Volume 6
Issue 5
May 2016
50
The Soul Winner - Jeffrey Pearson
Migration and the Mission of God - Dr. Ian Hussey
Editorial Dear Readers,
I speak blessings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, over your life this new season. The first quarter of the year has gone by and we are stepping into the second quarter of 2016. A common factor that cannot be ignored in almost all parts of India is the rising temperature. How can we beat the heat? Its time to go back to basics and plant more tress and help our planet to yield better for the coming generations.
“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” (Deuteronomy 11:18)
Similar to planting trees, and watering them, we need to plant the seed of the word of God in our hearts, and water it with the Holy Spirit. Just like how we nurture and water a tree sapling, we need to do that to our inner man, Food for the soul is as important as food for the body. A tree is considered strong by its roots and so it our inner man, the strength lies in the word of God which has taken deep roots in our hearts. The word of God is always active and working, therefore all the more reason for us to ensure that our lives are filled with the beauty of His words. It is only the word of God which can change situations and life's struggles; we find peace in His word as it is the truth and the truth shall set us free. Like the word says in Deuteronomy 11:18 Let us discipline our selves to bind the word of God in our hearts and meditate on it day and night. As the Psalmist says “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”. In this issue of Truth Alive, we have diverse topics on God being a Good father, Inspirational reads, how kingdom warriors are raised and many more. I pray that this issue of “Truth Alive” will bring to life all the promises on your life. As you flip through the pages of this book, I pray that may the Holy Spirits presence be ever evident to you in a tangible way. “The command has been to “go,” but we have stayed - in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth… but 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland.” -Robert Savage
Dr. C.V. Vadavana Founder & Chairman, Sathyam Service Trust
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES A.V. JOHN JOJI A. MATHEWS SAM C. VADAVANA DR C.V. VADAVANA FENCY A. JOHNSON ISSAC VADAVANA
Volume 6
Issue 5
May 2016
50
Content Migration and the Mission of God..............6 Dr. Ian Hussey
CHIEF EDITOR DR. C.V. VADAVANA SUB EDITOR DEBORAH SAMUEL PUBLISHED BY MARYKUTTY P J
Losing Myself..................................................7 Jan Ackerson
A Tribute to Mothers....................................8 Deborah Samuel
He is a Good Father.......................................9 Sangeetha Joseph
He Cares for You...........................................17 Joni Eareckson Tada
MANAGING EDITOR
The Soul Winner..........................................18
SANGEETHA JOSEPH
Jeffrey Pearson
OPERATIONS MANAGER JAISON P CHACKO DESIGN SATHYAM DTP TEAM CORPORATE OFFICE: TRUTH ALIVE SATHYAM PUBLICATIONS AGARA-HORAMAVU MAIN ROAD HORAMAVU POST, BENGALURU-560043 CELL: +(91) 973-105-1360, 944-602-6182 KERALA OFFICE SATHYAM PUBLICATIONS THOTTABHAGOM P.O. THIRUVALLA-689 541, KERALA, INDIA
Love in the Body of Christ.........................19 Christine Tyszka
5 Traits of a Flourishing Leader................21 Charles Stone
Name of Jesus”..............................................23 Check Up - Book Review.............................26
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May 2016
Migration and the Mission of God Dr. Ian Hussey (continued )
Perhaps because migration has been used so powerfully by God for his purposes through history the writer of the book of Hebrews uses a very interesting metaphor to describe the church.
that give us security. Things like a home and a job and a doctor we trust. God likes to move his people because when they do their faith in him flourishes. Some of you have experienced migration whether forced or not. It can be a difficult experience. Leaving behind the familiar, learning new languages, new customs. But recognise that God uses migration to bring his people into new and profound experiences of faith and he uses it to spread his Kingdom, though you!
Hebrews 11:13–16: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Others of us who are very settled need to consider whether God might be calling us to migration. We can get very settled. We can think “I am going to be here for the rest of my life.” But that may be comfortable, but it is not good for our faith.
In other words, people of faith recognise they are migrants. They are moving from this world, which is not our home, and moving on to our true homeland. People of faith live in this world like strangers and exiles – immigrants – spreading the Kingdom of God as they go. God wants us to be a pilgrim people because when we are we cannot depend on the usual things
We need to realise that we a part of God's grand mission. He has always been in the process of moving masses of people from one part of the world to another in order to achieve his purposes. Mass migration is a tool in the hand of God. And if you sense the call to move, to migrate - to move from the place of comfort to the place of trust – you move in the will of God.
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May 2016
Losing Myself Jan Ackerson Dan and I married young - we were children, really - but I was charmed by the curls that played at his neck, and by his raspy chuckle. Those were reasons enough to marry, as it turns out. Years later, those same qualities still quicken my breath. Not long ago, we waved at our darling Lily as she embarked on a new life with her own curlyhaired charmer, in a flurry of lace. Dan's arm tightened around my waist as their car disappeared, and he whispered in my ear. “We're still young, sweetheart. Time to do something new.� "Something new" was a spiritual itch that had plagued him for months. Dan wanted to be a missionary - had felt the call and started to research mission fields and financial arrangements while I was occupied with Lily's wedding. I strained to hear the same voice that had reached my husband's ears, but God was silent to me. I followed Dan anyway, transported to a distant land by the power of my love for him. The air in my new country was richer than that of my home, thicker with exotic smells. Colors were more brilliant, the music filled with stranger harmonies. The language, when I learned it, fell softly from my tongue. The children were precious with their quick and dazzling smiles, the women sweetly shy. Yet I resisted falling in love with my new residence. My heart was home with Lily and her husband, with the granddaughter whose growth was chronicled in a well-worn photo album. A few mornings ago, I awoke realizing that I had dreamed not in English but in my adopted
tongue. I felt bemused, as if I was losing myself. The feeling intensified as I shopped for vegetables in the open-air market. Surrounded by the liquid syllables of native speakers, I was startled when an English-speaking tourist grasped my elbow and asked for directions. I blinked at her, uncomprehending, having to translate her words mentally before I could formulate a reply. And yesterday, I sat in the front row of our cinder-block church, listening to the linguistic dance of Dan and his co-pastor, partners in the Lord. Dan spoke, his partner translated, the congregation laughed at his self-deprecating humor - and I realized that I had not heard Dan's words at all, but had waited for the translation. I am fading away, I thought. If we stay here, I will disappear. I spent the afternoon in something more closely resembling whining than prayer. "Your work is flourishing here, Lord. Dan loves it. But I have done nothing for Your kingdom, and I am all alone. Why did You bring me here if only to watch me evaporate? How can I serve You if I don't know who I am?" My vaulted and chained spirit locked out God's reply. This morning, I kissed Dan good-bye, wrapped a colorful skirt around my waist, and prepared a cup of the local tea, spicy and sweet. While I sipped, I listened to the cacophony of accusing birds in the trees outside and explored the borders of my soul. My reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was my neighbor, a quiet woman with whom I'd occasionally shared a loaf of flat bread or a (continued on page 26...) 7
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A TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS Deborah Samuel
“I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”– Abraham Lincoln From the time we were conceived in our mother's womb till where we are now, our moms have always been there for us. Whether it be changing diapers, being near our bedsides during our toughest times or celebrating our success with us, they've always been there by our side. Many times we fail to realize this and take this for granted. Many of us have praying mothers in our lives and the reason behind where we are right now is because of their persistent tears at God's feet. At times we have failed to acknowledge this, but the reason behind many of our successes is because of our mothers investments in the presence of God and that is the most precious and costliest investment that could be made for children. As we celebrate mother's day, let this day just not be another occasion of buying roses and gifts for our moms, but a day we truly appreciate them for who they are and remember the sacrifices they've made for us . Let this be a day of honoring our moms and showing our gratefulness and thankfulness for all the pains they underwent, for us to gain a brighter future. Some of you reading this may not have had a good relationship with your moms. I pray that this year may be a year of healing and restoration. 8
Those of you who are yet to be moms, I pray for God's fruitfulness over you. Those of you who are moms, I pray for God's grace to overcome every challenge that you have to face during each stage of your child's growth and remember to enjoy every stage of their growth, because once it passes by, you can never retrieve that age. Those of you moms, whose kids are all grown up and have kids of their own, I thank God for enabling you to bring up the next generation in the fear of the Lord and I pray you enjoy your granny stage of pampering the tiny tots. Whichever stage of motherhood you may be in, remember you are raising up the next generation and we honor you. Mothers birth us in pain, bear our pains during our childhood, and become a pain while we're teens, but they are the ones who stand by us during our every pain while we're adults! We honor you mothers and we love and thank you for everything you've done, are doing and will ever do. God bless you! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
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He is a Good Father Sangeetha Joseph I can never fathom the depth of His love. No words can ever justify the intensity of how good a Father Jesus is. I will never be able to explain to the fullest about His goodness. He is a good good Father. He has always been and will always be. Trials and tribulations are a part of our Christian life and in this walk is where I learnt that He is a good father and He will never leave my side, no matter what. Everyone goes through hard times in life which never gets easier but with time we learn to deal with it and carry on with life. How do we exactly learn or make ourselves deal with the pain of loss, hurt, disappointment, and betrayal? We don't have a mechanism that enables our mind to adapt to these painful situations in life, Instead we have a Good Father who helps us by making all the grace abound towards us, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. Having walked through a path of painful rejection and abandonment in my life. I have come out stronger loving my Father Jesus and I know in my heart that I am His beloved and He is mine. I felt accepted by Him as I walked closer to Him, as I started to read the Bible daily and the Holy Spirit started to reveal the word in my heart. It was never easy but His love sustained me through it all. Here I am encouraging everyone who is having a hard time, “Hold on, He is a good father and He has got your back”. The work says in Psalms 136:1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
That's it! His mercy is all we need. It does not come with an expiry date. It is not defined by time or space. It is not confined by situation and circumstances. His words are the truth and it says His mercy endures forever, that is all through eternity. We have this mercy upon us which will carry us to the Mercy seat where He is seated as the King. And this is the kind of love that the Father has lavished on us — that we should be called the children of God. He Gave His Own Son Jesus says that our Father in heaven is a good father. He's not too busy for you. He's not a deadbeat, absentee, disinterested dad. When we talk to him, we know he hears. When we pray, and ask, we know that he listens. And better yet, he always knows what is best for us. He provides our needs and shapes us and disciplines us, like a good father would his children. It makes him happy to do so because he delights in us. He actually wants us. No amount of good deeds or determination to do better could bring us into the family of God. We are his because he has made us his, and then bought us back. Not because we were born into a certain family or country or bloodline or spoke some magical words. But because, before the foundation of the world, God chose to adopt us in Christ. Our sin had earned us nothing but death and hell. But Jesus took our death and all the wrath of hell upon himself, and at the cross, he conquered it all so that we wouldn't get what we deserve, but would receive grace upon grace. He took what we deserved so that we would have what he deserved. 9
May 2016 Bangalore News
Catholic priest's body found hanging April 13, 2016 Mysuru: A Catholic priest was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Wednesday in a parish of Mysore diocese. The diocesan officials have rushed to PG Palaya, some 35 km from Mysore, where Fr Raja Kannu's body was reportedly found hanging from a fan in the church premises. The parish in in Charmrajnagar district of Karnataka state. The circumstances leading to his death are still unknown. The police are investigating the matter. A local Kannada TV channel has reported that as death occurred early morning on April 13. India News
Why it's no longer safe to be a Christian in Chhattisgarh About a month after goons entered a church in Raipur, vandalised it and attacked the women and children present there, a Christian couple was attacked in a church in Bastar this Saturday. Hooligans, reportedly carrying pistols, rods Pastor Dinbandhu Sameli and knives, are said to and his 7-month pregnant wife have entered the church on Saturday night and assaulted Pastor Dinbandhu Sameli, his 7-month pregnant wife and daughter Roushni Vidya. The president of Chhattisgarh's Christian Forum Arun Pannalal says that the attack was carried out by the workers of Bajrang Dal and accused police of “covering up" the incident. Christians targeted According to data compiled by Chhattisgarh Evangelical Foundation, the attacks on 10
Christians are only increasing with time. But many feel that the attacks aren't just physical in nature. That the attacks often seem to be well coordinated and abetted by people in power. Nun who brought education to half million street kids in India An Irish nun never thought she would end up spending 60 years in India educating some of the poorest children. Sr Cyril Mooney from Bray, Co Wicklow left Ireland in 1956 when she was 19 for Kolkata. (formerly Calcutta). She was awarded the Padma Shri which is the fourth highest award a civilian can get in India for her work in education. Born in 1936 with a brother and sister in her family, Sr Cyril won a scholarship to Loreto Convent in Bray and decided to become a nun at the age of 13.�The now 79-year-old set off for India by boat in a journey that started from Dun Laoghaire. Madhya Pradesh, police interrupt a Christian marriage: "The spouses are Hindus" The Madhya Pradesh police raided a Christian church, interrupting the wedding that was taking place and accusing the couple of being converted by force and against the law. The incident occurred in Satna: accompanied by activists of the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP, Hindu ultranationalists), Kolgawan police officers (town just outside Satna) arrested 10 persons, including the pastor and parents of the groom. Bihar, Hindu extremists attack Pentecostal communities and torture a Christian The faithful of a Pentecostal community of Nabinagar assaulted, the pastor beaten harshly and other religious beaten; a Barh Christian kidnapped and tortured for hours, after he had
May 2016
refused to insult the name of God. These are the last two episodes of violence perpetrated by radical Hindus in the state of Bihar, who have taken on the Christians accusing them of forced conversions. Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, toldAsiaNews " intolerance against Christians is growing in secular India.” Evangelical Fellowship of India releases troubling data for the first three months of 2016. Targeting of Christians increasing in India.
violence unleashed at the Christian community in India and to secure their fundamental right to profess, practice and propagate their faith and live peacefully as citizens of a free nation. Cardinal Gracias favors martyr status for Kandhamal victims Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay and one of the eight key advisers of Pope Francis, wants the Church in India to initiate a process to declare as martyrs those killed during an anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal, Odisha, eastern India. Gloobal council of Indian Christians(GCIC) relentlessly campaigned from 2007 December 25th for justice for Kandhamal victims and protested infront of Parliament with 72 victims of Kandhamal violence World News
The Evangelical Fellowship of India has registered 55 verified incidents of hate crimes targeting Christians India between January 17 and March 22, 2016 in 16 states throughout the country. This list is a partial list for many incidents are not reported and of the incidents that are reported, many are unverifiable due to the sheer size of the country. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 10 incidents, followed by Maharashtra with 7 incidents. This is followed by Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand with 5 each, and by Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Uttarakhand with 4 each. Other states on the tally are Rajasthan (3), Punjab (2), Haryana (1), West Bengal (2), Gujarat (1), Assam (1), Karnataka (1) and Odisha (1). The Evangelical Fellowship of India has urged the Central Government and the respective State Governments to curb the hate and
Each Month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith. 214 Churches and Christians properties are destroyed 722 forms of violence against Christians Muslims demand cross be removed from Swiss Flag! Muslims in Switzerland are demanding that the white cross be removed from the Swiss national flag because as a Christian symbol it “no longer corresponds to today's multicultural Switzerland.” The Muslim group behind this idiotic demand known as the “Secondos,” began a nationwide campaign in October to urge Swiss citizens to change the flag to something that is “less offensive” to Muslims. Gatestone Institute reports: The proposal to change the Swiss flag has been met with outrage 11
May 2016 World News
across the political spectrum and is sure to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments in Switzerland.
Hong says her captors asked her to cooperate, which she refused because the arrest and the beatings were unreasonable. “They told me I had to tell them what happened during the meeting with the freedom of religion delegation, and I didn't reply. They stamped on my feet, hit my face and my body, and I lost my voice.”
TENT ministry in Hyderabad is offering free training programs for graduate men in cross-cultural missions and income generating technological skills for 9 months from 15th August. Same course is offered for st women for 6 months from 1 June. Christian men and women committed to missions can apply. The courses offered are cultural anthropology, missiology of people groups, cross-cultural communication, kingdom principles, Bible study skills and holistic gospel. The income generating skills including making candles soap powder, lamination, fabric paining, food preservation, horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, computers and so on. For details, please contact Mr. John Samuel on 09246871577 or email to apply@tentindia.org. For more information visit our website www.tentindi.org
Muslims will soon outnumber Christians in Europe, a Belgian minister has claimed.
SATHYAM MINISTRIES
Wife of imprisoned pastor activist arrested and beaten - Vietnam Arrested and Beaten Pray for Tran Thi Hong, who was arrested and beaten by law enforcement for meeting with a human rights delegation from the US. Hong is the wife of Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, currently imprisoned for charges against the Vietnamese government.
Speaking at a hearing into the Brussels attacks, Koen Geens said the European Community may not realise it “but this is the reality”.His comments were followed by Belgian deputy prime minister Jan Jambon warning against Europeans “making an enemy of Islam” describing it as “the worst thing we can do”. Spare a thought ... the survey of British Muslim opinion, What British Muslims Really Think, will be published in full by Channel 4 later this week Speaking at the EU Parliament, Mr Geens said: 'In Europe, very shortly we're soon going to have more practising Muslims than practising Christians' Speaking at the EU Parliament, Mr Geens said: “In Europe, very shortly we're soon going to have more practising Muslims than practising Christians.”
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Christian Metro, India’s Christian Hub.
Lancing a Boil Jonathan Mbuna Indecision is a real problem in leadership, especially churches. But failing to confront issues has led to the death of many successful initiatives. History is replete with many examples of how indecision shipwrecked institutions: the sinking of Titanic, Lehman brothers and even the global financial crisis. Leaders want to be popular and hope business can go on as usual. They fail to decide and then pay the price. I remember one time I had a nasty boil on my body (like a cyst). For two days I could hardly sleep. Usually such boils come and go but this stubborn one was refusing to go. I went to visit the doctor who advised that I should
immediately go for surgery. Never in my life had I been told that a boil required surgery. After consulting my family, I decided to ask the doctor for pain killers and antibiotic and postponed the surgery. However it just got worse and worse. In the end I had to have the surgery anyway, but it cost more and took me longer to recover. In Malawi we have a proverb that tells the story of a dog sitting on a warm verandah. He hears the sound of a lion roaring in the distance, but it is so comfortable in the sunshine‌. So he stays put. He keeps hearing the roars get closer and closer, until it is too late to move. What decisions have you been postponing? 13
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He Cares for You Joni Eareckson Tada "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 Some Christians attest that God cares so much for us He would never want any hurt or heartache to touch us. "Why, if we really trusted in Him," they reason, "God would go to any length to release us from our pain." But is this so?
23:11). With that, I'm sure Paul cast all his anxiety on the Lord. Yet he remained in custody for at least two years after the Lord appeared to him. Did God stop caring in those two years? Of course not. God answered his servant's prayer by giving him the kind of peace that allowed him to write, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Philippians 4:12b).
While no one is saying God enjoys watching us struggle, Scripture indicates He has no qualms about allowing suffering to wound us. But it never means He no longer cares. God certainly cared for Timothy, who struggled with frequent illness. He cared for James, run through with Herod's sword because of his testimony. He cared for John, exiled on a lonely island. He cared for Stephen, even though he was dragged away from the synagogue and stoned.
God's care for you goes deeper than your comfort zones. The focus of God's care is your soul. And the expression of His care will be peace and contentment. It's a beautiful promise that reminds you of God's intimate concern whether you're ill for weeks, bedridden for months, or struggling within your marriage for years. Grab hold of that truth and hang on. No matter what.
God cared about Paul. He told him in his prison cell, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome" (Acts
In the middle of my cares, Lord, remind me you care for me. Give me the ability to picture myself casting those concerns onto your shoulders, one anxiety at a time.
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The Soul Winner Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Summarized for Leadership Training By Jeffrey
Pearson Lead Pastor, The Bridge
“Soul - winning is the chief business of the Christian minister… the main pursuit of every true believer.” WHAT IS IT TO WIN A SOUL? “Aim at bringing souls to Christ.” It is because God blesses men through the churches that we desire to see them prosper, and not merely for the sake of the churches themselves. The increase of the kingdom is more to be desired than the growth of a clan. Our grand object is not the revision of opinions, but the regeneration of natures. We would bring men to Christ, and not to our own peculiar views of Christianity. Our first care must be that the sheep should be gathered to the great Shepherd; there will be time enough afterwards to secure them for our various folds. To make proselytes, is a suitable labour for Pharisees: to beget men unto God is the honourable aim of ministers of Christ.” do not consider soul-winning inscribing more names upon our church-roll. By all means let us bring true converts for it is a part of our work to teach them to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded them; but still, this is to be done to disciples. To introduce unconverted persons to the church, is to weaken and degrade it; and therefore an apparent gain may be a real loss. It is a good thing for people to see the nakedness of the land through statistics of decrease, that they may be driven on their knees before the Lord to seek prosperity. It must be right to know our numerical condition those who object to the process are often brethren whose unsatisfactory reports should somewhat humiliate them. if there is no increase, you may calculate with considerable accuracy that there is not much being done; and if there is a clear decrease reckon that the prayers of the people and the 18
preaching are not of the most powerful kind.”“It is a serious injury to a person to receive him into the number of the faithful unless there is good reason to believe that he is really regenerate. Some of the most glaring sinners were, as I believe, led to make a profession by undue pressure. Do not, therefore, consider that soul–winning is or can be secured by the multiplication of baptisms, and the swelling of the size of your church.” “Nor is it soul-winning, dear friends, merely to create excitement.” “Do not aim at sensation and “effect.” “It very often happens that the converts that are born in excitement die when the excitement is over. The utmost zeal for Christ is consistent with common-sense and reason: raving, ranting, and fanaticism are products of another zeal which is not according to knowledge” “What is the real winning of a soul for God? .what are the processes by which a soul is led to God and to salvation? One of its main operations consists in instructing a man that he may know the truth of God. Teaching begins the work, and crowns it, too. “It is ours, then, to give men something worth their hearing; in fact, to instruct them. We are sent to evangelize, or to preach the gospel to every creature; and that is not done unless we teach them the great truths of revelation. The gospel is good news there is information in it, there is instruction in it concerning matters which men need to know, and statements in it calculated to bless those who hear it. it is a revelation of facts and truths which require knowledge and belief. The gospel is a reasonable system, it is a matter for thought and consideration. Hence, if we do not teach men something, we may shout, ?Believe! Believe! Believe!' but what are they to believe? (to be contd...)
May 2016
Love In The Body Of Christ Christine Tyszka (continued )
So, now that we recognize the need for our hearts to be in the right place, as a starting point, let's look at what love in the Body of Christ, the Church, should look like when lived-out. Let's face it, if Christians are to represent Christ to the world, the first place one would think they could and should find Christ-like love thriving is in the Church. Unfortunately, the sad truth is… many of us have long-searched to find a biblically healthy, New Testament church in which genuine, Christ-like love is championed and cherished. If you are one such searcher, let this article be an encouragement to you… the true Church is alive and worth searching for without settling. At this point, the logical question many will ask is: “How will I know what this real, Christ-like love looks like? All the best answers are found in God's word. A perfect example is in 1 John 3:16-18 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” I have been to many churches and I have experienced church-attending people who superficially share pleasantries but they did not truly, selflessly, sacrificially love in action and in truth. This is where the Church is defined and defended. Do most people who claim to be Christians truly love, inside and outside the body of Christ? Do the overwhelming majority of people in church actually love each other unconditionally, as brothers and sisters? Are professing Christians and churches speaking the full truth of the Gospel to each
other, in such a way as to help make disciples who will make disciples who will make disciples (see 2 Timothy 2:1-6). The Bible explains that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), with that understood, is the proclamation and sharing of truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) such that souls are being saved, strengthened, and even snatched from the fire (Jude 20)? The love and supernatural unity of the body of Christ, the Church, is what Jesus prayed for in John 17, the night before He went to the cross. Christ's high priestly prayer to God the Father showed that His Church's love and oneness would serve as His calling card after He ascended into heaven. Listen to how Jesus expressed this point in John 17:20-23: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are One. I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” Overall, the way professing Christians love (or do not love) each other within the “visible” Body of Christ will testify to the world. The only question is: what kind of testimony and witness (see Acts 1:8) are the churches offering a dark and dying world. Healthy churches rightly and righteously reflect the love and unity of Christ, evidenced by the eternally impacting affects of His Spirit's divine work amidst their defining worship. Jesus has made biblical believers to be part of His overall plan of salvation. How can those of us who are born 19
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again just “play church” when we know this truth? Christ calls us to complete unity. The Church finds its unifying culture best described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, which inspires us by reminding us, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. It has been my prayer for some time, as the defining truth of God's unifying love has become a reality in my own life, that others will come to see that the Church, God's called out, set apart, servants are not isolated and independent. No. Rather, the true children of God constitute Christ's Church, here, there, and everywhere around the world. We are one Family of God! Amen. As Jesus calls souls scattered all around the world back to Himself, He is bringing each new Christian into one family of faith. To that end, I recently went on a mission trip to Uganda and saw this truth unfold first hand. Case in point, on my way to my destination, I landed in Ethiopia for a very brief time and met a brother in Christ waiting on his layover flight. The man I met has devoted his life to spreading the gospel to any and all unreached, lost people. We immediately connected and became friends. But more than that, we both realized that we are spiritual family - brother and sister. Now, to the glory of God, with both of us back in our 20
original destinations, literally half a world apart, we continue to pray for one another and stay connected, feeding each other with the Word of God. Once I arrived in Uganda, I was welcomed and cared for by my Ugandan brothers and sisters in Christ, whom I had been meeting with on Skype, on a weekly basis, for the express purpose of making disciples who will make disciples who will make disciples – all through the power, purposes, and promises of God's Word. For 8 days we shared in the truth and love of Christ, living in the same home, sharing meals, devotions, and praying for one another. Furthermore, together, as a family, we traveled all across the land, from remote villages to the most desperate circumstances within inner city squalor – all to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In our travels, every place we went, we met other sisters and brothers in Christ. Praise God! Now my entire church family at home has the opportunity to pray for our African brothers and sisters back in the United States. Our Family of God, the true biblical Church, is so much bigger than any of us can imagine. If being in this family of faith is our heart's desire, we'll need to get our hearts right with Christ and live surrendered to the Lord, allowing Him to work in us and through us. To “BE” the Church is to experience the LORD's overwhelming love, while at the same time, indiscriminately sharing that love with others, locally, regionally, and around the world. Amen.
May 2016
5 Traits of a flourishing Leader Charles Stone
Some people have a green thumb and others don't. Those that do can grow plants and flowers that seem to flourish with life, color, and vibrancy. Leaders also fall into two categories ? those who flourish and those who don't. What are common traits of flourishing leaders? I believe what happened in the early church gives us clues to traits of a flourishing leader. In Acts 1 Jesus had completed His mission on earth to die on the cross for our sins and then rise from the dead. Forty days after He rose He promised the Holy Spirit to His followers (Acts 1:8) and then ascended to heaven to co-rule with His Father (Acts 1:9). Those first few verses point to traits of a flourishing leader. What Flourishing Leaders Do They take their role seriously. Jesus gave the great commission in Acts 1:8 to reach those without Christ. Flourishing leaders leverage their gifts to the max to help the church fulfill the Great Commission. They lead with a sense of urgency. After Jesus ascended, two angels appeared and reminded those who watched Him ascend that He would return in the same way He came (v. 11). A flourishing leader will lead and act with a sense of urgency knowing that his or her time on earth is limited and that Jesus could return at any moment. They seek to live in the Spirit's power. Jesus promised the church that He would send the Holy Spirit (v. 8). And, the book of Acts chronicles the work of Christ through the Spirit in the early church. A flourishing leaders knows
that he can't lead in his own power. Rather, he will seek to submit his will daily to the work of the Spirit. They deliberately seek to discover God's will for their leadership. One of the first decisions the early church made was to discern God's will about Judas' replacement. They knew that the church needed godly leaders to lead it. A flourishing leader won't seek to ask God's blessing after he makes a leadership move. Rather, he will seek to discern God's will and seek His direction before moving forward. He will use these four pillars when he seeks God's will: Scripture, prayer/peace, common sense/circumstances, and wise counsel. They direct their heart's affection toward Jesus. In verse 24 Luke writes this just before they replaced Judas, “Lord, You know everyone's heart.� The passion of their heart was focused on Jesus. Flourishing leaders will do the same. They will choose to set their affections not on success, a big church, or acclaim, but on pleasing Him. Read Acts 1 today as a reminder of what God looks for in a flourishing leader. 21
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May 2016
Name of Jesus” Titles Jesus Adopted These Names of Jesus were titles Jesus adopted to exemplified the various acts or roles He would fulfill. Jesus used these names in the New Testament but many more can be found in the Old Testament, including, the “Messiah.” In fact, up to 700 names and references to Jesus have been identified. These titles, and references help to understand His purpose, or message. Below are some of those names. Son of Man: Emphasized His humanity, and was perhaps Jesus' favorite reference to himself, and, due to the way He used it, was also a claim to divinity. "Do not labor for food that perishes to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set his seal."(John 6:27) Bread of Life: Refers to His life-giving role, and that He is the only source of eternal life. "Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."(John 6:35) Light of the World: Light is a symbol of spiritual truth. Jesus is the only answer for man's need of spiritual truth.” "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."(John 8:12 Gate for the Sheep: Faith in Jesus is the only way possible to reach heaven.
"So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep." (John 10:7) The Good Shepherd: Jesus claimed and used the prophecies of the Messiah from the Old Testament as pertaining to Him. This was a claim to divinity which focused on His love and guidance. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11) The Resurrection and the Life: Jesus is the very source of life, and the power over death. "Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25) The Way and the Truth and the Life: Jesus is the way, the method, and the truth for all people. He summarized his purpose on earth by this title. "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6). I am the Vine: was another of the names of Jesus, and the rest of the title is, "You are the Branches.” Just as the branches gain life and cannot live apart from the vine, so are we completely dependent on Christ for our spiritual life. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser." (John 15:1) 23
May 2016
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May 2016
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May 2016 Check Up (Book Review)
The Lord’s Prayer for His People Robert Traill
Hardcover, 360 pages Page Size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches Retail Price: $30.00 ISBN 978-1-60178-449-0 Description: Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. —John 17:24 Robert Traill's treatment of Christ's intercessory prayer for His people is a masterpiece of Puritan experiential doctrine. Mining the depths of John 17:24, Traill discovers the comforts of the doctrine of election, the blessing of our hope of heaven, and the believer's delight in the glory of Christ—all founded on the immovable love of the Father for His Son. Traill's exposition is full of practical application, careful to address both believers and unbelievers alike. Endorsements: “Robert Traill's sermons on John 17:24 are vintage Puritan. They are theologically rich, yet accessible and filled with practical wisdom. They should be read thoughtfully, prayerfully, and expectantly by anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Christ's priestly intercession and glory and what that means for the believer. They are especially suitable for those suffering through various trials. Indeed, Traill has a way of redirecting our thoughts from our earthly sorrows to Christ in heaven, where all our hopes are found. I highly and unreservedly recommend it.” —Randall J. Pederson, managing editor, Westminster Theological Journal, and coauthor of Meet the Puritans
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Losing Myself fruit-filled treat. Tears streaked her cheeks and she fell into my arms, weeping her husband's name. He had been unfaithful to her, I learned, because of her inability to bear him a child. His mistress was now pregnant, and he had put her from their home, penniless and bereft. I held her stiffly at first, unsure how to minister to this grieving woman, but my arms relaxed as a peacefulness settled upon me - a warmth that spread from the roots of my hair to my sandaled feet. My neighbor’s tears subsided, and she whimpered a proverb used to communicate despair: literally translated, she told me "with 26
every rising of the sun, my teeth are broken anew.” God's words filled all of the empty spaces in my spirit. “He is faithful,” I said, using the pronoun that means 'the Holy one.' “With every rising of the sun, His mercy comes anew.” She cradled her head on my shoulder, drawing deep breaths. The mirror on the wall reflected my blonde hair mingling with her raven tresses, her chocolate arms intertwining with my pale ones. I locked eyes with the missionary in the mirror and smiled. We held each other for many minutes, two women discovering grace.
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