EDITORIAL MESSAGE “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” – 2 Peter 1:3
Dear Readers, We all live in an era when the internet is being depended so much to grab instant information. The databases are a rich source of information; and it's purely our choice whether to draw out good or bad info out from it. But, have you ever thought about the fact that our born-again spirit is also a storehouse of immense wisdom. Not mere worldly wisdom but rich Heavenly wisdom. We have His fullness in us, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. We should note the fact that God gave us everything pertaining to “life” not death or condemnation or evil/destruction, but “Life” and “Godliness “through the “TRUE “or complete knowledge of Him so that we shall be partakers of His divine nature escaping the corruption of this world . But if you are worried or dismayed today, it means that you are not acknowledging Him, but acknowledging the corrupted wisdom that entered your mind through your immediate circumstance or evil influences. Godly wisdom and its understanding always gives pleasantness to your soul (Proverbs 2:10). We have the mind of Christ. Believe what God believes about you. He who has understanding or discernment knows how to draw out good counsel from the heart (Prov 20:5). We are essentially Godly in nature. Godly wisdom is the ultimate thing but only if you have the true understanding about the ONE inside you can you draw out all His essence like Godly peace, love, joy, richness, supernatural power and authority according to your need to lead a successful Godly life. What will you draw out today? May the September issue of Truth Alive help you to discern the true knowledge about God and help you grow in His peace and grace. The article “Plodder “calls you take everyday steady steps in your faith journey, towards your finish line rather than remaining stagnant .The article “Greatness” throws light on the kingdom perspective of greatness and encourages to become great by serving rather than being the one served.
Blessing! Dr.C.V. Vadavana Founder & Chairman, Sathyam Service Trust BOARD OF TRUSTEES: A.V. John Joji A. Mathews Marykutty P.J. Dr. C.V. Vadavana EDITORIAL BOARD: Dr. David H Mills Dr. Jonathan Marshall Pastor Mike Harrison Dr. Sunny Ezhumattoor
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SOULS THROUGH GOD’S WORD 2
SEPTEMBER 2014
SATHYAM BOOKSHOP
Contents 4
Time to Rest, Reflect and Rejuvenate - Dr. David H Mills
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The Possibilities of Prayer - E. M. Bounds
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An anchor in your storm - Dr. Billy Graham
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I Waited Patiently for the Lord - Pastor Mike Harrison
11 We are the Home of God on earth : A Monthly Commentary on Ephesians - Dr. Jon Marshall
12 Pastor’s Annual - T.T. Crabtree 13 Jesus- Style Love - Rev. Ivan Veldhuizen 14 Persecution in the name of faith - Athira Aniyan 17 Digging Deeper - Dr. Alexander Kurian 19 Including Families with Children with Disabilities in the Church - Joe Butler
Write to us!
Have you been blessed by an article in Truth Alive? What more would you like to see on the pages? Share your experience with us. We would love to hear from you. Mail us at truthalive@sathyam.org or post your letter to Truth Alive Sathyam Publications Thottabhagom P.O. Thiruvalla-689541, Kerala. Ph: 0469- 2619657, 2619209 9446026182
21 What is a Plodder? - Rev. Barney Kinard 23 SIN - We have all been infected by a global Pandemic - Pastor Marvin J. Rosenthal 25 Having a Common Vision and Long-term Goals for Marriage - Dr. Thomas Kulanjiyil
26 Greatness - Bob Shank
Time to Rest, Reflect and Rejuvenate Dr. David H Mills Dr. David Mills is a graduate of Prairie Bible Institute and Talbot Theological seminary and took his Ph.D in church planting. His passion for the word and his ability to communicate the Gospel in an effective manner has been a big part of his successful ministry. He has written and published books including “Leadership in 5 words” and “God’s Word of Art”. God has gifted Pastor David for this unique calling, and he receives such great delight from seeing lives transformed by the Sovereign love of God. Rev. Dr.David Mills is a husband, dad and the senior pastor of a growing church in Southern California. He presently lives happily with his wife, Rinette and their three grown children Joshua, Elizabeth and Catherine.
“We all need to refresh ourselves by daily diversions, weekly withdrawals, and annually abandoning (or taking off somewhere).” Rick Warren
What, would you say, is one of the hardest things to control in your life? Would you agree with me in saying that the answer is, “time”? I think that this may very well be, the hardest issue we deal with as leaders...our time management. You will never find a spare 15 minutes laying on the ground, or an hour left behind by someone else sitting here or there for you to pick up and use, time is not like any other resource… once it is gone- it is eternally gone! This is why the practice of rest must be in our priorities. We must have a balance of rest, work, play, and worship. The OT Law insisted on one day in seven for complete rest. Read Exodus 31:12-17 and see what it says. What happened if the Jews did not keep that day of rest? Three times God warned them that they would die. I believe that the same rule in principle applies to us today. I realize that we are under grace and not under law, and that this is not an issue of our obeying or not obeying this law as impacting our being able to go to heaven or in any way making us more or lessloved by God, it is more the reality that if we neglect to rest one day in seven we will “die”, as well. Our bodies cannot take the strain of working nonstop. Our relationships will suffer and potentially be destroyed if we work non-stop. Our spiritual lives will reveal the decay and eventual signs of deadness if we work non-stop, ignoring this law, designed by God, for our loving protection and preservation of LIFE! Years ago, in 19th century France during their revolution, the leaders thought they would change the calendar to ten day weeks. The result of this decision was that all the animals could not keep up the pace 4
and eventually just shut down. The animals were more than just “tired”, they were worn out! It is a little known… but proven fact, that even dirt gets exhausted if we overuse it! All creation shouts a loud message when we fail to take time to rest! This will be seen either by its shutting down, or by dying a slow and painful death. I was in the doctor's office recently and saw an advertisement given out by the doctors' to their patients that read, “rest, reflect, and rejuvenate.” They then went on to list recommendations for how to do this. In that moment, I realized an important lesson, coming from the medical world it was very clear that; You either volunteer to rest or it will be forced on you by your failing health! God has not created us to work and never rest. What do you do while you are using time for rest? This is intended to be a time that allows a relaxed environment for reflecting, remembering, reevaluating. It is a time to reconsider your ways! During our days of working we are typically unable to, and usually fail to take the time to think reflectively about our lives. We stop thinking about how the past really turned out and how the future needs to change to improve the work we are doing. This mental exercise and self-restraint has many benefits. In Exodus 31:12-17 the people were commanded to “remember the covenant they had with their God” i.e.; remember why they were living, and what they were to accomplish as His people. They were to remind themselves every week, for an entire day of rest, of the important truth of why they were alive! Think of that! SEPTEMBER 2014
Know Your Bible ZECHARIAH Author: Prophet Zechariah (means of whom Jehovah has memory) Date of writing: 520 and 470 B.C. Purpose: To declare the redemption of Israel and prophesy the coming of the Messiah Key Verse: Zechariah 6:13 Key People: Jews that returned to Jerusalem, Jews that got scattered and the whole of humanity Brief Summary: The book of Zechariah was written to Israel after the Babylonian exile. It concerns mainly with the rebuilding of the temple and notably the coming of the Messiah and glory of His reign. Like Haggai, Zechariah received the calling to encourage the Jews to complete the task of rebuilding the temple. Zechariah calls Israel to repent quickly so that they could be in the position to receive God's blessing. Even though God used Gentile nations to come up against Israel in judgment, He was angrier They were to ponder and reflect as to how they had used the last six days, and how they were going to use the next six days for accomplishing their God given mission. As a result of this time, they regularly confessed their faults and renewed their purpose. They were taught to keep short accounts, to never let too much time go by without reflection and making changes where needed. Seeing this foundational truth stirs the question for us today, do you make it a regular and priority practice of taking one day each week to obey this command? If not, would you consider doing it? If so, can you see what difference it would make in the choices and use of your time each week? This choice brings you a preparation for the upcoming week and an evaluation for how the last week was handled. If you do this each week, your next week will become more fruitful and less filled with repeated mistakes that sabotage your success. You can look ahead with a rested mind and see what activities the next week will have that can build the kingdom more effectively. Who will you spend time with and how will that time be used? What meetings will be held and what preparations need to be done to accentuate the success of those events? What needs to be removed from the list and who needs to be added or dropped from your schedule? Thinking ahead gives
with them as they went too far. At this point, Zechariah receives eight prophetic visions for Israel. Which indicates that God was going to do more than help the newly-returned exiles in Jerusalem to complete the building of the temple but exceeded by, what the Messiah was going to do in the final day. The Messiah would restore the nation of Israel back to her land, subdue all nations that had harassed Israel, and sit on His throne over the whole world as undisputed king of all the nations. Outline: Zechariah 1:2 - The word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 1:3 - Return to me, declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you. Zechariah 1:8 - During the night I had a vision. Zechariah 6:13 Yes, he will rebuild the temple of ADONAI; and he will take up royal splendor, sitting and ruling from his throne. you time to get ahead of the busyness and to feel and actually be… a bit more in control. This practice will now lead you to experiencing the word“rejuvenated.” Yes, you will find that you are now energized from the rest you have taken, and eager to get back to the work. This is how God intended it to be! Jesus repeatedly withdrew and found a quiet place away from the crowds and the busy schedule to pray, reflect, and get ready for the next week and new assignments that His Father would give Him. If Christ, Himself, did this- how much more do we need to do this!? So, I encourage you to take time each week to rest for a full day, to use this day to reflect on the past and the future week, and then to take in the joy of being rejuvenated to better serve the Lord and the people He has called you to love and lead. Our Father, how grateful we are that You call us to rest as well as to work. We want to always abound in that assigned work, but first we come to You weary and heavy laden, and needing the rest You offer. We learn from You and take that yoke upon our shoulders and rest in the provided rest that You so wonderfully give. Please refresh Your servants, Your leaders, and help them to get refocused and renewed in spirit. As a result of this renewal, may you find us able to serve You and others, in the fullness of faith, hope, and love. In Jesus Name we ask it, Amen. 5
The Possibilities of Prayer E.M. Bounds
Prayer - Its Possibilities (continued)
Jacob is an illustration for all time of the commanding and conquering forces of prayer. God came to him as an antagonist. He grappled Jacob, and shook him as if he were in the embrace of a deadly foe. Jacob, the deceitful supplanter, the wily, unscrupulous trader, had no eyes to see God. His perverted principles, and his deliberate overreaching and wrong-doing had blinded his vision. To reach God, to know God, and to conquer God, that was the demand of this critical hour. Jacob was alone, and all night witnessed to the intensity of the struggle, its changing issues, and its veering fortunes, as well as the receding and advancing lines in the conflict. Here was the strength of weakness, the power of self-despair, the energy of perseverance, the elevation of humility, and the victory of surrender. Jacob's salvation issued from the forces which he massed in that all-night conflict. He prayed and wept and importuned until the fiery hate of Esau's heart died and it was softened into love. A greater miracle was wrought on Jacob than on Esau. His name, his character and his destiny were all changed by that all-
night praying. Here is the record of the results of that night's praying struggle: "As a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." "By his strength he had power with God, yea, he had power over the angel and prevailed." What forces lie in importunate prayer! What mighty results are gained by it in one night's struggle in praying! God is affected and changed in attitude, and two men are transformed in character and destiny.
Give me yourself O abyss eternal Godhead, Sea profound, what more could you give me than yourself? You are the fire that burns without being consumed; you consume in your heat all the soul's self-love; you are the fire which takes away cold; with your light you illuminate me so that I may know all your truth. Clothe me; clothe me with yourself, eternal truth, so that I may run this mortal life with true obedience, and with the light of your holy faith. -Book of Christian quotations Ex.3:2; Heb 12:27-29
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SEPTEMBER 2014
An Anchor in Your Storm Dr. Billy Graham
Never before in the history of the world have people been faced with the tremendous and overwhelming problems that face us today. And never before have had we possessed weapons that could destroy such vast areas of civilization as the weapons we have today.
Sir Winston Churchill once made the statement “Our problems are beyond us”.Dr Nathan Pusey, president of Harvard University from 1953 to 1971, said that the whole world is searching for a creed to believe and a song to sing. Where are we going to turn? The Apostle Paul, many years ago, faced that question from the crew of his storm-tossed ship. He said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed,” from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by, me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you,' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me” (Acts 27:21 – 25) The angry waves lashed against the ship, the lightning flashed, the thunder roared, yet Paul stood in the midst of the storm and declared have faith in God.”There are storms in the world today: storms of unbelief, materialism, secularism, moral degeneracy and international difficulties. And there are storms in your own life; storms of temptation, confusion and difficulty. By neglecting church, by neglecting daily Bible reading and prayer, you have broken away from moral mooring and you are out in a storm. You thought that you could find some satisfaction, pleasure or peace; but you have not found it. An uneasy conscience says,” stop before it is too late!”Our international problems are reflections of these personal problems. There will be no peace in the world until individuals have peace in their hearts. A world structure based upon peace cannot be built when there
is bitterness and hatred, jealousy and pride, envy and immorality within the individual human heart. As long as there are people who hate, people who have prejudices, people who strive for wealth or power at any cost, we are in danger of a world explosion that could blow us into oblivion. The Need for faith Humans have five physical senses: we can see, hear, taste, smell and touch. But we are more than a body; a living soul. Our soul is that part of our being which possesses intelligence, conscience and memory-the real personality. Your body will die, but your soul lives on. And that soul has a 'sixth sense' – the ability to believe, to have faith. The Bible teaches that faith is the only approach we have to God.' For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him' (Hebrews 116).Faith pleases God more than anything else.' But without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6) Cliff Barrows and I have been close friends for years. Suppose I went to him and said,” Cliff, you are a wonderful person, but I don't believe a thing you say.”How would he feel? That is the way some people treat God. You may be saying,” God, I believe you are great, but I do not believe Your Word; I do not believe what You say. In order to please God you must believe Him. God and God's Word are inseparable. Faith is loved and honored by God. The Bible says that we are saved by faith.” Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “But as many received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name” (John 1:12) “And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things” (Acts 13:39).” But to him who does not (continued in page 8...) 7
work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).We are to believe in God through Christ. No person has sins forgiven, goes to heaven or has assurance of peace and happiness, until he or she had faith in Jesus Christ.' For by grace you have been saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) This faith Christ recognized above all else. The blind man had earnestness, but Christ said,” Your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52).The Syrophenician woman had perseverance, but Christ honored her faith. The centurion had humility, but Christ honored his faith. The Christian life is dependent upon faith. We stand on faith; we live by faith. “ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Do you have that kind of faith? What is faith? Faith is clearly defined in Hebrews 11:1,”Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith implies four things: selfrenunciation, reliance with utter confidence on Christ, obedience and a changed life. First, to have faith implies self- renunciation. The problems of the world are not from without. They are not political, social or economic in origin. All of these evil things come from within. Our soul has a disease called sin. What is sin? Sin is transgression, lawbreaking, coming short of God's standards. You break a law of the United States and are a lawbreaker. Every person who has ever lived is a lawbreaker; he or she is a sinner in God's sight. Christ died on the cross for our sins. The Bible teaches,” For He made Him who knew no sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Christ did not die by accident. He died voluntarily in your place. God took all your sins and laid them on Christ. God says He will not forgive you, He will not transform you, He will not give you the peace and joy that you search for, until you choose between your sins and Christ. The moment you turn from your sins and turn to Christ, you are forgiven. He comes into your heart and gives you power to overcome sin. Second, faith implies reliance with utter confidence in Christ. Jesus put it this way: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29) Although we cannot see Him, hear Him or touch Him, we can believe in Christ and rely upon Him. Everyone can have this confidence. If God had 8
said,” Pay your way into heaven,” the poor would be left out. If God had said,” Work your way into heaven,” many of the blind, the deaf, the mute, the lame and the sick would be left out. But He said,” Believe.” And anyone can believe! Third, faith implies obedience; and obedience implies action. We must be faithful in our daily devotional life; we must read our Bible and pray; we must be faithful in the church; we must be faithful to put the teachings of Christ into practice in our daily lives. Some people think that going to church on Sundays and owning a dust-covered Bible makes a person a Christian. That is not true. A Christian is one in whom Christ dwells, and the person's life will give evidence of this. The moment you receive Christ by faith, He comes into your heart and life. He gives you a love for what is good and the power to do it. Faith and Conversion Fourth, faith implies conversion, or a change in one's life. Jesus said to Matthew,” Follow Me,” and Matthew immediately got up and followed Him. Jesus said to the rich young ruler, “Follow Me,” and the young ruler went away sorrowful. Matthew chose to follow Christ. The rich young ruler rejected Christ and his way. Every one of us is faced with this choice. Some people are frightened at the word conversion; yet Christ says,” Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3) Some people think that conversion must be some great emotional experience. Some people think that conversion is a mysterious feeling that comes over you. That's not it at all! Conversion takes place when people turn their back on sin and follow Christ. If you have never surrendered yourself to Christ by faith, your life is not anchored. Temptations confuse you, and storms rage, and there is no peace in your soul. Christ wants to give you peace (John 1:27). Do you have faith in Him? Perhaps your faith is very small and weak. It does not matter how big your faith is, but rather, where your faith is. Is it in Christ, the Son of God, who died on the Cross for your sins? The suspension bridge at Niagara was started by a thread attached to a kite. When the wind was favorable, the kite went across. Then on the thread they put a string and pulled it across. Then on the string they put a rope and got it across. Then they were able to build their bridge. Your faith may be just a little thread. It may be small and weak, but act on that faith. Recieve Christ as Savior and Lord. Let Him bring peace and joy to your soul. Let Him change your life of defeat and confusion into one of purpose and peace. He can do it and He will do it – as soon as you put your faith in Him. SEPTEMBER 2014
I Waited Patiently for the Lord Pastor Mike Harrison
(Psalm 40:1)
Twelve years ago my wife, Lucinda, attended a women's discipleship group. At the end of the course the instructor gave all of the ladies a devotional called Streams In The Desert. To be more accurate, it is actually a collection of devotional thoughts compiled from many resources by Mrs. Charles Cowman. She and her husband were missionaries to Japan for seventeen years, until he fell ill and they were forced to return to the United States. The excerpts which make up Streams In The Desert were ones that specifically ministered to her as she nursed her husband through the last six years of his life. Over the years Lucinda has regularly shared with me the daily readings that have specifically stood out to her. The following is taken from the entry for August 16th... Waiting is much more difficult than walking. Waiting requires patience, and patience is a rare virtue. It is fine to know that God builds hedges around His people--when the hedge is looked at from the viewpoint of protection. But when the hedge is kept around one until it grows so high that he cannot see over the top, and wonders whether he is ever to get out of this little sphere of influence and service in which he is pent up, it is hard for him sometimes to understand why he may not have a larger environment--hard for him to 'brighten the corner' where he is. But God has a purpose in all HIS holdups. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord," reads Psalm 37:23. On the margin of his Bible at this verse George Mueller had a notation, "And the stops also." It is a sad mistake for men to break through God's hedges. It is a vital principle of guidance for a Christian never to move out of the place in which he is sure God has placed him, until the Pillar of Cloud moves. (From Sunday School Times) When we learn to wait for our Lord's leading in everything, we shall know strength that finds its
climax in an even, steady walk. Many of us are lacking in the strength we so covet. But God gives full power for every task He appoints. Waiting, holding oneself true to His lead--this is the secret of strength. And anything that falls out of line of obedience is a waste of time and strength. Watch for His leading. (S.D. Gordon) Must life be a failure for one compelled to stand still in enforced inaction and see the great throbbing tides of life go by? No; victory is then to be gotten by standing still, by quiet waiting. It is a thousand times harder to do this than it was in the active days to rush on in the columns of stirring life. It requires a grander heroism to stand and wait and not lose heart and not lose hope, to submit to the will of God, to give up work and honors to others, to be quiet, confident, and rejoicing, while the happy, busy multitude go on and away. It is the grandest life "having done all, to stand". (J. R. Miller) I have only one thing to add; saying "I give up, I surrender" is never easy. But the only thing harder than surrendering to God is not surrendering to Him.
Adopt the pace of nature ‌ Her secret is patience. - Ralph Waldo Emerson 9
“PRAY WITHOUT CEASING” - Really? Impossible, you say. We all need time to eat, sleep, and do many things just to keep alive. How could anyone pray without ceasing? Paul not only said we should do it (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but he claimed that he himself did this. He wrote that he prayed without ceasing for the Thessalonians' believers ( 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 2:13). English translation say “ constantly” he prayed for them – the same word as in 5:17 translated where it is translated ” without ceasing.”Certainly Paul's life was more filled with a variety of activities than most of ours. Yet he made room for praying without ceasing. How can that be? Outside the New Testament this word (“without ceasing” or “constantly”) is used of someone who has a hacking cough. That person is not always audibly coughing, but the tickle in his or her throat is constantly there. Likewise to pray without ceasing or constantly does not mean we are always verbally saying prayers (or even thinking prayers), but the urge is always there. Why is this important for us to do? Simply because if and when I pray constantly it reminds me how dependent on our Lord Iam in every circumstances of daily living. Try it!
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Charles C. Ryrie
SEPTEMBER 2014
We are the Home of God on Earth: A Monthly Commentary on Ephesians Dr. Jon Marshall Jon Marshall lives in California with his wife and three young children. A graduate of Talbot School of Theology (with C.V. Vadavana) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Jon enjoys teaching the word of God to his church in Los Angeles and students at Eternity Bible College. His heart for India began over a decade ago when he began supporting Indian pastors and visiting the country. He regularly prays for revival to break out across the nation.
Ephesians 3:7-14
We continue our monthly commentary on the book of Ephesians. In this section Paul encourages the church not to be discouraged by his imprisonment. Rather, they ought to be amazed at the privilege Paul gets with his role of being a preacher and teacher of the gospel. Read Ephesians 3:7-14. Now Paul points out the obvious disconnect between his worthiness for the role and the amazingness of the role.1 In verse 7 he says, “God gave it to me, as a gift, pure grace, by his power which he works.” He is certain he didn’t deserve this role. God gave it and he received it. Paul is simply a servant (“minister”). He couldn’t do this job on his own; he needs God’s power, God’s miraculous, world-over-turning, life-changing, supernatural power. He knows he didn’t earn this prestigious role. He’s the least of all the saints. This isn’t false humility. He’s just remembering that when Jesus encountered him on the road to Damascus and commissioned him for the job of preaching the generosity of Jesus to Gentiles, he was literally on his way to murder and imprison people who were preaching the generosity of Jesus to Gentiles (Acts 9)! He’s the apostle who was on his way to kill apostles. That’s what makes him say he’s the “least of all the saints.” That’s why he is so humbled by God’s grace. With that in mind Paul describes his role: to proclaim (“preach”; 3:8), illuminate (“bring to light”; 3:9), and make known (3:10) the mystery of God’s redeeming work in Christ. Paul proclaims the unsearchable riches of Christ (3:8).2 When you’ve been stopped in your tracks by the love of God you can sit for hours trying to understand it without coming up with anything. A friend of mine was addicted to painkillers. To get relief from headaches once the pain killers stopped working, he switched to marijuana and then cocaine. Feeling guilty, he tried to go back to prescription meds. When the doctor wouldn’t give
him what he thought he needed he took matters into his own hands. He snuck into the doctor’s office, stole some doctor’s notes, forged a prescription, and went to the pharmacy. He got caught. The police were stunned at his audacity. He was charged with four felonies (for which he would spend at least 10 years in prison). But on the day of his trial, God had mercy. When he checked in with the clerk for his appointment, she couldn’t find his name. He called his lawyer and the lawyer checked things out. He called back, “If you don’t believe in God, you’d better start now. You fell through the cracks. There’s no record of charges against you. You’re free.” When my buddy heard this he spent weeks barely able to speak. He was shocked by God’s grace. It is unsearchable grace. He could not figure it out. That’s what Paul is talking about. Now Paul aims to proclaim this grace, to bring it to light, and to make it known (3:9). Most people sit in darkness. They just don’t see spiritual reality. They think they see, but they don’t. In Paul’s world people caved to dark spirits who really didn’t like them at all. Paul wants to shine the light of grace on them. Love exists. God, the real God, is gracious, not tyrannical and harsh. More specifically, Paul wants to bring to light God’s plan to unite people into one spiritual family in Christ. Rather than creating cliques, excluding some people and embracing others, God wants to unite. God, the one who made everything, deserves worship from everyone. Rather than worshiping what God has made, he calls us to worship him. Paul’s job is to help Jews and Gentiles find Christ and see how God has them in the same family. The darkness would want them to keep separate, but God wants to enlighten them to the reality of their unity. Through the cross, the blood of Christ, people find salvation no matter what ethnic or religious background they come from. (continued in page 16...)
1
Verse 7 transitions from one angle of Paul’s explanation to another; that’s why different translations of the Bible have it in either the first (3:1-7) or second (3:7-14) paragraph. 2 Outsides of the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Job 5:9; 9:10; 34:24; Judges 18:2; Odes 12:6), Paul’s the only person ever to use this word (Rom 11:33). 11
Pastor’s Annual T.T. Crabtree
Title: Moses: The Burning Bush Text: And Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt” (Exo. 3:3 RSV Reading: Exodus 3:1-6 Introduction When God has a big task to accomplish, he does not necessarily choose a great person. He simply takes person who will become available to him for the task to be performed. In today's Scripture the task was to liberate God's people from Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land. Moses was the man selected. Moses was not favored by his own people, and he did not have an abundance of talent, yet God wanted him, for he knew Moses could be used. I .The man – his trials Moses had a rather dubious background when God selected him. Note the many obstacles God willingly overcame to select him as choice servant for a particular task. A. Moses' heritage was tried. Moses had been born of Hebrew parentage. He was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter when she found him floating in the river in a basket as his Hebrew mother's mean of protecting him from Pharaohs decree to kill all Hebrew male newborns. Thus, he was eventually raised in the household of the Pharaoh. His natural and adopted heritages conflicted in social, economic, and spiritual qualities. His early life was scarred with conflicts. B. Moses' heart was tried. Though Moses was an adopted Egyptian, his heart would never let him forsake his natural heritage as a Hebrew. It was inevitable that these two worlds would find a major battlefield in his heart. He chose to favor his heart over his mind at a critical point of conflict. C. Moses' status was tried. Moses interceded in an incident between an Egyptian and a Hebrew, Killing the Egyptian. Overnight he became a fugitive from the justice system of Egypt and an alien from the hearts of the Hebrews. Moses had 12
betrayed the Egyptians trust and had broken the Hebrews code of ethics. He then fled from an organized society. But God still wanted him! II. The meaning of the burning bush God spoke to Moses in a wonderfully strange way. In an isolated stretch of desert, God communicated with Moses out of a fiery bush that was miraculously spared. Moses took note. Three significant messages were given to him from this bush. A. An awesome presence. Moses was made aware of the angel of the Lord being present in the bush. God's call to a great task is always accompanied by a realization of His divine presence (cf. Paul's experience on the Damascus road.) The present day believer experiences this through the Holy Spirit. B. A staying power. Moses' attention was drawn to the bush by the presence of the angel and the flaming fire, but he was amazed that the bush was not consumed by the fire. This abnormal phenomenon conveyed the message of Gods miraculous power to preserve through all kinds of adversaries. Also, his immutable nature of remaining unchanged may be reflected in this incident. C. A gracious power. God's message to Moses revealed that he was a God of overwhelming grace. Though his justice had been experienced by those who disobeyed him, it could not overshadow his love for his chosen people. God's greatest message is always his love and grace. III. The ministry of Moses – “GO” God's revelation to Moses was not just to give him an awareness of his presence; God had a mission for Moses. A. The mission was surrounded by holiness. God immediately made Moses aware that the ground on which he stood was “holy ground”. This is a fact that is true in the life of every servant directly called of God. People do not select the ministry as a (continued in page 18...) SEPTEMBER 2014
Jesus-Style Love Rev. Ivan Veldhuizen
“If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Matthew 5:46-48. Jesus was a great teacher, as the above statement affirms. But of even greater impact was the life He lived. He demonstrated such a winsome way of relating to people. He had a unique way of drawing people in, affirming them, and giving them a purpose in life. Jesus made the most out of ordinary people. He made them extraordinary. Who Jesus was and the way that He loved people planted the seeds of profound transformation in their lives. There is nothing unique or divine about the affection that we generally live out on an everyday basis. God wired the human race to enjoy one another's company—to relate socially with others that we are drawn to. The most common form of relations we have with others is described in scripture as “phileo” – brotherly affection. It's the kind of friendship, commitment, and attraction that brothers have for one another. Don't get me wrong—that's a wonderful sort of love. But compare that with a completely, selfless, ready-to-die-for-you kind of love, and it pales in comparison. The extreme love that Jesus calls His followers to live out is “agape” – the kind of love that denies self, overlooks the cost, embraces another's need, and goes to all lengths to express itself. This is what I call Jesus-style love. Yes-beyond an easy affection, Jesus-style love embraces those that are difficult to embrace, reaches out to those that are inconvenient to befriend, and loves those that are humanly impossible to love. Jesus-style love is only possible when God fills you with a passion and purpose to live at another level of loving people. Jesus-style love is what we see when the forgotten lepers are not only noticed by Jesus, but valued, touched, and healed. He made outcasts feel like winners!
Jesus-style love was clearly demonstrated when the Galilean hillside was filled with over 5,000 people. (Scripture tells us there were 5000 men alone!) What we often overlook in this story is that Jesus was deeply grieved over the stunning news, only hours earlier, that His friend and forerunner, John the Baptist, was cruelly beheaded. In His pain, Jesus wanted to find a quiet place to reflect, mourn, and pray. However, the crowds found and followed Him. The gospel of Mark tells us that, upon seeing the multitude, Jesus was moved with compassion because He saw so many who were sick and needy. In the midst of His own pain, being driven by this uncommon love for people, Jesus invested Himself in the lives of these thousands of strangers. Against the bidding of his disciples, Jesus then chose to feed them! And so we see the amazing miracle of turning five loaves and two fish into a miraculous hillside banquet that netted a total of 12 baskets of food left over! What selfless love—what amazing compassion! In his deepest pain He still cared for hurting and hungry people. Jesus-style love is seen when the woman was caught in the very act of adultery (John 8). Of course, there is more happening here than what meets the eye. Holding this woman hostage is a covey of holy hell(Continued in page 22...) 13
Persecution in the name of faith Athira Aniyan
Though Christian persecution has been occurring since ages we can find that this has become too intense and more violent in the recent times. We are opening our eyes to see the Newspapers inundated with heartbreaking news and images of violence, bloodshed, massacre, demolishing of churches, devastation, persecution and exodus of thousands of Christian believers. We are seeing some of the worst persecution in the modern history of the Middle East unfold before our eyes. Every day millions of Christians are persecuted worldwide because of their faith. The World Watch List (WWL) ranks 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reasons is worst. World Watch List is the only annual survey of religious liberty conditions of Christians around the world, the top 10 countries where Christians faced the most pressure are North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Pakistan, Iran and Yemen. North Korea is an outstanding exception in many respects. For the 12th consecutive year it heads the World Watch List. Religious extremists are all set to crucify the Christian believers and inhabitants, beheading, forcing conversion, driving Christians from their
homes and looting all their possessions. Which brings in our minds the flashing memories of the ancient time persecution, and exodus of believers. This is particularly happening in Iraq and Syria, where genocidal conditions are evolving. For quite some time we have had reports on the persecution of one of the most ancient Christian communities in Iraq. Until recently, the Iraq city of Mosul was home to 60,000 Christians. Earlier this month, Muslim extremists captured the city and literally ordered all Christians to convert to Islam, pay an additional tax or face execution. Christianity has become one of the most persecuted faith calling forth fear and horror in the minds of believers worldwide. The war on Christians in the Middle East has been under way for years now. The Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), has terrorized most of Iraq and Syria in the past several months an increasingly aggressive campaign to establish a militant, Islamic reign. Over 5,500 Iraqi civilians have been killed, over 11,600 wounded, and over 1.2 million driven from their homes since January.
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SEPTEMBER 2014
world are killed each month for their faith. There are several sources that claim the numbers are as high as 100,000 a year. When we are surrounded by such horror and terror it's hard to keep our self from taking part in the misfortune of our brothers and sisters living worldwide. Lets pray earnestly for the persecuted church ,the body of Jesus Christ! Romans 8:36 “For your sake we are being killed all the daylong; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Most have fled to Kurdish territory in the northern part of Iraq, where they are being protected by Kurdish military. Many elderly Christians in the city, who cannot leave their homes due to health concerns or out of fear, have already converted to Islam to save their lives. The ones being most shattered under these religious brutalities are thousands of innocent children. One of the many atrocity stories is that the militants have been killing and beheading even children (or specifically Christian children) in the areas they occupy, where they reportedly give nonMuslims ultimatums to convert, pay fines, or suffer “death . An average of 100 Christians around the
Weeds “Let both (the wheat and the weeds) grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn” (Mathew 13, verse 30). Wild plants that grow where they are not wanted are known as weeds. Even though they may look very pretty, they are still bad news for the gardener or farmer as they take nourishment from the soil which was meant for the plant. It's amazing, but its weeds that always grow faster than seeds. That is why they can soon overcrowd the plant and stunt its growth. Weeds are also spreaders of plant disease. So, all in all, they are very bad news.
Bible facts In today's Bible verse, Jesus had just finished telling a story of a farmer who planted his seeds, and his enemy who planted some weeds on the same field. Once they both started growing, the farmer knew it would damage his small plants to try to dig up the weeds, so he decided to wait till harvest time and collect them both together. Then the seeds would be put in his barn and the weeds burned. This was a very serious point that the Lord Jesus was making. The day will come when all who love the Lord Jesus and are being obedient to him will spend time for ever with him, but those who never put their trust in the Lord Jesus will be thrown into fire.
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INSPIRING THOUGHTS
Scripture 1. That the truths of the BIBLE have the power of awakening an intense moral feeling in every human being: that they make bad men good, and send a pulse of healthful feeling through all the domestic, civil, and social relations; that they teach men to love right, and hate wrong and seek each other's welfare as children of a common parent; that they control the baleful passions of the heart, and thus make man proficient in selfgovernment; and finally that they teach man to aspire after conformity to a being of infinite holiness, and fill him with hopes more purifying, exalted, and suited to his nature than other books the world has ever known; these are facts as incontrovertible as the laws of philosophy or the demonstration of mathematics. -Wayland 2. The most learned, acute and diligent student cannot in the longest life, obtain an entire knowledge of this one volume. The more deeply he works the mine, the richer and more abundant he finds the ore; new light continually beams from this source of heavenly knowledge, to direct the conduct, and illustrate the work of God and the ways of men; and he will last leave the world confessing, that the more he studied the Scriptures, the fuller conviction he had of his own ignorance, and of their inestimable value. - Scott 3. Hold fast to the BIBLE as the sheet-anchor of your liberties; write its percepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future.” Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.” -Grant
We are the Home of God on Earth: continued from page 11 God’s reasoning in revealing this plan and uniting people from different ethnicities into one family is to show-off his wisdom to the spiritual world (3:10). “Rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” refers to both dark and light, evil and good, spiritual beings. Apparently they look at what we’re doing and learn about God through us. Angels and demons look at the church and our unity and as a result have reason to praise God or fight harder against him. Sunil is a friend of mine in north India. He’s been beaten many times by Hindu fanatics, Muslim radicals, and militant Buddhists. One day he’ll be beaten by Hindus only to be rescued by Muslims and the next day have his car torched by Muslims and be saved by Hindus (both stories really happened). Religious, ethnic, cultural, and political violence goes on every day. If God devised a plan to get Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists together in a room singing to the same God, joining in the same mission, and hugging one another as they call each other “brother”, how would you expect the spiritual world to respond? I bet they’d be absolutely amazed (or terrified). Dark powers have inspired intense opposition for millennia and now God has made them one man. That is the “manifold wisdom of God.” The church is absolutely incredible because it shows off God’s wisdom; where 16
else in the world can you see such diversity in such harmony? This was God’s plan, to allow each person who comes to Christ, no matter what his background or baggage looks like, to be free to boldly relate to God (3:11-12). In Christ a former Buddhist, Muslim, or Hindu can have access to God. Paul piles up three terms (boldness, access, confidence) to reinforce the freedom we have to relate to God. We come fearlessly and expect a “glad welcome” (NLT). Lots of people have a hard time believing this could be true for them, but they have no problem believing it’s true for someone else. Many Ephesians would have been in the same situation. Paul knows how hard this can be to grasp, so in the next paragraph he’ll pray that God makes it possible for them to comprehend and believe it. The main reason Paul tells them about his special role is that he didn’t want them to be discouraged or scared or worried about his imprisonment (3:13). Imprisonment is all part of the plan. It “is your glory” means that, if he doesn’t do his job, Gentiles and Jews don’t get the gospel and therefore don’t get the glory of being with Christ. His job unites Gentiles with Christ and therefore with glory. Don’t be discouraged that he’s imprisoned. Paul is called to suffer as part of the explanation of how Christ saves humanity. Don’t be overly sad about it, this is God’s plan. SEPTEMBER 2014
Digging Deeper : The Gospel of God Romans 9 (Exposition) - Dr. Alexander Kurian Dr. Alexander Kurian as a minister at-large has developed a global ministry of evangelism, teaching, training and equipping for the last 35 years. He has also served as the academic dean and professor of pastoral ministries at Asian Christian Academy of India. His latest book on Biblical leadership is published by GLS, India in Nov.2013. Dr. Kurian has a passion to be conservative in guarding God’s revelation and radical in our application of it in a postmodern world. He and his wife Valsa live in Dallas Texas, worshipping the Lord with the people of God at Edmonds Lane Bible Chapel.
Israel's Unbelief Is Consistent With Old Testament Revelation (9:25-29) Paul quotes several passages to prove that what he has described so far about Israel's unbelief is consistent with the prophetic revelation in the Old Testament. Two quotations are from Hosea (2:23; 1:10) and two from Isaiah (10:23; 1:9). The quotations from Hosea are used to highlight the fact that in the light of Israel's rejection, the prophetic word points to the call of Gentiles. God foresaw and planned the conversion of the Gentiles andused the circumstances and trials of Hosea to set forth this prophetic truth. Isaiah declared that the multitudes of Jews were born on the earth since the days of Abraham, but most of them have been unbelievers. Yet God has ordained that there will be a faithful remnant of saved Jews on the earth. “And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved”(Rom.9:27; Isa.10:22). The doctrine of the faithful remnant is further elaborated by Isaiah in his prophecythat there will come a time in which God will restore Jews to their land and will reign over them as their Messiah in the Millennial kingdom (Isa.2:1-4; 11:1-9; 60:14-18). In Romans 9:29 Paul makes one more quotation from Isaiah 1:9 that brings his teaching about God's sovereign and electing grace to a startling conclusion. But for God's miraculous and gracious interference, Israel would have become as Sodom and been made like unto Gomorrah. But through divine intervention, God is going to leave a remnant of Israel to be restored to the land. Lord of Sabaoth (Lord of hosts or armies) suggests His sovereignty (9:29). The swift and sudden destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time, God's judgment on
Israel and Judah through the dispersion and captivities, and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 all illustrate how “the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly” (Rom.9:28; Isa.10:23). Israel's Unbelief and the Principle of Faith (9:30-33) So far in Paul's discussion of perplexing questions about the Jewish people in God's program, the emphasis has been on Israel's past and God's election of them in spite of their unbelief and rejection of the Messiah. From 9:30 to the end of chapter 10, Paul deals with Israel's present and their rejection. In the last verses of chapter 9, Paul calls the attention of his readers to the overall theme of the book of Romans, justification by faith alone, and shows how the principle of faith does not conflict with or violate His divine plan of redemption either for Jews or Gentiles. The Gentiles were not zealous in keeping the law as the Jews were. But they believed the Gospel which Paul preached and God counted it for righteousness which resulted in their salvation. This was even the case of Abraham (Rom.4:3). “The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith.” Israel, following the Law of Moses, the law that was connected with righteousness, did not attain to that law. God's righteousness cannot be achieved by man's works, because they are always sin-stained and fall short of God's righteous demands. By his own effort or work no person can attain to the holy standards of God. Why did the self-righteous Jews fail? “Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.” Verse 33 is a quotation from Isaiah 28:16. A great stone can be a strong foundation, but it may also be a cause of (continued in page 18...) 17
Interesting Facts from the Bible Ø 2 Men in the Bible who never died, but went to Heaven— Enoch & Elijah (Gen 5:22-24; 2 Kings 2:11)
Ø The Jordan River was parted by Elijah with his coat. (2 Kings 2:8)
Ø Man whose life was increased by 15 years because he prayed- Hezekiah (Isa 38:1-5) Ø Man who was spoken to by a Donkey – Balaam (Num 22:28-29)
Ø Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. Ø The longest name in the Bible is Mahershalal-hash-baz. (Isaiah 8:1)
God loved us first He has loved us without being loved…We are bound to Him, and not He to us, because before He was loved, He loved us…There it is, then: we cannot….love Him with this first love. Yet I say that God demands of us, that as He has loved us without any second thoughts, so He should be loved by us. In what way can we do this then?...I tell you, through a means which he has established, by which we can love Him freely;…that is, we can be useful, not to Himwhich is impossible-but to our neighbor….To show the love that we have for Him, we ought to serve and love every rational creature and extend our charity to good and bad-as much to one who does us ill service and criticizes us as to one who serves us. For,His charity extends over just men and sinners.
Ø Solomon wrote 2 books known for wisdom,
1 John 4:12, 16-21
Ecclesiastes and Proverbs
Ø Moses threw a tree into bitter water to make it sweet. (Exodus 15: 24-25)
Ø The shortest verse in the Bible contains only 2 words -“Jesus wept”. (John 11:35)
Digging Deeper continued from page 17 stumbling for the blind or the careless. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Rock of Ages, the Rock of Salvation, but He may be a cause of stumbling for who seek to justify themselves through their merit or works. Those who seek to save themselves apart from grace through faith will be ultimately disappointed. Paul concludes this chapter with a strong declaration of confidence in the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ and by calling attention to the fundamentals of Christian salvation. It is always by grace through faith - by grace alone, by faith alone and in Christ alone. He who believes in the Lord will not be disappointed. 18
Pastor’s Annual continued from page 12 vocation.Rather; they are selected by the God for the ministry. B. The mission was one of pathos (feeling). God had felt the oppression of his downtrodden people. He knew of all of the injustices and felt the hurt of his people. This is always true of our holy God. C. The message was one of promise. God's challenge was for Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage into the land promised to their father Abraham. God's promises are strong and as sure as his own character. D.The message was one of authority. Moses anticipated great problems in this projected task. He could not do it because of his outlaw status within Egypt. God assured him that the ministry was God's – not Moses! Therefore, it would be accomplished in his authority. Moses would say, “I AM hath sent unto you.” Conclusion God still calls for servants to lead sinners out of the life of bondage. The excuses of Moses are still utilized by those who are called. But by authority of God, his present – day servants are able to go forth in victory. SEPTEMBER 2014
Including Families with Children with Disabilities in the Church Joe Butler Joe Butler is a husband, father, and missionary. Joe has been married to his wife Jen since February of 1997. They have three children, Hannah (15), Micah (13), and Clara (10). Micah has multiple special needs. Joe and Jen have been U.S. missionaries to persons with disabilities and their families since April of 2009. Joe and his wife founded Ability Tree as a faith-based nonprofit corporation in June of 2010, to reach out to other families like their own through recreation, education, support & training (R.E.S.T.).
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”Christ's Great Commission doesn't differentiate between those with disabilities and those without; it clearly states the church's missionary task to reach all nations. People with disabilities need Jesus just as much, and sometimes more, than those without disabilities. They must be evangelized by coming alongside them and sharing the Good News in word and deed. Including and Supporting Families into the Common Life of the Church When it comes to finding a church home, for a family affected by disability, the process can be scary and choices can be slim. Much like new parents, the majority of churches do not know what to do with children with disabilities or how to come alongside such families. The bottom line is, families are just looking for a place to belong. So, how do churches today, as the families of God, enfold and support families with disabilities into their common life? It's not rocket science, but it does need to be intentional. I believe the most important quality in becoming an inclusive church is creating a welcoming environment. Jesus was the best at this! He socialized with people from all walks of life, and welcomed those whom society rejected. The old saying is true, “people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” By assessing three key areas of your church: your place, your people, and your programs, you can help make your church inclusive for families with disabilities. Your place. There's nothing more frustrating for a person or a family with a disability than not being able to get into
the front doors of the church, the sanctuary, or the classroom. Borrow a wheelchair for a day and take a spin around the outside and inside of your church to see just how accessible your church is for wheelchair users. Are there enough accessible parking spaces near the front entrance? Are there curb cuts to get onto the sidewalks? Is there an elevator, ramp, or lift to access all areas of the church where people need to be? If not, what kind of signal are you sending to your community? Make modifications where necessary. Your people. Just because families with disabilities can get into your church doesn't mean your church is accessible. Does your leadership team and congregation know how to welcome and address individuals and families with disabilities? One way you can do this is by having a Disability or Special Needs Awareness Sunday to help your church learn how to interact with people with disabilities and their families. Share about the need to reach out to and include people with disabilities in the body of Christ, talk about people-first language, where you address the person first, before the disability (e.g., the boy with autism versus the autistic boy). And, encourage fellowship among congregants and families with special needs. The church is meant to be a community where we share one another's joys and burdens. Your programs. When it comes to your programs, it's not as much about starting a “disability ministry,” as it is about changing your philosophy of ministry. I suggest Mainstreaming individuals with special needs into your existing programs whenever possible. Kids tend to accept each other's abilities best when they are (Continued in page 20) 19
Knowledge of Christ, a rich treasure Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love. If I do not love a person I am not moved to help him by proofs that he is in need; If I do love him, I wait for no proof of a special need to urge me to help him. Knowledge of Christ is so rich a treasure that the spirit of love must necessarily desire to impart it. The mere assurance that others do not have is sufficient proof of their
continued from page 19 familiar with one another. You'll begin to notice things like kids without disabilities, who develop a heart for those with disabilities. For years, public schools have been using individualized education plans (IEP) to set goals and implement learning strategies for students with special needs. The church can learn something from the way the school system operates. By communicating with the parents of children with special needs in your church, you can discover how best their child learns, what they like and don't like, what they know and don't know about God, how best to keep them on task, and how best to divert and deal with an incident. Modify or develop an intake form for families that includes a question that asks if you can review their child's IEP with them, so that you can best include their child with special needs into the church. Families with children with disabilities are a necessary part of the body of Christ. Because we naturally fear the unknown, we can tend to ignore such families in our local and church community. Ministry, in general, is risky, but the reward is well worth the risk! Tada and Bundy remind us “that when a church fails to welcome the disability community there's a high price to pay - Jesus said, “'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matt. 25:45)12 Sidebar on Ability Tree Ability Tree exists to reach out to families impacted by disability through recreation, education, support, 20
need. This spirit of love throws aside intellectual arguments that they can do very well without it. But if this spirit is not present, a man is easily persuaded that to impart a knowledge of Christianity (for it is noteworthy that such men always speak of Christianity rather than of Christ) is not necessary – nay, is superfluous expense of energy which might be better used in other ways.
and training (R.E.S.T.); we aim to partner with individuals and Organizations to raise awareness and build support networks to strengthen and grow able families. We envision families impacted by disability being accepted and supported in their local community; we envision individuals and families enjoying healthy relationships in their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and churches. Ability Tree fulfills its mission through a variety of holistic programming in the church and the community. Joe and Jen are available for speaking engagements, trainings, and special needs ministry consulting in churches. Ability Tree also coordinates retreats for individuals and families affected by disability. Ability Tree builds relationships with families in the community through Ability Tree Centers which offer after school, art, music, respite, and support programs and events for individuals and families, while teaching volunteers how to interact with kids and adults with disabilities and their families. Joe and Jen's lifetime vision is to see an Ability Tree Center in every county across the U.S. Currently Ability Tree operates programming in Arkansas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Ability Tree's home office as well as its model Ability Tree Center is located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. For more information about Ability Tree or to contact Joe or Jen Butler, go to www.abilitytree.org or call toll-free 1-855-373-6033.
SEPTEMBER 2014
What is a Plodder? Rev. Barney Kinard
When my wife, Sharon, decided to honor me for my 60th birthday (over ten years ago), she invited sixty of my friends and many family members to a dinner party at Buca di Beppo(an Italian Restaurant) to celebrate. Part of the program was to invite those in attendance to share from their knowledge of me from each decade of my life. Someone from every decade was present and willing to share. The reason that I am mentioning all this is because… Several of my friends and relatives keep referring to me as a “PLODDER.” At the time, this was a new insight for me. Actually, no one had ever referred to me that way, so I had never really had the idea that I was a plodder. Since then, I have thought more about it, and I can see what they mean. I now concur, my friends were right. It is a good description of my attitude towards ministry. Like the “energizer” bunny, I just keep going—one deliberate step at a time. One of the dictionary definitions for plod is “to work steady.” Several, when describing me referred to me as a “plodder.” Some even mentioned that I have been steady in my pursuit of children's evangelism and its related disciplines of children's ministry. Truly, I have pursued my calling, even when it was tough and difficult. Now, after more than 50 years, I am still doing it. I have seen some who have fallen off the trail or who have taken a detour. I have observed others that have used children's ministry as a staging ground to move into other vocations. I am still here, working with kids and children's ministry, but steadily pursuing my calling to share the good news with children.
The only animal I can think of that graphically depicts this steady pace is the Tortoise. It is true, that the tortoise is rather intentional in its gate and direction, never much in a hurry, but determined when moving. I know that I have “long-haul” view of ministry. I have never had any intention of “burning up” or “burning out” for God. Rather, I have purposed to keep moving forward, much like the tortoise, one step at a time. “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King, Jr. That fits! We can learn some lessons from plodding. Let's all take deliberate steady steps to the finish line.
Everybody is a genius.But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” – Albert Einstein 21
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Jesus-Style Love continued from page 13 raisers--religious leaders elegantly robed in their fancy garb with noses held high. Oh—they had a point. The Old Testament states that a woman could be stoned to death for committing the sin of adultery (Deuteronomy 22:20-21). What is overlooked, however, is that there is another person involved. Where is the man who should be subjected to the similar biblical mandate requiring the man to be stoned as well? It seems apparent that the hypocritical scene taking place is not unfolding because the Spirit is leading, but because these loved to cast judgment on others. Jesus intervenes. He sees the injustice of the scene and takes a stand to stop it. Even though the woman has sinned, this is not the way that God's directives were ever meant to be played out. Besides, what the 22
religious elite never understood is that grace is always more powerful than law. Jesus literally draws a line in the sand (as he writes things on the ground). The pompous leaders standing in judgment, stones in hand, are quickly convicted. One by one, they drop their case and quietly walk away. Every one of them knew that they too were sinners unworthy of condemning this woman to death for sin that they too have tasted. Jesus words written in the soil of the city gate convicted each one of the sin they too were guilty of committing. Jesus not only saved a life…he saved a soul through incredible grace-filled love lived out in the most tentative of circumstances. This is true Jesusstyle love. As followers of Jesus, we are called to live like Jesus—and love like Him, too. We are expected to live beyond our natural abilities of affection and care to be Spirit-empowered in the ways we engage with others. Our daily activities ought to leave a wake of people behind that say, “I think I've just met Jesus.” SEPTEMBER 2014
SIN – We Have all Been Infected By a Global Pandemic Pastor Marvin J. Rosenthal Born and raised in a conservative Jewish home, Marvin Rosenthal placed his trust in Jesus as a teenager by following the godly examples of his mother. He served in the pastorate for six years, before serving The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc. as director for sixteen years.In that capacity, he was editor of the magazine, Israel My Glory. He is currently the executive director of Zions Hope, Inc., editor of Zions Fire and is a much sought-after conference speaker, often addressing the prophetic implications of current world events and the explosive Middle East.
A child does not have to be disciplined to be bad. A child has to be disciplined to be good. Call it his genes, call it his DNA, call it what we will, it's in the child's fallen nature to be bad. That is why Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Total depravity is not a popular doctrine, but it is a true doctrine. And what it means is that residing within every human heart is the potentiality to commit the most heinous of sins. Most men will not commit these heinous sins, but the potentiality exists in every human heart. Sin may be defined as any thought, word, action, omission, or desire that is contrary to the law or attributes of God. Put another way, God is Himself the standard in determining what is sin. To conform to God's law or attributes is “right-ness”; to not conform to God's law or attributes is “wrong-ness.” And wrongness is sin. The closer a man walks to God, the more he knows what God is like and the more conscious he is of his own sin. Conversely, the farther a man is removed from God, the less he knows what God is like and the less conscious he will be of his own sin. There are some critically important truths to be grasped concerning sin. First, sin is always committed against God. The consequence of sin is directed against man only in a secondary sense. When Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, was being pressured by Potiphar's wife to commit adultery, he said, “How then can Ido this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9; e.g., Psalm 51:4). Sin is always against God. Sin never goes unnoticed. And sin is never, ever, committed in the dark. God sees what men watch on television, view on computers, or do in what they think are secret, dark places. Second, sin is as equally wrong if a man doesn't do something he should as if he does something he shouldn't. A teenager is told to put out the trash – he doesn't do it – he is inactive, but he is disobedient and
has committed a sin of omission. If a man is given a divine command but does not obey it, he is sinning. For instance, God has commanded that, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). If we don't live up to that command, we are sinning. Third, sin is either inward (through thought and attitude) or outward (through physical act). It is as much a sin to think wrong thoughts as it is to commit overt acts. Our society is not only rotten to the core because of the terrible sins we see all around us, but even more so by the sinful thoughts of the mind that we do not see. Technology is amoral. It is neither good nor bad, but when put into the hands of sinful men it will be used for sinful purposes. The TV, computer, DVD, and such are filling the minds of our people with thoughts that come right from the pit of Hell. Fourth, sin is universal – all have sinned (Romans 3:23). The Bible is emphatic when it says, “There is NONE righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 – emphasis added). All of humanity is in the same boat – there are no exceptions. Rich and poor, educated and uneducated, religious and pagan, black, white, yellow, male and female, young and old – all have sinned. Fifth, it is not the amount of sin that separates a man from God and keeps him from Heaven; it is the fact of sin. “Big” sinners and “little” sinners have the same basic problem. A man may be on top of a burning building with no apparent way of escape. He may, in his desperate situation, find an old discarded board on the rooftop and try to use it to span from his burning building to the adjacent safe building. However, it makes no difference if the board is one inch short or three feet short, if it does not reach the other building, the man will perish in the flames. Some men may be “big” sinners, and some men may be “little” sinners, but both men come short and are under the sentence of death. (to be continued...) 23
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SEPTEMBER 2014
Having a Common Vision and Long-term Goals for Marriage Dr. Thomas Kulanjiyil Dr. Thomas Kulanjiyil, PsyD; PhD. Currently he teaches Philosophy and Religious Studies at College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL. He is anexperienced family counselor, educator and researcher in culturally appropriate mental health care to the Indian American community. He is co-founder of Parivar International, a Christian family organization that serves South Asian immigrants. Dr. Kulanjiyil is a gifted song writer and a music composer as well.
Couples who share a common vision and long-term goals for their marriage, very early in their relationship, are likely to enjoy the many blessings that a good marriage can offer. Just as having a clear blueprint is absolutely essential to make a strong and firm structure, so also is having clearly identified vision and goals to have a stable and meaningful marriage. Some of the basic questions that can help couples articulate a lasting plan for their marriage could include, “What are some of our basic expectations in marriage?”, “Are our expectations realistic?”, “How do we to demonstrate to each other our mutual commitment to make our marriage work?”, “How are we to communicate our love and intimacy to each other?”, “How do we effectively handle our differences and conflicts?”, “Where do we want to lead our marriage five years from now, or ten years from now?”, “How many children do we want” , “What age gap do we want between our children?”, “How do we want to handle parenting responsibilities?”,“Do both of us expect to be employed full-time, or should one of us temporarily or permanently stay home to raise children?”, “What are our financial plans for the family?, “How do we plan and invest for our children's education?”, “What are our professional goals and aspirations, and how do we manage them?”, and “Do both of us have further educational plans, and how do we fund it? Couples should address these questions together as well as separately. As it can be expected, not all of
these questions are readily identified or thoroughly processed at the time of marriage, but undeniably it is necessary that these very important aspects of marriage are thoroughly thought through very early in marriage. Couples may not want to approach marriage with a “wait-and-see” or “as-it-comes” attitude. Such a lumbering view of marriage is too sloppy and silly. In due course, not having a thoughtful planning for your marriage can impair the quality of your marital relationship. Having a dream for you and your family, and staying committed to that grant vision, makes you take your marriage seriously, every single day. It is not too late to sit down with your spouse and to have a conversation on a long-term planning for your family. Having a reasoned plan and preparation, at least now, is better than not having any at all.
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Greatness “It ain't that great“ Bob Shank Bob Shank has been a successful business leader, the pastor of a large evangelical church, and is, today, the founder and leader of a ministry to Christian leaders called The Master’s Program. His primary emphasis is helping successful career professionals find and fulfill their Kingdom Calling. He has been married for 43 years to Cheri; their family includes two married adult daughters and five grandchildren, with a sixth coming soon by adoption, from South Africa.
In a world ruled by personal opinions – expressed on everything from YouTube to Yelp – it doesn't take much to order-up the headstone and doom someone/something to early death. Just let a loon with the leverage of social media express their opinion – well-founded, or embittered – in the right place, and vicious goes viral: ”It ain't that great“ can close a restaurant or short-run a movie. Be willing to be honest: in the 21st Century, no one settles for good anymore. Average deserves the death sentence by consumers who don't want to waste a dollar on anything short of 5-Star. If you only have one life to live… set your sights on great (even better when you can experience it with a Group On). Anything less-than-great doesn't deserve the oxygen it sucks to survive, or so it seems… Jim Collins has risen in the ranks of marketplace mavens through the last two decades. Built to Last put him on the radar, back in 1994; Good to Great put him over-the-top in 2001. His signature life message articulates what it takes to rise above the victor class and achieve Olympian status. Good is a four-letter-word, no longer worthy of note. To deem someone good is to condemn them to mediocrity: we've become a culture willing to settle for nothing short of great. Whoever sets out to be average? Answer: no one will ever cop to that charge! Since Collins raised the bar, God help the person who circulates at a class reunion without accounts of greatness to report. Gold may be the top medal in games, but it's just the starting point for a culture now consumed with Diamond Platinum status in their elite designations. Put the hidden camera in the management office where perfunctory performance reviews are executed. Any position above the lowest-ranks of the org chart will experience a predictable hour-with-the-boss. Reports of good performance will evoke a yawn; expectations of great achievement in the next reporting period will be clear before the meeting ends. 26
Last year's record performance is the baseline for the future, now that it's been accomplished once. Be great, or be gone… Collins has turned greatness into a consulting focus: there are ways for people and for teams to climb to the top if practiced religiously, over long periods. If you're serious about greatness, prove it. The debate rages in society: should kids get a trophy for just showing-up? There's no debate on that subject in the real world: trophies go to the winners, and the world-records in every field are never static. Today's great is tomorrow's good… and life – and its expectations – goes on. The race to greatness isn't recent. During a commute between venues – while Jesus was on tour – the 12 guys in his entourage got into a tongue tussle over pecking order:”They came to Capernaum. When he (Jesus) was in the house, he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?' But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. “(Mark 9:33-34) I've talked with Christian marketplace leaders, sprinting in their Monday-Friday marathons trying to achieve – and, sustain – greatness in their field, suggesting that greatness in the Kingdom is also worth pursuing. Frequently, I get a response indicting me for abandoning the grace-alone tonic that was brewed in the Reformation. Does salvation by grace alone (biblical truth) disallow the serious pursuit of greatness in God's enterprise? ”Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,”Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. “(Mark 9:35) Jesus didn't assail the pursuit: he just defined how it could be achieved. Cultural navigation says that the Great are served; Kingdom navigation says that the Great are serving. Professional is good; pro bono is great. Waiting for recognition – until the Great One appears – is the ultimate deferred compensation… (Courtesy: Taken from Bob Shank’s weekly Point of View email column) SEPTEMBER 2014