Volume 3

February 2013

E-Herald of the Coming Kingdom

The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News. Mark 1:15 GW

Does Satan Exist? Failure Need Not Be Forever A Faith Worth Dying For Practicing The Presence of God Keep Walking Gods Gifts to us

DEDICATED TO SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF GODS COMING KINGDOM TO BE ESTABLISHED WHEN CHRIST RETURNS

Contents
Editorial
Page 3

Does Satan Exist?

Dave Hixson
Page 5

Brief Bible Notes

Page 9

Failure need Not Be Forever

Wally Winner
Page 16

Post Mortem on the Election

Laura Hollis
Page 18

A Faith Worth Dying For

Mark DeYoung
Page 22

Practicing The Presence of God

Jeff Fletcher
Page 25

Keep Walking
Rick Marschall
Page 30

Spiritual Gifts to Us
Kent Ross
Page 32

Up Coming Events
Page 35
Page 2

Editors Note
Co-Editors: Kent H. Ross Wally Winner

Culture Changing This isn't new, of course, but the changes seem to be happening exponentially. The changes themselves are astounding, and the speed at which they are coming is dazzling, Communication may be at the top of the list. Our first cell phone came equipped with a huge battery we carried . . . and that was less twenty years ago. It seems like far further back than that. The changes that have come our way with cell phones are far beyond my comprehension. Photos and videos come to me almost instantaneously. No postage needed for almost anything. Maybe that's good as the U.S.P.S. has lost its luster for me. But, of course, it is all out-pacing me. I was excited to get that first cell-phone, lumber some as it was, because we first used it to have to call for road-side assistance driving to Columbus, Georgia. No smart phone for me, my family says. They may feel by its very title it is far beyond my reach and they probably are correct. Well I'll enjoy the benefits I can, but wonder where all of this will lead us. Society doesn't seem to improve any. By an logical assessment, it is declining. One might even say precipitously. Regarding that, a statistical report yesterday told that more deaths in Chicago - over 500+ - had been committed, than soldiers deaths in Afghanistan, in the same period. Also astounding, but in a most negative way. But the state of the church continues to go lower, too. Another of our churches in California is gone. But our churches around the country also seem in decline, and it may be a world-wide situation for our churches. However, it is also true of all churches. And our Boards and staff seem as stymied as we do in our churches. We hope some good new programs can stem things, but programs have come and gone over the generations and don't appear to significantly address the problem.

Page 3

It is because we won't, often, face the problem. Even today we seem to be more willing to let the ship sink and continue bailing furiously until it's gone. It could be changed, but I fear and doubt it will be changed. Too many chiefs know and not enough Indian do. But the same God and the same Lord, Jesus, His only Begotten Son, implemented their "church growth strategy" and it worked amazingly. We're prepared to say, "Yeah, but that was then. You can't expect that now." And with that we go back to bailing . . . bailing . . . bailing. Why "can't" the same God and His Son, do it again??? They can. They promised, but we need to ask and learn. Headlines from Assist News Service: These are recent headlines of what is happening across the globe, especially in African and some parts of the Middle East. But the uncivilized side of our society is beginning to dominate in area, and seems to be invading our parts of our worled, too. Anti-Christian Hostility Heats Up Amid Unrest in Egypt Abducted Egyptian Christian Girl Possibly Smuggled to Libya Ahmadinejad: Muslims Should Mobilize to Destroy Zionism Sudan Bombings Kill More Nuba Christians Iran Court Convicts Christian Pastor who is a US Citizen Buddhist Monks Lead Attack on Church in Sri Lanka Islamic charity seeks to reverse progress of Christianity in Indonesia Nine Christians Killed, Four Churches Burned in Nigeria Algerian Faces Five Years in Prison for Sharing Christian Faith Eritrean Hostage Given Five Day Ultimatum by Sinai Organ Traffickers 'This just shows the wickedness of the human heart' We need to be praying for the persecuted ones across the world. Let God direct your prayers, but pray. A time may be on the way for us, when we need to be praying for our land, and for our brothers and sisters of the Faith. Paul warned us of "perilous times" coming. Look around you, as society is going, we see even governmental entities become in what appears to be anti-Christian actions. One of the articles in this issue was questionably selected because of the political nature, but was finally placed in because of its approach to how society and culture has brought such profound changes to our land. We welcome your feedback on this article and any of the material contained. We seek to convey Bible truth and insights toward Christ's Return to this planet.

Page 4

DOES SATAN EXIST?

By Dave Hixon
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). One primary cause lurks behind the suffering and tragic circumstances that afflict so many people. The Bible reveals that a powerful, intelligent and influential being actively influences the evil that goes on in our world. Most of us have heard of him. The Bible calls him the devil and Satan. tan and whether he exists is only speculation, or worse, from Greek Mythology. The Bible contains evidence that it truly is the Word of God. Through its pages God reveals true spiritual knowledge. It tells us in sobering terms that the devil does exist. It explains that this being and the spirit world are every bit as real as our own. It shows us that Satan is an incredibly powerful being with an influence over humanity. Along with his cohortscalled demons or evil spirits he is mentioned frequently in the Scriptures. He shows up from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation.

The Bible reveals much about this being. It shows us his origin, how he came to be creature have come what he is. It reveals his intenDoes such a being exist? tions and the methods he uses from? What is his Where could such a creature to accomplish them. It depurpose, his goal, his have come from? What is his scribes his character and napurpose, his goal, his intent? intent? What does he ture and the motivations that What does he do? Is he, as drive him. It helps us see the do? many believe, simply a mythistaggering impact his influence cal embodiment of evil? Most can have on us individually as people aren't sure what to bewell as his sway over the whole lieve. They either haven't givof humanity. It reveals his fuen the concept of the devil ture. The Bible gives us knowlthat much thought or don't know where to look to edge we could never discover or understand on find the answers. our own. Through the centuries belief in the existence of the devila being responsible for evilhas come and gone. During the Middle Ages belief in the evil one and his influence on mankind was unquestioned. But today many ridicule the idea of a literal evil person who is responsible for the misery and suffering we see around us. But what is the truth? Does the devil exist? Where can we find reliable, accurate information on this subject? Only one source can give us the answers, that single dependable source is the Bible. Beyond it, everything concerning SaJesus Christ spoke of the devil as a powerful, conscious, real being. If we accept Jesus as real, as the Son of Godand the Bible as giving the truthful account of His ministry and teachings we must also accept the devil as real. The writers of the four Gospels record instances in which Christ confronted Satan and his cohorts, the demons. The Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament, show Satan to be the enemy of Christ, determined to undermine His work. Just before Jesus began His ministry, Satan tried, through temptation, to turn Him away from His purpose in Matthew 4:1-11; and Luke 4:1-13. Page 5

You may have wondered whether he really exists. After all, to many the devil seems like a fairy-tale charactera hideous, blood-red creature with horns, a pointed tail and bat's wings who carries a pitchfork and inhabits an infernal region of ever-burning flames. Because he is typically depicted in such a silly way, it isn't Does such a being exist? surprising that few take the Where could such a idea of a devil seriously.

the Greek word diabolos overlap. In fact, the Failing at every turn, Satan was finally allowed Septuagint, the oldest known Greek translation of to influence other human beings to execute Jesus in Luke 22:2-4. The apostle Peter, who experi- the Old Testament, translates Satan with the enced his own struggles with Satan in Matthew Greek word diabolos. Both mean "slanderer" or 16:21-22. Peter also warns us to be on guard "accuser" and can have the sense of an accuser against this powerful wicked being: "Be of sober or opponent in court. Both the Hebrew and Greek spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, terms are used in the New Testament to refer to prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some- this enemy of mankind. one to devour." In 1 Peter 5:8. Peter's warning The Bible tells us much more about this evil helps us to realize that the devil is the enemy of not only Jesus Christ, but also the enemy of all being's nature and character. Christ says Satan is "a liar and the father of lies" and that "there is Christ's followers, seeking to turn them from God no truth in him" (John 8:44). and His ways. It is through his lying, deceptive nature that But we find more to the story of Satan. A Satan most successfully influences mankind. The central message of the Bible, from beginning to end, is that the devil is the enemy of all humanity. Bible reveals the scale of his lies and their impact, As we discover what the Bible says about him, we the apostle John says in Revelation 12:9 that he find him continually intent on mankind's harm, "deceives the whole world!" Did you hear what John said about Satan? He "deceives the whole waging war against human beings in every way world"! What does this mean? What is God telling imaginable. us when He reveals here that Satan deceives the whole world? The very name Satan, the name the Bible John did not say uses most for this evil that Satan deceived being, helps reveal his the world only at intent. God calls things some time in the diswhat they are. Satan is tant past. The word a Hebrew noun meanJohn usestranslating "adversary"the ed "deceives" in the enemy, opponent, anNew American Stantagonist, foe. The verb dard Bibleis in the forms of the noun present active tense, mean to "accuse," meaning that Satan's "slander" and "be an addeception started in versary. The other term the past and is a conthe Bible most often tinuous, ongoing prouses to describe this cess that is not yet being, devil, is very simfinished. The book of ilar. Devil is translated Revelation shows from the Greek word that Satan's great dediabolos, the root from ception will continue which we get the word until God intervenes diabolical, used to deto put an end to his scribe something wickinfluence over maned or sinister. Diabolos kind. means "an accuser, a slanderer". Satan has seduced humanity for thouWe see that the sands of years. But meanings of the Hewhenand how brew word Satan and Page 6

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? Genesis 3:1
did his influence begin? How did he gain his firm hold in human thinking? What is it about him and his methods that allow him to deceive?

ed to kill Him for identifying Himself as the Son of God. Jesus recognized the source of their motivation: "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a The story begins with the very beginning of murderer from the beginning, and does not stand mankind. We all know the story of Adam and Eve. in the truth because there is no truth in him. God put them in the Garden and even taught Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his them to follow His ways. But something hap- own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." pened that suddenly derailed that relationship. In (John 8:44). Genesis 3:1 we are introduced. Now the serpent (See Revelation 20:2) was more crafty than any Satan was truly "a murderer from the beginbeast of the field which the Lord God had made. ning." He didnt need to physically harm Adam And he said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, and Eve to bring about their deaths. He knew that You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? if he could influence them to sinto disobey Godthey would bring death on themselves. God had told Adam and Eve they could eat of all the trees in Eden except onethe tree of the Christ also said Satan is "a liar and the father knowledge of good and evil. He warned them of lies." His lies destroyed the relationship bethey would perish if they ate of its fruit. Satan, tween God and His children. By following in Adappearing in the form of a serpent, and came am and Eve's footsteps in accepting Satan's privately to Eve and deceived her: "The serpent ways of sin and rebellion, we have cut ourselves said to the woman, You surely will not die! For off from God's guidance and assistance and desGod knows that in the day you eat from it your perately need the redemption that can come only eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, through Christ. knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:4-5. Humanity has suffered and followed the same Eve believed the serpent. (By the way, this is path that Adam and Eve started down long ago. the greatest lie ever told! And is still being told We suffer the painful consequences of our choictoday, that is another article.) She ate the fruit es and actions just as they did. Plain and simply, and shared it with Adam. Together Adam and we reap what we sow. Eve set in motion that we have followed ever sincechoosing to decide our own way. Life for By influencing mankind to sin, making it apmankind would never be the same. Sin rebel- pear attractive and appealing, Satan holds our lion against Godhad entered the world. Man- world in a deceitful grip of lies, suffering and death. kind would now reap what it sowed in the beginning. In the next issue we will look into the scriptures for some more evidence that this being, known as Jesus referred to this incident in the Garden the Devil or Satan, is more real than many of us of Eden when He confronted those who were choose to believe! against His message and workmen who wantPage 7

The Non-Personality of Satan

We've solicited an article giving this understanding. We first began asking last March or April. That one, promised, has not been forthcoming. I was sent material and told I could put together the article. Since I do not believe it to be a correct understanding, I did not feel I could honestly do it justice, We know there are strong opinions on this, and a good Biblicallybased article would be welcomed." ~~ Editor

Page 8

" THRIVE With the Acronym Y.O.L.O. (yolo)?By Ken Cronin

It stands for You Only Live Once. Do you of the Church really believe this? How about Y.O.D.O (yodo)? This means You Only Die Once. Do we really believe in this saying? Lets get back to the Bible for some answers. About YOLO, I believe that we can see from the scriptures that this is false. I will set about to prove what I say. Revelation 20:5-6: These people are the first to be raised to life, and they are especially blessed and holy. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and Christ and will rule with them for a thousand years. No other dead people were raised to life until a thousand years later. Resurrection is defined as A rising again; chiefly, the revival of the dead of the human race, or their return from the grave, particularly at the general judgment. By the resurrection of Christ we have assurance of the future resurrection of men (Websters 1828 dictionary). We see that the belief in no resurrection to life is not a new idea. The Sadducees as a group was adamant on this belief. One of their distinctive doctrines, in addition to their denial that there was any angel or spirit (Acts 23:8), was the denial of mans resurrection after death, and therefore to them there was no future punishment or future reward. Matthew 22:23-33 records Jesus responding to their doctrine: That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadduceesreligious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brothers name, Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. But the second brother also died, and the third brother married. This continued with all seven of them. Last of all the woman also died. So tell, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her. Jesus replied, Your mistake is that you dont know the Scriptures, and you dont know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the deadhavent you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So he is the God of the living, not the dead (NLT). We also see in the Bible that some claimed that the resurrection had already happened. In 2 Timothy 2:15-18 we read that those who Page 9

Brief Bible Notes

Brief Bible Notes

say the resurrection is past are indeed wrong as well: Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith. Philippians 3:10-15 is Paul telling us that the resurrection hasnt happened yet. Vv. 12-13 read: V. 12 I dont mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. Thats what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his (ERV). Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (ESV). Not that I did already obtain, or have been already perfected; but I pursue, if also I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by the Christ Jesus (YLT). V. 13: Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me (ERV). Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead (ESV). In 1 Corinthians 15:12-26 we see Jesus was indeed raised from the dead and all who belong to him will be raised when he comes back. And do we see that death is destroyed as of yet? In Revelation 20 we see that there are two resurrections: the first one to life (not touched of second death)v. 6 and the other later that is connected with second deathafter which death will be destroyedvv. 11-15. Now we are answering the questions about YOLO and YODO. Revelation 2:11 and 21:7-8 reads: Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death (NLT). All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witch-craft, idol worshippers, and all liarstheir fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death (NLT). 0It is guaranteed that all will live in and at one of two resurrections. And it is possible to be twice dead. Y.O.L.O. or Y.O.D.O.????? Page 10

Hobby Lobby

Brief Bible Notes

By Don Hightower
The Lord just spoke to my spirit when I read an article about Hobby Lobby. They are taking a stand against the government and we are going to have to soon also. We are going to be told to do ungodly things or pay the price, so we need to make up our minds, and get it down deep, that we will stand for the Lord at all costs. We are on the edge of great testing by God's enemies and the world is waiting to see the showdown. We need to practice our faith and our confession. `Our country is quickly collapsing. The word of God will be completed soon, as to this age at least. The speed and anger of wickedness will overwhelm many fine people who thought they were ready. I don't mean to be gloomy and depressing to you, but we must face the truth. It has been foretold for centuries and now we are quickly seeing it happen. Whatever you need to do to grow in faith, start on it now and don't stop. Read his word, pray without ceasing, worship him, and fellowship with true believers, witness to those around you and anything else that will bring forth fruit. Be encouraged. We are another day closer to his coming.

Understanding Disparity from the Norm

By Delbert Rankin (Iowa)
Thanks to Daniel Peterson for a quote in his novella, that jumped right off the page and struck me as so true: Disparity from the norm becomes the norm if it is common enough. There are rules and there are exceptions to rules. Remember the one we learned in school grammar at an early age, one that affects spelling? The i comes before the e (relieve, believe), except if the e comes after a c (receive, deceive). Then comes a weirdo that introduces the word weird. He becomes the exception to the exception. If the English language was inundated with words that broke the rule or if there were more exceptions than found in the rulefortunately, I think, thats not the casethen the exception would become the rule and the rule would become the exception. There is the normal; the abnormal exempts itself. If the abnormal overtakes the normal, then what was the normal changPage 11

es place with what was abnormal. The once-perceived abnormal now becomes the norm simply because it is now found to be more common, seemingly more normal than the other.

Brief Bible Notes

We do know of one rule that never has and never will change. The rule is all have sinned, and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The one biblical exception is he who was in all points tempted, as wehe had every opportunity to sin and could have sinnedbut Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15), he did no sin (1 Peter 2:23-22) nor was any sin found in him (1 John 3:5). With one exception to the rule, mans idea to make himself any exception at any time has failed from day one. That having been said, we note that the Lawgiver gave any of the laws in any of the ages that have transpired. The rules given at any point were given for people to follow, but rules have always seemed to prove mans inability to keep rules (Romans 8:3a; 10:21). There was the constant reminder of his qualities to break the rules. And a constant challenge existed for him to find the loopholes and the justifying extenuating circumstances by which he could claim to be exceptions to the rules. The rules establish the will of God and the spiritual norm. But if there are enough in a society that seek to be the exceptions, then by sheer numbers the exceptions who tend to be carnal become the norm and the abnormal ones are the kooks that want to keep Gods word, will, regulations, guidance. Take, for instance, Israel. An imperfect people were called to obey and be respectable representatives of God to the world: Exodus 19:3-7. Their deficiency was well known (same as you and I, by the way; Romans 3:9) but then they were given the solutions to take care of their deficiencies, namely by faith through the remission of sins and forgiveness of their faults per the prescribed methods (discussed, for them and us, in Hebrews 9:1-28), as we all are offered eternal redemption through the redeeming perfect lamb sacrifice (1 Peter 1:18-21). For them and us there isa little more to say. So how often it was that the rules of God were to set the pace for personal and corporate activity among Gods people but there was at some point usually a falling short! When mans interpretation(or evaluation) of Gods laws favored himself as exceptions to Gods rules, you have none other commentary than what the denominational circumstances of the Jews at the first coming of Christ showed. They had negated, canceled out Gods rules by the man-made traditions that had developed, while at the same time claiming faith, Abraham and God and to be the legitimate teachers of His will: Read Matthew 15 and 23 and Mark 7 and John 8. Isaiah the prophet came on the scene when spiritual conditions were diminishing and the carnal Page 12

Brief Bible Notes

rising. He preached on the norm (the then current social and spiritual status) when the norm had moved away from the norm of Gods rules: Isaiah 1:1-15, 20-24. Ideas like rebellion, corruption, inconsideration, meaningless religious rote, a real heart and head sickness screamed in the face of Godand claimed an influential majority vote! Such prophets would not win popularity contests when they declare, Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Terms like rottenness are for those who cast away and despise the word of God (Isaiah 5:20-24). The disparity from the norm becomes the norm if it is common enough is a truism so evident in the fluid and trendy history of self-serving humankind seeking to set up his own moral standard of right and wrong. How about it? Do we want to have the pleasure of dwelling in him1 John 3:23-24; 4:20-21; 5:1-5, or go to great lengths to circumvent the rules and loophole ourselves into exceptions? It may be tempting to say, Christs standard is too high; lets lower the standard that we may feel good about ourselves in achieving it while still claiming to follow Christ! (Thanks, Dan Peterson, for the springboard expression.) OPENING LINES Walk Thou with me, nor let my footsteps stray Apart from Thee, throout lifes threatning way; Be Thou my guide! the path I cannot see; Close to Thy side, Lord, let me walk with TheeThro weary yearsbitter tearsfainting heartMy trembling hand asks but to rest in Thine No earthly foeNo threatning woeNo tempters snare can turn my steps aside, For, in Thy care, Im safeDear Savior, let me trust my hand in Thine, And let me know Thy steps are guiding mine; Lifes changing way is oft-times dark to me; I fear no ill if I may walk with Thee.

Against Heresies by Irenaeus

Book 5 | Chapter 32
By Jaco van Zyl
1. Inasmuch, therefore, as the opinions of certain [orthodox persons] are derived from heretical discourses, they are both ignorant of Gods dispensations, and of the mystery of the resurrection of the just, and of the [earthly] kingdom which is the commencement of incorruption, by means of which kingdom those who shall be worthy are accustomed Page 13

Brief Bible Notes

gradually to partake of the divine nature; and it is necessary to tell them respecting those things, that it behoves the righteous first to receive the promise of the inheritance which God promised to the fathers, and to reign in it, when they rise again to behold God in this creation which is renovated, and that the judgment should take place afterwards. For it is just that in that very creation in which they toiled or were afflicted, being proved in every way by suffering, they should receive the reward of their suffering; and that in the creation in which they were slain because of their love to God, in that they should be revived again; and that in the creation in which they endured servitude, in that they should reign. For God is rich in all things, and all things are His. It is fitting, therefore, that the creation itself, being restored to its primeval condition, should without restraint be under the dominion of the righteous; and the apostle has made this plain in the Epistle to the Romans, when he thus speaks: For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature has been subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope; since the creature itself shall also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. 2. Thus, then, the promise of God, which He gave to Abraham, remains stedfast. For thus He said: Lift up thine eyes, and look from this place where now thou art, towards the north and south, and east and west. For all the earth which thou seest, I will give to thee and to thy seed, even for ever. And again He says, Arise, and go through the length and breadth of the land, since I will give it unto thee; and [yet] he did not receive an inheritance in it, not even a footstep, but was always a stranger and a pilgrim therein. And upon the death of Sarah his wife, when the Hittites were willing to bestow upon him a place where he might bury her, he declined it as a gift, but bought the burying-place (giving for it four hundred talents of silver) from Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite. Thus did he await patiently the promise of God, and was unwilling to appear to receive from men, what God had promised to give him, when He said again to him as follows: I will give this land to thy seed, from the river of Egypt even unto the great river Euphrates. If, then, God promised him the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be, that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For his seed is the Church, which receives the adoption to God through the Lord, as John the Baptist said: For God is able from the stones to raise up children to Abraham. Thus also the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians: But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. And again, in Page 14

Brief Bible Notes

the same Epistle, he plainly declares that they who have believed in Christ do receive Christ, the promise to Abraham thus saying, The promises were spoken to Abraham, and to his seed. Now He does not say, And of seeds, as if [He spake] of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And again, confirming his former words, he says, Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham. But the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, declared to Abraham beforehand, That in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham. Thus, then, they who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham, and these are the children of Abraham. Now God made promise of the earth to Abraham and his seed; yet neither Abraham nor his seed, that is, those who are justified by faith, do now receive any inheritance in it; but they shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For God is true and faithful; and on this account He said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. FACE BOOK NOTES By Jaco van Zyl 5 NT Wright believes in soul-sleep - Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. As did Martin Luther...

NINTH ANNUAL Church of God

September 19-21, 2013 Hosted at and by the North Hills Church of God 2950 Moorefield Road Springfield, OH 45502
COG History Committee Jan Stilson & Arlen Rankin, Greg Demmitt, David Krogh Kent Ross, Coordinator

Page 15

FAILURE NEED NOT BE FOREVER

A STUDY OF JOHN MARK
BY WALLY WINNER least one spacious room plus a courtyard with an outer door. Servants were obviously employed. `What an opportune place to hear stories about the life of Jesus! Mark certainly moved in the right circles. He must have known Peter from the earliest days of his ministry. It would be unthinkable to suppose that he was not acquainted with all the original apostles. Few were in a better position to learn the facts about Jesus' life and teaching. Mark emerges at the time of a famine. The Church of God in Antioch, Syria, was not slack to help the Jewish brethren in the Holy City. Gifts were sent there by Paul and Barnabas. Later the two returned to Antioch and John Mark was with them. There Paul and Barnabas were formally ordained and sent to the Greek world. (This was Paul's first tour.) Luke's historical account mentions that John Mark was their assistant or helped (Acts 13:5). The RSV has it: "And they had John to assist them." The Translators New Testament: "And they had John as their helper." Events proved he could not. The book called the Acts of the Apostles simply states: "Now Paul and his company [including Barnabas] set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem" (Acts 13:13). No reason is given in the account. But Paul clearly was distressed. After that first tour was concluded, an important ministerial conference took place in A.D. 49 in Jerusalem. Paul then returned to Antioch. It was now time to embark on a second extensive evangelistic tour. Barnabas sought to persuade Paul to take Mark along again. But the leading apostle to the Greek world was firm. "But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from Page 16

WHAT KIND of people would you have chosen to preserve in writing the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth? A despised tax collector? (Matthew) A close personal friend of Jesus? (John) A physician who would pass for a historian? (Luke) Orperhaps Mark, a young aide who associated with Jesus' disciples? Who was this Mark? What was he like? The evidence, though sketchy, is revealing. The New Testament itself supplies surprising information. Early Encounters First, a few points about Mark's name. His full name was John Mark. In first-century Palestine it was not uncommon for a man to have two names. John was his Jewish name. Mark his Greek name (Marcus in Latin). Mark came from a fairly wealthy family that was influential in the early Jerusalem church. When Peter escaped from jail, it was to the home of Mary, Mark's mother, that he came to contact a large assemblage of church members. The house was large enough to have at

them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work" (Acts 15:38). A sharp contention followed between Paul and Barnabas. Here their paths diverged. Paul took Silas with him and Barnabas took his younger cousin, John Mark, to Cyprus. It is not our purpose to try to sort out all the rights and wrongs. We will view the scenario from Mark's point of view. First and foremost Mark showed himself clearly deficient in character to have abandoned the two apostles in mid tour. They needed his services. He had all the qualifications for a fine assistant. Probably the two apostles now had to busy themselves with organizational details and other duties Mark normally would have handled. The tour was hurt. Restored to Paul's Favor Paul's letter to the church members in Colossae in Asia Minor was written in the early sixties during his first imprisonment. By this time Mark is back in Paul's good graces. Paul is moved to write of Mark: "... and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructionsif he comes to you, receive him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These [Mark and Jesus] are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they [these two] have been a comfort to me" (Col. 4:10-11). Paul also wrote a personal letter to Philemon while he was under house arrest at Rome during his first imprisonment. Again he mentions Mark."Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers" (Philemon. 2324). A few years later, in A.D. 68, Paul knows he is soon to be executed by decree of Emperor Nero. He must make provision for matters that would follow upon his death. During his second and final Roman imprisonment, Paul writes his second letter to the young evangelist Timothy.

In relaying his concluding instructions, Paul writes: "Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. . . . Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me" (II Tim. 4:9-11). Since Paul's writing to Philemon, Demas has left the work of God. He is no longer a fellow worker. But Mark, by contrast, has grown in usefulness and service. Much later Peter writes his first general letter to those converts living in the northern part of Asia Minor. He ends the letter by passing on various individual greetings to church members. Simon Peter writes,"She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark"the Authorized Version uses the LatinMarcus (I Pet. 5:13). This reference indicates that Mark was so close to Peter that the older man refers to him as his son in the faith. Perhaps Peter's preaching brought about Mark's conversion. Remember Paul referred to both Timothy and Titus as his sons in the faith. We learn from Mark that it is not about our beginning. It is about our finish. We must not write people off because they fail. They might become one of the most valuable pieces in ministry.

Page 17

Editor: While this is political, it is also very informative and reflective of societal changes that the church is facing.

Post Mortem on the Recent U.S. Presidential Election

Laura Hollis, Nov 08, 2012
Laura Hollis is: Current: Associate Professional Specialist and Concurrent Associate Professor of Law at University of Notre Dame. Past: Director at Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Associate Director and Clinical Professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Education: University of Notre Dame Law School, University of Notre Dame. Summary: She has 20+ years' experience in curriculum and other program Development and delivery. I am already reading so many pundits and other talking heads analyzing the disaster that was this year's elections. I am adding my own ten cents. Here goes: 1. We are outnumbered. We accurately foresaw the enthusiasm, the passion, the commitment, the determination, and the turnout. Married women, men, independents, Catholics, evangelicals - they all went for Romney in percentages as high or higher than the groups which voted for McCain in 2008. It wasn't enough. What we saw in the election on Tuesday was a tipping point: we are now at a place where there are legitimately fewer Americans who desire a free republic with a free people than there are those who think the government should give them stuff. There are fewer of us who believe in the value of free exchange and free enterprise. There are fewer of us who do not wish to demonize successful people in order to justify taking from them. We are outnumbered. For the moment. It's just that simple. 2. It wasn't the candidate(s). Some are already saying, "Romney was the wrong guy"; "He should have picked Marco Rubio to get Florida/Rob Portman to get Ohio/Chris Christie to get [someplace else]." With all due respect, these assessments are incorrect. Romney ran a strategic and wellorganized campaign. Yes, he could have hit harder on Benghazi. But for those who would have loved that, there are those who would have found it distasteful. No matter what tactic you could point to that Romney could have done better, it would have been spun in a way that was detrimental to his chances. Romney would have been an excellent president, and Ryan was an inspired choice. No matter who we ran this year, they would have lost. See #1, above. 3. It's the culture, stupid. We have been trying to fight this battle every four years at the voting booth. It is long past time we admit that is not where the battle really is. We abdicated control of the culture - starting back in the 1960s. And now our largest primary social institutions education, the media, Hollywood (entertainment) have become really nothing more than an assembly line for cranking out reliable little Leftists. Furthermore, we have allowed the government to undermine the institutions that instill good character - marriage, the family, commuPage 18

nities, schools, our churches. So, here we are, at least two full generations later - we are reaping what we have sown. It took nearly fifty years to get here; it will take another fifty years to get back. But it starts with the determination to reclaim education, the media, and the entertainment business. If we fail to do that, we can kiss every election goodbye from here on out. And much more. 4. America has become a nation of adolescents The real loser in this election was adulthood: Maturity. Responsibility. The understanding that liberty must be accompanied by self-restraint. Obama is a spoiled child, and the behavior and language of his followers and their advertisements throughout the campaign makes it clear how many of them are, as well. Romney is a grown-up. Romney should have won. Those of us who expected him to win assumed that voters would act like grownups. Because if we were a nation of grownups, he would have won. But what did win? Sex. Drugs. Bad language. Bad manners. Vulgarity. Lies. Cheating. Name-calling. Finger-pointing. Blaming. And irresponsible spending. This does not bode well. People grow up one of two ways: either they choose to, or circumstances force them to. The warnings are all there, whether it is the looming economic disaster, or the inability of the government to respond to crises like Hurricane Sandy, or the growing strength and brazenness of our enemies. American voters stick their fingers in their ears and say, "Lalalalalala, I can't hear you." It is unpleasant to think about the circumstances it will take to force Americans to grow up. It is even more unpleasant to think about Obama at the helm when those circumstances arrive. 5. Yes, there is apparently a Vagina Vote. It's the subject matter of another column in its entirety to point out, one by one, all of the inconsistencies and hypocrisies of the Democrats this year. Suffice it to say that the only "war on women" was the one waged by the Obama campaign, which sexualized and objectified women, featuring them dressed up like vulvas at the Democrat National Convention, appealing to their "lady parts," comparing voting to losing your virginity with Obama, trumpeting the thrills of destroying our children in the womb (and using our daughters in commercials to do so), and making Catholics pay for their birth control. For a significant number of women, this was appealing. It might call into question the wisdom of the Nineteenth Amendment, but for the fact that large numbers of women (largely married) used their "lady smarts" instead. Either way, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are rolling over in their graves. 6. It's not about giving up on "social issues" No Republican candidate should participate in a debate or go out on the stump without thorough debate prep and a complete set of talking points that they stick to. This should start with a good grounding in biology and a reluctance to purport to know the will of God. (Thank you, Todd and Richard.) That said, we do not hold the values we do because they garner votes. We hold the values we do because we believe that they are time-tested principles without which a civilized, free and prosperous society is not possible.

Page 19

We defend the unborn because we understand that a society which views some lives as expendable is capable of viewing all lives as expendable. We defend family - mothers, fathers, marriage, children - because history makes it quite clear that societies without intact families quickly descend into anarchy and barbarism, and we have plenty of proof of that in our inner cities where marriage is infrequent and unwed motherhood approaches 80 percent. When Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, many thought that the abortion cause was lost. Forty years later, ultrasound technology has demonstrated the inevitable connection between science and morality. More Americans than ever define themselves as "pro-life." What is tragic is that tens of millions of children have lost their lives while Americans figure out what should have been obvious before. There is no "giving up" on social issues. There is only the realization that we have to fight the battle on other fronts. The truth will win out in the end. 7. Obama does not have a mandate. And he does not need one. I have to laugh - bitterly - when I read conservative pundits trying to assure us that Obama "has to know" that he does not have a mandate, and so he will have to govern from the middle. I don't know what they're smoking. Obama does not care that he does not have a mandate. He does not view himself as being elected (much less re-elected) to represent individuals. He views himself as having been re-elected to complete the "fundamental transformation" of America, the basic structure of which he despises. Expect much more of the same - largely the complete disregard of the will of half the American public, his willingness to rule by executive order, and the utter inability of another divided Congress to rein him in. Stanley Kurtz has it all laid out here. 8. The Corrupt Media - is the enemy too strong? I don't think so. I have been watching the media try to throw elections since at least the early 1990s. In 2008 and again this year, we saw the media cravenly cover up for the incompetence and deceit of this President, while demonizing a good, honorable and decent man with lies and smears. This is on top of the daily barrage of insults that conservatives (and by that I mean the electorate, not the politicians) must endure at the hands of this arrogant bunch of elitist snobs. Bias is one thing. What we observed with Benghazi was professional malpractice and fraud. They need to go. Republicans, Libertarians and other conservatives need to be prepared to play hardball with the Pravda press from here on out. And while we are at it, to defend those journalists of whatever political stripe (Jake Tapper, Sharyl Atkisson, Eli Lake) who actually do their jobs. As well as Fox News and talk radio. Because you can fully expect a re-elected Obama to try to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in term 2. 9. Small business and entrepreneurs will be hurt the worst For all the blather about "Wall Street versus Main Street," Obama's statist agenda will unquestionably benefit the biggest corporations which - as with the public sector unions - are in the best position to make campaign donations, hire lobbyists, and get special exemptions carved out from Obama's health care laws, his environmental regulations, his labor laws. It will be the small business, the entrepreneur, and the first-time innovators who will be crushed by their inability to compete on a level playing field. Page 20

10. America is more polarized than ever; and this time it's personal. I've been following politics for a long time, and it feels different this time. Not just for me. I've received messages from other conservatives who are saying the same thing: there is little to no tolerance left out there for those who are bringing this country to its knees - even when they have been our friends. It isn't just about "my guy" versus "your guy." It is my view of America versus your view of America - a crippled, hemorrhaging, debt-laden, weakened and dependent America that I want no part of and resent being foisted on me. I no longer have any patience for stupidity, blindness, or vulgarity, so with each dumb "tweet" or FB post by one of my happily lefty comrades, another one bites the dust, for me. Delete. What does this portend for a divided Congress? I expect that Republicans will be demoralized and chastened for a short time. But I see them in a bad position. Americans in general want Congress to work together. But many do not want Obama's policies, and so Republicans who support them will be toast. Good luck, guys. 11. It's possible that America just has to hit rock bottom. I truly believe that most Americans who voted for Obama have no idea what they are in for. Most simply believe him when he says that all he really wants is for the rich to pay "a little bit more." So reasonable! Who could argue with that except a greedy racist? America is on a horrific bender. Has been for some time now. The warning signs of our fiscal profligacy and culture of lack of personal responsibility are everywhere - too many to mention. We need only look at other countries which have gone the route we are walking now to see what is in store. For the past four years - but certainly within the past campaign season - we have tried to warn Americans. Too many refuse to listen, even when all of the events that have transpired during Obama's presidency - unemployment, economic stagnation, skyrocketing prices, the depression of the dollar, the collapse of foreign policy, Benghazi, hopelessly inept responses to natural disasters - can be tied directly to Obama's statist philosophies, and his decisions. What that means, I fear, is that they will not see what is coming until the whole thing collapses. That is what makes me so sad today. I see the country I love headed toward its own "rock bottom," and I cannot seem to reach those who are taking it there.

Laura Hollis If we cannot regain control of those critical institutions ("that instill good character - marriage, the family, communities, schools, our churches"), that Ms. Hollis enumerated, and rekindle the rational, sane and conservative values they once represented,.....WE ARE DOOMED TO CONTINUE THIS SLIDE INTO A LEFTIST, PROGRESSIVE, LIBERAL LED DECAY and ULTIMATE COLLAPSE.

Page 29 Page 21

 A Faith Worth Dying For

By Mark DeYoung
I want to challenge you and to cause you to measure your faith against the faith of those that are given to us as a standard. Turn in your Bibles toRevelation 12 [New English Translation (NET)] The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon 1 Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. 4 Now the dragons tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days. War in Heaven 7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels. 9 So that huge dragonthe ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole worldwas thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, the one who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down. 11 But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. 12 Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you! He is filled with terrible anger, for he knows that he only has a little time! 13 Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care ofaway from the presence of the serpentfor a time, times, and half a time. 15 Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood, 16 but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. 17 So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep Gods commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus. Lets go to another section of the book of Revelation. Revelation 20 [New English Translation (NET)] 4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. Page 22

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. This morning I want to ask you to measure yourself to these disciples that come through the Great Tribulation. These are people that despite the threat of death, they stay true to their faith. In Revelation 20 we see that some of these folks end up paying the ultimate sacrifice. This world is looking for something worth living for but worth dying for as well. Have you never wondered why the Islamic religion is growing, especially here in the USA? It is because they see people that will fight until they take their last breath in nations all across this world. They see people that value their faith so much that they are willing to die as suicide bombers. They see people that will give all that they have to spread the Muslim faith. They see people that are not impostors that are not fakers, that are not simply acting out something to get ahead. They see people that go all out, give their very lives for their faith. They want that extremism that gives life worth meaning. When your children watch you. Do they see an example of the believer, as Timothy is challenged by Paul to do and to be in 1 Timothy 4:12? 1.) They know whether you are a true Christian or an impostor. 2.) They know whether you tithe and support the church. They learn the value of the Christian faith based partially on this. 3.) They know whether your tithe is out of a sense of duty, or whether it is done joyfully.

4.) They build the value of Christian faith by your attendance and participation in the various activities of the church. 5.) They understand an evangelism that is important, by your example of reaching out to others. Our children are dying to see a faith that is vibrant, a faith that is extreme, a faith that is worth living and dying for

Have you ever wondered how the families became so dysfunctional as described by Jesus in Luke 12, that they would be willing to turn each other into the authorities, to be imprisoned, and even put to death? They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Ladies and gentlemen this is a prophecy that could be fulfilled in our very life time, here in the USA. It is already happening all around this world! And the ground work is being laid in many of our schools. If a child is punished in a way they dont like they are told that they should call the authorities or tell a teacher. This way they can be taken out of that undesirable environment. If there is something going on that should not be, the child should be encouraged to speak up. But too often it is because they have been spanked, when they needed it; or grounded, when they needed it; and that list can go one. This is called conditioning. And it is to prepare the way for these end time realities to take place. The question I want in your mind, today. Is why will this happen? The reason is because these children are dying to see something worth living for! In Revelation I want us to see an example of the ways that man will refuse Gods great salvation Revelation 9:20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, Page 23

silver, bronze, stone, and woodidols that cannot see or hear or walk about. 21 Furthermore, they did not repent of their murders, of their magic spells, of their sexual immorality, or of their stealing. Revelation 16:10-11 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.

Jesus calls being (Revelation 3:16)?

lukewarm

Christian

In Christianity today we have too many that think we are to fit in and not make any waves. We have televangelists that teach that whatever you do or have done is OK. Just feel good about who you are in Christ. If you are not where you think you should be or have what you think you are owed, just name it and claim it in the name of Jesus. The reality is if we are following the words of Jesus, this is what he promises. Luke 12:49-52; 49 I have come to bring fire on the earthand how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. Is this the church of today? Are we living a life that is so wrapped up in the zealousness of our faith, that when people see us they are either drawn to the cross of Christ or repelled? Are we living a life that is bringing division because we are so on fire that we make people uncomfortable about their lifestyles? This is why the Church of God is dying today, our young people have seen a faith of compromise so that we will not come across as offensive. The world is literally dying to see something that is worth living for and even worth dying for. Will they see that in you? Most that hear this message will forget what was even said. Others will reject it out right. Will there be just one that will stand up and step out and show the world what salvation is, what it means to be a Christian what it looks like to be that fanatic for Jesus and His Father? Page 24

In the very last of days, we see that mankind will cling to their rejection of the One True God, even when in such torments that they are chewing their own tongues to offset the pain they are feeling in other places on their bodies. Today we see young people that are already willing to do that, they begin to experiment with sex, alcohol, drugs while still in school. Some will try self-mutilation others will want to be mutilated by others. Many will go into various alternative deviant sexual lifestyles that so many including our government officials are touting as normal. Some dabble in witchcraft, others Christian Science which is neither Christian nor science. Eventually they will try Hinduism, Buddhism Shintoism and any other idolatrous religion. Many will be drawn to Islam. Then there are the good kids that never get into all of the, what we would label as sin. Instead they will worship the god of their Christian parents and chase wealth and/or hobbies, having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof. (2 Timothy 3:5) This morning are you willing to set aside what

Practicing the Presence of God

By Jeff Fletcher
The Reformation did not occur in a vacuum. There were many things

occurring in society and particularly in the intellectual realm that contributed to the shift in thinking that allowed the reformation to occur.
The Church of God General Conference has its roots in the radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. Now, unless youve studied church history in any depth (and most people probably have not) that might not mean much to you. Let me briefly summarize: At one time, all western Christians (as in European) were part of one universal or Catholic Church, with its center in Rome and led by the Pope and his bishops and priests around the world. When Martin Luther challenged some of the practices of the Church and called for reform, it splintered the Church into a multiplicity of churches who protested the Church in a variety of areas. Some protested church government and polity, others protested specific church teaching. Some who offered the greatest challenge to the church teaching we categorize as Radical Reformers- who opposed the practice of infant baptism, many opposed Christian participation in war, and some opposed the doctrine of the trinity. such as Descartes, Spinoza, Kant and others were giving greater emphasis to the mind as opposed to the emotions. This strongly influenced the spiritual practices of Protestant believers who largely rejected many of the mystical prayer practices of the Catholic Church.

There had always been a mystical or contemplative tradition within the Catholic Church: Around 300 AD, the Greek Fathers (Origen, Clement of Alexandria, and Gregory of Nyssa) defined contemplation as the experiential knowledge which comes by love, or the knowledge of God which is impregnated by love. It is a gift of God which comes as the result of meditation upon the word, and resting in the presence of God. In this rest, the mind and heart are still, but are beginning to practically experience what they have sought or learned about in the s c r i p t u r e s . http://www.lostkeysrevelati on.com/cthistory.html The Reformation did not (Accessed on 1/25/13) occur in a vacuum. There The focus was on an were many things occurring experience of God born of in society and particularly in love. It involved the the intellectual realm that process of meditating on contributed to the shift in Gods word and then thinking that allowed the resting in the presence of reformation to occur. One of these was an God facilitated by a stillness of mind. increasing emphasis on the mind or human rationalism. Rationalism looks to reason as the Up through the 12th century, the common source of knowledge. As the reformation was method of prayer for all Christians was called growing into full flower, rationalistic philosophers "lectio divina", a practice which involved reading Page 25

Practicing the Presence of God

scripture at deeper levels of meaning. Involved in on mind and rational thought and shifted the focus to a more practical form of personal piety. This this process are three steps: movement within the Protestant Church tradition 1. meditation - the reflecting with the mind is known as Pietism. Pietism made its upon the meaning of the sacred texts appearance as a distinct historical movement 2. affective prayer - the spontaneous within Protestantism, at the end of the seventeenth movement of the will in response to these and beginning of the eighteenth centuries, around reflections 1690-1730. Its aim was to stress "practical piety," 3. contemplation - the simplification of as distinct from the polemical dogmatic theology meditation and affective prayer to a state of to which the Reformation had initially given a resting quietly in the presence of the Lord. certain priority. Against the intellectualist and abstract understanding of God and of dogmatic These three acts were interwoven and might all take truth, pietism set a practical, active piety: good place in the same period of prayer. Contemplation works, daily self-examination for progress in virtues was regarded as the normal development of according to objective criteria, daily study of the listening to the Word of God. (ibid) Bible and practical application of its moral teaching, intense emotionalism in With its embracing of prayer, a clear break with rationalism and the the "world" and worldly emphasis on the mind practices (dancing, the there was a rejection of theatre, non-religious the contemplative reading); and tendencies practice of stillness of towards separatism, with the mind and resting in the movement holding the presence of God private meetings and within most of Protestant distinguishing itself from spirituality. The focus the "official" Church. For became on the Word pietism, knowledge of and approaching God God presupposes the and praying to God using "rebirth" of man [i.e., a the mind and rational "born again" experience], thought. This and this rebirth is corresponded with understood as living up translation of the Bible from Latin into the common to the moral law of the Gospel and as an emotional language of the people (ie. Luther translates Bible experience of authoritative truths. Pietism into German, Tyndale translates Bible into English presents itself as a mystical piety, and ultimately etc) This made the Word of God more accessible as a form of opposition to knowledge; to the common person. The development of http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/YannarasP moveable type and the printing press made it ietism.php (Accessed 1/25/13) possible for the Bible to read by large numbers of believers and the private reading of the Bible (as With pietism we see a shift away from abstract opposed to previously the Bible only being read in rational thought to more experience reveled by a Church) became a part of individual prayer and focus on actively doing virtuous acts and rejecting spiritual practice. worldly acts. The focus was on morality and a more rigid and highly regulated form of personal Experience tells us that pendulum swing one piety. An example of this can be found in Jeremy way, and then back another way. Some, within the Taylors pietistic work Rules for Holy Living: Protestant tradition reacted to the excessive focus Page 26

Practicing the Presence of God

God is especially present in the consciences of all persons, good and bad, by way of testimony and judgment; that is, he is there a remembrance to call our actions to mind, a witness to bring them to judgment, and a judge to acquit or to condemn. And although this manner of presence is, in this life, after the manner of this life, that is imperfect, and we forget many actions of our lives; yet the greatest changes of our state of grace or sin, our most considerable actions, are always present, like capital letters to an aged and dim eye; and, at the day of judgment, God shall draw aside the cloud, and manifest this manner of his presence more notoriously, and make it appear that he was an observer of our very thoughts, and that he only laid those things by which, because we covered with dust and negligence, were not then discerned. But when we are risen from our dust and imperfection they all appear plain and legible. Now the consideration of this great truth is of a very universal use in the whole course of the life of a Christian. All the consequents and effects of it are universal. He that remembers that God stands a witness and a judge, beholding every secrecy, (sic) besides his impiety, must have put on impudence, if he be not much restrained in his temptation to sin. For the greatest part of sin is taken away, if a man have a witness of his conversation: and he is a great despiser of God who sends a boy away when he is going to commit fornication, and yet will dare to do it, though he knows God is present, and cannot be sent off; as if the eye of a little boy were more awful than the all-seeing eye of God. He is to be feared in public; he is to be feared in private: if you go forth, he spies you; if you go in, he sees you: when you light the candle, he observes you; when you put it out, then also God marks you. Be sure, that while you are in his sight, you behave yourself as becomes so holy a presence. But if you will sin, retire yourself wisely, and go where God cannot see, for nowhere else can you be safe. And certainly, if men would always actually consider, and really esteem this truth, that God is the great eye of the world, always watching over our actions, and an ever-open ear to hear all our words, and an unwearied arm ever lifted up to crush a sinner into ruin, it would be the readiest way in the world to make sin to cease from amongst the children of men, and for men to approach to the blessed estate of the saints in heaven, who cannot sin, for they always walk in the presence and behold the face of God. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/taylor/holy_living.pdf (Accessed 1/25/13) For Bishop Taylor and other pietists, practicing the presence of God had a strongly moral component and was seen as a deterrent to sinful acts. God is always present, God is always watching you, God is always listening to your conversations, and God is ready to smash you down if you sin. With this thought in mind, Bishop Taylor warns, we should be able to avoid sin. After all, he says, you would not commit fornication in front of a child, with the child watching you, in the same way, you should not commit fornication with God watching you. (While this point cannot be argued against, one might point out that even a married couple would not want to engage in appropriate marital sex in front of a child, but having God watching should not be seen as a deterrent). Is this how we, today, wish to Practice the Presence of God? Always looking over our shoulder, aware that God is watching us, kind of like a cosmic Big Brother (from Orwells 1984) Watching You? As a child I can recall being told in Sunday School that God was always watching me. While at times that might have been a deterrent against committing certain sinful acts, more often it served as a cause for private guilt and a fear of God as a frightening figure ready to pounce down and destroy me for failing to live in moral perfection. This was not exactly conducive to achieving an intimate and loving relationship of trust in my heavenly father and appreciation of his grace. This is hardly the knowledge of God which is Page 27

Practicing the Presence of God

impregnated by love that the earlier contemplative tradition sought. It was far different than the gift of God which comes as the result of meditation upon the word, and resting in the presence of God. There is no resting the presence of God when you are constantly terrorized by him looking over your shoulder watching your every act, listening to your every conversation. If a human being treated us in this way we would accuse them of being a control freak or a stalker. What husband or wife would want their spouse treating them this way. What teenager would want their parents that overinvolved with their moment by moment life? What employee wants their boss standing there looking over their shoulder and watching them every moment of their workday? What we need, then, is a contemplative practice that neither worships the mind nor rejects the mind altogether, and which practices the presence of God but in a supportive and loving relationship and not as a watching and punishing all seeing eye. One form of this practice was known as Quietism. In Quietism the mind is withdrawn from worldly interests to passively and constantly contemplate God. The Quietists felt that in thinking about the ways in which we are touched and transformed by God's grace, we should take a very pessimistic view of all human action and emphasize instead the passivity of the believer who is wholly surrendered to and moved by the will of God: One should be distrustful of human initiative; In a corrupt world, one must depend exclusively upon the working of God's grace, which alone can bring one to union with God; In prayer we must therefore remain wholly passive and at rest, waiting upon God, not being concerned with one's spiritual state or progress in the spiritual life. Remaining in a passive state one waits for God to do the one thing that is truly needed and yet beyond our grasp--namely, to create in us a pure love that looks only to God, apart from our own interests, a love in and through which we may enjoy a stable and lasting communion with him. http://www.didymus.org/uploads/3/4/2/1/3421357/ radical_pietism.pdf (Accessed 1/25/13) my Taylor focused on rules to be practiced a focus on morality controlled by an ever watching God, this form of radical pietism waits for God to do his work in our hearts by his spirit. The radical pietists thought that God is essentially love and the cross shows and symbolizes that reality; the Gospel, then, is a call to turn from self-love to a genuine, heartfelt love for God and neighbor. The focus here is on ones affective response to God and the life of piety that results from it. The notion of a cruel deity who carries out retributive punishment and damns people to Hell should be questioned; the idea (found in scholastic and Protestant orthodox theology) that reason was the most important thing and that reason could be used for polemical purposes (battles over doctrine and practice) should be discarded. A human being is sinful only as long as his/her will set on his own advantage, but this is overcome when he/she is awakened and his/her will is conformed to Gods will, so that he/she desires to imitate Christ and, by this means, arrives at perfection in love. Faith, then, is nothing more than love toward God as revealed in Christ. The awakened Christian is a new being in Christ (Ibid).

George Fox took this focus of quietism and made it the basis of the Quaker movement. Their spiritual practice began with a waiting for Gods spirit to move from out of the silence. Silence and waiting upon God gave birth to a very active social ministry. (Quakers were among the first to active oppose slavery) Contemplating and passivity on prayer must not be mistaken for passivity to Christian practice. Those who engage in contemplative prayer often become very active in ministry. The difference is their source of power and inspiration. Rather than the onus being on the person to generate the power and spirit to do The focus of this quietism was a trust in ministry, the onus is on God, He is the one who God to create love in our hearts. Whereas, Jere- generates the spirit and power to service. Page 28

Practicing the Presence of God

How does this square with scripture? As those in the Radical Protestant tradition we always look to scripture as our source of belief and practice. We might consider the story of Elijah. When Elijah was exhausted, depressed and nearly suicidal and ready to give up his life and ministry, God ministered to him, but it was not in the fire or in the wind or the earthquake. God doesnt always use big, loud, noisy external forces to communicate. In this case it was a still, small voice (NIV-Gentle Whisper) Some translate this as stone silence. God spoke to Elijah from out of the silence. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:7 that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. There is a time for silence. When Eli told a young Samuel how to listen for God he told him to lay down and say speak, Lord, your servant is listening. through the mind, this will not make much if any, sense. However, Paul seemed to understand this when he wrote: In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:2627). Gods spirit operates in communion with our spirits on a level beyond simply rational thought. This is not to say that rational thought is wrong or is to be avoided, for we are to love God with all our mind. However, rational thought alone is incomplete. Because along with loving God with Be still, and our minds, we are to love him with our know that I hearts and souls. We love God with our whole being and that includes our am God spirit, that deep inner man that tran(Psalm 46:10) scends mere rational thought. Contemplative prayer or approaching God in silence and stillness is a means of allowing Gods spirit to communicate directly to our spirit in a very personal way. If youve never done so, I would invite you to enter into a time of silence with God. Seek to empty your mind of all concerns and distractions, release them. Dont go to God with a problem to be solved or a question to be answered, but simply go in silence to be present with God. Be aware that you are with God, that you are in his presence, that he is looking upon you with love even as you enter his presence, and simply be with God. I dont know what will happen. Maybe, it will seem that nothing is happening, and that is okay. Simply be with God, and let him set the agenda for you. If he has something to say to you, He will say it, and you will be ready to listen. If not, youve been with God, and time with God is never wasted. Try it for 20 minutes a day for a week. Perhaps you will make it a regular part of your spiritual discipline. And the more you practice it formally, the more it will spill over into all of your life, and you will find yourself beginning to be aware of Gods presence throughout your day, and as Paul said, you will be praying without ceasing. But baby steps Page 29

God himself said: Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) And Solomon wisely counseled: Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2 In my personal life, I can say that silence is a great gift that Ive come to appreciate. Im not one who is quick to say God spoke to me or God told me to do this, and yet, the two times in my life when I was most aware of Gods speaking to me, not in an audible voice, but in a very clear and specific way I knew that it was God speaking a direct word to me, both of those instances came during times when I was on private retreats and in periods of extended silence. In one instance I had been on a personal retreat for a week, and at the end of that time of silence and prayer I heard a very clear, very precise and very specific word from God. It came as a prophetic word of preparation for me, and it was fulfilled just as I had been told. I can offer no rational explanation for this. For those who are only used to dealing with God on a rational basis, who only understand God

She Keeps On Walkin

By Rick Marschall
We all walk along pathways, sometimes smooth, sometimes rocky -- inevitably smooth AND rocky -- and, taken together, the pathways are called Life. How we walk or run, how we deal with obstacles on the pathway, and our companions we choose or choose us, all define the journey. Today's guest message is by my daughter Heather Shaw, sharing profound thoughts about her walk. -I have been on this path for as long as I can remember -- sometimes walking, sometimes running, but always moving forward. Step, step, step. For years the path was relatively easy. There had been some unexpected twists and bumps, as well as some detours, that had frustrated me. But overall there wasn't anything I couldn't handle, and it had been a pleasant path to be on. After a long, rocky, twisty stretch, the path suddenly turned a corner and in front of me was a smooth, straight path. All around there were signs of springtime. It was a welcome sight after the last twists and turns, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It didn't happen often to have this kind of an easy path, and I was filled with joy. I ran along happily, excited about all the sights I could see down the way. I couldn't wait to get to those milestones, and dreamt about what it would be like when I would arrive. Step, step, step. Suddenly, without warning, Darkness descended and violently shoved me off my path and onto another path. This new path was not at all like the last path or any I had been on before. I'd done rocky paths before, but this one was covered by sharp, jagged boulders that I had to climb over or around. It was messy -- muddy and covered by debris. As I regained my balance and started to move forward again, I realized that I had been severely injured when I had been shoved. I looked down at my legs and saw that both were mangled. Stopping was not an option. I had to keep moving forward on this messy, new path. Step... step... Step As I limped forward, I began to hear voices from others who were calling out while traveling on their paths: "Don't worry! That must have been the plan for you! It will all turn out good!" Good? I wondered. Darkness shoved me. Does Darkness ever have a good plan? "You're strong -- you must have been chosen to travel your path since you can handle it!" Huh, I think. Sounds like a rotten gift. "At least you still have your arms!" Someone yelled out. I wonder how in the world that is helpful as I limp along. I liked my legs. They were different from my arms and very much a part of me. Page 30 Page 30

I nodded my head as each voice spoke. I understand. They try to make sense of what happened to me. I wished they would be quiet; they were hurting me more. Some others ran up closer, rather than calling from a distance. They briefly came near and said, "Wow. That's a hard path you're on. You're doing great!" and then quickly ran back to the safety of their own path. Again I nodded. I understand. They care for me, but don't know what to do and are possibly scared that the same thing could happen to them. Some who traveled my path returned again to tell me that it will be OK -- there are some spots up ahead that will be better than where I am now. They said that I would slowly learn to walk better and the pain will lessen... but the limp will remain until the end of my path. These people are brave, to have gone back to places they had already struggled through, to encourage me. I admire them. And then there were those voices I heard through the fog, calling out, "I'm here! I don't know what to do or how to help, but I'm here, my friend." And instead of running back to the safety of their paths, they rearrange their paths to be close to mine. They are getting messy right along with me. Step... step... Step People ask how I'm doing. They listen to me ramble on about how unfair it is or how in pain I am. They listen to me talk about my old path and how I miss it and what it would be like if I were still on it. They understand if I need to be silent. They let me cry. They don't try to make up answers to the whys. They spend time with me just being friends. I can see on their faces that being close to my path sometimes makes them uncomfortable, but yet they stay close. They stay right by me, urging me to keep going. To do one more step, and then another, and then another. Step... step... Step And then there's one more Friend. He doesn't just walk near me -- I feel His arm always around me. I don't -- or can't -- hear Him say much other than "I'm here." I yell at this Friend often: Did He shove me off the path? Was this His idea to bring me, injured, to this muddy, boulder-filled path? Why didn't He stop the Darkness as it shoved me and injured me? Other times I just cry to Him. I hurt. I'm not supposed to be here. I get no answers. Just, "I'm here." Sometimes when I look to my side, I can faintly see my old smooth path through the trees. I see the milestones and the places where I thought I'd get to. I want to jump off my current path and go over there but I know it is impossible. Sometimes I want to curl up and just escape this nightmare of a path and go back to that dream. But my friends, and my Friend, help me keep putting one foot in front of the other. "You are doing great," someone says, "You're stronger than you think!" And that helps me keep going. Step... step... Step I hate this new path and the new way of walking, but at the same time I am starting to enjoy parts of it. I have learned to appreciate the moments where the path clears up a bit. I pause to look around and I enjoy the beauty that I see around me. I enjoy the small things, not knowing if around the bend Darkness waits for me again. I appreciate those who have gotten messy with me. I know as I watch them traveling close by that it can Page 31

Gods Gifts to Us
By Kent Ross But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1st Corinthians 12:7 This begins Pauls explanation of how Christs church is to function. Part One: 1st Corinthians 12:1-11 & 27-31a Introduction Were embarking on a series of five teachings that are all part of Pauls teaching about how the church should successfully function. Too many churches today, like the church in Corinth back then, can do church, but when were not doing it the way our Lord designed it to work, it is no wonder churches often are less than what the Lord intended them to be. Mediocrity seems to be too much the norm in our own churches, Some even show a "form of godliness, but deny it's power" by their functioning as a church and as people. Based on the first part of the twelfth chapter, Paul explains the source of what are often labeled spiritual gifts. That sometimes sets off alarm bells in our head for fears of just what some of those "gifts" have been. Some like speaking in tongues, or interpreting those tongues, and others, have often caused us to not even consider the entire scope of this important teaching. The second will continue our study in 1st Corinthians 12 as Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to explain how the church is to function likening it to the various parts of our bodies, which each have special functions, nevertheless, they are expected to function together for the bodies ultimately succeeding in its tasks. While the third may seem off the topic of spiritual gifts, it is not at all. The thirteenth chapter, famously known as the love chapter explains the place of love in tempering the excitement, and yes, the abuse and misuse, of spiritual gifts. This is critical to have the gifts functioning in the body of Christ smoothly, like oil in an engine. In the fourth, Paul returns very specifically to the issue of abuse of the spiritual gifts given each of us. They need to be understood, not being

abused, as raving in strange tongues was appearing, as some in Corinth apparently were doing. Their pride over this gift was very misplaced. Our final part of the teaching, also taken from 1st Corinthians 14, takes the issue of intelligibility and focuses on how this affects our worship. So let us begin our study of what could potentially ignite our churches and we could see your church unleashed, to see it as envisioned by Christ, reaching its generation . . . much like the New Testament Church in their world.

Bible Learning 12:1 Paul first explains that we must not be unaware of this teaching. Other translations use "we ought not to be uninformed, or ignorant." Evidently the church in Corinth understood this teaching incompletely, and those misconceptions were causing problems in the church. Though not clearly explained here, we discern in the ongoing texts, some indication of what they may have been. 12:2 He refers back to when they were pagans. However it happened, Paul says, even mute idols, deceived them. 12:3 Now they need to listen carefully as Pau; explains to them these truths. 12:4-6 They needed to realize that these gifts are from the Lord. He describes them as varieties of gifts, ministries and effects. While what each has will differ as to kind, or sort of gift, and will differ in how it and they may be utilized in our ministries, and while they make bring about differing effects . . . they all are from the Lord. 12:7 This verse has three important subpoints that need clarification: Page 32

1) Each one, or each Christian, is gifted. Peter had said as much in Acts 2:38,39, when he said we must repent and be baptized . . . and we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When Peter said this it followed the manifestation of the Holy Spirit with tongues of fire. Paul here explains that the gifting of the Sprit of God is manifest in different expressions. 2) The way Gods Spirit, sent by the Lord, makes itself known in us will be quite different as to its expression through us, and its effect on those with whom we come in contact. 3) But it will always be for the common good . . . of both mankind, but especially among the household of faith (and were reminded of Pauls admonition about doing good to all men, but especially of the household of faith Galatians 3:10) 12:8-10 Paul lists nine expressions of God in and among His people, though some suggest there are many more. One writer has said that though many Christians will have several, perhaps, of these, usually they will have one, perhaps two, to an extraordinary degree. These nine that Paul lists are:

Corinthian's church, we seek to understand how they should work among us for the common good. 12: 27-31a Paul, after the metaphor of the Body, which is in our next lesson, adds to his teaching by indicating this distinction. While we are all part of the Body of Christ and are all gifted in some way, for the common good of the Body, we will not all have the same gift or gifts. Perhaps that was one of that churchs struggles . . . that they all wanted to greater (did they mean more spectacular gifts), and it didnt work that way. It is God who makes those appointments and gives those gifts to men. Their totality is for the common God of Christs church. In the next section, when we study the metaphor of the Body of Christ, we will come back to this transition when Paul seems to say, Let me show you, explain to you, what really is the best way.

Applying Paul's Instructions: Ignorance It may be that many are ignorant, or even frightened of the topic. It can be a divisive topic and one we would like to ignore. But Paul clearly indicates that we should not remain ignorant about this. His teaching is to inform Christs church 1) Word of wisdom (even without formal education, and help it to become all it can be doing it His way. some have deep spiritual wisdom) Very few churches operate with these three 2) Word of knowledge (there are others that have chapters as their guide. Sometimes they try to formalized their education, as did Paul, but some adopt practices from other groups, which may or may have education but lack wisdom) 3) Faith (though faith is to be part of all of us, this may not be appropriate for this part of the Body. David Krogh, past President of Atlanta Bible seems to indicate some have it to the nth degree, College was wont to challenge us on the staff that such as Peter stepping out and walking on the if we kept doing the same things year after year, water.) 4) Gifts of healing (they had experience with why would we expect different results. That is why understanding the Lords teaching seeing some instances occur) for us, in our part of the Body, and applying it to 5) Effecting of miracles (they also saw this with our part of the Body will bring us His blessing, the Paul and others in the church) 6) Prophecy (speaking wisely of future coming blessing He has for us. Yes, collectively for the entirety of the Body of Christ, but also very events) 7) Distinguishing of spirits (the ability to sense if specifically for our own part of the Body, wherever we may be located across the globe. it is Gods Spirit present, or another) 8) Tongues (usually other languages are indicated, To each one is given If this is so, and it is with the one expression of Pauls in chapter 13:1), always unwise to question the testimony of and the 9) Interpretation of tongues (and Paul indicates Scripture, then we must accept Pauls statement that to each one is given a gift or talent that is to that this is a necessity, if tongues are present). be used for the common good of the Body. Of those nine gifts here indicated, there is no Sometimes we have difficulty understanding these various expressions of God among us, but indication that idleness or inactivity is given to any clearly they all are from Him and therefore with the of Gods people. Unfortunately, too many Page 33

Consider Your Response Determining which gift you may have been The variety of spiritual talents. As was briefly given by God seems to be something for each mentioned in our Bible discussion, Paul here lists church and each Christian to consider. Paul clearly points to a different direction for nine. Many Bible teachers suggest there may be many more. Suffice it to say that Paul here todays church. It isnt supposed to just happen, identifies nine . . . and these nine may be but to realize how our Lord planned for His church specifically what the church in Corinth needed to to function. Discovering the Lords Plan challenges us to succeed. But we can expect that these nine may also be consider how we ought to consider doing them in needed in our own church. Perhaps not all of them. this church, His church, or is it ours? One well-known leader said, God only gives to a church those gifts it can accept. That was his view, How Might You Answer These Questions: and from his experience it seemed to be valid, but 1. Why don't most churches operate this way? Does yours? there is no Scripture to suggest that. Still, can you identify people in your church with 2. Why are some leaders or officers selected who are not as good a fit for their office. any of those nine varieties of spiritual gifts. 3. What basis is used in selected who should be 1) Wisdom and Knowledge may be expected in leaders in your church? Does it more often depend on who they are, than how they may be gifted by your pastor and perhaps the elders. 2) Those gifts of Faith, maybe Healing, possibly God? Prophecy (if by it is meant forth-telling and fore- 4. How might you discover what your gift or gifts might be, since all Christians, according to Paul, telling), and perhaps Miracles. 3) Distinguishing of spirits is difficult to understand, are gifted? but in this authors personal experience there have 5. Can a church actually operate this way today? been times when, without words being used, it 6. What changes would have to be made in your became apparent that an individual was not being church to be more in line with this Plan Paul presents? led by a godly Spirit. Page 34

Christians are unsure of what they might have been given as a spiritual gift, or gifts. It isnt that they dont want to serve, but have never understood how it is that they have been gifted to function as part of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 2:10 comes to our mind. Paul, in the previous two verses there, explains how were saved by grace and not be works, so none of us can boast regarding being people who have expectations of being in the coming Kingdom of God. Our expectation is due to God and not due to anything we have to offer. But verse 10 carries on with Pauls thought when he then adds: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Obviously he speaks of our new lives in Christ. Notice that the newly created being is Gods workmanship, not our own. What He has created us to be may even differ from that which we were. We expect our characters and our characteristics to be different, but so, too, may be our talents, gifts and abilities.

4) The gifts of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues are not customarily experienced in our churches. If they have been, they have often, maybe usually been divisive. Divisive because we dont understand their need today, or those who speak in tongues may have no concept of other Biblical teachings, or it may be that the Lord has decided it would not be beneficial to us. But it is difficult to deny it as a possibility, should God give it.

Upcoming Church of God General Conference Events

Feb 7 - Feb 10 Minister's & Spouse Retreat (Orlando, FL)

Mar 1 - Mar 3 Refuge

Mar 21 - Mar 24 ABC-i Apr 7 - Apr 12 Christian Workers Seminar

May 2 - May 5 Theological Conference July 10-12 General Conference July 21-26 FUEL September 19-21 Heritage Conference

More information at : http://www.abc-coggc.org/

Page 35