Letters
Letter From the Editor
Letter From the Editor
Welcome to the August issue of Morning Star. This is our
eleventh edition and all of us on the staff as well as our
readers offer our praise to God for His faithfulness in enabling
people from all over the world to receive this magazine.

So far, Morning Star has been read in the U.S., Canada, England,
Ireland, France, Norway, Finland, Israel, Saudi Arabia,
Cameroon, Chad, China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines,
Australia and New Zealand.

Not all these doors are still open however. We have lost some
contacts, so please continue in prayer for continued success in
distribution. If you know of believers in other countries and
would like to help in distribution, please contact us via our
Post Office box or one of our electronic mailing addresses.

This month we have "Bible Study" as a theme to our Feature area
as well as several of our regular columns. If you wish to make
a literary contribution, you can submit an article for one of
our regular columns or "tailor" one for one of our future
Feature area themes. Here is the lineup of themes for the five
issues beginning with Volume 2.1, our October edition.

Vol 2.1 (Oct) - 1990's EVANGELISM (Computers, faxes, film, radio
                etc.)

Vol 2.2 (Nov) - PASTORS AND MINISTERS (Testimonies and stories)

Vol 2.3 (Dec) - MISSIONS AND MISSIONARIES

Vol 2.4 (Jan) - MEN'S ISSUES

Vol 2.5 (Feb) - MESSIANIC STUDIES

I would add that if you support any missionaries, especially
those in other countries, you might want to contact them right
away and ask them to put together a story on their personal
experiences and mail it back to you as soon as possible. 
Feature stories should be between 1000 to 2500 words long. 
Though we prefer material to be sent in on computer disks,
neatly typed documents are acceptable.

Don't forget, we are always looking to hear from our readers and
publish your comments in our Letters section. Please write to
us!

In service to Jesus the Messiah,

Toby Trudel



MORNING STAR accepts literary contributions from believers
wherever they may live. It is our policy to publish testimonies
as they are originally submitted with minimal alteration of the
text. Opinions stated in these testimonies do not necessarily
reflect those of the MORNING STAR staff. The content of MORNING
STAR does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any
computer network.
Your Letters
Your Letters
"I am half done with the June Morning Star magazine. It is
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Pasadena, Texas


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Commentary
Commentary
In this month's column we present a guest editorial from one of
our readers, Mr. K. David Kragen of Bainbridge Island,
Washington.


I am writing in reference to the article entitled "GABLERS
DISCOVER AMAZING FACTUAL ERRORS IN SECULAR TEXTBOOKS," which
appeared in the Education column of the June 1992 Issue. 

Although I heard this information about textbook errors on
National Public Radio some months ago, it is good you included
it in Morning Star. Thank you. On the whole the article was
good, including the writer's analysis of the problems with
public school textbooks. (Keep in mind, though, that the burden
of guilt rests as much or more with the text book publishing
industry, which has been ripping off schools as well as the
public for years!) The last line of the article, however, was
especially unfortunate both in its sweeping over generalization
and in its tendency to mislead.

It reads: "When I contemplate all of this I thank God for
Christian schools where students are exposed to a complete
picture of truth - not a censored version of reality."

My concern is twofold. First, while some Christian schools may
be more academic, scholarly, and truth teaching than their
public school counterparts, by no means do all Christian schools
achieve the ideal of teaching "a complete picture of truth" or
"an uncensored version of reality." 

Many Christian schools present a sadly skewed version of
history, often countering the liberal bias found in public
schools with an equally biased right wing, conservative view. 
Where public schools tend to purposefully ignore all aspects of
religious reality, specifically Christian or Jewish history,
Christian schools too often do the same with other aspects of
history, e.g., on Central America, or the U.S. and Native
Americans, or the Vietnam War.

My second concern is that the article's concluding lines ignore,
neglect, and fail to acknowledge the too often thankless
dedication and perennial efforts of those Christian teachers who
choose to work and witness in public schools. And there are
many of them out there! (Of course, there are some good and
scholarly non Christian teachers bucking the secular biased
system as well.) We must never forget that there are Christian
teachers in the public schools who have learned how to work
within the system, who can skillfully weave into their often
state mandated curriculum the whole truth and picture of human
experience: historical, scientific, political, educational, AND
religious.

I would suggest Morning Star include an article on Christian
teachers in public schools, both the difficulties and the
successes of their work. But keep in mind that teachers can
only submit articles in the summer, because they are killing
themselves at their jobs throughout the school year!

May God continue to bless the work of Morning Star as it
ministers to people in the public marketplace of the electronic
world! Great work!

K. David Kragen
Staff List
Morning Star Staff List
Morning Star Staff :
MORNING STAR STAFF LIST

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

SENIOR EDITOR - Biblical Department
Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA

SENIOR EDITOR - Christian Life Department
Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA

SENIOR LITERARY EDITOR
Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA
Clark Stephens - Huntington Beach, CA
Dale Strand - Dublin, CA
J.C. Trudel - Naples Park, FL
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA

SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS and WINDOWS Editions
Steve Paulovich - Derry, NH

NETWORK DISTRIBUTION
AMERICA ONLINE Network:
Jerry White - Germantown, MD

COMPUSERVE Network:
Jorge Lopez - Lubbock, TX

GENIE Network:
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA

DELPHI Network:
Derrick Shipman - Greenville, SC

DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION - USA
Walter H. Bauer Jr. - Sugar Land, TX

MSDOOR PROGRAM DISTRIBUTION
Alan Graff - Wheelersburg, Ohio

INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel
Lars Storstrand - Minde, Norway
Peter Cunliffe - Noisiel, France
Roger J. Obe - Iloilo City, Philippines
Scott Walters - Punchbowl, NSW, Australia
David Faris - Yaounde, Cameroun

OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H.

Features
Studying God's Word
Studying God's Word by Ralph Rechnitz
Editors Note: The Morning Star staff endorses and recommends
thorough and complete studies of the ENTIRE scriptures, both old
and new testaments, since it is only as we apply God's whole
message to our lives, that we can live in accordance with His
perfect will. The following recommendations for study are not
meant to be substitutes for your COMPLETE study program. 
Rather, they are suggested enhancements that may be used as
extra, over-and-above adventures in the Word, as we "study to
show ourselves approved unto God".


STUDYING GOD'S WORD
By Ralph Rechnitz
Danville, California


BIBLE STUDY ... how often we as Christians look at it as
something we HAVE to do, instead of something we WANT to do
(such as a child brushing his teeth). As a result, it becomes a
dry, listless regimen we try to go through in order to "please"
God or live up to the church's standards for our devotional life.

The fact is that studying the Word of God can be one of the most
exciting things that happens in the course of your day. The
whole world wants God to speak to them and yet we have His
perfect will revealed to us in this book we call" the Bible". 
The mystery of the ages revealed! What's even more powerful
than that is the fact that God actually will and does speak to
us individually through His word. It's one thing to read the
written word ("logos" in Greek). But it's quite another thing
to hear the spoken word ("rhema") from God! This is the
phenomenon that happens when God takes His word, breathes life
into it, and makes it come alive on the inside of us concerning
a specific area of our life. 

God desires for us to receive this type of experience with Him,
but it can only happen through a consistent life spent seeking
Him through His Word. This should be our goal in reading the
scripture - hearing from God Himself, not just satisfying some
religious regimen.

Now that we have established our goal, how do we enter into a
consistent, daily time in the Word? I've used something that
was passed on to me which has helped tremendously.

Two very important books of the Bible are Psalms and Proverbs. 
The Psalms reveal to us the HEART of God and put us in the
posture of WORSHIP. The Proverbs reveal the MIND of God and
provide us with His WISDOM for practical application in our
daily living. As we line up with these two aspects of God's
character on a daily basis, it's very hard to step out of His
will for our lives. 

Now, to have a daily goal of reading, we first need a monthly
goal. There are 150 chapters in Psalms and 31 chapters in
Proverbs. Therefore, if we read five chapters of Psalms and one
chapter of Proverbs each day, we can read both books through on
a monthly basis. This means we will be getting a constant
feeding of the heart and mind of God on a daily and monthly
basis. Add to that one chapter each day from the Epistles
(God's love letters to the Church) and we have a very
well-rounded, consistent spiritual meal.

This program has helped me tremendously and I believe it will do
wonders for you as well. It is amazing how God can emphasize
different portions of the scripture every month and every day
and speak directly into the specific situations and areas of our
lives. 

The Word of God is one of the most important weapons of our
warfare. It is the sword of the spirit (See Ephesians 6:17). 
It is the only weapon which is not defensive, but OFFENSIVE
against the devices of the enemy. We need to read it, hear it,
speak it and LIVE it for a daily victorious life in Christ!
It Is Good
It Is Good by Dale Strand
IT IS GOOD
By Dale Strand 
Dublin, California

Advertising bombards us daily with products that claim they are
"good for us". And we've probably purchased some of those
products, based on our believing their claims. Whether it's
cars, medicine, vacation spots, savings institution deals or
many other products that even require labels warning that their
use can kill you, many people continue to believe that they are
indeed, "good for them".

The Bible is filled with directions from the heart of God that
tell us the truth about what is "good for us". Following are
just a few of them:

1.  IT IS A GOOD THING to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing
    praises unto Thy Name, O most High.  Psalm 92:1

2.  IT IS A GOOD THING that the heart be established with grace.
    Hebrews 13:9

3.  IT IS GOOD FOR ME to draw near to God.  Psalm 73:28

4.  IT IS GOOD (to) hope and quietly wait for the salvation of
    the Lord.  Lamentations 3:26

5.  IT IS GOOD (to) bear the yoke in (your) youth.  Lamentations
    3:27

6.  IT IS GOOD (to do nothing) whereby your brother stumbles or
    is offended or is made weak.  Romans 14:21

7.  IT IS GOOD to be zealously affected always in a good thing. 
    Galatians 4:18
True Colors
True Colors by Allan Jump
TRUE COLORS
By Allan Jump
Oakland, California

When the Apostle John went through the door that opened in
heaven, he saw sights and heard sounds that were so fantastic
and meaningful, human words could hardly be found to give
adequate description. The first sight John saw in Revelation
4:1-3, was God sitting on the throne of heaven. As John began
to describe what he saw, he did not begin with details of form
or dimension, but with colors. Both in the Old and New
Testaments, numbers and colors are not just arbitrary or one
dimensional, but have deep spiritual significance and teach
about God's nature and attributes.

Seeing this awe-inspiring sight must have left an indelible
impression on John and inspired him in the rest of his words in
the Revelation. The great composer, George Handel was once
asked what inspired him to write his famous oratorio, "The
Messiah". To the inquirer's amazement, Handel responded, "I saw
the heavens opened and God sitting on His Great White Throne." 
No wonder his work increases in popularity every year.

The first thing John saw was someone sitting on the throne who
had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. "Jasper", in
Biblical times, was the word for what we know as "Diamond"
today. The beauty of a diamond is not only its purity and
clarity, but its ability to refract light into many colors that
make up the essence of pure white light. Diamonds dazzle us
with a symphony of blazing colors. Inside of the Person of God,
all beauty and color resides. The brilliance of all of these
colors at their point of origin gives off radiance of pure,
original light. No wonder the Psalmist said, "God covers
Himself with light as a garment." (Ps 1104:2). John also
underscores the truth of light when he proclaimed, "God is
light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:15).

The second color John saw on the throne was the carnelian or the
red hue of the sarden stone. The color red symbolizes the
atoning blood of Jesus Christ which takes away sin. God's
provision for mankind to approach the Father of light is the
holy blood of Christ, which is upon each believer giving him the
benefits of sonship. In relating to our Father in heaven, He
has made us holy, not by our own efforts, but by the life-gift
of Christ. Paul said, "Since we have not been justified through
His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath
through Him." (Romans 5:9).

The third color John saw was emerald green, represented in a
rainbow encircling the throne. While the one sitting on the
throne looked like jasper (diamond) and carnelian (blood red),
the color green circled around the throne. Green is always
symbolic of mercy in the Bible, and so is the rainbow. Green is
also the easiest of colors to look at. No wonder we love to be
out in God's creation. He made green His primary color. The
emerald rainbow surrounding the throne suggests that God's
presence is surrounded by mercy. In Lamentations 3:22, Jeremiah
said, "It is because of the Lord's mercy that we are not
consumed; His compassion never fails." Paul wrote to Titus
and said, "Not because of righteous things we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us."

It is wonderful to know that just a simple but sincere cry for
mercy from the Lord is answered. The tax collector who cried
out, "Have mercy on me" went away justified from his prayer time
in contrast to the pharisee who boasted in his own religious
works. (Luke 18:9-14). God desires to have mercy on all. The
emerald rainbow is not hard to find. All we need to do is cry,
"God have mercy." When we see the green rainbow of God's mercy,
we then can appropriate the provisions of the red blood of
Christ and enter in to the pure essence of fellowship with our
God, the Father of Lights. John indeed described the nature of
God with three colors.
Victory
Victory by Rev. Sandy Mabee
VICTORY
By Rev. Sandy Mabee,
Trinity Church, Oakland, CA

"Victory" is a very common word in the Christian's vocabulary. 
We all desire and even struggle to possess it; but the truth is,
many Christians are lacking in both their understanding and
possession of "the victory".

To have a victory without a battle is incomprehensible to the
natural mind. Society's sense of victory is something that
follows or is a result of a challenge. In the sports world, the
victory comes after an intense competition. In the world of
education, victory comes after one masters a subject. In the
military, victory comes after a battle. But we, as God's
people, must understand that the spiritual principles of victory
are opposite to natural principles. In the natural realm,
victory comes after a battle, but in the spirit, victory comes
without a battle, because the Lord has already battled and
triumphed over every power of darkness. Therefore, this is why
the scriptures say, "for My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord". (Isaiah 55:8)

The word "victory" in the Bible, means salvation or deliverance.
Both salvation and deliverance are gifts that are received
through grace and not through works. Victory then is a "gift of
grace", or a "gift of deliverance".

Look at Exodus, chapter 33, where God is instructing Moses to
take the people and go to the land that He promised to give
Abraham. In verse 12, Moses reveals his distress. He is facing
the challenge of taking a rebellious group of people into a land
filled with "...ites", those enemies that would surely surround
and slaughter the people of God. But God did not respond to
Moses' fear with a strategic battle plan, nor with a promise to
send an army to fight on behalf of Moses. Instead, He said, "My
presence will go with you and I will give you rest".

The first key then, to having the victory and receiving
deliverance, is in acknowledging that God wants to fight your
battles. Scripture tells us in Ist Samuel 17:47, that "the
battle is the Lords". Psalm 24:8 says that, "He is mighty in
battle". So, we must be willing to submit the battle to Him and
resist the human tendency of temptation to take the matter into
our own hands and fight the battle ourselves. For if we should
fight and win, then we would also be tempted to take the glory
for ourselves. But, if we allow Him to fight and win our
battles, then we will give all the glory to Him. For the
scripture says, "to Him be all the glory".

The second key to having the victory, is being in His presence. 
We enter His presence when we begin to praise Him. The
scripture teaches us in Psalm 22:3, that "He inhabits the
praises of His people". This means that His presence will be
with us as we focus our attention on His greatness, His love and
mercy and His power to deliver. Consider 2nd Chronicles chapter
20, where Jehoshaphat and the Israelites were being threatened
by three enemy nations. Surely a "battle" was at hand. But
what did God say? He told them through the prophet that "the
battle is not yours, but God's ... take your position, stand
firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you" (verses
15-17). So Jehoshaphat, being of a spiritual mind, did the one
thing that made any spiritual sense: He positioned the praisers
on the front line of their army and commissioned them to praise
God for the splendor of His holiness and to proclaim to the
forces of evil, that God's mercy endures forever. God Himself
inhabited their praises. His presence was with them and no foe
could stand in His presence. God won the victory and the people
experienced a divine deliverance.

Today, we, as Christians, are still surrounded by enemies. We
are being attacked by the powers of darkness from every possible
angle and in every part of our lives. But the spiritual
principles of victory are the same today as they were for Moses
and Jehoshaphat. Submit the battle to the Lord and praise Him
for the victory. Our hope, rest, joy, and strength, come only
by being in His presence. Therefore, the wise Christian will
choose to have his mouth continually filled with the praises of
God. God will inhabit those praises, and there, in His
presence, will be fullness of joy. That joy will become your
strength. For this reason, praise and victory go hand in hand. 
Praise is ours for the giving and victory is ours for the
receiving. 

So, let us take the scriptures seriously. Let us begin to
develop our praise-life. It is a vital step toward walking in
victory every day.
What the Bible Says About People Skills
What the Bible Says About People Skills by Dale E. Strand
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT PEOPLE SKILLS
By Dale E. Strand
Dublin, California

Dozens of "How To" books fill the counters of the business
sections of book stores throughout America. And people
scrambling to "get ahead" flock to the stores, searching for the
right formula, the special "magic" to give them a jump on their
competitors, to keep them on the cutting edge as they claw their
way up the ladder of "success". 

Most of these books will touch on, if not spend a great deal of
time on relationships and people skills, for without them it is
unlikely that anyone can find the coveted favor they seek with
the "higher ups" in their organization.

What they don't mention, however, is that the Holy Bible has
more to say about keys to successful relationships than any
other book ever written. And, whether the authors know it or
not, their "insight" concerning relationships was covered a long
time ago by the One who knows more about human relationships
than anybody - the Master of relationships and life - The Lord
God Almighty. Here's what He says:

1.  Give a soft answer (Pro. 15:1)
2.  Be peaceable with everyone (Rom. 12:18)
3.  Avoid wrath (anger) (Jam. 1:20)
4.  Agree with your adversaries quickly (Mat. 5:25)
5.  Be kind, show love, put others first (Rom. 12:10)
6.  Be tenderhearted, forgiving (Eph. 4:32, Col. 3:13)
7.  Don't lie to anyone (Col. 3:9)
8.  Give instruction in righteousness (Heb. 3:13)
9.  Motivate toward excellence (Heb. 10:24)
10. Be honest with everyone (Rom. 12:17)
11. Don't be judgmental (Rom. 14:13)
12. Minister to others at their point of need (I Pet. 4:10)
13. Be subject to others and clothed with humility (I Pet. 5:5)
14. Be hospitable and without grudging (I Pet. 4:9)
15. Share others burdens (Gal. 6:2)
16. Walk in love (Eph. 5:2)
17. Admit your faults and pray one for another (Jas. 5:16)
18. Be patient and not proud (Ecc. 7:8, I Thes. 5:14)
19. Esteem others better than yourself (Phil. 2:3)
Reading the Bible Devotionally
Reading the Bible Devotionally by Larry Ballew
READING THE BIBLE DEVOTIONALLY
By Larry Ballew

Adapted from an article in PIONEER PASSAGES, a monthly
publication of First Baptist Church, San Francisco, California. 
Reprinted from the JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER.


Many Christians like to use a devotional guide for their regular
quiet time. before the Lord. While such books can be helpful
and uplifting, they can result in a somewhat superficial
devotional time. Really reading the Bible devotionally involves
more than the perfunctory reading of a given "verse of the day"
and its accompanying explanatory notes. Devotional Bible
reading ought to be an in-depth experience that will not only
bring us into closer fellowship with God, but draw us into His
mind and His purpose for our lives.

In analytical Bible study, we note the content and the context
of a particular passage and what it meant to the people of that
day. In devotional reading we must ask ourselves what the
passage means to us. Certain questions can help us apply a
passage of Scripture to our personal situation. The following
are some good questions to ask:

1. What does the passage say to me?
2. What stands out in my mind as I read it?
3. What does it teach me about God?
4. What does it teach me about myself?
5. How can I apply this to my life?

Perhaps an even more important concern is whether or not we meet
God as we read. To hear God's Word and feel His touch on our
hearts brings personal meaning and value to devotional Bible
reading.

In order to experience this personal impact we need to affirm
that God's Word is contemporaneous. In other words, we must
know that what the Bible authors wrote two, three or four
thousand years ago, is still true and is applicable to our lives
today.

When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, He might just as well
have been speaking to some Wall Street stockbrokers on their
lunch break, or a Grange meeting of midwestern wheat farmers, or
a group of university students sipping Cokes at the student
union. When He fed the 5,000, it might have been hamburgers and
fries instead of bread and fish.

All of Scripture is just as relevant today as it was when the
events first happened and were first recorded. The words given
by the Holy Spirit are alive and meaningful for each of us today.

The devotional style of reading God's Word is more difficult
than analytical Bible study because it requires us to be silent
and allow God to speak to us through the text. This does not
come easily or naturally. It requires working on a particular
text until God uses it to strike an inner chord that will
resonate throughout our being, bringing a changed character
along with an increased understanding of who God is and what He
desires from us.

This style of devotional reading is difficult because it can be
learned only through patient perseverance. Patience is the most
difficult part of all. God does not always speak loudly or
according to our schedule. In our fast-paced culture we expect
instant everything. We are seldom willing to wait for anything,
including the touch of God.

To benefit from devotional Bible reading, we must be willing to
read one passage of text again and again and wait for God to
speak to us. To benefit from this style of reading means laying
aside all of our pride, all our preconceived notions about a
text, and all our resistance to change our view of God and of
life. This is a difficult way to read the Bible because it
takes so much time. It requires more practice and diligence
than any other. But the rewards are incalculable. because to
feel the touch of God is to be changed forever.
Gehenna
Gehenna by Mark Robinson
GEHENNA
By Mark Robinson
Overland Park, Kansas

The topic of Hell is one that modern day Christians have come to
discuss less frequently, through no fault of their own. 
Teachings from the pulpit have reacted with timidity to
accusations of "hell fire and brimstone" messages. As a result
the shepherd is down playing the reality of Gehenna to his
sheep. The Worldwide Church of God is one such organization
which completely dismisses the reality of hell, calling it a
misinterpretation of scriptures.

Present day theologians typically down play the area and
teachings of Gehenna, more commonly and vernacularly known as,
"Hell." Recently there was an exception to this trend which
resulted in an enlightening and interesting exposition. The
topic of discussion went something like, "Why did God even
create Hell in the first place?"

The premise is one that appears to be rather solidly based and
went along the following lines; "Hell was initially created for
the punishment of Satan and his band of rebel angels. Hell is
intended to be the place of torment and punishment for Lucifer. 
People have heard of the 'Lake of Fire'. As people willingly
follow the temptation and leadership of the Prince of Darkness
rather than the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they choose to
bring upon themselves the same penalty for sin and the same
punishment as that which Satan will suffer."

Understand the logic behind God's creation of Hell by asking,
"For whom has hell or Gehenna been created?" Satan, fallen
angels - servants of Lucifer, and all souls who have denied the
atoning work of Christ on the cross.

To be sure, this area of God's love doesn't sound all that kind
or comfortable! It's not sugar coated and "peaches and cream"
nice. Then again, when a person freely chooses to follow Satan;
that is, lie, cheat, steal, murder, slander, covet, et cetera,
why should one rightly expect any better reward?

Our standard is the complete righteousness of God. Only through
Christ are we clean before Him. Simply put, isn't the denial
and rejection of Christ equally wrong and worthy of punishment? 
Remember that to deny Christ is to belittle His sacrificial
death. To deny God's plan for salvation is to defiantly place
ourselves in the position of a "god" who can provide for the
salvation of ones own soul. When Satan strove to become "like
the Most High" he committed the act of high treason which
erupted in a spiritual war which still rages! When someone
implies that Christ died in vain, he immediately plays into the
schemes of the evil one.

Think for a moment. When the Biblical teachings on Gehenna
present such a graphic idea of what awaits the unrepentant
heart, why under heavens' name would anyone deny the Lordship of
Jesus Christ? Why would anyone hesitate to accept the Good News
of Jesus Christ when a believer offers the plan of salvation? 
Fear of God is the beginning of righteousness, yet He does not
wish to intimidate us into submission. On the contrary He does
want our hearts to grow such that we call Him, "Abba, Father" -
our "daddy". 

The contemporary church does need to maintain its message of
Christ's love, His sacrifice on the cross for our sins, the
power which He instills into each believer. At the same time,
the contemporary church is guilty of negligence if it doesn't
also teach that there are consequences of sin and denial of
Christ.

God did not create Hell exclusively as a means of negative
reward. Far from it! Christianity is an abundant life-style,
full of so many positive blessings that we couldn't begin to
list them even if we tried. Growing into the joy of Christ -
the love of God is enough of a positive motivator in and of
itself! If a statistical analyst were to survey those who
genuinely accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one will find that
few babes in Christ are buying the divine "Fire Insurance"
policy. Salvation simply doesn't work that way. The Holy
Spirit doesn't call individuals unto Him through intimidation,
horror or abuse. People receiving the Gospel message of Jesus
Christ choose to be regenerated, cleansed, washed "white as
snow" and redeemed from the guilt of their sins.

However, let's not excuse the lack of instruction on the tenet
of 'Gehenna' and ignore it's actuality. Numerous preachers try
to smooth over the terror of hell by excusing it as a
"separation from God". This is a classically exaggerated
euphemism! This is also only half the truth! Gehenna - eternal
hell - as the Bible describes it is not only a separation from
God, but bondage to the punishment Satan has wrought for
himself. People who have studied the Word have seen the vivid
portrayal that has become generally known as "Fire and
Brimstone". There are other clues from passages that would seem
to indicate that only a Nuclear war would give us a "hint" of
what is involved with the pure, unadulterated, untamed fires of
hell - where the worm never dies.

Why else would He create the eternal place of torment? Christ
used the term "Gehenna", a reference to the Valley of Hinnom. 
This area was a border area of the city of Jerusalem used as the
public refuse pile. The citizenry would take their garbage
there and set it ablaze to sanitize the filth and control
disease. The population of the Jewish community regularly took
their garbage to the refuse pile - so often that these
sanitizing fires were constantly burning, always ablaze. Christ
was using terminology which gave the hearer the concept that
those who found themselves in Gehenna would be like that refuse
which was dumped among the garbage and set afire. He also gave
precise qualifications for avoiding such a fate - "No man comes
to the Father but by me." If the person doesn't go to the
Father, to whom does he go?

Understand that an attribute of God is that He is a "Just" God;
meaning that people are given a divinely fair chance to receive
the loving grace of God. People are not free from the
responsibility for their actions and "free will" decisions. 
Every individual is fully accountable for the condition of his
or her soul. This means that when a persons soul is required of
him, he needs to be prepared to face the fruition of his ways. 
He will either be covered by the blood of Christ or he won't be.

God has given His creation a completely free and independent
will - a free choice to either accept or reject the atoning work
of the Messiah. Suppose the omnipotent Creator made the
decision for people to arbitrarily save us from the eternal
torment. Suppose that in His infinite wisdom He created
preprogrammed intelligent robots which would be eternally
submissive. Would this allow Him to receive a greater degree of
Glory and honor? If heaven were filled with souls who had no
choice except to follow Him, where is the victory? Does God not
bring to Himself greater glory and honor by receiving the free
will adoration and praise of those who believe?

Nobody can honestly offer Christ only as the one true "fire
insurance" policy. The fact is that the Lord is constantly and
always at ones side; helping, consoling, comforting,
encouraging, guiding and loving His children. This is the fact
of life from day one of becoming a Christian. It isn't always
easy, but one can be eternally secure in the firm knowledge of
salvation and life with God!

God has given us the ability and freedom to accept or deny. The
denial results in death and suffering. The reward is even now
being prepared for those who believe - a mansion in heaven, a
dwelling place in His presence! Heaven is easily accessible
through Christ Jesus. It's readily accessible and can be
attained today by calling upon Christ as your personal savior.
Do We Believe...
Do We Believe... by Ray Reed
DO WE BELIEVE in the Holy Scriptures - OR DON'T WE?
By Ray Reed
Beaumont, Texas


II Timothy 3:14-17:

"But as for YOU, continue in the things which you have learned
and been assured of, knowing from Whom you have learned them,
and that from childhood you have known the HOLY SCRIPTURES,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus. ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION
OF GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of
God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

In this passage, Paul the apostle boldly and without apology
affirms that ALL Scripture IS of God. The Scriptures that he
was speaking of were, of course, those written before his time -
namely the books of the prophets and the writings of Moses. 
These writings were some one and two thousand years old when he
wrote the above confirmation; yet he spoke of these writings in
the PRESENT TENSE, implying that they were still inspired by God
and still profitable for learning. Not only were they inspired
at the time of their writing, but they were STILL inspired and
STILL profitable two thousand years later.

This same principle applies today. God not only inspired men to
write His word, but He also inspired men to preserve His word. 
The writers of God's word are generally called "prophets," and
the preservers of His word are usually called "scribes ". The
Lord Jesus told the generation of His time that He would send
scribes to the world after His incarnation:

Matthew 23:34:

"Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and SCRIBES:
some of them you WILL kill and crucify, and some of them you
WILL scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city
..."

And indeed, so He has done until now - He has sent to us scribes
and others - the result being the Holy Scriptures that we have
today. We have beyond a doubt the most accessible and the most
accurate compilation of Scriptures ever in the history of the
world - this compilation is called the "Holy Bible". We have
more concordances, harmonies, dictionaries, etc., for the
Scriptures than ever before; the Lord Jesus has indeed been
true to His word.

Read very carefully the following reference, and notice that the
apostle Peter defends his own written testimony, which today is
also called Scripture:

2nd Peter 1:16-21:

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made
known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but
were EYEWITNESSES of His majesty. For He received from God the
Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the
Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.' And we heard this voice which came from heaven when
we were with Him on the holy mountain. We also have the
PROPHETIC WORD made more sure, which you DO WELL TO HEED as a
light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that NO
PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION, FOR
PROPHECY NEVER CAME BY THE WILL OF MAN, BUT HOLY MEN OF GOD
SPOKE AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT."

Notice that Peter uses the term, "prophecy of Scripture". This
is very appropriate, considering that all Scripture IS inspired
by God, and did not originate from man, and is therefore
"prophetic" in nature.

In the following, the prophet Isaiah also upholds the Holy
Scriptures, and proclaims that all things in the world are
temporal, but the word of God will be around forever:

Isaiah 40:8:

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the WORD OF OUR GOD
stands FOREVER."

In the next reference the psalmist affirms the importance of the
word of God by comparing it to a light for our path in the
darkness that confronts us. How lost we would be without this
light - yet God has provided:

Psalm 119:105:

"Your WORD is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

In this next passage from the book of Isaiah, God states that
His favor is extended toward those who greatly respect the word
of God, which seems to imply that His favor is not shown toward
those who do not fear His word:

Isaiah 66:2b:

"But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a
contrite spirit, and who TREMBLES AT MY WORD."

But just how much of the Scriptures should we believe? Can we
pick and choose portions to believe or must we believe all of
them? This is of course a leading question, because the
Scriptures themselves teach that "all Scripture is inspired by
God," not just the parts we like. (See the first reference
given in this study.)

In this next reference from the book of Exodus, God had just
begun giving the children of Israel the "bread from heaven,"
also called "manna". Remember that these things are symbolic:
the manna is representative of the word of God that He has given
us today. Notice that the children of Israel were instructed to
eat ALL of the manna that was given to them; they were not to
leave any of it for "another day ":

Exodus 16:14-20:

"And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the
wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on
the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to
one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. 
And Moses said to them, 'THIS IS THE BREAD WHICH THE LORD HAS
GIVEN YOU TO EAT'. This is the thing which the Lord has
commanded: "Let every man gather it according to each one's
need, one omer for each person, according to the number of
persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent." 
And the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some
less. So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much
had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every
man had gathered according to each one's need. And Moses said,
'LET NO ONE LEAVE ANY OF IT TILL MORNING.' Notwithstanding they
did not heed Moses. But some of them LEFT PART OF IT UNTIL
MORNING, and it BRED WORMS AND STANK. And Moses was angry with
them."

Notice what happened to the manna that was not eaten: it bred
worms and STANK. How could God's heavenly bread ever breed
worms and stink ? This happens only when we pick and choose
parts of the Holy Scriptures to believe in, and leave other
parts for "some other day ".

Again, God says through His servant Moses that our spiritual
nourishment comes from "eating" ALL of God's word:

Deuteronomy 8:3b:

"... that He might make you know that man shall NOT live by
bread alone; but man lives by EVERY WORD that proceeds from the
mouth of the Lord."

In this next passage, God commands that we should not tamper
with His holy word; how serious a matter it is: when we speak
God's word and teach God's word - that we should not leave parts
of His word for "another day":

Deuteronomy 4:2:

"You shall not ADD TO the word which I command you, nor TAKE
ANYTHING FROM IT, that you may KEEP the commandments of the Lord
your God which I command you."

Thousands of years later God once again reissues this same
command and reiterates the grave consequences of tampering with
the word of God:

Revelation 22:18-19:

"For I testify to everyone who hears the WORDS OF THE PROPHECY
of this book: If anyone ADDS to these things, God will add to
him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone
TAKES AWAY from the WORDS OF THE BOOK OF THIS PROPHECY, God
shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy
city, and from the things which are WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK."

God's word is truly holy and is firmly established - it will
endure forever - ALL OF IT.

Paul the apostle also shows the importance of "eating" ALL of
God's word in his next statement from the book of Acts:

Acts 20:26-27:

"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the
blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the
WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD."

Had Paul not spoken the "whole counsel of God" as he testifies
here - had he instead spoken "easier words" to the people, would
he not have been guilty of a great injustice?

But "what if" we just can't believe ALL of God's word ? Surely
He will excuse us - right? The following references bear
consideration when pondering that question:

Proverbs 13:13:

"He who DESPISES the WORD will be DESTROYED, but he who FEARS
the COMMANDMENT will be REWARDED."

Notice in this last reference from Proverbs that those who
greatly respect God's word will be REWARDED. This reward is to
be greatly desired rather than the consequences of despising
God's word.

The same idea of punishment and reward concerning God's word is
expressed by the Lord Jesus in the following two passages:

Mark 8:38:

"For whoever is ASHAMED of Me and My WORDS in this adulterous
and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be
ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy
angels."

John 5:24:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who HEARS MY WORD and believes
in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment, but has passed from death into life."

Once again, in the next passage, the same principle of reward
and punishment is expressed by our Lord, in relation to whether
or not we believe or "keep" God's word:

John 14:23-24:

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves me, HE WILL
KEEP MY WORD; and My Father will love him, and We will come to
him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does
not keep My WORDS; and the WORD which you hear is not mine
but the Father's who sent Me.'"

The Scriptures are full of examples of God's people who did not
keep God's word. The resulting punishment was inescapable:

Ist Chronicles 10:13a:

"So Saul DIED for his unfaithfulness which he had committed
against the Lord, because he DID NOT KEEP the WORD OF THE LORD
..."

In this next example the whole nation of Israel had departed
from God's word - yes, the WHOLE nation of Israel; God's
punishment had already begun and more was looming.

King Josiah, a godly king, had ordered the priests to clean and
repair the temple of the Lord which had been forsaken. In the
process of this restoration, a BOOK WAS FOUND. This book was
the Holy Scriptures. The "book" had been lost and forgotten by
Israel for many years - imagine what our lives would be like
today without the Scriptures!

2nd Chronicles 34:21:

"Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for those who are left in
Israel and Judah, concerning the WORDS OF THE BOOK that is
found; for GREAT IS THE WRATH of the Lord that is poured out on
us, because our fathers HAVE NOT KEPT THE WORD OF THE LORD, to
do according to ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK."

King Josiah was a godly king, and afterwards he returned Israel
to obedience and faith in God's word; then God's favor was once
again restored to His people.

Will we be any different if we reject God's word? Will not
God's punishment descend upon us if we refuse to "eat" ALL of
the word that He has given to us?

Rejection of God's word is not always "bold-faced," but
sometimes is done by ignoring parts of God's word. By leaving
out part "for another day" we become guilty of that same
rejection.

We also sometimes cleverly change the meaning of God's word in
order to suit us, as the apostle Peter acknowledges here:

2nd Peter 3:15b-16:

"... as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom
given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard
to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable TWIST
to their own destruction, as they do also the REST of the
Scriptures."

But why would anyone want to twist or ignore parts of God's
word? The answer can be found in a discourse that our Lord took
up against the Pharisees of that day. It seems that some people
hold some things in higher esteem than the word of God - namely
their tradition:

Mark 7:8-9:

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition
of men - the washing of pitchers and cups, and MANY OTHER SUCH
THINGS YOU DO. And He said to them, 'All too well you REJECT
THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that you may keep YOUR TRADITION.'"

Have not our fathers done the same? Has not the church of
tradition rejected God's holy word?

Thank God that He has shown mercy toward His people and has not
completely destroyed us. For He has promised in His word to do
a "work" among us once again, just like He did in the days of
old, even though our "fathers" have rejected His word:

Isaiah 29:13-14:

"Therefore the Lord said: 'Inasmuch as these people draw near to
Me with their MOUTHS and honor Me with their LIPS, but have
removed their HEARTS far from Me, and their fear toward Me is
taught by the COMMANDMENT OF MEN, 'therefore, behold, I will
AGAIN do a MARVELOUS WORK AMONG THIS PEOPLE, A MARVELOUS WORK
AND A WONDER; for the wisdom of their wise men shall PERISH,
and the understanding of their prudent men shall be HIDDEN.'"

Indeed, even now, His people are returning to Him in truth and
sincerity, performing and believing His word. What a lifeline
His word is! How lost we would be without it - but He has
remembered us, and has not left us without our spiritual
sustenance - the HOLY SCRIPTURES!

Ray Reed
David's Mighty Men, Inc.
PO Box 5093
Beaumont, TX 77726
409-755-3015

Biblical Department
New In Christ
New In Christ
"New in Christ" is a regular MORNING STAR column written
primarily for people who wish to learn more about the basic
teachings of Biblical Christianity. The editorial staff at
MORNING STAR encourages all readers to freely use this
information to help new Christians grow in their walk with the
Lord.


GONE TO SEED
By Rick Booye
Eagle Point, Oregon

Seeds are interesting. They're pretty much everywhere, too. I
got one stuck in my tooth the other day. And several more in my
shoe. They congregate under the wiper blades of my car, of all
places. Our cats and dog need to be de-seeded regularly in the
spring and summer, as do my socks when I am foolish enough not
to wear boots into the field outside our house. Some seeds fall
from the trees around our place and cover the ground so
thoroughly that walking is like roller skating. Others flutter
down like tiny, quiet helicopters invading the yard. Big trees
can sometimes produce big seeds, or at least big packages for
their small seeds. When I was a boy we used to throw pine cone
grenades into each other's bunkers. I never knew they were part
of the plan of regeneration for the world of trees. We used to
sit, barefoot on the curb at our uncle's ranch and spit little
black ones out into the vineyard as far as we could. A gaggle
of skinny little brown kids having summer fun and spreading
watermelon life into the grape kingdom.

Every living thing springs from and produces a seed of some
sort. All plants and animals were once seeds (animal seeds are
often called sperm or eggs, but they do the same thing). And
even though the process of fertilization and reproduction may
vary from species to species, the created order lives by the
perpetual passing along of life inherited from previous
generations. Nothing creates itself. If a thing has life, it
must have gotten it somewhere else, from parents. It must have
begun as a lowly seed. This all started in a beautiful garden,
long, long ago, a garden with all the first seeds, a place where
there was life on loan from the only One who needed no seed
because He always was alive - and always will be.

It should come as no surprise, then, that His Book uses the
metaphor of seed in a rich variety of ways. "Abraham's seed"
refers variously to the Jews (John 8:37); to the Messiah (Gal.
3:16); and to those who, like Abraham of old, would put real
faith in the Lord of the universe, giving their lives to His Son
and inheriting the new covenant (Gal. 3:26-29). The passing
along of spiritual life and faith is like the planting of seeds.
The resulting harvest of souls brings joy to the heart of the
Gardener.

The gospel is said to be like seed (Matt. 13:18-23). It gets
sown into the soil of humanity's fallenness and begets eternal
life. That life in turn bears fruit which, if you think about
it, is just another word for more seed. We who have been born
of the Spirit are described as being "begotten" by the
imperishable seed of the word of God - the preaching of Christ
(I Pet. 1:23).

Jesus called Himself a seed. Did you know that? It's in John's
gospel, the twelfth chapter, verses 23-27. 

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell
you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the
man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my
servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves
me."

He uttered these famous words the day after the "triumphal
entry" into Jerusalem, just a few days before he was crucified.
The falling and dying He refers to is, of course, His own death
and burial, followed by the springing forth of resurrection
life, poured out richly upon anyone who puts vital faith in Him
(Titus 3:4-7). By giving His life, He becomes the Life Giver. 

He seems also to be making the point that we are in some small
way seeds ourselves. I think that's what He's getting at when
he refers to hating (ignoring) this life in favor of the next
one. He wants us to see that the value in being a seed is found
in it's sowing and resultant multiplication, rather than in
preserving its "seedness". The real glory of human life is
discovered in losing it to Him, being sown for His kingdom. 	An
unsown seed is really a useless item when you consider it. I
mean, what does it do? Nothing, except sit around with other
unsown seeds in some bag or packet. True, it would have lots of
company, but where's the purpose?

What if a bunch of kernels decided it was really much better to
be seeds than to grow into fruit-bearing plants. What if they
developed a well articulated kernel-philosophy that stated the
glories of seediness, and then taught it to all the other seeds
they could find. It might sell real well. Gradually the idea
would develop that just being a seed was a special sort of
calling after all, and that seeds in their unsprouted beauty
should be left to glory in their original form. This would
appeal to seeds of all shapes and sizes. Away with the agony of
brokenness and cultivation and loss of the seed's identity! Up
with seeds! In their neat, sterile little homes, seeds would
have pictures of - seeds! See how handsome that one is and how
famous this other is. The ultimate goal would be to achieve
bigger and better seedhood. "Golden Kernel" awards could be
given to the most outstanding nuts. 	

In such a world the sight of a sprouted seed would be revolting.
"Well, just look at her." they would say, "She's all broken and
split and really half the seed she used to be. And the soil all
around her! Why, it's just disgusting. And look at him. He
had such seed-potential, too. What a shame he had to get
planted. He could have been the master of his fate, the captain
of his ship. What a wonderful kernel he would have made. Now
he'll have to settle for obscurity being a tree. Too bad."

But don't try telling the young tree that. Seeds and trees
think differently about a lot of things. Trees like growing
stronger in ways seeds will never understand. Seeds tend to
wonder what they're here for. Trees know. Seeds cling to the
little, short, dry life they have. Trees lose themselves in the
rooted fruitfulness of a greater life than they could have
imagined. Seeds try desperately to squeeze a tiny drop of the
water of life out of this existence. Trees evaporate enough
water to cultivate the earth. Seeds are forever fearful of
losing their seediness. Trees have left the husk behind in
favor of the life for which they were created.

Yeah, too bad about those sprouted seeds ...

Other references are: Phil. 3:7-8; 13-15; 20-21; John. 15:8.

Blessings to you! 
Pastor Rick Booye
Trail Christian Fellowship
18881 Highway 62
Eagle Point, OR 97524
Bible Study
Bible Study - Get a Job
This issue features a study of 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3. 
This is the third part of a three-part series. Future studies
will include Psalms, and books from both the Old and New
Covenants.


GET A JOB
2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3

About fifteen plus years ago, my wife and I were involved with a
church in San Francisco, California. This church was one of the
first to become involved in the small group movement. We
participated in what were called growth groups, modeled after
the pattern developed by "Churches Alive," a ministry dedicated
to starting small groups in local churches.

We had already been involved in an eighteen-month pilot program,
meeting every week, and using Navigator materials. This program
included the Topical Memory Course as well as training in
evangelistic outreach. That first group had been very easy to
lead. It included people who would be leading other groups, as
well as the pastor.

The second time we went through the program, it was with a new
group. These people were a lot more interesting, but also more
of a challenge. I remember one woman in her late thirties. She
decided that it was time for her to get married. One week she
asked if we would pray for a husband for her. The next week she
panicked, feeling that she was too set in her ways. But it was
already too late, for the Lord sent a man into her life during
that one week, and later that year they were married.

There is another individual who came to mind as I was looking
over the passage for this article. He was a young single who
lived by receiving "crazy" money from the state. Knowing him,
the group assumed that when the money had been authorized, he
probably deserved it. Although he was strange, there was no
question that he was capable of taking care of himself.

For several weeks, the group prayed for him. The members kept
reminding him of his responsibility as a believer. He needed to
become a reputable member of society. Without pulling any
punches we told him: "Get a Job." And interestingly enough, he
listened too well; for he went out and got two jobs. Pretty
soon he barely had enough time for the Lord. Anyway, our big
concern for him was that he would understand the following: as
Christians, we are to be responsible members of our community.

This is part of the concern Paul expressed to the Thessalonians
in the last part of this letter. The details of the first two
chapters of 2 Thessalonians are found in Morning Star, Issues 9
& 10.

In chapter 3, Paul encourages the Thessalonians to get back on
track. The important issue wasn't prophetic, though prophecy is
important. The true focus must be on spreading the message of
salvation. And so, Paul requests them to pray that the work
wouldn't be hindered. He desires the rapid expansion of the
ministry of the word and that it will be well received.

Thus Paul completes his main argument. Next, he moves on to a
secondary concern. This had arisen out of the Thessalonians'
fears regarding the Day of the Lord. Paul teaches that the walk
of faith can't be grounded in the latest theological fad. 
Finally, the passage demonstrates that being a responsible
member of society is a major part of effective Christian witness.

Beyond these concerns, Paul also desires prayer for protection
from those wicked men who interfere with his work. It is
generally accepted that Paul is referring here to those Jews
back in Corinth who had tried to stop him. "While Gallio was
proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and
brought him into court" (Acts 18:12ff).

But, although men are unfaithful, God isn't. Paul may have not
only been encouraging the believers, but himself as well. It
wouldn't be surprising if he, as we have too, said one time or
another, "This would be a great world if it weren't for people."

As Paul asks for prayer, he once again is reminded just how much
the Lord had been doing among the Thessalonians. While his
confidence couldn't be grounded on people, it certainly could be
in God. Paul had no doubt that the Lord would continue to work
with these believers helping them grow and be obedient to God's
Word. So he prayed that they would be led by the Lord, and that
they would continue to have the necessary perseverance.

On the other hand, Paul has to bring up one more concern about
something going on in the church. Now you might ask, "What does
this warning against idleness have to do with what has been
already stated?" Paul had previously expressed concern because
the Thessalonians thought the Day of the Lord had arrived. 
Apparently, there was another result of this misunderstanding. 

Some Thessalonians, believing the Day of the Lord had already
arrived, felt they didn't have time or possibly need to earn a
living. Other believers, although on the right track, were
excessively focused on the urgency of getting out the gospel. 
As a result, they believed they must be about the Lord's
business constantly, even neglecting their responsibility to
earn money. 

Paul implies there was a lack of sincerity beyond this behavior.
The real problem is laziness not spirituality. As the saying
goes, "So heavenly bound that they're no earthly good." The
appearance of spirituality may have been simply a cover-up for
excusing irresponsible behavior.

This view is reinforced by Paul telling the responsible
Thessalonians to stay away from the idle ones. The primary
reason for this was because of their direct disobedience of
Paul's teachings. This meant that discipline had to be
exercised and the miscreants cut off.

Paul uses himself as the example of how they should choose to
live. As a minister of the gospel, he was entitled to be
supported by the believers. But he had chosen not to exercise
this right. Instead, he had paid his own way. He wanted to
emphasize the principle that believers were not to be a burden
on either the church or society at large. Paul worked as a tent
maker in addition to his ministry. He did this so he wouldn't
burden the believers. (Acts 18:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:9) 
Remember that these people were suffering persecution, and so
probably struggling to even be able to support themselves.

The other problem with this highly spiritual group, busy with
the Lord's work instead of their own, was that they were also
busy with everybody else's business. They were the
troublemakers in the body. And if Paul was your grandmother
he'd have told them, "Idle hands are the Devil's tools. Hey
guys, settle down and get a job."

In conclusion, Paul reinforces the point that his call to
discipline this type of behavior isn't just because of some
irritating members of the body. This was a problem of sin
resulting in the need for discipline and cutting off the
individual from the body. (Remember that discipline has a two-
fold purpose: restoration of the sinner, and protection of the
body.) Paul reiterates this so there would be no question as to
how serious he considers this kind of behavior. It reflects
negatively on the individual, the body, and ultimately the Lord
Himself.

And so Paul closes the letter with a reminder that the Lord is
the one who is the source of their peace, and reminding them
that He would always be with them.

Finally, a correct understanding of Scripture doesn't always
translate into proper behavior. The Thessalonians understood
quite correctly that the Lord could return at any time. This
led to a misunderstanding of the tribulation in which they found
themselves, causing them a great deal of emotional stress. Paul
corrected this with his letter.

But there was a second group that apparently chose to take the
teaching of the return of Christ and its valid corollary of the
urgent need for giving out the gospel as an excuse for being
parasites on society. They said, in effect, that because the
Lord will return at any moment, we must give our time to
spiritual matters and not be concerned with day-to-day life.

This is nothing new, and the problem hasn't gone away. Yes, the
Lord can return at any moment. This is our hope and comfort. 
But, we are to continue living until He comes. Yes, the giving
of the gospel is urgent. This is not just because the Lord can
return momentarily and remove His church, so the world can enter
the Tribulation. It is also urgent because we have no idea how
much time we have as individuals to serve Him. Giving out the
message is urgent because we also have no idea how long the
recipient has to receive and act on it.

We must be balanced in handling Scripture, stressing those
truths vital to Salvation, and to the gospel, and then apply the
teachings for walk and work in a balanced manner. We know this
is true. Look at the churches around us. Some focus on only
teaching and are like the ivory tower, proud in knowledge and
dead in life. Some focus on experience only and have become
like the lab rat living for the drug rewarded for proper
behavior. They constantly strive to recapture the "warm
fuzzies" and are unequipped to live in the real world. There
are those that find the Devil in every engine block. And there
are those that are so concerned with prophecy and the big
picture, they take no notice of the desperate lives of those
right next to them. THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS A WALK OF BALANCE.

And this brings up Paul's last point. Christians must be a
benefit to the society around them. Now this doesn't mean you
will always be perceived that way, but nevertheless, you must
strive to be responsible. And that does mean paying your own
way and not living off your community.

But there are other ways that you can be active, to live as good
citizens and therefore bring honor to the name of the Lord. You
can be good employees when those around you are shirkers. You
are working for the Lord, not for your employer. You can be
industrious students out of a desire to please your Father in
heaven. 

Couples must strive to strengthen marriages, so the unbelievers
can see what it means to have the Lord as the focus of the
marriage relationship. The Christian marriage is not perfect,
but it can survive adversity and be a positive witness. And
believing parents can strive to be godly parents. As a result,
they can show that responsibility to the children isn't to
satisfy society, but to honor God.

Scripture teaches that the world will grow worse, and in fact it
is doing so. But this doesn't excuse believers from trying to
improve the lives of others. Jesus healed, fed and cast out
demons in the midst of a society that would soon kill Him. 
Believers must care for those in need, the homeless, the
excluded, the victims of society. The purpose for this is not
only to make their lives less painful, but also so they can
discover that the final answer to life isn't better
circumstances, but a better relationship with God.

Christians must be willing to take a stand for the pre-born, the
handicapped, the elderly, all those that are unable to stand for
themselves. Throughout Scripture, God expresses concern for
the oppressed and promises to judge the oppressor. Believers
must be responsible citizens and vote for those that hold moral
positions. There is no excuse for a Christian not voting. You
must be willing to speak out for those in need. You must be
willing to stand for that which is Biblical truth.

The most important trait we can do is to demonstrate the love of
the Lord. We do this by first loving Him, and next, by being
willing to love those around us. This means accepting people
for who they are. After all, we are saved because God loved us
while we were yet sinners.

This means we can love the homosexual, while hating
homosexuality. We can care for the AIDS victim, while hating
their lifestyle, which is their sin. We can try to stop the
murder of the pre-born, while loving the murderer. After all,
God loves the sinner and hates the sin. Jesus died for the
sinner. Jesus died for them as much as He died for us. Let us
be willing to love them. Let us be willing to risk telling the
lost of their need for full payment for their sins. Warn
sinners that they face an eternity of punishment, if they are
unwilling to accept the payment for that sin.

Let us stand up for the wrongs in society, because we want to
see God's will done here, as it is in Heaven. But let us do so
in the spirit of the loving God. God was wiling to lay down His
life, so the lost could be freed from their misery.

Let's offer the greatest gift ever given to anyone: forgiven
sins, and an eternity of peace and joy with our Lord. Let us
never forget to comfort one another with the hope of that
eternity and the imminent return of our Lord and Savior. "For
the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that,
we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we
will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other
with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
Special Studies
Special Studies - Symbols and Types
SYMBOLS AND TYPES, Part II

By Dr. Charles A. Wootten
Whole Counsel Ministries, Inc.
Matoaca, Virginia

The Bible is an account of God's relationship to man, a covenant
relationship. We find this from the day of creation to the
eternal relationship we can have with the Messiah. 

This is the seventh in a series of articles detailing the
individual covenants found within Scripture. This issue's
article is the second dealing with the subject of symbols and
types.

There are many symbols and types within Scripture. Some can be
interrupted dogmatically and others can't. We can interpret
types dogmatically when they are explained in Scripture. For
example, the serpent in the wilderness is a picture of Christ. 
We are told this in the New Testament. On the other hand,
Joseph can be taken as a picture of Christ because much of his
life fulfill the pattern of Christ's life. But we can't be
dogmatic in our understanding because nowhere in Scripture are
we told that Joseph is a type of Christ. Keeping this
distinction in mind we present the following.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Now we shall look at types. As previously noted, a type is a
prophetic representation, i.e., one thing foreshadowing another.
We shall glance at the same categories as the symbols. However,
this listing will be alphabetical thus crossing some categories. 

Abel is a type of shepherd-martyr. "Adam lay with his wife
Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said,
"With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." Later
she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and
Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of
the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel
brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain
and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very
angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain,
"Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is
right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is
right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you,
but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel,
"Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field,
Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. " (Genesis
4:1-8). See also Hebrews 12:24.

Abraham is a type of Everlasting Father with his name change
from "Exalted Father" to "Father of a Multitude." (Genesis
17:1-5). Also see Isaiah 9:6-9. 

Abraham and Sarah together typify God and Israel. "Return,
faithless people, declares the LORD, for I am your husband. I
will choose you--one from a town and two from a clan--and bring
you to Zion." (Jeremiah 3:14). "Later I passed by, and when I
looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I
spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your
nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant
with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine." 
(Ezekiel 16:8). 

In the same way, Adam and Eve typify Christ and the Church. "And
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling
of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his
people, and God himself will be with them and be their God." 
(Revelation 21:3). Also see Eph 5:23-31. 

In this context the guidelines that God gave are for the family
IN THE LORD, and are not necessarily expected to work outside
the believing home. 

The Angel of the Lord is the second Person of the Trinity in the
capacity of God's messenger (Judges 13:15-22). At times this
messenger is described as the Lord Himself (Judges 6:11-18;
Exodus 3:2- 6), whereas at other times as one sent from God.

The blood on door posts and lintels typify the faith application
of redemption. "By faith he kept the Passover and the
sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn
would not touch the firstborn of Israel." (Hebrews 11:28). Also
see Exodus 12:12-13. 

The developed significance of the role of the blood points
toward the blood of Christ and its application for our
redemption, justification, and sanctification. "How much more,
then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from
acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" 
(Hebrews 9:14 ).

The bruising of the head is Satan's head crushed. "The God of
peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our
Lord Jesus be with you." (Romans 16:20). 

The type of the bruising of the heel is Christ crucified. "Yet
it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and
though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his
offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will
prosper in his hand." (Isaiah 53:10).

Our victory is a continuation of Christ's victory when He
bruised the head of the serpent at Calvary. In the Greek, crush
(verse 20) "suntribo" points to present victories over the
powers of darkness as well as to the ultimate destruction of
Satan's kingdom at the Second Coming of Christ.

The consecration of priests with water, blood, and oil is a type
of consecration of believers by water, blood, and Spirit. 
"...the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in
agreement." (I John 5:8). This is in keeping with the Law that
demanded the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy
19:15; John 8:17,18).

The Exodus from Egypt typifies the departure from sin's bondage.
"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers,
that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all
passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and
drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the
spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their
bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things
occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil
things as they did." (I Corinthians 10:1-6). 

Christian liberty has its limits. History illustrates the danger
of self-indulgence. Israel had redemptive experiences that
parallel water baptism and eating and drinking the Lord's Supper
(1 Corinthians 10:5-10). These same lessons apply today (vv.
11-13). This and related texts give full and strong warrant for
the New Testament's believer's study of Old Testament passages,
to draw lessons from assertions and analogies.

Jacob typifies the anointed of Bethel (Genesis 28:17-22; II
Corinthians 1:21-22) while Joseph typifies the rejected beloved
Son (Genesis 37; Acts 7:8-13). 

Judah is the sceptered one, the ruler, the king who conquers
through his praises. "The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to
whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." 
(Genesis 49:10) "Then some Levites from the Kohathites and
Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with
very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert
of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen
to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD
your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and
you will be successful." After consulting the people,
Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him
for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of
the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures
forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set
ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who
were invading Judah, and they were defeated." (II Chronicles
20:19-22). 

II Chronicles 5:13 demonstrates the power of unity in praise,
thanksgiving, and music when the sole attention is on God
Himself. Here (vv. 19-22) is an excellent example of overcoming
the enemy using the weapons of our warfare.

The leper typifies the sinner See Leviticus 13:14. When he was
come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
"When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed
him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said,
"Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus
reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he
said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy." Then
Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show
yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a
testimony to them." " (Matthew 8:1-4). Jesus touched the
leper, exhibiting authority over both disease and the Law, which
prohibited such physical contact with a leper. He then
instructed the leper to show himself to the priest, balancing
His authority over the Law with His commitment to it.

Levi typifies the believer priest. See Deuteronomy 33:8-11 and
Revelation 1:6. "And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to
take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe
and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a
kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the
earth." (Revelation 5:9-10). See the Pentateuch to
understand how one should behave as a priest unto God. 

The gathering of manna is a type of feeding on the bread of life
(Exodus 16; John 6). 

Melchisidek is a type of Priest-King (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews
7:1-7). 

Moses is the type of lawgiver/prophet "I will raise up for them
a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my
words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command
him." (Deuteronomy 18:18). And, "For Moses said, 'The Lord
your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your
own people; you must listen to everything he tells you." (Acts
3:22).

The Red Sea crossing, (Exodus 13:14), is separation from the
world by water baptism. "For I do not want you to be ignorant of
the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the
cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea." (1
Corinthians 10:1-2). The waters of separation typify the washing
of water by the Word. 

This list of symbols and types are by no means complete. Many
symbols and types that were omitted reveal the Messiah, our Lord
Jesus Christ. This issue will be addressed further on in this
study.

Not only is God revealed through shadows and types, but, as we
have already seen, through His Names. During the Mosaic period
there were at least two other Names of God revealed in various
situations. One was JEHOVAH-NISSI and the other JEHOVAH-ROPHEKA.

JEHOVHAH-NISSI means The Lord Is Our Banner. This Name reveals
personal leadership by God. This Name Moses gave to the God who
led them through a tremendous battle with the Amalekites by
Israel under Joshua at Rephidim (Exodus 17:15; Joshua 5:13,14;
Psalm 20:7). God is show here as the Lord who leads us against
the enemy and in whose Name we are more than conquerors (Romans
8:37). This is also the alternate meaning of the Name in that
"the Lord is my sign of conquest." This Name is used to declare
that God will always fight to conquer the enemies of His people.
God has taught us that when personal problems arise that,
instead of being overwhelmed by them, we can call upon Him who
will raise His standard. The odds will be defeated. 

JEHOVAH-ROPHEKA is the Lord that heals, or the Lord our healer.
This Name reveals personal preservation. The word means to mend
as a garment is mended, to repair as a building is constructed,
and to cure as a diseased person is restored to health. All
healing, both direct and indirect, is from God. He is our saving
health. God revealed His Name to His people in the promise of
health in exchange for obedience to His commandments (Exodus
15:26). God has declared the conditions for His blessings. All
that is necessary to receive them is complete obedience to Him. 

In our next discussion we shall look at the Palestinian
Covenant. The first generation of the Israelites failed to see
the Promised Land and died without entering covenant rest. This
series on Old Testament revelations of God will be complete in a
few issues. We shall then focus on the Revelation of God in the
New Testament. 


Much of this two-part study of symbols and types came from the
book, "Interpreting the Symbols and Types," by Kevin J. Conner,
Bible Temple Publications, 7545 N.E. Glisan Street, Portland,
Oregon, 97213-6395.
Messianic Studies
Messianic Studies: Jesus, the Rabbi - Was He Orthodox ?
The Messianic Studies column explores the world of the Messianic
Believer. Like the church at large, Messianic Judaism contains
much diversity. It is made up of numerous views as to what it
means to be a Messianic Jew, who we are, what we call ourselves
and what we believe. This column will be used to explore this
variety, giving the reader a broader perspective of Messianic
Judaism than found elsewhere, exposing those of us who are
Messianic Believers to the wide spectrum of practice found
within the movement. Hopefully we will succeed in helping our
Jewish brothers and sisters to understand why we follow Yeshua
as our savior.

We also hope that what is provided here will give our gentile
readers both a better understanding of their Jewish brothers and
sisters in Christ, as well as the Jewish roots of their own
faith.

In this month's column, we conclude our 3-part series, "Jesus
the Rabbi - Was He Orthodox?". This is a transcript of an
address by David Bivin given at the Christian Friends of Israel
Teaching Seminar held at Christ Church, Jerusalem on May 26th
1987.


JESUS, THE RABBI - WAS HE ORTHODOX?
(Part 3 of a 3-part series)

The sole Scriptural basis for the many blessings that an
observant Jew still says daily is found in Deuteronomy 1:10.
"When you have eaten your fill, thank the Lord your God for the
good land He has given you".

Literally the text says: "And you shall eat, and you shall be
full, and you shall bless". The rabbis found in this verse
justification for saying a blessing before the meal as well as
after, and on many other occasions. Indeed on almost every
occasion. We only have this one verse, which is the only
Scriptural basis for the blessings that Orthodox Jews say even
until this day, and that is simply that after you eat you are
supposed to bless. And yet the Orthodox says a blessing for
anything and everything. The general rule was that anything
which a man enjoys requires a blessing.

If a man built a house or bought something new he has to say
"Blessed is He who has brought us to this moment". If one saw a
place where great miracles had occurred in Israel's history,
one was to say, "Blessed is He who in this place performed
miracles for our ancestors". In response to a shooting star,
lightning, a storm or an earthquake, one was to say "Blessed is
He whose strength fills the universe". And a mountain, hill,
lake, river or desert was to prompt, "Blessed is He who fashions
the works of creation". There was a blessing to be said before
publicly reading from the Torah, and another at the completion
of the reading. A blessing after immersing oneself in a mikveh 
(a ritual immersion bath), a blessing upon seeing a great
scholar.

There was even a blessing to be said when one urinated. In
fact, maybe we should read that particular blessing. Those of
you who have had problems with prostate or bladder infections
will appreciate how important this blessing is! At the
commencement of the blessing, which starts as do all blessings
with the words, "Blessed art Thou O Lord our God", you have to
mention that God is the King of the Universe, because a blessing
which does not mention the Kingdom of God is not a valid
blessing. And this one goes: "Blessed art Thou O Lord our God,
King of the Universe, who hath formed man in wisdom, and has
created in him manifold orifices and manifold cavities. It is
revealed and known before the Throne of Thy Glory that should
one of them be opened or should one of them become obstructed,
it would be impossible to exist in this land before Thee. 
Blessed art Thou O Lord, healer of all flesh, and wondrous of
works".

One was obligated to bless God for calamity and misfortune, as
well as for prosperity and good fortune. For rain and for good
news one says: "Blessed is He who is good and who gives good". 
For bad news one says: "Blessed is He who is the true judge".

There is evidence that Jesus adhered to the ruling of the oral
law in His use of various blessings. In conformity with the
rabbis' interpretation, Jesus not only recited a blessing after
meals but also said the blessing before meals. This blessing
is: Baruch atah Adonai elohcynu, melcch haolam, ha-motzi lechem
meen ha-aratz. (Blessed art Thou O Lord our God, King of the
Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth). That's a good
one to learn, only a few words, and you can bless the Lord for
each meal the way Jesus did.

It is recorded that at the last Passover meal which Jesus and 
His disciples ate in Jerusalem, Jesus, "took bread and blessed
and broke and gave to His disciples". Since in the Greek text
there is no direct object following the verbs, "blessed",
"broke" and "gave", English translators have felt it necessary
to supply the word "it" after each of these verbs. The English
reader therefore receives the impression that Jesus not only
divided and distributed the bread, but blessed it as well. Many
scholars also have understood that Jesus blessed the bread, and
it is amazing how many translators of the New Testament have
added "it" after the verb "blessed".

This is simply a misunderstanding of the Hebraic and Jewish
connotations of the word "bless". When Jesus fed the five
thousand with five loaves and two fish He also "blessed, broke
and gave", as He did when dining with the two disciples from
Emmaus. Because of this recurring "blessed, broke and gave the
bread" in the gospels, it is a common Christian misunderstanding
that Jesus blessed the bread. Consequently we Christians
customarily "bless the food" before we eat a meal, but no
observant Jew would ever make such a mistake! One does not
bless anything or anyone except God. The blessing that was said
in Jesus' time before one ate was praise and thanksgiving to
God who so wondrously provides food for His children.

Even in His supernatural, resurrected body, Jesus, in Emmaus,
did not neglect the required rabbinic blessing before the meal.
 One does not bless the food, nor does one ask God to bless the
food, one blesses God who provided the food. We might just note
here that it is a similar mistake to assume that Jesus
multiplied the loaves and the fish by blessing them. What Jesus
did was simply to bless God before the beginning of the meal. 
The miracle was not a result of the blessing, for food did not
multiply on other occasions when Jesus said the blessing.

This I think is a good example of how Christians' lack of
knowledge of Jewish custom has led to misunderstanding an act of
Jesus. In this case it has led to the development of a
Christian practice which has no foundation whatsoever in Jesus'
own practice or teaching. It is also an example of how a
Jewish book, written for Jews can create confusion for later
non-Jewish readers. Luke made it clearer for his 
Greek-speaking readers when he referred to Paul's practice in
Acts 27:35: "He took the bread and after giving thanks to God
in front of them all, He broke it and began to eat".

The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus, like all observant
Jews, of the first century, wore tzitziyot. (Tzitiyot are the
tassels or the fringes that hung from the four corners of the
outer garment or robe of a Jew of the first century). This is
commanded in Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12. That Jesus
wore these tzitziyot is illustrated by the story in Matthew 9:20
of the woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for 12 years
and was healed when she came up to Jesus and touched "the fringe
of His garment". This Greek word is the word for the tzitziyot
of the outer garment (the fringe or tassel).

There is no explicit evidence offered in the gospels that Jesus
also wore the phylacteries, the teffillin of the head and the
arm. These are the two leather boxes which each contain four
passages of Scripture inscribed on tiny parchment scrolls. 
These boxes are bound by leather straps, one on the forehead and
one on the arm. The "arm box" contains one parchment on which
all four passages were written, while the "head box" is divided
into four compartments each of which contains a parchment with
one of the Scripture passages written on it. Wearing these
phylacteries was an observance of the commandment to bind the
words of the Lord as a sign on your hand, (this should be
translated arm), and let them serve as frontlets between your
eyes. It might be argued that this is metaphorical language,
that one is not meant to literally bind all or part of God's
word to one's arm or forehead.

Nevertheless, the Jews living in the time of Jesus viewed the
wearing of tefillin, phylacteries, as a Biblical commandment
and they were part of ordinary Jewish dress. Putting on the
tefillin or phylacteries only at the time of prayer as practiced
today is a later custom. In Jesus' time they were worn
throughout the day. (Note the tefillin, phylacteries, of arm and
of fore entering a place which was ritually unclean. Actually,
efillin dating from the first century have been found in the
caves near Qumran on the shores of the Dead Sea, and they are
almost identical to those worn by Jews today.

There are suggestions in the New Testament that Jesus also
followed this custom. In Matthew 23:5 He criticized some of
the Pharisees because: "They make their phylacteries broad and
their fringes long". Rather than criticizing the wearing of
tefillin and tzitziyot, Jesus was condemning religious hypocrisy
that led to enlarging the tefillin and the tzitziyot. He was
not criticizing the wearing of the phylacteries or the wearing
of the fringes but just the exaggerated use of them in order to
be seen of men, or in a hypocritical way. While Jesus condemned
the ostentatious wearing of fringes we saw that He Himself also
wore them. Probably He also wore the phylacteries, while at the
same time criticizing those who wore them hypocritically. Had 
Jesus not worn the phylacteries, as well as having the fringes
on His garment, He surely would have been attacked by the
religious leaders of the day.

In general, one gains the impression from the gospels that
Jesus dutifully adhered to the practices of observant Jews of
His day and that His attitude towards these practices was guided
by the interpretations of the rabbis as expressed in the oral
law.

To conclude, let me just say that in all my research I can see
that Jesus was a Jewish rabbi, or if we don't want to use the
word rabbi, since it was not a title in those days, we can say
that He was a Jewish teacher. This is so difficult for large
sections of the Christian church to see, and only illustrates
how dim is our recollection of our Jewish origins, and to what
extent we have assimilated into the pagan culture that surrounds
us. One wonders what kind of dynamic organism the church might
have been throughout the ages had she clung more closely to her
Hebraic roots, rather than embracing and becoming amalgamated
with the pagan Hellenistic philosophy that persists in the
church even to this day to a great extent.

The church's only hope of course is to see Jesus, but this time
to see Him and know Him personally as He really is, an
observant Jew, a Jewish rabbi, the Jewish Messiah of God, and
one might add, God Himself, Emmanuel.

The Gentile church must become Jewish and purge itself of the
pagan influences of nineteen centuries. May we members of
Christ's Body who are not of Jewish parentage rid ourselves of
the arrogance of which Paul warned the Roman Christians: "Do no
boast over the branches. If you do boast remember it is not you
that support the roots, but the root that supports you. So do
not become proud but stand in awe". (Romans 11:18-20)


David Bivin has lived in Israel since 1963, when he came to do
graduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From
1970 to 1931 he was director of the modern Language Division of
the American Ulpan, and also director of the Modern Hebrew
Department of the Institute of Holy Land Studies on Mount Zion. 
He is co-author of two books: "Fluent Biblical and Modern
Hebrew", and "Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus". He
is currently director of the Jerusalem School for the Study of
the Synoptic Gospels, which is sponsored by the Centre for
Judaic-Christian Studies. David Bivin also serves as an elder
of the Narkis Street Baptist congregation in Jerusalem.

Produced by: Christian Friends of Israel U.K. BM Box 2188, London
Anee M'Amin
Anee M'Amin - How a Rabbi Found Peace
ANEE M'AMIN is Hebrew for "I believe". Every month this column
features the testimony of a Jewish believer in Messiah. 

HOW A RABBI FOUND PEACE
The personal testimony of Dr. Max Wertheimer
Former Rabbi of Temple Israel in Dayton, Ohio

From SHOFAR PUBLICATIONS - Ronks Pa.17572

Born in Germany, of orthodox Jewish parents, my first fifteen
years were saturated with training in orthodox Judaism. Then I
began my studies toward a career, and was apprenticed to a
manufacturer, doing office work. Although I continued to read
the prayers and attend synagogue, my worldly associates led me
into sinful pleasures and I drifted from the faith of my fathers.

My parents sent me to America to study in the Hebrew Union
College in Ohio. There were major adjustments to be made, but I
finished my training in all phases of Hebrew learning, completed
my undergraduate work and received eventually, my Master's
degree.

Having become proficient in translation of Hebrew into the
vernacular, and with a complete knowledge of Jewish history, I
was ordained and inducted into the rabbinical office. In my
first charge I served ten years, receiving many tokens of
affection from my flock. I contributed much to their knowledge
of the social, industrial and economic problems of the day. I
spoke on monotheism, ethical culture, and the moral systems of
the Jews. On Sabbath mornings I gave addresses on the Pentateuch
and on Sundays I taught from eight in the morning to five in the
evening with only an hour's break for dinner.

I became popular as a public speaker and was often asked to
speak in Christian churches. Well do I recall the day when I
proudly stood before an audience of professing Christians and
told them why I was a Jew and would not believe in their Christ
as my Messiah Saviour. I gloried in the Reform Judaism that
acknowledged no need of an atoning sacrifice for sin, a religion
of ethics which quieted qualms of conscience through a smug
self-righteousness.

In that audience sat a humble, elderly woman who prayed, "O God,
bring Dr. Wertheimer to realize his utter need of that Saviour
he so boastingly rejects! Bring him, if necessary, to the very
depths in order that he may know his need of my Lord Jesus
Christ."

What did I need of Jesus? I was perfectly satisfied with life.
My wife was young, attractive and accomplished. I was rabbi of
the B'nai Yeshorum Synagogue, lived in a beautiful home, enjoyed
a place of prominence in the community where I spoke in every
denominational church, was honorary member of the Ministerial
Association, served as Chaplain in the Masonic Lodge, and faired
sumptuously every day.

Suddenly there came a change. My wife became seriously ill, and
was soon dead, leaving me a distraught widower with two small
children. I could not sleep. I walked the streets striving to
find something that would make me forget the void in my life. My
dreams were shattered. Where was comfort to be found? I called
on the God of my fathers, but the heavens seemed as brass. How
could I speak words of comfort to others when my own sorrow had
brought me to despair? I delved into Spiritism, Theosophy and
Christian Science only to find them futile and hopeless.

I decided that I must resign and take time to think things
through. I was perplexed about one thing in particular: Where
was the spirit and soul of my loved one who had made my
existence so sweet? What had become of all her faculties, the
intents and purposes of that active, keen mind? I turned to the
Bible for an answer.

Again I studied Judaism, but it answered no questions, it
satisfied no craving in my heart. Then I began to read the New
Testament, comparing it with the Old. In the fifty-third chapter
of Isaiah I was perplexed by the expression "... my righteous
servant?" I found he was going to bear the iniquity of Israel. I
decided it could not mean Israel, for the prophet spoke of them
as a sinful nation, laden with iniquity. Who was it?

I began to study the context and in Isaiah 50:6 I found, "I gave
My back to the smiters." Then I read how the chapter began:
"Thus saith Jehovah ..." I asked, does God have a back? Did He
give it to the smiters? Then I read he "gave his cheeks to them
that pluck off the hair." and how he hid not His face "from
shame and spitting." I asked myself, when did Jehovah have these
human characteristics? When and why did He suffer these
indignities? I was further perplexed by Psalm 110:1.

In my confusion I began to read Isaiah from the beginning. I was
stopped at the sixth verse of chapter nine: "For unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be
upon His shoulders: His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace."

Here was a most incomprehensible thing!

I suddenly faced with the doctrine of the Trinity. What now
about our popular monotheistic slogan, "Sh'ma Isroel, Adonai
Eloheynu, Adonai, Echod." Upon that word "Echod" (one) the
entire philosophy of Judaism is based. I had been taught by the
rabbis that echod means absolute unity. I began to study that
word and found to my amazement it was used of Adam and Eve, who
became one. It was used again when the spies returned from
Canaan with a cluster of grapes (Eshol Echod). It was used again
when the "men of Judah stood up as one man" (Ish Echod).

Suddenly I was struck with the error I had believed and
proclaimed all through my ministry. Echod cannot mean absolute
unity, but a composite unity.

Next I began to search for the name of Jesus in the Old
Testament. In my study I found that 275 years before Christ,
King Ptolemy Philadelphus summoned men from Palestine and
commanded them to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek
vernacular. They took the Pentateuch first, and when they came
to "Joshua" they translated it the book of "Jesous," written
with a circumflex over it, to show that there had been a
suppression of the Hebrew that could not be expressed in Greek.
When Joshua went into Canaan with the other eleven spies, he was
called "Yehoshuah" (Jehovah is Savior). That is exactly what the
word "Jesus" means.

I could hold out in unbelief no longer. I was convinced of the
truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus. I cried, "Lord, I believe
that Thou as Jehovah Yesous has made atonement for me. I believe
that Jehovah Yesous died for me. I believe that thou has made
provision for me. From henceforth I will publicly confess
Yeshua as my Saviour and Lord." 

Thus, after months of searching, I was convinced that Jesus was
the righteous servant of Jehovah, (Jehovah-tsidkenu), "The Lord
our righteousness."

While I had served as a rabbi I had yearned to give the bereaved
some hope and comfort, but I could not give what I did not
possess. Now I could approach those in heartbreaking grief and
tragedy and give them the satisfying words of the Lord Jesus, "I
am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and
believeth in Me shall never die."

And again, "Verily, verily I say unto you: He that heareth My
Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath (possesses now)
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but IS
passed from death unto life."

There is but one eternal life, and one source of eternal life;
that is God's Son. What a great and glorious message we, His
redeemed ones, are commissioned to deliver today !
The WORD for Today
The WORD for Today
Before this last Easter (1992), many churches across the country
were involved in The Chapel of the Air's "Fifty-Day Spiritual
Adventure." This program was designed to help local churches
become "The Family God Wants Us To Be." The material provided
focused on dysfunctional behavior found in families and brought
into the church. The article presented here is the third of
seven messages given by Pastor Geoff Kragen. They were
presented at Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln California as part
of that church's involvement with the program.


KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES
1 Corinthians 12:14-26

Most consumer-oriented marketing is based on making the
purchaser feel inadequate. It compares us to someone else. And
we always come up short. Why are we inadequate? Because we
don't use the sponsor's product. To keep up with the Joneses,
we have to buy what they buy, or buy even more and better.

If you don't want to be considered a failure, buy the right car.
If you want to stand up to the competition in the battle of the
sexes, wear the right perfume or after-shave. Make sure you
never have a dandruff problem, or baaaaad breath. Young people:
you have to wear the right name brand clothes! And for
goodness' sake, don't forget to buy the proper brand of kitty
litter for Fluffy!

We see these comparisons carrying over to everyday
relationships. You're in the store with your two kids. A
stranger comments, "What a beautiful little girl." Meanwhile,
your other daughter stands there, completely ignored.

This same approach to life is frequently seen over in the
schools. I remember that when I was young, grading wasn't based
on a standard, but on the curve. I was graded based on where I
fit in comparison to others. If class performance was below
average, than I might be an A or B student. On the other hand,
if the majority were Rhodes Scholars, I would pull grades that
would make my parents think they had raised a Neanderthal.

Unfortunately, the problem of comparison as a basis for value
carries over into the church. We frequently evaluate people
based on what they do, how much they give, their talents, or
personalities. We forget that worth comes from being a child of
God, and that He gives each of us a place within His body.

I remember the time in our former church when the new pastor
first stepped into the pulpit. He was small of stature,
apparently fussy in personality, single, and very British. But
that wasn't what gave the older members heart attacks. On the
first Sunday, he came into the pulpit wearing a robe. "Our old
pastor would never wear a robe. Only papist types wear robes. 
How awful." And poor pastor never recovered from this first
evaluation. He wasn't with us very long. 

But you can't judge a book by its cover. Sometime later he
married a very attractive young lady. We know him best as the
author of the lyrics of the song "Hiding Place."

Worth comes from being created in God's image, not from being of
utilitarian value. Paul demonstrates that each Christian has
value and purpose. God is the one Who assigns that purpose. 
This is the message of 1 Corinthians 12:14-26. 

Paul identifies one characteristic of a healthy church family. 
When the church is functioning properly, each member of the body
is accepted for their unique qualities. Comparison and
competition is not the focus. Each person is valued, from the
youngest member to the oldest. As adults, we should recognize
the uniqueness of each of our children. We must remember that
they too are as much a part of the body as each adult.

Paul illustrates his concern by drawing an analogy between the
human body and the church body. By the way, I think that this
passage shows that Paul, as with Jesus, had a true sense of
humor. He makes his points using the absurd.

Apparently the problem in the church was disagreement over the
relative importance of different service opportunities. The
custodian wanted to be the organist. The secretary wanted to be
the youth director. The foot resented the fact it wasn't a
hand. On the other hand, the ear was bent out of shape because
it couldn't see why it wasn't an eye.

God created the body with a multitude of different parts, and
each is equally important to the smooth running of the body. 
Also, notice Paul says that God assigns each role as it pleases
Him. The Lord, in His wisdom, knows just what the perfect slot
is for each person. He doesn't compare us with each other. He
only holds us to the standard that He sets for us individually.

As with the human body, the church cannot function unless God
fills many different roles. The individual parts of the body
can't say, "I don't need you." And, if this is true for the
human body, Paul says it is even more true for the church body.

Finally, Paul makes a point which most churches choose to ignore
rather than recognize. He understands that some of the roles
God assigns appear to be more glamorous than others. He
realizes people have a tendency to give the honor and
recognition to the high-profile positions.

I saw an example of this attitude the first time I held the
office of elder. Some people mentioned to my wife, Janette,
what an honor it was that I had been given the position. The
implication was that it was better to be an elder than a deacon,
a teacher, singing in the choir, or any other position within
the body. Janette's response was, "What honor? Being an elder
just means a larger burden of responsibility." 

Paul was concerned about this tendency of misapplying value
based on position. As a result, he instructed the Corinthians
to give special attention and honor to those in the low-profile
positions. This also points out that it is appropriate to let
people know they are appreciated. If we say that serving God
should be enough honor in and of itself, that doesn't take into
consideration the reality of human needs. 

One church I know would have an annual banquet put on by the
body for the Sunday School teachers, youth and nursery workers. 
It was a great way of telling them, "Thank you." 

Paul directs us to honor those in the less than honorable roles.
Again, the point here is that God assigns all the roles and
every one is important. 

How is the problem of unhealthy comparisons and competition
modeled in the dysfunctional family? We see this frequently in
parents making comparisons between their children. One isn't as
bright, or pretty, or for that matter, as well-behaved. We
forget that each is unique and devalue that uniqueness. Little
Tommie isn't Joey and never will be.

We see a couple of examples of how this problem occurred in one
of the most important families in the Bible. Clearly, this was
a dysfunctional family, but one which God used in spite of its
problems.

One generation was made up of Isaac and his wife Rebekah. He
loved Esau and she babied Jacob. "Isaac, who had a taste for
wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob" (Genesis
25:28). As a result, there was nothing but trouble between all
the members of the family. Because of Rebecca's favoring Jacob,
he had to flee home and never saw his mother again.

Apparently Jacob hadn't learned much from this because he
favored Joseph and later Benjamin. They were the sons of his
favorite wife, Rachel. You all know the results of his
favoritism. Joseph's brothers resented him. As a result they
decided to sell him into slavery.

The dysfunctional family stresses the importance of a healthy
appearance before reality. As a result, they often compare one
another with the intent of bringing the disfavored one "up to
snuff." And of course, the one being unfavorably compared is
hurt, and frequently shamed.

This person becomes an adult, he or she always compares their
performance with that of other people. The woman who struggles
to keep the house spotless, even when ill, explains the behavior
by saying, "Well, other people can keep their house clean."

Then there is the employee who works long hours, to the
detriment of his/her family. "Everybody else works 70 hour
weeks. What would they think of me if I said my family was more
important than my job?"

This same behavior carries over into the church. Frequently, 
the individual giving large sums of money is perceived to be
more important than someone who can't give much. Here's Jesus'
view on the subject: 

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put
and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple
treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor
widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a
fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said,
'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the
treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their
wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she
had to live on'" (Mark 12:41-44).

Another example of problem behavior is the belief that those who
are dedicated to visitation, (or other types of works), have a
higher commitment than others. As one church member asked, "Why
isn't the pastor's wife as active in church functions as
Pastor's Jones' wife at the neighboring church?" A similar
comment also heard is, "Should so-and-so really be doing that
job? After all, you never see their spouse in church!"

Of course, we all know one sign of spiritual maturity is being
in the church every time the doors are open. Another truth is
that volunteers are more spiritual that those that are paid, or
is that the other way around? I forget!

Again, what does Paul say about each member of the body? "But
in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of
them, just as he wanted them to be" (1 Corinthians 12:18). It
is God who assigns the positions. It is God who sets the
standards. It is God who will convict us of where we need to
make changes in our lives. His desire is for us to be obedient
to Him, in whatever role He has assigned to us.

So, what do we do about the problem of unhealthy comparisons and
competition within the body? First, we have to bring our mind
set in line with the truths shown by this passage.

We must reject the world's standards, which believe that if you
win a silver metal at the Olympics you have lost. It is just as
valuable to be a construction worker as it is to be an executive
director. We must realize our society's way of defining value
is unacceptable. After all, society says Michael Jackson,
Michael Jordan and Lee Iacoca are more important than your local
school teacher, or the neighborhood postman. And personally,
when my sink is stopped up, I appreciate the plumber more than
Joe Montana.

Are you are a victim of unhealthy comparisons or competition? 
Then you must ask the Lord to help you recognize when you are
practicing this same behavior yourself. Remember how hurt your
were when someone treated you this way? As you remember your
own pain, hopefully you won't want to perpetuate this same
behavior towards others.

Finally, we can break this pattern if we are more concerned with
helping the body function effectively for the Lord than we are
about getting personal recognition. We must strive to do the
best job we can with the position the Lord has assigned to us. 
Then we will be able to reach out to others in love. We will be
able to affirm one another, striving to help each other to be
the best we can for the Lord.

Instead of comparing ourselves one to another, let us praise the
Lord that He loves each one of us. He is willing to let each of
us serve Him. And He has opportunities for us that He chose
before eternity. "For we are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for
us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). Let us all affirm one another as
children of the Lord. Then we will no longer practice unhealthy
competition and focus on unhealthy comparisons.
Prayer Guidelines
Prayer and Asking by Michael Wilkinson
PRAYER AND ASKING
By Michael Wilkinson
Article 6 of the "Prayer and ..." series

"And He said to them, 'Which of you shall have a friend, and go
to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves
for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have
nothing to set before him;' and he will answer from within and
say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children
are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you?' I say to
you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his
friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him
as many as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to
you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and
to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread
from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he
asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask Him!'" (Luke 11:5-13).

I can't tell you how many times I have contemplated how nice
life would be without needs. There would be no more worry, no
more impatience, no anxiety, no stress, and no effort required. 
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. (Pardon me for snoozing on the job. I must have
been overcome by all the peace and tranquility.)

Seriously, many times a day I find myself in need. Mostly just
little concerns like: needing a little more cooperation from my
children, a little more time to relax, a friend to talk to, etc.

I pray well under pressure, and nothing will bring me to prayers
like a miserable crisis or tragedy. Yet the little frustrations
in life often are not considered prayer-worthy. They can cause
worry, anger, sorrow, confusion, fear or dismay, but too often
do not motivate prayer.

Yet, if you look at the above verses, you can see that the
people in them are not asking as a result of any life
threatening crisis. They have common everyday needs. Each is
seeking help from the one person best able to help them with the
situation of the moment.

But these are the examples Jesus uses to illustrate the
principle of asking our heavenly Father to meet our needs. And
to Him all of our needs are small, but important. The point is
that we should ask His help when we have needs, whether great or
small.

In James 4:2 it says "You do not have because you do not ask
God." A familiar old hymn tells of forfeited peace and needless
pain when we do not bring everything to God in prayer. And as
Christians often say, "Christianity is not a set of rules to
keep, but a personal relationship with our Savior and Lord Jesus
Christ. It is not a Sunday religion; Christianity is the life
we live every day."

As noted, the Lord sends the gift of His Holy Spirit to dwell
with us. This is because "In the same way, the Spirit helps us
in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but
the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words
cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind
of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in
accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27)

I refer to this passage because it points out how easy it is to
bring prayer requests to the Lord. We don't have to stop and
plan our prayers. We don't need to take a course on how to pray
or ponder the best wording. All we need do is present our
requests to God and the Spirit will intercede for us.

Finally, consider the meaning of the terms "anything" and
"everything" in the following verse: "Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) 
And also consider these verses: "Is any one of you in trouble? 
He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the
church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of
the Lord." (James 5:13- 14)
SCUD Warnings
SCUD Warnings by Jerry Johnson
S piritual
 C ounterfeits
  U ndermining
   D octrine

W A R N I N G S

By Jerry Johnson
Excerpts from the church newsletter from the First Church of The
Contemporary Christian, dated October 21, 2021:

******************************************************************

Greetings! We are excited about all the great things going on
here at First Church!

We have lots of opportunities at our church to meet all your
needs. Here's a brief listing and description of a few of the
classes we offer:

Co-habitants for Christ, Tuesdays 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.

This class is for all our members that are living together and
are struggling to keep that relationship alive and vital. This
class is taught by our singles Pastor and his
girlfriend/roommate of 3 years.

Bended Reeds/Divorce in Progress Class, Monday 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.

This class is offered for members of our church who are process
of divorce ...to help give support along the way. This class has
helped over 30 couples start new lives apart. Taught by an
associate minister currently going through a divorce. Talk
about a sympathetic teacher!

Smoldering Wicks/Extra-marital Affairs Support Group, Monday
7:00 - 9:00 P.M. (for convenience, it runs concurrent to Bended
Reeds)

Support class designed to aid those involved with extra-marital
affairs in the church. Premarital counseling is also available
upon announcement of separation. Taught by the former mistress
of our seniors' pastor, Marilyn Smits.

Bombed Believers, Saturdays 6:00 P.M. until the stash runs out

Why get loaded with a bunch of non-Christians who might rip you
off? Keep it in the family! Bring enough drugs to share. Lead
by our Youth Pastor, "Stoney" Masterson.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Join us in prayer that the sixth grade class
Crips and Bloods will stop having gang rumbles after the second
service.

PRAISES: Good news! All the students in the Wednesday's youth
group that were injured when precocious Stephen Stiller, a 7th
grader, took over the class with an assault rifle, will be 
released from the hospital by next Tuesday.

Also Pastor Newburg's divorce has become final and he and his ex
want to thank everyone who came to the yard sale. It really
sped up the divorce to have the property converted to cash so
easily.

******************************************************************

Sounds ludicrous...

But frankly, what kind of response would you have gotten from an
evangelical minister in the late 50's if you told him that
within 35 years:

- Over 30% of his congregation would have been divorced.

- Pre and non marital sex would be a common problem.

- The majority of the teens would not be virgins.

- It would be common to have Christian versions of secular drug
  and alcohol programs in the church.

- There would be a growing number of single parent households in
  the church.

- Major denominations would reevaluate whether or not to perform
  marriages for homosexual couples or have homosexuals ordained.

- Child abuse and molestation rates would be about the same in
  church as in society at large.

He would have looked at you like you were crazy!

Sadly, maybe my weird church bulletin is not that far off.

But WHY?

The draining and training of the Christian mind.

"Meaning what?"

My wife and I have an 11 foot Burmese python (did I hear,
"somehow that doesn't surprise me"?) that she acquired as a baby
when she was teaching school. In the years we've had her ...
the snake, not my wife ... we've met many people who are
terrified of snakes. The best way to get them over the fear, IF
they are willing to cooperate, is to desensitize them to the
snake.

Classically, this is done by first talking to the person about
snakes until that doesn't really bother them, then show them
drawings, then pictures, then videos, then expose them to a
snake in a cage, etc. etc. By shear, repetitive exposure, the
snake loses its shock value.

Is the analogy resounding clearly enough yet?

By repeated exposure to the sin and dysfunction of the world,
sin is losing its shock value for the modern Christian. We're
getting used to it.

You see, when something happens often enough and becomes common
enough, people begin to think of it as being normal.

But normal doesn't mean right. After all, a recent study 
indicates that 54% of the people in the U.S. have been molested
or abused as a child. That means that most people have been
abused. Statistically it is "normal", but it isn't right.

But the stuff loses its shock value. After all, when's the last
time you registered even the slightest surprise at finding out
that someone is divorced or not a virgin when married or that
they had tried drugs in college?

When we are watching "Transsexual, gay vegetarian mass murderers
and the cross dressing libertarian Nazis that love them" on
Oprah, Phil and Geraldo, aren't we likely to get a bit
desensitized to the "normal" sins?

This stuff's getting so common that we are coming to expect it
... even in the church.

"Oh wonderful, here's another 'let's burn all TVs, throw away
the radios, form a Christian commune and get away from those bad
people' speech."

Not even close.

The first point I am espousing is that we have to be careful to
not set our moral and ethical standards (there's a phrase rarely
heard any more) by just being better than the world. At that
rate we'll be just as messed up as the world, just twenty years
later. Think about it, do you want your family just to run a
little bit better than the Connor family on the TV show
"Roseanne"?

I doubt it.

We MUST base our standards on the Word of God, in response to a
personal, holy God; not just get a list of do's and don'ts that
throw us into legalism. And we have to be willing to be moral
and ethical, even when it is not popular.

Second point: Romans 14:23 states that everything that does not
come from faith is sin. Therefore I could be walking into major
trouble if I told everyone to watch the shows regardless. If
you cannot watch TV in good conscience, don't.

However, if you DO watch TV I have something for you to consider:

Who is stronger, God or the world? Who is more powerful? Does
God fear the world or the world fear God?

God wins ... and so do we. We are not to wallow in sin nor are
we to tolerantly meditate on the messed up standards of the
world nor are we to fear the world. Greater is He ...

So consider this concept: quit watching like a potato (spelled
correctly) and start to use it as a tool for discussion and
analysis in your home.

Example: next time you watch "Roseanne" see if you can define
what makes their family dynamic, weird and uncomfortable even as
you may laugh. You can laugh ... but think as well. Also,
there was a new show on last night called "Grapevine". I'm not
sure of the premise, but it was mainly comprised of multiple
characters talking about multiple sexual contacts with multiple
people, with incest inferred in a positive manner.

Garbage? Definitely!

Will I watch it again?

Doubtful. Not because the morality was lower than a centipede's
toenails ... I wasn't tempted to follow the same AIDS-magnet
lifestyle they exemplified. It was a boring show.

These shows tell us what's happening to our world and its moral
structure, pitiful as that is. As long as we don't start to
believe the piffle they are selling, we can use it to train
ourselves and our children about what and why we believe:

It is fulfilling for people to engage in serial, temporary,
sexual relationships based on physical attraction while
repeatedly running the risk of catching AIDS;

Accumulating stuff that will eventually break and fall apart is
the true path to happiness;

The O'Connor family on "Roseanne" is a warm, wonderful family;

It makes sense to use a drug to feel good for no real reason at
the expense of killing brain cells and causing Chromosonal
damage;

Every father in the U.S. is a bumbling idiot whose kids are
smarter than he is;

You cannot be happy unless you have the right deodorant,
toothpaste and shampoo. If you do get the right mix, the most
attractive people in the world will find you irresistible.

This is the stuff great conversations are made of. When you
look at what the world is selling, not just how they sell it,
and keep your standards Biblical, the absurdity of the world's
false promises come across loud and clear.


Next time: The Spiritual Pendulum
Bible Quiz
Bible Quiz
BIBLE QUIZ
Test your Biblical knowledge! Identify the following words from
the Bible as being a city, island, mountain or river.

1.  Abana (2 Kings 5:12)      CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

2.  Arba (Joshua 15:13)       CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

3.  Arimathaea (Luke 23:51)   CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

4.  Clauda (Acts 27:16)       CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

5.  Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:13)  CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

6.  Gilead (Hosea 6:8)        CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

7.  Hor (Numbers 20:22)       CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

8.  Horeb (1st Kings 19:8)    CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

9.  Melita (Acts 28:1)        CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

10. Ramah (1st Samuel 28:3)   CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

11. Shushan (Esther 3:15)     CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

12. Tyrus (Ezekiel 27:32)     CITY, ISLAND, MOUNTAIN, RIVER

Christian Life Department
People Profile
People Profile - Ray Reed
Morning Star Senior Editor, Teresa Giordanengo, conducted this
interview with Evangelist Ray Reed. Ray is affiliated with
David's Mighty Men Inc., a Bible study group in Beaumont, Texas. 

David's Mighty Men is featured in the Ministry Profile column of
this issue of Morning Star. 

Teresa: Ray, you always attended Church and Sunday School, but
when did you accept Jesus as your personal Savior?

Ray: I first knew the Lord Jesus as my Savior about twelve years
ago, when I was twenty years of age. I was raised in the
Methodist church; my dad, all of my uncles and my grandfather
are Methodist ministers. 

The sad news is the fact that I never really heard the gospel
message until I was age twenty. I was certainly in church every
Sunday, and was never late for Sunday School, but in all those
years I was never told that I needed to be "born-again".

Teresa: What prompted you to get serious with the Lord?

Ray: My teen years were quite rebellious, and I came to the
conclusion at that time that God did not exist except in
people's minds. I went further and began to say many
blasphemous things against God and His Holy Word, until one day
I decided that in order to be truly open-minded, and to make
sure that I did not believe, I had better read at least some of
the Bible - objectively. Had I opened the Book to an obscure
passage somewhere in the prophets or kings at that time, I
shudder to think what may have been the outcome. I surely would
not have understood what I was reading. However, my Lord being
a merciful Lord, and an all-present Lord, caused me to open to
the Gospel of John, where I read for the first time in my life
about the many signs and wonders that our Lord Jesus performed. 
I was transfixed. I never thought that the account of these
miracles and mighty deeds that Jesus had worked could sound so
real - I had always assumed that the Bible was rather
"fairy-tale-like". I read and read and read.

At this time I also read for the first time that I - me - needed
to be "born again of the spirit"! I realized then what a
miserable heel I had been, and at this time called out to God to
make me "born of the Spirit". He heard my cry, according to
Romans 10:9-13.

Teresa: How did your life change after being 'born-again'?

Ray: From this point I spent the next twelve years in intensive
personal Bible study. I taught a number of study groups and
Sunday School classes in the process, and helped form a
non-profit ministry by the name of "David's Mighty Men". I am
currently an evangelist with that ministry, and a member of
"Fletcher Emanuel Church Alive" in Lumberton, Texas. Also, I
co-teach a Sunday School class at another church - Calvary
Baptist in Beaumont, Texas. I teach this class alternately with
a very dear minister friend, Brad Salyer. We teach a boys'
class, a very special class, ranging in age from ten to
eighteen. We generally have between fifteen to thirty-five
attending, with several adults present also. We have had about
fifteen conversions, and ten baptisms (some were previously
baptized). I do love the Lord Jesus and I do have a heart for
the ministry. 

Teresa: How do you lead a young person to Christ?

Ray: I am glad that you asked this question. I feel very
strongly about this subject. I think that anyone who is
fortunate enough to come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior
should be extra diligent to be an example to the up-and-coming
generation. The Lord continually places young people in my path
through this life, and I feel a necessity to take every
opportunity to be a real Christian example to them. At the very
first opportunity at my meeting a young person, I let them know
that I am a Christian. Then with my life I do my utmost to show
them that life "as a Christian" is not so bad after all. From
that point I look for that "open door" to explain the message of
the gospel that I personally never understood as a youth. I am
very careful not to be "pushy", and am also very careful to be
sincere.

Teresa: How do you feel about extra curricular activities in the
church?

Ray: I think extra-curricular activities are important and are a
vital necessity in the church. Just plain Christian fellowship
and leadership are important in any christian's life -
especially young people - with the many worldly influences
nipping at the doorsteps of our hearts. Here again, through
youth camps, youth meetings, games and trips, we can show our
younger peers that being "godly" is not necessarily being
"bored". 

Teresa: What portion of the Bible seems to be more effective
with the young people?

Ray: I have found in teaching youth, that the "parables" are
wonderful teaching tools. They are pretty good for adults too. 
Many a good question and answer session has come from reading a
parable from the "Gospels". I have found that many young minds
are quite capable of understanding such "deep" things as the One
God Creation concept - especially when viewed from the
perspective of a parable.

Teresa: What would be your suggestion if an individual wanted to
study the Bible for himself at home?

Ray: Bible study is so very important in the life of every
believer. Developing some kind of daily or weekly discipline of
studying the Scriptures is imperative. Starting in the New
Testament is also very important - not that the Old Testament is
unimportant - but in order to fully understand the whole Bible
one must have a solid grounding in the "Gospels". Reading two
chapters from the Bible before going to bed seems to work out to
be a pretty good regimen. At that pace one can absorb the
Scriptures without taking on too much, and at the same time,
finish the New Testament from beginning to end in a reasonable
amount of time.

I like to be careful about setting too many narrow goals, such
as reading the whole Bible in one year, but rather try to keep
my goals simple and broad to allow for flexibility. Many times
I have set out to explore a certain topic, which has led me to
another topic, which in turn has led me to even another topic. 
Setting time goals or quantity goals have never been fruitful
for me because of this. 

A daily or weekly discipline of personal (apart from church or
study groups) Bible study is good in any form, I have found, so
long as it is consistent.

Teresa: What are your plans for the future in your ministry?

Ray: The ministry that I am associated with is geared toward
strengthening the local church. We believe that God has
ordained the local assembly and the authorities therein. We
have observed what is apparently an overall assault on the local
bodies of believers in our area. Our goal is to "invigorate"
our local churches in such a way as to both bring in new
believers, and to encourage the old. Our future as a team, and
my future as a minister, depends pretty much on just where my
Lord happens to place that future - but the goals will remain
the same - being an encourager and an example for the Lord Jesus
Christ wherever I go. Any Christian with this in their heart
will someday no doubt see their fruit.

Teresa: Do you have any final thoughts you would like to leave
with our readers?

Ray: Yes I do. That thought is this: everyone has a purpose for
being put here on this earth. That purpose may take many
different forms, but the root of that purpose is the same for
everybody; we are here to please our Father in Heaven. Let's
not lose sight of that!
Ministry Profile
Ministry Profile - David's Mighty Men Inc.
DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN INC.
A Bible Study Group

By Ray Reed
Beaumont, Texas

In January of 1992, a friend named Sam Saleme and I were led by
the Lord to form a ministry by the name of David's Mighty Men.
Sam and I had been ministry "partners" for several years by this
time, and had been involved in many different forms and facets
of ministry. Until this time, however, neither of us had any
desire to have a "formal" ministry. After having sought the
Lord for some time on this matter, David's Mighty Men was born.

For years Sam and I had been having Bible studies in the house
which we shared. On the average of twice a month, we would
contact as many friends and acquaintances as we could find, to
invite them for a Bible study "meeting". Some nights we had as
many as twenty; some as few as ten. However many that the Lord
brought to be with us, we were always blessed by the word of the
Lord and by His presence. That's the wonderful part about
ministering - the one doing the ministering usually gets the
most blessed.

In the search for the Lord's will on starting this ministry, the
reference from Psalm 127:1 kept coming to my mind; "Unless the
Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it ..." I
certainly did not want to labor in vain; and yet at the same
time, if the Lord wanted me to be about His work, I didn't want
to be the servant who buried his talent either. (Matt. 25:24-30)
When the answer came, it came as clear as a bell - there were no
doubts, I had finally received the "go-ahead" from the Lord to
begin a full-fledged ministry.

Up until this time, both myself and Sam had been doing a lot of
writing on various subjects, and the two of us had compiled a
broad selection of Bible study material. Our plan as a team, is
to reach as many local pastors as possible with this material,
and to offer the presentation of this material to their churches.

Our approach to these presentations is actually no different
than the simple Bible studies that we have always had in our
home. Both of us have always strived to choose our lesson
topics by being open to the Lord for His leading. Without fail,
a particular subject is impressed upon us. Each meeting we
always try to have some form of praise and worship, and are
certainly always open to the gifts of the Spirit. We try to
keep the study lessons short and interesting, but above
all, "anointed" by the Lord.

About the time that David's Mighty Men Inc. was approved and
legal through the State of Texas, the Lord brought several very
precious friends to join with us in this effort. Brad Salyer,
Mark and Leann Wallace, Monique Kelly, Bruce Derouen, and
others, joined together with us to form this team. Each of
these men and women of God have differing talents, both in the
area of God's word and in music; each already had a strong
desire to be about the Lord's work, and each already had their
own ministries. My, how the Lord does provide - to have brought
these wonderful people together. I have always felt
quiteunworthy of them.

Next on the agenda for forming the team was getting our postal
permit - which we finally obtained with much difficulty. Then
we went to the printers: letterheads, envelopes, leaflets and
brochures - and above all, study material had to be produced in
mass quantities. All of this began to cost quite a sum, but the
Lord provided every need.

The name of our ministry, David's Mighty Men Inc., comes from
the time of King David. His life and exploits for God are
chronicled in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. David
and his "mighty men" were valiant warriors against the then,
"fleshy" enemies of God. Now, of course, we as "warriors for
Jesus" fight on a different "plane," so to speak, since the
enemies with which we war are "spiritual". Despite the
difference in the "planes" in which we war, many parallels can
be seen between the strategies and courage that were exhibited
in those times, and those which should be shown today.

Thus, the exploits of David and his "mighty men" are a constant
inspiration to our team. "Now these were the heads of the
mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him
in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to
the word of the Lord concerning Israel. And this is the number
of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam the son of a
Hachmonite, chief of the captains; he had lifted up his spear
against three hundred, killed by him at one time. After him was
Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three
mighty men. He was with David at Pasdammim. Now there the
Philistines were gathered for battle, and there was a piece of
ground full of barley. And the people fled from the Philistines.
But they stationed themselves in the middle of that field,
defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought
about a great victory." (1 Chronicles 11:10-14 NKJ)

Then the time came for our final brochure - the "leaflet" that
describes our team. The printers did a very nice job in putting
our photos in color on this brochure, sort of to "introduce"
ourselves. In this brochure we described the following:

Our doctrines:

We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all that exists, that He
is the only begotten Son of God, and that He is God. We believe
that Jesus Christ was pre-existent, was literally born of a
virgin, lived a sinless life without offense, died on a cross,
was buried in a tomb, rose up from the dead three days later,
and now sits on the Throne of Glory. We believe that man can be
saved only through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that the
Holy Bible is the unadulterated word of God and cannot be
broken, according to John 10:35.

Our objectives:

To preach the "Message of the Cross" wherever the Lord Jesus
sends; to encourage people everywhere to serve the Lord and to
love their neighbor; to support and strengthen the local church
- "to do the work of an evangelist".

Our strategies:

Under the direction of the church pastor, to present prepared
material for Young Adult Seminars, Adult Bible Conferences,
Corporate Sunday School and Praise and Worship Services.

Our affiliations:

We are an inter-denominational organization with various church
affiliations. Each one of us is a born-again Christian who
loves the Lord God with all his heart.

Our materials:

Material costs, television, radio and newspaper advertising
costs, and all other ministry costs are provided by David's
Mighty Men, Inc. at no cost to the local church. David's Mighty
Men, Inc. does not solicit donations, nor do any of it's members.

We at David's Mighty Men, Inc. would like very much to leave
something with you, the reader. One of our goals as a team, as
mentioned above, is to teach everyone, everywhere, to serve the
Lord. This includes both bringing new believers into the body
of Christ, and encouraging the "old" believers. Our second
stated purpose is like the first, which is to teach our brothers
and sisters everywhere to love each other. This is very much on
our hearts, and we believe on God's heart too. After all, isn't
this the purpose of God's commandments - to teach us to love one
another? This being the case, let's stop judging each other so
readily. Let's bear one another's faults - not by condoning sin
by any means - but by acceptance of each other's imperfections.
Until that day comes when we will all become perfected, let's
love one another. "And now I plead with you, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have
had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love,
that we walk according to His commandments. This is the
commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you
should walk in it." (2 John 1:5-6)

David's Mighty Men Inc.
P.O. Box 5093
Beaumont, Texas 77726
(409)755-3015
Education
Education - Education's Fourth "R"
EDUCATION'S FOURTH "R"

By Maury Walker
President
Released Time Bible Classes Inc.

In a public school, Somewhere, U.S.A., a bell sounds, a teacher
dismisses several children from class. They file out of the
school building and into waiting cars, vans, and station
wagons. They are whisked away from campus for about an hour to
a most unlikely location, a nearby church - where they will
study the Bible!

In another area, at the bell, children simply walk across the
street to a church. Elsewhere, a parked trailer waits for the
eager rush of children to climb inside for their Bible study. 
At still another school, a youth packs up his books and heads
off campus to another location. He has chosen Released Time
Bible Instruction as an elective, where he studies issues
relating to Christian living. "Released Time is a formal Bible
study program authorized through local public schools that allow
enrolled students to be 'released' from campus for religious
instruction."

Scripture Union Ministries is celebrating its 125th year. Their
U.S.A. president, Dr. David Jones said recently, "We teach Bible
in public schools all around the world. In America, it's
Released Time."

At the time our founding fathers were developing and designing
our form of government, public schools were held in churches. 
It wasn't considered unreasonable for a fourteen year old to be
so well educated that he could be sent to a foreign country as
our ambassador!

Since 1914, every school day, children all over America have
been attending some form of released time religious instruction.
Whether in cities or rural communities, these programs have
given millions of children an opportunity they might not have
otherwise had to become acquainted with God's Word. Parents,
grandparents, certified teachers and laymen participate with
thousands of their counterparts across the nation in assuring
our American Christian heritage is maintained in the hearts and
minds of the next generation. Countless hours are spent each
week in paid and volunteer positions from directing to teaching,
helping and driving.

With over 40 million children in public schools, this fourth "R"
has become the largest missionary field in America! It is
estimated that only 12 percent of school-age children attend
private, parochial or Christian schools. Records show that 50
to 75 percent of those in released time programs have no Bible
or religious backgrounds. Curiously, many parents feel the need
for their children to know God, or at least have some knowledge
of the Bible.

Forty years ago, America was at the top scholastically. 
Discipline consisted of cautioning children about chewing gum in
class. In the past three decades, as scholastic achievement has
plummeted, immorality, rape, unwed mothers, and crime have
climbed off the charts.

Yet, wherever released time programs flourish, the statistics on
immorality and violent crimes decrease. Mayors and heads of
police departments readily credit the released time concept for
helping to decrease juvenile crime and drug abuse.

The reason for their success is simple. Released time programs
instruct students in wholesome values and good morals. They
highlight respect for the religious nature of America. In this
day of working mothers, parental work schedules often prevent
parents from taking their children to after-school religious
activities and, in some cases, to Saturday or Sunday schools and
even church.

Laws generally require a child to spend more waking hours in
school than at home during the week. Released time is
unquestionably Constitutional; all state laws allow for some
religious activity during school time. The Supreme Court ruled
that a program allowing students to leave school grounds for
religious instruction was the same as allowing them to miss
school in order to attend a family baptism or observe religious
holidays.

It's important for adults to understand our history and
constitution. Their decisions will have an impact not only on
today's children but children and the nation for years to come. 
In the book of Proverbs there is much wisdom. Proverbs 20:11
says "The character of even a child can be known by the way he
acts ... Whether what he does is pure and right." Children
attending Released time programs not only affect their immediate
families, but can affect communities far away from their
childhood. We continually meet attorneys, doctors, engineers
ministers, teachers, policemen, politicians, and professors who
credit their success to the knowledge of God and the Bible
received in Released Time getting them through childhood, the
university, to adulthood.

It's encouraging to hear that some parents are waking up. From
Pennsylvania to California parents are objecting to the kind of
"religion" being taught in public schools. They are asking for
a return to basics that are only taught by scriptural
principles. Planned Parenthood, American Civil Liberties Union,
and teacher's unions are fighting to increase "New Age"
religions. One tool many parents have, in most states is,
Released Time the true fourth "R" in education.

Acknowledgements for assistance in preparation of this article:

Betty Arras, publisher, National Monitor of Education, Alamo, CA.
David Barton, President, WallBuilders, Aledo, TX.

Roger Blankenship, Executive Director, National Association of 
Released Time Christian Education.

Frank Connaughton, President, California Released Time Christian
Education Association Inc.

Dr. Lewis Hodges, Administrator, Christian Educators Association
International, Pasadena, CA.

Dr. Robert Simonds, President, National Association of Christian 
Educators/Citizens for Excellence in Education plus some people
on his staff.

For Information of Release Time Programs contact:

Maury Walker
Released Time Bible Classes Inc.
7436 Midiron Drive
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
(916) 967-3972

California Released Time Christian Education Association, Inc.
6139 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94605-1637
(510) 635-1986

National Association for Release Time Christian Education
P. O. Box K
Ellijay, GA 30540
(404) 276-7900
Testimony
Testimony - On Wings of an Eagle
ON WINGS OF AN EAGLE

By Jack Lavallet III
Los Angeles, California

On June twenty-second of 1990, I was an Auburn University
freshman just three weeks out of Sylacauga High in Sylacauga,
Alabama. I was glad to get out of my hometown and ready for the
freedom of life on my own. I had decided to go to Auburn during
the summer quarter to take some easy courses and party it up,
but before I tell my story maybe I should give some background
on myself. During a particularly hot summer in 1979, I gave my
life to Jesus. It was the last day of First Baptist Bible
School. I remember it well because of the tug I felt on my
heart. For a chubby little, shy seven year old, it must have
been the Lord because I know it was not my habit of making a
very public appearance. That day my heart changed and I was
born again. Anyway, the years went by and I gradually got more
into sports and the social scene. My interests drifted from
church and God to the rebellion of being a teenager.

My family moved from the bible belt of the south to a small town
on the edge of Lake Superior in Canada. Maybe ten percent of
the people I met went to church. In a town of two-thousand,
that's not many people. I didn't know how to skate so I
couldn't play hockey. I turned to the drinking crowd to find
acceptance. I learned to tolerate beer and I thought I was
happy. Waking up on a cold north Lake Superior beach once or
twice, sick and alone, didn't phase me. I was part of the crowd
and had been promoted to a mill manager of a pulp and paper mill
in Childersburg.

We moved into a big house in the nice neighborhood and bought a
BMW. I knew my social problems were solved. I went back to the
same church where I got saved, but I wasn't very interested in
acting like a Christian. I was more interested in the right
people that went to the right church. I tried out for football
and within a few weeks I was placed in the first string
offensive tackle position. I felt great. I thought, "What could
be better than this?" I soon found out that most of the 'right'
people didn't care much for anybody else. Backstabbing was
common. My group of friends formed a gang. We called it the
'Roc-crew' because one night we were out drinking in my Chevy
IROC Camaro. We got detained in jail for fighting and almost
drinking and driving a couple of times. A friend committed
suicide and we just drank more. My football team lost the state
5A semi-finals my senior year and hopes of playing college
football faded away. I decided after the senior class cruise I
would go to Auburn for the summer quarter. That puts us at the
point where my life was drastically changed.

During my first week at Auburn I met a neighbor in my trailer
park (very in vogue in Auburn). He invited me to a keg party he
was having that night, and since I had just had a graduation keg
party I offered to bring a couple of empty kegs to trade for a
new one. I showed up with my monogrammed beer mug and proceeded
to get very drunk. Soon I was very relaxed and when a couple of
girls I met suggested we head down to the pool I was more than
happy to. That night I found out how evil Satan is. Being on a
swim team in my early teens, I knew how to dive in shallow
water. I was just a bit too relaxed. 

When I opened my eyes I was under water. I tried to swim to the
surface but I couldn't move. I didn't panic, by the grace of
God, and soon I was pulled to surface by one of the guys with
us. I told them I could not move. I was scared but I told them
just to pull me up on the side of the pool and go call an
ambulance. One of the girls was a lifeguard so she knew better.
She supported my head and back until the paramedics came. I
was soon at the hospital and then Medivac-ed to Crawford-Long
hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. There I began my
rehabilitation. 

If the picture I have painted for you is too bleak then
understand that I write my testimony this way so that I can tell
you of the peace and strength that God has given me since that
time in life. I know now that Jesus is alive and that he can
crush the power of the enemy. Romans 8:37 tells us that we are
more than conquerors through Christ. Christians don't have to
put up with Satan if we know the strength and power of God. I
write this especially to teenagers. You do not have to feel
weak. Ephesians 1:19 talks about the great power for us who
believe.

That night as I held my breath underwater, I came to know God's
grace. If you don't believe in miracles then don't read ahead. 
As I looked up at the surface I felt a calming peace. Ask
yourself; if you were under water and could not move would you
not be just a bit frightened? As a college freshman you would
expect to be hassled by an upperclassman who was drunk, but I
was pulled up ever so carefully. They could have left me there,
which would have caused further damage to my spinal cord. They
did not. One of the girls had lifeguard training; could have
been a coincidence. I don't think so. I was rushed to a small
town hospital in Opelika, Alabama that just happened to have a
new anti-swelling steroid that stops excessive damage to the
spinal cord. I was flown to Crawford-Long hospital where my
mother met a woman who was friends with the founder of the
Shephard Spinal Center, the premier spinal injury treatment
center in the United States. God's love and grace was with me
the whole time. 

The first few days I wanted to die. I had metal tongs screwed
to my head so that my neck would be in traction. I had a pump
to keep the acid from building up in my stomach. My body simply
did not work. One night I realized that I could not take this
by myself. I could feel sorry for myself or I could trust in
God to strengthen me. Deep down I remembered that man called
Jesus who died for me. I asked Him to forgive me, to help me
and to come into my heart. I felt a warmth and I felt like I
was floating. I came to know a peace I've never known. 

My attitude changed that night and since then I have regained
almost every muscle in my body. I am still very weak and can
not walk but the message is getting through. The physical
therapists I go to are amazed, and one of them has become a
Christian. I know that I will walk again. 

Since the writing of the first part of my testimony, many things
have happened. I have moved to Los Angeles, California, to
continue my rehabilitation and I have gotten much stronger. I
am now able to push my wheel chair on many surfaces and grades. 
I am able to get myself on a mat or bed without help. Best of
all though, I am beginning to take some steps with the aid of
long leg braces and parallel bars. God has provided for my
every need, be it financial, physical, or spiritual. What a God
we serve! 

I know that what Satan has meant for evil, God has meant for
good. Isaiah 40:31 says, "Those that wait upon the Lord shall
renew their strength. They will mount up on wings as eagles:
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be
faint." If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31) 
Think about that.
Praise and Prayer
Praise and Prayer
PRAISE AND PRAYER is our international prayer link column. Send
your praise report or prayer request to MORNING STAR for
publication in the next issue. Call on your brothers and
sisters worldwide and together we will call on God!


PRAISE REPORTS:

Michael in California praises the Lord for a job.

Helen in Tennessee is improving after brain surgery last
January. Praise the Lord for this miracle.

Thank the Lord for a healthy son born to Alan and Kim in
Virginia.

Jon from Pennsylvania wants to thank the Lord for speedy
recovery of his eye surgery.

Harry from Indiana thanks the Lord for a job.

William from Virginia praises the Lord for meeting his tuition
needs.

A Christian Brother from South Dakota thanks the Lord for taking
away all his anxieties through prayer.

We thank the Lord for Jack's progress in therapy in California
but continue to pray for continued strength and guidance of the
Lord.


PRAYER REQUEST:

Pray for the creation of a cassette edition of MORNING STAR,
which will be made available to many organizations for the sight
impaired as well as anyone else desiring it.

Pray for Kelly in Pennsylvania who has a heart condition.

Joe and Andrea are in Mexico City on a mission trip. Pray for
many to receive the Lord and for traveling mercies.

Pray for wisdom and strength for Geoff in California for the
increased activity in his Sepher Ministries due to involvement
with Charity Ranch. 

Pray for Jessica, age 19, who is very homesick in England and
needs to depend on the Lord.

Pray for Nancy in Ohio concerning her divorce.

Pray for "Y" from South Dakota who has accepted a position as
evangelist in a five state radius while associate pastor of
another church, where both are paid on faith.

Barbara from Pennsylvania has just recommited her life to Christ.

"R" from Ohio feels like something is missing in her life.

Pray that Rick finds an editor, with a servant's heart, for his
Christian magazine.

Pray for Ron's Jewish Evangelism being conducted in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Brad from California asks for prayer for the salvation of many
people attending the gospel tent meetings in Orange County.

E.V. from Connecticut wants the Lord to have His way in her life.

Bill from Virginia will be taking college tests.

Robert from Texas needs salvation and a healing touch from the
Lord for loss of speech due to injuries when the brakes locked
on the ambulance he was driving. 

Pray for David's wife Diane in Pennsylvania who is expecting
their sixth child.

Pray for Tim's eight year old daughter Holly in Tennessee who
has epilepsy and needs a healing touch from the Lord.

Billy from Maryland needs healing of a quadruple bypass surgery.

"W" from Texas asks for quick and full recovery of a VA police
officer's gunshot wound in South Carolina. Also, that the
Secretary of the Dept. of Veteran Affairs would change the long
standing policy of the police having no guns. 

Pray for Jackie in New Hampshire who is going to a surgeon to
have a lump examined in her breast.

Kathy and husband need immediate housing at an AFB in New Mexico.

Helen in Pennsylvania is having a hysterectomy at the end of
July.

Nathan is doing mission work in Texas for the underprivileged
and asks for strength for himself and open hearts for the people
to accept the Lord. Pray also for traveling mercies. 

Monty in Virginia wants the Lord to have His way in his life. 
Pray also for his father Bill, who has cancer and needs healing
and salvation.

Betty in Illinois has cancer and needs a touch from the Lord.

"L" from Connecticut needs strength as well as a closer walk
with the Lord.

Alan from Virginia needs direction from the Lord in reference to
a move where he can better serve the Lord. 

Pray for Mary in Nebraska, that the Lord will grant her the
desires of her heart. 

Pray for Wanda's brother in Maryland, who needs salvation and
deliverance from alcohol.

Pray for Deryl Jr. 28 years of age from North Carolina, who had
brain cancer.

Pray for a young lady in Alabama who had a baby but lost her
husband and a 14 month old daughter in an auto crash.

Bill from Virginia requests prayer for his nephew who is an
atheist.

Pray for "T" in Maryland who suffers from anxiety attacks.

Pray for Tim and his friend in California who have a personal
decision to make.

Pray for MC's father in Virginia who has cancer and needs to
know the Lord as Savior. His mom needs strength through this
ordeal.

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. (Psalms 122:6)
CFI Reports
CFI Reports

CFI REPORTS is our monthly column dedicated to the ministries of
CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL in Jerusalem. Our October issue of
MORNING STAR (Volume 1.1) presented a summary of the various CFI
ministries and explained the foundational principles and
objectives of CFI.

In this issue, we provide information on CFI's ministry, PROJECT
LETTERS OF LOVE ... a network of love reaching from around the
world to the Jewish people through comfort and hope.

This month's column also features the July "Watchman's Prayer
Letter" from CFI in Jerusalem.

------------------------------------------------------------------


PROJECT LETTERS OF LOVE

...establish thou the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17

Sharon Sanders of Christian Friends of Israel, Jerusalem
Coordinating Office has had a love and concern for the Jewish
people since 1975 when she and her husband made their first trip
to Israel. She has spoken in churches, to groups and on radio
and television on behalf of Israel. Sharon has helped to
coordinate "Bless Israel Events" for homes and on a Christian
campus. She has also written a children's booklet entitled "Tell
the Children", a teaching on the Jewish people.


Dear Friends,

Through letter writing many Christians have established strong
and good relations with many Israeli families. They know that
our hearts are sincere and our stand with them is strong.

Over the past few years they have expressed sincere thanks to us
and to those like us who genuinely love Israel. They have shared
their readiness to build a relationship.

Israelis have been encouraged by our love. They have been
touched, often to tears, and when letters arrive, they read them
to their friends and rejoice because of having friends who care.

One such Israeli, who came to see us in America a few years ago,
said he would take our letters to groups of his friends,
sometimes as many as a hundred at a time. After hearing the
letters the group would stand and applaud. We were, of course,
deeply touched.

Many Israelis consider us family, consider us righteous Gentiles
and invite us to their homes. Many relationships have been
established and now we can openly talk with these precious
people of God.

It is our hope that Christians all over the world will continue
to build relationships and visit Israel while traveling abroad,
reciprocating hospitality and coming closer together in bonds of
love.

I believe that PROJECT LETTERS OF LOVE can continue to be a
channel of blessing to the land of Israel and to the Jewish
people around the world. During this critical period through
which they are passing, the first thing needed is Love. The
second is Comfort and thirdly Encouragement. They need to know
that there ARE Christians all over the world that love them, and
pray for them. Love can be coming across many, many miles and
across oceans to the hearts of this hurting nation.

The image of Christianity has been so distorted by well-meaning
but mistaken Christians in the past. It is time that we begin to
give our unconditional love as a healing balm for Israel at this
crucial time. Letters can be very effective. The responses from
many Jewish people have been heartwarming. One becomes a courier
of Messiah's love for His people.


THE REWARDS OF WRITTEN WORDS

The Lord chose to use the written word (the Bible) to
communicate His love to the world. This method of communication
is still effective today.

Meeting in person is the most effective means of bringing people
together. However, when you cannot meet personally, then letter
writing becomes an effective tool that can be used to build
relationships.

Letter writing can be a healing balm ointment saying to the
Jewish people "We are with you".

In todays world there is such an urgent need to communicate,
especially with those who may feel isolated because they have
experienced hatred so often. When you send letters of love, you
are sending a part of your heart. The urgent message we need to
communicate is Love and Hope.

If you never tell anyone that you love them then silence on your
part indicates that you may not. Our Lord said, "Even so send I
you" and if you cannot go from your own home, then sending a
message is essential.


PURPOSE

Letters are means by which we can reaffirm that the God of
Israel loves His Chosen People, that His Covenant promises are
forever with His People. This is good news to the Jewish man or
woman in today's world. It is time to let them know that someone
cares for them, that you have a concern for their nation and
that you pray for them.


LETTER WRITING AS A TOOL

It has many advantages:

It is inexpensive.

- It can be read many times.

- There is no pressure in letter writing.

- It is never out-of-date.

- It fosters personal relationships and builds foundations of
trust.

- Barriers can be brought down.


GUIDELINES

PROJECT LETTERS OF LOVE is long-term relationship building.
Through this channel we desire to show love to them. Love works
as a healing balm and can heal wounds.

There is a tremendous responsibility in writing. One must make a
commitment if one wants to be involved and stick to the labor.
We are commanded in the Bible that whatsoever we do, to do it
whole-heartedly. This is the first principle in making an impact
for God.

Only those who can be counted on to carry on the task according
to guidelines established will see positive responses.


THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT

The Land of Israel as the eternal, undivided possession and
homeland of the Jewish people, as proclaimed by the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Show them your solidarity with this
cause. Proclaim to them that our lot is cast with them and that
they are not alone.

Promise not to be silent on behalf of the "apple of God's Eye."
(Zechariah 2:8). The time has come to favor Zion now. (Psalms
102:13).

Declare your love and your position with Israel, to bless,
comfort and honor them and to stand in covenant commitment with
them. Even if your governments turn against them, you will stand
as individuals with them.

Tell them we repent for our years of silence during times of
persecution and for indifference to them during the Diaspora in
our lands.

Share about your family interests and how God has put a love for
Israel in your hearts

Show gratefulness to them for their continued commitment to keep
and safeguard, even at the cost of their lives, the oracles
entrusted to them by God. (Romans 9:4).

If you would like to become a partner in PROJECT LETTERS OF
LOVE, please write to the following address. You will be sent an
application, commitment form and guidelines which you are asked
to follow. A background sheet will be needed from you in order
to match you with Jewish families of similar backgrounds.

Send your request to be a part of this special project to:
 
Project Letters of Love 
P.O. Box 1813 
Jerusalem 91015 ISRAEL 
TEL: 02-384406 

------------------------------------------------------------------

WATCHMAN'S PRAYER LETTER
 
Prayer in the Bible has always been a form of Divine worship.
Through prayer, Gods Kingship over the world and the universe is
publicly proclaimed, and His name is honored. Rabbis have even
summed up the commandment of prayer as "service of the heart".
(Deuteronomy 11:13). The Scriptures contain various expressions
of prayer From the Hebrew we derive the following: supplication,
outpouring of the heart, calling out, outcry, entreaty,
beseeching, imploring, requesting, asking, proclaiming
importuning, praising and meditating. Now is the time to
strengthen prayer on the wall of Jerusalem, make the watch
strong, set up the watchmen and prepare the defenses. For
Watchmen on the Wall of prayer, the battle for Israel will
continue to escalate.
 

PREVAILING PRAYER

When our God beholds us there
Wrestling in the place of prayer

Then the tide of battle turns
Then the flame of conquest burn

Then the faltering wail of fear
Turns to victory's ringing cheer

Then the flag of truth prevails
Foes sink back and satan quails

Bring me, Lord, Oh bring me there
Where we learn prevailing prayer!


As we watch the "coming home" of the Jewish people from the
earth's four corners, we see a return that was prophesied two
thousand years ago by the Prophets of Israel taking place before
our eyes. Our eyes are indeed blessed to see what they longed to
see. We also notice another "return" taking place in the Body of
Messiah around the world. A return to their "first love" as God
is preparing her for the Bridegroom. This double return is a
blessing to the world as it heralds the coming of Messiah. Along
with the returns, there is a restoration of Jerusalem taking
place in the form of beautification programs, strangers within
her walls and the Word of the Lord going forth from Jerusalem .

THANK THE LORD for a major clean-up campaign around the Land in
conjunction with the Authority for Holy Places in Israel. The
Jerusalem authorities are now cleaning the Mt. of Olives
cemetery and other holy places. The Lord is indeed building up
Jerusalem and beautifying the City by putting on her "garments
of glory". (Isaiah 52:1). "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O
Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city
...".

PRAISE GOD for a record month of tourism in Israel with 130,000
tourists (strangers) entering into the country, almost double
last year. These strangers (or travelers) are indeed walking
through the cities and byways of Israel in full force. "... and
the travelers walked through the byways." (Judges 5: 6).

GIVE THANKSGIVING to the Lord for granting us a blessed portion
of His Presence during the CFI Shavuot Conference (June 1-4).
Many came from different nations thirsty to drink deeply from
the Word of God. The conference hall was overflowing with people
and His Presence. To GOD be the glory!

Russians are telling Israel they want cooperation, not
confrontation, according to a recent Jerusalem Post article.
They seemingly want to cooperate not only in the civilian field
but also in the military. Moscow is striving for maximum
dialogue with Washington and knows that one road leading to
Washington passes through Jerusalem.

PRAY that any mask of deception worn by Russian officials will
be uncovered and revealed to Israel before devious plans are
devised. Pray that Israel will be discerning. "Then shall you
return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between
him who serveth God and him that serveth him not". (Malachi
3:18).

STAND ON THE PROMISES that God will defend Israel in the latter
days when great company from the land of the north comes against
His People. "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel,
as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the later days
...". (Ezekiel 38:16).

Major General Uri Saguy recently stated that by the end of the
decade Iran will acquire nuclear capability that will pose a
grave threat to Israel. Syria is also continuing massive buildup
of its missile arsenal, highlighted by North Korean-made Scud C
missile with added throw weight and accuracy.

SEEK THE LORD for the Hand of God to disrupt intensive efforts
of nuclear activity. Also pray that He will close the mouths of
those who roar and boast of nuclear superiority. May Israel be
like Gedeon, Samson and Samuel who stopped the mouths of lions.
"... for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon ... Samson ...
Samuel... who stopped the mouths of lions". (Hebrews 11:32, 33).

FERVENTLY INTERCEDE against the threats of terror and nuclear
ambitions from Arab countries with which Israel has to cope.
Pray that God will arrest any coordinated effort of those
breathing out threatenings toward her for they are actually
breathing out threatenings against God Himself. "... for he that
toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye." (Zechariah 2:8).

EARNESTLY PRAY that Egyptian President Hosni Mubaraks
accusations against Israel of reneging on commitments and
undermining the peace talks will not persuade the nations to
turn against her. "Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you,
nor persuade you on this manner ...". (II Chronicles 32:15).

PRAY that the international community will not join hands with
Arab nations who want to liberate the Holy City from the "yoke
of occupation" which Mubarak is purporting. "For the nation and
kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish, yea, those
nations shall be utterly wasted." (Isaiah 60:12).

PREVAIL WITH GOD that the lie of "trading land for peace" will
not be believed as truth. "For they speak not peace: but they
devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the
land". (Psalm 35:20).

Citizens in Israel are being encouraged to convert one room of
their home into permanent improved version of the Gulf War's
"sealed room", complete with a gasproof, blastproof door and
window. Along with a massive NIS 520 million operation of
distribution of new gas masks to the entire population over the
next two years, Israel is preparing for the event of future war.

PRAY that Israel will find her true security in God. However,
for existing buildings, they need to have secure areas reachable
within the two-to-five minute advance warning received here for
ground-to-ground missiles. "And thou shalt be secure, because
there is hope ...". (Job 11:18) .

All 24,000 immigrants from Ethiopia currently living in
temporary quarters will receive permanent housing within one
year, according to an agreement reached recently between
representatives of the government, the Jewish Agency and the
immigrants.

PRAISE GOD for the 1,500 families who will move into their own
homes by September 1st, 1992. Thank Him for their own Ethiopian
areas in Israel which will be built an named especially for
them. "... they call their lands after their own names."
(Psalm 49:11) 
					
In His Love, 
Sharon Sanders
Jerusalem
Music Column
Music Column
"CALL COMIN' THROUGH"

Words & Music by Tommy Greer & Gary Driskell

Your heart is still hurting,
Time hasn't seemed to heal the pain.
And you're blindly groping through the emptiness.
Your soul is awaiting,
Some soothing answer to explain,
The reason for this state of uselessness,
Well, don't you shut your eyes and ears just yet.
 
Somewhere in the darkness there's a candle for you.
Somewhere in the silence there's a call comin' through.
 
Sometimes it's so lonely,
Feels like your prayers aren't even heard.
And the cold and quiet make you wonder,
You're open - you're listenin',
Even the whisper of one word,
Could lift the weight you're walkin' under,
Well, don't give in to givin' up just yet.
 
Somewhere in the darkness there's a candle for you,
Somewhere in the cold wind there's a warmth comin' soon,
Somewhere in the heartbreak there's a healin' place you're
comin' to,
Somewhere in the silence there's a call comin' through.


(Call Comin' Through)
Ever stumbled up to a fork in the road, and didn't have a clue? 
I've been there a few times. A friend of mine was there when I
wrote this lyric (Tommy's music). God may allow us to sit in
the darkness for a while and regroup. Instead of complaining so
much, we should take the opportunity to offer praises to Him and
renew our commitment. Following Christ involves a certain
amount of taking up our cross and just waiting for the Master to
call. Sooner or later the phone will ring, or just ahead a
light will come on. Then and only then is it time to move
ahead. Patience is perhaps the most difficult of all virtues.

(Editor's note: Anyone who is interested in the published
rendition of this song may contact Word Inc. 3319 West End
Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37215)



"FACE TO FAITH"

Words & Music: Gary Driskell
 

David was small
But no giant could take him
Daniel was doomed
But there was not a wound 
When they raised him from the lion's den
Simon Peter, in chains
Brought an angel to the rescue
Paul & Silas, in jail
Were guarded to no avail
For their shackles were loosed and the doors just flew open
"Now what is the catch?", I asked; one day I was readin'
It must be an age-old mystery
Then takin' a second look 
I discovered a strikingly clear consistency
 
(chorus)
(It's) Meetin' disaster face to faith
Puttin' God's promises in to place
Tendin' to trouble with a little taste
Of what God will do when His people start callin' on His name
For He anxiously awaits
To give the word to release the power that prayer creates
So we've gotta learn to meet every problem that we face
Face to faith
 
Now people, I've learned 
That God's word can be tested
Trust Him, you'll see
For those who believe
He still is a God of mighty miracles
So when troubles hit hard
Turn to God and be patient
Stand strong, don't run
For there isn't anyone 
That He's ever let down when their lives have been faithful
It's easy to go half-way, and not really do it
But that makes the consequences rough
And the more the catastrophe, the sooner you see 
That you're so much better off
 

(Face to Faith)
It was during some time of difficulty that I wrote these words,
and my faith was renewed. The book of James says that we should
count it all joy when we go through these trials and tribulation.
It is a time to test our faith. I saw that in these situations
we are not to become discouraged or to lie down and do nothing.
We are to be strong and wait upon the Lord and be joyful in tough
circumstances. He will see us through. 

(Editor's note: Anyone who is interested in the published
rendition of this song may contact Starsong Publishers, 2325
Crestmoor Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215)
Chef's Corner
Chef's Corner
REUNITE THE FAMILY, IT'S PICNIC TIME!!

MARINATED POTATO SALAD can be prepared the night before. Cook
and dice six large potatoes. Place potatoes, two diced
hard-boiled eggs, and 1 tablespoon chopped green pepper in a
mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl,
mix 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons salad oil, 1/2 teaspoon
sugar, 2 teaspoons prepared mustard, and 1 tablespoon grated
onion. Pour over potato mixture. Chill for two or three hours
or overnight. Just before serving, add enough mayonnaise to
moisten. This salad is especially eye-pleasing served in cups
of crisp lettuce leaves. 

No picnic would be complete without a scrumptious 24-HOUR FRUIT
SALAD. Mix 3 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, a dash of salt, 2
tablespoons butter or margarine in a double boiler or heavy
saucepan. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. In a
bowl, combine 2 cups drained pineapple tidbits, 5 peeled and
diced oranges, 3/4 pound white seedless grapes, 1 bottle of
maraschino cherries (chopped), and 2 cups quartered
marshmallows. Mix well and chill for 24 hours. If desired,
before serving decorate with orange sections, pineapple slices,
and long-stemmed maraschino cherries.

FRIED CHICKEN is a favorite. To prepare, cut one 2 1/2 to
3-pound frying chicken into serving pieces. Coat pieces with
1/2 cup flour. In a bowl, combine one beaten egg with 3
teaspoons water. Dip chicken pieces into this mixture. Combine
3/4 cup cracker meal with 1 tablespoon onion salt, 2 teaspoons
salt, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon
thyme. Roll the chicken pieces in this mixture and let dry on a
rack for 30 to 45 minutes. For crispy crust, remove cover for
the last ten minutes of cooking time.

Another delicious meat dish is MUSHROOMS AND BEEF. This
casserole is sure to be a favorite with the beef-and-gravy
loving men at the picnic. Cut two pounds round steak or chuck
roast into cubes. Fry cubes lightly in 4 tablespoons butter. 
Place browned cubes in a small roaster. To the skillet
drippings, add 4 tablespoons flour. Brown lightly. Add 1 small
can mushrooms, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 tablespoon
horseradish, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Stir mixture into beef cubes. Mix well; Add
milk just to cover. Bake in 350-degree oven for two or three
hours or until beef is tender. 

Don't forget the vegetables. In addition to their well-known
nutritional value, vegetables can bring a welcome note of color
and texture to your picnic table. Surprise BAKED BEANS combine
some new flavor notes with an old favorite. Mix two 1-pound
cans baked beans and tomato sauce, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 10
dried apricot halves (quartered), 6 sliced weiners, 2
tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon dry mustard. Turn into a
greased 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for one
hour.

TOTE-ALONG MACARONI is just perfect for a picnic. To prepare,
add 1 tablespoon salt to 3 quarts rapidly boiling water. 
Gradually add 2 cups or 8 ounces elbow macaroni as water
continues to boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until
tender. Drain in colander. Saute 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms and
2 tablespoons chopped onion in 2 tablespoons salad oil until
tender-crisp. Add one pound lean ground beef, and brown
lightly. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4
teaspoon tarragon leaves, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, and two
8-ounce cans tomato sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. 
Combine with macaroni. Turn into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. 
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake in
400-degree oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling hot and cheese
is lightly browned. 

DEVILED PEAS are delicious. Combine 1 can peas (drained), 1 cup
chopped celery, 1 chopped bell pepper, 1 cup grated cheese and 1
can tomato soup. Arrange alternate layers of this vegetable
mixture, 6 sliced hard-boiled eggs, and 1 1/2 cups white sauce
in a casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.

FESTIVE GREEN BEANS are everyone's favorite. Cook 2 packages
frozen green beans in a small amount of water until tender. 
Drain and place beans in a buttered casserole dish. Top with 1
can water chestnuts (sliced), and slivered almonds. In a
saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add one minced onion. 
Cook until onion is transparent. Remove from heat. Stir in 2
tablespoons flour and mix to a smooth paste. Add 2 cups milk
gradually and return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until
mixture is thickened. Add 1/2 pound shredded sharp Cheddar
cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add one pound sliced
fresh mushrooms. Pour sauce over beans. Top with contents of
one can French-fried onions. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

GARLIC FRENCH BREAD - To prepare, preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a loaf of French bread, make diagonal cuts at one-inch
intervals, leaving base intact. Combine 1/2 cup soft butter or
margarine, one crushed garlic clove, 3 tablespoons grated
Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves, 1/4 teaspoon
pepper, and a dash of cayenne. Mix until well blended. Spread
mixture between bread slices. Place bread on an ungreased
cookie sheet. Sprinkle top with a few drops of water. Bake for
10 minutes or until butter is melted and bread is hot. Serve
immediately. If desired, this could be prepared at home and
baked over a grill at the picnic area.

FRESH PEACH PIE - Everyone - young and old - looks forward to
dessert time. Fresh peaches are in season now, and this pie is
both delicious and economical to prepare. Fill a nine-inch
baked pastry shell with 2 cups sliced fresh peaches. In a
saucepan, boil 1 cup mashed peaches, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup
sugar, and 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch until mixture is clear
and slightly thickened. Pour heated mixture over peaches in pie
shell. Cool thoroughly before serving. 

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE is lovely to look at and richly delicious
to eat. To prepare, dissolve 1 package sweet cooking chocolate
in 1/2 cup boiling water. In a mixing bowl, cream 2 cups sugar
and 1 cup shortening. Add four egg yolks, one at a time. Sift
2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt
together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with 1 cup
buttermilk. Add chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold in four
stiffly beaten egg whites. Place in a 12 x 8-inch pan. Bake at
350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake tests done. For the
rich icing which is so much a part of this favorite dessert,
combine 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 3 beaten egg
yolks, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a pan. Cook,
stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add 1 cup
coconut, 1 cup pecans, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool and spread
on cake.
Potpourri
Potpourri
NINE KINDS OF CHURCH MEMBERS

1. WHEELBARROW: No good unless pushed.
2. CANOE: Needs to be paddled.
3. KITE: Keep a string on them or they'll fly away.
4. KITTEN: Contented only when petted.
5. FOOTBALL: Hard to tell which way they will bounce.
6. TRAILER: Have to be pulled.
7. BALLOON: Full of gas and ready to blow up.
8. WATCH: Full of good works.
9. CHRIST-LIKE: Ready to let the Spirit guide.

Classify yourself according to God's standard!


HOW DO I STAND WITH GOD?

I guess I pass inspection -
When I go by, the neighbors nod -
But still (upon reflection)
How do I stand with God?

I live in a noble country,
Far from the tyrant's rod,
But that doesn't answer the question:
Just how do I stand with God?

I go to church on Sunday,
Say, why do I feel so odd?
Is it because man's righteousness
Doesn't make him right with God?

If I must give it all away - 
Go hungry - walk unshod -
I'll not let pass another day,
Till I get right with God!
-Author Unknown


IF BUT ONE YEAR

"If I had but one year to live;
One year to help; one year to give;
One year to love; one year to bless;
One year of better things to stress;
One year to sing; one year to smile;
To brighten earth a little while;
One year to sing my Master's praise;
One year to fill with work my days;
One year to strive for a reward
When I should stand before my Lord,
I think that I would spend each day,
In just the very self-same way
That I do now. For from afar
The call may come to cross the bar
Or raptured be to meet my Lord
At any time, and I must be
Prepared to meet eternity.
So if I have a year to live,
Or just one day in which to give
A pleasant smile, a helping hand,
A mind that tries to understand
A fellow-creature when in need,
'Tis one wit me - I take no heed;
Buy try to live each day He sends
To serve my gracious Master's ends."


A SPECIAL FRIEND
By Marge Molinaro
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Jesus is a friend of mine.
A special friend, you see.
I wish I could express to you,
How much He means to me.

When you are sad and lonely,
And need a friend to share,
Your many, many burdens,
Jesus is always there.

He will never leave you lonely, 
Downhearted, sad or blue.
He'll be your friend forever,
All it takes is faith from you.

He's a friend that never fails you,
No matter what you do.
He'll reach out His hand and help you,
All you do, is ask Him to.

As you journey down life's pathway, 
With Jesus as your friend,
Your burdens will be lighter,
And to your joys, There'll be no end.


QUIPS AND QUOTES

Some people are like blisters ... They show up after the work is
done.

Someone has said: Be sure you are right and then hold on though
the heavens fall.

I know of no greater tragedy than to lose the sense of the
immediate presence of God.

When you turn green with envy, You are ripe for trouble.

For the Christian, testing cannot be separated from trusting.

We lose interest in worship when we have nothing invested.

What happens TO us is not nearly so important as what happens IN
us.

Resource Area
Book Reviews
Book Reviews
One of the latest topics of debate within the evangelical
community is the subject of "Lordship Salvation." This theme is
the subject of many books. While the topic is not a new one,
the latest round of discussion was generated by a book that came
out back in 1988. It may be time to go back and once again look
at this book ...


THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS
John MacArthur, Jr.
Zondervan Publishing House, 1988
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Much of what the Church today presents as the Gospel, isn't! 
This is the contention of John MacArthur's THE GOSPEL ACCORDING
TO JESUS. What he presents is "Lordship Salvation" - or at
least that is what his theme is referred to by some of his
critics. "THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS teaches that there is
no eternal life without surrender to the lordship of Christ." 
(Taken from the back of the jacket.)

There is a major problem within the church. It is the spreading
of the message of "easy" salvation. This message lacks a clear
warning of the cost of following Christ. It downplays the
importance of obedience to Christ's commands. As a result of
this watered-down message, many who call themselves Christians
do not have any testimony about the reality of their salvation.

MacArthur's concern for the spiritual flabbiness of the Church
is well-taken. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a lack of
clarity in the call to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. (Some
have even expressed that MacArthur's position is heretical.)

John MacArthur clearly notes that he is not teaching "works
salvation." His writing however, can leave the reader with the
impression that this is exactly what he is saying!

There are at least two problems with the handling of the
material. First, the Old Testament is used as a primary source
of the argument tying works to salvation. While the Old
Testament is an integral part of the foundation of Christianity,
it is not the primary source material for understanding the
Christian life. 

Second, MacArthur uses "The Sermon on the Mount" as major source
material for his view. But when using it, he overlooks the fact
that the message was not the Gospel of Salvation, but the Gospel
of the Kingdom. These two Gospels are dealing with two separate
subjects. 

Nevertheless, to accuse this book of being heretical is a gross
overstatement. In fact, the book has much to recommend it. 
MacArthur's concern over the lack of stress on true repentance
is certainly valid. The Christian life demands a commitment to
the truths of Scripture and obedience to God's commands. 

Obviously, there is too much inaccurate teaching focusing on the
ease of coming to Christ for salvation. Salvation is presented
as a way of solving life's problems and sometimes even as a
basis of finding material prosperity. Accept Christ and have a
friend for life, one who is there for you and makes no demands.

This approach ignores that the Christian life is primarily one
of the struggle of obedience, out of which comes spiritual
maturity, and a deeper eternal relationship with God. Churches
with an emphasis on downplaying this message never want to be
guilty of judging anyone. As a result they often welcome with
open arms those who are living in direct disobedience of God.

In a desire to speak to these issues, MacArthur has produced a
frequently confusing work. The distinctions between work as a
product of salvation, and a basis for salvation are often
muddled. Believers must be clear on the distinctions.

Believers must encourage those claiming the name of Christ to
live constantly with that claim. Where the life doesn't match
up, the individual must reexamine the claim to salvation. James
makes it clear that the life of the true believer manifests
itself in fruit. "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will
show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:18)

Read this book with care. It may be confusing at times,
nevertheless, do read it! Christians must return to a message
that clearly states who Christ is, the need for repentance from
sin and the call to obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Where
there is no changed life, and no desire for change, is there
really any salvation?
NewsDesk
Morning Star NewsDesk
MORNING STAR NEWSDESK - AUGUST 1992

PEACE IN A CITY OF TURMOIL

When Los Angeles erupted into riots after the Rodney King trial,
hope was hard to find. But thanks to the International Bible
Society (IBS), the hope found in God's Word was soon available
to people in the hardest-hit areas of the city. In partnership
with World-Vision and its network of African-American and
Hispanic churches, IBS placed 30,000 Scripture booklets directly
into the devastated south central area of Los Angeles on the
Saturday following the riots.

"The churches wanted to provide more than temporary help," said
IBS representative Cory Trenda, who personally led the
distribution effort. "They were thrilled to provide spiritual
food through God's Word."

IBS Scriptures also helped one of the city's most historic
rescue missions as it continued to minister during the unrest. 
Workers at Union Rescue Mission could see the flames within two
blocks on all sides of their building as they ministered to the
city's homeless men, women and children. Because of an annual
grant of Scriptures from IBS, they were able to share God's Word
as well as food and shelter.

This year, IBS is providing special "street" New Testaments
worth more than $30,000 for city missions affiliated with the
International Union of Gospel Missions. Union Rescue Mission is
among those using the New Testaments to share the Gospel with
the homeless. (IBS TODAY newsletter - July 92)


TOP NOTCH EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAM

When Mike Wright, vice president of the Southern Baptist Radio &
Television Commission, gave a Russian New Testament to the
manager of a company in the city of Ufa, Russia, 900 miles
southeast of Moscow, the Russian became so excited he said he
wanted one for every employee in his organization.

"How many would that take?" Wright asked. "I have 20,000
employees," came the reply.

For a moment Wright was stunned. Then he remembered that the
International Bible Society had provided 4 million Russian New
Testaments to Soviet churches and missions in 1991 and hoped
that some of those "Moscow Project" New Testaments were still
available. He was elated to discover he could receive the
20,000 Scriptures he needed, but they were in the Protestant
Publishing House warehouse, 900 miles from Ufa. The Russian
executive immediately sent a truck to make the 1,800 mile,
six-day round trip over bad roads through the forbidding Russian
winter to pick up the precious scriptures. (IBS TODAY
newsletter - July 92)


AMNESTY REPORT FOUND LACKING

The chapter on Israel in Amnesty International's annual report
lacks credibility by not adequately dealing with violence within
the Palestinian community, says President Chaim Herzog of
Israel. More than 80 percent of the killings in the territories
are perpetuated by Palestinians against other Palestinians,
Herzog told a delegation of Israeli representatives of Amnesty
International. In addition, there are numerous incidents of
attacks and torture within the Palestinian population not
addressed in the report, Herzog noted. The president was
presented with the Amnesty report by the five-member delegation.
He met afterwards with the delegates in his office. The
delegates promised to pass on his comments to the organization
heads.

Herzog said Amnesty's effort to fight human rights violations
throughout the world was greatly appreciated. The group's work,
he said, was especially appreciated in the Middle East, where
human rights violations run rampant in the many totalitarian
nations lacking the democratic parliament and free press found
in Israel. Amnesty's report said "Palestinians under
interrogation were systematically tortured or ill-treated. 
About 90 Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces, often in
circumstances which seemed unjustifiable. (JERUSALEM POST
INTERNATIONAL 7/18/92)


GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE RISE

An unprecedentedly large First International Conference on
Anti-semitism, sponsored by the World Jewish Congress, was held
in Brussels Belgium, and heard Jewish Agency Chairman Simha
Dinitz report a 35 percent rise in anti-semitic incidents around
the world in 1991 compared to the previous year. Figures
indicated almost 1,900 such incidents in 1991. Some 12,000
delegates from 72 countries attended the gathering, including
political, intellectual, and religious leaders. They
concentrated on how nationalist passions now sweeping much of
Europe - in the post-Soviet and German reunification era - are
posing a threat to the Jews. (JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL
7/18/92)


FRANCE STOPS EFFORT TO END ARAB BOYCOTT

France thwarted a US-led effort for the Group of Seven (G-7)
industrialized nations to call for immediate suspension of the
secondary Arab boycott of Israel, Bush administration officials
have told American Jewish leaders. The call was to have been a
response to Prime Minister-designate Yitzhak Rabin's declared
plans to halt new "political" settlement activity. Instead,
France wanted the G-7 leaders meeting in Munich to reiterate the
statement from last year's London meeting, which for the first
time linked an end to the boycott to a total settlement freeze. 
U.S. officials refused France's offer, saying it would be seen
in Israel and elsewhere as a setback in light of the Rabin
victory and his determination to scale back settlement activity.
With concensus not reached, it was decided not to make any
statement on the subject. (JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL 7/18/92)


BUSH ADMINISTRATION INDIRECTLY SUPPORTS BOYCOTT

Representative Sam Gejdenson accused the Bush administration of
sabotaging a law that bans some U.S. government purchases from
foreign firms that join the Arab boycott. The congressman said
the U.S. is giving lucrative contracts to companies that are
abiding by the boycott. "By sabotaging the contracting ban, the
Bush administration has thrown away a key piece of American
leverage to end the Arab boycott," he stated. Gejdenson
produced a printed statement from Samsung Construction Co. Ltd.
of Seoul, South Korea, which stated that it "will never violate
the Arab regulations" along with reports of U.S. government
contracts with Samsung companies. (JERUSALEM POST INTERNATIONAL
7/18/92)


TED TURNER'S SAVIOR

Ted Turner, owner of CNN, told a recent conference on World
Affairs in Boulder: "The religious right has taken control of
government ... The problem with Christianity is its underlying
view that the world is a rotten place and we're born into sin. 
It's a real burden to go through life with the notion that this
life is only spring training for the real major leagues of
heaven ... But what if this 70 years or so is the only heaven
we're going to have? And what if, instead of waiting for a
savior, we look in the mirror and find that the only savior we
have is us?" (The McALVANY INTELLIGENCE ADVISOR 4/92 as
reported in THE CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT 7/92)


FILES SHOW SOVIET-SPONSORED TERRORISM

Secret files found in the former Communist Party's headquarters
confirm that for years Soviet leaders funded and armed
international terrorist organizations. President Boris
Yeltsin's top legal aide Segei Shakhrai presented a document
issued in 1975 by the Politburo, which allocated arms for the
radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
specifically for terrorist activities.

Shakhrai called a news conference to reveal what he called a
"special file" of a million secret documents found in the
party's central committee archives on the eve of a
Constitutional Court hearing on the legality of a Yeltsin decree
banning the Communist Party. He said the secret files contained
evidence of criminal activity and atrocities by the party. Over
an unspecified 10-year period, $200 million was sent to leaders
of 109 political parties in over 70 countries, the prosecutor
said. (UPI-MOSCOW)


EUROPE LOOKS TO EXPAND TRADE AREA

The European Community (EC) is considering setting up a free
trade zone with the Maghreb states of North Africa. "The hour
has come to pass from the logic of cooperation and development
to one of political, economic and social partnership," reads a
recent EC document. "No area of cooperation and dialogue would
be excluded from consideration." The EC's proposal tacitly
excludes Libya, because of UN sanctions, and Mauritania, because
of the links it already has with the EC through the Lome
Convention, which gives some former European colonies trade
benefits with the EC.

The five nations - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and
Mauritania - do a paltry amount of their trading with each
other. But the spectre of a unified Europe put necessity ahead
of conviction and brought them together into their own common
market in 1989 (the Arab Maghreb Union). While the Maghreb
states are publicly committed to trying to create a better
future by cooperating with each other, they in fact have little
choice but to opt for greater integration with Europe - on
Europe's terms. (TORONTO STAR 5/4/92)


CLOSER AND CLOSER TO REVELATION 13

The Inter-Industry Support Group on Integrated Circuit Cards is
launching a move to standardize "smart cards" due to their
intense production and use. The group said that the smart card,
which is capable of storing and processing volumes of
information, has many more potential uses and users. "One card
could serve the multitude of functions for its user; storage of
medical information, admission to security areas, payment of
parking meters and bus fares, financial transactions and
numerous other functions that have not yet been explored or
conceived," states the Standards Council, the crown agency that
promotes standardization. In Europe, about 220 million smart
cards are estimated to already be in use, mainly as telephone
and credit cards. Smart cards are coming into increasing play
in pilot studies in North America and are about to burst onto
the scene reports the council. (CHRISTIAN WORLD REPORT 7/92)
Information and Product Guide
Information and Product Guide
MORNING STAR INFORMATION AND PRODUCT GUIDE - July, 1992
The MINISTRY INFORMATION area is for the benefit of all
believers.

MORNING STAR does not charge for these advertisements.


AMMI MINISTRY
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BILL RUDGE MINISTRIES
(An international outreach challenging believers 
to reach their maximum potential in Christ.) 
220 North Buhl Farm Drive
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(412) 983-1223

CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
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CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES Inc.
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Arrowhead Springs
2700 Little Mountain Dr.
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JESUS PEOPLE USA
4707 N. Malden
Chicago, IL 60640
Editorial office: (312) 989-2080
(An excellent resource for tips and techniques on witnessing and
ministering to specific groups of people.)

JEWISH VOICE BROADCASTS INC.
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JEWS FOR JESUS
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94102-5895
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Canadian Office: P.O Box 487, Station Z
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JOHN ANKERBERG MINISTRY
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LEDERER MESSIANIC MINISTRIES
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MESSIANIC JEWISH ALLIANCE OF AMERICA (MJAA)
P.O. Box 417
Wynnewood, PA 19096
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