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RUTH - The Woman Who Wouldn't Turn Back
RUTH - The Woman Who Wouldn't Turn Back
RUTH - The Woman Who Wouldn't Turn Back

By Fred Hartman
From ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine


Ruth comes to us from the pages of biblical history as a young woman of Moab who married a young man from Bethlehem of Judah. At first glance, it may appear that her husband simply married a beautiful young Moabite, but this marriage should never have occurred according to Jewish Law (Deuteronomy 7:1-11).

As the story unfolds, Elimelech (of the tribe of Ephraim), his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion left the land of Judah because of a famine and settled in the land of Moab. Following Elimelech's death, his two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. About ten years later, Mahlon and Chilion died. The ancient Jewish sages believed that all three men died as a result of disobedience. Elimelech, whose name means My God is King, stepped out of the will of God when he failed to depend on the Lord to supply his needs during the famine in Israel. His sons disobeyed the Law of the Lord by marrying women of Moab. All three paid with their lives.

However, God's plans are never thwarted. Their disobedience set in motion a chain of events that led to a princess of Moab becoming an ancestor of Jewish royalty. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David, whose family produced Jesus the Messiah. God has a way of turning the wrongs of man into blessings. The flight of Elimelech and his family from Bethlehem to Moab was used by the Lord to build the house of David and, thus, that of the Messiah.


The News From Home

Apparently Orpah and Ruth had grown close to their mother-in-law, and they shared a common grief. But some decisions had to be made. Following the deaths of her husband and sons, Naomi received word that the famine in the area of Bethlehem had abated, and she decided to return home. Bethlehem, which means House of Bread in Hebrew, was once again blessed with food. Having lost all she had in Moab, Naomi wanted to go back to her land and people. Leaving her husband and sons buried beneath the sod of Moab, the widow prepared to return to her homeland (1:6).

As Naomi made her preparations, Ruth and Orpah declared their intent to accompany her, and the three started out from Moab. Their love for their mother-in-law must have run deep to be willing to go with her to a new and strange country. But Naomi was concerned about the two young women and encouraged them to remain in Moab.

She suggested that Orpah and Ruth return to the home of their mothers (1:8), which seemed like the rational thing to do. There they could live normal lives surrounded by their own loved ones. Naomi wanted only the best for them ("the Lord deal kindly with you," 1:8) because they had shown great strength and courage, both when Naomi lost her husband and when they themselves became widows. They had been a great comfort to her, despite their own loss.

Naomi also felt that Orpah and Ruth would be able to remarry in the land of Moab (1:9). Of course, she was familiar with the Hebrew system of the kinsman redeemer (a close male relative was to purchase the land of the deceased to keep it in the tribe and marry the wife of the deceased to raise up seed for him), but because the girls were Moabites, she probably thought that the law would not apply to them. Naomi felt that the best place for her daughters-in-law was in Moab with their families; thus, she made a strong plea for them to stay.

Their reaction to Naomi's suggestion was twofold. First, they both wept. Second, they declared, "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people" (1:10). Naomi had, for now, lost the argument.

Next, Naomi pointed out to Orpah and Ruth that she was beyond childbearing age (1:11). Furthermore, even if she did remarry and have sons, Orpah and Ruth would not want to wait for them to become adults. They would be too old. To go on with Naomi would put them in a hopeless situation, they would never be able to remarry. She felt that the hand of the Lord was against her, so she again encouraged the two young women to return to Moab (1:13). Thus, as hard as it was, Orpah kissed Naomi and returned home, although not without tears of sorrow (1:14a). "But Ruth clung to her [Naomi]'' (1:14b).

Jewish tradition is most interesting concerning what may have occurred next. According to both the "Encyclopaedia Judaica" and the "Jewish Encyclopedia", Ruth, as recorded in the biblical account, went on to become the great-grandmother of King David (4:13-17). Through her marriage to Boaz (a relative of Elimelech who served as the kinsman-redeemer), God blessed her signally. Orpah, on the other hand, returned to Moab, forsook the God of Israel, and worshipped the gods of the Moabites. She is identified with Harafu, the mother of four Philistine giants, one of whom was Goliath.

If this account is true, the story becomes very significant. Orpah and Ruth were probably sisters, daughters of Eglon, king of Moab. Ruth, who wouldn't turn back, was brought into the kingly line through Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer; eventually, through her descendants, the Messiah was born. Orpah, on the other hand, returned to her country and her gods, and she eventually lost all. Goliath and his sons were slain by David and his men. What a difference one decision made, and what a tremendous lesson it teaches. Although this account is taken from Jewish writings and not the Scriptures, we do know that Ruth was greatly rewarded for her fidelity to Naomi and the God of Israel.


Ruth's Commitment

Naomi again tried to persuade Ruth to return to her people and their gods, but without success. Ruth was full of grit and determination; nothing and no one could change her mind. Not only did she continue on with Naomi, but she determined to follow her God. There would be no area of separation.

"And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to turn away from following after thee; for where thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part thee and me" (1:16-17).

The die was cast, the commitment made. There was no turning back. Ruth would not leave her mother-inlaw; she would go wherever Naomi went. She forsook her people and now considered herself to be a Jewess. Naomi's God was now her God, and Ruth resolved to follow Naomi for the rest of her life.

When she recognized the depth of Ruth's commitment, Naomi stopped trying to persuade her to return to Moab (1:18). The discussion was over, the decision final. Naomi realized that Ruth was fiercely loyal to her and would be faithful to her as long as she lived.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if people today displayed Ruth's characteristics? We rarely see such devotion, even in marriages. It is so easy to forget or break promises.

Ruth and Naomi finally arrived in Bethlehem. For Ruth it was a new city, a new experience, a new people, and a new God. For Naomi, however, it was a sad homecoming. She had gone out young, wealthy, and full of promise. She returned old, destitute, and broken. She had no home, no food, no prestige. A few years had made a tremendous difference in her life.

And what a welcome she received! "All the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?" (1:19). The people hardly recognized her. Certainly she had aged. Perhaps she was wearing the clothing of a Moabite woman, maybe even clothes of mourning. Her grief had taken its toll.

It was now Ruth's responsibility to carve out a new path for herself and Naomi. Of course Naomi would guide and help her, but she had to learn a whole new way of life. Also, she would have to eke out an existence for the two of them. Because they arrived in Bethlehem around the time of the barley harvest, Ruth decided to gather ears of grain in the fields behind the reapers. From the corners of the fields that were overlooked by the workers, Ruth began to gather the gleanings.

Ruth had made her commitment to Naomi, and she would honor it. Surely, among these strange people, with their unusual customs and a God who was so different from the ones she had worshipped in her youth, she must have become homesick. Gleaning in the fields under the hot sun was a very lowly task. Did she ever consider leaving Naomi and returning home? The geography of the city and fields of Bethlehem made it possible, on a clear day, to look to the east and see the hills of Moab. Gazing in that direction probably brought back memories of Ruth's childhood and the few happy years of her marriage. Perhaps things would be better in that distant land. As it was, instead of being a Moabite princess, she was a pauper in a strange country. As the hills of Moab beckoned, Ruth was faced with a tremendous challenge and, perhaps, a great temptation.

But she remained faithful to Naomi and true to her new God, the God of Israel. Never would she return to her old land or her old ways.

A little chorus became popular a few years ago, a chorus we should all repeat often:

I have decided to follow Jesus. 
I have decided to follow Jesus. 
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back.

Ruth never sang that chorus, but her life exemplified its message. She determined to follow the Lord, there would be "no turning back." We should emulate Ruth and practice her example of devotion and allegiance. We need multitudes of Ruths today, people with the courage to stand on their convictions and never turn back.
ESTHER - The Woman Who Saved Her Nation
ESTHER - The Woman Who Saved Her Nation
ESTHER - THE WOMAN WHO SAVED HER NATION

By Teresa Giordanengo


Esther was the Persian name of this beautiful descendant of Benjamin. She was related to a family carried away captive with Jeremiah, about 600 B.C. Her family preferred to remain in the land of captivity rather than return to Jerusalem. Esther was the daughter of Abihail who lived at Shushan, the Persian royal city.

When her parents died she was adopted by Mordecai, a palace official, to whom she was related by marriage. Mordecai had a deep affection for her and reared her as his own daughter. Esther was always obedient to her cousin and trusted this gentle Jew as her father. 

During the third year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, emperor of Media-Persia, there was a great celebration at Shushan Palace. The emperor invited all his governors, aides, and army officers from every part of Media-Persia, that included 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. This celebration lasted six months. 

When it was over, the king gave a party for the palace servants and officials, janitors and cabinet officials too. This party lasted seven days. Gold and silver benches stood on pavements of black, red, white, and yellow marble. Drinks were served in golden goblets. 

Queen Vashti gave a party for the women of the palace at the same time. On the final day, when the king was half-drunk from wine, he told the seven eunuchs who were his personal aides to bring Queen Vashti to him so all the men could gaze upon her beauty. When she refused to come, the king was furious. 

He asked his advisors what penalty the law provided, for a queen who refused to obey the king's orders. Memucan answered for the others: "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but every official and citizen of your empire. For women everywhere will begin to disobey their husbands when they learn what Queen Vashti has done. We suggest you issue a royal edict, a law that can never be changed, that Queen Vashti be forever banished from your presence and that you choose another queen." The king and his aides thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan's counsel. 

But after King Ahasuerus' anger had cooled, he began brooding over the loss of Vashti. His aides suggested that he appoint agents in each province to select young lovelies for the royal harem. The young ladies would be given beauty treatments, and after that, the girl who pleases him the most shall be the queen instead of Vashti.

This pleased the king and he put this plan into action. As a result of the king's decree, Esther was brought to the king's harem at Shushan Palace along with many other girls. 

Hegai, who was responsible for the harem, was much impressed with her. He ordered a special menu for her, favored her for beauty treatments, gave her seven maids, and the most luxurious apartment in the harem.  Esther had not told anyone she was a Jewess, for Mordecai had said not to. He came daily to the court of the harem to find out what was happening to her. 

As each girl's turn came for spending the night with King Ahasuerus, she was given her choice of clothing or jewelry to enhance her beauty. When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, dressing according to his instructions. Esther had great personal beauty. When the king saw her for the first time, he must have been captivated by her physical charms. But through her beauty there shone a radiance of personality and character which enhanced her beauty and gave it distinction in the eyes of Ahasuerus who chose her as his queen. The king loved Esther more than any of the other girls. He was so delighted that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. To celebrate the occasion, he threw another big party for all his officials and servants, giving generous gifts to everyone and making grants to the provinces in the form of remission of taxes. 

The marriage of Ahasuerus to Esther, a Jewess, was against Persian law which held that one of the royal line must marry a wife belonging to the seven great Persian families. Mordecai had made the girl promise that she would not reveal her nationality to the king - which she did not until the opportune moment came. Hadassah was Esther's original name. The change of name from Hadassah to Esther may indicate the style of beauty for which this once captive, now a Persian queen, was famous for. She is revealed as a woman of clear judgment, of magnificent self-control and capable of the noblest self-sacrifice. 

One day as Mordecai was on duty at the palace, two of the king's eunuchs who were guards at the palace gate became angry at the king and plotted to assassinate him. Mordecai heard about it and passed on the information to Queen Esther who told the king, crediting Mordecai with the information. An investigation was made, the two men found guilty and impaled alive.

Afterwards King Ahasuerus appointed Haman as prime minister. All the king's officials bowed before him when he passed, per the king's orders. But Mordecai refused to bow because he was Jewish. Haman was furious and decided to move against all of Mordecai's people throughout the kingdom. This was to occur on the 28th day of February of the following year.

Haman approached the king telling him that there was a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of his kingdom whose laws were different from those of any other nation. They refused to obey the king's laws. Therefore, it was not in the king's interest to let them live. Haman asked that a decree be issued for their destruction and that he would pay the royal treasury for the expenses incurred.

The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his ring from his finger and giving it to Haman telling him, "Keep the money, but go ahead and do as you like with these people."

When Mordecai learned what had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and stood outside the gate of the palace, for no one was permitted to enter in mourning clothes. Throughout the provinces there was great mourning among the Jews.

When Esther heard about this, she sent for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant.  She asked him to find out from Mordecai, what the trouble was. Even as the queen, Esther sought Mordecai's practical advice. Mordecai gave a copy of the king's decree to her attendant and sent word to Esther to go to the king to plead for her people. Esther told her attendant to say to Mordecai: "Anyone who goes into the king's inner court without his summons is doomed to die unless the king holds out his golden scepter; and the king has not called for me to come to him in more than a month."

Mordecai replied, "Do you think you will escape when all other Jews are killed? If you keep quiet at a time like this, God will deliver the Jews form some other source, but you and your relatives will die. What's more, who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for just such a time as this?"

Then Esther said to tell Mordecai: "Go and gather all the Jews of Shushan and fast for me for three days, and I and my maids will do the same. Then, though it is strictly forbidden, I will go to see the king; and if I perish, I perish."  

Three days later Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court just beyond the royal hall of the palace, where the king was sitting upon his throne. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the inner court, he welcomed her, holding out the golden scepter. So Esther approached and touched its tip.

"What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!" Esther replied, "If it please Your Majesty, I want you and Haman to come to a banquet today." The king turned to his aides, "Tell Haman to hurry!"

During the wine course at Esther's banquet, the king said to Esther, "Now tell me what you really want, and I will give it to you." Esther replied, "My request is that if Your Majesty loves me, you come again with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I shall prepare. And tomorrow I will explain what this is all about."

In the meantime Haman had gone home and gathered his friends and wife and boasted how he had become the greatest man in the kingdom next to the king. He told how he and the king were invited to Queen Esther's banquet and that they were invited again the next day. But he added, "all this is nothing when I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in front of the king's gate, refusing to bow to me."

His wife Zeresh suggested, "get ready a 75-foot-high gallows and in the morning ask the king to let you hang Mordecai on it; and when this is done you can go on your merry way to the banquet." This pleased Haman immensely and he ordered the gallows built.

That night the king had trouble sleeping and decided to read the historical records of his kingdom from the library. He came across how Mordecai had exposed the plot of the king's eunuchs who plotted to assassinate him. "What reward did we give Mordecai for this?" the king asked. His courtiers replied, "Nothing!"

"Who is on duty in the outer court?" the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court to ask the king to hang Mordecai from the gallows he was building. The courtiers replied, "Haman is out there." 

"Bring him in," the king ordered. Haman came in and the king said, "What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?" Haman thought to himself, "Whom would he want to honor more than me?" So he replied, "Bring out some of the royal robes the king himself has worn and the king's own horse and the royal crown, and instruct one of the king's most noble princes to robe the man and lead him through the streets on the king's horse, shouting before him, - This is the way the king honors those who truly please him!"

"Excellent!" the king said. "Hurry and take these robes and my horse, and do just as you have said - to Mordecai the Jew who works at the chancellery. Follow every detail you have suggested."

Haman did as he was told and led Mordecai through the city, shouting, "This is the way the king honors those he delights in." Haman was utterly humiliated and was telling his wife and friends what had happened. While they were discussing it, the king's messengers arrived to escort Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Again, during the wine course, the king asked, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? Whatever it is, I will give it to you, even if it is half of my kingdom!"

Esther replied, "If I have won your favor, O king, save my life and the lives of my people. For I and my people are doomed to destruction and slaughter. If we were only to be sold as slaves, perhaps I could remain quiet."

Even though she had concealed her heritage until now, in the hour of crisis she was not ashamed to own her race. Even though she had attained a position of power and prestige, she still loved and remembered her people.

"What are you talking about?" King Ahasuerus demanded. "Who would dare touch you?"  Esther replied, "This wicked Haman is our enemy."

Then one of the king's aides said, "Sir, Haman has just ordered a 75-foot gallows constructed to hang Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination! It stands in Haman's courtyard."

"Hang Haman on it," the king ordered. Haman received himself what he had proposed for others. One might say there is such a thing as righteous retribution.

Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king that he was her cousin and foster father. The king took off his ring - which he had taken back from Haman - and gave it to Mordecai, appointing him Prime Minister. 

Once more Esther came before the king, falling down at his feet. Again the king held out the golden scepter to Esther. She arose and stood before him and said, "If it please Your Majesty, send out a decree reversing Haman's order to destroy the Jews throughout the provinces. For how can I endure to see my people butchered?"

King Ahasuerus said, "Go ahead and send a message to the Jews, telling them whatever you want to in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring."

The decree went out in the land giving the Jews permission to unite in the defense of their lives and their families on the 28th day of February. 

Because Esther saved the Jews from destruction, the Book of Esther is read every year by Jews at the Feast of Purim, held on the 14th day of Adar. The Jews themselves decided upon this tradition as a remembrance of the time of their national fasting and prayer.

The story of Esther, as is told in the Book of Esther, tells of a strong-minded woman of ancient history. Much can be learned from her character. She sought divine guidance in times of difficulty. When there was a necessity, she was ready to renounce self and exert herself for the good of others. She valued the cooperation of others with the same beliefs.
Ruth and the Messiah
Ruth and the Messiah
RUTH AND THE MESSIAH
Women and Jesus' Genealogy

By Will Varner


The charming little account contained in the Book of Ruth has all the interest-catching elements of an absorbing short story. The reader is exposed to a plot containing elements of tragedy, conflict, characterization, and resolution. The action moves to a truly satisfying "they lived happily ever after" conclusion. The reader of this enchanting idyll may, therefore, be a little let down by the last five verses of the book, which seem to have been added as a pedantic afterthought. These verses comprise a genealogical list of ten generations, six before Boaz and Ruth and three following the happy couple.

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron, And Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab, And Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, And Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, And Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David (Ruth 4:18-22).

Why would this seemingly irrelevant roster be appended to such a beautifully engaging and romantic tale? Are the higher critics correct in seeing these verses as the later appendage of an editor trying to make the book a bit more "official" as a court document of David? Because all of God's Word is "profitable" (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17), we must reflect further on what this conclusion of the book is communicating to us.

When we begin reading the New Testament, we are confronted with a similar "shock". Instead of immediately launching into the account of Jesus' birth, Matthew serves us 17 verses, containing nearly 50 names, covering a period of almost 2,000 years (Mt. 1:1-17)! Many readers admittedly skip over this register of mostly unfamiliar characters so they can get to the good stuff in verse 18 and following. By doing so, however, they miss some fascinating truths. As a matter of fact, the genealogies concluding Ruth and beginning Matthew are strikingly similar. It even appears that Matthew was consciously using the end of Ruth in his own register of Jesus' ancestors. What is the Word of God teaching here?

One of the striking facets of Jesus' genealogy in Matthew is its inclusion of women, a practice uncharacteristic of Jewish genealogies. No less than four are mentioned, three by name and one by her relationship to her husband. The first is Tamar (Mt. 1:3), who gave birth to Perez by Judah (see the account in Gen. 38). The second is Rahab (Mt. 1:5), who gave birth to Boaz by Salmon (Ruth 4:21). The third is Ruth (Mt. 1:5), who gave birth to Obed by Boaz (Ruth 4:21). The fourth is Bathsheba ("her that had been the wife of Uriah," Mt. 1:6), who gave birth to Solomon by David (2 Sam. 12:24).

The following table helps to visualize better the parallels between the two genealogies:

Matthew 1:3-6:

"Judah begot PEREZ... of Tamar" (1:3)
"SALMON begot Boaz of Rahab" (1:5) 
"BOAZ begot Obed of Ruth" (1:5) 
"DAVID, the king, begot Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah" (1:6)

Ruth 4:18-22:

PEREZ (4:18) 
SALMON (4:20)
BOAZ (4:21) 
DAVID (4:22)

The purpose of the genealogy in Ruth is to show that Ruth's husband Boaz was a descendant of Judah, the man who fathered the tribe of the King-Messiah (Gen. 49:10). Furthermore, it indicates that Ruth was the great-grandmother of David, the man God chose to be king (see 1 Sam. 16:12) and ancestor of the Messiah.

The purpose of Matthew's genealogy is to record the messianic line down to Joseph, who Matthew is careful to show was not the physical father of Jesus, but his legal, adoptive father: "And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ" (Mt. 1:16).

Further reflection on Matthew's inclusion of these four women presents some other striking paradoxes. Not only did he include women in the ancestry of the Messiah,  an uncommon practice of the times, but there were other negative aspects of these women that stand out. They were all Gentiles: Tamar and Rahab were Canaanites; Ruth was a Moabite; and Bathsheba was most probably a Hittite. As if that were not enough, each of these women had some shadow over her behavior or background. Tamar and Rahab had been prostitutes; Bathsheba had committed adultery; and Ruth was a member of a people who had been ancient enemies of Israel and were excluded (at least the men) from the congregation of the Lord for ten generations (Deuteronomy. 23:3).

Thus, Matthew included four women who were also Gentiles and who had some taint on their lives. If you or I had written Jesus' genealogy, we would perhaps have been tempted to omit these distaff members from the list. But Matthew, without apology or fear of embarrassment, portrayed them for all to read and recognize. Is there a reason for this inclusion?

I believe there is, and I further believe that reason also relates to why the little story of Ruth is included in the Bible. Ruth was a Gentile woman who was the great-grandmother of the greatest king of Israel,  David. This indicates God's love and grace to this dear woman. What a privilege to be included in the ancestry of the "sweet psalmist of Israel" (2 Sam. 23:1), in spite of the fact that she had so many strikes against her.

So it is with the larger picture of the four women included in the genealogy of Jesus by Matthew. Perhaps what the Lord is showing to us here at the beginning of the New Testament is that:

1. Jesus is also for women, not just for men. This blessed truth, echoed so often in the Gospels (they were last at the cross and first at the tomb), ought to encourage every feminine follower of the Savior.

2. Jesus is also for Gentiles, not just for Jews. Their inclusion here presaged the eventual inclusion of those "other sheep" an. 10:16) that Jesus would call, who are outside the fold of Israel.

3. Jesus is also for sinners, not just for the righteous. Didn't Jesus Himself state this very truth in Matthew 9:13b, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance"?

I can imagine an aged Ruth called one happy day to the home of her grandson, Jesse. There her dim eyes beheld a red-headed newborn, the eighth son of Jesse. Did she recognize that this little one would be the ancestor of the Messiah, He who would be the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5) and who would one day take the throne of His father David (Lk. 1:32)? She had already experienced redemption by a ""goel",  her beloved redeemer, Boaz. Perhaps she recognized that an even greater redeemer would come some day, from her very own seed.

Surely she must have been extremely grateful that she, a Moabite woman, had been privileged to be included in the line of the Messianic King. This, my dear reader, is what is conveyed to us by that list of ten names in Ruth 4:18-22.


From ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine. Will Varner is the Academic Dean of the Institute of Biblical Studies in Bellmawr, New Jersey.
Blessings of Another Kind
Blessings of Another Kind
BLESSINGS OF ANOTHER KIND 

By Moishe Rosen
From THE JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER


We each have our own idea of what it means to be blessed. Most of us usually equate blessings with positive and rewarding circumstances, such as good health, warm family ties and loyal friendships. On the list we might also include acceptance and approval from those around us, or perhaps some extra status in the community. And finally, if the truth were admitted, not many would turn down financial success and some material wealth as part of the package." Yet none of these, including the best of human relationships and the loftiest of achievements, is lasting. In time they all will fade away.

There is another kind of blessing that God, from His vantage point, sometimes bestows. Sometimes He blesses in ways that to the recipient may not seem like total blessings at the time. For example, take Miriam/Mary, the mother of Y'shua/Jesus. When the angel announced to that pious young Jewish virgin that she was to be blessed among women, his message definitely portended one of those "other" kinds of blessings.

At the time, Miriam was probably only 14 or 15. That was the age at which most young women married in ancient Israel, shortly after puberty. At the threshold of her marriage to Joseph, Miriam received startling news from her heavenly visitor that challenged her faith and changed her life forever.

God had singled her out to be the bearer of the God/man Redeemer. While inwardly it must have given her great joy to be so chosen of God, in her everyday world shame stalked her. Surely there was talk that this girl was not only pregnant before marriage, but that she claimed the child within her had been fathered by the Holy Spirit of God - and that bordered on blasphemy. The gossips and doubters must have said, "God doesn't do things like that. He never did and He never will. If she is not stoned for fornication, she should be stoned for blasphemy."

Then, when at last the time came for Miriam to give birth, she was robbed of the ease and rest she needed to prepare for the ordeal. Instead of taking seclusion in a comfortable bed, she found herself the victim of an imperial decree, jogging painfully down a bumpy country road toward her distant ancestral home to register for tax purposes. And David's town of Bethlehem was far from hospitable. Seeing Joseph and his weary, obviously pregnant wife, the innkeeper shrugged, "Sorry, no room." The offer of a cattle stall for lodging was equal to tossing a half-eaten bone to a dog under the table, but in their dire need the cattle stall was better than nothing. Our Messiah, Y'shua, was born in the most humiliating of circumstances, and she who bore Him shared that humiliation.

The blessing God had chosen for Miriam carried a high price tag. It threatened her reputation and drove her from the town where she had grown up. It forced her to flee to Egypt, a foreign land of bitter memories where few Hebrews would choose to live, even 1,500 years after the Exodus. In later years that blessing made her vulnerable to severe criticism as the mother of a "religious fanatic'' - a "blasphemer" who dared to equate Himself with the Almighty with pronouncements such as. "You have heard it said of old ..., but I say unto you ...'' Ultimately, that blessing heralded by the angel broke Mary's heart as she witnessed the horrible execution of her beloved Son. And even after the worst had happened, unbelievers would have continued to regard her as an outcast because of the things He had said and who He had claimed to be.

But, as commentator Paul Harvey likes to say, "There is a rest of the story.'' Mary's does not stop with the death of Jesus, nor with the end of her own earthly life. Nor did the story really begin with her life. The blessing that changed Miriam's life has its beginning in eternity past. with God, who foreknew her willingness to be a pure vessel in His divine plan of redemption. It will continue long after the bright sun that warms our planet has become a cold clinker in space.

Real blessing from God is not just a here-and-now happening. It is a forever thing. Of all the heroines of Judeo-Christian history, Miriam/Mary stands out, not only because she was singularly blessed among women, but because in her obedience she was able to appropriate the future. Surely when the angel first approached her she did not fully comprehend the import of his word. Yet she was willing to submit to God's plan for her life, whatever the cost. In her submission to be a tool in God's hand, she was blessed as she became the agency for His eternal blessing to the whole world.

Mary blessed? Yes, but not much in her lifetime. In the early days she received commendation from her cousin, Elizabeth. After the holy Child was born she also received encouragement from Simeon and Anna, though Simeon's prophecy of the Child's greatness was mixed with bitter portent. Throughout the flight to Egypt and the lonely years of exile. Mary must have struggled to cling to the glimmer of that greater good - not just the circumstances of her present life, but how her yielding to God's will would be used by the Almighty to bless her and the world forever .

No, in studying the life and times of Mary, no one who merely scrutinized her earthly circumstances would have called her blessed. Yet at the end, there was great reward. Ultimately the One born to her in that stable and raised by her in a Galilean carpenter's hut conquered death, and went to prepare a heavenly mansion, not only for her, but for whomever else would come to Him in faith.

Miriam/Mary stands as an example of one who endured for God. From the moment the angel appeared to her, she was willing to sacrifice all she was and had for the excellence of her heavenly calling. From the prophetic writings she must have understood the end to which her Son would be born - that His earthly destiny was not a crown, but a cross. Surely she suffered shame and misunderstanding and endured discomfort and dishonor. Yet inwardly she must have risen above the discomfort, the dishonor, the sorrow and the anxiety because she saw in the distance that higher blessing, the result of her obedience.

Mary's submission teaches us the reality of faith in action. Indeed, Mary was honored of God. She is blessed among women forever, a shining example of faithful obedience. As we contemplate the miracle of the Incarnation, there is a lesson here for us - obedience to God's call.

God has given us the most precious gift of all - His dear Son, our Savior, Y'shua. In return He asks for our hearts and our obedience. If He calls us to serve Him in some difficult way - if He summons us to some difficult task that we consider humanly impossible - we can refuse, or we can be like Mary. As we submit to God's call, we will learn that with Him all things are possible, even "impossible" miracles. And as we yield to what God asks of us, however difficult, we too may glimpse the distant gleam of a higher blessing.
There is No Pit So Deep...
There is No Pit So Deep...
THERE IS NO PIT SO DEEP THAT JESUS' LOVE IS NOT DEEPER STILL

By Teresa Giordanengo


Corrie ten Boom had a theme for her messages, and many times it was "There is no pit so deep that His love does not go deeper." She reminded everyone of God's love, as she traveled in her lifetime from place to place.

Corrie ten Boom was born April 15, 1892 in Amsterdam, the daughter of a watchmaker. In 1918, Corrie became the first licensed woman watchmaker in Holland. She joined her father, Casper ten Boom, in his shop that had been opened by his father 100 years ago in January 1837. 

One of Corrie's basic motivations in life was to please her father. He was a wise man who always said the right words to encourage others. When Corrie was concerned that someday he would die and she could not bear the thought, he asked her, "When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?" She replied, "Just before we get on the train." "Exactly," he said. "Our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need - just in time." 

He did the finest watch repairs in Holland and many times would not send the bill. He had exacting standards, regardless of the customer's social status or wealth. He reminded his daughter that God was concerned about every part of her life, including her work as a watchmaker. 

Corrie's father believed in the grace of God and taught Corrie in the ways of the Lord. Her faith was shaped by her parents. At 8:30 each morning her father took the big brass-hinged Bible from its shelf and read the scriptures to all who were in the house. Her father encouraged her to memorize scripture from the Bible in different languages. Corrie believed that the Bible was inspired by God because it says so and because of the effect it has on people who follow it. 

Even though she enjoyed her job in the watch shop, she believed there was something more to be done. She felt the Lord could use her in some way. Corrie was always a very busy lady. She started several clubs for young girls which included a Christian scouting group called The Triangle Girls. Later she organized the Club of Friends, which was for young women and young men. She was involved in programs for the mentally handicapped and also helped young women prepare for church membership.  

She learned early in her life that praying to God was like talking over the problems of the day with a friend. She never doubted that God heard all her prayers and that He would answer them. Many times she had to wait for the answer. 

Corrie knew that her father prayed daily for the Queen and the Second Coming of Christ. When the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Corrie and her sister Betsie prayed for what seemed like hours for their country, for the injured and the Queen. 

Within a year there were signs in shop windows that read: JEWS WILL NOT BE SERVED. At the entrance to a public park, the library, theaters and concert halls, signs read: NO JEWS. When a synagogue burned down, the fire trucks came only to keep the flames from spreading to the buildings on either side. Corrie's father told her that he pitied the poor Germans because they had touched the apple of God's eye - the Jews - God's chosen people. The ten Booms proved their love and service for the Jewish people. As persecution increased, they began to hide Jews in their home. 

In order to hide the Jews safely, a gentleman from the underground movement came to inspect the ten Boom's home. A warning system was placed in the window. It was a triangle-shaped wooden sign advertising "Alpina Watches". When it was in place, it was safe to enter the home. The inspector was amazed at the incredible house. It was a crooked old house, one room wide, with odd-placed landings, and floor levels of the two connecting houses that were not even. Bedrooms were on each level above the kitchen, dining room, watch repair room, and the watch shop. He ran to the very top of the stairs and entered a bedroom, which was Corrie's. The inspector said he wanted the hiding place as high as possible. This would give everyone the best chance to reach the secret room, while the search was going on below. 

A false wall was built in Corrie's bedroom for the secret room which was to be the hiding place. When it was done, it was unbelievable how the new false wall matched all the other streaked walls. Even the ancient molding ran unbroken around the ceiling, chipped and peeling here and there. 

Built-in bookshelves ran along this false wall. Down in the far lefthand corner, beneath the bottom shelf, a sliding panel opened into the secret room. A water jug, vitamins and hardtack candy was kept in the secret room. All clothes actually not on the backs of the people who would hide there, were kept in this secret room too.

The ten Boom family never turned anyone away. Their home became known as the happiest underground place in the Netherlands.

With so many people under one roof, the fear of discovery created problems. Acts of kindness toward the Jews were punishable. Corrie took the responsibility of seeing that everyone knew exactly what to do in case of a raid. To alert everyone, buzzers were installed in each room. She organized drills where each person was to quickly go to the secret room adjacent to Corrie's bedroom. These drills were important because the Nazis' favorite times to raid were meal times and in the middle of the night. They could expect a raid at any time. There was room for eight people in this secret room. 

The guests had less than a minute to get to the hiding place. If the raid took place in the middle of the night, they had to turn their mattresses over so that the heat from their body on the bed could not be felt. Then quickly they would take their sheets and blankets with them to the secret room, being careful not to drop anything along the way. The house had to give the appearance of only three people living in it. If the raid took place during meal time, they had to be careful not to spill any food or drop any silverware. The chairs had to be rearranged to look like lunch for three was in progress.

It was also a problem having enough food for everyone. Corrie continued to sell watches in the watch shop and worked for the resistance, never knowing when the Gestapo would come.

On February 28, 1944, a man knocked on the door asking to talk to Corrie. He explained that his wife had been arrested for helping the Jews. He was sure she would be killed. He wanted Corrie to help by giving him six hundred guilders. There was a policeman who could be bribed for this amount of money. Corrie's networking got them the money within an hour.

Soon after Corrie gave him the money, the Gestapo raided. Four Jewish refugees and two underground workers ran into the secret room. Corrie was in bed with the fever when a German soldier barged into her bedroom demanding the whereabouts of the secret room. The Gestapo knew there were Jews hidden in the house. Then he said, "Never mind, we will have the house watched until they have turned into mummies." There was no time to remove the "all-safe" sign in the window, so more people stumbled into the Gestapo trap. Thirty-five people were arrested in the interim time. Those in the secret room remained hidden for three days but were eventually led to safety.

Corrie and her family were interrogated at Gestapo headquarters and taken to Scheveningen prison. Corrie was isolated from other prisoners, for fear that she might have tuberculosis. She was alone for the first time in her life. Her father died ten days after being taken prisoner. 

On June 6th, Corrie found her sister Betsie among a group of prisoners being transferred to the dreaded Ravensbruck, where nearly 96,000 women died. Betsie was not well and coughed a lot. The prison was damp and full of cockroaches, fleas, and lice. Women cut their hair short because this was no place for long hair. The women worked at hard labor, moving gravel and dirt. They were made to stand in the cold for long hours during roll call, until their legs cramped. Five women slept in one bed, with thread-bare blankets to keep warm. 

Corrie had read the New Testament through three times since leaving Scheveningen. The Word was a comfort to her and all those with her. She tucked her Bible in the neck of her dress and flattened the bulge as best she could, hoping the guards would not see it. She had the feeling that this was God's business and He would take care of the situation. As the women were filing past the guards the men would run their hands over every prisoner, front, back, and sides. The woman ahead of Corrie was searched three times and Betsie, who was behind Corrie, was searched. But, no hand touched Corrie. Leaving the building, a line of women guards examined each prisoner again. As Corrie reached them, the guard in charge shoved her roughly by the shoulder to move along because she was holding up the line. Again no one checked her! 

From morning until lights-out, whenever Corrie and Betsie were not in ranks for roll call, the Bible was their center of hope. As Betsie read, the women gathered around to listen. They learned that nothing could separate them from the love of God. Even though life in prison grew steadily worse, the life lived with God grew better daily. Many came to know the Lord while in prison.

Life in Ravensbruck was a faith-building experience. Corrie and Betsie were able to share His strength, and the power of His forgiveness with the other prisoners. 

That same year, 1944, Betsie died on Christmas day. Three days later, by the grace of God through a clerical error at the prison, Corrie heard her name announced over the loud speakers. She was to follow the guard into the administration barracks. Here she was given her Certificate of Discharge. She was released at the age of fifty-two, and returned home.

Corrie's thinking had not changed in concentration camp. She thanked the Lord for giving back her life and asked how she was to use it. Corrie helped with the European refugees but had an inner yearning to go to America.

One year after her release from prison, Corrie ten Boom sailed to America with only fifty dollars in her purse. She felt that the Lord had directed her and she had to be obedient. She relied on God's provision for all her needs.

During the next twenty years, she became involved with Brother Andrew's missionary work in smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. She also became involved with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She traveled to speaking engagements in Formosa, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Palestine, Spain, and more. Many times she had only enough money to get to one place, but she trusted the Lord to provide money to get to the next place. She became the most sought after woman speaker in the world. 

Books written about her life are, A Prisoner and Yet, The Hiding Place, Tramp for the Lord, and others. A movie was made from her story, The Hiding Place, and millions of people have seen it.

At the age of eighty-four, Corrie wanted a new ministry because travel was burdensome for her at this time. She worked hard when many thought she was retired. She was a writer, speaker, film-maker, and a friend to all. She loved people and she had a deep love for children. 

She was a gracious woman, full of Christ's love. Because she asked the Lord to help her, she was able to forgive the former guard at the prison. He had become a Christian and asked her forgiveness.

The Word of God was Corrie's firm foundation. The scriptures say that the Jews are God's chosen people, therefore Corrie could hide Jews in her home and risk her life for what she believed. 

Individuals who helped the Jews were given special recognition by having their names inscribed as a memorial at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Israel. One can see these inscriptions along the walkway to the main entrance of the museum. Corrie's heroic action, on behalf of the Jews, earned her this special recognition. 

Corrie suffered a stroke in 1978 and lived five more years. She went to be with the Lord on April 15, 1983. The Lord was always first in Corrie ten Boom's life. She never hesitated to tell of God's love.
Lillian Trasher - Trusting the Lord
Lillian Trasher - Trusting the Lord
LILLIAN TRASHER - TRUSTING THE LORD

By Teresa Giordanengo


Lillian Trasher was born September 27, 1887 and grew up in Brunswick, Georgia. As a young girl, she knelt by a log in the woods one day, and prayed, "Lord, if ever I can do anything for You, just let me know and I'll do it."

Years later she met Miss Perry who ran an orphanage nearby. She invited Lillian to come to work at the orphanage. Little did Lillian know that this is where she would get her training for her entire life's missionary work.

Later, she arrived at the Elhanah Training Institute, where she was involved in sewing, cooking, taking care of newborn babies, and taking care of large numbers of orphan children. There she learned how to trust God for the needs of everyday life. She had no money at all and no one sent her any. She never wrote to others about her needs. 

Lillian's shoes wore out and there was no money to buy a new pair. Someone had sent in a box of old clothes and there was a pair of men's shoes in the box. It didn't matter to Lillian, she wore them anyway.

Lillian attended God's Bible School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She pastored a church in Dahlonega, Georgia, did evangelistic work in Kentucky and in 1909, returned to the orphanage in Marion, North Carolina.

She had been praying for a call to the mission field, but in the meantime, she became engaged to be married. Ten days before her wedding day, she accompanied Miss Perry to hear a missionary from India. She was so deeply touched by the message, that she cried through the service, all the way back to the orphanage, and into the night.

Miss Perry wanted to know what was wrong. Lillian explained to her that nothing was wrong except that she was engaged to marry the most wonderful young man in the world and that she could not marry him. God had called her to Africa and she must obey. She had to put God first.

Knowing little about where she was to go, she gathered her few possessions and a few dollars and went to a missionary convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was sure God would provide as he always did before. And He did. In a short time she arrived in Brooklyn, New York, on her way to Egypt. Her sister Jenny joined her. Someone urged Lillian to ask for a promise. Lillian opened her Bible and read Acts 7:34: "I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt."

The two sisters docked in Alexandria, traveled by train to Cairo, and then by boat down the Nile River to Assiout. She thought it was the most beautiful place in the world. 

Shortly thereafter, she was confronted by Egypt's needs: those of the poor, homeless, ragged, rejected children.

One night, at midnight, a man knocked on her door. He was looking for someone to come pray with a dying woman. Lillian, accompanied by an interpreter, went, having no idea what she would find. She was horrified to discover a three month old girl trying to suck green, stringy milk out of a tin can. Her clothes had been sewn tightly on her, and it seemed as though she had not been changed, perhaps since birth. The stench was beyond belief. Lillian prayed and as the mother died she gave the baby to Lillian, who took the child back with her to the compound. The two sisters took turns rocking the child and trying to get her to take some milk.

For twelve days and nights they tried and the baby howled. It was unbelievable that a malnourished child could cry so loudly and persistently. Soon the other missionaries' patience wore out and the senior missionary ordered Lillian to take the baby back.

But where was Lillian to take her back to? She had come to work within the traditional mission structure, which insisted that single women be submissive to male leaders. The veteran missionary knew best.

Lillian decided to take the baby back... but she was going to go back with the baby to stay.  Her superior wondered how she was going to do this alone! An American woman, unmarried, in an Arab world!  He felt she would be killed or starve to death.

Lillian knew she would not be alone because God would be with her.  With the sixty dollars she had left from her traveling, she rented a small house, bought a kerosene stove for cooking and some furniture. Now she had no money left, and her mission board support was terminated. But she had confidence in God. 

Lillian was alone now because her sister returned to Long Beach, California and did not return to Egypt for many years later. Since Lillian had no means of support, she begged. Her first donation was thirty-five cents. It was enough for that day's food. 

She traveled on a donkey pleading for money and many times received children instead. The government officials were amazed that no one did anything to alarm or hurt Lillian. The governor taunted her since she was riding a donkey which was very degrading for a very attractive young lady. Lillian reminded him that a donkey was good enough for the mother of her Lord and that it certainly was good enough for her. She was known as the "Lady on a Donkey."

As the orphanage grew, Lillian spent more time wondering about their next meal. But either food or money always arrived.

Many times in her travels she could not return to the orphanage at night. If no one offered her a safe place to sleep, she would go to the nearest police station and spend the night with her donkey in a jail cell. The Egyptians could not believe how persistent she was and that an American could survive the heat.

By 1914, she became affiliated with a new denomination, the Assemblies of God. They sent barrels of clothing and an occasional check but Lillian still relied on the generosity of her Egyptian neighbors. She was grateful for every dollar and everything that was given her. She answered each letter she received on the same day.

By 1915, she had fifty children in her orphanage. She had to build on, and the children helped with the construction... even making bricks. She began teaching trades because these children had to be prepared for life.

By 1923, she housed three hundred orphans and widows but did not have a great spiritual harvest. In 1927, she witnessed the revival she had long prayed for. In the meantime, she continued sewing, washing, feeding, and building. She continuously relied on God for all things. 

One night when the Egyptians rose up against the British rulers, she had to move her children from the orphanage to a brick kiln. When she counted heads, she realized that two children were missing.

Against protests from her fellow workers, she crawled back to the orphanage and found the two terrified toddlers. Tucking a child under each arm, she slowly made her way back to the kiln. Suddenly the rebels blocked her path. She had to drop into a ditch, where she came upon a dead soldier. She muffled her horror, because any scream would have brought death to her and the babies. The soldiers marched closer and closer until one of them stepped on Lillian. He probably assumed she was dead, and kept moving on. While Lillian waited, she softly sang "Jesus Loves Me" in the ears of the babies. When the danger was over, she crawled to safety with the other staffers and children.

God had protected them and the orphanage. Even though nearby houses were looted and burned, the orphanage was untouched. Lillian told all her Egyptian neighbors of God's power. 

Slowly she gained the confidence of the Egyptians and the American churches. But when the Great Depression came, the American support money dropped to practically nothing. She had so many children by now that she could not leave them and go beg for money or supplies. She knelt down and sobbed to the Lord, telling him that she could not do all this anymore... she would care for the children, but that He was to bring in the money. That same week, forty more children arrived. She never turned anyone away. She always made room for them.

She eventually had the responsibility of seeing that two thousand meals were provided daily as well as books, clothing, and other needs of hundreds of children.

On her twenty-fifth anniversary in Egypt, Lillian wrote that God had never failed her in all those years; that they were fed like sparrows which have no barns or storerooms.

Many times tourists visited the orphanage. When Lord Maclay of Scotland visited the orphanage, he gave Lillian one hundred dollars and went home to think about what he had seen. In February 1935, Lillian received a telegram to come to Cairo at once. There Lord Maclay gave her five thousand dollars. Later, his gifts increased to over twenty thousand dollars and he opened a home for infants in Scotland as well. 

In February 1937, Lord Maclay and his daughter spent the night at the orphanage. He gave Lillian two checks: one for Two thousand five hundred dollars for the orphanage and another Two thousand five hundred dollars for her personal needs. The next morning Lord Maclay told Lillian that the Lord had spoken to him to give her a check for twenty thousand dollars. God knows how to take care of His children and rewards faithfulness!

Although some of the financial problems were taken care of, there were other problems in the 1940s. Cholera broke out in 1947. Lillian prayed over every child that came into the orphanage. Thank the Lord that even though there was an outbreak in the orphanage, no one died. 

In January 1960, she began a new year. It was her fiftieth in Egypt. She remembered that as a young, happy girl in 1910, she dreamed of twelve children of her own. 

She did not realize what her life was going to be like when she ended her engagement. Even though she loved him, she said good-bye to Tom, the young preacher who was to be her husband. She wanted to put God first.  Now, fifty years later, as a gray-headed woman, she looked out her window to her 1,200 children. This lovely Missionary lady went on to be with the Lord on December 17, 1961... having trusted in the Lord with all her heart and soul.
Fanny Crosby - Blessed of the Lord
Fanny Crosby - Blessed of the Lord
FANNY CROSBY - BLESSED OF THE LORD

By Teresa Giordanengo


Frances Jane Crosby (1820-1915), "Fanny", a blind American hymn-writer and poet, wrote more than 6,000 hymns and many sacred poems. She wrote more gospel hymn texts than any other known hymn writer. Born in Southeast, New York, she died in Bridgeport, Connecticut, having lived ninety-five years. 

She became blind at the age of six weeks through an improper medical treatment. She was able, however, to distinguish between day and night. She never considered blindness a handicap but rather a blessing and always insisted that blind people can accomplish almost everything sighted persons can. She lived a normal, happy childhood. She wrote, "I could climb a tree like a squirrel and ride a horse bareback."

Early in life, she began memorizing the Bible and eventually could repeat, by rote, the entire Pentateuch, all four Gospels, many of the Psalms, all of Proverbs, as well as the entire books of Ruth and Song of Solomon. She stated at the close of her life, "The Holy Book has nurtured my entire life."

She studied for twelve years at the New York Institution for the Blind and later taught language and history at the Institution. Besides her talent for writing, she was known for her musical abilities as well. She had a fine soprano voice as well as being accomplished in playing the guitar, harp, piano, and organ. 

Even though she was devout and religious from childhood, Fanny Crosby had a dramatic conversion experience at a Methodist revival meeting on November 20, 1850. She said, "The Lord planted a star in my life and no cloud has ever obscured its light."

In 1858, she married Alexander Van Alstyne, who was also blind. He was a musician and teacher at the school. He was known as a very capable organist in the New York area. 

It was not until 1865 that she wrote her first gospel song. From that time on, Fanny felt that writing gospel hymn texts was her particular mission in life. Her favorite hymns include "Safe in the Arms of Jesus," "I am Thine, O Lord," "Rescue the Perishing," "Pass Me Not,"  "To God Be the Glory," and "Blessed Assurance." Collections of her poems include "The Blind Girl," and Other Poems (1844) and "Bells at Evening," and Other Verses (1897). Fanny Crosby's favorite motto was, "I think life is not too long, and therefore I determine that many people will read a song who would not read a sermon."

The music to one of Fanny Crosby's hymns, "Pass Me Not", was written by W.H. Doane. Following is the first stanza and chorus of "Pass Me Not": 

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; 
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
Chorus:
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

The music to another beautiful hymn was also written by W.H. Doane. Following is the first stanza and chorus of "To God Be The Glory": 

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the Lifegate that all may go in.
Chorus:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, thro' Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

In 1891, when she was seventy-one years of age, she wrote "Saved by Grace." It became one of the most widely used hymns, during the closing years of the Moody-Sankey evangelistic ministry. It was prompted by a tract, read to Fanny Crosby containing the final message of a pastor friend, who had recently died. The statement which greatly moved the aging, blind poetess was: "If each of us is faithful to the grace which is given us by Christ, that same grace which teaches us how to live will also teach us how to die."

Fanny Crosby completed the poem in a matter of minutes under a great sense of "divine inspiration." She titled her new poem "Some Day" and often referred to it as her "heart song."

Fanny Crosby attended the Christian Worker's Conference in Northfield, Massachusetts in 1894, a ministry that Mr. Moody had established. When it was learned that the noted poetess was on the grounds, there was a request for her to address the group. At first she firmly declined, saying that she could not speak to such an array of talent. Finally, however, she relented and, in the midst of her remarks, quoted her "heart's song" - the poem "Some Day." When she finished there was not a dry eye in the auditorium.

A reporter of the London Christian Paper had been in attendance at the meeting and was much impressed with Fanny Crosby's poem. He had taken the words in shorthand, and soon it was printed in his English periodical. Shortly, Ira Sankey saw the verses in print and contacted George C. Stebbins to compose music for the text. Mr. Stebbins wrote the music for this beautiful hymn, and also added the chorus to the stanzas.  

"Saved by Grace" became one of the personal favorites of both Moody and Sankey. Mr. Moody loved to hear the choir singing the phrase "and I shall see Him face to face" and the audience responding with "and tell the story, saved by grace." Someone translated "Saved by Grace" into the Italian language. This lovely hymn is listed in the Italian hymnals as "La Corda un di si Spezzera". How wonderful that this beautiful hymn is sung in the Italian language also. 

Following is the first stanza and chorus of "Saved By Grace":

Some day the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But O the joy when I shall wake,
Within the palace of the King!
Chorus:
And I shall see him face to face,
And tell the story - Saved by grace;
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story - Saved by grace.

Fanny Crosby and George C. Stebbins became close friends and collaborated on many other songs, including, "Jesus Is Calling." 

In addition to being a hymnwriter, Fanny Crosby thought of herself as a home mission worker, generally spending several days each week in the missions of New York's bowery district. Of her mission work, she said, "It is the most wonderful work in the world, and it gives such an opportunity for love. That is all people want - love."

She was always eager to hear any reports regarding personal conversions as a result of the use of her hymns. It was her continual prayer that God would allow her to be the means of leading a million souls to Christ during her lifetime.

In her later years, Fanny Crosby was in great demand as a speaker and guest lecturer throughout the country. She generally traveled alone for these engagements. She had a special love for children, and even in her old age when asked to speak in a church service, she generally included a special children's sermon. A typical introduction of her was with such titles as "the Protestant saint," and "the most wonderful person living." What a blessing she was to all !
Miss Mary Hicks
Miss Mary Hicks
MISS MARY HICKS
A Righteous Gentile

By Rick & Donna Riker
North Plainfield, New Jersey


In all of our lives there are people - unseen people - who help us to be who we are in Jesus.  They don't preach the sermons but they help with the research. They don't write the books, articles or short stories, but they type them and they check our spelling. They arrange and organize and do all the things that they do so the job can get done. 

Mary Hicks is just such a person - a quiet saint whose beauty surely is found in her faithfulness to help and to pray for those who reached out to the Jewish people.

Miss Hicks as we so affectionately and respectfully call her, taught by example how to live properly and work together with the brethren. She is a person who fellowships with you around God's word and worships God deeply in spirit and in truth. She teaches that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that God gave you your intellect to worship and serve Him with, to walk in and to maintain good works always.

You could describe Miss Hicks as a quiet woman. She is totally dedicated to Jesus - faithful to walk with Him in the ever present challenges this life brings. A person who trusts in her risen savior to light the way. A women who to this day has one of the richest deepest prayer lives that I have ever seen. She is also a true friend to the Jewish people - a missionary who not only helps to share the Gospel with God's chosen people but one who lifts Israel up in prayer every day. 

If there was a prayer request or need you had, rest assured this saint prayed for you. Especially endearing to me is that she has spent an enormous amount of time in prayer for those who labor and pray for the Gospel to go forth to Israel. A person who, simply put, lives her life to disseminate biblical truth and take a stand against anti-semitism.

This great saint is an expert at typing, grammar and punctuation skills which she has used in many Christian projects. In the 1960's she took part in the preparation and typing of a set of memory books in which there were around 600 verses and explanations. Also included in this work was beautiful poetry, which she herself wrote. This project was a team effort and her contribution was very valuable in making it a big success. 

These booklets were used to teach. Here is an opening paragraph of the introduction to one of the memory books which says it all:

"The Sar Shalom Camp Program memory course was born from an earnest desire to reach Jewish Young people with the TRUTH concerning the God of Israel's plan of redemption for Israel and the rest of the world."

Many a Jewish person's life was changed by this series of booklets. Mary Hicks is a team spirited person - one willing to lay down her life and pick up the cross and sacrifice for the goal we are all encouraged to seek - Jesus Christ our King and great reward.

A few years ago our beloved Miss Hicks started to experience some health problems. After a while it became clear that she  had alzheimers disease. But that didn't stop Mary Hicks! Today she carries on with the most important ministry of all - PRAYER! 

There is one thing Miss Hicks would like for you all to do. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem - because when there is peace there, the world will have peace. Thank you and may you be blessed by this women and her words.


GOD   HID   HIS   FACE   FROM   ISRAEL

By Mary Hicks

In an age when most men worshipped idols,
Senseless things, without being or worth,
God created the nation of Israel
That in them He might bless all the earth.

With His love they were always surrounded;
They were the apple of His eye
And brought out of affliction in Egypt
With great wonders that none could deny.

On the journey from Egypt to Canaan
The Lord led them the wilderness through.
And He gave them the good Land of Promise
Where His bountiful blessings they knew.

In the midst of a world in sin's darkness
God placed Israel to shed forth His light,
So that all of the nations around them
Might seek Him and come out of sin's night.

But instead of reflecting God's glory,
To non-gods-false gods Israel turned,
Bowing down to the gods of the Gentiles,
While Jehovah's salvation they spurned.

And God turned from His chosen in anger,
Yes, He put His own people to shame, 
Calling out men from each tribe and nation
To bring honor and praise to His Name.

For a time just a few of His people - 
Just a remnant may see His bless'd face;
While the rest the Lord stirs up to anger
With those now saved through faith by His grace.              


BELOVED FOR THE FATHERS' SAKE

By Mary Hicks

Has God cast off His people?
Has He forsaken Israel?
NO!  God, the Changeless One, must change
If He should cease to love them well!

God loves them "for their fathers' sake,"
Yes Abram, David, and the rest.
The covenants He made with them
Are binding; Israel must be blessed.

Long have they known the wrath of God,
For wrath instead of love they chose;
God's holiness inflamed His wrath,
But wrath will soon His love disclose.

For Israel cannot be blessed
Until through purging fire they go,
The "day of Jacob's trouble" nears,
A time of suffering and woe.

And in that day, while Gentiles plot
The nation's end, the Jews shall cry,
"Yeshua, Lord our God, return
And save Thy people, or we die!"

Yeshua Hamashiach then
Shall come again unto His own,
A conquering, majestic Prince,
The rightful Heir to David's throne.

Then He shall save all Israel,
The earth restore, the peoples bless.
So they shall know Love chastened them
To turn them into righteousness.

(I have loved thee with an everlasting love.  Jeremiah 31:31)
Do the Impossible & Give God the Glory !
Do the Impossible & Give God the Glory !
DO THE IMPOSSIBLE AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY!

By Jo Reaves
Minneapolis, Minnesota
As told by Gwen Johnson


When Gwen Johnson read Catherine Marshall's books, she thought how wonderful it must be to be able to write, never dreaming that one day she too would be published in nearly thirty magazines. And now, her book, Matthew's Journey into the Deep, has been published too. One of the ministers at her church always said, "Pick something so impossible that you know it could never happen unless God was in it, and then give Him the glory!"

Gwen says that's exactly what she did. "I couldn't even write a work order anyone could understand where I worked. Now look what God's done in my life." And she hastens to add, "And that's not all. He's given me ministries that bring me great joy."

When Gwen and her husband, Kerry, bought the two-story home right next door, it had a large pool in the backyard. "That's another thing I never dreamed I'd ever have - a swimming pool!" Gwen said. They thought just the two of them would be swimming alone in their spacious pool. But God had another idea. 

"I certainly never envisioned our pool teeming with kids of all sizes, shapes and races - but that's what happened." Gwen continued. She first invited the two children who moved into their old house next door to come swimming. One day little Sammy asked if he could invite some of his friends too.

"Sure, invite them," Gwen told him. Soon his friends asked their friends, and before she knew it, all the kids in the neighborhood came to swim - even those who had pools of their own.

Gwen would wait until three o'clock in the afternoon, then get into her swim suit and meet the kids. "I loved it from the beginning, and the happy sounds of kids having fun seemed to fan the sparks of creativity within me. How fun it is to watch children at play. They brought out the child in me. And it was then that I started my book. At first, it had only nine chapters, and I started sending it out to publishers."

Then Gwen went to Mount Hermon, California's Writer's Seminar and two prominent publishers seemed interested in her book. In fact, the vice president of one of the publishing houses took it home with him. After reading it, he asked Gwen where she got such a fertile imagination. "It has to be from God," Gwen answered, "because I don't have that kind of imagination. When I awaken in the morning, the story is in my head!"

After a few more rewrites, her book ended up with 22 chapters and very much an allegory - "deep" referring not only to a trip underwater, but a spiritual journey in life. Her main character, Matthew, grows spiritually in the deep things of the Lord, but it happens gradually. Because of all of the symbolism, in the genre of C.S. Lewis, her book, originally written for 8 to 12 year olds, was appealing to Gwen's adult friends as well who gave her rave reviews.

As her publisher (Proclaim Publishing), I also felt that people of all ages would benefit from and immensely enjoy Gwen's book. So we decided to make it for age 8 and up. Speaking of the allegorical nature of the book, Gwen commented, "After all, Jesus told parables, so the people could understand what He meant. So why not use narrative that's symbolic of something else - something deeper?"

Gwen's desire was that the reader would have fun reading her book, and would learn to pray and believe that God's promises do come true if they'll only believe and trust in Him. "Kids are hungry for a relationship with God," Gwen said. "They're using things like drugs and sex trying to find something that fulfills them. They're looking in all the wrong places and complicating their young lives."

Thinking about her own spiritual journey, she reflected, "I don't want people to wait until they're 50 like I did, to give God control by making Him Lord of their lives. Life can be so wonderful and so fulfilling once we let go and let God take over. But each of us must come to that conclusion on our own. It helps however to see it working in someone else's life."

"God is loving you through me," Gwen often tells the children. "He gives me the will to love them even when they're not lovable," she confided. Many of the kids have told her, "I want to be like you when I grow up!" One young man who has two children of his own told Gwen, "Some kids tell their parents about the old swimmin' hole, but we tell our kids about Johnson's pool."

Dion, Jeff and Jami's mother dropped by to watch her kids swim one afternoon. "Did you realize there are five ethnic groups represented in your little pool?" she asked. Gwen hadn't noticed, but she looked over at the smaller resting pool. Marvat had olive skin and black hair. Her parents came from Israel and she and her brother Amand were Arabic. Andrea at 15, an attractive young woman with a great personality was Hispanic-American. Sandi, a beautiful African-American girl was visiting her friend Monica. Meredith, an extremely fair-skinned Scandinavian, was deep in conversation with Pearl, a lovely Japanese-American friend she had brought along.

Gwen started asking the kids in the large pool what their backgrounds were. That day, there were Puerto Rican, British, French, German, Scottish, Polish and Jewish nationalities represented in addition to the girls in the resting pool. Summer after summer, for years now, Gwen and her husband have proved that kids from all types of backgrounds get along when Christ's love and teaching are available.

Gwen mentioned several stories of the kids, but one in particular exemplifies her ministry with the kids. Clay loved to test her. He did all sorts of things to get her attention and it was usually negative attention he invited. One day he told Gwen that his mother wouldn't let him live at home any longer. Gwen asked about his brothers and sisters and found out they still lived at home. She prayed that the Lord would give her a special love for this little tyke. He did.

Clay, who was only four years old at the time, would swear, using God's name in the wrong way. Gwen told him, "If you want to swim here in my pool, you must stop using profanity." She explained to Clay why it was wrong to use God's name in that way. When Clay swore again, Gwen picked him up and carried him bodily and set him outside her fence. His lower lip jutted out in a pout and he looked as if he was about to cry. "Can't I come back and swim anymore?" he asked.

"Yes, you may come back tomorrow. But if you use God's name in the wrong way again, you'll have to leave. Remember, Clay, I still love you. It's your words and actions that make me unhappy," she told him.

Several more times she found it necessary to snatch Clay out of the pool, but after he accepted Jesus as His personal Savior, his attitude changed. One day when he came over to talk with Gwen, as he still does today, he made a curious statement. "I used to be God's wipeout," he told her. "What do you mean - wipeout?" Gwen asked puzzled. "Well, until I learned about Jesus, I was a wipeout because I didn't belong to God yet. You know... I hadn't been born into His family yet," he told Gwen.

Gwen continued, "During this last year, Clay was baptized and confirmed. He's tall and good looking. Just yesterday, he came over to interview me for one of his class assignments. In the winter, when we can't swim, he comes over to play board games. As he's growing up, I see less of him because he's active in school sports. But we'll always be close, because he's like part of my family "

Clay was in the first group of kids Gwen took to church for Vacation Bible School. In earlier years, she crammed the kids in her car and took them and stayed to teach a class. There got to be so many kids who wanted to go, that the church sent a bus to pick them all up.
Four years ago, her church introduced Backyard Bible Clubs. Gwen agreed to hold one and also teach. The first year 22 kids attended. The second year, it was 32 and last year, there were 42 kids enrolled. "When it comes to teaching, the kids are so quiet. It's like they are sponges absorbing everything I say. One day, kids asked questions for half an hour after the lesson was over, going into their precious swim time. One of her helpers commented, "It's as if they're starved for God's Word."

Gwen says she believes that's true. "Since all teaching about God has been deleted from the classroom and kids no longer even have the Ten Commandments posted on a bulletin board, kids are like lost souls unless someone cares enough to tell them about God's love for them, and what Jesus has done for them." 

Gwen's book, "Matthew's Journey into the Deep", does just that. It is especially aimed at kids whose parents don't take them to church on Sunday. It's an exciting book with the truth of the Gospel woven into it, "so the kids don't feel they're being preached to," Gwen said. Anyone wanting to purchase the book may call BookCrafters toll-free at 1-800-879-4214. Gwen says it makes a great fundraiser, as when 25 or more books are bought, the price is low and the postage paid. Books can then be sold at a reasonable price, with the proceeds going to the church or school.

Gwen's chief goal is to get her book into the hands of as many young people as possible, hoping it will encourage them to establish a relationship with Jesus as their Savior and Lord. "I want kids everywhere to know the joy of living in the Lord!" she concludes.
Meanwhile, Gwen's pool continues to be filled with children of all ages and the Backyard Bible Clubs still bring many hungry kids to her home. Gwen continues to write her magazine articles and has begun work on a sequel to her book... one woman, filled with the love of Jesus, impacting young lives for Him. To God be the Glory !

Studies
New Testament Study
New Testament Study
With this column, we continue a special series from the New Testament. This article is the second of seven focusing on the "Letters to the Seven Churches" found in the book of Revelation. During this series, the column will be called "New Testament Studies." Future studies after this series will include Psalms and books from both the Old and New Testaments.


THE LETTER TO SMYRNA
Revelation 2: 8-11

By Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


A Parable:  Lucy was eight years old. She didn't remember her father because he had been over-seas with the government since she was two. Her mother constantly talked about him. She would also say things like: "Your father wouldn't want you to do that!" -- or "Your father would be proud of you." Lucy had two uncles and they also would tell her about her father. In addition, she received letters from him. But these she just put aside, preferring to hear ABOUT him rather then to hear FROM him. I suspect if you could talk to Lucy you might ask "Why aren't you interested in your father's letters?"

Surprisingly enough, the church often reminds me of Lucy. There is an emphasis of the teachings of Scripture about Christ. This is proper. But, there is also a tendency to ignore the letters He has written! The focus of teaching is frequently limited to the "Gospels" and epistles. And while these are a vital part of Scripture, they never-the-less are only part of it. We started reviewing these letters, the letters to the seven churches, last month. In this article, I want to continue by examining the letter to the church at Smyrna.

While this letter was written to the historic church at Smyrna, it was also intended for all churches that make up the body of Christ. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches"  (Revelation 2:11). This letter, as with the others, was dictated by Christ and sent to us through the Apostle John.

We will again use the outline presented in the last article for an overview of the letter. Next we will examine it in detail. Finally, we will consider what it has to say to us. 

I.  How Christ is pictured:  Christ introduces Himself as the eternal God, the One who has died and been resurrected. This focus would be a great comfort to those Christians facing martyrdom. Christ's resurrection was the promise of their own to come.

As the first and last, nothing is before Him and nothing will follow Him. "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God"  (Psalms 90:2). The final dispensing of God's judgment is in His hands. 

II.  Background:  To understand the thrust of the letter, we must have some idea of the environment in which these believers lived. Smyrna still exists today. It is called Izmir and is in Turkey. It lies due north of the site of ancient Ephesus in Asia Minor. It was known as the first city of that region. The city was the birthplace of the poet Homer.

Smyrna was one of the major ports in the area. It also was the natural terminal of a major inland trade route between the east and west. This is why the city became a political, cultural and economic center. Though it was destroyed in 677 B.C., it was rebuilt in the 4th Century B.C.

Politically, the city always ended up on the winning side of the many Roman civil wars. In fact, it was a free city that was not subject to Roman taxes and was therefore self-governed. As a result of this, the city was a major center of Caesar worship. This was one of the problems for believers. They were expected to place a pinch of incense on the altar of Caesar. Refusal was perceived not as a religious issue but one of political rebellion.

Religion and politics constantly overlapped. Religiously, the city was pagan. The Temple to Dionysius was located there. As is true with the modern religious liberal, the religious of Smyrna had no objection to the worship of Christ as long as He was just one of the gods. Christ's demand that He was the only way was a major source of contention and the basis to continue persecuting believers. A community of Jewish believers was also found in Smyrna. Under an agreement with Rome, they were exempt from Roman religious requirements. 

In conclusion, the city was known for its schools of science and medicine, wide paved streets, etc. Thus, it was prosperous, beautiful and pagan. It was an environment that was similar in many ways to the one in which many believers find themselves today. Smyrna was a city in which to be a Christian meant to be persecuted. In fact, it was the site of the martyrdom of Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, the disciple of the Apostle John.

III.  Commendation:  While the believers suffered from poverty, Christ considered them wealthy. And though they were persecuted, they were comforted with the promise of future reward.

IV.  Condemnation:  These Christians were not condemned for any action. This doesn't mean they were without fault, but because of the nature of their situation, the Lord identified nothing against them.

V.  Counsel:  They were to be fearless and faithful.

VI.  Challenge:  They would receive a crown of life and not be affected by the second death.

Verse 8:  The letter is directed to a representative of the church -- be it angel or pastor. While the letter is directed specifically to Smyrna,  it is intended for all believers.

As already noted, Christ refers to Himself in a specific role, the eternal God -- the first and last. All time and creation are encompassed in Him. This title relates to Jesus' words to the apostle John in Chapter 1, verse 17: "I am the First and the Last." But more than that, He is the one who died, that is, was a corpse, and came alive again. "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever"  (Revelation 1:18). Christ is the one who was victorious over death. This was quite a comfort to those who were facing death at the hands of Rome. "'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"  (1 Corinthians 15: 54b - 57).

The hope of these believers was founded on the basis of Christ's resurrection. "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ... And if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ... But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep"  (1 Corinthians 15:13, 14, 17, 20).

Do you ever feel when life is going downhill that you are alone, that the Lord doesn't know what's happening? Well, it appears that these believers may have felt this way, for the Lord reassures them that He is aware of their trials. He knew their suffering and poverty.
  
Verses 9-10:  I think one reason this letter about suffering and death is going to this specific church is because the city is named Smyrna. This is the same word as myrrh, the spice brought by the Magi to the baby Jesus. It was used with wine as an anesthetic. It would have been provided to Christ on the cross. It was also used in burial spices. It reminds us of the crushed, suffering, martyred nature of this church.

The sources of their suffering came from a number of causes:  

1.  They were being persecuted by the government for political reasons already noted.  

2.  They were poverty stricken -- not just poor, but destitute. Willmington notes that Smyrna ran on a guild system. So when individuals became Christians, they were expelled. They couldn't conduct business and so lost everything. (1) This also may have occurred due to the refusal to participate in Emperor worship. 

But as far as the Lord, is concerned they have the true riches. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where month and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"  (Matthew 6: 19 & 21). "... in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus"  (Ephesians 3:7). "He (Moses) regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward"  (Hebrews 11:26). This is a hard teaching for those of us who are so well off materially.

3. The third source of their suffering was slander generated by the Jewish community. We don't know what the slander was, but its motive was to increase the persecution of the church. The Lord's verdict of these slanderers was that they were false Jews. They were physical decedents of Abraham, but not his spiritual children for they rejected the Messiah and His church. Paul speaks to this issue in Romans  2:28-29:  "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code." Jesus made the same point previously:  "And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham"  (Matthew 3: 9).

We can only speculate on the reasons that this group of Jews were persecuting the members of this church. When the Roman government moved into an area, it "grandfathered" in the indigenous religions. So, Judaism was protected. And Christianity, perceived as a sect of Judaism, was also covered. Some Jewish leaders, because of their fear of Christianity, informed the government that Christianity was not a sect of Judaism. They claimed that in reality it was a cult. It appears that in Smyrna these leaders were using this claim to spread lies against the believers.

The important point here is Christ's charge is not an indictment of all Jews, only this specific group. The true source of the slander was Satan. Where Satan had previously persecuted the Hebrew, now he was attacking both Israel and the church.

The Lord understands the Smyrnan's suffering. And so he had a command for them:  "Stop being afraid!" Wouldn't we be afraid in similar circumstances? -- I suspect so. And in addition to being told to stop fearing, they are told more is to come.  Satan was the source of this also. They would be imprisoned and suffer more tribulation. Whether this was for 10 days, or ten periods isn't the real issue. There was to be more suffering and they were to remain faithful even to death.

What is meant by the ten days isn't explained. It may refer to literal days, or as Alan Johnson sees it:  "... it may be a Semitism for an indeterminate but comparatively short period of time." "Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us"  (Nehemiah 4:12). "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink"  (Daniel 1:12)."  (2)

The reason these Christians shouldn't fear was because of who Christ is. He understood their suffering for he suffered even as they did. Also he promises a specific reward to those who suffer death, the crown of life. What is it? I don't know, but if the Lord desires to give a reward it is something they should desire.

Verse 11:  The concluding statement reminds us that through the work of the Holy Spirit what has been said is for the edification of all believers. The promise made to all believers is that of eternal life.

I think it was D. L. Moody who said: "Those who are born once die twice and those who are born twice die once," and, if the rapture occurs, not even once. The choice is the individual's. If they accept the death and resurrection of Christ as payment for sin, they are born again, and have eternal life. If not, they face the second death, eternal existence in Hell.

Now, let us consider how this letter directly t the contemporary believer. It is always reassuring to be reminded of God's mercy. We are comforted by the knowledge that, in belonging to Christ, we don't face eternal judgment. And while there are believers today that face physical death for Christ, it is unlikely we will. However, we will face persecution for obedience. After all, a group of church elders were sued and lost in court for carrying out the Biblical injunction of discipline. A Christian neonatologist lost her job for refusing to do abortions. 

Then there was the physician who was willing to go to jail for force feeding a woman rather than letting her commit suicide. I don't know if this doctor was a believer. The question is:  are we ready to lose our jobs, homes, everything if we must to serve the Lord? Are we willing to face embarrassment for Him? Is he really Lord of our lives or does He live with us in private?

There is also a broader general principal in this letter. God knows when we are hurting. He cares that we are hurting. He acts, not necessarily to take us out of our suffering, but to strengthen us in it. Christ is not a "bridge over troubled waters." He doesn't take us above our troubles, but through them.

If He was writing to you, what would he say? "I know you are out of work. You don't know how you are to make ends meet. "FEAR NOT--STOP BEING AFRAID!"  

Or He'd write: "I know that your marriage is in trouble, that you're terrified that the one you love is going to forsake you, leaving you alone. I understand how you feel. Remember what I said on the cross." "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' - which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"  (Matthew 27:46). "I tasted the ultimate loneliness, I tasted judgment so you wouldn't. I understand! I'm still here with you." "And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age"  (Matthew 28: 20b). "FEAR NOT--STOP BEING AFRAID!"

Maybe He'd write: "I know that the world around makes you fearful -- Is there going to be war? -- What of the rampant crime and violence? -- Remember:"  "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"  (John 16: 33).  "FEAR NOT -- STOP BEING AFRAID!"

We must remember that no matter how much we are hurting, God understands. When He was here, He suffered even as we do. He was hungry, He was tired, He lost loved ones and wept at the grave of Lazarus. He was betrayed by one close to Him, Judas, but He continued on to the end because He loved us.

Also, we must remember that He sent the Comforter to us to give us the strength to go through our pain. "And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you"-- "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; ..."  (John 14: 16 7 17; Acts 1: 8a). He is also the source of our strength. "I can do everything through him who give me strength"  (Philippians 4:13).

Finally, all that happens in under His will. He is in control, although we may not understand the reasons for our suffering. When we are in His will, we can say with Paul, "In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"  (1 Thessalonians 5:18).


1).  Willmington, Dr. H. L., WILLMINGTON'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1981., p.542.

2).  Johnson, Alan F., THE EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY, "Revelation," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981, p. 438.
New in Christ
New in Christ
"New in Christ" is a regular MORNING STAR column written primarily for people who wish to learn more about the basic teachings of Biblical Christianity. The editorial staff at MORNING STAR encourages all readers to use freely this information to help new Christians grow in their walk with the Lord. In this issue we conclude our article, begun in the previous issue, on living a Christian lifestyle.


LIFESTYLES OF THE POOR AND HUMBLE
(Part 2 of a 2-part series)

By Toby Trudel


When we share the news of Christ with others, we are not to do so in a threatening or condescending manner. Rather, we are to be pleasant and gentle when we try to persuade unbelievers to come to Christ. 

"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ..." (2 Timothy 2:23-25).  

An important technique is to find a "common ground" with people. This way we can gain their trust, persuading them to listen to our message. 

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)  .

This does not mean however, we are to try and trick anyone into believing by "coloring" what the Gospel says. 

"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God"  (2 Corinthians 4:2). 

We should simply present its truth as it stands. Unfortunately, some Christians start to take pride in how many "souls they've won." But they forget two important facts. First, that they are only doing what they are supposed to do as the Lord's servants. "So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:10). Second, that they are only presenting the Gospel. It's the Holy Spirit Who does the actual soul-winning.

Being involved with "soul winning" is probably the most important duty of a Christian. Some of us may be better at it than others. This is because the Lord has given us different abilities in life. Nevertheless, we are all to make the best effort with what He gives us. (see Matthew 25:14-30)  

Christ said: "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters" (Luke 11:23) Sounds like that old saying:  "If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem." 

There are big rewards in store for those who are used by the Lord to bring people into the kingdom. 

"Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true" (John 4:35-38). 

God is especially pleased when you allow Him to use you to bring someone back to trusting the Lord after they have slipped away. 

"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20). 

Soul-winning should be a priority in every Christian's life.

Here's the question in the back of the mind of every new or potential Christian:  "Won't I be ridiculed by both friends and strangers if I go around talking about Christ?" Jesus gave these words of wisdom to those who follow Him:  

"Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"  (Matthew 10:6). 

The Lord tells us that any suffering we encounter for Him is microscopic compared to the size of the reward we will receive from Him. 

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:17-18). (also see 2 Corinthians 4:17-18)  

Many of us might express willingness to fight and die for our country. All of us should be willing to suffer for Christ, who suffered and died for us. 

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him," (Philippians 1:29). (also see 1 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 4:16)  

Keep this in mind if you ever start to "chicken out," when given a chance to talk about Him. Don't be concerned over people's opinions of you. We are to worry about pleasing God, not people. 

"On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts"  (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Of course, not all the hours in our days are spent sharing the Gospel. We still have our lives to live and the many temptations of daily life to fight. The subject of dealing with sinful "natural" desires was mentioned in the previous part of this series (MORNING STAR, Vol 3.7). 

Three of the most prevalent causes of sin in the world today are desire for wealth, status (fame or power), and sex. When you examine the New Testament, you will find more written on these issues than any others.  Not only does the pursuit of these lead to sin, but the failure in getting them often causes many people to turn to crime, alcohol, drugs, abuse of others and suicide. The Lord's position on these three matters should be of vital importance to us.

Regarding the desire for wealth, God makes it clear that our lives are not to be lived in the pursuit of money. There's nothing wrong with earning a good wage and leading a comfortable life, but we should be satisfied with that. Those fortunate enough to have high paying jobs should be actively using their money to do good. 

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life"  (1 Timothy 6:17-19).  

We are warned that the desire for a lot of money is the source of all evil. Its pursuit can cause many people to turn away from God. 

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs"  (1 Timothy 6:10)  

There's nothing wrong with saving or frugal investment. But, remember to first return to the Lord His fair share of what you earn. We bring nothing into the world. All we have is provided by the Lord. We take none of it with us when we die. 

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it"  (1 Timothy 6:7)  

We are to keep the less fortunate in mind, "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need"  (Ephesians 4:28), and help support Christ's ministries here on Earth. 

We are God's children. As such, we are blessed to be able to trust Him for our needs. Jesus said there is no need to ever fear where our next meal is coming from or how we are going to clothe ourselves, because our Father in heaven promises to provide for us. 

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows"  (Luke 12:6-7). (also see Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 13:5)

Social status is so important in this world we live in. If you can't keep up with the Joneses, at least give the appearance that you are doing so. Television and magazines abound with ads for material goods. They tell both teenagers and adults that they need many things. The amount of money that young adults spend today on the latest clothing, jewelry and cosmetics is staggering. All this occurs so they aren't left out of the crowd. It used to be that these advertising strategies were aimed exclusively at women, but that's changed. A casual look around will reveal more and more men are becoming overly concerned with how "fashionable" they look. They seek to get attention by wearing ridiculous amounts of jewelry.  

God states that Christian women, (and nowadays men), should not be concerned with the whims of fashion or spending their money on expensive jewelry. 

"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,"  (1 Timothy 2:9). (also see 1 Peter 3:3) 

There's nothing wrong with looking sharp, but do not allow vanity to enter your heart. "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other"  (Galatians 5:26). 

Our lives should be humble as Christ's was, not seeking the praises of men and women. "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"  (Matthew 20:26-28). (also see Galatians 5:26; Titus 2:12) 

Those who seek after such admiration will be brought down by the Lord. Those who live humbly, will be exalted by Him. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted"  (Luke 14:11) . 

Finally, there's the area of desire for sex outside the marriage relationship. This is the Biblical teaching that non-Christians take exception to and try to undermine more than any other. The morality of the world says that whatever goes on between two consenting adults in fine. (Of course, they say, "safe sex" guidelines should be observed.) God, however, refers to all sex outside a male-female marriage as fornication. There are too many references to this sin in the Bible to list here. The most graphic one tells us that as Christians our bodies are part of Christ. If a Christian should engage in fornication it is the same as joining Christ to a prostitute. (1 Corinthians 6:13-20) God's position on this issue is quite clear, and unchanging.

Look at how the world is trying to cope with the problems of aids, venereal disease, rampant abortion, teenage pregnancies and illegitimate, unwanted children. Society is trying to correct these problems by applying "surface remedies." It's like a doctor putting bandages on bruises caused by internal bleeding and calling that a "cure." The world hasn't dealt with the real cause  of these problems, which in each case is disobeying God's law about sex. To whoever says that this is not a practical solution, note that these tragic situations are getting worse daily while we experiment with ineffective human solutions.

Obedience to God's standards is not just a practical solution. It is the ONLY solution, because it deals with the problems at their source. Of course the world will never turn to Jesus. This is why the Bible tells us that our problems will grow continually worse until the Lord returns. Our responsibility, until He does return, is to share the Gospel. For only in the gospel is found the message of Christ's shed blood. And His blood is the only means by which men and women can escape their servitude to sin, and begin serving the Lord.
Growing in Grace
Growing in Grace
This column is part one of a series addressing the subject: Recovering the Simplicity of Your Faith.

RESTORATION OF CHILDLIKE FAITH

By Pastor Russell Walden


"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ"  (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Paul wrote to the Corinthians comparing them with Eve in the garden. He referred to the time she was confronted by the Serpent. Prior to this, Adam and Eve lived an uncomplicated, idyllic life. But, when the Serpent came he began to undermine Eve's knowledge of God's word. Through his questioning and casting of doubt he misled her and brought destruction into her life. 

Paul uses this occurrence to describe a danger that threatened the Corinthian church. And, this same danger faces Christianity today. For the new convert within some churches, the innocence of new found faith is too often corrupted by a complex theology of doubt and self- justification.

There is a great need to recover simplicity of the faith. This simplicity does not mean that you turn your brain off when you accept Jesus Christ as Savior. The gospel is SIMPLE, not STUPID. Charles Finney states in his "Systematic Theology" that he did not intend in his writing to do away with the reader's need TO THINK. 

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul maintained that he did not present the gospel with the "wisdom of men." Yet he noted there was a place to speak wisdom among those who would be wise. Peter agreed with this in his second letter. He observed:  it is through the knowledge of God you receive "all things that pertain to life and godliness"  (2 Peter 1:3). 

Jesus said "come as a little child" (Mark 10:15). Failing this, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Children are quick learners. They are open to new ideas and challenges. A child's approach to life is a study in simplicity. Isn't SIMPLICITY the defining difference between adults and children? The older you get, the more complex life becomes. The older you get, the greater the burdens of life weigh on your shoulders. On the other hand, a child's nature, is carefree and uncomplicated. Children laugh easily and forgive readily. Children usually are found begging for an opportunity to help Mom or Dad. Only as they grow and develop into the image of the adults around them do they learn to resent authority and avoid responsibility.

The story goes that a new convert was baptized, joined the church and plunged with great zeal into all the programs and activities of the body. This young man was the epitome of excitement and passion for God. He was ready to charge Hell with a water pistol. 

One day, a wizened old matron caught his sleeve. She drew him aside for a word of counsel. The young convert's eyes opened wide. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He was astounded this icon of spiritual wisdom desired an audience with him. Peering at the young man through her one good eye she began. "This joy that you have," she warned, "will not last." 

He caught his breath, suddenly envisioning portents of a bleak future. With the authority born from years of putrefaction on the third pew back on the left she continued. "Before you know it, you'll be just like us!" 

How many of us have had that conversation in one form or another not long after we became Christians? My sentiments at that time were something along the line of:  "Shoot me now and get it over with!" If years of Christian service are going to wear me down to the shadow of a dim spiritual wraith, then what's the point of living for God at all? 

The scriptures, on the other hand, give some quite different examples. When Moses died it was said:  his "natural strength abated not, and his eye grew not dim" (Deuteronomy 34:7). After forty years bearing the responsibility of millions of Israelites, he was filled with stamina and strength. 

During the same period, Caleb, at eighty years of age, undertook the siege of Mount Zion. He displayed the zeal and passion of a man four times younger than he was. 

These and many other examples point out that now and in even in old age walking with God can be an adventure. Our walk can be a passionate quest for the fullness of grace that Jesus died to provide us in every chapter of life. 

David spoke of his youth being renewed like the eagles'. The only thing that can rob you of the pristine vitality of your new birth is willful surrender to lukewarmness and spiritual boredom. Loss of first love is not part and parcel of growth in God. There has crept into the average Christian mind-set a pessimism born from years of failure to translate powerful sermons and inspiring song services into practical grace for the Monday morning blues.  

I am personally acquainted with scores of believers, church leaders, and former pastors, around the country who sit at home, burned out. They are deeply wounded and incapable of activating in their lives even the basic commitment to involvement in a local church. 

You may be one of these refugees from religious Christianity. If so, take heart. There is hope. You need not join the ranks of the walking wounded. The help you need is not going to come by tuning in to some new radio broadcast, or buying the latest Christian self-help material. The most confused, insensitive, indiscreet believers you will find are those who spend mind-numbing hours plugged in to the radio preachers or viewing Christian T.V. 

You don't need any more WORD. You need to do something with the word you already have. Children are not good audiences. They don't get much out of being spectators. They want to get involved. They want to participate. Jesus told the Pharisees: the kingdom of God "comes not with observation" (Luke 17:20). 

The greatest weight on a Christian's heart is often the weight of the sermons, teachings, seminars and messages that he heard and did nothing with. I recently saw a book title, "Everything I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." How true this is of believers. We must unlearn the lessons of Christian religion. We must recover intimacy with the person of Jesus. It was that intimacy that was second nature to us when we were first born into the kingdom. 

"I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent" (Revelation 2:4-5). 

Jesus' solution to recovering first love is to DO something. Do the first works. You must begin again to see your Christian faith in a Biblically accurate perspective. You must not see your faith as that which is expressed in concepts or religious philosophy. Instead see it in activities arising directly from communion with Jesus Christ in your own heart. 

Church programs, religious activities or charitable events often only parrot spiritual activity. The difference is what you DO FOR GOD, as opposed to what God is doing through you. What you do FOR God takes away from your relationship with Him. What He does through you is a PART of your relationship with Him. The first step toward recovering the childlike nature in Christ is a step away from vain philosophies and religious activity, for activities' sake. A child's entire focus is on the Father -- he wants to be like Daddy. As you focus on your heavenly Father you will become like him in thought, character and activity.
The WORD For Today 
The WORD For Today 
This month, we will continue the series on Communication in Marriage. We intend to examine communication problems in marriage from a biblical perspective. We will show how couples can apply God's word to their marriage. The companion book to this study is H. Norman Wright's COMMUNICATION:  KEY TO YOUR MARRIAGE. The book is published by Regal Books and should be available from your Christian book store. This is the third of ten articles inspired by a series given by Pastor Geoff Kragen through Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln, California.


A WORKABLE STRUCTURE

As I noted last month, with some of these articles I will provide what I have defined as basic rules of communication. These are in addition to the topic discussed and will give some easy suggestions that can immediately help you with your communication.


RULE 3:  Marriages are made up of three parties:  Husband, Wife & GOD!

Too often we forget that when we make marriage vows, we are not really making them to each other. We are making them to God. We are committing our behaviors within marriage to God. And therefore, God is the third party to our marriage.

The significant benefit to this is that we don't have to work out our struggles on our own. Instead we, as a couple, can go to the Lord for love and guidance.

We are not called to look directly at each other, but instead we are to see one another through Christ's love and compassion.

MARRIAGES ARE MADE UP OF THREE PARTIES:  HUSBAND, WIFE & GOD!

Last month we examined the structure of the Christian marriage. We saw that both the husband and wife are to be submissive to one another. In looking at Ephesians 5, we found the Husband, as spiritual head of the home, is to love his wife in obedience to Christ. And in turn the wife is to be submissive, also in obedience to Christ. In either case obedience isn't dependent on the behaviors of the other spouse, but in commitment to the Lord.

Now, all this sounds fine in theory, and were both parties are committed to God and each other. But, the real question is:  How do we make it work? 

One of the major problems I find in marriages are the unspoken expectations. As couples date, they primarily focus on their emotional responses to one another. There is very little discussion about practical matters such as:  How many children do we want?  Who can handle the checking account most effectively?  If both work outside the home, what are the expectations for housekeeping responsibilities?

And of course there is that age-old problem of defining love. The husband shows the wife he loves her by making sure that the oil is changed in her car. Now that's great, except -- the wife wants him to take her out to dinner, spend time with her, and TELL her he loves her. The wife thinks:  "If he really loved me, he'd do these things with my telling him!!"

The structure for the marriage may be explained biblically, but frequently the specifics of how responsibilities are to be divided up are left unspoken. And, as the stresses over the unspoken responsibilities build up, the quality of love, affection, and fellowship break down.

The other issue that makes it difficult to discuss responsibilities is that we get caught up in cultural stereotypes. Frequently, we seem to think that anything outside the home is the husband's responsibility and anything inside is the wife's. The problem with this is when both must work, we end up with a very inequitable situation. And if, as husbands, we love our wives, then we will want marriage responsibilities to be distributed fairly.

We need to go back to the position that we love one another. We are to be a team. Therefore, we need to start talking about our expectations. While it may be unrealistic to expect the dating couple to have the where-with-all to do this, it would be proper to try.

And, over the coming months, as we work on practical ways of communicating, we should get better at dealing with this problem. But first, we need to look at the question of decision making within the home. Who makes the decisions?

The old joke was that my wife makes all the decisions around the house and I make the important ones, such as whether should China should be allowed into the United Nations. ...

Here is where our third rule is most appropriate. We must not forget that we are not alone in our marriage. The Lord is the third party who is present with us on a day-to-day basis. And the Holy Spirit is more than happy to give us discernment in caring for one another and finding fair ways of resolving our difficulties.

To obtain His leading, we need to be in prayer for one another on a consistent basis. Ideally, it would be very helpful if husbands and wives could pray together. As we communicate with the Lord, we also communicate with each other. Also, it is difficult to stay angry with someone when we are praying for them. 

This is especially important as we struggle with the major decisions of life, not China's place in the UN, but whether we should move, change churches, change jobs or decide when to have children. Such important decisions should not be put into action unless both husband and wife agree.

The Apostle Peter gives practical instruction to husbands and wives who individually are committed to obedience to God.

"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.   

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.   

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."  (1 Peter 3:1-9)

Notice that in each example Peter provides, our own blessing before the Lord is tied directly to our concern and care for our spouse. The godly wife can be used by the Lord as an instrument of His saving grace to the unbelieving husband. And the godly wife honors the Lord and her family as she lives in obedience to Him with her godly husband.

How we as husbands treat our wives has a direct correlation to the quality of our fellowship with the Lord. If we mistreat our wives, bully them, or try to exercise ungodly authority, we break fellowship with them. And we not only break fellowship with our wives, but the Lord as well. Peter states that our treatment of our wives has a direct effect on the effectiveness of our prayer life.

Finally, Peter calls us to love each other, living in harmony. We are to love our wives even when they are unlovable. And wives, you are to have a godly attitude towards your husbands even when they don't deserve it. We treat each other as God desires us to, not as we deserve. After all, God treats us the same way.

How can the marriage structure work in this day of attack on the marriage? Simply by remembering God is the head of our family. He is to set our direction. He is the final arbitrator. As husbands and wives, our responsibility is to be obedient to Him and love each other.

Christ gave two commands to us as believers. I can think of no better place to put them into practice than in the marriage.

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:  'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  (Matthew 22:37-38).

Can you think of a more effective way to make a marriage work than for each of us to love God and love our spouse as ourselves? Let us pray for each other and pray with each other, seeking God's will and direction. If we do this we will see our marriages thrive.

Next time:  "Let's Talk!"
The Roots of our Faith
The Roots of our Faith
THE NATURE OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - Part 2

By Pastor Chuck Cohen
King of Kings Assembly
Jerusalem, Israel


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


Messianic terms used in this teaching:

Yeshua = Jesus 
Messiah = Christ 
Tanach = Old Testament


This is the third article in the series, "The Roots of Our Faith". We are examining doctrines that believers in Yeshua consider essential to the gospel. Our goal is to demonstrate that the foundation of these doctrines are found in the Tanach.

In the previous article we began to explore the nature of God. Since Malachi 3.6 states, "For I am the LORD, I do not change", we should expect that the revelation of His nature and person through His Son Yeshua and through the New Testament (John 1:14,18; Colossians 1:15-19; Hebrews 1:1-3) must have roots in the Tanach. We examined the revelation fact that "God is love", and presented many Tanach verses stating this concept. We also pointed out that the judgmental aspect of God's nature so often associated with the Old Testament is also very evident in the New Testament.

This article will further explore the nature of God. All would agree that the following are three attributes of God, though many might have trouble locating foundational verses in the Tanach. (Unless otherwise stated, all verses are from the New King James Version, Thomas Nelson, publishers.)


God Our Father

For believers, being able to call God, "Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6), is one of the priceless benefits we obtain by our faith in the Messiah. However, some may have the impression that God's Fatherhood was a new doctrine revealed by Yeshua. They do not recognize its roots in the Tanach. Yeshua simply opened the door for Gentiles, who were far from God (Eph. 2:11-13), to be brought together positionally with believing Jews to be able to call the God of the universe, "Abba". Here are some of the root verses:

a. Torah - Ex. 4:22 "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn".'" Deut. 14:1 "You are the children of the LORD your God ..." Deut. 32:6 "Is He not your Father who bought you?"

b. Writings - 2 Sam. 7:14 "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son." 1 Chr. 29:10 "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever." Ps. 68:5 "A father of the fatherless ... Is God in His holy habitation." Ps. 89:26 "He shall cry to Me, You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation."

c. Prophets - Isa. 63:16 "... You, O LORD, are our Father: Our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name." Jer 3:19 "You shall call Me, 'My Father, and not turn away from Me." Jer. 31:9 "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them ... For I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn." Mal. 1:6 "If then I am the Father, where is My honor?" Also see Isa. 64:8 and Hos. 1:10.

These Tanach verses clearly show that God's desire that we consider Him our Father was revealed long before Yeshua came in the flesh. This concept has a prominent role in Rabbinic Judaism as well. God is constantly addressed, or referred to, as 'Father Who is in heaven' ... It was considered a mark of exceptional grace on His part that this intimate relationship exists and was revealed to man." A. Cohen continues in his book "Every man's Talmud": "Especially when in the act of prayer, the individual was exhorted to think of himself as addressing his petitions to One Who stood to him in the relationship of Father." In the "Siddur", the Hebrew prayer book, in the beautiful liturgical confession of sins read on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, each line starts with "Our Father, our King".


The God of Mercy

In biblical times, a name was often an indication of character. "Yeshua" means "God is salvation". He is given many other titles as well, such as, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, and the Anointed One, i.e., the Messiah, the Christ.

When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, the Lord "proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty...'" (Ex. 34:5-7) We can see from this revelation of God's name, that His character is full of mercy and kindness.

"Mercy is an attribute of God ... which disposes God to be actively compassionate. Both the Old and New testaments proclaim the mercy of God, but the Old has more than four times as much to say about it as the New." (The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer, pp. 96,97.) Here are a few samples of Tanach verses that proclaim the mercy of the Lord:

a. Torah - Ex. 15:13 "You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed ..." Ex. 25:17, 21,22 "You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold ... put the mercy seat on top of the ark ... there will I meet you, and I will speak with from above the mercy seat." Num. 14:19 "Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." Deut. 4:31 "... for the LORD your God is a merciful God...".

b. Writings - 2 Chr. 30:9 "... the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him." Neh 9:31 "... in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful." Ps. 51:1 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgression." Ps. 86:5 "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You." Ps. 103:10,11 "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." Ps. 119:64 "The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy, teach me Your statutes." Ps. 136 is called the Great Hallel. At the end of every one of its' twenty-six verses is this: "For His mercy endures forever." Also see 2 Sam. 24:14, I Chr. 16:34, Ps. 31:7; 116:5 and Prov. 28:13.

c. Prophets - Isa. 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Jer. 3:12 "Return, backsliding Israel ... For I am merciful, says the LORD ..." Dan. 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him." Mic. 7:18 "Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy." Also see Joel 2:13.

Of all the verses in the Tanach that talk about God's mercy, one of the most impressive is found in Lamentations 3:22,23. Jeremiah, the prophet and author of this dirge, is watching the destruction of Jerusalem, his beloved city. He is witnessing horrible sights and sounds (Lam. 2:20; 4:10). He cries out his anguish to his God. Yet, in the very middle of this most heartrending of books, in chapter 3, verses 22,23, Jeremiah utters one of the greatest expressions of faith in Scripture. "It is because of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness." (KJV)

You may already know many of these verses and you may even be able to quote some of them by heart. These great revelations of God's character are found frequently in the Old Testament. Remember, this is only a very small sample of the abundance of verses on mercy in the Tanach. The Old Testament saints depended on God's mercy as much as we do.


The God of Grace

It was never true that God saved by means of the Law in the Old Testament. God's way of salvation is the same in all parts of the Bible. There is no salvation by works anywhere in scripture. Salvation is always by grace through faith in His Word (see below). "Grace" (the word in the Hebrew is sometimes translated "favor") can be defined as "the pleasure, goodwill, and favor from a superior to an inferior". It is God's goodness to us in spite of our debts and demerits. He delights in bestowing benefits on His undeserving children. His grace is very evident in the Tanach.

a. Torah - Gen 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Ex 33:12-34:9 "I know you by name, and you have found grace in My sight." In this section, "grace" is found nine times and is the basis of the relationship between Moses, the children of Israel, and their God. Please read this in context; it occurs right after the sin with the golden calf.

b. Writings - Ps. 44:3 "For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them." Ps. 84:11 "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Ps. 102:13 "You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time has come."

c. Prophets - Isa. 60:10 "The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you." Hos 14:2,4 "Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips' ... 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely'."

Finally, let us return for a moment to the issue of grace and the Law, or faith and works, in the Tanach. Think about the "Law of Moses", the "Law of the Lord" (Luke 2:22-24). When was it first revealed to the children of Israel? It was after they were freed from Egypt. By faith in God's word to Moses they applied the blood of the Passover Lamb to their doorposts. It was after they had been baptized (1 Cor. 10:2), in faith passing through the Red Sea at God's word. 

At Sinai He said to this blood-bought (Ex. 15:16), water-baptized people, "This is how I want My special people to live in this world so as to be a kingdom of priests to Me and a proclaimer of My name to the nations." (See Exodus 19:3-6 for the Lord's exact words.) They were already redeemed and dedicated for His special purposes even before they received His law! The Law was given as a guide so the people of God would be separated and holy in the midst of this world and all its traps. Unfortunately, the Law became exalted as a way of salvation (Rom. 9:31,32) because of man's tendency toward works of the flesh; the thinking that one can do something to earn God's favor. But it has always been and ever will be that "the just shall live by his faith" (Habb. 2:4; Heb. 10:38).
Messianic Studies
Messianic Studies
MESSIAH ACCORDING TO ISAIAH

Part 1 of a 4-part series

By Steve Ger
From THE LEVITT LETTER


Due to the overwhelmingly favorable response we received on the last series in this column on the minor prophets, it seems appropriate to once again delve into the vast theological wealth of the prophets. This month, we begin a series based on the writings of the "prince of prophets," Isaiah, specifically what we can glean from his message concerning the Messiah. Since Isaiah is a vast and profound book, in this series we will just be touching upon some of his great Messianic themes and insights. To probe more deeply into this prophetic masterpiece would keep this series going indefinitely!

Isaiah, whose name means "the Lord saves," lived during the time of the divided kingdom (upon Solomon's death, his kingdom split into Israel and Judah). Isaiah spent most of his ministry in Jerusalem in the southern kingdom of Judah, approximately 700 years before Christ. During his ministry the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria, and much of Isaiah's message concerns a warning to Judah that the same fate awaited it if the nation did not repent. Babylon would be the nation to lead Judah into this promised captivity.

However, the message of Isaiah does not only contain assurances of judgment and exile. The prophet is equally concerned with the promise of God's restoration and compassion. Isaiah paints a portrait of an age of peace and righteousness, not just for Israel or Judah, but throughout the whole earth. This "messianic  age" will be brought about by God's unique ruler, the Messiah. It is to what the prophet tells us about this ruler that we will turn our attention.

From Isaiah's point of view, the Messiah was yet to come. Isaiah doesn't specifically tell his contemporary readers/listeners that in seven hundred years they could expect a carpenter from Nazareth to be the Messiah, but the information he provides is graphic "God with us" -- "Immanuel" in Hebrew. enough for the careful and expectant watcher to recognize the promised ruler when He did come.

"Messiah" is an English transliteration of a Hebrew word which means "anointed one." "Messiah" and "Christ" have identical meanings. (The word "Christ" is the English transliteration of the Greek word for Messiah. Another way of referring to "Jesus Christ" is "Jesus, the Messiah" or "Jesus, the Anointed One.") Throughout his writings, Isaiah depicts a multifaceted, several-dimensional mosaic of the coming Messiah's qualities. The prophet has literally saturated his work with references to Messiah. One has only to read through any few chapters to confirm this fact. We will briefly survey some of the major characteristics Isaiah furnishes.

The first clue we are given as to who the Messiah will be and what he will be like is found in 7:14. There is much debate as to how to accurately interpret this verse, whether the woman referred to is a virgin or Isaiah was speaking of a contemporary woman or someone in the far future. However, since it is to be a miraculous sign given by God, I believe this passage teaches that the Messiah will be a human child born of a virgin. Of particular note, this child is to be given the designation, "God with us", "Immanuel" in Hebrew. Jesus was the ultimate Immanuel, "God with us."

In Isaiah's chapter 9, beginning in verse 2, we are told that people who are in darkness and in the shadow of death will have a great light shine on them. This will be the result of the coming of Messiah, which will bring joy to Israel and salvation to the nations. Many rabbis through the centuries have agreed that this "light" written of is the Messiah. This interpretation is borne out in vs. 6-7, where the following four great qualities of the Messiah are enumerated.

First, it is reiterated that he will be born a child. This affirms his humanity. Second and most strikingly, within the same sentence we are told that he will also somehow be Deity; he is called "mighty God" and "everlasting Father." Isaiah teaches that the coming Messiah will in some way be both God and man.

Third, Messiah will also be King. He is called here "wonderful Counselor, Prince of peace," and we are told that there will be no end to the increase of the government, which will rest upon his shoulders. Isaiah is careful to specify which government is being referring to. It is the government of the united kingdom of Israel and it is David's throne from which Messiah will rule. This is the fourth great quality of Messiah. Indeed, that Messiah is a descendent of David and thereby rightful heir to the covenantal promises to David can be seen in Isaiah 11:1-10.  The prophet indicates that Messiah will in some way be the "perfect David" who will rule with the spirit of God, in wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength and the fear of the Lord. He will be a righteous and faithful King who will not only rule Israel but the whole world. The Messianic Kingdom will encompass a world transformed into a paradise on Earth (11:1 - 10; 55:4) .

Having just returned from Israel, I find it exhilarating to review the prophetic message concerning the King who will rule from David's throne in Jerusalem. This month we have focused on a few of the great characteristics of Messiah found in the opening portion of Isaiah's message. Next month we will focus on the Messianic attributes of prophet, priest and servant, and we will conclude with an examination of Isaiah's forecast of Messiah's marvelous accomplishments.

Columns
Anee M'amin
Anee M'amin
A WITNESS TO MY PEOPLE

The testimony of Rose Warmer, condensed from a television interview with Chira Kaplan, conducted in Haifa, Israel at the Ebenezer Messianic Retirement Home.


I was born in Budapest, Hungary and grew up there. We had a big family. My father was chief contractor and electrician of the whole resort area.

I was a dancer and I wanted to become the greatest of the dancers. I also did sculpting and I wanted to be a great sculptor. I had to leave dancing when I started sculpting. I did life-size statues before I had much study and I was invited to Munich.

At that time, I was an atheist. I did not believe in the holiness of God. In fact, I did not know God at all nor His Word. I had a Bible but I read classical books. I later married and was led into Spiritism by my husband. I entered into the depths of it and became a medium myself.

When I was a medium, evil spirits approached me and gave me ideas of god, but it was not the God, the Creator, the Almighty God. By the mercy of God, I found out that they are lying spirits and then refused them. I did not want to continue as a medium, but as I tried to leave my way of life, the spirits tried to persuade me to commit suicide. After a struggle of two years, I was finally set free.

God was really merciful to me, though I did not believe in Him. He showed me that what I was involved with were the powers of darkness.

One night, after I refused to continue to be a medium, there was a very big struggle with these dark powers. These demons cried out in me that the lights are coming. I knew they were the angels of God that came to protect me, not to be torn to pieces or suffocated to death by unseen hands. It was a terribly frightening night.

After this my father died. I was devastated. I knew that our Jewish people were doing nothing for one week but mourning and reading this book of God.

I started to read the Bible, too, which, as a spiritist, I had fought. For two weeks, I could do nothing else but read. Up until that time, I had read it only with my head. Now I started reading the Bible with my heart. I read the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. I did not understand much, but within three days, I was a changed person. I found the Messiah, my Messiah, my Lord and my God, Jesus. I came to know that Jesus came into the world to give love, and I was longing for this love and I was longing for peace and I knew that in this world I could not find either.

This occurred at the outbreak of the Second World War. September 1, 1939, the Second World War broke out, and I lost my father on the 6th of September. By the 24th of September, I was a new person, born into the family of God. My sins were forgiven and I knew that I had eternal life.

There was a very dark time coming historically for the Jewish people in Europe, and in Hungary, also. My people were in great, great need. Husbands were taken for forced labor, and mothers, with their young children, remained, destitute. The Lord allowed me to be a witness and to cheer them and to tell them there is hope in the Messiah and that He wants to give them life and that He desires to save their husbands from the deaths that were almost certain to befall them. They had been taken to pick out mines and do things that were very dangerous in the Ukraine and on the battlefields. I worked for the Lord as His witness among my Jewish people, and also among the Russian-speaking people in an area of Hungary known as Transylvania. My brothers, their families, my aunts and cousins lived in Czechoslovakia and they were taken early on, when Czechoslovakia was annexed to Germany. Deportations from Hungary did not start until 1944.

I was imprisoned early during the war and often put in solitary confinement. I was arrested for giving out tracts on the train. The police saw the Hebrew print and they took me for a spy. In prison, I awaited the death sentence at any moment, but I had the peace of God because I knew they could only kill the body but not kill my spirit and my soul.

I was miraculously released from prison, but when my people were taken to the concentration camps, I wanted to be with them and bring them comfort and the message of God's love and salvation from His own Word, the Old Testament, and fulfillment in the New Testament. I was not being taken because I had papers from the authorities and I did not have to wear the yellow star. I was considered a Christian because of my witness of Jesus. I had an opportunity to leave Hungary, but I didn't take it because I felt my place was among my own people. I voluntarily accepted the fate of my own people. I wanted to be one of them. I did not know about the horrors of Auschwitz and the other camps and slave labors that were there, but I knew that my people were awaiting the gospel. They were facing annihilation.

I was finally taken to Auschwitz.

My Bible was taken from me there, but I could still tell them the Word of God because it was written in my memory. But the time came when the Lord, in His mercy, and upon my pleading, gave me a Bible. We were on hard labor in Ebensee in the most horrible conditions. In severe cold, when we had no shelter, they would come to me, asking, "Rose, tell us what is going to happen to us." Then I could open the Bible and show the truth to my people.

I was not too popular with many of my own people because I was the only believer among thousands and among my companions. Many thought of me as a traitor. They did not understand that it was the love of God for my people that brought me into the concentration camps.

When the end of the war came I was in Bergen Belsen. I wanted to go to the United States after the war because my family had prearranged to go there, but the Lord turned my heart and led me to go to Czechoslovakia to search for family. I found my sister and her family. The rest of the family was annihilated, including my 75-year-old mother. I had thought my mother and sister and some of my brothers were safe at home when I was at Auschwitz. One brother, who was a doctor, we found out, had gone to a camp near Vienna and had been able to practice his profession in the camp. He even treated many of our relatives who had gone to the same camp.

People have often thrown into my face that our people were burned in the concentration camps and I tell them, "I was there, but where were you at that time?" When they tell me that their loved ones were annihilated, I tell them that my loved ones were annihilated at the same places.

What I suffered was horrible, but I knew I was where the Lord had sent me. Often I woke up in the night weeping, but I knew that God is righteous and did not make a mistake, even if it was horrible to think that my 75-year-old mother, and brothers, were annihilated in the most horrible ways. I know if they all died for the Lord, even in the gas chambers, God was saving them and they are with Him. Many times I have had to tell the Lord, 'Lord I do not understand and it is too hard for me to bear, but I leave it in your hands."

The Lord has helped me through it all and now I have peace and know I will learn about my loved ones when I go to Him. I know that everyone, in the places of horror, the gas chambers, and before being shot or beaten to death, when they called upon the name of the Lord, they were saved. "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

I would have had the opportunity, after the liberation, to go to Israel, but at hat time my heart was not in Israel. Later, when I did not find the rest of my family, and when my Jewish people were in great masses immigrating to Israel, I wanted to again be with my people. I have had a very fruitful ministry giving out Bibles, and being a witness to my own people in the land of Israel. The Lord allowed me to procure Bibles for the schools and for the Kibbutzim so they can read and study the Word of God for themselves.


Rose Warmer died in Haifa, Israel, September 9, 1986.

Reprinted with permission from:
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Testimony
Testimony
BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE

By Teresa Giordanengo
As told by Marjorie Holmes


Marjorie Holmes was born in Storm Lake, Iowa, and spent most of her waking hours in the lake or on its shores. She learned to swim almost as soon as she could walk, and still swims almost every day.

At a very young age, she knew she was born to write. "Thank God I know - knew from a very early age - the work I was born to do. For me writing is less a profession than a "calling," says Marjorie.

Marjorie Holmes was brought up in the church; her mother was the church organist, choir director, and Sunday school teacher for fifty years. Marjorie was baptized when she was twelve years of age.

An understanding English teacher encouraged her childhood dream of becoming a writer. "You can write beautiful things for those who crave beautiful things," her teacher once wrote on a notebook. "There is a duty!" These words were to sustain Marjorie through many rejections later.

"When I was a college freshman, a professor so ruthlessly stripped me of God. He was surprised that I believed in God and all that I was taught in my youth. He could not understand how a young, intelligent girl could believe all this. He told me that religion was old-fashioned. I was so torn and hurt by this. It was very difficult being treated this way at school. The professor was representative of my growth and accomplishments. How could he do this to me? Down deep in my heart I knew what my convictions were because it was the foundation of my existence. But I became very confused and distressed over this. I wanted to break away from any family ties and be independent. It took a long time to get back to my beliefs. I did not reject God; I was just confused."

After two years at Storm Lake's Buena Vista College, "with a scholarship and one good dress," she left for Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa. There she began to sell her poems, the first to a pulp magazine "Weird Tales" for $7.00.

After graduating in 1931 she met and married, within two months, a senior engineer at Iowa University, Lynn Mighell. They tried to beat the depression by buying an old car and "rattling off to the Rio Grande Valley to raise cabbage." Floods, hurricanes and aphids ruined the cabbage but didn't deter her writing. A week before their first baby was born, at the age of 22, she helped pay for the stork by selling her first two stories.

Frequent moves followed as her husband began his career in air conditioning. During this period, in addition to free lancing, Marjorie did radio work, including a stint as a disc jockey. One day, realizing her little girl "was being raised by a maid instead of me," she went back to the typewriter for good. "My family and my writing - I knew those were the really important things."

Despite raising her four children, she was able to sell short stories and articles to the popular magazines and to produce her first novel, "World by the Tail" published by J.B.Lippincott in 1943. 

In 1952, Marjorie Holmes began writing a bi-weekly column for the Washington, D.C. Evening Star, and columns for many magazines. She has written books including "I've Got To Talk to Somebody, God", and "To Help You Through the Hurting", and many, many, more. 

In her book, "How Can I Find You, God?" she said that her parents were the source of her first conscious knowledge of God. She was raised in a Christian home, for which she was most thankful. "I regret the pain that my apostasy caused my mother, but I have been forgiven."

"How cruelly selfish, because we do this for almost only one reason, especially in the case of parents: To humble them, to vaunt our superiority. But then youth is often cruel... I prayed that God would help me remember this when my own children would turn their ruthless superiority on me."

"Anyway, never again would I feel apologetic or ignorant or superstitious about believing. Never again need I be intimidated or even impressed by anyone - the scholar, philosopher, or scientist - who insisted on a material explanation for everything and attempted to prove the universe and life itself a mindless, purposeless accident. Such people might be able to out-argue me (as I had out-argued my poor mother) but they could never convince me again." 

"I realized that as I tried to find God I read all these books written by people. God has given them words - to help me ask my questions, to help provide the answers. Yet even before any of them sat down at their desks this morning - or a thousand years ago - God had provided a book of His own. It is the Bible, also known as the Word. For generations countless multitudes of people have accepted it as His Word. It is God's own communication with us, dealing in unchanging principles, telling us things no other source can give us concerning Him and our relationship to Him. Thus if I really want to know God and what He wants for me, I must go to the source. In order to know God, we must first know His Son Jesus." 

"Who is any one of us to challenge the Bible? I can honestly admit I still don't understand a lot of it, how it happened or why it happened, but with God's help I'm making progress. And just because I don't yet understand it all does not mean it didn't happen, and that there weren't reasons beyond my poor human comprehension. I must have "faith". Faith, for me at least, is a state wherein I stop quarreling with the Bible and start letting it speak to me on its own terms and believe."

"I say I want to get to know God better, but yet I neglect Him. It is like a friendship that dies for lack of attention; a correspondence that ultimately stops because one of us won't write. If I am to maintain my relationship with God, I have to read His book, the Bible, and talk to Him in prayer."

Her husband, Lynn Mighell, died in 1979. Two years later she married a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania physician, Dr. George Schmieler, who had found "I've Got to Talk to Somebody, God", among his late wife's things, and was so moved he set out to find the author. "Second Wife, Second Life" tells the beautiful story of that marriage.

Her book "Two From Galilee", a love story of Mary and Joseph, made the New York Times best seller list, and became one of the 10 best selling novels of 1972. Bantam, who has issued most of her titles in paperback, reported over 15 million copies in print. Her books "Three From Galilee - The Young Man From Nazareth", and "The Messiah", completes her trilogy of novels about the life of Jesus (Harper 1987). 

"I was eager to learn as much as I could. Therefore, I went to Israel three times, always in the company of biblical scholars who had been to Israel many times before. Dr. Roy Blizzard held my hand all the way through the last two books. He taught Hebrew, Biblical History, and Archaeology at the University of Texas. He studied at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He explained things to me on our trips, not only on the places where Jesus walked, the sites of many of these significant events, but on the whole culture of the times. He'd say, 'Marjorie, let's do something we don't think has really been done before. Tell this from the Hebrew point of view. Know what the Hebrew people were like, not just what they wore, what they ate, and what their festivals were, but how they thought, and how they expressed themselves.'"

"Our translations come from the Greek. Jesus didn't speak Greek. When the gospel is translated from Hebrew into Greek into English, a great deal is lost. Thanks to Dr. Blizzard's guidance, I rewrote the sermon on the mount three times. I wanted to make sure it was accurate according to the Hebrew language; what Jesus actually said and meant in Hebrew."

"Of course, meanwhile, I read incessantly. I have a great library of reference material here and learned all kinds of exciting little tidbits. It was really intriguing, and I was fascinated to do this research."

Her book "Second Wife, Second Life" was written partly to record Dr. Schmieler's insights into God and life in general. The book is filled with observations that he made about God and the human body, many of them in a chapter titled "Physician's Philosophy".

Besides being a Christian, her second husband was funny and very romantic. They took walks together, swam together, and prayed together every morning and night.

"He was so eloquent. He was the perfect mate for me," Marjorie said. "He would always say these wonderful things about God, even in those last days when I was so upset about the amputation of his legs," she said, recalling a statement that he made when doctors were considering amputating one of his legs:

"If they have to take my leg I'm going to rejoice in the leg I still have. Thank God for it. I know from my experience as a doctor, life doesn't depend on that leg, the spirit doesn't depend on that leg. I still have life and power, and God is a part of me. You can't amputate God."  

Dr. George Schmieler went to be with the Lord in 1992. Marjorie continues to write and is very busy with speaking engagements. She believes men and women should express their love for each other more. Marjorie hopes that everyone will experience the love of Jesus. She said, "I must remember, there are no limits on the love of Jesus. All He asks of me is that I put no limits on my love. I will love my neighbors, and show it whenever I can even though I may not tell them so. I will try to love my God with all my heart and soul and mind - and tell Him so!" 


Editors Note: Marjorie Holmes has four children and six grandchildren. She has taught writing at numerous conferences and universities, including Georgetown, in Washington, D.C., and is in demand as a lecturer. She lives in Manassas, Virginia and is the recipient of many awards, including the Woman of Achievement for 1972 by the National Federation of Press Women. She has been in Who's Who in America for over ten years and in WHO'S WHO IN THE WORLD for many years!

A few of the many books Marjorie Holmes has written are: "Lord, Let Me Love", "Hold Me Up A Little Longer, Lord", "Who Am I, God?", "Marjorie Holmes' Secrets of Health, Energy and Staying Young", and "At Christmas the Heart Goes Home."
When the World Rejects Us
When the World Rejects Us
WHEN THE WORLD REJECTS US

By Janette Kragen
Roseville, California


"Lord, what am I doing here?" I asked Him as I sat in the crowded auditorium. The excited chatter of eighty college students rose higher and higher. My palms were sweaty with panic; was I the only stranger here? To make matters worse, everyone in the room was young enough to be my child. I slid down lower in my seat, wishing I could be anywhere but here. It was my first audition for a musical.

The audition process is the cruelest form of torture ever devised by modern man. Here's how it works:  the director decides what types of actors he wants for his production. He sets the dates and times for open auditions. Why are they called "open?" Because, any actor can attend and open himself up to look like an utter fool in front of his gloating rivals.

The actor who knows the chosen play or musical has an advantage. Those who have worked with the director before are also ahead of the game. There is such a critical shortage of young men in theatre today that even average to mediocre actors have no trouble landing parts. On the other hand, good actresses between the ages of twenty to forty are as plentiful as flies on a carcass.

As the audition continues, groups of actors are called onstage to do "cold" (unrehearsed) readings from the script. In a musical audition, the torture reaches an even higher level of refinement. You must sing a prepared number and sometimes even dance. Unless you bring your own pianist or tape, you will be accompanied by someone (usually a music student) with whom you have never worked before.

The first audition night serves to drop the most unsuitable candidates. ("Don't call us, we'll call you.") If you survive this first cut, callbacks are next. You return the next night to go through the same agony again, this time with a  new set of competitors. The worst part about all this? While you are onstage suffering, you must convince the audience that you are having the time of your life!

After all that, it would seem logical for the best readers and singers to get the parts, right? Wrong. There are a variety of factors involved in assembling a cast. For instance, the director must assess how the different physical types will look together onstage. Vocal power and contrast is important, both for singing and speaking parts.

It's sad but true:  actors are often picked for their looks and not their skills. We've all heard stories about the dimwitted actress chosen because she had the largest set of - lungs.

Age is another consideration. If the lead actor is in his early twenties, the director will opt for the best visual match, most likely a lead actress around the same age. Consequently, older actresses with superior talent are passed over.

The director's personal attitude and frame of mind can sometimes influence his choice. For example, let's say you are an actress who meets the part's physical requirements. You just gave the best reading of your life. Unfortunately, you also happen to look and sound like Bertha, the director's despised ex-wife. You may as well kiss this show goodbye!

It only takes a few rejections before inexperienced actors give in to doubt and self-pity. Others who have been through this selection process many times are wise enough not to take the rejection personally. They can avoid the emotional pitfalls, steel their resolve and go on to the next tryout.

I'm a very short actress in my late forties with a distinctive ethnic appearance.  My singing voice is not powerful enough for musicals. I have two left feet. You might assume I don't stand much of a chance ever to get cast. In reality, I have the biggest advantage of all. Because the Lord is in charge of my career, I can beat all the odds. Regardless of my limitations, He can get me any part He wants.

Believe me, that puts things in a different perspective! I admit, it can be quite disappointing not to get a part. However, I totally trust God for His perfect timing. Since July 1992, I have been through seven auditions and have played lead roles in two productions. I now feel confident enough to attend tryouts without dragging my husband along for moral support. I'm sure he's relieved!

How do you react when people look down on you, or unfairly judge you?  Do you apply a godly, or a worldly perspective? A dear Christian sister, married with three daughters, cleans houses to supplement the family income. One of her girls asked her:  "Mom, don't you feel it's degrading, having to clean up other peoples' dirt?"

My friend answered:  "Well, I admit that sometimes I'm tempted to feel sorry for myself. Then I think of the elderly, the ill and the handicapped.  These people would be grateful to regain the full use of their physical functions. They would gladly trade places with me, even to clean toilets!  For me, that puts my occupation in the right perspective."

Think about the latest demeaning situation you have experienced. Maybe you made a mistake at work. Your supervisor yelled at you, making you feel like a misbehaving child. You are tempted to reply in kind, or even walk out.  But you can't, because you need this job to survive financially.

Or perhaps you wait tables. You serve extremely rude people every day.  Through it all, you have to keep smiling, even when the customers treat you like dirt.

Here's a scene familiar to many women:  you meet a former acquaintance who has become successful in business. She brags about her wonderful career. Then she asks about you. You answer proudly:  "I am a mother and housewife." She gives you a big, phony smile and chirps, "That's nice!" and immediately steers the conversation back to herself.

These negative encounters can make us feel small and insignificant. Let's face it:  unless you're young, thin, good-looking or wealthy, the world considers you a loser.

As Christians, what is our proper response? I believe it begins with our self-image. Do we view ourselves as the world sees us? Or do we remember that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is our Father? What an awesome privilege we have - to be the cherished sons and daughters of the Creator, the most powerful force in the universe!

This royal status, conferred on us by our Father's grace, is eternal. God's reign cannot be overthrown. Our earthly careers are temporary; this world could end tomorrow. When Christ returns, we will trade our waitress uniforms and painters overalls for golden crowns and regal robes.

Consider the French phrase "Noblesse oblige," which, loosely translated, means royalty must adhere to higher standards of behavior. Remember Prince Charles' and Lady Diana's 1981 wedding? The media on both sides of the Atlantic raved about the "fairy-tale marriage of the century."  While many people openly expressed envy, I felt deeply sorry for the young bride.

She was giving up two basic human rights:  privacy and freedom. Once she became a Princess, she would forever be under the constant scrutiny of the entire world, not to mention the royal family. How could the costliest jewels and most exclusive designer fashions in the world be adequate compensation for having the Queen of England as your mother-in-law?

As "incognito" royalty, we too have our responsibilities. Unlike poor Princess Di's, however, ours are not burdensome to fulfill. Our status calls for dignified, confident behavior, whatever the circumstances. Even when the world mistreats us, we don't have to respond in kind. "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing"  (1 Peter 3:9).

It's a matter of choice. We can decide that obedience to God is more important than receiving fair treatment from the world. This healthy focus will allow us to deal more effectively with life's injustices and with the "difficult" people around us.

I have experienced the joy of spending an entire day wrapped in God's love, uplifted by the power of His presence. No, He did not take my problems away. However, they no longer have the power to overwhelm me, because God is with me. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength"  (Philippians 4:13).

Sometimes I still fall into my old habits, attempting to run my life without the Lord's help.  Invariably, I fail. Still, I do see some progress in my spiritual life. I'm experiencing more positive days now, special times where I'm really in tune with my Savior.

By the way, I did not get a part at my first musical audition. However, it turned out to be the most worshipful experience of my life. Just before I went onstage, I prayed. I dedicated my audition to the Lord, in gratitude for the talents He had given me. I went into His presence and sang for Him alone. I felt my heavenly Father's joy and approval like never before.  I wouldn't have missed this experience for anything!

The next time you are in a situation where you experience rejection or feelings of inferiority, remind yourself of your eternal status in the Lord.  Rejoice because you are - and always will be - God's beloved child. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"  (Romans 8:38-39).


Janette, a Hebrew Christian, came to know the Lord as her personal savior over twenty-five years ago. She depends on the Lord to integrate her testimony in her theatre work. Janette is the major support behind Sepher Ministries, her husband's counseling/discipleship ministry. She also helps out in the local church's ministry to seniors at two local rest homes as well as being involved there in music ministry. Like many Christian women she depends on the Lord to deal with the struggles of ministry, secular employment, and unlike some dealing with a husband in pastoral work. But the Lord continues to bless her efforts as this year she and her husband celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
Meeting God in Our Struggles
Meeting God in Our Struggles
MEETING GOD IN OUR STRUGGLES

By Nancy Prestidge


There's not a person alive who doesn't go through struggles.  Some struggles are worse than others, but we need not feel hopeless.  

Lately, I've been struggling with a situation that apart from a miracle of God is impossible.  God hasn't answered it yet and the deadline draws near.  I've had mornings where I wake up very early in a panic or nights when I had trouble going to sleep.  I know physically that I was hurting myself.

As a Christian, I know that I have a heavenly Father who loves me.  One night when I was feeling anxious, I grabbed my Bible and went to the living room to spend some time with the Lord - everyone else in the house was asleep.  I said, "Lord, please show me where to read.  What do you want to say to me?"  I opened the Bible to Psalm 138 and read this, "I will give Thee thanks with all my heart, I will sing praises to Thee before the gods, I will bow down toward Thy holy temple and give thanks to Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth."  Well, I sure wasn't doing that!

These next words really spoke to me - "On the day I called Thou didst answer me.  Thou didst make me bold with strength in my soul."  Then verses 7 and 8 said, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble Thou will revive me.  Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies and Thy right hand will save me.  The Lord will accomplish what concerns me.  Thy lovingkindness O Lord is everlasting, do not forsake the works of Thy hands."

His peace quieted my fears that night.  A couple of days later I was fearful again.  My husband, Bruce, was out of town and once again the situation seemed insurmountable.  My son reminded me of a couple of verses he was memorizing which I had memorized years ago but wasn't practicing now - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, Let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

I realized I had been focusing on my problems instead of praising the sovereign King who is in control of all things and thanking Him by faith for what He is doing and will do because He loves us with perfect love.  Then in my devotional time in the morning, I read Philippians 1:27-28, "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that I may hear of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel; in no way alarmed by our opponents which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you and that too from God."

In other words, I can't make myself trust God and praise Him and thank Him on my own.  But I can ask God to enable me to do those things and He will.

My Abba Father - Abba is a word used to describe a close intimate father, like Daddy - loves me with perfect love.  If we have asked Him to forgive our sins and take control of our lives we are His children.  We can take our problems to Him and leave them there. We can trust Him to do what's best for us even if we don't always understand what is going on.  God is the God of hope and peace.  Let's praise His holy name.


Used with permission:
From HIGHWAY, published by Transport for Christ International
Denver, Pennsylvania
Called to be Mothers
Called to be Mothers
CALLED TO BE MOTHERS

By Elisabeth Elliot
Lincoln, Nebraska


"You mean that's all you do?" That's all? As a mother, your life is given to taking care of people - small ones, to begin with, whose wants never seem to cease. Sometimes when your days seem to be wholly taken up with wiping things - dishes and sinks, little runny noses and big slow tears - you wonder about what "fulfillment" is supposed to mean for you. You wonder about being (besides the perfect wife and mother) the hostess-with-the-mostest, creative, intellectually productive, beautiful... and slowly your dreams seem to evaporate.

You've been listening to what they're telling us nowadays about how important it is to find yourself, express yourself and assert yourself. Maybe you're thinking that you're nothing more than somebody's wife and somebody else's mother. And what kind of life is that?

There is a tribe in the Southern Sudan called "Nuers" where a woman's name is changed not when she becomes a wife, but when she becomes a mother. She is "ManPuk" - "Mother of Puka." Among the Nuers, being someone's mother is what makes a woman's life meaningful. Two thousand years ago there was another young woman, of the Jewish tribe of Judah, who understood that truth. The world has never forgotten her - Mary, the mother of Jesus - because she was willing to be known as, simply, Someone's mother.

Motherhood is a calling. It is a womanly calling... and let's not be cowed by those who extinguish the light and joy of sexuality by trying to persuade us to forget words like manly and womanly. At the beginning of time when God made the first man and the first woman in His image He put both under the divine command to be fruitful. The woman's obedience to that command meant self-giving. First she gave herself to her husband - he initiated, she responded - then she gave herself for the life of her child.

A woman knows, in the deepest regions of her being, that it is this very self-giving for which she was made. Single or married, her level of maturity is measured by how much she gives to others. If she's married, she gives herself to her husband and she receives. If she's a mother, she loses her life in her child and - mysteriously - she finds it.

A woman knows that no one can really say where the giving ends and the receiving starts. It is no wonder we are confused when urged to look for some "better" or "higher" vocation in which to "prove our personhood." No wonder we are distressed to be subjected to male standards, or told that the notions of femininity and masculinity are obsolete.

Old fashioned notions they are indeed, but they weren't our own to begin with. They were God's. He planned the whole system, and it's God Himself who calls. He calls some to be single, some married people to be childless, but He calls most women to be mothers. There are, the Bible tells us, "differences of gifts," and they're all given to us according to God's grace. None of the gifts of my own life - not my "career" or my work or any other gift - is higher or more precious to me than that of being someone's mother.

If our calling is to be mothers, let's be mothers with all our hearts - gladly, simply, and humbly - like that little peasant girl Mary who spoke for all women for all time when she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word" (Luke 1:38).


Elisabeth Elliot is an internationally known speaker and the author of many books, including Shadow of the Almighty, Passion and Purity, A Path Through Suffering and The Shaping of a Christian Family. She also is heard daily on the radio program "Gateway to Joy". Elisabeth and her husband make their home north of Boston, Massachusetts. Her life is evidence that a life offered to God can be one's gateway to joy. For information contact:

Gateway to Joy
Box 82500
Lincoln, Nebraska 68501 or
Box 10,
Winnipeg, MB R3C 2G2
Canada
Education
Education
DARE TO TEACH SEX EDUCATION

By Janet L. Kragen
Bainbridge Island, Washington


Human growth and development. Twenty-six fifth and sixth grade boys and girls in an ancient portable. As we read about hormones in the health text, I tell my students that going through puberty is like being on drugs. Your body pumps you full of chemicals one day and you go soaring up, whoosh! The next day you bottom out, whump! Up and down, your emotions and your body being jerked along after your hormones. One minute you want to be treated like an adult, the next you just want to be a kid (spare a moment to pity your parents who are trying to deal with the wild fluctuations!) It takes about a year to a year and a half for your body to figure out the amount you need on a regular basis and get stable again. Remember this experience when someone comes up to you later to offer you drugs. Do you really want to go through puberty again? On purpose? By choice? Most of us are happy to be done with it and wouldn't want to do it again for anything! They laugh. And I hope they will remember.
	
It's easy to get stiff and serious when teaching sex education. It is serious, but then so is chemistry. I do bits of stand-up comedy routine when I'm with the sixth grade girls. There's the "history of bras" or "Dad going to buy sanitary equipment at the local 7-11" ("Price check, please!") The stories lighten the atmosphere and make it easier for everyone to talk.
	
Conception, fetal development, childbirth. Girls talk about these subjects lots longer than boys do. AIDS. They watch the film and ask questions. Pregnancy, labor and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are sobering subjects. Then I stand up again. Right now I hear many of you saying this is gross, this is disgusting, this is icky. At your age, in sixth grade, that's an appropriate reaction. Right now it's easy to say I won't do that until I'm married. But the pressure to have sex is stronger than any peer pressure. Your own body is working against you.
	
As far as your body is concerned, you're a little baby-making machine. You are born with millions of eggs, just waiting. As soon as you hit puberty, your body goes into Plan A:  She's going to get pregnant. If you aren't pregnant at the end of the month, your body goes to Plan B:  Flush it out and go back to Plan A. Your body's goal is for you to get pregnant and have babies from the time you hit puberty till the day you die. Not only that, but your body cheats. It floods you full of hormones that say, "Mmmm, he looks good! Get him over here! I want him next to me!" And of course, his body is flooding him with hormones that say do it, do it, do it NOW!
	
How do you fight that?
	
They look blank, so I give them a hint. Apply what you learned in DARE to this situation. Then the lights go on and the suggestions come in. "Stay in groups with people who believe like you do." You're right, group dates are a good idea. A bunch of you go roller skating or to the movies together. "Consider the consequences." Yes, before the situation comes up think about possible consequences. How many of you want to get pregnant next year?  How many of you want to catch AIDS - or any other STD? Even if those things didn't happen, are you ready for the emotional attachment? Are you ready to make a commitment for life, which is the safest sexual behavior after abstinence?

"Avoid the situation." That's one of the best. Don't go to parties where there are boys and girls and no adults around. Don't spend time alone with a boy where you have plenty of privacy. Your body will do everything it can to short-circuit your brain. (So will his.)
	
You are rational, reasonable, intelligent people. You can make choices now, while it's still easy. You can control your behavior if you think about it and plan ahead. You can do it. I promise it is possible.
Mission Field 
Mission Field 
LESSONS FROM RUSSIA

By Lorraine Potter 
New York, New York


"Early in my Christian life, I identified with the Apostles Peter and Paul; Peter for his enthusiasm and brokenness; Paul for his love of Jesus and determination to obey and  follow the Lord anywhere.  It took some years for me to discover women with whom I identified. I have a missionary heart to see churches planted. Therefore, I identify with Lydia, the seller of purple cloth, who was Paul's first Philippian convert and the one in who's home the church met.  Priscilla  also encourages me since she and her husband, Aquila, assisted Paul in his tent-making,  church-planting efforts in various cities.  Both of these women worked in "secular" jobs while taking time to actively carry out their ministries.  Although Scripture doesn't dwell at length on their lives,  the passages that mention them suggest that they were instrumental in spreading the gospel during the church's early days." - Lorraine Potter


Russia is in the headlines once more; this time because of the Ames spy scandal. Now, Congress is questioning whether or not the United States should send its promised aid to Moscow. I confess that I cannot objectively debate this point. Of course we should send aid. That's because I want our country to help my friends, the Russians. 

I spent most of 1991 living in Moscow, serving as a missionary, and returned this past October. I count some of my Russian friends among my dearest on earth. In fact, the ability to send electronic mail to my Russian friends is one of the principle reasons I chose to continue subscribing to a computer network!

What makes Russians so special? Their warmth, their hospitality, their curiosity, their compassion, their loyalty - all of these traits made me feel so special when I was with my friends. I often wondered who was ministering to whom!  When I returned from Moscow, I realized that God must have sent me as much for the lessons I would bring back as for the friends I left behind. In Russia, I gained new perspectives on sin, on works, and on eternity.

One of the outstanding differences between Americans and Russians is their comprehension of sin. Most of my Russian friends had an innate understanding of their sin, perhaps encouraged by their constant suffering as a people and their view of suffering as punishment. In fact, they often asked me if Communism was God's punishment for their sinfulness. They were overwhelmed with disbelief, then with joy, when they realized that God had actually made provision to remove the guilt of their sins through His Son's death upon the cross. As Jesus says, He who has been forgiven much, loves much. We are no less sinful than the Russian people, but they seem to recognize their sinfulness in a deeper way. Therefore, they love much. 

My life was changed when I taught Bible Study. My friends and I rarely made it through a study without someone shedding tears out of gratefulness to our Lord! We finally got wise and began to keep a box of tissues on the table for such an event. Since my time in Moscow, I have prayed for a deeper understanding of my sin, of the sinful nature's enmity against God, so that, like my Russian friends, I can gain a deeper appreciation of the love that graciously redeemed me.

Life in Russia can be agonizingly slow. Bureaucracy abounds. I often liken Russia to our Motor Vehicle Administration:  long lines, frustrating forms, and unsmiling service. We used to tell newcomers to expect to accomplish three things a day: one thing before lunch, one thing before dinner, and one thing in the evening. My Russian friend Natasha told me that she only tries to accomplish one thing a day, followed by a nap!  Needless to say, after New York City (my current home) and long days here filled with work and ministry, I felt that I wasn't accomplishing anything in Moscow. Just about the time I was ready to inaugurate two new Bible Studies, everyone left town for the summer! The Lord finally reached me in my despair. He reminded me that He cares more about who I am becoming and how I love others, rather than what I do. 

I spent the rest of my summer working primarily on my relationship with God, letting Him determine my agenda. When I gave up trying to impress Him with my works, He revealed Himself to me more deeply. My friends reminded me of my misplaced emphasis on accomplishments, too.  "Russians place great value on deep friendships, limiting their circle of friends to a very few with whom they share most of their lives."  
  
Appointments with Russians lasted several hours in their homes, not a quick bite at a restaurant including a five-minute gospel presentation. Russians love to sit around the table for hours, eating, talking, singing, enjoying one another. I was getting irritated because I couldn't lead more Bible Studies, share the Gospel more often. My misguided emphasis came home to me when one friend chided me as I fretted. She said, "Lorraine, if you had only come here to share the gospel with me, that would have been enough. Isn't my life worth your trip here?" 

I left Russia with a new realization that God doesn't care so much about my works. He went to the Cross because He knew I could never work my way to Him, anyway! He cares more that I know and enjoy Him, becoming more like Him, and that I love and enjoy those who He puts in my path.

Finally, God used my time in Moscow and my Russian friends to teach me about eternity. I experienced economic, political and military upheaval during both of my stays in Russia. Early one morning, in August of 1991, I learned that Gorbachev and been "replaced". Days later, we watched in awe as the coup plotters left Moscow after an all-morning prayer meeting in which we prayed specifically for the plotters to flee in fear!  We saw the burnt-out trolley buses and piles of flowers strewn around the site where three men had died defending Yeltsin. During our brief trip this past October, we were surprised to hear that Yeltsin had dismissed Parliament, and shocked to hear of the TV tower takeover by pro-parliamentary forces and the ensuing White House bombing by the Army. A few days after, I ventured downtown, where the now black White House stood and where bullet holes pocked buildings up and down one of Moscow's main shopping streets.  In addition to the political upheaval, I saw my friends struggle to find food, clothes and medicine for their families.  

In 1991, 1 ruble notes were the norm.  By 1993, they had been replaced by 100 ruble notes because of hyper-inflation. Exposure to these events and conditions reminded me how fleeting our life is on earth and shamed me as I realized how trivial my concerns are back in the U.S.A. Eternity seems much more present when death and suffering abound. Who cares if you don't have a good job when people are dying on the streets of Moscow? More than the events themselves, I learned from the perspective of my Russian friends. Despite the hardships, many continued going to Bible Study. Whenever I visited friends, they lavished me with so much love that troubles seemed far away. Despite the shortages of food, they dug to the back of their cabinets to feed me wonderful meals. 

I gained an eternal perspective, not just from observing oppression close-up, but by observing my friends' perspective under oppression.  I received a letter from Olga one day in New York which brought me to tears as I walked across Park Avenue, one of the wealthiest addresses in the world. She told me that her young daughter, Olichka, was watching television one day when a program came on about orphans.  Olichka had tears in her eyes as she said, "Oh, Mama, they have no mama or papa, no toys, no candy.  Can we go visit them and take them some treats?" I was so moved as I remembered my dear friend Olga, her husband Sasha, and Olichka. Both Olga and her daughter became believers in 1991. The three live in one room smaller than most American living rooms. They share a roach-infested kitchen and bathroom with three other families. 

During October's violence, Olga heard machine-gun shots and saw bullets flying past her window.  Despite such hardship, Olichka can cry for those "less fortunate" than her. Her focus is on eternal things, the lives of others, not on the temporal hardships of her life. When I saw Olga in 1993, her first words were, "Oh, Lorraine, thank you for telling me about Jesus. I don't know how I would have made it through the last two years without my faith." As I began to cry, I said, "Oh, Olga, I need to thank you!  You have changed my life by your faith." And that is true. Because of the Russians, I have gained new perspectives on sin, on works, and on eternity.
Prison Ministry
Prison Ministry
WOMEN PRISONERS: Not The Same


Women are different from men. So women prisoners have different spiritual needs than men prisoners do.

This is the theme of a recent internal work group report by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It's called "An Analysis of the Unique Pastoral Needs of Women in Prison." It was written by seven women chaplains and was released in March. 1993. Its main point? What has been effective for men doing time doesn't work for women in prison.

The number of incarcerated women has doubled in the last 10 years. Seven percent of the prisoners in America are women, according to the report.  But there has been a 75 percent increase in the female prison population in the past five years.

The study identifies these pastoral needs of incarcerated women:

1. Parenting. More than half the women in prison are mothers of dependent children. She needs frequent telephone contact with her children. She needs parenting classes. One chaplain encouraged the incarcerated mother of a newborn to bring her baby's undershirt back to prison upon release from the hospital. The tiny shirt holding the smells and memories of a beautiful baby, provided the link that united the two in spirit.

2. Family issues. Maintaining ties with her family of origin or her existing family support network is important for the  women prisoner.  Twice as many men get the support of visitors as women.

3. Intimacy. Many women reach early adulthood in a dysfunctional family with their boundaries frequently violated.  The woman has a wrong concept of intimacy with sexual contact. This needs to be corrected.

4. Incest survival. The prison chapel may be the only place where an abused woman is secure enough to begin her dreadful journey to healing and wholeness. She often carries shame, guilt, fear and anger into new relationships. If she finds a climate for healing in the chapel, that is her healing place.

5. Relationships. The past relationships of most women in prison are of three kinds: unhealthy, unfinished and broken. There is much dependency and codependency, manipulation, subservience and dominance. Unfinished relationships must be closed. Grief groups allow women to deal with their losses in a secure and safe environment.

6. Abortion recovery. Abortion has its own emotional result. Pain and alienation often haunt women who have had abortions or miscarriages. She questions whether her lifestyle or her carelessness with drugs and alcohol might have caused the loss of the fetus. Self-forgiveness only follows the assurance of love and forgiveness from God and the community.

7. Sexual identity. Sexual identity is an issue in prisons where many men or women live close together. Men and women deal with this sexual tension differently. A woman needs to distinguish between her needs sex and intimacy then she can discover healthier ways of meeting her intimacy needs.

8. Self-image.  Women who have been used and abused come to prison as wounded or broken people. Self-worth is low. Individual and group opportunities help women restructure their likes and reclaim their self-worth.

9. A sense of the sacred. Sacred space is more important to women than to men. "Portable beauty" is better than nothing .  One chaplain used a scruffy old rug and a few bed sheets to make a corner of the prison gym into a sacred space. When women walked through the curtained wall and onto the carpet, they changed.  Their faces softened, and there was peace.

Prison administrators and chaplains can recognize and accommodate these special needs of woman prisoners. It will accelerate the healing and rehabilitation  process.


From INSIDE JOURNAL, a publication of PRISON FELLOWSHIP, P.O. Box 16429, Washington, DC  20041-6429
Chef's Corner
Chef's Corner
COME TO DINNER

This month's recipes are favorites of Dot Worth of Collingswood, New Jersey, the wife of a Methodist Minister. Dot Worth is a well-known speaker and a free lance writer for various publishers, plus author of numerous booklets and tracts. She also is heard five days a week on the radio program "Women Alive", broadcasting on twelve stations and into Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. She sends these recipes with the prayer that good things will not only be ON your table but that good things will happen AROUND your table. 


CHICKEN SOUFFLE - 3 cups cooked chicken - cut up, 3/4 cup chopped celery, 1/3 cup minced onion, 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 9 slices day-old white bread, Use firm bread like Pepperidge Farm or Arnolds.

Mix all the above together. Grease baking dish approximately 11x7 1/2 x 1 1/2. Dice four slices of bread and arrange on bottom of buttered dish. Spoon mixture over the bread, spreading evenly. Cut five slices of bread in triangles and cover top of mixture.  Then beat three eggs  and 2 1/2 cups of milk and pour over top. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, spread two cans undiluted Cream of Mushroom soup over top. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.


BRUNCH CASSEROLE - 7 slices buttered bread, 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1/2 lb. mushrooms sauteed in butter, 1/2 lb. cooked sausage, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard.

Line bottom of baking dish with bread. Cut remaining bread - some in triangles and some in cubes. Sprinkle with layers of cheese, sausage, mushrooms. Combine and beat eggs and remaining ingredients. Pour over other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.


CREAMED BROCCOLI - Prepare 2 pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli. Cream together: 1/2 lb. creamed cheese and 1/4 b. butter or margarine.

Drain broccoli. Add creamed mixture. Put in casserole. Sprinkle the top with Pepperidge Farm Filling Mix. Bake at 375 degrees until crumbs are brown.


CHEESE PUDDING - 8 slices bread - buttered, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, 3 eggs, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, dash hot pepper, dash Worchestershire sauce, 2 cups milk.

Trim crusts and cut bread in cubes. Arrange layers of cheese and bread. Save some cheese for top layer. Beat eggs slightly, add milk and seasonings. Pour over cheese mixture and let stand overnight. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees or until center is done.


PINEAPPLE BREAD CASSEROLE - Cream together: 1/2 cup butter, and 3/4 cup sugar. Beat well 4 eggs. Fold in 1 no. 2 can crushed pineapple (drained slightly), and 5 slices bread (break up as for stuffing).

Bake in a greased 2 qt. casserole at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.


YORKSHIRE PUDDING - Beat together: 2 eggs and 1 cup milk. Beat into first mixture, 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Pour into sizzling hot butter (about 2 tablespoons) in a baking dish. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.


ONION SWEET-SOUR DRESSING - 1 medium onion (grated), 1 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon celery seed, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 3/4 cup cider vinegar, and 1 pint salad oil.

Mix first five ingredients together. Slowly beat in vinegar and oil alternately.


CARROT SALAD - 2 bunches carrots cut diagonally in 1" pieces - cooked with salt, 1/2 cup salad oil, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 can tomato soup undiluted, 1 large onion and 1 green pepper - chopped.

Mix sauce and pour it over carrots while hot. Serve cold.


POCONO MT. BLUEBERRY MUFFINS - 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup milk, and 2 cups blueberries.

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut shortening into flour mixture. Add milk and blueberries. Place in muffin pans. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.


RUTH'S CINNAMON ROLLS - Refrigerated biscuits (cheapest kind), melted butter, and brown sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Dip biscuits in butter and then in the brown sugar mixture. Place in buttered muffin pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.


Used with permission. To contact Dot Worth for speaking engagements or books and tapes, write or call:

Women Alive Ministries
P.O. Box 312
Collingswood, New Jersey 08108
(609)858-6750
Potpourri
Potpourri
This collection of poetry and prose is from Christian women all across the Unites States of America. These verses teach us everyday principles to live by, how to pray, forgiveness and love. The ages of these women range from 15 years to 83 years. It doesn't matter how old or young we are, the Lord can use us all to His glory! 


A MESSAGE FROM JAMES
By Sharon Tedesco
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Trials, temptations, pain, and strife -
The lessons that we learn in life,
Come from these most sorrowful things,
The test of faith the Father brings.

We must endure them, every one,
Until the race of life is won;
Perseverance and faith we learn,
Our crown of life in heaven to earn.

Does our God in heaven tempt us all,
To waver our faith and cause us to fall?
It cannot be - He loves us so;
He'd never want to let us go.

God only gives good things from above,
To those who believe and trust in His love.
If you believe and trust Him too,
He'll be part of your life in whatever you do.

Quick to listen, slow to speak,
Slow to anger - these goals to keep,
That we might grow to understand,
God's pure and perfect will and plan.

Pure and faultless religion is so:
To look after the orphans and widows of woe.
Keep yourself from worldly vice,
O, heed this warning and good advice.

Treat each other all the same,
For not everyone has earthly riches to claim.
Do not make a judge of your own self,
But look above to heavenly wealth.

Faith alone is as good as dead,
May actions accompany it instead;
For faith alone won't stand the test.
The road toward heaven and righteousness.

We as Christians should not just hear,
The Word of God, but do it with cheer;
God's will be done in every home,
And blessings supreme to us from the throne.

Be careful those who teach God's Word,
To those unsaved who have never heard,
For those who do are more strictly observed - 
O, be careful those who teach God's Word.

As a ship is turned by a rudder small,
And a horse by a bit is entirely controlled,
So the tongue corrupts by the boasts it does tell;
'Tis a thing of evil set on fire from hell.

The tongue can never be wholly tamed;
By it we curse men and praise God's name.
Good and evil to both belong -
My brethren, this is surely wrong!

Don't put yourself in a position,
Where you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition;
The devil himself says such is our rights,
But selfish desires bring quarrels and fights.

Wisdom from heaven is pure and sincere,
Peace-loving, considerate, submissive, good cheer;
Good fruit and much mercy, impartial it is -
These qualities from God to those that are His.

"Ask of God, and you shall receive,"
Is what we would like to always believe,
But evil motives that conflict,
Will cause the answer to restrict.

A friend of the world is God's enemy,
Resist the devil and he will flee.
Do not judge others, for there's only One,
Who is fit to judge, and He alone.

Do not boast of tomorrow's bliss,
For if you do, then you may miss - 
The truth that only God does know,
What tomorrow really holds.

Being patient for the Lord's coming,
His praises ever will we sing.
Do not grumble, for we see,
The Lord Himself is full of compassion and mercy.

Let our "Yes" be yes, and our "No" be no,
For swearing by heaven and earth will not be condoned.
Confessing our sins one to another,
The prayer of the righteous will help your brother.

If you lead someone to the saving knowledge of Christ,
Letting them know that He paid the full price,
That one will be saved from eternal death;
He is now a new creature, filled with God's breath.


THE MISSIONARY'S PRAYER
By Carrie Ford
York, Pennsylvania

Lord, keep me walking day by day,
In the straight and narrow way.
Keep me growing spiritually,
Make me more and more like Thee.

Help me work and not complain,
In dry weather and in the rain.
Help me surrender to Thy will,
And all Thy righteous plans fulfill.

Strengthen me, Lord, when I'm weak.
Help me strive lost souls to seek,
To tell them of Thy grace and love,
And how You came down from above.

Denying self and sacrificing all,
To ransom the dying from the fall.
You called me, Lord, this work to do.
I'm trusting You to carry me through.

I thank You for each blessing, Lord,
For wisdom and knowledge from Thy Word,
The privilege to serve my fellow man,
In this distant and foreign land.

Thank You for health and loving care,
For all You've done to make me aware,
That all good gifts come from Thee.
Praise be Thine, eternally!

And when my work on earth is done,
The battle fought and the victory won,
Let me reign at last with Thee
Throughout all eternity.


LOVE PERSONIFIED
By Jo Reaves
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lord Jesus, dearest, closest Friend,
You gave Your life for me.
To ransom me from deadly sin,
You hung on Calvary's tree.

Such love I strain to comprehend,
Your punctured brow and side.
Left all alone, none to defend,
'twas for my sins You died.

Oh Savior, tell, how can there be,
Such passion to forgive,
When all forsook You, even me?
I cast the lot, said, "Give-

Galled vinegar." I drove the nails.
I plunged the Roman spear.
Then bitterly I spat farewell.
I laughed. I mocked. I jeered.

The temple veil was rent in two
So I could enter in.
Mid lightning, claps of thunder too,
You paid my price for sin.

Your enemy became Your wife.
My life's been made brand new.
I've no more restless inner strife.
Peace-filled, I rest in You.

To You I lift my voice in praise,
Let alleluias ring,
"Sweet Lamb of God, Ancient of Days,
My everlasting King!"         

Now Lord, how may I prove to You,
The love that's in my heart?
Where shall I go? What shall I do?
Speak now. Where do I start?...

There's nothing more to do, Dear One,
'cept rest, abide in Me.
The price was paid, the ransom won. 
My blood-bought gift is free.

Give Me your love, and in return,
I'll fill you with My Spirit.
Lay down your life at every turn.
Rely on My sole merit.

Love others as I have loved you.
Pure love seeks not its own.
It's kind and patient, gentle too. 
Spirit's fruit are love's seeds sown.

Yes, love is patient. Love is kind.
Love will believe the best.
I'll gladly pour My love through you.
From your own works, child, rest.

And love is gentle, mercy-filled.
It never will insist,
On its own way. True love will yield,
With open hand, not fist.
   
Reach out to wounded, hurting souls.
To them My grace extend.
Their lives once shattered I'll make whole.   
Each hope and dream I'll mend.

To be My love personified,
Commit each day to Me.
And hand in hand we'll walk, My Bride,
And set the captives free.
         

A SMILE
By Marge Molinaro
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Greet someone with a smile today,
It cost you nothing, so give it away.
It takes but a moment to give a smile,
But the memory could last for quite awhile.

A smile brings rest to the troubled and weary,
Cheer to the discouraged, when the day looks dreary.
It's a ray of sunshine to the sad,
It makes the troubled heart feel glad.

A smile can't be stolen, begged, borrowed or lent.
It cannot be bought, so it cost not a cent.
A smile is of no value unless given away, 
So give someone a smile, it may make their day.

A smile creates happiness in a home,
It's a sign of friendship when you feel alone.
It enriches the life of those who receive it,
Just try it, I know then that you will believe it.

Don't be too tired to give someone a smile,
It may be all it takes to make life worthwhile.
They may see God in that smile on your face,
So reach out with a smile and give God, His place.


THE LOVE OF GOD
By Marge Molinaro
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

The love of God can never be measured.
The love of God can only be treasured.
It's bigger than the sky above,
There is no way to measure God's love.

It's deeper than the deepest sea,
This love God has for you and me.
It's bigger than the world around;
No where else, can love like this be found.

God gave His Son on the cross, so thus
He showed His boundless love for us.
I tell you, God's love can never be measured.
The love of God can only be treasured.


NEVER-ENDING LOVE
By Kathleen D. Sholar
Charlotte, North Carolina

Do I really love God?
Do I enjoy Him?
Or do I only pray,
When my path is dim?

When I stumble in the dark,
And can't find my way,
Is it only then I seek,
The brightness of His day?

I know You are there - 
In the clouds, the sea,
The mountain tops, the valleys,
And every living tree.

The snow melts, the flowers fade,
The leaves fall, that make the shade.
The winds blow, the willows bend,
But our God - there is no end!


FATHER, FORGIVE ME
By Donna E. Lewis
Las Vegas, Nevada

So many times  I break Your heart, yet
You are always there, to lend a helping hand,
That I might start - again.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and
Often I find myself going after worldly desires that
I know I shouldn't.

Or I take it upon myself to fulfill the dreams I have
In my own way, because I think You're too slow,
Or because I'm afraid that You might say no.

Help me, Father, to cling to you so tight,
With all my might, that, if I do slip,
You catch me before I hit the ground.

Help me to feel your presence all around,
Even if it seems that I am all alone.
Tug at my heart Lord, during these times,

Remind me who I am in You, and that
You truly love me, as insignificant as
I might feel.

Make it real to me once more ... and let me
Rest in the shadow of Your wings,
Confident that I will fly again.

I will soar like an eagle, over the mountaintops of
Desolation and deceit, and I will place my feet
Firmly in the palm of Your hand,

Never straying too far from the nest.
The rest is easy, if I allow you to truly
Be my Lord.

Departments
Staff List
Staff List
MORNING STAR
A Multimedia Christian Publication

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Phone: 603-883-4624 - Fax: 603-883-0466


EDITOR IN CHIEF
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
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SENIOR EDITORS
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MORNING STAR is produced and published monthly, by a staff of born again believers in Jesus, located across the United States of America.  Correspondence to MORNING STAR may be sent via the U.S. Postal Service or one of several computer networks.


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Editor's Letter
Editor's Letter
Hello again everyone! You know the old saying; "April showers bring... the May issue of MORNING STAR!"  Perhaps that's not quite it, but I'm sure you'll enjoy this wonderful edition with its special theme - "Women of the Bible." We've put together a great assortment of stories and articles about women in the Bible and in church history along with material from and about women today. Be sure to visit the Feature area as well as our Columns section.

Once again the Lord has provided for us when we had a great need. Since 1991, the electronic edition of this magazine has been reaching people around the world over a global computer network called the Internet. A couple of months ago we lost our "site" in Houston Texas, the location at which we place the magazine onto the Internet. I put the word out via electronic mail that we needed a new site (something not easy to acquire) and within a few weeks received a letter from someone in Sweden! The Lord sure does work in amazing ways. We are now on a site at the University of Linkoping in Sweden - from where people anywhere on the planet who have access to the Internet can find the magazine.

With high tech, as with all things, our God is an awesome God!

I'd like to encourage all of our readers to submit material for publication in future issues of MORNING STAR. You can either write something for one of our regular columns or perhaps come up with a new idea. We're certainly open to suggestions. We also are in need of articles for these upcoming Feature themes:

August issue: Bible Study
September: Praise, Prayer & Worship
October: Aberrant Doctrine
November: Walking the Christian Walk (Families, singles, couples & seniors)

For those who can afford to - please consider helping us out financially so that we can keep the hard copy of this magazine going out to those who don't have computers or access to networks. If you are getting this magazine from a BBS or national network, think of it as a "shareware donation". Remember, every little bit helps!  Donations should be made out to MORNING STAR and mailed to our hard copy publisher:

David's Mighty Men, Inc.
PO Box 5093
Beaumont, TX 77726

Thank you and Lord bless!

Toby Trudel
Editor In Chief
People Profile
People Profile
Morning Star Senior Editor, Teresa Giordanengo, conducted this interview with Carrie Ford of York, Pennsylvania. Carrie is 83 years of age and continues to be very involved in the work of the Lord. Carrie is the recipient of many Leadership and Missionary awards. The highest award as a Missionary is the Pearl Grant Memorial Award. 


Teresa: What education have you had and what is the name of your recently published book?

Carrie: I graduated from William Penn Senior High in York, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. I completed courses in language arts and visual aids at State Teachers' College in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Also, several Bible courses in African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church, Church of the Living God, and at the York Collegiate Bible Institute in Pennsylvania. The name of my book is "Service for His Glory." On the mission, the Holy Spirit directed me to use these words as the complimentary closing for all my correspondence: "Service for His Glory."


Teresa: Carrie, how long have you been a Christian and how was it that you accepted Jesus as your Savior?

Carrie: I was 12-years-old when I really became serious about my relationship with the Lord, during revival services at the A.M.E. Zion Church. I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and He assured me that all was well that same night in my bedroom. When I asked Him to give me assurance, He lit up my room with a brilliant, warm light. During another revival at the Church of the Living God in 1951, I experienced the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit.


Teresa: Were you raised in a Christian home?

Carrie: Yes, my parents were Christians who loved the Lord, and were zealous in the work of the Lord. Family devotions and regular attendance at all church services were customary in our household.


Teresa: You were active in your church for many years. How were you involved in your church?

Carrie: As a teenager in Zion Church, I was Sunday School Secretary, choir member, and President of the Youth Club. In the Church of the Living God, I was involved with the Youth Department, Home and Foreign Missions, Sunday School Teacher, and Superintendent of the State Diocese of the Pentecostal Church. Also, I organized and directed Daily Vacation Bible School and my church choir.


Teresa: What made you decide to go to Liberia, West Africa at the age of 62? 

Carrie: In 1970, following a visit to the Church of the Living God Mission in Liberia, I was called by God to go there for service - a clear and definite call. For two years, I struggled with the idea of going - of leaving family, friends, my church, and my job at Hannah Penn Junior High School. God wouldn't let me forget the Christian School in Liberia, nor the eager, helpful, obedient children who needed me. I could pray there, read the Bible, teach the Word of God, and lead souls to Christ. This was my desire. So, at age 62, I obeyed God's call. I had to do it.


Teresa: What were your responsibilities while in mission work?

Carrie: I served as Pastor, Principal, Teacher, Mission Administrator, Village Evangelist, and Paymaster. By the grace of God, I performed all the duties of these positions to the best of my knowledge, and I trained Liberians to relieve me. I was Youth Director, Choir Director, and everybody's mother, doctor and nurse. God sent me to build up - buildings and lives for His service. Whatever my hands found to do, with God's help, I tried to do it.


Teresa: You were a missionary for 16 1/2 years, What is missionary work like?

Carrie: It's not easy! It demands your time, energy, talents, possessions - all of you. But it's a thrilling, challenging and rewarding work. Missionary work blesses the missionary and makes him/her a blessing to many others. It satisfies the desire to do great works for God.


Teresa: A missionary is a special type of person. What are some of the prerequisites to being a missionary?

Carrie: Saved, Holy Spirit filled, consecrated, and dedicated to obey God's will. Courageous, decisive, and strong in the Lord, with a good knowledge of His Word, and a mind to be led and directed by the Word. A genuine love for God and people, ability to make adjustments and suffer for the Lord. One must have a distinct, definite call from God.


Teresa: Can you tell us something that stands out in your mind the most about your time on the mission field?

Carrie: I felt so inadequate when I went to the field. I've never considered myself a good conversationalist, a good mixer, or a decisive person. In many and every instance, I had to turn to God. Where I was weak, God was strong. He put words in my mouth, mixed me with all kinds of people - the lowly and men and women in high offices. Conversation was easy. Difficulties were surmounted and overcome. By the power, greatness and majesty of God, I always was amazed at how God brought me through every situation during my years on the mission.

While on the mission, I liked teaching the youth because as Bible students, they were able to teach the world. The believers were baptized in the creek and it was wonderful that so many lives changed. I was happy to stay at the mission to see them grow up from youngsters. It was rewarding to watch them grow up and come back to the mission to work.  


Teresa: Were there any musical instruments to play at the mission?

Carrie: We had the drums and sasa. A sasa is a dried gourd with beads inside, or beads tied on string on the outside, that is shaken for rhythm along with the drums. We got together and sang in a choir at concerts and had a glorious time in the Lord. We usually didn't have electricity, but once when a friend of mine visited, we were able to get electricity and she played her keyboard for us. That was really nice.  


Teresa: You were Head of the Mission, Pastor, Administrator and Teacher. How were you motivated to do so much in your lifetime?

Carrie: I've never felt that I've done so much. God used me to do what had to be done. I was grateful to be His channel, to accomplish His will. As Paul wrote, "The love of Christ constraineth us." Our missionary slogan, "Because Jesus died," motivated me to tackle any job for Him, and His glory.


Teresa: Who influenced you the most in your life?

Carrie: My mother, because she always believed in me, and my pastor, the late Rev. Walter Lee Stinson. Whenever I hesitated, both of them, at different times in my life, would encourage me by saying, "You can do it." Because they believed I could, I did my best to please and not disappoint them.


Teresa: You're a mother. Tell us about your children.

Carrie: I have three children - two daughters, Rochelle Graham and Diane Scott, and a son, Joseph Thomas Ford, Jr. Each one has five children. Diane adopted one Liberian daughter, Linda Marpu. Rochelle is saved. She's the editor of Mission News, the official newsletter of her church, Mission of Faith Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. She is also an administrative assistant for a real estate firm in Chicago. She was formerly a writer for the York Daily Record and she advanced to NBC Television in Washington, DC. Diane is also saved. She's a beautician. She and her husband, Rev. Carl Scott, established the Bible Tabernacle Christian Missionary Alliance Church. She is co-pastor with her husband. My son, Joe, moved to Los Angeles, and has been employed by the Marvin Engineering Company for many years.


Teresa: How did your children feel about your going to Liberia?

Carrie: At first, they were totally against the idea, as were my relatives and friends. "You must be kidding!" they said. Diane, my younger daughter, shed many tears. It took a lot of counseling and persuasion to reconcile her and the rest to the reality that I was not foolish to give up my job at Hannah Penn, and that I had to go to Liberia in obedience to God's call.


Teresa: What is keeping you busy these days?

Carrie: I'm busy in my local church teaching God's Word in Sunday School and Bible Study Class. I'm Church Treasurer and an Associate Pastor. For the Diocese of the Pentecostal Church in PA, I'm the State Sunday School Superintendent. I'm still preaching in churches occasionally. On special occasions, I speak or show slides in the city schools.


Teresa: You have written a book called Service for His Glory. Please tell us a little about it.

Carrie: This book is my "Thank You" and praise to God for choosing me and counting me worthy to serve Him and advance His cause on the mission field in Liberia, West Africa. It tells of some of my experiences there. It tells of the joys, sorrows and rewards of mission life. It shows how God can use young and old, and do great things through them if they present themselves to Him as "living sacrifices," ready and willing to do as He commands. He really uses ordinary people.


Teresa: What motivated you to write the book?

Carrie: I enjoy writing. Many of my friends and relatives were asking me about Liberia, its people, and what my life there was like. Therefore, by the Holy Spirit's leading, I asked God to help me to write about my experiences on the mission. The book is also my legacy for my children, grandchildren, and all who love the Lord and missions.


Teresa: Where may one purchase your book?

Carrie: By writing me at 150 Homeland Road, York, PA 17403; or Melvin Howard at 6338 Bloomington Avenue, Richfield, MN 55423. (U.S.A.) 


Teresa: What are your plans for the future?

Carrie: No definite plans other than to continue to work for the Lord in my local church and community, and throughout PA. God willing, I would like very much to return to Liberia for a visit.


Teresa: What would you say to the young people today?

Carrie: What Solomon the wise says to those who desire the best from God: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil." (Proverb 3: 5-7) With God, they can make it. Without Him, they can do nothing.


Teresa: What would you say to women and mothers today?

Carrie: Know the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior. Love and serve Him. Study His Word. Let it govern your actions, your speech, your thoughts, your dress, your attitudes. Married women, be good wives to your own husbands in loving, submissive partnership. If possible, let your home be your job. Be chaste keepers at home. Be good mothers to your children. Love them, bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Give them chores to do. Teach them to share the responsibilities of keeping the home clean and enjoyable. Women be women! Let your walk be pleasing to God, and a shining light to lead the lost to the Savior.


Teresa: What is your final thought to our readers?

Carrie: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all our readers. It is my sincere prayer that what they read is edifying to their souls, and that my book, Service for His Glory, will be included in their reading program. Most of all, I pray that the Book of all books, the Holy Bible, will have top priority in all their daily reading.
Ministry Focus
Ministry Focus
MINISTRY FOCUS

By Norb Novocin


One of the challenges of trying to find a ministry to write about each month, is finding one that is assessable to a larger percentage of those who read this magazine.  When I started to pray for a women's ministry to write about, I was impressed with quite a few different ministries around the country.  One thing I noticed was that each women's ministry seemed to focus on their immediate geographical area.  Then I felt the Lord tugging at my heart to share about an entire ministry field, rather than a single ministry.

I don't know if you've noticed them or not, but in almost every community across the U.S.A. a ministry to women has sprouted up over the last twenty years.  The ministries are Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPC's).  These vital ministries are responding to the geometrical rise in unplanned pregnancies, especially among young and single women.  CPCs provide a shoulder to lean on and help in the emotional and physical needs of these expectant mothers. Without a CPC available many of these desperate women would turn to abortion as a solution.

Before you think that this is just an anti-abortion article or just so much rhetoric, let me show you some of the ways most CPCs reach out to the needs of women.  A good CPC will not have a goal of making decisions for the individual, but rather help them sort out their feelings and give them the necessary support so they can see beyond their present situation.  A good CPC will have trained counselors who will make every effort to help the person in need to view their situation more objectively.  The counselors should be aware of other programs or ministries that can help in areas they don't specialize in, including in those federal, state and county agencies that are available to each individual.  Referrals for financial assistance and physician care is often available.

Most CPCs offer (though each one of these areas varies from ministry to ministry, these are the general areas a CPC normally works in) comfort, support, and hope, as well as factual, essential information are given to any woman who may be in crisis over an undesired pregnancy. A CPC should also reach out to women experiencing trauma from a past abortion, through post abortion counseling and offer help and support to individuals in abuse situations.

A CPC should provide confidential counseling and accurate information about pre-natal development, abortion, adoption and supportive services, enabling a woman to make an informed decision about her pregnancy and life. 

Many women coming to a CPC find they are not pregnant and the counselors should use this opportunity to counsel them in areas of sexuality. Information about sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS) is given as well as a discussion of abstinence from sexual activity until marriage.

Above all, a CPC should present to all who receive counseling, the love of Jesus Christ and the truths found in God's word, the Bible through blending compassion and unconditional acceptance.

Most CPCs again offer the following, regardless of age, race, religion or financial status;

* Free pregnancy tests
* Education on pregnancy, abortion and adoption
* New and used maternity and baby clothing
* New and used baby furniture
* Referrals for other needed services
* Ongoing counseling and follow-up
* Post-abortion help
* Sexuality and abstinence counseling
* After hours hotline for help anytime

The last thing that quite a few CPCs around the country offer is an after hours hotline.  A 24 hour hotline manned by trained volunteers to minister to those who need someone to talk to through this difficult time.

Many women have discovered pregnancy to be one of the most joyful experiences of their lives. Yet for many others pregnancy results in fear, confusion and crisis. Quick decisions often end in the death of an unborn baby through abortion, along with emotional, spiritual and sometimes physical problems for the mother. Most Crisis Pregnancy Centers are organizations of concerned professionals and volunteers dedicated to upholding the sanctity of human life by ministering to women with unplanned pregnancies.

If you want to find out if there is a Crisis Pregnancy Center in your area, look in the yellow pages under pregnancy or clinics.  If there is not and you are interested in starting one you may contact one of these two sources:

How to Start a Crisis Pregnancy Center, Christian Action Council, 101 Broad St., Suite 500, Falls Church, VA  22046, (703) 237-2100, ($7.00)

For those in rural or small-town settings, We Care, P.O. Box 730, Taylor, AZ  85939
The Bookworm
The Bookworm
Browsing with the Bookworm

In keeping with this month's theme, we have one review of a book about a woman and one written by a woman. The first "Aquino" is written by guest critic K. D. Kragen. If we publish many more from him though, I won't consider him a guest. The second review by Janette Kragen, our Executive Editor's wife, is on the book "When God Doesn't Make Sense."


AQUINO
By Mel White
Word Publishers, Dallas, TX, 1989
Reviewed by K. D. Kragen

CHAPTERS:  1. The Childhood Years (1932-1945).  2.  The Adolescent Years (1945-1951).  3.  Ninoy, the Journalist and presidential Advisor.  4.  Cory, the Student in America (1951-1954).  5.  Ninoy, the Senator; Cory, the Housewife (1967-1972).  6.  Ninoy and Cory:  the Prison Years (23 September 1972-May 1980).  7.  Ninoy and Cory:  In Exile.  8.  Ninoy, the Martyr; Cory, the Widow and Mother (21 August 1983-21 November 1985).  9.  Cory:  the Presidential Candidate (22 November 1985-20 February 1986).  11.  Cory's First Year as President (1986).  12.  Cory's Second Year as President (1987).  13.  Cory's Third Year as President (1988).

Corazon Aquino was president of the Philippians from 1986 to 1992.  After her husband, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, was assassinated on August 21, 1983, Cory was cast from her quiet life into the political arena. Mel White ends his biography with these words:  "Whatever her critics say about Cory, they know that there is no one at this moment in the nation's history who could replace her. Before his death, Ninoy warned that no one could clean up the mess that Marcos left in the Philippines. Cory is trying. 'Where I succeed,' she herself has said, 'I will give God all the glory. And where I fail, I know I will have done my best'" (p. 249).

When White wrote his biography, Cory Aquino was still president of the Philippines; today she is not. When White wrote his biography, the final verdict was still out on the presidency of Cory Aquino; it still is. Of course, final verdicts often take years -- in some cases the debate is never fully settled. However, White points out one indisputable conclusion:  it was Cory's faith in God, in Jesus Christ, which moved her from quiet, reserved homemaker to become the president of her nation. As with her husband, it was faith in Jesus Christ that sustained her. Her faith carried her through the sufferings and hardships of WWII, through the madness of the Ferdinand/Imelda Marcos dictatorship (1912-86), through the dark days of Ninoy's assassination, and into her role as president of the Philippines.

This book is about Christian faith in the life of one woman who never lost her humble spirit, whatever the circumstances, whatever victories or trials, whatever successes or failures confronted her.

Though primarily the biography of Corazon Aquino, this book tells the story of both Ninoy and Cory, their families, and their country. With copious notes and a generous bibliography, "Aquino" is considered by many the most important history of the "People Power Revolution" and the woman who inspired it.


And now for a change of pace. Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family has written many books about raising children, and other family related issues. His newest book, however, deals with a problem that sooner or later every believer must face.


WHEN GOD DOESN'T MAKE SENSE	
By Dr. James Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1993
Reviewed by Janette Kragen

This was a tough book to read and review. No one likes to be reminded that pain is our worldly legacy. Using vivid illustrations that plumb the depths of human suffering, Dr. Dobson hammers home this inescapable truth:  life hurts. And because we are seldom prepared for the onslaught, God seems very far away when tragedy strikes.

How do we hold onto our faith when God doesn't seem to make sense? Dr. Dobson reminds us that we need to view suffering from a godly perspective. Imagine yourself as a soldier fighting a war. Somehow you have received prior knowledge that your side will be victorious and you will escape the conflict unharmed. This would have a dramatic impact on how you will face your situation. Although you will still feel the pain and hardship of battle, you would not despair.

This is the perspective we have as Christians. Our solid rock is the eternal God who will never forsake us, even during the most painful moments of our lives. Dobson remind us that we can put our faith in God's sovereignty and omniscience, even when we do not understand what He is doing with our lives.

Like sunlight breaking through a bank of dark clouds, the ultimate message of this book brings comfort and assurance to the reader. God understands suffering, because He voluntarily embraced a magnitude of pain far beyond anything we will ever have to experience. Therefore, God draws closest to His children in their darkest hours.



Well that's it for another month. Keep reading. And if you come across a good book consider writing a short review and sending it here to us at Morning Star. Until next time, I'm your friend ...

The Bookworm
Praise & Prayer
Praise & 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

ARKANSAS
Spencer thanks the Lord that the dog that bit his two oldest children came up negative for rabies.

CALIFORNIA
Geoff thanks the Lord that his 83 year old father does not have a problem with prostate cancer. His health problems can be treated with medication. Keep him in prayer. Geoff praises the Lord for his wife Janette. 

INDIANA
Craig praises the Lord for starting a revival in his hometown.

LOUISIANA
Rob is having pains in his right forearm. He felt it was the carpel tunnel syndrome. He asked two Christian friends at church to pray with him and the pain left. Thank the Lord!

Bruce reports that 10,000 people have made decisions for the Lord at a drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, that was held at his church. 

MARYLAND
Mike praises God for his new home church.

NEW JERSEY
Rick thanks the Lord for his Bible study class. Pray that the Lord will lead many people to salvation.

Michael praises the Lord for his new job with computer systems.

NEW YORK
Anita would like to praise God - she was in a bad car accident with her baby Amanda and they walked away without a scratch. Praise God!

OHIO
Tim thanks the Lord that his wife Rachel, who had a brain hemorrhage, is home today without any problems!

OKLAHOMA
Earla reports that her sister and her family who were in a terrible accident a few weeks ago are doing fine. Her niece's hair is growing back, even over the scar. 

OREGON
Doris, who is in her 90's and who was suffering from the effects of severe pneumonia has recovered completely and has returned home.

PENNSYLVANIA
Wayne praises the Lord for giving him a wonderful wife.

TEXAS
Tamara thanks the Lord that her church has called a new minister of music after 7 1/2 months.


PRAYER NEEDS

ALABAMA
Jon lost his job and he is trusting in the Lord's provisions during the time he is searching for another job. Pray for a suitable job quickly. Pray also for their teen-age son Josh, that the Lord will be with him and guide him.

Bill is going through heavy depression and heart problems. Pray for a healing touch from the Lord.

ARIZONA
Ron, J.C, Gloria and Michael need prayers of God's people for healing.

ARKANSAS
Fred was caught in a "crossing the T" type collision in a postal jeep and injured himself.

Pray for Stephen age 14, his sister Emily, and his mother Cindy. Stephen was shot in the face and the bullet is lodged in his neck 2 centimeters from the artery.

CALIFORNIA
Pray for Glenda who has poison in her system.

Margo wants the Lord to lead her as to what she must do in her life situation.

Eugene needs prayer for a job situation which may require a move.

Sonja asks prayer for Tony, that the Lord will surround him with more believers, as he seems to be open to the Word. 
 
Steve has very bad pain in his neck from disk problems.

FLORIDA
Pray for Karen whose husband Brian, a Vietnam veteran, went on to be with the Lord. 

Pray for Denise's husband who is considering going into the ministry.

Pray for healing and salvation for Carole.

James needs a touch from the Lord concerning his health.
           
Pray for Mae who is very ill with pneumonia and bad back problems.

GEORGIA
Pray for 11 year old Jessica who has cancer. Her father had a severe brain hemorrhage while attending his grandmother's funeral and died. There are now many questions about insurance concerning Jessica's surgery, treatment and rehabilitation. Please pray for this family. They are committed followers of Jesus.

Gary asks prayer for his wife Lynn who gets depressed sometimes and struggles with her faith. Pray for her to have joy in the Lord and for she and Gary to have joy in their marriage. 

Lucinda is having health problems and needs a touch from the Lord.

ILLINOIS
Pat has abdominal pain. The doctors don't seem to know what is wrong. 

Cary asks for prayer to end his legal battles. Pray the Lord will have His way.

IOWA
Keep Phyllis in prayer. Her husband passed away recently.

Ryan asks the Lord for wisdom, as he starts a ministry on the college campus, where he attends. 

KANSAS
Pray for Elma who is 85 and not saved. 

MASSACHUSETTS
Jeniffer asks continued prayer for her daughter Grace, who is at risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death). 

Pray for Tony whose dad died recently. Pray that the Lord may use this to bring Tony into a personal relationship with Him.

NEBRASKA
Pray for Andrew who needs salvation.

NEVADA
Rick, Larry and Howard need salvation. Pray that Bill and Rudy will be good witnesses of Christ to them.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Continue to pray for Toby who is still having problems with his elbow.

NEW JERSEY
Mary has alzheimers disease.

Pray for 8 year old Stacy of New Jersey. She has had the lyme disease since age 5. She was diagnosed improperly and it went into the third stage. She has been in a comatose state for 3 years. Please pray for her recovery and healing - also for her parents and the people who help take care of this little girl. 

NEW YORK
Pray for salvation for Joseph  of New York.

Dana is having a difficult time because his mother Edith, who lives in Florida, has liver cancer. 

Anita wants to find a good renter for her downstairs apartment. She needs a renter in order to be able to meet the mortgage payments.

NORTH CAROLINA
Pray for the family of a 27 year old woman who passed away last month because of a drug overdose. Pray that God would use this unfortunate occurrence to draw this family together and bring them to the Lord.

Rob asks for peace of mind from the Lord.

OHIO
Sibby has glaucoma and is a diabetic suffering from an enlarged liver and spleen.
        
Bert is concerned about his son Joshua who had ear surgery recently. He developed heart problems and the doctor has restricted him physically until they can decide what the real problem is. Pray for the Lord's guidance. 
           
OKLAHOMA
Earla asks that we please pray for her daughter Janice to return to Jesus. She once sang in church to the glory of God, now she sings in bars. Pray for Earla's son David - he was stabbed eight times and is in stable condition and having a lot of trouble breathing because one of the stab wounds punctured a lung. 

Bill needs to find financial support to bring his wife, who is pregnant with their second child, into the United States from Peru. Their first baby is currently very ill, and needs medical treatment. 

Ben has liver cancer and is not expected to live much longer. 

Ilene  needs better communication in her marriage.  Her husband is a closed person and this is making their current process of buying a house VERY hard on her. 

OREGON
Arlene has a very serious intestinal problem.

Melissa is seeking employment and needs to have the right doors opened for her.  Also pray diligently for her salvation and for divine protection from all that would come between her and The Lord.

TENNESSEE
Jon is looking for a new home church.

TEXAS
Pray for Jaime who was in a terrible car accident that resulted in his being charged with involuntary manslaughter. Pray for the family who lost a daughter in this incident.

Ron asks for prayer because he is going to Mexico for six weeks to learn Spanish and then return to Texas to take a State teacher's exam for Spanish and Bilingual education. He needs prayer for finances, safety, a job to support his family, his wife's safety, and that he learns quickly.

Jim and Linda ask for the Lord to lead them as to what should be done in their lives concerning their business.

VIRGINIA
Carolyn needs to decide where the Lord wants her to go this summer on a mission trip. Her choices are Russia and Estonia.

WASHINGTON
Marsha has had pain in her back for over a month due to bone spurs in her spine. Pray that she will be healed. 

OTHER REQUESTS

Pray for Anthony, a high school sophomore, who is taking drugs and doing so much that is displeasing to the Lord. He is searching. Pray that he will accept Jesus, who will set him free.

Please keep grandfather John in prayer. He fell and broke his hip. Although surgery went well, he reacted weird to anesthetic and had to be in restraints. He will be 93 in May.

Scott needs to overcome bitterness and hate and accept Jesus as his personal Savior.

Paul needs to repent of an ongoing extramarital affair; he needs to face the truth and submit to Christ for salvation as well. 

John has a bad back - please pray for healing; also he needs to be saved. 

Ted and Mike need salvation.

Truman has a gambling addiction and needs to accept Christ.

Cathy needs a double lung transplant.

Mike's uncle fell asleep at the wheel. His wife was killed in the accident. He is having surgery to remove bone fragments in his hip and needs our prayers.


INTERNATIONAL REQUESTS

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Pray for Zhang Rongliang, Tian Mingge and Zheng Xintai who were released. Seven foreign Christians have been released also.

COSTA RICA
Hundreds of women in Costa Rica are claiming that exposure to the agrochemical DBCP used on banana plantations during the 1970s and 1980s has left them with sterility, cancer, miscarriages and birth defects. 

EGYPT
Pray that Hanaan who became a Christian three years ago will be allowed to join her fiance in Europe soon, and that all Egyptian believers are strengthened. Pray that Satan's hold on this land is broken!

IRAN
Rev. Haik Hovspian-Mehr, superintendent of the Assemblies of God churches in Iran, was stabbed several times in the chest and left in a street in a suburb of Tehran. Please pray for his family and the Christians in Iran.

NIGERIA
Pastor Bitrus Katung from Zaria and Pastor Musa Bakut were martyred for their faithful witness for Christ recently.  Pastor Bakut's son Alex was also killed. Please pray that the families are comforted and that the love of Jesus Christ and the light of the gospel will ultimately prevail in that country.

PHILIPPINES
Pray for Pastor Magdangal who was released in answer to prayer and sent home. Pray that the Saudi people will be reached with the Gospel despite persecution.

VIETNAM
Brother Ka Philip, a minority tribe evangelist, is imprisoned for having planted 2 churches in the highlands. Please pray for his speedy release and that he converts many prisoners and guards while imprisoned - just like the apostle Paul did!

More than ever - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6a).
Resource Section
Resource Section
MORNING STAR BBS DISTRIBUTION LIST - May 1994


The MORNING STAR BBS list contains those electronic Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) that are carrying MORNING STAR. They are either available as a compressed file for downloading or in some cases use a "DOOR" program that allows the viewers to read the magazine on screen. With the MSDOOR program available free from Alan Graff, P.O. Box 131, Wheelersburg, Ohio 45694 or Fidonet (1:2260/250), callers can read or copy articles to their system while on line. 

Those BBS's with the asterisk next to the name are using a door program to read MORNING STAR on line. The System Operator (SYSOP) names are posted where known.

Is your BBS carrying MORNING STAR? If not, send a message to the SYSOP and upload it! Please let us know of any new BBS where MORNING STAR is being made available. Contact MORNING STAR director of BBS distribution, Walter Bauer, via E-mail at: walterbau@aol.com or write to our Post Office box.


ALABAMA

205 739-1469  Odyssey BBS- Jerry Woody *
205 457-5901  J&J OnLine - Cal Evans 
205 744-0943  The Family Smorgas-Board - Randall Dickerson
205 942-4506  SALT - Betty McKnight

ARIZONA

602-459-2383 The Edge BBS - Joseph Simo

CALIFORNIA

209 576-1606  Root Connection - Larry Beyers *
209 675-3218  Hangar 7 - Dennis E. Conner *
310 947-4402  Maclectic BBS - Bob Rockhill
408 899-4552  Logos - Dan Brynes 
408 246-8877  His Servant BBS - Mickey Schumacher
408 264-7002  The Silicon Valley Christian Connection - David Honeywell & Eric Roberts
615 588-4321  The Joyful Noise - Steve
619 460-6398  ToghtToPigeonHole - Howard Barton
707 252-4830  Corpus Christi BBS - Gary Bradford
708 739-0033  Chicago Area Computer Center- Bob Hoffmann
714 870-9228  Digital CHapel BBS - Dennis Vandergoore
714 838-3837  Shofar BBS - Shoshona Bat Zion
714 838-4689  Shepherd - John Scudder
714 457-1020  The Believer's Board - Randy Tincher
714 971-1564  Christian Central - Jeff Reese
805 541-0789  Born Again BBS  - James Smith
909 766-8219  Locksoft BBS - Carl Curling

COLORADO

303 935-6323  Electronic Library Exchange - Phil Scovill

CONNECTICUT

203 456-1180  The Grapevine - Scott Lovell

FLORIDA

305 726-5434  Christian Computer Users Group - Doug Lynn *
407 773-0831  The Saddlebag BBS - William Herrington * 
407 391-4884  Boca Bytes - Bruce Miller
813 544-3793  The Salt Shaker BBSBen Waggoner & Phillip Bartol *
904 353-3807  Maranatha - Dan Nance
904 623-5512  OffCenter BBS Richard Swatsenbarg 
904 744-9991  Guiding Light - Rich Cowan *
904 789-0192  New Life Christian BBS - Don Geser
904 783-3236  The Shire *
904 532-1911  The Refuge BBS - Joe Francoeur

GEORGIA

404 948-3428  ACTS BBS 
404 924-7963  Educational Center- Joan Bates 
404 509-8565  Pc Exchange - Jim Simmons  
404 637-9276  Genesis BBS -John Doughtry *
404 429-1512  College BBS - Bruce
404 637-9276  The Potters House Nancy Powers
404 944-8059  Revelation BBS - Harry Whitehead

IOWA

515 961-5693 Good News - Chris Barnes

KENTUCKY

606 276-3590  Petra - Bob Finmore
606 836-3437  The Spotlight BBS - Shawn Brown *

LOUISIANA

504 878-3023  CDN Headquarters BBS - Ray Waldo

MARYLAND

301 862-3160  Southern Maryland Christian Information Service Buggs Bugnon

MICHIGAN 

313 795-5829  New Life BBS- Juilia Sidbottom
616 792-4309  The Farside BBS - Khan Hollis 
616 531-7915  Warehouse BBS - Jon Vandenberg 

MISSOURI 

314 227-6885  Messianic Jewish Computer - Harvey Smith
314 821-1078  Origins Talk - Walt Stumper
816 931-1257  The Rock bbs Christian Kingdom - Michael Kiger *

NEVADA

702 438-2992  Ice Palace BBS- Joe Dabrowski

NEW JERSEY

609 586-4847  Freedom Infonet - Peter Skorupsky
609 625-4475  Koinonia! CBBS - Bob Korch

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The System BBS - Jerry Kramer - (BBS number pending - home phone 603/881-3461)
603 432-6711  Nor'Easter - Gardiner Jones *

NEW YORK

313 455-5806  Cnypcug bbs - Barbara Mancuso 
518 756-3002  Christian Hotline - Bob Lucido *
518 537-4881  The Open House BBS
718 352-0821  Hidden Manna

NORTH CAROLINA

704 845-0416  Maranatha! BBS- Joe Squiccianni
1-910-882-8881 The Maranatha Connection - Robert Smith Jr

OHIO

419 244-4597  Cuttin - Joe Britt
614 776-7136  Cross Connection - Alan Graff *

OKLAHOMA

918 492-1749  The Star Christian BBS - Dave Wenrick
918 775-9102  Anawah Rescue Mission & BBS - Rev. Frank Cooke

OREGON

503 632-6058  Starfall - Alexandria Sherwood *
503 683-2614  The Provided Faith BBS

PENNSYLVANIA

215 391-1612  The Abundant Life BBS - Lynn Dehart *
215 670-5323  Round - Dan Mccoy

TENNESSEE

615 584-6356  The Joyful BBS - Steve P. Taylor
615 588-4321  The Joyful BBS - Steve P. Taylor
615 454-2295  The ELk River BBS- Joe Lyda
901 492-0168  Gracebase - John Lipscomb

TEXAS

210 696-7234  Eagle's Nest -Lonnie Gaither
214 289-4744  Prison Board BBS- Ruben Figueroa
214 783-0536  The Bucketboard! BBS- Tim W. Bellomy
214 216-1947  Amazing Grace - Mark Harris/ Geo. Matheny
214 680-3406  BBS America - Jay Gaines 
214 539-9878  The Eagle-Jim Gallagher 
214 475-8393  Blue Banner BBS - Richard Bacon
214 709-9011  One Word - Geo. D. King  
214 234-8847  Shepherd's Flock - Mark Harris
214 994-0093  Success BBS Darrell Gilyard
214 414-8614  The Cross - Rod Porter *
214 613-6900  The Old Poops World BBS - Sonny Grissom *
214 878-9818  T.R.A.I.N. BBS - Brady Mooney *
409 753-2014  The Agape Way Rick & Carol Arend *
409 727-0887  Wizard's Domain - Ilene Hebert
512 444-8790  Loaves and Fishes-Elizabeth Joyce*
512 937-2088  Gethsemane - Joe Hacker * 
512 575-5554  Byte Me BBS - Grady Trew *
512 452-6350  Inspiration BBS - Harold Robbins
713 232-7508  The Corner Stone - Bill Arlequeeuw
713 645-4055  Eagles Nest - John Channon 
713 338-2053  Kerygma II -John Cheatham *
713 894-6062  The Fish Bowl - Robert Wooten * 
713 265-2798  Morning Star & Policenet BBS - Walter H. Bauer *
713 728-3012  The Phoenix BBS Michael L. Jones Sr. 
713 451-8406  Christian Chat - Mike & Bobby Connolly
806 795-9003  Agape BBS -Jorge Lopez
817 444-2107  FF-BBS- David Johnson 
817 654-3671  Maranatha - Mike Young 
903 581-6077  Baby Blue - Dana Bell
 
VIRGINIA

804 543-0830  Resource - Mike Olah
804 590-2161  Servant of the Lord BBS - Dr. Charles A. Wootten
804 790-1675  Blue Ridge Express - Webb Blackman
804 790-1126  Blue Ridge Express - Webb Blackman 
804 790-9600  Blue Ridge Express - Webb Blackman 

WASHINGTON

206 581-3466  Heaven's Door - Jo Shaughnessy *

WISCONSIN

414 789-4210  Exec-PC - Bob Mahoney
608 277-1376  The Offline BBS  Tom Landmann *
608 238-6692  The Extra Mile Patrick Mack *
608 784-5960  Crossfire BBS- Bill Schieche
715 732-1036  CompuLine - Joe Boburka 


INTERNATIONAL BOARDS AND CONTACTS

AUSTRALIA 

61-2-605-9438  Cross Beat BBS - Mark Smith 

CANADA

403-460-0541 M.O.U.S.E. BBS - Rob Lindemann
519-657-7237  The Future London/Ontario *
604-726-2577 The Master's Touch - John Vickers
604-738-2447 Cinfex - Miff Crommelin
514-425-4001 Pentecom BBS - Roger Raynor
905-271-3617 Christian BBS - Jeannine Robinson

FINLAND

964536132 *
964536133 * 
964536134 *

GERMANY

Hans-Juergen Thiess
Angermuender Str. 12
12305 Berlin
Germany

HONG KONG

Shing KWAN
Flat A2, 5th Floor
#6 Broadcast Drive
Kowloon, Hong Kong
 
OKINAWA

81 98 6232788  Okinawa Ranger BBS - Deane Hibbard

MEXICO

52-14-10-3629  Megalink - Eric Aquayo

NEW ZEALAND

6 3562058 - Shane & Michelee Haney *
9 6368409 - Christian Ministry BBS- Errol Thompson

NORTHERN IRELAND

44 247466189 Red Star BBS *

SOUTH AFRICA

27 219190300 The Mutant's Pencil Pad BBS - Santie Vandenplas
27 12 429 2882 Unisa Editorial BBS - Steve Hayes

UNITED KINGDOM

44-392-495899 Trinity, line 1 -  John Burden
44-392-412370 Trinity, line 2 -  John Burden
44-392-410210 Trinity, line 3 -  John Burden
44-602-893344 "HIS" SHAREWARE & PUBLIC DOMAIN - Tony Clatworthy

TAIWAN

886-4-292-4455  Taiwan Missionary BBS - Tim Tyler


MORNING STAR can also be found on these major networks:

AMERICA ONLINE - Keyword: RELIGION, enter Library Center, Go to Publications Library

COMPUSERVE - Lifestyles Department, Special Interests Forums, Religion Forum, Browse Libraries, Christianity

GENIE - Issues, Religion & Ethics Round Table, Software Library, BBS Uploads

DELPHI - At the MAIN prompt enter GO GROUP THEO and CR.
At the NETWORK prompt enter DATA (Database) and CR.
At the TOPIC prompt enter SEARCH (for keyword) and CR.
At the SEARCH prompt enter MSTAR and CR. At this point either enter DIR for a directory listing or READ for the full description of the files.

INTERNET - Morning Star is available on the Internet via anonymous ftp from:
ftp.lysator.liu.se (pub/religion/christianity/morning-star) 
Contact Per Cederqvist via Internet Email: ceder@lysator.liu.se
SCUD Warnings
SCUD Warnings
S piritual
C ounterfeits
U ndermining
D octrine

W A R N I N G S

By Jerry Johnson


Dear Occupant,

CONGRATULATIONS!  You (and everyone else with a mailing address in North America) are officially invited to join Pantheist House's new 

Deity of the Month Club!

In the '90s we have learned that we are spiritual beings. But many of us don't have the time or money to go on spiritual pilgrimage and seek higher wisdom outside our home towns.  So we at Pantheist House have anticipated the spiritual needs for the turn of the century. We invite you to join us as we bring spiritual enlightenment to your home on a monthly basis.

That's right! For a nominal fee each month you will receive a booklet explaining the "Deity of the Month." The booklet includes a brief history of the deity, a set of easy-to-follow directions for an optimal spiritual experience as well as a small portrait of the deity, suitable for framing.

Not only that, but you can try out each deity for a full week and if you are not fully satisfied, you can return it at no charge. That's right! Keep only the deities you want!

Among the deities we are offering this year we have:

Gaia, the earth goddess:  This deity is perfect for those who are into environmental issues or are more comfortable with plants and animals than people. Learn to hold winter and summer solstice celebrations. Learn to talk to animals and trees. Learn that people are the single greatest plague upon the face of the earth, causing Gaia much pain.

Moloch, the ancient Ammonite god:  In ancient times young children were sacrificed by fire in honor of Moloch. This is a perfect deity for those who abuse or molest children or for those supportive of abortion. After all, if you are going to harm children, you might as well get credit for it from Moloch!

Eros, the god of physical love:  This is one of our most popular deities! Attain new heights of spiritual experience through sexual worship while engaging in serial, uncommitted relationships. (A Warning from the Surgeon General:  Following this deity has been shown to be hazardous to your health unless a condom, which is effective just over 80% of the time, is used. That means you might catch 10% of AIDS.)

Moolah, the contemporary god of profit:  Although denigrated since his height of popularity in the '80s, this up-to-date god is still very popular with baby boomers. Make your pursuit of material goods and profits a spiritual experience ... after all, some "Christian" groups have been doing that for years!

Eight other great deity offerings, including New Age Jesus, Vishnu, the Voodoo god Loa and, of course, YOU! All this enlightenment for just a few dollars plus a willingness to keep an open mind!

(DISCLAIMER:  We at Pantheist House will not include the Religious Right's traditional view of Jesus as they interpret him in their "Holy Bible." We have found their views to be repressive and their focus on the unworthiness of mankind, the need for repentance and dependence on God to be counterproductive to healthy self-esteem.)

However, if you join before the end of this month we will send you a free copy of the best selling book, "The Bible is Bunk," written by three Ph.D.s in philosophy who have actually read a couple of chapters of the Bible each, once, and are unencumbered by archaic, traditionalist views. At last, an authoritative, learned, believable view of the Bible!

[  ]   YES!   I want to seek for truth with Pantheist House's Deity of the Month for the low introductory price of just $5.99 per deity, plus shipping and handling. I agree to worship at least 4 more deities within the next three years at the same great savings.

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

REFERENDUM REVIVAL

or

BLESSED BY THE BALLOT

(I know that the intro and the title seem as unrelated as a nutritionally balanced meal and a box of Ding-Dongs, but they do relate. Honestly.)

Here's an absolutely silly question:  Are you, as a believer, happy with what's going on in America?

Sexual immorality and abortion are being touted as inalienable rights, there is increased violence, abuse and molestation is on the rise, the nuclear family is suffering from denigration and disintegration and there are other things that are bad enough to make the skin of any born-again believer crawl.

While I was on vacation this past week I saw a Jane Whitney talk show where an attractive young woman was avowing her commitment to remain a virgin until marriage. A man on that same show declared that anyone past 18 and still a virgin needed psychiatric care. The audience? They supported the young woman's right to wait, as well as another female guest's right to have sex as often as she wants with whomever she wants.

Those who dared to espouse anything that smacked of traditional morality were discounted in the name of the virtue of the '90s.

"There's a virtue in the '90s?!"

I was being facetious.

In the past our society valued hard work, independence, moral excellence, honor and other such archaic concepts, which included love of God and commitment to family.

Now we have a new "virtue" -- tolerance.

Tolerance of almost anything.

We're so tolerant that two adult sons who murder their parents in cold blood are found innocent because the father had been abusive -- that's tolerant.

A woman cuts off her husband's genitals and is found innocent because the husband had been abusive -- that's tolerant.

Homosexuality is being lifted up in our culture as an appropriate and alternative lifestyle not to be questioned in any way -- that's tolerant.

Condoms and birth control are made available to minors without their parents' knowledge or consent in the presence of the most deadly sexually transmitted disease in history -- that's tolerant.

America has become so tolerant that nearly everything is acceptable -- except Biblical Christianity.

That's way out of line. The same press that remains mainly quiet about the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), which tries to get legislation passed that would allow adult males to have sex with young boys, is frequently virulent against Christians who make a public stand regarding nearly anything.

Don't believe it? How often have you heard about NAMBLA marches, pro or con, as opposed to the type of generally negative coverage anti-abortion protests get?

Did you know that according to a new federal ruling, Christians who, if in close proximity to an abortion clinic, try to TALK (not cajole, threaten or beat, just TALK) someone out of aborting an unborn child can now be charged with racketeering? That's the same charge applied to the men who tried to maim Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan.

It's hard to believe that a mere 14 years ago Christians first really realized that there were at least as many of "us" as there were of "them" and that if we voted as a block, we could swing the effects of even major elections.

Remember those glory days? At worst, Christians were viewed as quaint and out of date. Most politicians would actually court Christians and even if they didn't claim to be believers, they at least would try to not displease them. More professing Christians than ever were voted into office. Immoral and unethical legislation became endangered.

We were on a roll!

But where did we end up rolling to?

America is rotting from an non-biblical view of tolerance. The "religious right" is presented as being repressive, coercive and a danger to the very foundations of American commitment to freedom. Any group can present its views and lobby for legislation to support its desires, but if Christians do it we are accused of trying to shove religion down other people's throats.

The hard fought gains of 12 years are being overthrown in a scant 18 months.

WHAT HAPPENED?

I have a theory.

Ephesians 6:12 reads "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but  against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

In the '80s Christians made great political gains -- and, in retrospect, it is evident that the forces of the enemy made great spiritual gains.

Since 1980 far more Americans profess a belief in non-Christian spirituality, many more believe that they themselves are either god or part of god, many more believe in reincarnation, channeling, spirit guides and eastern mysticism. A very prominent female pop lecturer and author extols the virtues of the "Course in Miracles," a book written by  a spirit guide (more accurately known as demonic dictation). Positive self-esteem and loving oneself is vaunted in books, TV and music. Christianity is viewed as archaic, repressive and out-of-touch.

Our referendum revival was basically a bust. We ended up not being blessed by the ballot, but nuked by the New Age.

"Are you saying it was a mistake for Christians to vote for what they believed was right?!"

Not in the slightest! I have voted in every election I could, and always in light of Biblical morality and ethics.

But our society today proves that wasn't enough -- and it will never be enough.

Our society is not ill from bad politics, but corrupt hearts. That verse in Ephesians points out that we aren't battling people, but Satanic spiritual forces. If it was merely a matter of people, elections would be enough, but it is a matter of the people in our nation being under the grip of spiritual darkness and sin. Our society is steeped in violence, sexual immorality and a lack of standards because they serve the gods of this world, such as Gaia, Moloch, Eros and Moolah (yes, at last I bring in the intro) and as long as they choose to serve the gods of this world, their behavior will extol those "virtues."

I believe that we, as believers, became so focused on our gains in the political arena, that we began to drop the ball in the spiritual arena and the enemy took advantage of our dropping our guard. America is far more occultic and anti-Christ now than it was just 14 years ago and no amount of electioneering is going to change that. Only one thing will change that:

"And I (Christ), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me"  (John 12:32 KJV).

We don't need a referendum revival. We need a spiritual revival. We need to extol and trust Christ far more than we extol and trust wise voting (but we need to do both).

A true revival can only occur "if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land"  (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Revival always starts with those who are hungriest for God. That should be us. Then a world that is obviously starving to death and feasting on the slime, decay and refuse that Satan offers might see a people feasting on the richness of Almighty God.

It may be that in our zeal for political reform we went on a kind of spiritual diet and, after all, why should a starving world look to an  anorexic church for nourishment?

As I said a few columns ago, prayer doesn't change things, God does. Let's ask God to show mercy to a nation that little deserves it so that the hearts of a spiritually starving and corrupt people may turn to a loving God and the downward spiral of our society be reversed.

Next time: "The Myth of Cookie Cutter Christianity"