From the Editor Letter from the Editor Letter from the Editor Welcome to the 23rd issue of MORNING STAR! This month's Feature theme is local church ministries. I hope you enjoy the wonderful variety of articles we have assembled. The Lord has continue to bless this magazine ministry in so many ways. He has now set us upon a new and exciting course. Beginning with the upcoming October 1993 issue (Volume 3.1) MORNING STAR will be available in a professional hard copy edition. Along with this project we are embarking on a campaign to make the new MORNING STAR hard copy edition available to prison chaplains and inmates, and to missionaries in foreign lands. The ministry of DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN in Beaumont, Texas, is teaming up with MORNING STAR to produce, print and mail the new hard copy edition. It's a big undertaking - but everyone involved sought the Lord in prayer and all received confirmation that this is something the Lord will bless. Needless to say, we need our readers to prayerfully consider helping us in this new endeavor! I've posted the "Ad blurb" below! In HIS service, Toby Trudel We are NOW accepting annual subscription orders for the new MORNING STAR magazine hardcopy! The premier issue will be out in late September - don't miss it. The hard copy will be published by the ministry of DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN in Beaumont, Texas. For a donation of $36.00, we will send both you AND an individual from our foreign missions / prison ministry list, a 12-month subscription to MORNING STAR. By doing this, you can help send MORNING STAR to someone who wouldn't normally have access to it. If you are only able to send $18.00 - do it! If you are not able to send a donation, send for your subscription anyway - it's free of charge. For those of you who are outside of the U.S. territories, please include a little extra for shipping - thanks. Send your donation to DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN, PO Box 5093, Beaumont, TX 77726-5093. To contact DMM via America On-Line, our E-mail address is "DavidsMM". Those on Compuserve, GEnie, Delphi or the Internet can contact David's Mighty Men via Internet e-mail at: davidsmm@aol.com DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN, Inc. is an interdenominational, nonprofit corporation; all donations will be used solely to print and distribute the hard copy of MORNING STAR magazine. Remember, MORNING STAR carries no advertisements, so our only means of publishing the hardcopy is through YOU! In Jesus, Ray Reed, Evangelist with DMM Hard Copy Edition Publisher - MORNING STAR Toby Trudel Editor in Chief - MORNING STAR Commentary Commentary SOUTHERN BAPTISTS AND FREEMASONRY by Rev. Vince Gonzalez Naples, Florida I cannot apologize for the actions of the Southern Baptist Convention, (SBC), regarding the issue of Freemasonry. I will say that I am embarrassed. I cannot apologize because the vote of the convention did not represent my vote as I was in the minority. I cannot speak for the convention as the convention cannot speak for me. Also note, that the actions of the convention regarding the recommendation made by the Inter-Faith Witness Department of the Home Mission Board of the SBC is non-binding on other Baptist groups be they state conventions, local associations or local churches. I would have like to have seen the convention vote to condemn participation in freemasonry. This is because I do feel that it is a cult and definitely a false, pagan religion. It is unfortunate that many messengers are uninformed regarding the practices and theology of freemasonry. Instead, the convention approved the recommendation stating that although there are areas of freemasonry that are incompatible with Christianity and Baptist Doctrine, there are areas that are compatible. It further commended freemasonry for their social concerns such as children's hospitals. (Unfortunately they did not reveal that at best only 1/3 of the funds raised for the hospitals etc. actually go to the hospitals the rest is spent on parties, recruitment, publicity and public relations). In the same manner they could have commended Mormons for the same reasons. Of course the entire argument is ludicrous. I spent the week while in Houston to "read up" and update myself on freemasonry. Consequently, I was deeply disturbed and disappointed at the direction the convention took. The SBC now goes on record as being the ONLY evangelical denomination/fellowship that has NOT categorically rejected and condemned freemasonry - TO OUR SHAME! How can we take a stand against abortion and homosexuality then back down against freemasonry to appease a small minority in our churches? The word spread quickly that the Masonic lodges had put out the word to all their members who were Southern Baptists to get elected by their churches and attend the convention in Houston. There was a solid section of masons in the center of the hall. It would be hard to judge the actual number but a good guess would be around 200 out of the 17,800 messengers (which is low as compared to recent conventions). Clearly the issue has not been settled and will continue to resurface at future conventions until the Convention takes a more firm stand. Unfortunately, according to precedence on other issues, any attempt to reconsider the issue will either be tabled or ruled out of order as the Convention has already acted on the issue. It will take a clear and vast majority, acting on a resolution, to reopen the issue. That is my hope and prayer. Perhaps not next year in Orlando, but it will come, and God's people will take a stand for truth and righteousness. Staff List Staff List MORNING STAR A Multimedia Christian Publication P.O. Box 7755 Nashua, NH 03060 Phone: 603-883-4624 Fax: 603-883-0466 -------------------------------------------------- EDITOR IN CHIEF Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH EXECUTIVE EDITOR Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA SENIOR EDITORS Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX ASSOCIATE EDITORS Jody Fauss - Lindale, TX Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Joseph A. Nigro - Oradell, NJ Jeannine Robinson - Mississauga, ONT, Canada Moishe Rosen - San Francisco, CA Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel Clark Stephens - Huntington Beach, CA Pastor Dale Strand - Dublin, CA Rick Thrasher - Santa Clara, CA J.C. Trudel - Naples, FL -------------------------------------------------- SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS and WINDOWS Editions Steve Paulovich - Pembroke, NH OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H. -------------------------------------------------- U.S. DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION Walter H. Bauer Jr. - Sugar Land, TX AMERICA ONLINE NETWORK Jerry White - Germantown, MD COMPUSERVE NETWORK Jorge Lopez - Lubbock, TX GENIE NETWORK Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA DELPHI & NATIONAL VIDEOTEX NETWORKS Rev. Vince Gonzalez - Naples, FL -------------------------------------------------- MORNING STAR is produced and published monthly, by a staff of born again believers in Jesus, located across the United States of America. Correspondence to MORNING STAR may be sent via the U.S. Postal Service or one of these computer networks: INTERNET: mstarmac@aol.com AMERICA ONLINE: MStarDOS GENIE: M.Wilkinson1 COMPUSERVE: 70743,603 DELPHI: VINCEGSR PRODIGY: xvsn02a NATIONAL VIDEOTEX NETWORK: VGONZALEZ FIDONET: 1:106/3118 CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK: 8:3003/5 CHRISTIAN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK: 8:2013/1 POLICENET: 150:402/53 To receive a free copy of the MS DOOR program, which allows viewers to read the magazine onscreen, contact: Alan Graff P.O. Box 131 Wheelersburg, OH 45694 FIDONET: 1:2260/50 Features Royal Rangers Boys Program Royal Rangers Boys Program ROYAL RANGERS BOYS PROGRAM by Walter Bauer (America Online Network) and Jody Fauss (CompuServe Network) The word tells us in Proverbs to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Not only is this the main responsibility of the family but is extended to the church as well. Royal Rangers, founded in 1960 by the Assemblies of God, seeks to reach, teach and keep boys for Christ. It's been said that it's easier to prepare boys than to repair men. Royal Rangers accepts this challenge by taking the natural sense of adventure a boy has for the outdoors, and using it as a tool to teach the Christian life. The aim is to instruct, challenge and inspire boys in the areas of Bible doctrine, Christian service, moral conduct, and basic beliefs of our church through interesting activities they enjoy. Royal Rangers provide activities that meet our goal. These activities include camping, games, trips, and physical fitness. The camping program provides adventure, accomplishment and fellowship for our boys. To enjoy camping fully, the boys are taught skills in fire craft, cooking, first aid, sanitation, rope craft, compass, and nature study. A Royal Ranger group is called an outpost and each outpost is divided into the following age groups: Straight Arrows 5-6 yrs old. Buckaroos 7-8 yrs old. Pioneers 9-11 yrs old. Trailblazers 12-15 yrs old. Trail Rangers 16-18 yrs old. Each age-group is encouraged to achieve awards that are worn on their uniform. The awards reflect pride and achievement for the boys. The commanders have a saying that goes like this, "Our success is not measured by the awards we put on our uniform, but rather the awards our boys put on theirs." The "advancement trail" is designed to offer every boy the opportunity for adventure and fun. The trail offers our boys a new experience - a new achievement. It is an opportunity for the boys to grow into manhood with new abilities, knowledge and desires. Straight Arrows are made up of the 5-6 year olds. Their pledge is, "With God's help, I will do my best to live a good life and to do good things for others." Royal Rangers have a special uniform for each segment of this program. Straight Arrows wear a red felt (or leather or suede cloth if preferred) vest. The vest displays the patch for their particular post much like it is in boy scouts or cub scouts. In addition to the patch the boys earn badges each time they complete a segment of their training. There is a special ceremony at church, often on Sunday nights, to present the badges in front of their peers. It serves as a good time for fellowship. Buck A Roos are ages 7 to 8. While going through this part of the Royal Ranger program they have requirements to earn badges. The Buck A Roo must memorize the Royal Ranger Pledge and recite it to their commander. The pledge that they learn is as follows: "With God's help, I will do my best to: Serve God, My Church, and my fellow man. To live by the Ranger Code. To make the Golden Rule my Daily Rule." This Golden rule involves the scripture, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew 7:12). In addition to memorizing the above the Buck a roo must also be able to tell his commander what the Royal Ranger Emblem means. This involves Four Gold points (four ways a boy grows: Physical, Spiritual, Mental, and Social); Four Red Points (Four Main teachings of the Church: Salvation, Holy Spirit, Healing, and Rapture); Eight Blue Points (Eight points of the Ranger Code: Alert, Clean, Honest, Courageous, Loyal, Courteous, Obedient, Spiritual). Within this group they can earn advancement pins which are called: Greenhorn, Wrangler, Range Rider, and Top Hand. Buckaroos also get to go on camp outs. While on this camp out or hike they learn about nature. Their project may be to collect various type of insects for mounting. Besides going on a camp out or hike the boys also get to play sport activities on Wednesday nights when Royal Rangers meet. The troop can be a very large one with many adults to help supervise the large number of boys or as small as a hand full of boys. Either way it is an opportunity for them to grow Spiritually, physically, mentally and socially. The next step in the Royal Ranger program is to advance on your 9th birthday to the Pioneers. This age group contains boys that are between 9 and 11 years of age. As you enter this group you must attend at least three Outpost Meetings. Like in the other groups this learning process is combined with other activities such as some type of sport. In addition to learning the above this Royal Ranger must attend Sunday School regularly. After completing this segment they move onto the Trailblazer group which is for the age group between 12 and 14. Like the Pioneer they must attend three Outpost meetings and must be able to explain where the Insignia should be worn on the Royal Ranger Uniform. They too must attend Sunday School regularly. Upon completion of this segment the boys are ready to move onto the Air-Sea-Trail Ranger Recruit. To become part of this the Trailblazer must be at least 15 years of age, though fourteen year old boys who have already earned all ratings in the Trailblazer program may also become Air-Sea- Trail Rangers. This group must first complete Second Class through Master Training Trailblazer requirements. (If you are Air-Sea-Trail Rangers age, it is not necessary to observe the time limits when earning these Trailblazer ratings.) The Air-Sea-Trail Ranger ratings are then sewn inside your Trailblazer Master Rating Chevron. The uniform includes a beret, brown tie, khaki shirt, Royal Ranger belt, khaki trousers and patches which are for your troop. Adventure in the Out-Of-Doors includes Hiking, Camping, and Campcrafts. Hiking includes hiking along wilderness trails that were worn down by moccasined feet in pioneer days, or along leaf-covered paths in the forest, with the sound of birds filling the air, or along mountain trails with a new discovery at every turn. Camping includes finding a good spot by a stream, pitching your tent, building a campfire and cooking your meals over it. It also includes sitting around a council fire at night singing songs and telling stories, lying in your sleeping bag listening to the sound of night birds and animals, and getting up at dawn and filling your lungs with good, clean morning air and doing all the other enjoyable things that go along with camping. Campcraft includes realizing a boy's basic desire for outdoor adventure. Camping and hiking have been placed high on the list of activities for Royal Rangers. To enjoy these experiences, a Trailblazer should learn to take care of himself in the out-of-doors safely and comfortably. For this reason he should learn skills in ropecraft, sanitation, shelter and equipment, firecraft and cooking. Royal Rangers is involved in missions. Missions is not an option, it is a command. Royal Rangers are already involved in reaching out to missions - both abroad and locally. Many outpost function in connection with inner city ministries. For many boys the Royal Ranger commander becomes the male role model who demonstrates Christ love. If you would like your children to be involved with a group that is somewhat like Boy Scouts then Royal Rangers is for your children. Not only will it help teach your children the way of the Lord but will also give them opportunity to learn crafts, getting along with others and responsibility, in a Christ Like atmosphere. For more information on Royal Rangers, please contact the main office at Royal Rangers, care of Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO 65802-1894. WANTED : A MAN TO LEAD THERE ISN'T A BOY BUT WANTS TO GROW MANLY AND TRUE AT HEART, AND EVERY LAD WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SECRETS HE CAN IMPART. HE DOESN'T WANT TO SLACK OR SHIRK OH HAVEN'T YOU HEARD HIM PLEAD, HE'LL FOLLOW A MAN AT PLAY OR WORK IF ONLY THE MAN WILL LEAD. WHERE ARE THE MEN TO LEAD TODAY SPARING AN HOUR OR TWO, TEACHING THE BOY THE GAME TO PLAY JUST AS A MAN SHOULD DO. VILLAGE AND SLUMS ARE CALLING- "COME" HERE ARE THE BOYS INDEED! WHO CAN TELL WHAT THEY MIGHT BECOME IF ONLY THE MAN WOULD LEAD. WHERE ARE THE MEN TO LEND A HAND ECHO IT FAR AND WIDE, MEN WHO WILL RISE IN EVERY LAND BRIDGING THE GREAT DIVIDE. NATION AND FLAG AND TONGUE UNITE JOINING EACH CLASS AND CREED, HERE ARE THE BOYS WHO WOULD DO RIGHT BUT WHERE ARE THE MEN TO LEAD? Christian Clown Ministry Christian Clown Ministry CHRISTIAN CLOWN MINISTRY by Deane Hibbard Okinawa, Japan Watching the clowns at the circus and watching the clown worship here isn't the same. "This clown worship is sure dynamic and powerful.", I told my wife during a service about a year ago at a church we attended in the United States. Later, after finding a book in a local Christian bookstore and a military transfer to Okinawa; I came o understand the differences between clowning for the World and clowning or Jesus. Secular clowns use humor to pull down to embarrass. Christian clowns use humor to lift up. In the classic flower routine, the flower is placed up to a persons face and it wilts, maybe from sickness, bad breath, or whatever. Christian clowning uses the same flower differently. The flower, wilted, is given to a person to sniff and the flower blooms. A small thing but quite a different perspective than the circus routine. Bear with me for a little theology. The word clown originally meant "clod" a lowly person. In the New Testament the Greek work "doulos" is a slave like person without apparent power. This is the same word that Jesus used to describe a servant. Christian clowning is servanthood, power and love given away unconditionally which is what Jesus calls us all to do. God's thinking is not the same as ours, for example: a talking donkey, a burning bush, love your enemies, take up your cross. God can use humor to lift up Himself and others in the same way that Jesus came down to Earth and lied up humanity by His death on the cross. Jesus calls us to minister to the poor, naked, sick, and the prisoners. Clowning is one way to accomplish this call. Those institutionalized, either temporarily or on a permanent basis such as convalescent homes. hospitals. and prisons can benefit from this form of ministry. Clowns using skits balloons and one on one relating can use humor to show Jesus to others. Through the childlike words and actions of clowning the power and creativity of the Holy Spirit is released; this allows the barriers of the human heart to lower and human contact can be established. This contact then can be used to plant Gospel seeds or just to build up and comfort those in need. Clowning can be used in the church setting too, with often incredible results. Sunday schools, Children's church, Vacation Bible School programs; even in the Adult programs of worship, or seasonal outreaches are just a few places that the clowning perspective placed on the gospel message can reach hearts. Often Scriptural truth presented differently through the clowning method is able to minister, motivate and comfort those that the traditional perspective or methods might not effect. Clowning can also be used in the street to reinforce the gospel message of evangelism. Many people might just listen to the message when it is reinforced by a clown skit or routine to express the spiritual truth. Street clown routines can be also used to just give a time of refreshing humor to people's daily lives. Ministry is not just limited to passing out a few pamphlets or invitations to church. Feeding the poor, clothing the needy and healing of hearts in Jesus name is what we are commanded to do. What a better way to do this than by putting a smile on a persons face. How do I know that this ministry works? My wife and I, (it was her vision and I sort of got hooked), have formed a small clown troupe at our local church. Kadena Community Church, (a ministry to American military and the Okinawans). After an investment in costumes, makeup, videos, balloons and spreading the word about a different style of ministry; a clown workshop was held and four other members expressed an interest. We started small by making balloon animals for a few church functions. Later we obtained a few clown skits and ministered them to Children's Church and Sunday School. Around Christmas time we broke the ice and performed a skit for the adult workshop. We were then invited to assist the children's Christmas program to be held as an evangelistic outreach to Kadena Air Force Base. We had a skit about a hobo clown that had nothing to give the Christ child but his heart). Many hearts were touched and changed by the difference that a clown can make in a worship setting. Later on another Pastor invited us to minister for the youth in Sunday school and later at a rally held at his church. Clowning isn't something that has to stay just at the home church, it can be spread around to other churches. Last Easter the clown troupe ministered, (this time assisted by the children), a skit about the Bible and Jesus' life for the entire church. It was dynamic to see mature Christians moved and touched by the scriptural message delivered from the clowns' perspective. Our troupe has been busy and our impact on the street ministry has been slowly forming. The outreach to the hospital is still being formulated, we are trying to contact the Naval Hospital chaplain for his approval. We plan to minister to those there once a month or so. We are still a young ministry, but eager to work and share what God is doing on the small island of Okinawa. First Corinthians 10:14 calls us to be "fools for Christ sake". Why not ask the Lord if this is a way for you to reach others and be a fool too? Reference materials: "Clown Ministry" by Pastor Floyd Schaffer & Penne Sewall, Group Books. "Clown Ministry Workshop and Video" by Pastor Floyd Schaffer, Contemporary Drama Services. Hosanna Industries Hosanna Industries HOSANNA INDUSTRIES An Answer in Prayer for Needy Families by Andrew Yates Bakerstown, Pennsylvania You know them. They live in your community. They seem hopeless. They're on the outside. On the fringe. They live in a house that should probably be condemned. People think they are dirty and strange. Not really people at all. They're poor. They need your help. As a Christian I'm sure these people are of particular concern to you. You've done everything you can thin of to help them. You take them turkeys on the holidays. You find presents for their children. You try to make sure their grocery needs are met. And still it never seems to be enough. You want to do more. Through the program of Hosanna Industries a real difference can be made to an underprivileged family while at the same time getting people more actively involved in Christian mission. By mainstreaming these people and making them feel like a participant in life, not an observer, we can restore their self respect. You can offer them hope. A hammer is a basic tool, and a fundamental symbol of life. It is a tool for building, and a symbol of industry. Jesus used a hammer as a skilled carpenter, and a hammer was used to make Him our savior. Christ began His journey to the cross surrounded by the cries of desperate people shouting "Hosanna!", an old word that literally means "save us". Although that crowd may not have expected His brand of salvation. Jesus knows that one day people would respond to His message of Sacrificial love and build a better world in which all people could dwell. Founded in 1989, through the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown, Pennsylvania, Hosanna Industries believes in that goal, and cannot ignore the pleas of today's poor and needy. Interpreting the teachings of Christ as being more than religious teaching, Hosanna Industries offers the prayers of hope along with the hammer of industry so that people's real needs may be dealt with in an effective and practical way. Presently running with seven full-time workers, Hosanna Industries operates on the basis that no one should have to suffer needlessly, that everyone can build a better life, and that God's people everywhere can, together, build a better world. Since its inception, Hosanna has built ten new homes from Florida to New York, and has repaired or improved scores of homes in its vicinity. In addition, Hosanna has been heavily involved in disaster relief in Dade County Florida, spending over seven weeks helping to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. New efforts for the flood victims in the mid-west are already underway as well as another trip to Florida. The employees of Hosanna Industries are primarily recent college graduates who have decided to be a positive factor in God's plan rather than join the self serving rat-race of their peers. They survive on a small living stipend (not really enough to be called a salary) which they use for food and other essentials. But what is lacking in the way of monetary compensation is more than made up in spiritual riches. They have to be the happiest "poor" people in existence. Hosanna Industries believes that God's love expressed itself to the world long ago with a hammer and a prayer. Unwilling to accept the needs of our neighbors as necessary conditions of life, Hosanna Industries strives to communicate the saving message of the Savior in practical and meaningful ways. By teaching a needy person "how to fish" instead of "giving them a fish", Hosanna promotes the personal integrity that can help people build better lives for themselves and a better world for all. Using common tools in humble tasks, Hosanna Industries seeks not so much to do great things . . . but small things with great love. If you have any further questions concerning Hosanna Industries, please do not hesitate to write: Andrew Yates c/o Hosanna Industries P.O. Box 6 Bakerstown, PA 15007 Or call Andrew Yates at: 412-443-1511 S.O.L.O. S.O.L.O. S. O. L. O. SINGLE OUTREACH THROUGH LOVE AND OBEDIENCE by Dave Falvo Houston, Pennsylvania The Single Adult Ministry, S.O.L.O. at the Central Assembly of God church in Houston, Pennsylvania stands for Singles Outreach through Love and Obedience. It is for the always Single, Divorced, and Widowed. It began over six years ago when a group of Singles from the church went to the Pastor with the desire to meet Single Adults' needs. In 1989 I came on staff and was asked to lead this group. S.O.L.O.'s purpose is to provide a "safe place" where single Adults can draw closer to God. We do this in three areas: 1. Teaching - touching topics that touch Single Adults. Letting singles know what God says about issues. Have open group discussions. 2. Activities - having fun together. Letting Singles just have fun as a group. 3. Ministry - reaching out and helping others. Letting singles touch others in the community. S.O.L.O. meets at the church the first and third Friday each month at 7 p.m. It sends out a newsletter every other month to over 250 Single Adults. S.O.L.O. has hosted meetings for Single Adults from the Pittsburgh area. Attendance has been over 200 at these meetings. Teaching on topics such as "Dating" and activities such as "Puttin' on the Ritz", which is a formal dinner, are part of these meetings. Last year we held our first "Single Encounter". This was an all day conference. Mr. Barry McClay, psychologist with Pennsylvania Psychological Services, and Susan Kidder, chaplain for the Pittsburgh Medical Center, were our speakers. The topics covered were, "Getting The love You Want", "Anger and Forgiveness", "Sex and the Single", and "Loneliness". About 120 people were in attendance from all over the area. This year we will have our second "Single Encounter" on October 1st and 2nd. Our guest speaker will be nationally-known author and speaker Dr. Harold Ivan Smith. Following is information on this conference: SEMINAR TOPICS -Single & Happy! (Warning: This session involves plenty of laughter) -Confronting Your Discontent. -Relationships and Romance. -Coming To Terms With Me. -Anxiety: Moving On With Your Life. CONFERENCE DETAILS -$15.00 early bird registration BEFORE September 17th. -$20.00 after September 17th. -Continental Breakfast and Lunch included! -Child Care for ages 2-11 available upon request. GUEST SPEAKER: DR. HAROLD IVAN SMITH Dr. Smith is a nationally-known author and speaker whose writing and speaking focuses on the central theme: One person can make a difference. Dr. Smith is author of over 30 books which include, "Forty-Something and Single", "Singles Ask", and his most recent work, "Reluctantly Single". Harold will offer a humorous and realistic look at being single in the 90's. ALL SINGLE ADULTS ARE WELCOME! PLEASE CALL 412/746-4900 for more information! This Single Encounter Two-Day Conference on October 1-2, 1993, begins on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and continues on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m at the Central Assembly of God Church, 155 McGovern Road, Houston, Pennsylvania 15342. We Can All Make a Difference! We Can All Make a Difference! WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! by Karen Edwards Centreville, Virginia Have you prayed for the homeless? Dished out food to them in a soup kitchen? This is making a difference in the lives of the homeless. Most of the homeless don't want to be on the streets. I've talked with them, and we bus the homeless from Washington D.C. to our church in Virginia. Most of the homeless have fallen on hard financial times. Our church goes to D.C. with a lot of food and clothes each Sunday. We feed hundreds of homeless, right across from the White House. Most of the homeless appreciate the help, and most are very nice and polite. I've seen quite a few homeless receive Jesus. They might be without a home, but they have a wonderful joy with Jesus in their hearts. I want to share with you what my husband and I do to help them a little bit more. If everyone were to do this, we could all make a BIG difference to these men and women. We buy potted meats, tuna, vienna sausages with flip top lids, saltine crackers, graham crackers, raisins, a few small bags of hard candy, and any other food that won't spoil. We also provide plastic forks, spoons, and knives. We put the food in a bag with a Bible, and keep the bags in our car. Then, if we happen to see a homeless person, we can give them the bag of food. When we give them the food the joy on their faces makes us feel good to be helping God's people. God loves our homeless people too! When we do our grocery shopping, we pick up the extra food for the homeless. It costs about $20.00 extra to make a nice bag of food for the homeless. Aren't God's people worth an extra $20.00 on your grocery bill? Here are a few short stories about when we gave food and a Bible to some homeless men. We were in Maryland and a man was walking down the middle of the street, between cars, with a cardboard sign that read, "Homeless . . . I'm Hungry . . . God Bless." We opened the car window and gave him the bag of food. A big smile crossed his face, and that smile was in our hearts for helping one of God's people. We saw a homeless man at the Post Office, near where we live in Virginia. He was sitting outside the Post Office, on the sidewalk. He had his few bundles of belongings with him. When I see a homeless person, my heart goes out to them. I had just made some homemade stew that day, so my husband and I went home, and heated a nice size bowl of stew for him. We fixed a container of lemon-aide, and took it back to him. He was so happy to get the food and drink. When we help someone, it makes us feel good that we are able to help them. There is one man in Maryland that lives behind a trash can at a 7-Eleven store near where my husband works. The first time we gave him a bag of food, he didn't seem to want it. He acted like he was trying to give it back to us. He told us that food made him get sick and pass out. We told him to keep the food, and eat what he could. The next time we brought him some food, he eagerly took it with a smile and thanks. He's very thin, and I don't think his body was accustomed to eating, and that's why he felt sick when he ate. But now that he's getting more food, he can eat without feeling sick. Carry a small bag of food and some type of literature about Jesus in your car, and if you see a homeless person, feed some of God's kids! I know most of us have never had to go hungry, and it must be an awful feeling. It must be terrible to live on the streets and not have a warm place to go home to; a comfortable bed to sleep in at night. Please help the Lord's people. God bless you! Luke 14:13-14 says: But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Matthew 25:42-45 says: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Sepher Ministries Sepher Ministries SEPHER MINISTRIES By Pastor Geoffrey Kragen Roseville, California Sepher Ministries came into being in this way: Sierra View Bible Church, Roseville, California, a church where I pastored, closed the last Sunday of 1990. The following Wednesday Janette (my wife) lost her job with the California State Assembly as a result of cuts mandated by Proposition 140. God was extremely gracious regarding Janette's job. She immediately found a position with the California Dental Association in their legislative department. She began her new job two days before her previous one ended. The Lord solved Janette's situation before it even became a problem, but I had no idea what I was going to do. I went through a mourning period over the "death" of "Sierra View". The thought of having to look for a church was extremely difficult. But life goes on. I had counseling clients that still needed help even if the church had closed. After a few months of hiding I had to start seeing them again. Since coming to Roseville, I had come to depend on the pastors of Santa Rosa Bible Church as mentors, as individuals whom I could trust to tell me where I was going off the track, and to give me sound advice. They have been my advisors in dealing with the process that will be explained next. I had also been meeting with a group of IFCA, (Independent Fundamental Churches of America), pastors on a fairly regular basis and there met Vern Nakasone, the pastor of Foothill Bible Church. As a result, Janette and I started attending there. Through the auspices of the pastors at Santa Rosa, the circumstances of my client group, and the results of attending Foothill Bible Church, in Lincoln, the Lord has led us to the establishment of Sepher Ministries. Over the years since founding the ministry, I have trained and added Diana Bull to the counseling staff, and Kim Adams has joined us as support group facilitator. The balance of this article will be a description of what is encompassed by Sepher Ministries. Biblical Counseling, as we practice it, is an intensive form of discipleship working with individuals, families and groups. The purpose is to help people become what the LORD intends them to be, as individuals, as parents, as spouses. Because of this position, Sepher Ministries is a church, not a para-church, based program. Individuals that come to us need more than just the time of a counselor, they need to be part of a local body where they can be cared for. With this philosophical position it was important that we be affiliated with a church within the community. This not only shows the client that we "put our money where our mouth is," but that the ministry is also accountable to the leadership of a church within the community it serves. Sepher Ministries is committed to the position that God through His Scripture is adequate to meet the needs of people, and has given us the opportunity to minister in the area of Biblical Counseling/Discipleship. There are a number of services which Sepher Ministries provides to the local community. The first and most obvious is to continue the counseling practice that was formally started when I was pastor of Christian Education at Central Peninsula Church in Foster City, California, and continued at Sierra View Bible Fellowship. It is the recognition of just how many people are hurting that caused me to continue to see clients even after the church closed. Clients have included couples with marriage problems, adult victims of childhood sexual abuse, individuals suffering from Bi-Polar disorders, and a variety of other struggles with the need to conform to the image of Christ. I have also worked with children that were victims of broken homes and suffering from a variety of abuse problems. We live in a day when the need to help people deal with their pain from a Biblical perspective seems more urgent than ever. If we are truly to go and make disciples, we must start by helping those within the body to grow in maturity and equip them to be able to function in this world, before we can expect them to do the work of the church and the advancement of the kingdom into the world around us. Currently, Sepher Ministries is providing individual counseling, marriage counseling and family/children counseling and some consulting work. We have just started a Marriage Seminar, and are developing a support group from adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. We also provide services to a maternity home. Another program which we have provided is the "Agape" group. This is a fourteen or fifteen week series, used to train people to care for one another at a basic level. (The results of this study have been published here in Morning Star in the "Word Today" Column.) After all, if Christ said that our love is to be the testimony of our relationship with Him, then we need to put our emphasis on caring for each other within the context of our body. With this class, we hope to help believers find practical ways to support and sharpen each other, causing growth and maturity within the body. These programs are also made available to other small churches that cannot provide them for their own members. While large churches often have their own counselors and training programs, the small churches often can't provide them. Many pastors are uncomfortable referring to a psychologist, be they Christian or not. This offers them an alternative: a program that is essentially pastoral counseling. Finally, we also make counseling available to pastors and other full time Christian workers as well as their families. The pressures on the clergy are tremendous today. The church has often failed to care for the caregivers. Many times, these individuals will not get help because of embarrassment or difficulties where they are serving. Sepher Ministries is in the position to provide the confidential services they need. The services described here represent what we bring to the local community with the development of Sepher Ministries. But what we are building goes beyond just Lincoln or Placer County or even Sacramento County. It goes nation-wide and even world-wide through our involvement with the work of "Modem Ministries" and "Morning Star", the online Christian Magazine. These ministries though are not local church ministries and have been previously discussed here in the pages of Morning Star. Counseling/discipling is best carried out within the context of the local church and that is what we are striving to do here at Sepher ministries. For more information, contact: Sepher Ministries C/O Foothill Bible Church P.O. Box 236 Lincoln, CA 95648 Internet: pastor1@aol.com I Was Sick and You Visited Me I Was Sick and You Visited Me This article was originally presented in the October 1991 edition of Morning Star. The information it gives is valuable and we have chosen to reprint it in this issue. Mr. J.C. Trudel and his wife Mae served in the sick visitation ministry of their Assemblies of God church for many years. Mr. Trudel also served as a deacon at Christian Bible Church, in Nashua New Hampshire, during the 1980's. I WAS SICK AND YOU VISITED ME By J.C. Trudel Naples, Florida The title of this article is the positive side of the words of Jesus concerning our duties toward the sick. The negative side is shown in Matthew 25:41,43,45. I am sure that anyone reading the condemnation of those who have not visited the sick, among other things, will get somewhat worried about their lack of concern for others. Some will say, I have nothing to worry about, I visited my relatives in the hospital when they were sick. They should read Luke 6:32 where Jesus says: "If you love them who love you, what thank have you? for sinners also love those that love them". Surely, Jesus did not mean that everyone should go to the hospital every day, as this would imply chaos, many angry nurses and a lack of needed oxygen for the patients. What Jesus meant was; When you know of a need that you are in a position to help with, do not look the other way, pretending it is not there, like the priest and the Levite of the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. Many people do not visit the sick, feeling inadequate, not knowing what to say, what to do or not to do. What follows are suggestions gathered from years of visiting the sick in the Name of our Lord Jesus-Christ. They are not listed in their order of importance, but they should help you in doing one of the greatest of Christian duties. 1. We visit the sick as representative of the Lord Jesus-Christ, who would visit the sick if He were here among us. 2. While visiting the sick appears to some as a social activity, to those who follow Christ, it is a work of love, compassion and mercy. It is a very spiritual thing, and the purpose of the visit is to pray for them, to lift them up, and very often to bring them closer to God. 3. As is the case with any spiritual endeavor, one should prepare for the visit by praying, asking for the strength, wisdom, and guidance of the Holy Spirit. 4. Every patient is different from the other, in character, in their level of faith, in their natural ability to deal with life's unexpected problems, so we need help from above in many ways. 5. As we go visit in the name of Jesus, we bring His peace, His promises, His faithfulness, and numerous other things, but we must never make statements that will bring the sick outside of God's perfect will. 6. Some patients may be very bitter at first, and may even ridicule you for coming in the name of One who allows people to suffer. It may get you very upset or even angry. If you are, do not reply unkindly, or show what you feel under any condition. Just wish them well, and go on to another patient. Do not feel that you have failed, but do report to the responsible pastor or sick visitation coordinator for advice and support. Above all, be sure to pray. 7. Some patients do not wish to talk on the first visit, perhaps being still in shock from the news of the illness, or the forthcoming surgery. Do not force them to converse with you. Just say: "I realize that you must be very tired. I'll just say a short prayer for you and I'll come again in the very near future". Do say a short prayer for the patient. 8. The church pastor or the sick visitation ministry coordinator will, as a rule, make the first visit. Then usually, when feasible, a woman will visit a female patient, a man will visit a male patient. An exception would be if the patient expresses the desire to be visited by a specific person in the ministry. 9. For the first visit, you should have the permission of the family, (if the patient has one), if they have not contacted you, as sometimes happens. When you go in that room, the patient must know that you are going, so they may refuse if they are too sick. Or they may want time to cover themselves or get ready in some other ways. If no one is in the room, ask the floor nurse if a visit is possible. She may just go in the room and check, or just tell the patient of your arrival. Always be nice to the nurses. We all have a desire for privacy, and those hospital clothes leave much to be desired to cover ailing bodies, especially if the patient is still under anesthesia or other medication. If the nurse is not around, knock on the door first and announce yourself in a gentle tone of voice. 10. Some patients feel that God is unfair to them and will even express anger at God. It is scripturally ignorant to tell the patient, as some do, to offer their sufferings to God, hinting that it will earn them heaven. I usually tell such patients: "I am sure you are disappointed that this has happened to you, I am really sorry it did, it is not given to us to understand all things. Even Jesus told us that the rain would fall on the just and the unjust. It hurts me to see you suffer like this, I wish I could share in your sufferings, I'll pray for the Lord to strengthen you, to heal you, to give you abundantly of His sufficient grace, that you may be able to be a good example of faith for His glory. God bless you and touch you in a very special way." 11. I firmly believe in God's power to heal, but premature "healed" expressions on our part can be very devastating, especially with cancer patients who often go through remission stages. Such statements can only bring discredit on the sick visitation ministry or on a visitor. 12. We must never tell patients that they are sick because God want to get their attention or wants to punish them. If such is the case, no one knows it better than the patient, and we must still remind them that God loves them and that He wants us to seek His help in good times and bad times as well. 13. Some Christians who lose a major organ or part of their body do feel bitter and incomplete. This is especially true of women who have had a mastectomy, and have a very inconsiderate husband as has happened in some cases. We must encourage them, reminding them that God does not look at our physical appearance, He looks in our hearts for our love for Him. He knows more than us that our bodies are only temporary. If you run across such an inconsiderate husband, do not reproach the man, as he may throw you out and you will not be able to do your duties. 14. Tragically a child may be born with serious defects, even missing limbs, which causes a serious crisis. My words to the parents in such a case were those of our Savior who said: "Let little children come unto me for heaven is theirs and those like them." I also add: "Jesus did not say only the children who are pretty, complete, without defects. He said All little children, yours included." The Lord had given me those words and they did His work of compassion and encouraged the troubled parents. 15. I was often asked to visit patients that were not saved, some from the church that teaches salvation by works. It was always quite a challenge as they believed they were saved by their religion. The Lord helped me lead many to salvation, some at their eleventh hour. You have to establish a rapport first and not get spiritual on the first visit because they have a lifelong training to reject anything told them by anyone not of their church. If the person is close to death, we go for it and ask them if they are born-again, if they know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, if they are sure they are going to heaven. Do not ask them to give up their religion as this approach will fail. Just tell them that Jesus died for them and that they must trust him for everything, that they must put the sins of their life under His blood. Tell them that Jesus is waiting for them to give their heart and life to Him, and that in exchange He will give them eternal life. Explain to the person that they can achieve that with a simple, humble prayer of faith called the sinner's prayer. It is best that such patients be visited by one who knows how to present the plan of salvation. If no one is available, do the best you can. 16. The Lord has never ceased to be in the healing business and most people you will visit will leave the hospital and shortly after be completely healed or restored. But sometimes the Lord will call one of His saints home for reasons known but to Him at this time. This is when, more than ever, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. People of faith too often expect an answer to their prayers according to their own will, and the thought of being absent from the body and of being with the Lord is not foremost in many a Christian's mind. I once visited a sick sister for a year and a half, praying at first for the Lord to heal her. On and on I prayed, and yet, at some point, the Holy Spirit told my heart that the time had come to prepare that sister to go home to the Lord. It is very difficult, and very sensitive. It is a delicate transition time when we must speak of God's perfect will and the plan He has for all of us. For a time, as I always did, I began my visit by asking the Lord and Giver of life to send His healing virtues upon my sick sister. Gradually, I began to speak of a place where there will be no sorrow, pain, sickness, disease, or even death. I expressed my own heartfelt and joyful anticipation for that day when our Savior Jesus will return on the cloud of Glory, or when He will comes to gather me to Himself if that should come first. Ever so gently, I brought to her mind the thought of awaiting heavenly mansions and of everlasting joy. Sometimes I sang a hymn or a short spiritual song she knew and she sometimes joined in and when I felt she was getting closer to heaven's door. I reminded her more and more of her Savior waiting to give her the Divine embrace and to show her the place He had prepared for her. I was blessed to be at her side when the monitors stopped showing signs of life, and yet for awhile longer I kept reassuring her that the Savior had come for her and that she was home at last ever to rejoice. What a privilege it was for me to escort her to the threshold of eternity. I felt as if, as I held her hand, Jesus was holding the other. 17. So much could be said about the spiritual side of sick visitation, but I must also speak of the social and physical side of things. Once again, always knock on the door and announce yourself by calling the patient's name if no nurse was around to announce you. Do not speak too loudly in case the patient should be sleeping. NEVER awaken a sleeping patient. 18. Do not make your visit too long the first time. Ten minutes may even be too long. We have to be very sensitive to how the patient feels. He or she may be polite and not ask you to leave, but it is easy to understand that if someone just had surgery, he or she may not want company for too long. If the patient asks you to stay longer, it's up to you to oblige. 19. When visiting patients, we must remember that we all carry germs that they and the next patient do not need. So, wash your hand before and after each patient visit. 20. Do not shake hands with any patient until you are very sure that the patient does not have a needle in his wrist or hand, or that the wound from a removed intravenous needle is not sensitive anymore. If you hurt anyone, you may not be welcomed on the next visit. 21. Never sit on any patient's bed. When someone just had surgery, any movement of the bed can be very painful, and if the bed should fail mechanically, that patient will surely want to forget you or may get angry and hurt enough to sue you. 22. We must always be careful with our appearance. We must be well dressed, have fresh breath, and no body odor please! The patient is already sick, we want the patient to get better, not feel worse. 23. If possible, we must visit the patient at home once they leave the hospital. This is done for spiritual and psychological reasons, and in some cases to provide temporary assistance. Some churches have what is called a "Manna Ministry" whose function is to provide a few meals while the patient regains strength and self-confidence. Sometimes you may offer to pick up groceries or a prescription. Again, the rule we followed if possible, was for a woman to visit a female patient and a man to visit a male patient. This was done to avoid any bad comments about someone visiting a patient from the other sex. 24. Our work does not always end in the hospital or in someone's home. When someone we visited goes to be with the Lord, there is no better way to show the love of Christ than by showing up at the funeral parlor to comfort the survivors, some of whom you may have met during the hospital visits. They will really appreciate your sharing in their loss and sorrow, and it may give you the opportunity to give your testimony and lead some to Christ. Visiting the sick is not an art or a science, it is a gift of God that we use for His glory. It is a talent that is multiplied each time we visit someone in the Lord's name. It is something Jesus will remind us of when we see Him face to face and He tells us, "When I was sick, you visited me". Studies New Testament Studies New Testament Studoes This issue features the ninth in a series on the Epistle of 1 John. On some occasions this column with be called Old Testament Study. In either case studies will include Psalms and books from both the Old and New Testaments. LOVING ISN'T WORK 1 John 5:1-12 Stop for a moment and consider the following. Think about a person in the body of Christ, who you just can't stand. Somebody immediately came to mind, right? One thing I'm grateful for is the Scripture doesn't call us to like our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Of course, it does call us to love them. We will find that, when we depend on the Lord, loving others becomes practical. John has called us to judge the teachings of those who are false teachers. Now he also calls us to judge the sins of those who are believers. We are to do so out of love and a desire to restore those in sin to the fellowship of the saints. vs. 1-2: Generally, we recognize that because we are children of God that we can expect the same rejection from the world that Christ received. In fact, Jesus stated "Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also" (John 15:20). A fact we often miss is the counter point to the truth of rejection. This is the principle that those who love God love His children. And, conversely those who love His children, love God. The two concepts are inseparable. Christ's commands to believers are to love, that is, to love God and love other believers. If we say we love God, then we must love one another. And, if we love one another, then we must be loving God. Remember, here we are not talking about feelings towards God and people. These require nothing. We are talking about agape. Godly love requires action towards God and others. Our love must reflect obedience in action. Note that belief in Christ, and all that belief encompasses, means the believer is a child of God. A child of God loves the Father. This is the natural response of a child to the love of the Father. God first loved us, therefore as His children we love Him. We in turn love one another. We know we do because the natural result of being loved by God, and in turn loving Him, is obedience to His commands. He commands us to love one another. We cannot over-emphasize the importance of the love shown between believers. Love of one another is basic to the Christian life. If it is not present, we have reason to question whether someone is saved or not. We are not saved because we love one another. But because we are saved, we will show this love. vs. 3-5: We show God that we love Him through our obedience. To say that one is a believer, and say there is no need to be involved in the local church, is to say there is no need to be obedient. This was essentially the message of the false teachers. They said that they loved God. But they taught that how one lives doesn't matter. John says to the contrary: If one loves God, the proof is obedience. It not only matters how one lives, but obedience is the proof of salvation. John then makes a claim that appears contrary to what we have experienced. His says the commands of God are not burdensome. And since he is talking about the command to love, he is saying by extension that to love one another is not burdensome. If that's so, why do God's commands feel like burdens? "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30). Because, we are believers the Law of love is not a burden. We carry it out in dependency on the indwelling God. But, for those of the world, obedience to God is a burden. As believers we have overcome the world, and therefore we don't have to be burdened by obedience. By the way, "overcome" here is used in the same way by John in the letters to the seven churches. To be a believer is to be an overcomer. The reason we are overcomers is because of our faith. And, that faith is grounded in the incarnation of Christ, His death, burial and resurrection as payment for our sins. We are overcomers because we are saved. Because we are overcomers, we do not have to feel burdened by obedience to God. We obey because we love. For the Jews, obedience had become a burden. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are" (Matthew 23:15). The problem was that they had fallen into a work-based theology. They didn't serve God out of love. Many served because they feared of the consequences of breaking the Law. And, because of how the Law was handled, it became a burden. Consider this example from the work SHABBOS on contemporary orthodox practice. This section deals with the appropriate or inappropriate use of a vessel on the Sabbath. "In the case of a vessel, if it is used as a container, its status in terms of the Sabbath laws depends on the contents. For example, if one transports an empty silver cup from his apartment to the street, he is in violation because the object of his interest is the cup itself. If, however, there is wine in the cup, then his motive is to move the wine from one place to another; its utility in that particular act is purely as a vessel by means of which the wine can be carried, even if the cup is worth more that its contents." (1) vs. 6a: John wants to make it very clear just what it means to believe in Christ. As we have previously noted, the false prophets were serving a different Christ. "For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, . . . For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:4,13). The key to Christ is His propitiatory work. He shed His blood to pay the price of our sin. He came by water and blood. Too many of those who teach of false christs say that Christ's teaching are fine, but His shed blood isn't necessary. vs. 6b-9: What are the witnesses to the truth of the Gospel? The biblical criteria for a validation of truth is two witnesses. ". . . so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'" (Matthew 18:16). And so, John provides three witnesses to the incarnation, and the work of Christ. These are the Holy Spirit, the water and the blood. This was probably John's response to those who were teaching that the Christ came upon Jesus at His baptism and left before the crucifixion. John, says no, it was Jesus who came in water and blood. First, we see the testimony of Jesus' baptism -- the water. "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God"" (John 1:29-34). Next, we see the testimony of Jesus' death on the cross -- the blood. "Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe" (John 19:331-5). John notes that people are willing to accept the testimony of men. He may be saying to his readers, "You have been willing to listen to the testimony of the false teachers. You have been considering false teaching. But, the testimony of God is greater than the testimony of men." We know that the incarnation is true because God has provided the validation of it. vs. 10: The very belief in Christ is proof that God has been working in the heart of the believer. It is only through the testimony of the Holy Spirit that we can accept the gospel message. John wants to make sure that no one misses his point. It is only in accepting the incarnation that one can be saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. No matter what the false prophets were saying, they were calling God a liar by rejecting the truth of who Christ is. vs. 11-12: Finally, John reminds his readers what is at stake. To believe in Christ according to the testimony of God is to receive Eternal Life. To reject God's witnesses means to face God's Eternal judgment. To follow the false prophets means Hell. To follow God means Heaven. Knowledge isn't an issue of semantics. It is the product of a saving relationship with God. Those who were trying to draw the believers out of the church had nothing to offer but destruction. The three factors that are found in the life of the believer are: faith, love and obedience. Their presence is both the outward sign of salvation, and the product of that salvation. As we abide in Christ, these qualities grow in proportion to our dependency on Him. The absence of these factors is an outward sign of the likelihood of the absence of salvation in the person missing them. John has explained all this specifically to help believers learn to discriminate false prophets from true teachers of God's word. This means that we can hear someone teach something that is incorrect, and not automatically write them off as a false teacher. For example, an evangelical leader has recently accepted the alienation theory. He now believes that the lost do not spend eternity in Hell, but are destroyed at judgment. While clearly this is contrary to the teaching of Scripture, nevertheless, his faith in Christ remains orthodox. He always shows the love of God in his life. And, his life is a testimony to his obedience to the Lord. Erring in one doctrine of Scripture doesn't make one a false prophet. On the other hand, to be wrong about who Christ is prevents one from being a believer. And if the person who rejects the Christ of Scripture purports to speak for Him, then that person is a false prophet and a liar. From John's perspective, the most obvious clue to these individuals is their lack of love. John makes it quite clear that for the Christian, love must be as much a part of our life as salvation itself. If we do not allow God's love to flow through us, we must repent. We must turn to the Lord and ask Him to show us what we need to do to show His love towards others. The first thing we must do is take this truth from the theoretical and accept it as His absolute command for our lives. 1. Finkelman, Rabbi Shimon, Shabbos The Sabbath -- Its Essence and Significance," Mesorah Publications, Ltd, Brooklyn, NY, 1991., p. 20. Special Studies Special Studies God's working of Miracles continues to be controversial. Many Christians believe that God no longer works miracles, despite the fact that we see them daily. We get so caught up in the sign gifts that we don't realize that each time someone is saved they are a miracle. And God does continue to work through the sign gifts. There is disagreement, though, over to what extent this is true. Some believe that He is as active today as in Biblical times. Others noting that the majority of His signs were carried out around Israel feel that any occurrence today is limited and only will become a significant issue in the Tribulation period when Israel is restored. Finally, Scripture is clear on one point. In end times Satan will also perform miracles. The believer must depend on the Lord to test the spirits and not automatically assume that because the miraculous has occurred, that it is of God. In this article, Dr. Wootten examines the issue of miracles from the position of God's continued working through the miraculous. GOD REVEALED IN MIRACLES Dr. Charles A. Wootten Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc. Coming down from the wilderness, Jesus was spied by John who announced Him as the Lamb of God. This starts the series of the calling of the twelve. Through study of the Greek word "proskaleo" (kaleo = to call; pros = toward) we find that it is a verb expressing an intensity of calling something or someone toward oneself. This verb transmits the idea that this calling is always on a face-to-face basis so that a commission can be received. A Great Gospel Truth here is that God always calls us by our names into His service and meets face-to-face with us to personally grant us our commission. This leads into another Great Gospel Truth. God calls to Himself whom He would. It is Personal Choice with Him as an exercise of His will and sovereign purpose. This is clearly pointed out Scripture. "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28 NIV). This can be thought about in four distinct items. The first item in the calling out of those for His purpose is conversion, or salvation. Many are called to conversion but few hear the call of the second item: the attaching of themselves to Jesus permanently so that they can be made fishers of men. A short period of internship, the third item, is a necessity. Here Jesus lets us go out into the world for a season to do His will and then we come back for another extended period of teaching. The fourth item is what was seen in Acts 2 as the empowering for service by the Holy Spirit as we accept the Great Commission. The power of the Holy Spirit is the scriptural witness when Jesus said, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:22). Here indeed is the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Here are God's miracles in the demonstration of a variety and intensity of power. There is the power over nature. There is the power over disease. Demons are cast down and out by His power. Powers of creation and power over death are made completely manifest. These characterize God's activity as being distinctive and wonderful. 1. Exodus 15:11. "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you -- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?" 2. Joshua 3:5. Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." 3. Daniel 4:2-3. "It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." Daniel 6:27. "He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." 4. Acts 4:30. "Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 5. Romans 15:19. " ... by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." These characterize God's activity as being mighty and powerful: 1. Psalm 106:2. "Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?" 2. Psalm 145:4. "One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts." 3. Matthew 11:20. "Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent." 4. 1 Corinthians 12:10. " ... to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues." 5. Galatians 3:5. "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?" These characterize God's activity as being meaningful and significant: 1. Numbers 14:11. "The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?" " 2. Nehemiah 9:10. "You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day." 3. John 2:11. "This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." 4. John 3:2. "He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 5. Acts 8:6. "When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said." These declarations of God's miracles highlight the distinctive character of God's activity, almighty in power, revealing Him in nature and history. Although miracles are consistent with God's nature and purpose, they also reveal Him as living and personal. These miracles show Him as being faithful in His being as a Person. His creative act brought into being responsible creatures with whom He deals. Miracles are events that dramatically reveal this living, personal nature of God active in history as a Redeemer who saves and guides His people. Miracles are not simply an external authentication of the revelation but an essential part of it. The true purpose of miracles is to nourish faith in the saving intervention of God towards those who believe. The working of miracles is directed to a deepening of men's understanding of God. It is God's way of speaking dramatically to those who have ears to hear. There is intimate concern with the actual participants and observers (Exodus 14:31 "And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant"; 1 Kings 18:39 "When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -- he is God! The LORD -- he is God!"). There is intimate concern with the faith of those who will hear or read them later (John 20:30-31 "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."). Jesus looked for faith as the right response to His saving presence and deeds; it was faith which "made whole." This is the difference between mere creation of an impression and a saving communication of His revelation of God the Father. In His rejection by Nazareth (Mark 6:5 "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.") there is proof that wonder-working miracles in themselves were inconsistent with His mission. A listing of miracles in the New Testament would include: Miracles of Physical Healing: A leper (Matthew 8; Mark 1; Luke 5) A paralytic (Matthew 9; Mark 2; Luke 5) Fever (Peter's mother-in-law) (Matthew 8; Mark 1) Physical infirmity (John 5) Hemorrhage (Matthew 9; Mark. 5; Luke 8) Miracles in the Natural Realm Water changed to wine at Cana (John 2:1-11) Multiplying food: 5,000 fed (Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9; John 6); 4,000 fed (Matthew 15; Mark 8) Walking on water (Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 6) Miracles of Resurrection Jairus' daughter (Matthew 9; Mark 5; Luke 8) Widow's son (Luke 7) Lazarus of Bethany (John 11) Miracles were the necessary and natural outcome of His life. It is the expression in the act of Himself. All of these miracles, which have not ceased even in modern times, are all entirely congruous with the manifestation and working of the Person of Jesus Christ. All were aimed at the glory of God and the real benefit of men. The listing above is by no means complete yet even in this short list they cover the whole ground of our Lord as Savior. It is the Person of Christ that is the true miracle. He did these miracles because His Father gave Him these signs as proofs that He had sent Him These miracles were the natural outflow of the Divine Fullness that indwelt in Him. They were not mere exhibitions of power, but of Holiness, wisdom, and love. The physical and spiritual pains that He healed were further revelations of His redemptive mission. When He healed bodily blindness, it was a type of the healing of the spirit. When He raised the dead it showed that he is the Resurrection and the Life in the spiritual world as well. By the cleansing of the leper He revealed His triumph over the leprosy of sin. When He fed over 9,000 men alone, not counting women and children, He revealed Himself as the Bread of Life. Next time, God is Revealed in His Writings. Messianic Studies Messianic Studies WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN? WHO IS A JEW? from CHOSEN PEOPLE PUBLICATIONS Christian . . . Jew . . . Defining Terms It is amazing how few people can correctly tell you what is a Christian and who is a Jew. Stereotyped definitions are many. "A Jew is one born of a Jewish mother." "A Jew practices a form of Judaism." "A Christian is a gentile, a Catholic, a Protestant, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc." These stereotyped definitions are incomplete. Both the terms "Jew" and "Christian" carry with them a Biblical significance. In order to properly define them, one must go to the origin of their meaning - the word of God. The term "Jew" is derived from the name of Jacob's fourth son, "Judah," meaning in Hebrew, "praise of God." In general usage the term Jew came to represent all the people of Israel, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The term "Christian" is derived from the word "Christos," the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word for Messiah. It simply means "Messiah-like" or "follower of the Messiah." What Does the Bible Say? Correct understanding of these terms is not possible without considering their theological and Biblical usage. In the New Testament, I Corinthians 10:32, we find that God classifies humanity into three major groups of people: Jews, gentiles, and Christians. In the Scriptures, not only do the words Jew and Christian have specific meanings, but so does the word gentile (goy). It is simply the term applied to all people who are not Jews. And so we have an interesting relationship within these three classifications into which humanity is divided. Membership in two of the groups is involuntary, while membership in the third is entirely voluntary. Does Ethnic Background Make a Difference? Biblically, both Jew and gentile are ethnic terms. "Christian" is not. One who is born a Jew will die a Jew. One who is born a gentile will die a gentile. Regardless of his ethnic background, a person, whether Jewish or gentile, may become a Christian. Neither will lose his ethnicity. Each adds to the spiritual dimension of faith God intended for him to have. Thus, a Jew by faith may become a Christian, and still remain a Jew. Likewise, a gentile, by faith, may become a Christian and still remain a gentile. Ethnically there are Jewish Christians, black Christians, Russian Christians, Chinese Christians, Japanese Christians, etc. Jews are not born Christians, and neither are gentiles. The Messiah of Israel, Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice A Christian recognizes that no person is able to bring a proper sacrifice to God. A Christian recognizes that sin has separated him from God, and that without God's personal involvement in his life there is no purpose, meaning or lasting value to his existence . A Christian is someone who believes by faith the Word of God that Jesus of Nazareth (the Messiah of Israel) died and was buried and was raised from the dead as the payment for personal sins and to conquer sin and death (I Corinthians 15). Love - the Identifying Quality of True Christians A personal relationship with God can only be possible through faith in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. This relationship by faith can change the lives of both Jews and gentiles, giving them a new love for one another. It offers new motivation and direction in life. A true Christian, whether Jewish or gentile, can be identified by his love for God and his love for others. It has been thought that "Christian" and "gentile" are synonymous because so many gentiles have wrongly assumed the title "Christian." Many gentiles who call themselves "Christians" are not Christians at all. Membership in churches, denominations and institutions does not make one a Christian. Historically, because of this misunderstanding of the term "Christian," the Crusades, Inquisition, pogroms, concentration camps and many acts of anti-semitism have often been labeled the actions of Christians. God's Desire for Jews and Gentiles Only God can change the actions and attitudes of someone's life. If you - a Jew or a gentile - are wondering about the meaning and purpose of your life, investigate the Bible and the person of the Messiah, Jesus. Life-changing faith can follow just such an honest search into God's truth. Understand that God does not want to deprive you of your identity - He wants to save you from your sin. His desire is to make everyone, both Jews and gentiles, His children, living His truth in love. The WORD for Today The WORD for Today In Hebrews 10:25 we read, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." The responsibility of all Christians is to encourage one another. This series is intended to help provide some guidelines in the process of encouragement. The book, "Encouragement, the key to caring," by Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., and Dan B. Allender, is recommended reading with the series. Each message can be read in conjunction with the related chapter in the book. The series can be used as the basis of a group study in your church. Please let us know if you find the material helpful, or if you have any questions or suggestions. The article presented here is the eighth of fourteen messages given by Pastor Geoff Kragen. They were presented at Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln, California. HIDING FROM PAIN "Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough." (1) When I was growing up, I always felt like one of those kids that never fit in. I think part of it might have tied to the fact I was a chunky little kid. I was so concerned with this that by junior high, although I was no longer heavy, if the teacher told the "fat boy" to get out of line, I'd step out. I also felt more comfortable around girls than guys. I even went steady during kindergarten and the first grade. I started building layers to protect myself from peer rejection. First, I wouldn't hang out with other kids. In junior and senior high school I worked in the cafeteria instead of attending sports rallies or having lunch with other kids. I dressed differently from the others. I wore a white shirt, black vest and slacks and a green sport coat. (Actually, I'm surprised I didn't start a fad.) Next, I took up cigars, little ones in a cigarette holder. I sometimes carried a cane. Keep in mind all this was in high school and college. So, I did everything possible to make sure I didn't fit in. By building the layers, I chose to be rejected. I was able to avoid the reality that some people would reject me no matter who I was. I was in control. I protected myself from pain. But these layers of idiosyncrasies stayed with me most of my life. It is only over these later years that I have finally been peeling them away. Nevertheless, sometimes I don't enjoy becoming more normal. I still like being different. However, I can't allow this enjoyment interfere with being genuine. With this article, we start the second half of this series. We have seen how the process of encouragement works, and how we can carry it out. Now, we will consider how the purpose of encouragement is to bring about change through the process of Christian maturing and becoming more conformed to the image of Christ. And last, but not least, we will consider what we can do to nurture an environment of encouragement. Our underlying motivation to encourage is the factor that determines whether or not we will be functioning appropriately. We have already discussed that the primary consideration for our encouragement is love, love of God and love of one another. "A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). Unless we are willing to love as God would have us do, there is no way we can do the difficult work of encouragement. We encourage because we love. We encourage by moving toward the other person's fears. People hide because of their fears. My fear was being rejected, so I enhanced my differences and chose rejection. When people hide, they can't be helped. As encouragers, we need to address their fears, although we may not always discuss them verbally. This means that we need not only to understand, but to show that we recognize the person we reaching out to is hurting and needy. People are like onions. We have built up layer upon layer sometimes over a lifetime. These layers can include a smile, humor, laughing in the midst of pain, a cane, religion, an aggressive disposition or anything else that prevents others from seeing who we really are. The desire to keep from getting involved, because it is painful, is another layer. These layers keep people from getting close to us and us to them. Layers are designed to protect from pain. We put them in place without even being aware we are doing so. When Christians meet, frequently all they do is rub their layers together. What happens when you peel an onion? Many times you start crying. I suspect that when we risk peeling our layers, letting others see our core, there may be pain and tears. The core we protect is that part of ourselves which has great longing for genuine relationship and impact. It is that core that has been damaged. Instead of exposing it, and receiving healing, we keep it covered up. This way we will "never again be hurt." Of course, we are more damaged by hiding than by opening up. People are afraid that if they expose themselves they will be rejected. There may be some truth in this, but God calls for transparency. We can't hide and move toward others in love. As encouragers, we have to work with the Lord to remove our self- protective layers. We can only help others by directing our love towards their fear, their hidden core. The job of encouragement is to get past fears. The answer to fear is the Lord. The fear we are talking about here isn't related to circumstances, but the loss of relationship and of not having impact. We need to understand ourselves and encourage others to understand that the Christian life is the answer to our deep longings. We are created for relationship with God and people. We are created to have impact for God. It is only as we are used by God that we can impact our world in a meaningful way. This is the opportunity open to the encourager, to experience relationship and have eternal impact. We all have layers. They are the way we manipulate others. We don't always see them as such, but clearly they are self-centered versus God-centered. As we recognize our layers, we need to depend on the Lord to remove them and their interference with our efforts to encourage. Our layers affect how we move toward others. They affect our very words. Remember that Paul said, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29). To follow this we have to give up our layers and move towards the fear of others. Dr. Crabb expresses it this way. "From my love to another's fear -- that's the formula. Words of rebuke, exhortation, suggestion, instruction, or sympathy must all meet these two conditions if they are to further God's purposes and qualify as words of encouragement." (2) Church discipline is a good example of the extreme end of encouragement. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). The primary purpose for discipline is to restore a fallen brother or sister. Protecting the body is only a secondary purpose, in that the inability to bring about restoration demands excommunication. Christ loves and wants the best for His children. It is always His desire to bring restoration. This is the message of the parable of the Prodigal Son. To move from love to fear requires an accurate self-image. We must recognize our own fallen nature and the fallen nature of people in general. Loving isn't the same as excusing. Forgiving isn't the same as forgetting. Christ died for our sins because He loved us. He didn't excuse our sin. He paid the required penalty for them. He didn't forget them. He no longer remembers them. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). This means that when we are striving to encourage someone we aren't ignoring the sin in their life that is the source of the problem. Instead, in love we depend on the Lord to help us help them in the most effective way. So, the most important factor we must always remember in the ministry of encouragement is absolute dependency on the leading of the Holy Spirit to help us apply truth in a loving way. He will be our encourager, allowing us to peel away our own layers. He will empower us, in love, to move through someone else's layers to the core of their fear. The ministry of encouragement is more than just technique. Its required dependency on the Lord moves it into the realm of the supernatural. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear . . . " (1 John 4:18). 1. Crabb, Jr., Lawrence, J. and Allender, Dan B., "Encouragement-The Key to Caring," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984, p. 10. 2. Ibid., p. 77. Columns Anee M'Amin Anee M'Amin Anee M'amin is Hebrew for "I believe". This month we present something different for our readers . . . a fictional story based on a factual event. GIVING THAT OTHERS MIGHT BELIEVE by Bob Mendelsohn from the JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER I'm just a kid. I live near the Sea of Galilee. Sometimes they call it the Sea of Tiberias. Grownups are always telling me what to do when I'd rather be out playing. But one day I did what they asked, and something neat happened. I was eating lunch when I saw a lot of people over on a hill near my house. I wanted to know what they were doing, so I stuffed my lunch into a basket and ran to see. When I got there I couldn't see because everyone was so tall, but I heard them talking about Y'shua, the rabbi from Nazareth. Then I heard footsteps, and this big guy was coming toward me. I knew he was big because I saw his shadow even before I saw him. The man's name was Andrew, and he talked to me. He said he traveled around with Rabbi Y'shua. I wondered what Andrew wanted. Had I done something wrong? Or maybe he wanted me to help carry something. Grownups are always asking me to help carry something. I was already carrying the rest of my lunch I hadn't used up. Oh, well. If he had something else for me to carry I would try. It was kind of weird. When Andrew talked to me it was almost as if God himself was talking. Andrew was gentle for someone so big. He asked how much food I had. What a strange question! I told him I had five loaves and only two fishes. I already ate the other three fishes at home. (I caught them myself and they weren't very big.) Maybe Y'shua was going to make a special example or tell a parable about my lunch. Or maybe Andrew was going to get his chance to teach and he needed a story to tell. But no, I figured like always, probably I was going to have to carry something. While I was thinking about it, Andrew left and went back through the crowd to Y'shua. "That's it?" I thought. "Nothing else? Oh, well, at least I got to talk to an almost famous person." Then just a few minutes later Andrew and one of the others came back. He said that Y'shua wanted to use my bread and my fish to help the people believe in God more. I didn't understand, but he said that if I would do what he said I would see a miracle. WOW! That was what I was waiting for. Y'shua did one for my cousin Mordecai. Well, okay, maybe it wasn't exactly a miracle, but one day Y'shua stopped along the road as he walked by and called the kids. Cousin Mordy heard him and ran up to him with his sister Rivka. (She's my cousin too.) And he hugged them and gave them each a special blessing We still don't know how much that means, but maybe it's a blessing for our whole family, that life will be better than it is, kind of like what my dad calls HOPE. And I think it has started to be better for Mordy and for Rivka. They said they have a happy feeling they never had before - at least that's what they told me. I asked them if they still have to work hard and they said, yes, but they are happier because Y'shua touched them and blessed them. So I wanted to see Y'shua, too, when I found out that all the people were there because they were following him. Anyhow, Andrew had promised a miracle. All I had to do was give up my lunch. I had already had some of it, so I didn't mind. I handed it over. Andrew took it, and another of Y'shua's followers told us all to sit down. There were people all over the place. Someone told me later there were more than 5,000 people. That's a lot! Some stood, but most of us sat down. I kind of cheated and sat on my knees, so I could see better. Y'shua held up the fish and the loaves and said something, a blessing, I guess. Then he started breaking the food in pieces and it was all getting passed around, and then some got to me and I took some and passed a big loaf to the next family. Funny, I didn't remember having one that size in my basket. Maybe he had asked others for their lunches, too. Anyway, we all ate. Afterwards everyone said they were full. I sure was full! I wondered why they needed my lunch if they had all that other food. Then Andrew came back. He gave me my basket and it had MORE food in it than when I started out. He said, "Thanks." I said, "You're welcome." That was it. No neat miracle. No special blessing from Y'shua like my cousins got. Oh well. I did meet some nice people. Then today I heard some people talking. They said they saw Y'shua feed 5,000 people with only a few fishes and loaves of bread. WHAT? I thought everyone else had given their lunch, too. Nope, they insisted. Y'shua did it with the lunch of just one little boy. WOW! They meant me! But I never knew - at least, not until today. I guess that's how miracles work. Y'shua touched Mordy and Rivka and they have a better life. He lifted my lunch up to the sky and prayed and now I am famous and well, I guess, he's famous and I feel good that God used what I had to make a miracle for others. Maybe I didn't see the Red Sea split like my ancestors did. Maybe I won't ever see a really big miracle. But I saw one the other day. That's for sure. God took what I had and made it so much more that probably everyone in the whole world could have had some if they were there. I kept one of the loaves that Y'shua's friend Andrew gave back to me. Maybe I'll see Y'shua again and get to remind him of the miracle he did. But even if I don't, I will remember God's miracle and that I should keep on giving if it helps others to believe God more. I wish everyone would do that! Testimonies Testimonies Too often we are told: "Become a believer and your problems will be over." We hear from the pulpit: "God intends you to be happy and healthy. If you have problems it is because you lack 'Faith.'" A better message might be: "Accept the gift of salvation, and your life will get harder." As we strive to be obedient this may be true. Being a believer means that like the unbeliever, we too live in a fallen world. We are not protected from the trials and tribulations of life. As we strive to be obedient we have additional troubles. BUT unlike the unbeliever we are blessed in the midst of the trials and tribulations of life. As Paul said: ". . . we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). We do not have to rejoice in pain. But we can rejoice that our pain, unlike that of the unbeliever, is not wasted. God will bless us as we trust and depend on Him. May we all grow in our understanding of this truth. The following is presented as an example of how this truth can be lived out in the life of the believer. Testimony of Jim Lanzerio, Jr. Buffalo, New York I have known the Lord for ten years. I say known because a couple times in my Christian walk I became angry with the Lord and walked away from Him. I tried to do things on my own but made a bigger mess of things. I rededicated my life back to the Lord approximately three years ago and have followed Him since. Some may know me online from my requests for prayer for my wife. Although I went back to the Lord my wife was not a Christian. I had a very hard time dealing with this. My marriage was unstable since we married seven years ago. We had three kids in four years and both of us were so young. I am currently 29 and my wife is 25. Our marriage became a nightmare. Our four month old son was involved in an incident. A women, who was watching him, shook him and caused a hemorrhage in his brain. He needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding. My wife and I went to the hospital chapel and prayed together. I remember telling the Lord if He watched over my son I would get back to Church and live my life for Him. My son survived the surgery and a couple months later we found out how serious his injury really was. The doctor who performed the surgery told us that he had done only three of this type of surgery and my son was the only one to survive. My son is now five years old and it has been a struggle. He has improved so much with physical therapy. He still cannot talk as much as he should. He gets frustrated when he wants something and does not know how to ask for it. He understands quite well but has a problem verbalizing. I know the Lord had His hands on the doctors but I became very angry for what my family was going through. I did not, at the time I prayed, rededicate myself back to the Lord. I waited a couple of years and made a mess of my life. I cheated on my wife and became abusive towards her. As I said earlier our marriage was already struggling and I could not take anymore. I blamed her for a lot of things that was both of our faults. Our communication and compassion for each other had become worse than it already was. I was caught in a sin (adultery) and I could not escape it. I felt dirty and guilty but I could not tell my wife. I then decided that the Lord may be able to help. Through a friend at work I got back into Church. First I was on fire. I witnessed to those who were lost. I read my Bible and prayed daily. My wife and I went to talk with our pastor and I started going to a Christian counselor. This lasted for a little while but things in my marriage remained the same. My wife would not go to Church and made fun of me for going. She belittled me and I felt helpless. I loved my three children but did not know if I loved my wife anymore. I started slipping again. I continued praying and reading the Bible but not as much. I started missing Church more and more. One day my wife asked me if I ever cheated on her. I thought I hid it so well. I walked around the truth but eventually told her yes I did. She was devastated. I told myself I was such a jerk for telling her. I hit the lowest point in my life at that time. Although I thought I did not love her I felt bad for what I was putting her through. We eventually talked this out and she forgave me. Still, something was missing. I still had the doubt about my wife and marriage in the corner of my mind. Things were fine for a while but my wife refused to go to Church. I refused to give in and became very stubborn about everything. Why was God putting me through this. My friend told me to remember Job. All the things he went through. This helped but I did not understand the reason for everything. Things continued on the same course. I went to Church and tried getting close to the Lord but I was getting angry again. I was full of self pity and thought things could not get any worse. I was WRONG! I work at nights and received a phone call around ten o'clock. It was my upstairs neighbor. She told me something had happened to one of my children and I needed to get home. I asked her what but she was hesitant to answer. She then told me that one of them stopped breathing and my wife was hysterical. I immediately got off the phone and drove home. I live thirty minutes from my job but it seemed like an eternity to get home. I prayed all the way. I could tell by my neighbors voice that something was seriously wrong. When I pulled in the driveway she met me and told me to go to the hospital. My wife was there with our youngest son. I continued to pray. My baby. Three years old. Please Lord help him be okay. I arrived at the hospital and it seemed like everyone was waiting for me. I looked for a doctor. I told the first one I saw who I was and that my son was brought in by an ambulance. He escorted me to a room. A room. Not a medical room. My stomach sank. He sat me down and told me my son had died. No! How could this happen? He told me my son had swallowed a small ball and it got lodged in his throat. He took it out and showed it to me. It was in a plastic bag. My oldest son had won the ball at an arcade. I asked if I could see him and he said yes. I still did not think it was real. I walked into the room and my wife was leaning over the table. There was my son. He looked so peaceful but he was not moving. I remember yelling NO! They took me out of the room and after I promised I would be okay I went back. My son. Big blue eyes and curly blonde hair laying on the table with his eyes half open. I walked to the table and began to pray. Lord you raised Lazarus from the dead please give my son back to me. It did not help. My son was with Him and that is where he was going to stay. I did not know what to do. My wife kept saying that I could wake him up because he always listens to me. She did not want to admit that he was dead. She wound up in the hospital for three days. I could not believe what I was going through. First my son passed away and then I have to deal with my wife. I knew I was a Christian but how much more could I take. Talking to Christian friends I realized my strength came from the Lord. Although I was devastated I knew my son was with Him and he was very happy. I had to help my wife. It was difficult for her because she put the kids to bed. Two of my sons sleep together and they have to keep the door closed. She went to check on them and found Jared behind the door. She said he was cold and stiff. She panicked but found the phone and called for help. She tried CPR but it did not help. This chain of events haunted her. Compounded with the false sense of hope the EMS people gave her she wanted to believe that he was going to wake up. I had no choice but to admit her to the hospital. Lord I prayed, how much more? My wife, through those who were praying for her, finally realized the truth. She came home and we made plans to bury my son. These events are very fresh in my mind. They just happened less than two weeks ago. Through the Lord I have found strength and love that I never knew existed. Through my son I see the way he touched those he met. He was only three years old but his compassion, innocence and endless smile helped many. His teachers, friends and family all said how much he meant to them. He always wanted to hug everyone. I miss my son. We were so close in so many ways. He looked just like me and we shared the same birthday. Through his death though I found love in my marriage that I never knew was there. I truly do love my wife and she has decided that the only way for her to see my son again is to give her soul to Jesus. She has done this. I am not saying that the Lord took my son away to help my marriage but it has helped make things better. I have heard from those who knew my son the unselfish love he gave to them and I start to think. "As young as he was his love meant so much to so many. How much more does the Lord love and care about me?" His love and care is impossible to compare. I know He loves me and my wife and I can see why some things have gone the way they have. It was through Him I remained strong and it is through Him I will continue to grow. No more running away. Education Education "POLITICALLY CORRECT" EDUCATION By Dr. Paul A. Kienel, Executive Director Association of Christian Schools International Thomas Jefferson said, "We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left to combat it." While not entirely correct Biblically, Jefferson's ideas about truth was the prevailing thought in American education until recent years. From preschool through university, America's secular education community has made a drastic shift from disseminating basic truth to the next generation to political activism which seems bent on ridding the country of its traditional values. It is called "political correctness." In many of our nation's secular schools, "political correctness" has developed into a "force of law." In a recent speech in Florida, Chuck Colson said, "We have spent the last thirty years determined to secularize our society." Then he gave this poignant illustration: Last December, newspapers ran a striking photograph of a group of people held at bay by armed guards. They were not rioters or protesters; they were Christmas carolers. The town of Vienna, Virginia, had outlawed the singing of religious songs on public property. So these men, women, and children were forced to sing "Silent Night" behind barricades, just as if this were Eastern Europe under communist rule instead of Christmas in America in 1992. (1) This same spirit of secularization has carried over into education. Dr. Lynne V. Cheney, chairman for The National Endowment for the Humanities, in her annual report to Congress wrote, "The aim of education, as many on our campuses now see it, is no longer truth, but political transformation . . . there are no truths to pursue, only political purposes." (2) In order to be "politically correct" in today's secular schools one must 1) affirm that homosexuality is an acceptable "alternative lifestyle," 2) agree that women have the right to destroy their unborn children and 3) accept the idea that democracy is a failed governmental system, therefore, the world can only be saved by a socialist, one-world government. Believe it or not, this is the current "politically correct" trend of our nation's non-Christian schools. Not surprising, "political correctness" permeates the curriculum of secular schools. It shows up in standardized achievement tests and in teacher training. In the past many textbooks did not provide a fair treatment of racial minorities nor an accurate portrayal of evangelical Christians. These days "politically correct" textbook writers have gone far beyond leaving out essential information: they are rewriting history. Ed Koch, a Jew and the former mayor of New York City, said: There is currently a fire storm raging in this country regarding the way we teach our kids history. The result: a call for a new multiculturalism that seeks to re-write history . . . I regret to say, there were no Jews on the Mayflower. But a fact is a fact . . . the reality is, the early settlers were Europeans, and Americans share a common heritage of cultural values, language, and tradition that is based on our English and European roots. Should we be re-writing history just to make people feel good? That's not history, that's psychiatry. Dr. Dwight Murphy, a professor at Wichita University, laments, "No longer is there to be pride in our pioneer ancestors who crossed America in covered wagons and tamed the wilderness; no, they were insensitive encroachers . . . " (3) The principal engine delivering "politically correct" education at the elementary and secondary level is Outcome-Based Education (OBE) a major new program in many public schools. It is presented as a "humanistic developmental approach" based on Bloom's "Mastery Learning" program. There are aspects of Outcome-Based Education which are commendable but on the dark side there is a strong curriculum emphasis on "politically correct" issues which are often contrary to Biblical principles. Dr. Robert Simonds, a former public school superintendent, said, On the surface the idea of Outcome-Based Education sounds good. It was designed to correct the faults of a system that graduates students simply for keeping their seat warm for the required number of years. The idea was to make children learn something in order to graduate. Sounds great, doesn't it? Until you read the outcome (what the children must learn to graduate). Most of them have nothing to do with academic learning. They are "affective" in nature (dealing with emotions, beliefs, and attitudes). They require the child to adopt politically correct ideas, a proper environmental role, make a collectivist economic contribution and become a proper global citizen. (4) How does "politically correct" education effect Christian school education? Thankfully, it doesn't effect us directly. It does, however, effect Christian schools indirectly. Christian school educators will need to prepare their graduates to cope with a secular generation schooled in "political correctness." Unfortunately many of our graduates will face an avalanche of "politically correct" thinking if they enroll in secular colleges or universities. Understandably, this is why more and more of our graduates choose Christian colleges. Permit me to conclude with an illustration: One night at sea, a ship's captain saw what looked like the lights of another ship heading toward him. He had his signalman blink to the other ship: "Change your course 10 degrees south." The reply came back: "Change your course 10 degrees north." The ship's captain answered: "I am a captain. Change your course south." To which the reply was: "I am a seaman first class. Change your course north." This infuriated the captain, so he signaled back: "I say change your course south. I'm on a battleship!" To which the reply came back: "And I say change your course north. I'm in a lighthouse." That lighthouse is who we are in education. We are the lighthouse not because we are amazingly superior. We are the lighthouse because Christian school education is anchored to The Solid Rock, Christ Jesus and the Bible. I agree with one of America's foremost Christian educators, Dr. Roy Lowrie, Jr. who says "The Bible is not on trial in a Christian school." Because of Christ and His Word we are not intimidated by captains on battleships! (1) Charles Colson, Imprints, Hillsdale College, April 1993. p.1. (2) Lynne V. Cheney, Telling The Truth, Annual Report to U.S.Congress, September 1992, pp 7.37. (3) Dwight D. Murphy, Multiculturalarm: Its Implications for a Free Society, Conservative Review, p.34. (4) Robert Simonds, President's Report, Citizens for Excellence in Education. Music Music MUSIC AS MINISTRY By Dale McNamee Halethorpe, Maryland "Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre." (Psalm 81:1-2, NIV) "It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and melody of the harp." (Psalm 92:1-3, NIV) "Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2, NIV) See also Psalms 96, 98, 101, 103-108, 145, 149, and 150. Music is a ministry both to God and to His church. I hope that it will open the readers of this magazine to the idea. I guess that the best place to start is how I got involved in music. I became a Christian in 1972, and got involved with the Charismatic Renewal that was sweeping the Roman Catholic Church. I enjoyed the fellowship, teaching, and the music at the prayer meetings that I attended. After a while, I bought myself a guitar and took some lessons and began playing. But like many aspiring players, I felt out-classed by the other guitar players who were far better than I. Despite this, I still felt that I had a part in the church music. I noticed that the meetings I attended all had guitar-heavy music ministries. There wasn't much else in the way of other instruments, and tepid tambourines just didn't cut it with setting the beat. I decided on the Conga Drums. For those of you who may be wondering what the differences between the types of drums are, the conga drums stand about 3 feet high and are 9-13 inches in diameter across the drumheads. (Mine are 10 and 12 inches respectively, a good all-around set.) The bongo drums are 5 and 7 inches in diameter, and are usually held between the knees. But they can be mounted on a stand also. I use stands for both. I took some lessons and played along to tapes and records. I began going to the groups' practice sessions and "jam" sessions, learning how to play the songs and playing with other musicians. The one group I belonged to had two music leaders, one was a folk song player, very gentle, very reverent. The other leader was out of the school of rock and roll, and played every song with a strong 4/4 beat. The other prayer group that I played for was somewhere in-between. It was a challenge to play, but I liked it! During this same time, I joined the Episcopal Church and became a member of a small church in Wexford, Pennsylvania where I was living at that time. The church had just gotten a new organist/choir director who wanted to do contemporary church hymns, and open up to different instruments. I offered to play, and she loved the idea of the drums! Now, she introduced yet another style of playing. Her style was a romping, jazzy, style. It spiced up the hymns, both traditional and contemporary. And I quickly developed a style that complimented her playing. I praise the Lord that I was able to keep it all straight! I continued to play for the prayer groups until they began to fade out, this happened around 1980-1981, and a new job caused me to move away from my church. I joined a very good, conservative, evangelical Episcopalian church and put my playing on hold while I waited to see what was going on. They were the traditionalists; pipe organ, choir, 1940 Hymnal. Sometimes a contemporary song would slip in. The music was very good and it ministered to me, along with the preaching and teaching. Each week that I went there, I noticed people whom I had met at previous prayer meetings began showing up at my church! Shortly thereafter, "charismatic" house churches began sprouting up. Also, Life in the Spirit seminars began. Later on, a Sunday evening prayer and praise meeting began. My church's pastor and clergy staff were very supportive of all these activities. Unfortunately for me, through my own missteps and losing my job, I concluded that maybe my involvement with music was over. I moved to Maryland in 1986. After I arrived in Maryland, I sought out St. Timothy Episcopal Church, which had been recommended to me. I found the church to be friendly and open to the Holy Spirit. The music ministry at that time was limited to playing on special occasions only. The rest of the time, it was the organ and choir. This didn't do much to encourage me to offer my talents, and coupled with the stress of moving and starting over, I sold my set of drums. Needless to say, my wife was upset and angry. "You always enjoyed playing, why did you do it?" she sighed, "You should have talked to me!" In retrospect, I don't think that the Lord was pleased, either. It didn't sit easily with me. I never had any peace. Instead, there was an insistent "prompting" on me to buy another set of drums. Over the following couple of years, the "prompting" grew stronger and stronger. This time, I discussed this with my wife. She hoped that this wouldn't follow the same path, with the same results. I told her that I felt that this was different, that I was doing the right thing. I had been praying for discernment in this area and about getting re-involved in music. The Lord answered my prayers by the emergence of my church's music ministry from a part-time ministry to full-time. I bought a new set of drums and started practicing once again. Then, in November of 1992, the ministry issued an invitation to the congregation for anyone with instrumental or vocal talents, and who felt the Lord's calling in this area, to join. After the service, I went up and offered my talents. I was asked to bring my drums to their next practice session, and the rest, as they say, is history. The music ministry consists of a pipe organ and organist, a piano/keyboard player, two vocalists, a violinist, two flautists, a set drummer, and myself. At various times of the year, especially holidays, the music ministry doubles in size and in instrumental/vocal talents as people join us. We practice every Wednesday and Saturday. On Wednesday, we start by praying first, asking for God's grace and wisdom. Then, we read the lessons and Gospel readings for the following Sunday and select hymns (both traditional and contemporary) that reflect and reinforce the readings. We also consider any songs or ideas that our pastor may suggest. Once we agree on the selections, then we start practicing. I really enjoy the practice sessions, working with my fellow musicians, being inspired by the Lord and them! All of us in the ministry have differing levels of skills and schooling, but the Lord works with all of us, and through all of us, to encourage each other to grow spiritually and musically. I enjoy seeing people blossom! I do my best to encourage the others, (especially the younger members), and I enjoy their encouragement! Then on Saturday, we concentrate on playing the songs that we selected on Wednesday, again opening the session with prayer. At this time, we take care of any last minute changes. Our music comes from various sources; the 1940 and 1982 Hymnals, Integrity, Maranatha, and Vineyard Music, and several classical pieces by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, etc. On Sunday, we follow the same routine as when we practice. We open with prayer for our pastor, the congregation, and for ourselves, that we all remain open to the Lord and the Holy Spirit. We also ask that He may find our playing and singing pleasing. It's really great to see the Lord bless the service, to see people worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit! We welcome the Holy Spirit to move FREELY and MIGHTILY through the congregation! I was especially touched by the Holy Spirit and I know something in my life changed! I did some of my best playing that evening, even songs that I had "glitches" with, came off smoothly. I'm carrying some of that playing into our regular service, and I thank the Lord for this! I thought that the 55 plus year old members wouldn't like the drums, but I was wrong! They told me that the drums really add to the music and the conga drums are more appropriate for the music performed than a drum set. This is an affirmation of my style of playing loud enough to be heard all through the church, yet, not be too loud. (My drums aren't miked). I do defend my set drummer because he sets the time and sets me free to be creative! Finally, some odds and ends. I really enjoy playing the drums because they're FUN! I don't have to be serious all the time! They're a great way to relieve stress. I'm not into Robert Bly's "wildman", male-bonding movement, nor am I into any "New Age" ideas on drumming. Just fun and relaxation for the Glory of God! I also want to dispel the myth of certain instruments having a "gender" (i.e. boys only play drums, not girls). One evening, my wife gave me a "surprise" by setting up the Ascension practice tape and playing the drums along with the songs on the tape. She played very well! "I learned a lot by watching and listening to you," she said with a smile. I then offered to teach her, to improve her style! So, if any of this magazine's women readers want to play, just check out your local music store, newspaper ads, or pawn shop. Buy yourself a set of conga drums, buy an instruction book, take lessons, and play! I've shared my views on music and worship on America OnLine (a computer information service) and have sent tapes of my church's music to people that I've met on line. This, in turn, has led to other people requesting my help in introducing contemporary music into their churches. I have a friend who belongs to a local Mennonite church who is fascinated with the idea of drums in his church. This would be a huge cultural leap for the church, since they don't use instruments at all! But, there has been a movement underway to introduce instruments into the churches. So far, they've cautiously allowed pianos and an organ, and perhaps, a guitar. But, conga drums? Over the Memorial Day weekend, I travelled back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to visit my family, and on Sunday (which also happened to be Pentecost Sunday), I attended my former church. The music for the service was mostly contemporary hymns! They had a very good set drummer who created a good rhythmic base for the keyboards, organ, choir, and congregation. I saw the new rector of the church (he'd been the youth and young adult minister) and talked about what was going on. I told him about my music ministry involvement and he invited me to play at the services the next time that I was in town! I would encourage everyone to play instruments of all types in the church to Praise and Glorify the Lord. This is especially a wonderful way for the youth to get more involved in the church. Praise the Lord! Let us sing joyfully to Him and make a joyful noise, entering His Presence with praise and thanksgiving! Prayer Guidelines Prayer Guidelines PRAYER AND LOVING GOD Article 18 of the "Prayer and ..." Series by Michael Wilkinson "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me" (Psalms 63:1-8). One thing is certain about David, king of Israel. David loved God. And David told God that he loved Him. David wanted God to be at work in his life. He wanted to see God's power at work, not for his own purposes, but to see God glorify himself. He wanted God's love more than life itself, and he knew that because he spent time meditating on God. Yes, David knew God. And it was from this close fellowship with God that David praised God in prayer. Anyone whose prayers are not filled with praises should follow David's example and get to know God. We can get to know Him by meditating on God and His word, and by considering His lovingkindness. Then, in the shadow of His wings, we too can rejoice in the Lord. "Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol" (Psalms 86:4, 12-13). Departments People Profile People Profile The following is a transcript taken almost word for word from the ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS television show. As such, it is somewhat different in readability than an edited text. Zola Levitt conducted this interview with Jan Willem van der Hoeven, founder of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. MORNING STAR is very grateful to the ministry of Zola Levitt for granting us permission to publish this transcript. We will present the first half of the interview in this issue and the conclusion in next month's "People Profiles" column. ZOLA LEVITT: Every October for the last twelve years, there's been a unique celebration of support for the State of Israel. The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem has coordinated the gathering of some 80 nations for the Feast of Tabernacles. They march through the streets of Jerusalem and gather together for praise and worship on the Hills of Qumran. For many, this has become a foretaste of the great gathering of all believers in the Second Coming, when the King Himself will rule from Jerusalem. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin welcomed this most recent gathering on the opening night of a week-long celebration. I met with the founder of the International Christian Embassy, Jan Willem van der Hoeven, at this headquarters building in Jerusalem where he shared his views on some vital matters regarding Israel. But first, I asked him to give us his personal background. PASTOR VAN DER HOEVEN: I am the spokesman of the International Christian Embassy and originally from Holland, a friend of Corrie Ten Boom who gave us a tremendous example in her relationship and love for the Jewish people. And I think many of the Christians that watch your program would know Corrie Ten Boom from "The Hiding Place", so it was burned into our hearts that God had never given up His love and purpose with the Jewish people. Actually, the "hiding place" (and I say this also as encouragement for all the Christians who pray for the restoration of the Jewish people) was in a room where for a hundred years, even the great-grandfather of Corrie Ten Boom prayed for the restoration of Israel. And in that same room later, eighteen Jews found their hiding place as they tried to escape from the Nazi's scourge. So that was at the birth, this love for the Jewish people when we opened up the International Christian Embassy. Now it has developed over the years. This was the thirteenth feast that made it possible for, I would say, close to 6,000 Christians to come from eighty nations. We'll give them first the experience of the desert, as the Jews came up from the desert to the Promised Land. The great opening night will come where the Prime Minister will address these lovers of Israel, having come from the east, the north, the west and the south, from the uttermost parts of the earth. We had here yesterday two pastors, one from the Solomon Islands and one from Papua, New Guinea. The man was weeping. He said, "Oh God, when last time I was in Jerusalem, I prayed with all my heart, 'Bring me once more back'." The man probably has no money. I don't know how they get here. Sometimes we help them financially. I heard yesterday with the Qumran that somebody was nearly moved to tears to see Chinese, even from the mainland of China, an Indonesian group. There are Catholics. There are Protestants. And what we have done when we opened up the International Christian Embassy. I'm so thankful we did not call it "International Charismatic Embassy" or "International Protestant Embassy." But, we say from our side that Israel is not held by a flimsy little pro-lsrael group that goes overboard on Israel and sees nothing else. If it is true that the head of the body of His church is the Lord, the King of Israel, I want the whole body to embrace this nation in love and comfort, for it is the only staying power that Israel can depend on now that the last nations, even the United States, are rapidly falling away. ZOLA: It seems to me there has been some kind of an unholy alliance between Islam and Christianity. VAN DER HOEVEN: There was a major editorial a few days ago in The Jerusalem Post. Just think of the shame to Jesus Christ - churches on an anti-lsrael crusade, expressing the Christian prelates. I think the reason (I'm happy to say this on your program, Zola) is because even Jewish people, even secular Jewish leaders in America, do not understand what is happening. There is such evil, such hatred against the Jewish people that today the Palestinians are using their church positions. I said to a friend of the Pope as I met him in Switzerland, "How do I explain what has happened to the Middle East church in many parts?" And I said to him, -You must understand." Otherwise, he might have thought, "Well, he's not a Catholic; that's why he's against you." I did not want to come over as an anti-Catholic. I just wanted to explain the situation as it has occurred. So I said, -You must understand" (and this is a man that can phone straight to the Pope), -that the major part of the Christian church has been hijacked in the Middle East by the Palestinians." Sabah, the Catholic patriarch, is a Palestinian. Bishop Samir Kafity from Saint George's Anglican Cathedral is a Palestinian. Philip Habib, the Secretary General of the Near East Council of Churches, living in his office in Cyprus, is a Palestinian. One of the Lutheran major figures here in the Redeemer's Church is a Palestinian. The bishop emeritus of the Anglican Church in Ammon is a friend of Arafat, member of the PLO executive. Ellias Houri, who when he was still the Anglican minister here in the West Bank, took two terrorist women to the British consulate and later to the supermarket to bring explosives so that in the explosions, one or two people were killed; and he expelled himself, ran away to Ammon. Apparently for this wonderful Christ-like loving deed, he was made bishop of the Anglican Church in Ammon. Now, these priests who are all Palestinians are using their Church positions to do politics with the robes of Christ. For example, Bishop Tutu came here, invited and hosted by Bishop Samir Kafity. When they finally came to the Christmas scene at the Fields of Ephratah, 8,000 Palestinians were waiting for them with all the cameras of the world. And they have done this because apparently they have been to the PLO, and they said, "We will use Christmas to show the world that as bad as the South African whites are to the poor black African church, that's how the Israelis are treating us poor Palestinian Arabs." When Bishop Kafity and Bishop Tutu from South Africa were coming for the Christmas Eve ceremony, they were all chanting a little different song than the angels sang, "peace on earth." Because when the two bishops came, with the cameras of the world glowing, they heard this chant, "P-L-O ... A-N-C ... Israel - No ... A-N-C ... P-L-O ... Israel - No." That was the Christmas story that went out under the guidance of the two bishops to the world. If that's Christianity, the Jews say, "Thank you very much!" ZOLA: Pastor, you take my breath away. I just didn't know things were that bad. Are real born-again believers being duped into this? VAN DER HOEVEN: This was a wooing of the evangelical element in the American church to come to Cyprus to meet their counterparts in the Middle East Council of Churches that are often more liberal oriented in their biblical views and cannot stand (for instance what the International Christian Embassy and millions of Christians and Billy Graham, who made a wonderful film about the restoration of Israel which he called "His Land") what these millions of Bible-believing evangelicals believe about Israel. So they realized, "We need to bring the evangelicals over to our pro-Palestinian view." And there was a conference with that purpose in mind in Cyprus. They did not come yet to an agreement, but what they tried to do is (just imagine!) say, "Jesus was a Palestinian prophet murdered by the Jews." Can you get more anti-Semitic? So, Jesus cannot anymore be a Jew; He is a Palestinian. Jesus was not born in Bethlehem, Judea, but He was born in occupied territory as a Palestinian. It's incredible. Yet, this stupidity comes from the mouths of Christians. There is now a Christian theologian here, the Reverend Houri. He wrote a book about the Intifada from heaven, trying to show that when Jesus came down to break the yoke of the world and of the Roman Empire, He was the first heavenly Intifada activist. ZOLA: I know theologians in Dallas that think this way. But I think most Americans just don't realize what's happening over here. VAN DER HOEVEN: My wife is an Arab Christian, lover of the Lord and of Israel. When the Lord moved into her life, He said, "You cannot love me and hate my people." She was brought up never to have a Jewish girlfriend. But when the Lord came into her heart, the first thing He said to her, to this Arab Christian girl, "You cannot love me and hate my people." And I've said many times to Christians, "You would not have put it the way Jesus did. You would have said, 'You cannot love Christ and not love the Jews'." Nice ... objective! Jesus did not say, "and love the Jews." He said, "and love my people." That's the difference. Are they "the Jews" for you, or are they "my people"? And we know, as people who have lived here for more than twenty years, that the Muslims' Elias Freij, the Mayor of Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born, knows that (if you would ask him privately) the Muslims all over the streets of the Holy Land were singing during the Six Day War, during the Yom Kippur War against Israel, "We shall fight on Saturday, and then on Sunday. We shall fight on Saturday, and then on Sunday." What did they mean? Ask Elias Freij. Ask the Arab Christians if there will be no more Jews, whether we'll all be pushed into the sea or raped or killed on the streets of Tel Aviv and Yafo. Because that's the dream of most of these Muslims that are being fired up by Khomeini and by Iraq and by all the Muslims Fundamentalists that are now threatening, from Mubarak to King Hussein, the regimes of those who are still called moderate. Ask this, If they will finally get their way and rape the women and kill the Jews and we have another Holocaust, what will happen to you, Arab Christians?" Ask it to the Copts in Egypt. I heard that Shinada, the patriarch of the Copts, went to Mubarak and said, "Please do something; our Egyptian Christians are being killed!" And Mubarak says, "As long as you don't tell it publicly what is happening, I will help you. But the moment you will speak publicly what is happening to the Christians in Egypt, I cannot help you anymore." The Christians are dead-afraid. Is that the reason that the Middle East Council of Churches is joining with those that have destroyed the fruits of the Apostles' Age? Go to Antioch. Go to Ephesus. I went to Ephesus in Turkey, one of the richest churches in the history of the New Testament. Nothing is left! Wherever Islam came, it destroyed most of the fruit of the early apostles. More than one million Armenian Christians were washed away by Islam in the time of Turkey, and now to see Christians going to Muslims to put another dagger in the only nation that could care both for Muslims and for Christians. And I know exactly what I say because the Israelis are so loyal and tolerant that whereas thirty-nine synagogues were destroyed under Jordanian Muslim occupation from 1948 until 1967 in the Old City of Jerusalem. Today, there is freedom for Muslims to go their mosques. The Israelis, who read in their own Old Testament "tooth for tooth" did not destroy one mosque. Every Muslim is free to worship in his own place in Israel. Every Christian, whether he wants to go the Holy Sepulchre or to the Garden Tomb, is free to go. And every Jew finally, barred for twenty years under Jordan occupation, can go to his Wailing Wall. And you would think the whole world would say, "The only ones that can preserve and make peace in the Middle East, at least in the Holy Land, are the very people that are despised." ZOLA: What would you say to a professor in Dallas who says, "Well, these Jews are not the Jews of prophecy; they're spiritually disobedient. Conceivably, they'll be driven off the land." VAN DER HOEVEN: God said more than 700 times, so it must have been quite important for Him, that the Jews would come literally from all the countries where they have been scattered. If the Church (and I'm speaking of the evangelical church) is Israel, then I say, "Brother, don't give me that crap if you don't really do what you say you believe. If you believe that you are of Israel and the Jews are just bungling there - no more historic purpose with God, no more biblical significance - then please pack your cases and come to Israel. If you really believe you're Israel, I want you to see because the Bible says, 'And they will come from the north'. If you think you're the only Israel, I want to see you come. Come; come here." But you cannot say, "We are Israel" and stay in all these nations and then say that the Jews who do come are not the Jews, but you are. So, if you want to come to Israel, live in Tel Aviv, live in Haifa. It's incredible! This comes from the mouths of Christians. The Jews, in all their suffering and all their agony, may not know who their Messiah is, but they have come here, driven by anti-Semitism. As one rabbi said to me, "When the Jew sees the cross, he shudders. He thinks of the crusaders. He thinks of the Christian Germans that pushed him to the gas chambers." And even if we say in America that they were not real Christians, I say that sometimes we Christians have no more love for Israel than that it is an exciting tableau to get high on prophecy while we read our prophetic books on Israel and wait on our easy rapture. That's how far our love for Israel goes. The Jews see right through our shallowness. They say, "What do you really feel for us?" And the moment I see that God says that "in a moment of wrath, I have hidden my face from you, but with everlasting mercies I will bring you." I heard that 15,000 Ethiopian Jews came home in one shabat. And now daily the Jews are coming from the north. And the Bible says, "They shall come from the north and they shall come from the south and they shall come from the west." And Israel is here from a hundred different nations on the earth. What can I say as an evangelical? What can I say? I still have to say it's nothing to do with the Bible? I've sometimes said to the people, "Wouldn't it be nice for the Christian cynics if they had only come back from five countries?" ... from America, from only five! Then the cynics could say, "Well, I thought you dear Bible-believing folks said that they would come from all the nations where they are scattered, and they're only from five." Wouldn't it be wonderful if they, for once, had one thing that would disprove the Bible ... when the Bible says all the nations will stumble over Jerusalem? ZOLA: Minister, you're a Gentile and always a lover of Israel. I want to clarify because I could see Americans saying, "Oh well, you've got to expect an Israeli to talk that way." But you're not an Israeli. You're an outsider who loves Israel because you love Jesus. Is what we see going on here - Jews coming back to the land, four million Jews - a fulfillment of prophecy? VAN DER HOEVEN: Here in this very room, a wonderful apostolic man who came to the Feast of Tabernacles (and he was there yesterday, too) and about fifty or so Mexican Christians that had used all their savings to make that one trip to the Holy Land of their lives. And they came to the Feast of the Tabernacles; they saw all the wonderful praises of all these nations. And then he took them to Jericho and he explained what God did to the walls of Jericho through prayer and praise. And he said this to me, here in this room, and I became so tearful. For years I have prayed in the name of the Lord Jesus against the power and principality of Islam, as I know unless that's bound, there will be no peace between the Arabs and the Jews. That's the great troublemaker that drives the Arabs to put such swords today while they say, "Oh, Akhar!" deep into the backs of ladies, men and children. And he was here and said to me, "As I was explaining at that site of Jericho what God did through prayer and praise, I suddenly saw a wall in front of me, huge, thick and high. And God spoke, 'The wall that you see is the wall of Islam. As surely as I have brought down the wall of communism in all of East Europe, I am determined to break down this wall'." (For any Christian that asks, "What can I do because I'm a very pragmatic, practical person. I want to know what can I do, not just what's the truth about it?" - I believe he will be quickened to know that he can do something if he cleans up his life so that he can become a holy intercessor for God.) And he saw this wall, and he saw a crack. When the Persian Gulf War came, God said "the crack you saw in the wall of Islam was my battle against Saddam Hussein." And I got so rejoicing in my heart because I knew that towards the end of the time of waiting that the Americans gave Saddam Hussein from August until January, he became more and more a faithful Muslim. He called himself the most faithful servant of Allah. When I was in America, I saw on CNN somebody shooting off a rocket. And he wrote in chalk, "Saddam, if Allah doesn't listen to you, try Jesus." But there was something I read now from a priest in Jordan. He said to me, "Never were the Muslims so weak on the Ramadan fast as the months of Ramadan after the Persian Gulf War" because they felt let down by Allah. It was the first break. How can this be? If this is the most faithful servant of Allah (Saddam Hussein even said that he had a vision of Mohammed; he went five times and he prayed) and he was completely obliterated with his military power, then many Muslims began to say what I'm saying today. If you do go on in trying to curse yourself by stirring up this jihad all over the Middle East against Israel, I prophesy to you: You are going to see the same God's judgment that was on Saddam Hussein, upon Damascus, upon all of your cities until you learn that God has brought the Jewish people back, not to curse you but to bless you. If you will only let them have that little piece of land that is only one six-hundred-fortieth of what you have. The Arabs got 640 times more land than the little piece given to Isaac, small as Vermont or New Jersey; and the Arabs from Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, got 640 times more, which is twice the size of the United States. If the Arabs will say, "God, thank you for what you gave us, thank you for the oil and the wealth it has brought us. Help us to accept our brother Isaac in the land you gave to them." That will only happen when we Christians pray for the peace of Jerusalem and cut off this principality of jihad by true intercessory prayer. ZOLA: Well, what an interview! That day at the Christian Embassy, I was struck. I think you could see that. I wasn't acting - what a powerful preacher and what a sincere message right from his heart. Most interviews look good on television because you really only use small pieces of them. In other words, you sit with a man for an hour and you use three minutes or six minutes, the best of what he says ... the best light ... the best vocabulary ... the best show of the host asking questions and so on, and put that together. We make television like that, too. You only have so much time on the air. But, I'll tell you what: we had a lot of trouble editing this man. It's all the best, you might say. And so, we used virtually all that he said. We just trimmed the edges to make it fit our format. Basically, you're hearing Pastor van der Hoeven on the subject of his life, the sermon for which he was born. And I'm glad that you can hear it. By the way, we're going to continue it next week. I don't want to interrupt him. On next week's program we will conclude. Be sure to watch that. If you have friends with some doubts about Israel, get them around the set and watch what this man says. This interview will continue in next month's issue of MORNING STAR. Book Review Book Review Browsing With The Bookworm This month, I'd like to examine two classic Christian works. Classic meaning that they have stood the test of time, at least by the standard of contemporary Christian writing. While they are different in focus, Christians have benefited significantly from their content. The first is doctrinal in focus. The second deals with the practical needs of the Christian couple. KNOWING GOD J. I. Packer InterVarsity Press, 1979 Downers Grove, IL This is the contemporary standard work of theology, that is the Study of God. The focus on the Christian life should be to grow in the knowledge and understanding of God. Believers will certainly be spending all eternity in this activity. One of the sad truths of the contemporary church is the lack of discipline necessary to study the truths of Scripture in depth. Nevertheless, individual Christians have the responsibility to study for themselves. J. I. Packer has recognized our lack and with this book has provided us an outstanding text to better know God. This book actually encompasses a collection of separate studies on God. The main advantage is that each chapter stands alone and therefore can give the reader adequate time to absorb the information. The reader will benefit even if the book is not finished in one reading. (Another advantage is the publisher's study guide, which can be used by the individual or by a small group.) In Dr. Packer's forward to the book, he expresses his concern for the believer's ignorance of God and two major reasons behind this: "The conviction behind the book is that ignorance of God -- ignorance both of his ways and of the practice of communion with him -- lies at the root of much of the church's weakness today. Two unhappy trends seem to have produced this state of affairs. Trend one is that Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit: . . . Trend two is that Christian minds have been confused by the modern skepticism." (page 6) It is this ignorance that is addressed in the book. It is broken down into three sections: "Know the Lord;" "Behold Your God!" and "If God Be For Us . . ." The first section focuses on God Himself, the benefits of knowing Him and a discussion of the incarnation. The second section discusses the attributes of God, such as: He is Unchanging; His Majesty; His Wisdom; His love and Grace; God as judge and other topics. The last section deals with the Gospel and the believer's relationship to God. To get the most out of this book, the reader will have to put in some effort. But, it will be well worth the work because any believer, no matter how mature, will benefit from this in-depth study on God. This is one book that believers will benefit from by returning to it regularly. As previously noted, there is a study guide that can be used by small groups. If you don't have small groups in your church, then think about starting one in your home for those who desire to grow in their understanding of God. If you church does have small groups, the next time the leadership is looking for a study recommend this one for consideration. Studying "Knowing God" requires an effort, but it's well worth it. COMMUNICATION: KEY TO YOUR MARRIAGE H. Norman Wright Regal Books, 1974 Ventura, CA This book has become a standard to be used by Christian couples. Frequently, where couples are having trouble in their marriages it is because of communication weaknesses. And, even where marriages are going well, there are always benefits to working on communication skills. One of the problems couples face in communicating is that each may come from a family with different communication styles. Consequently, although they may not realize it, they often talk past each other. Each feels they are communicating and the other person isn't. This book can help both parties understand what God desires for marriage, and therefore how to recognize the reasons for miscommunication. This will lead to learning how to get past the difficulties and become more effective in communicating. H. Norman Wright is the author of many books on the family, and this is one of his best. As with "Knowing God," this book has an accompanying study guide. It is designed to be used to present seminars for couples, or as an outline for a small group study. The book itself includes many exercises that can be used by couples on their own to help strengthen their communication skills. (It would be helpful if each person had his or her own copy. The book is available in paperback and so the cost of two copies isn't prohibitive.) The approach of the material, while fun and non-threatening, is also challenging. The material is grounded in a Biblical view of marriage. And while it will benefit any couple, it is designed for those who hold a high view of Scripture. Each chapter is fairly short. But if the couple puts out the necessary work on the provided exercises, there will be plenty of material to challenge them. The book starts appropriately by discussing the Biblical/Christian view of marriage. It moves on to a review of Ephesians 5, showing that each spouse has the responsibility to work on the marriage in obedience to God and not dependent on the behavior of the other. A number of practical topics are discussed including: Authority roles; How to make communication work; Unspoken issues; Anger; Anxiety and Conflict. This is an excellent tool to help couples improve their communication efforts. It can be used by individual couples, small groups, seminars and is an excellent work book for premarital counseling. Currently, it is being used by one of our editors to sponsor a marriage seminar. Participants come from a local church, and are married or engaged. The group even includes non-believers. This book can be used by both pastors and counselors to strengthen marriages, to the benefit of both the local church and the community. Consider examining both books. You will find them to be a blessing to you and your family. Your Friend, The Bookworm. Chef's Corner Chef's Corner DESSERTS PROVIDE A PLEASANT ENDING TO ANY MEAL! ITALIAN LOVECAKE (makes a delicious cake with a cheesecake-like consistency, yet is low-fat): 1 box fudge marble cake mix, 2 containers (15 oz. each) fat-free ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Prepare cake as directed on box using the "low-fat" "low cholesterol" directions. Pour batter into 13x9 inch pan. Mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and vanilla and pour over cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool then frost as follows; FROSTING: 8 oz. container 10-cal Cool Whip, 1 small box sugar-free instant chocolate pudding, 1 cup skim milk. Beat pudding and milk with mixer. Then gently FOLD in Cool Whip. Refrigerate cake after frosting. CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE (fat-free!) Group 1: 1 dozen egg whites at room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Group 2: 3/4 cup sugar. Group 3: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa. Group 1: Combine in mixer bowl and beat at highest speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Group 2: On #8 speed of mixer sprinkle in sugar for 2 minutes. Group 3: In separate mixing bowl blend all 3 ingredients until well mixed. Next, on the very lowest mixer speed, gently fold in group 3, no more than 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour batter into tube pan and cut through it with a spatula in circles about 6 times to remove air pockets. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Let tube pan cool upside down for 3 to 4 hours. Put soup bowls under edges of cake pan to lift off the counter top, allowing the pan to cool better. Then take a knife and cut around the edges of pan to loosen cake so that it drops out of the pan easier. Serve plain, or freeze cake and cut into thin slices to make frozen sandwiches with a low-fat chocolate yogurt. Excellent! PINEAPPLE CAKE (light and luscious!): 2 cups self-rising flour (or 2 cups regular flour plus 2 teaspoons baking powder), 1 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, one 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, including juice. Mix all ingredients well with spoon and pour into 13x9 inch baking pan sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Refrigerate. Note: This cake is delicious plain, but may be frosted as follows: Reserve 2 drained tablespoons of the crushed pineapple from the 20 oz. can. Whip 1 envelope dream whip with 1/2 cup skim milk at highest mixer speed in a chilled bowl, until very stiff. Gently fold in the crushed pineapple and frost the cooled cake. Refrigerate. FOR A SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT TREAT . . . Slice a ready made Angel Food Cake in half horizontally. Arrange drained peaches (large can) on bottom half of cake and replace top. Slice and serve with a whipped cream topping of your choice. BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE . . . Sift 3 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon soda together. Cream 3 cups sugar and 1 cup shortening together until fluffy; beat in 6 egg yolks. Stir in flour mixture alternately with 1 cup buttermilk. Add 2 teaspoons lemon or orange flavoring. Beat 6 egg whites until stiff; fold into batter. Turn batter into greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes; turn onto rack to finish cooling. ICE CREAM DESSERT . . . Crush 2 1/2 cups bite-sized toasted rice cereal to fine crumbs. Combine cereal, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup shredded coconut, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Soften 1 quart ice cream. Spread half the cereal mixture in pie pan; spoon ice cream into pan. Cover ice cream with remaining cereal mixture. Freeze until ready to serve. 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 Kathleen from Oklahoma praises the Lord . . . she recently reported to the hospital for a biopsy and they could no longer find the suspicious spot that had shown up on two previous mammograms. Russell from California thanks the Lord who has lead him to a new job, and is allowing he and his wife to purchase a wonderful home. Will in Missouri praises the Lord that he finally got to meet a good friend he met over the computer network! Denise in Florida praises God that her back has no disk problem. She had been suffering with this problem for 2 years. Geoff from California praises the Lord for a woman's recovery from brain surgery. He thanks God that a couple is postponing their wedding until some differences are worked out in their relationship with each other, and their understanding of the Lord's place in their marriage. Danny in Texas praises the Lord that his brother got off his narcotic addiction and found a friend in Jesus this year. David in Virginia says his grandmother is home and recuperating slowly but surely. Pray for David as he talks to her about the Lord. Ron Elkin of the AMMI Ministry thanks the Lord for the blessed 3 week witnessing campaign in Pittsburgh. Bill in California thanks the Lord for providing him an opportunity to purchase a condo. Toby in New Hampshire thanks the Lord for the opportunity to witness to Priscilla, an unsaved relative who is in the hospital with a terminal illness. Dee in Texas thanks the Lord for bringing her through a very stressful time and providing her with a summer job and new home. Denise in Florida reports that her church's prayers for a new senior pastor have been answered and he and his family will be joining them in August. Greg in Georgia offers praise for getting to teach an adult sunday school class. PRAYER REQUESTS Pray for Megan who needs a closer walk with the Lord. She is unemployed and without direction. Pray for Danny from Texas who has high blood sugar and needs a touch from the Lord. Pray for Marie's father in Michigan who has lung cancer. Pray for his family too. BG asks us to pray for Mike who is in drug re-hab. L.H. in Virginia asks us to pray for Curtis whose Army transfer is taking him to a base in Korea. Pray that God will continue to use him. Robert in North Carolina asks us to pray for a friend "V" who has the Aids virus and needs salvation. Pray for Kenny and Deb in Oklahoma that they can work out the problems they are having in their marriage at this time. Pray for Richard and Sandra from California for healing to their marriage. Linda in California reminds us all to pray for the many flood victims in the midwest United States. Diane in California asks our prayer for her brother-in-law John, who has AIDS and has been told he has only one to six months to live. Pray for teen missionaries in Africa (they are from IMPACT) Robert in Texas asks for prayer as both he and his wife Sandy are in need of a full time and part time job. Pray also for their apologetics ministry (Petra Ministries) as it has been under attack for awhile. Pray for Lita, her mom and dad and the dad's girlfriend in Texas who are in satanic involvement. Thomas in North Carolina asks prayer for two sisters, Joell and Johnna who have been assaulted and kicked out of their mother's home by the mother's boyfriend. Christine in California asks prayer for her husband and his employer - for their business. Lyman asks prayer that work related problems will be quickly resolved. Mike in Virginia asks prayer that his temporary job will last. Gail asks for prayer that her job contract will be renewed this week. Danny in Tennessee asks for prayer that his friend Gary will be released from jail. Danny also asks for prayer for a Christian brother named Kelsey who needs a kidney transplant. Pray for Freedom in Christ Ministries Conference in San Diego, CA, July 25 to 31 at Faith Chapel (619) 461-7451. The conference will be a seminar on Resolving Personal and Spiritual Conflicts by Dr. Neil Anderson (author of "The Bondage Breaker"). Pray for Dominic's teaching job in California. Kimberly from Tennessee asks prayer for her brother Scott who is having a serious problem at work. R.B. from California asks prayer for their 13 year old son Michael who is going blind with a rare disease. George from Pennsylvania asks us to pray for some people in his church who just went to Russia and Croatia. Jim from New York says that his marriage has improved greatly and his wife has accepted the Lord. This all follows the recent accidental death of their son. Continue to pray for Jim and his wife. Yosh writes that his car has gone out and he needs a new one that will run consistently. It has often needed repair and kept him from putting money towards other debts. Pray the Lord provides somehow as he does not want to purchase one on credit. Jim in Ohio asks us to pray for the Billy Graham crusade in Columbus, Ohio, Sept 22-26. Walter in Texas asks for prayer that the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs will change his mind about arming the Veterans Affairs Police. The Veterans Affairs Police are responsible for providing the public with the same police protection they enjoy on non-federal property. The VA Police have all of the tools but a firearm. Because of this long standing policy three officers have lost their lives. More may get killed too if this policy is not changed. VA Police make arrests without the use of a firearm. Writing to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Jessie Brown) at 810 Vermont Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420 in support of arming the VA Police would help too. Romans 13 covers police being able to carry the sword (Today that sword is a firearm). Charles in Massachusetts asks us to pray for George and family in Kansas. His 2 1/2 year old daughter, Lindsey, drowned last month in their swimming pool. David in Virginia asks prayer for his friend Barbara. Circumstances in her life had made her feel bitter toward many churched people and toward God. Bill in California asks prayer that the church building program he is involved with will be completed by Christmas of this year. SR asks us to pray for the upcoming Summer Harvest Crusade in California. Cyndi in Virginia needs prayer for pain in her lower back which she injured several years ago. Warrna in Washington asks us to join her in prayer for her husband's salvation. She knows the Lord is working on him! Pray for Bill in Vermont as he starts grad school at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College in Vermont. John in South Carolina asks us to pray for his pastor's son Aaron (age 8) who is diagnosed with a serious cyst in the right brain. Pray for Rev. J.D. Rice in North Carolina who is very ill with a brain hemorrhage. Pray for Charles in Massachusetts who has been out of work for a year and his unemployment compensation is running out. Dale in Maryland asks prayer for his lower jaw which is causing him great pain. Pray for Chris in North Carolina as he seeks the Lord's will for his life. INTERNATIONAL REQUESTS Praise God that Arab World Ministry's "Project Snow " project has had several successes. Pray for the following individuals who have requested a Bible Correspondence Course (Only first names are used as they may be in danger of reprisals and even death if Muslims know their full names and hometowns): Adel, Abdul, Abdullah, Ahmed, Mohammed S., Saleh, Mzaffar, Said, Naser, Numan, Obaid, Ali, Hasham, Mohd, Younis, Abdealaly, Khalfan, Abd, Inji. Pastor Ismail Gibriel of Sudan was recently imprisoned by the government in a religious crackdown. He is a pastor of an Episcopal church and has been active in humanitarian aid to civilians displaced by the civil war there. Please pray for his release and that he will be a good witness for Christ. Bill and Michele Copeland are serving as full-time missionaries in Kazakhstan (in former Soviet Union). Please pray for their ministry there. Starting July 10, a missions team will travel to Mexico to minister there for a week or so witnessing to two mexican villages and working on a construction project for the orphanage Colina de Luz. Please pray that their witness is fruitful. AND AS ALWAYS ... Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim! - Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6a) S.C.U.D. Warnings! S.C.U.D. Warnings! S piritual C ounterfeits U ndermining D octrine W A R N I N G S by Jerry Johnson Transcript of a portion of the May 16, 1994 broadcast of "Global News P.M." on GNN, the Global News Network: Sam Slickly: Well, thank you Jennifer for that most moving personal report about the new trend of liposuction for overweight family pets. I know my pet tabby, Beulah, could use some trimming. (whole staff chuckles spontaneously for 2.4 seconds) Jennifer Shine: Well Sam, that is something to consider. Tomorrow I'll have the next segment of this series on treating your pet with the love it deserves; Doggie vacation/stud spas . . . the new trend in pure bred procreation. Sam: I hope the censors check out the film footage first! (staff chuckles and snickers for 3.6 seconds while Jennifer looks to one side and blushes) Jennifer: (after gaining composure) Sam, this next item is quite a bit more serious. Sam: Indeed, Jennifer. It appears that the federal government is putting out an all points bulletin for this scientist (picture of a young, quirky looking scientist appears on the blue screen behind Sam), Doctor "Thrasher" Stevenson. It seems that Stevenson, a brilliant young biochemist has developed a theory regarding molecular manipulation that could spell the end of AIDS and cancer within a matter of weeks . . . and it costs only three cents per person. Jennifer: With this theory, a simple injection of saline mixed with one other common element that is readily available would kick a person's immunization system into high gear, enabling them to overcome AIDS and cancer cells within a matter of days. Sam: The AMA was sent a small sample of the inoculation and in each test animal given the injection, there was complete remission of cancer and AIDS. Jennifer: The trouble is, only Doctor Stevenson knows what the element to be added to the saline is, and he isn't talking. Sam: In fact he's disappeared. It appears that Doctor Stevenson had stumbled across this miracle while trying to prepare his lunch and put his contact lenses in at the same time. Jennifer: But is it greed that prompted him to go into hiding? Sam: Hardly, just before the Doctor disappeared he commented to the head of the pharmaceutical company that he works for that he didn't want to make the formula public because there were some things he wanted to get done and the publicity would take too much of his time. Jennifer: The President is going to be holding a nationwide press conference at 7:30 p.m. tonight to plead for Doctor Stevenson to come out of hiding and share his secret. Sam: Meanwhile scientists are trying to replicate the secret formula but have had no success with various mixes of saline and peanut butter, bologna, tuna fish and salami. Jennifer: We'll keep you posted on this most important story, but next, our special feature on "Do stations go overboard during 'sweeps' week" followed by our own Bob Bright's report on a new bar trend: cleavage measuring. "There is no way anyone would ignore something that important just to keep their schedule!" Sorry, we do it ALL the time. "WE?! No way! You might do it, but I'd never pass by something important just to save my schedule!" Of course not! I'm sure you never missed one of your kids' baseball games or plays because of work. I'm sure you never cut short your prayer time with the Lord or time with your spouse because there was a good movie on TV. I'm sure you never passed by helping with a mid-week church ministry because you just needed to "veg out" after work. I'm sure you never bought a book at a Christian bookstore hoping it would surge you into immediate maturity. I'm sure you never resent it when God is taking His time to teach you a lesson. Sorry, but this born-again human who still battles his flesh (see Romans 7:15-23) has fallen into more than one of those traps. After all, where do you think I came up with that list? The title of this column is "Immediacy kills intimacy" and, no, that isn't a sexual reference, although it would also be true in that setting. This column, like many of my others, was born in frustration. I have a female Christian friend whose husband left her about four months ago. She just told me that she is newly pregnant, and not by her husband. This is not a carnal, show-up-to-church-only-when-it-is-convenient attender. This is a committed believer. As a parallel my brother-in-law is an excellent painting contractor who continually struggles to make a living, most often because Christian contractors stiff him for his bill . . . and this is after he fronted his own money for the paint and equipment to do the job. Would you like to see two antiques? "Morality" and "ethics". Granted, they have long been extinct on politically correct talk shows and have been absent from American academia and philosophy for quite some time, but now they are an endangered species among not just "the church" but Christians as well. Why? That's the $64,000 question . . . and there are a lot of parts to that answer, but I'm dealing with just one today: Immediacy, or too be more culturally in tuned: fast food/ATM machine/instant-on remote control TV/instant coffee/microwave oven/100 pound in 4 week diet plan/banking by phone/lunch in 10 minutes or free/tuck your baby in by phone/automatic deposit and withdrawal/22 minute sitcom answers to life's great questions/meet, date, fall in love and marry in three months/shop by television and phone, we ship it in an hour/ life's short, play hard/go for the gusto/just do it mentality. In other words, we have been told that our lives are just too busy and complex to be complicated by having to interact with people in restaurants, banks, stores, at work or at home. And you know? They're right. I interact with people (often people in crisis) for a living and it is FREQUENTLY inconvenient. We, as people, are rarely convenient. We take time to get to know and understand and are way too frequently unpredictable. In fact, it is likely that for a lot of people the most interesting social interaction they are a part of is the unique and often bizarre compendium of people paraded in our living rooms through Geraldo, Oprah, Jenny, Sally and Phil. Intimacy . . . at a safe distance. I am a victim of this mentality. I have little to no patience for waiting in lines. I prefer to interact with passably efficient machines. I have also lost a great deal of practice time for working with people. People are inconvenient. After all, ask Pro-abortion people . . . they definitely believe that little pre-born are so inconvenient that they can be killed as the punishment for their crime of inconveniencing those by whom they came into existence. Ask a gang member in Modesto, California who killed a women who pointed to a low tire, thinking she was being insulting . . . how inconvenient for her to have interacted with him. We live in a world that doesn't just say we have the right to pursue happiness, we have the right to happiness itself and we can hate, sue, resent or kill anyone we think have gotten between us and happiness. "Have it your way, right away" is the slogan for a fast food restaurant . . . and probably for modern American mentality. Is the marriage a bit bumpy? Dump her in a quickie divorce and definitely start dating as soon as her clothes are out of your closet. You don't want to waste time on a lengthy and possibly unsuccessful attempt to restore the relationship, do you? You don't like the way your pastor dresses in his off hours? Find another church that gives you what you want. And if the people don't welcome you like their long lost brother the second you walk in the door, why waste your time there developing relationships? You have a hard time communicating with your kids, family, co-workers, whoever? Ignore them. After all, it's their fault you are uncomfortable. Am I making myself only WAY TOO obvious? "You do not have the gift of subtlety." The world wants it all now, complete, attractively packaged, no assembly required and batteries included. And we, as Christians, are getting sucked into this mentality. The trouble is, the life in Christ is not one based in instant gratification, TO SAY THE LEAST. The life in Christ is the life of a D.O.G. (deferment of gratification). We live our life now in the knowledge of an eternity with Christ. But we are investing now for a greater and later reward. We walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7); we store up treasures for future use in heaven (Matthew 6:19); we invest in eternity (II Corinthians 4:18). Or, at least, we are supposed to. That puts us at definite and diametrically opposed odds with a world that is steeped and focused on "the immediate" that is derived from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (I John 2:16). The world has no patience; it wants what it wants, as it wants it, when it wants it. No concept of long range planning. Life in Christ, however, is massively focused on the long term: relationships. The prime focus of our lives as believers is to surrender our lives into an ever increasingly intimate relationship with God, and then develop intimate relationships with others, believer or not (Matthew 22:37-39). Neither of those goals has much immediate gratification. Add to that mix the reality that God calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Both "transformed" (metamorphosis) and "renewing" (renovation) imply lengthy processes. You add it all together and you end up with a God that is invested in us in the long haul. And such concepts as morality and ethics are also involved in investment with an eye to the future. Therefore, in this day and age, they are an endangered species. Both morality and ethics require two things that are absolutely contrary to the world's mentality: 1) as we have discussed, a focus on the future and 2) a true concern for responding to others in agape love. The world is way short on both those commodities. I believe my friend that recently became pregnant is a committed believer, who never internalized the moral basis that results from righteousness, which results from an intimate relationship with God. "Are you saying you're never tempted?" I'd love to say that. I can't, but I'd love to. The fact is, the concepts of immediacy have much more sway in my mind that I'd prefer. When I am having a pity party, it is much easier to choose to sin in attitude or action than to acknowledge my fault and surrender to Christ to be changed; much easier. Both morality and ethics take effort, time and self denial and when I'm feeling selfish, I want it to be effortless, immediate and self serving. "So what are we supposed to do with all this?" Pray. Ask the Lord for a revival in each of our lives so we will seek a more intimate relationship with Him. Then ask that he recreates his righteousness in us. When righteousness takes root morality and ethics become a natural outflow. "So you're saying that our problem is a lack of righteousness?" Not quite. Because if I said that, most people would get hooked into behavior as righteousness. Righteousness results in appropriate behavior, but that is a result of a different, Christlike mindset . . . and we can't maneuver that - it HAS to come from the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. What I really see as needed is a desire and willingness on the part of believers to repent. Not just feel remorse, but resolve to surrender ourselves to His change. The good news is that He's capable of changing us. The bad news is that it takes time, but as children of the Most High . . . we have eternity. International International Staff List International Staff List INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION INTERNET DISTRIBUTION Stephen Price 304 Hubert St., Webster, TX 77598 INTERNET e-mail: steve@kn5f.jsc.nasa.gov MORNING STAR is available on Internet via: anonymous FTP at kn5f.jsc.nasa.gov ISRAEL - Sharon Sanders c/o Christian Friends of Israel P.O. Box 1813 - Jerusalem, 91015 Israel Tel: 972-2-894-172 / 894-187 FAX: 972-2-894-955 CANADA - John Vickers PO Box 511, Ucluelet, British Columbia, Canada V0R-3A0 INTERNET: john.vickers@f715.n351.z1fidonet.org The Master's Touch BBS: 604-726-2577 - Jeannine Robinson PO Box 45094, Postal Station 81 Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5G 4S7 Tel: 416-271-7371 Fax: 416-271-3617 - The Future BBS: 519-657-7237 (London, Ontario) - Cinfex BBS: 604-738-2447 (Sysop: Miff Crommelin) NORWAY - Lars-Toralf Storstrand Garnesstolen 24, N-5234 Garnes, Norway Fax: 47-5-317106 - Greg Lewis Guttersrud VN 31, 1920 Sorumsand, Norway Tel/Fax: 47 63 881643 FINLAND: - Leo Meller PO Box 1 00501 Helsinki, Finland - Other BBS: 964536132, 964536133, 964536134 PHILIPPINES - Roger J. Obe P.O. Box 191 Iloilo City, 5000 - Philippines FRANCE - Peter Cunliffe 5 Allee A. Croizat, F-77186 Noisel, France UNITED KINGDOM - Tony Clatworthy "HIS" Shareware & Public Domain 38 Scotland Bank Cograven, Nottingham, England NG12 3JZ Tel: 44 602 893344 NORTHERN IRELAND - Red Star BBS: 44 247466189 GERMANY - Hans-Juergen Thiess Angermuender Str. 12 1000 Berlin 49, Germany Phone: 49-30-7457796 INTERNET: 75470.3261@cis JAPAN - Deane Hibbard PSC 80, Box 12416 APO AP 96367-2416 OKINAWA RANGER BBS: 81 98 6372788 NEW ZEALAND - Shane Haney BBS: 63562058 - Errol Thompson Christian Ministry BBS: 96368409 AUSTRALIA - Mark Smith 4 Third Ave, Macquarie Fields, NSW 2564 Cross Beat BBS: 61-2-605-9438 TAIWAN - Tim Tyler Christian Service Center Chung Ching Road. Chung Mei Ln #87 Taichung, Taiwan 407, Republic of China INTERNET: timt@misgate.gmi.org US-TAIWAN LINK: Donald Cutting, Enosburg Falls, VT SOUTH AFRICA - Santie Vandenplas 5 Hillary Street, Eversdal Cape Town, South Africa 7550 "The Mutant Pencil's Pad BBS: 27 219190300 INTERNET: svdp@sunvax.sun.ac.za Mission Field Mission Field SHE LOVED NOT HER LIFE By Jim Moss, Director of Calvary Commission Tribal Missions We were shocked last week to hear that one of our colleagues and close friends died on the mission field last week. She was only in her mid 20's, Ramila Rana. She was a native of Nepal in Asia. When the Lord laid a burden on our hearts to reach out to the unreached tribal people of Mexico, we did not really know what all he had in mind. As we began to research other unreached areas of the world, we could see that over 2 billion souls had never heard the Gospel. One special interest was the country of Nepal, north of India and near Tibet. We continued to intercede for Nepal, a country where people are put in prison for evangelizing. We made a decision to go explore how we could prepare and send a team to live in Nepal. When we were forced out of Mexico, we returned temporarily to our International Base in Lindale, Texas. The very first Sunday morning when we went to church, Joe Fauss said to me, "Jim, we have a couple here from Nepal." I met Kishor and Ramila Rana, students at the Youth With A Mission School of the Bible. We spent every Friday night together in intercession for Nepal. When they graduated, they did not want to stay in the United States or go anywhere else, but had a fervent desire to return to Nepal to try to start a Bible School to train men and women for the ministry. They promised to work with us and help us when we would be able to join them there. Last November, we heard that she was having kidney problems. We were so concerned. The necessary medical treatment was simply not available. We then heard that she would have to have a dialysis maybe available at the capital city or a transplant from a family member. As she was being rushed in an emergency, she entered into her eternal home with the Lord. Her testimony of Christ was vibrant and contagious. Together with her husband, Kishor, they had a great vision of seeing of their country to come to know the Lord and were actively involved in fulfilling their calling when this tragedy struck. I grieve with Kishor on the loss of his companion and I grieve myself from the loss of a close friend and I grieve for the loss of another soldier of Christ from the field. I don't understand God's decision to take her home at such an early age, but I trust his decision. I was praying for strength for Kishor and just being quiet before the Lord, I felt like he was saying, "Unless a kernel falls into the ground and dies, it can not produce much fruit." Then I was reminded of many other pioneer missionaries of the past who lost their lives ... many even before they had a chance to tell the natives about Christ. God has always used these instances to stir the Church into action. I pray God will move upon many soldiers in Christ to pick up the flack and run with it. God's plans for Nepal are too important to sit by idly and do nothing. It is time to fight! Not about your favorite pet doctrines, but with the principalities that rule over Nepal. Stand in the gap as intercessors for this predominantly unreached country. This area is called Satan's footstool. Let's stand together and knock his footstool from under him. In June, we have a another couple from Canada who will be moving to Nepal to begin language study with the Lhasha language spoken at the Nepal and Tibetan border. With the intention of staying to do church planting work in the tribal areas. Matt and Cheryal Hedlin and 3 small children have dedicated their lives to see these people come to Christ. Pray fervently for them and for open doors for them to live among the tribals. Pray for the protection for them and for the tribals themselves that the Gospel will penetrate the awful darkness. People, it is time for us to put away the temporary and frivolous things of this world and get serious about God and His purposes. How many more have to die because of our dry eyes and lack of concern for the huge white fields of unharvested people... people who have never had a chance? Who will stand with us. We need your help. SEVEN YEARS OF ON-THE-JOB MISSIONS TRAINING by Kay Snow Registrar - International Missions Institute The 1993 graduating class of the International Missions Institute will be the 7th class of missions-minded students who have spent 9 months serving in missions as they study and prepare their lives for God's strategic assignment. When IMI began in 1986 in Reynosa, Mexico, the goal of the school was to provide a special group of dynamic Christians with an emphasis on Biblical studies, missionary concepts, and personal growth while involving them in "hands on" missions service and language learning. The last class of the day is Spanish and the students then go to the streets as a lab assignment. Soon they begin to make friends as they go each day and their new friends actually begin to help them learn the language. One family in our church in Mexico City was reached as a Spanish student went into their business and began to tell how God had changed his life. Today the whole family is part of the church. Many contacts are made through this unique form of "street ministry". One special ministry this year is to neighborhood children. We have a found a great need to help them with their homework. Can you imagine how important it is for a 9 year old to have a Christian place to come to after a hard day at school? We are able to present a Christian witness to each child and teach them Godly principles. In addition to Spanish, the IMI students' classroom schedule includes classes in Systematic Theology, Church History, the Book of Acts, Introduction to Missions, Evangelism in Missions, Discipleship in Missions, and Missiology. The best class, as referred to by the students, is the time of worship and intercessory prayer each morning. Today, we can look back and see how God has used this ministry of equipping. For more information about International Missions Institute, please contact: Kay Snow, Registrar International Missions Institute P.O. Box 412 Hidalgo, TX 78557 WHAT COULD GOD HAVE IN MIND FOR US? Artemio, Pedro, and Tomas are very three very happy little boys living at the Josiah and Bethany Children's Home in Reynosa, Mexico. It was not always that way. When we first saw Artemio in 1989, he was skin and bones and looked like he could die any day. We accepted into our growing family and began to receive tender loving care. Today, he affectionately called, "Chubby". We later accepted Carlos, his brother. He is now three years old and is doing fine except that he has little use of his right arm and right leg. It is so hard to see the abuse that these little children had to go through before we found them. He is a cousin to Miguel Angel who was one of our first little boys. He was near death, very frail, and had a "mangie" type of skin problem for being so dirty. His finger nails were grown out like claws. Today, he is in school and is growing up in this Christian atmosphere. Pedro came to us very seriously ill with malnutrition and all blocked up inside. He was in the hospital for 21 days. He has a mother but she is hard of hearing and unable to raise children. We now have Saul, his 20 month old brother here too. Tomas is brother to Pedro and Saul. We know that God has much in mind for our children. Even though they had a rough beginning in life, they now have a hope filled future. We are so thankful for the vision of the Josiah and Bethany Children's Home. We are thankful for our sponsors and supporters. We are so blessed to have people of care and calling like Chris and Mirella Oakley, Marta Cantu, Rebecca ..., Juany Anderson, and Cleo Nordquest who faithfully serve and parents and older sisters to our children and for all others who have come to help us in the past. Please pray with us for more workers. We need someone to be a dorm leader for our little boys. CFI Report CFI Report 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 month's column we present the quarterly report, "A Christian Voice for Soviet Jewry" and also the July 1993 "Watchman's Prayer Letter". A CHRISTIAN VOICE FOR SOVIET JEWRY A Quarterly Report from Jerusalem Second Quarter - 1993 ". . . The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country . . ." A DAY WITH THE NEW IMMIGRANTS TO VOLUNTEERS in Jerusalem it can be frustrating: Christian friends around the world send in their resources, but are unable to see for themselves the rich variety of immigrants who receive them, how warm and open their hearts are, and how visibly moved they often are to see that we care. So one morning we took camera in hand at the CFI Distribution Center to capture for you at least a small glimpse of what's happening there: APRIL 20, 1993 The door opens at 9 a.m. The first group of a half-dozen show their immigration booklets, file past the blue and white Israeli flag in the hallway, and enter the front room. A translator, herself an immigrant, greets them with a warm smile. She tells them--in her own words--how much love Christians in other countries have for them. In the background plays a lively tape of Hebrew-language worship from the Tanakh: "Blessed are you, O LORD our God." The immigrants begin to look through baskets of clothing and household items sent in by believers. Over the next half-hour most will find two or three sackfuls of items for rebuilding their household. Equally as important, they find friends who affirm the difficult choice they've made to leave all behind and return to their ancient homeland. For their problems these friends offer both a listening ear and a hand ready to help. On this morning Leonid and Ludmila approach one of the volunteers, apparent at a glance that she's within days of delivering their first child. They've come from St. Petersburg just a month before, and are living now in a small settlement in the territories near Jerusalem. Like most immigrants from the large European cities of Russia, they are well-educated: Leonid, 27, is an engineer; Ludmila, turning 25 in a week, an agronomist. Finding work in their professions will be difficult; most newcomers start with cleaning jobs, regardless of their profession. But this couple's first concern now is preparing for the baby. After sharing their need, they leave the center with baby clothes, a 250 shekel (90 dollar) voucher toward the purchase of a baby stroller, and our prayer for a safe delivery. Immigrants are now flowing in and out of the center We speak next with Maiah, 68, a former library instructor from Moscow, alone in Israel--her family perished in the Polish ghettos of the second world war. She alone escaped to the East, but en route her train passed through a literally deafening bombardment which left her with diminished hearing. Now, she tells us, she needs a hearing aid. After receiving a 300 shekel (110 dollar) voucher toward the cost, Maiah confesses to feeling embarrassed that she's only on the receiving end in Israel, when she's done nothing in return. We tell her that God cares for each one of us regardless of what we've done. Like most emerging from a lifetime under an atheistic system, Maiah replies that she's non-religious. "I'm trying to understand, although there's very little time left in my life." We tell her we'll pray that God will give her time, and reveal Himself to her. From the other end of the Soviet spectrum comes Liza, not from European Russia, but from Uzbekistan, one of the southern, Moslem, Central Asian republics. She carries in her arms her fifth child (more than two is unheard of in Russia!) She's called him "Nissan," for he was born during Passover in the month of that name on the Jewish calendar. He was premature, weighing just two kilograms (4.4 pounds). Now 11 days old, he's still tiny. Liza has only her parents to help her; her husband, she says, refused to come to Israel. Again we're able to help with a stroller--and prayer for God's blessing and health for little Nissan. Now arrives Inessa, a 22-yearold in the preparatory program for the Hebrew University. Her mother died in Israel shortly after the family fled here from war-torn Moldova. Inessa's eyes redden at the still-fresh memory. To help her pass the university entrance exam, we give a voucher for books of practice exams, and invite her to turn to us any time there's a problem. It's a day for babies--next through the door are Tamazi and Nadezhda, with their ten-month old son Leon, who also needs a stroller. Just four weeks before they've left behind fighting in Georgia, the closest of the former Soviet republics to Israel, some 700 miles overland. The ancient Jewish community there believes itself to be a remnant from the "ten lost tribes" dispersed 2700 years ago. Soon it appears that a majority of this community will be back once again in Israel. HISTORY LESSON Hearing the stories of these new immigrants is often a living replay of this century's history. Next on this April morning comes Fanya, who worked on the Sputnik program which electrified the world in the late 50's with the first spacecraft to orbit the earth. Now a widow, Fanya's pension in inflation-racked Moscow came to the equivalent of six or seven dollars a month. So she embarked alone for Israel, where she lives in a rented room in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, overlooking Bethlehem. From the more generous Israeli pension which she now receives, Fanya's been saving 50 shekels a month toward the purchase of a clothes cupboard, so she can take her lifetime's possessions out of suitcases and boxes. Today she joyfully receives a 300 shekel voucher which will allow her to purchase the cupboard immediately. Tatiana and Simon are in the clothing room, meanwhile, where volunteers learn that they've moved into an empty apartment on their arrival in Israel three weeks before. They too are given a voucher for furniture purchase. Like others we've seen this morning, they are refugees from one of the civil wars breaking out like brushfires in the former Soviet Union. In their home republic of Tadjekistan, fundamentalists are fighting, with the help of Afghanistan, to bring a Moslem government to power. Simon was dragged from a bus and beaten in the street because he was not a Tadjik native. We agree together on thanking God that He has brought them to a safer place. The morning is waning, and over 30 have passed through the clothing room. But before we close the door, Regina, a single mother from St. Petersburg, is helped with a voucher for kitchen items from a store in Jerusalem's colorful "shuk" (outdoor market). And just squeezing in before lunchtime is Lyubov, mother of four, husband unemployed, living together with hundreds of other immigrants in a dark and cramped hotel. She arrived over a year ago on one of the Christian sponsored "Operation Exodus" sailings, and has been in touch with us regularly since. She takes a voucher for a "kangaroo" carrier for her new baby, mentioning as she leaves that she decided to keep this child only after reading a pro-life brochure she'd picked up in our center. SO GOES A typical morning. Just writing of it fills our hearts with thanksgiving for the privilege of serving these people at this place and time, as the LORD begins to fulfill His ancient promise: "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land ... I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh ... Then you shall dwell in the land that i gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God." (Ezekiel 36:24,26,28) We feel that not only the volunteers working in Jerusalem should see and partake of this miracle. We desire that each Christian friend of Israel--wherever they live--may enter into the lives of these new immigrants. To that end, each donor to Project Open Gates may request information on the specific recipient of their gift, including their address. Through the mail it's possible to build a friendship with the family you've helped--a friendship which in the long run may be worth far more than any material help they've received. THREE CHEERS FOR FINLAND One thing is certain: any new immigrant who's come to Israel via Finland will light up like the sun if asked about his trip. All over Finland a network of families has been established to take outgoing Russian Jews into their homes for a few nights before the next flight leaves for Israel. Svetlana, a doctor from St. Petersburg, speaks for all the immigrants: "We are very thankful to them, because they accepted us as their best guests, like their relatives, when they saw us for the first time. "We even didn't know who would accept us in Finland--maybe the Jewish Agency, maybe some state agency--and it appeared simple people who did it from their heart, not because someone obliged them to do it; a great contrast from what is in St. Petersburg. "They took my husband, me, and two children to their house, we lived there for two days, and they tried to make us feel as comfortable as possible. They were so kind to us, I have no words to explain . . . so wonderful, so kind, so friendly." IT'S ALL REMINISCENT of how one pagan Roman writer described the first Christians: "They love our own people more than we ourselves do." That love proved stronger than the greatest empire the world had ever known. Lord, give us all hearts like our Finnish brethren! _____________________________________________________ WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER July 1993 "I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower . . ." (Habakkuk 2:1) Israel's strength and defence lies not in the might of her military equipment, nor in her superior intelligence services, nor in the dedication of her citizen's army, but in the Lord God. He is the one who keeps Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). He is like the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, surrounding His people to protect and defend them (Psalm 15:2). Intercessors have the awesome responsibility to remind Him of His promises, to be like the widow in Jesus' parable of the unjust Judge, who obtained her plea by refusing to take no for an answer (Luke 18:1-8). We are called to be Watchmen on the Wall, taking our stand to cry for God's power to save in all dangerous situations, and being faithful until we see the answer. In a very real way, the prayers of believers in Yeshua are also Israel's defence. Let us not be found lacking in vigilance in these crucial days. In the days of Nehemiah, Watchmen did not even remove their clothing. Likewise, our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:11) must always remain on as we patrol and tend to the Watchman's duties through prayer. Israel enemies are many, both without and within. In recent weeks rockets fired from Lebanon have fallen in Northern Galilee, causing minor damage, as well as in the Northern Security Zone. Violence continues to flare in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. Needless death continues to plague the land. PRAY for God's protection of the borders of Israel, and that the people will realize that they cannot trust in their own strength and military defences but only in God's Divine promises. "For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king." (Psalm 89:18). CONTINUE TO PRAY EARNESTLY for the "peace" talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Proclaim that God is in control of all deliberations and decisions, and that the outcome will be according to His Will. "He doeth according to His Will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand . . ." (Daniel 4:35). BESEECH the Lord to grant a spirit of forgiveness in the hearts of those who have been victims of violence and who desire to recompense evil acts. The news that some of the terrorists came from East Jerusalem has put added strain on Arab-Jewish relations as much hostility and desire for revenge exists in both communities. "Say not thou, I will recompense evil: but wait on the Lord." (Proverbs 20:22). PRAISE THE LORD that there has been a breakthrough in the uncovering of major terrorist cells in East Jerusalem and Samaria. Those responsible for several murders last year, leading to the deportation of 400 known Hamas leaders and supporters, have been captured. Also, plans to plant car bombs in crowded areas of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have come to naught. "Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught ... for God is with us ". (Isaiah 10). "Thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of trouble." (Psalm 59:16). CRY OUT on behalf of Israeli armed forces, beset with many internal problems such as self-restraint. Needless deaths have occurred through suicide, "dangerous games", negligence and failure to observe correct procedures. "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.'' (Proverbs 25:28). PRAY THAT DISCIPLINE will be maintained even under extremely stressful situations and that God will open ears to understand discipline and to turn from destructive ways. -He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity." (Job 36:10). Newspapers abound with reports of corruption in high places, violent crimes and suicide. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." How much more a reproach to the People of the Book. EARNESTLY INTERCEDE on behalf of Israel's children and young people who face many difficulties and pressures. Recent studies have shown that large numbers of the nation's 35,000 drug addicts are young people. There are more heroin addicts proportionally than in the USA, and children are becoming addicted at a younger age. Hard rock stars have recently made high profile visits to Israel, and others are planning to come. Satan is attempting to destroy the next generation before they have a chance to discover Messiah. PRAY for God's protection on the youth, and for righteousness to prevail in those who minister to their needs in Biblical wisdom. President Ezer Weizman recently stated that immigration to Israel is not only the essence of Zionism, but "the only chance for the survival of the Jewish people. The future of the Jewish people lies in Israel . . . all or most of the Jewish people must settle in Israel . . ." In 1992, l0,000 Israelis who had left the land returned home again. Efforts are being made to attract others back, especially those who have acquired skills which could help build the economy; however, emigration from Israel still exceeds immigration. SERIOUSLY INTERCEDE that those drawn here by God's loving kindness will desire to stay in spite of difficulties. ". . . with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin Israel . . ." (Jeremiah 31:3-4) ". . . I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." (Ezekiel 11:17). PRAY for the blessing of new industry to be developed in Israel which is essential for better absorption of new immigrants and a means of further employment. "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it . . . I will settle you . . . and will do better unto you than at your beginnings . . ." (Ezekiel 36:10-11). GIVE THANKS to God for 129 members of the Falash Mura community who have recently been given permission to emigrate from Ethiopia to Israel as part of the government "family reunification plan." Continue to pray that all of those of Jewish descent remaining in Ethiopia will be regathered, in fulfillment of God's Word: "I will say to the South, keep them not back." (Isaiah 43:6). A recent industrial spill which badly polluted the Yarkon river, together with an oil slick in Haifa Bay, have highlighted some of the major environment problems facing Israel. REMIND THE LORD of His Promises to make Israel a "pleasant land" for His returning People. "But I aid, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a Godly heritage of the hosts of nations? . . ." Jeremiah 3:19). PRAY THROUGH that the authorities, and also ordinary citizens, will have wisdom and a sense of responsibility for what God has created and for the land God has given to them. "O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." (Psalm 104:24). Good security forces need to continually examine their area of responsibility. As an intercessor for Israel, continue to survey the situation here. Compare what is taking place with God's Holy Word and press through in prayer until the spiritual battle for Israel is won. May Yeshua, Our Great Intercessor, impart to us the knowledge and understanding needed to prevail in prayer as the burden for this nation becomes stronger. From the City of the Great King, Penny Valentine and Sharon Sanders, Christian Friends of Israel, Jerusalem, Israel Newsdesk Newsdesk MORNING STAR NEWSDESK - August 1993 EUROPE A STEP CLOSER TO REVELATION 13 Dogs and cats in Spain's largest cities must now undergo microchip implants to make it easier for authorities to reunite lost pets with their owners and track down those who would rather abandon their pets than pay a sitter. Four of Spain's 17 regions now require dog and cat owners to identify their pets with the chips or tattoos - apparently the only such laws in western Europe or North America. Each chip carries a code that matches a file in a regional computer. Eventually those computers will be linked together - a necessity since a hound with serious wanderlust can rove as far as 100 miles in a day. "The whole object is not only to make it nationwide, but also European-wide and then universal," said Dr. William Hutchinson, a Scottish veterinarian working in Madrid. The Madrid law went into effect six months ago, and 50,000 cats and dogs have already been "chipped" - a relatively painless process in which a flea-sized capsule is injected into the animal's neck for about $40. If a pet goes wandering or is let loose, a police officer can read its chip with a scanner much the same way a supermarket cashier rings up a bag of food. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) U.S FEARED IRAQI ATTACK ON ISRAEL Clinton administration analysts feared there was a slight possibility that Saddam Hussein might react to the U.S. missile strike on Baghdad on June 26 by launching a strike against Israel. It was that concern that prompted U.S. officials to contact Prime minister Yitzhak Rabin well in advance, with precise details of the target and scope of the attack on Iraqi intelligence headquarters, enabling Israel to take the necessary precautions. (JERUSALEM REPORT) EZEKIEL'S MAGOG AND PERSIA DRAW CLOSER Russian Foreign Minister Kozyrev recently met with Iran's President Rafsanjani in Teheran, Iran to work on cooperative measures between Russia and Iran's Islamic revolution. Agreements were reached where Iran would be secured a role in the development of the Caspian Sea periphery. Three agreements were signed by the two countries, one of which stipulates that Russia and Iran will continue on the path to defense and technical cooperation. (INTELLIGENCE DIGEST) SOUTHERN BAPTISTS & FREEMASONRY Membership in the Masonic Order should be a matter of "personal conscience," according to a report by the directors of the Home Mission Board (HMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention. The denomination's Freemasonry report acknowledges that "many tenants and teachings of Freemasonry are not compatible with Christianity and Southern Baptist doctrine, while others are compatible." HMB president Larry Lewis supported the report saying, "I don't think many Baptists believe the denomination ought to dictate to the individual concerning Freemasonry. It's my impression you don't win people to Christ by condemning them." The report commended the Masonic order for "its many charitable ... and benevolent endeavors," and says some teachings of Freemasonry are supportive of Christian faith and practice. The report also notes some instances where Masonic teachings are at odds with the Christian faith, including use of offensive rituals and bloody oaths, "implications that salvation may be attained by one's good works," universalism, and the refusal of most Masonic lodges to admit blacks. (CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT) Resource Guide Resource Guide MORNING STAR INFORMATION AND PRODUCT GUIDE August, 1993 ******* READING ******* The CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT (Prophecy and current events newspaper from Peter LaLonde) ($29.95 annual, 11 issues per year) US: P.O. Box 1440, Niagara Falls, NY 14302 Canada: P.O Box 5091, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4M2 DECISION MAGAZINE ($7 annually, 11 issues per year) Billy Graham Evangelistic Association P.O. Box 779 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-0779 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY MAGAZINE P.O. Box 35500 Colorado Springs, Co 80935-3550 (free upon request) HIGHWAY A magazine for Truck Drivers Transport For Christ - Highway P.O. 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