Departments 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 Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jody Fauss - Lindale, TX Joseph A. Nigro - Oradell, NJ Jeannine Robinson - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Moishe Rosen - San Francisco, CA 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 SENIOR PUBLISHER - MACINTOSH Edition Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH SENIOR PUBLISHER - Hard Copy Edition Ray Reed - Beaumont, TX OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H. DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION Walter H. Bauer Jr. - Sugar Land, TX AMERICA ONLINE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION Jerry White - Germantown, MD COMPUSERVE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION Jorge Lopez - Lubbock, TX GENIE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION 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 by electronic mail to one of several computer networks: INTERNET: mstarmac@aol.com (Toby Trudel) AMERICA ONLINE: MStarDOS (Steve Paulovich) GENIE: M.Wilkinson1 (Mike Wilkinson) COMPUSERVE: 70743,603 (Jorge Lopez) DELPHI: VINCEGSR (Vince Gonzalez) NATIONAL VIDEOTEX: VGONZALEZ (Vince Gonzalez) PRODIGY: xvsn02a (Vince Gonzalez) FIDONET: 1:106/3118 (Walter Bauer) CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK: 8:3003/5 (Walter Bauer) CHRISTIAN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK: 8:2013/1 (Walter Bauer) POLICENET: 150:402/53 (Walter Bauer) 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 Editor's Letter Editor's Letter Hello and welcome everyone to our twenty-fifth issue of MORNING STAR, a computer-based Christian magazine. Beginning with this edition, we are now publishing MORNING STAR in a professional hard copy. For the benefit of those reading this premiere hard copy version, allow me to explain how the computer editions of this magazine are created and give a bit of history as to how this project all came about and where the Lord has taken it. Throughout the 1980's many people with home computers began joining "computer networks". For a monthly fee, they could communicate with other computer users across the country. (The computers "talk" to each other over telephone lines, using "modems" - devices that takes computer data, change it to electronic pulses for telephone transmission, then change it back to computer data.) Some of the most popular networks in the United States are America Online, Compuserve, Delphi, GEnie and Prodigy. There are hundreds of thousands of people on these networks. People can send each other letters in the form of "electronic mail", also known as "E-mail." Larger documents, even entire magazines and books can be converted to an electronic format, "uploaded" onto one of these networks, where it becomes available for anyone to then "download" onto their own computer and convert it back to readable (and printable) text. In 1990, a number of Christian people "found" each other on the America Online (AOL) network and began to exchange "E-mail". A mailing list began, which was used to send out a weekly letter that passed along prayer requests and other helpful information. Realizing that a lot more could be done with this new technology, the idea came up in 1991 for a Christian "electronic magazine" that could be produced and distributed over AOL. Miraculously, the Lord brought together all the people necessary to form a staff and make this happen, and the first issue of MORNING STAR made its debut in September, 1991. In its first few months of publication, MORNING STAR was available on AOL in two formats, one for the Macintosh computer and one for computers that used "DOS", which included all IBM's and compatible machines. It did not take long to realize that the Lord had greater plans for this electronic magazine. A number of people on the AOL network also made use of other networks and the magazine was soon made available to those people too. This was done by "downloading" the magazine from AOL, then "uploading" it onto other networks. (The magazine stays in a "library" permanently on these networks. People actually download a copy of it.) Besides these large networks, there also exist all over the world thousands of smaller electronic "Bulletin Board Systems" (BBS) which can also store electronic magazines like MORNING STAR. Many of these BBS are Christian ones and are full of great information for believers. A big breakthrough came in early 1992 when I received a phone call from a man in Minde, Norway. He wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed reading the magazine. I asked him where he got it from and he told me he downloaded it from a BBS in Norway! After I fell off my chair, I managed to asked him if he knew how MORNING STAR had found its way onto a BBS in Norway. This fellow had taken the time to trace the "path" that the magazine had followed to get to him. Someone in the United States had first uploaded it to a BBS in Canada. From there, a Canadian BBS user uploaded it (long distance) to a Christian BBS in England. Someone who downloaded it from the English BBS then decided to make it available on a large public network in Sweden. From there it made its way to Norway. The Lord surely provided the directions on this trip! As of this issue, MORNING STAR is available on hundreds of BBS in 26 states and is also read in 16 countries. Besides the original Macintosh and DOS editions, we added a "Windows" edition - a popular and more attractive program for DOS users. After much thought and prayer, a decision was made in the summer of 1993 to make MORNING STAR available to people who don't have computers or access to these networks and BBS. We are not charging anyone for this hard copy, but we hope that those who can afford to make a donation to help with the cost will consider doing so. (We have no wealthy financial backers, the expenses come out of the pockets of men and women who believe the magazine will be a blessing to many.) We are also making this hard copy available free to prison chaplains and inmates across the country. PRISON FELLOWSHIP of Washington D.C. is helping us coordinate this effort. Again, your prayers and donations are needed for this to continue and grow. Anyone wishing to help should send a contribution to our hard copy publisher: David's Mighty Men, Inc. PO Box 5093 Beaumont, TX 77726 MORNING STAR does not have a large writing staff. We depend on our readers to send in articles, testimonies, mission reports and ministry profiles. Articles can be sent in on computer disk or in printed/typed format. You can make contact by way of our Post Office box, Fax number or E-mail address. We hope you enjoy the variety of material we present in this magazine. You will find MORNING STAR to be very unique in its content as well as its methods of publication. We place a lot of emphasis on the Jewishness of our faith. Every issue has a "Messianic Studies" column as well as a testimony from a Jewish believer in Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus). On occasion we dedicate our entire Features area to studies in this area. (As we are doing with our upcoming November and February issues.) It is our hope, as reflected in our Mission Statement, that MORNING STAR will be a helpful resource to believers and also a blessing to those who do not yet know our Lord. In service to Jesus our Savior, Toby Trudel Editor-in-Chief MORNING STAR People Profile People Profile MORNING STAR Editor, Pastor Geoff Kragen, and Pastor Russell Eugene Walden of Bunkie, Louisiana, conducted this interview over the America Online computer network. Geoff: Pastor Walden, why don't you give our readers some background information about yourself? Pastor Walden: I'm 33 years old, a father of four, my wife Frankie and I have been pastoral ministry since 1981. We have pastored two churches, one in Lake Charles, Louisiana and we are in our 8th year in Bunkie Louisiana at Crossroads Community Church. My grandfather was a pastor in the early pentecostal movement that came out of the notable "Azuza Street" meetings. My father has been in pastoral ministry for forty years and my two brothers are also in the ministry. I was the quintessential bad preacher's kid. I revolted against my parents and their God while still in my early teens. I told them over and again, "I hate your God, I hate what you stand for.." They loved me, and put me over and again into God's hands. I entered the military at 17 and achieved my goal of becoming a drug dealer. My biggest thrill was 'turning people' on to LSD for the first time. By the end of the first year of my hitch I was physically debilitated and mildly brain damaged by the drug and alcohol abuse. I had a vision where God gave me a choice between an altar and a padded cell. I processed out of the military and found that altar at my dad's church. I knelt with tears of frustration and admitted to God that I did not want to serve him but I realize that if "you train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it..." Still drug addicted, I told the Lord He would have to deliver me, I would not lean on mere will power. I would sit in my parents back yard at 3:00 a.m. smoking grass, praying and reading my bible. over a period of three months, the drugs interfered with His presence, and I chose his presence. I was then delivered and over time restored physically and mentally. I met my wife in my father's church and after several years got involved in fulfilling his call on my life to church leadership. Geoff: How would you define legalism as opposed to the call to live a holy life before the Lord? Pastor Walden: A good contrasting definition between legalism and biblical holiness would be a distinction between that which is an outward appearance, and that which is an inward reality. Legalism only addresses what you do, holiness addresses WHO YOU ARE. Legalism changes man's actions and is fueled by the will. Holiness is something you are, someone you BECOME in the light of WHO JESUS is within your heart. Legalism only changes what you do through the power of the will, motivated by some form of intimidation. True holiness is that which is produced in your life by virtue of who Jesus is and what he has done, not who you are or what you have (or have not done.) Legalism gives the will of man license to boast, true holiness can only glory in Jesus Christ, because it is the by-product of intimacy with Him. Geoff: Where does legitimate obedience move into the burden of legalism? Pastor Walden: The book of Romans contains two mentions of a phrase that I believe are intended to 'bracket' this book that contains the master treatise of the grace / works issue. This phrase is "Obedience to the Faith," found in Romans. 1:5 and Rom. 16:26. Biblical obedience demands faith as a condition of intimate relationship with Jesus. Legalistic obedience demands conformity to precepts or principles (biblical or not) as a condition of fellowship in the body and as a condition of salvation. The expression I've often heard is "we are saved by grace, but you've got to work to keep your salvation..." I personally question the salvation of a hypothetical individual whose level of piety was maintain only to escape damnation. The piety the Father is seeking is that which flow out of a heart of love, because you ARE saved, not so you can stay saved. Having said that let me add that I don't consider myself a Calvinist. But neither would I want to be a card carrying Armenian either! Grace oriented obedience find expression in a person's Christianity as they adhere to the person of Jesus Christ, the Source of Grace. Legalistic obedience is precept and principle oriented. Law based obedience involved discipline in regard to applying precepts and principles. Grace based obedience involves disciplined exposure to the Person of Jesus through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The discipline factor of intimacy is understood when you experience the heart searching and the demand for honesty in his presence that exposes hidden motives, and continually shapes our personalities more closely into the personality of Jesus Christ. Legalism claims that God's acceptance is conditioned upon your obedience. Legitimate obedience is maintained in this attitude: I know I am ACCEPTED by God because of who Jesus is and what He has done (regardless of who I am or what I have done), however because I seek not only his acceptance but also his APPROVAL, therefore I move toward obedience, and seek a lifestyle conformed to His sense of Holiness. Legalism confused God's acceptance and God's approval. They are two different things. God accepts you because of who Jesus is and what he has done regardless of who you are or what you have done. In the same way that you accept your own children. They are you children, no matter how degraded their performance may be. And just for being your children, certain benefits accrue to them, not matter how naughty they may be. (i.e. food, clothing, shelter...) Likewise there are benefits that accrue to you as a child of God ACCEPTED in the BELOVED, no matter how poor your performance. I totally accept my children, but there are times I completely disapprove of them. Therefore in the context of my full acceptance of them in my family, I move to address the areas of their performance that have resulted in my disapproval. If I, being evil know how to deal with my children, how much more your heavenly father... The legalist hears God tell him "you are not my little boy, my little boy would not do such and such..." The true voice of chastening is "Son, I love and accept you, but I totally disapprove of your performance in this area, and therefore warn you of the consequence of continued disobedience..." Geoff: How do we avoid taking grace and making it a basis for license. People do, through ignorance take advantage of the teaching of righteousness in Christ? (i.e. God accepts you on the basis of who Jesus is and what he has done regardless of who you are or what you have done.) Pastor Walden: My thoughts on that would be to direct you attention to the problems that sin in your life is symptomatic of. John the Baptist said "lay the ax at the root of the tree . . " Legalism only picks fruit. Sin is the fruit of deficient relationship with Jesus. Romans 1:18-32 continually mentions God 'giving men over' to sin because 'they did not glorify him, they did not like to retain him in their knowledge...' Therefore when you see sin in you life, don't rush out with the sword of the Lord and lop the fruit off. It will only fall to the ground, germinate and produce some fresh corruption in your life. Rather acknowledge that this certain sin is symptomatic of some deficiency in your relationship to Him, then work on that. Run TO HIM, not away from him. God's cry to every fallen son and daughter is "where are you..." Like Adam, we have sown a fig leaf of legalism, and are cowering behind a theology of intimidation. Geoff: In you own ministry what have you damage have you observed arising out of legalism? Pastor Walden: The greatest damage of legalism in Western Christianity is inability to get prayer answered. 1 John 5:4 states "we know we have the things we desire of him because we do what is pleasing in his sight." When your acceptance in Father's eyes is based on your performance, you can never know you are pleasing in his sight, never legitimately get your prayers answered. This is why Hebrews 10:19 compels you to enter the Holiest on the basis of the BLOOD, not your performance. The writer goes on the say that the conscience must be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. In other words, the Christian's conscience should justified you on the basis of the merits of Christ, not on the merit of your performance, good or evil. The legalist seeks to balance evil works with good works, and is therefore still eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So the greatest damage has been the destruction of faith in the hearts of God's people. They know that God CAN, but they don't know that he WILL, because their hearts are condemned by religious legalism. Geoff: How do we answer the unbeliever who says, "... then you mean that if I become a Christian I can do whatever I want and simply ask God to forgive me, and He will?" Pastor Walden: My answer would be, "knock yourself out." Because the convert in the end will do what he wants anyway. The difference is, that if his conversion is genuine there will be an immediate change in his desires because he has found a source of satisfaction that quenches every desire for other things. I have confidence that what Christ deposits in the heart of a new born Christian will be more compelling than any addiction, habit or activity that would quench that grace. Geoff: Why are so many churches typified by "rules and regs" as proof of the Christian walk? Pastor Walden: Rules and regulations are made by elders who want to get to bed early. They are an easy means of measuring our effectiveness, and gauging our authority. Regulations simplify things. There is no need to depend on discernment or the anointing. We can cut the elders prayer meeting short and go home and catch "Murder she wrote..." Yet it is impossible to regulate 1 Corinthians 13! The church has been reduced to a sad counterpart of the Jewish Religious System in Jesus day. Paul said that the branches grafted in could be rejected also. I believe that we are in danger of that in the modern Christian religious system for the same reason ancient Judaism was judged. Jesus will never reject His people, but he will reject the system through which his people are brought into bondage only to service the insecurities and idiosyncrasies of a spiritual bureaucracy describing itself according to Ephesians 4:11-12. Geoff: How can we be faithful in our own walks without falling into the trap of legalism? Pastor Walden: Avoid being dogmatic. Realize that the Truth is first a Person, not a set of doctrines. In my experience I find myself more comfortable with my questions than I am with everyone else's answers. When I was searching for so many years for answers to what I'd been told were burning questions, all I had was HIM. He became my companion as I searched for the perfect dogma. After awhile I started 'sluffing off' in my search simply because I enjoyed being with Him. In time, all those burning issues became smoldering ashes that I ignored in my pursuit of Him. Hold everything loosely. Exercise more diligence in fostering your intimacy with Jesus on a daily basis than you exercise in charging windmill astride your white stallion of your piety. Geoff: What is so appealing about legalism when God's grace is so freeing? Pastor Walden: Legalism instigates an endless cycle of sinning and being forgiven, never arriving at any level of maturity. Everything is reduced to shallow, outward issues, and the real inward conflicts and corruption is ignored. There's a verse in the Old Testament that speaks of the corruption of God's leaders and the observation that "my people love to have it so..." Everything is so much simpler, no challenge, no demand for true holiness. It's so much easier to pay lip service to changing what you do, than submitting to the Holy Spirit's work of changing WHO YOU ARE. Ministry Profile Ministry Profile INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY Serving the Church with Scriptures for Evangelism since 1809 International Bible Society was founded in 1809 in New York City by a small group of evangelism-minded Christians. During the early days, it was known as New York Bible Society. Its ministry centered on distributing Bibles in hotels, hospitals and jails, aboard ships and to immigrants. Over the years it grew into an international ministry. In 1992 International Bible Society merged with Living Bibles International (LBI) to further expand its worldwide Scripture translation and distribution efforts. The enhanced ministry retains International Bible Society's name and the Colorado Springs headquarters; its International President is Lars B. Dunberg, former International President of LBI. Key benefits of the merger include a greater capacity for global outreach and more efficient stewardship of resources. To date the Bible Society has published God's Word in more than 540 languages on 6 continents. Scripture translation projects, carried out by more than 800 national Christians on a part-time basis, are currently underway in more than 120 languages. A global network of 39 offices, staffed by 250 national Christians, oversees this aspect of the ministry. As part of its efforts to make Gods Word as clear as possible, International Bible Society sponsored the translation of the New International Version Bible. Over 100 evangelical scholars worked more than 10 years to produce this highly accurate version of the Bible in modern English. In the United States, International Bible Society produces Bibles, New Testaments and Scripture portions in various formats and sells them at or below cost to individuals, churches and organizations for use in evangelism and discipleship. Recipients of these subsidized Scriptures include rescue missions, campus ministries, prison ministries and crisis pregnancy centers. Its New York office, New York Bible Society, continues to distribute Scriptures in New York metropolitan areas through strategic outreaches. Elsewhere around the world, International Bible Society provides Scriptures free of charge through gifts from believers in North America. These Scriptures are distributed by dozens of evangelical organizations, many of which are national missions. This year, through our CIS Orphanage Project, we are providing 750,000 orphans in 5,600 state-run orphanages in five republics in the Commonwealth of Independent States with children's Bibles in their national languages. Through Operation Francais, we are reaching out with a contemporary French Bible to people in the 46 French-speaking nations of the world. And between April 1, 1993 and March 31, 1994, some 80,000 secondary school children in Nigeria will receive Bibles through our Africa Schools Program. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, the purpose of International Bible Society is "to serve the Church in evangelism and discipleship by providing God's Word so that people around the world may come to faith and life in Jesus Christ." International Bible Society is an independent, non-profit organization with membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies (EFMA). For more information write to the IBS at: 1820 Jet Stream Drive Colorado Springs CO 80921-3696 Telephone: 719-488-9200 The Bookworm The Bookworm Browsing With The Bookworm Well here it is - another month requiring book reviews. And, because this issue deals with Grace and Legalism, I thought it would be helpful to reprint, with minor changes, a review from our very first issue. At the time the review was first published this book was called TOXIC FAITH. Since then, it has undergone a title change. But the concerns expressed haven't changed. FAITH THAT HURTS, FAITH THAT HEALS by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN The Christian is called by Christ to go and make disciples. As part of this process, we are often given the opportunity to work with those who are in deep pain. The more we choose to help those whom the Lord sends to us, the more we will run into people who suffer from toxic faith. The cover of the first edition of "Faith That Hurts, Faith That Heals" describes it this way: "Well-meaning but misguided people can turn religion into a harmful addiction, an addiction that can be used to avoid commitments, avoid pain, avoid reality, avoid fear, and avoid growth. This type of faith is toxic. When religion becomes a means to avoid or control life, it becomes toxic. Many people are susceptible: people with low self-esteem; people raised in shame-based families; people who have been emotionally, physically, and sexually abused; people with addictive personalities; and people with faulty belief systems." "Faith that Hurts, Faith that Heals" calls for a mature Christianity. It makes a call for relationship with God instead a of life committed to religiosity. Too often individuals don't live in dependency on the Lord. They live in bondage to a system, a cult, or their own misguided perceptions of reality. As you live in the Body of Christ, you will find these people. You may find them in your family, in your church or in your community. (You may even find that you are suffering from this problem.) "Faith That Hurts, Faith That Heals," will help you understand the victim and maybe give you the wisdom to be of help. This book digs below the surface of the "pillar of the church." It finds instead of Christ the cornerstone, a foundation of sand and corruption, of pain and fear. The reader may not agree with everything found here. Nevertheless, this book is still one that every Christian concerned with advancing the Kingdom of God should read. By the way, some discount book services still have some copies left of the earlier edition. When you look for this book, check under both the current and previous titles. Since we normally review books that are very practical in content, we thought it might be fun to also review a fantasy trilogy. This series was primarily written to entertain. SONG OF ALBION Trilogy "The Paradise War" "The Silver Hand" "The Endless Knot" By Stephen Lawhead Lion Publishing, Batavia, IL 60510 Steven Lawhead is one of the few contemporary Christian writers who can publish well written fantasy. Even the secular market recognizes the quality of his writing. His first two sets of novels were Christian allegories. The first of the two is the DRAGON KING trilogy. These books are written for juveniles, but are entertaining for adults as well. The second collection is a two-book series called the EMPYRION SAGA. This can properly be called novels of Science Fiction-Fantasy. Lawhead's next series is the Pendragon cycle. These books focus on Arthurian traditions and legends of lost Atlantis. This brings us to his latest series, "The Song of Albion." These books, while not obviously allegorical, are nevertheless written from a Christian world view. These books include a parallel world view as used in many other fantasy novels. In the first book, "The Paradise War," the hero Lewis Gilles follows Simon. The movement is from our world earth to the ancient Celtic style "Otherworld." The problem is that the two worlds are intricately interwoven. Simon and Lewis must return. If they don't return, it portends disaster for both worlds. But, Simon is the serpent in the Paradise of Otherworld. He has no desire to return. Instead, in this world of Kings and Bards, he desires to gain power and to loose ancient evil. Lewis must find him and return him to our world. But Lewis finds himself drawn to this beautiful new world and soon forgets all that he has left behind, including the danger of not returning. The tale picks up in THE SILVER HAND. The high king has died, and there is ruin throughout the land. Llew (Lewis) must defeat Simon, now known as Siawn Hy. Unfortunately, Hy has joined forces with a usurper and continues to spread evil throughout the land. And the damage done by the breach and imbalance between the two worlds continues to poison both. It seems that all has been set to right, but conditions are not always what they appear. Llew is now king. THE ENDLESS KNOT tells the story of the last battle. Llew is ready to return to our world, but the time has not yet arrived. These are excellent works. They are readable, which is often not the case with contemporary fantasy novels. The underlying story is the battle between good and evil, and the sacrifice necessary to cleanse the world from corruption and poison. All three volumes are available in hard cover. The first two are also available in trade paperback editions. And, at the time of this writing, the first is available in standard paper back. If you are a fan of fantasy, you will enjoy these books. If you have never read this kind of literature, give it a try with the SONG OF ALBION trilogy. Until next time, Lord bless and good reading, Your friend The Bookworm 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: Ray in Ohio and Bill and Kim Collins thank everyone for standing in prayer with their family. On January 13, 1993 Kimberly Collins was diagnosed with brain and kidney cancer and told she might not make it through the year. People on this prayer chain and elsewhere began to lift up Kimberly in prayer. Today she is doing everything a normal healthy person should be doing. Thanks to the doctors for their help, but, the real glory goes to God! Chuck in Massachusetts praises the Lord for his first client in his new consulting firm. He thanks the Lord for setting him free from alcohol and drugs too. Melody in Indiana thanks the Lord and everyone for their prayers. Her husband is completely recovered from bronchitis. Bruce in Georgia thanks the Lord for a purchaser of a home he had attempted to sell for over 2 years. He praises the Lord for the opportunity to apply for a better job also. Steven in Texas thanks the Lord that he has been set free from homosexuality. Continue to pray for strength and guidance for Steven. Gene in New York thanks the Lord that twelve people committed themselves to the Lord and got water baptized at the Christian City Church, Greenlawn, New York. Cyndi from Virginia thanks the Lord for a new Pastor in her church in South Norfolk Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. She also is thankful for the intercessory prayers for Joyce and the mighty work the Lord is doing in Mexico City, Mexico. Bill in Nevada praises God for blessing him abundantly by allowing for the loan to be approved for his new home. Norm in Florida praises the Lord for a successful open-heart surgery to close a hole in a 5 year old girl's heart. Carl in California asks for prayer for Matthew, 16 months of age, who swallowed a pear stem which got lodged in his throat and cut off his air supply. Consequently, he suffered brain damage and his little body is paralyzed. The doctors had pretty much given up and suggested institutionalizing him. His parents brought him home and people have been praying. Since then Matthew's brain has not only stopped shrinking it has actually begun to grow! Please continue in prayer for Matthew and family. Kim in Tennessee is thankful for all the prayers and that the truth came out and her brother was cleared of any wrongdoing. Ann in New York praises the Lord that she had the opportunity to pray with an unbeliever in the hospital recently. Lucinda in Georgia thanks the Lord that two of her Home Health patients will be retaining their services a while longer. Pray for Robert Watson who has cancer. Steve in California praises the Lord that over 20,000 people made public stands for Christ at the Summer Harvest Crusades in Southern California! Spencer praises the Lord that his dad from Arkansas arrived back home safely after a mission trip to Central America. PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray for Dennis in Albany, New York that the Lord will lead and guide him in the weekend evangelistic lecture series he is planning at the Northfield Auditorium in Massachusetts in June 1994. Solomon asks us to pray for Margaret in Alberta, Canada who has some kind of cancer that the doctors can't do anything about. Pray for Danny from Ft.Worth, Texas; that the Lord will have His way in his life. Pray for Verneita in North Dakota as she continues to recover from a stroke. Pray for Faith Baptist Church in Cuthbert, Georgia as they are in need of a Pastor. Pray for Jim's wife Carolyn, in Virginia. She has lost her job and is seeking re-employment! Pray for the Full Gospel Korean Church of Houston, Texas. They are looking for a youth pastor. Pray for Steven in Texas as he is planning to become an intern at a full gospel camp next year. He asks prayer for protection and wants to serve the Lord with all his heart. Pray for Mae in Florida who is recovering from back surgery. Gene in New York asks for prayer for his parents who don't go to church and both smoke and drink. Pray that David's grandmother in Wisconsin continues in her recovery. Pray for Paul in Florida who is waiting for a response from his new job interview. Mike in Oregon asks for prayer for a closer walk with the Lord and a healing of some long seated problems in his life. Pray for the reconcilement of his and Diana's marriage too. Pray for Vincent in Florida who will have his left knee operated on for the third time in the past two and a half years. Remember Rev. Charles Stanley from the Atlanta Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia in prayer. Pray for God's will in this family. Remember the flood victims along the Mississippi River in prayer. Pray for the Parrous, Manis and Kotsopolous families of Fayetteville, North Carolina who had family members killed or wounded in a recent shooting incident. Pray also for the alleged gunman, Kenneth French, who was apprehended. The Bauers in Texas have become a host family for a German exchange student. Pray that the Lord would minister to her through them and through the youth and others at church. Walter Bauer asks specific prayer for wisdom with a teenager. Pray for Stan and Becky's daughter Rachel at the Evangelical Free Church of Satellite Beach, Florida. She is having problems that may be related to a traumatic birth with oxygen deprivation 4 years ago. Bill in Nevada asks for healing of a hole in the heart of a foster child, 2 year old Christian Russell. who has a hole in his heart. Pray that his foster parents Jerry and Kathy will be able to adopt him. Pray for Mike's wife Claire in New Jersey who had some terrible stomach pains this past week. Also pray for peace and strength for Mike as he just resigned his job of 14 years. Pray for Brother Willie Larsen in Florida who is very ill with fever of 105 and pneumonia. He needs a healing because he also has a very bad heart. Pray for a speedy recovery of a concussion for Ann in New York. Pray for a healing for Brian's mom Carol. Brian is on the AOL network. A brother on the AOL network asks for prayer for his wife who is having eye surgery. Pray also for his church that is in need of a Pastor and for the youth department to continue to grow. Pray for a friend Helen, who is feeling a great deal of stress and it is affecting how she deals with her co-workers. Pray for her salvation and that she turns to Jesus for her needs. Pray for Ron in California, that the Lord will lift him up; also for his wife who is straying from the Lord and needs salvation. Steve in New Hampshire asks for prayer that the Lord continues the good work that He's undertaken on behalf of his health and well being. Jim in Virginia asks for prayer for his family as they move to Lynchburg, Virginia where he will be attending Liberty Bible Institute this fall. Jack in Georgia asks for prayer that he and his fellow-students do well on the upcoming exams. Pray also for guidance for his friend Matt, who recently broke off a relationship with his girlfriend because he felt led by the Lord to do so. Remember Jack's father who is working in New Jersey and feels lonely since his family is not there with him. Dennis in Massachusetts asks the Lord's help in his new business venture. Pray for Staci on the AOL network who has a very big decision to make soon. May the Lord lead and guide her. Pray for Danny in Iowa that the Lord will help him with his decisions in the workplace. Pray for Stevie on the AOL network whose husband died recently. INTERNATIONAL REQUESTS: Pray for a Christian brother, Hamdi, in Turkey who is in a hospital in a coma allegedly due to prolonged torture by government security forces. Please pray for his recovery. Incidences of persecution against Christians in Turkey have been on the increase in recent months. Also keep in prayer six families left in Hamdi's village who are fearful of further harassment. Pray for Juan of Peru, a fellow Evangelical Believer, who has been falsely accused of links to the bloodthirsty terrorist "Shining Path" communist guerillas in Peru and was forced to sign a "confession" after being tortured. Sri Lanka: persecution against Christians is increasing; 8 church buildings have been burned recently, and our brothers and sisters face harassment and persecution daily. The United States State Department confirmed independent reports that the Islamic government of Sudan is rounding up non-Muslims and enslaving them. Massive numbers of women and children have recently been sold into slavery after being forcibly removed from their homes; many have been exported to Libya and other Muslim countries. Repeated attempts to send in human rights monitors have been thwarted by the Sudanese government. 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 "The Three L's" A well-known nursery rhyme: Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. The same poem written by someone who is licentious: Jack and Jill went up the hill with passions most assiduous. They had fun, but what was done is none of your darn business. The same poem written by someone functioning in liberty: Jack and Jill went up the hill boldly and not fearful. Jack fell down and broke his crown next time they'll be more careful. The same poem written by a legalist: Jack and Jill went up the hill, they didn't get permission. Jack fell down and broke his crown; nailed for not submittin' You have probably witnessed a first in the history of the English language! It is doubtful anyone has ever tried to use "assiduous" and "business" as a rhyme; but, hey, "Morning Star" is a ground-breaking kind of magazine! This is the first time I've intentionally tried to thematically link a SCUD Warning to the general topic for the issue. This does create some problems. You see, the articles for "Morning Star" are sent by modem and mail to our editors. They then collect, correct and combine them. Just like you, I don't see the articles until I receive my copy of "Morning Star." So, what I will be saying about legalism in this SCUD, you may have already read multiple times in this issue. If it sounds familiar, please feel free to skim or skip it. I promise I won't get upset. (That would be rather legalistic of me, wouldn't it?) Actually, I should issue a warning before I start. I really get bugged about legalism. It's probably because I am from a legalistic denomination. But, I've tended to be distinctly off-center enough to have recurrent and consistent hassling from those who function in the spiritual gift of legalism. It's funny though, neither my wife or I can ever recall talking to a legalist who would define themselves as one. They most often feel that they are "prophets," defenders of the faith or just very earnest believers... almost anything but legalists. The thing is, that is exactly what the Pharisees thought they were... earnest believers and defenders of the faith. Yet Jesus had a somewhat different opinion which included defining them as: a brood of vipers, hypocrites, a wicked and adulterous generation, blind guides, blind fools, whitened tombs full of dead men's bones and snakes. Hardly a glowing recommendation. And as you have probably already read in this issue, legalism and Pharisaism are basically one and the same, just a couple of millennia apart. So what motivates a legalist to be a legalist? As stated above, if you ask them, they'll usually make some statement about defending the faith or some such. That may be their stated rationale, but I seriously doubt it is their motivation. If they were truly defending the faith, they would defend all of it... and that includes the stuff about grace, mercy and that wonderful verse, Galatians 6:1: "... if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently (legalism loses on that point). But watch yourself or you may also be tempted." It's that last point that really forbids the legalist from functioning in the role of restoring a fallen brother. I have not yet met a legalist who would admit they could be tempted by a sin that they are correcting someone for. I really believe that is part of the crux of the trap of legalism. "You consider legalism a trap?" What would you call something whose purpose is to catch something, stop it in its path and impede it's freedom, usually while inflicting pain along the way? Sounds like a trap to me. We all know what legalists do: go by the most conservative interpretation of the book. We know that they know the rules, keep score on how people are doing and usually will let you know when your score's too low. A number of columns ago I observed that the people that act most like legalists in the business world are the people who are scared to death of the boss. They play by the book in order to be able to prove to the boss, or anyone else, that they have been doing their job. These people "do their job." But they take no risks and rarely take any initiative, for fear they may fail and draw negative attention on themselves. I know because I have a co-worker like that and he would rather do nothing than try and fail. So he often does nothing. And I feel that is often true of legalists; they often do nothing except point out the weaknesses in others, possibly to make themselves feel good about all those things that they do do so well. "I think I ought to call the Legalists' Anti-defamation League! You're making them sound like hypercritical, do-nothings!" I didn't say they do nothing. They just don't do anything other than what they feel they can absolutely succeed at. That may be why legalists create such a hermetically sealed, rigid and tiny world with their rules. The fewer the freedoms, the lower the risk of failure and mistakes. Yet scripture makes it clear that Christ came to bring life and life more abundantly (John 10:10), that we no longer labor under condemnation (Romans 8:1), that knowing Him instills GREAT joy (1 Peter 1:8), that He loves us when we are at our worst (Romans 5:8) and that He came to set us free (John 8:36). The two sets of beliefs do seem to be at odds. Maybe it can be viewed this way: Liberty understands man's weakness and delights in God's grace. License delights in man's weakness and exploits God's grace. While on the other hand, legalism denies and condemns man's weakness while not being confident of God's grace. Also, it has always been easier to follow a clear set of rules than work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Again, in liberty there are WAY too many opportunities to make mistakes and fail. But the thing that I have pondered the most... "Ponder? Ponder?! I thought people quit doing that at the turn of the century!" OK, so I've thought about it; what is it about legalism that compels legalists to go about condemning people? I grew up with the idea that we should not do things to make others stumble. And, in that spirit, whenever someone got upset about something everyone would knock themselves out to not do it anymore. This was intended to keep the brother from stumbling. But if you really read Romans 14 where it talks about these issues, the stumbling block is when you do something in liberty and someone who cannot do the same thing in good conscience follows your lead into doing something they really believe is probably sin. Those weren't the people we were adjusting everything for. We were usually jumping to the fevered outcries of people (you may use that alternative spelling: l-e-g-a-l-i-s-t-s) who simply disagreed with what we were doing and were condemning us, usually in the name of the Lord. Ah yes, repression in the name of God. It's been done before and will likely be done again. They aren't the weaker brother! They aren't following our lead, they're condemning it. "But if your act incites them to condemnation and rage, isn't that causing them to stumble?" That's like saying creating a tall building incites people to jump off. It doesn't incite them, but their own weakness will take advantage of the opportunity. "Then it's like I said, your acts still contribute to them stumbling, so you shouldn't do it!" Romans 9:32 makes it clear that Israel got hung up on a "stumbling block" that was saturated with liberty. Should we have stopped Christ because he elicited some Jews' condemnation and rage? Just because Adam and Eve ate the fruit and became aware of their nakedness doesn't mean that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a stumbling block. It meant that they chose to stumble over their single, free-will choice that was an indicator of their commitment to God. But back to my question of a couple of inches ago: Why does legalism compel legalists to go after others? Maybe its because misery loves company... or maybe they just love God so much that they can't stand seeing someone else doing something "wrong"... or maybe they just can't stand to see anyone having a good time... or... I had a roommate in college that had strong legalistic tendencies, but I didn't know how strong those tendencies were until I made the comment that God must laugh at the foibles of us humans. That's when my roommate declared that God doesn't laugh. God was someone to be feared and served, period. He was a demanding, somber savior. He had no sense of humor. If that was who I understood God to be I would probably be worried about following the rules too. But the God I know is significantly different than that. He's omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, righteous, loving, caring, forgiving, gracious, gentle and, to be quite frank, very entertaining. I KNOW FOR AN ABSOLUTE FACT that I could never do enough, well enough to merit His attention, love and favor... yet I have His attention, love and favor. If I am freed from having to earn his love, I am freed to enjoy that love... and Him. Notice, I did not say that I am afraid of Him or fear His reprisals. I do not fear Him in the least because I trust Him the most. I trust Him to be guiding me if I give even the slightest inkling of wanting to follow Him. I trust Him to hound and convict me if and when I am moving in rebellion. I trust Him to forgive me regardless of how bad or repetitive my sins are. I trust Him to not consider my mere mistakes to be sins. I trust Him to know I'll be human enough to fail. I trust Him enough to focus on His pleasure rather than my performance. So, (for the third time) why does legalism compel legalists to go after others? If your theology and beliefs are structured on error, its much like a house of cards. All it takes is a puff and its gone. I honestly believe, at least in the case of my roommate, that it was way too unsettling for his legalism to have a God that laughs. So rather than examine the idea, and risk being wrong, he simply attacked the idea that was a threat to his self-consistent but incomplete theology. Maybe it is that same perceived threat to a theology too weak to enjoy options that causes other legalists to go on the defensive rather than the introspective. If you're a legalist, you probably aren't even aware of it. Just ask yourself a simple question: "Do I feel safe and accepted with God?" If the answer is no, you may be feeling compelled to earn His pleasure and may be slipping into legalism. If the answer is yes, but you are enjoying the sin you are supposed to be fighting, you are into license. If the answer is yes and you just want to make God happy, you are probably functioning in liberty. There are three L's. Take your pick, but only one leads to joy AND righteousness. Next time: Church and the "First Date Syndrome" (and, no, it has next to nothing to do with taking someone out for a meal and movie). Commentary Commentary COMMENTARY RESTORATION NOT RETALIATION Pastor Geoffrey Kragen In this special issue of Morning Star, we focus on Grace versus Legalism, a subject that often generates a lot of heat in the contemporary Church. This subject greatly concerns me for two reasons. First, I am a Hebrew Christian. I have been taken out from under the burden of the Law. I have no intention of being returned to it. "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin" (Romans 3:20). "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14). It is not the law which saves, but the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Second, this subject concerns me is because I am a pastoral counselor. I frequently have to help clients deal with the results of time spent in a legalistic church environment. The damage done by this is often very serious. "Christian" legalism sends a wife back to a violent husband even at the risk of her life. It is judgmental instead of loving. It punishes instead of disciplines. It is more concerned with sentencing than restoration. Legalism stifles the growth of the believer, substituting rules for seeking the Lord's direction for his or her life. And, because the focus is legalistic, it is more concerned with peripheral rather than substantive issues. Legalism deals most harshly with behaviors that aren't significant by biblical standards. It confuses outward appearances with inward maturity. It mistakenly implies that being at church every time the door is open indicates a mature walk with the Lord. Thus, it judges most harshly when someone fails to live up to the appearance of righteousness. It often ignores the deep rebellion of the heart not apparent on the surface. The legalistic environment is similar to the one found in the dysfunctional family. More energy is spent on outside appearances than on fixing the inward rot. This is the very same failing that Jesus identified in the lives of the religious leaders of His day. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27). We can see "religiosity" in the lives of the legalists. We can confuse this with spiritual maturity. In Matthew 23:15 Jesus states the following: "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). Here is a group of men who are much more dedicated than many of us. They would go to major lengths to convert an individual to Judaism. But then they would burden this new believer with a greater slavery than he had ever experienced before his conversion. In my experience, there are a couple of reasons why people are legalistic. First, if they focus on the shortcomings of others, they can feel superior to them. "Why, in our church the women always wear hats and dresses, never pants." This means that they are superior to the church down the street. And of course, by focusing on others' "failings," they never have to recognize how far they themselves have moved from God's standards. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3). His attitude of superiority also allows the legalist to distance himself from the "weaker" brother. He doesn't have to get down in the mud, helping his brother out. Instead he can stand on the sidelines saying: "It is your fault you are down there! If you had just followed the rules." Apparently, the Corinthians were pretty proud of their status. However, Paul wasn't all that impressed. "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The legalist forgets that he is no better than the one he attacks. Additionally, the legalist, who believes he is more spiritually mature, forgoes his responsibility to the younger believer. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (Romans 14:1-4). (Also see the balance of Romans 14). Yes, we are called to judge, but not the behaviors that Paul calls "disputable matters." Yes, we are called to walk worthy before the Lord, but I am responsible to the Lord for my walk. And yes, we are not to cause a brother to stumble. But the Lord will convict us of the need to give up our freedom because of our love for a fellow believer. The second problem with legalism is the focus on rules. This allows them to avoid the difficult struggle of working through decisions with the Lord. They can feel comfortable in their works, not remembering that spiritual maturity is a product of relationship with God, and not a set of rules. Paul warns against the problem of legalism in great detail in many of his writings. Consider the following. "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. . . . Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence" (Colossians 2:16, 20-23). The great joy of the Christian life is that our sins are forgiven. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are free. We are free to obey God, which we must do, but out of love, not legalism. We are free to love each other, not judging, but instead encouraging. Our God is the God of restoration. Let us live in a way that allows His love to follow through us, drawing others to Him. And He will, in love, convict of that which must change, not for salvation, but because of it. I pray that this issue will be a real blessing to all of us, encouraging us to praise the Lord for His loving grace. May our burden of legalism be left at the cross. May we desire to love others, walking with them as fellow suffers, and disciples of a loving Father. Gospel Message Gospel Message Are you a child of God? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you saved? If you have heard these questions and you aren't sure what they mean, the following is provided to help you be sure that you will be spending eternity with the Lord God. Es usted un hijo de Dios? Tiene usted una relacion personal con Jesucristo? Es usted salvo? Si ha oido estas preguntas, y no esta seguro que quire decir, lo siguente esta proveido para ayudarle estar seguro que va a pasar la eternidad con el Senor Dios. All people need a Savior. The reason we do is because each of us has sinned. ". . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23). Todos necesitan un salvador, porque cada uno do nosotros han pecado. ". . . pues todos han pecado y estan lejos de la presencia salvadora de Dios." (Romanos 3:23) There is a price to be paid for sin. "For the wages of sin is death," (Romans 6:23). Hay un precio que debemos pagar por pegado. "El pago que da el pecado es la muerte . . ." (Romanos 6:23) And the price must be paid. ". . . man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment," (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment faced is an eternity separated from God, an eternity in Hell. He will say to those that have not accepted Christ's payment for sin: "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Y el precio debe ser pagado. ". . . Y asi como todos han de morir una sola vez, y despues vendra el juicio." ( Hebreos 9:27 ) El juicio es una eternidad separado de Dios, una eternidad en el infierno. El decire a los quien no han aceptado el pago de Cristo por pecado: "Apartense de mi, ustedes que esten baja maldicion, vayense al fuego eterno preparado para el diablo y sus angeles." (Mateo 25:41) But God is loving and merciful, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Pero Dios es amable y tiene misericordia, "Pues Dios amo tanto al mundo, que dio a su hijo unico, para que todo aquel que cree en El no muera, sino que tenga vida eterna." (Juan 3:16) He has provided a way so the penalty for sin can be paid for each of us. ". . . so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; " (Hebrews 9:28). ". . . the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). El ha proveido el camino asi que el castigo por pecado puede ser pagado por nosotros. ". . . asi tambien Cristo ha sido ofrecido una sola vez para quitar los pecados de muchos." (Hebreos 9:28) ". . . pero el don de Dios es vida eterna en union con Cristo Jesus, nuestro Senor. (Romanos 6:23) The Apostle Paul explains how Christ provided payment, in what is referred to as the "Gospel" message. "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, tha t he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Corinthians 15:4). El apostolo Pablo explica como Cristo proveo el precio en lo que se refiere al mensaje "evangelio". En primer lugar les he dado a conocer ensenanza que yo recibi. Les he ensenado que Cristo murio por nuestos pecados como dicen las Escrituras, que lo sepultaron y que recesito al tercer dia como tambien dicen las Escrituras." (1 Corintios 15:3-4 ) If you understand and accept these truths, then there is only one requirement to receive salvation and enjoy and eternity with Lord. ". . . if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). Si entiende y aceptan estas verdades, entonces solo hay un requisito para recibir salvacion y para disfrutar una eternidad con el Senor. "Si tu boca reconoces a Jesus como Senor, y con tu corazon crees que Dios lo recesito, alcanzaras la salvacion." (Romanos 10:9 ) Pray this prayer to confirm your acceptance. "Lord, I realize that I am a sinner. I accept Christ's payment for my sin and thank you for the gift of my salvation. I know that all my sins are now forgiven and one day, I will come to be with you. Thank you Lord. If we can be of any help contact us here at Morning Star Magazine. Ora esta oracion para confirmar su accepcion, "Senor, me da cuenta que soy pecador. Acepto el precio de Cristo que ha pagado por mi pecado , y gracias por el regalo de mi salvacion. Yo se que mis pecados ya son perdonados, y algun dia vendre a estar contigo. Gracias Senor. " Si podemos ayudarles, mandanos aqui a Morning Star Magazine. Features The Law (Works) or God's Grace (Free Gift)? The Law (Works) or God's Grace (Free Gift)? THE LAW (Works) OR GOD'S GRACE (Free Gift)? By J.C. Trudel Naples, Florida Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16) The above scriptural statement is in itself a legal religious opinion regarding what does and does not lead to salvation. It is legal as it is based on rules set forth by our Savior. These rules clearly state that by His death and the shedding of His blood, He paid the penalty for our sins, and offers us eternal salvation. It is a free gift that can only be received by faith in Him and the sacrifice of Himself at Calvary. The non-biblical opinion that one can be saved by works, or the observing of rules and regulations, is totally opposite to God's plan of salvation. The lack of knowledge of God's Word unfortunately causes many to get trapped in legalism and to follow the whims and rules of man rather than the pure teachings of Jesus Christ. Paul in his epistle to the Philippians 3:5,6 tells us of his legalist days, his high standing as a Pharisee in the synagogue, his zeal, his persecution of the christian church and his being blameless in the law. Since the Pharisees had augmented the Mosaic Law to 800 plus ordinances, one can really conclude that Paul was as legalist as one can get. Was Jesus happy with Paul's legalism? Our Lord's direct intervention in Paul's spiritual life on the road to Damascus bluntly tells us that He was displeased. Paul's complete transformation into a proponent of God's grace for our salvation is a clear indication of our Lord's plan for our salvation and his rejection of legalism (Acts chapter 9). Legalism has many forms and is a festering spiritual disease that has been entrenched in the church since the beginning, often using the clever disguise of "Traditions". We see a feeble attempt at legalism in Mark 9:38, where John says: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth us not; we forbade him because he followeth us not. In verses 39 and 40 Jesus made it clear that the man was to be allowed to do what he did in His name and that he did not have to be part of the physical group to do that. In Acts Chapter 15 we see the legalizers from Judea, at the Council of Jerusalem, trying to mix grace and the works of the law as the only way to obtain salvation. Such a notion was soundly rejected, as it is not God's plan since He gave the law to be our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). The law was to be the standard to measure our actions against, to make all realize their need for a Savior. It has been compared to a thermometer which can indicate the temperature but can do nothing to change the causes of the changes in temperature. Jesus fulfilled the law by offering Himself, ONCE FOR ALL, as the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Some legalists claim to sacrifice Him every day in a grievous ritual that only says that our Lord's, once for all, sacrifice at Calvary was insufficient - that His dying words "It is finished" were a lie. Legalism always travels in the company of false doctrines as it is based on the opinions of man and must keep changing, adding and removing, in order to gain and retain control over naive and scripturally ignorant people. Paul rebukes legalism as well in 1 Corinthians 1:11-17 and 3:1-8. Some claimed to belong to Apollos, to Paul, to Cephas, to Christ and were causing contentions in the Body of Christ and had transformed their church into a carnal body of men. If someone asks me what church I belong to, I can only reply that I am a born again christian who presently attends the local First Baptist church because I feel that it is a sound Bible preaching and living christian church. I do not belong to that church, I belong to my Lord Jesus Christ. Soon my wife and I intend to join. We have been in the choir for over one year and we can love and serve God whether or not we are members. We felt a need to check the christianity of the church over a good period of time before joining it. Legalism is also used as a tool in people control, through rules, fears and a variety of other ways. One favorite way is to make the rule that you cannot serve in any ministries of the church unless you become a member of that church. As if membership is the test of one's christianity! Many people do not feel like being bound to a physical organization yet would be willing to serve in many ways and may stay away from a church that has such a legal requirement anyway. I believe that you will rarely find a church where everyone attending there is a member. An exception is the Catholic church where infant baptism makes you a member, declares you saved and in no danger to go to Limbo - which is nowhere in the Bible. Another way that legalism is often used is through suggestions such as: You should not have a TV set in the house, you should not read papers or magazines, or, you should not use background music cassettes to sing in church for they might have been recorded by unbelievers, etc.. Well! who might have put the sound system together? Perhaps the lumberjacks who cut the timber used for the pews and the church were hard-drinking cursing atheists! On and on legalists can go to gradually assume control over people, trying to cripple their free will and dominate their conscience. Cults are often born when people no longer think for themselves in the light of God's word and follow the dictates of man without searching the Scriptures to see if it scripturally based and acceptable. (Acts 17:11) For most of my life I was in a church infested with legalism and rules that keep its members in fear and bondage. Their priests can't marry, yet Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 3:2, that a bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, hospitable and apt to teach. One must go to church on appointed days or you commit a mortal sin. It used to be the rule that if you intended to receive communion on Sunday, you were not to drink or eat anything after 12:00 AM, or you would commit a mortal sin. If you ate meat on Friday, you committed a mortal sin. One only has to read 1 Timothy 4:1-5, Colossians 2:8, 2:14-23 and the letter to the Galatians and see what the apostle Paul thought of obedience to the Mosaic law when under grace. Some still insist on following some of the rules of the Mosaic law in teaching that certain foods should not be eaten and hinting that you violate the law if you do. I asked one such christian if she observed the sabbath or did she meet with other christians on the Lord's day which is Sunday. She could not reply as she was trapped as a proponent of the law trying to claim to live in grace at the same time, which is not possible as grace and the law (works) cannot co-exist. It has to be one or the other and Paul tells us, it's grace all the way. I am certain that Paul ate whatever was put before him, even though he was very careful not to offend a weak brother who might still have been under the bondage of the law (1 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 14:14,15). There was wisdom in the Mosaic law, in circumcision, in personal hygiene, and other things. You can wisely avoid diets that can be harmful to your health, but never in a way that interfere with christian liberty as has been the case with some diet ministries. It's so strange that the name "ministry" has been tagged to so many endeavors whose chief purpose is gain. The law is connected with Moses and works; grace with Christ and faith (John 1:17, Romans 10:4-10). The law blesses the good; grace saves the bad (Exodus 19:5, Ephesians 2:1-9). The law demands that blessings be earned; grace is a free gift (Deuteronomy 28:1-6, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 4:4,5). The law says: Pay all; Grace says: All is paid. The law is a work to do; grace is a work done. The law restrains actions; grace changes the nature. The law condemns; grace justifies. Under the law a person is a servant working for wages; under grace he or she is a son or daughter enjoying an inheritance. It is clear that if someone is living in grace and has a living faith, he or she will want to do good deeds to the glory of God. Someday, we must all (believers) appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) to have our works judged, whether they be good or bad. This is not a judgment for sins, as the believers' sins have been atoned for at Calvary. The result is "reward" or "loss", but he himself shall be saved (1 Cor. 3:11-15). Some legalists have used verse 15 to justify the false doctrine of purgatory, not understanding that God is a refiner (Isaiah 48:10, Malachi 3:2-3, Zechariah 13:9). Any works claimed to have been done for one's own glory or claimed as a help in our salvation will be a loss. This must be done to prepare the believers for the Marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9) where the Church is the Bride and Jesus is the Bridegroom. There will be no room there for self-righteousness, works, as the white linen (verse 8) is the righteousness of the saints, the righteousness of God upon all them that believe. Legalism is not only found in the christian churches. We know of many millions who face in a certain direction with their head in a cushion at certain times of the day. Nebuchadnezzar also had a legal form of worship for everyone under his influence. At certain appointed times, all had to worship the golden image he had made in the plain of Dura or be thrown in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:1-7). The book of Revelation, Chapter 13, tells us of an approaching day when all will be told to worship the image of the Beast (Antichrist) or be killed. If they are not willing to bear the mark of the Beast they will not be allowed to buy or sell anything. The ultimate and final legalism this will be and those who will worship the Beast and bear his mark will be lost forever. We had a preview of this during the Persian Gulf War when Iraqi soldiers tried to get Kuwaitis to worship the picture of Saddam Hussein. Those who refused were beaten. I pray that you are living in God's grace and enjoying liberty from legal bondage. If you are not free, then you must come to Jesus who gave His life and shed His blood to make eternal life and religious liberty yours. With all the sincerity of your heart, you must recognize that you are a sinner in need of God's grace, as we all come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Tell God that you deeply regret your sins and ask Him to forgive you and He will. Tell God that you receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and that you trust only in what Jesus did at Calvary for your salvation. Ask God to send you the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and guide you in your new (born-again) life, and to create in you a hunger for God's Word that the Truth may set you free. And remember to thank God for His Amazing Grace, for it is by grace that you are saved, not by works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9). The Holy and Profane The Holy and Profane THE HOLY AND PROFANE Discerning God's Requirements from Man's Rules By Evangelist Brian P. Jenkins Life in Jesus Ministries Crandall, Indiana "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed the difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." (Ezekiel 22:23-26 KJV) The above reference dictates that we have a clear understanding about what profanity is to the Lord. This led me to a deep study of which I will state the sum briefly herein. The word profane carries two meanings in Old Testament Hebrew. One means the common, or of common use; as opposed to the holy, or that which is set apart for a specific use. The other means that which has not been asked, or is a misrepresentation of something or someone. Believers today do not know the difference between the holy and the common (profane). They believe that many things are required by God that are not. On the other hand they offer many things to God that he has not asked. This misrepresents God. When people say, "I'm doing this for the Lord." and it is destroying their lives and families, does that not misrepresent God as someone who cares more about his own ends than about the welfare of his children? Are not many believers drawing near to the church to find the same--that the church cares more about its accomplishments than about the nurturing of God's flock? Is this not profanity? In Numbers 20:1-13 Moses struck a rock to bring forth water and misrepresented God as being angry with the people. In verse eight God simply told Moses to speak to the rock and it would bring forth water. In verse 10 Moses called the people rebels and struck the rock twice with his rod. Moses did not sanctify God by setting him apart from his own personal feelings. He did not show the people the distinction between the holy and the common. Many of the references to profanity in the Old Testament relate to Israel's misrepresentation of God to the nations around them. He almost seemed to be a God of sinfulness if you were to look upon the actions of the Israelites. God declared that he would do what was necessary to keep his name from being profaned (misrepresented) among the Gentiles. God would clear himself of their misdeeds done in his name. Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy. (Leviticus 22:32 NIV) Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 22:2 NIV) As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. (Ezekiel 20:39 NIV) Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another? (Malachi 2:10 NIV) Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:12 NIV) Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; ... (Ezekiel 22:26 NIV) You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people,... (Ezekiel 13:19 NIV) But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it [my name] from being profaned... (Ezekiel 20:9 NIV) But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. (Ezekiel 20:14 (NIV) But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. (Ezekiel 20:22 NIV) And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, "These are the Lord's people, and yet they had to leave his land." (Ezekiel 36:20 NIV) ... I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel. (Ezekiel 39:7 NIV) The verses above are a clear indication that the Lord refuses to allow himself to be profaned by our actions. If we seek him and follow his instructions then he will show that our deeds are wrought by his Spirit. But if we choose our own way and try to represent it as a vision from God, then he will make it known that the work is not of him. We are not free to do something for the Lord. We are servants that must simply hear and obey. Anything else is presumption, not faith. Anything else will bring destruction, not restoration. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it. (Ezekiel 21:26,27 NIV) We find the Lord's word is very direct in Leviticus Chapter 10. It is the story about Nadab and Abihu offering strange (unauthorized) fire before the Lord. A fire came out from God and consumed them. Moses told Aaron not to grieve. He quoted the Lord saying, "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored." He also instructed Aaron that with the following: You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the degrees the Lord has given Moses. (Leviticus 10:10,11 NIV) Lastly, an admonition comes to us from the Book of Ezekiel which states: They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. (Ezekiel 44:23 NIV) For those that wish deeper insight into the things I've said this month, I encourage you to read the entire 44th chapter of the Book of Ezekiel. Also I've just finished a book that I would recommend, The Subtle Power Of Spiritual Abuse, written by David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen (published by Bethany House Publishers). The sum of all that I've written this month is: People must be taught what is truly required of them by God and what are just the requirements placed on them by men. There IS a difference. Jesus said that many were teaching the traditions of men as the commandments of God. We must explain the difference--freeing the people of God from serving doctrines and allowing them to serve the Lord as the Spirit directs them. Only this will allow the church to flow together as the Spirit orchestrates it. Profanity is an offering to God of things or actions that he has not instructed. Profanity is also convincing others that God has spoken when he has not. Let us not profane the name of our God by misrepresenting him to those that are drawing near to learn more of him. Sabbath or Lord's Day - Which? Sabbath or Lord's Day - Which? A first century debate on grace and legalism... SABBATH OR THE LORD'S DAY - WHICH? The First Christians and the Sabbath Question by Victor Buksbazen excerpted from the book THE GOSPEL IN THE FEASTS OF ISRAEL At first Jewish believers apparently continued for some time in the voluntary observance of the Sabbath, not because they felt their salvation rested upon this, but rather out of regard for the sensibilities of their own people. At the same time they felt the inner need to assemble themselves on the day of our Savior's triumph, His Resurrection, and to break bread and to remember His death and coming again. Prayers were offered and the Word preached (Acts 20). After the early Jewish church was scattered abroad and the majority of believers were from among the Gentiles, the Sabbath observance soon came into disuse. The early church was faced with a fierce struggle. There were two incompatible groups. One representing the Judaizing element of the Church who believed that a Gentile in order to become a Christian must first become a Jew and conform to all the Law of Moses. Opposed to these were the main fellowship of the Christian Church, those who believed that Gentile believers were under no such obligation to the Law. The New Testament, especially the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul's Epistles to the Galatians and to the Colossians, vividly depict this struggle. The matter came to a head at the first Christian Synod in Jerusalem (Acts 15). The Apostle James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, presided, (not St. Peter - the alleged first pope) and gave the following ruling: "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well" (Acts 15:24, 28, 29). The imposition of the Sabbath upon the Gentile believers is conspicuous by its absence - not a word about it. After that First Synod in Jerusalem, Paul devoted all his energy in defense of the Gospel of Grace against all those who would impose the legal system of Moses as a necessity for Gentile believers. His heart agonized when he saw the confusion and the deadening effects of the Judaizing teachings upon the Gentile converts. Here is a typical passage which gives us a glimpse into Paul's heart: "0 foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?... For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:1, 2,10,11). "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature" (Galatians 6:15). To cling to the Sabbath was for Paul to cling to the beggarly elements - to exchange the glorious reality in Christ for the mere shadow which the Law of Moses represents. The main body of the Church consisting both of Jew and Gentiles very early began to observe the first day of the week as "The Lord's Day." There were, however, some Jews who persisted in the observance of the Sabbath as well as of other rites of the ceremonial law. They had no fellowship with the other Christians who did not observe the law. These Judaizing Hebrew believers, called Nazarenes and Ebionites, cut off from the main flow of Christian life and fellowship within the Church and despised also by the synagogue, in time vanished from the horizon. They were eventually swallowed up by Judaism or gnosticism. The historical record of the early Christians indicates clearly that the First Day became the Christian day of worship - the Lord's Day. "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight" - Acts 20:7. Barnabas, one of the Apostolic Fathers of the First Century A.D., writes: "We keep the Lord's Day with joyfulness, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead." The "Didache of the Apostles," one of the earliest Christian documents also of the First Century, which contained the teachings of the Apostles, states: "On the Lord's own day gather yourselves together and break bread and give thanks." Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, in the year 110 A.D., says: "Those who walked in the ancient practices attain unto newness of hope, no longer observing sabbaths, but fashioning their lives after the Lord's Day, on which our life also rose through Him, that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ, our only teacher." Justin Martyr, in the year 135 A.D., says: "Sunday is the day on which we all hold common assembly, because it is the first day on which God having wrought a change in the darkness and matter made the world, and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. And on the day called Sunday all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place and the memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits." These are just a few of the historic documents of the early Church relating to the subject. To maintain as some do that the observance of the first day of the week as the Lord's Day was instituted by the Popes or Constantine the Great in the fourth century, is to betray a basic ignorance of New Testament facts and to fly in the face of the recorded history of the Christian Church. What happened is that Constantine the Great, so-called, upon accepting Christianity, enacted in 321 A.D. the first "Sunday Law," making for the Roman Empire the Sunday observance obligatory. But that was already the practice of Christians since the days of the Apostles. The Sabbath Versus Sunday Issue The Jews of the Western world often find themselves in a peculiar predicament. Their Gentile neighbors work on the Sabbath and take Sunday off for worship, if believers; or pleasure, if unbelievers. The Jew closely integrated in the economic and social pattern of life, is forced often to work on the Sabbath and to relax on Sunday. If he is to worship at all he may have to do it on Sunday. It has therefore become a practice at least among some reformed Jews to hold "Sabbath" services on Sunday. Conversely Jewish Christians in Israel are faced with the same problem in reverse - observing "Sunday" on Saturday. In the new State of Israel the believers live in a Jewish economy. The Sabbath is the legal day of rest. Sunday is a work day like every other day. Most believers are therefore unable to foregather on Sunday and consequently have to worship the Lord, attend services and pray on the Sabbath. To insist that the Hebrew Christian should not work on Sunday would mean to jeopardize his already precarious existence. Shall we judge him for that? The position of the Hebrew Christian today closely parallels that of his believing ancestors of the early Church. We could not do better than follow the Apostle Paul who gives us very clear guidance in this matter. "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself" (Romans 14:5-7). The keeping of the Lord's Day dedicated to divine worship and witness is a godly, wholesome, and altogether commendable practice, refreshing for the body, and quickening to the spirit. Furthermore it is based on the example and practice of the first Christians according to Scriptural and post-Scriptural testimony. Yet our salvation does not rest upon the observance of any particular day, be it Saturday or Sunday. The point in all these matters which we must bear in mind is this: our salvation rests entirely and uncompromisingly on the finished work of Calvary. Salvation is what the Lord has done and not what we do. We can neither add nor subtract, only accept it in faith. In the State of Israel the Jewish believer may wish out of loyalty to his people to observe the Sabbath, or to practice circumcision, or to refuse to eat pork. So long as he does not make this a question of salvation it matters little. Said the Apostle Paul: "Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews" (1 Corinthians 9:20). A Rest to the People of God The Lord's Day is a day of spiritual rest. Not a day of idleness, nor of man-enforced prohibitions, but a day when "peace like a river" floods the soul. This kind of Sabbath is unknown to the Jew, but it is the blessed experience and heritage of the child of God who has found rest and peace in the Messiah of the Jews, the Lord Jesus Christ. "There remaineth therefore a rest (a Sabbath) to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief" (Hebrews 4:9-11). The Liberty Wherewith Christ Has Made Us Free Those of us who have been raised under the Law know the deadening effect of the Law. "The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life." How pathetic and misguided are some Christians who would induce anyone, Jew or Gentile, who has known "the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free" to take upon themselves again the burden of the Law. With the Apostle Paul, we feel like saying: "O, foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?" Years ago in Poland when I was a little Jewish boy of about five years, I remember "the Melamed," the teacher of religion, as he led by the hand little recalcitrant boys to "Cheder," the religious school of instruction. There the children were taught the Hebrew alphabet and the rudiments of The Scriptures. The Apostle Paul had a very similar picture in mind when he said, "Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). The word for schoolmaster in Greek is "paidagogos," literally, "The one who leads the boy." The Law of Moses has led us by the hand to Christ. Only one who has lived under the Law and has come to know the liberating power of grace, may sing: "Free from the law, O happy condition! Jesus hath bled, and there is remission; Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all." Religious Performance in Light of God's Grace Religious Performance in Light of God's Grace RELIGIOUS PERFORMANCE IN LIGHT OF GOD'S GRACE Pastor Russell Eugene Walden, Sr. Bunkie, Louisiana I learned about grace at eleven years of age, sitting on the front porch of my grandparent's farmhouse. It was a turn of the century structure with steep gables with an outhouse, and a fresh water well just outside the kitchen window. farmhouse. Grandma Birdie was my widowed grandfather's second wife. When she met John Walden she was known as "an old maid evangelist." Grandma travelled the byways of the Midwest during the depression years preaching under an open air tent by night, and teaching morning meetings using a twenty-five foot hand painted chart of Finnias Dake's plan of the ages. My father and mother would drive us three boys from our hometown of Clinton, Mo., across the Grand river bottoms to a little hamlet called LaDue, Mo. There, three blocks down a gravel paved main street stood my Grandparent's home. Every summer weekend we would while away Saturday afternoon under the caress of a cool Mid-western breeze. My father was a young pastor, and grandma would sit for hours and discuss the scriptures with him, while I dozed on the floor amid my scattered toy cars and trucks. On this particular day I was absent-mindedly picking up on their conversation when Grandma said something that I have never forgotten. "Roy," she said solemnly to my father, "Prayer without the Word, leads to fanaticism." pausing, she let her words find their mark. Dad nodded, mumbling his affirmation. She continued, "And the study of the Word without prayer results in legalism." Now I had never used those ten dollar words, "fanaticism," or "legalism" in all my eleven years. However, the depth of conviction with which she spoke made the tiny hairs on my neck stand up and salute. Something profound has been said, and I pondered its meaning. Not bold enough to interrupt their ongoing conversation, I sorted out her wisdom in my own musings. The word without prayer, I surmised, must have something to do with making what God says, more important that God himself. Therefore you have to have both, I concluded, reading of the word and prayer to have a right walk with God. Going too far either way would lead you off track. From that memory, and from countless sermons and lessons on God's grace I have meditated on His Grace and the basis of our relationship to the Father. A PRACTICAL DEFINITION OF GRACE "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Romans 5:19) The grace of God is that quality within Himself by which He provides you a basis of approach to His throne. The term "God's grace" has been defined as His "unmerited favor." Unmerited favor implies that God's acceptance of you as a believer is on a basis other than your performance. That basis of acceptance is found in the context of who Jesus is and what He has done rather than who you are or what you have done. The access He affords you to His Person, His family, His resources, and His kingdom, has nothing to do with your personal performance. This is the message found along the Roman Road (Rom. 1:1 - 8:1). Paul was continually criticized for this stand, because the gospel of Grace when you teach it right, will always sound wrong to the religious mind. GRACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS Right-standing with the Father is s primary benefit of grace. It is a faith based, rather than a law based provision. The Legalist's rightstanding is law and precept oriented. The Legalist subscribes to an outward standard of conformity, as his approach to God. Legalism imposes upon you an ethical and moral requirement that is held to be the basis upon which God works in your behalf. If you fail to measure up to the standard, you are then outside God's grace. Common expressions that are root in legalism groups are "you are saved by grace, but you have to work to keep it," "God only helps those who help themselves," etc., etc. WHAT ABOUT THE LAW? Remember that God's dealing with the nation Israel did not begin with the law. His first involvement with Israel came in his relationship to Abraham. The law was not handed down till Moses, over four hundred years later. A group that is intensely committed to some standard of outward conformity as a basis of approach to God's favor must see that the ground upon which the Patriarch Abraham walked with God. This was not according to laws and precepts, but according to principles of faith in the context of a personal relationship with Jehovah. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24) Legalism legitimizes itself pointing back to the Old Testament. In Galatians you see that the law is intended to be your school master to bring you to Christ. The law is God's accommodation of fallen man's assertion of his equality with His person. By seeking to obey the law, man is faced with his own helplessness to fulfill it in its entirety. Thereby God has trained man over and over through the sacrifices that blood was the only remedy for his failure. The law's perfection, brings imperfect man to self realization, to deep understanding of his spiritual bankruptcy outside of Christ. WHAT ABOUT HOLINESS? In God's grace, your standing in Father's family is relationship oriented. It is based on ongoing relationship to Jesus through the indwelling Spirit of God. The effect of that indwelling Spirit will mortify the man of sin (the flesh or the old man) and produce true holiness, not just the outward appearance achieved by religious performance. Your access to God is not based on who you are or what you have done rather on who Jesus is and what He has done. The traces of legalism today are unmasked in any system, personality or doctrine that qualifies access to God's favor by outward conformity to an established standard rather than by inward relationship to Jesus Christ. INWARD YIELDENESS VS. OUTWARD OBEDIENCE If God provides you a standing in his family on the basis of your personal efforts, then there is no need for grace. Salvation then becomes a reward rather than as the scriptures teach, a free gift. In the New Covenant however, God does not ask only for your obedience, but for your person. He wants you not to give Him outward acts, but inward yieldedness. He wants more than outward performance, He wants personal abandonment to Himself. Justification (the reversal of the effects of sin on your personal relationship with God) is then imparted not to the man who gives outward obedience, but to the man who offers himself to God in faith irrespective of the condition of his outward life. Then the obedience will be produced out of your relationship with Him. The standing with God that a hypothetically sinless life would obtain, is actually provided to man on the basis of his faith in God's performance, rather than his own personal performance. Yet it must be seen that in that faith stand before the Father is the power to live a life free from sin. Under the new covenant, sin is not ignored, it simply is removed from God's consideration as to whether or not He accepts you in his family. Yet having that acceptance it goes without saying that his disapproval of sin will result in Him bringing conviction, forgiveness and repentance into your life to deliver you from sin. LET US SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? If your access to God's person and His Kingdom is on the merits of Jesus Christ's righteousness then can you abandon all restraint and live according to the dictates of your flesh? No, not at all. When you approach the Father with an honest and open heart, you will be changed. You will come to personify in varying degrees of maturity, God's holy, righteous character. COME BOLDLY BY THE BLOOD "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) A vast number of Christians know nothing of the true benefits of God's grace. Their noses are to the grindstone, milling out their religious performance, in vain hopes of earning standing with the Father that only the blood of Jesus affords. Restoration of intimacy with the Father can be yours as you once again, or perhaps for the first time cross the bridge of blood that is your only access to Father's fellowship and provision. Come empty handed, come nakedly. He will clothe you in purple and put a ring of righteousness on your finger. You will find that His acceptance and love will overshadow you as you lay aside every natural effort of trying to earn what His grace has freely provided. Grace Upon Grace Grace Upon Grace GRACE UPON GRACE By Ellen Zaretsky From THE JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER If you said to the average Christian, "Isn't it wonderful how God extends his grace to people in the New Testament?" you would probably get an immediate affirmation of, "Yes, it is!" But if you said to the same person, "Isn't it wonderful how God extends his grace to people in the Old Testament?" the response might be less immediate or less positive. Some in the non-Jewish Christian community have a negative view of the Old Testament. Dr. Ronald Allen, professor of Hebrew Scriptures at Western Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary, proposes some reasons for this: 1. The Gentile Christian community has distanced itself from Jewish culture. Because the earlier portion of Scripture is called the Old Testament many regard it as passÄ, viewing only the New Testament as "relevant" Scripture for today. 2. Attempts to magnify New Testament grace have led to a steady demeaning of God's grace in the Old Testament. Some feel that in order to show God's rich grace in Jesus they must negate the existence of grace before Jesus came, or at least show it as having been intermittent. This can lead to a theory of two different Bibles, with two almost different Gods: the vindictive Old Testament Judge who manifests no grace; and the merciful New Testament Father who manifests much grace. Dr. Allen describes this fallacy as "thinking wrongly about God because we have not thought rightly about Scripture." God extended his grace in both Testaments. While he revealed his grace to the fullest in the New Testament coming of Y'shua (Hebrew for Jesus), his grace is also displayed throughout Old Testament Scriptures. "Hesed" God is a God of "hesed". The Hebrew Scriptures use the noun hesed to describe God's grace, manifested as loyal love, in his relationship to his people Israel. No single English word can cover all that hesed implies. Various scholars have translated it as "kindness," "mercy," "unfailing love," "lovingkindness," "love," "steadfast love" and "the loyal love Yahweh had for his people." In 176 out of the 245 times that the word hesed is used, the New American Standard Bible translates it as "lovingkindness." God's Grace in the Call of Abraham God chose Abram and called him to leave his country, his relatives and his father's house for a new land to be given him (Genesis 12:1). God did not choose Abram because he was particularly good or holy, nor even because he was young and able to sire-many children. God chose Abram merely because of hesed. While neither the word "grace" nor "hesed " appears in the description of God's relationship with Abram, the concept of God's grace in choosing him is clear (cf. Romans 4:3-4). God not only chose Abram to be his own, but also promised to make of him a great nation in whom the entire earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3). God's grace was to be extended not only to one nation, Israel, but to many! God's Grace in the Exodus Abraham's seed through Isaac and Jacob multiplied greatly (Exodus 1:7). During a four-hundred-year period in Egypt the family became a people and the people a nation. God had chosen Israel, but she was not yet in her own land. The new Pharaoh saw the Israelites as a menace, so he enslaved them (Exodus 1:9-10). In their bondage the Israelites cried out to God because they had a relationship with him "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob... and God knew their plight." (Exodus 2:24-25) God called Moses to deliver Israel. After the ten plagues Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go, but as they began their exodus Pharaoh had second thoughts and pursued them. But God delivered his people. He parted the waters for their escape and drowned their enemies. Certainly that physical deliverance was a manifestation of God's magnificent grace! In Exodus 15:1-17 we read Israel's hymn of confession as they celebrated that mighty act of divine grace. Verse 13 is particularly important: "Thou in thy mercy ["hesed", also translated lovingkindness] hast led forth the people whom thou hast redeemed; thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation." God's deliverance of his people from Egypt made such an impression on Israel that it became central to Jewish faith. Many Jewish liturgies and songs recall the Exodus (cf. Psalm 76:6; Psalm 77:14; Psalm 78:12-16; Psalm 105:23-45; Psalm 135:8-9). Perhaps the best example is Psalm 136, the "Great Hallel" song. The antiphonal response, "for his hesed (mercy) endureth forever," occurs twenty-six times. Why did God choose Israel, deliver her out of Egypt and extend to her his love and mercy? It was not because Israel was impressive in size, nor because God knew how fortunate he would be to have her as his people, nor because Israel was so submissive and obedient. It was not because of the people's merit at all. It was because of God's hesed-his faithfulness and love. "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God... above all people... upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people: for ye were the fewest of all people. But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers... Know, therefore, that the LORD thy God... keepeth covenant and mercy [hesed... to a thousand generations... (Deuteronomy 7:9) And even when Israel was unfaithful in her role as God's agent to minister to the nations, God did not rescind his hesed toward her. Grace in the Law The first five books of the Bible are commonly known as the "Law of Moses." Most Christians do not think of the Law as a setting for God's grace. Instead they automatically think of the restrictions and obligations placed on Israel. Leviticus is often the first book that comes to mind when we think of the Law, because there we find the dietary laws, the sacrificial system and many other regulations. But the Law, or Torah, is much richer and fuller in meaning. Far from being a legalistic code or a hypothetical means of earning one's salvation, the law was a means of maintaining fellowship with Yahweh-not the grounds of establishing it. The same law that demanded a standard of holy living equal to the character of God Himself also made provision for failure under the law by forgiveness and atonement of sin. The context of every and any demand of the law was the atmosphere of grace: "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt." (1) "Torah" is derived from the Hebrew word "yara" meaning "to teach." The idea is "to point out with a finger the path one should walk." Rather than mere rules and regulations, Torah was God's instructions to Israel for life. It included commandments and "laws," but in its greater sense it was given to point the way for Israel so that she might get to where she needed to be in order to fulfill God's purpose for her. Seen in this light, Torah is God's gracious provision of direction for his people. God had already established a relationship with Israel. He had called her out and delivered her from her oppressors. But if he had stopped there how would his people have known how to live and how to relate to him, to each other and to strangers? God gave the Law out of hesed, to direct Israel in her relationship with him. God had already established that relationship before the formalizing of the Covenant at Sinai. We see this in the preamble to the Decalogue: "And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." (Exodus 20:1-2) "Hesed" in the Golden Calf Apostasy You would think that in response to God's "hesed" Israel always would have delighted in her relationship with him, would have lovingly responded to him and sought his instructions. Not so. Exodus 32 describes a great apostasy even as God talked with Moses on Mount Sinai and gave him the divinely written tablets of stone. The Israelites were not waiting patiently for God's instructions. "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down... the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said... Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses... we know not what is become of him... and all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he... fashioned it with an engraving tool, after he had made it a melted calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 32:1- 4) Out of his "hesed" God had called Israel and loved her as a husband loves a wife. And while he was preparing his loving instructions for her, she was unfaithful. God was angry and punished Israel. Yet he did not forsake her, because he is a God of mercy and loyal lovingkindness. We read one of the early declarations of God's character, his hesed, soon after the golden calf incident: "And the LORD passed by before him [Moses], and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious [from Hebrew hen] long suffering and abundant in goodness [from Hebrew rav hesed, great loyal lovingkindness] and truth. keeping mercy [hesed] for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty..." (Exodus 34:6-7a) God did not wash his hands of his people Israel. He judged, but he forgave. He called his people back and loved them with everlasting "hesed". Grace in the Sacrificial System Many Christians approach Leviticus and the sacrificial system with an attitude of, "Isn't that awful! It's all law and no grace. What a load of restrictions God put on the Jewish people! I'm glad I don't have to do all those things to have a relationship with God!" Actually, the sacrificial system was grace. By it, God provided the means of dealing with sin. The offerings were a pathway for lawbreakers, who knew God and were already in relationship with him because of his hesed. The offerings remind us of God's holiness and the fallenness of the people who know him. The sacrificial system was a means graciously provided by God for the life of his people; not a way to gain life, but a gracious provision for those whom God had made his own. Even such matters as sin offerings were never seen as any kind of meritorious works. A sin offering is the acknowledgment that one has sinned. The animal's death is a symbolic appeal to the Lord to accept one's confession of guilt and grant the forgiveness he has promised. To perform such a sacrifice is an act of faith that trusts in God's offer. (2) God's grace is demonstrated another way in the sacrifices. Some sacrifices were peace and communal offerings that entailed feasts and celebrations for the community. The people made their offerings to God, but then they got to eat the "goodies!" Here God's grace is seen in Israel's times of joy and celebration. Grace Upon Grace The Hebrew Scriptures speak of a God of grace! Out of his "hesed" (lovingkindness) he chose a people, not only for their own sake, but also for a divine mission. Through them God would extend his love to all peoples. To understand this better we need to look into the New Testament. The New Testament "Charis" Throughout the New Testament one word, "charis", is used for grace. In classical Greek "charis" had three basic meanings: (a), a charming quality that wins favor; (b), a quality of benevolence that gives favor to inferiors; and (c), a response of thankfulness for the favor given. (3) The second meaning commended "charis" for New Testament use, to indicate God's benevolence toward sinners. In later Greek, "charis" also carried the sense of force or power. Charis came to signify "good-will" and "kindness," often with the idea that the favor was undeserved. The Hebrew word "hesed" comes closest to the New Testament concept of grace, as hesed suggests steadfast love, loyal lovingkindness, and most often God's freely given commitment to love. (3) It [hesed] is the character and conduct typical of Cod within the covenant he freely made with Israel. The kind of spontaneous generosity with which he responds to the people of his covenant is a harbinger of the grace that appeared bringing salvation to all people in Christ. (3) Yes, "hesed" in the Hebrew Scriptures foreshadows the filler meaning of "charis" in the New Testament. God's character did not change, and "his hesed [mercy] is everlasting..." (Psalm 100:5b). The Apostle John as a Hebrew Thinker The Apostle John was a Jew. He thought and spoke as a Hebrew, not as a Greek. John began the prologue to his Gospel with, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." He probably used the words "In the beginning" to draw his readers back to Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Scriptures, which starts with that identical phrase. In talking about the "Word" John used the word Logos, which usually meant speech or reason and would have been familiar to Greeks. But again the Hebrew thinker would have thought back to Genesis and other portions of Torah as "the Word" draws a parallel with the Hebrew "davar Adonai", "the Word of the Lord." It also draws us to the oft-repeated "Vayomer Adonai", "and God said." The Word is God's Word. Psalm 33:6 states, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." Again this draws the Hebrew thinker back to Genesis and Creation. In chapter 1, verses 4 and 5 of his Gospel, John continued to use words with a Genesis connection: "life," "light" and "darkness." In verse 14, "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," John takes us back once again to an Old Testament image of God tabernacling with his people. The Hebrew verb "skaina" means "to pitch one's tent" or "to tabernacle." John parallels the beautiful portrayal of God having a relationship with his people Israel in their very midst, when his "glory filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34). John was a Hebrew thinker who wrote from his own frame of reference and culture. In light of his Jewishness, consider his words in John 1:14-17 about grace and truth and law. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory,... as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth... And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John's statements are full of good news - and grace! But are we to take verse 17 to mean that only law and no grace was given through Moses, whereas grace and truth came for the first time through Jesus? I believe not. Perhaps the use of the Greek word "nomos" for "law" is part of the reason that some misunderstand the intent of that verse. Nomos does mean a legal system of rules and regulations. But John did not write from a Greek perspective. He wrote from his Jewish background and perceptions. When John wrote "law" he would not have been thinking "nomos", but Torah. And Torah, "the Law," was God's instruction to guide Israel in the way of life: Deuteronomy 30:15: I have set before thee... life (Torah); Jeremiah 21:8: Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I set before you the way of life (Torah); Psalm 16:11: Thou wilt show me the path of life (Torah). The Law (Torah) was given to Israel to bestow life. It was an expression of God's love (hesed). John was saying that there was grace in Torah, even in all of Old Testament history, which was God's instruction to Israel for life! John did make a true statement when he said, "The Law [Torah] was given through Moses," but there was great grace in Torah. The Torah was given by God through Moses. It was not Moses' Law, but God's. Moses was the mediator, not the lawgiver. If we attack the Law as a set of impossible demands rather than the grace of God for Israel's life, we do not merely attack Moses, but God himself. Yes, the second part of John 1:17 is true. Grace and truth did come through Jesus Christ. He embodies grace and truth. He is what grace and truth are all about! We don't want to contrast law and grace. If we say that there is no grace in the Law, then we must say that there is no truth in it either. John 1:17 actually expands verse 16, "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." Y'shua embodies God's grace in its fullest, and those of us who have come to the Savior have received from this fullness! It is grace upon grace. In God's Law given through Moses there was great grace, but in Y'shua there is greater grace! There is grace upon grace given through the Son. It is a concept of "better over good," not "good over bad." Old Testament grace may seem dim in comparison to New Testament grace, because New Testament grace in Jesus is so great. Y'shua is "the Light of the world" and all who follow him shall have the light [instruction] of life that overshadows all other light. The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we beheld his glory, full of grace and truth. What God did before, He now does better. The glory of God was there when he "dwelt among us" or "tabernacled with us," but now we behold God's glory as he dwells with us in Y'shua who is "full of grace and truth." And best of all, everyone has free access to this grace of God, (His hesed) whether they are Jews or Gentiles. (1) Walter C. Kaiser, "Toward an Old Testament Theology", p. 63 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978) (2) Ronald M. Hals, "Grace and Faith in the Old Testament", p. 66 (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1980) (3) Geoffrey Bromiley, Ed. "The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia", Vol. Two, E-J pp. 548-553 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 1982) Aren't We Grateful? Aren't We Grateful? AREN'T WE GRATEFUL? By Connie J. Walters Compuserve Network "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction." (Psalm 103:2-6) "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:10-14) What sweet music to our mortal ears! Our loving father continually extends His grace to us! I am so vividly reminded of occasions during my childhood when Papa pitied me following misbehavior on my part and did not punish me according to what I deserved. I was a strong-willed child, ever determined to have my way. He would place me on his lap, smile, kiss me, and say "don't ever do that again. If you do, I'll spank you." His touch, smile, kiss, and hug assured me of his love. Wonderful man that he was, Papa, too was a mere mortal. There were those times when he seemingly lost control, at my expense, and really let me have more than my share of punishment. My most painful reminder is of a very warm, humid summer day in Oklahoma, sun beaming down mercilessly. We lived in a rural area on what would be considered a small farm. Though no stranger to field work, it held no choice spot in my heart. Papa had assigned chores to be done that day. Ed, my brother, was to plow and I was to plant. I knew in my heart, as instructions were given, that I would not fulfill this task. I never was one to say "I won't do this or that," but was, however, known to find ways to weasel out of the task at hand. Beans, an ever present offering at mealtime, were the item to be planted. I had grown weary of this form of nourishment, so why should I contribute to producing more of them? My childish reasoning prevailed. I planted them all in one spot and quickly went to park under my favorite shade tree. There I laughed within myself, taking great delight in what I had done. When my mischief was discovered, Papa went into a rage, His humanness prevailed. Many of us can relate as parents. At times we discipline in the Spirit, and at other times our frustration leads us to punish our children excessively, determined to straighten them out or teach them a lesson. Not so with the Father, He extends His grace to us, not condoning our sin, but covering it with the blood of Jesus. He pities us, knows we are dust, and grants us an opportunity to come to Him, restore our fellowship and again walk in the Spirit. He never punishes according to what we deserve. Aren't we grateful? Were it so. Calvary would be of no value and death would be our fate. My spirit soars when I am reminded that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) My heart is again grateful when I am reminded that "you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in His sight. (Col. 1:21-22). Us--holy, blameless and irreproachable? Thanks be to God! This passage alone should cause us to be ever moved with compassion toward those whose minds the god of this age has blinded. (II Cor. 6:4a) or those who have left their first love. (Rev 2:4) We readily accept His grace to us, yet we often deal harshly with the backslider or become indifferent to those who have not yet come into the knowledge of His saving grace. Is it any wonder that David said "I am in great distress, Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (II Sam. 24:14). David knew that "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:20). "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Col 3:3-7). Therefore, we must extend His kindness, love and grace to all others. Numerous times throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus was moved with compassion as He always responded to needs in the lives of those He encountered. The love of Christ in us should also move us with compassion. Just as Jesus saw the multitude as sheep without a shepherd, so we must have compassion and point them to the Good Shepherd. "Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25). Studies New In Christ New In Christ The NEW IN CHRIST column is dedicated to the basic teachings of Biblical Christianity. We began this column in Volume 1.1 and have chosen to repeat some of our early articles, beginning with this issue, as it is our premier hard copy edition and will reach many new readers. In this and next month's issue, NEW IN CHRIST will focus on what it means to be "born again" into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Future issues will deal with other topics. The editorial staff at MORNING STAR encourages all readers to use this information to witness to those who don't know Jesus and to help new Christians grow in their walk with the Lord. WHY DO I HAVE TO BE "BORN AGAIN"? (Part 1 of a 2-part article) By Toby Trudel One of the most shocking truths a person finds as they begin to seriously read the Bible, is that no one who sins can get into Heaven. Not one of us! (1 Corinthians 6:9) The Bible also states if you try to live by God's laws yet break just one of them, you are as guilty as if you broke them all. (James 2:10) Now, don't think that anyone has ever gotten off the hook by never sinning, for the Bible also says that we have all sinned. (Romans 3:23) This seems to cause quite a problem for us, as the price we have to pay for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) Not just physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God forever, in a very real place called Hell! The Bible also informs us that there is nothing we can do on our own to pay the penalty for sin, or to escape God's judgment. God laid down the law that the wage of sin is death. All individuals have sinned and therefore face death, and God cannot change His rules. If He did, He would be going back on His Word, and this He will not do. (Titus 1:2) The debt of our sin (death) still has to be paid or we cannot get into heaven. No human, man or woman, can pay the bill for anyone else, after all, being debtors ourselves we cannot pay off each others debts. Our good deeds cannot pay the debt either. The Bible says such attempts are like offering filthy rags before God. (Isaiah 64:6) What chance do we have then? Fortunately, God loves us enough that He gives us one opportunity to escape our unpleasant destiny. This is where Jesus comes into the picture. He came to earth, born by a miracle of God to a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-23) As such, he did not inherit the sin nature, which is passed down from one human generation to the next. Jesus lived His entire life without sinning, and so became the only person in history qualified to die and pay the debt of our sin. He died an agonizing death by crucifixion, then came back to life after being buried for three days, (as He said He would do), to prove He was God, and show that there is life after death. A lot of people have heard much of this teaching at some point in their lives but never understood how it applies to them personally. Many grew up with the rules and ceremonies of a religion which had little or nothing to do with Jesus dying on the cross for their sins. Just what is the connection between what Jesus did in the first century, and people today in 1993? Did Christ die so that everyone automatically goes to heaven? Or is there something specific we must do individually, in order for this payment of debt to apply to ourselves? Looking in the Bible, you will find that although Christ died so we could get to heaven, Scripture does not say that everyone has a free ride regardless of what they do with their lives. Jesus Himself told us what the condition was that we must meet in order to get into heaven. In fact, he was emphatic about it being the ONLY way to get in! In the Gospel of John, chapter 3 verse 3, he made it clear, when He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God". Many who have read the New Testament don't realize the great significance of these words spoken by Christ. This is why Jesus said so few people find the way to heaven. (Matthew 7:14) Here is the answer to the single most important question in life! (How do I get to heaven?) But what did Jesus mean by the term "born again"? The answer to this question is found in the New Testament. According to God's Word, to be "born again", a person must; 1. Understand that he/she is a sinner who needs a Saviour 2. Repent (agree to turn from) all sin as God defines it. 3. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord of your life. God says if you do this, (for real, with all your heart, as you cannot fool Him), you will end up living in heaven forever. (... if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9) If you do not accept God's "born again" way to heaven, you will still live forever... only not in Heaven. This then conversely answers the important question, How do I get to Hell? The answer is, You don't have to do a thing, just go on with life as is and you automatically qualify! To "repent" however, does not mean simply asking for forgiveness for certain bad things you have done. Asking for forgiveness is only part of repentance. True repentance means turning from sin. And the desire for this turning is the product of becoming a believer. This means ALL sin! Not what you or someone else thinks is sin, but what God says is sin in His Word. (Colossians 2:8, 1 Timothy 6:3, 1 Corinthians 3:9 & 4:3,4) This will most likely result in a dramatic change in lifestyle for many people, and will be noticed, (as well as criticized), by those who know you. (1 Peter 4:4) If someone thinks repentance is some type of half hearted effort to "try and be a better person", "turn over a new leaf", or "change a few bad habits", they are mistaken! It doesn't matter how committed you are to such concepts. (Romans 10:2,3) The Bible teaches repentance involves a 100 percent turning from all sin as God defines it, whether you "agree" with it or not. You have to surrender your will to God. This is what Jesus taught concerning "dying to one's self". (Matthew 16:24) The New Testament letters explain clearly how your old self dies to your old values, beliefs, thought patterns and behaviors. You are reborn into a brand new life empowered to follow all of God's teachings. (And only His!) Although this isn't a "complicated" process, IT IS a huge step for anyone that is serious about it. Jesus said a person should take a good look at those things in his or her life that contradict with God's Word. He compared it to a general reviewing all the facts before deciding to enter a battle. (Luke 14:27-33) If a person says he or she can repent but refuses to read what the Bible says about sin, or justifies sin by saying it doesn't apply in this day and age, they are in opposition to what the Lord has to say, and there is real doubt as to whether or not they have accepted the gift of salvation. God is very clear that we are not to be unwise but to be aware of what He expects of us. (Ephesians 5:17) Jesus told the religious leaders of His day that their teachings were in error due to their lack of knowledge of God's Word. (Mark 12:24) He also stated that the Word of God never changes, to even the slightest degree, (Matthew 5:18), and that heaven and earth may pass away, but His word never would. (Matthew 24:35) The Bible tells us that Christ and the Word of God are one and the same, and that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8, John 1:1) God the Father never changes to any degree either. (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17) There is no "gray area" with respect to God's Word changing with the times. The Bible says it does not! New Testament Studies New Testament Studies This issue features the eleventh in a series on the Epistles of John. This is the first study in 2 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. "LOVE CAN MEAN SAYING 'NO!'" 2 John 1-6 by Pastor Geoffrey Kragen Janette (my wife) and I are not exactly social butterflies. Also, I wouldn't put hospitality at the top of the list of gifts the Lord has given us. Yes, we have people stay over at our place, but these are without exception people who we know and are friends with. It was the late seventies and life was routine. One night Janette came home and announced that she had been talking to this person whom neither of us knew. Anyway, this young lady needed a place to stay. And much to my surprise, Janette suggested we put her up. Now this must have been a request from the Lord. And since Janette suggesting this was on a parallel with the parting of the Red Sea, I agreed. hospitality was not a familiar practice to us then. And it isn't that familiar to many believers today, but . . . The pattern of hospitality once was a standard practice within the Christian world. Many homes had an "Elijah Room." This was a guest room for the traveling pastor, missionary or other needy Christian. However, the practice of caring for these people could be abused. One way was to put-up someone who wasn't a believer, but in actuality was an enemy of the Gospel. John speaks to this situation in his second epistle. Some general comments about the three epistles can be found in the first issue of volume two of Morning Star. As with the first epistle, the accepted author of this epistle is the Apostle John. Here as well, the background problem focuses on the issue of false prophets who were attacking the believers' faith. This and the third epistle are the shortest books in the Bible. Unlike the first epistle, these are written much more like letters. We will take two articles to review each letter. The perspective of this letter deals with a specific concern of the day. John's focus is on the practice of providing hospitality to traveling missionaries. He speaks about how this practice should be carried out in relation to the activities of false prophets. Even today, some believers continue to house traveling servants of the Lord. This practice is not widespread. I remember Dr. J. Vernon McGee always stated he preferred staying at a local motel, where he could have more privacy. However, this epistle presents a more general principle. This relates to how we are to interact with false prophets claiming the name of Christ and asking for hospitality. In previous articles we noted how some Christians think that to be critical or non-supportive of evangelists, regardless of what they teach, is being judgmental, unloving and non-Christian. We can extrapolate from John's comments on hospitality to a general principle on dealing with those who, while representing themselves as Christians, aren't. Speaking of this type of people, John stated: "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us" (1 John 2:19). vs. 1-3: John introduces himself, not by his name, but by his position. He calls himself the Elder. He writes from a position of authority. His readers know from whom the letter came. (The problem for us in reading somebody's personal letters is we don't always have the background of the reader. So, we don't always have enough information to understand everything that is going on. This shouldn't be seen as a problem because no basic doctrine of Christianity is founded on passages that are unclear. This also shouldn't be an excuse to simply say, "I don't understand." Pray and depend on the Holy Spirit for wisdom.) Some commentators believe John is addressing a specific individual. The context, however, supports a view that John is writing to the personification of a local body. The whole thrust of his comments is directed to a group rather than a specific person. John states that he loves this local body. Apparently this group was known to other believers who also loved them. The foundation of this love was truth. John loved in truth. Others loved in truth. The truth was present in all, in John, others and those in the body. What is this truth? The truth of God, salvation, what it means to be a believer, the incarnation. These are all included. The truth is all that is consistent with theological orthodoxy. There is another element of Biblical truth. This is relational truth. By this, I mean truth between believers in relationship. We can only love one another, care for each other, in the midst of truth. If we try to hide ourselves from our brothers and sisters, then we are not living truth in relationship. And, if we are not living truth, then we don't have real relationship. Therefore, we aren't showing God's love. The church has to be a place of transparency. We must give up wearing masks put on to make us look like we have our acts together. Truth and love go hand-in-hand. As with the previous letter, the underlying issue here is the importance of truth and the abuse of truth by heretics. Love cannot be carried out in an environment of compromise with truth. This is why the ecumenical movement that desires "Christian" unity because of Christ's call to love is on the wrong track. Christ doesn't desire a love that sells out to the lowest common denominator of doctrine. This is why He has John warn believers about false prophets. Moving on to the completion of John's greeting, we find the familiar grace and peace. Here John includes a third element, mercy. It is God's grace that is the basis of our salvation. He saved us while we were undeserving. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). He showed us His mercy by caring for us as needy and helpless sinners. We needed forgiveness and we were helpless to do anything to earn it. So God loved us and provided the way of salvation as His gift. Finally, we are at peace with God. Too frequently, when we talk about God's peace, we mean emotional peace. But, in this context, the concern is the end of warfare between God and man. We are no longer in rebellion, but are at peace with God. This peace is a product of the work of Christ on the cross. vs. 4-6: What should be a great joy to us as believers? John's joy comes from the faithful walk of other believers. What is encouraging is that he finds joy even though some of the local community are not being faithful. He says that he finds some of the believers walking in truth. This means that we are not to become discouraged because all those who represent themselves as believers don't prove the validity of that claim in their lives. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them (weeds) up?' 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn'" (Matthew 13:28-30). We are called to judge the message and fruit of those who claim to be believers. However, the final judgment related to salvation can only be made by the Lord. We need to receive joy from the obedient and not allow the disobedient to steal that joy. John, as in his previous epistle, offers the most important command, the command to love one another. This is the final proof of our obedience, our love. What we will see next month is that this church was showing this love with the practice of hospitality. And while they thought they were practicing love, they were not showing discrimination in where they were exercising it. The call to love is also a call to commit to the truth. Christ's command, taught to them from day one, was to love, to love God, and to love others. But the call to live still requires what Dr. McGee always called "sanctified common sense." The message we need to continually reemphasize is that everything we do as believers is to be done in God's love. Each decision we make as individuals must require asking, "Is what I want to do a demonstration of God's love?" Dr. McGee gives some real practical illustrations of love in the life of the individual. "Love is not made in the bedroom -- it is made out there in the laundry room. Does she wash his clothes? Does he bring home his paycheck? Does he support his family: That is the way you express love in the family, and that is the way you express love in the church -- in your concern and in your help for others. You cannot say that you are loving someone unless you have a concern for him, especially a concern with his spiritual welfare." (1) Each decision we make as a local church means asking the same question. "Is what I want to do a demonstration of God's love?" And we must consider that this love has to be grounded in truth. It is only as we show God's selfless love that we become adequate representatives of His presence in a fallen world. The inner condition of the local church is the first issue we must deal with as believers. As my ministry will not be effective if I don't walk consistently with the Lord, so too it is with the local body. We can't minister effectively to within the community if we don't have our perspective on issues properly balanced within the body. We are to love, and to love in truth. John isn't the only one concerned with this issue. Jesus expressed a similar thrust in His letter when He said: "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:1-7). Let us restore the purpose of the church. We are called to make disciples. We are called to hold firm to truth. And we are to do all this, in dependency on the Holy Spirit, in obedience to God's commands to love Him and love one another. Next time we will see that loving one another doesn't mean being doormats to the demands of others who have no concept about real Biblical love. 1. McGee, J. Vernon, "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee," Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, 1983, p. 829. Messianic Studies Messianic Studies The Messianic Studies column explores the world of the Messianic Believer. Like the church at large, Messianic Judaism contains much diversity. It is made up of numerous views as to what it means to be a Jewish follower of Jesus the Messiah, who we are, what we call ourselves and what we believe. This column will be used to explore this variety, giving the reader a broader perspective of this arm of Christianity than found elsewhere. It will also expose those of us who are Completed Jews to the wide spectrum of practice found within the movement. Hopefully we will succeed in helping our Jewish brothers and sisters understand why we follow Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. We also hope that what is provided here will give our gentile readers both a better understanding of their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as the Jewish roots of their own faith. We are expanding this column to also include articles that deal with issues related to Israel and the church. We want to expose teachings that are the basis of anti-Semitism, rejecting the need to witness to Jews, and false teachings related to subjects of interest to Messianic believers. This reflects and expansion of the scope of the column. We hope that this will be of interest to the readers. If you have questions or would like to suggest topics for the column contact us here at Morning Star. This month, we dedicate our Messianic Studies column to a recent article from THE CHOSEN PEOPLE magazine, written by Sam Nadler, President of Chosen People Ministries. ______________________________________________________________________ Not too long ago in Israel, a public argument erupted between the Chief Ashkenazik Rabbi and the Chief Sephardic Rabbi. The matter at hand? Strange as it may seem to the outside observer, the matter that stirred such public passion was the grass growing in the Wailing Wall! It seems over the years, grass has grown in the cracks of the Wailing Wall (the western, outer wall of what was once the Temple). One rabbi said that the grass should be cut and removed. The other said that because the grass was now a part of the Wall, it was sacred and should remain. On one hand, such zeal over every detail of honoring God seems admirable. On the other hand, it is incomprehensible to most secular Jews that anyone, much less two of the world's most influential rabbis, would spend his time arguing about such an issue. However, looking beyond either rabbi's viewpoint, the larger reality to which this controversy points is that when it comes to almost any issue under the sun, we Jews are a people that rarely reach a consensus. The old joke - whenever you have two Jews, you have three opinions - is not so funny when we realize that God created the Jews to be a light to the rest of the world, to be an example of harmony with God that would lead others to want to know Him. Disunity and disagreement are not new to the Jewish people. When there were two brothers, Jacob and Esau, there were two different and divisive opinions. With the 12 tribes, division seemed so inevitable that following Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms: Judah in the south and Israel in the north. To the secular Jews of that day, perhaps this division seemed inevitable and practical. Yet the Lord, who wanted Israel to be His representative, thought differently. God desired the Jewish people to be one people with one heart (Ezekiel 11:19). Since a look at history tells us this is an impossible goal, perhaps there is another place to look - a place that is not revealed in history but IN THE HEART. Unity Begins in the Heart Despite our lofty goals as individuals (or as a nation, or even as Jews), we cannot attain unity as a result of natural circumstances. If we could, certainly by now we would have eliminated war and famine in the world. What many call efforts toward unity are actually concessions to situations (or to common interests), such as when two countries form an alliance against a common enemy. Yet this type of "unity" is only temporal. True unity is more than the art of careful debate and compromise. True unity begins within an individual's heart, where there is a cleansing of hurts and grievances and guilt. Then that person is free to be unified, made one, with another individual ... and another ... and another. Such cleansing can only take place when a person's heart is first and fore most unified with God and cleansed by Him. Only then, when a desire to follow Him is uppermost, does everything else become focused from a new perspective. How can we achieve this unity? How can the average person develop a relationship with God? Can the Law Bring Us into Relationship with God? Does the Law of Moses provide the way for us to achieve this type of cleansed heart and thus be brought into relationship with God? No. The Law of Moses does point the way to a peaceful heart. It does tell us that we should love one another (Leviticus 19:18). BUT THE LAW, BY ITS VERY NATURE, REVEALS OUR OWN INABILITY TO LIVE BY IT. The Law served as a standard to show us that we cannot follow its more than 600 precepts, each of which is required to attain the level of holiness God expects. In and of ourselves we cannot maintain a relationship with God if His standards are this exacting. Yes, God recognized that the Law could only show how people broke the covenant He made with them. Scripture teaches, even more, that when our own relationship with the Lord was broken, our covenant (unity) with one another was broken as well. Unity, it seems, comes first from a relationship with God. This relationship, in turn, allows us AS INDIVIDUALS to have peaceable relationships with others and AS A PEOPLE to have a unity with the God of our fathers. Yet as we see the standards that must be fulfilled to maintain the covenant God has outlined - we also see something else. For the Law, which shows us that we, in ourselves, are unable to be cleansed, also points to God's promised way of cleansing - to A NEW COVENANT. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:30). This new covenant would be an unbreakable one and no longer would be dependent on our powerless efforts to maintain it but rather on WHAT THE LORD HIMSELF WOULD DO in us through His love (Jeremiah 31:31). This new covenant would not be written in tablets of stone, but on the tablets of the heart (Jeremiah 31:32). This new covenant would be one that would unify man to God, neighbors to one another, and the Jewish people to the God of their fathers. Not from the Law - But from Messiah This new relationship with God, this intimate understanding of God, is what people - all people - yearn for at one time or another. This is the only relationship that can fill the God-shaped hole in each person's heart, a hole that is left unfilled by mere religion or philosophy (Jeremiah 31:33). It may seem impossible that we can truly know the Lord, yet through the new covenant, this is what happens. We enter into an intimate relationship with the living God. This relationship is TRUE UNITY, and it is what God promised as a new covenant. Such unity (the new covenant) is found only in a relationship with the Messiah. For He, Yeshua (Jesus), is the embodiment of this covenant. Yeshua promised an unbreakable relationship between man and God. He offered a security beyond the Law (the old covenant). Yeshua alone promised, "I give eternal life to them (those who believe) and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:28). Even more, when Messiah established the new covenant, He provided the internal enablement to live such a life. Messiah promised His disciples that He would send His Ruach ha Codesh (the Holy Spirit) and that His Spirit would give them power to live for God, the power needed to honor Him and to love one another. This unification of individuals with God ... and with one another ... is not dependent on the letter of the Law but on the Spirit of the living God in the heart. Special Studies Special Studies GOD IS REVEALED IN THE ATONEMENT By Dr. Charles Wootten The sole purpose for Jesus' "kenosis", His coming down from Heaven to be our Passover, is the Atonement. Our faith is distinctively a religion of atonement. It gives the death of Christ the first place in the Gospel message. It is not by accident that the cross is our central symbol. Without the meaning of the Cross redemption, atonement, would not be meaningful. What the Cross symbolizes is God's way of dealing with men. The Cross is the meeting point of suffering with love. It is God's way of conquering evil through suffering love. While Jesus was on the Cross we see the world's sin press itself on His loving and holy soul. Sin came from afar -- from the past, the distant, and the future -- and met on Him. He was bearing the sin of the world. And the consuming fire of God's nature (the opposite of the light of His holiness and love) washed over him to burn away the sin of the world. This is the atonement: the way in which Christ's death makes possible the forgiveness of sin. Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." In this discussion we find it much easier to allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves on the meaning of blood atonement. God can speak better than any man-made theology. We find that God told Cain, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7) God is showing that the offer of the right sacrifice would be accepted -- even by Abel. This shows there was no difference between people when it comes to God's requirements for atonement. "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22 along with Exodus 12; Exodus 24:5-8; and Leviticus 1:2-4)." On a voluntary basis the shedding of blood was a portion of the contract with God. Through this blood atonement could be made for every person for any sin, disease, and corruption among the children of God. Leviticus 12:6-8 and Leviticus 14:53-57 are very clear in this regard. In prophecy and in promise atonement has been referred to as being for all men alike whether they be Jew or Gentile. Malachi 1:11 states: ""My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty." (Also see: Isaiah 1:16-20; 11:10; 42:1,6; 49:6,22; 60:3-16; 61:9; 62:2). The remission of sins requires that "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:16-22; cf. also Romans 3:24,25; Ephesians 1:17; I John 1:7). This is the purpose of redemption through the shedding of blood, the atonement. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance -- now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (Hebrews 9:15). "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (I Peter 1:18-19). The blood of the atonement is for salvation from the destroying wrath of Almighty God as exemplified by the fact that "when the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down" (Exodus 12:23)" "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:9-11). "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him" (I Thessalonians 5:9-10). By accepting the blood of atonement we have access to God with the "confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:19-22). "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:14-18). Access to God is the benefit of the hope of redemption through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:6-7). Noah Webster defines justification as the "remission of sin and absolution from guilt and punishment; or an act of free grace by which God pardons the sinner and accepts him as righteous, on account of the atonement of Christ." "For (t)here is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished -- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:22b-26). We who are justified "know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!" (Galatians 2:16-17) Titus 3:4-7 says: "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Thus the blood of the atonement gives atonement for the soul through justification and "not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:11). Christ redeemed men by one sacrifice for sins because He once suffered for sins having died unto sin once by paying only one price. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." The blood of the atonement is as the redemption which bought again something that was sold (cf. Leviticus 25:25). The blood of the atonement is able to deliver from bondage without ransom. The blood of the atonement of Jesus Christ delivers sinners from Satan and sin. Through the blood of the atonement, and all that has been said to this very point, is that God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, is revealed as loving, kind, and forgiving to the sinner by the shedding of blood. The sacrificial blood evinced the sinner's acceptance of the righteous sentence of God's holy law, so that He could be propitious to the sinner. Propitiation is the basis on which God sets forth His own righteousness, and yet pardons men without compromising His own justice and righteousness. God can, through the propitiation of Christ, forgive and be just in justifying the sinner who believes and becomes reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. As J. G. Lawson once said, "The atonement is the scarlet cord running through every page in the entire Bible. Cut the Bible anywhere and it bleeds; it is red with redemption truth." Next month: God is revealed in the Resurrection of Christ. 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 tenth of fourteen messages given by Pastor Geoff Kragen. They were presented at Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln, California. CAN WE TALK? "Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough." (1) Each month at the beginning of this column we record Hebrews 10:24-25 as part of the month's study. We want to examine these verses. The focus of these verses is the importance of "fellowship love." (2) Dr. John MacArthur notes in his study on these verses: "The Jewish readers were having a hard time breaking with the Old Covenant, with the Temple and the sacrifices. They were still holding on to the legalism and ritual and ceremony, the outward things of Judaism." (3) The author of Hebrews is concerned that his readers understand that the real basis for fellowship is the presence of God's love shown to one another. These Messianic believers needed to move their focus from tradition and relationship with the Temple to God's love and fellowship with one another. The most important responsibility we have as believers is to help one another attain agape, acts of love directed to the needs of others. The requirement for fellowship is obvious. We can only practice love in the company of others. (4) Unlike the "some" mentioned in the passage, and we all know some "somes," we aren't to fall into the trap of separatism. By doing so, we disobey the most basic command to love others. It isn't enough to agree to the need to encourage. This still leaves the question, "OK, what do I do?" How do we prepare for encouragement? We have already seen that if we desire to encourage, we have to choose to reach out to people in love with God's truth. However, this isn't the starting place for encouragement. Encouragement can only be carried out in the midst of relationships. This is why the church family is the ideal place to offer God's love to one another. We encourage by directing one another to a deeper relationship with the Lord. As we see that life comes from God, and nowhere else, we grow. And growth is the fulfillment of Christ's command to go and make disciples. However, this isn't the starting place for encouragement. The starting place is developing a mindset that takes ministry, specifically the ministry of encouragement, as a given. Too frequently, we think about ministry as something we do as an add-on to everything else in our lives. We overlook the truth that, as believers, everything we do is ministry and testimony for the Lord. The only real question is: What kind of ministry are we accomplishing? To find opportunities to encourage, we must always be open to the Lord to reveal them to us. People are always in need of encouragement. Most of what we do occurs in the context of some kind of purpose. Even when we relate to others, we do so with the intent of accomplishing something. Now, that something may be as simple as getting past someone without getting entangled in an involved conversation. In fact we may even walk around the block to avoid seeing someone we don't want to talk to. If we desire to be obedient to the Lord, we need to understand our mindset and to make it conform to the purpose of ministering for the Lord. Larry Crabb takes the position that, "Broadly speaking, all our purposes can be sorted into two categories: either we manipulate for our own self-enhancement or self-protection, or we minister for the glory of God and the well-being of others." (5) We need to reprogram our thought patterns. This is exactly what Paul means when he said, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). We need, in a desire to be obedient to the Lord, to develop a mindset that says, "Lord, help me to see the opportunities You are providing to care for others." This is what the author of Hebrews is saying in the passage recorded above. We have to think about the fact we are to encourage one another. Many of us aren't natural encouragers. Therefore, we have to consider, meditate on, pray about, and have an awareness of the need to encourage. Not only do we need to develop a mind-set of encouragement, but we actually have to plan the way we can encourage others. Yes, the Lord can lead us, unprepared, in encouraging someone. However, we read in Hebrews that we are to consider how we can encourage someone. We need to think about it. The first step is to live in expectation that the Lord will provide opportunities. And second, in expecting these opportunities to arise, we must be willing to make the best use of them. It isn't enough to have a mindset of encouragement. We need to have a very important skill. We need to learn to listen to what others are saying. People joke about those of us who counsel. If I ask someone how they are doing, they think, "I wonder what he meant by that?" A serious detriment to effective communication is a lack of listening skills. Why do we have trouble listening? Primarily, we don't listen because we are self-absorbed. We are thinking about what we are going say in response to the speaker. Instead of giving the person attention, our minds are off somewhere else. "Boy, I'll be glad when this is over so I can get home and get something to eat." Or, even more importantly, "I'll miss my favorite TV show if I don't get out of this discussion quickly." Seriously, we don't listen because we might hear something. It is possible that at that moment, we don't want to deal with someone else's burden because we have enough trouble of our own. Or, we may hesitate because we are afraid to take the responsibility of giving someone a suggestion. If they follow it, they may blame us for the results later. So, we don't listen because we are self-centered. This may be the case, even if we were only too distracted to notice that someone was putting out help messages. We need to listen with discernment so we can pick up the help messages. These may be clues that the person isn't even aware of sending. I have a client who is on a computer network. The other day she was writing to a friend and very troubled about something that had arisen. She told the other person she would have to stop writing. Then, being completely unaware of what she was doing, she also wrote "Help Me." We wouldn't usually get that clear a message in recognizing another's need for encouragement. As you observe a friend's demeanor or listen carefully to their words, often they will let you know that they need help. Phrases like, "Ok, under the circumstances," or "So, So," or a personal favorite, "Fair to middling." These can be opportunities to ask, "Yes but, how are you really?" If you know the person well, you can ask outright what is the matter. After thirty years of knowing my wife, I only have to hear the tone of her voice to know something is wrong. We need to be educated listeners. And the Holy Spirit is happy to help us learn. This then, is what it means to prepare to encourage. Step number one is to develop an attitude of expectation. We must look to God, waiting to see what opportunities He places before us. This doesn't mean waiting for a brick to drop on our heads. Let us start the day with a prayer that the Lord will give us the opportunity to minister. Let us pray before meeting with individuals, "Lord let me be sensitive to the needs of this person." And as we pray to be sensitive, let us also be attentive. Let us learn to listen to what people are really saying, and not just their words. As we sincerely desire to help one another, the Lord will give us His discernment, and we will hear what we need to are hear. Then we will find that our lives will be richly blessed, because we commit ourselves to care for one another. 1. Lawrence, J. and Allender, Dan B., "Encouragement -- The Key to Caring," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984, p. 10. 2. MacArthur, John, "The MacArthur New Testament Commentary," "Hebrews," Moody Press, Chicago, IL, 1983, p. 228-229. 3. Ibid. 4. Morris, Leon, "The Expositor's Bible Commentary," "Hebrews," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981, p. 105. 5. Crabb, p. 96. Columns Anee M'Amin Anee M'Amin Anee M'amin is Hebrew for "I believe". Each month this column presents the testimony of a Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus). HANG A LEFT! The testimony of Marcy Lightcap From ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine. My family origin is German, Russian, and Nordic. Both of my parents are Jewish. My immediate family is very small, since each of my parents was an only child and my grandparents had all passed away by the time I was 13 years old. I Consequently, I never heard family stories about grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. The only family picture we had hung on the wall of the living room. My earliest memories were of a gold leaf frame containing the image of a bearded old man, and whenever my friends asked who he was, I teased and said, "He's my great, great, great... grandfather." I wasn't really sure of the family relationship, but every time I entered the door of the living room, that picture stared at me from five feet away. When I was a toddler, we were one of only two Jewish families in our town, so when I was four years old we moved to a larger, predominantly Jewish town where we became acquainted with some of our Jewish neighbors. Soon several families began to spend the Jewish holidays together, and my brother and I attended Saturday school at a local synagogue. We were not taught about a personal God. Instead, we prayed in Hebrew (which I didn't understand) and read stories with good, moral endings. My brother's bar mitzvah was the last occasion on which anyone in my family attended synagogue services. We did continue to celebrate Hanukkah, which was an awkward time of the year because most of my friends were Gentiles and celebrated Christmas. My friends did not know I was Jewish until the holiday season arrived. My family sang the Hanukkah prayers in Hebrew over the menorah, and there were always piles of presents. I knew about the Hanukkah miracle, but I never knew that God was more than a miracle worker. When I was about five or six years old, a neighbor named Heidi asked me to accompany her to vacation Bible school. There I learned songs like "Jesus Loves Me" and "Onward Christian Soldiers," and I memorized the titles of the first five books of the Bible. Over the years Heidi and I became good friends, and I stayed overnight in her home from time to time. In the morning the family always gathered around an open Bible as her father led family devotions. I didn't usually pay much attention, but apparently I absorbed more than I realized. When I was 12 years old, Heidi's family moved away from the neighborhood, and when her mother came to say good-bye to our family, she left a gospel tract behind on my mother's night stand. Shortly after high school I planned to join the Army, and I was given a small green Bible along with other Army paraphernalia. I never did join the Army, but I kept the Bible. Over the next three years I attempted to read it, always beginning at Genesis 1:1, but I never made it past Leviticus. I didn't yet know that Jesus was my God, so I didn't have the Holy Spirit to help me understand His Word. When I was 21, my mother, who was also my best friend, became terminally ill. When I grasped the fact that I would soon lose her, I realized that if I didn't have God to lean on, I wouldn't make it. It was at that time that I committed my life to Christ. I immediately began reading the Bible and felt an increasing hunger to know more about the Lord. Every moment while in my car, I listened to Christian radio stations, and I frequently watched religious shows on television. But I was also confused. How could God have revealed Himself to me? How could I know that Jesus was God? And, most frightening of all, why was I the only Jew in history to believe in Jesus? I was afraid to tell anyone! I battled with pride and felt that I was betraying every generation of my family. My fear and guilt were overwhelming. I didn't understand why Jews were opposed to Jesus, but I knew that if a Jewish person believed in Jesus, he was no longer considered a Jew. After my mother passed away and I moved into my first apartment, I finally felt that I could pursue some outward display of Christianity. Less than 24 hours after moving in, I got out the telephone book, turned to the yellow pages, and looked up "Churches." I was amazed to see over 60 categories of churches, and each category had many listings. I attended several churches in those early days, but none satisfied my spiritual hunger. And I never told anyone in any of the churches I attended that I was Jewish. One evening I was out for a drive with some friends, and we passed a large sculpture on what seemed to be an open field in Deptford, New Jersey. The sculpture had a crown, a cross, and a star of David. I shouted, "Hang a left!" We turned down a one-way drive leading to The Friends of Israel headquarters and began questioning the first person we met. Although we received many good answers, the only one I remembered as we drove away was, "We don't have a church here." I was disappointed and apprehensive about calling The Friends of Israel for more information, but about that time I was looking for a new job, and, for some reason, I had a real desire to work at FOI. I came to the Mission one day and asked if they were hiring. Shortly thereafter I was called in for an interview. Usually at an interview you try to impress the prospective employer with the good qualities and skills you have to offer. That was not the case at FOI. Fred Hartman interviewed me, and, the next thing I knew, Will Varner had given me four books on Bible doctrine from the Institute of Biblical Studies library. We continued to talk for a while and they recommended an area church with a college and career group. When I left the interview, I felt as if I were walking on cloud nine. I had gotten the job, and I knew that I had been chosen to work at FOI for my own benefit as well as for the Mission's. As I attended the semiweekly devotionals at work, services at my church, and night classes at the Institute of Biblical Studies, I gained new understanding about God's love and the wonder of it all. Everyone at The Friends of Israel was pleasant and helpful, and I soon received answers to questions I had been asking for a long time. I was so excited! As I settled into my new job, I continued to ask questions about spiritual matters, and, no matter what the topic, someone either answered my questions or provided reference material that would help. I went home from the staff Christmas luncheon in 1989 bubbling over with the love of Christ, and it was then that I became burdened to tell my father about my newfound faith, where I worked, and why I worked there. I wanted him to know what the Lord had done for me and that He could do the same thing in his life. My Christian friends and co-workers were very supportive, and if prayers can form a blanket that wraps itself around you, that's what happened to me. Although I was scared, I felt absolute peace as I shared the good news with him. I had no idea how he would react, and a few minutes into our conversation he got up and left the room. I thought I had blown it! But, after what seemed like an eternity, he returned and calmly asked me to continue. When I finished, he told me about the man who had stared at me from the gold leaf frame on the wall for so many years. The man was his grandfather, and he was a believer in Jesus who became a minister! Unfortunately, his conversion caused a rift in the family, and, while some of the relatives relocated to Saginaw, Michigan, with him, most disowned him. Some day I'd like to go to Saginaw, find the church my great-grandfather pastored, and dig into the archives. Perhaps I have some relatives there. Recently, while helping my father move, I came across another photo of my great-grandfather, and in this photo he was holding a Bible in his hand. No doubt he prayed for his family through the years, and the Lord has graciously answered his prayers through my salvation. It is now my prayer that God will work in the lives of the rest of my family and bring them to Himself as their Messiah and Lord. Testimony Testimony Dema Ivaschenko was one of two interpreters that REVIVAL FIRES MINISTRIES provided for STRAIGHT PATH MINISTRIES during a recent trip to Russia. (See this month's MISSION FIELD column in the International Section.) Dema's life has been completely changed by the Lord Jesus Christ. His testimony is one of millions who have come to the Lord recently through the work of American outreaches to Russia. FROM RUSSIAN ATHEIST TO CHRISTIAN THE TESTIMONY OF DEMA IVASCHENKO A remarkable fact in my life when I was a 3rd year student of Moscow State Technical University. I was a part of a USA-USSR student exchange program and I was one of those 200 students who were supposed to go to American universities for education. I cannot explain with words how happy I was about that, because it's a dream of any Russian young person to go to the USA, at least to look. I passed all the tests and competitions and they told me to wait till they call me and tell the time and give the tickets. They said it was a done deal. So, you can imagine how frustrated I was when 3 months later, in August 1991, they told me that the US government did not fund the exchange. But now, I praise the Lord for that, because it was a perfect plan for my life. In August 1991, while I was in Moscow waiting for information and doing nothing, I decided to go to a meeting with Americans from the Campus Crusade for Christ organization. I had nothing to do, I needed English language practice and I never heard of Jesus before, so I went there. When I was there I was amazed. After you saw those old ladies in Russian Orthodox Church always weeping about something, it really makes you wonder if it is the same Christianity when you see young men and women happy and singing beautiful songs. I saw that they were intelligent people and they knew something I didn't. They were joyful about something I wasn't. I started studying books they gave me. The books were the New Testament, "More Than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell, and "Jesus." I read those books, some of them 2 or 3 times, because it was very hard for me to believe. Having a logical mind, I needed evidences strong enough, and I got them. Now I know the Holy Spirit lead me at that time, because in two months I gave my heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I never was sorry about that, not even once. My life is also filled with joy and happiness now as never before. I have a lot of friends all around the world. I know that I don't have to worry about things in this life because my Lord will provide me according to His riches and glory. I know that eternity with my wonderful Saviour is waiting for me. What else should a person want! Also, in the summer of 1992, I visited the USA and spoke in Churches all around the country. So by God's grace, my dream also came true. I am happy that I can work for Revival Fires Ministries in their wonderful mission of winning souls for God. I am also one of the fruits of American missionaries' labor. I can tell you that the harvest is ripe and the field is white and we pray that God would send more laborers to Russia while the door is open. During this time of Revival we need to raise up as many of God's soldiers as we can, so the fire would never be quenched. Editor's note: Dema is now the associate director of Revival Fires - Russian Division and also interprets for incoming American preachers. He is an aerospace engineer and interested in going into the ministry. One woman said it best after he interpreted, that Dema has "a pure heart." The above testimony is purely Dema's. There is no "ghost" writing, no "polishing" or even grammar correction. We wanted to keep the testimony as pure as possible. Education Education BIBLE QUIZ 1993-1994 Gospel Publishing House Springfield, Missouri If you have been praying for your teenager to become more disciplined, to build quality relationships through teamwork and friendly competition, and spend more time in the Word of God, the answer is here. It's BIBLE QUIZ! Picture two teams of four contestants each, sitting at the quiz table with hands poised over a buzzer pad. As the quizmaster reads a question, several attempt to buzz in with the answer. The best participants are able to interrupt the question, complete the question, then give the answer. This is the scene throughout America each year in the Assemblies of God, as 7th through 12th graders study one or more books of the New Testament in preparation for local competition. The best teams then progress to regionals and then to nationals. Any church can enjoy the benefits and competition of BIBLE QUIZ. You can always have BIBLE QUIZ as part of a Sunday school quiz class, youth group, or other unofficial forum. To be a part of the Assemblies BIBLE QUIZ competition, however, participants must be active in the Assembly of God church or youth group. The best contestants are also eligible for scholarships at some Assemblies of God colleges. Other scholarships are awarded at national finals. For more information on how you can get involved in BIBLE QUIZ, contact: Gospel Publishing House BIBLE QUIZ 1445 Boonville Avenue Springfield, Missouri 65802 OVERVIEW OF BIBLE QUIZ HISTORY The BIBLE QUIZ program of the Assemblies of God started in 1961 with the study of the book of Acts. The first official quiz year began in the fall of 1962 and concluded with a national competition during the General Council meeting held in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then, thousands of youth have enjoyed the excitement that quizzing offers. The Assemblies of God program is the largest, with more than 6,000 participants. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of the BIBLE QUIZ program is to: 1. Encourage, by systematic study, an in-depth understanding of God's Word among junior and senior high young people; 2. Teach youth to make daily application of the Word by involvement in the program; 3. Motivate youth to memorize the Word; 4. Cultivate, through competition, a proper attitude toward winning and losing; 5. Teach youth to reflect the Spirit of Christ in attitude and action; 6. Provide, through travel and competition, opportunities to expand Christian friendship among other youth; and 7. Provide an opportunity for discipling to take place among youth by sharing activities and experiences with their non-Christian acquaintances. EIGHT-YEAR CYCLE Each year a different portion of the New Testament is studied. This is accomplished in an 8-year cycle covering 16 books of the New Testament. The official year of competition begins each September 1 and concludes with the National Finals held during the summer of the following year. ROLE OF GUIDELINES The guidelines contained in the manual, provided by the Gospel Publishing House, serve as the official guide for BIBLE QUIZ participants, coaches, officials, and BIBLE QUIZ coordinators. While the Official Guidelines attempt to offer rules and regulations on a variety of quiz topics, they neither cover every situation or answer every question. GETTING STARTED SELECT A COACH. The coach is the key to a successful and sustained quiz program who will not only select study times, but also encourage, challenge, and inspire contestants. This person should always remember that his/her role is not to be the star of the team, but to lift up the participants. The coach must be willing to learn along with the contestants. Qualifications should include a desire to study, to work with youth, and to devote a lot of time to the project. He/she should have the ability to communicate, to love, and to understand young people, motivating them toward spiritual goals, not just toward winning matches. A new coach should develop local quiz contacts, including experienced coaches and his district quiz coordinator. A potential coach should pray and seek God's guidance before making a commitment. Someone who feels the Holy Spirit leading him/her into this area of ministry will be more conscientious and will seek the Lord's leadership in directing the team. Quizzing allows a coach to disciple several youth and lead them into a deeper spiritual commitment. Therefore, spiritual maturity is required. For more information on the BIBLE QUIZ coach, consult the Gospel Publishing House (GPH) publication THE COMPLETE BIBLE QUIZ COACH's MANUAL. BUZZ-OFFERINGS, the official BIBLE QUIZ newsletter, also lists additional coaching helps. RECRUIT TEAM MEMBERS A coach should seek out youth who already show an interest in studying God's Word. He/she may also: 1. Post announcements on the bulletin board and in the church newsletter. 2. Personally invite teens who attend the church's youth meetings and Sunday school classes. 3. Ask a coach, contestant, or an entire quiz team from another church to share about the quiz program with your youth group. 4. Attend another team's practice, or take prospective participants to a tournament to observe. COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT BIBLE QUIZ Every year thousands of teens regularly spend hours memorizing God's Word. Pastor, are your teens involved in BIBLE QUIZ? If not, read the following most asked questions about BIBLE QUIZ. Q: Who is eligible to participate? A: Any youth of your church enrolled in grades 7-12 as of September 1. Q: What books do the teens study? A: The quiz teams follow an 8-year cycle covering 16 different New Testament books. Q: How many teens are needed for a team? A: Each team needs a minimum of three participants, but may have a maximum of three alternates. Q: What adult involvement is required? A: At the very least a quiz team needs a coach. Your coach should be a mature Christian, have a love for teens, and have time available for practices and tournaments. Most teams will also want an assistant coach and two or three adults to serve as tourney officials. Q: Where does a team obtain necessary materials and equipment? A: The National Youth Department (1445 Boonville Avenue, Springfield, Missouri 65802) will send you up-to-date information on materials and equipment. BUZZ-OFFERINGS, a newsletter free to head coaches, lists items from both Gospel Publishing House and outside vendors. The most popular GPH materials include (1) the BIBLE QUIZ OFFICIAL GUIDELINES, a manual of rules and procedures; (2) the BIBLE QUIZ STUDY GUIDE, a handbook complete with Scripture text, commentary, and practice questions; and (3) the OFFICIAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, 50 sets of tournament-style questions. If your coach is new to the quiz, be sure to order THE COMPLETE BIBLE QUIZ COACH'S MANUAL. Prison Ministry Prison Ministry As mentioned in the Editor's Letter, this issue of MORNING STAR is the first to be printed in a hard copy, making it available to many people who don't have access to computers or networks. Along with this new venture, we have also embarked on a project to make the magazine available to prison chaplains and inmates across the United States. PRISON FELLOWSHIP in Washington D.C. is working with us to accomplish this. We encourage all of our readers to help "sponsor a chaplain" in this program. Please contact us for more information on how you can help! The staff of MORNING STAR also felt that the addition of a regular "Prison Ministry" column would be a blessing to readers both in and outside of the prison system. The material for this column will be provided by PRISON FELLOWSHIP ministry as well as other sources. In this premiere column, we feature a letter from Chuck Colson, the Chairman of the Board of Prison Fellowship as well as an article by Kerry Green in Riverfront State Prison, New Jersey. Both the letter and article are taken from INSIDE JOURNAL, "The Hometown Newspaper of America's Prisoners" which has given MORNING STAR permission to reprint this material. "... I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matthew 25:36) A MESSAGE FROM CHUCK COLSON By Charles W. Colson Chairman of the Board of Prison Fellowship Dear brothers and sisters in prison, I remember a sultry Late-summer day in 1974. I was in an Alabama prison. Twenty years before, I had been a crew-cut Marine lieutenant. I had risen over the years to a powerful position advising the President of the United States. Now my own spirit was crying out in agony. A prisoner. How could all this have happened? The men with whom I served in the White House-Nixon, Mitchell, Ehrlichman, Haldeman - we were all trapped by our pretensions of power. But here I was now, in the dreary confines of that prison with hundreds of other men trapped by the circumstances of their lives. There must be lessons for my life. At first my thoughts focused on what I saw around me in the prison and in the country. The nation-like the prison-was in darkness; there was anger, bitterness, and disillusionment across the land. I thought of grand reforms. I began to write my thoughts down on paper. And I prayed. God seemed to be saying that the answer to the darkness and anger was within me. My ideas for grand reforms were my plans, not God's. If I wanted to change anything, I had to let Him lead me. I had to submit myself to His plans. After my release, my plans did not include prisons. I never wanted to see razor wire or a chow hall or a CO again. I could make a marvelous living as a lawyer And I would never look back. But I had heard the groaning of the prisoners. I had heard tough men cry in the night. I had seen broken hearts and broken spirits. And I couldn't shake them from my heart and mind. God spoke to me. He gave me the idea of taking prisoners out on furlough for Christian training. That was the beginning of Prison Fellowship (PF). And from that simple beginning, PF has grown to bring 40,000 volunteers to help prisoners and their families. Inside Journal, Angel Tree, Justice Fellowship, marriage and life plan seminars-all grew from that simple beginning. It was God's plan for my life. As one of you-one who worked in a prison laundry and ate mystery meat and suffered from loneliness just like you-I want to challenge you. If you are feeling darkness, bitterness, anger, disillusionment, or rage, I challenge you to submit to God's plan for your life. I challenge you to pray. I challenge you to go to chapel services. (And you can forget the old idea about chapel being full of sissies. The tough prisoners aren't the ones who are pumping iron. The tough prisoners are the ones who will openly say that they are Christians.) The answer to what you feel can be found within you-just as God showed me. If He could take me at the lowest time in my life and use me to begin Prison Fellowship, just think what He could do with you-and the hundreds of thousands of others who are in prison. He's got a plan for you. All you have to do is let Him lead you. You can change the world. "A bruised reed he will not break... In faithfulness he will bring forth justice." (Isaiah 42:3) GETTING THROUGH: DON'T LET DOIN' TIME DO YOU IN by Kerry Green Riverfront State Prison, New Jersey Okay. You're in. The sentencing is over. Guilty or not, the system has you. You're going down, facing the harsh reality of a word called TIME. No person in his right mind can be happy about it. It means separation from the world as you knew it. Loved ones and career are all suspended in a colorless nightmare that won't go away. The DOC routine was set in motion long before you arrived, and will continue without missing a beat long after you leave. The bells, whistles, and the PA systems are no respecter of your desires, wishes, or personal habits. Like it or not, you will conform. You are reminded of the consequences of your misdeeds every morning as you try to mentally escape the endless miles of razor wire, cold steel bars, and the unforgiving concrete. Whatever you were, you aren't now and there is always that guard who's all too quick to remind you that you are just a number. Daily, you are consumed with the frustration, anguish, and helplessness of a lifestyle that pushes a person to the limits of endurance and tolerance. You've probably already lost most everything that really mattered on the outside. Things are deadly serious now. It's no game and it's no joke. You may never be happy for what has happened to you, but there is a way to be happy in your situation. Classification will, hopefully, assign you a meaningful job. There are educational and rehabilitational concerns that really should be addressed. You will eventually find supportive, positive-minded friends - if that is indeed what you are looking for. And yet - even with those meager positive straws to grasp - there seems to be nothing but total, devastating fear and uncertainty surrounding you on every side. There seems to be nobody you can cry out to, no person who can really help. Your fellow inmates offer you the supposed solutions to all of your problems, and even worse, their life is in an even bigger shambles than yours. They, perhaps like you, were madly racing down that same foggy road, ignoring or challenging the same "Bridge Out" signs that you did. Incarceration can give you the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sit down, sit still, shut up, and try to get yourself in line with what really makes you tick. If this hadn't happened to you, do you honestly believe you would have ever taken the time for personal reflection? A vast majority of those locked up will openly admit that they might be dead if they hadn't been caught. Others shudder at the thought of the staggering amount of time they would be doing if they had continued behaving as before. Despite the intense hostility, cruelty, and unfairness of your environment, you must try to make serious evaluation as to what actually got you here. Take a good hard look at that man in the mirror, and don't be afraid of the conclusions that may stare back at you. God has a good reason for everything. Yes, it can be very elusive at times, but you have not been stopped dead in your tracks for nothing. Don't be so set in your opinions and attitudes that you ignore that still small voice that continues unceasingly every night as you lie in the rack. You are what you are when you're alone in a room at night. There's no one to kid now. Some of your best scams, plans, and thoughts got you here. Maybe it's time to lay the hammer down for a change. It is pretty obvious that God had a little trouble getting your attention. Are you listening yet? Music Music I was impressed with this article on the positive effect of Praise-music within the youth program in the Nutley, New Jersey, Assembly of God. I hope their enthusiasm will spark an interest in Praise-music in other youth groups around the world. Teresa Giordanengo - Morning Star Senior Editor THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC AND PRAISE BY TODAY'S YOUTH By Rev. Tom M. Berninger Youth Pastor Nutley Assembly of God Nutley, New Jersey Across the country today, many church youth groups are raising questions in the area of praise and worship. Is praise and worship important enough to include in every service? Where does it fit in to a service and how far should we "go with it?" Just a few years ago our youth group was facing the same questions. In seeking the Word of God for answers, the Lord gave us some insight on the tremendous power of praise and worship. It helped to transform a non-committed youth group of 30 into a "fired up" youth ministry in the span of a few short years. Music is more than just a combination of sounds and words. It possesses qualities that transcend the natural and reach into the spirit of man. Just take a look at your youth in society over the past 40 years in relation to the music to which they listened. In the 1950's when rock-n-roll came into prominence, many preachers and parents argued that this "devil's music" was promoting rebellion in their children. At the time most young people just laughed this notion off as a lot of nonsense from an older generation that just "didn't understand" what was going on. Now, four decades later, it is becoming obvious that those early preachers saw something behind the music and lyrics, and recognized something seriously wrong in the spirit realm. What was happening was that teenagers were not just listening to music, they were identifying themselves with "their" music. The music of the 50's spawned the rebellion and drug-filled music of the 60's. A major change took place in the spiritual aspect of music during that time which is affecting the music our children are listening to today. In the 1950's, the spirit of the music was hidden behind candy coated lyrics that sang about teenage love and teenage heartbreak. In the 60's, however, the spirit behind the music was no linger hidden but became obvious in the lyrics that openly sang about drugs and rebelling against society. The music of the 60's led to the acid rock of the 70's. In this decade the music itself began to take on more of a spiritual flavor as rhythms and beats began to match the rebellious nature of the lyrics that accompanied it. The music of the 70's then led to the all-out spiritual assault on our children through the music of the 1980's. In this past decade songs were filled with lyrics and messages that openly espoused drugs, suicide, rebellion against authority, sexual promiscuity and outright encouragement of Satan worship. This article is not meant to tackle the issue involving the evils of rock-n-roll music, but to show that music has a powerful nature which affects the spirit of the person who is listening to it. Just look at teenagers today. They identify with or take on the spirit of the music to which they listen. It is common to see a person who is into "heavy metal" music wearing the same type of clothing; i.e., satanic symbols on their clothing or jewelry, tattoos, leather and studs... Girls listening to their favorite "pop" music will often be seen wearing the same ungodly clothing and emanating the same seductivity which is being preached to them through their music. If music has such a powerful spiritual nature that can affect our young people in a negative way, then why can't music affect our teenagers in a positive way through the power of praise and worship? Scriptural accounts of the spiritual power behind music are found throughout the Bible. The veil spirit departed from King Saul when David ministered to Saul on his harp (I Samuel 16:14-23). There are many instances where Israel was preparing for war and God gave them the battle plan, put the swords and the bows in the back and sent forth the singers and the musicians first. Once they began to praise God, they released the power of God and they had victory (II Chronicles 13:14-15; 20:18-22). As you can see, the use of praise and worship to move the hand of God and to destroy our spiritual enemies is not a concept that is foreign to God. In the New Testament when Paul and Silas were in prison they began to pray and sing praises to God. After they began to worship God in song, the prison began to shake and they were set free from their bonds (Acts 16:25-26). There is definitely a supernatural power behind praising and worshipping our Lord and this power needs to be released every time the Body of Christ joins together. For the first few years that I was involved in youth ministry, praise and worship was something that was stuck in the gap between the opening prayer and the announcements. This gap was usually filled with three songs what were randomly chosen from our hymnals and were sung without much enthusiasm. Because of the lackluster approach to glorifying God, the changes that took place in the lives of the youth were very slow and very minimal. Even though the messages that were being preached were almost always dynamic and right on the money, something was missing. Then God began showing us that the missing ingredient was the power in worship. We, as a group, never made it into the holy place when we praised God; we usually just hung out somewhere in the outer court. We soon discovered that praise and worship was much more than just a way to fill ten minutes in our schedule. It was a way to express our love towards God and it also created an atmosphere for God to move in us through His spirit. After all, God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). Once we had discovered the importance of allowing the spirit of God to lead us in our worship, our services were never the same. Immediately an excitement began to build in the hearts of the young people. We no longer had to "pull teeth" to get our youth to sing and to praise God. The worship portion of our youth service soon stretched from ten minutes to twenty and sometimes past a half hour. The commitment level of our young people began to grow as a domino effect was taking place. As we learned to give praise and worship its rightful place in our services, every other part of our service began to grow. What was once 30 young people who came to youth because they had to come, over the span of a few years turned into five different youth groups with a combined attendance of over 250 who came because they wanted to come. The gifts of the Spirit also began to flow through our praise and worship services. At one time the gifts were something we only read about in the Bible. Now they were manifested freely in our services. Let me assure you that things did not get out of hand. No one was rolling on the floor or swinging from a chandelier. Our pastor, Rev. Peter Bruno, taught us the meaning of I Corinthians 14:40, "Let all things be done decently and in order." We also learned that praise and worship was like John the Baptist; it prepared the way for the coming of the Lord. It became apparent that people were receiving the ministry of the Word with a greater enthusiasm. Praise and worship prepared the hearts of the people to receive the Word the same way John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of our Lord. A youth service without dynamic praise and worship is like having a stick of dynamite but never lighting the fuse! The Word of God gives testimony to the importance of the role of praise and worship in its description of the restoration of the Tabernacle of David. The prophet Amos (9:11) writes, "In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old." This same verse is again echoed in Acts 15:16. What exactly did the Tabernacle of David represent and what did the prophet mean when he said I will restore it again? The tabernacle that David set up to hold the Ark of the Lord was unique in that it was a prophetic tabernacle. When David brought back the ark after it was stolen by the Philistines, he did many new things in establishing the new tabernacle. He placed the ark in a new location, Zion, as opposed to the old location, Gibeon. He then ordained a new priesthood. His new priesthood which at first would appear to differ from what Moses had instructed was really a prophetic revelation of the spiritual fulfillment of Moses' tabernacle. Moses' priests were there to offer animal sacrifices before the Lord. David's priests, however, offered the sacrifices of praise before the Lord with singing and with instruments and they were to minister "before the Ark", a thing which was forbidden under mosaic law (I Chronicles 16:4-7; 15:16). God wasn't upset with David for breaking the traditional laws of his day because that's what God wanted from the beginning. "... he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men (Tabernacle of Moses)... but chose the Tribe of Judah (praise), the Mount Zion which he loved (site of the Tabernacle of David)" Psalm 78:60,68. The fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David then, is reemphasizing the role of praise and worship before the Lord in our services that David instituted in his tabernacle. In Ephesians 5:18-19 we are told to be filled with the Spirit; and one of the ways is taught in the Psalms. Remember, much of what David wrote concerning praise and worship was prophetic and should be fulfilled in the church today. The first verse in each of the last five Psalms, in fact, commands us to "Praise Ye The Lord." Yes, praise and worship is important enough to include in every youth service; and because of its spiritual significance it should play a major role in the life of every believer. "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name" (Hebrew 13:15). "If we will not praise His name then the rocks would immediately begin to cry out" (Luke 19:40). Chef's Corner Chef's Corner APPETIZERS ... THESE MOUTHWATERING FIRST COURSES ARE MADE USING FRESH VEGETABLES: TEN LAYER SALAD... Cut 1 head lettuce as you would for a salad for first layer. Cut 1 head cauliflower into small flowerettes, spread over lettuce. Do same with 1 head broccoli. Dice 1 small Bermuda onion and sprinkle over broccoli. Sprinkle 1 package frozen peas over onions. Add salt and pepper. Spread with 2 cups mayonnaise like icing. Cover with 1/4 cup sugar, then 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and crumble 1 lb. crisply fried bacon and sprinkle over top. Cover tightly and let set in refrigerator a few hours or overnight. Toss before ready to use. Be sure to use big enough bowl to toss easily (at least a 3 quart bowl). Yield: 12 servings. BELL PEPPER SALAD... this is a very colorful salad - 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper, 1 large yellow bell pepper, 1 small red onion, sliced, 16 ripe olives, 2 teaspoons chopped basil or 2/3 teaspoon dried basil, 2 teaspoons chopped thyme or 2/3 teaspoon dried thyme. To make the dressing, mix together, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste, in a small bowl or shake together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Set aside. Preheat broiler. Place whole peppers under hot broiler about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until skins are evenly blistered and blackened. Transfer peppers to a plastic bag a few minutes, then peel away and discard skins. Cut pepper in half, remove and discard seeds and cut peppers into strips. Place in a salad bowl with onion and olives. Stir or shake dressing and pour over salad. Toss gently to mix and sprinkle with herbs. Yield: 4 servings. BEAN AND ONION SALAD... Add 12 ounces green beans to a saucepan of boiling salted water and cook 4 minutes until tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Place in a bowl with 1 thinly sliced onion and 2 tablespoons capers in wine vinegar, drained. Beat 6 tablespoons olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, pinch of sugar, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl or shake together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour over salad, add herbs and mix well. Yield 4 to 6 servings. MIXED BEAN SALAD... 2/3 cup dried cannelini beans, soaked overnight and drained, 2/3 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, 2/3 cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight and drained. Place beans in separate pans. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil and boil briskly 10 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 1 hour until just tender. Drain, rinse briefly under cold running water, then drain and transfer to a serving dish. To make the dressing, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl or shake together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 small onion, chopped, and dressing to beans while they are warm. Stir and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill until served. Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons chopped oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and adjust seasoning. Yield: 6 servings. RICE-STUFFED TOMATOES... Cut tops off 6 large, ripe tomatoes and reserve. Using a teaspoon, scoop out seeds and flesh from tomatoes; reserve seeds and flesh for use in sauces or casseroles. Place tomatoes upside down to drain. Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse 2/3 cup long-grain while rice and put in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups boiling chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. If rice is not tender, stir in a little boiling water and continue cooking. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-size saucepan. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped, and 1 crushed garlic clove and saute 3 minutes to soften. Stir in 1/2 pound fresh spinach, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley and cooked rice. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle insides of tomatoes with a little salt and fill with rice mixture. Replace reserved tomato tops. Arrange in a baking dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven 20 minutes until tomatoes are tender. Serve hot or cold with lettuce leaves. Yield 6 servings. ZUCCHINI WITH GARLIC... Preheat oven to 375F. Using a vegetable peeler and pressing quite firmly, peel along the length of 6 medium-size zucchini to remove long thick strips. Divide between 2 baking sheets; bake 20 minutes until crisp-tender. Transfer zucchini to paper towels to drain 30 minutes. Preheat 1 cup peanut oil and 1 cup olive oil together in a saucepan or deep-fryer to 375F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fry zucchini slices in batches in the hot oil 2 to 3 minutes until light golden-brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. When all the zucchini are cooked and drained transfer to a serving dish. Add 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped dill, salt and pepper to zucchini. Toss gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve sprinkled with 12 mint leaves. Yield: 6 servings. ROASTED PEPPER SALAD... delicious - Preheat broiler. Place 2 whole green bell peppers and 1 whole red bell pepper under hot broiler about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until skins are evenly blistered and blackened. Transfer to a plastic bag a few minutes, then peel away and discard skins. Cut peppers in half, remove and discard seeds and cut peppers into strips. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 onion, coarsely chopped and 1 crushed garlic clove and cook 3 minutes to soften. Stir in 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, a pinch of sugar and cook 10 to 12 minutes until thickened. Add pepper strips and simmer 5 minutes until peppers are soft. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot sprinkled with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Yield: 4 servings. BAKED STUFFED CELERY... Preheat oven to 375F. Add 1 head celery separated into stalks and cut into 3-inch lengths, to a large saucepan of boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain on paper towels. To make stuffing, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped and 1 garlic clove, chopped, and cook 3 minutes to soften. Remove from heat. Chop together 2 tablespoons capers in wine vinegar, drained, and 1 red bell pepper packed in wine vinegar, drained and chopped. Stir into skillet with 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated provolone cheese, and 3 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Place stuffing in cavities of celery pieces. Arrange celery with stuffing up, in one layer in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking about 10 minutes until celery is tender and stuffing lightly browned. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 6 servings. PERFECTION SALAD... In a small saucepan, mix 1 envelope unflavored gelatin, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 cup water; stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in 3/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Chill until slightly thickened. Fold in 1/2 cup finely shredded cabbage and 1 cup diced celery. Pour into mold. Unmold on greens and serve with salad dressing. Yield: 4 servings. BASIL VINAIGRETTE... Add parsley, rosemary, chives, thyme, basil and 4 cloves garlic, crushed, to 1 cup honey until it is thick with herbs. Mix with 1/2 cup basil vinegar to make a dressing of desired consistency and tang. Prayer Guidelines Prayer Guidelines PRAYER AND COMMITMENT Article 20 of the "Prayer and ..." Series by Michael Wilkinson "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass" (Psalms 37:5). The Christian life is to be a life of commitment to the Lord. We first commit to Him when we receive Christ as savior. We come in faith, believing in Him, and we come in repentance, turning away from the path of sin, that we may follow Christ instead. That is not the end of the matter, though, because we continue to seek His guidance through prayer. "For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me" (Psalms 31:3). We seek his guidance, not so that we can merely avoid error, but because we want to please him. We want to bring honor to His name. If we pray only for our own wants and desires, we lose sight of what the Lord has planned for us as His servants. "Then He (Jesus) said to His disciples, 'Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you" (Luke 12:22-31). Yes, we should pray that God will use us as His servants to further His kingdom. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). Therefore, it pleases God for us to pray that His will would be done in us, and that others would see and believe in Him too. We should look forward to heaven where we will be with the Lord, honoring and glorifying Him. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). And we pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us until the time we go to heaven. Culture Culture TO ACT, OR NOT TO ACT By Janette Kragen This article is dedicated to my husband, Geoff Kragen, with my deepest gratitude for his continued support and encouragement. "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more...." Macbeth, Act V, scene v Human lore abounds with illustrations about the brevity of man's existence. As an actor in the middle of a play run, Macbeth's statement has taken on a fresh, poignant significance for me. Putting on a play is an amazing process involving many steps. First a play is chosen. Then the director sets a schedule for casting and rehearsals. The actors begin committing their script lines to memory. Slowly, each stage character comes to life. Everyone copes with long hours of taking direction and constructive criticism. We recite our lines again and again. We absorb the dynamics of blocking (stage placement and movement). Next we analyze and add substance to our characters' motivations and actions. This entire process often results in emotional and physical exhaustion coupled with sleepless nights. For actors who hold 9-5 jobs or are full-time students, maintaining a high level of creative energy is a constant challenge. As rehearsals continue, it is crucial the actors learn to work well with each other, both on and off stage. To ensure a successful run, the cast must be a cohesive, dynamic team by the time performances begin. Our continual struggle lies in subduing our egos and suppressing performance anxieties. We try not to indulge in negative criticism, envy or rivalry. The most productive decision a cast can make is to help each other give the best performances possible. Something magical happens as opening night draws near. The bare stage is transformed. Depending on what the specific play calls for, the audience may see a moonlit forest, an emperor's summer palace, or perhaps the drawing room of an upper-class British home. Opening night itself feels like being suspended on the peak of a roller coaster, just before the stomach-wrenching plunge. Our nerves are worked up to fever pitch as we wait backstage to go on. We hurriedly check our personal props one last time to make sure nothing has been forgotten. Once we're onstage, the sweat of anxiety may run our makeup and stick our costumes to our bodies, but we valiantly carry on. And if we remember our lines and blocking, we may actually be able to relax and enjoy ourselves under those bright, hot stage lights! Then it happens, that unforgettable sound all performers long to hear: audience laughter and applause. Once again, we realize that our hard work has been rewarded. We have made contact with the audience! By the middle of a performance run, the roller coaster has reached the halfway point. Only minimal changes are made. The play is now set. A routine has been established for costuming, makeup, assembling props, setting entrances and exits, and remembering all lines and stage business. We become increasingly aware of how quickly the weeks fly by. Each performance seems to be over within minutes. The close ties we actors have established with each other will soon be severed. We will be going our separate ways. When the play run is over, what will we have to show for all this? A videotape and (hopefully) a favorable review or two. Also, we will have acquired additional acting credits and many precious memories to sustain us until the next play. I am thankful the Lord has given me an acting talent and the opportunities to develop it. My goal is to show my gratitude by using my gifts to serve Him. You see, the Christian actor has an added, precious advantage. He or she can take these gifts beyond creating temporary illusion. Today, more and more churches are using drama as an evangelistic tool. Within this setting, the Christian actor can apply his gifts to share a message of eternal significance. In today's world, life without Christ equals pain. It may be the pain of a tortured past or the hurt of difficult relationships. Many struggle with the anguish of loneliness or overwhelming anxiety about the future. Salvation through Jesus remains the only solution. Our Savior accepted the greatest pain of all when He gave up His deity to take on human form. He willingly suffered a horrendous death to release mankind from the bondage of sin. This is the life-giving news we must communicate to the unsaved. It's not an option, but God's command for every Christian. Are you an artist who knows Christ? Have you considered using your creative gifts to convey the gospel? If you draw, paint or sculpt, you can reveal God's beauty in your own special way. Are you a musician who loves the Lord? God inspired George Frederick Handel to compose some of the most beautiful music the world has ever known. The Hallelujah Chorus from his MESSIAH is the perfect example. Maybe God has given you a writing talent. Do you realize how rare this gift is today? Have you considered writing articles, or perhaps fiction, poetry, or even stage and screen plays to express what the Lord means to you? Please pray about it. The world needs to hear from good Christian writers! Finally, let's remember the most important aspect of all: life is short. We no longer have the luxury of saying to ourselves: yes, I'll do something, but not right now. Maybe after I graduate from college. Or after I find the perfect mate and get married. Or maybe next year, when the kids are in school. Or when I'm older, wiser and financially established, then I'll use my gifts for God. While we hesitate, people around us are giving up. More and more teenagers are committing suicide. Other people are dying a slower death, either by voluntary starvation (anorexia, bulimia) or by succumbing to the lure of alcohol and drugs. The statistics of AIDS-related deaths, especially among heterosexuals, are increasing at an appalling rate. And we Christians, who hold the only valid solution to these problems, continue to do nothing! I encourage you to take the first step: make an inventory of the gifts God has given you. Then, thank Him for your talents. Ask Him how you can apply them to bring the lost into His kingdom. The next step is to wait for His response. This is the most difficult part! As you wait, it is absolutely vital you study your Bible and pray daily. Discuss your objective with Christians who have a solid grounding in the Scriptures. Ask other believers to pray with you about your goal. Then, when God gives you His plan for your life, don't hesitate. Go into action. DO WHAT YOU DO BEST, TO THE GLORY OF GOD. You will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams! (EDITORS NOTE: Janette Kragen's personal testimony was published in Morning Star Volume 1.4.) International Mission Field Mission Field REFLECTIONS ON RUSSIA TRIP #2 By: Joseph A. Nigro STRAIGHT PATH MINISTRIES What on Earth are You Doing? Some of us have spent years in frustration wondering why God is not using us, or why we can't find God's will for our lives. We may be discouraged because we can't seem to find a job that we fit into, or because we can't find a mate. We simply cannot find contentment in our positions in life. We may be happily married with children, while owning a house and fitting into the American dream, but we sense that we are possibly missing God's dream. Yes, we love the Lord, we go to church, we sing the hymns and we pray. We even serve on several ministries... but some thing is not right deep down in the inner depths of our soul. We know that there is more to the Christian life than we are experiencing... but why can't we seem to find it? Tragically, we have either disregarded or forsaken the final commandment of Jesus, "Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." This commandment is the heart of all the Scriptures. Our main purpose here on earth is to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Then, in obedience to Him, we are to offer our "bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God... Then [we] will be able to test and approve what God's will is..." (Romans 1 2:1-2). God then shows us His ordained purpose and plan to redeem the world. Jesus told us to GO and make disciples of ALL NATIONS. The First Missionary Was Jesus! The sad part is that we think since we were born in America, that we should "bloom where we are planted." Guess what? If the first missionary, Jesus Christ, did that, we ourselves would never have salvation. If Jesus didn't want to come to earth because He didn't like the food, or the stench compared to heaven, we would all be bound for hell. If Jesus didn't want to leave heaven (literally!) to come to the polluted, corrupt, sin-stained world that we live in to preach the Good News about salvation,... then we would have no hope. Yet the Scriptures tell us, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on the cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8) The saddest part is that we don't even realize that there is a world starving for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, we spend time in America trying to share the Gospel with people who are totally hostile to the things of God, and who have no regard for the holy things of God. One begins to wonder if we are actually "casting our pearls before swine." So we make excuses that America needs to be reached with the Gospel, while 46% of the world has never heard the Gospel even once! How do you put into words or pictures the spiritual hunger of Russia? The Russian people are ripe unto harvest for the Gospel as NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. This is a country where people are crying when they receive the Good News about Jesus Christ! They weep with gratitude when they receive a Bible for the FIRST TIME EVER! On my initial trip to Russia in April, I saw that the harvest was extraordinarily large, and even though there are thousands of workers pouring into the country, there are 300 million people seeking salvation! As Jesus said, "Truly the harvest is great, but the workers are few..." I began to wonder what we think we are doing in America when another country is starving for the Gospel of Jesus. Are we sitting here in America looking for fruit on empty trees when Russia's trees are toppling over with fruit? How do you explain that the Book of Acts is literally taking place in the country of Russia? How do you explain that the supernatural almost became the natural in Russia?! The Supernatural Russian Trip God took seven of us, my wife Andrea, and myself, Pastor Jonathan Cahn of Beth Israel Messianic Congregation, Jane Driscoll, Allan Hopson, Carol Scheitlin, and Georgette Scognamiglio to serve Him during the weeks of June 21-July 4th. We were in awe that God chose ordinary people like us to do the extraordinary. How else do you explain over 2000 people coming into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and 11,000 Bibles being distributed by our small group of seven? The people would thank us with flowers and gifts that they couldn't afford, for bringing them the Good News of the Gospel! Part of the group went to an orphanage and were deeply touched by the children thanking them with small gifts of appreciation for coming. After receiving a Bible, one young boy came back from his room with a fairly large book and presented it to Andrea. She told the interpreter that the boy really needed the book so he could learn to read. The little boy responded, "I don't need that book because now I have this Bible." The little boy realized that he had received a treasure. We wanted to give out Bibles on the streets one day, but as we were going to the marketplace to give them out, the rains started to come down hard. So we decided to go shopping for umbrellas to hold while we gave out Bibles. We never found the umbrellas, but to our amazement, God provided for us the opportunity to give out the Bibles inside the center of the large a department store. This resulted in our handing out 900 Bibles in 45 minutes. We even had a young Russian police officer come up to us and shake our hands enthusiastically several times for the Bible! Once a person is in a nursing home in Russia, they are forgotten and never visited again by their relatives. So we went to the nursing home to witness to the forgotten people of Russia, and they were weeping, and thanking us for introducing them to Jesus Christ. One woman actually got on her knees and kissed the ground several times to thank us for bringing the message of the One who will never forget them. We were reminded of the verse, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" (Romans 10:15). We went to a hospital and they announced over the loudspeakers that Americans have come to talk to the patients. When about 125 people showed up in the halls, we started to sing and minister to the people there. Most of the patients in the hall chose that day to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. The head doctor then brought us to every room in the hospital to give out Bibles to every patient! Reaching out to the Children We would go to children's camps, where they once taught Communism to the children, and presented to them the Gospel of Jesus with song, dramas, and flannel graphs. A touching moment was when Georgette taught all the children how to use sign language for the song, "Jesus Loves Me." We were all amazed at the way the precious children, ages 6-15, intently listened to the message of God's Word, soaked it in like sponges, and then boldly stood up to receive Jesus Christ. We had even gone to a military camp for children, run by a former colonel in the Soviet army, and recruited all the children for God's army. We went to a sanitarium without an appointment to see if we could present the message of God's plan of salvation. This sanitarium consisted of individuals and families taking a rest from their daily work. The director told us that we can use the auditorium to present our message, and that he would hold up everyone's lunch until our message was over! The whole sanitarium (300 people) showed up to see who was holding up their lunch! I told the people that I was sure that they were hungry and wanted us to finish up quickly (they agreed), but I had come with the Good News of the One who said, "I am the bread of Life, he who comes to Me will never go hungry." I offered them a chance to cure their spiritual hunger and they ALL chose to receive Jesus Christ. When we went to Minsk, we were given a room on the 19th floor of the hotel. I asked the Lord, why 19 floors high? Couldn't you give me something a little safer in this hotel? Maybe 7 floors, but not 19. It turned out that on the 19th floor, the ambassador of Latvia (formerly of the Soviet Union) was giving out visas every day. God had used us, His Ambassadors, to reach out to new people every day from the country of Latvia with Russian Bibles. We even sang songs in the lobby for them one day, and several of the people were very touched. One morning a Latvian man came up to Carol and said "I want to know God. Tell me more about Him!" Going to the Highways and Byways Everyday was the same. Everything we did or touched turned into the Gospel going out! Something as simple as going into the elevator gave us an opportunity to witness. On one occasion, two German women from the German Embassy asked us in the elevator to come sing Gospel music to them at 11:30 at night! We would go into the small towns, door to door, giving out Bibles. We had goats and chickens and roosters following us, and we were reminded of the movie "Fiddler on the Roof." We saw people sobbing because someone thought enough of them to come to their house with the words of eternal life. As we were walking down the dirt road, a bus of children came by and we waved it down to stop. We then gave every child on the bus a Bible and children's booklets that explained salvation! God had blessed us with two great and anointed interpreters, Dema and Julia, on the trip. But we were greatly blessed when people came up to us in the town of Smolentz and told us that even though there was still somewhat of a language barrier, they saw Jesus Christ in our eyes, and they knew that we loved them as a mother loves a child. The Challenge Our challenge to you asks these questions: Are you living up to the highest calling that God has for you? Do you see the supernatural happening in your life, your job, your ministry, or are you just going through the motions? Do you ever think that maybe the inner peace that you are searching for is in obedience to serving God in another country? If God were to come to you and tell you that He was longing for someone to proclaim His name, His salvation and His glory to another nation... and then asked the question, "Whom shall I send?" would you like Isaiah say, "Here Am I, send me"? (Isaiah 6:8). The peace that only God can give is found in our submission to His will and Lordship in our lives. "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Jesus speaking in Matthew 9:38) Special thanks to the team of Jane, Georgette, Carol, Allan, Jonathan, Dema, Julia, and my wife Andrea. It was a joy and a privilege to serve Our Lord with you all. May God embed into your Spirit and hearts all the blessings we experienced. Well done, thou good and faithful servants! Straight Path Ministries 297-101 Kinderkamack Rd. #278 Oradell, NJ 07649 Fax No. (201) 261-4954 Prodigy No.: KGFS78A Compuserve No.: 70762,3412 AOL Handle: StraitPath Partners International Partners International PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL Ministry Highlights - August 1993 GENEROSITY OF THE POOR Richard Makunyane and the Hope for Southern Africa team work among the Tswana people of South Africa. South Africa is an expensive place to live, but many of these people earn less than $30 per month. They can only afford to live in slums, where it is common to not have electricity or running water. Yet when Partners International's Africa Coordinator, Dr. David Kitonga, visited one of their churches, they decided to take a love offering for him since he was a "missionary from Kenya." Dr. Kitonga said, "It was a surprise. The whole church gave money. It came out to about $40, which is a lot of money for them. They can barely afford to live, but they can support a missionary." HER STORY Students of the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Indonesia (ETSI) continue to work hard and pray hard to fulfill the unusual requirement of this seminary: each student must plant a new church in order to graduate. Partners International helps ETSI by raising support for the staff and funds for the campus development. This partnership has resulted in many Indonesians finding Christ, like Rose: "My name is Rustini, but I am called Rose. I was born in a small city in central Java, the youngest of five children. We lived close to a building that was used for Sunday school classes. I would hear children singing, and would hide in the bushes and peek in the windows. I could hear the stories they were telling. Several times the teachers invited me in, but I dared not go in. One day I got up the courage and went. After that I went every time. "Some of my Muslim schoolmates noticed where I was going, and began to tease and mock me. They told the Muslim teacher that I had been going to a Christian meeting. She called me to the front of the class, and asked if I was a Muslim or a Christian. I was trembling all over. She said I had to make a choice. I said, 'I am a Christian!"' FINDING THE UNREACHED "Our funds were small, but the vision was big," wrote Fortune Mwiza about their work to research the Lusaka Urban District. Lusaka is the capital of Zambia. They found that 767,356 people (78 percent) do not attend church regularly! The results of this research has already inspired and challenged churches in Lusaka. As one pastor said, "That's why we must evangelize every week and every month." REACHING THE UNREACHED Rev. Subhas Sangma, leader of one of our partner ministries in Bangladesh, reports that his team continues to penetrate "unreached people groups." In just one year, 17 churches were established among the Sadri people, who are Hindus. They were also able to start two churches among the militant Chakmas, and some among the Khumi. In all, they planted 41 churches last year, exceeding their goal of 25. This year they have decided to try for 100 new churches. JUST SEND ME A LETTER? William Tarty, a church planter in Ivory Coast, West Africa, does an excellent job at keeping his Christian sponsors in America informed about his work. But it isn't easy for him. In a recent letter, he wrote the following (using his exact words): "The reason of my letter delaying sometime is due to lack of transportation, at time to go to the post office, if no money, I walks and from where I am living to the post office is three hours and thirty minutes. Where I'm living no fax machine, I live in the jungle part of Ivory Coast." We are happy to report that we have since been able to send funds for William to buy a motorcycle. William covers a circuit that includes 29 churches. GOD SPEAKING THROUGH DREAMS Just like the biblical accounts where God spoke to many people through dreams, our partners in North Africa report that God is speaking to some Muslims through dreams. Here is one example: "In one of those dreams a child came to this Muslim man, and the child told him that he was going to be his neighbor. A few months later this Muslim recognized the child he had seen in his dream: it was the child of my fellow worker, who had just moved into a house nearby. A few days later, the Muslim was shown a video on the life of Jesus. He said that he knew most of the video-he had dreamed about it." HORSEBACK MISSIONARIES In the mountainous tribal areas of the Philippines, even motorcycles often can't get through. American Christians gave funds through Partners International for horses for some of the workers of the Philippine Missionary Fellowship. Pastors Agao, Flang and Ming report that they used to walk five or six hours to conduct a Bible study or church service. Now it only takes two hours, and they can also bring in some supplies for the tribal people, and carry the sick to the hospital. COUPLES RESTORED One way in which Couples Encounter in Brazil reaches people is through retreats, where husbands and wives hear how Christ can help in very practical ways in their marriages and with difficulties they face with their children. Couples who attend are often so changed that the word spreads and their friends come to the next retreat. The most recent retreat drew 49 couples. Armando Padovan, a Couples Encounter leader, wrote, "Among those people there was a man named Oswaldo. His wife had been a Christian for 12 years. Imagine the joy on her face when she saw her husband born again!" Heitor and Regina are another example. They were invited by their friends Mauri and Ana. They arrived "with a heavy heart; a lot of grief and suffering could be seen on their faces." By the end of the retreat, Heitor said, "I've never experienced anything like this. I found myself spiritually. Today I am a new man!" DEDICATED TRAINEES American Christians giving through Partners International enable leaders inside China to receive Bible and ministry training. One of these leaders commented on this wonderful opportunity: "During the morning and late afternoons we learn together. During noon time we come together for meals and exercise. But in the evenings, the reality of homework looms over us. We love to do the work, but it is not easy. Often times the lights are out at 11:00 p.m., but a number of us are still up doing homework by candlelight. "Friends, this training center is so precious. As soon as we get back to our villages we immediately train our co-workers. We have to. They are expecting it, and we are bursting with God's truths." Partners International 1470 N. 4th St. San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 453-3800 (800) 966-5515 Fax: (408) 437-9708 CFI Reports CFI Reports CFI REPORTS is our monthly column dedicated to the ministries of CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL in Jerusalem. As this issue of MORNING STAR is the first to be printed and distributed in a hard copy, we have chosen this month's CFI REPORTS to review the foundational principles and objectives of CFI and present a summary of the various CFI ministries. We are also presenting the August edition of the WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER from Jerusalem, which is a regular item in this column. CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL "He is mindful of His covenant forever... the covenant which He made with Abraham... which He confirmed to Jacob... to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying 'To you I will give the Land of Canaan'" (Psalm 105:8-11). "I ask then, has God rejected His people? By no means!... God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew... For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:1,2,29) Christian friendship and support for the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel have a clear Biblical mandate for this hour of History. Christians are being called upon to uphold Israel and her right to exist. Now, more than ever, the Jewish people need Christians who will not only PRAY for the peace of Jerusalem but will openly STAND on their behalf. The founding of Christian Friends of Israel was affirmed in December, 1985. There are Branch offices, Representatives and Distributors of C.F.I. in a number of countries around the world. Their work is supported by the Jerusalem Office. FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES * As Christians who have received from God a love for Israel and the Jewish people, we want, in the name of Messiah Jesus, to bless them. * The early Church was Jewish. Christianity sprang from Jewish roots and has never ceased to depend upon and be indebted to the Jewish people. * We believe that the restoration of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is in accordance with promises contained in the Word of God and that God's time to "favor Zion" has begun. * We believe that Israel (people, land, and nation) has a divinely ordained and glorious future, and that God has neither rejected nor replaced His Jewish people. We acknowledge that the barriers that exist today between Jews and Christians are largely due to Christian anti-semitism and Christian persecution of the Jewish people. * We believe in the Jewishness of Jesus and the Jewishness of the New Testament. * Although we believe our Lord Jesus is both the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world, our stand alongside Israel is not conditional upon her acceptance of our belief. GENERAL OBJECTIVES * To express friendship and solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people throughout the world. * To impart an understanding to Christians of their Jewish roots and of modern Israel. * To eradicate anti-semitism among Christians in its past and present forms. * To stimulate Christians worldwide to intercede for Israel. * To provide practical support for areas of need within the land of Israel. * To assist and pray for the liberation of Jewish people from countries where they are oppressed, who wish to return to Israel. * To encourage and pray for the reconciliation of Jew and Arab. * To establish fellowship with Christians in Israel. A SUMMARY OF THE MINISTRIES OF C.F.I. * WATCHMAN'S INTERCESSORY PRAYER LETTER - Designed to share particular areas in the Land and for the People of Israel where specific and strategic prayer can be focused. Written by Sharon Sanders monthly and considered valuable for individual and group prayer. * WALL OF PRAYER - Prayer and intercession are keys to Israel's survival. We are seeking those who will commit to pray for Israel. Every city, town, village, kibbutz or moshav in Israel is being covered in prayer. Each intercessor is given a map to locate their assigned area and a short history of the village or city. Thousands of Christians are already a part of this vitally important ministry. * ISRAEL NEWS DIGEST - A monthly summary of the news and events in Israel written by David Dolan, C.F.I.'s Contributing Correspondent. This Digest is very valuable to many in the nations who desire to know the truth of what is happening in the Land, especially very essential for those who pray for Israel. (Annual subscription $25 US/12 issues) * ZION QUARTERLY - A Quarterly publication for those desiring greater insight and background information on key issues today in Israel and the Middle East ($10 annually/4 issues). * "A CHRISTIAN VOICE FOR SOVIET JEWRY" NEWSLETTER - This informative and inspiring quarterly newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings among Israel's Soviet Jews, their return to Israel and assistance through C.F.I.'s Distribution Center in Jerusalem (Subscription ( $10 US/4 issues). * JEWISH ROOTS PERIODICAL - Basic doctrines of the New Testament have their roots deep in the Old Testament. These periodicals bring fuller meaning when we dig into the Hebraic soil. * FOR ZION'S SAKE - A bi-monthly newsletter keeping up-to-date on CFI in Israel and linking the work of C.F.I. in other parts of the world with activities in Jerusalem. * "MIDDLE EAST UPDATE" - Recorded in Jerusalem and updated every three to four months, Lance Lambert presents the current situation in the Middle East with a unique and rare perception into God's Word. This tape is available by subscription at $20 US/4 tapes a year. * NEW "BIBLE VIDEO" SERIES - Just completed is the second in a series of Bible videos with Lance Lambert. The first series deals with the History of Jerusalem with titles such as "Jerusalem, The Eternal City", "I Have Chosen Thee", "Jerusalem Shall Stand" and "City of the Great King". The videos are filmed on location in Israel. The second series entitled "The Prophets and the Modern State of Israel" includes precious footage of Jews returning to their homeland. Available in PAL (European) and NTSC (American), $35 US, postage included. * CFI MINISTRY VIDEO - A 41-minute video filmed in Israel to help "see" the work of CFI in Israel. A good way to share with others the ongoing ministry. Available in PAL (European) and NTSC (American), $15 US, postage included. * PROJECT OPEN GATES - A ministry of assisting the incoming Soviet Jews to Israel through clothing, household items, furniture, finances, eyeglasses and dental care. Many Christians from around the world are showing their concern for the new immigrants. * PROJECT DOORS OF HOPE - An outreach and aid program to the poor and needy in the Land. Volunteers distribute clothing, toiletries, medical supplies and finances to many in the Land, both Jew and Arab, Ethiopians, Lebanese and believers. * PROJECT TOGETHER AGAIN - This program was developed by CFI to aid the returning Ethiopian Jewry who are in need. Through this program, Christians are able to respond to the needs of the newcomers. * FORSAKE THEM NOT CFI - staff make home visits to holocaust survivors residing in the Jerusalem area, assessing their needs. Finances are personally distributed to the survivors through cooperation of a local holocaust survivor. * PROJECT CARE PACKAGE - Soldiers, both men and women, in the Israeli Army are easily forgotten as they guard this Land and People. Christians may send items for the soldiers to our Jerusalem Office, where the items are distributed to soldiers on primitive bases on the Golan Heights and Syrian borders. This project will help you to be a blessing to the soldiers. If you wish to contact CFI write to: P.O. Box 1813 Jerusalem, 91015, Israel WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER - AUGUST 1993 "I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower..." (Habakkuk 2:1) Lilias Trotter, servant of the Lord to North Africa, gave this illustration of the power of united prayer. "In a big wooden spinning factory here, if all the looms happened to beat together, the vibration would be strong enough to bring the building down. If that is the power of unison in nature, what must be its reach when it's translated into the Kingdom of Grace? If we hold together, hold on long enough in the name of Jesus, a vibration of power will be set up that will end in shaking to pieces the seemingly immovable mass of opposition round us". "If two or three agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of the Father." (Matthew 18:19). Let us unite our hearts in fervent prayer for Israel so that the Lord may display His power in the days to come, pulling down everything that stands against the fulfillment of His purposes for this nation. We may be awakened in the night seasons with a burden to pray. Your prayer commitment is of prime importance! On July 1st, an Egged bus was boarded by two terrorists carrying weapons and explosive devices. The terrorists opened fire on the bus and twenty minutes later hijacked Jeannette Kadosh-Dayan in her car. As her vehicle reached the Gilo roadblock in south Jerusalem, she was shot and thrown from her car. Jeannette lived in the neighborhood of the CFl ministry office. As we visited the family and attended the "sheva" (a 7 day mourning period) we talked with the family and comforted them the best we could. The grief of losing a daughter and the void left for the husband and four children has left hearts full of pain. ". . . I am afflicted and in pain; may thy salvation, O God, set me securely on high." (Psalm 69:29) * PRAY that the family will not hold resentment against God as they cried, "Why did He allow this to happen?" May He give them His peace as they "cast their burdens upon the Lord." (Psalm 55:22) * PRAY EARNESTLY that through expressing Godly love and kindness, our relationships with the Moroccan community will be strengthened. "Put on therefore... bowels of mercy and lovingkindness." (Colossians 3:12) * BOLDLY PROCLAIM the comforting promises of God for Israel that one day, "They that sow in tears will reap in joy." (Psalm 126:5) In the past year approximately 250 Jews have been brought to Israel from Yemen. The most recent disclosure of immigration from Yemen jeopardizes future immigration for those left in distressed countries. * INTERCEDE for the remaining Jews of Yemen whose lives are still at risk to be brought to the Jewish homeland. Pray also that God will protect and deliver them from trouble. (Psalm 54:7) * REJOICE with the seventy who arrived and made an emotional pilgrimage to the Western Wall for the first time. One immigrant said, "This is my first time in the Holy City and at the Western Wall, a remnant of our Temple. In Yemen, I only dreamed of how it looked." "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream." (Psalm 126:1) * REMIND GOD of the new heart and spirit which He promised upon His people's return which would bring spiritual and moral cleanness to the nation. A return to Him is needed for God to sanctify His name in Israel. (Ezekiel 36:23) * PRAY FOR HEALING for a Jewish woman who has just arrived in Israel but who was raped in Croatia by Croatian soldiers. Also please stand on behalf of a two-year old Jewish baby who has been sent without the mother. The mother was injured and chose to remain behind in Bosnia. "Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed..." (Jeremiah 17:14) * DILIGENTLY SEEK GOD for removal of the chief blockage holding up the immigration of approximately 4,000 Yugoslavian Jews to Israel (the inability to sell their property). May strongholds be removed in order to set them free from the yoke of materialism which holds back the Lord's blessing of true riches. May they realize that only "the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich..." (Proverbs 10:22). Syrian government-controlled newspapers in Damascus have recently been sending tough signals, such as the following: "No peace in the Middle East is possible without Jerusalem". However, firm decisions have been taken over the past month on Jerusalem. Prime Minister Rabin stated, "If anything symbolizes the Jewish people's faith and hope, it is Jerusalem - the heart and soul of the Jewish people. If anyone believes any Israeli government can compromise on a united Jerusalem under sovereignty, he is fooling himself. We will NEVER negotiate the fate of Jerusalem". * THANK THE LORD that Jerusalem is not on the bargaining table, but is being prepared for the Messiah's coming and is destined to be called "the throne of the Lord." Jeremiah 3:17) * STAND IN THE GAP for steadfastness on the decision of Jerusalem. While no stone will be left unturned on the road to "peace" (from Israel's side, a red line must be drawn around Jerusalem as a hedge of protection against usurping possession of the Holy City. For the enemies of Israel are still saying, ". . . let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession." (Psalm 83:12) Thank the Lord that the ancient high places will be in the hands of the Jewish people when Messiah returns. ''. . . the enemy has said against you, aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession." (Ezekiel 36:27) Syria's dictator Hafez Assad has said He wants Israelis to witness a soldier's funeral every day. (Nothing will bring discouragement more than daily reports of deaths suffered in defense of the land.) Israel's topographic and geographic advantages are such that if it decided to retaliate for an increase in military casualties, the blow to Syria might be devastating. The hostilities could quickly escalate to all-out war. * BESEECH THE LORD for deliverance against terrorist attacks upon Israeli solders. May those lying in wait to shed blood be prevented from destroying life and be .scattered by God's Power. "Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me... save me from bloody men... scatter them by thy Power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield". (Psalm 59:1,2,11) As IDF and South Lebanese Army troops remain on alert in he northern security zone and along the northern border, tension remains high despite relative quiet. One Givati Brigade soldier stated he was ready to defend his country as his mother had told him: "I should not be afraid as God is keeping an eye on me." "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death." (Psalm 33:18,19) * MAKE UP THE HEDGE for this Israeli soldier. He is believing God to protect him. Let us proclaim II Chronicles 16:9 for him and others who are relying on God: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him..." * THANK THE LORD for 68 year old Oded Bernbolum, working at the Good Fence, operating a souvenir kiosk. He often wears one of the T-shirts he sells which states, "Better a close neighbor than a distant brother." "Solomon wrote it in Proverbs", he says. The Word of God is still being proclaimed here, even if written on T shirts. (Proverbs 27:10) As the terms "terrorism", "peace process", "clouds of war" and "continued immigration" frequently appear in our Prayer Letters, please remember that these are issues that will continue to be on the horizon for some time. In our next issue of the Watchman's Prayer Letter we will be sharing the vision God has given for calling A YEAR OF PRAYER for Israel. Intercessors will play an extremely integral part in the end-time purposes of God when praying in accordance with God's Will for this nation. Grace be with all of you, Sharon Sanders CFI Jerusalem Newsdesk Newsdesk MORNING STAR NEWSDESK - October 1993 NEW CREATURES IN CHRIST Armed Karamojong warriors surrendered their rifles and publicly turned their backs on violence during a rally in the Karamoja region of the Republic of Uganda, according to Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The rally was part of a preaching campaign organized by churches of the neighboring Teso region and TWAM. The campaign has seen several hundred Karamojong turn to Jesus Christ. Some of these new believers have publicly apologized to former victims and returned stolen cattle, according to Jon Armstrong, a YWAM team member based in Teso. (DECISION MAGAZINE) FRENCH PARENTS LOSE RIGHTS TO CHILDREN Thus far, 136 countries have signed the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, including France. Some Protestants feel that the document is being used as partial justification for the seizure and "re-education" of children, according to News Network International. Seven children were taken from their homes in pre-dawn raids last February. Police convinced judges that the youngsters should be put into state custody because their parents indoctrinated them with Biblical teaching, homeschooled them, and "sequestered" them. All were in an independent church that elders said they disbanded because of persecution. (THE MIDNIGHT CRY) MOVING TOWARD THE NEW WORLD ARMY? United Nations secretary general, Boutros Boutros-Ghali wants America to create a standing force that the U.N. can call on and command. President Bill Clinton will likely sign a directive in September giving Boutros-Ghali part - but only part - of what he wants. The United States, if the change is made, will promise to permit its troops to join operations led by foreign generals - as it did this year in Somalia. (US NEWS & WORLD REPORT) MORE MANEUVERS TO UNITE EUROPE The citizens of 11 EC countries will soon be synchronizing their watches and sharing the same time zone if the EC has its way. Businessmen across the EC complain that they are hampered by having to take account of three different time zone, stretching from Ireland in the west to Greece in the east. The proposals would see all EC countries except Greece, keeping the same hours. (THE EUROPEAN) OK GIVEN TO EVANGELICALS HELPING ISRAELI IMMIGRANTS In a reversal of policy, the Jewish Agency has decided to endorse the efforts of a Christian group that has been bringing immigrants from the CIS (former USSR) to Israel. Agency aliya department head Uri Gordon praised the evangelical Ebenezer Society and the Man shipping lines, which have transported 1,500 immigrants on 20 sailings aboard the "Dmitri Shostakovitch". Concern had been expressed that the Christian group had been proselytizing on board the ship. Gustav Schiller, the founder of the Ebenezer Society put those fears to rest, informing Jewish authorities that all society volunteers must promise in writing that they will not conduct missionary activities on board ship. "Our motives are pure," Schiller said. "We are Bible-loving Christians and we feel we have to help the Jews go home. Absorption Minister Yair Tsaban said the proselytizing charges had been examined and found to be false. (JERUSALEM POST) JUST WHO WILL BUILD THE NEXT TEMPLE? Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, who heads Jerusalem's Temple Institute, which is preparing implements for use in the Third Temple, said former Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliahu is relying on the Apocrypha and the New Testament, specifically Revelation 21, to support his view that the temple will descend from heaven. He added that the commandment to rebuild the temple obligates every Jewish man and woman. (JERUSALEM POST) MORE STEPS TO A CASHLESS SOCIETY According to "Card Technology Today" (4/93) "Danmont", a Danish pilot program for a cashless payment system, has proved successful and organizers are planning on rolling our a nationwide system. Henning Jensen, Managing Director of Danmont, stated that the capital city, Copenhagen, will be the next location to see widespread use of smartcards for prepayment. Meanwhile, CTT also reports that New South Wales, Australia, is about to send out tender documents for a statewide open pre-paid smart card system. Plans for a roll-out of the pilot program are scheduled for the end of 1994. (CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT) Resource Resource MINISTRY INFORMATION GUIDE - October 1993 The MINISTRY INFORMATION guide is for the benefit of all believers. MORNING STAR does not charge for these advertisements. AMMI MINISTRY (Bringing the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles) Director: Ron Elkin P.O. Box 27576 Philadelphia PA. 19118 (215) 843-7964 INTERNET: rone2@aol.com BILL RUDGE MINISTRIES (An international outreach challenging believers to reach their maximum potential in Christ.) 220 North Buhl Farm Drive Hermitage, PA 16148-1718 (412) 983-1223 CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL Arrowhead Springs San Bernardino, CA 92414 (714) 886-5224 CHI ALPHA CAMPUS MINISTRY (Reaching the college campuses of this nation) Division of Home Missions 1445 Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894 INTERNET: yoshua@aol.com CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES Inc. (Reaching all Jews everywhere with the Gospel) 1300 Cross Beam Drive - Charlotte, NC 28217-2834 (704) 357-9000 CANADA: Box 4400, Sta. D - Hamilton, Ont. L8V4L8 (416) 545-9066 CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL P.O. Box 1813 Jerusalem 91015 Israel tel: 972-2-894-172 / 894-187 fax: 972-2-894-955 NOTE: The Editor in Chief of MORNING STAR is a U.S. distributor of material for CFI. Write to MORNING STAR for more information. INTERNET: mstarmac@aol.com CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT 17821 17th St. Suite 290 Tustin, CA 92680 tel: (800) 875-7560 fax: (714) 544-8153 DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN, INC. (A Bible Study Group) P.O. Box 5093 Beaumont, TX 77726 (409) 755-3015 INTERNET: davidsmm@aol.com DEREK PRINCE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL (Reaching the unreached and teaching the untaught through radio, books, audio and video cassettes.) P.O. Box 300 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33302 (305) 763-5202 CANADA: DPM-Canada P.O. Box 8354 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 5M1 EXODUS INTERNATIONAL (Global ex-gay Ministry - Write for free information) PO Box 2121 San Rafael, CA 94912 (415) 454-1017 FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY 3900 North Rodney Parham - Suite 100 Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 223-8663 FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN PEACE OFFICERS, USA P.O. Box 11547 Chattanooga, Tennessee 3740l-2547 (615) 622-1234 FRIENDS OF ISRAEL GOSPEL MINISTRY (Publishers of "Israel My Glory" magazine - $8 per year. Sponsor of the Institute of Biblical Studies.) PO BOX 908 Bellwawr, NJ 08099 1-800-257-7843 INTERNATIONAL PRISON MINISTRY P.O. BOX 63 Dallas TX 75221 JESUS CARES MINISTRIES (Ministering to those in crisis pregnancy) P.O. Box 371 Chandler, Arizona 85244 (602) 831-1737 JESUS FILM PROJECT 30012 Ivy Glenn Drive Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 FAX: 714/495-7383 JESUS PEOPLE USA (An excellent resource for tips and techniques on witnessing and ministering to specific groups of people.) 4707 N. Malden Chicago, IL 60640 Editorial office: (312) 989-2080 JEWISH VOICE BROADCASTS INC. (Publishers of "Jewish Voice Prophetic Magazine". Annual cost $20, published monthly) P.O. Box 6 Phoenix, Arizona 85001 JEWS FOR JESUS (Publishers of "The Jews for Jesus Newsletter" - no charge) 60 Haight St. San Francisco CA. 94102-5895 Canadian Office: P.O Box 487, Station Z Toronto, ON M5N2Z6 INTERNET: mitymo@aol.com JOHN ANKERBERG MINISTRY P.O. Box 8977 Chattanooga, TN 37441 LEDERER MESSIANIC MINISTRIES (Publishers of the "Jewish New Testament" by David Stern) 6204 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore MD 21215 MESSIANIC JEWISH ALLIANCE OF AMERICA (MJAA) (Serving American Messianic Jewry since 1915. A main resource for ministering and witnessing to Jewish people everywhere. Call for more information.) P.O. Box 417 Wynnewood, PA 19096 (215) 896-5812 INTERNET: zevchik@aol.com MINIRTH-MEIER COUNSELING CLINICS (Christian Mental Health Professionals) Western Region 1-800-877-HOPE Eastern Region 1-800-486-4673 Midwest Region 1-800-848-8872 Southern Region 1-800-229-3000 INTERNET: pastor1@aol.com MOMS IN TOUCH INTERNATIONAL (Calling moms to pray for our public schools) P.O. Box 1120 Poway, CA 92074-1120 (619) 486-4065 NITELITE MINISTRIES (Building the faith of the youth through the Gospel of Jesus Christ using music) 16 Crockett Street Irvine, CA 92720 (714) 559-0894 INTERNET: peterjac@aol.com PARDONED MINISTRIES (Ministry to jails and prisons) PO BOX 50746-433 Phoenix AZ 85076 PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL 1470 N. 4th St. SanJose, CA 95112 Tel: (408) 453-3800 FAX: (408) 437-9708 POINT MAN INTERNATIONAL (Christian outreach for veterans by veterans) 820 Wayne St. Washington PA 15301 (412) 228-5081 PRISON FELLOWSHIP PO BOX 17500 Washington DC 20041-0500 (703) 478-0100 PROMISE KEEPERS (Christian men who wants to make a serious impact for Christ in America.) P.O. Box 18376 Boulder, CO 80308-9806 INTERNET: markc88@aol.com PROJECT LETTERS OF LOVE (Building bonds of friendship between Christians and Israelis via letter-writing) P.O. Box 1813 Jerusalem, 91015 Israel Phone 972-2-384-406 RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING Word DMS - PO Box 10853 Des Moines IA 50336-0853 SEPHER MINISTRIES (A church-based counseling/discipleship ministry) C/O Foothill Bible Church P. O. Box 236 Lincoln, CA 95648 INTERNET: pastor1@aol.com STRAIGHT PATH MINISTRIES (Jesus touching people so that they can touch others) 297-101 Kinderkamack Rd. #278 Oradell, NJ 07649 Phone: (201) 261-7654 Fax: (201) 261-4954 Prodigy: KGFS78A INTERNET: straitpath@aol.com TEEN CHALLENGE TRAINING CENTER INC. P.O. Box 98 Rehrersburg, PA 19550 (717) 933-4181 TRANSPORT FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL (Winning truck drivers to Jesus Christ and establishing them in their faith) P.O. Box 303 Denver, Pennsylvania 17517-0303 Phone (215) 267-2444 FAX (215) 267-4181 Canadian Address: Box 2321 Clearbrook, BC V2T 4X2 Phone (Canada) (604) 856-8024 WHOLE COUNSEL MINISTRIES INC. 6113 River Road Matoaca, VA 23803-8047 INTERNET: listener1@aol.com ZION'S TRUMPET (A FAX-ministry dedicated to bringing accurate news reports and prayer needs from Israel to Christians around the world.) For more information contact Larry Baker Home FAX: 907-766-3342 Address: P.O. Box 1033 - Haines, Alaska, 99827. INTERNET: 76570.671@cis ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES INC. (Publishers of the "Levitt Letter" (no charge) Producers of "Zola Levitt Presents" television show) P.O. Box 12268 Dallas Texas 75225