fulfillment of Psalm 100:1, "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands". Let's look again now at the rest of Psalm 102, beginning at verse 19: "For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those appointed to death, to declare the Name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord". Apparently, there is a direct correlation between our praises to God, and Him hearing the groanings of those imprisoned by sin and setting free those appointed to death. PRAISE BREAKS THE ATMOSPHERE OF A SIN-COVERED WORLD! Marvelous things will happen in the earth as believers begin to wholeheartedly praise God both individually and corporately. Romans 8 says that all of creation awaits with earnest expectation for the manifestation of the sons of God. Let's stay on the cutting edge of what God is doing in the earth and grow into the praising Church to which we've all be called. The Language of the Kingdom of God The Language of the Kingdom of God by Denny L. Strand THE LANGUAGE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD By Denny L. Strand Bothell, Washington KEY VERSES: Heb. 13:15-16: "...let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name. But to do good and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Related Verses: Ps. 48:1-2, Ps. 47:6, Ps. 98:4, Ps. 150:2. KEY THOUGHT: True worship and praise produces character, and character produces a desire to evangelize the lost. When we learn how to effectively worship - our hearts will cry out for salvation for the lost. WHAT IS PRAISE AND WORSHIP? They are the language of the Kingdom of God. WHY SHOULD WE PRAISE AND WORSHIP? Praise and worship flow in recognition of God's virtues. Praise always involves something to be thankful for, as it did with the Psalmist, David (Ps. 8:3-4) when he said, "When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy hands, the moon, and the stars which Thou hast ordained, what is man that Thou art mindful of him...". David's expression of worship was fixed upon the majesty of God and His creation. We are to operate and flow in Kingdom Language because of who God is, and also in recognition of his virtues and attributes. True praise and worship is not only Kingdom Language, but the deepest expression of love from the heart of man to the heart of God. CAUTION: How many times have we attempted to praise and worship God through our words when we were really not saying anything at all? Sometimes our words are like boxes with nothing in them - we say a lot of words, but what we convey is empty and meaningless. We use nice catchy phrases and religious sounding words - glory to God, thank you Lord, Hallelujah - words that are common to religious upbringing, but they're just an outer package tied with a bow and maybe even with the smell of perfume - but so many times they're still just an empty box! God doesn't want just the container. He wants the true and pure heart on the inside of the vessel. The word "PRAISE" carries quite a depth of meaning when you examine each letter and apply it to God's truths on praise and worship: P - Pull yourself together (focus on what's important in your life). R - Raise your hands (the sign of surrender). A - Add your vocal cords (praise must be heard). I - In one spirit (flowing in unity of relationship). S - Singing from the heart (verbalize praise in word and song). E - Exalting God the Father (our ultimate purpose). The Psalmist, David, expresses it well in Ps. 34:1: "His praise shall continually be in my mouth." NOTE: When praise and worship is continual, there is no room for anything else such as criticism, hatred, unrighteous anger, bitterness, etc. The devil has his counterfeits for everything God created. In addition to a Language of the Kingdom, there is also a language of darkness. This language includes complaining, grumbling and negativism. Notice the urgency of constant praise and worship as it relates to our daily lifestyle: Praise and worship is a refueling mixture with anti-knock ingredients that keeps our body, soul, and spirit running smoothly. One cannot get through the hazards of life unscathed when they're not using the proper fuel. No matter how much you "pump your pedal" or "choke your carburetor", you'll never move forward if your "tank" is empty. There's not a person living who doesn't know when their "tank" is empty. An empty "tank" reflects depression, resentment, irritation, worry, and fear and what follows is always expressions from the devil's kingdom - the language of darkness. The refueling station is God's Word and His church. It's also a repair ship for those who have "blown their head gaskets". Some of the Biblical methods of praise and worship fall into the following categories: Singing (Heb. 2:12), singing in the spirit (I Cor. 14:15) making a joyful noise (Ps. 100:1), clapping and shouting (Ps. 47:1), and lifting up hands (Ps. 141:2). If we're not praising and worshipping believers, we're dead and decaying. Ps. 115:17 says, "The dead praise not the Lord". When praise and worship continually flow out of a humble heart, lives will be changed, God's anointing will be evident, your "tank" will be full and your "mileage" endless. "Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...". Is 61:3. The Payload is Praise The Payload is Praise by Moishe Rosen THE PAYLOAD IS PRAISE By Moishe Rosen (From The JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER, vol 5:5752) Language can cover and conceal a matter even while it exposes or discloses facts. It says as much about the speaker as it does about the subject. All too often we disguise our motivation and make excuses in the argot or slang of our day. We choose to express ourselves through certain metaphors that give us comfort and self-affirmation. Yet sometimes in doing that we deceive ourselves. A good example of this kind of self-deception is the term "burnout." We use the word to denote a certain kind of malaise or weariness that seems to afflict many of us in this day and age. The word "burnout" came into being with the space age, and it is not to be confused with an earlier phrase, "burned out," from the mechanical age. In modern language "burnout" is used to describe those who, like ignited rockets, have used up all of their energy and have dropped back with their motivational powers entirely spent. The older term "burned out" refers to mechanical bearings, where moving parts of machinery have been neglected and the heat produced by friction has caused damage that severed the connection to the power source. "Burned out" means neglected to the point of dysfunction, but "burnout" as we apply it to people means that they have given their all and have nothing left to give. The metaphor falls far short, in that a rocket always carries enough fuel to accomplish its mission, and once it has accomplished what it should, it exists only as a shell to be discarded. Yet those who claim they are suffering from "burnout" are not ready to admit that they ought to be discarded. They are merely expressing a need to be regenerated and renewed. Thus, the metaphor fails. There is yet another way in which the metaphor fails. Most people who are undergoing what they call "burnout" are not really experiencing the problem because they have used all of their energy in reaching their goal. It is extremely rare to suffer genuinely from overwork. Rather the malaise that is so readily attributed these days to overwork usually comes from disengagement-something that can happen to anyone who works at any kind of job or who is a student. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9) Disengagement is what happens when people stop relating to the world outside them, to their own objectives, and most of all, in the case of Christians, to God. Disengagement or malaise happens when we release the initiative. We sever, as it were, the reins of control. At that point, if our tasks and relationships were horses, they would wander on as best they could, taking the wagon wherever they might. To overcome this we must learn how to focus our attention and wield ourselves. Unfortunately there are all too many who look for someone else to prod them or they will not move in the direction they ought to move. Usually the "burnout" occurs when the prodding stops and the individuals will not push themselves ahead. This malaise does not stem from a person's energy being depleted, but from a worker becoming exhausted because he or she does not want to have his or her ignition turned on. We experience this malaise not only through hard work. Sometimes it is brought on by intense relationships with people. Have you ever heard someone say of another person, "He/she wore me out"? I'm not talking about tired feet from too much shopping. I'm talking about listening, listening, listening-extending sympathy, empathy, pity and caring-while the other person soaks up that empathy like a sponge and still needs more. One example is a visit with a friend who does all of the talking and none of the listening. The visit will soon wear you out emotionally because in self-defense you will undergo disengagement. Or consider a woman who for years defines herself solely in terms of her maternal relationship. She undergoes a similar malaise and usually ends up cutting her relational ties and says, "I'm seeking to find out who I am. I know myself as a wife. I know myself as a mother. Now I want to know the real me." She finds herself in the midst of malaise not because she gave too much of herself, but because of the kind of wife-or mother-or worker she was. She was not alert. She did not learn to take proper satisfactions in her tasks. She was not mindful of what she received in return for all that she gave of herself. For the Christian there is an antidote to the problem of malaise-proper satisfaction. It happens in the realization that we are where God wants us to be, and we are doing what God wants us to do. Giving our all, spending ourselves and our energies for the right reason, ought to bring this kind of satisfaction, and with it will come praise-praise to God. When we work hard we ought to praise God-not seek to be praised ourselves (although certainly a word of encouragement never hurt anyone). When we inventory our lives and see the progress of those tasks to which we have committed ourselves (particularly those that turned out well when they could have gone badly), it brings us to the place of praising God. We relate to Him by our praise. And where we feel that we cannot praise Him for some specific life situation, we can still make the connection through praise so that we can motivate ourselves and petition Him to improve that particular situation. When we praise God, we stay connected with Him, and that connection is enough to take us through every circumstance. The unhappy marriage, the boring job, the opposition we face-all are made more than bearable when the activity of our praise releases the power of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives and make us more like Y'shua. Such praise will turn "burnout" to ignition of the second, third and endless successive stages of our lives as we face new challenges, new situations and new relationships. And we will grow in the process of being headed higher. When believers do not feel like praising God, it is a reliable indication of a backslidden condition. They have lost their awareness of the Almighty. They have burned out, rusted out, loosened their connection with Him. They have severed the reins of His control and are drifting aimlessly. On the other hand, if we as believers can re-establish our connection with the Lord through praise, we will find our energy level increased. We will know that we are serving Him to the best of our abilities in whatever circumstances He has placed us. Then we will find the fresh assurance that we can keep on with the task before us-that we can keep on glowing, growing and going, because we are constantly being refueled and moved forward in the Holy Spirit. Intercession and the Intercessor Intercession and the Intercessor by Joyce Bentley INTERCESSION AND THE INTERCESSOR By Joyce Bentley (Christian Friends of Israel, Jerusalem) When the Apostle Paul had set out something of his experiences, his sufferings, his burdens to the church in Thessalonica, he said, "Brethren, pray for us" or, as the Jewish New Testament translates it, in the present continuous, "Brothers keep praying for us+. (1) In our day there is a cry - conscious or unconscious -coming from the heart of Israel, "Intercessors, pray for us, pray for our people, for our nation which is constantly being criticized, and even hated, by the nations of the world." Paul wrote to the Colossians saying, "Since the day we heard it, we do not cease to pray and make request for you+. (2) He begged the Thessalonians to, "Pray without ceasing+. (3) In saying, "do not cease to pray for us+, did he expect the Thessalonians to leave their businesses, their daily occupations, in order to give themselves, on their knees, to praying for himself and for his co-workers? Certainly not. Intercession is not a matter of an occasional or even a frequent and regular use of words, a ceaseless succession of requests for a specific person nation or objective. Intercession means a going between two "poles, standing among different "parties+. The Greek word used in Romans 8:26, "making intercession+, means "to meet with in behalf of one+. An intercessor is a person - the whole of a person - who is doing a specific thing. If we are involved in the great ministry of praying for Israel and the Jewish people, it is not merely and only something that we are doing, but it is what we ARE that makes us an intercessor. Firstly, an intercessor needs to be aware of God's utter holiness and needs, therefore, to be clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus in order to be fit to make an appeal, bring a request, intervene on behalf of His people. Secondly, he needs to know what God's purposes for Israel are, and what is the goal towards which He is working, as well as His intentions for "today+, the fast-moving events of our time. Thirdly, an intercessor needs to be deeply and truly aware of the needs of the people for whom, or the nation, for which he is interceding. (There is much literature available from the CFI office. Information can also be obtained through the Jerusalem Post, the Jewish Chronicle and many other sources). As intercessors, that is, as people who are responsibly involved in "meeting God on behalf of Israel", we also need to remember that there are practical aspects to the work: SHARING We need to tell others what we know of God's purposes for Israel and of the situation there at present - politically, both internationally and within the nation; economically; religiously etc. We need to inform them of the .multitudinous needs of Messianic Believers; of immigrants; of Arabs and of foreigners in the land. CARING We need to speak and to stand up for Israel on every possible occasion; to do all we can in taking helpful and active steps in regard to letter writing to the media etc.; to become involved in meetings and conferences, whether Jewish or otherwise; to contribute financially and in many other ways to individuals' needs. PRAYING We need to encourage other Christians to spend much time with God, seeking to know and to understand further what is His will concerning Israel and the Jewish people, reminding them that "the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses for we don't know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit Himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words." (4) and, "He pleads for God 's own people in God 's own way." (5) God is looking for intercessors. "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of he land so that I would not have to destroy it." (6) May the Lord grant that we may be linked together with Israel and the Jewish people, knowing what it is to "bear their burden. (7) The Lord Jesus, the Perfect Intercessor, is linked with us and is "actually pleading on our behalf -. (8) He is able to do so because He knows what it Is to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities". (9) May He never need to say: "The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was none, and He was appalled that there was no one to intercede; so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will He repay wrath to His enemies and retribution to His foes; He will repay the islands their due. From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory. For He will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.+ (10) BIBLE REFERENCES (1) 2 Thess 5:25 (2) Colossians 1:9 (3) 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (4) Romans 8:26 (Jewish New Testament) (5) Romans 8:27 (New English Bible) (6) Ezekiel 22:30 (7) Galations 6:2 (8) Romans 8:34 (Jewish New Testament) (9) Hebrews 4:15 (10) Isaiah 59:16-19 (New International Version) Prayer - Giving God a Reason Prayer - Giving God a Reason by Pastor David J. Blacksmith PRAYER - GIVING GOD A REASON By Pastor David J. Blacksmith First Baptist Church Sonoma, CA There are dozens of books written on the doctrine of prayer. There are motivational books and pamphlets on the subject of prayer that could keep us busy reading for months. And recently, articles are streaming through Christian magazines challenging the Body of Christ to pray. Denominations are giving strong emphasis to prayer, urging their people to humble themselves and do some "carpet-chewing" for God; to pray for revival and spiritual wakening, and intercede for the lost world. Yet, many Christians find themselves praying constantly, continually, fervently, and urgently, only to go away from the throne room of God feeling empty. The emptiness is in knowing whether or not God is going to move. We leave oftentimes with the question, "Have I prayed the will of God?" I pray what follows in this article is practical, spiritual information that will challenge, enlighten, and transform your life of prayer. Frankly, it's something I've recently begun in my life of communion with the living Christ. Without question, it is causing revival in my life and those around me. I believe it will do the same for you if you but take a moment and let the God of Prayer speak to your heart and reveal whether or not this may very well be the secret to genuine prayer and a mighty movement of God in your life and prayers. Oftentimes when we approach the throne of God, we bring Him our burdens, requests, intercessions, and petitions, and leave without giving Him a reason to answer. A look at the prayers offered by godly men and women throughout Scripture, we find that they all had one thing in common ... they gave God a reason to answer. They not only had a request, but had a basis for asking. The particular basis they used varied with the person asking and the circumstances of their requests. But if we look carefully, we will always find a reason for God's granting their request. To look closely at the wording of the prayers themselves, one senses that the men and women of the Bible had heard God ask them, "Why should I grant this request?" Perhaps we could say that they approached prayer by seeking God's viewpoint. They wanted to pray for what God wanted to do. By doing so, they offered God a reason to grant their request. Ezra was a scribe and leader of the exiles in Babylon. He had asked King Artaxerxes for permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. The King granted his request (Ezra 7). Ezra was concerned about the safety of the people as they traveled to Jerusalem carrying large quantities of gold and silver for the Temple. We read in Ezra 8:21-23, "There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer." When Ezra had spoken to the king, he told him that "the gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him." Had Ezra asked the king for soldiers to protect them on their journey, he would have dishonored God. He had already told the king that God would provide safety. Should he now "trust in the arm of flesh?" He would have also dishonored God in his own distrust or unbelief that God would indeed be their protector. Ezra was concerned about the testimony of God. God had indeed answered Ezra's prayer by providing the people with safe passage to Jerusalem. "On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days." (Ezra 8:31-32) God answered this prayer because it was offered in order to protect His reputation as being One who protects those who seek Him. Moses offered a prayer on a similar basis. After the faithless report of the spies who were sent into the Promised Land, God threatened to slay the Israelites. (Numbers 14:11-12) But Moses prayed on behalf of God's honor. "If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert." (Numbers 14:13-14) Moses expressed a desire to protect God's honor and reputation amongst the nations. And not only did Moses pray to God on behalf on His honor, but pleaded based on His character. "Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now." (Numbers 14:17-19) Moses identified several qualities of God's character and asked God to respond to his request based on those very qualities. He believed God's power would be magnified in the eyes of the people when they experienced these qualities of God. How did God respond to Moses' prayer? "The Lord replied, I have forgiven them, as you asked." (Numbers 14:20) Nehemiah heard of the tragic situation of the Jews in Jerusalem, the breaking down of the walls and gates. It grieved his heart and moved him to prayer. "I said, O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you." (Nehemiah 1:5-6) Nehemiah acknowledged God as heavenly, great, awesome, and a keeper of His promises. Nehemiah approached God on the basis of who He is. And he humbled himself before God and confessed his sins and those of his people. This is just the beginning of his prayer. Nehemiah had more on his mind than just praising God. He was looking for great favor from Him. "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name. They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." (Nehemiah 1:8-11) How did God respond? "So the king asked me, Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart. I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire? The king said to me, What is it you want? Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it ... It pleased the king to send me. (Nehemiah 2:2-6) God honored Nehemiah's request because Nehemiah's request honored God. So far, we've seen that Ezra prayed on the basis of acknowledging God's honor and reputation. Moses did the same, while also acknowledging God's holy character. Nehemiah approached the Lord on Divine terms, acknowledging God's attributes and nature. God honored each request because each request honored Him. When Solomon wrote, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path" (Proverbs 3:5-6), he was expressing that acknowledging God is more than just saying, "Hey God. You've got the answer to this prayer." He was proclaiming that we must acknowledge God by mirroring God's character, His nature, His attributes, and His Word in our prayers. This gives Him reason to answer and causes us to come closer to Him in the prayer itself. God's sovereignty is another basis for our prayers. God's sovereignty means that God has supreme power, rank, and authority over all else. Sennacherib was gathering his Assyrian army against Hezekiah. Look what Hezekiah says. "And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God." (2 Kings 19:15-19) Hezekiah acknowledged God's sovereignty over all the kingdoms of the earth. He realized that a positive answer to his request would cause all the kingdoms of the earth to realize that truth as well. How did God answer? "Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria... That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!" (2 Kings 19:20, 35) The scene in Matthew 8:5-13 is truly marvelous. A Roman centurion approaches Jesus and has a request (a prayer). Jesus is moved by this man in a way that causes Him to speak very highly of the man's faith. "When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering. Jesus said to him, I will go and heal him. The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed ... When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (Matthew 8:5-10) The centurion based his petition to Christ for the healing of his servant on Christ's sovereignty. He did not expect Jesus to have to come to his home physically. He understood that Jesus' word was enough! How did Jesus respond? "Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go! It will be done just as you believed it would. And his servant was healed at that very hour." (Matthew 8:13) There are many other examples, but it's time to make the point. When you reflect on the character, nature, and attributes of God, and openly acknowledge them in prayer, and base your petitions on those very qualities of God, you will undoubtedly move to higher planes in your prayer life. God moves when He is exalted. God is pleased when He is glorified, for He said, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give another." (Isaiah 42:8) So the next time you go to prayer, reflect on the integrity of God's character. When you have a request to bring to Him, first ask yourself, "Why would God want to grant this request? What quality would God demonstrate of Himself should He grant the request?" Acknowledge that particular quality of God as your basis for your request. Six Steps to a Prayer Breakthrough Siz Steps to a Prayer Breakthrough SIX STEPS TO A PRAYER BREAKTHROUGH From Living Way Ministries Van Nuys, CA The Lord's Prayer Matthew 6:9-13. Vs. 9: "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by Your Name." 1. BEGIN WITH WORSHIP: Everything fits its proper perspective when we acknowledge the Almighty, All-Loving God and His unfailing resource. Vs 10: "Your kingdom come: Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." 2. SEEK THE LORD'S WILL: He has a plan and is seeking sons and daughters through whom His will may be administered on the planet. As we ask, He will answer. Vs 11: "Give us this day our daily bread." 3. ASK FOR YOUR PROVISION: We all have needs - and the Father stands willing to provide. Scripture declares boldly, "We have not because we ask not." Vs 12: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.: 4. FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN: Prayer is crippled by unforgiveness toward those who have hurt and failed us; also through a sense of inadequacy because of our own sin. Vs 13: "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one..." 5. FACE OUR REAL ADVERSARY: Target our intercession against satanic opposition. Don't waste spiritual energy against targets which hide the source of trouble. Demonic forces are real, and unless their power is broken, the battle goes unwon. Vs 13 Cont'd: "...for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." 6. STAND IN FAITH: He is advancing His Kingdom through us. It is not our power which secures victory, IT'S HIS. Having prayed, rest in faith and continue to worship the God of all power and glory. Copyright 1992 Living Way Ministries Van Nuys, CA 91405 Used By Permission The Goal of Our Salvation The Goal of Our Salvation by Bob Huitt THE GOAL OF OUR SALVATION By Bob Huitt Foster City, CA Have you ever wondered why God saved you? I don't mean, how could someone like you ever be saved, for that question is appropriately asked about each and every one of us. Instead, I'm think of objectives and goals; that is, "what is the purpose of your salvation?" Is it merely to keep you from a bad end -- you know, lake of fire and all that? No doubt about it, the Scriptures continually affirm that we have been saved from death, hell, and all that nasty business; but can we speak of being saved to something as well? "Sure," you say, "to heaven, streets of gold, being reunited with departed loved ones, freedom from pain, perfect bodies... oh yeah, and seeing Jesus." All good and true, but if we had to top the list, we would concede that the last is the first in terms of importance. Have you ever really though about what you will say to Jesus when you first see Him? Many might think of questions they want answered. Perhaps the theologically inclined would ask, "Jesus, who had it right -- Calvinists or the Arminians?" Those curious about anatomy could inquire whether Adam had a belly button. And those with a tabloid level of consciousness would be dying to know whether Elvis really did cash it in on August 16, 1977. Actually, although such queries may gorge our thought at the present, they will all shrivel away at the dazzling exhilaration we will know the moment we view the One who wrought and bought us. And that exhilaration will lead to one thing: WORSHIP. By coincidence, that just happens to be the goal of our salvation. A. W. Tozer said it like this: "The purpose of God in sending His Son to die and rise and live and be at the right hand of God the Father was that He might restore to us the missing jewel, the jewel of worship; that we might come back and learn to do again that which we were created to do in the first place - worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, to spend our time in awesome wonder and adoration of God, feeling and expressing it, and letting it get into our labors and doing nothing except as an act of worship of almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ." The Westminster Catechism said more succinctly: "What is the chief end [purpose] of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." And Jesus Himself declared that the Father was searching for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). The minute we become worshipers of God through Jesus Christ, we fulfill not only the goal of our salvation, but also the purpose of our creation. And as we learn how to "feel and express" our adoration of the One who made and remade us, we find ourselves in the very center of God's design and will for us. Come on, get with the program...: become a worshiper. Reprinted by permission of the author from "Communique," the church newsletter of Central Peninsula Church, Foster City, California. Worship Worship by Vernon Nepstad WORSHIP By Vernon Nepstad Pastor Emeritus - Retired Victory Temple Oakland, CA "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23, 24. There is in the heart of man a desire to worship something. God put it there because He seeks worship from the man He created. It is almost impossible to comprehend how seemingly intelligent men could ever bow down and worship dead, cold, stone, idols. Yet even today, sadly, there are thousands who bow their knees to idols. Abraham was one of the earliest Bible characters diligent in his worship of the true God. There is a legend concerning him: "Abraham's people were fire worshippers. But Abraham did not want a God who could be quenched by water. They they told him to worship the water. But he saw how the sun had power over the water and refused to worship it. So they asked him to worship the sun as it was one of the greatest of all created things. Yet, Abraham said it lacked power at times, to light the world so he rejected it. Then he said the One who created the sun is the One who should be worshipped". And so Abraham's closeness to God and favor with God happened as a direct result of his worship of God. We do not know how much truth there is in this legend, but we do know that God called Abram (his name was later changed to Abraham) out from his idol-worshipping people and asked him to go to a land He would show him. When he reached Canaan, he built an altar unto the Lord (Gen 12:7). The religion of Abram was passed on to his son, Isaac, and to his grandson, Jacob. Then it was delivered to the twelve patriarchs, who were the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. They became His own chosen people. He gave them the law and demanded worship of them. He told them, "Thou shalt worship no other God, for the Lord, is a jealous God, and Him only shalt thou serve". (See Matt. 4:10). Even so, they kept turning away from the LORD and worshipped idols. Our text says that true worshippers will worship God in spirit and in truth and that God seeks such people to worship Him. Will YOU, have YOU answered His call? Lifestyle Worship Lifestyle Worship by Gary Hodges LIFESTYLE WORSHIP By Gary Hodges Music Pastor New Life Christian Fellowship Gulf Breeze, FL Lately it seems that God is moving us more into the area of spiritual warfare in our worship. If we are believers, doing battle in the spiritual realm is a part of our existence. But how does this apply to our worship? Second Chronicles 20 gives us an astounding example of how effective our obedient worship can be. Judah, under the rule of King Jehoshaphat, was about to be attacked by a vast army. There was no hope of winning this battle on their own. Here are the steps they took: 1. The people came together to seek help from the Lord (vs 4) 2. Jehoshaphat prayed; proclaiming God's power and their lack of power to face the enemy. But their eyes were upon God. (vs 6-12) 3. The whole assembly waited on the Lord. (vs 13) 4. A prophecy was given saying the battle was not theirs, but God's. However, they were commanded to march down against them. (vs 15-17) 5. All the people worshiped the Lord. They praised Him even before He had done anything they could see. (vs 18-19) 6. They set out to meet their vast enemy with unarmed men leading the way, singing and praising the Lord. (vs 20-21) What were they singing? "Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever." They weren't proclaiming how God was to go about routing the enemy. They put their trust in Him and allowed Him to do the rest. So what did they find as they reached the overlook to the battle site? The enemy had been destroyed completely! Incredible, huh? When we are faced with attacks by the enemy, what should be our response? Keep our eyes focused on God, do what He tells us, and allow Him to do the rest, always keeping our hearts in a worshiping attitude toward Him. Biblical Department New In Christ New In Christ SOME THOUGHTS ON DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES By Toby Trudel I went to a large church in Florida a little while back while on vacation. There were well over 1,000 people there. I heard the Word of God preached, and I learned some more. I was in a small chapel in New Hampshire last weekend, about 50 adults were present. I heard the Word of God preached, and I learned some more. I've been to churches that believed the gifts of the Holy Spirit (praying in tongues and prophetic utterances), are for today. The pastor preached and taught from the Bible and I was blessed. I've been to churches that did not believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today. The pastor preached and taught from the Bible and I was blessed. I've listened to born again Christian preachers who believe that once saved, you could not ever lose your salvation (Calvinism). I left, glad that I was saved, and didn't lose sleep over my status with God. I've listened to born again Christian preachers who believe that once saved, you could indeed lose your salvation (Arminianism). I left, glad that I was saved, and didn't lose sleep over my status with God. There are no perfect churches, for we all see darkly. True Christians will always have minor doctrinal differences until the Lord returns. However, I CAN worship my God in a church which differs with my views on such issues. My faith is in the Word of Christ, not that of any man or woman. As long as a church claims the Word of God ALONE as the sole authority, teaches the inerrancy of Scripture, and preaches salvation through faith only, (repentance from all sin and total commitment to Jesus Christ ALONE), I can show tolerance for these differences, worship Christ, and learn something. "Religions" who give merit to extra-Biblical teachings, or their own church traditions, or who claim the Bible is anything but the complete, inerrant Word of God, or who skirt the issue of becoming born again, or who preach "good works" as a way to earn salvation, I must reject. I reject them, NOT because they are "not to my liking" - for I greatly enjoyed the comfort of such religion for most of my life. Rather, I cannot accept them, for they are in opposition to the teachings of Jesus and the rest of the God-inspired New Testament writers. I believe that there are only two religions in the final analysis - man's and God's. I lived too many years with the former, I thank God for opening my eyes to the truth of the latter. Bible Study Bible Study This issue features a study of Psalm 2. Future studies will include other Psalms, and books from both the Old and New Covenants. JUST WHO'S IN CHARGE? - Psalm 2 There is a question on everybody's mind. "Who's in charge here?" The question creates an continuous battle at the individual level. Husbands and wives fight over who is in charge of the marriage. Children and parents fight over who is to be in charge in the home. Employees and employers fight over who is in charge in the office. And, individuals fight over who is in charge in society. Throughout society, fighting goes on, politics continues--all over the question of who's in charge. Right now the question is "Who's going to be President?" The nation is deciding whether he will be a Republican, Democrat, or none of the above. Who will be in charge? In the Middle East, it isn't clear if anyone is in charge. Through out the world fighting goes on, politics continues, all over the question of who's in charge. This same question creates hostility and rebellion within the church. Churches fight over whether the denomination or the local church is in charge. So called religious leaders fight over whether they or their elders are in charge. So called theologians debate whether Scripture or their views are in charge. And one big question is whether or not the Bible or social pressures are supposed to set direction for life--morality, and everything. "Believers" argue what or who is in charge over the Christian life, experience or God's word. Throughout Christendom fighting goes on, politics continues, all over the question of who's in charge. Apparently, there is an awful lot of people who don't have any idea who is in charge. But, they are clear about one point--they want to be in charge! Satan told Eve that she and Adam could be gods. The cause of the fall is the basis of sin today: people putting themselves in God's place. The author of Psalm 2 understands that the final battle over who is in charge is between mankind and a sovereign God. And this will be seen in this study. But, the outcome of the battle already been decided. There is a clear answer as to who is in charge. The problem is that people won't accept the answer. First, this study will examine the context of the passage. Second, the text will be reviewed. Finally, consideration will be given to the call to let God be in charge. The primary focus of Psalm 2 is on the unrighteous. They are rebelling against the Lord and His Anointed One, the Messiah--Jesus. The psalm recounts the final victory which will occur with the millennial rule of Messiah. The battle over who is in charge began when Satan tempted Eve to rebel against God. Later Satan tried to destroy the Hebrew people, hoping to prevent the coming of Messiah. Herod continued the struggle when he tried to find the infant Jesus and have Him put to death. The war will only end with the final judgment after the reign of Messiah over the earth. Only then will all in rebellion be forced to recognize that it is God who is in charge. The Psalm is broken down into sections reflecting movement between earth and heaven. Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in his commentary on the Psalms, pictures it as a television program with a camera in each location that is switched back and forth. * The psalm has four sections, each broken down into three verses. The first and fourth deals with conditions on earth. The second and third sections show the response in heaven. Psalm 2:1-3. The nations are in rebellion against God. The word nations is Goyam and refers to the gentile people. This suggests the rebellion ends just before the millennial age. In this period, the nation Israel has returned to God. As a result she is no longer included in the action. Examining the three verses it becomes clear that people of all status are present. Rebellion against God is the bane of the human race. Note the delusion of mankind. People think they can remove themselves from the authority of God. It is the same delusion, the fallacious idea that men can choose for themselves whatever is right or wrong, that first led to the fall. "'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil'" (Genesis 3: 4-5). As one reads through scripture it becomes clear that mankind hates God. The reason there are so many religions is that individuals are trying to create a view of God consistent with their view of life. They chose to come up with their own gods. Even the nicest individuals, (good people), are in rebellion against the Lord. As long as they go their way and no one infringes on their independence, they are fine. But, if believers let them know they are sinners in need of a Savior, the believer had better duck. Unbelievers doesn't want to be told they are lost without God's intervention. What is their response? It is rage against God and then the "imagining of a vain thing," that is, that they think they can escape His authority. Notice what these individuals said: "Let us break out from the control of God and His anointed one, Messiah." It is hard to fathom the depth of people's delusions. This is a world where a significant number of individuals ignore the involvement of God in both the world at large and in their own lives, specifically. Many hold the view that God should consider Himself lucky they are even willing to give Him any attention at all. Therefore, He must accept whatever they have to offer. God must live by man's rules not the other way around. Is it any wonder that the warning against the coming judgment of God is hated? "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation'" (2 Peter 3:3-4). Psalm 2:4-6. So here is a scene much like a stirred up ant hill. Men are running around in circles trying to get out from under God's authority. In contrast the scene in heaven is tranquil, peaceful. Spurgeon expresses it succinctly: "Mark the quiet dignity of the Omnipotent One, and the contempt which he pours upon the princes and their raging people. He has not taken the trouble to rise up and do battle with them--he despises them, he knows how absurd, how irrational, how futile are their attempts against him--he therefore laughs at them." ** The ants are going to tell men how to run "their" garden. One can have nothing but contempt for this level of self-delusion. So what is the Lord's response? He will judge by His word. He will speak to them out of His anger! As His word created the universe, His word spoken in righteous anger is adequate to judge mankind. God says He will also respond by the placing of Messiah on the throne over the nations. Messiah will finally sit on the throne of His father David and rule from Jerusalem over the entire world. Man has revolted against the invisible rule of God and so will receive the direct rule of Messiah. Mankind will live under a theocracy where there will be no question as to who's in charge. Hear the word of the Lord, His wrath will not always be withheld. Psalm 2:7-9. Now Messiah speaks for Himself quoting the Father. God tells Messiah that first, He is the only begotten Son, brought forth from the grave--speaking of the resurrection (See Acts 13:33). It is the work of the cross, Messiah's death and God's power exemplified by the resurrection, which is the foundation of His rule at the second coming. "That power is like the working of His (God's) mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church..." (Ephesians 1:19-22). Obviously, this is said to benefit believers. Clearly, Messiah is to rule over the world and the church both of which are His. This rule of the world will be an authoritarian one. Messiah will be taking the rule from those who are in rebellion against God. This means that these people will be broken. They will accept His rule whether or not they want it. Proof of this is the fact that at the end of the Millennial age, when Satan is released, mankind will again rise up against Messiah. "When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle" (Revelation 20: 7). Psalm 2:10-12. There is an alternative to rebellion and judgment. Mankind, from the least to the greatest, has the opportunity to turn to God. The end of revolt requires a recognition of personal sinfulness. People must accept that in God lies all authority and power. It is only by throwing oneself onto the mercy of God, coming to Him on His terms, that His wrath can be satisfied. People must worship God--give Him the awe and reverence which belongs to Him. Notice that not only must one worship God, but also Messiah. They are instructed to kiss the son; that is give Him the honor that God requires. For those that say, "I believe in God, but I don't think it is necessary to accept Messiah," the Lord says either do homage, or wrath will fall on you. Finally, for mankind, the question will change! It will no longer be "Who's in charge?" The answer will be obvious--Messiah. The question will be whether people will follow Him and be saved or continue to rebel and be judged. This has always been the question, but most people won't admit it! So where does this leave the Christian? It is the believer's responsibility to bring the gospel to the lost. It is the reality of Messiah's ultimate victory and His authority which provides the courage to give out this message. It is the believer's relationship with Him that empowers him or her to live within the midst of this reality. But first, while God should be in charge, you have the freedom to control your own life. Too often, while believers accept the gift of salvation, they struggle with the issue of control over all aspects of their lives. At one level, they truly want God in control, but because of the old nature they take it back. As Paul notes: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does" (Romans 7: 15-20). It is important that you constantly remember that every aspect of your life must honor the Lord and be a witness for Him. To live this way, we must depend on Him to overcome the sinful self. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Messiah our Lord" (Romans 7: 24-25)! It is only as you recognize and act on your need to depend on the Holy Spirit for direction and power that you can give over control to the Lord. As you look to decisions of life, how to raise children, where to work, how to use your time and spend your resources, remember the Lord needs to be your source of direction. You must listen for the leading of His Spirit. You must be open to the truths of Scripture. Also consider the input of more mature believers. Your focus should be to find God's direction. By the way, this isn't a game between God and the believer. Too often Christians act as if life is a mystery, a game in which they must guess what God wants. "Should I pick door number one, two or three? I have no way to know and if I pick the wrong one I'll get in trouble." If you truly desire His will, He will make it clear. He doesn't place you in a position where, if you are seeking His will, you will make the wrong choice because He hasn't given you a way to know what is right. If believers are to witness for God, they must live for Him. The clearest witness isn't words, it is lives. If believers understand that His is the final victory, and that to reject Him is to fall under His judgment, then they must strive to get this truth to the lost. Look at the people that you come in contact with and see them as God does. Many, if not most, of those you are looking at are on the way to Hell. They are separated from the Lord now and face a future of eternal separated from Him. While it is the Holy Spirit Who is responsible for conversion. Believers are the ones God has chosen as His instruments. Knowing that God is in control of all things, you should have no reason to be concerned with what the response to truth is. You must simply present the gospel to those who need to hear it's message. Mankind will continue to rebel until the final judgment. This is reality! Believers are God's ambassadors to the rebelling world. This is reality! You must choose! You have the choice, as an act of will, to live under the power of the Holy Spirit. You can reach out to all those around you: family, friends, whoever the Lord puts you in contact with. You can give the gospel, presenting them with the opportunity to bow before the Lord by choice, not by force. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him that name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2: 9-11). * J. Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE WITH J. VERNON MCGEE, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982, Vol. 2, p. 668. ** C. H. Spurgeon, THE TREASURY OF DAVID, Macdonald Publishing Company, Vol. 1, p. 11. Special Studies - Correction Special Studies [Publisher's note: The following article should have appeared in the July 1992 issue of Morning Star. This is part 1 of a 2 part article, the second part appeared in the August 1992 issue. I apologize for the confusion. SWP] The Bible is an account of God's relationship to man, a covenant relationship. We find this from the day of creation to the eternal relationship we can have with the Messiah. This is the seventh in a series of articles detailing the individual covenants found within Scripture. This issue's article is one of two dealing with the subject of symbols and types. There are many symbols and types within Scripture. Some can be interrupted dogmatically and others can't. We can interpret types dogmatically when they are explained in Scripture. For example, the serpent in the wilderness is a picture of Christ. We are told this in the New Testament. On the other hand, Joseph can be taken as a picture of Christ because much of his life fulfills the pattern of Christ's life. But we can't be dogmatic in our understanding because nowhere in Scripture are we told that Joseph is a type of Christ. Keeping this distinction in mind we present the following. ------------------------ HE IS REVEALED IN SYMBOLS AND TYPES By Rev. Dr. Charles A. Wootten God reveals Himself through many symbols and types. Rather than hide these revelations of God within the text of overviews of various instances and situations, we shall first list the symbols followed by a listing of the types in the next issue. A symbol is a representation, i.e., one thing standing for another. A type is a prophetic representation, i.e., one thing foreshadowing another. We shall see herein symbolic actions, colors, creatures, directions, names, and objects. Although we do not recognize numerology as a basis of Christian belief, a selection of vital numbers that aid in the understanding of God's revelation will be added. Since this overview of symbols and types is brief the reader should use a concordance to locate the references of the symbols and types. He can follow the chain of thought involved in them throughout the Scriptures. Therefore, specific references will be omitted in the basic interest of brevity. Actions. Anointing. Anointing is the act of smearing with oil for the purposes of consecration. Consecration is that act that separate from the worldly, or common, to that which is holy. This action is even more readily seen in receiving Divine equipping from the Holy Spirit for service unto God for the believer. Breathing. This is just more than inhaling and exhaling life-giving oxygen for us mere mortals. God reveals Himself in breathing as a symbol for the giving of life. Circumcision. The symbolic action that shows the revelation of God in a person's life in that He cuts away the flesh life to reveal His life in the believer. The Lifting of Hands. This represents the taking of an oath, or giving praise to Him, and surrender to Him. There are many more symbolic actions that help us in finding the revelation of God. If we but check all that we do unto the Lord then this list becomes greater and greater. In your daily prayer chronicle begin to write down those actions that you do that symbolize the revelation of God. The symbolic colors are found in the Tabernacle and in the Temple and on the Priestly garments. Amber: This material is quite hard having neither taste nor smell until pounded or heated. When those two activities are enacted, either singly or together, then there is noticed a distinctly fragrant odor. In revealing God, this symbolizes the glory of God in all His Divine Majesty. Black: This is the color of night; destitute of light. It is also a sullen attitude; an atrociously wicked action; the destitution of all colors. So, it is symbolic of sin, death, and famine. It is the very opposite of God's desire for us. Blue: This is one of the seven colors of the rainbow. Its significance is the revelation of God through the Holy Spirit and the showing of heaven. Crimson: This is a very deep color of red tinged with blue. God reveals Himself through this color in that it represents His blood atonement and the sacrifices that He requires. Purple: This color has more of a bluish tinge than does crimson. In the imperial government of Rome purple was the distinguishing color that separated emperors from anyone else. In Kingdom of God it denotes the color of kingship, His Kingship. Red: In several languages (Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic) this word means to bring down, to invade, to subdue, to have dominion. Red is one of the primary colors that has several applications as we have seen. In our context red is graphically symbolic of bloodshed or war. Scarlet: This is a bright, beautiful color, brighter than crimson and symbolizes also blood atonement and sacrifice. White: This color is as pure snow and represents the basics of purity, light, and righteousness. Revelation 19:8 (NKJV) states, "And to her (the wife of the Lamb) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." A few of the symbolic creatures are: the clean animals thus symbolizing Christ and the saints; the unclean animals representing the Antichrist, Satan, sinners, and generally the Gentile nations. The bullock symbolizes the sacrifice that leaders must make in His service. The goat represents sinners. The scapegoat is symbolic of Christ, our sinbearer. While the eagle is symbolic of swiftness, it is the eagle's wings that provide the supernatural transportation. Also of interest are the numbers that symbolize God's Truths. By following out the number schemata in the entire Bible we shall not find one instance of disagreement. The number one symbolizes God who is the source, the beginning, the first. The number two is the minimum number for witness or testimony. Three is the manifestation of the Godhead: a perfect testimony. The winds, seasons, and earth corners are represented by the number four. Grace, atonement, life is shown in the number five. Six is the number of man, and also of Satan. Perfection and completeness is found in the number seven. The number eight is symbolic of the new beginning. Nine is the figure of completeness, finality, fullness (think of the number of months for the fruit of the womb). And, finally, ten is the number for law, government, restoration. There are man-made objects that also symbolize God and His Kingdom. The altar is a place of sacrifice and for incense. As pointed out earlier, Noah's Ark represented not only salvation but the fullness of the Godhead. The purity of the sound of the bell is symbolic of the sweet sound of the voice. Trials, afflictions, and pressures are represented in the furnace. Iron and brass represent His judgment. The staff is the shepherd's protection. The covering for the pilgrim or stranger is by the tent. The voice of prophetic utterance is represented by the trumpet. In natural objects in the animal world we find that the fat of offerings represents inward warmth and truth. For natural minerals dust is the frail nature of man; oil is the anointing of the Spirit; salt is symbolic of judgment on people and on the land; sand is the physical seed of Abraham; smoke is the overpowering presence of God; and precious stones are symbols of the glories of the twelve tribes. Mankind has been staring at the sky from the beginning. There are many objects in the sky that symbolize the various revelations of God. The cloud, similar to the smoke, surrounds the Shekinah glory of God. However, in the plural, clouds represent several things, such as: the chariots of God; the glory of God; hosts of people; and armies of the enemy. Rain is a revival, a refreshing; an outpouring of the Spirit and the Word. The rainbow has no other symbolic meaning other than the Seal of God's covenant with His people, despite claims of the New Age movement to the contrary. The stars are the light-bearers of those who are fallen away in apostasy. The glory of God the Father is seen in the sun. The sun, moon, stars are symbolic of glory of the Godhead and even resurrection. Spiritual power, whether for bad or good, is represented by the wind. In the religious aspect symbolic objects have even more a precious idea of the representation of the revelation of God. The Ark of His Covenant is the idea of Christ in the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The unleavened cakes are shown as the purity of life presented to God. The golden candlestick is Christ the light in whom dwells God's fullness. The incense represents not only the prayers of the saints but also intercession. The brazen laver is the emblem of our sanctification and separation. The white raiment is the priest's attire. The blue ribband is a reminder of God's laws. The tabernacle indicates God's habitation with each believer. The table of shewbread is an indication of nourishment and communion with God. The veil is a device that gives us access to God. The symbolic places are interesting as they show the journey along the narrow way to God. Babylon is the city of Satan and confusion. Canaan represents our inheritance in Him. The Cities of Refuge represent refuge in Him and in the Church. Eden is the Paradise of God. Egypt betokens bondage. Jerusalem is the City of God and peace (note the difference between this City and Babylon). The Jordan River symbolizes death to self and baptism. Mount Ebal is the mountain of cursing; Mount Gerizim is the mountain of blessing. Mount Moriah is the mountain of sacrifice and the temple; and Mount Sinai is the mountain of law and covenant. The Red Sea is symbolic of the baptism in water. Moses' Tabernacle was built after very specific instructions from God. Since these instructions were very specific, that shows God had a purpose and a meaning for each item. These are: blue showing the Lord from Heaven. Brass represents His capacity to endure judgment for sin. Gold is His divine glory and nature. The fine linen is symbolic of His holiness and righteousness. Silver shows His redemptive ministry and power. The badger's skins shows His protection and unattractiveness to the unregenerate. The skins of rams dyed red represents substitution. The precious stones are His priestly glories and perfections for His people. The shittim (acacia) wood shows His incorruption. All symbols are generally interpreted within Scriptural context. Sometimes a symbol may be used to symbolize more than one thing such as Christ, the saints, and the devil (Revelation 5:5; I Peter 5:8, etc.). If the symbol seems to be uninterpreted in the Word, consider the surrounding context for the thought as its very nature gives clue to its interpretation. Next, we shall consider the types. Special Studies Special Studies GOD IS REVEALED IN THE PALESTINIAN COVENANT By Dr. Charles A. Wootten The Palestinian Covenant was made in the land of Moab with the second generation out of Egypt. This covenant was affirmed at the end of the forty years of wandering, just before they entered into the Land promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. It laid down for all generations the conditions for entering and maintaining the Promised Land. In association with the Mosaic Covenant we find a little known covenant called the Palestinian Covenant. Its authority comes from Deuteronomy 29:1 (or 28:69 in the Jewish Publication Society's translation of the Torah). This passage clearly distinguishes it from the Mosaic Covenant by stating, "in addition to the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb." The Palestinian Covenant was made in the plains of Moab with the second generation and gave laws for the Land. The purpose of this covenant was to express the conditions for entering into and maintaining occupancy of the Promised Land. God is revealed herein as providing a place to live and survive for the ones He has called out of bondage. This bondage was not only physical slavery replete with the overseer's whips and chains, but also a mental and spiritual bondage. The first generation of the Israelites failed to see the Promised Land and died without entering into covenant rest. In Numbers 13,14, Deuteronomy 8:1-16, and Hebrews 3,4 we find God's laws are kept only if we keep our hands off our lives and commit them to Christ, acknowledging Him to be our Lord and our Saviour. This is the culmination of the covenant rest. We walk in the assurance that He is Lord and that it is His will, not ours, which shall prevail. The disobedience of the first generation of Israelites resulted in the giving of the Palestinian Covenant. The Israelites failure is recorded in Numbers 13 and 14. At Kadesh- Barnea they searched the land for forty days, believed the "evil report," and in unbelief rejected the covenant land promised to Abraham. This generation went through the cycle of probation, failure, and judgment which led to the new generation receiving the next covenant. The important thought to remember is that the Palestinian Covenant reaffirms and fully amplifies the conditions of the Mosaic Covenant for the keeping of the land promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. The new generation received a reaffirmation and amplification of the Mosaic Covenant for the keeping of the Land promised in that covenant. The Palestinian Covenant rehearsed the moral and civil laws of the Mosaic Covenant. What God promised was a Land overflowing with blessing (Leviticus 25:23,24; Deuteronomy 8:7-10; 11:9-17; 26:15; 28:11-13). In Leviticus 25:23,24 God forbade the selling of the Land beyond reclaim because "the Land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me." God described the Land as: * A land of prosperity. * A land that has a wealth of minerals. * A land of many rivers and fountains. * A land He would watch over and protect. * A land of fruitfulness. * A land watered by early and latter rains. * A land of valleys and hills. (see also Deuteronomy 8:7-10; 11:9-17; 26:15; 28:11-13; Leviticus 26:3-13). The Promises of Blessing (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) would come upon them and they would receive the Blessings in all areas and aspects of their lives. These Promises of Blessing have not been canceled, and we, the joint heirs, may reap these blessings in the Spirit. When Israel is restored and the land in obedience, under the rule of the Messiah, they will again experience them. The blessings of the Palestinian Covenant are: * Blessed in commerce. * Blessed in national position. * Blessed in seasonal rains. * Blessed in labor. * Blessed in storehouses. * Blessed in victory over enemies. * Blessed in daily activities. * Blessed in daily provision. * Blessed in fruitfulness. * Blessed in the field. * Blessed in the city. All these began their fulfillment when Joshua led them in their possession and conquest of the Land. Joshua (11:23; 21:43-45) records their victory over their enemies and the dividing of the Land into the tribal inheritances. The greatest extent of their conquest came under the leadership of David. The greatest extent of their material prosperity came during the reign of King Solomon. On the other hand the Promises of Cursing (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) are spelled out to take effect upon disobedience to His commandments. These are distinctly called curses of the covenant. God is bound by His word to judge them for their disobedience (I Kings 8; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27:15-26). The curses are the opposite of the blessings: * Cursed in the city. * Cursed in the field. * Cursed in daily provision. * Cursed in fruitfulness. * Cursed in daily activities. * Cursed in labor. * Cursed in diseases. * Cursed in the Land. * Cursed in the lack of rains. * Cursed in defeat by their enemies. * Cursed in captivities. * Cursed in domestic life. * Cursed in possessions. * Cursed in national position. The fulfillment of these promises of cursing began in the time of the Judges when the people turned away from God to idols (Judges 2). The books of Ruth, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles record when these promises of cursing were fulfilled. The ultimate fulfillment came with the captivities of the houses of Israel and Judah. The terms of the covenant were very simple: Obey the Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 27:1-4), maintain their love for God, (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; 18:12-16; 30:6-8), and rest for the Land (Leviticus 25:1-22). The overwhelming emphasis in the Palestinian Covenant was on obedience. There had to be obedience to the moral laws as well as the laws of the Land. The most specific term attached to this covenant was the keeping of the seventh year and jubilee Sabbath rest for the land. There is no specific oath attached to the blessings of the covenant, but there is an oath attached to the curses. This oath was meant to assure Israel of the certainty and severity of God's punishment upon their covenantal disobedience. The blood of the covenant was to be shed in the same manner as the Mosaic Covenant (see also Leviticus 1,2,3). Deuteronomy 27 begins: "Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying: Observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day. As soon as you have crossed the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones. Coat them with plaster and inscribe upon them the words of this Teaching. When you cross over to invade the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you--upon crossing the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I charge you this day, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster. There, too, you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not wield an iron tool over them; you must build the altar of the Lord your God of unhewn stones. You shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God, and you shall sacrifice there offerings of well-being and eat them, rejoicing before the Lord your God." There could be no land of rest apart from sacrifice. The seal of the covenant has two parts: the Sabbath rest (Leviticus 25:1-17) and the sending of the early and latter rains (Deuteronomy 11:10-17; 28:1-8; I Kings 8:35-40; Joel 2). Just as the principles of rest and rain upon obedience to the covenant are applicable in the natural they are also applicable in the spiritual." For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building" (I Corinthians 3:9 (NKJV)), "waiting patiently for . . . the early and latter rain" (James 5:7(b) (NKJV); cf. also Joel 2:18-52). Of especial interest in respect to this covenant is what happened just after the Israelites entered the Land. "At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the Israelites--as is written in the Book of the Teaching of Moses--an altar of unhewn stone upon which no iron had been wielded. They offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and brought sacrifices of well-being. And there, on the stones, he inscribed a copy of the Teaching which Moses had written for the Israelites. All Israel-- stranger and citizen alike--with their elders, officials, and magistrates, stood on either side of the Ark, facing the Levitical priests who carried the Ark of the Lord's Covenant. Half of them faced Mount Gerizim and half of them faced Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded them of old, in order to bless the people of Israel. After that, he read all the words of the Teaching, the blessing and the curse, just as it is written in the Book of the Teaching. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua failed to read in the presence of the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the strangers who had accompanied them." (Joshua 8:30-35 (JPSA)). The sanctuary of the Palestinian Covenant was complete. The natural language in the Palestinian Covenant is given spiritual significance in the New Testament with respect to the Church. The New Testament speaks of the Church as being God's land that He tills with the expectation of receiving spiritual fruit (I Corinthians 3:9). Next we shall discuss the Davidic Covenant. This covenant was made with David after the death of Saul and David's ascent to the throne at Jerusalem. In involved David's Seed, Throne, and Kingdom both naturally and spiritually. It pointed ultimately to the everlasting Throne and Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, David's greatest Son. Messianic Studies Messianic Studies Over the next two issues Dr. Renald Showers examines the biblical analogy of Jesus the Messiah as the Bridegroom of the Church. This first article discusses Jewish marriage customs. The customs reviewed are those carried out during Biblical times. BEHOLD - THE BRIDEGROOM COMES! Part 1 of a 2-part article By Dr. Renald Showers (From ISRAEL MY GLORY Magazine) The Comforting Promise It was a night of destiny. Jesus had gathered with His disciples in the Upper Room. In a few more hours He would be crucified on a cross. Jesus had been warning His disciples concerning His coming death, resurrection and ascension to heaven. The prospect of these events caused the disciples to be greatly disturbed. In order to ease their fears, Jesus made the following comforting promise: Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 unto myself; that where I am, there you maybe also (KJV, John 14:1-3). Those who live in the modern western world do not catch the full significance of Jesus' promise. This is due to the fact that in His promise Jesus was drawing an analogy from Jewish marriage (customs in biblical times. Since this is so, those marriage customs must be examined if one is to grasp the significance of the promise. The first major step in a Jewish marriage was betrothal. Betrothal involved the establishment of a marriage covenant. By Jesus' time it was usual for such a covenant to be established as the result of the prospective bridegroom taking the initiative. The prospective bridegroom would travel from his father's house to the home of the prospective bride. There he would negotiate with the father of the young woman to determine the price (mohar) that he must pay to purchase his bride. Once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was there by established, and the young man and woman were regarded to be husband and wife. From that moment on the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified, set apart exclusively for her bridegroom. As a symbol of the covenant relationship that had been established, the groom and bride would drink from a cup of wine over which a betrothal benediction had been pronounced. After the marriage covenant had been established, the groom would leave the home of the bride and return to his father's house. There he would remain separate from his bride for a period of twelve months.- This period of separation afforded the bride time to gather her trousseau and to prepare for married life. The groom occupied himself with the preparation of living accommodations in his father's house to which he could bring his bride. At the end of the period of separation the groom would come to take his bride to live with him. The taking of the bride usually took place at night. The groom, best man and other male escorts would leave the groom's father's house and conduct a torch light procession to the home of the bride. Although the bride was expecting her groom to come for her, she did not know the exact time of his coming. As a result the groom's arrival would be preceded by a shout. This shout would fore warn the bride to be prepared for the coming of the groom. After the groom received his bride together with her female attendants, the enlarged wedding party would return from the bride's home to the groom's father's house. Upon arrival there the wedding party would find that the wedding guests had assembled already. Shortly after arrival the bride and groom would be escorted by the other members of the wedding party to the bridal chamber (huppah). Prior to entering the chamber the bride remained veiled so that no one could see her face. While the groomsmen and bridesmaids would wait outside, the bride and groom would enter the bridal chamber alone. There in the privacy of that place they would enter into physical union for the first time, thereby consummating the marriage that had been covenanted earlier. After the marriage was consummated, the groom would announce the consummation to the other members of the wedding party waiting out-side the chamber (John 3:29). These people would pass on the news of the marital union to the wedding guests. Upon receiving this good news the wedding guests would feast and make merry for the next seven days. During the seven days of the wedding festivities, which were sometimes called " 'the seven days of the huppah,' " the bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber. At the conclusion of these seven days the groom would bring his bride out of the bridal chamber, now with her veil removed, so that all could see who his bride was. Next month this series will be concluded with the examination of the analogy. Dr. Showers will show how each aspect of Jewish marriage customs relates to the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. Anee M'Amin Anee M'Amin SETTLED - ONCE AND FOR ALL THE TESTIMONY OF JESS PINCUS (From ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine June/July 1991) The Bible states, "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, salt the LORD" (Isa. 55:8). How true that is! When I was a youngster, my dad obtained a sales position in a shoe store, but the working conditions were uncomfortable, and he consequently became dissatisfied with life. One day a Jewish lady walked into the store and asked to see my father. My dad did not know her but asked, "Would you like to buy some shoes?" "No," she replied, 'I don't want any shoes. I saw you through the window, and I sense that you have some genuine needs in your life. I would like to talk to you about them." "There are other people working here," my father responded. "Talk to them." "No," she said, "I want to talk to you about your spiritual needs." Finally, Esther Brown convinced my dad to have lunch with her. During the conversation she persuaded him to call Bill Brown, an attorney who was her close friend. My dad called Bill and made an appointment to meet with him. "Rubin," Bill said, "my family conducts a Bible study for Jewish people every Thursday evening. I would like you to attend." Studying God's Word My mom, dad, and I attended the Bible study and were very impressed with the genuine love that Mr. Brown and his family had for the Jewish people. During the Bible study he taught that God wants each of us to have a personal relationship with Him. He said, however, that many people do not experience this personal relationship with God because of the sin in their lives. He read Isaiah 59:2: "Your sins have hidden his face from you, that he will not hear." He also explained that our mitzvahs (good works) could not remove our sins, not even fasting on the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 17:11 states that sin can be removed only through a blood sacrifice, and Mr. Brown stated that there has been no blood sacrifice for over 1,900 years-since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. However, in God's perfect timing He sent His Son Jesus to be the ultimate blood sacrifice. Mr. Brown also showed us verses telling where the Messiah would be born, when He would come, that He would be both God and man, that He would die, that He would be resurrected, and that He would come again. Each of these verses fits the life of the Messiah Jesus. Although everything the Brown family and others said made sense, we still felt that we would be meshumeds (traitors) if we received Jesus as our Jewish Messiah. We Met the Messiah! After attending the Browns' Bible study for about a year and a half, my parents accepted Jesus as their promised Messiah and Savior, believing that He took their sins on Himself when he died on Calvary's cross. They could now see that their faith in Jesus made them more Jewish, rather than less so, because He is the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies. But the question still existed ... "Jess Pincus, what about your personal relationship with God?" In my head I believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah and the ultimate blood sacrifice, but I was afraid to make it known to anyone else. At the age of 12 in Miami, Florida, I was confronted by a Jewish minister, Rev. Siegelman, who asked, "Would you like to settle your personal relationship with the Lord Jesus once and for all?" My answer was, "Yes!" At that moment I prayed, "Lord Jesus, I recognize that I am a sinner and that You came to the earth to be my ultimate blood sacrifice. I am now receiving You as my personal Savior. Amen!" Walking With the Lord Since that August day in 1959, the Lord has guided me every step of the way. He directed me to Miami Christian Junior-Senior High School. How exciting it was to learn from the Word of God. Then He led me to Florida Bible College and William Jennings Bryan College, from which I graduated. I later received graduate degrees from Florida Atlantic University and Nova University. In 1977 I married Penny Hawk. She has been a great encouragement to me through the years. Truly, the Lord's directing power can be seen in every step of my life as He prepared me for full-time service with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. For 14 years I preached and taught the Word of God in many Bible-believing churches on a part-time basis, while serving full-time in the field of education. Then the Lord showed me that He wanted me to be a full-time witness to my Jewish brethren, as well as to all mankind. In June 1983 God's call to me was confirmed when I was appointed a staff member of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry to serve in Tampa and Central Florida. Penny and our children, Matthew (age 10) and Christina (age 5), help in various aspects of the ministry. The Lord has blessed me with a multifaceted outreach, which includes personal evangelism, counseling, and teaching and/or administration of Bible studies in Tampa, Beverly Hills, Gainesville, and Daytona Beach, Florida. I have also ministered in hundreds of fundamental churches through prophecy conferences, evangelistic Passover seder demonstrations, "Thank God For Israel" days, "Speak Tenderly to Jerusalem" conferences, and pulpit supply. The major metropolitan areas of Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida, are also part of my outreach ministry. There is a song that summarizes my personal experience with the Lord. It says, "Thank You Lord for saving my soul Thank You Lord for making me whole; Thank You Lord for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich and free." If you would like to know that your sins are paid for, that you have eternal life, and that you have a new hope for living, then pray the following prayer: Messiah Jesus, I recognize that I have sinned and come short of God's glory. I realize that I cannot remove this sin through my own good works (mitzvahs) because You require a blood atonement. I realize that You became my ultimate blood atonement. I now receive You as my Savior and Lord.  The WORD for Today The WORD for Today Before this last Easter (1992), many churches across the country were involved in The Chapel of the Air's "Fifty-Day Spiritual Adventure." This program was designed to help local churches become "The Family God Wants Us To Be." The material provided focused on dysfunctional behavior found in families and brought into the church. The article presented here is the fourth of seven messages given by Pastor Geoff Kragen. They were presented at Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln California as part of that church's involvement with the program. BUT I WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE! 2 Samuel 12:1-14 One of the more unique characteristics of humanity is the ability to deny truth. I know that I can convince myself of anything, if I want to badly enough. I remember when I was still a hospital administrator. There were several individuals who called me on the phone. They were people I really didn't want to talk to. On one specific occasion a call came from a very irregular person. I solved the problem of talking to her by stepping into the hallway. This allowed my secretary to say, "He just stepped out of his office." Well, neither of us lied, did we? Where people are severely dysfunction, the ability to practice denial and to live in delusion is extraordinary. The anorexic young woman looks like a victim of a concentration camp. But when she looks in the mirror she sees a fat person. The father who is falling down drunk every weekend doesn't think he has a drinking problem. He just needs to unwind after a tough week! One individual I knew had been severely abused throughout childhood, for some eighteen years. This child was frequently yelled at. This was usually followed by physical abuse. When, as an adult, this individual would get into an argument with someone, the situation would usually deteriorate into yelling. The yelling would cause my friend to expect a physical attack. Generally there was no real danger. The experience as a child of abuse tied to yelling led the adult to expect physical violence. Self-delusion is also of a major characteristic of the dysfunctional family. Tremendous energy is spent on putting on a healthy outward appearance, and believing it to be true. Each child is trained to reject reality and comes to believe the false front. This is terribly damaging. The child, and years later the adult, has great difficulty in distinguishing between reality and delusion or self-deception. The ultimate "no no" in the dysfunctional family is admitting there are problems. Conversely, the functional family recognizes problems. The focus of this family, however, is not avoidance of problems. Instead, the mature family makes a cooperative effort to solve them. The healthy church family is also an environment where problems are recognized. They are openly faced, and, in prayer before the Lord, dealt with in a way that brings Him honor. Nevertheless, even believers, individually and as a body, can choose to deny truth and live in delusion. Make no mistake, this is a choice. King David, the man of God, chose to live in delusion. He desired Bathsheba. He committed adultery with her. She got pregnant. Unfortunately for David, her husband Uriah was a loyal soldier of the king. David found a good way to deal with this problem. He sent Uriah to the front line where he would be killed. Of course, that wasn't David's fault. It was simply the "luck of the draw" that led to Uriah's death. David believed that he had solved his problem. After all, David didn't kill Uriah. Did he? With a clear conscience David could marry Bathsheba and have his baby. See 2 Samuel 11 & 12. The problem with self-delusion is that God always sees through it. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) If we are His children, sooner or later we are going to have to see through delusion and recognize what lies underneath, sinful thinking. "Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free' " (John 8:32). It is God's truth that was soon to come home to David. In 2 Samuel 12:1-14, we see how God chose to expose David's denial to the light of truth. Nathan was sent by the Lord to David. He brought a dispute for the King's consideration. One behavior I've noticed over the years is that while we can see a sin in the other guy, we often don't recognize this same sin in ourselves. Anyway, according to Nathan's account, a certain rich man stole a lamb from his poor neighbor. He who had much took from him who had little. David was furious with this kind of behavior. The other behavior I've noticed about those that don't see sin in themselves is how angry and intolerant they become when this sin is held up before them in the actions of someone else. Apparently, David wasn't an exception. He demanded the death penalty for the lamb stealer. Then Nathan drops the bomb. The criminal is David. The crime Nathan was actually discussing wasn't sheep stealing. It was David adultery and murder. God had given much to David; a kingship, protection, material prosperity, family; plus Israel and Judah. What was David's response? It wasn't obedience, but covetousness, lust and violence. Shortly, God's judgment would be carried out by the actions of David's son Absalom. God used Absalom as the instrument of His judgment. He allowed Absalom to raise up a rebellion against his father, forcing David to flee Jerusalem. Absalom took David's wives and slept with them in front of the entire nation. Additionally, the child, who was to be born from the illicit relationship between David and Bathsheba, died. The good news was that David did repent. Despite his sin, he was still God's man. The Lord did forgive him. But forgiveness is not synonymous with escaping the consequences of one's sin. As Paul said: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7). David had managed to deceive himself about his behavior. Since he was a servant of God, the Lord wouldn't allow him to continue in this deception. David, who truly desired to walk in God's ways, repented and was restored. But he, and the nation, paid the price for his sin in political chaos and civil strife. Sin is always the real problem when we practice denial, and live in delusion. Consequences are also the natural result of denial and delusion within the family. Frequently in the alcoholic family one finds denial of the problem. Children are told that Daddy, who is passed out on the couch, is simply tired. Or after mom flies off the handle and beats the child, the behavior is blamed on the actions of the child. The children are smart enough to realize that there is a problem with the parent. Depending on their age, they may even recognize that alcohol abuse is the symptom. The parent however lies. This places the child in an untenable position. He either is forced to accept the unacceptable, that the parent is a liar, or to deny the reality of the situation. He can do this by denying truth and convincing himself that everything is ok. Frequently self-deception and denial are the actions of choice. Once one accepts the denial and self-delusion of others, then it is only a matter of time until this also becomes one's own behavior. One individual was convinced that his childhood had been wonderful. Then, with the Lord's help, he came to see his own dysfunctional behavior. He recognized that he had learned his behavior in childhood. He finally realized that his family had been far from wonderful. His memories had been adjusted to support his protection system. These memories were a product of denial to avoid pain, and self-delusion in rejecting the truth of how his family had actually functioned. Keep in mind, for those of us on the outside, it is extremely difficult to accept that this self-denial process is so well developed that those involved really do not see what appears to be obvious to us. I suppose an extreme example of this was the denial of many Central Europeans that they knew of the Jewish slaughter during World War II. Today we find this almost impossible to understand, yet I believe that many of them really weren't aware of what was going on. This may have been because they convinced themselves they weren't aware of it. How does this practice of denial and delusion carry over into the church family? There are a couple of ways. First, while we accept doctrinally that we are all sinners, we often act as if this wasn't the case. This happens by a pretense of having it all together, or by being judgmental of the sins of others. Instead, believers should move in love to encourage restoration. Second, we have a practical problem with helping one another to be open in our weaknesses. David Main puts it this way. "One of the problems with the contemporary church is that it's structured in such a way that openness and honesty are difficult to come by. When is it appropriate to say what you're struggling with? Do you do that during the worship hour? Hardly. Do you write out your confession to be included in the Sunday bulletin?" * But the church is to be a hospital for the hurting. We have to be an environment where truth is encouraged for... Denial and delusion are rejection of truth. And, rejection of truth makes it impossible for us to be the person God desires us to be. Each one of us can fall into the trap of self delusion. "If we only made another twenty thousand a year all our problems would be solved." "If my wife/husband would loose twenty pounds, our marriage would be much better." "If I divorced my spouse and married so and so, my life would be wonderful." But delusion keeps us from God. Scripture calls us to be humble. Biblical humility is having an accurate self-image. This means seeing ourselves as God sees us. It is only in this way that we can allow Him to conform us to His image. Clinging to denial and delusion prevents this from occurring. And, the problem of denial and delusion carries over into the church. I'm sure you have all run across churches where it seems everybody has his or her act together. "We have no problems here, because Christians don't have problems." This is a sad delusion. And when problems appear, which they always do, the "perfect" church may be destroyed because it has no way of dealing with them. The pastor must be the example of the perfect man of God. When he turns out to be human, the problem is solved by shooting him. As is frequently said, the church is the only army that shoots its wounded. But shooting the wounded allows the church to maintain the illusion of having it all together. So what can we do, besides taking a positional commitment to truth, to create an environment where it is safe to give up denial and delusion? First, we have to allow the body to be a nurturing place where we are not concerned with condemnation, but with healing. This means loving unconditionally, giving up expectations, unhealthy comparisons and competition and not blaming and shaming. All this can only occur through dependency on the Holy Spirit. (See previous articles in this series.) Many years ago, Janette, my wife, and I were having problems in our marriage. We had to go into counseling for about nine months to deal with them. At that time I was an elder in the church. There were only four of us, one of whom was the new pastor we had just hired. Nevertheless, it was mandatory for me to step down and concentrate on dealing with our marital problems. It was necessary for me to stand in the pulpit and tell a few hundred people of our difficulties. I didn't know how people would respond. I didn't want to admit that I was in a situation that I couldn't handle. But the point of the story is that not only were people supportive, but more importantly openness helped create an environment where others also felt free to admit they had problems. The sense was, "If it is ok for one of the elders to admit to problems, I guess it is ok for me to do so." As a result, several couples went for help for the first time in their lives. The church needs to be a place where we don't deny the problems of life. We must love one another and help each other grow in the Lord. We have to be willing to face problems and learn to deal with them constructively. There are also a couple of practical steps we can take to help the body be a place of openness and truth. Encourage people to seek a prayer partner. This will require truth between two or three people. It is an opportunity to hold one another accountable and help one another walk before the Lord. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). And taking this one step further, the small group can also carry on this same function. Here we can gather, praying and caring for one another. It is risky being open and honest, facing problems and dealing with them. And, certainly we have to use desecration in what we expose and to whom we talk. But we must find those within the church with whom we can be open, transparent, and accountable. The bottom line of all this is that the church offers truth as the way of salvation, the truth of the Gospel. We must be willing to practice truth as the basis of understanding God and our relationship with Him. We cannot allow deceit and delusion to be the pattern within the body, because it prevents growth and healing. May John's words be said of us. "For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth" (3 John 3). * David Mains, HEALING THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CHURCH FAMILY, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL, 1992, p. 69. Prayer Guidelines Prayer and PRAYER AND SIN Article 7 of the "Prayer and..." Series by Michael Wilkinson "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2). When we pray to the Lord, we believe that He hears our prayers and will answer according to His will. We believe that we can "Ask, and it will be given to you..." (Matthew 7:7). This seems easy to understand. Yet God giving us what we ask for is not the result of some formula for getting His riches. It is a description of how God WANTS to work in our lives when we obey Him. "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, BECAUSE we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22). Ever since Adam and Eve, there has been a breakdown in communication between God and man. The source of this breakdown is man's sin. This is certainly a barrier between God and the unbeliever. The unbeliever cannot have communion with God without being reconciled to Him through Christ (see Colossians 1:21-22). Sin also hinders communion between God and the believer. "If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth" (1 John 1:6). We are to have fellowship with God, and this includes prayer. Yet a Christian who lives a sinful life will have no success in prayer (although God is long-suffering and may still answer some prayers). And if a Christian has no desire to pray, that may be a sign of unconfessed sin requiring repentance. Remember, it is not God failing to hear, it is sin making us not want fellowship with God. Prayer is essential for fellowship with Him. And holiness is essential for fellowship and prayer. "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy' " (1 Peter 1:14-16). Fortunately, the Lord will always hear a prayer of repentance. Recall the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Here Jesus talks about a son who took his father's money, left him, and wasted the wealth on worldly pleasures. His desire was for that which his father would not allow him to have at home. When that son came to the end of his money and the pleasure of sin had wasted away, he returned home. He came in humility to beg for whatever mercy his father might give. At the first sign of his son coming back in repentance, the father ran to meet him. The father kissed him and had him dressed up according to the son's former richness. Jesus told this story so we would know about our heavenly Father's forgiveness when we repent of our sins. And we should all examine our own lives, repenting daily of the sins that lead us astray from the Father. For that is the only way we can keep ourselves pure and know that he takes pleasure in our prayers. "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:3-4). SCUD Warnings SCUD Warnings by Jerry Johnson S piritual C ounterfeits U ndermining D octrine W A R N I N G S By Jerry Johnson At this point I am slightly behind my deadline for this column ... and I'm just now writing the first sentence. It's not that I haven't tried, it's just that between the Olympics seducing me away from my computer and a newly laid sod backyard that takes the rest of my time away, I'm running late. Scenario one: God gave me a passable writing style and Christians doing their best to minister to others have created the opportunity for this column. The circumstances have occurred naturally because of the way that God set up the church to function. It is now my job to get this column done. I pray for help, but that is really just to create a focus for me. After all, God gave me what I have ... it's up to me to use it to the best of my ability. God did his original creative work so well that he really doesn't have to intervene much anymore. Scenario two: God is absolutely obsessed with being involved with my life... and this column. All I have to do is yield myself to him enough and he'll do something miraculous so that I will write a column straight from his heart. Not only that, but it will be written so well that God will ensure that a copy gets to Saddam Hussein and he'll convert his entire nation to Christianity! All I have to do is expect the miracle for guidance and it will come. Wait!!! I've just looked out my window and there IS a sign. It says YIELD. That's it! God wants me to yield. As I empty my mind I happen to glance over at the floor and I notice we left a board game out ... it's the game of LIFE. Life, is that what God wants me to write about? Wait, I'm feeling something. Is it a confirmation from the Lord? Oops, it was just a burp. I'll just tarry until I get further guidance. Am I making fun of someone's beliefs? Me?? Yeah, I guess I am. As usual I mean no offense. I just hope to get people to think about things. The topic of this column is "the spiritual pendulum". The above scenarios represent the two extremes of spiritual awareness within Christendom. The first is what can be called Christian Agnosticism. It is the basic concept that God wound things up and stays functionally uninvolved. It is this group that might refer to the Trinity as the Father, the Son and the other one. The second is what I refer to as the Hookey Pookies. These are the kind that love and seek any type of spiritual event, at times with little to no discernment. They love personal prophecies are rarely slowed down when they don't come to pass. "These are spiritual counterfeits?" Anything that distracts from Christ's preeminence and pulls us away from truth is a pale imitation, or counterfeit if you will, of accurate doctrine. So, yes, they are. "So what's the big deal? Do these beliefs really hurt anyone?" They hurt the people involved with them. We'll start with the more subtle, Christian Agnosticism, and then move to the dramatic. "ianity." "Was that a typo?" No, that was Christianity without Christ. Just as Pharisaism was the Law without God's compassion. Just as Christian agnosticism is the philosophy and concepts of Christ without an on-going personal relationship with Christ. In Revelations 3:20 Jesus says "If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me" That is personal interaction ... and it was written to Christians, NOT unbelievers. There can be a multiple number of reasons why someone might find greater comfort in following the direction of the Bible without interacting with the Director of the Bible. Now I'm not saying they haven't accepted the Lord. They have. It's just that I have met with some people, often Bible scholars, who have so fixated on the revealed Word of God, that they seem satisfied with knowing about God, without feeling the drive to know God. Why? Awfully good question. There are probably just as many answers as there are people. But here are some possibilities: You can study the Bible and become a "scholar". You can take tests in Bible College and get A's in the book of Jude. You can know Hebrew and Greek and KNOW you know Hebrew and Greek. A relationship with God is not so quantifiable. Philippians 2:12 says that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That doesn't exactly connote a process in which we can know we have "arrived" or "succeeded" or "passed". A relationship between any two personalities is dynamic and fluid. With God it is yet more dynamic and with his abilities and character it is radically fluid, within the "limits" of his nature which is pretty limitless. Or to give an obscure metaphor: it is easier to be a marriage counselor than to be married. Other possibilities? When you relate to a God who is Spirit, a being you cannot see and touch, faith is required. Faith can be scary. How can you KNOW you are "doing it" right? That's the catch 22. It is the Spirit of God (you know, the personal, interacting part) that confirms the truth to our hearts in accordance to the Word of God. So you can't get confirmation that the personal relationship is right until you have the personal relationship. You have to trust a God you don't know well in order to get to know him enough to really trust him. "Where did you get that idea?" James 4:8 Come near to God and he'll come near to you. Maybe people are nervous that if they spiritually experience God, which is a redundant statement, he might cause them to do something embarrassing or to do something they do not want to do, like go to a foreign mission field. Yep, that's the pattern of scripture all right ... God doing his best to embarrass the people he sacrificed his son for. I don't think so. To pray the sinner's prayer, study the Word and stop short of developing a mental AND emotional AND spiritual relationship with God is like having a Porsche and never going for a drive ... you miss the really good part. If God loved you enough to send his son, he doesn't want just a theoretical relationship with you, he wants a personal relationship with you. Honest. Next, the Hookey Pookies. Those who LOVE spiritual stuff. The more spiritual the better. The more dramatic the better. If it's spiritual it's good, right? Not necessarily. I've known a number of people who loved the spiritual. They loved to have revelations and dreams and personal prophecies. Loved it so much that they kept it up whether or not it was tied to reality. I had a friend who was REALLY into personal prophecy. How much? So much so that she had prophesied that a female friend would marry and after that friend died in a car wreck my friend staunchly believed that God would raise that woman from the dead so that the personal prophecy could be fulfilled. That was that same friend who died of the cancer she was ardently claiming she had been healed of. I John 4:1 says that we are not to believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God. Test. Examine. Verify. And notice ... it instructs us to start with disbelief until it proves to align with the Word and character of God. We are instructed to be skeptical ... then if we come to understand it is from God we are to embrace it. "Is this saying you believe in personal prophecies?" I do not believe in anything, prophecy, instruction, insight, whatever that goes beyond or contradicts the Bible. I believe the book of Revelation is the totality of what God wanted us to know ahead of time about our world and its future. I have not yet had anyone do a personal prophecy over me that proved to be accurate, but I do know people who have had very deep insights given to them. I thoroughly believe God can use other believers to influence our lives and that God doesn't use dramatic methods as a dominate pattern. After all, I believe that God gave Peter the vision of the sheet with the unclean animals (Acts 10) three times because he was too slow to catch on any other way. God is a Spirit and those who worship must worship him in spirit and in truth. That means we must have both. We must be willing to open our hearts and awareness to the spiritual realities of God and to test what we observe to the truth. In that concept we have the call to faith AND the pattern for verification. God really loves us. He loves us enough to be literally, personally involved and loves us enough to want us to love him enough to check what's happening to make sure its of him. That's one thing about the life in Christ ... it's rarely dull. Bible Quiz Bible Quiz BIBLE QUIZ Where did they pray? Match the persons who prayed to the location where they prayed. Check your answers by looking up the scripture verses following each name. 1. Daniel (Daniel 6:10-11) 2. David (Psalm 63:6) 3. Habakkuk (Habakkuk 2:1) 4. Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:2) 5. Hypocrites (Matthew 6:5) 6. Jesus (John 11:38-41) 7. Jesus, Peter, James and John (Luke 9:28) 8. Jonah (Jonah 2:1) 9. Paul and Silas (Acts 16:23-25) 10. Peter and John (Acts 3:1) a) In a tower b) On a mountain c) Facing a wall d) At a grave e) In a fish f) In bed g) In jail h) At a window i) In the Temple j) On street corners Christian Life Department People Profile People Profile - Joel Chernoff JOEL CHERNOFF - COMPOSER WITH "LAMB" CONCERT MINISTRY By Teresa Giordanengo Morning Star Senior Editor Joel Chernoff is a Jewish believer in the Messiah Jesus. He was brought to the Lord by his father, at approximately age twelve. His father was the Pastor of the Congregation Beth Yeshua (House of Salvation or House of Jesus) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before going to be with the Lord. Joel holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. While in college in 1970, he worked on music composition and his direction in life changed. A career in music came soon afterward. Joel was always interested in music, and as a child, he learned to play the piano and later the guitar. Joel is a fine musician, and along with Rick "Levi" Coghill, comprise the group "Lamb". Joel's compositions bring honor and glory to the Messiah. The lyrics are generally based on the scriptures. We thank God for Joel and Rick, and for the anointing He has placed upon them. Together they regularly perform in churches, Messianic Synagogues, and auditoriums throughout the United States and Israel. Occasionally they will tour Europe in concert. Their music is somewhat contemporary with a pop feel. Joel believes that music is a type of spiritual grease that lubricates worship and makes worship easier and drawing close to God easier. He is President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America and Vice President of the International M.J.A. He attends the conferences in July each year at the Messiah College near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, when approximately two thousand representatives attend from fourteen nations. At these conferences, one may attend more than fifty seminars on all aspects of Messianic Jewish revival. There is plenty of beautiful music due to several concerts by Messianic music artists. Joel informs us that there is tremendous praise and worship and dance during the evening sessions. The stage set is 25 feet by 50 feet; a replica of the "wailing wall". Joel is an elder at the Congregation Beth Yeshua and uses his musical talents there as well. His brother, David, now pastors the congregation. Though comprised of both Jewish and non-Jewish believers, Beth Yeshua is probably the largest body of Messianic Jews since the days of the Apostles. Joel will continue writing Messianic music for "Lamb". He has profound Biblical insight and loves the Lord with all his heart. He has a magnificent voice and the music is excellent. In closing he asks that we all "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem - they will prosper that love thee." (Psalm 122:6) Editor's note: "LAMB" is featured in the Ministry Profile of this issue of Morning Star and two of Joel's "songs of Praise" are featured in the Music section. Recordings by "Lamb" may be purchased in Christian bookstores and at Beth Yeshua's bookstore. Ministry Profile Ministry Profile - LAMB "LAMB" - A CONCERT MINISTRY By Joel Chernoff and Rick Coghill LAMB, is the musical group that pioneered the sound that today has become known as Messianic Praise and Worship. It's not pretentious to call LAMB a group, for this duo of Joel Chernoff and Rick "Levi" Coghill make a big sound. Their music is as contemporary as Israel's jet squadrons, yet the ancient mystique of the Psalms is equally present. LAMB created this Jewish-flavored, contemporary sound in 1973 with their first album which went to the top of the Gospel charts and has subsequently become the largest selling Messianic music album in history. One of the longest lived and most popular groups in contemporary Gospel, LAMB is clearly the leader in Messianic praise and worship. Steeped in tradition and bursting with the rhythm of a Hebraic dance, their Messianic music can be haunting - almost mystical. LAMB'S use of straight forward scripture-oriented lyrics is convicting, joyful, and compelling. Their challenge is one of personal renewal, commitment, and joy in the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus); the message of salvation is powerful and clear. LAMB'S background is as rich and diverse as their music. Joel is Jewish and was brought to the Lord at the age of twelve by his father who was the Pastor of Beth Yeshua (House of Salvation) congregation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before he went on to be with the Lord. Joel is now an elder at Beth Yeshua which is probably the largest congregation of Jewish believers since the first century. Naturally, everyone is welcome and many non-Jewish believers, like Rick, worship there. Rick is a Gentile who attended the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati with a major in Marketing and Radio-TV production. He is the producer of LAMB'S albums. He was brought to the Lord by an Episcopalian minister who was concerned over his enormous drug habit. Rick had played guitar for James Brown, and his group "The Lemonpipers" had won world-wide fame with their hit "Green Tambourine". Rick accepted the Lord, was miraculously delivered from heroin, and met Joel all in the same week. But LAMB was not formed until much later - after Joel had received his degree in political science and Rick had become better grounded in God's Word. They played one of their first concerts on a Kibbutz in Israel and it was there that they first realized the potential of Messianic music. It was a little over a year later that they both made a full-time commitment to LAMB'S concert ministry. They have remained committed to their calling for seventeen years, always seeking new and fresh ways to glorify God with their music. LAMB is known for their "innovative use of the latest stage sound equipment. LAMB'S unique blend of the ancient and the modern provides the listener with a truly inspiring musical and spiritual journey. One senses the enthusiasm of LAMB'S commitment as the music, lyrics, production, and arrangements combine to spiritually uplift the listener. Their message of redemption and challenge of spiritual renewal echoes long after the music has faded. LAMB'S first album was made in January of 1973, making it one of the first Contemporary Gospel records, and certainly the first Messianic Music record. LAMB was the first to record Messianic lyrics in Hebrew, and the first to record middle-eastern modes, scales, and sounds with Messianic content. Lyrically, the duo uses Hebraic terms and Old Testament themes to compel people to confront the Savior. While traveling the nation singing love songs to the Messiah, many young people come forward to pray for salvation and needs in their lives. The duo proclaim the message of the Messiah to the people of Israel and to the world in such a unique way. LAMB has four of the all-time best selling albums in Messianic Music. Joel Chernoff is the composer and lead singer. The music appeals to people of varying musical tastes. Some of the top contemporary Gospel songs of the past few years were Messianic Music: "El Shaddai" and "Jehovah" by Amy Grant, "He is Jehovah" by Kenneth Copeland, "He is Jehovah" by Glenn Garrett, "Yeshua Ha-Mashiach" by Scott Wesley Brown, "Cornerstone" by Leon Patillo, and many more, were clearly created from groundwork laid years ago by LAMB. (Editor's note: Joel Chernoff is featured in the People Profile Section of this issue of Morning Star. Also, two of his "songs of praise" are featured in the Music Column.) For further concert information contact: MESSIANIC RECORDS INC./LAMB 7605 Brookhaven Road Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19151 Phone 215-477-1050 Fax 215-477-1087  Education Education "... AND GREAT SHALL BE THE PEACE OF YOUR CHILDREN." - Isaiah 54:13 The following is from the Christian School Comment newsletter written by Dr. Paul A. Kienel, Executive Director of the Association of Christian schools International based in La Mirada, California. Used by permission. As a child I remember sitting on the front row in my father's church (where he could easily keep an eye on me). I remember listening to the "story parts" of his sermons but I also remember the congregational singing. How I enjoyed it even as a child and one of my favorites was a song that now seems to be out of print, "Hidden Peace." Every so often I find myself singing the chorus of that song: There's a deep settled peace in my soul, There's a deep settled peace in my soul, While the billows of sin near me roll, He abides. Christ abides. As a child and to this day I have a "deep settled peace in my soul." The prophet Isaiah wrote, "And all of your children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children." Isaiah 54:13. I have a "deep settled peace" today because my godly parents "taught me of the Lord." Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was one of the great authors of English literature. He wrote "A Tale of Two Cities," "David Copperfield," and a story we hear every Christmas of Ebeneezer Scrooge's change of heart in "A Christmas Carol." What a writer he was! He had a heart for the poor and the downtrodden of society. He also had a heart for his family. He and his wife Catherine had ten children. His last literary piece was written specifically for his children and was not meant to be published. Thankfully, his descendants released it to Thomas Nelson Publishers in 1991. Charles Dickens entitled it, "The Life of Our Lord." He begins, My dear children, I am very anxious that you should know something about the history of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him. No one ever lived who was so good, so kind, so gentle. (1) Then in clear, child-level language he tells in his great literary style the beautiful story of Jesus as recorded in the gospels. Believe me, I am anxious to share this book with my grandchildren! Most of us are not literary giants like Charles Dickens. We cannot write the story of Christ in a compelling style and hand it to our children as a personal treasure. But in our own way there are treasures we can pass on to our children that will give them a "deep settled peace" in their souls. Christ, of course, is the author of inner peace. He said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (2) Christ in the heart produces peace. That is why it is worth the sacrifice of time and money to send children and young people to a Christian school. Christian school educators offer Christ to their students. Peace can come from the heart of Christ to the heart of your children through Christian educators but it can also come, of course, through Christian parents. Recently I attended a missions meeting at the beautiful facilities of one of the finest Christian colleges in America - Moody Bible Institute in downtown Chicago. While there I read an article in The Chicago Tribune entitled, "Family Ties Often are no Match for the Bonds of a Gang." The following quote from that article demonstrates what often happens to children when parents fail to meet the needs of their youngsters. While those familiar with gang culture emphasize that there are many steps parents can take to protect their children, they acknowledge that street gangs can be attractive to youngsters. And once a kid joins a gang it becomes more difficult to get him out the longer he's a member. "You can't ignore the fact that kids need to belong to something or someone. They are looking for a link with something," said Capt. Allan Taylor of the Cook County sheriff's police gang crimes unit. "For some this is the only way they can get it." In many ways street gangs emphasize the same values as any other youth group - fidelity, friendship, and discipline. And gangs fulfill a teenager's innate desire for acceptance. "At some point there comes a time when a teenager asks, 'Who an I?' They have the need to know who they are. They need to identify," Taylor said. "A gang provides them with this." But unlike other youth groups, gangs deal in crime, violence, and death. (3) The article closed with this poignant statement: "We're always telling kids to say no. Say no to drugs. Say no to alcohol," Fleming said. "But we don't give kids a lot to say yes to." (4) There are a number of things we can give our children to say "yes" to. 1) Nothing pleases a Christian parent more than to have their children say "yes" to Jesus Christ and to acknowledge Him not only as the Savior of the world but their own personal Savior. If children are drawn to Christ they will not be drawn to gangs. 2) Say "yes" to parental direction. The writers of the "gang" article said, Since most gang members come from homes in which parents offer them little direction, Sandoval said she often warns mothers and fathers that it is imperative that they spend more time at home. While the challenges parents face are large ones, they must "take responsibility for their kids," said police Cpt. Tom Fleming. "Demand accountability," Fleming urges parents. Find out where your children have been and where they are going. Get to know their friends. Talk to their friend's parents. Get specifics and follow up. "One thing I always tell parents is, 'If you think something is up, then something is up. Go ahead and ask questions and find out what's going on.'" (5) 3) Say "yes" to parental love. Children are more likely to respond to the love of Jesus Christ and to the love of their future spouse if they have responded to normal parental love at home. Say the words "I love you" often to your children, in fact, say those words every day. Your children will love you for it! 4) Say "yes" to the future. Someone said, "I feel like a turtle on a fence post. Somebody put me here!" That is the picture of a child who has been helped by parents. Help your children say "yes" to the future by focusing on the years ahead of them. Talk candidly about the fundamental foundations of education and basic work skills so they are not dependent on parents and others the rest of their lives. The list could go on but it is clear that parents who are serious about parenting and are trusting God for wisdom are likely to experience Isaiah's prophecy, "... and great shall be the peace of your children." 1 Charles Dickens, "The Life of Our Lord," Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1991, p.1. 2 John 14:27 3 V. Dion Haynes and Joseph Kirby, The Chicago Tribune, March 30, 1992, Section 2, p.1. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. Testimony Testimony IT IS NO SECRET WHAT GOD CAN DO By Eugene Koch Sioux Falls, South Dakota Eleven children were born to my parents. I have seven brothers and two sisters; one of my younger brothers died of cancer in February 1992. I was raised Catholic; having attended a Catholic school for eight years and a Catholic high school for four years. I was taught by priests and nuns the entire twelve years. Being the middle child in such a large family, I saw many changes in the way my parents treated each one of us. For example, my dad would take my older brothers fishing quite often, but once I was old enough things changed. He no longer had time for his children, and that hurt me very badly. As I was growing up, my parents continued having children. I always had to baby sit my younger brothers. As a result, I withdrew into myself. I felt that I was no good; that I was the ugliest person in the world. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror, I thought I was too ugly. These opinions of myself had been formulating in my mind ever since I was in the crib. By age seven, I was going to the nearest park to hang around with my older brothers and smoke cigarettes. I found that it was a form of rebelling. I got caught smoking many times and I was told that if I had to smoke, I was to smoke in the presence of my parents. As I got older I continued to withdraw further and further into myself and I hated everything about myself. But I always wanted to go to the empty church by the school and look at all the statues and pray that God would make them move for me ... just me. But they never moved and I felt so empty inside. All I did was put myself down because I didn't like what I saw in me, but yet I didn't know what to do about it. I knew that there was a God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit ... I just didn't know how to fill the emptiness. When I was in eighth grade my hormones went wild. I didn't know anything about sex. My parents never even brought the subject up. So I learned about the sexual feelings I had through my brothers and friends, because we talked a lot about it. When I was fifteen years of age, I was raped by a boy who was older than I. I didn't put up a fight while I was being raped, but I knew that I was being abused. Being raped filled something in me. I guess it was the human touch that I had never experienced from my parents, or any other member of my family. I thought that I would be gay the rest of my life. I was so confused that I even thought that God was calling me to be a priest in the Catholic church. Also at age fifteen, after one season of high school football, I was having trouble with my back and the movement of my legs. That summer I had back surgery. The surgery ended my football playing for the rest of my high school years, but that was okay because I never enjoyed football. I had joined the team to please others, and I wasn't able to even come close to pleasing anyone anyway. By having the back surgery though, I found the pain medication I received filled the void inside me. I didn't have to feel anything; no gay feelings, no feelings about the family, nothing. Most of all, I didn't have to feel the pain of loneliness or hatred of myself. And I didn't have to feel the emptiness that was in my soul. For five years I was drawn more and more into the grip of drugs. I was called a "garbage head" because I used so many different kinds of drugs. I would spend a year smoking pot, doing speed, and whatever else I could obtain. I believe I used every drug known to man ... any drug that would alter my state of mind. I was living with a musician in Minneapolis at the time. He made a lot of money and I didn't have to work ... just keep him company and get him the drugs he wanted. Meanwhile, I had all the drugs that I wanted. My brother was in Vietnam and he was sending me heroin through the mail. I got strung out on speed, heroin and cocaine by mixing them together and injecting them into my veins. I did this for several years, because while I was using drugs, I felt less pain and emptiness. Next I began moving around to various parts of the country, always looking for something to fill the hurt and emptiness I'd felt since I was a child. I wanted to go back to my home town, get a job, and get away from the drugs; I did just that. I moved back home and got a good job with the state engineering department. The only thing that didn't change was the drugs. One day I was doing survey work with a man who was a born-again Christian. I had just stopped at a rest room to take 80 hits of speed so I could return to work and feel good. He said to me, "Gene, you seem so empty inside." He said that I should ask God to help me and pray for the forgiveness of my sins. I told him that I would ask God for help, but I didn't want to be a Bible thumper standing on a street corner pushing the Bible down someone's throat. All of a sudden God spoke to me. I thought that the whole city heard what He said. God told me, "Look at the man you are talking to. Is he jamming a Bible down your throat?" The answer was no; he wasn't thrusting the Bible on me. He was simply talking to me. That was September 19, 1972. That night I prayed to God and asked Him to help me ... to forgive my sins and to show me how to work for Him. A peace came over me like I have never known. The hurt was gone and the emptiness was filled. I knew that Jesus loved me and that He would help me. I went to bed and got a good night's rest. When I awakened the next day, September 20, 1972, I had no desire to use drugs any longer. I didn't have any withdrawal pains at all. In fact, I felt great! But I also knew that I needed to surround myself with other Christians. And that is just what I did! That Saturday I was so surprised at the intense peace that had filled my soul. I knew that Jesus had forgiven my sins. The emptiness in my heart was filled. All I wanted to do was praise the Lord. I had a strong urge and desire to read the Bible and seek God's wisdom. I knew that I would have to let all my friends go, because I didn't need the temptation or the peer pressure to use drugs. Jesus put it in my heart to immediately involve myself with other Christians. I called a local church and talked with the pastor. I told him that I was born-again and had asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I needed help to be a part of a congregation so that I wouldn't fall back into drugs. He told me of a man who was the director of a Christian coffee house and that his life was a lot like my own. The pastor introduced me to Ken, the man from the coffee house. Ken gave me a big hug and welcomed me to my new life in Christ. For the next few years Jesus opened so many doors for me. He provided me with a Christian psychologist that I saw three times a week. The healing of my deepest pain had just begun. I got involved in the coffee house and every night I would meet with a group of volunteers before the doors opened. We would have an hour to read the Bible and pray for each others needs. Most of all, we would pray that Jesus would lead anyone that needed help to the coffee house; whether it be for food, shelter, or the need to pray for the forgiveness of their sins ... to be born-again. All the time doors kept opening for me. I started a nightly Bible study and discussion time for a small group of committed Christians. We held each other accountable in our life with Jesus. I started to spend time with teenagers who were involved with drugs. We were able to provide them with direction, but left the decision up to each individual person, as to whether they would choose the direction that Jesus offered them. Ken and I would go to the high schools and speak to the students about drug addiction and all the pain that we try to run from. I told them that there is a way out of that pain, and that way is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One could sense the hurt in those students because of all the tears. As time went on I became the director of the coffee house. The doors continued to open. I would go to jails and talk about Jesus to the prisoners. I would go to churches throughout the surrounding states and speak about Jesus and the free gift of eternal life. I had such a hunger to help people. A time came when I wanted more education, so I quit the coffee house ministry and went to college. After the first semester I was back to using drugs and partying all the time. I quit school and lived on a farm where all I did was use drugs and party. I would bring drugs into the state from Florida. The next thing I knew, the emptiness and the emotional pain began to return to my soul. It was because I didn't have my eyes on Jesus and I didn't have the support of other Christians. I started to realize that Satan wanted to destroy the one thing God loved the most; His children. Finally, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. Over the years, as I grew from spiritual milk to spiritual meat, I have had to rededicate my life to Jesus many times. I had always felt that I personally had to make the changes in my Christian Life, but God has shown me that it is Jesus who does the changing. Many times I have wondered where Jesus was in my life. At times I felt so distant from God, and yet I knew in my heart that He was there in faith and not always feelings. Jesus has never let me go. I have made wrong decisions at times, but Jesus has always been there. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And that is where my faith is. Today, the love I have for Jesus is beyond all that I could ever imagine. The love for Jesus just keeps growing and I want to live and serve Jesus. I longingly look for the day that I can be with Him and praise Him forever. God has healed all the negative things that I had programmed into myself when I was younger. I am now able to love myself; and by loving myself in Jesus' name, I am able to love and give to others. Thank you Jesus. I am now married to the best woman in the world. I know that Jesus gave her to me. I look forward to all the years ahead because I know that Jesus will continue to make me the person He wants me to be. PRAISE BE TO GOD, JESUS, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Praise and Prayer Praise and Prayer 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: Nathan thanks everyone for the prayer on his missions trip to Dallas, Texas. Michael in California thanks the Lord for a job. Josue thanks us for prayer concerning his recent mission trip to Mexico to show the JESUS film. Bret's sister from Ohio had a biopsy done and the results are benign. Praise the Lord. The Southern Baptist Youth visited the Eastern shore to do volunteer housing renovations for poor folks in Virginia. Their motto being "changing the world one person at a time." It was great to know that at least one homeowner came to faith in Jesus! Richard in Pennsylvania is healing beautifully after surgery of a gangrenous gall bladder. Thank you Jesus. A friend of Philip in Florida, got a job. Praise the Lord. Amy in Alabama thanks the Lord for the contracts her company is getting. Bruce in Texas thanks the Lord for a wonderful restful vacation. Wanda in Maryland thanks the Lord that her four year old daughter is beginning to talk. Michael in California thanks the Lord for a job. PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray for Rob of Pennsylvania who has an unusual rash that no one seems to know what it is. Also he and his wife Kim are expecting their fourth child. Pray that the Lord will be with them. Pray for Jack in California, who had to give his attendant 2 week's notice. Pray that everything goes smoothly these next two weeks. Pray for Pastor Clay, who is paralyzed, and had some blood poisoning. Pray for Amos of Pennsylvania who is having heart surgery. He also needs to experience the joy of the Lord again in his life. Pray for Tory from New York and his family as they seek strength from God through a trying period. Pray for Billy Walters in Virginia, who has been battling cancer for a while. Pray for his family too. Pray for Barbara of California who had a radical mastectomy. Pray for Geoff in California and his counseling practice. Many clients are adult victims of childhood sexual abuse, and dealing with them is very stressful. He also counsels the unwed pregnant young ladies at the ranch. Pray for John Cook who has applied for a position to home school some boys ages 8 thru 15 who have gone from foster home to foster home and have been expelled from several schools. Please also pray that John and his wife Rosemary and children will be provided the funds to go back overseas to continue their ministry to the Muslims in southern Spain and North Africa. Pray for Jessica Bull as she is in England and struggling with spiritual warfare. Wayne of New Jersey is going to Gautamala with the executive ministry. Remember him and his family in prayer. Pray for Eva of San Francisco who is suffering from a uterine tumor and needs surgery. Pray for the Ron's mom who went into the hospital for surgery. Tim and his friend in California need prayer for a personal decision that must be made soon. Mike in California asks for prayer for salvation for his friends and also for continued use of his car for his job. Pray for Barbara in Missouri who has a possible heart condition. Pray for Ken from Pennsylvania for a diabetic condition and for strength from the Lord. Pray for Jack in Pennsylvania who is taking chemo for cancer. Pray for Fred in Pennsylvania who has a very bad pancreas. Pray for Kelly in Pennsylvania who has a bad heart condition. Karen from Virginia asks for prayer for their home billing business to prosper. Pray for the two young children who were left without parents in Pennsylvania. Pray also for the people who will be caring for them. Pray for the family and friends of Mike who was killed in a car accident in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Pray for a husband and wife who are getting a divorce. Pray for traveling mercies for Walter in Texas. Pray for employment for Cliff who has been out of work since May and is having difficulty with his unemployment compensation. Pray for Michael in Georgia who is struggling emotionally since his divorce. Pray for Victoria Williams in California, a singer/songwriter who has multiple sclerosis and has no medical insurance. Pray for Emily, ministering to Russian Jews, and the healing of the terrible spiritual dryness there. Pray for the friend of Murray and Thelma of Tennessee, who has learned that her tests results definitely show cancer has returned. Pray for Gail of Colorado who is unemployed. Pray for John who has a special prayer request which involves a personal matter that needs the Lord's intervention. Pray for "P" in California concerning pressures on the job. Pray for traveling mercies for Clara in Nebraska who is going to California. Pray for David, a 17 year old teen, and his girlfriend Angela, who are rebelling and need a touch from the Lord. Pray for Durward who is ministering to them. Pray for Robert from Texas and his men's ministry. Pray for Leslie who needs strength and encouragement from the Lord. Pray for Barton who has cancer, that the Lord will have His way in his life. Pray for Danny in Texas who wants to serve the Lord. After he completes his thesis, he wants to be completely in the Lord's will for his life. Remember Larry from Colorado and his parents in prayer. It has been difficult for them since his sister passed away in March. Alan in Virginia has a trial sermon coming up. Pray that the Lord's will be known and followed. Pray for Britany in Virginia who needs a healing from the Lord. She had meningitis and it has left her helpless and retarded. Pray for her parents also through all this. Pray for Ray in Texas who suffers from migraine headaches. Pray for a teaching job for Dominic in California. Pray for Ron Elkin who is working full time as a missionary with AMMI ministry in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He asks the Lord to have His way in his life. Pray for RCD who is feeling out of touch with Jesus. Pray for the father-in-law of Larry who has lung cancer. Larry is not sure if this man knows the Lord. Pray for opportunities for Larry to share Christ with him and also that someone from outside the family might witness to him. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6) CFI Reports CFI Reports CFI REPORTS is our monthly column dedicated to the ministries of CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL in Jerusalem. Our October 1991 issue of MORNING STAR (Volume 1.1) presented a summary of the various CFI ministries and explained the foundational principles and objectives of CFI. In this issue, we feature the August "Watchman's Prayer Letter" from CFI in Jerusalem. We remind all of our readers ... "Sha'alu shalom Yerushalayim" - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! - Psalm 122:6 WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER - August 1992 "I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower ..." (Habakkuk 2:1) "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer ..." (Acts 6:4). The Apostles gave full attention to praying and seeking the Lord. They GAVE THEMSELVES ! It is the "taking hold" - the holding on persistently and never letting go in prayer that causes God to bare His arm, and move on another's behalf. The many problems Israel faces requires extraordinary, consistent prayer. The powers of darkness are arrayed in many different forms against this tiny nation. Let us faithfully press through in prayer for God's ancient covenant people before the Courts of Heaven until we break through and prevail with God. We must give ourselves to prayer! God, in all of history, has never depended upon the vast majorities to do His Will, but upon dedicated minorities! What could little David do against the mighty Goliath? What hope did Gideon have against the Midianite hordes? What chance did Pentecost's one hundred and twenty have against their pagan world? Size never determines effectiveness. Commitment to prayer does. Yitzak Rabin became Israel's new Prime Minister in Jerusalem on July 14. His government won a comfortable majority vote in the Knesset. With a newly formed government, the challenge of leadership is not only to have the wisdom to know how to lead but have a strong and immediate response to critical situations which may arise. "... He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. (Daniel 2:21). REVERENTLY AFFIRM that God places men in high places - and puts them in charge. 'Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, put in charge a man over the congregation ..." (Numbers 27 :16). Pray that corruption will not pollute the new government. PRAY for Divine favor (the blessing of the Lord) to be upon the Ministry of the Treasury to bring investment and growth to Israel while helping to alleviate unemployment; for the Ministry of Science to receive cooperation from other countries on joint research projects; for the Ministry of Absorption to be able to cut through red tape and the Ministry of Religious Affairs to continue providing assistance to new immigrants . "... the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had ..." (Genesis 39:5). DILIGENTLY SEEK God to firmly establish the leadership in His order and fully commit the government into His Hands. "... and I will commit thy government into His Hands: and He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah." (Isaiah 22:2l). A recent survey of fifty nations showed that anti-semitism is flourishing worldwide. The survey reported that Russia leads with "probably the most dynamic anti-semitic movement anywhere in the world". The former Soviet Union is far from stable. Dramatic developments and changes overnight could have an adverse effect and make it very difficult for Jews to go to Israel. EARNESTLY PRAY that a special fund be set up for rescuing Jewish communities that are in danger in the C.I.S. (Commonwealth of Independent States) formerly known as e U.S.S.R. SERIOUSLY INTERCEDE for the 2,000 Jews evacuated from Moldava, the 30,000 in Latvia and 4,000 in Estonia to heed the call to leave before they are found without citizenship. New laws do not grant citizenship to non-ethnic populations. "I will hiss (call) for them, and gather them ... and they shall increase as they have increased." (Isaiah 10:8). PRAY THROUGH for Jewish evacuees now in transit camps in the Ukraine, to receive exit visas. "I will say to the north, GIVE UP ..." (Isaiah 43:6). THANK THE LORD for 4,812 immigrants who came to Israel in June, one-third more than in May. Immigrant numbers are climbing again after a six month falloff. Pray for a greater increase of requests to come to Israel. "... remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind." (Jeremiah 51:50). PRAY for deliverance from the potentially dangerous position of Jews in Moslem republics as economic situations deteriorate. "Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me". (Psalm 59:1). ASK GOD to give favorable negotiations between Jewish agencies and Russian authorities. "But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." (Genesis 39:21). Favor is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1; Isaiah 54:7). PRAY for escape routes to be established, even roads to walk on, to help every Jewish person who wants to leave the C.I.S. "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the Land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers." (Jeremiah 3:18; Isaiah 43:2, 45:2). Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq Shara said recently that "the Golan Heights are Syrian territory and every inch must be returned". Damascus newspapers say that Arab countries now "face a new stage ... a grievous stage ... requiring serious and unified action." THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUES TO BE A BOILING POT STAY IN WATCHFUL PRAYER for Israel not to withdraw from the Golan Heights. Pray for security to be strengthened in this strategic area. "... He is strong in power ... He increases strength ... (Isaiah 40:26, 29). THANK THE LORD that Prime Minister Rabin is firm on the status of Jerusalem. He said recently: "the government is firm in its resolve that Jerusalem will not be open to negotiation and that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel". Israel faces a new wave of terrorist activities planned to sabotage the peace process. A launching of stabbing attacks, planting of car bombs and use of fire arms is reported to have been assigned by the PLO. The man who heads the PLO, Yassar Arafat, praised "heroes of knives and axes." STAND BOLDLY and proclaim that God will destroy the evil attempts to cause violence and close mouths who speak lies. "For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land." (Psalm 35:20). "A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit ..." (Proverbs 27 :17) . PROCLAIM VICTORY for the Israel Defense Forces to be successful in stopping violence. Pray especially for the Elite Units assigned to stop terror. "Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed" for I am thy God ..." (Isaiah 41:10). EARNESTLY PRAY against a spirit of lust which has gripped an alarming number of people in the Land. Rape and sodomy have been reported as well as other indecent acts and unclean ways. Pray that the fear of the Lord be upon the inhabitants of the Land. "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ..." (Proverbs 14:26). Sharon Sanders, Jerusalem Please copy and disseminate this prayer material as far and wide as possible to the Body of Christ for prayer purposes. For further information write to: Christian Friends of Israel P.O. Box 1813, Jerusalem, 91015 ISRAEL Tel: 972-2-894172, 894187 Fax: 972-2-894955 Music Column Music Column CLAP YOUR HANDS Words and Music by Joel Chernoff Clap your hands, all ye people; Clap your hands unto the Lord. Shout unto God with your voice, A voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible; He is the King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, The nations under His feet. Sing ye praises to our God and King; For He is King over all the earth. God reigneth over the heathen, From His throne in Zion. The princes of the people are gathered; Even God's people of Abraham. For the shields of earth belong to God, He is greatly exalted. (Clap Your Hands) The lyrics above were taken from Psalm 47 and written in 1974. They were written to inspire dance and praise. King David's songs COMMAND us to clap our hands to the Lord. Praise the Lord vigorously, Hallelujah! HOLY, HOLY Words and Music by Joel Chernoff (CHORUS) Holy, Holy is the Name; Holy is the Lamb for sinners slain. By Him the demons die, Redemption draweth nigh. Holy is (Glory to) His Name. (1st Verse) Messiah you loved me; You gave your life for me. Your blood an offering, Now my sins are whiter than snow. Washed in your Blood, Guilty I stood, but now I am free. (2nd Verse) You bore my sickness; You carried all my sins. O Son of David why? Are we not all like sheep, Following our own way. Yet on your back, my sins were laid. (Holy, Holy) The lyrics above were taken from Revelation 4:8 and 5:10-14, and intended to create an awesome SPIRIT OF WORSHIP in which to touch the Holy, Holy. The first verse is from Psalm 51:7. The second verse is from Isaiah 53:4 and 6. (Editor's Note: Joel Chernoff is featured in the People Profile Section of this issue of Morning Star. The group "Lamb" - A Concert Ministry - is featured in the Ministry Profile.) (From the Editor:) MUSIC ... how wonderful of God to think of it! Surely God created music for the purpose of worshipping Him because, "God inhabits the praises of His people." (Psalm 22:3) Paul, the apostle, spoke of music in the worship life of his churches: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Col. 3:16) This scripture shows us that singing is of value if we do it with grace and make melody in our hearts to the Lord. Yes ... the heart is always involved. It is the HEART of the matter! The natural response of a joyful heart is to lift up a holy song of praise to the Lord. "Is there any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms." (James 5:13) Music that glorifies the Lord can draw our hearts near to the Father through praise. "Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise." (Psalm 33:2 and 3) "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." (Psalm 150:6) Chef's Corner Chef's Corner GETTING THE MOST FROM A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST OF TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI CRISPY FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (OR ZUCCHINI) 4 large green tomatoes, sliced thick (or 1 zucchini sliced thin) 2 tablespoons flour 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash pepper 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs (or corn meal) Oil for pan frying Parmesan cheese (optional) Garlic powder (optional) Coat tomato (or zucchini) slices with flour, then dip in egg (seasoned with salt and pepper) and finally in bread crumbs (or corn meal). Using medium heat, brown on both sides in a skillet oiled lightly with oil. Sprinkle with cheese and garlic powder and serve hot. Yield: 4 servings. VARIATION: sprinkle sugar instead of the cheese and garlic. DRIED RED TOMATOES Wash and drain tomatoes, cut crosswise in 1/2" slices, pack cutside up between layers of salt in crock, pot or wooden barrel. Leave for 24 hours, pour off liquid. Discard. Boil tomatoes to a pulp and rub them thru a fine sieve. Season to taste - boil it to the consistency of cream, stirring briskly. When cooked, spread the puree to 1/2" deep on platters or non-aluminum cookie sheets. Let dry in the sun or a slow oven. (Protect from insects if done outdoors.) Cut the sheets into 3" squares when the pulp is still slightly moist. Once the drying is complete, pack pieces in an airtight container. Store in cool, dark place. One 3" square will flavor 2 - 3 quarts soup. ZUCCHINI PIE Pastry 2-crust pie 4 cups pared, cubed zucchini 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup lemon 2 eggs, beaten Prepare pastry and line 9-inch pie plate or pan. Prepare zucchini. Mix together sugar, spice, and flour. Add to zucchini cubes. Toss to mix. Mix in lemon juice. Turn zucchini into pie shell. Add beaten eggs. Roll out top crust. Cut steam vents. Cover pie. Seal and flute edge. Sprinkle top lightly with sugar, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 45 to 60 minutes, until pie is golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 6 servings. ZUCCHINI BREAD 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 3/4 cup oil 3 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 cups peeled zucchini 1 cup nuts 1 teaspoon vanilla Grate zucchini in other bowl. Beat eggs; add sugar, then oil. Combine dry ingredients and nuts. Use more if desired. Add zucchini. Put in greased and floured bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour. ZUCCHINI WITH FISH 2 small zucchini 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes 1 pound skinned red snapper, cod or striped bass fillets 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons fine dry unseasoned breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons lemon juice Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Press tomatoes and their liquid through sieve into bowl; discard seeds. Pat fish dry. Heat 1/4 cup of the butter in 12-inch non-corrosive skillet over medium-high heat; when foam subsides, reduce heat to medium. Add fish fillets; cook, turning once, until fish is light brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove fish with slotted spatula to greased shallow baking dish. Add oil to butter remaining in skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Add zucchini; cook and stir until light brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in half the basil, the salt, rosemary and pepper; cook 30 seconds. Stir in sieved tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (Remove and discard rosemary at this point if using fresh.) Spoon zucchini-tomato mixture over fish in baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining basil. Drizzle lemon juice over crumbs; dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake uncovered just until fish is cooked through and topping is light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Yield: 2 to 3 servings. ZUCCHINI CRESCENT PIE 1/4 teaspoon oregano 2 eggs, well beaten 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese 8 oz. crescent dinner rolls 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook zucchini and onion in butter until tender. Stir in seasonings. Blend eggs and cheese and stir in vegetable mixture. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Place in 10 inch pie pan, press over bottom and up sides to form crust. Spread crust with mustard. Pour vegetable mixture evenly onto crust. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Potpourri Potpourri MUSIC AND WORSHIP Music and worship have been companions for millennia. Consider the following: -Moses and the Israelites sang songs of redemption to the Lord at their deliverance from the wrath of Egypt. -By the prophetic word to Nathan and David, music became an enhanced part of the worship experience in the Tabernacle and Temple. -The King of Babylon made use of "all kinds of musick" as a call to worship the golden idol. -Few churches are without hymnals. -Johann Sebastian Bach wrote great, prolific cantatas for use in worship. -Music accompanied most of the great revivals preached by such men as Moody, Finney, Sunday and Billy Graham, to name a few. ------------------------- One day a week we worship God, With others who believe. But how we live throughout the week, Affects what we'll receive. ------------------------- We lose interest in worship, When we have nothing invested. ------------------------- All God's testings have a purpose- Someday you will see the light; All He asks is that you trust Him; Walk by faith and not by sight. ------------------------- DID YOU PRAY? By Scott Swain DID YOU GO TO YOUR KNEES AS YOU ROSE FROM YOUR BED DID YOU SEEK OUT HIS FACE OR YOUR BREAKFAST INSTEAD, DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY, TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY BROTHER, DID YOU PRAY? DID YOU SEEK HIS ADVICE WHEN YOU MADE THAT LAST DEAL DID YOU BOTHER TO THANK HIM AS YOU GOT BEHIND THAT WHEEL DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY, TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY SISTER, DID YOU PRAY? AS YOU LEAVE FOR VACATION A LONG AWAITED TRIP, DID YOU ASK FOR HIS BLESSINGS BEFORE BOARDING THAT SHIP, DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY FRIEND, DID YOU PRAY? HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF YOUR BLESSINGS BOTH GREAT AND SOME SMALL AND JUST TOLD HIM THANK YOU FOR GIVING HIS ALL, DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY, TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY SON, DID YOU PRAY? HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF YOUR MATE THEIR GOOD POINTS AND BAD AND WHO WITHOUT HIS HELP YOU WOULD NOT HAVE HAD, DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY, TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY DAUGHTER, DID YOU PRAY? DO YOU ONLY SEEK HIM WHEN THINGS GET ROUGH HE GIVES US SO MUCH BUT WE DON'T SEEK HIM ENOUGH, DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU START EACH NEW DAY, TO SEEK OUT HIS FACE MY MOTHER, DID YOU PRAY? DO YOU EVER JUST THANK HIM FOR THIS WONDERFUL PLACE AND JUST EXALT HIM FOR HIS EVERLOVING GRACE DO YOU MAKE IT A HABIT AS YOU END EACH BUSY DAY, TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN MY FATHER, DO YOU PRAY? Resource Area Book Reviews Book Reviews WORSHIP - REDISCOVERING THE MISSING JEWEL A Critical Concern Book Ronald Allen & Gordon Borror Multnomah Press, 1982 Portland, Oregon EFFECTIVE SPEECH COMMUNICATION IN LEADING WORSHIP Charles L. Bartow Abingdon Press, 1988 Nashville, Tennessee THE ULTIMATE PRIORITY John MacArthur, Jr. Moody Press, 1983 Chicago, Illinois Within the church there is much confusion related to the subject of worship. What is it, and where does it belong? Some churches believe that worship must include some profound emotional experience for the participants. In other words worship should be like a pep-rally before the big game. Unfortunately, in these situations, it is often just noise and emotion, signifying nothing. Other types of churches don't give much attention to worship. The most important function of the church is the teaching of the Word. Or so they will tell us. Attention to the Lord, praising Him and approaching Him become hindrances to the teaching of Scripture. The problem with both groups is that they lack understanding of what worship really is. These three books focus on different aspects of worship, defining and aiding in developing worship that is worthy of God. In WORSHIP - REDISCOVERING THE MISSING JEWEL, worship is defined as "...an active response to God whereby we declare His worth" (pg. 16). The first two books focus on the act of worship as carried out in the gathering of the body of believers. Allen and Borror start with the assumption that contemporary believers are somewhat muddled by the concept of worship. Part one, made up of four chapters, focus on a definition of worship. This definition encompasses information on the essence and art of worship. Then the authors talk about God's desire for worship, and who should carry it out. Part two of the book is a practical discussion of elements of worship in the church setting. These elements include: balance (a major problem in many churches), planning, moods, quality, and most importantly, the beauty of worship. The final section concerns aspects of worship. These aspects comprise specifics requiring attention if worship is to be worthy of the Lord. These include: the importance of the Amen, the role of the body, including public reading of Scriptures, song, and the environment in which worship occurs. Some may believe too much attention is given to technique, the assumption being that worship should be totally spontaneous. Certainly there is a need for spontaneity. But if one examines the Old Testament, it is clear God gave the Israelites specific instruction for worship. The average Christian needs help in discovering the importance of worship. Worship is not emotion, though it encompasses it. Worship is the work of giving God the proper response for Who He is. WORSHIP - REDISCOVERING THE MISSING JEWEL is directed primarily to evangelicals. As a result, other Christians may be familiar with much of what is discussed. All will benefit from a reading of this material. EFFECTIVE SPEECH COMMUNICATION IN LEADING WORSHIP focus on a specific area of worship. Here, too, the desire of the author, Charles Bartow, is in helping the corporate worship participant do a quality job. Professor Bartow deals with the importance of proper use of language and related factors in bring the worshiper toward God. Too often, the worship experience can be one of distraction instead of focus. Bartow focuses on effective communication in the following areas: The importance of the nature, shape and conduct of the worship service. The major elements which make up the service include praise, prayer, the reading of the Word, and the place of sacrament. The rest of the book, gives step-by-step instructions and examples for how to communicate most effectively in each area. This small book, only 128 pages, is a manual for pastors and worship directors who have a concern to present to God the best they have to offer. As with WORSHIP - REDISCOVERING THE MISSING JEWEL, this too may seem somewhat artificial to some. But as we strive to give God our best, the technical elements necessary to do so move into the background, helping the body to worship more effectively. Worship doesn't become artificial. It becomes worthy. Both of these books are highly recommended to clergy, church leaders, and anyone who wants a better understanding of corporate worship. The corporate setting isn't the only environment in which worship is to be carried out. Every believer has the responsibility to worship God as part of his or her own walk as a believer. Individual worship is the concern of John MacArthur in his book, THE ULTIMATE PRIORITY. In fact, MacArthur takes the position that worship must be personal before it can become public. Worship is the response of the individual believer to the presence of God in his life. MacArthur's purpose for this book, as stated on the back cover, is to "challenge you to realign your priorities. No matter how busy your schedule or how important other demands on your time may be, your ultimate priority must always be to worship the true and living God with your thoughts, your words and your lifestyle." Every believer is a worshiper. The walk of each believer is a worship statement. The only question is, what is the quality of your worship? As John MacArthur puts it, "This book is a call to personal worship of the thrice holy god. It is a call to a radically different type of living on the part of the believer; to a way of life that seeks to worship God continually--not just on Sunday. The call is new in the sense that Christians in our time have generally missed God's emphasis. The call is old in the sense that it sounds forth again the psalmist's invitation: TOBY INDENT SCRIPTURE BUT DON'T PUT A LINE BETWEEN ABOVE AND PASSAGE. Come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand" (Psalm 95:6-7). The attention of this book is primarily on the importance of worship in the life of the individual. The second point focuses on how our worship is a testimony for the Lord to the world around us. Here, as in the previous books, attention is given to both definition of worship and the practical ways in which worship is to be manifest in our lives. MacArthur reinforces the concerns of the other books in noting that adequate worship requires preparation from the individual believer, prior to becoming involved in corporate worship. This book should be read by every believer. After all, every Christian must be concerned with giving God his or her best, thus being a light in the darkness of a fallen world. All three books stress the importance of worship in the life of believers. Each one also shows that worthy worship requires preparation and work. Too frequently we offer God less than our best because we are lazy. We argue that we are simply allowing the Holy Spirit to work, but if the pastor came up to preach each Sunday unprepared, stating that he was depending on the Holy Spirit for his message, he soon would be out of work. Let us not use sanctimonious statements to cover up the fact that we have become undisciplined. Instead, let us take our responsibilities seriously and strive to give to the Lord our very best. Each of these books is written to help us do so. NewsDesk Morning Star NewsDesk MORNING STAR NEWSDESK - AUGUST 1992 LEADING THE WAY TO A ONE-NUMBER SYSTEM The European Commission is looking at the possibility of standardizing national social insurance cards which would allow people when abroad in another EC country to get urgent medical treatment. The advantage of this will be to do away with the need to get an E111 health form each time before traveling. (EP - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT NEWS) NEW DOORS OPEN IN YUGOSLAVIA In spite of the devastating and senseless civil war, the Balkan Mission in Yugoslavia is enjoying new opportunities to share the Gospel. For the first time, a local radio station invited Sasha Vuletich of Balkan Mission to come and tell about God's love. Sasha, with five more Christians, "occupied" the radio station to talk about Jesus as the "source of love," share testimonies and take calls from listeners. Taking advantage of the new civil liberties, Sasha used the local newspaper to advertise free English classes held in the church. The classes were given by a Christian couple visiting from America. An average of fifty people came six nights a week for six weeks. Sasha explains: "The purpose of the English classes was to open our doors to the public for other than church services. We try to build relationships." Several non-Christians became intrigued, coming to church on Sundays as well. In Sarajevo however, the missionaries had to flee the city when fighting broke out. A fledgling church of 14 Muslim converts in the city of Tusla, in Bosnia, was forced to leave. The area of Macedonia remains quiet for now, and Sasha expects the Lord to double the number of believers over the summer. (PARTNERS UPDATE - Partners International) SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE? A church in Virginia is being investigated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over a charge that it committed unlawful religious discrimination when it terminated the employment of a pre-school worker whose beliefs were in direct conflict with those of the church. Churches all over America are being told that they cannot discriminate in their hiring and firing based on religious belief. (MINUTEMAN ALERT - Christian Law Association) AN UNFORTUNATE LINK BETWEEN CHURCH AND THE STATE High ranking Russian Orthodox church leaders actively collaborated with the KGB until the end of the Cold War, it has recently been uncovered among the KGB files. Recently released files show that the KGB's use of church leaders lasted through most of the reform era of former president Mikhail Gorbachev. As late as 1989, the security service was still reporting on information provided by church officials upon return from trips abroad. "It's a moral travesty," said the Rev. Gleb Yakunin, an Orthodox priest and now a Russian Parliamentary member, who spent five years in prison for his religious activities. Yakunin was in Washington in late March, where he made these revelations. (WASHINGTON INQUIRER) NOW IT CAN BE TOLD? MA'ARIV quotes Russian Vice President Alexander Rutskoy's words to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek: "The delay in the advancement of peace and cooeration in the Middle East stems from the refusal of the Arabs to recognize Israel's right to exist as an independent Jewish state." He further stated: "Those who slow down the rate of progress in the negotiations are in error. The Arabs are not approaching the issue of regional cooperation with quick, courageous steps." The Russian Vice President also said that Mubarek responded by saying that Israel is controlling the Territories and must return them, to which Rutskoy responded: "All who claim this need to visit Israel, to see the geographical-military position of Israel and to be made aware, who threatens whom." Rutskoy also rejected assertions he had heard accusing Israel of supposedly oppressing the Palestinians. "I told the Egyptians that I was there and that they were not. If you visit the Territories you will see who oppresses whom and how the Arabs live there, in contrast to the Arabs in Arab states. (ISRAEL LINE, LIKUD USA) CHRISTIANS ATTACKED IN MEXICO Scores of people were injured in a clash between Indian evangelical converts and adherents of a syncretistic form of Catholicism in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. The fighting occurred at the settlement of La Hormiga, populated by Chamula Indians expelled from their villages for abandoning their centuries-old religion, a blend of pre-Hispanic Indian beliefs and Catholicism. Hundreds of traditionalist Chamulas from San Juan Chamula attacked La Hormiga with guns and clubs and seized dozens of converts. Similar attacks have taken place in the past. Tens of thousands of Christian converts have been expelled from Indian communities in Oaxaca and Chiapas states. Speaking little Spanish and with few job skills, many of the Indian converts are forced into a precarious life on the fringes of Mexican society. (NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL RELIGION REPORT) SYRIANS TESTING SCUD MISSILES The Syrian army's recent test-firing of two Scud-C medium-range ground to air missiles has "very grave implications," Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said last week. "The test is an indication of Syrian intentions as well as Syrian capabilities. Moreover, it took place while Syria is taking part in peace negotiations with Israel," Peres told reporters after visiting the National Defense College. "The IDF will have to remain vigilant because the shadow of danger will stay with us throughout the peace process. The peace process is not an alternative to the maintenance of security capability. Neither Israel nor the Arabs have a better alternative than to reach a peace. To carry on now with the missile race would endanger the whole of the Middle East, eat up economic resources, and solve nothing," he added. "The Syrians must take into account that as soon as they launch a missile against us, we can move to Damascus," Deputy Defense Minister Mordechai Gur told ITV's Arabic channel. Gur said Israel was much more limited in its response when Iraq launched 39 less sophisticated Scuds at Israel during the Gulf War. Gur quoted Prime Minister Rabin as saying that in a war, "Syria will be totally paralyzed. Not only her missiles - all her resources." (JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL) ISRAEL-VATICAN TIES EXPECTED SOON Israel and the Vatican are expected to establish consular-level ties before the end of the year - the first official step toward the establishment of full diplomatic relations, after 44 years of refusal by the Holy See to recognize Israel. The decision on establishing diplomatic missions is expected in November after a meeting in Jerusalem of an Israeli-Vatican permanent bilateral commission. According to Moshe Gilboa, advisor to the foreign minister on church relations, the establishment of the bilateral working group showed that Vatican officials finally recognized they could not maintain good relations with Jews without establishing normal ties with Israel. Gilboa hopes that formal ties will allow Israel to press the Vatican harder to fight grass roots anti-Semitism among many of the 1 billion Catholics world-wide. (THE JERUSALEM REPORT) Information and Product Guide Information and Product Guide MORNING STAR Back Issues The following list details the articles and authors of columns in Morning Star, Volumes 1.1 through 1.11. Use it as a reference guide to download or order these previous issues. Each issue also has a "theme" which is reflected in the Features area as well as in several of the columns. Those columns that are theme-related are indicated by an asterisk. VOLUME 1.1 FEATURES 5 articles on "Witnessing" NEW IN CHRIST "You Must Be Born Again" (part 1 of 2 - The basics of the Gospel of Jesus) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Christ is God" (part 1 of 2 - Biblical evidence supporting the deity of Jesus) by T. Trudel SPECIAL STUDIES "He Is Revealed By His First Name" (Study on the names of God) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "An Introduction To Messianic Judaism" by G. Kragen ANEE M'AMIN Rob Kirsch, Philadelphia, PA. THE WORD FOR TODAY "Israel - A Providential People" (part 1 of 3) by G. Kragen & W. Eisenberg WITNESSING * "I Was Sick And You Visited Me" (Do's and Don'ts of Sick Visitation) by J.C. Trudel PRAYER GUIDELINES "Guidelines For Corporate Prayer" by Lance Lambert & Art Carlson (CFI) PEOPLE PROFILES * "No Dry Eye" (A special Veteran's Feature) by T. Giordanengo "Point Man" by Bob Ferelli of Point Man International - a ministry to veterans, made up of veterans MINISTRY PROFILE * "The JESUS Film Project" (Reports from around the world) EDUCATION Interview with Clark Stephens, Principal of Liberty Christian School, Huntington Beach, CA. TESTIMONY Mark Robinson, Jefferson City, MO. CFI REPORTS Intro Column to CFI by S. Saunders, Jerusalem, Israel MUSIC COLUMN Lyrics and story behind "Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go" CHEF'S CORNER Assorted recipes including "Scripture Cake" BOOK REVIEWS 3 books on Christian counselling: "Toxic Faith", "The Wounded Heart" & "Small Group Bible Studies" VOLUME 1.2 FEATURES 4 articles on "Healing" COMMENTARY 3 examples of improper use of time and resources by believers by T. Trudel NEW IN CHRIST "You Must Be Born Again (part 2) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Christ Is God" (part 2) by T. Trudel SPECIAL STUDIES * "Does God Heal?" by G. Kragen MESSIANIC STUDIES "The Seven Feasts of Israel" by Zola Levitt ANEE M'AMIN Avner Boskey (Reprinted from "Chosen People" magazine) THE WORD FOR TODAY Israel - A Providential People (part 2) by G. Kragen & W. Eisenberg WITNESSING "Foundations of Jewish Evangelism" by Ron Elkin PRAYER GUIDELINES "Suggestions for Prayer Group Leaders" by JoAnn Magnuson (CFI) SCUD WARNINGS Intro Column (part 1) by J. Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Dr. Harry J Silvus of Washington, PA. MINISTRY PROFILE AMMI Ministry, Philadelphia PA. (Promoting the Gospel among the Jewish People) EDUCATION "Choice: Education's New Buzzword" by Dr. Paul A. Kienel TESTIMONY Wayne Fritzsche, Bernardsville, NJ. CFI REPORTS Letters from Israel, News Clips from the "Israel News Digest" and the September "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN * Lyrics and stories behind "It Is Well With My Soul" and "God Will Take Care of You" CHEF'S CORNER Seven assorted recipes from our readers. BOOK REVIEWS * 2 books on dealing with illness and suffering: "Be Joyful" and "Surprised By Suffering" VOLUME 1.3 FEATURES 6 powerful testimonies (3 men and 3 women) concerning "Deliverance from Homosexuality" COMMENTARY * Changed Lives & the Church's proper outreach to all sinners - G. Kragen NEW IN CHRIST "The Measure of Truth" (Insights on the Bible) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Jonah - A Story of God's Love" (part 1) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "A Covenant" (Study of God's earliest covenants with man) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Messiah In The Torah" by Neil Lash ANEE M'AMIN Eliezer Urbach, Denver, CO. THE WORD FOR TODAY "Israel - A Providential People" (part 3) by G. Kragen & W. Eisenberg WITNESSING * "When Someone You Love Is Gay" by Sy Rogers "My Friend Is Struggling With Homosexuality: How Do I Relate?" (provided by "Love In Action", San Rafael, CA. PRAYER GUIDELINES "Spiritual Warfare - Rebuking The Enemy by Derek White (CFI) SCUD WARNINGS Intro Column (part 2) by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * "Victory Over Homosexuality and Aids" by Jim Cobb Special Article on Aids by Dr. Rob Kirsch MINISTRY PROFILE * "Exodus International" (Ex-gay ministry) EDUCATION "Management Plan Uses Teacher Input" by C. Wootten (Adaptation of Dr. W. Edward Demmings 14-point management plan to the education field) CFI REPORTS "A Christian Voice For Soviet Jewry" (Aliya report from Jerusalem) "Project Open Gates" (Ministry to Soviet Jews) "Project Together Again" (Ministry to Ethiopian Jews) MUSIC COLUMN Lyrics and stories behind "Count Your Blessings" and "Angels We Have Heard On High" CHEF'S CORNER A baker's dozen delicious holiday recipes! BOOK REVIEWS * 2 books on homosexuality: "Counseling And Homosexuality" and "The Crisis Of Homosexuality" VOLUME 1.4 FEATURES 4 articles on "Education" COMMENTARY * The Biblical view of the importance of education by J.C. Trudel NEW IN CHRIST Reliability of modern Bible translations by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Jonah - A Story Of God's Love" (part 2) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "Holiness and Other Covenantal Attributes of God" by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Why Messianic Jews?" by Rachmiel Frydland (From the American Messianic Jewish Quarterly) ANEE M'AMIN Interview with Alyosha Ryabinov of El Paso, TX, originally from the Soviet Union. THE WORD FOR TODAY "Pragmatism" by G. Kragen PRAYER GUIDELINES * Article on prayer and children, by Guinn Jenkins (From the "Home Educator's Examiner") SCUD WARNINGS Sin, accountability and submission by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Thelma and Murray Scott of Memphis, TN, retired teachers with over 60 years experience between them. MINISTRY PROFILE * "The Teaching Home", a magazine for Christian home schoolers EDUCATION * "Christian Education" by Donald O'hare of Central Christian Academy, Houston, PA. TESTIMONY Janette Kragen, Sacramento, CA CFI REPORTS "The Wall Of Prayer" project for Israel, December "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN Stories about Handel's "Messiah", and "I Know A Port", a Norwegian song written in World War II, by Lars Storstrand of Minde, Norway CHEF'S CORNER 9 New Year's Eve recipes BOOK REVIEWS * 4 books on education. "Why Johnny Can't Read", "Honey For a Child's Heart", "The Read-Aloud Handbook", "Child Abuse In The Classroom" VOLUME 1.5 FEATURES Profiles on 5 ministries; Teen Challenge, Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers, Bill Rudge Ministries, International Ministries, Sepher Counseling Ministries COMMENTARY * "Ministry - Whose Responsibility Anyway?" - G. Kragen NEW IN CHRIST "The Hidden Helper" (Christians and the Holy Spirit) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Jonah - A Story Of God's Love" (part 3) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "God Is Revealed In His Third Covenant" (The Noahic Covenant) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Was Paul The Founder Of Christianity?" (A comparison of the teachings of Paul, Jesus, and the Old Testament) by Avi Snyder ANEE M'AMIN Robyn Wilk (From the Jews for Jesus Newsletter) THE WORD FOR TODAY "Amazing Grace - How Sweet The Sound" (First of two articles dealing with grace and repentance) by J.C. Trudel PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Humility" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS Healthy versus unhealthy self esteem by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Peter and Hanneke Jacobs, founders and directors of Nitelite Ministries, Irvine, CA MINISTRY PROFILE * "Nitelite Ministries", children's music, drama and media ministry EDUCATION * "Moms In Touch International", prayer groups for children, schools, teachers and administrators TESTIMONY * "Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc." - Dr. Charles Wootten, Matoaca, VA CFI REPORTS Shauvot in Jerusalem - Conference outline, January "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN * "Reach Out" and "How Excellent Your Name" by Peter and Hanneke Jacobs CHEF'S CORNER 7 recipes from men who cook BOOK REVIEWS * "Unleashing The Church" and the classic "Pilgrim's Progress" VOLUME 1.6 FEATURES 6 articles on "Relationships" COMMENTARY * "The Church - Family Of God Or Family Feud?" (Relationships in and between churches) by G. Kragen NEW IN CHRIST "Lifestyles Of The Poor And Humble" (part 1 of living the Christian lifestyle) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Jonah - A Story Of God's Love" (part 4) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "God's Names In His Fourth Covenant" (First of a 2-part article on the Abrahamic Covenant) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "The Bat Mitzvah Of Sarah Briskin", (An account of a Jewish Bat Mitzvah, including a wonderful message from 13-year old Sarah, a believer in Messiah Jesus) ANEE M'AMIN Steve Herzig (From "Israel My Glory" magazine) WITNESSING * "Cut The Jargon" (Using proper terminology when witnessing) by David Beiswenger THE WORD FOR TODAY "Repentance" (Second of two articles dealing with grace and repentance) by J.C. Trudel PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Emotion" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS A look at the false "Prosperity Gospel" by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Robin Cole, former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker MINISTRY PROFILE * "Sentenced To Life" (The Christian Broadcast Network's Marriage Seminars) by Susan Norman EDUCATION * "What Graduates Say About Christian Schools" (From the "Christian School Comments Newsletter") TESTIMONY * J.C. Trudel, Naples, Florida CFI REPORTS "For Zion's Sake" - a letter from Israel, February "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN "Has Someone Seen Jesus In You" and "Sweet Gentle Voice" by Dale Strand CHEF'S CORNER 6 maple syrup recipes for the winter BOOK REVIEWS * 2 books on relationships, "Men & Women - Enjoying The Difference", "Healing The Dysfunctional Church Family" VOLUME 1.7 FEATURES 5 articles/stories on Prisons, Inmates, and Prison Ministries COMMENTARY * "Praising in Prison" by G. Kragen NEW IN CHRIST "Lifestyles Of The Poor And Humble" (part 2 of living the Christian lifestyle) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "The Word Distinctive - Psalm 1" by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "The Abrahamic Covenant" (2nd of a 2-part article) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Jesus Makes Us Kosher" from the "Jews For Jesus Newsletter" ANEE M'AMIN Dr. Steven Yulish, Phoenix, AZ WITNESSING * "A Witness To The Prisoners" by Roger Houle, prison ministry worker at Hillsboro County Jail, Manchester, NH THE WORD FOR TODAY * "The High Road To Beginning Again" by Chaplain Ray of International Prison Ministry PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Thanksgiving" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS The problem of "Programitis" in the large and/or more organized churches by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Chaplain G.A. Bennett of Chattanooga, TN MINISTRY PROFILE * "Prison Fellowship" by Charles Colson, Chairman EDUCATION * "Through Grace By Faith" (Education programs at Indiana State Prison) by David Carlson TESTIMONY * Letters from inmates to Chaplain G.A. Bennett CFI REPORTS March "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN * 2 songs from Horace Benson Hatcher, an inmate at Eastern Prison in Pikeville, TN CHEF'S CORNER 11 Passover/Easter recipes POTPOURRI COLUMN * 15 poems from Christian inmates across the U.S. BOOK REVIEWS "Whatever Happened To The Human Race?", "The Complete Works Of Francis A. Schaeffer", "Operation Rescue" VOLUME 1.8 FEATURES 6 articles on "Israel", the land, culture and people COMMENTARY * "Thank God For Those 44 Years!" by Zola Levitt NEW IN CHRIST "The God Of This World" (part 1 of a 2-part article on Satan) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY * "Who Owns The Land?" (Biblical view of who owns the land of Israel) by Derek Prince of CFI SPECIAL STUDIES * "Will The Ten Lost Tribes Ever Be Found?" by Will Varner of Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry MESSIANIC STUDIES * "A Lack Of Identity" by Chana Cohn (From the Feb. 1992 "Levitt Letter") ANEE M'AMIN Simcha Davidov, Fairmont, WV WITNESSING * "Witnessing In Israel" by ZVI (From "Israel My Glory" magazine PRAYER GUIDELINES * "Why Should Christians Pray For The Jewish People?" by Ace Edwards (From "Israel My Glory" magazine) SCUD WARNINGS Witchcraft in the church today by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Ruth J. Harris, Messianic Pastor at Beth-Messiah Congregation in Pittsburgh, PA MINISTRY PROFILE * "Messianic Jews And The Law Of Return" (From the IRC report of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America) EDUCATION * "Education In Israel" by Amitai Rotem (From the United Jewish Federation, Pittsburgh, PA) TESTIMONY Dan King, Denver, CO CFI REPORTS * "Forsake Them Not Ministry", a CFI ministry dedicated to helping survivors of the Holocaust MUSIC COLUMN * "Bonay Y'Rushalyim", "V'neeglah" and "Ha-Teesh-Kach", by Joel Chernoff of the messianic musical group "Lamb" CHEF'S CORNER * Recipes from Israeli, Ethiopian and Russian Jewish kitchens VOLUME 1.9 FEATURES 5 articles/stories on "Biblical Counseling" as well as a list of counseling resources COMMENTARY * Believers as disciples and counselors by G. Kragen NEW IN CHRIST "The God Of This World" (part 2 of a 2-part article on Satan) by T. Trudel BIBLE STUDY "Fire And Brimstone" (2nd Thessalonians, chapter 1) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "God Is Revealed In The Covenant Of Freedom" (The Mosaic Covenant) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Jesus The Rabbi - Was He Orthodox?" (part 1 of a 3-part series) the transcript of a 1987 address in Jerusalem by David Bivin of CFI ANEE M'AMIN Susan Liles (From "The Chosen People" magazine) THE WORD FOR TODAY * "Seeking The Healthy Church Family" ("Unconditional Love" - Part 1 of a 7-part series on the dysfunctional behavior found in families and brought into the church) by G. Kragen PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Faith" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS "Heavy Shepherding" church groups by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with Pastoral-Counselor Geoffrey Kragen of Roseville, CA MINISTRY PROFILE * "Minirth-Meier Counseling Clinics" EDUCATION "Gablers Discovers Amazing Factual Errors In Secular Textbooks" (From the "Christian School Comment Newsletter" by Dr. Paul A. Kienel) TESTIMONY * "Handling The Hidden Pain", the story of "Jamie" a victim of satanic child abuse CFI REPORTS May 1992 "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN "Always Deeper Still" and "Jesus Never Fails" by Gary Driskell, a composer from Nashville, TN CHEF'S CORNER 7 recipes for the wedding season BOOK REVIEWS * 2 books on Christian counseling, "The Holy Spirit And Counseling" and "Encouragement - The Key To Caring" VOLUME 1.10 FEATURES 6 articles on "Women's Issues" COMMENTARY * Christian Women and inner peace by T. Giordanengo NEW IN CHRIST "How To Practice Forgiveness" by Rev. Chester N. Shew BIBLE STUDY "Chicken Little Is In The Church" (2nd Thessalonians, chapter 2) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "He Is Revealed In Symbols And Types" (Part 1 of a 2-part article on the use of symbols and types in scripture) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Jesus The Rabbi - Was He Orthodox?" (part 2 of a 3-part series) the transcript of a 1987 address in Jerusalem by David Bivin of CFI ANEE M'AMIN A story of the witnessing efforts of Albert Israeli in the Soviet Union (From "The Chosen People" magazine) THE WORD FOR TODAY "Seeking The Healthy Church Family" ("Pass Me Another Stone" - Part 2 of a 7-part series on the dysfunctional behavior found in families and brought into the church) by G. Kragen WITNESSING "A True Witness Delivereth Souls; But A Deceitful Witness Speaketh Lies" Part 1 of a 2-part article by J.C. Trudel PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Trust" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS * Prejudice in the Church by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with schoolteacher Elsie Holzapfel of Canonsburg PA MINISTRY PROFILE * "Jesus Cares Ministries" - Ministering to those in crisis pregnancy EDUCATION "Can You Afford A Christian School Education For Your Children" (From the "Christian School Comment Newsletter" by Dr. Paul A. Kienel) TESTIMONY * Susanne Miller, Redwood City, CA CFI REPORTS "A Christian Voice For Soviet Jewry" - second quarter report from Jerusalem, Letters to CFI from Soviet Jewish immigrants MUSIC COLUMN "There Stands The Cross" and "Time To Let Go" by Gary Driskell, a composer from Nashville, TN CHEF'S CORNER Recipes for the barbecue season BOOK REVIEWS * "Amy Carmichael Of Dohnnavur" and "Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood" VOLUME 1.11 FEATURES 8 articles on "Bible Study" COMMENTARY A readers reply to the Education column article in Volume 1.9 NEW IN CHRIST * "Gone To Seed" (A look at seeds and trees in the Bible) by Pastor Rick Booye, Eagle Point, OR BIBLE STUDY "Get A Job" (2nd Thessalonians, chapter 3) by G. Kragen SPECIAL STUDIES "He Is Revealed In Symbols And Types" (Part 2 of a 2-part article on the use of symbols and types in scripture) by C. Wootten MESSIANIC STUDIES "Jesus The Rabbi - Was He Orthodox?" (part 3 of a 3-part series) the transcript of a 1987 address in Jerusalem by David Bivin of CFI ANEE M'AMIN * "How A Rabbi Found Peace", the story of Dr. Max Wertheimer THE WORD FOR TODAY "Seeking The Healthy Church Family" ("Keeping Up With The Joneses" - Part 3 of a 7-part series on the dysfunctional behavior found in families and brought into the church) by G. Kragen WITNESSING "A True Witness Delivereth Souls; But A Deceitful Witness Speaketh Lies" Part 2 of a 2-part article by J.C. Trudel PRAYER GUIDELINES "Prayer And Asking" by Mike Wilkinson SCUD WARNINGS "The draining and training of the Christian Mind" by Jerry Johnson PEOPLE PROFILES * Interview with evangelist Ray Reed of Beaumont, TX MINISTRY PROFILE * "David's Mighty Men Inc.", a Bible study group EDUCATION * "Education's Fourth 'R'" (Release time Bible study programs) by Maury Walker, president TESTIMONY Jack Lavallet III, Los Angeles, CA CFI REPORTS "Project Letters Of Love", a letter writing ministry to the people of Israel, July "Watchman's Prayer Letter" MUSIC COLUMN "Call Comin' Through" and "Face To Faith" by Gary Driskell, a composer from Nashville, TN CHEF'S CORNER 10 picnic recipes BOOK REVIEWS "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur, Jr.