Glad Tidings: Issue 15.4

Glad Tidings

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8 Volume 15, Issue 4

July/August 2011

Glad Tidings July/August 2011

Glad Tidings Something To Consider ......................... p. 3

is published six times per year by

by Vince Finnegan

Living Hope International Ministries

Confidence and Boldness ..................... p. 4

458 Old Niskayuna Road,

by Vince Finnegan

Latham, New York 12110 USA

Congo Connection ................................. p. 6

by Richard and Cheryl Elton

Office

518.785.8888

Reaching Out To Others In Prayer ........ p.7

Fax

518.785.1990

by Michael McHugh

E-mail

info@kingdomready.org

Counterfeit Trinitarian Verses ............... p.8

Website www.kingdomready.org

by Sean Finnegan Witnessing ............................................. p.12

By Vince Finnegan Focus On The New Self ........................ p.13

by Mary Ann Yaconis Photos on Page 11 by:

Glad Tidings is mailed free to anyone who requests it.

Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

Photo on cover by:

JoJo DeLaCerda

Sue Kieper

Sue Kieper

Janette Medina

Jennifer Kalpakidis

Shari Zupan

Keri Greenaway

August 26th - 28th Royal Family Reunion

mark these important dates on your calendar!!

October 21st - 23rd Marriage Advance September 20th Fall Biblical Education Classes Begin 2

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

Royal Family Reunion

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lmighty God, the Creator and sustainer of life and everything that is good and holy, is worthy of all our consistent worship. The Scriptures frequently encourage us to live for the praise of His glory, as is succinctly stated in Ephesians 3:22 - “To him be glory in the church

by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Our undistracted devotion to Him is the most significant matter of all. The theme we selected for this year’s Royal Family Reunion embodies this notion. Our heart is to magnify the importance of glorifying God and to invest our time together actually to glorify Him.

The suggestions that participants shared last year influenced some of the changes that we will implement this year. We will have more teaching, which will be the centerpiece of the weekend. Between teachings, a breakout meeting will provide discussion time. Fellowship time will be available after the evening meetings as well as on Saturday afternoon. Friday and Saturday nights, Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill will provide music, and Joel will teach.

The Hemphills are pioneers in Gospel music and still travel all over the world singing and preaching the good news of Christ’s Gospel. This summer, they will release a new television show. They have received eight Dove Awards, and the Gospel Music Association nominated Joel ten times as songwriter of the year. They have written and recorded over 350 songs and 27 albums. Many of their songs were number one and top ten hits. Joel has been inducted into the Southern Songwriters’ Hall of Fame and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

All of these accomplishments are indeed impressive. However, the most compelling motivation for inviting the Hemphills to join us is not their musical talent (which will be inspirational and great fun to enjoy). In my lifetime, I have encountered only a few people with the commitment, passion, and drive to communicate the Gospel as Joel Hemphill does. I have now heard him speak three times, and each time his message encouraged me to godly action immediately. Not too many teachers inspire me to action!

Friday night, he will share on his personal success carrying out the ministry of reconciliation. Saturday night will be the only time during the weekend open to the public who are not attendees of the conference. We will be advertising and witnessing leading up to the weekend and will encourage people to attend the Saturday meeting. I asked Joel to use this meeting to witness the Gospel to the new people that will attend. You will be amazed at his effective witness.

Royal Family Reunion will be held August 26-28 at living Hope Community Church. Please make plans to join us for what promises to be an extraordinary weekend. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors.

See the enclosed registration information.

God’s best to you,

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Confidence and Boldness By: Vince Finnegan

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ur time together was coming to an end since the store was going to close. We had enjoyed a pleasant discussion about the things of God as she worked engraving the gift we were buying. We agreed that the Bible was the word of truth, that love was the most important commandment, that the holy spirit empowered disciples, and many other similar matters. I spoke to her about the Kingdom of God, which was new information to her but worthy of her consideration.

I prayed silently and asked what I should say next as time was running out. I asked her if she believed in the Trinity, and she responded positively.

Then I asked her why did she believe in the Trinity? She responded with, “I have always believed in it.”

“Why,” I asked? “I was always taught that the Trinity was the truth.” I responded with asking if she knew that the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible and that neither Jesus nor any of his disciples ever spoke about this subject.

She said, “No, I did not know that.” I reminded her that earlier she had stated that the Bible was the truth and her standard for faith; yet, nowhere in the Bible is this subject taught. Rather, it is a theological doctrine that was introduced into the church well over 300 years after the Bible was concluded.

The feel of the conversation changed from one of being mutually comfor -table to uneasiness because her core beliefs were challenged maybe for the first time in her life.

Since we were in a town hours from our home, I knew we may “He will give us the desire to speak, the wisdom to speak, and never see this woman again; the boldness to speak.” therefore, it was 4

important to help her question her beliefs so that she might search the Scriptures and see if these things are so. We ended our time together with prayer.

People go through life believing what they believe until they have a reason to question their belief system.

With the confidence and boldness that comes from God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are privileged to help people understand the truth or at least to doubt their wrong beliefs.

Christ’s disciples need the boldness to speak plainly, and such boldness comes from God. He will give us the desire to speak, the wisdom to speak, and the boldness to speak. He will also provide insight and salvation to those who hear and believe.

The confidence and boldness of men like Peter and Paul cause one to marvel, especially when we understand they are examples that all believers are to follow.

How did they do it? Paul provides insight.

2 Corinthians 3:4 and 5 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. (Continued on page 5)

(Continued from page 4)

Not that we are adequate [sufficient] in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy [sufficiency] is from God. The confidence that Paul manifested was not in his own ability but in God through Christ.

Paul often declared that he was dead to himself and the life he now lived was because of Christ who lived within him. His was not confidence in himself, rather in God through Christ. When we look at ourselves, our confidence does not soar; rather, it plunges into doubt and fear. However, when our focus is on Almighty God, the Creator and sustainer of all, faith and confidence skyrocket. We are encouraged to reflect upon the many records written in the Scriptures which illustrate the powerful sufficiency God provided for the believers.

Joshua and the Israelites followed God’s simple instruct-tions, and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. Gideon with three hundred fearless faith driven men watched God defeat tens of thousands of the Midianites and Amalekites.

Samson with the jawbone of an ass slew a thousand men. David said to the giant, “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands…that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands."

Time and again, God empowered

men of faith, ...and grant that your bond-servants those whose conmay speak your word with all confifidence was in Him and not dence [boldness],...and they were all themselves. Unlike Peter and filled with the holy spirit and began to Paul, we have also the many speak the word of God with boldness. records of the New Testament to contemplate.

If we want the same kind of confidence as these men, together was shaken, and they were we too must focus upon God and all filled with the holy spirit and hold faith in Him and not ourselves. He is indeed our began to speak the word of God adequacy or sufficiency. with boldness.

After healing the lame man, Peter and John were placed in custody by religious antag-onists, during which time they marveled at their boldness. “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed.” Within this record, we learn another reason for their boldness – prayer. They understood the spiritual battle they contended within and dared not to evangelize the gospel without the help of God. After they were released, they gathered with the believers and prayed.

Note their concern in the prayer.

Acts 4:29-31 "And now, LORD, take note of their threats, and grant that your bondservants may speak your word with all confidence [boldness], while you extend your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered 5

Paul requested prayers from the believers on his behalf that he too might have more boldness.

Ephesians 6:18-21 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

But that you also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: If Peter, John, and Paul depended on God for their boldness and doors of utterance, we too should do the same.

Congo Connection

By Richard and Cheryl Elton

LHIM LHIM Congo’s Congo’s property in new church January building completed 2011

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od is at work in the lives of our brothers and sisters in the Congo in powerful and exciting ways. Our partner ministry, Living Hope International Ministries of the Congo, completed construction of a new church building, which required much prayer and provision to happen. Meanwhile, in one of their house churches, a miracle of healing was recently experienced.

Here are some highlights of the news we received.

this man a miraculous deliverance which everyone witnessed.

(Sorry, but we did not receive specific details). According to Rev. Armel Ngo’s message, “The good news spread throughout the city of Ollombo to the point where the sick are being brought into our house churches for prayers of deliverance and healing. Many are hearing the Word of God. Today, they can no longer contain the local believers because of the growth of the church.”

A Miracle in Ollombo

The Spiritual Battle is Real

One of the believers in the house church of the city of Ollombo was suffering a fatal illness, and death was imminent at any moment. The situation had been deemed hopeless, and the man’s family had already purchased a coffin and prepared his burial clothes. Relatives traveled in from other cities and were ready to attend his funeral.

As a result of this miracle of deliverance, many of the believers are now being subjected to wicked spiritual attacks from witches in the area – a blatant reminder of the spiritual battle we are in as Christians. Please pray for them.

As everyone gathered together and many prayed, God brought to

may recall that we reported last winter how their property had come under attack both spiritually and with legal action. God ultimately helped bring a resolution to these issues, and the ownership of the property was restored to LHIM-Congo.

Since that time, the believers have been hard at work erecting a simple structure – some poles in the ground, a roof, and tapestry walls – and they are praising God, who has provided for them their own place of worship.

A Double Blessing from the Lord

A New Place of Worship

Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa and his wife Kabibi of Kinshasa are the proud parents of twins – Glorel KUTUKWA wa KUTUKWA (boy) and Madelive KUTUKW A PEMBA (girl), born in early June.

For over a year, the believers in LHIM-Congo in Brazzaville have longed for a place of their own where they can hold large fellowship meetings and classes. You

In the Congo, a traditional belief is that a couple having twins is a sign of a special blessing from the Lord. God bless this wonderful family!

House church in Ollombo where a recent miracle of healing occurred

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Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa & wife Kabibi are parents of twins!

Reaching Out To Others In Prayer

By Michael McHugh

Y

esterday while I was working in the Library, a man I know came by to get some legal copies. Though not what I would say personally, I knew this individual and a little about his upbringing because I had worked with him for a while and had spoken to him on different occasions; and I also heard some of his discussions with others. He is very much what one would call a political junkie, with many of those views being openly anti-Christian.

He is also a person who has trouble getting along with others and has few, if any, friends.

One day as I was waiting to go to service, he stopped by and said a few words. As we were talking, I noticed he glanced at my Bible, and so I’m sure he perceives me to be Christian. Nevertheless, we have always been cordial to each other and for all practical purposes have gotten along, though his heart is not open to hearing Scripture.

Whenever he speaks of his personal beliefs, he is always emotionally charged, and you can tell that he believes deeply in what he is saying. At least, this is how I perceived him to be. Then after reading Edward Smith’s book, “Healing Life’s hurts Through Theophostic Prayer” (read it if you haven’t), my own perception of him has changed. Now, I clearly see a man who isn’t actually reacting to present day reali-

ties but to events from his past, and those events originally caused him much pain.

Early this morning as I was sitting quietly and having a cup of coffee, this man entered my mind.

As I was thinking of him, I recalled that the door to his heart has never opened to me to the point where I could speak to him about Scripture. As a result, I was wondering if he would ever believe the truth and overcome his past. Then another thought came to me, and it came in the

“Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.” form of questions, the essence of which was: Do you think anyone has ever really loved this man?

Even now, does he have anyone who cares enough about him to pray for him faithfully? It was then at that moment when I knew how I could love and help him, and so he is now, and will always be, amongst those for whom I faithfully pray.

Can this man’s life be turned around? Yes, it can! Remember the people, who after Jesus’ statement concerning how difficult it 7

is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, ask him the question: “Then who can be saved?”

The wonderful answer Jesus gave them is as true now as when he spoke it and is also true in all situations in life: “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” I now believe, therefore, that the door to this man’s heart will eventually be opened, but whether it opens to me or to another believer does not really matter. For whether I plant or water or someone else does isn’t important. What is important is knowing that God gives the increase.

A.W. Tozer in his book Pursuit of God says that “Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.” Upon reflection of that statement, I now realize that though the door to speak to a person’s heart may not always be open, the door to pray for them always is. Accordingly, prayer is an important aspect of reaching out to others and a vital part of the ministry of reconciliation. It is also a wonderful way to do good to those who are of the household of faith.

As far as I know, God has not yet opened this man’s heart to hear, but He has moved in mine to pray for him, and so I will. He is in my heart and prayers, and so are you.

Counterfeit Trinitarian Verses

(1 John 5:7-8)

By: Sean Finnegan

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massive discrepancy exists between the King James Version (KJV) and nearly all modern versions for 1 John 5:7-8.

King James Version 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

New American Standard Bible 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

Notice how much longer the KJV is on 1 John 5:7-8; it has 45 words instead of 20 for these two verses.

It turns out the extra words contain the most explicitly Trinitarian reference in the entire Bible. In the one version, three heavenly witnesses are in parallel with three earthly witnesses. In the other, there are just three witnesses that testify. Why does such a difference exist between these versions? Did the translators of the KJV add these words, or did the NASB take them away? Which was the original reading?

Thankfully, we do not have to guess at the answer to this question.

Archeologists and textual scholars have discovered and catalogued

well over five thousand Greek manuscripts containing all or part of the New Testament (NT). No Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century contains these extra words. The first instance of this Trinitarian variation can be found in the manuscript known as Codex Ottobonianus, which dates to either the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

It is a parallel Bible containing both Latin and Greek. Apparently, the person who wrote this parallel Bible was troubled by the absence of these words from the Greek text, so he or she added them in by back -translating from Latin into Greek.

A century or two later, a controversy broke out over this, and two new Greek manuscripts were made which both included it. Furthermore, the extra words were added to four other older manuscripts in the margin.

The controversy centered on a man named Desiderius Erasmus who published the first Greek New Testament (GNT) using the printing press in 1516.

Erasmus of Rotterdam was an influential Christian scholar and priest who worked hard to rediscover and restore ancient Greek and Latin texts so they could be distributed. He recognized the immense power and utility of the printing press and took full advantage. He also understood the value of publishing first. A group of Spanish scholars supervised by Cardinal Ximines were working hard to produce the Complutensian Polyglot (a Bible including the 8

original languages along with a Latin translation). They had finished the NT in 1514 but were waiting for papal approval. Not to be beaten, Erasmus rushed his first edition into print handing the printer the Greek manuscript itself with his notes on it. Cleverly, he dedicated his GNT to Pope Leo X in order to bypass the long waiting process for approval.

It is important to remember that Erasmus lived in an age when heresy was taken very seriously. For example, William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536 for translating the Bible into English, and Michael Servetus was burned to death with green wood in 1553 in John Calvin’s Geneva for denying the Trinity. Furthermore, Martin Luther, Erasmus’ contemporary, tacked his ninety-five theses to the church door at Wittenberg in 1517, which instigated the beginnings of what became the Protestant Reformation. Erasmus was a man of prudence who admired Luther, even if he thought he had gone too far (especially on the doctrine of free will), but did not throw in his lot with the reformers, preferring rather to remain a Catholic in good standing.

Erasmus believed it was more honest and pious to correct erroneous manuscript readings in an effort to restore the original reading than merely to preserve tradition. Jerry H. Bentley writes, “He complained commonly and bitterly about the (Continued on page 9)

(Continued from page 8)

audacity of the scribes who took it upon themselves to improve upon the texts they were copying.”1 As a result of his quest to print the best and most reliable Greek NT, Erasmus set to correcting and noting instances of corruption as he detected them. “He insisted,” says Joseph M. Levine, “that an accurate reconstruction of the text was required, even if the results should prove inconvenient for the theologian.”2 In 1514, even before his first NT was completed, his friend Martin Van Dorp tried to persuade him to abandon the project.

Charles G. Nauert writes, “He [Dorp] feared that such a publication inevitably challenged the authority of the church, which had based its teaching on the traditional Vulgate [Latin] text for a thousand years.”3 Erasmus replied:

who published his first edition of the Greek NT in 1516. He started to come under attack for breaking with tradition as ensconced in the Vulgate just as Dorp had predicted.

Much of the criticism leveled against Erasmus focused on his failure to include the Trinitarian formula in 1 John.5 Furthermore, his second edition (1519) was a parallel NT with the Greek on the left page and his own Latin translation on the right. Many more people could read Latin than Greek, and so this second edition’s lack of the added part in Latin presented a glaring challenge to the standard Latin Bible of his day.

tions if a Greek manuscript could be found which presented it.”7 Taking him up on his word, Erasmus’ opponents had no trouble procuring such a manuscript, all it took was an ink pot, a quill, and a scribe.

Before long, Codex Montfortianus came into the world and was readily foisted upon Erasmus as “proof” that the formula was in at least one Greek manuscript after all. Erasmus capitulated and included it in his 1522 edition, “but he did so only under protest.”8 He wrote, “From this manuscript I have substituted what was missing in the rest, lest I give any occasion for slandering me.”9 Levine points out, “Erasmus’ fear of calumny was justified; Lee had accused him directly of Arianism in this matter and elsewhere in his annotations (and, needless to say, the charge was dangerEven so, ous).”10 Erasmus’ decision had long lasting consequences. For his Greek text later came to form the basis of Robert Estienne's (Stephanus) text, which, in turn, was used by the translators of the English version authorized by King James in 1611.

Furthermore, Luther, who also worked from Erasmus’Greek, followed a similar pattern, omitting the Trinitarian formula in his 1522 and 1530 editions and then including it in 1545.

“When I consider the audacity and hubris involved in fabricating and forcibly inserting a phony verse into Scripture, I cannot help but ask why?”

Why do Jerome and Augustine and Ambrose so often cite a different text from the one we use? Why does Jerome find fault with many things, and correct them explicitly, which corrections are still found in our text?

What will you do when there is so much agreement, when the Greek copies are different and Jerome cites the same text as theirs, when the very oldest Latin copies concur, and the sense itself runs much better?

Do you intend to overlook all this and follow your own copy, though it was perhaps corrupted by a scribe?4

Dorp did not persuade Erasmus,

Over time, more voices joined in the criticism of Erasmus for making the best proof-text for the doctrine of the Trinity suddenly disappear. Ironically, Erasmus was a believer in the Trinity and was not at all mounting an attack against the dogma. Nauert notes Erasmus’ true intention was to tell “theologians that in their defense of Trinitarian orthodoxy, they could not cite this helpful text, because it did not exist.”6 Bentley notes that because he was “accused of harboring Arian views, Erasmus agreed to include the formula in future edi9

It is hard to estimate how much these two versions, the KJV and Luther’s German Bible, have influenced untold multitudes of Christians for centuries. How many countless teachers have pointed to (Continued on page 10)

Counterfeit Trinitarian Verses (1 John 5:7-8) Continued...

(Continued from page 9)

this text to explain the doctrine of the Trinity over the years? How often was it used to silence those who doubted the beloved dogma when they encountered the plethora of monotheistic statements in Scripture? Although these words have cast a great shadow, virtually all modern versions have either deleted them altogether or else relegated them to the footnotes. This is particularly remarkable because almost all translations are completed by scholars who affirm the Trinity.

Today, the forged Trinitarian formula persists in only the KJV, the NKJV, the Amplified Bible, and a smattering of other outdated translations. Mainstream Bibles like the NASB, NIV, ESV, HCSB, NAB, NET, NRSV, RSV, NJB, etc. have eliminated it. In other words, Catholics and Protestants both admit that it should not be considered as legitimate Scripture! Every single Greek 1

manuscript testified to its falsity until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries when marginal notes were added to four old manuscripts and new ones were churned out to validate the erroneous Latin reading. (This is besides the fact that early Latin manuscripts likewise omitted the text.) When I consider the audacity and hubris involved in fabricating and forcibly inserting a phony verse into Scripture, I cannot help but ask why? If the Bible already clearly taught the Trinity, why would anyone go through the effort to tamper with it? To me, such an act is plain indication that the Bible does not actually teach the Trinity. Perhaps someone thought God needed help in clearly annunciating the dogma.

Sometimes when I am speaking with people, they have used 1 John 5:7-8 in an effort to convince me that the Trinity is biblical.

I have looked at this “Scripture” as a difficult text in

the past, something I would not want to bring up in a conversation, but now I have realized it is just the opposite. Perhaps we should mention it when speaking to our friends and family about the Trinity. Maybe we should tell them the story of Erasmus and how he was forced to insert the Trinitarian formula even though he knew it was wrong. Maybe we should show them the evidence that someone thought the Bible needed help teaching the Trinity. But how can the Bible need help if it was inspired by God? Such a hypothesis is patently absurd! Rather, what is clear is that someone could not find the church’s beloved doctrine in the Bible and adjusted Scripture accordingly. So, the story of 1 John 5:7-8 actually testifies to the fact that the Bible does not support the Trinity. I think if people knew this, they would be shocked and hopefully become open and willing to hear other views about God that are

more biblically grounded.

Jerry H. Bentley, “Erasmus, Jean Le Clerc, and the Principle of the Harder Reading” in the Renaissance Quarterly,

vol. 31, no. 3 (Autumn 1978), The University of Chicago Press, p. 313.

2

Joseph M. Levine, “Erasmus and the Problem of the Johanine Comma” in the Journal of the History of Ideas, vol.

Join Us next Year!

58, no. 4 (October 1997), University of Pennsylvania Press, p. 582.

3

Charles G. Nauert, “Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics” in The Sixteenth Century Jour-

nal, vol. 29, no. 2 (Summer 1998), The Sixteenth Century Journal, p. 434.

4

Erasmus to Dorp, c. May, 1515, CWE, no. 337, III, 111-39, quoted from Levine, p. 583-4.

5

Another example was his addition of the words “nor the son” in Matthew 24:36, which he later also withdrew.

6

Nauert, p. 436.

7

Bentley, p. 315.

8

ibid.

9

LB IX, 275 B-C, quoted in Levine, p. 588.

10

Family Camp 2012 July 1st - 7th

ibid., 589.

10

Family Camp 2011 “Yahweh Our Salvation”

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Witnessing

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very believer has been commissioned to be an ambassador for Christ and to hold forth the word of reconciliation.

With the help of God, witnessing can be a vital part of our lives. Prayer is fundamental to our success with everything in life including witnessing. God’s declaration to help those that love Him recorded in the following Psalm provides us with great confidence that He will answer our prayers.

Psalms 91:14-16 "Because he has loved me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him with a long life I will satisfy him and let him see my salvation."

Isaiah prophesies about Jesus long before he was born. The following provides insight as to why Jesus was so successful in communicating God’s Word. Isaiah

By Vince Finnegan

50:4(NIV) - “The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Since we are ambassadors in Jesus place, we too can look for God’s similar assistance.

The article on “Confidence and Boldness” pointed to

the importance of prayer for both Peter and Paul. The following Scriptures can also be incorporated into our prayers.

Acts 4:29-33 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant to your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word, By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and 12

wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was on them all.

Ephesians 6:18-20 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Witnessing Continued...

Conversation Openers to Help When Witnessing What gives most meaning to your life?

What or who are your sources for strength in your daily living?

When you have problems, how do you manage to get through them?

Is religion or God important to you? In what ways? Why not?

Would you like to have faith in something?

Does God seem personal to you?

Do you feel close to or far away from God? What do you think that God is like?

Can you point to things that God has done for you?

Do you feel there are barriers of some type separating you from God? Have you ever been mad or upset with God? Have you ever done something for which you feel God could not forgive?

What would it take for you to live up to what God expects of you?

Do you think God has a plan for each person’s life?

The above questions are based on a list compiled by Harvey Elder for counselors.

Focus On the New Self

By Mary Ann Yaconis

W

hile helping a young man practice for his motorcycle road test, I was reminded of my early experiences learning how to ride a motorcycle. I had a knack of hitting potholes dead center.

Frustrated with my inability to miss them, my mentor asked me what I was focusing on. I replied that I was trying to avoid the pothole and was looking straight at it so I would miss it. He mentioned that

what one focuses on, one usually hits. So, I changed my ways and didn’t stare at the dreaded pothole, focusing instead on the clear pavement which provided a smoother ride. This principle is a mainstay in sports − what you are looking at is what you will hit.

The Scriptures tell us the same principle.

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Paul writes that the direction of our focus is to be on the things above. The reason that the mind can be set on things above is because the old man nature is dead and the new self is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3, 5 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, (Continued on page 14)

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Focus On the New Self Continued...

(Continued from page 13)

and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

We all recognize that earthly bodies have fleshly lusts. Even as new believers, we are generally quite aware of these patterns of behavior which are now to be reckoned dead.

When we focus on negative behaviors so as not to do them, it is like staring at the potholes I tried to avoid.

Again, another sports analogy is when I would play golf, I would take out some serious divots from the fairway due to “not keeping my head down.� When I focused on hitting the ball, rather than my head bobbing up and down, I was able to manage a decent fairway shot. The same goes for sin patterns. When I am focused on being kind and tenderhearted rather than on selfish lusts, my actions are those of blessing others. What Paul writes is that instead of looking at our sin, we are to set our minds on godly things above. Instead of focusing on the pothole, we are to focus on the road that is smooth and passable.

Philippians 4:8 Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is

any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Keeping focus on Christ-like behaviors means that we will begin to attain those behaviors.

Dwelling on what we don’t want to do keeps us aiming at the earthly. Those who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah have two natures, the old man

and the new man. These two natures war against one another. When we seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, we are not thinking evil, devilish old man ways.

Keeping our minds disciplined to think the Word is vitally important to help us continue living a righteous life. Every thought that is kept obedient unto Christ is one more thought that will bring us closer to entrance into the Kingdom of God. The hope of the return of Jesus Christ is the anchor of our souls.

As this hope is kept as a focus, our desire to love God and obey 14

His Word increases. If we focus on what sinners we are and how hard it is not to continue in a sin pattern, then our minds are thinking about not doing sin instead of doing the godly behavior. Avoid the pothole, or drive on solid pavement. We are to dwell on, stay, reside, have as our home, the pure thoughts of the Word.

Philippians 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Practice is thinking about a task and doing it over and over again the right way. The things we practice are to be those that we learn from the Scriptures and not from the earthly, sensual, devilish practices of the world. Our faith is built up as we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures and Christ-like behaviors.

If we seem to struggle at stopping a sin, we may be focusing too much on the sin and not enough on godly behaviors at which we are aiming. For example, think about speaking the truth rather than not lying. The potholes are always there. Staring at them means we will hit them. For easing the journey through life, focus instead on things above which will help us to avoid the potholes and set our minds on the right path.

Royal Family Reunion

To GOD Be the Glory August 26-28, 2011

How To Register: Online at www.lhim.org, or Fill out, and mail the enclosed form th

Early Bird Fee Before August 5

$70.00 for Adults and $60.00 for Adults (13 +) and $50.00 forbreakfast, Youth teachings, lunch, dinner, Fee includes: Friday evening meal, dessert, and coffee; Saturday $40.00 for Youth (5-12) snacks, and beverages; Sunday breakfast, teachings. Also included: admission to Friday and Saturday th After August night music and 5sharing by Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill; and Children’s Fellowship. The event will be held at Living Hope Community Church, 458 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY. For more info please call: 518-785-8888 or log onto our website at www.lhim.org.

Where to stay Reserve a motel room ASAP because rooms are in high demand this particular weekend. Here are some suggestions: Residence Inn 518-783-0600 Holiday Inn Express 518-783- 6162 Super 8 518-783-8808

Microtel 518-782-9161 Hilton Garden Inn 518-464-6666 Desmond 518-869-8100

If you are interested in staying in a believer’s home instead of a motel, please contact Mimi Finnegan immediately (mimi@lhim.org). Housing options fill up quickly and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration Form Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________ Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________

Teens and Children Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________ Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________ Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________ Name:______________________________________________________Birthday:_______________

Address Street Address________________________________City ______________State _____Zip _______ Email __________________________________________ Phone_____________________________

Rates if registering before August 5th

Rates if registering after August 5th

Adults (13+): ___ x $60.00 = ____________

Adults (13+): ___ x $70.00 = _____________

Youth (5-12):___ x $40.00 = ____________ Children (4 and under): free

Youth (5-12):___ x $50.00 = _____________ Children (4 and under): free

TOTAL DUE:$______________ Cash Check

Credit Card Money Order

Make checks or money orders out to LHIM. To pay with credit card, please contact the church.15

Nonprofit Org. US Postage Paid Latham, New York Permit No. 128

458 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110

Royal Family Reunion

To GOD Be the Glory August 26-28, 2011